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← The Imitation of Christ/Book 3 · On Inward Consolation
Chapter 6Imit.3.6

De probatione veri amatoris.

The Weakness of an Immature Lover

The soul is gently rebuked for collapsing under small trials and seeking consolation too eagerly, and is called to the steadfastness of a strong and wise lover who remains faithful in adversity as in prosperity.

My child, you are not yet a strong and wise lover. Why, Lord? Because you give way over a small adversity, and you receive eagerly and seek consolation too greedily.1 The strong lover stands firm in temptations, and does not trust the enemy's cunning persuasions. Just as I please him in prosperous times, so I do not displease him in adversity.

Loving the Giver, Not the Gift

A wise lover values God's love above all His gifts, recognises that sweet spiritual feelings are fleeting graces, and must not be clung to as though they were permanent.

A wise lover looks less at the gift of the one who loves than at the love of the one who gives. Such a one pays attention to the affection rather than the wealth, and ranks every gift below the beloved. A noble lover doesn't rest in the gift, but in me above every gift. All is not lost if sometimes you feel less well about me, or about my saints, than you would wish. That good and sweet affection you sometimes sense is the effect of grace present, and a certain foretaste of the heavenly homeland — but you mustn't lean on it too heavily, because it comes and goes.2

Standing Firm Against Dark Thoughts

The soul is taught that resisting evil impulses and foreign fantasies is itself a mark of virtue, and that even when ecstasy gives way to ordinary weakness, resistance brings merit rather than loss.

To struggle against the evil impulses that assail the mind, and to spurn the suggestions of the devil, is a mark of virtue and of great merit. Don't let foreign fantasies thrown at you on any subject disturb you. Hold fast to your purpose and keep a right intention toward God. It's no illusion that at times you're suddenly carried away into ecstasy and then immediately fall back into the usual foolishness of the heart.3 You endure those things more unwillingly than you do them, and as long as they displease you and you resist them, there is merit and not loss.

The Enemy's Assault and the Soul's Defiance

The devil's strategy against every good desire is exposed, and the soul is armed with defiant prayer and the words of Psalm 27 to stand fearless under God's protection.

Know that the ancient enemy is entirely bent on blocking your desire for good and draining you of every devout practice — the worship of the saints, the tender remembrance of my Passion, the useful recollection of your sins, the guarding of your own heart, and the firm resolve to advance in virtue. He heaps many evil thoughts on you, so that he may fill you with weariness and dread, and pull you away from prayer and sacred reading. Humble confession is hateful to him, and if he could, he would make you stop receiving Holy Communion. Don't believe him, and don't give him a thought — even though he has often set snares of deception for you. Blame yourself, since what he heaps on you is evil and unclean. Say to him: 'Go, unclean spirit — be ashamed, wretch. You are utterly unclean, you who bring such things to my ears.' Depart from me, worst of seducers. You will have no part in me. But Jesus will be with me as a mighty warrior, and you will stand confounded. I would rather die and undergo every punishment than consent to you. Be silent, and be still. I won't listen to you any longer, no matter how many more annoyances you contrive against me. "The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?"✦ "Even if armies encamp against me, my heart will not fear."✦ "The Lord is my helper and my redeemer."✦

Rise Again in Humble Grace

The fallen soldier is urged to rise again in greater grace, warned against the blindness of pride, and taught to find lasting humility in the downfall of the self-confident.

Fight on like a good soldier; and if you sometimes fall through frailty, take up your strength again — stronger than before — trusting in my greater grace, and be greatly on your guard against vain self-satisfaction and pride.45 Because of this many are led into error, and into blindness that is almost incurable, and at times they slip and fall.6 Let the downfall of the proud and of those who foolishly presume too much of themselves be for you a safeguard and a lasting humility.✦78

Read the original Latin

Fili, non es adhuc fortis et prudens amator. Quare, Domine? Quia modicam propter contrarietatem deficis, accipis et nimis avide consolationem quæris. Fortis amator stat in tentationibus, nec callidis credit persuasionibus inimici. Sicut in prosperis ei placeo, ita nec in adversis displiceo.

Prudens amator non tam donum amantis, quam dantis considerat amorem. Affectum potius attendit, quam censum, et infra dilectum omnia data ponit. Nobilis amator non quiescit in dono, sed in me super omne donum. Non ideo perditum totum, si quandoque minus bene de me, vel de sanctis meis sentis, quam velles. Affectus ille bonus et dulcis, quem interdum percipis, effectus gratiæ præsentis est, et quidam prægustus patriæ cælestis, super quo non nimium innitendum est, quia vadit et venit.

Certare autem adversus incidentes malos motus animi, suggestionemque spernere diaboli, insigne est virtutis et magni meriti. Non ergo te conturbent alienæ phantasiæ de quacumque materia ingestæ. Forte serva propositum, et intentionem rectam ad Deum. Non est illusio, quod aliquando in excessum subito raperis et statim ad ineptias solitas cordis reverteris. Illas enim magis invite pateris quam agis, et quamdiu displicent, et reniteris, meritum est et non perditio.

Scito, quod antiquus hostis omnino nititur impedire desiderium tuum in bono, et ab omni devoto exercitio evacuare, a Sanctorum cultu, a pia passionis meæ memoria, a peccatorum utili recordatione, a proprii cordis custodia, et a firmo proposito proficiendi in virtute. Multas malas cogitationes ingerit, ut tædium tibi faciat et horrorem, et ab oratione revocet et sacra lectione. Displicet sibi humilis confessio et, si posset, a sacra communione cessare faceret. Nec credas ei neque cures illum, licet tibi sæpius deceptionis tenderit laqueos. Sibi imputa, cum mala ingerit et immunda. Dicito illi: Vade, immunde spiritus, erubesce miser; valde immundus es tu, qui talia infers auribus meis. Discede a me, seductor pessime; non habebis in me partem ullam, sed Jesus mecum erit, tanquam bellator fortis, et tu stabis confusus. Malo mori, et omnem pœnam subire, quam tibi consentire. Tace, et obmutesce; non audiam te amplius, licet mihi plures moliaris molestias. Dominus illuminatio mea, et salus mea: quem timebo? Si consistant adversum me castra, non timebit cor meum. Dominus adjutor meus et redemptor meus.

Certa tanquam miles bonus; et si interdum ex fragilitate corruis, resume vires fortiores prioribus, confidens de ampliori gratia mea, et multum præcave a vana complacentia et superbia. Propter hoc multi in errorem ducuntur, et in cæcitatem pæne incurabilem quandoque labuntur. Sit tibi in cautelam et perpetuam humilitatem ruina hæc superborum et de se stulte præsumentium.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ps.27.1 — Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; whom shall I dread?
  2. ↩Ps.27.3 — Though an army encamps against me, my heart will not fear; though war rises against me, even then I will be confident.
  3. ↩Ps.27.9 — Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my help; do not forsake me, and do not abandon me, God of my salvation.
  4. ↩Prov.16.18 — Before destruction comes pride, and before a fall, a haughty spirit.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩modicam propter contrarietatem: the adjective modicam (fem. acc.) is taken with an implied rem or causam — 'a small thing/matter on account of adversity.' Rendered as 'over a small adversity' to capture the sense of a minor trial causing the soul's collapse.
  2. 2 ↩innitendum (gerundive) rendered as 'lean on' to capture the impersonal obligation without archaic construction.
  3. 3 ↩excessus rendered as 'ecstasy' in the sense of spiritual rapture or being carried out of oneself, not modern colloquial ecstasy.
  4. 4 ↩gratia rendered as grace per lexeme policy (divine gift/effect).
  5. 5 ↩confidens de ampliori gratia mea — the speaker is Christ; the confidence is placed in the abundance of His grace, not in the believer's own progress.
  6. 6 ↩Propter hoc — 'this' refers back to the vain self-satisfaction and pride warned against in the preceding sentence.
  7. 7 ↩Sit tibi in cautelam — jussive subjunctive; the speaker (Christ) commands the reader to take the ruin of the proud as a perpetual lesson in humility.
  8. 8 ↩humilitatem rendered as humility per standard usage; cautelam as safeguard to convey the protective, cautionary sense.