Underhill - House of the Soul.pdf - Platonic Philosophy

THE HOUSE OFTHE SOULNow Prudence is a positive, not a negative,principle .of action. It requires behaviour, notabstention from behaviour. Itrejects thelower, in order that itmay be free to acceptthe higher choice. Thus our dominant attractionis in the eyes of Prudence as important asour dominant temptation: it may be the magnetby which we are being drawn to the place wehave to fill. The creative method completesdetachment by attachment: "Leave all" requiresas its corollary "Follow me." It maytherefore be a work of Prudence to make tentativeadvances along a path which attracts us ;whether of prayer, study, active work, humanlove or renunciation. But when God, speakingthrough circumstances, says "That way isnot open," then it is for us humbly to acquiesce,whatever the cost. Love must learn by experienceto recognize when the secret inwardpressure comes from God, and when itcomes from self-will,reallyand we persuade ourselvesthat it is the push of God. Nothing ismore important than that we should faithfullyfollow our own true spiritual attraction ; developand use the talent given into our care. Butit needs a humble and a prudent spirit todiscover what that is, and distinguishit fromthe other more exciting kind of attractionwhich is really rooted in self-love.To do this is the work of Discretion, thehandmaid of Prudence : and the test that sheproposes is simple enough. "If God be thy love34