thou art come to the house thou shalt rest in, hold thy wits inward in GOD'S holy fear; so that thine outer bearing be so ruled with grace that thou mayst stir to good all whom thou seest, and through GOD'S grace destroy mirkness of sin, and so fulfil GOD'S teaching, who says thus, "So let your light shine before men, that they seeing your good works may glorify your Father Who is in heaven." And S. Gregory says: "Neither is it greatly praiseworthy to be good with the good, but to be good with the evil; for even as it is of more heinous guilt not to be good among the good, so is it of unwearied honour to have stood for the good among the evil." Keep well thine eyes when thou art come to harbour, from all things that may kindle sin and make thine eyes forward, as Job did, who said "I make a covenant with mine eyes lest I should think upon a maid." After sight, comes thought, and thereafter deed, and therefore said the prophet Jeremiah, "Mine eye hath laid waste my soul." When so holy a prophet lamented him of his eyesight, sorely may another complain who oft sins therewith. Augustine: "Shameless eye is the messenger of shameless heart." Gregory: "It is not lawful to look after that which it is not lawful to desire." David: "Turn away mine eyes that they may not see vanity." Look also that thou hearest nothing that may stir thee to sin, as unclean words, backbiting, false judgments, great oaths, controversy, striving and other such vices. Also at thy meat, bear thyself orderly, and hold thee in measure, and seek after no dainties, but be pleased with common meats. Consider in speaking, to whom, what, when, how, of whom, and where: and have thyself so orderly that thou beest not like other worldly men, but fulfil the Apostle's words; "Be not conformed to this world, because your conversation is in heaven." Though our body be in this world as a clot of earth, it is needful that our spirit which was bought with the dear-worthy blood of GOD Almighty be with mind and will in heaven, not soil itself here with sin, as swine do in a ditch. And whatsoever thou doest, and wheresoever thou comest, do as the Apostle teaches: "Shew thyself to all men as an example of good works," for through a good example GOD is worshipped and praised, men are helped and taught and strengthened in their belief. Bear thee so that men who dwell with you may say of you as was said of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas, "The gods are made like men, and have come down to us." _DEO gracias._ FOOTNOTES: [5] Rolle's free rendering of the Latin is added here from the _Thornton MS._ It does not occur in the Arundel MS. [6] The MS. is defective. [7] On the 18th leaf of the MS. containing _Our Daily Work_ begins Richard Rolle's _Meditations on the Passion_. A rendering of this is given in Fr. R. H. Benson's _A Book of the Love of JESUS_. [8] A meat-time between sunrise and noon, or between noon and sunset. On Grace. On Grace.