him with charity; and if this does not suffice, let him seek all suitable means in order that being brought to a right understanding of it he may save himself from error (2).

(2) We are here warned to interpret any obscure or doubtful proposition of another in the better rather than in the worse sense; or if we cannot honestly do this, then we ought to inquire what the other means by it, and whether he has only expressed himself badly, so that it is the tongue rather than the mind that has erred; but if we find that it is really his meaning which is erroneous, then we should take every possible means to enlighten him and rescue him from his error.

FIRST WEEK

PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION (1)

Man was created to praise (2), reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul (3); and the other things on the face of the earth were created for man's sake, and in order to aid him in the prosecution of the end for which he was created. Whence it follows, that man ought to make use of them just so far as they help him to attain his end, and that he ought to withdraw himself (4) from them just so far as they hinder him. It is therefore necessary that we should make ourselves (5) indifferent to all created things, in all that is left to the liberty of our free-will, and is not forbidden (6); in such sort that we do not for our part wish for health rather than sickness, for wealth rather than poverty, for honour rather than dishonour, for a long life rather than a short one (7), and so in all other things, desiring and choosing only that which leads us more directly to the end for which we were created (8).

(1) The Vulgate version reads Principle or Foundation (Principium sive Fundamentum), but the Spanish Autograph has Principle and Foundation (Principio y Fundamento). The two words, as Fr. Roothaan points out, are not to be taken as synonymous. Principle looks rather to theory, Foundation to practice. It is from this Principle that all the subsequent teachings of the Exercises flow as from their source. All may be deduced from it, and brought back to it. Like all other first principles it is assumed as not needing to be proved to any reasonable man, much less to a Christian. Reason and faith alike presuppose it. If any one should dispute it, he can only be refuted by showing the absurdities which would follow from its negation, or from the postulation of any other end of man. It is also the Foundation upon which the whole superstructure of the Exercises, and of the spiritual life which they are designed to build

up, rests. Without this Principle to guide him a man's life will be at the mercy of his passions and desires, or at least it will be the sport of chance, good or bad according to the changing circumstances of time, and place, and persons who surround him. Without this Foundation his seeming virtues will have no solidity, and his spiritual life will be like a house built upon the sand, liable at any time to be overthrown by the storms of trial and temptation. Unless, therefore, this Principle is fully apprehended, and this Foundation securely laid, it will be useless to go on to the other Exercises, which all look back to this, and depend upon it. It is, no doubt, for this reason that S. Ignatius does not include it among the Exercises of the First Week, which really begin with the meditation on the Three Sins, but prefixes it as a statement of fundamental truths which support and govern the whole body of the Exercises which are to follow. And for the same reason he does not assign any precise time for its consideration, but would have the retreatant dwell upon it as long as is needful to reap the full fruit of deep and lasting conviction. Indeed in a long retreat it will not be too much to give two or even three whole days to its consideration.

This Principle and Foundation consists of a series of closely connected propositions, the meaning of each of which must be considered in relation to the others. These propositions are four in number. The first, and most important, states the end for which man was created; the second lays down the end of creatures in relation to man; the third gives the primary rules for man's usage of creatures; and the fourth declares the necessity of indifference if he is to act according to these rules. The first two propositions state principles or fundamental truths, of which the following ones are the logical and practical consequences. In view of the complex character of the first of these propositions it may be well to add here an analysis which will bring out the fulness of its meaning.

Man was created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. In these words S. Ignatius lays down the end of man, which is twofold: his immediate end in this present life, and his ultimate end in the life to come. I. His immediate end in this life is both extrinsic and intrinsic : 1. His extrinsic end, which is primary, consists in glorifying God by praising, reverencing, and serving Him.

2. His intrinsic end, which is secondary and subordinate, consists in his making progress in virtue,

merit, and perfection, and so preparing himself for eternal beatitude.

These two ends, or rather aspects of the end, are so related that neither of them can be pursued without the other. Each, moreover, can be realized only progressively and approximately in this life.

II. His ultimate end in the life to come. This too is both extrinsic and intrinsic:

1. Extrinsic, consisting in the perfect love, worship, and service which man will give to God in heaven.

2. Intrinsic, consisting in man's own glorification and eternal beatitude in the fruition of God. And these two also necessarily go together.

(2) To praise (Spanish, alabar). Here and throughout the Exercises it is evident that this word and its cognate substantive alabanza mean not merely praise given in words, the homage of the lips, but include also all that we mean when we speak of living or acting for the glory of God. Thus in the preparatory prayer to be said before every meditation we are to ask that all our intentions, actions, and operations may be ordered purely to the service and praise of His Divine Majesty. And in the act of self-oblation at the end of the meditation on the Kingdom of Christ the exercitant offers himself to our Lord to bear injuries, reproaches, and poverty, provided it be to His greater service and praise; and again in the Three Classes he is to endeavour to wish for it (i.e. the money or whatever else is in question) or not, according as it shall seem to him better for the service and praise of His Divine Majesty.

It may be useful to add that God does not seek this praise or glory for Himself, but for our sake. See S. Thomas, Summa Theol. 2a 2, Q. cxxxii. 1 ad 1, 'Deus suam gloriam non quærit propter se, sed propter nos'; also Q. lxxxi. 7. Deo reverentiam et honorem exhibemus, non propter seipsum, quia ex se ipso est gloria plenus, cui nihil a creatura adjici potest, sed propter nos, quia videlicet per hoc quod Deum reveremur et honoramus, mens nostra ei subjicitur; et in hoc ejus perfectio consistit.'

(3) Save his soul. In defining the end of man S. Ignatius puts the salvation of his soul (the intrinsic end) in the second

place, because it is subordinate to the primary (the extrinsic) end, which is the praise and service of God. It should be noted, moreover, that salvation will not have the same meaning and value for every one. To one it may mean merely escaping hell, to another the highest possible degree of perfection and nearness to God, both in this life and hereafter. And between these extremes there may be many intermediate steps. The director, therefore, must adapt the Foundation, as indeed all the Exercises, to the moral and spiritual needs of those who make them. See Additional Note B, p. 205.

(4) Withdraw himself (Spanish, quitarse). This is a stronger expression than merely to abstain from as in the Vulgate version (abstinendum). It is not enough that we should merely abstain from the use of things that hinder us in the prosecution of our true end; we must go farther than that, we must strive so entirely to withdraw and disengage ourselves from them that at last we cease to have any inordinate affection towards them. This is the first fruit we are to seek for in the Exercises. See Annotation i.

(5) S. Ignatius does not say to be indifferent, but to make ourselves indifferent (hacernos indifferentes). To be indifferent, i.e. not to feel desire or repugnance with regard to created things, is not in our own power, and is therefore not required of us. But we are not to let our feelings determine our choice or conduct. We are to make ourselves indifferent, i.e. we are to force ourselves to choose and to act as if we felt no desire or repugnance, to conquer ourselves so as to be able to act with perfect freedom according to the dictates of right reason and the will of God. There are in fact two kinds of indifference: indifference of the sensibility and indifference of the will. It is this last alone which S. Ignatius requires. The more modern word 'detachment' expresses a large part of what S. Ignatius means by indifference, but not quite the whole.

These

(6) In all that is left to the liberty of our free-will. words express a necessary limitation of the indifference just spoken of. For although all creatures are in themselves indifferent (ádiápopa), yet relatively to us, and in particular cases, there are many which we are bound to avoid and even to repel with all our force, and many also which we are equally bound by the divine law, or by justice or charity, or in virtue of our office or employment, to care for and retain. With regard to