cold nor hot I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth." (Apoc. iii. 16.) God has not as yet entirely rejected the lukewarm man, but he begins to spew him out, in consequence of his inattention, and of the faults he commits with deliberation, which, though they seem to him but small, still cause God to withhold his efficacious grace, without which, a sinner will certainly fall into greater crimes, and will be spewed out, and at last be absolutely rejected.
Let us then consider what great reason we have to fear, lest, by our negligence and indifference, we render ourselves unworthy of God's special favour and assistance. How often do we behold ourselves tempted, and in great danger of falling; how often do we behold ourselves reduced to so great extremities, that we doubt whether or not we have dwelt with complacency on the sinful object— whether or not we have given consent to an evil thought, and whether; by this consent, we have- not defiled our souls with the guilt of mortal sin? In this doleful situation, what an advantage would it be for us, if, having been more liberal towards God, we deserved at his hands that special favour and assistance, which is the pure gift of his bounty, and with which we would have infallibly supported ourselves against the violence of the temptation; but without which grace, we will be not only in great danger of falling, but in all probability, we will be actually overcome.
Speaking of our spiritual enemy the devil, and of the continual war he wages against us, St. Chrysostom observes, that the means here described is very proper and efficacious for resisting and over coming temptations. " You know," says he, "that we have an irreconcileable enemy, from whom we must expect neither peace nor truce; so that if we wished not to be overcome, we must stand continually upon our guard. But what shall we do, not only to prevent ourselves from being overcome, but even to defeat the enemy? Would you know it?" says the saint: " The only means we have to vanquish him, is to merit the assistance of Heaven, by the purity and innocence of our lives; it is thus we shall be always victorious." (Cor. hom. 60. sup. Gen.) We must remark that the saint does not say, it is the best, but that it is the only means whereby we shall be victorious. St. Basil tells us the same, when he says, " That he who expects assistance from God, must never be deficient in performing his duty in the best manner he is capable of, and if he acts in this manner, divine grace will never be wanting to him; wherefore, we must be extremely cautious, that our conscience may not accuse us of anything whatsoever" (Bas. in const, mon. cap. ii.) From these words of St. Basil, it is evi-
