Chap. IV That We Ought to Walk in Truth and Humility in God’s Presence
1. Son, walk before me in truth, and always seek me in the simplicity of thy heart.
He that walks before me in truth shall be secured from evil occurrences, and truth shall deliver him from deceivers, and from the detractions of the wicked.
If truth shall deliver thee, thou shalt be truly free, and shalt make no account of the vain words of men.
Lord, this is true: as thou sayest, so I beseech thee, let it be done with me. Let thy truth teach me, let thy truth guard me, and keep me till I come to a happy end.
Let the same deliver me from all evil affections, and all inordinate love, and I shall walk with thee in great liberty of heart.
2. I will teach thee (saith Truth) those things that are right and pleasing in my sight.
Think on thy sins with great compunction and sorrow; and never esteem thyself to be any thing for thy good works.
Thou art indeed a sinner, subject to and intangled with many passions.
Of thyself thou always tendest to nothing, thou quickly fallest, thou art quickly overcome, easily disturbed and dissolved.
Thou hast not any thing in which thou canst glory, but many things for which thou oughtest to vilify thyself; for thou art much weaker than thou art able to comprehend.
3. Let nothing then seem much to thee of all thou doest:
Let nothing appear great, nothing valuable or admirable, nothing worthy of esteem: nothing high, nothing truly praise-worthy or desirable, but what is eternal.
Let the eternal truth please thee above all things, and thy own exceeding great vileness ever displease thee.
Fear nothing so much, blame and abhor nothing so much as thy vices and sins, which ought to displease thee more than any losses whatsoever.
Some persons walk not sincerely before me; but being led with a certain curiosity and pride, desire to know my secrets, and to understand the high things of God, neglecting themselves and their own salvation.
These often fall into great temptations and sins through their pride and curiosity, because I stand against them.
4. Fear the judgments of God, dread the anger of the Almighty; but pretend not to examine the works of the Most High, but search into thy own iniquities, how many ways thou hast offended, and how much good thou hast neglected.
Some only carry their devotion in their books, some in pictures, and some in outward signs and figures.
Some have me in their mouth, but little in their heart.
There are others, who being enlightened in their understanding, and purified in their affections, always breathe after things eternal, are unwilling to hear of earthly things, and grieve to be subject to the necessities of nature; and such as these perceive what the spirit of truth speaks in them.
For it teaches them to despise the things of the earth, and to love heavenly things; to neglect the world, and all the day and night to aspire after heaven.