Editing Brethren of the Common Life (section)

==Cornerstones==
The four cornerstones of the Brethren were 

* contempt of the world and of self ({{langx|la|contemptus mundi et sui ipsius}}), 
* imitation of the lowly life of Christ ({{langx|la|imitatio humilis vitae Christi}}), 
* good-will ({{langx|la|bona voluntas}}), and 
* the grace of devoutness ({{langx|la|gratia devotionis}}.) <ref name=SW>{{cite book |last1=Duffield |first1=Samuel Willoughby |title=The Latin Hymn-writers and Their Hymns |date=13 June 2017 |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/54903 |language=English}}</ref>{{rp|283}}

The Confraternity of the Common Life were in many ways similar to the [[Beghard]] and [[Beguine]] communities which had flourished two centuries earlier but were by then declining. Its members took no vows and neither asked nor received alms; their first aim was to cultivate the interior life, and they worked for their daily bread.

The ''antifraternal'' insistence on work distinguishes the Brethren from mendicant (begging) friars; they were attacked by mendicant theologians at the [[Council of Constance]] for not having mainstream formal vows initially, but were successfully defended by [[Pierre d'Ailly]] and [[Jean Gerson]].<ref name=SW/>