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：