'Spiritual knowledge teaches us that, at the outset,
the soul in pursuit of theology is troubled by many passions, above all
by anger and hatred. This happens to it not so much because the demons
are arousing these passions, as because it is making progress. So long
as the soul is worldly-minded, it remains unmoved and untroubled however
much it sees people trampling justice under foot. Preoccupied with its
own desires, it pays no attention to the justice of God. When, however,
because of its disdain for this world and its love for God, it begins to
rise above its passions, it cannot bear, even in its dreams, to see
justice set at naught. It becomes infuriated with evil-doers and remains
angry until it sees the violators of justice forced to make amends.
This, then, is why it hates the unjust and loves the just. The eye of
the soul cannot be led astray when its veil, by which I mean the body,
is refined to near-transparency through self-control. Nevertheless, it
is much better to lament the insensitivity of the unjust than to hate
them; for even should they deserve our hatred, it is senseless for a
soul which loves God to be disturbed by hatred, since when hatred is
present in the soul spiritual knowledge is paralyzed.'
