Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/492

 example, humble  and  low? or how  can  I presume  to  walk henceforth in  great  matters, or in  wonderful  things  that are above  me? It is  indeed too outrageous,  that  at  the very point  at  which  the  supreme Lord  of  all  debases himself so  low,  a wretched worm of  earth  should  begin to puff  and  swell  himself out.

Oh, that  I may  always  choose to be  an  abject  in  the  house of my  God,  rather  than  to dwell  in  the  tabernacles  of sinners,  and  to  humble  myself, O Lord,  with  thee,  that I may merit  likewise  to  be exalted  with  thee  in  the  day of visitation. For I know that thou  resistest  the  proud, and givest  grace  only  to  the humble.

But because  it  is a rare  and  difficult  thing  to be  not  high-minded,  but  humble amidst  this  world’s  riches and goods,  I have  shewn  you a safer way. For I despised all things  that  I might  teach you not  to  set  your  heart upon riches  and  the  fleeting goods of  earth,  but  rather  to lay  up  treasures  in  heaven, where neither  the  rust  nor the moth  consume  them. Did not  I,  when  I was  rich, and the  Lord  of  the  universe, an din  want  of  nothing, become poor for  you? No sooner  was I born than  I embraced  poverty in  my  life,  and  practised it ever  after,  both  in  my  life and in  my  death. Is not  the earth, with  its  fulness,  mine? and yet,  when  I was  born  upon earth, I had  scarcely  where  to lay  my  head; so  that  I was laid in  the  manger  of  a filthy stable, because  there  was  not room for  me  in  the  inn. I have pronounced  the  poor blessed: such were  those whom I chose  to  be  my  Mother and  my  Apostles; poor, I say, in  this  world,  but  rich in faith. I lived poor,  I died upon the  Cross  naked  and  in want,  and  at  last  I was  buried in the  sepulchre  of  another. Behold, how  the  extremity  of my  poverty  reproves  the  insatiableness of  your  avarice! O foolish mortals! True it is,  that  he  who  does  not  renounce all  that  he  possesses (in heart,  at  least,  as  being ready  to  do  so  actually  when required  by  my  honour,  or his  own  or  his  neighbours’ salvation),  cannot  be  my  disciple.

See what  it  was  that  held back that  youth  who  wished to follow  me; it  seemed  to him  too  hard  and  painful  a thing  to  leave  his  riches,  and therefore he  went  away  sorrowful. And why,  even  now,