Page:PracticeOfChristianAndReligiousPerfectionV1.djvu/80

 dost thou  then  pretend  to  follow  thy  own? Whenever you  find that any  ordinary  effects  of  poverty  molest  you,  encourage yourself in  these  terms:  Art  thou  come  hither  to  seek  thy  own ease and  convenience,  and  not  to  suffer  the  least  want  of  anything? Dost thou  not  remember  that  thou  earnest  to  religion to be  poor,  and  to  suffer  the  want  of  -many  things,  as  one  truly poor? Wherefore then  dost  thou  complain? When you imagine that  others  have  not  a  sufficient  regard  and  esteem  for you, console  yourself  by  often  saying:  Hast  thou  entered  into religion to  be  respected,  or  rather  hast  thou  not  entered  it  to  be neglected  and  forgotten  by  all  men,  not  at  all  regarding  nor valuing the  opinion  and  esteem  of  the  world? Why dost  thou now refuse  that  which  thou  earnest  hither  to  seek? Wherefore wilt thou  run  after  that  which  thou  hast  once  quitted? Thou earnest not  to  do  thy  own  will,  but  to  be  truly  poor,  to  live  in want  of  all  sorts  of  conveniences,  and  to  desire  to  be  neglected, and scorned  by  men;  this  is  to  be  a  true  religious,  this  is  to  be dead  to  the  world,  and  to  live  wholly  to  God.

Let us  then  often  call  to  mind,  that  it  is  for  this  end  we  entered into religion,  and  that  it  will  not  at  all  profit  us  to  be  in  religion, unless we  perform  what  we  came  for. It is  not  the  place,  but our good  lives,  that  must  make  us  saints. The great  St.  Austin treats this  point  excellently  well  in  a  sermon,  wherein  he addresses  himself  to  those  religious,  who  live  in  the  desert. "Behold," says  he,  "  we  are  got  into  solitude,  we  are  got  into  the desert:  yet,  it  is  not  the  place,  but  our  good  works  that  can make  us  saints;  it  is  these  will  sanctify  the  place,  and  us  too. Do  not  then  trust  to  the  holiness  of  the  place;  we  may  sin  in  all places,  and  may  everywhere  meet  with  our  damnation.  For the  angels  sinned  in  heaven,  Adam  in  paradise;  and  you  know there  was  no  place  could  be  more  holy  than  these.  It  is  not then  the  place  that  makes  the  saints;  for  if  the  place  could sanctify  those  that  live  in  it,  neither  man  nor  angels  could  ever have  fallen  from  their  dignities." (Ser. xxvii.  ad  frat.  in  Erm.) I say  the  same  to  you:  do  not  imagine  that  all  the  work  is  done, and that  you  are  already  out  of  all  danger,  because  you  are become a  religious;  for  it  will  avail  you  nothing  to  be  a  religious, unless you  do  those  things,  for  which  you  have  entered  into religion; for  you  are  not  come  thither,  to  be  a  man  of  great learning, nor  to  become  a  great  preacher,  but  solely  and  purely to become  a  true  and  good  religious,  and  to  aspire  continually after perfection. It imports  but  little  whether  you  are  more  or