2. To Odo and Lanzo

Anselm of Bec, sinner by his life, monk by profession, to his masters, friends, best-beloved brethren, Odo and Lanzo: despise temporal for the sake of eternal things: for earthly obtain heavenly.

Since true affection, as it is laudably expended, is also irreprehensibly claimed by the fact of loving, I think I am not impudent in somewhat proclaiming my affection for you, that I may either acquire yours, or having acquired it, may render it more perfect. But since on account of our widely separated abodes you can perceive the goodwill of my heart, neither by my kind actions nor even by mutual intercourse, at least let the greeting of a letter be to you a sign that the memory of your love is still alive in my mind. For when first your reverend brotherhood made itself known to my littleness by actual presence, my soul adhering thereto by the embrace of charity took so deeply the impression, that by loving it formed in itself a clear image thereof by which it always has you present, even when far away; whence, though sight be rare, affection is not occasional but continuous. Thus far the spontaneous greeting of affection is addressed to two; from this point onwards is given the exhortation owed to one alone; for to one of you is it given, since by one was it demanded, but I shall enjoy a double reward of my labour if it be received by each as addressed to himself. Truly do I remember, master mine and friend Lanzo, thy holy zeal for living righteously having demanded with many prayers of my tepidity to quicken thee with spiritual love by admonitory letters, which, as I could not but think it inconsistent that the cold should try to warm up the fervent, so I wished to refuse, but again, considering that by a cold blast a burning fire is in creased, I could not entirely withhold what thou didst ask for. Wherefore since that which thou dost require of me thou wilt find much better everywhere in the sacred pages, yet I wish freely to obey thy gentle vehemence out of respect to thee; I will therefore go between the two, and first lay upon thee a charge to study holy Scripture, and next in my own person add a few things, not on my own authority, but on the authority of that same Scripture.

I advise thee therefore, and implore, oh best beloved, that as it is written, "keep thy heart with all diligence," there may be nothing that may take thy mind off its guard. Let it carefully consider what it may gain by advancing; lest, which be far from it! it lose something by falling away. For as in virtue it is more difficult to attain by effort to something one had not before, than from indolence to go without it, so is it harder to recover what is lost by negligence, than to obtain what one knows one has not as yet possessed. Therefore, dearly-beloved, always esteem past things as nought, so that thou disdain not to hold fast to that to which thou hast attained, and always, even though unable through infirmity, yet strive by persistence to add something thereto. For that among many called, few are chosen, we are all sure, since the Truth so teaches: but who the few are, everyone of us is uncertain, the Truth being silent. Wherefore, whoever liveth not yet as the few, must either by altering his life join himself to the few, or most certainly fear condemnation. But he who judges himself to be already of the few, must not forthwith feel confident of the certainty of his election. For since none of us knows to how few the elect are reduced, no one knows whether he be now among the few chosen, although he be like to few among many called. There fore, let no one, looking behind him, think how many he is preceding on the road to the heavenly country; but continually looking forwards, let him anxiously consider whether he could now enter equally with those of whose salvation no believer doubts. See, therefore, best-beloved, that on no account the fear of God which once thou didst conceive, die down; but that as though fanned continually with unremitting attention it may daily burn more glowingly, until changed into eternal confidence it shall give thee light.

For that is especially to be avoided, beloved brother, which many do, of whom the number is not so great as is the folly of their minds; who, the longer they live, the more they cherish the hope of living, and, putting away the fear of approaching death, fall away from the resolution to live holily. For it is the rather true that by so much the longer anyone has lived, so much the shorter time he has to live; and by so much the further anyone is from the day of his birth, the nearer is he to To Odo and Lanzo. 1 1 5 the day of his death and of retribution for his whole life. Therefore as thou seest each day the past of thy life increase, so know assuredly that thy time for living a holy life is daily growing less. Therefore, friend of mine, be careful so to spend the space of life which remaineth to thee (since thou knowest not how short it is), that from day to day thou expand the holy intention of thy soul, so that although it should be somewhat burdensome to thee to lead a holy life, yet the more thou perceivest that thy labour is hastening to an end, and that thou art nearing thy rest and reward, so much the strongly resisting, and joyfully persevering, thou mayest go forward vigorously fortified. Thou mayest not therefore fall back out of weariness from what thou hast begun, but rather shalt undertake what is prepared for thee, and which thou hast not as yet attempted; in the hope of celestial aid, for the love of the blissful reward; that, Christ leading thee, thou mayest attain to the fellowship of the blessed saints. My letter is already almost too long: but it may take leave of those alike with both of whom it began; attend, my two friends, hear, both my loved ones: receive, I bt-g, the end of my foolish exhortation in memory of our mutual affection. Foolish, I call the exhortation, being my own: but not the meaning, for that is from God. Listen, then, and do not, on account of my share in it, despise that which is of God. Should the world, now and again, smile on you with its sort of favours, smile not back upon it; for it does not smile on you for you to smile when the end comes, but that you, being subject to its jeering prince, may lament when he laments. Therefore rather, so often as it shall smile on you, shrink you from its smile, mock with horror at the smiling one, that afterwards you may laugh at the mocker, and smile when it laments. Friends mine, "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world: "for it is truly written, that "the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; "and that "the friend of the world is the enemy of God." It has no wisp of hay on the tip of its horn; there is gold on the horn: but look behind; the tail is guarded with hay; it wounds with the tail :— beware! Beware, I say, and fare ye well.