examination of the heart 516 [H]im: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers” (Prov 6:16-19). All these things are contrary to modesty and result from licentiousness of spirit and heart. Modesty certainly restrains the eyes, immodesty gives free rein to them, and this is what the fall of David teaches us (cf. 2 Sam 11:1-5). Modesty restrains the tongue, immoderation loosens it: he who affirms that tongues are the very worst evil among all things,260 shows you how great and what kind of evils arise from it. Modesty folds the hands together, immodesty agitates them: daily experience teaches you what kind of and what great evil deeds the unrestrained hands can cause. Modesty is the master of the heart and guides it according to the rules of prudence; immodesty pours the heart out, and anyone can see without looking that it is clearly the origin of so many imperfections. Modesty commands to curb your pace, immodesty permits the feet to run free: but who could count the number of men whom their feet led to hell? Modesty is very friendly to truth, immodesty is the feeder of lies, and everybody knows with what great repugnance God and men speak of it, since for the sake of salvation of the whole world, lying is forbidden by divine ordinance. Modesty tells to mind one’s own matters, immodesty always meddles in other people’s affairs; it calls evil good and asserts that good is evil; well, how contrary this is to the Divine Law! Modesty guards fraternal charity; immodesty, like some restless plague, often disturbs and confuses all things; and who among the celestial beings or men would recognize it as good? Pay great attention to all these things in regard to yourself and analyze them most diligently in your mind, accepting and recognizing only such things that find themselves agreeable with what 260 Cf. Jas 3:5-10, where we are told about the evils of the tongue.
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