but only by the Will of God, embracing what God wills you to embrace, and hating what God wills you to hate.
And observe, that these different rules for governing the senses are not given to you that you should be always thinking about them; for your mind should be fixed on your Lord continually, Who wills that, by frequently making acts of the contrary virtues, and by resistance, you should conquer your enemies and subdue your evil passions. I have simply given you these directions to help you when you stand in need of them.
For you must know that there is little fruit in the multiplicity of spiritual practices, however excellent they may be in themselves. They often end in perplexity, self-love, instability, and the snares of the Devil.
CHAPTER XXIV.
How to Rule the Tongue.
THE tongue of man needs to be well ruled and restrained, because we are all too inclined to let it run on and discourse upon things which are most agreeable to our senses.
It is usually pride which is at the root of much speaking. We persuade ourselves that
