CHAPTER XVI.

FOR WHAT END AND IN WHAT MANNER THE HOLY SCRIPTURES SHOULD BE READ.

BE thou given to reading, to sermons, and to other spiritual exercises. Let reading prevent weariness in prayer let prayer or meditation season the study of books; and let both reading and prayer be relieved and strengthened by the interposition of some suitable manual labour. For variety in our exercises is of great assistance, especially to those who have not yet received the more perfect gifts of the Holy Spirit. If, therefore, when thou art reading, thou dost leave it before thou art weary of it, to occupy thyself with prayer or meditation; and again, before thou art weighed down by the effort of prayer, thou dost seek afresh the exercise of reading, and dost opportunely intermingle writing or some other external employment; thou wilt retain the strength and alacrity of thy mind. But if, forgetting thy own weakness, thou wilt persist in prolonging thy reading or thy prayer beyond the proper time, and even till it becomes distasteful, thou wilt be utterly inert and worthless, and thou wilt be reluctant to return to the exercise with which thou hast been satiated.

Do thou read willingly that which is of spiritual profit; labouring earnestly to learn the manner of a holy life, and how to know and love God. That reading is vain which does not subserve either piety or a just and reasonable necessity. When thou preparest 39to read holy books, let thy intention be simple; be thou led by the desire of pleasing God, joined with holy humility; otherwise, if thou shouldst be led by evil curiosity and pride, the result of thy reading will be full of peril. For thou mayest easily convert into poison to thyself the wholesome honey which thou shouldst suck from the flowers of Holy Scripture; either working out for thyself I know not what marvellously perverse interpretations, or approving those which have been devised by others. It behoves us to lean in all things upon the Catholic Faith, humbly to follow the footsteps of the orthodox Fathers, and to adhere most firmly to the dogmas of Mother Church, not pertinaciously following our own opinion. If, having leisure, and God giving the grace, thou dost devote thyself in earnest to spiritual reading, and dost bring a pious mind to the study of the, word of God, thou wilt be marvellously strengthened in thy holy resolutions; thy spirit will be exhilarated, and thou wilt experience unspeakable delights, utterly unknown to those who are devoted to vanity and worldly pursuits, and seek not after eternal things. To such, indeed, holy reading is not bread but a stone.

Remember also that the good of the soul consists not in eloquence nor in beauty of words. Wherefore, thou shalt never mock nor despise what is spoken holily indeed, but not politely nor eloquently; for such levity is an evident sign of a vain and arrogant mind. In reading require not, I say, refined language, if it is absent; nor rashly despise it when thou dost find it; but receive with thankfulness all that is good 40and useful, whether it be expressed in rude and simple words, or in cultivated and elegant language; and he not weary of often reading or hearing the same things. Those who look for the attractiveness of words rather than for the fruit of their teaching, are like those who chase butterflies instead of stags, or collect leaves and straws for apples. The excessive love of eloquence very easily turns away the minds of the careless from God and from piety, and bringing them to the precipice of pride and self-love, renders them, as it were, atheists. The heathen, who are ignorant of the humility of the Gospel, extol and admire eloquence; but Christians commend and embrace holiness of life. He who thinks not humbly of himself, who loves not God, is in reality dumb and childish, though he be thought learned and accomplished. Yet, it is not eloquence itself, but the abuse of eloquence, which is to be condemned.

Do thou confine thyself prudently to a certain course of reading, and observe some rule; for unsteady reading, if there is no good reason for it, dissipates rather than improves the mind.

When any obscure passages occur in Holy Scripture which thou canst not understand, hold them in veneration, and pass on simply, unless there be any cause for doing otherwise; for thus thou wilt happily avoid both curiosity and labour. Such is the virtue of divine words, that they bring forth great fruit in the faithful soul, not only when they are perfectly understood, but also when they are piously received without being clearly understood; nor did our Lord 41say in vain, “The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life” (St. John vi. 64).

Again, be not grieved because thon canst not remember all that thou readest or hearest. For, as a vessel through which water is often poured remains clean, though all the water has run off; so the pious mind through which spiritual doctrine often passes is kept pure, even if the holy words themselves remain not.

When thou derives t from thy reading spiritual consolation, tranquillity of mind, pious affections, and a will prompt to fulfil the commands of God, thou dost reap truly great and important fruit from it. Do thou not always refer to others, but rather apply to thyself what is written or spoken about vices: lest thou embarrass and taint thy mind with various suspicious and rash judgments.