Revelations of Divine Love by of Norwich Julian
287. "_Accidies salue is gestlich gledshipe._ The remedy for indolence
391 words | Chapter 5
is spiritual joy, and the consolation of joyful hope from reading and
from holy meditation, or when spoken by the mouth of man. Often, dear
sisters, ye ought to pray less, that ye may read more. Reading is
good prayer. Reading teacheth how, and for what ye ought to pray. In
reading, when the heart feels delight, devotion ariseth, and that is
worth many prayers. Everything, however, may be overdone. Moderation is
always best."--(Pub. by the Camden Society).
[9] Canticles ii. 10. St John xiv. 31.
[10] See the chapter "How an Anchoress shall behave herself to them
that come to her," in "The Scale of Perfection," by Walter Hilton (died
1396), edition of 1659, p. 106. "Since it is so that thou oughtest not
to goe out of thy house to seek occasion how thou mightest profit thy
Neighbour by deeds of Charity, because thou art enclosed; ... therefore
who so will speake with thee ... be thou soon ready with a good will to
aske what his will is ... for thou knowest not what he is, nor why he
cometh, nor what need he hath of thee, or thou of him, till thou hast
tryed. And though thou be at prayer, or at thy devotions, that thou
thinkest loth to break off, for that thou thinkest that thou oughtest
not leave God for to speake with any one, I think not so in this case,
for if thou be wise, thou shalt not leave God, but thou shalt find him,
and have him, and see him in thy Neighbour as well as in prayer, onely
in another manner. If thou canst love thy Neighbour well, to speake
with thy Neighbour with discretion shall be no hindrance to thee....
If he come to tell thee his disease [distress] or trouble, and to be
comforted by thy speech, heare him gladly, and suffer him to say what
he will for ease of his own heart; And when he hath done, comfort him
if thou canst, gladly, gently, and charitably, and soon break off. And
then, after that, if he will fall into idle tales, or vanities of the
World, or of other men's actions, answer him but little, and feed not
his speech, and he will soon be weary, and quickly take his leave," etc.
[11] Dante, _Paradiso_, v. 105.
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