Nam loqui et docere magistrum condecet: tacere, et audire discipulo convenit.

Et ideo, si quæ requirenda sunt a Priore, cum omni humilitate et subjectione reverentiæ requirantur, ne plus videatur loqui quam expedit. Scurrilitates vero vel verba otiosa et risum moventia, æterna clausura in omnibus locis damnamus, et ad tale eloquium discipulum aperire os non permittimus.

it behoveth a master to speak and teach; and it beseemeth a disciple to hold his peace and listen.

If, therefore, anything must be asked of the Prior, let it be done with all humility, subjection, and reverence, that he who asks may not seem to speak more than is necessary. But as for buffoonery, idle words, or such as move to laughter, we utterly condemn and forbid them in all places, nor do we allow a disciple to open his mouth to give them utterance.

26 Maii

DE HUMILITATE.

25 Jan. CLAMAT nobis Scriptura divina, fratres, 25 Sept. dicens: "Omnis, qui se exaltat, humiliabitur, et qui se humiliat, exaltabitur." Cum hæc ergo dicit, ostendit omnem exaltationem genus esse superbiæ: quod se cavere Propheta indicat, dicens: "Domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, neque elati sunt oculi mei; neque ambulavi in magnis, neque in mirabilibus super me." Sed quid? "Si non humiliter sentiebam, sed exaltavi animam meam; sicut ablactatus super matre sua, ita retributio in anima mea. "2

Unde, fratres, si summæ humilitatis volumus culmen attingere, et ad exaltationem illam

OF HUMILITY.

THE Holy Scripture crieth to us, Brethren, saying: "Every one who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he who humbleth himself shall be exalted."1 By these words it declares to us, that all exaltation is a kind of pride, which the Prophet showeth must carefully be avoided when he says: "Lord, my heart is not exalted, neither are my eyes lifted up; neither have I walked in great things, nor in wonders above myself." But why? "If I did not think humbly, but exalted my soul: as a child weaned from his mother, so wilt Thou reward my soul."

"2

Wherefore, Brethren, if we would attain to true humility, and speedily reach that heavenly

cœlestem, ad quam per præsentis vitæ humilitatem ascenditur, volumus velociter pervenire: actibus nostris ascendentibus, scala erigenda est, quæ in somno Jacob apparuit, per quam et descendentes et ascendentes Angeli monstrabantur.

Non aliud sine dubio descensus ille et ascensus a nobis intelligitur; nisi exaltatione descendere, et humilitate ascendere.

Scala vero ipsa erecta, nostra est vita in seculo, quæ humiliato corde a Domino erigitur ad cœlum. Latera enim hujus scalæ dicimus nostrum esse corpus et animam, in quibus lateribus diversos gradus humilitatis, vel disciplinæ, vocatio divina ascendendos inseruit.

26 Jan.

27 Maii

Primus itaque humilitatis gradus est, 26 Sept. si timorem Dei sibi ante oculos semper ponens, oblivionem omnino fugiat, et semper sit memor omnium quæ præcepit Deus, qualiter contemnentes, Deum in gehennam pro peccatis incidunt, et vitam æternam, quæ timentibus Deum præparata est, animo suo semper revolvat. Et custodiens se omni hora a peccatis et vitiis, id est cogitationum, linguæ, oculorum, manuum, pedum vel voluntatis propriæ; sed et desideria carnis amputare festinet.