Fixing The Heart

Serenus: Periculosae praesumptionis est, necdum rebus recte discussis, nec certe ratione collecta, de natura cujuslibet rei proponere, definire, ac de fragilitatis suae consideratione capere conjecturam, nec de statu et qualitate ipsius disciplinae vel de aliorum experientia proferre sententiam. Nec enim si quis ignarus natandi, sciens pondus corporis sui ferre aquarum liquorem non posse, experimento suae voluerit imperitiae definire neminem penitus posse liquidis elementis solida carne circumdatum sustineri, idcirco vera eius opinio iudicanda est, quam secundum experientiam suam visus est protulisse, cum hoc non solum non esse impossibile, sed etiam perfacile ab aliis fieri, ratione certissima et oculorum fide non dubia comprobetur. Νοῦς itaque, id est, mens, ἀεὶκινητὸς, καὶ πολὺκινητὸς, id est, semper mobilis, et multum mobilis definitur. Quod etiam in sapientia, quae dicitur Salomonis, scriptum est, Γηίνον οἴκημα βαρύνει νοῦν πολὺ φροντίζοντα, id est, Terrenum habitaculum aggravat mentem multa cogitantem. Haec igitur pro conditione naturae numquam potest otiosa consistere, sed necesse est eam, nisi provisum habuerit ubi suos exerceat motus, et in quibus iugiter occupetur, propria mobilitate discurrere, et per omnia volitare, donec longo exercitio, usuque assuefacta diuturno, quod vos incassum dicitis laborare, experiatur et discat quas memoriae suae materias debeat praeparare, erga quas circumagat indefessos volatus, et immorando robur acquirat, et ita praevaleat adversas inimici suggestiones, quibus distrahebatur, extrudere, atque in illo quem desiderat statu et qualitate durare. Non ergo hanc evagationem cordis nostri vel naturae humanae, vel Deo creatori eius, debemus ascribere. Vera est enim Scripturae sententia, quia Dominus hominem fecit rectum, et ipsi quaesierunt cogitationes malas. A nobis ergo earum qualitas pendet. Quia cogitatio bona, inquit, scientibus eam appropinquat, vir autem prudens inveniet eam. Quidquid autem ut inveniri possit nostrae prudentiae industriaeque subiectum est, si non fuerit inventum, sine dubio nostrae desidiae vel imprudentiae, non naturae vitio reputandum est. Cui sensui Psalmista quoque congruit, dicens: Beatus vir cuius est auxilium abs te, Domine, ascensiones in corde suo disposuit. Videtis ergo in nostra ditione consistere, ut sive ascensus, id est, pertingentes ad Deum cogitationes, sive descensus, ad terrena scilicet et carnalia corruentes, in nostris cordibus disponamus. Quae si non in nostra potestate consisterent, nec Pharisaeos Dominus increpasset: Quid cogitatis mala in cordibus vestris? Nec per prophetam praecepisset, dicens: Auferte malum cogitationum vestrarum ab oculis meis. Et: Usquequo morabuntur in te cogitationes noxiae? Nec in die iudicii earum qualitas, quemadmodum operum exigetur a nobis, ita per Isaiam Domino comminante, Ecce ego, inquit, venio ut congregem opera et cogitationes eorum cum omnibus gentibus et linguis. Sed nec condemnari quidem earum testimonio vel defendi in illo terribili atque metuendo examine, secundum beati Apostoli sententiam, meremur, ita dicentis, Inter se invicem cogitationibus accusantibus, aut etiam defendentibus, in die qua iudicabit Deus occulta hominum, secundum Evangelium meum. Sanctus Ioannes Cassianus, Collationes, Collatio VII, De Animae Mobilitate et Spiritalibus Nequitiis, Caput IV, Disputatio Senis de Statu Animae ac Virtute ejus Source: Migne PL 49.671c-673a

Serenus: It is dangerous presumption when things are not yet rightly discussed nor grasped with certain reason regarding the nature of whatever is proposed, to define it, and amid our own fragility, to make conjectures, without bringing forward the judgement of the state and quality of the practice itself and the experience of others. For if someone ignorant of swimming knew that the weight of his body could not be supported by water and he wished from the proof his inexperience provided to assert that no one composed of solid flesh could possibly be supported by the liquid element, we should not therefore judge his opinion to be true, which he seems to have put forward in accordance with his own experience, since it can be shown to be not merely possible but even extremely easily done by others, with the clearest proof and ocular demonstration allowing no doubt. Thus the νοῦς, that is, the mind, is defined as ἀεικίνητος καὶ πολυκίνητος, that is, ever shifting and shifting much. And indeed in the wisdom that is called Solomon's it has been written, καὶ γεῶδες σκῆνος βρίθει νοῦν πολυφρόντιδα, that is, 'And the earthly tabernacle weighs down the mind that thinks on many things.' 1 The mind, then, in accordance with its nature can never be idle, and unless provision is made for it to exercise its motions in what will continually occupy it, it must because of its restlessness wander and stray over all kinds of things, until accustomed by long practice and daily use, where you say that you have toiled without result, it attempts and learns what food for the memory it should prepare that will bring it back from its ceaseless fluttering about and give it strength to be still, which thus may succeed in driving away the hostile suggestion of the enemy by which it is distracted and drawn away from that state and condition it desires. We should not, therefore, ascribe this wandering inclination of our heart either to human nature or to God its Creator, for it is a true statement of Scripture, that 'God made man upright, and they have sought out many evil thoughts.' 2 Thus the quality of these thoughts depends on us, for it has been said that a good thought comes near to those that know it, but a prudent man will find it. For where anything is subject to our prudence and diligence so that it can be found, if it is not found we must attribute that to our own idleness or carelessness and not to a fault of our nature. The Psalmist also agrees with this understanding, saying, 'Blessed the man whose help is from you, in his heart he has disposed ascents.' 3 You see, therefore, that it is in our power to dispose our hearts either to ascents, that is, thoughts for God, or to descents, that is, thoughts that sink to carnal and earthly things. And if this was not in our power the Lord would not have rebuked the Pharisees with, 'Why do you think evil in your hearts?' Nor would He have commanded the prophet, saying, 'Take away the evil of your thoughts from my eyes,' and 'How long shall wicked thoughts remain in you?' Nor would the character of them as our works be taken into consideration on the day of judgment, as the Lord admonishes us through Isaiah, 'Behold, I come that I may gather together their works and thoughts with all peoples and tongues.' 4 Nor would it be right that we should be condemned or acquitted by their evidence in that terrible and dreadful examination. As the blessed Apostle says, 'Their thoughts between themselves accusing or defending one another, in the day when God shall judge the hidden things of men according to my Gospel.' 5 Saint John Cassian, Conferences, Conference 7, On Instability of Mind and Spiritual Wickedness, Chapter 4, A Discourse of the Elder on the State of the Soul and its Excellence 1 Wisdom 9.15 2 Eccl 7.30 3 Ps 83.6 4 Mt 9.4, Isaiah 1.16, Jerem 4.14 ,Isaiah 66.18 5 Rom 2.15-16