3. Lastly, to show more
plainly the inner mouth, which by these words he meant, after
having said, “Set a watch, O Lord, to my mouth, and a door of
Continence around my lips,” he added straightway, “Cause not my
heart to fall aside into evil words.”1811
The falling aside of the
heart,
what is it but the consent? For he hath not yet spoken, whosoever
in his
heart hath with no falling aside of the
heart consented unto
suggestions that meet him of each several thing that is seen. But,
if he hath consented, he hath already spoken in his
heart, although
he hath not uttered sound by the mouth; although he hath not done
with
hand or any part whatever of the body, yet hath he done what
in his thought he hath already determined that he is to do:
guilty
by the
divine laws, although hidden to human senses; the word
having been spoken in the
heart, no
deed having been
committed
through the body. But in no case would he have moved the limb
without, in a
deed, the beginning of which
deed had not gone before
within in word. For it is no
lie that is written, that “the
beginning of every
work is a word.”
1812
Forsooth men do many things with
mouth closed,
tongue quiet, voice
bridled; but yet they do nothing
by
work of the body, which they have not before spoken in the
heart. And through this since there are many
sins in inward sayings
which are not in outward
deeds, whereas there are none in outward
deeds, which do not go before in inward sayings, there will be
purity of innocence from both, if the door of Continence be set
around the inward lips.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
