Page:Beautifulpearlso00oreirich.djvu/496

 the vine,  that  he  may  gather  the  fruits  of  it,  in season. And many,  because  of  the  great  labor  and toil, leave  off  by  degrees,  and  repent  of  the  work they have  begun:  but  if  they  would  persevere  until the vintage,  they  would  forget  all  pains,  and  be comforted  and  filled  with  gladness,  securely  enjoying the  fruits  of  their  labor.

" And  so  shall  a  man  also,  that  is  strong  in temptations,  obtain  much  consolation;  '  according to  our  tribulations,'  says  St.  Paul,  '  shall  be  the recompense,'  and  the  crown  of  eternal  life  that  shall be  given  to  us.  But  not  only  shall  the  reward  in heaven  be  given  to  them  who  withstand  temptations, but  even  in  this  life  also,  as  the  Psalmist says:  '  Lord,  according  to  the  multitude  of  my temptations,  and  of  my  sorrows,  thy  consolations have  delighted  my  soul:'  therefore  the  greater  the temptation  and  the  combat,  the  more  glorious  shall be  the  crown."

Another Brother  asked  counsel  of  Brother  Giles on account  of  his  temptations,  saying:  "  O  Father, I  am  attacked  by  two  most  violent  temptations:  one is  this:  that  as  soon  as  I  do  anything  good,  immediately I  am  tempted  to  vainglory;  and  the  other, that  when  I  do  an  evil,  I  fall  into  such  rashness  and bitterness  that  I  almost  despair."

To which  Brother  Giles  replied:  "  My  Brother, well  dost  thou  do  and  wisely  to  grieve  for  thy  sins, but  I  counsel  thee  to  grieve  discreetly  and  in  measure, and  ever  to  remember  that  the  mercy  of  God is  greater  than  thy  sins.  But  if  the  infinite  mercy of  God  receives  to  repentance  the  man  who  is  a great  sinner,  and  who  sins  wilfully,  thinkest  thou that  this  God  will  abandon  the  good  sinner  who  sins not  wilfully,  seeing  him  contrite  and  penitent? Also,  I  counsel  thee  never  to  leave  off  doing  good for  the  fear  of  vainglory;  for  if  a  man  who  was about  to  sow  his  com  should  say:  '  I  will  not  sow, for  if  I  do,  perchance  the  birds  will  come  and  devour it,'  and  so  saying  should  leave  his  field  unsown, of  a  surety  he  should  gather  in  no  harvest that  year.

" But  if  he  sow  his  seed,  though  the  birds  should come  and  eat  a  part  of  it,  yet  the  greater  part  shall remain  to  the  laborer;  so  it  is  with  a  man  who  is attacked  by  vainglory,  and  who  will  not  do  good works  for  the  fear  of  vainglory;  but  if  he  continually strive  against  it,  I  say  to  thee,  that  he  shall not  lose  the  merit  of  the  good  he  has  done,  for  having been  tempted."

A Brother  once  said  to  Brother  Giles:  "  Father, it  is  said  that  St.  Bernard  once  said  the  seven  penitential psalms  with  such  tranquillity  of  mind  and devotion,  that  he  had  not  a  single  distraction,  or  a thought  of  aught  else  besides  each  sentence  of  the psalms." To which  Brother  Giles  replied:  "  My Brother,  I  esteem  it  a  much  greater  thing  if  a knight,  being  assailed  by  his  enemies,  should  defend himself  so  bravely  that  he  should  not  suffer one  of  them  to  enter  in,  than  if  he  were  to  be  left  in peace,  and  without  any  trouble."

Much should  a  man  continually  afflict  and  macerate his  body,  and  willingly  suffer  every  injury, tribulation, anguish,  sorrow,  shame,  painfulness, insult, adversity  and  persecution,  for  the  3ove  of  our. good Master  and  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  who  has  given us the  example  in  Himself;  inasmuch  as,  from  the beginning in  His  glorious  Nativity,  to  the  end  in His  most  holy  Passion,  He  ever  suffered  anguish, tribulation, sorrow,  pain,  contumely,  and  persecution, solely  for  our  salvation. And, therefore,  if we  should  attain  to  the  state  of  grace,  before  all things it  is  necessary  that  we  should,  so  far  as  in us  lies,  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  our  good  Master, Jesus Christ.

A secular  once  asked  Brother  Giles:  "  Father,  in what  way  can  we  men  of  the  world  attain  to  the state  of  grace?" To whom  Brother  Giles  replied: " My  Brother,  a  man  should  first  of  all  mourn  for his  sins  with  great  contrition  of  heart;  and  then  he should  confess  himself  sincerely  to  the  priest,  with bitterness  and  sorrow  of  heart,  without  concealing or  excusing  aught;  and  having  done  so,  he  should perfectly  fulfill  the  penance  imposed  upon  him  by his  confession;  and  after  this  he  should  keep  guard against  every  vice,  and  every  sin,  and  every  occasion of  sin;  and  moreover  he  should  excite  himself to  good  works  of  virtue  towards  God  and  his  neighbor;  and  thus  doing,  a  man  shall  attain  to  the  state of  grace  and  virtue.

" Blessed  is  the  man  who  shall  have  continual sorrow  for  sins,  continually  weeping  both  by  day