第20章

it aims at a virtue higher than that propounded by Pharisees, or the greatest sages of Heathenism.The law and reason are 'sufficient graces' for these purposes.But to disenthral the soul from the love of the world- to tear it from what it holds most dear- to make it die to itself- to lift it up and bind it wholly, only, and forever, to God can be the work of none but an all-powerful hand.And it would be as absurd to affirm that we have the full power of achieving such objects, as it would be to allege that those virtues, devoid of the love of God, which these fathers confound with the virtues of Christianity, are beyond our power." Such was the strain of my friend's discourse, which was delivered with much feeling; for he takes these sad disorders very much to heart.For my own part, I began to entertain a high admiration for these fathers, simply on account of the ingenuity of their policy; and, following his advice, I waited on a good casuist of the Society, one of my old acquaintances, with whom I now resolved purposely to renew my former intimacy.Having my instructions how to manage them, I had no great difficulty in getting him afloat.Retaining his old attachment, he received me immediately with a profusion of kindness;and, after talking over some indifferent matters, I took occasion from the present season to learn something from him about fasting and, thus, slip insensibly into the main subject.I told him, therefore, that I had difficulty in supporting the fast.He exhorted me to do violence to my inclinations; but, as I continued to murmur, he took pity on me and began to search out some ground for a dispensation.In fact he suggested a number of excuses for me, none of which happened to suit my case, till at length he bethought himself of asking me whether I did not find it difficult to sleep without taking supper."Yes, my good father," said I; "and for that reason I am obliged often to take a refreshment at mid-day and supper at night." "I am extremely happy," he replied, "to have found out a way of relieving you without sin: go in peace- you are under no obligation to fast.However, I would not have you depend on my word: step this way to the library." On going thither with me he took up a book, exclaiming with great rapture, "Here is the authority for you: and, by my conscience, such an authority! It is Escobar!" "Who is Escobar?" I inquired."What! not know Escobar! " cried the monk; "the member of our Society who compiled this Moral Theology from twenty-four of our fathers, and on this founds an analogy, in his preface, between his book and 'that in the Apocalypse which was sealed with seven seals,' and states that 'Jesus presents it thus sealed to the four living creatures, Suarez, Vasquez, Molina, and Valencia, in presence of the four-and-twenty Jesuits who represent the four-and-twenty elders.'" He read me, in fact, the whole of that allegory, which he pronounced to be admirably appropriate, and which conveyed to my mind a sublime idea of the exellence of the work.At length, having sought out the passage of fasting, "Oh, here it is!" he said; "treatise I, example 13, no.67: 'If a man cannot sleep without taking supper, is he bound to fast? Answer: By no means!' Will that not satisfy you?" "Not exactly," replied I; "for I might sustain the fast by taking my refreshment in the morning, and supping at night." "Listen, then, to what follows;they have provided for all that: 'And what is to be said, if the person might make a shift with a refreshment in the morning and supping at night?'""That's my case exactly." "'Answer: Still he is not obliged to fast; because no person is obliged to change the order of his meals.'" "A most excellent reason!" I exclaimed."But tell me, pray," continued the monk, "do you take much wine?" "No, my dear father," I answered; "I cannot endure it.""I merely put the question," returned he, "to apprise you that you might, without breaking the fast, take a glass or so in the morning, or whenever you felt inclined for a drop; and that is always something in the way of supporting nature.Here is the decision at the same place, no.57: 'May one, without breaking the fast, drink wine at any hour he pleases, and even in a large quantity? Yes, he may: and a dram of hippocrass too.' Ihad no recollection of the hippocrass," said the monk; "I must take a note of that in my memorandum-book." "He must be a nice man, this Escobar,"observed I."Oh! everybody likes him," rejoined the father; "he has such delightful questions! Only observe this one in the same place, no.38:

'If a man doubt whether he is twenty-one years old, is he obliged to fast?

No.But suppose I were to be twenty-one to-night an hour after midnight, and to-morrow were the fast, would I be obliged to fast to-morrow? No;for you were at liberty to eat as much as you pleased for an hour after midnight, not being till then fully twenty-one; and therefore having a right to break the fast day, you are not obliged to keep it.'" "Well, that is vastly entertaining!" cried I."Oh," rejoined the father, "it is impossible to tear one's self away from the book: I spend whole days and nights in reading it; in fact, I do nothing else." The worthy monk, perceiving that I was interested, was quite delighted, and went on with his quotations.

"Now," said he, "for a taste of Filiutius, one of the four-and-twenty Jesuits:

'Is a man who has exhausted himself any way- by profligacy, for example-obliged to fast? By no means.But if he has exhausted himself expressly to procure a dispensation from fasting, will he be held obliged? He will not, even though he should have had that design.' There now! would you have believed that?" "Indeed, good father, I do not believe it yet," said I."What! is it no sin for a man not to fast when he has it in his power?