CHAPTER IV. The Need of a Guide for those who would enter upon and advance in
the Devout Life.

WHEN Tobias was bidden to go to Rages, he was willing to obey his
father, but he objected that he knew not the way;–to which Tobit
answered, “Seek thee a man which may go with thee:” [10] and even so,
daughter, I say to you, If you would really tread the paths of the
devout life, seek some holy man to guide and conduct you. This is the
precept of precepts, says the devout Avila,–seek as you will you can
never so surely discover God’s Will as through the channel of humble
obedience so universally taught and practised by all the Saints of
olden time. When the blessed Teresa read of the great penances
performed by Catherine of Cordova, she desired exceedingly to imitate
them, contrary to the mind of her Confessor, who forbade her to do the
like, and she was tempted to disobey him therein. Then God spoke to
Teresa, saying, “My child, thou art on a good and safe road:–true,
thou seest all this penance, but verily I esteem thy obedience as a yet
greater virtue:”–and thenceforth S. Teresa so greatly loved the virtue
of obedience, that in addition to that due to her superiors, she took a
vow of special obedience to a pious ecclesiastic, pledging herself to
follow his direction and guidance, which proved an inexpressible help
to her. And even so before and after her many pious souls have
subjected their will to God’s ministers in order the better to submit
themselves to Him, a practice much commended by S. Catherine of Sienna
in her Dialogues. The devout Princess S. Elisabeth gave an unlimited
obedience to the venerable Conrad; and one of the parting counsels
given by S. Louis to his son ere he died was, “Confess thyself
often,–choose a single-minded, worthy confessor, who is able wisely to
teach thee how to do that which is needful for thee.” [11] “A faithful
friend,” we are told in Holy Scripture, “is a strong defence, and he
that hath found such an one hath found a treasure;” [12] and again: “A
faithful friend is the medicine of life; and they that fear the Lord
shall find him.” [13] These sacred words have chiefly reference, as you
see, to the immortal life, with a view to which we specially need a
faithful friend, who will guide us by his counsel and advice, thereby
guarding us against the deceits and snares of the Evil One:–he will be
as a storehouse of wisdom to us in our sorrows, trials and falls; he
will be as a healing balm to stay and soothe our heart in the time of
spiritual sickness,–he will shield us from evil, and confirm that
which is good in us, and when we fall through infirmity, he will avert
the deadly nature of the evil, and raise us up again.

But who can find such a friend? The Wise Man answers:–“He that feareth
the Lord:” [14] that is to say, the truly humble soul which earnestly
desires to advance in the spiritual life. So, daughter, inasmuch as it
concerns you so closely to set forth on this devout journey under good
guidance, do you pray most earnestly to God to supply you with a guide
after His Own Heart, and never doubt but that He will grant you one who
is wise and faithful, even should He send you an angel from Heaven, as
He sent to Tobias.

In truth, your spiritual guide should always be as a heaven-sent angel
to you;–by which I mean that when you have found him, you are not to
look upon him, or trust in him or his wisdom as an ordinary man; but
you must look to God, Who will help you and speak to you through this
man, putting into his heart and mouth that which is needful to you; so
that you ought to hearken as though he were an angel come down from
Heaven to lead you thither. Deal with him in all sincerity and
faithfulness, and with open heart; manifesting alike your good and your
evil, without pretence or dissimulation. Thus your good will be
examined and confirmed, and your evil corrected and remedied;–you will
be soothed and strengthened in trouble, moderated and regulated in
prosperity. Give your guide a hearty confidence mingled with sacred
reverence, so that reverence in no way shall hinder your confidence,
and confidence nowise lessen your reverence: trust him with the respect
of a daughter for her father; respect him with the confidence of a son
in his mother. In a word, such a friendship should be strong and sweet;
altogether holy, sacred, divine and spiritual. And with such an aim,
choose one among a thousand, Avila says;–and I say among ten thousand,
for there are fewer than one would think capable of this office. He
must needs be full of love, of wisdom and of discretion; for if either
of these three be wanting there is danger. But once more I say, ask
such help of God, and when you have found it, bless His Holy Name; be
stedfast, seek no more, but go on simply, humbly and trustfully, for
you are safe to make a prosperous journey.
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[10] Tob. v. 3.

[11] “Confesse-toi souvent, eslis un confesseur idoine, qui soit
prudhomme, et qui te puisse seurement enseigner a faire les choses qui
te seront necessaires.”

[12] Ecclus. vi. 14.

[13] Ecclus. v. 16.

[14] Ecclus. vi. 17.
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