OF REST IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD--ITS FRUITS--INWARD SILENCE--GOD COMMANDS
IT--OUTWARD SILENCE.
The soul, being brought to this place, needs no other preparation than
that of repose: for _the presence of God_ during the day, which is the
great result of prayer, or rather prayer itself, begins to be
_intuitive_ and _almost continual_. The soul is conscious of a deep
inward happiness, and feels that God is in it more truly than it is in
itself. It has only one thing to do in order to find God, which is to
retire within itself. As soon as the eyes are closed, it finds itself in
prayer.
It is astonished at this infinite happiness; there is carried on within
it a conversation which outward things cannot interrupt. It might be
said of this method of prayer, as was said of Wisdom, "All good things
together come to me with her" (Wisdom of Solomon vii. 11), for virtue
flows naturally into the soul, and is practised so easily, that it seems
to be quite natural to it. It has within it a germ of life and
fruitfulness, which gives it a facility for all good, and an
insensibility to all evil. Let it then remain faithful, and seek no
other frame of mind than that of simple rest. It has only to suffer
itself to be filled with this divine effusion.
"The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before
Him" (Hab. ii. 20). The reason why inward silence is so necessary is,
that Christ, being the eternal and essential Word, in order that He may
be received into the soul, there must be a disposition corresponding
with what He is. Now it is certain that in order to receive words we
must listen. Hearing is the sense given to enable us to receive the
words which are communicated to us. Hearing is rather a passive than an
active sense, receiving, and not communicating. Christ being the Word
which is to be communicated, the soul must be attentive to this Word
which speaks within it.
This is why we are so often exhorted to listen to God, and to be
attentive to His voice. Many passages might be quoted. I will be
content to mention a few: "Hearken unto me, O my people; and give ear
unto me, O my nation" (Isa. li. 4). "Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob,
and all the remnant of the house of Israel" (Isa. xlvi. 31). "Hearken, O
daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own
people, and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy
beauty" (Ps. xlv. 10, 11).
We must _listen_ to God, and be attentive to Him, _forgetting ourselves_
and all self-interest. These two actions, or rather passions--for this
condition is essentially a passive one--arouse in God a "desire" towards
the "beauty" He has Himself communicated.
Outward silence is extremely necessary for the cultivation of inward
silence, and it is impossible to acquire inward silence without having a
love for silence and solitude.
God tells us by the mouth of His prophet, "I will allure her, and bring
her into the wilderness, and speak to her heart" (marginal reading of
Hosea ii. 14).
To be inwardly occupied with God, and outwardly occupied with countless
trifles, this is impossible.
It will be a small matter to pray, and to retire within ourselves for
half an hour or an hour, if we do not retain the unction and the spirit
of prayer during the day.