15. At the same time take care that thou dost not, through being so pleased with them, accustom thyself to overvalue them, so as to be disturbed if ever thou shouldst not have them. 16. Peace is with the humble and gentle of heart in much patience shall thy peace be. 17. True quietness of heart is gotten by resisting our passions, not by obeying them. SHUN AND FIND our souls. 18. But let us lay the axe to the root, that, being freed from passions, we may find rest to 19. There is no peace in the heart of a carnal man, nor in him that is addicted to outward things, but in the spiritual and fervent man. 20. Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right; for that shall bring a man peace at the last. 21. Peace with the pure abides; Yea, all the humble, all the gentle know The shelter where she hides. 22. 23. This is peace: To conquer love of self and lust of life, To tear deep-rooted passion from the breast, To lay up lasting treasure 24. Rectitude is a perpetual victory, celebrated not by cries of joy but by serenity, which is joy fixed or habitual. 25. I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities; A still and quiet conscience. THE JOY THAT PASSETH UNDER STANDING 26. The glory of a good man is the testimony of a good conscience; have a good conscience and thou shalt ever have joy. 27. A good conscience is able to bear very much, and is very cheerful in adversities; an evil conscience is always fearful and unquiet. 28. Thou shalt rest sweetly if thy heart do not reprehend thee. 29. There are in this loud stunning tide Of human care and crime, With whom the melodies abide Of the everlasting chime, 30. Who carry music in their heart Through dusky lane and wrangling mart, Plying their daily toil with busier feet, 31. The soul that loves and works will need no praise; But, fed with sunlight and with morning breath, Will make our common days eternal days, And fearless greet the mild and gracious death. 32. The longing disposition of them that thirst is changed into the sweet affection of them that taste and are replenished. CHAPTER XLVIII THE LOVE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS GIVES STRENGTH AND BEAUTY TO THE SOUL THE BINDING 1. The passions may be stronger than the conscience, may lift up a louder voice; but their clamour differs wholly from the tone of command in which the conscience speaks. They are not clothed with its binding power. POWER OF CONSCIENCE 2. In their very triumphs they are rebuked by the moral principle, and often cower before its still, deep, menacing voice. 3. As the artist, whose soul images some form of the beautiful, seizes the brush or the chisel to portray it, as the thinker's burning thoughts drive him to utterance, 4. So in the truly moral nature, every idea of the good becomes a necessity, every thought of the higher a command, all that we dream of and that seems so far away becomes an end and goal for our action and our life. 5. The most important part of self-culture is to enthrone the sense of duty within us. There are no limits to the growth of this moral force in man, if he will cherish it faithfully. 6. There have been men whom no power in the universe could turn from the right, by whom death in its most dreadful forms has been less dreaded than transgression of the inward law. 7. A mind which withstands all the powers of the outward universe, all the pains which fire and sword and storm can inflict, rather than swerve from uprightness, is nobler than the universe. THE SUBLIME BEAUTY OF HOLINESS 8. Why will we not learn the glory of the soul? We are seeking a foreign good. But we all possess within us what is of more worth than the external creation. 9. Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, 10. Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave 11. Only a sweet and virtuous soul, Like seasoned timber, never gives; But though the whole world turn to coal, CHAPTER XLIX THE DEEPEST LIFE OF THE SOUL IS INCOMMUNICABLE. 1. How secret is the system of temptation! Who knows what is going on, what the real ordeal has been, what its issue was? EACH HEART 2. So with respect to the trial of griefs and sorrows, the world is again a system of secrecy. 3. No man can save his brother's soul, Nor pay his brother's debt. 4. Our daily familiar life is but a hiding of ourselves from each other behind a screen of trivial words and deeds, and those who sit with us at the same hearth are often the farthest off from the deep human soul within us, full of unspoken evil and unacted good. 5. The strife none can share; though, by all, its results may be known: When the soul arms for battle she goes forth alone. 6. Be substantially great in thyself, and more than thou appearest unto others; and let the world AND DEPTH be deceived in thee, as they are in the lights ISOLATION OF 7. Before the eyes of men let Duty shine,-thy light; But ever let thy life's best part be out of sight. |