65. To Turold, a Monk of Bec

Anselm, servant of the Church of Canterbury, to his brother and friend Turold, by the grace of God monk at Bec, greeting: and mayest thou persevere to the end in thy holy purpose.

Blessed be God in His gifts and holy in His works, who turned your heart from vanity to verity. For all those follow vanity who desire dignities and honours and riches of this world, for these cannot by any means as they promise satisfy the mind; but the more they abound, so much the more do they produce a thirst in the soul, nor do they conduct into any good end. But those hold the truth who with all their hearts despise earthly and transitory things, and with all their power rise to true humility. For to spiritual eyes they who humble themselves never appear to descend, but to mount up the heavenly hill whence one ascends to the celestial kingdom. The divine clemency has directed you into the road to paradise, nay rather, placed you in a kind of paradise in this life when it led you into the cloistered life of religious vows. Let your prudence take care therefore that your heart look not backwards. The monk looks backwards, when he often recalls to mind what he once abandoned. Which if he frequently does, divine love grows cold in him, and the love of the world revives, with dislike to and weariness of his vow. Therefore as your body is isolated from secular business let your heart ever be separated from worldly thoughts, and always busy with some useful and spiritual meditation. May the Holy Spirit ever make you to rejoice and to give thanks to God for the good you have begun. Amen.