Again, it must be observed, that spiritual unhealthiness and misfortunes can generally be traced to excessive love for something which is subject to many variations, and which we can never become masters of.

For no one is solicitous or anxious about anything, unless he loves it; neither do wrongs, suspicions, enmities, &c.

arise, except in regard to things whereof no one can be really master.
We may thus readily conceive the power which clear and distinct knowledge, and especially that third kind of knowledge (II.xlvii.

note), founded on the actual knowledge of God, possesses over the emotions: if it does not absolutely destroy them, in so far as they are passions (V.iii.and iv.

note); at any rate, it causes them to occupy a very small part of the mind (V.xiv.).