truth, to give them, or rather to restore them, to Jesus Christ. In
fine, he told all his disciples openly, but with great humility, that
the Divine Majesty had, in His wisdom, decided to employ them, and the
companions they should aggregate to their community, to renew the face
of the earth, by their preaching and their example, in order that the
losses the Church had sustained by the corruption of morals, might be
made good; and that it was for this purpose that grace had put it in
their power so promptly to exercise the holy ministry. In order to
prepare them for this mission, he made them the following discourse,
which is worthy of being recorded at full length, in the words in which
it has been preserved by his companions, to whom it was addressed:--

"Let us consider, my dear brethren, what our vocation is. It is not
only for our own salvation that God has called us by His mercy, but
it is for the salvation of many others. It is in order that we should
exhort all the world, more by example than by words, to do penance and
to keep the Divine precepts. We are looked upon as senseless and
contemptible, but let not this depress you; take courage, and be
confident that our Lord, who conquered the world, will speak
efficaciously through you. Let us be cautious, after having given up
all, not to lose the kingdom of heaven for a trifling gain. If we find
money anywhere, let us consider it as valueless as the dust which we
tread under our feet. Let us not judge and despise the rich who live
in luxury and wear the ornaments of vanity. God is their Lord, as He
is ours; He may call them and justify them; we must honor them as our
brethren, and as our masters. They are our brethren, because we have
all the same Maker; and they are our masters, because they befriend
the good by the assistance they afford them. Go then, and exhort men
to do penance for the remission of their sins, and for peace. You will
find some among the faithful mild and good, who will receive you with