Untitled - Saints' Books

continence. 1 4. PRAYER.
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INSTR. in.] The Chastity of the Priest. 261
which this guardian dwells.
St. John Climacus used to
say, that he who expects to conquer the flesh by conti
nence alone is like a man in the midst of the ocean
who wishes to save his life
by swimming with a single
hand. Therefore it is
necessary to unite humility to
But above all, to acquire the virtue of chastity prayer
is necessary: it is necessary to pray, and to pray con
tinually. It has been already said that chastity can
neither be acquired nor preserved unless God grant his
aid to preserve it; but this aid he gives only to those
who ask.it. Hence the holy Fathers teach that, accord
ing to the words of Scripture: We ought always to pray,
and not to faint? Ask, and it shall be given you? The
prayer of petition is necessary for adults, necessitate medii,
that is, as a means without which salvation is
impos
sible. Hence the angelic Doctor has said: "After
bap
tism, continual prayer is necessary to man." 4 And if to
practise any virtue Christians require the divine assist
ance, they stand in need of still
greater help in order to
preserve chastity, because they have a strong tendency
to the opposite vice. It is impossible, says Cassian, for
man, by his own strength, without aid from God, to
keep himself chaste; and therefore, in our struggle with
the flesh, we must ask the Lord, with all the affection
of our soul, for the gift of chastity.
5
According to the
Qui sola continentia bellum hoc superare nititur, similis est ei
qui, una manu natans, pelago liberari contendit; sit ergo humilitas
continentiae conjuncta." Scala spir. gr. 15.
Oportet semper orare, et non deficere." -Luke, xviii. i.
3 "
Petite, et dabitur vobis." Matt. vii. 7.
39. a -
5-
Post baptismum, necessaria est homini jugis oratio." P. 3, q.
Impossibile est hominem suis pennis ad tam praecelsum coelestem
praemium subvolare, nisi eum gratia Domini de terrae coena evexerit."
De Ccenob. inst. \. 6, c. 6.