1-12-2013- THE LOVE OF SOLITUDE AND SILENCE.
"REMARKS"
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT I FOUND IN SOLOMON'S RECITATIONS, WHICH I CONSIDER AN AWESOME RESPONSE TO OUR DUTY TO OURSELVES AND TO YAH'WEH.
IF WE WOULD BUT FOLLOW SOLOMON'S ADVISE, WE WOULD BE THE MOST WISE.
"THE LOVE OF SOLITUDE AND SILENCE"
SEEK A SUITABLE TIME FOR LEISURE AND MEDITATE OFTEN ON THE FAVORS OF YAHWEH.
LEAVE CURIOSITIES ALONE.
READ SUCH MATTERS AS BRING SORROW TO THE HEART, RATHER THAN OCCUPATION OF MIND.
IF YOU WITHDRAW YOURSELF FROM UNNECESSARY TALKING AND IDLE RUNNING ABOUT, FROM LISTENING TO GOSSIPS AND RUMORS, YOU WILL FIND ENOUGH TIME THAT IS SUITABLE FOR HOLY MEDITATION.
VERY MANY GREAT SAINTS AVOIDED THE COMPANY OF MEN WHEREVER POSSIBLE AND CHOSE TO SERVE YAHWEH IN RETIREMENT.
AS OFTEN AS I HAVE BEEN AMONG MEN, SAID ONE WRITER, "I HAVE RETURNED LESS A MAN." WE OFTEN FIND THIS TO BE TRUE WHEN WE TAKE PART IN LONG CONVERSATIONS. IT IS EASIER TO BE SILENT ALTOGETHER , THAN NOT TO SPEAK TOO MUCH.
TO STAY AT HOME, IS EASIER THAN TO BE SUFFICIENTLY ON GUARD, WHILE AWAY.
ANYONE, THEN, WHO AIMS TO LIVE THE INNER AND SPIRITUAL LIFE, MUST GO APART WITH JESUS, YAHSHUA FROM THE CROWDS.
NO MAN APPEARS IN SAFETY BEFORE THE PUBLIC EYE, UNLESS HE FIRST RELISHES OBSCURITY.
NO MAN IS SAFE IN SPEAKING UNLESS, HE LOVES TO BE SILENT.
NO MAN RULES SAFELY UNLESS HE IS WILLING TO BE RULED.
NO MAN COMMANDS SAFELY UNLESS HE HAS LEARNED WELL HOW TO OBEY.
NO MAN REJOICES SAFELY UNLESS HE HAS WITHIN HIM, THE TESTIMONY OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE.
MORE THAN THIS, THE SECURITY OF THE SAINTS WAS ALWAYS ENVELOPED IN THE FEAR OF YAHWEH, NOR WERE THEY LESS CAUTIOUS AND HUMBLE BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSPICUOUS FOR GREAT VIRTUES AND GRACES.
THE SECURITY OF THE WICKED, ON THE CONTRARY, SPRINGS FROM PRIDE AND PRESUMPTION, AND WILL END IN THEIR OWN DECEPTION.
NEVER PROMISE YOURSELVES SECURITY IN THIS LIFE, EVEN THOUGH YOU SEEM TO BE A GOOD RELIGIOUS, OR DEVOUT HERMIT.
IT HAPPENS VERY OFTEN THAT, THOSE WHOM MEN ESTEEM HIGHLY, ARE MORE SERIOUSLY ENDANGERED BY THEIR OWN EXCESSIVE CONFIDENCE.
HENCE, FOR MANY IT IS BETTER NOT TO BE TOO FREE FROM TEMPTATIONS, BUT OFTEN TO BE TRIED, THAT THEY BECOME TO SECURE, TOO FILLED WITH PRIDE, OR EVEN TOO EAGER TO FALL BACK UPON EXTERNAL COMFORTS.
IF ONLY A MAN WOULD NEVER SEEK PASSING JOYS, OR ENTANGLE HIMSELF WITH WORLDLY AFFAIRS, WHAT A GOOD CONSCIENCE HE WOULD HAVE.
WHAT GREAT PEACE AND TRANQUILITY WOULD BE HIS, IF HE CUT HIMSELF OFF FROM ALL EMPTY CARE AND THOUGHT ONLY OF THINGS DIVINE, THINGS HELPFUL TO HIS SOUL AND PUT ALL HIS TRUST IN YAHWEH.
NO MAN DESERVES THE CONSOLATION OF HEAVEN, UNLESS HE PERSISTENTLY AROUSES HIMSELF TO HOLY CONTRITION.
IF YOU DESIRE TRUE SORROW OF HEART, SEEK THE PRIVACY OF YOUR CELL AND SHUT OUT THE UPROAR OF THE WORLD, AS IT IS WRITTEN, "IN YOUR CHAMBER BEWAIL YOUR SINS". THERE YOU WILL FIND WHAT TOO OFTEN YOU LOSE ABROAD.
YOUR CELL WILL BECOME DEAR TO YOU IF YOU REMAIN IN IT, BUT IF YOU DO NOT, IT WILL BECOME WEARISOME. IF IN THE BEGINNING OF YOUR RELIGIOUS LIFE, YOU LIVE WITHIN YOUR CELL AND KEEP TO IT, IT WILL SOON BECOME A SPECIAL FRIEND AND A VERY GREAT COMFORT.
IN SILENCE AND QUIET, THE DEVOUT SOUL ADVANCES IN VIRTUE AND LEARNS THE HIDDEN TRUTHS OF SCRIPTURE.
THERE SHE FINDS A FLOOD OF TEARS WITH WHICH TO BATHE AND CLEANSE HERSELF NIGHTLY. THAT SHE MAY BECOME THE MORE INTIMATE WITH HER CREATOR, THE FARTHER SHE WITHDRAWS HERSELF FROM THE WORLD.
FOR YAHWEH AND HIS HOLY ANGELS WILL DRAW NEAR TO HIM, WHO WITHDRAWS FROM FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES.
***IT IS BETTER FOR A MAN TO BE OBSCURE AND TO ATTEND TO HIS SALVATION, THAN TO NEGLECT IT AND WORK MIRACLES.
IT IS PRAISEWORTHY FOR A RELIGIOUS, SELDOM TO GO ABROAD, TO FLEE THE SIGHT OF MEN AND HAVE NO WISH TO SEE THEM.
WHY WISH TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO SEE?
THE WORLD PASSES AWAY AND THE CONCUPISCENCE THEREOF.
SENSUAL CRAVING SOMETIMES ENTICES YOU TO WANDER AROUND, BUT WHEN THE MOMENT IS PAST, WHAT DO YOU BRING BACK WITH YOU, EXCEPT A DISTURBED CONSCIENCE AND A HEAVY HEART.
A HAPPY GOING, OFTEN LEADS TO A SAD RETURN, A MERRY EVENING, TO A MOURNFUL DAWN.
THUS, ALL CARNAL JOY BEGINS SWEETLY BUT IN THE END, BRINGS REMORSE AND DEATH.
WHAT CAN YOU FIND ELSEWHERE, THAT YOU CANNOT FIND HERE IN YOUR CELL?
BEHOLD HEAVEN AND EARTH AND ALL THE ELEMENTS, FOR OF ALL THESE THINGS ARE MADE.
WHAT CAN YOU SEE ANYWHERE UNDER THE SUN THAT WILL REMAIN SO LONG?
PERHAPS YOU THINK YOU WILL COMPLETELY SATISFY YOURSELF, BUT YOU CANNOT DO SO, FOR IF YOU SHOULD SEE ALL THE EXISTING THINGS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE BUT AN EMPTY VISION?
RAISE YOUR EYES TO YAHWEH IN HEAVEN AND PRAY BECAUSE OF YOUR SINS AND SHORTCOMINGS.
LEAVE VANITY TO THE VAIN.
SET YOURSELVES TO THE THINGS WHICH YAHWEH HAS COMMANDED YOU TO DO.
CLOSE THE DOOR UPON YOURSELF AND CALL TO YOU JESUS, YAHSHUA YOUR BELOVED.
REMAIN WITH HIM IN YOUR CELL, FOR NOWHERE ELSE WILL YOU FIND SUCH PEACE.
IF YOU HAD NOT LEFT IT, AND HAD NOT LISTENED TO IDLE GOSSIP, YOU WOULD HAVE REMAINED IN GREATER PEACE.
BUT SINCE YOU LOVE, SOMETIMES, TO HEAR NEWS, IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT YOU SHOULD SUFFER SORROW OF HEART FROM IT.