with kindness, and at another He Corrects them with a paternal love, according to the disposition in which they are, and according to their necessities.
This loving conduct is a visible excess of the charity of our Lord, not only towards the good, but even towards the wicked, in order that they may be converted and become good.
All that contributes to our justification is an effect of His divine grace. It is that which accompanies this great work, which teaches us by exhortation, which encourages us by example, which terrifies us by chastisement, which moves us by miracles, which enlightens our mind, which induces us to follow wise counsels, which improves our understanding, and which inspires us with feelings conformable to the faith which we profess.
Thus our will is subservient to grace, and acts only conjointly with it; so that all these helps which God gives us require our co-operation, in order that we may begin to carry out the good resolutions which we have received from His divine inspirations. So, if we should fall into some sinful habit, we can only impute our fall to our own pusillanimity; and if we advance in virtue, we can only attribute our advancement to grace.
The help of grace is given to all in a thousand ways, be they secret or be they manifest If many reject it, it is always their own fault; if some profit by it, it is the united effect of divine grace and the human will.
[L'Abbe Francois Duneau was born in Rome in April 1752. His father was a follower of the Pretender. The son at first followed the profession of barrister-at-law; but afterwards took orders, and was one of the early members of the Academie Catholique, established in 1800.
