Examination of the Affections of our Soul.
I have thought it right to dwell somewhat upon the points of the examination which is intended to make known the progress we have made in the spiritual life; for as for the examination of sins, that is for the confession of those who seek not to advance.
Nevertheless, it is well not to weary ourselves too much over each of these articles, but to proceed gently, considering how our heart has made use of its affections since the resolutions we had taken, and into what notable faults we have fallen.
To shorten this task, we must reduce the examination to an inquiry into our passions; and if it irks us to enter so much into detail, let us simply consider what we have been, and how we have conducted ourselves:
In our love for God, for our neighbour, for ourselves;
In our hatred of the sin that is within us, and likewise of the sin that is in others; for we ought to desire the extirpation of both;
In our desires concerning riches, pleasures, and honours;
In our fear of occasions of sin, and of the loss of the goods of this world; we fear the one too much, and the other too little;
In our hope, perhaps too much occupied with the world and creatures, and not enough with God and eternal things;
I have thought it right to dwell somewhat upon the points of the examination which is intended to make known the progress we have made in the spiritual life; for as for the examination of sins, that is for the confession of those who seek not to advance.
Nevertheless, it is well not to weary ourselves too much over each of these articles, but to proceed gently, considering how our heart has made use of its affections since the resolutions we had taken, and into what notable faults we have fallen.
To shorten this task, we must reduce the examination to an inquiry into our passions; and if it irks us to enter so much into detail, let us simply consider what we have been, and how we have conducted ourselves:
In our love for God, for our neighbour, for ourselves;
In our hatred of the sin that is within us, and likewise of the sin that is in others; for we ought to desire the extirpation of both;
In our desires concerning riches, pleasures, and honours;
In our fear of occasions of sin, and of the loss of the goods of this world; we fear the one too much, and the other too little;
In our hope, perhaps too much occupied with the world and creatures, and not enough with God and eternal things;
In sadness; if it be not excessive, and for vain things;
In joy; if it be not immoderate, and for unworthy things.
Lastly, what affections encumber our heart, what passions possess it, and wherein chiefly it hath gone astray.
Thus it is by the passions of the soul that we discern its true state; but to do so, we must examine them one by one; for, as a lute-player plucks all the strings, and those he finds discordant he tunes, either by tightening or loosening them; so, after having examined the love, hatred, desire, fear, hope, sadness, and joy of our soul, if we do not find them disposed as they ought to be, for the glory of God, we shall be able to tune them by means of His holy grace and the counsel of our spiritual father.
In joy; if it be not immoderate, and for unworthy things.
Lastly, what affections encumber our heart, what passions possess it, and wherein chiefly it hath gone astray.
Thus it is by the passions of the soul that we discern its true state; but to do so, we must examine them one by one; for, as a lute-player plucks all the strings, and those he finds discordant he tunes, either by tightening or loosening them; so, after having examined the love, hatred, desire, fear, hope, sadness, and joy of our soul, if we do not find them disposed as they ought to be, for the glory of God, we shall be able to tune them by means of His holy grace and the counsel of our spiritual father.