With many this has been the case. They, having been led on by a presumptuous spirit, and by the impulses of an indiscreet zeal, have, in their excessive outward austerities, gone beyond the measure of their own strength, and so have perished in their own inventions, and have become the sport of malicious fiends. This would never have happened if they had laid to heart what we have been saying and considering, which is, that painful acts of this sort, however praiseworthy and profitable to those whose bodily strength and lowliness of spirit are equal to them, must yet ever be limited by the requirements of each man's constitution and temperament.
And if you cannot imitate the Saints in their austerities, you may find other features in their character which you can copy, by strong and effectual desires and fervent prayers, aspiring after the most glorious crowns of Christ's true soldiers; by despising, as they did, the whole world, and themselves also; by giving themselves up to silence and solitude; by humility and gentleness towards all men; by patience under wrongs, and kindness to those who treated them ill; by watchfulness against even the smallest fault, for this is more pleasing to God than all bodily austerities. I counsel you, then, to be sparing in the use of such, so as to be able, if needs be, to increase your
