[22] Andrewes, _Sermons_, Vol. V, p. 501. [23] Archbishop Leighton, _Commentary_, in loc. [24] Andrewes, _Sermons_, Vol. V, p. 501-502. [25] Rom. xiv, 17. [26] Phil. iv, 7. [27] _Imitation_, I, xiii. [28] St. Matt. x, 24. [29] St. James iv, 8. [30] Ps. lxxxv, 8. [31] Ps. xxix, 4. [32] Ps. cxlviii, 5. [33] St. Francis de Sales, _Spiritual Conferences_, p. 138. [34] Hilton, _The Scale of Perfection_, Bk. II, Pt. I, ch. viii. "A certain brother came to the Abbot Pastor, and said, 'Many evil thoughts come into my mind, and I am in danger through them.' The old man led him out into the air, and said to him, 'Stretch yourself out, and stop the wind from blowing.' The brother, wondering at his words, replied, 'I cannot do that.' Then the old man said to him, 'If you cannot stop the wind from blowing, neither can you prevent evil thoughts from entering your mind. That is beyond your power; but one thing you can do,--conquer them.'"--_Verba Seniorum_, xi, 50. Quoted by Hannay, p. 217. [35] St. James i, 12. {62} CHAPTER V THE SPIRIT OF SOLICITUDE Thomas à Kempis tells us that since the life of man upon earth is a temptation, "Everyone ought therefore to be anxious about his temptations and to watch in prayer."[1] I. _True and False Anxiety_ The anxiety to which we are exhorted is not, however, that attitude of mind and heart which would follow upon any uncertainty, or want of assurance, in regard to the result. The word à Kempis uses gives, in its original significance, no such suggestion. It is _sollicitus_, which has the force of _being wholly aroused_. That is to say, because life on earth is a temptation, we are warned that our whole being must be stirred in the face of such a condition. There must not be a single faculty that is not keen and alert to enter, at a moment's notice, upon the conflict. Every part of our nature must be as a soldier fully armed, standing ready to {63} spring instantly forward to the conflict at the word of command.[2] The anxiety that engenders doubt and fear is indeed too often found among God's people. "It is never free from imperfections and always springs from some evil root of self-love,"[3] and is the result more of a lack of faith than of any true, supernatural solicitude for the safety of our souls. We can well afford to leave all these cares with God. Says the saintly writer we have been quoting, "Greater is Thy anxiety for me than all the care that I can take for myself; for he stands precariously who casts not all his anxiety upon Thee."[4]