Thepsychologicalreasonsforthislienearthesurface。Whenwedropabstractionsandtakewhatwecallourwillintheact，weseethatitisaverycomplexfunction。Itinvolvesbothstimulationsandinhibitions；itfollowsgeneralizedhabits；itisescortedbyreflectivecriticisms；anditleavesagoodorabadtasteofitselfbehind，accordingtothemanneroftheperformance。Theresultisthat，quiteapartfromtheimmediatepleasurewhichanysensibleexperiencemaygiveus，ourowngeneralmoralattitudeinprocuringorundergoingtheexperiencebringswithitasecondarysatisfactionordistaste。Somemenandwomen，indeed，therearewhocanliveonsmilesandtheword“yes“forever。Butforothersindeedformost，thisistootepidandrelaxedamoralclimate。Passivehappinessisslackandinsipid，andsoongrowsmawkishandintolerable。Someausterityandwintrynegativity，someroughness，danger，stringency，andeffort，some“no！no！”mustbemixedin，toproducethesenseofanexistencewithcharacterandtextureandpower。Therangeofindividualdifferencesinthisrespectisenormous；butwhateverthemixtureofyesesandnoesmaybe，thepersonisinfalliblyawarewhenhehasstruckitintherightproportionFORHIM。This，hefeels，ismypropervocation，thisistheOPTIMUM，thelaw，thelifeformetolive。HereIfindthedegreeofequilibrium，safety，calm，andleisurewhichI
need，orhereIfindthechallenge，passion，fight，andhardshipwithoutwhichmysoul’senergyexpires。
Everyindividualsoul，inshort，likeeveryindividualmachineororganism，hasitsownbestconditionsofefficiency。Agivenmachinewillrunbestunderacertainsteam-pressure，acertainamperage；anorganismunderacertaindiet，weight，orexercise。
Youseemtodobest，Iheardadoctorsaytoapatient，atabout140millimetersofarterialtension。Anditisjustsowithoursundrysouls：somearehappiestincalmweather；someneedthesenseoftension，ofstrongvolition，tomakethemfeelaliveandwell。Fortheselattersouls，whateverisgainedfromdaytodaymustbepaidforbysacrificeandinhibition，orelseitcomestoocheapandhasnozest。
Nowwhencharactersofthislattersortbecomereligious，theyareapttoturntheedgeoftheirneedofeffortandnegativityagainsttheirnaturalself；andtheasceticlifegetsevolvedasaconsequence。
WhenProfessorTyndallinoneofhislecturestellsusthatThomasCarlyleputhimintohisbath-tubeverymorningofafreezingBerlinwinter，heproclaimedoneofthelowestgradesofasceticism。EvenwithoutCarlyle，mostofusfinditnecessarytooursoul’shealthtostartthedaywitharathercoolimmersion。Alittlefartheralongthescalewegetsuchstatementsasthis，fromoneofmycorrespondents，anagnostic：——
“OftenatnightinmywarmbedIwouldfeelashamedtodependsoonthewarmth，andwheneverthethoughtwouldcomeovermeI
wouldhavetogetup，nomatterwhattimeofnightitwas，andstandforaminuteinthecold，justsoastoprovemymanhood。”
Suchcasesasthesebelongsimplytoourhead1。Inthenextcaseweprobablyhaveamixtureofheads2and3——theasceticismbecomesfarmoresystematicandpronounced。ThewriterisaProtestant，whosesenseofmoralenergycoulddoubtlessbegratifiedonnolowerterms，andItakehiscasefromStarbuck’smanuscriptcollection。
“Ipracticedfastingandmortificationoftheflesh。Isecretlymadeburlapshirts，andputtheburrsnexttheskin，andworepebblesinmyshoes。Iwouldspendnightsflatonmybackonthefloorwithoutanycovering。”
TheRomanChurchhasorganizedandcodifiedallthissortofthing，andgivenitamarket-valueintheshapeof“merit。”
Butweseethecultivationofhardshipcroppingoutundereveryskyandineveryfaith，asaspontaneousneedofcharacter。ThuswereadofChanning，whenfirstsettledasaUnitarianminister，that——
“Hewasnowmoresimplethanever，andseemedtohavebecomeincapableofanyformofself-indulgence。Hetookthesmallestroominthehouseforhisstudy，thoughhemighteasilyhavecommandedonemorelight，airy，andineverywaymoresuitable；
andchoseforhissleepingchamberanatticwhichhesharedwithayoungerbrother。Thefurnitureofthelattermighthaveansweredforthecellofananchorite，andconsistedofahardmattressonacot-bedstead，plainwoodenchairsandtable，withmattingonthefloor。Itwaswithoutfire，andtocoldhewasthroughoutlifeextremelysensitive；buthenevercomplainedorappearedinanywaytobeconsciousofinconvenience。’I
recollect，’sayshisbrother，’afteronemostseverenight，thatinthemorninghesportivelythusalludedtohissuffering：“Ifmybedweremycountry，IshouldbesomewhatlikeBonaparte：I
havenocontrolexceptoverthepartwhichIoccupy，theinstantImove，frosttakespossession。”’Insicknessonlywouldhechangeforthetimehisapartmentandacceptafewcomforts。Thedresstoothathehabituallyadoptedwasofmostinferiorquality；andgarmentswereconstantlywornwhichtheworldwouldcallmean，thoughanalmostfeminineneatnesspreservedhimfromtheleastappearanceofneglect。”[177]
[177]MemoirsofW。E。Channing，Boston，1840，i。196。
Channing’sasceticism，suchasitwas，wasevidentlyacompoundofhardihoodandloveofpurity。Thedemocracywhichisanoffshootoftheenthusiasmofhumanity，andofwhichIwillspeaklaterundertheheadofthecultofpoverty，doubtlessborealsoashare。Certainlytherewasnopessimisticelementinhiscase。
Inthenextcasewehaveastronglypessimisticelement，sothatitbelongsunderhead4。JohnCennickwasMethodism’sfirstlaypreacher。In1735hewasconvictedofsin，whilewalkinginCheapside——
“Andatonceleftoffsing-singing，card-playing，andattendingtheatres。Sometimeshewishedtogotoapopishmonastery，tospendhislifeindevoutretirement。Atothertimeshelongedtoliveinacave，sleepingonfallenleaves，andfeedingonforestfruits。Hefastedlongandoften，andprayedninetimesaday……Fancyingdrybreadtoogreatanindulgenceforsogreatasinnerashimself，hebegantofeedonpotatoes，acorns，crabs，andgrass；andoftenwishedthathecouldliveonrootsandherbs。Atlength，in1737，hefoundpeacewithGod，andwentonhiswayrejoicing。”[178]
[178]L。Tyerman：TheLifeandTimesoftheRev。JohnWesley，i。
274。
Inthispoormanwehavemorbidmelancholyandfear，andthesacrificesmadearetopurgeoutsin，andtobuysafety。ThehopelessnessofChristiantheologyinrespectofthefleshandthenaturalmangenerallyhas，insystematizingfear，madeofitonetremendousincentivetoself-mortification。Itwouldbequiteunfair，however，inspiteofthefactthatthisincentivehasoftenbeenworkedinamercenarywayforhortatorypurposes，tocallitamercenaryincentive。Theimpulsetoexpiateanddopenanceis，initsfirstintention，fartooimmediateandspontaneousanexpressionofself-despairandanxietytobeobnoxioustoanysuchreproach。Intheformoflovingsacrifice，ofspendingallwehavetoshowourdevotion，asceticdisciplineoftheseverestsortmaybethefruitofhighlyoptimisticreligiousfeeling。
M。Vianney，thecureofArs，wasaFrenchcountrypriest，whoseholinesswasexemplary。Wereadinhislifethefollowingaccountofhisinnerneedofsacrifice：——
“’Onthispath，’M。Vianneysaid，“itisonlythefirststepthatcosts。Thereisinmortificationabalmandasavorwithoutwhichonecannotlivewhenonceonehasmadetheiracquaintance。
Thereisbutonewayinwhichtogiveone’sselftoGod——thatis，togiveone’sselfentirely，andtokeepnothingforone’sself。Thelittlethatonekeepsisonlygoodtotroubleoneandmakeonesuffer。’Accordinglyheimposeditonhimselfthatheshouldneversmellaflower，neverdrinkwhenparchedwiththirst，neverdriveawayafly，nevershowdisgustbeforearepugnantobject，nevercomplainofanythingthathadtodowithhispersonalcomfort，neversitdown，neverleanuponhiselbowswhenhewaskneeling。TheCureofArswasverysensitivetocold，buthewouldnevertakemeanstoprotecthimselfagainstit。Duringaveryseverewinter，oneofhismissionariescontrivedafalsefloortohisconfessionalandplacedametalcaseofhotwaterbeneath。Thetricksucceeded，andtheSaintwasdeceived：’Godisverygood，’hesaidwithemotion。’Thisyear，throughallthecold，myfeethavealwaysbeenwarm。’
“[179]
[179]A。Mounin：LeCured’Ars，viedeM。J。B。M。Vianney，1864，p。545，abridged。
InthiscasethespontaneousimpulsetomakesacrificesforthepureloveofGodwasprobablytheuppermostconsciousmotive。Wemayclassit，then，underourhead3。Someauthorsthinkthattheimpulsetosacrificeisthemainreligiousphenomenon。Itisaprominent，auniversalphenomenoncertainly，andliesdeeperthananyspecialcreed。Here，forinstance，iswhatseemstobeaspontaneousexampleofit，simplyexpressingwhatseemedrightatthetimebetweentheindividualandhisMaker。CottonMather，theNewEnglandPuritandivine，isgenerallyreputedarathergrotesquepedant；yetwhatismoretouchinglysimplethanhisrelationofwhathappenedwhenhiswifecametodie？
“WhenIsawtowhatapointofresignationIwasnowcalledoftheLord。”hesays，“Iresolved，withhishelp，thereintoglorifyhim。So，twohoursbeforemylovelyconsortexpired，I
kneeledbyherbedside，andItookintomytwohandsadearhand，thedearestintheworld。Withherthusinmyhands，IsolemnlyandsincerelygaveherupuntotheLord：andintokenofmyrealRESIGNATION，Igentlyputheroutofmyhands，andlaidawayamostlovelyhand，resolvingthatIwouldnevertouchitmore。
Thiswasthehardest，andperhapsthebravestactionthateverI
did。She……toldmethatshesignedandsealedmyactofresignation。Andthoughbeforethatshecalledformecontinually，sheafterthisneveraskedformeanymore。”[180]
[180]B。Wendell：CottonMather，NewYork，nodate，p。198。
FatherVianney’sasceticismtakeninitstotalitywassimplytheresultofapermanentfloodofhighspiritualenthusiasm，longingtomakeproofofitself。TheRomanChurchhas，initsincomparablefashion，collectedallthemotivestowardsasceticismtogether，andsocodifiedthemthatanyonewishingtopursueChristianperfectionmayfindapracticalsystemmappedoutforhiminanyoneofanumberofready-mademanuals。[181]
ThedominantChurchnotionofperfectionisofcoursethenegativeoneofavoidanceofsin。Sinproceedsfromconcupiscence，andconcupiscencefromourcarnalpassionsandtemptations，chiefofwhicharepride，sensualityinallitsforms，andthelovesofworldlyexcitementandpossession。Allthesesourcesofsinmustberesisted；anddisciplineandausteritiesareamostefficaciousmodeofmeetingthem。Hencetherearealwaysinthesebookschaptersonself-mortification。
Butwheneveraprocedureiscodified，themoredelicatespiritofitevaporates，andifwewishtheundilutedasceticspirit——thepassionofself-contemptwreakingitselfonthepoorflesh，thedivineirrationalityofdevotionmakingasacrificialgiftofallithasitssensibilities，namelytotheobjectofitsadoration——wemustgotoautobiographies，orotherindividualdocuments。
[181]ThatoftheearlierJesuit，Rodriguez，whichhasbeentranslatedintoalllanguages，isoneofthebestknown。A
convenientmodernmanual，verywellputtogether，isL’AscetiqueChretienne，byM。J。Ribet，Paris，Poussielgue，nouvelleedition，1898。
SaintJohnoftheCross，aSpanishmysticwhoflourished——orratherwhoexisted，fortherewaslittlethatsuggestedflourishingabouthim——inthesixteenthcentury，willsupplyapassagesuitableforourpurpose。
“Firstofall，carefullyexciteinyourselfanhabitualaffectionatewillinallthingstoimitateJesusChrist。Ifanythingagreeableoffersitselftoyoursenses，yetdoesnotatthesametimetendpurelytothehonorandgloryofGod，renounceitandseparateyourselffromitfortheloveofChrist，whoallhislifelonghadnoothertasteorwishthantodothewillofhisFatherwhomhecalledhismeatandnourishment。Forexample，youtakesatisfactioninHEARINGofthingsinwhichthegloryofGodbearsnopart。Denyyourselfthissatisfaction，mortifyyourwishtolisten。YoutakepleasureinSEEINGobjectswhichdonotraiseyourmindtoGod：refuseyourselfthispleasure，andturnawayyoureyes。Thesamewithconversationsandallotherthings。Actsimilarly，sofarasyouareable，withalltheoperationsofthesenses，strivingtomakeyourselffreefromtheiryokes。
“Theradicalremedyliesinthemortificationofthefourgreatnaturalpassions，joy，hope，fear，andgrief。Youmustseektodeprivetheseofeverysatisfactionandleavethemasitwereindarknessandthevoid。Letyoursoulthereforeturnalways：