Page:Beautifulpearlso00oreirich.djvu/492

 wouldst not  be  reviled  in  this  world  for  the  love  of Christ,  and  yet  wouldst  be  with  Christ  in  the  world to come;  thou  wouldst  not  be  persecuted  and  slandered in  this  world  for  Christ's  sake,  and  yet  in  the other world  thou  wouldst  be  blessed  and  received by Christ;  thou  wouldst  not  labor  in  this  world, and yet  wouldst  have  quiet  and  rest  hereafter. I say to thee,  my  Brother,  my  Brother,  that  thou  dost greatly deceive  thyself;  for  by  the  way  of  dishonor and shame  and  insult  shall  a  man  attain  to  the  true celestial honor;  and  by  enduring  patiently  derision and insults  for  the  glory  of  Christ. Therefore, well is  it  said,  in  the  worldly  proverb. He who  will not pay  the  cost,  shall  not  receive  what  he  desires.

"The horse  is  a  noble  and  useful  animal,  but although  he  can  run  very  well  alone,  he  suffers himself  to  be  governed,  guided,  and  driven  hither and  thither,  backwards  and  forwards,  according  to the  will  of  his  rider;  and  thus  also  should  the  servant of  God  suffer  himself  to  be  governed,  guided, turned  and  bent  according  to  the  will  of  his  Superior, and  even  of  everyone,  for  the  love  of  Christ. If  thou  wouldst  be  perfect,  study  only  to  be  gracious and  virtuous,  and  combat  valiantly  thy  evil  inclinations, patiently  enduring  all  adversity  for  the  love of  thy  Lord,  persecuted,  afflicted,  insulted,  scourged, crucified,  and  dying  for  the  love  of  thee,  and  not for  sins  of  His  own,  or  for  His  own  glory,  or  for His  own  profit,  but  solely  for  thy  salvation.  And in  order  to  do  this,  above  all  things  it  is  needful that thou  conquer  thyself;  for  little  doth  it  profit  a man  to  direct  and  bring  souls  to  God,  unless  first of all  he  conquers  and  governs  himself."

The slothful  man  loses  both  this  world  and  the next; for  he  neither  brings  forth  fruit  in  himself, nor is  of  any  use  to  others. It is  impossible  for one to  acquire  virtue  without  solicitude  and  great labor. Therefore, when  thou  art  able  to  stand  in  a secure  place,  tarry  not  in  a  doubtful  one. He is secure  who  strives  and  labors  and  toils  according to God,  and  for  his  Lord's  sake,  and  not  for  the fear of  punishment,  or  for  a  reward,  but  for  the love of  God. He who  shrinks  from  working  and suffering for  the  love  of  Christ  verily  draws  back from the  glory  of  Christ;  and  even  as  this  solicitude is  useful  so  is  negligence  ever  hurtful  to  us. As sloth  is  the  way  to  hell,  even  so  is  holy  solicitude the way  to  Heaven.

Much should  one  strive  to  acquire  and  to  preserve virtue and  the  grace  of  God,  always  co-operating faithfully with  this  grace  and  virtue;  for  the  man who does  not  thus  co-operate  faithfully  often  sacrifices the  fruit  for  the  leaves,  or  the  grain  for  the straw, for  to  some  the  Lord  concedes  graciously good fruit  with  but  few  leaves;  to  some  others  he gives  fruit  together  with  the  leaves;  and  there  are some others  who  have  neither  fruit  nor  leaves. It seems to  me  a  greater  thing  to  know  how  to  guard well, and  in  secret  to  preserve  the  graces  given  by God,  than  to  know  how  to  acquire  them;  because, however well  a  man  knows  how  to  acquire,  yet  unless he knows  well  how  to  store  and  keep,  he  will  never grow rich;  but  they  who  acquire  things  by  little and little  will  enrich  themselves,  for  they  take  care of their  gains  and  their  treasure.

O what  a  quantity  of  water  the  Tiber  would  have collected, if  it  had  not  escaped  by  some  outlet! Man asks  of  God  gifts  without  measure  and  without end; and  he  will  not  love  God  but  in  measure  and degree. He who  would  be  loved  of  God,  and  receive from Him  infinite  merit  above  reckoning  or  measure, should also  love  God  without  reckoning  and  without measure,  and  ever  render  Him  infinite  service. Blessed is  he  who  loves  God  with  all  his  heart,  and with all  his  mind,  and  always  afflicts  his  body  and his mind  for  the  love  of  God,  seeking  for  no  reward under Heaven,  but  acknowledging  himself  wholly as God's  debtor.

If a  man  were  exceedingly  poor  and  needy,  and another were  to  say  to  him:  "  I  will  lend  thee  a thing  most  precious  for  three  days;  and  know  that if  thou  use  it  well  within  this  term  of  three  days, thou  wilt  gain  infinite  treasure,  and  mayest  be  rich for  evermore:"  it  is  most  sure  that  the  poor  man would be  very  solicitous  to  make  good  use  of  a  thing so precious,  and  much  would  he  study  how  to  gather well the  fruit  of  it. Thus also  I  say  to  thee,  that our body  is  that  good  thing  which  we  hold  from  the hands of  God  for  three  days;  for  all  the  years  of our  time  upon  earth  may  be  compared  unto  three days.

Therefore, if  thou  wilt  be  rich,  and  enjoy  eternally