MIRROR OF THE LOVERS OF THE WORLD

See how cautiously you walk, not as foolish, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not become unwise, but understand what the will of God is. The Apostle Paul. Being conscious of the councils of God. Knowing that there are infinite delights of the heavenly fatherland, which neither eye has seen nor ear has heard, which neither by multitude nor magnitude have ascended into the heart of man; to which we are frequently invited by the Gospel and elsewhere from the Holy Scriptures. And knowing that malignant spirits are all the more anxious to hinder us on this narrow and straight path that leads to eternal life, insofar as the delights to which we are called are more noble and joyful, he exhorts us in the aforementioned words to look cautiously about our journey on all sides, saying: See how cautiously you walk, etc., lest, deviating from the royal road which leads to heavenly joys, we fall into the hands of our enemies. For the Apostle rightly adds: Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. If, indeed, we consider as we ought the mournful, miserable, and damnable course or state of the present time of the world, then the days are evil, just as we perceive with ocular faith, namely, how almost the whole world now wanders, and according to John in his canonical letter, is placed in the wicked one. And this, alas, is to be said with sorrow, as much in the heads as in the members, as much in the clergy as in the people, as much in the religious as in the secular, as much in the old as in the young, as much in the masculine as in the feminine genders. And thus, alas, the way of all flesh has been corrupted. Which Bernard touches upon well,