THE DIFFERENT MOTIONS OF NATURE AND GRACE
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, pay careful attention to the movements of nature and
of grace, for they move in very contrary and subtle ways, and can
scarcely be distinguished by anyone except a man who is spiritual and
inwardly enlightened. All men, indeed, desire what is good, and strive
for what is good in their words and deeds. For this reason the
appearance of good deceives many.
Nature is crafty and attracts many, ensnaring and deceiving
them while ever seeking itself. But grace walks in simplicity, turns
away from all appearance of evil, offers no deceits, and does all
purely for God in whom she rests as her last end.
Nature is not willing to die, or to be kept down, or to be
overcome. Nor will it subdue itself or be made subject. Grace, on the
contrary, strives for mortification of self. She resists sensuality,
seeks to be in subjection, longs to be conquered, has no wish to use
her own liberty, loves to be held under discipline, and does not
desire to rule over anyone, but wishes rather to live, to stand, and
to be always under God for Whose sake she is willing to bow humbly to
every human creature.
Nature works for its own interest and looks to the profit it
can reap from another. Grace does not consider what is useful and
advantageous to herself, but rather what is profitable to many. Nature
likes to receive honor and reverence, but grace faithfully attributes
all honor and glory to God. Nature fears shame and contempt, but grace
is happy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus. Nature loves ease
and physical rest. Grace, however, cannot bear to be idle and embraces
labor willingly. Nature seeks to possess what is rare and beautiful,
abhorring things that are cheap and coarse. Grace, on the contrary,
delights in simple, humble things, not despising those that are rough,
nor refusing to be clothed in old garments.
Nature has regard for temporal wealth and rejoices in earthly
gains. It is sad over a loss and irritated by a slight, injurious
word. But grace looks to eternal things and does not cling to those
which are temporal, being neither disturbed at loss nor angered by
hard words, because she has placed her treasure and joy in heaven
where nothing is lost.
Nature is covetous, and receives more willingly than it gives.
It loves to have its own private possessions. Grace, however, is kind
and openhearted. Grace shuns private interest, is contented with
little, and judges it more blessed to give than to receive.
Nature is inclined toward creatures, toward its own flesh,
toward vanities, and toward running about. But grace draws near to God
and to virtue, renounces creatures, hates the desires of the flesh,
restrains her wanderings and blushes at being seen in public.
Nature likes to have some external comfort in which it can take
sensual delight, but grace seeks consolation only in God, to find her
delight in the highest Good, above all visible things.
Nature does everything for its own gain and interest. It can do
nothing without pay and hopes for its good deeds to receive their
equal or better, or else praise and favor. It is very desirous of
having its deeds and gifts highly regarded. Grace, however, seeks
nothing temporal, nor does she ask any recompense but God alone. Of
temporal necessities she asks no more than will serve to obtain
eternity.
Nature rejoices in many friends and kinsfolk, glories in noble
position and birth, fawns on the powerful, flatters the rich, and
applauds those who are like itself. But grace loves even her enemies
and is not puffed up at having many friends. She does not think highly
of either position or birth unless there is also virtue there. She
favors the poor in preference to the rich. She sympathizes with the
innocent rather than with the powerful. She rejoices with the true man
rather than with the deceitful, and is always exhorting the good to
strive for better gifts, to become like the Son of God by practicing
the virtues.
Nature is quick to complain of need and trouble; grace is
stanch in suffering want. Nature turns all things back to self. It
fights and argues for self. Grace brings all things back to God in
Whom they have their source. To herself she ascribes no good, nor is
she arrogant or presumptuous. She is not contentious. She does not
prefer her own opinion to the opinion of others, but in every matter
of sense and thought submits herself to eternal wisdom and the divine
judgment.
Nature has a relish for knowing secrets and hearing news. It
wishes to appear abroad and to have many sense experiences. It wishes
to be known and to do things for which it will be praised and admired.
But grace does not care to hear news or curious matters, because all
this arises from the old corruption of man, since there is nothing
new, nothing lasting on earth. Grace teaches, therefore, restraint of
the senses, avoidance of vain self-satisfaction and show, the humble
hiding of deeds worthy of praise and admiration, and the seeking in
every thing and in every knowledge the fruit of usefulness, the praise
and honor of God. She will not have herself or hers exalted, but
desires that God Who bestows all simply out of love should be blessed
in His gifts.
This grace is a supernatural light, a certain special gift of
God, the proper mark of the elect and the pledge of everlasting
salvation. It raises man up from earthly things to love the things of
heaven. It makes a spiritual man of a carnal one. The more, then,
nature is held in check and conquered, the more grace is given. Every
day the interior man is reformed by new visitations according to the
image of God. |
Of the diverse motions of Nature and of Grace
"My Son, pay diligent heed to the motions of
Nature and of Grace, because they move in a very contrary and subtle
manner, and are hardly distinguished save by a spiritual and inwardly
enlightened man. All men indeed seek good, and make pretence of
something good in all that they say or do; and thus under the
appearance of good many are deceived.
2. "Nature is deceitful and draweth away,
ensnareth, and deceiveth many, and always hath self for her end; but
Grace walketh in simplicity and turneth away from every appearance of
evil, maketh no false pretences, and doeth all entirely for the sake
of God, in whom also she finally resteth.
3. "Nature is very unwilling to die, and to be
pressed down, and to be overcome, and to be in subjection, and to bear
the yoke readily; but Grace studieth self-mortification, resisteth
sensuality, seeketh to be subdued, longeth to be conquered, and
willeth not to use her own liberty. She loveth to be held by
discipline, and not to have authority over any, but always to live, to
remain, to have her being under God, and for God's sake is ready to be
humbly subject to every ordinance of man.
4. "Nature laboureth for her own advantage, and
considereth what profit she may gain from another; but Grace
considereth more, not what may be useful and convenient to self, but
what may be profitable to the many.
5. "Nature willingly receiveth honour and
reverence; but Grace faithfully ascribeth all honour and glory to God.
6. "Nature feareth confusion and contempt, but
Grace rejoiceth to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.
7. "Nature loveth ease and bodily quiet; Grace
cannot be unemployed, but gladly embraceth labour.
8. "Nature seeketh to possess things curious and
attractive, and abhorreth those which are rough and cheap; Grace is
delighted with things simple and humble, despiseth not those which are
rough, nor refuseth to be clothed with old garments.
9. "Nature hath regard to things temporal,
rejoiceth in earthly lucre, is made sad by loss, vexed by any little
injurious word; but Grace reacheth after things eternal, cleaveth not
to those which are temporal, is not perturbed by losses, nor
embittered by any hard words, because she hath placed her treasure and
joy in heaven where nought perisheth.
10. "Nature is covetous, and receiveth more
willingly than she giveth, loveth things that are personal and private
to herself; while Grace is kind and generous, avoideth selfishness, is
contented with a little, believeth that it is more blessed to give
than to receive.
11. "Nature inclineth thee to created things, to
thine own flesh, to vanities and dissipation; but Grace draweth to God
and to virtues, renounceth creatures, fleeth from the world, hateth
the desires of the flesh, restraineth vagaries, blusheth to be seen in
public.
12. "Nature is glad to receive some outward
solace in which the senses may have delight; but Grace seeketh to be
comforted in God alone, and to have delight in the chief good above
all visible things.
13. "Nature doeth everything for her own gain and
profit, can do nothing as a free favour, but hopeth to attain
something as good or better, or some praise or favour for her
benefits; and she loveth that her own deeds and gifts should be highly
valued; but Grace seeketh nothing temporal, nor requireth any other
gift of reward than God alone; neither longeth she for more of
temporal necessities than such as may suffice for the attaining of
eternal life.
14. "Nature rejoiceth in many friends and
kinsfolk, she boasteth of noble place and noble birth, she smileth on
the powerful, flattereth the rich, applaudeth those who are like
herself; but Grace loveth even her enemies, and is not lifted up by
the multitude of friends, setteth no store upon high place or high
birth, unless there be greater virtue therewith; favoureth the poor
man more than the rich, hath more sympathy with the innocent than with
the powerful; rejoiceth with the truthful, not with the liar; always
exhorteth the good to strive after better gifts of grace, and to
become by holiness like unto the Son of God.
15. "Nature quickly complaineth of poverty and of
trouble; Grace beareth want with constancy.
16. "Nature looketh upon all things in reference
to herself; striveth and argueth for self; but Grace bringeth back all
things to God from whom they came at the beginning; ascribeth no good
to herself nor arrogantly presumeth; is not contentious, nor
preferreth her own opinion to others, but in every sense and
understanding submitteth herself to the Eternal wisdom and the Divine
judgment.
17. "Nature is eager to know secrets and to hear
new things; she loveth to appear abroad, and to make experience of
many things through the senses; she desireth to be acknowledged and to
do those things which win praise and admiration; but Grace careth not
to gather up new or curious things, because all this springeth from
the old corruption, whereas there is nothing new or lasting upon
earth. So she teacheth to restrain the senses, to shun vain
complacency and ostentation, to hide humbly those things which merit
praise and real admiration, and from everything and in all knowledge
to seek after useful fruit, and the praise and honour of God. She
desireth not to receive praise for herself or her own, but longeth
that God be blessed in all His gifts, who out of unmingled love
bestoweth all things."
18. This Grace is a supernatural light, and a
certain special gift of God, and the proper mark of the elect, and the
pledge of eternal salvation; it exalteth a man from earthly things to
love those that are heavenly; and it maketh the carnal man spiritual.
So far therefore as Nature is utterly pressed down and overcome, so
far is greater Grace bestowed and the inner man is daily created anew
by fresh visitations, after the image of God. |