Chapter XVIII. Of his public profession of faith, and of his delivering… may be assured that I have any knowledge or discernment, having regard to my bodily powers and my state of life; of which endeavours I have mentioned some hereafter.
(3) My first resolution is to desire no further preferment, and in the future not to set my hope upon, nor to long for any temporal gain; for the more I shall have, the more covetous shall I certainly become; and in the second place according to the rule of the Primitive
Church, thou canst not hold several benefices. Likewise if thou doest so, it shall repent thee in the hour of thy death; for it is commonly reported that never hath any pluralist died without knowing such remorse. The more benefices and goods I hold, the more masters have I, and the more burdens must I bear; and this is contrary to that freedom of soul which is the greatest good in the Spiritual Life. By the holding of great possessions the affections are bound, and being bound are held thereby; and the desire of such things doth infect the soul, and is repugnant to peace of heart and quietness of mind; moreover the cares which are connected therewith do often defile and perturb the mind.
Likewise as the appetite for more possessions must be cut off, so my present possessions must be reduced by little and little to a smaller compass, for if I can give alms of those things 55 which I have, why should I strive after more? If having little I give but little to God, it is as if having much I also gave much, for God weigheth not the amount of the gift, but rather the heart of the giver; wherefore the widow who put in two mites was preferred by Him before the rich. Also I see that the things which I now have do exceedingly bind me, and if those which I should acquire were added thereto, how much more should I be bound?
Moreover my present possessions are enough, having regard to our Common Life and my position.
(4) Having achieved this purpose, I resolve that I will not pay court to any Cardinal or Ecclesiastic so as to gain benefices or temporal goods, because such subservience doth lead to many falls and relapses into sin. Thou art weak, and if thou art subservient—except it be to God—thou shalt expose thyself to many dangers. Thou art near enough to death as it is, and thou art not so strong as to bear any revellings.
In like manner thou shalt not serve any temporal master for the sake of gain; nor shalt thou be willing to practice astrology at the bidding of any; nor oughtest thou to let any man in the world persuade thee to have dealings with any forbidden science since these are in themselves evil in many ways, they cause distrust and suspicion, and they are forbidden.
Also it is thy duty, so far as it is possible, to drive away these superstitions and all other curious arts from the minds of men, preserving a quiet mind, purity, and liberty of will. So doing I shall please God, by following His good pleasure in these very matters in which I formerly displeased Him. Thou shalt never observe the seasons that are held to be propitious for journeying, or for blood letting or for any other thing save in the material sense of considering the density of the atmosphere, for such curious choice is forbidden in the decrees 56 and by the Holy Fathers.