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The useless joys and the imperfect attachment which
many persons have to the things which we have
described are perhaps to some extent excusable, since
these persons act more or less innocently with regard
to them. But the great reliance which some persons
place in many kinds of ceremonies introduced by
uninstructed persons who lack the simplicity of faith
is intolerable.
Let us here disregard those which bear various
extraordinary names or use terms that signify
nothing, and also other things that are not sacred
which persons who are foolish and gross and
mistrustful in spirit are wont to interpolate in
their prayers. For these are clearly evil, and
involve sin, and many of them imply a secret compact
with the devil; by such means these persons provoke
God to wrath and not to mercy, wherefore I treat them
not here.
2. I wish to speak solely of those ceremonies into
which enters nothing of a suspicious nature, and of
which many people make use nowadays with indiscreet
devotion, attributing such efficacy and faith to
these ways and manners wherein they desire to perform
their devotions and prayers, that they believe that,
if they fail to the very slightest extent in them, or
go beyond their limits, God will not be served by
them nor will He hear them.
They place more reliance upon these methods and
kinds of ceremony than upon the reality of their
prayer, and herein they greatly offend and displease
God.
I refer, for example, to a Mass at which there
must be so many candles, neither more nor fewer;
which has to be said by the priest in such or such a
way; and must be at such or such an hour, and neither
sooner nor later; and must be after a certain day,
neither sooner nor later; and the prayers and
stations must be made at such and such times, with
such or such ceremonies, and neither sooner nor later
nor in any other manner; and the person who makes
them must have such or such qualities or
qualifications. And there are those who think that,
if any of these details which they have laid down be
wanting, nothing is accomplished.
3. And, what is worse, and indeed intolerable, is
that certain persons desire to feel some effect in
themselves, or to have their petitions fulfilled, or
to know that the purpose of these ceremonious prayers
of theirs will be accomplished.
This is nothing less than to tempt God and to
anger Him greatly, so much so that He sometimes gives
leave to the devil to deceive them, making them feel
and understand things that are far removed from the
benefit of their soul, which they deserve because of
the attachment that they show in their prayers, not
desiring God's will, rather than their own desires,
to be done therein; and thus, because they place not
their whole confidence in God, nothing goes well with
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