Chapter 25
How the Devil procureth to draw us to despair, by tempting us, against faith, and the divine mysteries, & of the remedies that we must use, against these temptations.
AT other times, the Devil useth to fright us, by drawing thoughts unto our mind, which are soul, and abominable, against faith, and the mysteries of God. And he maketh him who hath them, conceive, that they proceed from the man himself, and that he consenteth to them. And hereby he giveth him so great affliction, as to deprive his soul of all alacrity; and he maketh it believe, that it is cast of by God, and condemned by him; and doth put him into an humour of despair, by telling him, that it is impossible for him to belodged in anyother place but hell, since he holdeth blasphemies, and such other incidentes to that place. The1 devil is not such a Dunce as not to understand, that a Catholic Christian, can never come to consent to things, which are so detested by his Christian hart; but the meaning is to dismay him, that so he may lose the confidence which he had in God; and, being tormented with such importunities, may grow to lose his patience; and so carry a hart in his body, which is full of tempest and disgust; that being a thing, whereby the devils use to make much harvest, through the disposition, which upon this occasion, men have, to receive what evil impression the same devils will.
The2 first thing then, which we are to do (if it be not done already), is to consider our conscience, with care and great repose of mind; and to cleanse it by confession, from all that evil which we find therein; and to put it into such order, neither more nor less, then if we were, that day to die; and from thence forth, to live with greater care in the service of our Lord, than before. For it happeneth sometimes, that our sovereign judge, permitteth these fearful things to come upon us against our will, in punishment of other things which we have willingly fallen into; and for the negligence which we have used in his service, which our Lord is disposed to cure, by a scourge that shall smart so much, as that, being bruised thereby, we may for bear to feed upon forbidden fruit; and that we may put on, a pace, in our way; as an unreasonable creature would do, when he were followed by the whip.
Sometimes our Lord sendeth this torment for other ends, which to his high wisdom are not unknown. But whether it be sent for these, or the former reasons, every one is to do (as hath been said) by purifying his conscience, & growing diligent in God's service; for this remedy can hurt none, and it will do good to all. And their, confiding in the mercy of God, and desiring succour of him, if yet he cannot give over to hear this Language (because the devil is able, whether we will or no, to bring these thoughts, and inward speeches to our mind) let the man at least, proceed (by way of action) as if he heard them not; and let him remain in peace, without afflicting himself, upon that occasion; & without3 changing of words, or making answears to the enemy, according to that of4 David, As one that is deaf, I did not hear; and as one that is dumb, I did not open my mouth.
These things are hard to be believed, by such as are ignorant of the devil's craft; but if they give not over to think, or do the good things they were about; and if they employ not themselves in hearing, and catching at, and killing those former thoughts (as they would do flies) they presently think, that they have consented thereunto. But they know not what great difference there is,5 between hearing, and consenting. And so much the more, as those thoughts are highly abominable, so much more confidence may they have in our Lord, that he will preserve them from consenting, to so extreme wickedness; to which they carried no inclination, but detestation. The6 best remedy is therefore, (through a quiet kind of dissimulation), not to seem to value them; for there is nothing which doth more afflict the devil, who is so proud, then to contemn him, with such a downright contempt, as not to make any reckoning either of him, or of that which he bringeth, for our trouble. Nor is there any thing so dangerous as to hold argument with one, that can so easily over reach us; and the best of our case willbe, that he will make us lose our time; and give over the good that we were wont to do. We must therefore shut the door of our understanding as hard as we can; and unite ourselves to God, and make no answer to our enemy. And for our satisfaction, and consolation, we must, diverse times every day declare ourselves to believe, that which our holy Mother the Church believeth; and that we have no will at all, to consent to any such false, and foul conceits. Let us say unto our Lord, as it is written, O Lord, I suffer violence, answer thou for me. And we must hope in his mercy, that he will do so. For the victory in this combat dependeth not upon the only labour of our arms, but the principal is, to invoke our Lord omnipotent, and to shroud our solues under him. Whereas if we should use much discourse, and make many answers to our enemies, how can we desire of God, that he will answer for us. You, (saith7 the Scripture) shall hold your peace, and our Lord shall fight for you. And in another place, Isay saith,8 In silence, and hope thy strength shallbe. And in failing of either of these two things, instantly a man groweth weak, and troubled; but by this silence, with a not seeming to hear, together with having a good hope, I have seen many cured, in shortty me, of this great affliction; and that the Devil hath grown to hold his peace; finding that they neither heard, nor answered him. And it is after the manner of little country dogs that bark; if he, that passeth, hold his peace, they do so too; or else, they bark, but so much the more.
Footnotes
Chapter 27 of 115