LVII.—That Worldly Things are Absolutely to Be Avoided.

If certain teachers, while looking for your gifts or fearing your persons, relax individual things to you, not only do I not grieve, but I am compelled to speak the truth.  Thou art going to vain shows with the crowd of the evil one, where Satan is at work in the circus with din.  Thou persuadest thyself that everything that shall please thee is lawful.  Thou art the offspring of the Highest, mingled with the sons of the devil.  Dost thou wish to see the former things which thou hast renounced?  Art thou again conversant with them?  What shall the Anointed One profit thee?  Or if it is permitted, on account of weakness, that thou foolishly profane…Love not the world, nor its contents.  Such is God’s word, and it seems good to thee.  Thou observest man’s command, and shunnest God’s.  Thou trustedst to the gift whereby the teachers shut up their mouths, that they may be silent, and not tell thee the divine commands; while I speak the truth, as thou art bound look to the Highest.  Assign thyself as a follower to Him whose son thou wast.  If thou seekest to live, being a believing man, as do the Gentiles, the joys of the world remove thee from the grace of Christ.  With an undisciplined mind thou seekest what thou presumest to be easily lawful, both thy dear actors and their musical strains; nor carest thou that the offspring of such an one should babble follies.  While thou thinkest that thou art enjoying life, thou art improvidently erring.  The Highest commands, and thou shunnest His righteous precepts.

LVII.---SAECULARIA IN TOTUM FUGIENDA.

Si quidam doctores, dum exspectant munera vestra, Aut timent personas, laxant singula vobis; Et ego non doleo, sed cogor dicere verum Cum caterva mali pergis ad spectacula vana, Ubi satanas fragoribus circo operatur. Licere persuades tibi quodcumque placebit. Altissimi proles; cum filiis Zabuli mixta, Respicere num vis, queis renuntiasti, priora? In ipsis versaris iterum, quid proderit Unus? Aut si pro languore datum; quod stulte profanus 0244B I . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nolite diligere mundum, neque ambitum ejus: Tanta Dei vox est, et tibi proba videtur. Observas mandatum hominis, et Dei devitas; Tu fidis muneri, quo doctores ora procludunt, Ut taceant, neque dicant tibi jussa divina. Me vera dicentem, sicut teneris, prospice summum: 0245A Filius cujus eras, illi te adsigna clientem. Vivere si quaeris gentiliter homo fidelis, Gaudia te mundi removent a gratia Christi: Indisciplinate quod leve licere praesumis, Et caros histriones et cantica musica quaeris; Nec tali subolem garrire amentia curas: Eum vita frunisci putas? improvidus erras. Altissimus jubet, et justa praecepta devitas.