Volume II, Treatise III, Chapter X

That the Knowledge of One’s Self, Instead of Making Us Lose Courage, Adds New Strength

THERE is yet another advantage in this self-knowledge, which is, that not only it does not put down our courage, as might easily perhaps be imagined, but on the contrary, it raises and fortifies it, The reason of this is, that a man cannot ‘know himself, without seeing that he cannot rely or lay any stress upon his own endeavours, so that diffiding in himself, he puts his whole confidence in God, in whom he is able to do all things. Nor does it properly belong to any but those, who thus know themselves, to undertake and execute the greatest things; because as they attribute all to God, and nothing to themselves, so God gives them his helping hand, makes it his own business, and is pleased to work wonders by very weak instruments, “to shew,” as the apostle says, “the riches of his glory upon those vessels of mercy, he had before prepared for his glory.” (Romans 9:23) It is to make his glory appear the more, that he puts the treasures of his power and strength in the frailest vessels, and therefore when this great saint prayed to be delivered from the temptations which tormented him:—“my grace is sufficient for thee,” says our Lord to him, “for my power appears most in weakness.”— (2 Corinthians 12:9) For as the greater and more dangerous the disease is, the more honour the physician gains by curing it; so the greater our weakness is, the more the power of God is displayed. Thus St. Austin and St. Ambrose explains this passage, and it is for this reason, that God does powerfully assist those, who knowing themselves, have a diffidence in their own strength, and place all their confidence in him; whereas he always abandons those who presume upon themselves, and confide in their own strength and ability. St. Basil also says, that we sometimes find by experience, that on some certain principal feasts, when we expected to have more than ordinary devotion and fervour, we feel less, because we had too much confidence in our own preparations. On the contrary, God heaps sometimes upon us the most sweet consolations of heaven, when we think least thereof, to make us sensible that fervour of devotion is a pure grace and mercy of God, and not an effect of our own endeavours and merit. The knowledge of our misery, therefore, serves rather to raise our courage than to cast us down; because it makes us put all our confidence in God; and it is this the apostle would express by these words, “when I am weak, I am strong;” (2 Corinthians 12:10), that is to say, as St. Austin and St. Ambrose explain it, when I humble myself, in the knowledge of my weakness and nothingness, then it is, that I am elevated and exalted, and the more infirmity and weakness I discover in myself, the more I find myself strength- -ened in the sight of God, in whom I have put all my hope and confidence.

We may learn from hence, that neither certain discouragements, which we feel sometimes in our spiritual advancement, nor certain diffidences which we sometimes have, of being able to overcome our corrupt inclinations, acquire perfection, or acquit ourselves of the functions which obedience may call us to, proceed from humility. Nor does it always argue humility in us to say, we are not fit to be confessors, missioners, and the like; on the contrary, expressions of this kind very often betray our pride. For why do we make use of them? It is because we look upon ourselves, as if the execution and success of these things were to depend on our own strength, instead of turning our eyes upon God as we ought to do, in whom we shall be sufficiently encouraged and strengthened. ‘“‘The Lord is my light and salvation, whom then shall I fear? the Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? Ifa whole army stands against me I will-not fear; and in’the greatest heat of the battle I will hope in him.” (Psalms 26:1,3) “Though I should walk in the midst of the shades of death, I will fear nothing, because thou art with me.” (Psalms 22:4) Let us admire the variety of words, wherein the holy prophet expresses the same thing. The whole book of Psalms is full of these sentiments, whereby the prophet shews us, how much confidence he had in God, and how much we ought to have. ‘By the help of my God I will leap over a wall.” (Psalms 17:30) Nothing will be able to oppose me; he it is, who to overcome giants makes use of men, who are but as locusts in comparison of them: “In his name it is that I will crush lions and dragons. It is he who teacheth my hands to war, and gives me strength to break a bow of steel.” (Psalms 17:35) We shall indeed be strong enough with his grace and assistance.

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