_His Hope._
1. A STRONG faith cannot but produce a firm hope and charity. A true belief in God, what he is in himself, and what he is to us, will work a strong affiance in him, and ardent charity towards him; as appeared in M. _de Renty_, who being grounded in faith, had also an undaunted hope, and inflamed affections.
2. The experience of the power and mercy of God, and faith in the infinite merits of our Redeemer, were the two pillars on which he built his hope: and resting on these, he hoped all things. He used to say, that when he looked at himself, there was nothing so little wherein he apprehended not difficulty. But when he looked upon God, he could think nothing difficult, much less impossible.
3. Accordingly in all affairs, he relied not upon his own prudence, conduct, care, or any human strength or wisdom, but on God alone, saying, “When we have done our duty with great diffidence in ourselves, we ought to attend wholly on God, and wait his time.” And thus he writ to a friend, “As for my children, I leave them in the hands of the holy Jesus, without determining any thing concerning them, not knowing what would befall to-morrow. He giveth me great confidence in his protection, which renders me altogether blind, without wishing any thing, but being ready for his will in every thing.”
4. Guarded with his perfect confidence, he feared nothing, but remained firm and resolute against all encounters. He walked securely in all places, at all times, in the streets, in the fields, by day and by night; travelling through woods and forests, reputed dangerous, and frequented by robbers, without any other defence than his trust in God. A friend told him one day, he was afraid to walk in the evening in the streets of _Paris_ without a sword, and desired his advice; who told him, he had left off wearing a sword a long time, and advised him, after he had commended the business to God by prayer, to trust in his protection; assuring himself, that his protection over us, is according to our reliance upon him.”
5. One day a scaffold on which he stood with his workmen fell down, and hurt several of them: but it moved not him; his spirit remained in the same evenness as if nothing had happened; being settled on him in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
6. Those words were found in one of his letters to his director. “My soul being armed with confidence and love, fears neither the devil nor hell, nor all the stratagems of man. Neither think I at all on heaven or earth, but only how to fulfil the will of God in every thing.”