Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/185

 vn] ^VESTERN MONASTICISM 167 "Hear, son, the precepts of the master and incline the ear of thy heart ; * freely accept and fulfil the admonitions of the good father, that through the labor of obedience (oboedientiae laborem) thou mayest return to Him from whom thou hast departed through the desire of disobedience." Thus the prologue opens with words of exhortation addressed to those who would renounce their own wills and take up the arms of obedience to fight under the Lord Christ, and in all their strivings turn to him with instant prayer. The prologue sustains throughout the opening note of exhortation, and speaks in tones adapted to impress an humble, obedient and devoted mood upon the hearer: Let not our evil acts distress Him who thought us worthy to be called sons ; that the angered father may not disinherit his sons, nor the angry lord give over to everlasting punishment those wicked servants who will not follow him to glory.* Let us arise from sleep, as the Scriptures bid us, — and keep our tongues from evil. Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle ? Brothers, hear the Lord answering : He who goes without spot and works justice ; who, speaks truth in his heart, and whose tongue speaks no guile ; who does no evil to his neighbor ; those who, fearing the Lord, are not elated over their due obser- vances, but, knowing they can do nothing good in themselves, say with the prophet: Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory. The Lord says in the gospel, Whoso heareth My 1 Cf. Psalm xllv. 11 and Jerome, Ep. 22, 1. opening paragraphs.
 * Qod is looked to both aa master and as father through these