Humility

300. The first thing the soul must have in order to attain to the kno^edge of God is the knowledge of itself.

301. God is more pleased with certain actions, how ever few they may be, done in silence and in secret, and without any desire that men might see them, than with a thousand grand actions undertaken with the intention of their being seen by men.

302. The secrecy of conscience is broken when a man reveals to others the good estate it is in, receiving for his reward the praise of men.

303. The Wise Spirit of God Who dwells in humble souls inclines them to keep His treasures in secret, and to cast out what is amiss.

304. Perfection consists not in those virtues which every one recognises in himself, but in those which God approves of. And as His approval is hidden from the eyes of men, no one has any reason to presume, and every one many, to make him afraid.

305. God, when He loves a soul, regards not its greatness, but rather the greatness of its contempt of self and its humility.

306. What you most seek, and most anxiously desire, you will never find if you seek it for yourself, not even in the most profound contemplation ; but only in deep humility and submission of heart.

307. If you will glory in yourself cast away every thing not your own : what remains will be nothing, and this thing you should glory in.

308. Do not despise others because, as it seems to you, they do not possess the virtues you thought they had : they may be pleasing to God for other reasons which you cannot discover.

309. Never excuse yourself: listen calmly to the reprimand and consider it to come from God.

310. Look upon it as a special mercy of God, that people ever speak kindly to you : you do not deserve it.

311. Make neither much nor little of him who may be against you, and strive always to please God. Pray that His will may be done, and love Him much, for it is His due.

312. Love to be unknown to yourself and others : never regard the good nor the evil of others.

313. Never forget the life to come. Consider how many in heaven are great, and in great glory, who in their own eyes were of no account, humble and poor.

314. In order to mortify truly the desire of honour from which so many other desires proceed, you will do those things which will bring you into contempt, and you will wish others to despise you : you will speak disparagingly of yourself and you will contrive that others do so : you will think humbly and contemptuously of yourself, and you will wish others to do so also.

315. Humility and submission to your spiritual director, disclosing to him all that passes in your intercourse with God, will bring light, rest, contentment, and security.

316. Virtue consists not in what you have learned, and feel about God, however great that may be, nor in any personal experiences of this kind, but, on the contrary, in that which is not matter of feeling at all, in great humility, contempt of self, and of all that belongs to you profoundly rooted in the soul.

317. All visions, revelations, and impressions of heaven, however much the spiritual man may esteem them, are not equal in worth to the least act of humility : for this brings forth the fruits of charity, which never esteems nor thinks well of self, but only of others.

318. The communications which come really from God have this property, that they humble and exalt the soul at the same time, for in the way of the Spirit to descend is to ascend, and to ascend is to descend.

319. When God communicates His gifts and graces to the soul, He excites in it a repugnance to accept honours and distinctions ; but in the way of humility and self-abasement, He gives it ease and readiness.

320. God hates to see men ready to accept dignities, even when it is His will that they should accept them ; but it is not His will that they should do so eagerly and promptly.

321. When the devil speaks, he makes men ready and eager to accept dignities, but he makes them reject humiliations and self-abasement.