Page images
PDF
EPUB

the lusts of the flesh, that I was induced to inquire as to the views entertained upon the subject by the modern executive of the Church of England. I found, on application to competent persons, that it is not deemed expedient to be very diffuse upon the observance of the seventh commandment. I was referred, indeed, by one worthy divine to the head of "Fasts and Vigils" in our Offices; but, after careful perusal, I was unable to discover much that could be of assistance to the earnest layman, desirous to arm himself against the promptings of nature and imagination.

The contrast, we may remark, between the common sense and wisdom of the more ancient writers and some modern ecclesiastical views on these subjects is rather painful. All the help that one excellent clergyman can give to tempted brethren is this: "Another man is tormented by evil thoughts at night. Let him be directed to cross his arms upon his breast, and extend himself as if he were lying in his coffin. Let him endeavour to think of himself as he will be one day stretched in death. If such solemn thoughts do not drive away evil imaginings, let him rise from his bed and lie on the floor."

As will be seen by reference to pp. 69-73, there is just so much truth in this advice as to cause a regret that the adviser had not the courage or the knowledge sufficient to go farther, and make it practical and useful.

I believe that in the writings of the more eminent divines among the various bodies of Dissenters in England, and the Protestant communities throughout Europe, there are to be found very few discussions of the subject of sexual temptations which can be appealed to as real aids to continence. Reference to the list of authorities I have consulted will show that some have, however, mentioned the subject.

The Church of Rome, with that practical wisdom which so often characterizes her, and which no Protestant prejudices should lead us to deny, has, in many of her arrangements, and in much of her authorized teaching, fully and sympathizingly recognized the great facts of the existence and intensity of sexual misery and temptation, and of the absolute necessity of

perfect purity, for those who would reap the blessings of continence.1

sents.

St. Francis de Sales
Hence let each per-
confessor, and regu-

6

11. Of this commandment we can say but little. says that chastity is sullied by the bare mention of it. son, in his doubts on this subject, take advice from his late his conduct according to the direction which he receives. I will only observe here in general that it is necessary to confess, not only all acts, but also improper touches, all unchaste looks, all obscene words, and whether they are spoken with complacency and danger of scandal to others. It is, moreover, necessary to confess all immodest thoughts. Some uninstructed persons imagine that they are bound only to confess impure actions; they must also confess all the bad thoughts to which they have consented. Human laws forbid only external acts, because men see only what is manifested externally; but God, who sees the heart, condemns every evil thought. Man sees those things that appear; but the Lord beholdeth the heart.' (1 Kings xvi, 7.) This holds for every species of bad thoughts to which the will con-. In a word, before God it is a sin to desire whatever is criminal in act. "2. I have said thoughts to which the will consents. Hence, it is necessary to know how to determine when a bad thought is a mortal sin, when it is venial, and when it is not sinful at all. In every sin of thought there are three things; the suggestion, the delectation, and the consent. The suggestion is the first thought of doing an evil action which is presented to the mind. This is no sin; on the contrary, when the will rejects it, we merit a reward. 'As often,' says St. Antoine, 'as you resist, so often are you crowned.' Even the saints have been tormented by bad thoughts. To conquer a temptation against chastity, St. Benedict threw himself among thorns, St. Peter of Alcantara cast himself into a frozen pool. Even St. Paul writes that he was tempted against purity. There was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan to buffet me.' (2 Cor. xii, 7.) He several times implored the Lord to deliver him from the temptation. For which thing thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me.' The Lord refused to free him from the temptation, but said to him: 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' And why did God refuse to remove the temptation? That, by resisting it, the saint might gain greater merit. For power is made perfect in infirmity.'

[ocr errors]

"3. After the suggestion comes the delectation. When a person is not careful to banish the temptation immediately, but stops to reason with it, the thought instantly begins to delight, and thus continues to gain the consent of the will. As long as the will withholds the consent, the sin is only venial, and not mortal. But, if the soul does not turn to God, and make an effort to resist the delectation, the consent will be easily obtained. 'Unless,' says St. Anselm, 'a person repel the delectation, it passes into consent,. and kills the soul.'

"4. The soul loses the grace of God, and is condemned to hell, the instant a person consents to the desire of committing sin, or delights in thinking of

a

5

х

[ocr errors]

Training of the will.—And now, leaving the religious aids to continence to those authorized to speak on the subject from that

the immodest action, as if he were then committing it. This is called morose delectation, which is different from the sin of desire. He who contracts the habit of consenting to bad thoughts, exposes himself to great danger of dying in sin-first, because it is very easy to commit sins of thought. In a quarter of an hour a person may entertain a thousand bad thoughts; and every thought to which he consents deserves a hell for itself.

"5. My brother, do not say, as many do, that the sins against chastity are light sins, and that God has compassion on such sins. What! Do you say that it is a light sin? But it is a mortal sin: even a sin of thought against chastity is a mortal sin, and is sufficient to send you to hell. No fornicator hath inheritance in the kingdom of Jesus Christ and of God.' (Eph. v, 5.) Is it a light sin? Even the pagans held impurity to be the worst of vices, on account of the bad effects which it produces. Seneca says: 'Impurity is the foremost of the world's wickedness;' and Cicero writes: There is no more heinous pest than the indulgence of uncleanness.'-St. Isadore has written: 'Whatsoever sin you name, you shall find nothing equal to this crime.'

"12. For those who are unable to abstain from impurity, or who are in great danger of falling into it, God has, as St. Paul says, instituted matrimony as a remedy. But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to be burnt.' (1 Cor. vii, 9.) But, some may say, father, marriage is a great burden. Who denies it? But have you heard the words of the apostle? It is better to marry, and to bear this great burden, than to burn forever in hell. But do not imagine that, for those who are unwilling or unable to marry, there is no other means but marriage by which they may preserve chastity. By the grace of God, and by recommending themselves to Him, they can conquer all the temptations of hell. What are the remedies? Behold them.

"13. The first remedy is to humble ourselves constantly before God. The Lord chastises the pride of some by permitting them to fall into a sin against chastity. It is necessary, then, to be humble, and to distrust altogether our own strength. David confessed that he had fallen into sin in consequence of not having been humble, and of having, perhaps, trusted too much to himself. Before I was humbled I offended.' (Ps. cxviii, 67.) We must, then, be always afraid of ourselves, and must trust in God that he will preserve us from sin.

"14. The second remedy is instantly to have recourse to God for help, without stopping to reason with the temptation. When an impure image is presented to the mind, we must immediately endeavour to turn our thoughts to God or to something which is indifferent.

[ocr errors]

"15. The third remedy is to frequent the sacraments of penance and eucharist. It is very useful to disclose unchaste temptations to your confessor. St. Philip Neri says that a temptation disclosed is half conquered. And should

point of view, let us consider whether there is not much practical counsel to be given to the boy or young man who, having been a person have the misfortune to fall into a sin against purity, let him go to confession immediately. By ordering him, whenever he fell into sin, to confess it immediately, St. Philip Neri freed a young man from this sin. The holy communion has great efficacy in giving strength to conquer temptations against chastity. The Most Holy Sacrament is called 'wine springing forth virgins.' (Zach. ix, 17.) The wine is converted into the blood of Jesus Christ by the words of consecration. Earthly wine is injurious to chastity; but the celestial wine preserves it.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

strength of tow thrown into the Would it not be a miracle if tow also be a miracle if we exposed According to St. Bernardine, of

"17. The fifth remedy, which is the most necessary for avoiding sins against chastity, is to fly from dangerous occasions. Generally speaking, the first of all the means of preserving yourself always chaste, is to avoid the occasions of sin. The means are, to frequent the sacraments, to have recourse to God in temptation, to be devoted to the Blessed Virgin; but the first of all is to avoid the occasion of sin. And your strength,' says Isaias, shall be as the ashes of tow. and there shall be none to quench it.' (Isa. i, 31.) Our strength is like the fire-it is instantly burned and consumed. cast into the fire did not burn? It would ourselves to the occasion, and did not fall. Sienna, it is a greater miracle not to fall in the occasion of sin, than to raise a dead man to life. 'It is a greater miracle not to fall when one is in the occasion of sin, than to resuscitate the dead.' St. Philip Neri used to say in the warfare of the flesh, cowards-that is, they who fly from occasions-are always victorious. You say: I hope that God will assist me. But God says: 'He that loveth danger shall perish in it.' (Eccl. iii, 27.) God does not assist those who, without necessity, expose themselves voluntarily to the occasion of sin. It is necessary to know that he who puts himself in the proximate occasion of sin is in the state of sin, though he should have no intention of committing the principal sin to which he exposes himself. . . .

"22. But let us return to the necessity of avoiding the occasions of sin. It is necessary also to abstain from looking at immodest pictures. St. Charles Borromeo forbids all fathers of families to keep such pictures in their houses. It is necessary also to abstain from reading bad books, and not only from those that are positively obscene, but also from those that treat of profane love, such as certain poems, Ariosto, Pastor Fido, and all such works. O fathers! be careful not to allow your children to read romances. These sometimes do more harm than even obscene books: they infuse into young persons certain malignant affections, which destroy devotion, and afterwards impel them to give themselves up to sin. 'Vain reading,' says St. Bonaventure, 'begets vain thoughts, and extinguishes devotion.' Make your children read spiritual books, ecclesiastical histories, and the lives of the saints. And here I repeat: do not allow your daughters to be taught letters by a man, though he be a St. Paul, or a St. Francis of Assisium. The saints are in heaven."-" Instruc

made aware (as I have suggested he should be) of the ruinous effects of early impurty-is desirous of living a life of continence.

His object is our object for him ought to be-to preserve a pure and healthy mind in a pure and healthy body. Judiciously directed training and exercise of both towards this definite object would, I am sure, in most cases, reduce the difficulty of living a chaste life to the minimum, and, indeed, render the conflict rather a proud and thankful sense of self-command than an arduous struggle.

The first requisite is, that power of the mind over outer circumstances which we call "a strong will." Without this resolute grasp of the intellect and moral nature, to direct, control, and thoroughly master all the animal instincts, a man's life is but an aimless, rudderless drifting, at the mercy of every gust of passion or breeze of inclination towards tolerably certain shipwreck.

It is a solemn truth that the sovereignty of the will, or, in other words the command of the man over himself and his outward circumstances, is a matter of habit. Every victory strengthens the victor. With one, long years of courageous self-rule have made it apparently impossible for him ever to yield. The whole force of his character, braced and multiplied by the exercise of a lifetime, drives him with unwavering energy along his chosen course of purity. The very word we have used—continence-admirably expresses the firm and watchful hold with which his trained and disciplined will grasps and guides all the circumstances and influences of his life.

Contrast with this man the feeble-willed; for him the first

tions on the Commandments and Sacraments," translated from the Italian of Saint Alphonsus M. Liguori, Bishop of Agatha, by a Catholic Clergyman, pp.

154-173.

Divest this advice from the peculiar colouring derived from the Church of the writer, and, for the priestly confessor, substitute reverently the ear of our loving Father who is in heaven, and of Him who took our human nature upon Him in its completeness, that we might have no doubt as to His capability of sympathizing with us in all our troubles and infirmities-Protestantize its phraseology in short-and it would be difficult to find any more worthy of adoption.-W. A.

« PreviousContinue »