Chapter X. Of brother Bernard's renunciation of his property

15. One Bernard of the city of Assisi (who was afterwards a son of perfection) was framing his mind perfectly to set at naught the world after the man of God's example, and humbly besought his advice. And so as he consulted him he said, u Father, if any one had for a long time been in possession of some lord's goods, and did not wish to keep them any longer, how should he dispose of them most perfectly? "The man of God answered, that they must all be given back to his lord, from whom he had received them. Then said Bernard, "I acknowledge that all my possessions were given me by God, and now here I stand, ready to give them back to Him, according to thy advice". "If thou wilt prove thy words by deeds," said the Saint, u let us go to church early in the morning, take the book of the Gospel, and seek counsel of Christ." So in the morning they went to church, and, after devout prayer, opened the book of the Gospel, resolved to fulfil the first counsel they should happen on. They laid open the book and Christ therein laid open His counsel: "If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all thou hast and give to the poor". They did it a second time, when M Take nothing on the way "met their eye. They tried yet a third time, when they found, "He who will come after Me, let him deny himself". Without delay Bernard fulfilled all these things, nor did he fail in so much as a jot of this counsel.

In a short time very many were turned from the corroding cares of the world, and to their infinite advantage returned under Francis' guidance to their native land. It would be too long to go on and tell how each one attained the prize of the high calling.