Volume II, Treatise II, Chapter I

How Necessary Modesty Is for the Edification and Profit of Our Neighbour

Mopesrr, of which we treat at present, consists in this; that our exterior be so composed, our senses so recollected, our conduct, our conversation, our very carriage, and all our gestures and motions, be such as may edify those that shall live and converse with us. All that regards this kind of modesty, is comprehended in this short sentence of St. Austin, “Let there be nothing offensive in your exterior; take care that every thing there be suitable to your holy profession.” —(Reg. S. Aug.) It is not my intention to point out all the particular cases wherein modesty is violated or practised. The general rule laid down by St. Austin, and followed by the best and most spiritual men, shall suffice at present. Endeavour that all your actions be so well ordered, that they never give scandal; but on the contrary, that they edify every one: and be sure that humility, joined with a grave religious behaviour, shine in your exterior, and then you will keep all the laws of modesty. All I pretend at present then, is to shew how far this kind of modesty is necessary for those who, by their end and institute, are obliged not only to labour in procuring their own, but also their neighbour’s salvation.

It is certain that man cannot see but the exterior; and hence it is, that what most edifies and wins our neighbour is a prudent and modest behaviour. This preaches more forcibly than the most eloquent orator. St. Francis one day calling one of his religious, said to him, come let us go to preach, wheroupon they went abroad, and having taken a turn in the city, returned home. Being returned, his companion asked him when he would make the sermon he promised? It is done already, replied the saint, insinuating hereby, that the religious modesty with which they had appeared in the town, had been an admirable sermon to all that saw them. And indeed an humble and mortified exterior excites not only to devotion, but to a contempt of the world. It causes in the beholders sorrow for their sins, and raises their thoughts and hearts towards heaven. In a word, this silent preaching oftener works more upon the minds of men, than the most eloquent and sublime discourses from a pulpit.

With respect to ourselves, it is also very certain, that to be composed and modest in the exterior, is of very great advantage for the obtaining of virtue, as you will afterwards see more at large. For so intimate is the union between body and soul, between the outward and the inward man, that all that is in the one, appears in the other by a secret communication. When the motions of our mind are composed and regular, those of our body sympathize with them; on the contrary, when these are disturbed, those are disturbed also. Hence it is, that exterior modesty is an argument of interior recollection, and of a Christian’s proficiency in virtue; in the same manner, as the hand of a watch is an infallible sign of the exact and regular motion of the wheels.

It is for this reason that our neighbour, as we said in the beginning, esteems it so highly, and is so much edified by exterior modesty and gravity, for he thence infers the good qualities of the interior. St. Jerom says that, “our face is the mirror of our soul, and that our eyes, though silent, discover the secrets of our heart.” —(Ep. ad. Furi. vid.) The Wise man says in his proverbs, that, “as those who look into the water, see their faces clearly represented,- so a prudent man, by looking upon another, easily sees the bottom of his heart.” (Proverbs 27:19) No glass represents an object better than the exterior does the interior. “A man is known by his looks,” says Ecclesiasticus, “‘and the lineaments of his face discover his humour. His manner of apparel, his laughter, and his gait, tell us what he is.’ (Ecclesiasticus 19:26) And the Holy. Ghost describes a wicked man to us in these words: “This son of Belial is restless and unprofitable, his steps are fierce and cruel, his eyes continually rolling, and his hands and feet are always employed in antic gestures.“ (Proverbs 6:12) St. Gregory Nazianzen, speaking of Julian the apostate, says, “a great many knew not Julian till he made himself known by his infamous actions, and by his abuse of sovereignty; but for my part,” says this saint, ‘“when I first knew him, and lived and conversed with him at Athens, I never could perceive the least mark of goodnessin him. He carried his head extremely high, his shoulders as well as his eyes were always in motion, his behaviour was haughty and fierce, his feet never stood still, every moment either anger caused his nostrils to swell, or disdain drew them in: he frequently played the buffoon. His conversation was very scurrilous, his laughter was ungraciously loud. He would very freely grant and deny the same thing with the same breath. His discourse was immethodical and irrational; his questions importune, and answers impertinent—but why do I dwell so long in describing his exterior by detail? To conclude then, I knew him by these exterior marks, before I had heard anything of his impiety, which now confirms my former judgment of him, Those that lived with us then at Athens, were they here present, would testify that having observed his manners, I said,- that the Roman Empire was bringing up a dangerous and pernicious serpent. This I then said, and at the same time I heartily wished I might be mistaken; and without doubt it had been much better that I had been so, since we then should not have seen those evils, which have almost rendered the world desolate. Thus you see that an irregular exterior is a sign of a disordered interior, as well as an exterior modesty is a mark of a composed interior; which is the reason why men are ordinarily so much moved and edified by it.”

It is upon this very account, that we are more strictly bound than others, to be observant of religious modesty and decorum, For by our institute we are bound to preach, hear confessions, teach, reconcile enemies, visit prisons and hospitals, and, in fine, to do all the duties which charity requires of us. And it is not to be doubted, but that from a modest, humble, and mortified exterior, those functions make deeper impression, and are rendered more efficacious in order to the salvation of souls. By this, preachers gain credit with their auditors, who hereupon, forming a great opinion of the sanctity of those that speak to them, receive their words as oracles coming from heaven, and engrave them in their hearts. Surius tells us, that when Innocent II. went to visit the monastery of Clairvaux, he was met by St. Bernard and all his monks, at whose modesty, his holiness and the cardinals that waited upon him, were so edified that they wept for joy. Nor were they able sufficiently to admire the gravity and modesty of those good religious, who, notwitstanding the solemnity of the day, and that extraordinary occasion of receiving his holiness, attended by the secret college of cardinals, kept their eyes fixed upon the ground, without once lifting them up; and though they were viewed by all, yet had not so much as once the curiosity to look upon any one present.

This modesty we speak of, serves for the edification not only of persons in the world, but also of our brethren in religion. For as secular people when they see a religious in the church very devout and recollected, or modestly walking the streets in silence, without taking notice of what happens round about him, conceive & greet a esteem for him, and feel themselves moved to devotion; so in a religious house, those that are modest and recollected give extraordinary edification to the whole community. “Their looks,” says St. Jerom, “is an exhortation of silence to those that break it, their very presence is a lesson of modesty and recollection to all those, whose words and actions are any ways irregular. Lastly, these persons keep up religious houses, by maintaining their esteem abroad, and supporting virtue and regular observance at home; because their example draws others to devotion, and creates in them a love of heavenly things.” (In Reg. Mon. c. xxi.) Hence, it is, that our holy founder recommends this conduct to us, that by observing and considering one another’s actions, we may all increase in piety, and thereby eternally praise our blessed Redeemer.

It is said of St. Bernardine, that he had so grave and modest an air, that his presence alone inspired modesty and recollection into his companions. We read also, that Pagans were converted by only looking upon St. Lucien the martyr. These were good preachers and true imitators of him, who was, as the gospel says, “a bright and shining lamp”—-(John 5:37)—that is to say, in whom the fire of the love of God did not only barn, but send forth a clear light to guide men through the paths of salvation, by the example of his own miraculous life. All this must needs extremely encourage us to an observance of modesty in all our actions, in order to edify our neighbours and brethren, and to produce in both the fruit we have spoken of. Otherwise what is become of the seal for God’s glory which we profess? Where is our care to save souls, if we do not endeavour to effect this one thing so proper for their edification in this world, and salvation in the next, and which is also so easy to be performed by us?

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