a little and a short time waste it, and then lie
wailing and groaning by the wall. And it is much more peril than men
suppose. For S. Jerome says that he makes an offering of robbery who
outrageously torments his body by over-little meat or sleep. And S.
Bernard says: "Fasting and waking hinder not spiritual goods, but help,
if they be done with _discretion_; without that, they are vices."
Wherefore, it is not good to torture ourselves so much, and afterwards
to have displeasure at our deed. There have been many, and are who
suppose it is naught all that they do unless they be in so great
abstinence and fasting that all men speak of them who know them. But
oftentimes it befalls that the more outward joy or wondering they have
(on account) of the praising of men, the less joy they have within of
the love of GOD. By my judgment, they should please JESUS Christ much
more if they accepted for His sake--in thanking and praising Him, to
sustain their body in His service and to withhold themselves from great
speech of men--whatsoever GOD sent them in time and place, and gave
themselves since entirely to the love and the praising of that Lord
JESUS Christ: Who will stalwartly be loved, and lastingly be served, so
that their holiness were more seen in GOD'S eye than in man's. For all
the better thou art, and the less speech thou hast of men, the more is
thy joy before GOD. Ah! how great it is to be worthy of love, and to be
not loved. And what wretchedness it is, to have the name and the habit
of holiness, and be not so; but to cover pride, ire or envy under the
clothes of Christ's childhood. A foul thing it is to have liking and
delight in the words of men who can no more deem what we are in our soul
than they wot what we think. For ofttimes they say that he or she is in
the higher degree that is in the lower; and whom they say is in the
lower, is in the higher. Therefore I hold it to be but madness to be
gladder or sorrier whether they say good or ill. If we be trying to hide
us from speech and praise of this world, GOD will shew to us His praise,
and our joy. For that is His joy when we are strength-full to stand
against the privy and open temptation of the devil, and to seek nothing
but the honour and praise of Him, and that we might entirely praise Him.
And that ought to be our desire, our prayer and our intent, night and
day, that the fire of His love kindle our hearts, and the sweetness of
His grace be our comfort and our s