We shall make a great mistake, as to our personal religion, if we place it only in external compliance with the commandments of God. There is an outer, and an inner man. It is a superficial and deceptive profession of piety, which intermeddles only with the former. It storms and carries the outworks, but enters not into the strong fortress of the heart, defended by inward pride, self-will, earthly affections, envy, vain-glory, and many other evil dispositions, which, though driven out of our visible behaviour, by a fear of God's threats and some kind of regard to His promises, retreat and secure themselves in the inner man of our hearts, as a castle. We may not carry out our revenge for injuries into any act of offence to them, and yet not be willing to forgive those who have offended, us; we may not cheat or take advantage of an ignorant or careless customer or employer, and yet love this world's wealth, and yet not mind the things that are above, but the things that are upon the earth. We may be unwilling to let our religion be too busy with our inward thoughts, passions and inclinations. And when our attachment co outward and worldly things begins to be cooled by satiety or age, or any other repressive cause, we may yet feed our inner self-love, by feelings of contempt for others, satisfaction at their inferiority, mistakes, or disappointments, and by contemplation of our own fancied superiority or attainments, wisdom, or wit, or any thing for which we are or have been well spoken or thought of. Against this great and dangerous error, let us keep in mind that we have to do with that God who says: I am the Lord, who search the heart and prove the reins, to give to every one according to his way.
- text taken from Daily Bread - Bring a Few Morning Meditations for the Use of Catholic Christians by Father Richard Waldo Sibthorp