Chapter XXXIX. Of poverty in dress

69. This man, "endued with power from on high," was rather warmed inwardly by the Divine fire, than outwardly by the bodily covering. He execrated those in the Order who wore three garments and used soft clothing except of necessity. He declared that when pleasure and not reason was the index of necessity, it was the sign of a quenched spirit. "For," said he, "when the spirit is lukewarm and gradually growing cold in grace, the flesh and blood must needs seek their own. For when the soul finds no delight (he said), what remains but that the flesh should turn to its own delight? And then the animal appetite puts forward the palliation of necessity; then the feelings of the flesh fashion the conscience." And he would add, "Suppose our brother is truly in need, suppose he feels any want; if he hastens to satisfy himself, and to put the need far from him, what reward shall he receive? He had an opportunity of deserving well, but deliberately proved that he did not like to profit by it." With these and the like words would he pierce those who were unfamiliar with necessities: since not to endure them patiently is nothing else but to turn back to Egypt.

In short, on no occasion would he let the brethren have more than two tunics, which however he allowed them to patch with pieces sewn on. He bade them have a horror of choice clothing, and those who were disobedient in this matter he most sternly reprimanded before all. In order to confound such by his own example he sewed sackcloth over his own coarse tunic: and even at his death asked that his funeral tunic should be covered with common sackcloth. But he allowed the brethren under stress of sickness or other need a soft tunic next the skin, provided that the habit preserved its roughness and coarseness outside. For he would say: "Rigour shall yet be so relaxed, lukewarmness shall yet so prevail that the sons of the poor father will not be at all ashamed to wear even scarlet array, changing the colour only".

We thy alien children do not belie thee herein, O father, but our iniquity rather belies itself, for lo! it is now clearer than the light and is increasing day by day.