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Since the intention of this work of ours is to lead
the spirit through these good things of the spirit
even to the Divine union of the soul with God, it
will not behove both myself and the reader to give
our consideration to this matter with particular
care.
For, in speaking of this sixth kind of good, we
have to treat of the good things of the spirit, which
are those that are of the greatest service to this
end. For it is quite certain, and quite an ordinary
occurrence,[656] that some persons, because of their
lack of knowledge, make use of spiritual things with
respect only to sense, and leave the spirit empty.
There will scarcely be anyone whose spirit is not
to a considerable degree corrupted by sweetness of
sense; since, if the water be drunk up before it
reaches the spirit, the latter becomes dry and
barren.
2. Coming to this matter, then, I say that by good
things of the spirit I understand all those that
influence and aid the soul in Divine things and in
its intercourse with God, and the communications of
God to the soul.
3. Beginning by making a division between these
supreme kinds of good, I say that good things of the
spirit are of two kinds: the one kind is delectable
and the other painful. And each of these kinds is
likewise of two manners; for the delectable kind
consists of clear things that are distinctly
understood, and also of things that are not
understood clearly or distinctly. The painful kind,
likewise, may be of clear and distinct things, or of
things dark and confused.
4. Between all these we may likewise make
distinctions with respect to the faculties of the
soul. For some kinds of spiritual good, being of
knowledge, pertain to the understanding; others,
being of affection, pertain to the will; and others,
inasmuch as they are imaginary, pertain to the
memory.
5. We shall leave for later consideration those
good things that are painful, since they pertain to
the passive night, in treating of which we shall have
to speak of them; and likewise the delectable
blessings which we described as being of things
confused and not distinct, of which we shall treat
hereafter, since they pertain to that general,
confused and loving knowledge wherein is effected the
union of the soul with God, and which we passed over
in the second book, deferring it so that we might
treat of it later[657] when we should make a division
between the apprehensions of the understanding. We
shall speak here and now of those delectable
blessings which are of things clear and distinct. |