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| Chapter XVII.
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Chapter XVII.
Avoid words of contention
and causes of animosity: flee also from all occasions of discord and
strife. For if, according to the doctrine of the Apostle “the
servant222
of the Lord must not strive,” how
much more does this become the handmaid of the Lord, whose mind ought
to be more gentle, as her sex is more bashful and retiring. Restrain
thy tongue from evil speaking, and put the bridle of the law upon thy
mouth; so that you shall speak, if you speak at all, only when it would
be a sin to be silent. Beware lest you utter anything which might be
justly found fault with. A word once spoken is like a stone which has
been thrown: wherefore it should be long thought over before it is
uttered. Blessed, assuredly, are the lips, which never utter what they
would wish to recall. The talk of a chaste mind ought itself also to be
chaste, such as may always rather edify than injure the hearers,
according to that commandment of the Apostle when he says, “Let
no223
corrupt communications proceed out of
your mouth, but that which is good for the edification of faith, that
it may convey grace to them that hear.” Precious to God is that
tongue which knows not to form words except about divine things, and
holy is that mouth from which heavenly utterances continually flow
forth. Put down by the authority of Scripture calumniators of those who
are absent, as being evil-minded persons, because the prophet mentions
this also as among the virtues of a perfect man, if, in the presence of
the righteous an evil-minded man, who brings forward things against his
neighbor which cannot be proved, is brought down to nothing. For it is
not lawful for you patiently to listen to evil-speaking against
another, inasmuch as you would not wish that to be done by others when
directed against yourself. Certainly, everything is unrighteous which
goes against the Gospel of Christ, and that is the case, if you quietly
permit anything to be done to another, which you would feel painful, if
done by any one to yourself. Accustom your tongue always to speak about
those who are good, and lend your ears rather to listen to the praises
of good men than to the condemnation of such as are wicked. Take heed
that all the good actions you perform are done for the sake of God,
knowing that for every such deed you will only receive a reward, so far
as you have done it out of regard to his fear and love. Study rather to
be holy than to appear so, because it is of no avail to be reckoned
what you are not; and the guilt of a twofold sin is contracted when you
do not have what you are credited with having, and when you pretend to
possess what you do not possess.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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