Untitled - Saints' Books

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INSTR. viii.] Interior Mortification. 347
goods of this world. St. Philip Neri used to say that
he who seeks after riches shall never become a saint.
The riches of us who are priests should consist not in
possessions, but in virtues; these will make us great in
heaven, and give us strength on earth against the ene
mies of our salvation. This is the language of St. Pros
per: Our riches are chastity, piety, humility, meekness:
they only will make us great in heaven, and at the same
time strong upon earth against the enemies of our sal
vation." Let us, says the Apostle, be content with
moderate food for the support of life, and simple raiment
to cover the body: let us labor to become saints; this
alone is important to us: But having food, and ivherewitli
to be covered, with these we are content? Of what use are
earthly goods, which we must one day quit, and which
never content the heart? Let us seek to acquire goods
which shall accompany us to eternity, and make us
happy forever in heaven: Lay not up to yourselves treasures
on eartJi, where the rust and the moth consume. . . . But
lay
up treasures in heaven? Hence, in the Council of Milan
the following admonition was given to priests:
Lay up
treasures not on earth, but good works and souls for
heaven. The treasures of a priest should consist in
good works, and in gaining souls to God.
Hence, in conformity with the words of the Apostle:
No man being a soldier to God entangleth himself with secular
business, that he may please Him to Whom he hath engaged
1 "
Divitios nostrae sunt pudicitia, pietas, humilitas, mansuetudo;
illse nobis ambiendae sunt, quae nos ornare possint, pariter et munire."
De Vita cont. 1. 2, c. 13.
2 "
Habentes autem alimenta, et quibus tegamur,
simus." i Tim. vi. 8.
3 "
demolitur. .
his content!
Nolite thesaurizare vobis thesauros in terra, ubi aerugo et
tinea
. . Thesaurizate autem vobis thesauros in coelo."-
Matth. vi. 19.
4 "Thesaurizate, non thesauros in terra, sed bonorum operum et
animarum in coelis."