that he should continue to do still, as he had done then." If therefore you wish to know the most proper means of continuing always a good religious and improving much in virtue, reflect well upon the disposition you were in, when you first left the world, and entered into religion, and endeavour to continue always in the same state. Consider with what zeal and courage you then renounced everything, your parents, your friends, riches, pleasures, and all the conveniences of this life. Persevere and still retain the same contempt of the world, the same forgetfulness of your parents and of all other conveniences of life, and thus you will become a good religious. Call to mind also with what earnestness and humility you begged to be admitted into religion, and remember that the same day you were assured of admittance, you thought the gates of heaven had been open to you. Remember what gratitude you then expressed, and how highly y°u conceived yourself obliged both to God and to religion. Persevere in the same sentiments of humility and spiritual comfort; be convinced that you are still under the same obligations, as you were the first day, and in this manner you cannot fail of making great progress. In fine, think often with what modesty and devotion you behaved yourself at first after your admittance; remember how obedient, how humble, how fervent, how exact, and how resigned you were then; continue always the same, and you will daily improve more and more, and continually advance in virtue and perfection.
This means is much recommended by holy men, as I shall shew hereafter, but first it is very necessary clearly to explain its import. I do not mean hereby, that you need not be more perfect now, than you were the first day you entered into religion, or that an ancient religious should content himself with the virtue of a novice. For religious orders are schools of perfection; he that has frequented them longer, ought to have learned, and improved himself more, than he who entered them later; and as in human sciences, he that has studied ten years, ought to know more than he who newly begins his studies; so a religious who has laboured for a long time to advance in virtue, ought without doubt to have made greater progress in his profession, than one who is but newly entered into religion. But, as a young student, who at first was very diligent in his studies, and afterwards grows idle, is told that if he pretends to become learned, he must continue to take his business still as much to heart, as he did at the beginning; so what I intend, by that
