Chapter VIII. Of different kinds of religious, and of the things that are most prejudicial to certain holy communities

There may be said to be four kinds of religious : some perfect ; others bad, proud, full of vanity, sensual, opposed to all regularity; others, again, tepid, slothful, careless ; and lastly, such as are virtuous and on the way to perfection, although they may perhaps never attain to it.

The holiest orders in religion may contain these four kinds of members, as well as those orders that have fallen into laxity ; with this difference, however, that in an order that has fallen from its first fervour, the majority are tepid persons, and the remainder consists of some that are positively bad, a few who are labouring after perfection, and a very few who are perfect. But in an order in which discipline is still strictly observed, the bulk of the community is composed of those who are tending to perfection, and the remainder comprises some who are perfect, a few who are tepid, and a very few who are bad.

One very important remark may here be made : it is, that a religious order inclines to degeneracy when the number of the tepid begins to equal that of the fervent, — I mean those who labour from day to day to make fresh progress in prayer, recollection, mortification, purity of conscience, humility. For those who do not use this diligence, even though they keep themselves from mortal sin, must pass for tepid persons ; they corrupt many others, inflict extreme injury on the whole body, and are themselves in danger, either of not persevering in their vocation, or of falling into interior pride or great disorders.

The duty of superiors in religious houses is to labour, as well by their own good example, ^ by exhortation, private conversation, and prayer, that their subjects may persevere in the ranks of the fervent who are aiming at perfection ; otherwise they will themselves bear the penalty of it, and that a terrible penalty.

There are four things that are injurious to the spiritual life, and which form the basis of the evil maxims that insinuate themselves into holy communities : 1. esteem for natural talents, and such qualities as are purely human ; 2. anxiety to make friends from human considerations ; 3. a conduct directed by policy, and one that follows mere human prudence — a crafty spirit, and such as is opposed to evangelical simplicity ; 4. superfluous recreations, which become indispensable to the soul ; or such conversations and books as afford a merely natural satisfaction to the mind.

The three concupiscences of the world find easy entrance into the best-regulated orders : 1. ambition, through a desire of being promoted to offices and employments of distinction ; 2. avarice, through a desire of acquiring and accumulating knowledge ; 3. the lust of the flesh, through sensuality and a desire for bodily ease and comforts.