9.— On the want of fervour in the Service of God.
"Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth."— Apocalypse iii. 16.
[BOURDALOUE, Louis. — Louis Bourdaloue was born at Bourges in 1682, and died on the 13th of May 1704.
During the reign of Louis XIV. of France many celebrated ecclesiastics attained celebrity and even an European reputation, but Bourdaloue equalled, if not excelled, all those who have succeeded him. He was styled as " The King of Preachers and the Preacher of Kings.*"
His sermons and different works were collected and published in 17 vols. 8vo in the year 1826. In his magnificent discourses no one displayed a deeper insight into the divine mysteries. Addressing himself less to worldlings than to Christians, he united the charity of St. Paul to the unction and learning of St. Augustine, and the use he makes of passages from Holy Scripture and the quotations from the writings of the holy fathers render the reading of his sermons profitable, and at the same time interesting.
The eulogy of Bourdaloue from Cardinal Maury's Essai sur l'Eloquence is always quoted in all French elegant extracts.]
We begin at once to go back in the spiritual life when we become lukewarm or lax in the service of God. It is the first step that leads to sin and death. To languish, says St. Bernard — not that languor of love like unto that of the Spouse of the Canticle, not that languor of dryness which David felt when God withdrew His consolations and seemed to leave him to himself, and which made him say, Languerunt oculi mei prce inopid; but that lukewarm-
