Part IV, Chapter III

Of the Nature of Temptations, and of the Difference between Feeling Temptation and Consenting to It

Imagine to yourself, Philothea, a young princess, extremely beloved by her spouse, and that some wicked man, in order to defile her marriage bed, sends an infamous messenger to treat with her concerning his abominable design. First, the messenger proposes the intention of his master; secondly, the princess is pleased or displeased with the proposition; thirdly, she either consents or refuses. In the same manner, Satan, the world, and the flesh, seeing a soul espoused to the Son of God, send her temptations and suggestions, by which, 1. Sin is proposed to her; 2. She is either pleased or displeased with the proposal; 3. In fine, she either consents or refuses. Such are the three steps to ascend to iniquity: temptation, delectation, and consent. But though these three actions are not so manifest in all kinds of sins, yet are they palpably seen in those that are enormous. Though the temptation to any sin whatsoever should last during life it could never render us disagreeable to the divine Majesty, provided that we were not pleased with it, and did not give our consent to it; the reason is, because we do not act, but suffer in temptation; and as in this we take no pleasure, so we cannot incur any guilt. St. Paul suffered a long time the temptations of the flesh, and yet was so far from being displeasing to God on that account, that, on the contrary, God was glorified by his patient suffering. The blessed Angela de Fulgina suffered such cruel temptations of the flesh that she moves to compassion when she relates them. St. Francis and St. Bennet also suffered such violent temptations that, in order to overcome them, the one was obliged to cast himself naked on thorns, and the other into snow; yet they lost nothing of God’s favor, but increased very much in grace.

You must, then, be courageous, Philothea, amidst temptations, and never think yourself overcome as long as they displease you, observing well this difference between feeling and consenting, viz., we may feel temptations, though they displease us; but we can never consent to them unless they please us, since to be pleased with them ordinarily serves as a step towards our consent. Let, then, the enemies of our salvation lay as many baits and allurements in our way as they please, let them stay always at the door of our heart in order to gain admittance, let them make as many proposals as they can; still, as long as we remain steadfast in our resolution to take no pleasure in the temptation, it is utterly impossible that we should offend God, any more than the prince of whom I spoke could be displeased with his spouse for the infamous message sent to her, if she took no pleasure whatever in it. Yet, in this case, there is this difference between her and the soul, that the princess, having heard of the wicked proposition, may, if she please, drive away the messenger, and never suffer him to appear again in her presence; but it is not always in the power of the soul not to feel the temptation, though it be always in her power not to consent to it; and, therefore, no matter how long the temptation may last, it cannot hurt us as long as it is disagreeable to us.

But, with respect to the delectation which may follow the temptation, it must be observed that, as there are two parts in the soul, the inferior and the superior, and that the inferior does not always follow the superior, but acts for itself apart, it frequently happens that the inferior part takes delight in the temptation without the consent, nay, against the will of the superior. That is that warfare which the Apostle describes (Galatians 5:17), when he says that the flesh lusts against the spirit, and that there is a law of the members and a law of the spirit.

Have you never seen, Philothea, a large fire covered with ashes? Should one come ten or twelve hours after, in search of fire, he would find but little in the midst of the hearth, and even that would be found with difficulty; yet there it is, there it is found, and with it he may kindle again the remainder of the coals that were dead. It is just so with charity, our spiritual life, in the midst of violent temptations; for the temptation, casting the delectation which accompanies it into the inferior part, covers the whole soul, as it were, with ashes, and reduces the love of God into a narrow compass; for it appears nowhere but in the midst of the heart, in the interior of the soul: and even there it scarcely seems perceptible, and with much difficulty we find it; yet there it is in reality, since, notwithstanding all the trouble and disorder we feel in our soul and our body, we still retain a resolution never to consent to the temptation; and the delectation, which pleases the outward man, displeases the inward, so that, although it surrounds the will, yet it is not within it; by which we see that such delectation, being contrary to the will, can be no sin.

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