CHAPTER VI: RULES FOR THE CONSOLATION OF THE TEMPTED.
RULES FOR THE CONSOLATION OF THE TEMPTED.
§ 1. Diligence in custody of the heart.
§ 2. Sorrow in desire; that is to say, sorrow is true when reason vehemently desires to grieve for sin, and to have an intellectual hatred of it.
§ 3. Falls from human frailty.
§ 4. The assaults of vices and temptations.
§ 5. Perseverance in holy resolutions.
§ 6. Confidence in the assistance of the grace of God, not in our own strength.
§ 7. Of prayer. __________________________________________________________________
§ 1. Custody of the Heart.
Avoid with all prudence the occasions of sin, and any companionship which may turn thee away from God; and be ever solicitous to preserve the purity of thy heart. Never give thyself up to inordinate security, since this life is full of snares, temptations, and perils: but always work out thy salvation with reasonable and holy fear. For most true are these words of the wise man, "Unless thou hold thyself diligently in the fear of the Lord, thy house shall quickly be overthrown" (Eccles. xvii. 4). When, however, thou dost fall and sin through human frailty, or when thou seest thyself rather losing than gaining ground through the attacks of evil passions, be not despondent on that account; but, lamenting before thy Lord Jesus, beseech Him to wash away all the stains of thy sin in His most pure Blood, and to confirm thee in well-doing by His grace. __________________________________________________________________
§ 2. Sorrow in Desire.
Neither be thou tormented if perchance thou feelest no sorrow nor contrition. For if thou dost heartily wish and desire that thou hadst not offended God, or even if thou art sorry that thou dost not grieve for it; this sorrow is seen and accepted by God, who considers not so much what thou feelest as what thou desirest. Say often these or similar words, "O Lord Jesus! would that I had never offended thee! O that I might henceforth live according to thy most gracious will, and be pleasing to thee!"
That contrition is most excellent which is combined with love, hope, and humble confidence in God. Lighter offences are doubtless more effectually and quickly effaced, if a man humbly acknowledging his fault, straightway turns lovingly to God, than if he timidly dwells upon his defects, and reflects upon them in his own mind. __________________________________________________________________
§ 3. Sins from Human Frailty.
It is one thing to fall into venial sins only through frailty in occasions of sin; and another to commit them through pure and culpable negligence. That man sins through frailty and unawares, who not being taken captive by the love of any creature, is ever ready to abandon all things which he knows for certain that God wills he should abandon; but who yet is prone to fall when occasion offers, through elation of mind, or impatience, or sloth, idleness, levity, and overabundance of words, or sensual and carnal affections, and who is intemperate in food and drink, or more mirthful than is meet, or immoderately anxious and busy; yet as soon as he recovers himself he grieves that he has not been more guarded, and, utterly abhorring the least stain of sin, immediately seeks pardon for it. His heart is not corrupt, and sins and passions have not much hold upon him, nor do they greatly impede in him the grace of God.
On the other hand, he certainly offends through pure and culpable negligence, who is wilfully and with his own knowledge held captive by love and affection for creatures, and unrestrainedly seeks from them pleasure and delight. For even though he may possess himself in freedom when occasions of sin are removed, he yet, for the most part, desires those occasions, and he neglects and makes light of the faults he is thus led into, which he ought to hold in detestation. It is evident that the heart of this man is corrupt. Nevertheless, he also may obtain forgiveness, if after his fall he conceives true contrition and makes a resolution to amend. __________________________________________________________________
§ 4. The Assaults of Temptations.
Again, it is one thing to be attacked by evil passions, and another to be overcome by them. So long as thou consentest not, so long as the vices displease thee, and thou resistest them with thy reason and thy will, thou withdrawest not from God, however they may attack and molest thee. Some servants of God are, by nature, placid both within and without, and are but slightly molested by vices. Others are more severely tempted when occasions offer, being by their very nature prone to pride, or vain-glory, anger or greediness, luxury or other faults; but they will not in any way yield their consent to these vices. For when they feel any inclination towards them, they instantly abandon and contemn whatever is adverse to God and to their spiritual good, and, repudiating all sensuality, they flee interiorly to God by faith and humble prayer. These are often more acceptable to God than the others, and excel them in virtue; for the perfection of virtue is attained by efforts. It is possible, however, that some one of those who strive earnestly against sin, may be detained some what long in Purgatory after his death; but when he .shall be fully cleansed, he will obtain a much higher place in heaven than he who did not make such strenuous efforts, though he may have reached heaven without passing through the pains of purgatory. Let not, therefore, the violence of temptation discourage thee.
Even if thou shouldst feel very urgent evil impulses in those inferior and sensitive parts of the mind which we have in common with the brute creation, but with out consenting to them, even if unclean images and unheard-of blasphemies against God and the Saints repeatedly enter into thy mind against thy will, they would not contaminate thy soul, but would cleanse it, and prepare for it wonderful crowns in heaven. Many very pious men are so tormented by temptations of this sort, that they cannot say a single "Our Father," or "Hail, Mary," without diabolical suggestions. They are oppressed by intolerable difficulties, and think themselves guilty of many crimes; but in the eyes of God they are glorious martyrs. On account of these suggestions, anxieties, and afflictions, we must never omit our prayers, even though they may be disturbed by innumerable distractions, nor must we neglect any good work. He who once consents to vain-glory is more displeasing in the sight of God than if he had for many years felt the worst suggestions enter into his mind without consenting to them. Let the malignant spirits rage as they may, let the flesh entice and excite to evil, the soul, which by deliberate will refuses to turn to evil, loses not the grace of God. The intellect is often so occupied by importunate suggestions, and by evil thoughts and temptations, that a pious man may for a time dwell upon them without deliberation or intention: but he turns away as soon as he is clearly aware of his thoughts, and consents not to the temptation which had taken hold of him.
If in thy sleep (when the reason is not free) thou shouldst have some unclean dream, thou must not be too much afflicted and fearful because of it, provided that on awaking, and being fully master of thy reason, thou rejectest what is sinful. Sin depends entirely on the will,--so that if it be not voluntary, it is not sin.
Therefore, I repeat again for thy consolation, if on account of an injury done to thee, or of evil speaking against thee and thine, or for any other cause, thou shouldst feel thyself violently moved to anger, or to feel ill-will or envy towards any one, and meanwhile thou art displeased with thyself, and dost repress to the utmost of thy power the vice which is active within thee, and strivest to expel and mortify it by humble confession and prayer, thy salvation will suffer no detriment. There may, indeed, be a tempest in the lowest regions of thy soul; but in the upper regions, thy reason will remain tranquil and thy will incorrupt and unconquered.
Nothing will altogether separate thee from the friendship of God, if thou consentest not to sin. But neither the devil nor any other creature can force thee to consent, since thou hast free will, which God is ever ready to strengthen by His grace, lest thou shouldst fall by consenting. If, however, thou hast consented to sin, thou mayest (with the help of God) be quickly re-instated in grace before the Lord, by true contrition and penance. __________________________________________________________________
§ 5. Perseverance.
PERSEVERE, therefore, in thy holy resolutions, even if thou fallest a thousand times a day. Hope steadfastly in the Lord, who ever most graciously grants forgiveness to a man of good will humbly acknowledging his fault. It is assuredly impossible for the humble to be repelled by Him and perish. Oh! if being interiorly illuminated by the light of grace, thou couldst in anywise know and feel how merciful, how gracious, how sweet and good is Jesus; thou wouldst, doubt less, conceive a great and loving confidence in Him, and wouldst feel the utmost exultation. And this joyful confidence would render thee, not idle and negligent, but exceedingly prompt and diligent in well doing. The merciful Jesus often sweetly visits and consoles with His grace one whom He yet knows to be about soon to fall and to commit some sin. Oh! how readily He receives thee, when arising from thy fall, thou returnest to Him with humility and love! Then do the angelic spirits and the other citizens of heaven rejoice with great joy, and embrace thee in most sincere charity; for they also are most benignant and merciful.
When any one labours under an inordinate fear of damnation, and yet strives with all his strength to lead a good life, it is expedient and prudent for him to refrain from dwelling much on the just judgments of God: he must believe undoubtingly in the Holy Scriptures, which abound in heavenly consolation. And who is there whose courage will not be revived by those most sweet words of the Prophet: "The Lord is gracious and merciful; patient and plenteous in mercy" (Ps. cxliv. 8)? "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our iniquities from us: as a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that fear Him" (Ps. ciii. 12, 13).
Let him fear and be terrified at the severity of the judgments of God, who, neglecting God, and spurning his commandments, persists in his iniquity, and will not amend his life. It is no doubt to such a one that the Blessed Paul speaks, when he utters these terrible words: "Despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and patience, and long-suffering? knowest thou not that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance? But according to thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God" (Rom. ii. 4, 5). But the same St. Paul amply consoles those who depart from sin, and strive to live according to the Spirit, saying: "There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh" (Rom. viii. 1). A man of goodwill should in no wise look upon God as cruel, whose nature is goodness itself, and whose benignity and clemency he daily experiences.
God is often said in Holy Scripture to be terrible, and anger and fury are attributed to Him; but this is meant to signify His spiritual operations and the effects of His justice; for He is unchangeable, and subject to no perturbation; He remains ever tranquil in Himself, and in the same mood.
Hence in the Book of Wisdom it is written: "Thou being master of power, judgest with tranquillity" (Wisdom xii. 18). __________________________________________________________________
§ 6. Confidence in God.
Resist with constancy the temptation to despair and discouragement. Do all that is in thy power to make more and more progress; yet trusting not in thy own labours and efforts, but in the help of the Lord thy God; for they who trust in themselves fail, since man of himself can do no good thing. __________________________________________________________________
7. Prayer.
Beseech God assiduously that He will mortify in thee, and take away from thee whatsoever is displeasing to Him; beseech Him to make thee a man after His own heart. For if thou hast faith, and perseverest in humble petition and prayer, thou wilt with out doubt receive whatever is conducive to thy salvation, according to the promise of Christ, who saith; "Ask, and you shall receive" (St. John xvi. 24). And again, "All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." It is indeed certain that thou wilt at a fitting time, if not immediately, obtain by prayer those things which are useful to thee, and which thou mayest rightly and confidently hope to obtain. If two persons prayed to God at the same time, one of whom asked for a thing which seemed al most impossible, but yet trusted that God would grant his petition: while the other sought for a trifling thing, but had not full confidence in God; he who asked for an important and difficult thing, would through the merit of his confidence be much sooner heard than he who with little confidence prayed for a little thing.
If perchance thou seekest piously for what would not be for thy good, God will give thee something that will be profitable to thee. He is a most loving Father; if He denies thee when thou askest for spiritual riches, it is because thou art childish, and knowest not how to make a good use of them. He lays up for thee, however, in heaven each time a hundred-fold what thou dost ask. It is, indeed, impossible that the least prayer rightly offered, the least sigh, or the least pious aspiration to God, should fail to bring forth great fruit.
Recite frequently that most excellent and most sweet prayer, which our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced with His own sacred lips, and taught to us. And in praying to God, thou must not imagine Him to be corporeal and visible; but believing him to be a Spirit, adore and pray to Him in spirit and in truth. [4] Conceive of Him. in thy mind as a supersubstantial Substance; contemplate Him as the supreme Good, and supreme Love, and the supremely desirable intellectual Light. But look and meditate upon the Son of God, who for thee was made man, as God and Man. __________________________________________________________________
[4] St. John iv. 24. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________