The Works Of John Cassian

And when a man whom pride has mastered has fallen through these stages of descent, he shudders at the discipline of the coenobium, and -- as if the companionship of the brethren hindered his perfection, and the sins of others impeded and interfered with his advance in patience and humility -- he longs to take up is abode in a solitary cell; else is eager to build a monastery and gather together some others to teach and instruct, as if he would do good to many more people, and make himself from being a bad disciple a still worse master. For when through this pride of heart a man has fallen into this most dangerous and injurious coldness, he can neither be a real monk nor a man of the world, and what is worse, promises to himself to gain perfection by means of this wretched state and manner of life of his.