As the life of the greatest part of men is full of labour, and much occupied with temporal affairs, which distract the mind and steal away the heart; it has been thought that nothing would prove more useful to such persons that to supply them with the reading of some important truth of religion for every day of the month; laying open the same and placing it in its true light by examples taken from the Holy /scriptures and the Fathers of the church. And it is hoped that the mind being enlightened by the clearness of the exposition, will learn by degrees to occupy itself to it spiritual improvement amidst the turmoils of the world; and that the heart being penetrated with a sense of the truths contained will retain the impression; so as to find itself born on towards God and disengaged from creatures.
External objects find admittance into the mind through all the senses, and attracting it by the exhibition of things from without, steal it from itself, and cause it to lose sight of God, when it has no longer anything to restrain in and occupy it within. Now the truths of salvation check this disposition of the mind to wander out of itself; and afford it matter for reflection; but in order to that, these truths must be present to the mind and the mind must have a relish for them. For this reason, the only object propose in giving to the public these Reflections in a form not hitherto adopted, is to recall man to himself, to his duties, to his sovereign good, who is God Himself. By the world Reflections are not to be understood mere observations of the mind and fruitless speculations: that word is intended to point out whatever knowledge and whatever illustration the pondering on divine truths may produce in the mind, and the impressions made upon the will in reference to salvation.
Still, although man can display the truth before the eyes of the mind, and describe it in strong and moving expressions, yet it is the effect of divine grace, to produce Christian Reflections upon viewing this same truth. We are no competent according to the Apostle to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. (2 Cor. 3. 5.) He is the principle and the source of every good thought; and it is by reading and meditating upon the Holy Scripture and books of piety, and by diligent prayer, that this grace is to be obtained of him.
Truth is the nourishment of the soul: it is its strength, its light, its consolation, as often as it is read with a sincere desire of profiting by it, and its maxims are dwelt upon with due application and attention. In all the different necessities of the soul, truth is a general relief. But if the soul omit to nourish herself therewith, she gradually grows languid; not otherwise than as a body which takes not nourishment; she falls into lukewarmness; she forgets the thing of heaven; wandering still farther and farther astray, she feels an inclination for the attractions of sense; she exposes herself willingly to the temptations of her enemies, and at length draws upon herself a miserable destruction. No in order to prevent so great a misfortune, (P. XIII)
