THE RING’S BUSINESS
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miser nor a wanton, but is within full of pride as are these. By the ass we are to, understand the simple people. They are led in the way of sin by the ceremonies of the lazy, since they are not thought fit for the worship of the heart, and must be led by masses, penance, and indulgences, and they throw away what might be of profit for money and for candles. The lazy give them council in their sermons: Give some vestment, build a chapel, and thou wilt be freed from any danger of going to hell. Do not believe these mountebanks; no outward act can bring you to Paradise, not even miracles and prophecy, but only the grace of God, if you have humility and love . . . .Before the ass stood an angel with a sword. This is Christ, who speaks to the ass: Walk no longer in the path of sin, for I have ready for you a great scourge. The ass alone saw the angel; for the simple first hear the word of the Lord, but Balaam and such as "are with him will hear nothing of it. The ass left the path of captivity and went out into the field, into the way of the Lord. “For the kingdom of heaven is like treas ure hid in a field; which when a man found he sold all that he had and bought that field.” So/ the simple go into the holy field of the Scriptures and say: “Let me look around a little, for the flowers of this field bear fruit.” Yea, our fathers, the prophets, apostles, and martyrs bore fruit, .they who died with joy for the nobles and the masters taken captive by truth. These are they who go into the field and speak the truth in the face of death. Come into the city, where the nobles and the masters taken captive by sin crowd together, cry the lazy troop of monks: O fathers, it would be well if when you spoke of these things,'you touched not this string, by which you allow yourselves to fall into disgrace and disfavor. They have said that already to me. Our: persecution begins if we begin to preach. But Jesus was willing to d; for the truth of what He said; should we forsake the truth in order not to, dis
please men? No, we will say it in every way, and with Balaam’s ass go into the field. TRUTH AND REASON 1 Think not that I am such a fool as to undertake these things without good rea son. I call heaven and earth to witness against me if I do not speak the truth For against all the world is my sermon; every one contradicts it. If I go about with lies, then I have Christ against me; therefore I have heaven and earth against me, and how then could I stand? As such a trifler with holy things how should I dare rise up? Believe me, I speak the truth, I have seen it with my eyes, and touched it with my' hands. Believe it! If I speak not the truth, I consign myself body and soul to destruction; but I tell you I am certain of the truth, and I would that all were as I am. I say that of the truth on which I stand, not as though I wished that others had my failings as well. So come then into the service of Jesus; come to the truth, come here, I bid you. Do ye not know how I explained the revelation of St. John ? There were many who said that I spoke too much in detail, and went too deep into it. There stood the angel before the ass, and wanted it to go | out into the field, but Balaam smote it; and ye know not how much opposition I must yet undergo. The lazy monks were the first who called me a fool and revolutionist, and on the other side stood the weak and the simple, who said in their innocent faith: “Oh, if we could only do what He teaches!” Then I had war with the citizens and the great judges of this time, whom my manner of preach ing did not please. I was between two walls; the angel warned me, threatening eternal death from this road, and I received Balaam’s blows. Ye know my persecution and my danger; but I knew that I was on the way to victory and said always: No human being can drive my cause from the world. Balaam, thou leanest: thy foot against the walls, but do as thou wilt, I will crush thy foot; I leaned on the wall.
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