Volume II, Treatise I, Chapter II

In What Mortification Consists, and How Necessary Tt Ts

Tue better to examine and penetrate so difficult a matter, it is necessary, in the first place, to presuppose that our soul consists of two principal parts, which by divines are called the superior and inferior; and which they ordinarily also distinguish by the names of reason and the sensitive appetite. Before sin came into the world, man was in the happy state of innocence and original justice in which God first created him; the inferior part was perfectly subject and obedient to the superior, as a lesa noble is subject to a more noble thing, or as a servant to a master. ‘God made man just and righteous” (Ecclesiastes 7:30)—says the scripture. He did not create him so irregular as we now find ourselves to be. The sensitive appetite obeyed reason, without any pain or repugnance; and man was of himself carried to love and serve his Creator, without any hinderance at all. This subjection also of the sensitive appetite to reason was so great, that then it could not excite any irregular motion in man, nor any temptation, unless he chose it himself. In this state, he would not have been subject to choler, envy, gluttony, impurity, or to any other corrupt inclination, unless of ourselves, by a determined will, we wished to give way to it. But reason having since revolted, and turned rebel against God by sin, the sensitive appetite rebelled also against reason; so that whether we will or not, and even against our will and consent, there are sometimes excited such motions and affections in our sensitive appetite as we ourselves condemn; according to these words of the apostle: “I do not that which I would do, but I commit the evil which I would not.” (Romans 7:19) If man, therefore, had not sinned, the body would always have been disposed, without any pain or contradiction, to what the soul desired; but at present, ‘the corruption of the body depresses the soul.” (Wisdom 9:15) The body hinders it from doing many things it could and would do. The body may be called a vicious horse, that is to be rode a long journey; it is a horse that has no gaits, that starts at every thing, that tires soon, that is restive, and even lies down when it is most necessary to hasten forward. “This punishment was justly due to man,” says St. Austin, “for his disobedience to his Creator, that by God’s just judgment his flesh should also become disobedient to himself; and that this rebellion of his appetite should cause in him a continual war.”’—(Aug. lib. 1. contra adv. legis & pro. c. 14.) Many divines think with venerable Bede, “that by sin man was wholly deprived of the gifts of grace, and also grievously wounded in those of nature.” For he was not only deprived of original justice, and of the supernatural gifts united thereunto; but he suffered a. very great alteration and prejudice in the pure gifts of nature. His understanding was obscured, his free will weakened, his inclination to good lessened, and his propensity to evil much increased; his memory diminished; his imagination disquieted, and so easily dissipated and distracted, that he is scarce able to make the least prayer with attention. Now his imagination presently makes him rove and wander up and down in all places, and upon all objects, except those upon which he should fix his mind. His senses have quite lost what was exquisite in them; his flesh remains full of corruption and bad inclinations; and in fine, his whole nature is so changed and spoiled, that what was before very easy to him to perform, is now become in a manner impossible. Before sin, man loved God better than himself; but now he loves himself better than God; or rather he loves himself only. He has no zeal or fervour but to do his own will, to satisfy his Fe rend appetites, and

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a. a oe OW delivered us from original sin, which is the cause of all this disorder yet it has not freed us from the rebellion of our natural appetite against reason, and even against God; which is called by divines, the fuel or incentive to sin. And it is by a just judgment, and by an adorable and special providence, that God would always have this rebellion remain in us to punish and abate our pride; in order that the consideration of this, our misery and baseness, might serve to humble us in his presence. On creating man he heaped honour and dignity upon him, he adorned and embellished him with his gifts and graces: ‘ But man being ignorant of his own worth and excellency, and becoming ungrateful to his Creator, deserved to be deprived of his excellency, and to degenerate so far as to be like unto beasts.” (Psalms 48:18) He became subject to the same desires and inclinations that violently transport them. Wherefore God would hereby humble man, that he might see and enter into himself, and have no more occasion of being puffed np with pride. And in effect, if we thoroughly knew ourselves, we should see that we are so far from having any thing to be proud of, that we have every moment innumerable reasons to humble ourselves.

Secondly, we must presuppose another leading truth, which is as necessary as that we last spoke of, namely, that the disorder of our sensitive appetite, and the perverseness of our carnal inclinations, is the. greatest obstacle to our advancement in virtue. It is for this reason that ordinarily we say, that our flesh is our greatest enemy; because in effect it is from this that all temptations and all our imperfections proceed. Wherefore, the apostle St. James had reason to say: “Whence proceed those wars and strifes that are inus? Is it not from our passions, that make war against our flesh?” — (James 4:1) Sensuality, concupiscence, and the disorder of self-love, are the causes of all our domestic wars, of all sins, of all faults, and even of all our imperfections; and consequently the greatest obstacle we meet with in the way of perfection. The ancient philosophers, who were illuminated only by the light of natural reason, knew very well this truth. Aristotle placed all the difficulty we find in virtue, in the moderating of our cares, solicitudes, and pleasures. And Epictetus reduced all philosophy to the short compendium of these two words:—‘ Suffer and abstain.” (In Epictet. man.) In effect all virtue consists in courageously suffering pains and afflictions, and in prudently abstaining from pleasures. This he experience of every day teaches: for we sin only to avoid some pain or trouble, or to obtain some pleasure or convenience, or not to ’ be deprived of some pleasure. One man sins through a desire of riches, honours, or sensual pleasures; another through fear of the pain and trouble he feels in observing the commandments of God and of the church, and through the difficulty he has, to love his enemies, to fast, and to confess his most hidden and grievous sins. All sins, therefore, flow from these two fountains; not only the most grievous, but even the lightest sins; and all the imperfections we fall into in the way of virtue.

All this being presupposed, there is no difficulty in conceiving that mortification helps to repair the disorder of our passions, that is to say, to suppress our bad inclinations, and the irregularity of self-love. St. Jerom, explaining those words of Jesus Christ: “If any one will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Luke 9:23) says, that he renounces himself and takes up his cross, “who, from having been unchaste, becomes chaste—from having been irregular, becomes regular— from having been weak and fearful, becomes strong and courageous.” This is truly to renounce himself, and to become quite a different man, from what he was before.

But that which makes us most clearly see the necessity of mortification, is, as St. Basil takes notice, that our Saviour first bids us renounce ourselves, and then commands us to follow him. That is to say, if you do not first renounce yourself, if you do not entirely cast away your own will, if you do not mortify your bad inclinations, you will meet with a thousand impediments and obstacles that will hinder you from being able to follow Jesus Christ. It is after this manner, “‘ we must always carry his mortification about us, to the end that the purity of his life may remain in us.” (2 Corinthians 4:10) “The life of man is a continual warfare upon earth.” (Job 7:1) ‘For the flesh,” as St. Paul says, “has it desires, contrary to those of the spirit, and the spirit has such as are also contrary to those of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:17) Behold whence proceeds that continual warfare we have within ourselves. He who knows best how to overcome his flesh and sensual appetites, will become ‘the best and bravest soldier of Jesus Christ. St. Gregory, and St. Ambrose say, that in this the true valour of the servants of God consists. The strength of the body signifies little, and adds nothing unto it; there is question only of that courage which overcomes the flesh, stifles our passions, contemns the pleasures of this life, and patiently supports the adversities and labours thereof. In effect, it is a greater thing, say they, to command and become masters of ourselves, and passions, than to command others, “A patient man,” according to Solomon, “is more to be esteemed than one that is valiant; and he who is master of his choler or passion, than he who takes cities by assault.” (Proverbs 16:32) The reason that St. Ambrose gives for this truth, is ‘‘ because our own bad inclinations or domestic enemies are far more dangerous than external or foreign enemies.” St. Joseph also, says he, gained _ more glory in commanding himself, and in resisting the solicitations of Putiphar’s wife, than afterwards in commanding all Egypt. St. Chrysostom is of the same opinion, and says, that David obtained a greater victory, when he could have revenged himself upon Saul by killing him in his tent, and did not, than he did in overcoming Goliah. The trophies of this first victory were not raised in the terrestrial, but the celestial Jerusalem. And it was upon this account he deserved, that not only the virgins should go before him singing his praises, when he returned conqueror of Goliah, but that all the choirs of angels in heaven should rejoice and admire his virtue and courage, in this great victory over himself.

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