great pains and care in his affairs, yet he never refuses to do whatever lies in his power for him, but on the contrary rejoices to receive his master's commands, and performs them with the same willingness and readiness, as he did the first day he entered into his service. This St. Bernard practised. He believed that all other religious were arrived at the height of perfection, and being come to the end of their course, they might very well dispense with themselves in many things (which is indeed an excellent antidote against judging rashly of others); but as for himself, he always imagined that he was as yet but a novice, and that it was not for him to take upon him the same liberty, nor to use the same privileges, which others might do, and for that reason be never abated anything of the exactness and rigour of his rule, nor exempted himself from any of the meanest offices of his monastery. He was always the most forward in doing whatsoever obedience, prescribed; the first in sweeping the cloister, the first in washing the dishes, and when it happened that he was not well versed in, or could not do something he saw others do, he presently endeavoured to repair that defect, by taking some other work in hand that was far meaner than what his brethren were employed in. He either took a spade to dig the garden, or an axe to cleave wood, which afterwards he carried to the kitchen, and took great delight in these offices, because he really believed he had very great need of practising them for his spiritual advancement. There are many now-a-days not of his mind, who, when they are employed in such offices, say, that good example may perhaps require it, but in any other respect they do not think these practices necessary. I do not say, but that it is good to do such things for the example and edification of others, but that it were better to believe, that we ought to do them for our own advancement, since St. Bernard was persuaded, that he had need of them for his.
But to elucidate still more what we have already quoted from. St. Anthony, we must make another observation, which is, that the saint was not satisfied with our not abating anything of that fervour we brought at first: but required that we should continually endeavour to increase it, by growing still better and better, and as if we did then only begin. Just as a man who is but newly entered into God's service, and sees hitherto he has done nothing else but offended him, adds therefore every day penance upon penance, in order to make satisfaction for his past offences, and to render himself worthy of reward for the future.
