Part V, Chapter VII

An Examination of the Affections of Our Soul

I have thus protracted these points, in the examination of which consists the knowledge of our spiritual advancement; for the examination of sin is rather for the confession of such as think not seriously of advancing in devotion.

We must not, however, delay too long on any of these points, but consider gently in what state our heart has been with regard to them, and what considerable faults we have committed.

But, to abridge the whole, we must reduce the examen to a search into our passions; and if it be inconvenient to consider every point in particular, as has been said, we may examine in general what have been our dispositions, and how we have behaved ourselves in our love to God, our neighbor, and ourselves; in our hatred for our own sins, and for those of others, — for we desire the extirpation of both; in our desires relating to riches, pleasures, and honors; in our fear of the dangers of sin, and in that of the loss of our worldly goods, —for we are apt to fear the one too much, and the other too little; in our hope, placing too much reliance on the world and creatures, and too little on God and things eternal: in an inordinate sadness, or excessive joy for vain things. In a word, we must examine what affections entangle our heart, what passions possess it, in what it has principally strayed out of the way; for by the passions we may judge of the state of the soul, by examining them one after the other; and, as he that plays on the lute, by touching all the strings finds which are out of tune, and makes them accord either by winding them up, or letting them down; so, if after having examined the passions of love, hatred, desire, hope, sadness, and joy in our soul, we find them out of tune for that harmony which we desire to make to the greater glory of God, we may accord them by means of his grace, and the counsel of our spiritual director.

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