The Force And Man

Ubi erat impetus spiritus, illuc gradiebantur... In electis et reprobis diversi sunt impetus. In electis videlicet impetus spiritus in reprobis impetus carnis. Impetus quippe carnis ad odium, ad elationem, ad immunditiam, ad rapinam, ad exteriorem gloriam, ad crudelitatem, ad perfidiam, ad desperationem, ad iram, ad jurgia, ad voluptates animum impellit. Impetus vero spiritus ad charitatem, ad humilitatem, ad continentiam, ad largitatem misericordiae, ad interiorem provectum, ad pietatis opera, ad aeternorum fidem, ad spem sequentis gaudii, ad patientiam, ad pacem, ad considerationem vitae mortalis, ad lacrymas mentem pertrahit. Unde necesse est ut magna semper cura considerare debeamus in omne quod agimus quis nos impetus ducat; utrum nostra cogitatio per impetum carnis, an per impetum spiritus impellatur. Amare enim terrena, temporalia aeternis praeponere, exteriora bona non ad usum necessarium habere, sed ad voluptatem concupiscere, ultionem de inimico quaerere, de aemuli casu gaudere, impetus carnis est. At contra, amare coelestia, contemnere terrena, non ad fructum voluptatis transitoria, sed ad usum necessitatis quaerere, de inimici morte tribulari, impetus spiritus est. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Primus, Homilia V Source: Migne PL 76.821c-822a

Where was the force of the spirit, there they went... 1 In the elect and the reprobate there are different forces. In the elect certainly the force of the spirit, in the reprobate the force of the flesh. A certain force of the flesh leads the soul to hatred, to self-exaltation, to uncleanliness, to theft, to exterior glory, to cruelty, to treachery, to despair, to anger, to abuse, to pleasures. However the force of the spirit draws the mind to love, to humility, to continence, to the bounty of mercy, to interior contemplation, to works of piety, to eternal faith, to hope of coming joy, to endurance, to peace, to consideration of this mortal life, to tears. Whence it is necessary that we should always have great care in what we do as to what force is leading is. For to love worldly things, to prefer temporal things to eternal things, to have more external good than is necessary for us, to seek pleasure, to seek to be revenged on an enemy, to rejoice in envy, is the force of the flesh. But on the contrary, to love heavenly things, to spurn earthly things, not to go after the transitory fruits of pleasure but to seek the one thing necessary, to be troubled by the death of an enemy, is the force of the spirit.   Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 1, from Homily 5 1 Ezekiel 1.13