Глава 7. О том, что не должно делать частых и неосмотрительных выходов

There is no need to make many and frequent absences under the pretext of visiting the brethren and seeing them. For this is one of the devil’s plans, because the enemy tries in a similar way to upset our constancy and order in life, and plunge us into voluptuousness and various disorders of thoughts. But we must talk with ourselves in silence, consider and correct spiritual sins. For he who has recently left the world, by his own disposition, is worthy of praise for his inclination towards goodness, but has not yet acquired the perfection of virtues; It often happens that he has not yet thought about how to fulfill what they require. On the contrary, he needs to be silent, delving into himself, to discern the disordered aspirations and movements of the soul, courageously confront them and correct the disorder with good thoughts, because order in the soul is a sign of virtue. Therefore, whoever, during absences and transitions, constantly upsets and dissipates the attentiveness and composure of the soul and gradually gets used to turning his gaze to bodily pleasures, will he be able to look into himself, or find out what is not good in the soul, or bring it into order in accordance with duty, while still irritating the soul to passionate dispositions. Therefore, it is necessary to remain more in silence and for everyone to patiently remain in his own refuge, so that this testifies to the constancy of morals, although not to live in a perfect seclusion, but with good boldness to make the necessary exits, for which conscience does not in the least despise, and to visit from the brethren the best and most useful in the severity of life, borrowing for themselves during a useful meeting examples of virtues and observing in their exits, as we said, moderation and blamelessness. For often the way out dispels the despondency born in the soul, and, allowing one to somewhat strengthen and rest, provides the opportunity to begin again with zeal the deeds of piety. And if anyone thinks highly of the fact that he does not leave his hut, let him know that he is being puffed up in vain. For not leaving the house is not in itself a wonderful thing, and going out from time to time will not make a person good or bad. But a firm and unshakable judgment about what is good or, conversely, changeability in judgments makes a person good or bad. If someone has rooted the beautiful in the soul and through long-term asceticism has acquired experience in controlling passions, tamed bodily excesses in himself and curbed spiritual ones and, relying on the reins of reason, intends to make more frequent exits for the edification and visit of the brethren, then the Scripture even more encourages such a person to go out, so that, having placed a lamp on the candlestick, he will give everyone the light of wonderful guidance, if only he hopes that those who meet him and in in word and in deed it will serve as a school of virtue and thus lead oneself to safety, according to what the Apostle said: “let me not preach to others, and I myself will be inaccessible” (1 Cor. 9:27). You might be interested in: