Chapter VI. Of holy simplicity

True simplicity consists in having, like God, but one thought, and that thought must be to please God in all things. The vices opposed to simplicity throw us into a state of mvUiplicity, These vices operate particularly in three ways. 1. In what regards our passions ; to gratify them we multiply our thoughts and desires, acting not with the simple view of honouring God, but from various other motives. Hence spring our distrusts, our suspicions, tiissimulations, concealments, subtle inventions, precautions, refinements, distinctions, &c. 2. In what regards others, about whom we have our judgments, interpretations, conjectures, inquiries, questionings, &c. 3. In what concerns reflections upon ourselves, for our own satisfaction : reflections on the past, on the present, on the future ; on our good works, to take a pleasure in them ; on our bad ones, to excuse them or waste useless regrets upon them, to form vain resolutions respecting the future. All this is opposed to true simplicity ; but we close the gate to all such faults, when the mind is occupied only with the simple thought of pleasing God.