3.— The Will of God.
"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
[Father F. Nepveu, born at St. Malo in the year 1639, embraced the Society of the Jesuits in 1654. He was at the head of the College at Rennes, where he died in the year 1708. All the works of this learned Jesuit are replete with earnest piety. A list of his numerous works may be found in Moreri's Dictionary.]
Is there any evil in the city, says the prophet, that God has not made?
Sin, the only evil that God does not will, He simply permits, but the consequences of sin He wills. He condemns the envy of Joseph's brethren, but He wills the effect, which was the slavery of Joseph. He had a horror of the rage of the Jews, but He willed and ordained the death of our Lord, which was the consequence." He will punish the injury which is done to you, but He wills the loss or affliction it causes you.
Why not complain of these evils when looked at in themselves? but wherefore murmur when we look upon them as the will of God? God wills it! Ah, that has a great weight with a man who has faith, who knows and loves God. A good Christian, would he dare to say, God wills it, but I wish it not?
Our perfection consists in doing the will of God, and it is for us to submit. The will of God is infinitely holy. If this be the rule of all sanctity, we are then holy in proportion to our conformity to His will.
