of acts of it either externally or internally, and practising it as often as the opportunity occurs. But in every case the matter which we fix upon should be something quite clear and definite, so that when we make our examination there may be no doubt whether we have kept our resolution or not.

During retreat S. Ignatius would have us take for the matter of our particular examination the way in which we keep the Additions. See Observation IV, p. 75.

This Exercise is of great value both for rooting out sins and for acquiring purity of conscience. It should, therefore, be diligently practised by all who desire to make spiritual progress, not only in time of retreat, but all their life long. See Directory xiii.

There is a very full treatise on the particular examination by the Ven. Luis de la Palma (English Translation, Burns and Oates, 1873). See also Rodriguez, Christian Perfection, Vol. i, Seventh Treatise; and Scupoli, The Spiritual Combat, Chapters xvi, xvii, xxvi.

The director should instruct the retreatant in the method and use of this Exercise at the beginning of the retreat, immediately after the Foundation. See Directory xiii. 1–5.

Four Additions,

in order more quickly to eradicate the said particular sin or defect.

I. The first Addition is that every time a person falls into that particular sin or defect, he should lay his hand on his breast, grieving that he has fallen: a thing which he can do even in the presence of many people without their perceiving it.

II. The second, as the first line of the diagram below represents the first examination and the second line the second examination, let him at night time see whether there has been any improvement from the first line to the second, that is, from the first examination to the second.

III. The third, to compare the second day with the first, that is to say, the two examinations of the present day with the two of the preceding, and to see if from one day to the other he has improved.

IV. The fourth Addition, to compare one week with another, and to see if in the present week he has improved more than in the past week.

It is to be observed that the first long lines A

which follow represent the Sunday; the second, which are shorter, Monday; the third Tuesday, and so on (2).

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

(2) The Vulgate version adds, 'because it is right that the number of faults should be diminished day by day.'

As an example of the breadth of mind and liberty of spirit which were so characteristic of S. Ignatius and of the first Fathers of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Gagliardi, one of the earliest

commentators on the Exercises, says: 'This examination is very important for all, but it is otherwise in the case of that strict method which consists in marking a series of dots in columns. This is useless and even harmful to the scrupulous and those who are lacking in memory and imagination; let them perform this examination in another way' (Commentarii, Prooemium § 2).

GENERAL EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

in order to purify oneself and to confess better (1).

(1) The principles and rules here expounded are intended for use when preparing for confession, whether a general or an ordinary confession. They may also be used in our nightly self-examination. See Directory xiii. 6-8. During the Exercises this examination will prepare the ground of the exercitant's heart and conscience for those meditations of the First Week which are to develop his sense of sin, and to lead on to humility and contrition.

I presuppose that there are within me three kinds of thoughts; to wit, one my own, which springs entirely from my own liberty and will; and two others, which come from without, one from the good spirit, and the other from the evil (2).

(2) Within me, here, as in so many other places, S. Ignatius uses the first person singular, in order that the exercitant may apply everything to himself.

Note also that we have here, in the suggestions of the good and evil spirits which work upon us from without, the germ of the rules for the discernment of spirits which will be found towards the end of the book, pp. 184–93.

Of Thoughts

There are two ways of gaining merit from an evil thought which comes from without.

For example, a thought comes of committing a mortal sin, which thought I resist promptly, and it remains conquered.

The second way of gaining merit is when the same evil thought comes to me, and I resist it, and it returns time after time, and I always resist it, until it goes away conquered: and this second way is much more meritorious than the first.

A venial sin is committed when the same thought of sinning mortally comes and one gives ear to it, dwelling a few moments on

it, or receiving some slight sensual delectation, or when there is some negligence in rejecting such a thought (3).

(3) The teaching of S. Ignatius in this place was called in question during his lifetime. But Suarez shows that the Saint is speaking of a delectation which is antecedent to the full advertence of the mind, and so long as that is the case, even if there should be some slight negligence, the sin would be venial, not mortal. Expendendum est illud verbum aliquantulum et obiter, etc. (Vulgate version), quod idem significat ac subreptitie et antecedenter ad plenam judicii et rationis animadversionem: quamdiu autem delectatio in eo statu durat, etiamsi aliqua negligentia interveniat, tantum est peccatum veniale; nam sine plena advertentia rationis consensus etiam interpretativus mortalis non intervenit.' De Relig. IX. v. 13.

There are two ways of sinning mortally. The first is, when a man gives consent to an evil thought with the intention of acting afterwards according to his consent, or with the desire of doing so if he could.

The second way of sinning mortally is, when that sin is carried out in action; and this is a more grievous sin for three reasons : first, on account of the longer time (4); secondly on account of the greater intensity; thirdly on account of the greater injury to both persons.

(4) I.e. the longer time the soul entertains the thought of the sin, and adheres to it.

Both persons. These words, and also what is said above about sensual delectation, show that S. Ignatius is speaking especially about temptations and sins against purity. He does not give us a complete scheme of self-examination including every kind of sin, but only principles and rules for making our examination, which he illustrates from the instance of this one particular kind of sin.

Of Words

One must not swear by the Creator, nor by the creature, unless it be with truth, necessity, and reverence. By necessity I do not mean every sort of case when truth is to be affirmed, but only when that truth is of real importance for the profit of the soul or body, or for the safeguarding of temporal goods. And by reverence I mean when a man, in naming his Creator and Lord, religiously reflects on the honour and reverence due to Him.

It is to be noticed, that although in the case of a needless oath we sin more grievously when we swear by the Creator than we do when we swear by the creature, yet it is more difficult to swear rightly, i.e. with truth, necessity, and reverence, by the creature than by the Creator, for the following reasons.

The first is that when we wish to swear by some creature, the wish to name the creature does not make us so attentive or circumspect to speak the truth, or to think whether it is necessary to use an oath, as the wish to name the Lord and Creator of all things would do.

The second is that in swearing by the creature, it is not so easy to show reverence and respect to the Creator as when in swearing by and naming the Creator and Lord Himself: for the wish to name God our Lord brings with it more respect and reverence than the wish to name a created thing. Therefore it is more permissible for the perfect to swear by the creature than for the imperfect, because the perfect, by constant contemplation and the enlightenment of their understanding, are more able to consider, meditate upon, and contemplate our Lord God as existing in every creature by His proper essence, presence, and power; and thus, when they swear by the creature, they are more apt and disposed to show respect and reverence for their Creator and Lord than the imperfect.

The third is, that in frequently swearing by the creature idolatry (5) is more to be feared in the case of the imperfect than of the perfect.

Idle words are not to be spoken, by which I mean whatever does not profit me or any one else, nor has any such object in view; so that to say what profits or is intended to profit one's own soul, or that of another, or the body, or temporal goods is never an idle word, nor even if a man speaks of matters foreign to his state of life, as, for example, if a Religious should speak of wars or commerce; but in all that is said there is merit if it is spoken for a good end, and sin if it is directed to a bad end, or spoken idly.

Nothing is to be said to defame or slander another; because if I make known a mortal sin which is not public, I sin mortally; and venially if I make known a venial sin; and if I reveal a defect, I show thereby my own defect. But if the intention be pure, mention may be made of the sin or fault of another in two ways: first, when the sin is public, as in the case of a public prostitute, or of a sentence passed by a court of justice, or of a public error (6) which corrupts the souls of those with whom the person converses.