CHAPTER XXII.
Of the Admonition of the Brethren.
Let us all, my Brethren, give heed to what Our Lord says : ‘Love your enemies, and do good to them that hate you.’ For Our Lord Jesus, Whose footsteps we ought to follow, called His betrayer ‘Friend,’ and offered Himself willingly to His executioners. Therefore all those who unjustly inflict upon us ribulations, anguish, shame and injuries, sorrows and torments, martyrdom and death, are our friends whom we ought to love much, because we shall gain eternal life by those things which they make us suffer. And let us hate our body with its vices and sins, because by living in’ pleasures it wishes to rob us of the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ and eternal life, and to lose itself with everything else in hell. Through our own fault we are corrupt, miserable, and averse to good, but prompt and willing to do evil ; for, as Our Lord says in the Gospel : ‘From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.’ All these evil things come from the heart of man, and these are what defile the soul. But now, after having renounced the world, we have nothing else to do but to endeavour to accomplish the Will of God, and to please Him. Let us take great care that we be not like the wayside, or the thorny or stony ground, according to what the Lord says in the Gospel : ‘The seed is the word of God. And they by the wayside are they that hear : then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved. Now they upon the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy ;’ but when tribulation and persecution arise on account of the word, they are immediately scandalised, ‘and these have no roots,’ but are mere time-servers, ‘ for they believe for awhile, and in time of temptation they fall away.’ And that which fell among thorns are they who have heard the word of God, and the cares and solicitude of this world, the vanity of riches and the desire of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But that on the good ground, are they who, in a good and very good heart, hearing the word keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.’ For this reason, my Brethren, let us, as Our Lord says, ‘leave the dead to bury their dead,’ and let us be much on our guard against the malice and cunning of Satan, who desires that man should not give his heart and mind to the Lord his God, but goes about seeking to seduce him under pretext of some reward or benefit, to efface the words and precepts of God from his memory, and to blind his heart by the cares and business of the world, so that he himself may dwell there, as Our Lord says : ‘When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water seeking rest, and not finding, he saith : I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he is come he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there. And the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Therefore, let us watch diligently that we do not separate our souls from God for the sake of any gain, or favour, or business ; but I beseech all the Brethren, both the Ministers and others, in the charity which God is, that, overcoming all obstacles, and putting aside all care and solicitude, they strive in the best manner they are able, to serve, love, and honour the Lord God, with a clean heart and a pure mind, which is what He desires above all things. Let us always make in our hearts a tabernacle and dwelling- place for Him, Who is the Lord God Omnipotent, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Who says : ‘Watch, therefore, and pray at all times that you may be found worthy to fly from all the evils that are to come, and to stand before the Son of Man.’ And when you pray, say, ‘ Our Father Who art in heaven,’ and let us adore Him with a pure heart. ‘We ought always to pray and not to faint,’ for the Father seeks for such adorers. ‘God is a Spirit, and they that adore Him, must adore Him in spirit and in truth.’ Let us have recourse to Him as the Father and Pastor of our souls, for He says : ‘I am the Good Shepherd, Who feed My sheep, and I lay down My life for My flock.’ You, indeed, are all Brethren. ‘And call none your Father upon earth : for One is your Father Who is in heaven. Neither be ye called Masters, for One is your Master, even Christ. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, whatever you wish you shall ask, and it shall be done unto you. Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them. Behold I am with you always, even unto the consummation of the world. The words that I speak unto you are spirit and life. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ Let us therefore hold fast this true way, the life and doctrine and holy Gospel of Him, Who deigned to manifest to us His Father and His Name, saying : ‘Father, I have manifested Thy Name to the men Thou gavest Me, for the words Thou gavest Me I have given to them, and they have received them, and have known truly that I came forth from Thee, and they have believed that Thou hast sent Me. I pray for them, not for the world, but for them whom Thou hast given Me in Thy Name, that they may be one, as We are One. These things I have spoken in the world that they may have joy in themselves. I have given them Thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world. I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldst keep them from evil. Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for them do I sanctify Myself, that they may be sanctified in truth. And not for them only do I pray, but for them also who through their word shall believe in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast also loved Me. I have made known Thy Name to them, that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them. Father, I will that where I am, they also whom Thou hast given Me may be with Me, that they may see Thy glory in Thy Kingdom.’