and they have
given themselves up to the Order, and think this Order is better than
that. There is that of the Augustines against that of the Preaching
Monks, that of the Carthusians against the Barefooted Friars, and
nowhere is there greater want of unanimity than among the Orders.

But if it has been taught that, in the sight of God, no employment is
better than another, but that through faith all are alike,--then will
all hearts remain united, and we are all alike mutually disposed, and
shall also say,--the Order, or the mode of life which the bishop
leads, is in God's sight no more accounted of than that which a poor
man leads; the mode of life which the nun leads is no better than
that which a married woman leads; and the same in respect to all
varieties of condition.

But this they will not hear to, but every one maintains his own for
the best, and says, Ah! how much better and more important is my
state, in the Order, than the state of a common man.

Thus to have one aim is, that every one should regard his own
employment like the others, and that the condition of the married
woman is just as good as that of the virgin, as all are indeed alike
in the sight of God, who judges according to the heart and faith, not
by the person or according to the works; so that we, also, are to
judge as God judges, and then are we of one mind, and unanimity
remains in the world, and hearts remain unestranged, so that there is
no deriding on account of the external condition; all this I hold to
be excellent, and am well satisfied with every man's employment,
whatever it be, if it only be not sinful in itself.

Of this St. Paul also speaks, 2 Cor. xi., "I fear lest as the serpent
beguiled Eve, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity
that is in Christ Jesus,"--that is, lest the devil so beguile you,
and pervert and divide that simplicity of aim which you have. So,
Phil. iv., "The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep
your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." Why does the Apostle lay
so much stress on the aim of the mind? Because it all consists in
this, that when I am brought to cherish a false aim, everything is
already lost; as in case I am a monk, and have adopted such a view as
that my works are of more worth in the sight of God than others, and
say, "God be thanked that I have become a monk; my state is now far
preferable to the common one of marriage:" in which case, from such a
view there mu