THE JOY OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE
THE glory of a good man is the testimony of a good conscience.
Therefore, keep your conscience good and you will always enjoy
happiness, for a good conscience can bear a great deal and can bring
joy even in the midst of adversity. But an evil conscience is ever
restive and fearful.
Sweet shall be your rest if your heart does not reproach you.
Do not rejoice unless you have done well. Sinners never
experience true interior joy or peace, for "there is no peace to the
wicked," says the Lord.[10] Even if they say: "We are at peace, no
evil shall befall us and no one dares to hurt us," do not believe
them; for the wrath of God will arise quickly, and their deeds will be
brought to naught and their thoughts will perish.
To glory in adversity is not hard for the man who loves, for
this is to glory in the cross of the Lord. But the glory given or
received of men is short lived, and the glory of the world is ever
companioned by sorrow. The glory of the good, however, is in their
conscience and not in the lips of men, for the joy of the just is from
God and in God, and their gladness is founded on truth.
The man who longs for the true, eternal glory does not care for
that of time; and he who seeks passing fame or does not in his heart
despise it, undoubtedly cares little for the glory of heaven.
He who minds neither praise nor blame possesses great peace of
heart and, if his conscience is good, he will easily be contented and
at peace.
Praise adds nothing to your holiness, nor does blame take
anything from it. You are what you are, and you cannot be said to be
better than you are in God's sight. If you consider well what you are
within, you will not care what men say about you. They look to
appearances but God looks to the heart. They consider the deed but God
weighs the motive.
It is characteristic of a humble soul always to do good and to
think little of itself. It is a mark of great purity and deep faith to
look for no consolation in created things. The man who desires no
justification from without has clearly entrusted himself to God: "For
not he who commendeth himself is approved," says St. Paul, "but he
whom God commendeth."[11]
To walk with God interiorly, to be free from any external
affection -- this is the state of the inward man. |
Of the joy of a good conscience
The testimony of a good conscience is the glory
of a good man. Have a good conscience and thou shalt ever have joy. A
good conscience is able to bear exceeding much, and is exceeding
joyful in the midst of adversities; an evil conscience is ever fearful
and unquiet. Thou shalt rest sweetly if thy heart condemn thee not.
Never rejoice unless when thou hast done well. The wicked have never
true joy, nor feel internal peace, for there is no peace, saith my
God, to the wicked.(1) And if they say "we are in peace, there shall
no harm happen unto us, and who shall dare to do us hurt?" believe
them not, for suddenly shall the wrath of God rise up against them,
and their deeds shall be brought to nought, and their thoughts shall
perish.
2. To glory in tribulation is not grievous to him
who loveth; for such glorying is glorying in the Cross of Christ.
Brief is the glory which is given and received of men. Sadness always
goeth hand in hand with the glory of the world. The glory of the good
is in their conscience, and not in the report of men. The joy of the
upright is from God and in God, and their joy is in the truth. He who
desireth true and eternal glory careth not for that which is temporal;
and he who seeketh temporal glory, or who despiseth it from his heart,
is proved to bear little love for that which is heavenly. He who
careth for neither praises nor reproaches hath great tranquillity of
heart.
3. He will easily be contented and filled with
peace, whose conscience is pure. Thou art none the holier if thou art
praised, nor the viler if thou art reproached. Thou art what thou
art; and thou canst not be better than God pronounceth thee to be. If
thou considerest well what thou art inwardly, thou wilt not care what
men will say to thee. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the
Lord looketh on the heart:(2) man looketh on the deed, but God
considereth the intent. It is the token of a humble spirit always to
do well, and to set little by oneself. Not to look for consolation
from any created thing is a sign of great purity and inward
faithfulness.
4. He that seeketh no outward witness on his own
behalf, showeth plainly that he hath committed himself wholly to God.
For not he that commendeth himself is approved, as St. Paul saith, but
whom the Lord commendeth.(3) To walk inwardly with God, and not to be
held by any outer affections, is the state of a spiritual man. |