OF THE APOSTLES
All which Things the Apostles and all the Disciples most diligently observed, nor did they ever fail to fulfil the Things they had heard from the Master. They bore themselves as most valiant Knights and Judges of the Earth, carrying the Message of Salvation everywhere, the Lord working with them, and ♦Mark xvi. 20.♦ confirming the Word with Signs that followed. They glowed in Charity, abounded in Piety, and endured every Want, taking care that it should not be said of them: These men preach but do not practise. Hence one of them speaketh boldly, saying: For ♦Rom. xv. 18, 19.♦ I will not dare to speak of any of those Things which Christ hath not wrought by me by Word and Deed, and by the Power of the Holy Ghost. And yet another speaketh thus: Silver and Gold have I ♦Acts iii. 6.♦ none. Thus did they, one and all, in Life and in Death, exalt me by the highest Praises. And those who heard these Masters, gave heed to their Preaching, selling all their ♦Acts ii. 45.♦ goods and substance, and dividing them according as every man had need. And they were all together and had ♦Acts ii. 44.♦ all things in common, praising God and having favour with all the People. ♦Acts ii. 47.♦
IX
OF THE SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES
♦Acts ii. 47.♦ Wherefore the Lord increased daily such as should be saved. Indeed for long the Truth of their Words remained among many, more especially while the Blood of the Crucified Poor One, Jesus Christ, was warm in their memory, and the Noble Chalice of His Passion inebriated their Hearts. For if any of them sought to leave me at any time because of my too great Rigours, they would remember the Wounds of the Lord by which He made manifest His loving Compassion, and bitterly repent of the Temptation, clinging to me more closely, and embracing me more eagerly than ever. And I abode in them all, ever striving to impress upon their Memory the Dolours of the Passion of the Eternal King. So strengthened by my Words, they cheerfully encountered the cruel Sword which shed their holy Blood. And this Triumph continued and endured a long while, so that daily a thousand thousand were sealed with the Seal of the Most High King.
X
THAT TIMES OF PEACE ARE UNPROPITIOUS TO POVERTY
But alas! after a while Peace was made, a Peace more hurtful than any War. In the beginning of that long Peace but few were sealed, in the middle of it yet fewer, at the end fewer still. And behold! of a surety in ♦Isa. xxxviii. 17.♦ this Peace is my Bitterness most bitter; for All fly from me or drive me from them; by none am I sought, by All forsaken. This Peace was the work of Enemies, not of Friends; of Strangers, not of my Sons. I indeed nourished ♦Isa. i. 2.♦ and raised up Sons, but they contemned me. In that Time when the Lamp of the Lord ♦Job xxix. 3.♦ shone upon my Head, and I walked by His Light through the Darkness, Satan was raging in many who were with me, the World was enticing them, and the Concupiscence of the Flesh, so that many of ♦1 John ii. 15.♦ them ended by loving the World and the Things of the World.