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be assisted by the light, so neither can a man live well but by the eternal 
light which is derived from God,” as St. Austin says.* 
God, who desires that all men be saved, offers this greatest of treas¬ 
ures to every one, enlightening every man that cometh into this world. 
“If we neglect to pray assiduously for this divine succor,” says an¬ 
other spiritual writer, “if we are not solicitous faithfully to preserve and 
improve this most excellent gift of God, we destroy in our souls the prin¬ 
ciple of our spiritual life and of eternal glory, and trample, as it were, 
under our feet the price of Christ's Sacred Blood. 
The graces which we reject are seeds which would fructify to a hun¬ 
dred-fold ; they &re talents, which, if put out to the banker, would be mul¬ 
tiplied ; faithfully corresponded with, they would make us saints; but the 
abuse of them will be our greatest crime, and our heaviest condemnation.” 
Mind, then, oh Christian souls, what the Scripture tells you, and 
listen to the voice saying: “Hear me, ye divine offspring, and bud forth 
as the rose planted by the brooks of waters. 
Give ye a sweet odor as frankincense. 
Send forth ffowers, as the lily, and yield a smell, and bring forth 
leaves in grace , and praise with canticles, and bless the Lord in his works.” 
—Ecclus. xxxix., 17-19. 
*S. Aug. 1. de Nat. et Orat. c. 26 t. 10. 
