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 in purple  and  fine  linen,  to feast  sumptuously  every  day, to spend  all  their  life  in  pleasures, and  yet  presumptuously to  promise  themselves  the death and  the  portion  of Lazarus! They lead  bad lives with  wicked  Balaam, and yet  most  senselessly  wish their last  end  to  be  like  the saints! ’ What can  be  greater madness? How can  they presume to  demand  what  they nave not  earned? How can they wish  to  reap  what  they have not  sown? What! do they who,  in  slumbering, sporting, and  feasting,  pass their days  in  pleasure,  claim wages with  my  labourers, who have  borne  in  my  vineyard the  burden  and  heat  of the  day? Do they  serve  the world and  the  flesh,  and  then claim their  wages  of  me? Can anything  be  more  extravagant? My Father  has, indeed, entrusted  to  me  a stewardship,  but  that  is  to give  wages  to  the  labourers only. For what  things  a man  shall  sow,  those  also shall he  reap. For he  that sows in  his  flesh,  of  the  flesh also shall  reap  corruption; but he  that  sows  in  the  spirit, of the  spirit  shall  reap  life everlasting.

But thou,  my  son,  regard my faithful  labourers  who have been  eminent  for  true religious perfection. They served me  in  hunger  and thirst, in  cold  and  nakedness, in  labour  and  weariness,  in  watchings  and  fastings, in  prayers  and  holy meditations, in  many  revilings  and  persecutions. How frequent were  they,  and  fervent in  holy  exercises; they never relaxed  their  unsubdued spirit  from  prayer. How rigid was  the  abstinence  with which they  subdued  their  bodies! how* anxious  the  watchfulness with  which  they  laboured to  fortify  themselves against every  assault  of  concupiscence! Reflect upon  this, my son,  and  you  will  see  that what thou  dost  is  little  more than nothing. What is  thy life in  comparison  of  theirs, in whose  company  thou  desirest  to  be  crowned?

Man. Shame has  covered my face,  O Lord  my  God, because I am  become  so  unlike my  brethren,  and  a stranger to  the  sons  of  my  mother the Church. How shall  I appear  in  thy  presence,  alas, in the  council  or  the  just,  who burn with  so  ardent  a charity? With fear  and  trembling they  worked  out  their salvation. One feared  all  his works, knowing  that  thou dost not  spare  the  offender. Another chastised  his  body, and brought  it  into  subjection, lest,  when  he  preached to others,  he  should  become himself a castaway. Another, though holy  from  his  mother’s womb,  withdrew  into the desert,  that  there  he  might the more  easily  preserve  his innocence. He clothed  not