Goodly Sayings of Brother Giles

SUNDRY GOODLY SAYINGS AND OF THE TEACHING OF BROTHER GILES /. Of vices and virtues The grace of God and virtue are a road and a ladder whereby men may climb into Heaven; but vices and sins are a road and a ladder whereby to go down to the depths of hell. Vices and sins are a deadly poison; but virtues and good works are a healing medicine. One grace leadeth on to another, and one vice leadeth on to another.

Grace seeketh not praise; but vice cannot endure to be despised. In humility the mind is at rest and peace; patience is her daughter. And holy purity of heart sees God: but true devotion tasteth Him. If thou lovest, thou wilt be loved. If thou servest, thou wilt be served. If thou fearest, thou wilt be feared. If thou doest good unto others it is fitting that others do good unto thee. But blessed is he that truly loves and seeketh not love in return. Blessed is he that fears and desires not to be feared. Blessed is he that serves and desires not to be served. Blessed is he that doeth good unto others and seeketh not that others do good to him. But sith these things are very high and of great perfectness, therefore the foolish cannot know them or attain unto them. Three things are exceeding high and useful, the which whoso hath, shall never fall. The first is that thou willingly endure with gladness every tribulation that may come to thee, for the love of Jesu Christ. The second is that thou humble thyself every day in all things whatsoever thou doest and in all things that thou lookest upon. The third is that faithfully with all thy heart thou love that highest, heavenly, unseen good, which none may look upon with the eyes of the body. Those things that are despised and reviled by worldly men, are of a sooth more acceptable and pleasing to God and to His Saints, and those that are more loved and more honoured and more desired by worldly men, these are more despised and contemned and hated by God and by His Saints. This foul unfitness proceedeth from human ignorance and wickedness; for miserable man loveth rather the things that he should hate, and hateth the things that he should love. On a time Brother Giles asked another brother, saying: '* Tell me, dear brother, hast thou a good soul? ” Replied the brother: ” I wot not if I have or no." Then said Brother Giles: ” My brother, I would have thee know that holy contrition, and holy humility, and holy charity, and holy devotion, and holy joy, make the soul good and blessed."

All the things that can be thought of by the heart, or said with the tongue, or seen with the eyes, or touched with the hands, all are as naught in respect and in comparison of those things that cannot be thought of, nor seen, nor touched. All the Saints, and all the wise men that have passed away, and ail they that are in the present life, and all they that shall come after us, that have spoken or written, or shall speak or write of God, will never show forth nor will ever be able to show forth, concerning God so much as a grain of millet, in respect and comparison of the heaven and the earth, and even a hundred thousand times less. For all that is written concerning God, speaketh as one stammering, even as the mother that prattles to her babe, that would not understand her words, if she spake in other fashion. On a time Brother Giles said to a judge that was of the world: ” Dost thou believe that the gifts of God are great ì ” Replied the judge: "I do believe." Whereat Brother Giles said: '* I will show thee how thou dost not faithfully believe," and bespake him thus: ” What is the worth of all thy possessions in this world? " Replied the judge: '* They are worth, may be, a thousand pounds." Quoth Brother Giles: " Wouldest thou give these thy possessions for ten thousand pounds.," Replied the judge without delay, saying: ” Of a sooth would I give them right willingly: " and Brother Giles said: ” Verily all the possessions of this world are as naught in respect of the things of heaven: then wherefore dost thou not give these thy possessions unto Christ, that thou mayest gain those that be celestial and eternal? ” Then the judge, wise in the foolish science of the world, answered the pure and simple Brother Giles, full of the wisdom of divine foolishness, saying: " Dost thou believe, Brother Giles, that any man worketh with the works of his hands in such measure as he believeth in his heart? ” Replied Brother Giles: ” Know of very sooth, my dearly beloved, that all the Saints have studied to fulfil in their works all that they could know to be the will of God, according to the measure of their power; and all that they could not fulfil with the working of their hands, they fulfilled with the holy desires of their will; in such wise that they supplied by the desire of their souls that which was lacking in the work of their hands, and so they came short in nothing” Then quoth Brother Giles: " If there were a man possessed of perfect faith, in a short time he would come to a state of perfectness, wherein he would receive full certainty of his salvation. The man that with firm faith looketh for this eternal and loftiest and highest good, what hurt or harm could any earthly trouble in this present life do to him? And the wretched man that waiteth for eternal woe, what blessing can any prosperity or temporal good in this world bring to him? Nathless, however great a sinner a man may be, he should not therefore despair, so long as he liveth, of the infinite mercy of God, for there is no tree in the world so thorny or so gnarled or so knotty that men cannot smooth it and polish it and trim it and make it fair to see; and even so there is not a man in this world so wicked or so great a sinner that God cannot convert him and adorn him with singular graces and with manifold gifts of virtue."

///. Of holy humility

No man may come into any knowledge and understanding of God, save by the virtue of holy humility; for the straight path that goeth up is the path that leadeth down. All the dangers and the grievous falls that have happed in this world, have come from none other cause save from the lifting up of the head, to wit the mind, in pride: and the same is proved by the fall of the devil who was cast out of heaven, and by the fall of our first parent, to wit Adam, who was driven out of Paradise by reason of the lifting up of his head, to wit his disobedience, and likewise by the Pharisee, whereof Christ speaketh in the Gospel, and by many other examples. And so contrariwise, all the great blessings that have befallen this world, have all proceeded forth from the bowing of the head, to wit the humbling of the mind, even as is proved by the blessed most humble Virgin Mary, and by the Publican, and by the holy Thief upon the Cross, and by many other examples in the Scriptures. And therefore it would be well if we could find some heavy and grievous weight, the which we might always carry tied to our neck.

to the end that it might be ever bent down, to wit, that it might ever make us humble. A certain brother asked Brother Giles: " Tell me, father, in what manner we may flee from this pride." Whereunto answered Brother Giles: "My brother, be thou assured of this, to wit, that thou canst never hope to be able to flee from pride, unless thou first put thy mouth where now thou hast thy feet; but if thou dost ponder well the lovingkindnesses of God, then wilt thou understand that rightly art thou bound to bend down thine head. And likewise, if thou dost well bethink thee of thy faults and of the many offences thou hast committed against God, thou wilt have full reason to humble thyself. But woe unto those that desire to be honoured for their wickedness sake. One degree of humility is found in the man who knoweth that he is the enemy of his own good. One degree of humility is to render unto another the things that are his and not to take them for oneself; to wit, that every good thing and every virtue that man findeth in himself, he should not ascribe unto himself, but only unto God, from whom Cometh every grace and every good thing; but every sin and passion of the soul, or whatsoever vice man findeth in himself, he should ascribe unto himself, seeing that it proceedeth from himself and his own wickedness, and not from others. Blessed is the man that knows and deems himself to be vile before God, and so before men! Blessed is he that always judges himself and condemns himself and not another! for then he will not be judged by that terrible and eternal last judgment. Blessed is he that taketh heed to pass under the yoke of obedience and under the authority of another, as did the holy Apostles, before and after they received the Holy Spirit! " Likewise Brother Giles said: " He who wishes to gain and to possess perfect peace and rest, must needs look on every man as his superior, and must always show himself submissive and inferior to all. Blessed is the man who in his actions and his speech seeketh not to be seen or known, save only in that pure order and in that simple adornment wherewith God hath adorned and ordered him! Blessed is the man who knoweth how to keep and to hide the divine revelations and consolations! for there is no thing so secret but that God reveals it whensoever it pleaseth him. If a man were to be the most perfect and most holy man in the world, and think and believe himself to be the most miserable sinner and the vilest wretch on earth, then in this man would be true humility. Holy humility knoweth not how to talk, and the blessed fear of God knoweth not how to speak.” Quoth Brother Giles: '* Humility seemeth to me to be like unto a flash of lightning; for even as the lightning striketh a terrible blow, crashing and breaking in pieces and burning up whatsoever it meets, and then the flash is no more to be found; so in like manner humility pierces and scatters and burns and consumes all wickedness and all vice and all sin; and then is found to be naught in itself. The man that possesseth humility, through humility finds grace with God, and perfect peace with his neighbour."

IV. Of the holy fear of God

He that fears not, shows that he hath naught to lose. The holy fear of God orders, governs and rules the soul, and maketh it come to grace. If a man possesseth any grace or divine virtue, it is holy fear that keepeth it safe. And whoso hath not yet obtained virtue or grace, holy fear maketh him obtain it. The holy fear of God is a guide to guide us unto godly graces, for it maketh the soul wherein it dwells to attain right soon unto holy virtue and heavenly graces. All creatures that now are fallen in sin, would never have fallen, if they had had the holy fear of God. But this holy gift of fear is not given save unto the perfect, for the more perfect a man is, the more doth he fear and humble himself. Blessed is the man that knoweth that in this world he is in prison, and ever remembereth how grievously he hath offended his Lord! Man should alway stand in great fear of pride, lest it make a thrust at him and make him fall from the state of grace, wherein he stands; for man can never dwell securely, whiles he is in the midst of our enemies; and our enemies are the enticements of this miserable world and our own flesh, the which, together with the demons, ever make war upon the soul. A man should have greater fear of his own wickedness lest it overcome him and lead him astray, than of any other of his enemies. It is impossible for a man to ascend and rise up to any grace or heavenly virtue, or persevere in the same, without holy fear. Whoso hath not the fear of God, is in danger of perishing and of being altogether lost. The fear of God maketh man to humbly obey and bend his neck under the yoke of obedience; and the more fear a man doth feel, the more fervently doth he pray. No small gift is that of prayer, unto whomsoever it may be given. The virtuous deeds of men, however great they may appear to us, are not accounted or rewarded after our judgment, but after the judgment and good pleasure of God; for God looketh not to the number of the works, but to the measure of the love and humility: and therefore it is safest for us ever to love and fear with humility, and never to trust in ourselves for any good thing, being always suspicious of the thoughts that arise in the mind under the sruise of good.

V. Of holy patience

He that with firm humility and patience doth suffer and endure tribulation, through his burning love for God, will soon attain unto high graces and virtues, and will be lord of this world and will have an earnest of the glorious world to come. Every thing that a man doth, be it good or evil, he doeth it unto himself; wherefore be not disquieted against him in that he doth thee wrong, but rather shouldest thou have humble patience, and only grieve for his sin, having pity on him, and praying God effectually for him. The stronger a man is to suffer and endure injuries and tribulations patiently for the love of God, the greater is he in the sight of God, and no more: and the weaker a man is in enduring pain and adversity for the love of God, the lower is he in the sight of God. If any man praise thee, speaking well of thee, give the glory to God alone; and if any man speak ill of thee and revile thee, do thou help him by speaking ill of thyself and worse. If thou desirest to maintain thine own cause, then study ever to speak ill of it and maintain that of thy neighbour, always blaming thyself and always praising and making sincere excuses for him. When any man wishes to contend and to go to law with thee, do thou, if thou desirest to win, lose thy case, and losing it thou wilt win; for if thou dost wish to go to law for to win, then when thou thinkest thou hast won, thou wilt find that thou hast lost most grievously. Wherefore, my brother, believe of a surety that the straight way to salvation is the way of loss. But when we do not bear tribulations well, then we cannot pursue after the consolations of eternity. A much greater consolation is it and far more meritorious to endure wrongs and revilings patiently without murmuring, for the love of God, than to feed a hundred poor persons and fast every day continuously. But what doth it profit a man, or what joy doth it bring him, to despise himself and afflict his body with long fasts and vigils and scourgings, if he cannot endure a little wrong at the hands of his neighbour? For which cause shall a man receive much more reward and greater merit, than for all the afflictions that he may lay on himself of his own will; for to endure revilings and injuries from his neighbour in humble patience without murmuring, purgeth away sin much more quickly than a fount of many tears. Blessed is the man that always keeps before the eyes of his mind the remembrance of his sin and of the blessings of God! for he will endure with patience every tribulation and adversity, and therewithal he looketh for great consolations. The man who is truly humble looks not for any merit or reward from God; but studies only how he may please Him in every way, knowing that he is His debtor; and every good thing that he hath, he knoweth that he hath of the goodness of God alone, and not for any merit of his own; and in all adversity, he knoweth that of a surety it hath befallen him for his sins. A certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying:,” Father, if in our time there should fall some great adversities and tribulations, what should we do then? " Whereunto replied Brother Giles, saying: " My brother, I would have thee know that if the Lord were to rain down stones and lightning from Heaven, they could not hurt us or do us any harm, if we were such as we ought to be; for if man were truly what he ought to be, every evil and every tribulation would be turned into blessings; for we know what saith the Apostle, that all things work together for good to them that love God; and so likewise to the man of evil will, all good things are turned to evil and to judgment. If thou wilt be saved and go to the glory of heaven, thou must never seek for revenge or justice on any creature; for the heritage of the Saints is always to do good and always to receive evil. If thou wert truly to recognize how often and how grievously thou hast offended thyCreator,thouwouldestunderstand that it is right and just that all creatures should persecute thee and work thee pain and tribulation, for these creatures would be taking vengeance for the offences thou hast committed against thy Creator. A great and high virtue is it for a man to overcome himself, for he that overcometh himself, will overcome all his enemies and will attain unto all good. A much higher virtue would it be, if a man were to suffer himself to be overcome by all men; for then would he be lord over all his enemies, to wit, vices and the devils and the world and his own flesh. If thou wilt be saved, renounce and despise every consolation that the things of the world or mortal creatures can give thee; for more grievous and more frequent are the falls that come through the prosperity and the consolations that spring not up through adversities and tribulations.” Once on a time a Religious murmured against his Superior in the presence of Brother Giles, on account of a heavy obedience that he had laid upon him; unto whom quoth Brother Giles:,'Dearly beloved, the more thou wilt murmur, the heavier will become thy burden and the harder for thee to bear: and the more humbly and devoutly thou wilt put thy neck under the yoke of holy obedience, the lighter and sweeter will this obedience be for thee to bear. But methinks thou art not willing to be reviled in this world for the love of Christ, yet dost wish to be honoured with Christ in the world to come; thou art not willing to be persecuted and cursed in this world for Christ's sake, yet in the next world dost wish to be blessed and received by Christ; thou art not willing to labour in this world, but would rest and be at peace in the world to come. Brother, brother, I say unto thee that thou art grievously deceived; for it is by the path of misery and shame and reproach that man cometh unto true celestial honour; and it is by enduring mockings and cursings patiently for the love of Christ, that man cometh unto the glory of Christ. Therefore well saith a proverb of the world that saith: He that gives not what he ought, gets not what he would. Right useful is the nature of the horse; for however fast the horse may run, yet he suffers himself to be ruled, guided, and turned up and down, backwards and forwards, according to the will of the rider; and so likewise ought the servant of God to do, to wit, he should suffer himself to be ruled, guided, bent, and turned, according to the will of his superior, and likewise of any one else, for the love of God. If thou wilt be perfect, study diligently to be full of grace and virtue, and fight valiantly against vices, patiently enduring all adversity for the love of thy Lord, who for love of thee suffered tribulation, affliction, revilings, scourging, crucifixion and death, not through His own fault, nor for His own glory, nor for His own profit, but solely for thy salvation. And to the end that thou mayest do what I have told thee, do thou take heed above all that thou conquer thyself; for it profiteth a man little to draw and lead souls to God, if he doth not first conquer and draw and lead himself.

VI. Of slothfulness

The man that standeth idle loseth this world and the next; for he brings forth no fruit in himself, and profits not his neighbour. It is impossible for a man to grow in virtue, without carefulness and without much labour. When thou canst stand in a safe place, stand not in a doubtful one: he standeth in a safe place who is careful and anxious and works and labours through God and for the Lord, and not for fear of punishment nor for reward, but for the love of God. The man who refuses to toil and labour for the love of Christ, refuses in very sooth the glory of Christ: and even as carefulness is useful and helpful unto us, so is carelessness ever contrary to us. Like as laziness is the path that leads to hell, even so is holy carefulness the path that leads to heaven. Right careful ought a man to be, to gain and keep the virtues and the grace of God, always working with that grace and virtues faithfully; for oftentimes doth it happen to the man who works not faithfully, that he loseth the fruit for the leaves, or the grain for the straw. To one man God freely granteth the good fruit with few leaves, and to another He giveth both the fruit and the leaves: and some others there be that have neither fruit nor leaves. A weightier matter doth it seem to be, to know how well to guard and keep discreetly the blessings and graces the Lord doth give, than to know how to obtain them; for, although a man know well how to gain them, yet if he know not how to keep and guard them well, he will never be rich; but others gain little by little and so grow rich, because they guard well their gains and their treasure. O how great a mass of water would the Tiber have collected, if it did not anywhere run away! Man craves of God infinite gifts, without measure and without end; but to his love of God doth he set both measure and end. He that would be loved of God and receive of Him infinite merit without measure or stint, must love God without measure or stint, and always yield Him endless service. Blessed is the man that loveth God with all his heart and with all his mind, and always afflicts his body and mind for the love of God, and seeketh no other reward under Heaven save that he may recognise that he is Its debtor. If a man were to fall into great need and poverty, and another man were to say to him: " I will lend thee a very precious thing for the space of three days; and know that if within these three days thou make good use of this thing, thou wilt gain endless treasure so as to be rich for ever": now sure is it that that poor man would be right careful to make good and diligent use of this thing so precious, and much would he study to bring forth good fruit therefrom. So in like manner do I say, that the thing that hath been lent to us by the hand of God, is our body, the which the good God hath lent us for three days; for all our times and years are in comparison as three days. Wherefore if thou wouldest be rich and enjoy the divine sweet- ness to all eternity, then study to make good use, and to bring forth good fruit, of this thing that the hand of God hath lent, to wit, thy body in this space of three days, to wit, in the brief period of thy life; for if thou art not careful to lay up store in the present life, whileas thou hast time, thou wilt never be able to enjoy those eternal riches nor find holy rest in that celestial peace for evermore. But if all the possessions in the world belonged to one man, who never made use of them nor let others make use of them, what profit or what gain would he have of these things? Of a sooth, he would have no gain or profit at all. But it well might be, that a man should have few possessions and making good use of them find much profit therein, and bring forth fruit enough and to spare, both for himself and for others. Saith a proverb of the world: Never set an empty pot to boil on the fire, in hope that your neighbour will fill it. In like manner God willeth not that any grace should remain empty; for the good God never giveth grace to any man, to the end that he may keep it empty, but rather He giveth it, that man may fill it with the fruit of good works; for a good will sufficeth not, if a man studies not to follow it, and fill it with the fruit of good works. Once on a time a beggar said to Brother Giles: “ Father, I pray thee give me some consolation.” Whereat Brother Giles replied: '* My brother, study to stand well with God, and straightway wilt thou have the consolation thou dost need; for if a man maketh not ready within his soul a dwelling-place wherein

God may rest and dwell, he will never find shelter or rest or true consolation in any creatures. When a man wisheth to do evil, he hath never need of much counsel, for the doing it; but for doing good, many men seek counsel and make long delay." Once on a time quoth Brother Giles to his companions: '* My brothers, meseemeth that in these present days there is found no man that is willing to do the things that he seeth to be more profitable, not only for his soul but also for his body. Believe me, my brothers, that in very sooth I could swear, that the more a man doth flee and shun the burden and the yoke of Christ, the more grievous doth he make it to himself, and the weightier and heavier doth he feel it; and the more eagerly a man taketh it upon him, always adding to the weight of his own free will, the lighter doth he feel it and the more sweet to bear. Now may it please God that men may win and gain for themselves in this world the good things of the body, in like measure as they gain those of the soul; seeing that the soul and the body, without doubt, must be joined together, to suffer for ever, or for ever rejoice; to wit, either to suffer pains and torments incalculable for ever and ever in hell, or everlastingly enjoy with the Saints and Angels in Paradise, joys and consolations unspeakable, through the merits of good works." A certain brother spake thus unto Brother Giles: ” Father, meseemeth that we do not yet know how to recognise what is good for us." Whereat Brother Giles replied: " My brother, certain it is that every man practises the art that he has learnt, for no man can do good work unless he hath first learnt: wherefore I would have thee know, my brother, that the noblest art in the world is to do good work: and who can know this, unless he first have learnt it? Blessed is the man unto whom no created things can bring evil! but more blessed is he who from everything that he sees and hears, receiveth good to the edifying of himself”

VII. Of contempt oj the world

” Many sorrows and many woes will that wretched man have, who setteth his desire and his heart and his hope on earthly things, for the which he abandons and loses the things of heaven, and at the last will also lose these things of earth. The eagle flieth high: but if she had a weight tied to her wings, she could no more fly high; so man for the weight of earthly things cannot fly high, to wit, cannot attain to perfection; but the wise man, that tieth the weight of remembrance of death and of judgment to the wings of his heart, cannot by reason of his great fear go astray and fly among the vanities and the riches of this world, the which are the cause of damnation. Every day we see the men of the world working and toiling much, and setting themselves in great perils of body, for to gain these deceitful riches; and when they have toiled and gained much, in one moment will they die and will leave behind all that they have gained in their life; and therefore must we not trust in this deceitful world, the which leadeth astray every man that believeth therein, sith it is full of lies. But whoso desireth and wisheth to be great and very rich, let him seek after and love the riches and the good things that are eternal, the which always satisfy the soul and never weary it and never grow less. If we do not wish to go astray, let us take example from the beasts and the birds, the which when they are fed, are well content, and seek naught save their life from hour to hour, as they have need: and so should man be content with his bare necessities, with temperance and without superfluity." Brother Giles said that the ants pleased not S. Francis as did the other animals, by reason of the great care they took in gathering together and storing up abundance of grain at the time of summer for the winter: but he said that the birds pleased him much more, for they never gathered anything together on one day for the other. But the ant setteth us an example that we should not stand idle in the summer time of this present life, lest we be found empty and without fruit in the winter of the last and final judgment.

VI 11. Of holy chastity

Our wretched and weak human flesh is like the pig, that ever delighteth to wallow and befoul itself in the mud; deeming the mud its great delight. Our flesh is the devil's knight: for it resists and fights against all those things that are of God and for our salvation. A certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying: " Father, teach me in what manner we may be able to keep ourselves from carnal sin "; whereat Brother Giles replied: " My brother, he who desireth to move a great weight or a large stone to some other place, must needs study to move it more by skill than by force. So we likewise, if we would conquer carnal sins and gain the virtue of chastity, can gain it better by humility and by the good and discreet guidance of our spirit, than by the presumptuous severity and violence of our penances. Every sin troubles and bedims holy, resplendent chastity; for chastity is like unto a bright mirror, that is bedimmed and troubled not only by the touch of filthy things, but also by the breath of man. And it is nowise possible for a man to attain unto any spiritual grace, so long as he is found to be inclined unto carnal lusts; wherefore turn and turn thou where thou wilt, thou wilt never find any other means whereby to attain unto spiritual grace, save only that thou conquer every carnal sin. Wherefore fight valiantly against thy weak and sensual flesh, that is thy proper enemy and ever seeketh to gainsay thee night and day. Whoso overcometh the flesh, our mortal enemy, let him be sure that he hath conquered and discomfited all his enemies, and will soon attain unto spiritual grace and every good state of virtue and perfection." Quoth Brother Giles: ” Among all the other virtues would I put the virtue of chastity first: for most sweet chastity hath in itself some perfectness of itself alone; but no other virtue can be perfect, lacking chastity." A certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying: ” Father, is not the virtue of charity greater and more excellent than that of chastity? " And Brother Giles said: ” Tell me, brother, what is there in the whole world more chaste than holy charity? " Oftentimes used Brother Giles to sing this song, to wit: ” O holy chastity, How great and good thou art! Truly precious art thou, and thy savour is so sweet, that whoso tastes it not, knows not how excellent it is. Wherefore the foolish know not thy worth.” A certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying: ” Father, thou that so much commendeth the virtue of chastity, I pray thee expound to me what manner of thing is chastity." Whereat replied Brother Giles: " My brother, I tell thee that the name of chastity belongeth properly to the anxious care and constant watching of the bodily and spiritual senses, preserving them for God alone pure and unstained."

IX. Of temptations

" The great graces that man receives from God, man cannot keep in tranquil peace; for many things spring up that be contrary and disturbing and hostile to these graces, for the more a man is pleasing unto God, the more is he assailed and assaulted by the devils. Therefore a man should never cease to fight, to the end that he may live up to the grace received from God; for the fiercer the battle be, the more precious will be the crown.

2 8o THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF if he gain the victory. If we have not many a battle and many a hindrance and many a temptation, we should not be such as we ought to be in the spiritual life. But true it is that if a man walked aright and discreetly in the way of God, he would find nor toil nor weariness in his journey, but the man that walketh in the way of the world will never be able to escape the many toils, weariness, anguish, tribulations, and sorrows, even to the day of his death." Quoth a certain brother unto Brother Giles: " My brother, meseemeth that these two sayings are contrary the one to the other; for in the first thou dost say: The more a man is virtuous and pleasing unto God, the more adversaries hath he and the more battles in the spiritual life; and thereafter thou dost say the contrary, to wit: If a man walked aright and discreetly in the way of God, he would feel nor toil nor weariness in his journey.” Whereat Brother Giles, explaining the opposition between these two sayings, answered thus: “ My brother, sooth is it that the devils assail with fierce temptations those that have a good will, more than they do those that have not a good will, to wit, after the mind of God. But the man that walketh discreetly and zealously in the way of God, what toil or weariness or hurt could the devils and all the adversities in the world bring upon him ì sith he knows and sees that he sells his wares for a thousand times more than they are worth. But I tell thee yet more surely: He that hath been kindled by the fire of love divine, the more he were assailed by sins, the more would he hate and abhor them. The worst devils are wont to run and tempt a man, when he is in a sickness or in any bodily weakness or in any trouble, or in cold or anguish, or hungered or thirsty, or when he hath suffered some wrong or shame or temporal or spiritual loss; for these malicious ones know that in such hours and moments a man is more ready to receive temptations. But I tell thee that for every temptation and every sin that thou shalt overcome, thou wilt gain a virtue; and by overcoming that vice wherewith thou art assailed, thou wilt receive therefor so much the greater grace and the more glorious crown." A certain brother took counsel of Brother Giles, saying: ” Father, oft-times am I tempted with a very sore temptation, and many a time I have prayed to God that He would deliver me therefrom; yet the Lord hath not delivered me; give me counsel, Father, what I should do." Whereunto replied Brother Giles: " My brother, the more nobly a king doth furnish his knights with stout and lordly armour, the more stoutly doth he wish them to fight against his enemies, for the love of him." A certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying: "Father, what remedy can I find so as to be able to go to prayers with more willingness and more desire and more fervour, for when I go to prayers, I feel hard and slothful and dry and indevout." To whom Brother Giles replied, saying: ” A certain king hath two servants: and the one hath arms wherewith to fight, but the other hath none, and they twain wish to go into the battle and fight against the enemies of the king. He that is armed, entereth into the battle and fighteth valiantly; but the other that hath no arms, saith unto his Lord: ' My Lord, thou seest that I be naked without arms; but for love of thee will I gladly go into the battle, and fight all unarmed as I am.” Then the good king, beholding the love of his faithful servant, saith unto his attendants: ' Go with this my servant, and clothe him with all the arms that he needeth for to fight, that with safety he may enter into the battle; and sign all his arms with my royal sign, that he may be known as my faithful knight.” And even so doth it ofttimes happen to a man when he goes to pray, to wit, when he findeth himself to be naked, indevout, lazy and hard of soul; but if he constraineth himself, for the love of God, to enter into the battle of prayer: then our kind King and Lord, seeing the endeavour of His knight, giveth him by the hands of His ministering Angels the devotion and the fervour of good will. Another time doth it happen that a man will begin some great work of grievous toil, such as to clear and till the ground, or a vineyard, so as to reap fruit in season. And many by reason of the much toil and many vexations grow weary and repent of the work they have begun: but if a man constraineth himself until the season of fruit, then forgetteth he all his weariness and abideth consoled and glad, seeing the fruit that he can enjoy. And so a man that is strong in the hour of temptation, will attain unto many consolations; for after tribulations, saith S. Paul, are given consolations and the crowns ot lite eternal: and not only will the reward be given in Heaven to those that resist temptations, but also in this life, as saith the Psalmist: Lord, according to the multitude of my temptations and my griefs, will Thy consolations make glad my soul; so that the greater the temptation and the battle, the more glorious will be the crown." A certain brother asked counsel of Brother Giles touching a certain temptation, saying: ” O Father, I am tempted by two most grievous temptations; the one is: so soon as I do any good thing, straightway am I tempted by vain glory; the other is: so soon as I do any evil, I fall into such sadness and such melancholy, that I come well-nigh to despair." Whereunto replied Brother Giles: " My brother, thou dost wisely to bewail thy sin, but I counsel thee to mourn discreetly and temperately, and always to remember that the mercy of God is greater than thy sin. But if the infinite mercy of God receiveth to repentance the man that is a great sinner and sinneth of his own free will, whenas he doth repent, dost thou believe that this good God abandoneth the good sinner that sinned not willingly and now is contrite and penitent? Likewise I counsel thee that thou never cease to do good, through fear of vain glory; for if a man when he wisheth to sow his grain should say: ' I will not sow; for if I sowed, perchance the birds would come and eat it up,” and so saying should not sow his seed, sure is it that he would reap no fruit that year. But if he sows his seed, albeit the birds eat some of it, yet the greater part the labourer reaps. So when a man is assailed by vain glory, if so be that he doth not good deeds for vain glory's sake, but striveth ever against it, I say that he loseth not the merit of the good deeds that he doth, by reason of. his being tempted” A brother said unto Brother Giles: ”Father, it is written that S. Bernard on a time repeated the seven Penitential Psalms with such peace of mind and such devotion that he thought of nothing else save only the proper meaning of the aforesaid psalms," Whereat Brother Giles answered thus: " My brother, I deem that there is more valour in a lord that holds his castle when it is besieged and assaulted by his enemies, and defends himself so valiantly that he suffers no one of his enemies to find entrance therein, than there is in one that lives at peace and suffereth no let."

X. Of holy penitence

Much ought a man always to afflict and mortify his body, and willingly endure all wrong, tribulation and anguish, sorrow, shame, contempt, reproach, adversity and persecution, for the love of our good Lord and Master, Jesu Christ, who hath set us an example in His own self: for from the first day of His glorious Nativity until His most holy Passion He always endured anguish, tribulation, sorrow, contempt, trouble and persecution, all for our salvation. And therefore, if we would come unto a state of grace, we must needs walk, so far as in us lies, in the footsteps of our good Master, Jesu Christ. A certain man of the world asked Brother Giles, saying: ” Father, how can we that dwell in the world attain unto a state o\ grace ì " Whereunto Brother Giles replied: ”My brother, a man must first of all mourn for his sins with a contrite heart; then should he confess to the priest with bitterness and sorrow of heart accusing himself alone, without concealment or excuse; then should he perfectly fulfil the penance laid on him by his confessor: and likewise should guard against all vice and sin and every occasion of sin; and still more, should he exercise himself in good works of virtue towards God and towards his neighbour; and by so doing will a man come unto a state of grace and virtue. Blessed is the man that mourneth continually for his sins, always bewailing night and day with bitterness of heart, for the offences that he hath committed against God! Blessed is the man that hath always before the eyes of his mind the afflictions, the pains and the sorrows of Jesu Christ, and for love of Him neither desires nor finds any temporal consolation in this bitter and tempestuous world, until he cometh to the celestial consolation of eternal life, wherein all his desires shall be fulfilled with joy!"

XI. Of holy p rayer

Prayer is the beginning and the middle and the end of all good; prayer illumineth the soul, and thereby doth the soul distinguish good from evil. Every man that is a sinner should make this prayer every day continually, with fervour of heart: to wit, should pray humbly to God to give him a perfect knowledge of his own wretchedness and of his sins, and of the loving kindnesses that he hath received and still receiveth from the good God.

But the man. that knows not how to pray, how can he come unto the knowledge of God? And all those that would be saved, if they be folk of true intelligence, must needs be converted in the end to holy prayer. Quoth Brother Giles: " If there was a man that had a son who had done so much evil that he had been condemned to death or been banished from the city, of a surety with all his might this man would strive both day and night and every hour to save the life of this his son, or bring him back from banishment, making many prayers and supplications, and giving gifts and presents, as much as he could, both of himself and through others, his friends and relatives. Then if a man doth so much for his son, who is but mortal; how much more careful ought a man to be, to pray to God and make others also prav to Him, both good men in this world and His Saints in the next, on behalf of his own soul, which is immortal, when it hath been banished from the celestial city or hath been damned to death eternal for its many sins! " Ouoth a certain brother unto Brother Giles: ” Father, meseemeth that much ought a man to mourn and be full sorrowful, when he cannot have grace of devotion in his prayers." Whereunto replied Brother Giles: ”* My brother, I counsel thee to go gently, gently; for, if thou hadst a little good wine in a cask, and in the cask the lees were still underneath this sood wine, of a surety thou wouldest not shake or move that cask, to the end that the good wine be not mixed with the lees; and so I say: so long as prayer be not separated from every sinful and carnal lust, it will not receive divine consolation; for the prayer that is mixed with the lees of fleshly lust is not clear in the sight of God. Wherefore should a man strive, as far as he may, to free himself from all the lees of sinful lust; to the end that his prayer may be pure in the sight of God, and he may thereby receive divine devotion and consolation." A certain brother asked Brother Giles, saying: ” Father, how comes it that when a man is praying to God, he is much more tempted, assailed and tormented than at any other time ì " Whereat Brother Giles answered thus: “ When a man pleadeth his cause before the judge, and goeth for to tell his reasons to the judge, as it were asking of him advice and help: whenas his adversary is ware of it, he straightway appeareth to oppose and to resist the plea of the other, and hindereth him sore, as it were gainsaying his every word; and so likewise doth it befall, when a man goeth to pray, asking God to help his cause; and then doth straightway appear his adversary, the devil, with his temptations, for to resist him sore and to gainsay him, and to put forth all his strength and art and subtility, to hinder his prayer, so that his prayer may not be acceptable in the sight of God, and the man gain no merit from the prayer nor any consolation. And this may we see quite clearly; for when we speak of worldly things, at that time we suffer no temptation nor distraction of mind, but if we go to prayer, to gladden and comfort the soul with God, straightway shall we feel the mind pierced with divers arrows, to wit, with divers temptations, which the devils shoot at us for to make our minds confused, so that the soul may have no delight or consolation in its converse with God” Brother Giles said that a man in prayer should do as doth a good knight in the battle; who albeit he be pierced or wounded by his enemy, doth not therefore straightway leave the battle, but resisteth manfully so as to gain the victory over his enemy, to the end that having gained the victory, he may rejoice in his glory and find comfort therein: but if he were to leave the battle, so soon as he were stricken or wounded, of a sooth would he be put to confusion and shame and dishonour. So likewise ought we to do; to wit, not cease from prayer for every temptation, but bravely resist; for blessed is the man that endureth temptation, as saith the Apostle; for overcoming, he shall receive the crown of life eternal: but if a man by reason of temptations ceaseth from prayer, of a surety will he be confounded, defeated and discomfited by his enemy, the devil. A certain brother said to Brother Giles: " Father, I have seen certain men, that have received of God the gift of devotion and of tears at the time of prayer, but I cannot feel any of these graces, when I pray to God." Whereunto replied Brother Giles: ”My brother, I counsel thee to labour humbly and faithfully in thy prayer; for the fruits of the earth cannot be had without toil and without labour first being spent thereon; and even after this labour, the desired fruit doth not come at once, before its due season hath arrived: even so God giveth not these graces unto a man in prayer at once, before the fitting time hath come, and before his mind is purged from every carnal affection and sin. Wherefore, my brother, labour humbly in prayer; for God, who is all-good and gracious, knoweth and discerneth all things best: when the time and the season is come, in His loving kindness He will give thee much fruit of consolation." Another brother said unto Brother Giles: ” What dost thou do. Brother Giles? what dost thou do. Brother Giles? " And he replied: " I do that which is evil "; and the brother said: '* What evil dost thou do? " Then Brother Giles turned to another brother and said unto him: ”Tell me, my brother, who, thinkest thou, is the readier, our Lord God to grant us His grace, or we to receive it.," And that brother replied: ”Of a surety God is more ready to give us His grace than we to receive." Then quoth Brother Giles: " Do we then do what is good? " And that brother said: " Nay, we do evil." Then Brother Giles turned him unto the first brother, and said: " Behold, brother, how clearly is it shown, that we do evil; and how true is the answer that I gave, to wit, that I do evil." Quoth Brother Giles: " Many works are praised and lauded in the Holy Scripture, to wit, the works of mercy and other holy works; but our Lord speaking of prayer, said thus: The heavenly Father seeketh men that will worship Him on earth in spirit and in truth." Again, Brother Giles said: "The true Religious are like wolves; for they seldom go abroad in the sight of men, save only in great necessity, but straightway they study how to return to their own secret place without lingering or continuing among men. Good works are the ornament of the soul." A certain brother, a companion and familiar friend of Brother Giles, said unto him: " Father, but wherefore dost thou not sometimes go to speak of the things of God, and teach and care for the salvation of the souls of Christian folk?" Whereat replied Brother Giles: '* My brother, I would fain satisfy my neighbour with humility, and without loss to my soul, to wit, with prayer." And that brother said: " At least thou shouldest sometimes go to visit thy kinsfolk." And Brother Giles replied: ” Knowest thou not what the Lord saith in the Gospel: Every one that hath forsaken father and mother, brothers, sisters, lands, for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold? " Then he said: '* A nobleman entered the Order, whose riches were worth wellnigh sixty thousand pounds: therefore great gifts await those that for the love of God leave large possessions, sith God giveth a hundredfold more. But we who are blind, when we see a man of virtue and grace in the sight of God, cannot comprehend his perfectness, by reason of our own imperfection and blindness. But if a man were truly spiritual, scarcely ever would he wish to hear or see any one, save only in great need: for the truly spiritual man desires to be united to God through contemplation." Quoth Brother Giles to a certain brother: " Father, gladly would I know what is contemplation." And that brother replied: '* Father, I do not yet know." Then said Brother Giles: ” Meseemeth that the grade of contemplation is a heavenly fire and a sweet devotion of the

Holy Spirit, and a rapture and uplifting of the mind intoxicated in the contemplation of the unspeakable savour of the divine sweetness, and a happy, peaceful and sweet delight of soul, that is rapt and uplifted in great marvel at the glorious things of heaven above; and a burning sense within of that celestial glory unspeakable."

XII. Of holy spiritual prudence

O thou servant of the heavenly king, that wouldest learn the mysteries and the profitable and virtuous prudence of holy spiritual teaching, open well the ears of the mind of thy soul, and receive with the desire of thy heart, and carefully keep in the chamber of thy memory, the precious treasure of these spiritual doctrines and admonitions and counsels, that I declare to thee: by the which thou shall be enlightened and directed in thy way, to wit, the way of spiritual life, and shalt be defended from the evil and cunning assaults of thy bodily and ghostly enemies, and with humble boldness shalt go safely travelling through the stormy sea of this present life, until at last thou shalt come to the longed-for harbour of salvation. Therefore, my son, take good heed and hearken unto my words: If thou wouldest see well, put out thine eyes and be blind; if thou wouldest hear well, become deaf; and if thou wouldest speak well, become dumb; and if thou wouldest walk well, stand firm and walk with thy mind; if thou wouldest work well, cut off thy hands and work with thy heart; and if thou wouldest love well, then hate thyself; and if thou wouldest earn and be rich, then lose and be poor; and if thou wouldest be glad and at peace, afflict thyself and stand always in fear and trust not thyself; if thou wouldest be exalted and have great honour, humble thyself and put thyself to shame; if thou wouldest be held in high reverence, despise thyself, and do reverence to those that do thee despite and dishonour; if thou wouldest always enjoy the good, always endure evil; if thou wouldest be blessed, desire that all men should curse and speak ill of thee; and if thou wouldest have true rest for evermore, labour and afflict thyself and desire all manner of temporal woe. O how great wisdom is it to know how to do and bring these things to pass! but sith these things be very high and lofty, God granteth them but unto few. But of a sooth whoso studieth well all the things aforesaid and bringeth them to effect, would have no need to go to Bologna or to Paris, for to learn any other theology; for though a man were to live a thousand years and had nothing to do with his hands and nothing to say with his tongue; yet would he have enough to do in striving in his heart within, working for the purifying and guidance and justifying of his mind and of his soul. A man should not wish to see or hear or say aught save what is profitable to his soul. A man that knoweth not himself, is not known. Wherefore woe unto us, when we receive gifts and graces from the Lord and know them not: but woe, woe to them that receive them not nor know them, nor yet strive to win and gain them. Man is made in the image of God, and as he wills, so doth he change; but the good God changeth never.

XIII. Of profitable and unprofitable knowledge

A man that would know much, must strive much and humble himself much, abasing himself and bowing down his head till he touch the ground; then will God give him much knowledge and wisdom. The highest wisdom is always to do good, working the thing which is virtuous, and guarding oneself well from every sin and from every occasion of sinning, and always to think on the judgments of God. On a time quoth Brother Giles to one that would go to the schools for to gain knowledge: ” My brother, wherefore dost thou wish to go to the schools ì for I would have thee know that the sum of all knowledge is to fear and love, and these two things are sufficient for thee: for so much wisdom is needful for a man, so long as he is working; and no more. Vex not thyself much to study for the profit of others, but always study to do the things that be profitable to thyself; for oftentimes doth it befall that we wish to gain much knowledge for to help others and little for to help ourselves: and I say unto thee that the word of God is not for him that speaks, nor yet for him that hears, but for him that worketh in truth. Some men who cannot swim go into the water to help drowning men: and it befalleth that they are all drowned together.

If thou dost not take thought for the salvation of thine own soul, how wilt thou take thought for that of thy neighbours? and if thou dost not do thine own work well, how wilt thou do the work of another well? for it cannot be believed that thou lovest the soul of another more than thine own. The preacher of the word of God should be a banner and a candle and a mirror to the people. Blessed is the man who in this wise guideth others on the way of salvation, and ceaseth not himself to go on the right path! Blessed is the man who in this wise calleth upon others to run, and ceaseth not to run himself! More blessed is he who in this wise helpeth others to make gain and become rich and ceaseth not to enrich himself. I ween that the good preacher admonisheth and preacheth to himself more than he doth to others. Meseemeth that the man that would convert and lead the soul of sinners to the path of God, should always be fearful lest he be vilely led astray by them, and drawn into the path of sin and of the devil and of hell.

XIV. Of good ana evil speaking

The man that speaketh good words and profitable to souls is of very sooth as it were the mouth of the Holy Spirit; and likewise the man that speaketh evil words and unprofitable, is without doubt the mouth of the devil, When at any time good, spiritually-minded men be gathered together to have speech of one another, they should always speak of the beauty of holiness, to the end that holiness might please them more and they take the more delight therein; for taking pleasure and delight in virtue, they would the more strive therein, and striving therein would come to the greater love thereof; and through this love and their continual striving and delight in virtue, they would always rise up unto a more fervent love of God and a higher state of soul; for the which cause would the Lord grant them more graces and more gifts divine. The more a man is tempted, the more doth he need to speak of the holy virtues: for like as oft-times through evil talk of sins, men lightly fall into sinful deeds; so oft-times through discourse of virtue, are men lightly led and inclined to the holy deeds of virtue. But what shall we say of the good that cometh forth from virtue? for it is so great and high, that we cannot speak worthily of its high excellence, so marvellous and so infinite. And likewise, what shall we say of the evil and of the eternal pain that cometh forth from sin? For it is so great an evil and so deep an abyss, that it passeth all thought and comprehension and all possibility of speech. I deem it no less a virtue to know how well to keep silence than to know how well to speak: and therefore methinketh that a man ought to have a long neck like a crane, so that when a man wished to speak, his words would pass through many joints before they reached his mouth; that is to say, when a man wished to speak, he would need to think and think again and examine and discern right well both the how and the why and the time and the manner and condition of his hearers, and the effect on himself, and the intention that prompted him.

XV, Of good perseverance

What profit is it to a man to fast much and to pray and give alms and afflict himself with his thoughts fixed on heavenly things, if he attain not to the blessed haven of salvation he longeth for, to wit, the haven of good and firm perseverance? Sometimes doth it befall that on the sea appeareth a ship very beautiful and great and strong and new, and full of much riches; and it happeneth that by reason of a storm or through the fault of the helmsman, that ship doth perish and sink, and is miserably drowned and cometh not to the longed-for haven. Then of what profit is all its beauty and excellence and riches, sith it perisheth so miserably in the waters of the sea ì And likewise sometimes doth there appear upon the sea a little ship and old and with scanty merchandise; and having a good helmsman and discreet, it escapes from dangers, and comes safe out of the deep waters of the sea and reaches the longed-for haven; and so doth it happen to men in the stormy sea of this world. Wherefore quoth Brother Giles: " A man should at all times fear; and albeit he be in great prosperity or in great honour or in great perfectness, yet if he have not a good helmsman, to wit, discreet government of himself, he may perchance miserably perish in the deep sea of sin: and therefore for well-doing there is need most of all of perseverance, as saith the Apostle: Not he that beginneth, but he that perseveres unto the end, shall have the crown. When a tree springs up, it does not become great all at once; and after that it has become great, it does not therefore at once yield fruit; and when it doth bear fruit, it will not all come to the mouth of the lord of that tree; for much of the fruit will fall to the ground and rot and be spoiled and be eaten by the beasts of the field; but if it endureth until its due season, the greater part of the fruit will be gathered by the lord of that tree." Again quoth Brother Giles: ”What would it profit me, if I were to taste of the kingdom of Heaven for a hundred years and did not continue therein, so that at the last I came not to a good end? " And also he said: " I deem that these are the two greatest graces and gifts of God that a man can attain to in this life, to wit, to persevere with love in the service of God, and to always guard himself from falling into sin."

XVI. Of the true religious life

Quoth Brother Giles, speaking of himself: " I would rather have a little of the grace of God as a Religious in the Order, than have many of the graces of God while living in the world: for in the world there be many more dangers and hindrances, and much less healing remedy and help than in the religious life." Likewise said

Brother Giles: " Meseemeth that the sinner is more afraid of his own good than of his loss and hurt: for he is afraid to enter into the religious life to do penance, but is not afraid to offend God and harm his soul by staying in the hard and stiffnecked world and in the noisome mire of his sins, awaiting his eternal damnation at the last.” A man of the world asked Brother Giles, saying: ” Father, what dost thou counsel me to do? to enter into the religious life, or to stay in the world doing good works? ” Whereunto Brother Giles made answer: ” My brother, certain is it that if some needy wretch came to know that a great treasure lay hid in a piece of common land, he would not take counsel of any man, for to learn whether it would be well for him to dig it up and hide it in his house; how much more ought a man to make speed and haste with all care and zeal to dig up the heavenly treasure that is found in the holy orders and spiritual communities, without seeking such counsel! " And that man of the world, hearing this answer, straightway gave all that he had to the poor, and stripped of every thing at once entered into the Order. Quoth Brother Giles: " Many men enter into the religious life, and do not put into effect and operation the things that appertain to the perfect state of holy religion; but such men are like unto the cow-herd that arrayed himself in the arms of Roland and knew not either how to fight or tilt therewith. Not every man knoweth how to ride a restive and a vicious horse; and if nathless he mount him thereon, he cannot perchance keep himself (The AiciiiU'ii/i(i, I” lor enee) from falling, when the horse begins to run and rear." Again quoth Brother Giles: " I deem it no great matter that a man should know how to find entrance to the court of the king; nor do I deem it a great matter for him to know how to gain some favours or kindnesses from the king; but the great thing is that he know how to stand well and to live in the king's court, guiding his ways with discretion as is meet. The court of the great King of heaven is the holy religious life, wherein it is not hard to enter and gain some gifts and graces from God; but the great thing is that a man know how well to live and to continue therein with discretion until his death." Quoth Brother Giles: ” I would rather live in the world always hoping and devoutly desiring to enter the religious life, than wear the habit in the Order, without any practice of virtuous deeds, continuing in sloth and idleness. Therefore ought the religious man always to strive to live a good and virtuous life, knowing that he cannot live in any other state than the one he hath professed." Once on a time Brother Giles said: “ Meseemeth that the Order of the Friars Minor has in very sooth been sent by God for the profit and the abundant edifying of the people; but woe unto us brothers if we be not such men as we ought to be! Of a surety there could not be found in this life any men more blessed than we: for he is holy that followeth the holy one, and he is truly good that goeth on the path of good, and he is rich that walketh in the footsteps of the rich; and the Order of the Friars Minor more than any. other Order, foUoweth the footsteps of the best and the richest and the holiest there has ever been or ever will be, to wit, our Lord Jesu Christ.

XVII, Of holy obedience

The more a Religious is brought under the yoke of holy obedience through the love of God, the more fruit will he give of himself to God; the more he is subject to his Superior for the honour of God, the more free and pure will he be from sin. The truly obedient Religious is like unto the well-armed and well-horsed knight, that without fear breaks safely through the ranks of his enemies, because none of them can hurt him. But he that obeys with murmuring and perforce, is like unto the unarmed and ill-horsed knight; whoentering into the battle, will be hurled to the ground by his enemies, and smitten by them and taken prisoner, and sometimes cast into prison and slain. The Religious who wishes to live according to the choice of his own will, shows that he wishes to build an everlasting habitation in the depths of hell. When the ox putteth his neck under the yoke, then he tilleth the ground well, so that it brings forth good fruit in its season, but when the ox wanders at will, the ground remains untilled and wild, and giveth not its fruit in due season. And so the Religious that boweth his head beneath the yoke of obedience, giveth much fruit to the Lord God in due season: but he that is not obedient to his Superior with a good heart, remaineth barren and wild and without fruit of his vows. Wise and high-souled men bow their heads right willingly under the yoke of holy obedience without fear or doubting, but foolish and cowardly men strive to draw their heads away from under the yoke of holy obedience and are not willing to be subject unto any creature. I deem it higher perfectness in the servant of God, merely to obey his Superior through reverence and love for God, than to obey God directly, should God lay His commands upon him; for whoso is obedient unto a vicar of the Lord, would of a surety be still more obedient to the Lord Himself, if he were bidden of Him. Also meseemeth that if a man had promised obedience unto another, and had the grace to speak with Angels, and it should hap that as he was speaking with the Angels, he were called by him to whom he had promised obedience; I say that he ought straightway to leave his speech with the Angels and should run to do obedience for the honour of God. He that hath set his neck beneath the yoke of holy obedience and then wishes to withdraw his neck from under that obedience, through desire to follow a life of greater perfectness, I say that if he be not first truly perfect in the state of obedience, then it is a sign of great pride, which lurketh secretly within his soul. Obedience is the road that leadeth unto all good and to all virtue; and disobedience is the road to all evil and sin.

XVII. Of the remembrance of death

If a man had always before the eyes of his mind the remembrance of death, and of the last judgment, and of the pains and torments of the damned, sure is it that nevermore would desire of sin or of offending against God assail him. But if it were possible for a man to have lived from the beginning of the world even until now, and in all that time have suffered all manner of adversity, tribulation, pains, afflictions and griefs: and to have died, and for his soul to have come to receive eternal joy in heaven; then what harm would all the evil he had endured in the past time be unto him? And so likewise: if a man had had, through all the time aforesaid, every good thing, all the delights, pleasures and consolations in the world, and then, at his death, his soul were to receive the eternal pains of hell; what joy would he have of all the good he had received in the time past? Quoth a beggar unto Brother Giles: " I tell thee that right gladly would I live long in this world, and have great riches and abundance of all things, and be much honoured of men." Whereunto Brother Giles said: ” My brother, if thou wert lord of all the world, and could live therein a thousand years in all temporal joys, delights, pleasures, and consolations, pray tell me what reward and what merit thou wouldest hope to gain from this miserable flesh, the which thou fain wouldest serve and please? But I tell thee that the man who leadeth a good life after the mind of God, and guardeth himself from offending God, will surely receive of God the highest blessings, and an infinite reward for ever, and great abundance and great riches and great honour and long life eternally in the everlasting glory of heaven: unto which may the good God bring us, our Lord and King Jesu Christ: to the glory of the same Jesu Christ and of His poor little one, Francis."