Chapter XLIII. Of the Power of our Evil Inclinations, and of the Way the Devil tempts us to form rash Judgments of our Neighbour, and how to resist him

FROM the above-named vice of self-esteem and self-conceit arises another most hurtful, namely, the practice of rashly judging our neighbour, which leads us to disparage, despise, and lower him. As this fault springs from pride and evil inclination, so is it thereby willingly cherished and fomented; and our pride increases as the fault increases, and insensibly flatters and deceives us. For the more we presume to exalt ourselves, so much the more do we in our opinion depreciate others, and imagine that we are free from those imperfections which we make ourselves believe we see in them.

And the crafty Devil, who sees this most evil disposition in us, stands ever on the watch to open our eyes and make us quick-sighted to detect, examine, and exaggerate the deficiencies of others.

The careless do not believe or imagine how busy he is in impressing on our minds the little failings of this or that person, when he cannot bring before us great faults.

Seeing, then, that he is so intent on our destruction, let us be watchful, lest we fall into his snares. And as soon as he sets before you any failing of your neighbour, turn away from the thought at once; and if you still feel tempted to criticise, do not yield to the desire. Remember that the right to judge another is not yours; and that even if it had been intrusted to you, you would be incapable of exercising it with integrity, as you are encompassed by a thousand passions, and but too prone to think evil of another without just cause.

The most effectual remedy against this temptation is, I would remind you, the attentive consideration of your own heart; for you will hourly make fresh discoveries of the amount of work you have to do in yourself, and for yourself, which will leave you neither the leisure nor the inclination to busy yourself about the conduct of others.

Moreover, by the faithful performance of this exercise of self-inspection, you will more and more purge your inward eye of those bad humours which foster this pestilent vice of rash judgment.

Know this, too, that when uncharitably you think you see an evil in your brother, some root of the same evil is in your own heart, which, in proportion as it is ill-disposed, readily sees in another that which is already in itself.

When, therefore, we are inclined to judge others for some fault, let us inwardly be indignant with ourselves as guilty of the same, and say in our heart, "How dare I, wretched being, buried in this very fault myself, and in far more grievous ones, lift up my head to see and judge the faults of others?"

And thus the weapons which, when aimed at others, would have wounded you yourself, being used against yourself, bring healing to your wounds.

But if you cannot disguise the fact that your brother has committed a fault, yet take a compassionate view of it, and believe that he has hidden virtues, to guard which the Lord has permitted him to fall; or, that this failing is allowed to cling to him for a time, that he may become more vile in his own sight; or that, being despised by others, he may learn to humble himself, and thus become more pleasing to God, and so his gain at last may become greater than his loss.

If again the sin be not only unmistakeable, but grievous, and obstinately persisted in, turn your thoughts to the secret and awful judgments of God; and see how many, once most wicked, attained at last to an eminent degree of sanctity, whilst, on the other hand, many who seemed to have reached sublime heights of perfection, have fallen headlong into misery.

Therefore ever fear and tremble for yourself more than for any other.

And be assured, that every good and kindly feeling towards your neighbour is the work of the Holy Spirit; and that all disparagement, rash judgment, and bitterness against him, owe their origin to the evil that is in ourselves and to the suggestions of the Devil.

If, then, the failings of another have made an impression on you, rest not, nor sleep, until you have, to the utmost of your power, effaced it from your heart.