Book IV, Chapter II

If thou dost walk spiritually, thou wilt not much weigh fleeting words

(On these words) — “ If thou dost walk spiritually, thou wilt not much weigh fleeting words.” B. iii. ch. 28.

Question. — What are fleeting words?

Answer. — Those which are said of us either in praise or blame, which those who are devoted to the inward life feel very little, as our Author remarks. We have elsewhere explained what is meant by the inward life; it is enough now to say, that an interior man is one who maintains in his soul a close and continual communion with God.

Those who are unacquainted with this Divine converse, and who avoid meditation, are very sensitive to the smallest word spoken to them. We often see that a word spoken inconsiderately causes them feelings of irritation which they cannot overcome for whole days and weeks. Whenever they are alone, they employ themselves in musing and reflecting on what such an one said to them, and his intention in saying it. A worldly man will never be at rest till he has had an explanation; he excites himself to vengeance, and seeks for an opportunity of destroying him who has offended him. Another who does not live according to the maxims of the world, but who is yet weak and imperfect, cannot help feeling a small insult; he reasons with himself about it, and foresees evil consequences; he is uneasy and vexed, desirous of receiving just satisfaction; in short, he bears about with him a stock of bitterness, a subject of trouble, distractions, and useless thoughts.

Let a man, on the contrary, receive some praise and some token of esteem, his joy is inexpressible. No sooner is he returned home than he shuts himself

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up to occupy himself with his vain imaginations. This word of praise comes back on his mind; he thinks of it, and thinks again; he finds marvellous pleasure in it; he deduces consequences to his advantage, which, like wood put into the fire, serve for food to his vanity, and increase his good opinion of himself. All such are fleeting words; they flythrough the air*, and, like arrows, make deep wounds in feeble souls susceptible of the impressions of selflove.

The remedy for this great evil is to embrace the inward life, to love retreat, to establish ourselves in i the faith, to enjoy everlasting truths.

Question. — What is the first principle and foundation of the interior life whereof we speak?!

Answer. — It is the doctrine laid down in thepre- ceding chapter; it is a strong conviction that there is nothing great but God; which causes us to have Him ever in our heart, and to bear constantly with us the only Object of our joy, our fear, our hopes, and our desires. A man of a wandering spirit, incapable of dwelling at home, is constrained to go forth and pour himself out on external things, to occupy himself vainly with the things that he sees and hears, and those that flatter his ruling passion. He is not accustomed to meditate on the truths of the faith, nor inwardly to hold familiar converse with God, and therefore he burns with a desire of knowing all that is said and thought respecting him; he is extremely careful of what concerns his own honour, and these idle dreams keep alive his attachment to outward things. But when he seriously reflects that death is inevitable, and that at the hour of death there is no comfort except that of not having departed from God; when he considers that at that terrible instant all * B. iii. c. 46.!

THE SPIRITUAL HEED NOT FLEETING WORDS. 141 those things that make the happiness of this world will vanish from his sight like smoke, then he comes to himself, and begins to value that which will then give him assurance and joy. He perceives that there is no folly equal to that of the worldly, who attach themselves to things which they cannot keep long his whole study is to understand the maxims of the Gospel, and by them to regulate his affections and his actions.

He thus learns to retire within himself, and to become interior, and in this disposition he seeks nothing outward; he troubles himself no more to dwell in one place rather than in another; he thinks no longer of acquiring friends, or of amassing the trifles, the nothings, which he formerly sought so eagerly. He sighs only for spiritual and eternal treasures; these he makes his happiness, thither tend his desires, his designs, and his labours. Thus, whatever he hears said of him, though on the one hand he be extolled as a genius, or on the other considered ridiculous and foolish, all is equal to him; these arrows fly through the air, but reach him not, and he receives no wound either of pleasure or vexation. The solitude that he has formed for himself in the depth of his heart shelters him from all. He is above created things. As he values nothing but that which comes from God, he lets the world talk; whatever may be said moves him not. Therefore he listens calmly to those who insult and calumniate him; he restrains himself, and does not take fire at a small injury, like others, who, having no control over their passions, become heated and impatient, and are unable to hinder their resentment from breaking forth.

The quickest means of attaining to moderation in these circumstances, is to renounce self entirely, in order to be conformed to Jesus suffering; it is greatly to despise every thing merely human, to ac-

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custom ourselves to seek God fervently, to employ our prayers, our examinations of conscience, our communions, to form this habit, and to labour at it unceasingly, till we have attained to complete detach-* ment from worldly things, after which we shall no more have any thing to desire or to seek in this life. Let men think, speak, and judge, as they please; their words, thoughts, and judgments, however unjust and disadvantageous, will be but like the heavy rain of a storm which falls on the house-roof without abiding there.

To excite ourselves to this holy practice, let us be fully persuaded that it is on the judgment which God passes on us that our everlasting happiness or misery depends, and that at the hour of death we shall have no other to fear. Let us say then, when we are praised, What avails this praise if God’s judgment is different? And when we are blamed, What harm can the words of men do me, if God judge otherwise? Let us remember that the judgment of God is the rule of all equitable judgment. Let us consider that before God all men joined together are but as a grain of sand compared to the loftiest mountain; and then let us beware of being troubled by their judgment. If all mankind were on one side, and God Alone on the other, we need not fear all mankind if God Alone were for us. One who is fully penetrated with this sentiment may be called truly great, and all besides must appear small in his eyes. For all who are thoroughly united with God participate in His greatness and as in order to arrive at this Divine union it is absolutely necessary to embrace the inward life, we must so attach ourselves to it as to show the truth of this saying of our Author, “ If thou dost walk spiritually, thou wilt not much weigh fleeting words.”

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