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Ember
PT

Silence

  1. The Father uttered one Word ; that Word is His Son : and He utters Him for ever in everlasting silence, and in silence the soul has to hear It.

  2. That which we most require for our spiritual growth is the silence of the desire and of the tongue before God, Who is so high : the language He most listens to is that of silent love.

  3. Speak little : and do not meddle in matters when you are not desired to do so.

  4. Never listen to accounts of the frailties of others ; and if any one should complain to you of another, humbly ask him not to speak about him at all.

  5. Complain of no one : ask for nothing, but if it should be necessary to ask, do so in few words.

  6. Abstain from contradiction : on no account let your words be other than pure.

  7. Let your words be offensive to none ; and about matters that will cause you no trouble if every body knew of them.

  8. Preserve your spirit in peace, lovingly attentive to God ; and when you must speak, do so calmly and peaceably.

  9. Be silent about what God may say to you, remembering the words of Scripture : ' My secret to me/*

  10. Never forget that of every word uttered with out the direction of obedience, God will require a strict account.

  11. Intercourse with people beyond what is strictly necessary and required by reason, has never been good for any man, however holy he may have been.

  12. It is impossible to make progress otherwise than by doing and suffering everything in silence.

  13. For growth in virtue, the important thing is to be silent, and to work : conversation distracts, silence and work bring recollection.

  14. The moment a person understands what is told him for his good, there is no necessity for him to ask for further direction, nor to speak about it, but to act upon it sincerely in silence, carefully, in humility, charity, and contempt of self.

  15. I have understood that the soul which is ready for talking and the commerce of the world is but little attentive to God : for if it were otherwise, it would withdraw itself at once into silence within, and avoid all conversation whatever.

  16. It is the will of God that the soul should de light in Him, rather than in any created thing, however useful or necessary it may be to it.

Chapter 24 of 30