Page:Beautifulpearlso00oreirich.djvu/493

 the Divine  sweetness,  study  to  labor  well,  and  to make  good  use  of  what  God  hath  lent  thee,  namely, thy body,  in  this  space  of  three  days,  that  is,  in  the brief space  of  this  thy  life;  inasmuch  as,  if  thou strive not  to  acquire  in  this  present  life  whilst  yet thou hast  time,  thou  canst  not  hereafter  enjoy  the eternal riches,  or  enter  into  the  holy  rest  of  that celestial and  eternal  peace. But if  all  the  possessions of  the  world  belonged  to  one  person,  who would not  cultivate  them,  or  cause  them  to  be  cultivated by  others — what  fruit  or  what  use  would  he have  of  these  things? Most sure  is  it,  that  he would  have  neither  fruit  nor  profit. But it  might well be,  that  a  man  having  but  few  possessions,  and cultivating them  diligently,  should  have  much profit, and  through  his  own  and  others'  labors, have fruit  enough  and  to  spare.

There is  a  worldly  proverb  which  says:  Never  put an  empty  pot  on  the  fire,  hoping  from  thy  neighbor. And thus  also  it  is  God's  will  that  no  grace  shall remain idle;  for  our  good  God  does  not  give  a  man grace that  he  may  hold  it  in  vain,  but  He  gives  it that  a  man  may  do  His  will  by  performing  good works; for  a  good  will  suffices  not,  unless  a  man study to  follow  and  make  use  of  the  grace  of  God, by the  practice  of  holiness.

On one  occasion,  a  dissipated  man  said  to  Brother Giles: "  Father,  I  pray  thee  give  me  some  consolation." To whom  Brother  Giles  replied:  "  My brother,  study  to  stand  well  with  God,  and  immediately thou  shalt  have  all  the  consolation  of  which thou  hast  need;  for  if  a  man  prepare  not  within  his soul  a  clean  abode  where  God  may  dwell  and  repose, he  will  never  find  a  resting  place  for  himself,  or  repose;  or  true  consolation  in  any  creature.  When  a man  would  do  ill,  he  never  seeks  much  counsel  how to  do  it;  but  to  do  well,  he  seeks  many  counsels,  and makes  long  delay."

On another  occasion. Brother Giles  said  to  his companions: "  My  Brothers,  it  seems  to  me  that now-a-days  there  is  no  one  willing  to  do  that  which profit  him  most,  and  that  for  his  body,  as  well  as his  soul.  Believe  me,  my  Brothers,  that  I  could swear  of  a  truth,  that  the  more  a  man  seeks  to  fly and  to  shun  the  burden  and  the  yoke  of  Christ,  so much  the  harder  does  he  make  it  for  himself,  and the  more  difficult  and  cumbersome  he  finds  it;  and the  more  ardently  a  man  submits  himself  to  it, voluntarily  adding  to  its  weight,  the  more  he  finds it  easy  and  sweet  to  carry.

"O, that  it  would  please  God  that  men  would indeed  seek  and  procure  in  this  world  the  welfare  of their  bodies,  for  then  they  would  at  the  same  time procure  that  of  their  souls!  inasmuch  as,  without doubt,  body  and  soul  must  be  agreed  to  suffer  together, or  to  rejoice  together  everlastingly;  for  of  a truth  either  they  shall  suffer  in  hell  eternal  torments and  immeasurable  pains,  or  they  shall  enjoy with  the  Saints  and  the  Angels  in  Paradise  perpetual joy  and  unfailing  consolation,  through  the  merit  of good  works.  For  if  a  man  do  well,  and  also  pardon others,  yet  without  humility,  his  good  will  turn  to evil;  for  many  have  done  many  works  that  seemed good  and  praiseworthy;  but  because  they  had  not humility,  it  was  discovered  and  made  known  that their  works  were  done  out  of  pride,  and  the  works themselves proved  it,  for  only  works  done  in  humility never  become  corrupt."

A Brother  said  once  to  Brother  Giles:  "  Father, it  seems  to  me,  that  we  do  not  yet  know  or  understand that  which  is  for  our  true  good." To whom Brother Giles  replied:  "  My  Brother,  it  is  a  sure thing  that  each  one  will  practice  the  art  which  he  has learnt,  for  none  can  rightly  practice  that  which  he has  not  learnt  beforehand.  Now  wouldst  thou know  the  noblest  art  upon  earth?  It  is  that  of working  well:  and  who  can  practice  it,  who  has  not first  learnt  it?  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  no  creature can  misguide;  but  more  blessed  is  he  who,  in whatever  he  sees,  or  hears,  can  take  to  himself  true edification."

Many sorrows  befall  the  unhappy  man  who  places his desires,  his  heart  and  his  hope,  on  earthly things, through  which  he  abandons  and  loses heavenly things,  and  in  the  end  will  lose  the  earthly things also. The eagle  is  much  given  to  flying aloft, but  if  he  had  a  weight  tied  to  his  wings,  he would  not  fly  very  high;  and  thus  man  also, through the  weight  of  earthly  things,  cannot  fly upwards, that  is  to  say,  cannot  attain  to  perfection. But the  wise  man,  who  binds  the  memory  of  death and judgment  on  the  wings  of  his  heart,  shall  not