6. He is not free who can do what he wills. True freedom consists not in following our impulses, but in subjecting them to the thought of the best. APPETITE IS A BONDAGE 7. They who imagine that self-denial entrenches upon our liberty, do not know that it is this only that can make us free indeed, giving us the liberty over ourselves, setting us free from the bondage of our corruption, 8. Enabling us to bear afflictions, to foresee them without amazement, enlightening the mind, sanctifying the will, and making us to slight those baubles which others so eagerly contend for. 9. Our passions are the harshest of all tyrants; give way to them but a little and we shall be in a state of ceaseless conflict, unable to breathe freely a moment. 10. They betray and wring the heart; they trample reason and honour under foot; they never say, "It is enough!" 11. Save me from that fatal bondage which human presumption is not ashamed to call liberty. 12. The soul does violence to itself when it is overpowered by pleasure or by pain; when it plays a part, and does anything insincerely and untruly; when it allows any act of its own and any movement to be without an aim. 13. Everything which belongs to the body is a stream, and what belongs to the soul is a dream and vapour, and life is a warfare and a stranger's sojourn, and after-fame is oblivion. LIBERTY IS INWARD LAW 14. What then is that which is able to conduct a man ? 15. It consists in keeping the spirit within free from violence and unharmed, superior to pains and pleasures, doing nothing without a purpose, nor yet falsely and with hypocrisy, not feeling the need of another man's doing or not doing anything. 16. True liberty is not the power to choose evil. 17. Not license. INWARD SLAVERY IS WORSE THAN OUTWARD Liberty is duty, 18. Without this inward, spiritual freedom, outward liberty is of little worth. What boots it that I am crushed by no foreign yoke, if through ignorance and vice, through selfishness and fear, I want the command of my own mind? 19. The worst tyrants are those which establish themselves in our own breasts. The man who wants force of principle and purpose, is a slave, however free the air he breathes. 20. Reason in man obscured or not obeyed, Immediately inordinate desires INTELLEC- And upstart passions catch the government 21. I call that mind free which sets no bounds to its love, which is not imprisoned in itself or in a sect, which delights in virtue and sympathises FREEDOM with suffering wherever they are seen, which conquers pride, anger, and sloth, and offers itself up a willing victim to the cause of mankind. 22. To a man intellectually free, truth is not what it is to passive multitudes, a foreign substance, dormant, lifeless, fruitless; but penetrating, prolific, full of vitality, and ministering to the health and expansion of the soul. 23. There are chains not made of iron, which eat more deeply into the soul. An espionage of bigotry may as effectually close our lips and chill our hearts, as an armed and hundred-eyed police. 24. A sect skilfully organised, trained to utter one cry, combined to cover with reproach whoever may differ from themselves, to drown the free expression of opinion by denunciations of heresy, and to strike terror into the multitude by joint and perpetual menace,-such a sect is as perilous and palsying to the intellect as the Inquisition. 25. I call that mind free which does not content itself with a passive or hereditary faith, which uses instructions from abroad, not to supersede, but to quicken and exalt its own energies. 26. I call that mind free which acts from an inward spring, from immutable principles, which it has deliberately espoused. 27. I call that mind free which resists the bondage of habit, which does not live on its old virtues, which does not enslave itself to precise rules, but which forgets what is behind, listens for new and higher monitions of conscience, and rejoices to pour itself forth in fresh and higher exertions. CHAPTER XX SPIRITUAL LIFE IS A CONSTANT GROWTH STRENGTH 1. When the young bees first begin to live, they are unable to hover over flowers or to fly to ENING the mountains, or even to the little hills where they might gather honey. DAY BY DAY 2. But they are fed for a time with the honey laid up by their predecessors, and by degrees put forth their wings and grow strong, until they fly abroad and gather their harvest from all the country round. 3. Now we are as yet unable to fly at will and attain the desired aim of perfection, but if we begin to take shape through our desires and resolutions, our wings will gradually grow, and we may hope one day to become spiritual bees. 4. Growth is a gradual process, not a convulsive start accomplishing the work of years in a moment. 5. As easily might a science be mastered by one struggle of thought, as sin be conquered by a spasm of remorse. 6. Continuous, patient effort, guided by a wise deliberation, is the true means of spiritual progress. 7. But this one thing I do; forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. NOT REPOSE 8. Many are drawn back from a spiritual progress and the diligent amendment of their lives by extreme fear of the difficulty or the labour of the combat. BUT EFFORT 9. But there is no other test of growth than a more frequent victory over temptations. 10. Piety is not an end but a means; a means of attaining the highest culture by the purest tranquillity of soul. 11. But what we think is our cure is more often only a lull or change of evil. 12. Our fervour and profiting should increase daily : but now it is accounted a great matter if a man can retain but some part of his first zeal. 13. Some are at first so eager to take upon themselves all manner of hardships and indignities, that the severities and self-humiliation of those with whom they live are too light and few for them; 14. But after they have travelled this road for a while, they are not only able to submit to the ordinary habits of others, but it is hardly possible to make things comfortable and easy enough for them to prevent their complaining, and every little inconvenience annoys them. 15. O the lukewarmness and negligence of our times! that we so quickly decline from the ancient fervour, and are come to that pass that very sloth and lukewarmness of spirit maketh our own life tedious unto us. PRESSING 16. Always add, always proceed; neither stand still, nor go back, nor deviate. He that standeth still proceedeth not; he goeth back that continueth not; he deviateth that revolteth. ONWARD 17. Be always displeased at what thou art, if thou |