Human
prudence is opposed to simplicity. Simplicity causes a
person never
to use duplicity, to speak as he thinks, always to consider God, and
never himself, in divine things, and to be mindful of
God in the
acts of religion and charity he practices. Now, human prudence is
just the opposite. What is human prudence? A serious
pursuit of
illicit means for self-advancement and for attaining our
expectations; a constant desire and effort to satisfy the
inclinations
of our corrupt nature; and, in fact, we see this in
persons who live
according to the prudence of the flesh. What’s
that
person trying to achieve? To be filled with knowledge through
fine
collections and similar things in order to have people admire
him. (22 August 1659; SV XII, 255-256)
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