Page:Beautifulpearlso00oreirich.djvu/500

 drowned themselves. If thou  procure  not  the  salvation  of  thine  own  soul,  how  wilt  thou  procure  that of thy  neighbor? And if  thou  look  not  well  to thine  own  affairs,  how  wilt  thou  look  to  the  affairs of others? For it  is  not  to  be  believed  that  thou dost love  the  soul  of  another  better  than  thine  own. The preachers  of  the  Word  of  God  should  be  standards, lights,  and  mirrors  to  the  people. Blessed is the  man  who  so  guideth  the  souls  of  others  in  the way of  salvation,  that  he  himself  ceaseth  not  to  go in  the  same  way! Blessed is  the  man  who  in  such wise inviteth  others  to  run  the  race  that  he  ceaseth not to  run  himself!

"More blessed  is  he,  who,  in  the  same  manner, shall  make  others  rich,  that  he  himself  shall  not remain  behind  them.  I  believe  that  good  preachers admonish  and  preach  to  themselves  more  than  they do  to  any  other.  It  seemeth  to  me  that  he  who could  convert  and  draw  the  souls  of  sinners  into  the way  of  God  should  ever  be  in  fear,  lest  he  should be  perverted  by  them,  and  drawn  aside  into  the  way of  vice,  and  of  the  devil  and  hell."

The man  who  speaks  good  and  useful  words  to the  souls  of  others  is  verily  the  mouthpiece  of  the Holy Spirit:  even  as  he  who  speaks  evil  and  useless words  is  certainly  the  mouthpiece  of  the  devil. When good  and  spiritual  men  are  assembled  to confer  together,  they  should  ever  speak  of  the beauty of  virtue,  because  the  more  virtue  is  pleasing to  them,  the  more  they  will  delight  in  practicing it;  and  the  more  we  are  pleased  with  virtue and delight  in  it,  the  more  we  shall  exercise  ourselves in  it;  and  the  more  we  exercise  ourselves  in it,  the  greater  will  grow  our  love  for  it;  and  by  this love and  by  continually  exercising  ourselves  and taking pleasure  in  virtue,  we  shall  grow  continually in more  fervent  love  of  God,  and  ascend  to  a  higher state of  perfection;  for  which  cause  also,  there  shall be granted  to  us  from  the  Lord  greater  gifts  and graces.

When a  man  is  the  most  tempted,  so  much  the more need  he  has  to  speak  of  holy  virtue;  because often, through  talking  of  sins,  a  man  is  easily drawn into  sinful  acts;  and  thus  also,  through  conversing about  virtue,  a  man  is  easily  led  and  disposed towards  the  holy  operations  of  virtue. But what shall  we  say  then  of  the  good  which  proceedeth  from  virtue? It is  so  great,  that  we  cannot worthily speak  of  its  excellence,  which  is  admirable and infinite. And yet  again,  what  shall  we  say  of evil,  and  of  the  eternal  pains  which  follow  sin? It is an  abyss  so  profound  that  it  is  incomprehensible to us,  so  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  conceive  it, or to  speak  about  it.

I do  not  consider  it  a  lesser  virtue  to  know  well how to  be  silent,  than  to  know  well  how  to  speak; and therefore  it  appears  to  me,  that  it  would  be  well for a  man  were  his  neck  as  long  as  a  crane's,  so that,  when  he  would  speak,  his  words  would  have to pass  through  many  joints  before  reaching  his mouth; that  is  to  say,  that  when  a  man  would speak, he  has  need  to  consider,  and  reconsider,  and examine and  discern  right  well  the  how  and  the wherefore, and  the  time  and  the  manner,  and  the condition of  his  audience,  and  his  own  motive  and intention.

What profiteth  a  man  to  fast  and  to  pray  much, and to  give  alms,  and  afflict  himself,  and  have  sublime thoughts  of  heavenly  things,  if  he  attain  not to the  blessed  and  desired  haven  of  eternal  salvation, namely,  final  and  holy  perseverance? Oftentimes we have  seen  a  fair  ship  appear  upon  the  sea, immense and  strong  and  new,  and  laden  with  much treasure; and  yet,  overwhelmed  by  a  storm,  or  else by the  fault  of  the  captain,  it  perishes,  and  is  submerged, and  miserably  wrecked,  and  never  attains the port  for  which  it  set  out. What profit  is  there then, in  its  beauty  and  strength  and  treasure,  since it has  perished  so  miserably  in  the  depths  of  the sea? And yet  again,  many  a  time  we  have  seen  on the  sea  a  little  ship,  old,  and  carrying  but  little  merchandise, but,  having  a  good  and  skillful  captain,  it escaped  every  danger  of  the  sea,  and  arrived  at  the desired haven;  and  thus  also  it  often  happens  to  us in  the  tempestuous  sea  of  this  world.

And, therefore,  Brother  Giles  said:  "A  man should  always  fear;  for  although  he  may  be  in great  prosperity  or  in  great  dignity,  or  have  attained to  a  state  of  great  perfection,  yet  if  he  have not  a  good  captain,  viz.,  skillful  guidance  to  rule