exposed to great danger. In order to comprehend this better, we must premise the doctrine of St. Paul, who teaches, that God never refuses that supernatural assistance, which is necessary and sufficient for every one to overcome, if he wishes, the strongest temptation. "God is faithful," says the apostle, " who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it" (i Cor. x. 13.) Besides this general assistance, the apostle here speaks of, there is another more particular one; and though we could have resisted and overcome the temptation, without this particular grace, if we make the good use we ought of the general, yet it often happens, that we do not overcome the temptation, unless God adds this special grace. It is not but we could resist the temptation, if we wished, because, according to the apostle, the first general grace is sufficient; so that we fall through our own fault, because we fall wilfully; yet we would not have fallen, had we been at the time assisted by the special grace. But as this special and efficacious grace is the pure gift of God's great mercy and liberality, he is not pleased to give it to all men, nor upon all occasions, but only to whom he pleases, and to such as act generously and liberally towards him, according to these words of the prophet: " With the holy, you will be holy; with the innocent you will be innocent; with the elect you will be elect; and with the perverse you will be perverted." (Ps. xvii. 26, 27.) Another version has it," With the meek, you will be meek: with the liberal, you will be liberal: with those who deal sincerely and candidly, you are sincere and candid: and with those who are perverse, you are also perverse." St. Ignatius in'; his Constitutions declares the same, where he says: " The stricter union we make with God, and the more liberal we shew ourselves to the Divine Majesty, the more bountiful shall we find him to us, and we shall dispose ourselves to receive daily more and more graces from him." (Ign. reg. 19.) St. Gregory Nazianzen, and many other fathers of the Church, maintain the same doctrine. (Greg. Naz. horn. 19.)
In order to understand what it is to be liberal towards Almighty God, we need but consider what it is to be liberal towards man. " To be liberal is to give to another more than we owe him, and more than we are obliged to give him for to give him barely what is his right, is not called liberality but justice. Whosoever then makes it his chief care to please God, not only in matters of duty and obligation, but also in those things which are of supererogation, and which tend to a more eminent perfection, and this
