clares that the husbandman "purgeth it that it may more fruit."

bear

In the second place, it should be the prayer of every one, that God would be pleased to bestow His blessing on us in the performance of all the duties annexed to our particular state and condition, that they may tend to the salvation of our own soul, to His honour and glory, and the profit of the soul of our neighbour; begging of God light and strength to perform with perfection those par ticular duties, and asking Him to take under His divine protection all and each of our works, with all that belongs to them.

We have said, that they may tend to the salvation of our own souls, to the glory of God, and to the spiritual prosperity of our neighbour, because the spiritual order is always to be preferred to the corporal and visible; for nothing of this world has any value whatever, except in as far as it is a means tending to the salvation of our own and our neighbour's soul, and to the glory of God; and therefore, whatsoever we ask, even if needed for our own office and state of life, we should always ask for under condition, and inasmuch as it tends to the increase of our own justice and sanctity, to the greater glory of God, and to the salvation of the souls of others.

In the third place, all subjects and inferiors ought to pray for those placed over them; and first of all for the Supreme Pontiff and for all the governing body of the universal Church; next for the head of the state and for his government, considering how vast an influence, even for good, a temporal sovereign or government may exercise in regard of the holy Church of God, if God is pleased to enlighten the minds of rulers, and to move them to be

1 John xv. 2,

His faithful servants in the government of His people. Afterwards we should pray for our own particular superiors, both ecclesiastical and civil, and all others on whom the salvation of our souls and the moral good of society in any way depend, that it would please Almighty God so to direct things, that all may tend to this one most important end.

In the fourth place, the law of nature and justice should move us to pray for all our benefactors, by reason of the benefits we have received from them, and in proportion to the part they have had in procuring them; and hence we should remember all who have benefited us, whether living or dead.

And amongst benefactors, we should pray in the first place for our parents, since from them we have received the gift of life and being, which is a necessary condition of all goods, whether spiritual or temporal; and after these we should pray for all such persons as have conferred spiritual blessings upon us; and lastly, for those to whom we owe temporal favours. We will now consider what things we should ask of God, as suggested by external circumstances.

§ 2.

Concerning those things which we ought reasonably to ask of God, on account of external circumstances.

There are two external circumstances which may direct us in praying to God in behalf of our neighbour. These are, in the first place, the spiritual, and in the second, the natural tie which may bind us to them.

As regards the spiritual tie, we ought to pray, in the first place, for those who are actually praying with us, since they have with us the most intimate spiritual con

nexion, being in the sight of God but one heart and one soul, and one voice of one body, raised up before the throne of the Divine Majesty. In this manner the priest prays very frequently in the Mass, as when, in the offertory, he says, 'Receive, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, this spotless host, which I, Thy unworthy servant, offer to Thee, my living and true God, on account of my innumerable sins, offences, and negligences (here the priest begs of God his own sanctification); and for all those here present (here he prays for those who are joined with him in prayer), and also for all faithful Christians, both living and dead (he here prays for those with whom the spiritual tie is less closely drawn), that both to me and to them it may be profitable to salvation unto eternal life.' The whole of this prayer is occupied with praying for justice and the eternal reward which follows it.

That which ought, in the second place, to move us to pray on behalf of our neighbour is, his own request that we should do so. We ought, then, in the first place, to pray for those who have recommended themselves to our prayers, receiving their request as an invitation from Divine Providence to the exercise of charity towards them, according to this their desire.

Besides this, there is also, as we have observed, the natural tie, which has its foundation in right reason, and is sanctified by grace, and which should move us to pray for others. Every movement of compassion, as also of every other reasonable natural affection, may be regarded as an impulse of Divine Providence urging us to the exercise of charity towards our neighbour, and especially to pray for him. And of this our Lord Himself gives us an example. Standing at the sepulchre of Lazarus, Jesus wept;

and having prayed, and given thanks to His heavenly Father, He raised him from the dead. He did the same when He beheld the grief and tribulation of the widow of Naim on the death of her son. A like tenderness and compassion to that of which our Lord gives us example is according to the spirit of Christianity; and the prayers which are thus called forth are an expression of sincere and holy charity most pleasing in the sight of God. Inasmuch, then, as this sensible compassion is excited at the view of visible and temporal misery, we may consider that this same compassion is a just motive for prayer on behalf of our neighbours, that these evils may be removed from them, however light they may be. With regard to things superfluous, the case is different; for about such we ought, according to the doctrine of the Gospel and the example of Christ, to entertain no desires.

And we may always pray for good in general, as a consequence of justice according to the will of God; and indeed, when we pray for justice, we are in fact praying at the same time for the fulness of every good.

§ 3.

Of those things which we may ask for spontaneously. Lastly, every prayer whatsoever, provided it be made according to the order here laid down, either expressed or understood, is a holy act, forming part of that hidden life which ought to be dear to every Christian soul. To speak accurately, the duties of our state and external motives ought not so much to move us to prayer as to be considered the manifestation of the will of God as to the nature of our prayer. When, then, we pray spontaneously, and the matter of our prayer is not determined

by either of the two principles or motives which we have laid down, how shall the order of our prayer be most in accordance with the will of God?

Besides the two motives which we have laid down, there is, generally speaking, no particular order or rule which we are bound to follow; but we should suffer the Holy Spirit of God," which breatheth where it will," sweetly to move and guide us on all occasions.

We shall, however, never be wrong if we remain constant in our petition for things which are fundamental and necessary, whatever form we make use of; as, for example, if we pray for the good of the universal Church. This form of prayer is undoubtedly most excellent, provided, in using it, we understand what it is to pray for the Church; that is to say, that we intend to include in this general prayer all other particular prayers, according to the order which has been laid down. For is not he who prays himself a member of the Church? Wherefore, in praying for the Church, he prays also for himself, and prays according to that order and method which is most fitting for him. He prays also for all others in that order which accords best with the glory of God and His holy will, and which is best accomplished by the salvation of the greatest possible number of souls. Wherefore the Canon of the Mass begins with this universal prayer, in which we thus beseech our heavenly Father: Accept these gifts and sacrifices, which we offer first in behalf of the holy Catholic Church, to which we beseech Thee vouchsafe to grant the gift of peace, to keep, unite, and govern it throughout the whole earth, together with Thy servant our chief Pontiff, our Bishop, and all those who worship in the Catholic and Apostolic faith.'

We must also observe, that when we pray for our