Of compunction of heart
1. If you will make any progress keep yourself in the fear of God,
and long not to be too free, but restrain all your senses under
discipline and give not yourself up to senseless mirth. Give yourself to compunction of heart, and you shall find devotion.
Compunction opens the way for many good things, which
dissoluteness is wont quickly to lose. It is wonderful that any
man can ever rejoice heartily in this life who considers and
weighs his banishment, and the manifold dangers which beset his
soul.
2. Through lightness of heart and neglect of our shortcomings we
feel not the sorrows of our soul, but often vainly laugh when we
have good cause to weep. There is no true liberty nor real joy,
save in the fear of God with a good conscience. Happy is he who
can cast away every cause of distraction and bring himself to the
one purpose of holy compunction. Happy is he who puts away
from him whatsoever may stain or burden his conscience. Strive
manfully; custom is overcome by custom. If you know how to
let men alone, they will gladly let you alone to do your own
works.
3. Busy not yourself with the affairs of others, nor entangle yourself with the business of great men. Keep always your eye
upon yourself first of all, and give advice to yourself specially
before all your dearest friends. If you have not the favor of
men, be not thereby cast down, but let your concern be that you
hold not yourself so well and circumspectly, as becomes a
servant of God and a devout monk. It is often better and safer
for a man not to have many comforts in this life, especially
those which concern the flesh. But that we lack divine comforts
or feel them rarely is to our own blame, because we seek not
compunction of heart, nor utterly cast away those comforts which
are vain and worldly.
4. Know yourself to be unworthy of divine consolation, and worthy
rather of much tribulation. When a man has perfect compunction,
then all the world is burdensome and bitter to him. A good man
will find sufficient cause for mourning and weeping; for whether
he considers himself, or ponders concerning his neighbor, he
knows that no man lives here without tribulation, and the more
thoroughly he considers himself, the more thoroughly he grieves.
Grounds for just grief and inward compunction there are in our
sins and vices, wherein we lie so entangled that we are but
seldom able to contemplate heavenly things.
5. If you think upon your death more often than how long your
life should be, you would doubtless strive more earnestly to
improve. And if you did seriously consider the future pains
of hell, I believe you would willingly endure toil or pain
and fear not discipline. But because these things reach not the
heart, and we still love pleasant things, therefore we remain
cold and miserably indifferent.
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