Chap. xvii, Ver. 1.—'My spirit shall be attenuated.' 32. The good promise themselves a short life, but the wicked a long one.—The spirit is attenuated by fear of the judgment, because the minds of the elect, the more they perceive themselves to draw near to the final judgment, the more terribly do they tremble at sifting themselves; and if ever they find any carnal thoughts in themselves, they consume them with the ardour of penance, nor do they permit their thoughts to be dilated by carnal pleasure, because the more attentively they await the strict Judge as near, the more subtly they smite themselves in judging themselves. Whence it comes to pass that they always suspect their departure to be near to them. For the minds of the reprobate therefore do many things wickedly, because they reckon that they will live here for a longer time.
The spirit of the just, therefore, is attenuated, but that of the wicked grows gross. For inasmuch as they swell with elation, so far do they not have attenuation of spirit. But the just, while they consider the brevity of their life, decline the faults of elation and of uncleanness. Whence it is also subjoined: