Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/77

 great pains  and  care  in  his  affairs,  yet  he  never  refuses  to  do whatever  lies  in  his  power  for  him,  but  on  the  contrary  rejoices to receive  his  master's  commands,  and  performs  them  with  the same willingness  and  readiness,  as  he  did  the  first  day  he  entered into his  service. This St. Bernard practised. He believed  that all other  religious  were  arrived  at  the  height  of  perfection,  and being come  to  the  end  of  their  course,  they  might  very  well  dispense with  themselves  in  many  things  (which  is  indeed  an  excellent antidote  against  judging  rashly  of  others);  but  as  for himself, he  always  imagined  that  he  was  as  yet  but  a  novice,  and that it  was  not  for  him  to  take  upon  him  the  same  liberty,  nor  to use  the  same  privileges,  which  others  might  do,  and  for  that reason be  never  abated  anything  of  the  exactness  and  rigour  of his  rule,  nor  exempted  himself  from  any  of  the  meanest  offices of his  monastery. He was  always  the  most  forward  in  doing whatsoever obedience,  prescribed;  the  first  in  sweeping  the cloister, the  first  in  washing  the  dishes,  and  when  it  happened that he  was  not  well  versed  in,  or  could  not  do  something  he saw  others  do,  he  presently  endeavoured  to  repair  that  defect,  by taking  some  other  work  in  hand  that  was  far  meaner  than  what his brethren  were  employed  in. He either  took  a  spade  to  dig the garden,  or  an  axe  to  cleave  wood,  which  afterwards  he  carried to the  kitchen,  and  took  great  delight  in  these  offices,  because he really  believed  he  had  very  great  need  of  practising  them  for his spiritual  advancement. There are  many  now-a-days  not  of his  mind,  who,  when  they  are  employed  in  such  offices,  say,  that good example  may  perhaps  require  it,  but  in  any  other  respect they do  not  think  these  practices  necessary. I do  not  say,  but that it  is  good  to  do  such  things  for  the  example  and  edification of others,  but  that  it  were  better  to  believe,  that  we  ought  to  do them  for  our  own  advancement,  since  St. Bernard was  persuaded, that  he  had  need  of  them  for  his.

But to  elucidate  still  more  what  we  have  already  quoted  from. St. Anthony,  we  must  make  another  observation,  which  is,  that the saint  was  not  satisfied  with  our  not  abating  anything  of  that fervour we  brought  at  first:  but  required  that  we  should  continually endeavour  to  increase  it,  by  growing  still  better  and better, and  as  if  we  did  then  only  begin. Just as  a  man  who  is but  newly  entered  into  God's  service,  and  sees  hitherto  he  has done nothing  else  but  offended  him,  adds  therefore  every  day penance upon  penance,  in  order  to  make  satisfaction  for  his  past offences, and  to  render  himself  worthy  of  reward  for  the  future.