of God, or fanatics, who delight in their own visions, and through their contempt of outward form undermine the Church, or, finally, lukewarm Christians, in whom the stimulus of external or the reality of internal worship is wanting.
26. (xvii) Boys should be carefully habituated to the outward works which are commanded by God, that they may know that it is true Christianity to express faith by works.
Such works are the exercise of temperance, justice, pity, and patience, which should continually occupy our attention. “For, unless our faith brings forth such fruit it is manifestly dead” (James ii.) But it must be living if it is to bring us salvation.
27. (xviii) They should also learn to distinguish carefully the objects of the blessings and of the judgments of God, that they may make a good use of them.
Fulgentius32 (Letter II. to Gallas) divides the blessings of God into three classes. According to him, some are to last for ever, others are to help us to attain eternity, while others are only for the use of this present life. Of the first kind are the knowledge of God, the joy of the Holy Spirit, and the love of God that fills our hearts. Of the second kind are faith, hope, and compassion for our neighbours. Of the third kind are health, riches, friends, and the other external goods that of themselves make us neither happy nor unhappy.
In the same way the judgments or chastisements of God are of three kinds. Some (whom God wishes to spare in the life everlasting) are seized on earth and are tortured that they may be purified and whitened (Dan. xi. 35; Rev. vii. 14), as was the case with Lazarus. Others are spared here that they may be punished in eternity, as was the Rich Man. While the punishments of others begin here and are continued in eternity, as is the case with Saul, Antiochus, Herod, Judas, etc.
Men, therefore, must be taught to distinguish all these from one another, that they may not be deceived by the good things of the flesh and give precedence to what is
