There is a saying of Tauler's, that holy man who wrote a book on mystic theology, which our Blessed Francis held in high esteem, and was never weary of inculcating upon those of his disciples who were anxious to lead a devout life, or who, having already entered upon it, needed encouragement to make progress in it. Tauler was asked where he, who was so great a contemplative, and who held such close and familiar communication with God, had found God. He answered, "Where I found myself." On being further asked where he had found himself, he said, "Where I forgot myself in God." He went on to say, "We must lose ourselves in order to find ourselves in God, as it is written: _He that loveth his life shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this--world keepeth it unto life eternal._[2] _No man can serve two masters, God and mammon._[3] To follow one you must of necessity quit the other. _There is no fellowship between light and darkness or between Christ and Belial._[4] "The two lovers who built, one the City of Jerusalem, the other the City of Babylon, of whom St. Augustine speaks, have nothing in common. It is the struggle of Esau and Jacob over again." [Footnote 1: Conf. xii.] [Footnote 2: John xii. 25.] [Footnote 3: St. Matt. 24.] [Footnote 4: Cor. vi. 14, 15.] UPON ASPIRATIONS. As the Saint's own ordinary and favourite spiritual exercise was the practice of the presence of God, so he advised those whom he directed in the ways of holiness to devote themselves most earnestly to recollection, and to the use of frequent aspirations or ejaculatory prayers.