Page:The Classical Heritage of the Middle Ages.djvu/187

 vn] WESTERN MONASTICISM 169 much speaking, or utter words causing laughter; to hear the holy readings {lectiones sanctas) willingly; to be diligent in prayer; daily with tears to confess our sins in prayer to God ; not to do the desires of the flesh ; to hate our own will ; to obey the words of the abbot, though he do otherwise himself ; to wish to be holy sooner than to be called so ; to fulfil the com- mands of God in daily acts, love chastity, hate no one, have no envy, love not strife, avoid conceit, ven- erate the elders, love the juniors, pray for enemies in the love of Christ, agree with thine adversary, and never despair of the mercy of God. If all these instrumenta artis spiritualis are sedu- lously fulfilled by us day and night, that reward shall be ours from the Lord, as He has promised ; what eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, which God hath prepared for those who love Him. The fifth chapter is devoted to the mighty virtue of obedience, — oboedientia sine mora — so befitting those who deem nothing dearer to them than Christ. For the sake of the sacred service which they have pro- fessed, or from fear of hell or for the glory of life eternal, as soon as anything is commanded by a superior (a majore as if it was divinely ordered, let him make no delay in doing it. Those upon whom presses the love of attaining eternal life, who do not follow their own decision or obey their own desires, but walk according to the judgment and bidding of another, living in monasteries (m coenohiis)^ desire an abbot to be over them. Surely these imitate Him who said, I came not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent me. Such obedience will bo accepta-