The Ascent of Mount CarmelChapter XXVIII. The benefits of repressing all joy in moral goods

Very great benefits result to the soul, provided the will is restrained from vainly rejoicing in moral goods. In the first place, it is delivered from many temptations and illusions of Satan, which rejoicing in our good works secretly involves, as we learn from these words of God to Job: ‘He sleepeth under the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places.’¹ This applies to the evil spirit, for he deceives the soul in the moisture of joy and in the hollow of the reed, that is, of good works done through vanity. Nor is it strange that the devil should deceive it secretly in this rejoicing; for, independently of the devil’s suggestion, this empty joy is a delusion itself, especially when a feeling of boasting lurks in the heart, as it is written, ‘Thy arrogancy hath deceived thee and the pride of thy heart.’t Can there be a greater delusion than that of boasting? The soul is delivered from it by purifying itself from this joy.

2. The second benefit is that our good works are done with greater deliberation and in greater perfection. If the passion of joy and sweetness prevails, no deliberation can be had; for then rage and desire are so strong that they will not bend to reason; and, in general, under their influence we change our works and intentions, taking one thing in hand to-day and another tomorrow, beginning everything and bringing nothing to good effect. If joy be the main-spring of our work, we shall be inconsistent: some men are naturally more so than others; and when our joy ceases, we abstain also from our work and our resolution, however important they may be. With people of this kind, joy is the soul and strength of their good works; and when that joy disappears their good works perish, and they do not persevere. These are they of whom Christ saith, that they receive the word with joy, and that the devil takes it away forthwith that they may not persevere. ‘They by the wayside are they that hear; then the devil cometh and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved.’³ That is so, because all their strength and support was nothing else but this joy, and therefore to withdraw the will from it is an admirable preparation for perseverance and final success. This benefit, then, is as great as is the opposite evil. The wise man regards the substance and fruit of his labours not the pleasure and joy which it brings: he is not like one beating the air, but he reaps from his good works a durable joy, without demanding the tribute of delights.

3. The third benefit is divine; by quenching this hollow rejoicing in our works we attain to poverty of spirit, which is one of the beatitudes: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ We become gentle, humble, and prudent in our doings. We shall do nothing in a hurry, carried away by the rage and desire of this joy; neither shall we become presumptuous through overvaluing our good works under the influence of it; nor shall we be incautiously blinded by it.

5. The fifth benefit is that we shall become pleasing unto God and man, delivered from the dominion of avarice and gluttony, spiritual sloth and envy, and a thousand other vices.