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Very great are the benefits which come to the soul
when it desires not to set the vain rejoicing of its
will on this kind of good. For, in the first place,
it is freed from falling into many temptations and
deceits of the devil, which are involved in rejoicing
in these good works, as we may understand by that
which is said in Job, namely: 'He sleepeth under the
shadow, in the covert of the reed and in moist
places.'[624] This he applies to the devil, who
deceives the soul in the moisture of rejoicing and in
the vanity of the reed -- that is, in vain works.
And it is no wonder if the soul is secretly
deceived by the devil in this rejoicing; for, apart
altogether from his suggestions, vain rejoicing is
itself deception. This is especially true when there
is any boasting of heart concerning these good works,
as Jeremias well says in these words: Arrogantia tua
decepit te.[625] For what greater deception is there
than boasting? And from this the soul that purges
itself from this rejoicing is freed.
2. The second benefit is that the soul performs
its good works with greater deliberation and
perfection than it can if there be in them the
passion of joy and pleasure. For, because of this
passion of joy, the passions of wrath and
concupiscence are so strong that they will not submit
to reason,[626] but ordinarily cause a man to be
inconsistent in his actions and purposes, so that he
abandons some and takes up others, and begins a thing
only to abandon it without completing any part of it.
For, since he acts under the influence of
pleasure, and since pleasure is variable, being much
stronger in some natures than in others, it follows
that, when this pleasure ceases, both the action and
its purpose cease, important though they may be. To
such persons the joy which they have in their work is
the soul and the strength thereof; and, when the joy
is quenched, the work ceases and perishes, and they
persevere therein no longer.
It is of such persons that Christ says: 'They
receive the word with joy, and then the devil taketh
it away from them, lest they should persevere.'[627]
And this is because they have no strength and no
roots save in the joy aforementioned. To take and to
withdraw their will, therefore, from this rejoicing
is the cause of their perseverance and success. This
benefit, then, is a great one, even as the contrary
evil is great likewise.
The wise man sets his eyes upon the substance and
benefit of his work, not upon the pleasure and
delight which it gives him; and so he is not beating
the air, but derives from his work a stable joy,
without any meed of bitterness.
3. The third benefit is divine. It is that, when
vain joy in these good works is quenched, the soul
becomes poor in spirit, which is one of the blessings
spoken of by the Son of God when He says: 'Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven.'[628]
4. The fourth benefit is that he that denies
himself this joy will be meek, humble and prudent in
his actions. For he will not act impetuously and
rapidly, through being impelled by the wrath and
concupiscence which belong to joy; neither
presumptuously, through being affected by the esteem
of his own work which he cherishes because of the joy
that he has in it; neither incautiously, through
being blinded by joy.
5. The fifth benefit is that he becomes pleasing
to God and man, and is freed from spiritual sloth,
gluttony and avarice, and from spiritual envy and
from a thousand other vices. |