Volume I, Treatise VIII, Chapter V

That There Ts No True Content but in God Alone: and that Wt Ts not to be Obtained by Any Other Means

THose who establish their content in God, and his holy will, enjoy a perpetual satisfaction, because clinging to the immoveable pillar of the divine will, they participate of the immutability of this will, and remain, by this means, always constant and firm, always immoveable, and always in the same state of heart and mind. But those who are attached to the things of this life, who have settled their heart, and fixed their affections and content therein, can never receive any satisfaction that is constant and durable. For they follow the impression and nature of the objects they embrace; and, in the same manner, are exposed to all the vicissitudes and revolutions to which the objects are. St. Austin explains this admirably well, speaking of those words of the Psalmist: “‘ He has conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity” (Psalms 7:15): “You will never see,” says he, “‘a term of your sufferings and discontents, unless you bend all your affections upon one only thing, which, in spite of yourself, you cannot be deprived of.”

When St. Francis Borgia, being as yet in the world, arrived at Granada with the corpse of the Empress Isabella; and being to deliver it up to those charged to receive it, was, according to his orders, to open the coffin of lead where it lay, and expose the face of this princess; the dreadful change and deformity which caused such a horror in all present, struck him so in particular, that the grace of God touching his heart at the same time, and giving him a lively sense of the vanity of this life, he made from that very moment a firm resolution in himself to renounce and forsake the world; and elevating his soul to God, “I promise, O Lord!” said he, “never to serve a master more, who is subject to death:” let us imitate him in this—let us form the like resolution, and say. to God; Yes, O Lord! I promise for the future, never to place my affection upon anything that is mortal, upon anything that is subject to perish, or anything which can be taken from me against my own will and desire. Without this we can never have true content. “For when we love anything, which can be taken from us against our will,” says St. Austin, “‘we must necessarily meet with a thousand discontents and afflictions.” (Tract. xgiv. Sup. Joan.) For either the apprehension we have of losing it makes us uneasy, and disquiets our thoughts; or sorrow for having lost it afflicts and torments us. It is with grief we see ourselves deprived of what we are much attached to; and the more close the attachment, the more violent and sensible will be our grief. He confirms this in another place, where he says, ‘“He who seeks his content in himself shall be contristated.” (Ibid.) If you seek your content in administering such a charge, or in such an employ, or in living in such a place, or in any other thing of this nature, it is a content which your superior can rob you of, and thus you will never feel real satisfaction. If you make it depend on objects, which please you for the present—if you place it in the accomplishment of your temporal desires; these are things easily subject to change; and supposing they do not change, yet you will change of yourself, and what was pleasing to you to-day, will be displeasing to-morrow. Were not the Israelites disgusted with the manna, though delicious and extremely nourishing? When they shook off the Egyptian Joke, did they not grow weary of liberty—did they not long again for bondage and for the onions and flesh-pots of Egypt? You will never feel thorough satisfaction, as long as you build it upon things that have no solid foundation, and are subject to change. “But he,” continues the saint, “who places his joy in God, shall have an eternal joy, because God is eternal. And if you desire your joy should be eternal, apply yourself to God who is eternal, to God who admits of no change, and who remains ever immoveable in the same state and condition.” (Tract. xxiv. sup. Joan.)

The difference which the Holy Ghost makes between a fool and a wise and just man is, “that the fool changes like the moon, and the just man in his prudence is like the sun.” (Ecclesiasticus 27:12) In reality, there is not more change in the body of the moon than there is in the mind of the fool. He is to-day in his increase, to-morrow in his decrease; to-day transported with joy, to-morrow oppressed with grief. In fine, he is sometimes in one temper, sometimes in another, because he seeks his content in things of this world, which, by reason of their inconstancy and vicissitude, make him variable as themselves, and, according to the diversity of his success, he is carried away by different emotions. But, as for the just man, like the sun, he is ever in the same state. He has neither increase nor decrease; he is always composed, always at peace, always satisfied, because, having fixed his content and happiness in God, and in the performance of his holy will, he partakes of a good which never changes, and which he cannot be despoiled of. The holy abbot, Deicola, is said to have always had a smile on his countenance, and being once asked, why he was uniformly so cheerful, he answered, that it was “because no one could deprive him of Jesus Christ.” He had experienced a real content, since he had placed all his felicity in that which could never fail, and which could never be taken from him. Let us do the same, and “let the just rejoice in our Lord.” (Psalms 32:1) Take notice, says St. Basil, of these words. The Prophet bids us not rejoice in the abundance of temporal goods, nor in the attaining a great capacity and learning, nor in the enjoyment of perfect health, or of a strong constitution and bodily strength, nor, in fine, in being esteemed by others. But he says, rejoice in our Lord, that you have placed all your joy and hope in him, and that you make all your satisfaction and content consist in the accomplishing of his will. In effect, it is but this can give us entire satisfaction— everything else is incapable thereof.

St. Bernard, in a sermon made upon those words of St. Peter, “Behold we have left all things and followed thee” (Matthew 19:17), sufficiently proves this truth. “A rational soul,” says he, “may well be employed and taken up in things of this life, but can never be satisfied with them.” (Sup. illud Matt.) They can only inflame its thirst; they are not able to allay it. ‘ The covetous man,” says Ecclesiasticus, “shall never have his fill of riches.” (Ecclesiastes 5:9) The more he has the more he desires, and never says “enough.” The same may be said of all transitory goods. And learn, says St. Bernard, the cause why they cannot satisfy him: “Because they are not the proper and natural food of his soul.” For, as the air and wind can never serve for a nourishment to our bodies; and he would be looked upon as a madman who, being just upon the point of dying of hunger, would open his mouth, like a cameleon, to suck in the air, thinking thereby to get new food and sustenance; just so, says the saint, it would be a notable piece of folly to imagine a rational soul, which is a pure spirit, can be satiated with sensible or corporal things. ‘It may be puffed up, but can never be filled,” because it receives not a nourishment adapted to its nature. Give everything what is proper for it: to the body a corporal refection; to the soul a spiritual one, since justice and perfection is the soul’s bread, “and none can be happy but they who have a hunger after it, because they only shall be filled.

St. Austin explains this more at large in his soliloquies, where, treating of a rational soul, he addresses himself to God in these terms: “You have made it capable,” says he, “of containing your Infinite Majesty, that you alone may be able to satiate it.” (Cap. xxx. Solil.) Enchase a ring for the reception of a particular diamond, and you will see that no other diamond will fit the enchasing. If the work is of atriangular form, no object whatsoever of a different form will correspond to it. Our soul has been created to the image of the blessed Trinity, and adorned with an enchusing, as I may say, which is designed and formed for God alone, so that it 1is impossible any other thing should fill the void exactly. Not all the earth, nor all we can conceive, except God, will ever be able to fill it. ‘You have created us, O Lord! for yourself, and our heart will never be at rest till it reposes in you.” (Conf. cap. 1.) The comparison usually made of the needle of a compass is very applicable, and explains exceedingly well the words of St. Austin. The property of this-needle, when touched on the loadstone, is, to turn always to the north; and the impression and virtue it receives by this touch is so forcible that, move it which way you please, it never ceases to be in agitation till it has recovered its first direction. It is the same with us in respect of God. He has inspired into us a natural inclination, which carries us continually to him as to our north pole and last end. So that as long as our heart turns not to God, so long, like this needle, shall we be in continual motion and disquiet. Of all the moveable parts of heaven, whatever part it beholds in its motion, yet it rests not. But as soon as it has found the fixed and immoveable north pole it stands still and immoveable. Just so, as long as your eyes and heart are cast upon the things of this world, which are subject to daily alterations and changes, you will never have repose and satisfaction; but turn them towards God, who is unalterable and still the same, and you will obtain a perfect joy and tranquillity.

Though we were influenced by no other motive, we should at least, in consideration of our own interest, make it our chief end to seek God. “For we know well, my brethren,” says St. Austin, “that the world seeks its content; but unfortunately it seeks not where it should.” (Ser. xxx. de sanctis.) The principal thing is to be able to discern between true and false content; and it is our misery, that we suffer ourselves more frequently to be deceived by the vain representations of pleasure, and false appearances of good. The covetous, the ambitious, the proud, the gluttonous, and the carnal man, each seeks his content. But the one makes it consist in amassing riches; the other in climbing up to the highest degree of dignity and preferment; another in being respected and honoured by men; another in making good cheer; and the carnal man in complying with and satisfying his impure and unlawful desires. None of all these seek their content where they ought; and therefore shall never find it. Because whatever they covet, and whatever the world can afford them, is not capable of satiating their soul, and giving it true joy and satisfaction. ‘ Wherefore then, imprudent as you are,” continues the same saint, “do you torment yourselves in an unprofitable search after those goods, with which you would satisfy your soul and body’ Love and seek one only good, which comprehends all other goods, and that suffices.” (De spir. & an. cap. lxiv.) Aspire to one only good, which is both sovereign and universal, and it is enough. And you, “O my soul, bless our Lord, who satisfies your desires with his heavenly treasures.” (Psalms 102:5)

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