not after the things of Jesus Christ; those who continually plan
and devise that which will not stand. For whatsoever cometh not
of God shall perish. Hold fast the short and complete saying,
'Renounce all things, and thou shalt find all things; give up thy
lust, and thou shalt find rest.' Dwell upon this in thy mind,
and when thou art full of it, thou shalt understand all things."

2. O Lord, this is not the work of a day, nor children's play;
verily in this short saying is enclosed all the perfection of the
religious.

3. "My son, thou oughtest not to be turned aside, nor immediately
cast down, because thou hast heard the way of the perfect.
Rather oughtest thou to be provoked to higher aims, and at the
least to long after the desire thereof. Oh that it were so with
thee, and that thou hadst come to this, that thou wert not a lover
of thine own self, but wert ready always to My nod, and to his
whom I have placed over thee as thy father. Then shouldest thou
please Me exceedingly, and all thy life should go on in joy and
peace. Thou hast still many things to renounce, which if thou
resign not utterly to Me, thou shalt not gain what thou seekest.
I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou
mayest be rich,(1) that is heavenly wisdom, which despiseth all
base things. Put away from thee earthly wisdom, and all
pleasure, whether common to men, or thine own.

4. "I tell thee that thou must buy vile things with those which
are costly and great in the esteem of men. For wonderfully vile
and small, and almost given up to forgetfulness, doth true
heavenly wisdom appear, which thinketh not high things of itself,