Another Of A Certain Cleric Often Going Abroad
SERMON II
OF THE PRAISE OF A GOOD CONGREGATION
BROTHER that is helped by his brother: is like a strong city. Beloved brethren, remark these words wisely and fruitfully uttered by Solomon: and keep with perseverance your places in a good community. Bear with one another in all humility and mildness, carrying your burdens: for the sake of escaping many dangers, and meriting very great rewards from God for your soul. a good Congregation: is as a tower of strength against the face of the enemy. For there a man lives with greater safety: there he is aided by many. And if at times he is troubled by one: again he is comforted by another. He who is of good will and seeks God: will make greater progress, and stand more firmly among them that seek God. There a man is more tried, and exercised in virtue: there he is frequently reproved for negligence. There he is drawn to higher perfection by word and example: there he is forced to consider and lament his own imperfection. There he is aroused by the fervour of one: he is taught by the humility of another; he is moved by the obedience of this one: he is edified by the patience of that. There he blushes to be less generous: there he is ashamed to be found less eager. There he finds some to fear; there he has some to love: and thus he profits by all. There the correction of another, is his own warning: there another’s danger, is his mirror. There one is the warden of another: and one proves another in patience. There a man bears and is borne: there he hears and sees much from which he may learn. There the rule and holy custom keep in good: there confession and discipline correct excesses. There the good are commended that they may become better: there the careless are rebuked that they may grow fervent again. There a man is not suffered to become lukewarm: nor to act according to his own whim. There he is compelled to serve the spirit: and to resist the desires of the flesh. There there are divers offices: and many charitable services are performed. There everything has its time: and each one goes to his task out of obedience. There no man is allowed to idle: but to each a measure of toil is assigned. There the weak are supported by the stronger: there the healthy visiting the sick rejoice to serve Christ. There when one fails, another takes his place: there the sound members take thought for the sickly. There the active toil for them that take leisure: there they, that take leisure in God, pray for them that toil. There while one reads, many are edified: there all respectively fulfilling their weekly offices, relieve one another, that they be not wearied. There a man has many to pray for him: and in his last hour to defend him against the devil. There he finds as many helpers as he has companions: to assist him in his need. There he falls happily asleep in the Lord; there he is speedily freed from Purgatory by the intercession of many. There after death he leaves as his heirs who will certainly be mindful of him at times; the servants of God whose devout pursuits shall be his joy in Heaven. There his toil and his edifying life shall not be forgotten: but shall profit as an example for many coming after. There those that follow are obliged to pray for them that go before: and to praise God for the good deeds of benefactors. There whatever good is performed: is considered as shared by all who rest therein. There those, who yet live, take thought for departed brethren that they may be loosed from their pains; and those, who are now reigning with Christ, supplicate for the wayfarers, that they may continue in good: and those, who still survive, long to join their brothers. There the good of the individual becomes the good of the community: there what is of time becomes eternal. There those that live together in time: shall rejoice together for eternity. A great therefore and a pleasant good: is the dwelling of many Devout in unity. Who perseveres in a holy Congregation unto the end, even if he be imperfect: because of the prayers of many, and the merits of the perfect by the mercy of God he shall attain a happy consummation. But who abandons a good Congregation: wandering as it were outside the harbour of perseverance and salvation, he exposes himself to the storms of the sea. For who separates himself from the midst of a Congregation: it is doubtful where he will yet persevere. The end will soon make clear: whether he departed moved by God, or by passion. Abide therefore in the midst of the holy Congregation: and the Lord will abide with thee. For He Himself saith: am in the midst of you: as he that serveth.” And to His disciples He saith. are they who have continued with Me in My temptations.” If thou art good: remain and edify others. If thou art a sinner and weak: remain to be edified by others. But whithersoever thou shalt go, know that the devil will be thy enemy: and thy passion will follow thee, even if thou shouldst be alone and enclosed. For often from light words and a fanciful raiment without: is known the condition of the mind, what vanity is nourished within.
AN EXAMPLE OF TWO BRETHREN
Two brethren once arrived at the house of a certain man, a noble and a prince of the land: for some matter concerning the interests of the monastery. The good prince therefore observing them closely: noted the exterior habit and behaviour of each. And when they were gone, this wise man said to his lady in private: without, however, openly detracting any one: “It seemed to me that one of those either has recently come there: or will soon want to depart.” To whom the mistress in wonder said: “How do you know this?” He answered: “From the difference in garb and gesture, in words and behaviour: I guess the difference of life.” A short time after therefore: the thing that was hidden was made manifest.
ANOTHER REMARKABLE EXAMPLE
A certain Devout being grievously tempted by the devil: went out from the Congregation of the Brothers to seek comfort in the world in idle games. Having forsaken therefore the lowly fellowship of the clerics: he frequently joined the company of laymen. One day, however, going out beyond the city gate, he commenced to play with his comrades for money; and playing for some time he lost his stake: and what is worse the repute of a good conscience. When at length the game of pyramid was ended: he was called upon to pay his debts without further delay. He refuses to pay the tricksters their gains: he resists violently, he endeavours to escape: he struggles and will yield nothing of his own accord. The players therefore, excited and crowding together round the dishonest debtor like rabid dogs against a wolf: shout, push, strike with the hands, curse with the words: “Give up, cheat, what thou owest.” But when he would not yield to his persecutors: being exceedingly angry, they bestowed on him many hard blows for the few pence. When he had at length come to himself: he was brought back by some people into the town. He sent word therefore to the Devout Brethren, his fellow countrymen, beseeching them with many prayers to visit him stricken down by sickness: telling them the story of his miserable passion. For the music of worldly amusement had been changed: into the mourning of bitter affliction. When they had heard this, the gentle Brothers visit the sick man, compassionating the soul in affliction; nevertheless they severely reprimand him for the crime he has committed: telling him that he received blows well deserved, according to those gospel words of our Lord: “Go out quickly into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.” “For if,” say they, “thou hadst remained in the Congregation: thou wouldst not have received so many wounds.” Then he with much groaning: owned that he had done foolishly and sinned. “Therefore,” said he, “if I recover: by God’s help, I purpose to amend.” But many of the Brethren hearing of these misfortunes were seized with fear: and being rendered more constant made better progress, according to that of Solomon: “The wicked man being scourged: the fool shall be wiser.” It is good then to remain at home with the Brothers and to keep away from worldly company: and to undertake nothing without the superior’s advice: nor to extort permission to go out by false pretence or supplications. For that often causes regret in the end: which is ill obtained by our own whim. He who will make progress and persevere in the Congregation: ought to be open to his superior in confession: faithful in labour, true in word. Among the Brethren he should be modest, humble, silent, quiet: pious, well-behaved, patient, grateful, and obedient. These things make one dear to God: lovable to men and a trouble to no one.
ANOTHER OF A CERTAIN CLERIC OFTEN GOING ABROAD
A certain Cleric, who dwelt in a community of the Brothers for the sake of studies; often visited his friends in search of amusement: often also went to the places and houses of religious. The Brothers therefore and his fellow students: fearing danger for him from constant going abroad, said to him: “If thou wilt persevere in a good state, do not go out of the house so often: be on thy guard against visiting friends, and familiarity with women.” When therefore he had been often and gravely warned by many: and did not abandon his bad habit; at length the temptation grew stronger and he left the holy company: and returning to his friends, took to himself a wife and became wholly worldly and dissipated.