Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Collection [9 Books] by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Author:Saint Bernard of Clairvaux [Clairvaux, Saint Bernard of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786471468
Publisher: Aeterna Press
Published: 2016-09-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER X

What manner of man the Pope is

19. Accordingly, if you consider how great you are, think also, and above all, what manner of man you are. This consideration keeps you well within yourself; it suffers you not to fly from yourself, nor to walk in great matters, or in things too wonderful for you. Take your stand within yourself; you will not then sink beneath your level, nor rise above it, you will not go too far, nor spread out too wide. Keep to the middle if you wish to keep moderation. The mid way is the safe way. Moderation abides in the mean, and moderation is virtue. Every abiding place outside the bounds of moderation is only exile to the wise man. Wherefore, he will not dwell in the length, that is, beyond moderation; nor even in the breadth, that is, outside it; nor, again, in the height, or in the depth, one of which is above moderation, the other beneath it. In fact ‘length’ mostly implies going beyond bounds; ‘breadth’ may mean a rent, ‘height’ a fall, and ‘depth’ an abyss. I say these things the more plainly that you may not think I am repeating the apostle’s exhortation to comprehend with all saints the length, and breadth, and height, and depth. This belongs to another sort of discussion, and a different occasion. Just now by ‘length’ I mean a man’s promising himself a long life; by ‘breadth’, his being racked with superfluous cares; by ‘height’, his trusting too much in himself; by ‘depth’, his being unduly depressed. Well then, if a man measures out for himself distant times, is he not really starting to go too far? Is he not in his far-reaching anxiety passing the bounds of life? Thus it is that men, exiled from themselves in this present life through forgetfulness, are led by useless anxiety to migrate to distant ages, which will not profit, nay rather, may never be. Likewise, the heart which is spread over many things must of necessity be torn by many cares, and once it is too thin there comes a rent. Further, if a man have overweening confidence in himself, what is there for him but a headlong fall? For you have read what is written, ‘Before a fall the heart is lifted up.’ And on the side of excessive timidity, what is depression but in a sense the loss of oneself in despair? A brave man will not be so far depressed. A prudent man will not be misled by the uncertainty of a long life. A modest man will moderate his cares; he will refrain from superfluities, and will not deny himself what is necessary. A righteous man, moreover, will not venture on what is above him, but will say with righteous Job, ‘If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.’

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