De consolatione ethnica et christiana, censura theologica

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as well as the fact that through faith and hope, for those who assent to it, religious joy arises because of the consideration of the ultimate good end.

To illustrate this in an arbitrary order, we shall treat, first, of the ἀτροπίᾳ imperturbability/steadfastness of the affections in the heart of man; second, of the correct estimation of good and evil things; third, of the συγχύσει conjunction/blending of external and internal consolation; fourth, of the duty of faith in the consolation of man; fifth, of the solace of charity; sixth, of the office of hope in the same matter, and of the joy of hope; seventh, of the ultimate end of Christian consolation; and finally, of consolation against death.

XVI.

Regarding the wondrous variety and succession of the affections of the human heart, it is worth noting that among the many things that must be sought from God by us, the ἀταραξία tranquility/freedom from disturbance is by no means the last, lest it hand us over to be deluded and tortured by disturbances as if they were violent and rapid governors. According to that saying: "Keep back Thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression." Psalm 19:13.

For a man given to affections is like a chameleon: now puffed up, deluded by vain hope and false joy; now he despairs when he ought to hope well; he doubts when he ought to believe firmly; he is angry when there is no cause; he is not moved when there is need for zeal; finally, he cannot rest until, having cast off the yoke of disturbances, he surrenders himself entirely to the Holy Spirit, delights in moderation and equanimity, and learns that saying of Christ: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. 5:5. And he boasts in tribulations, Rom. 5:3.

XVII.

Without a correct estimation of good and evil things, there can be no true and pleasant consolation.

However, since we are dealing with Christian consolation, we shall not touch upon the errors of the faithless regarding the ends of good and evil, but we shall indicate how even the pious are sometimes mistaken, and how, by establishing a correct judgment of things, they ought to be able to console themselves.

Often, even the pious, taking good for evil, go astray, not weighing sufficiently that word of the Apostle James: "Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." James 1:2–3. Therefore, they wrongly refer the Cross, the exercise of the mortification of our flesh, and our conformity with Christ through adversities to the list of evils.

Let the pious therefore hold this as established: that adversities are θεόπεμπτα God-sent, in whose number are the δοκιμασίαι trials, μαρτύρεια testimonies/martyrdoms, the inconveniences of diseases, of poverty, of exile, and finally the first death and other παθήματα sufferings, which, with God blessing, confer upon us a benefit. Rom. 8:28. But that which happens by the counsel of God, is disposed by His powerful arm, and is terminated by His goodness so that it may be for the benefit of man, ought not to be simply referred to as evil.