Pv 11, 23

W 5, 15

their hope the abomination When it is yet in flower, and of the soul. is not plucked up with the The desire of the just is hand, it withereth before all all good: the expectation of herbs. Even so are the the wicked is indignation. ways of all that forget God, The hope of the wicked is and the hope of the hypocrite as dust which is blown away shall perish:- His folly shall with the wind, and as a thin not please him, and his trust froth which is dispersed by shall be like the spider's web. the storm, and a smoke that -He shall lean upon his is scattered abroad by the house, and it shall not stand: wind, and as a remembrance he shall prop it up, and it of a guest of one day that shall not rise. passeth by. The hopes of a man that is Eci 34, 1 Jb8, 11-15 Can the rush be green void of understanding are without moisture? or a sedge- vain and deceitful; bush grow without water ?-dreams lift up fools.

Je 17, 5-6

5.

and

-LOSS AND PUNISHMENT OF THOSE WHO TRUST
IN MAN RATHER THAN IN GOD.

Cursed be the man that Wherefore thou hast done
trusteth in man, and maketh foolishly, and for this cause
flesh his arm, and whose heart from this time wars shall
departeth from the Lord.-arise against thee.

-For he shall be like tamaric You are all troublesome Jb 16, 2 in the desert, and he shall comforters.

not see when good shall come: Vain are the sons of men, Ps 61, 10 but he shall dwell in dryness the sons of men are liars in

in the desert in a salt land, the balances, that by vanity

and not inhabited.

they may together deceive.

2P16, 7-9 Hanani the prophet came O, grant us help from trou- Ps 107, 13 to Asa, King of Juda, and ble: for vain is the help of

said to him: Because thou man.

hast had confidence in the Put not your trust in Ps 145, 2 King of Syria, and not in the princes: in the children of

Lord thy God, therefore hath men, in whom there is no

the army of the King of Syria salvation.

escaped out of thy hand.- He that trusteth in his Ps 28, 26
Were not the Ethiopians own heart is a fool.

and the Libyans much more Wo to you, apostate chil- Is 30, 1-5
numerous in chariots, and dren, saith the Lord, that
horsemen, and an exceeding you would take counsel, and
great multitude? yet because not of Me: and would begin
thou trustedst in the Lord, a web, and not by My Spirit,
He delivered them into thy that you might add sin upon
hand. The eyes of the Lord sin!-Who walk to go down
behold all the earth, and give into Egypt, and have not
strength to those who with asked at My mouth, hoping
a perfect heart trust in Him. for help in the strength of

18 30, 7

Is 30, 16

17

Pharao, and trusting in the will spread My net upon
shadow of Egypt.-And the them: I will bring them
strength of Pharao shall be down as the fowl of the air,
to your confusion, and the I will strike them as their
confidence of the shadow of congregation hath heard.
Egypt to your shame.-For Israel hath forgotten his Os 8,14
thy princes were in Tanis, Maker, and hath built tem-
and thy messengers came ples: and Juda hath built
even to Hanes.-They were many fenced cities: and I
all confounded at a people will send fire upon his cities,
that could not profit them and it shall devour the houses
they were no help, nor to thereof.

any profit, but to confusion Wo to you that are wealthy Am6,1
and to reproach.
in Sion, and to you that have

Egypt shall help in vain, confidence in the mountain
and to no purpose: therefore of Samaria: ye great men,
have I cried concerning this: heads of the people, that go
It is pride only; sit still. in with state into the House
No, but we will flee to of Israel!

19

horses: therefore shall you Hail shall overturn the Is 28, 17 flee. And we will mount hope of falsehood: and waters upon swift ones: therefore shall overflow its protection. shall they be swifter that Your league with death Is 28, 18shall pursue after you.-A shall be abolished, and your thousand men shall flee for covenant with hell shall not fear of one and for fear of stand: when the overflowfive shall you flee, till you be ing scourge shall pass, you left as the mast of a ship on shall be trodden down by it. the top of a mountain, and -Whensoever it shall pass as an ensign upon a hill. through, it shall take you Os 7, 11-12 They called upon Egypt, away: because in the morning they went to the Assyrians. early it shall pass through, -And when they shall go, I in the day and in the night.

Pv 12, 2

6.-WARNINGS AGAINST

AGAINST RELYING
GOD.

SELF-CONFIDENCE

AND

ON MAN RATHER THAN

He that is good shall draw Trust not in lying words, grace from the Lord: but he saying: The Temple of the that trusteth in his own Lord, the Temple of the devices doth wickedly. Lord, it is the Temple of the

Eci 5, 2-3 Follow not in thy strength Lord.

Je 7,4

the desires of thy heart: Put not your trust in Ps 145, 2-3 -And say not: How mighty princes,-In the children of

am I! and who shall bring men, in whom there is no

me under for my deeds? for salvation.

God will surely take re- His spirit shall go forth, Ps 145, 4 and he shall return into his

venge.

earth in that day all their
thoughts shall perish.

Ps 145,5-6 Blessed is he who hath the
God of Jacob for his helper,
whose hope is in the Lord
his God who made Heaven
and earth, the sea, and all
the things that are in them.

Ex 14, 13

Jb 13, 15

7.-EXAMPLES OF HOPE And confidence in god.
Fear not, stand and see God of the armies of Israel,
the great wonders of the which thou hast defied-
Lord, which He will do this This day: and the Lord will
day: for the Egyptians, deliver thee into my hand,
whom you see now, you shall and I will slay thee, and take
away thy head from thee:

see no more for ever.

Although He should kill and I will give the carcasses me, I will trust in Him. of the army of the Philistines Nu 14, 7-9 The land which we have this day to the birds of the gone round is very good.-air and to the beasts of the If the Lord be favourable, He earth: that all the earth will bring us into it, and may know that there is a give us a land flowing with God in Israel.

1 K17, 37

1 K 17,4546

Je 20, 11

4 K 19, 23

2 P16, 7 Is 22, 17 Mt 7, 26

milk and honey. Be not Machabeus ever trusted 2 M15,7-8
rebellious against the Lord: with all hope that God would
and fear ye not the people of help them.-And he exhorted
this land, for we are able to his people not to fear the
eat them up as bread. All coming of the nations, but to
aid is gone from them: the remember the help they had
Lord is with us, fear ye before received from Heaven,
not.
and now to hope for victory

18

David said: The Lord Who from the Almighty. delivered me out of the paw I will deliver thee in that Je 39, 17of the lion, and out of the day, saith the Lord, and thou paw of the bear, He will shalt not be given into the deliver me out of the hand hands of the men whom thou of this Philistine. fearest.-But delivering, I

David said to the Philis- will deliver thee, and thou tine: Thou comest to me shalt not fall by the sword; with a sword, and with a but thy life shall be saved spear, and with a shield: but for thee, because thou hast I come to thee in the Name put thy trust in Me, saith of the Lord of Hosts, the the Lord.

8.-EJACULATIONS OF A HOPEFUL SOUL.

The Lord is with me as a fall, and shall be weak: they strong warrior; therefore shall be greatly confounded. they that persecute me shall The Lord is my Portion, La 3, 24

La 3, 25

La 3, 26

Ps 22, 4

Ps 3, 3-4

Ps 3, 7

said my soul; therefore will and let me not be confounded
I wait for Him.
in my expectation.

The Lord is good to them that hope in Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.

The Lord is my Helper: IPs 117,6-9 will not fear what man can do unto me.-The Lord is my It is good to wait in silence Helper: and I will look over for the Salvation of God, my enemies.-It is good to for He will not cast off for confide in the Lord, rather than to have confidence in Though I should walk in man.-It is good to trust in the midst of the shadow of the Lord, rather than to trust death, I will fear no evils, in princes. for Thou art with me.

ever.

I have stuck to Thy testi- Ps 118, 31

Many say to my soul: monies, O Lord: put me not
There is no salvation for to shame.

him in his God.-But Thou, In Thee, O Lord, I have Ps 70, 1-2
O Lord, art my Protector, hoped: let me never be put
my Glory, and the Lifter up to confusion.-Deliver me in
of my head.

Thy justice.

I will not fear thousands The God of hope fill you Ro 15, 13 of the people surrounding with all joy and peace in me. Arise, O Lord; save me, believing; that you may O my God. abound in hope, and in the

Ps 41, 6-7 Hope in God, for I will Holy Ghost.

still give praise to Him, the Though I should walk in Ps 22, 4
Salvation of my countenance the midst of the shadow of
and my God.
death, I will fear no evils,

Ps 118,116 Uphold me, according to for Thou art with me.
Thy Word, and I shall live; Rejoicing in hope.

9.—THE BITTER fruits of dESPAIR; THE SAVING
EFFECTS OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD.

Ro 12, 12

Eci 38, 9 My son, in thy sickness, the sword: they shall fall neglect not thyself, but pray when no man pursueth them. to the Lord, and He shall Thou saidst: I have lost Je 2, 25 all hope, I will not do it; for

Je 18, 12

Ep 4, 19

Le 26, 36

heal thee.

We have no hopes; for I have loved strangers, and I we will go after our own will walk after them.

thoughts, and we will do If thou lose hope, being Pv 24, 10 every one according to the weary in the day of distress, perverseness of his evil heart. thy strength shall be diminDespairing, they have given ished.

themselves up to lascivious- If any man sin, we have 1J2, 1-2 ness, unto the working of all an Advocate with the Father, uncleanness, unto covetous- Jesus Christ the Just.-And

ness.

He is the Propitiation for The sound of a flying leaf our sins: and not for ours shall terrify them, and they only, but also for those of shall flee as it were from the whole world.

Ps 146, 11 The Lord taketh pleasure They blasphemed the God Ap 16, 11 in them that fear Him, and of Heaven, because of their in them that hope in His pains and wounds, and did mercy. not penance from their works.

PART III.

CHARITY AND ITS OPPOSITE VICES.

CHARITY is "a divinely infused supernatural virtue by which we love God, above all things, for His own sake, and our neighbour for God's sake." The joy, glory, and crown of Charity lie in this, that it makes us the Friends of God. That we may become the Friends of God is clear from the sacred text, "You are My Friends."* That Charity possesses the conditions of this Friendship is equally clear. According to 8. Thomas,† the conditions of friendship are, (1) unselfish love, (2) mutual love, (3) intercommunion. But by Charity, (1) man loves God for God's sake, and God loves man for man's sake, as a subject to whom He wishes eternal Beatitude. (2) The love is mutual. "He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him." (3) There is intercommunion of God and man by communion in the same Beatitude which the Just possess "in exilio, in jure et in spe, in patria autem in re."