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AND SO the athlete of Christ who desires to strive lawfully in this
true and spiritual combat, should strive by all means to overcome this
changeable monster of many shapes, which, as it attacks us on every side
like some manifold wickedness, we can escape by such a remedy as this;
viz., thinking on that saying of David: "The Lord hath scattered the bones
of those who please men. To begin with we should not allow ourselves to
do anything at the suggestion of vanity, and for the sake of obtaining
vainglory. Next, when we have begun a thing well, we should endeavour to
maintain it with just the same care, for fear lest afterwards the malady of
vainglory should creep in and make void all the fruits of our labours. And
anything which is of very little use or value in the common life of the
brethren, we should avoid as leading to boasting; and whatever would render
us remarkable amongst the others, and for which credit would be gained
among men, as if we were the only people who could do it, this should be
shunned by us. For by these signs the deadly taint of vainglory will be
shown to cling to us: which we shall most easily escape if we consider that
we shall not merely lose the fruits of those labours of ours which we have
performed at the suggestion of vainglory, but that we shall also be guilty
of a great sin, and as impious persons undergo eternal punishments,
inasmuch as we have wronged God by doing for the favour of men what we
ought to have done for His sake, and are convicted by Him who knows all
secrets of having preferred men to God, and the praise of the world to the
praise of the Lord.
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