Which treats of the evils that afflict the soul when it
desires to set the rejoicing of its will upon the good things of
sense.
IN the first place, if the soul does not darken and quench
the joy which may arise within it from the things of sense, and
direct its rejoicing to God, all the general kinds of evil which
we have described as arising from every other kind of rejoicing
follow from this joy in the things of sense: such evils are
darkness in the reason, lukewarmness, spiritual weariness, etc.
But, to come to details, many are the evils, spiritual, bodily and
sensual, into which the soul may fall through this rejoicing.
2. First of all, from joy in visible things, when the soul
denies not itself therein in order to reach God, there may come to
it, directly, vanity of spirit and distraction of the mind, unruly
covetousness, immodesty, outward and inward unseemliness, impurity
of thought, and envy.
3. From joy in hearing useless things there may directly
arise distraction of the imagination, gossiping, envy, rash
judgements and vacillating thoughts; and from these arise many
other and pernicious evils.
4. From joy in sweet perfumes, there arise loathing of the
poor, which is contrary to the teaching of Christ, dislike of
serving others, unruliness of heart in humble things, and
spiritual insensibility, at least to a degree proportionate with
its desire for this joy.
5. From joy in the savour of meat and drink, there arise
directly such gluttony and drunkenness, wrath, discord and want of
charity with one's neighbours and with the poor, as had that
Epulon, who fared sumptuously every day, with Lazarus.[602] Hence
arise bodily disorders, infirmities and evil motions, because the
incentives to luxury become greater. Directly, too, there arises
great spiritual torpor, and the desire for spiritual things is
corrupted, so that the soul can derive no enjoyment or
satisfaction from them nor can even speak of them. From this joy
is likewise born distraction of the other senses and of the heart,
and discontent with respect to many things.
6. From joy in the touch of soft things arise many more evils
and more pernicious ones, which more quickly cause sense to
overflow into spirit, and quench all spiritual strength and
vigour. Hence arises the abominable vice of effeminacy, or the
incentives thereto, according to the proportion of joy of this
kind which is experienced. Hence luxury increases, the mind
becomes effeminate and timid, and the senses grow soft and
delicate and are predisposed to sin and evil. Vain gladness and
joy are infused into the heart; the tongue takes to itself licence
and the eyes roam unrestrainedly; and the remaining senses are
blunted and deadened, according to the measure[603] of this desire.
The judgment is put to confusion, being nourished by spiritual
folly and insipidity; moral cowardice and inconstancy increase;
and, by the darkness of the soul and the weakness of the heart,
fear is begotten even where no fear is. At times, again, this joy
begets a spirit of confusion, and insensibility with respect to
conscience and spirit; wherefore the reason is greatly enfeebled,
and is affected in such a way that it can neither take nor give
good counsel, and remains incapable of moral and spiritual
blessings and becomes as useless as a broken vessel.
7. All these evils are caused by this kind of rejoicing -- in
some more intensely, according to the intensity of their
rejoicing, and also according to the complacency or weakness or
variableness of the person who yields to it. For there are natures
that will receive more detriment from a slight occasion of sin
than will others from a great one.
8. Finally, from joy of this kind in touch, a person may fall
into as many evils and perils as those which we have described as
concerning the good things of nature; and, since these have
already been described, I do not detail them here; neither do I
describe many other evils wrought thus, such as a falling-off in
spiritual exercises and bodily penance and lukewarmness and lack
of devotion in the use of the sacraments of penance and of the
Eucharist.