but only to those who really desire to obtain this third Mode of Humility-viz. those who for love of Christ, and transported by the beauty of His high perfection, long to follow Him as closely as possible.

(97) For the reason why S. Ignatius refers us to the colloquies of the Three Classes rather than to those of the Two Standards, see Note 78, p. 115.

[THE ELECTION]

Preamble to making the Election

In every good Election (98), so far as regards our part (99), the eye of our intention ought to be single, looking only to the end for which I am created, viz. for the praise of God our Lord, and the salvation of my soul. Therefore whatever I choose ought to be for this, that it may help me towards the end for which I am created: not ordering or drawing the end to the means, but the means to the end. As, for example, it happens that many first choose to marry, which is a means, and in the second place to serve God our Lord in the married state, which service of God is the end. In the same way there are others who first desire to possess benefices, and then to serve God in them. So that these persons do not go straight to God, but rather wish that God should come straight over to their inordinate affections, and consequently they make of the end a means, and of the means an end, so that what they ought to choose first they choose last. For first we ought to make it our object to desire to serve God, which is the end; and secondarily to accept the benefice, or to marry (if that should be more fitting for me), which is the means to the end. Nothing therefore ought to move me to take such means, or to deprive myself of them, except only the service and praise of God our Lord, and the eternal salvation of my soul.

(98) In order to make a good Election the exercitant ought to be free from inordinate affections, and in that state of equilibrium or indifference to creatures described both in the Foundation and in this Prelude. He ought, in fact, to have attained to the second Mode of Humility, or still better to the third. The meditations on Two Standards and Three Classes, and also those on the Mysteries of our Lord's Life which are to be carried on during the time of the Election, will help him to attain these dispositions; and he must continue in these meditations until,

by the grace of God, and his own efforts and prayers, he arrives at the third, or at least at the second, Mode. Otherwise the whole matter of the Election must be relinquished, and the Exercises either continued, in the hope that they may by and by bring him to better dispositions, or presently brought to a close. See Directory xxiii. 3. The director as well as the retreatant ought to be in a state of neutrality, not wishing the person he is guiding to make one choice rather than another, but anxious only that the will of God may be done. Directory xxiv. 2. See also Annotation xv.

The matter of the Election may be (1) the choice of a state of life, or (2) any other matter that concerns our life and conduct, especially whatever will help us to live more perfectly in that state of life which we have already embraced. See Directory xxv; also Suarez, De Rel. IX, vii. 15, where he shows how the Exercises, including the Election, are suitable for all sorts and descriptions of persons, whether Religious or secular. ́Although,' he says, 'a Religious ought no longer to deliberate about a state of life, he may well deliberate as to how to live in his state most perfectly. . . . Secular persons also, even if they are going to continue in the world, have need of this help, in order that they may be prepared to meet the dangers amongst which they live. . . . Lastly, this remedy should be given even to great sinners.'

With regard to this whole subject it may be well to add here that there are many persons who have little or no opportunity. of making an Election at all, and they have no reason, if only they know their good fortune, to envy those who have. For certainly theirs is the happier lot whose life and actions are so ordered by necessity or obedience, that they have no need to examine and inquire what they ought to do. It is for this reason that the poor are so much more easily sanctified and saved than the rich, servants than masters, inferiors than superiors, because, without mentioning other advantages, there is less danger of their mistaking what is the will of God for them, since it is made plain by the very necessity of their condition. When, however, a person has to make an Election, either in the choice of a state of life, or in any other matter, let him, in proportion to the importance of the matter, approach it carefully and with a generous mind and heart, so that he may bring forth much fruit to the greater glory of God, and his own advancement in perfection.

For further information the reader is referred to the Directory, Chapters xxii-xxxiv, where the whole subject of the Election is treated with great clearness and fulness.

(99) Our part, for God also has His part in every good Election, enlightening the mind and moving the will. See the third point of the first method of making an Election, p. 130.

Consideration

for the purpose of taking knowledge of the matters about which an Election ought to be made; it contains four points and a note.

I. It is necessary that all matters about which we wish to make an Election should be indifferent or good in themselves, and such as are approved within our holy Mother the hierarchical Church, and not bad, nor repugnant to her.

II. There are some things which fall under an immutable Election, such as are the priesthood, matrimony, etc.; there are others which fall under a mutable Election, as, for instance, accepting or relinquishing benefices, accepting or renouncing temporal goods.

III. In an immutable Election when once it has been made, there is no more room for choosing, because it cannot be undone, as is the case with matrimony, the priesthood, etc. Only this is to be noticed, that if any one has not made his Election duly and in order, without inordinate affections, let him repent and take care to lead a good life in that which he has chosen. Such an Election, however, does not seem to be a divine vocation, since it was an ill-ordered and perverted Election. Many err in this respect, taking a perverted or bad Election for a divine vocation; whereas every divine vocation is always pure, clear, and without admixture of the flesh, or of any other inordinate affection.

IV. If any one has made an Election duly and in order, in matters which fall under a mutable Election, not having inclined to the flesh or to the world, he has no cause to make a fresh Election, but only to perfect himself in what he has chosen as much as he can. It is to be observed, that if such a mutable Election has not been made sincerely and in due order, then it is expedient to make it duly, if one desires to bring forth notable fruits and such as shall be very pleasing to God our Lord.

Three Times

in each of which a sound and good Election may be made (100).

The first time is when God our Lord so moves and attracts the

will, that, without doubting or being able to doubt, such a devout soul follows what has been pointed out to it; as S. Paul and S. Matthew did when they followed Christ our Lord.

(100) These three times are fully and clearly explained in the Directory xxvi-xxxii.

They are called times, because the time for making a good Election is when the soul is in one or other of the conditions here described.

The first two times are the higher and more excellent, but the third is in some ways the safer and more reliable. In the first the soul is wholly or almost wholly passive, being clearly enlightened and powerfully drawn by God. In the second it is partly passive and partly active-passive in its experience of consolations or desolations, active in so far as it interprets these experiences, and applies to them the rules for the discernment of spirits. In the third it uses mainly its natural powers, though of course enlightened and directed by grace (Directory xxvi, xxvii).

The first time is, as the Directory points out, rare and extraordinary, and must neither be asked for nor expected from God. Nevertheless there are without doubt some vocations so marked and striking, both in their clearness and in the peace and satisfaction which accompany them, that we can no more doubt or hesitate about them than about the calling of S. Matthew or S. Paul.

For the first and second times, but especially for the latter, a knowledge of the rules for the discernment of spirits is necessary, especially rules iii-xi of the first set, and all the rules of the second (Directory xxvii).

If the Election is not made in the first or second time, there remains the third. In any case it will be safer to make use of one or other of the methods belonging to it, in order to check or to confirm the results arrived at in either of the former times; for we can hardly ever be quite sure that the spiritual movements experienced in them are purely and entirely from God. The most satisfactory Election is one that is made in the second time and confirmed in the third (Directory xxviii. 5-8).

The second time is when much light (101) and knowledge is obtained by experience of consolations and desolations, and by experience of the discernment of various spirits.

(101) Much light, etc. The exercitant should return again and again, both in his meditations and after them, to the Election he is about to make, and note carefully to which side he is uniformly inclined in times of consolation, and to which in times of desolation. He should note also whether the thought of the thing or the course he proposes to elect, brings him persistently consolation or desolation. One or two experiences of either are not sufficient. The much light and knowledge required to make a sound election can only be gained from many repeated experiences, pointing uniformly in the same direction. He should take counsel also with his director, who, if necessary, will explain to him the rules for the discernment of spirits.

The third time is one of tranquillity, in which a man, considering first for what end he is born, viz. to praise God our Lord and to save his soul, and desiring this, chooses as the means to this end a certain kind or state of life within the bounds of the Church, in order that he may be helped by it in the service of his Lord, and the salvation of his soul.

I call it a time of tranquillity, when the soul is not agitated by divers spirits, and enjoys the use of its natural powers freely and quietly.

If an Election is not made in the first or second time, there follow two methods of making it according to this third time.

The First Method

of making a good and sound Election

The first point is to propose to myself the matter about which I wish to make an Election, as, for example, an office or benefice which is to be accepted or left, or any other thing (102) which falls under a mutable Election.

(102) Any other thing. These words show that the rules for making a good Election are to be used not only when we have to choose a state of life, but in all sorts of other matters as well. They will be useful on many occasions to every one who is anxious to advance in the way of perfection, and especially to Superiors, both for their own guidance and for the government and direction of those under them.

Secondly, it is necessary to keep before my eyes the end for which I am created, which is to praise God our Lord, and to save my soul; and at the same time to find myself indifferent (103), without any