The Little Flowers and the Life of St. Francis, with the...

defamed in such sort as that she shall be ashamed to go forth in public; but they that at that time shall come to take the Order upon them, shall be led thereunto by the working of the Holy Spirit only, and flesh and blood shall print no stain upon them, but they shall be truly blessed of the Lord. And, albeit in them their works shall not be meritorious, yet, nevertheless, for that the charity which did make the saints work fervently in spirit doth wax cold, exceeding great temptations shall come unto them, and they that in that time shall have been found approved shall be better than they that went before them. But woe unto them that, with only the show and appearance of religious conversation, and applauding themselves on their own wisdom, and putting their trust in their knowledge, shall then have been found idle, that is, not endeavouring themselves in godly works, in the way of the cross and of repentance, in the pure observance of the Gospel that by their profession they are bound to observe in purity and simplicity! For they resist not with constancy the temptations that are permitted to befall for the probation of the elect; but they that shall have been proven and approved, shall receive the crown of life whereunto the malice of the reprobate doth cause them to strive.”