is easie in the middle and becomes most sweet in the end 54. Thou wilt find thy self far from Perfection if thou dost not find God in every thing 55. Know that pure perfect and essential Love consists in the Cross in self-denial and resignation in perfect humility in poverty of spirit and in a mean opinion of thy self 56. In the time of strong temptation desertion and desolation 't is necessary for thee to get close into thy center that thou may'st only look at and contemplate God who keeps his throne and his abode in the bottom of thy Soul. 57. Thou wilt find impatience and bitterness of heart to grow from the depth of sensible empty and mortified love 58. True love is known with its effects when the Soul is profoundly humbled and desires to be truly mortified and despised 59. Many there be who however they have been dedicated to Prayer yet have no relish of God because in the end of their Prayers they are neither mortified nor attend upon God any longer for obtaining that peaceable and continual attending 't is necessary to get a great purity of mind and heart great peace of soul and an universal resignation 60. To the simple and the mortified the recreation of the senses is a sort of death they never go to it unless compelled by necessity and edification of their neighbours 61. The bottom of our soul you will know is the place of our happiness There the Lord shews us wonders there we ingulf and lose our selves in the immense ocean of his infinite goodness in which we keep fixt and unmoveable There there resides the incomparable fruition of our Soul and that eminent and sweet rest of it An humble and resign'd Soul which is come to this bottom seeks no more than meerly to please God and the holy and loving Spirit teaches it every thing with his sweet and enlivening unction 62. Amongst the Saints there are some gigantick ones who continually suffer with patience indispositions of body of which God takes great care But high and soveraign is their gift who by the strength of the Holy Ghost suffer both internal and external crosses with content and resignation This is that sort of holiness so much the more rare as it is more precious in the sight of God. The spiritual ones which walk this way are rare because there are few in the world who do totally deny themselves to follow Christ crucified with simpleness and bareness of spirit through the loansom and thorny ways of the Cross without making reflexions upon themselves 63. A Life of Self-denial is above all the Miracles of the Saints and it doth not know whether it be alive or dead lost or gained whether it agrees or resists this is the true resigned Life But although it should be a long time before thou comest to this state and thou should'st think not to have made one step towards it yet affright not thy self at this for God uses to bestow upon a Soul that Blessing in one moment which was denied it for many years before 64. He that desires to suffer blindfold without the comfort of God or the creatures is gotten too far onwards to be able to resist unjust accusations which his enemies make against him even in the most dreadful and interior desolation 65. The spiritual man that lives by God and in him is inwardly contented in the midst of his adversities because the Cross and Affliction are his Life and Delight 66. Tribulation is a great treasure wherewith God honours those that be his in this life therefore evil men are necessary for those that are good and so are the Devils themselves which by afflicting us do try to ruine us but instead of doing us harm they do us the greatest good imaginable 67. There must be tribulation to make a man's life acceptable to God without it 't is like the Body without the Soul the Soul without Grace the Earth without the Sun. 68. With the wind of tribulation God separates in the floor of the Soul the Chaff from the Corn. 69. When God crucifies in the inmost part of the Soul no creature is able to comfort it nay comforts are but grievous and bitter crosses to it And if it be well-instructed in the laws and discipline of the ways of pure love in the time of great desolation and inward troubles it ought not to seek abroad among the creatures for comfort nor lament it self with 'em nor will it be able to read Spiritual Books because this is a secret way of getting at a distance from suffering 70. Those Souls are to be pitied who cannot find in their hearts to believe that Tribulation and Suffering is their greatest Blessing They who are perfect ought always to be desirous of dying and suffering being always in a state of death and suffering vain is the man who doth not suffer because he is born to toyl and suffering but much more the Friends and Elect of God. 71. Undeceive thy self and believe that in order to thy Soul 's being totally transformed with God it is necessary for it to be lost and be denied in its life sense knowledge and power and to die living and not living dying and not dying suffering and not suffering resigning up and not resigning up it self without reflecting upon any thing 72. Perfection in its followers receives not its glories but by Fire and Martyrdom Griefs Torments Punishments and Contempt suffered and endured with gallantry and courage and he that would have some place to set his feet on and rest himself and does not go beyond the reason of reason and of sence will never get into the secret cabiner of knowledge though by reading he may chance to get a taste and relish the understanding of it CHAP. VIII Pursues the same Matter 73. YOU must know that the Lord will not manifest himself in thy Soul till it be denied in it self and dead in its senses and powers nor will it ever come to this state till being perfectly resigned it resolves to be with God all alone making an equal account of Gifts and Contempts Light and Darkness Peace and War. In summ that the Soul may arrive at perfect quietness and supreme internal peace it ought first to die in it self and live only in God and for him and the more dead it shall be in it self the more shall it know God but if it doth not mind this continual denying of it self and internal mortification it will never arrive at this state nor preserve God within it and then it will be continually subject to accidents and passions of the mind such as are judging murmuring resenting excusing defending to keep its honour and reputation which are enemies to Perfection Peace and the Spirit 74. Know that the diversity of states amongst those that be spiritual consists only in dying all alike but in the happy which die continually God hath his honour his blessings and delights here below 75. Great is the
me always that this is the most firm and secure disposition my spirit in the upper part is in a most simple unity it is not united because when it would perform acts of union which it often sets about it finds difficulty and clearly perceives that it cannot unite but be united The Soul would make use of this union for the service of Mattins the holy Mass preparation for the Communion and Thanksgiving and in a word it would for all things be always in that most simple unity of spirit without reflecting on any thing else To all this the holy Father answered with approbation perswading her to persist and putting her in mind that the repose of God is in peace 91. Another time she wrote to the same Saint these words Endeavouring to do some more special acts of my simple intuition total resignation and annihilation in God his divine goodness rebuked me and gave me to understand that that proceeded only from the love of my self and that thereby I offended my Soul. 92. By this thou wilt be undeceived and know what is the perfect and spiritual way of Praying and be advised what is to be done in Internal recollection Thou 'lt know that to the end Love may be perfect and pure it is expedient to retrench the multiplication of sensible and fervent Acts the Soul continuing quiet and resting in that inward Silence Because tenderness delight and sweet sentiments which the Soul experiences in the Will are not pure Spirits but Acts blended with the sensibilitie of Nature Nor is it perfect Love but sensible Pleasure which distracts and hurts the Soul as the Lord told the venerable Mother of Cantal 93. How happy and how well applied will thy Soul be if retreating within it self it there shrink into its own nothing both in its Center and superiour Part without minding what it does whether it recollect or not whether it walk well or ill if it operate or not without heeding thinking or minding any sensible thing At that time the Intellect believes with a pure Act and the Will loves with perfect Love without any kind of impediment imitating that pure and continued Act of Intuition and Love which the Saints say the Blessed in Heaven have with no other difference than that they see one another there Face to Face and the Soul here through the Veil of an obscure Faith. 94. O how few are the Souls that attain to this perfect Way of Praying because they penetrate not enough into this internal recollection and Mystical Silence and because they strip not themselves of imperfect reflection and sensible pleasure O that thy Soul without thoughtful advertency even of it self might give it self in Prey to that holy and spiritual Tranquility In bis Confess lib. 9. cap. 10. and say with St. Austin Sileat anima mea transeat se non se cogitando Let it be silent and do nothing forget it self and plung into that obscure Faith How secure and safe would it be though it might seem to it that thus unactive and doing nothing it were undone 95. I 'll sum up this Doctrine with a Letter that the illuminated Mother of Cantal wrote to a Sister and great Servant of God Diviâ—â— Bounty said she granted me this way of Prayer that with a single View of God I felt my self wholy dedicated to him absorpt and reposed in him he still continued to me that Grace though I opposâ—â— it by my Infidelity giving way to fear and thinking my self unprofitable in that state for which cause being willing to do something on my part 〈◊〉 quite spoil all and to this present I find my seâ—â— sometimes assaulted by the same Fear though 〈◊〉 in Prayer but in other Exercises wherein I am always willing to employ my self a little though I know very well that in doing such acts I come oâ—â— of my Center and see particularly that that simpâ—â— View of God is my onely remedy and help still 〈◊〉 all troubles temptations and the events of thâ—â— Life 96. And certainly would I have followed my internal Impulse I should have made use of no other means in any thing whatsoever without exception because when I think to fortifie my Soul with Arts Reasonings and Resignations then do I expose my self to new temptations and straights Besides that I cannot do it without great violence which leaves me exhausted and dry so that it behoves me speedily to return to this simple Resignation knowing that God in this manner lets me see that it is his Will and Pleasure that a total stop should be put to the operations of my Soul because he would have all things done by his own divine Activity and happily he expects no more of me but this onely View in all spiritual Exercises and in all the pains temptations and afflictions that may befal me in this life And the truth is the quieter I keep my Spirit by this means the better all things succeed with me and my crosses and afflictions suddenly vanish Many times hath my blessed Father St Francis of Sales assured me of this 97. Our late Mother Superiour encouraged me firmly to persist in that way and not to fear any thing in this simple View of God She told me That that was enough and that the greater the nakedness and quietness in God are the greater sweetness and strength receiveth the Soul which ought to endeavour to become so pure and simple that it should have no other support but in God alone 98. To this purpose I remember that a few days since God communicated to me an Illumination which made such an impression upon me as if I had clearly seen him and this it is That I should never look upon my self but walk with eyes shut leaning on my Beloved without striving to see nor know the Way by which he guides me neither fix my thoughts on any thing nor yet beg Favours of him but as undone in my self rest wholly and sincerely on him Hitherto that Illuminated and Mistical Mistress whose Words do Credit and Authorize our Doctrine CHAP. XIV Declaring how the Soul putting it self in the Presence of God with perfect Resignation by the pure Act of Faith walks always in virtual and acquired Contemplation 99. THou wilt tell me as many Souls have told me that though by a perfect Resignation thou hast put thy self in the Presence of God by means of pure Faith as hath been already hinted yet thou doest not merit nor emprove because thy thoughts are so distracted that thou canst not be fixed upon God. 100. Be not disconsolate for thou do'st not lose time nor merit neither desist thou from Prayer because it is not necessary that during that whole time of recollection thou should'st actually think on God it is enough that thou hast been attentive in the beginning provided thou discontinue not thy purpose nor revoke the actual attention which thou hadst As he who hears Mass and says the Divine Office performs
a mind to do the divine Will with all diligence thou wilt never find the way but by the means of Obedience When a man is resolved to be governed by himself he is lost and deceived Although the Soul have very profound signs that it is a good Spirit that speaks to it yet unless it submit to the judgment of the spiritual Director let it be esteemed an evil Spirit So says Gerson Tract de dist verar. Num. 19. and many other Masters of Spirit 78. This Doctrine will be confirmed by that case of St. Teresa The holy Mother seeing that Lady Catherine of Cardona led a Life of great and rigid Penance in the Wilderness resolved to imitate her contrary to the judgment of her spiritual Father who forbid her Then the Lord told her in her Life 366. You must by no means do this Daughter the good way thou hast secure thou seest all the Penance that Catherine doth but I value more thy obedience She from that time forward vowed to obey her spiritual Father and in the 26th Chapter of her Life we read that God often told her that she must not omit to acquaint her spiritual Father with her whole Soul and the graces that she had done her and that she should always take care to obey him in every thing 79. Thou seest how God hath been willing to secure that heavenly and important Doctrine by the holy Scripture the Saints the Doctors by Reasons and by Examples a-purpose to root out altogether the deceits of the Enemy CHAP. XI When and in what things this Obedience doth most concern the interior Soul. 80. THat you may know when Obedience is most necessary I will advise thee that when thou shalt find the horrible and importunate suggestions of the Enemy greatest upon thee when thou shalt suffer most darkness anguish drowth forsakings when thou shalt see thy self most beset with temptations wrath rage blasphemy lust cursing tediousness despair impatience and desolation then 't is most necessary for thee to believe and obey an expert Director resting thy self on his holy Counsel that thou may'st not suffer thy self to be carried away by the strong perswasion of the Enemy who would make thee believe in affliction and heavy desertion that thou art lost and abhorred by God that thou art out of his favour and that Obedience is past doing thee any good 81. Thou shalt find thy self encompassed with troublesome scruples griefs anguish distress martyrdoms distrusts forsakings of the Creatures and troubles so bitter that thy afflictions shall seem past comfort and thy torments unconquerable O blessed Soul how happy wilt thou be if thou dost but believe thy Guide and subject thy self to him and obey him Then wilt thou walk safe by the secret and interior way of the dark night although thou may'st seem to thy self to live in Errour and that thou art worse than ever that thou seest nothing in thy Soul but abomination and signs of condemnation 82. Thou wilt think verily that thou art possessed by an evil Spirit because the signs of this interior exercise and horrible tribulation seem as bad as the invasions of infernal Furies and Devils Then take care to believe thy Guide firmly for thy true Happiness consists in thy obedience 83. You must consider that when the Devil sees a Soul totally denying it self and submitting to the obedience of its Director he makes a strange uproar all Hell over to hinder this infinite Good and this holy Sacrifice Full of envy and fury as he is he uses to make strife between the two inspiring the Soul with wearisomness anger aversion resistance distrust and hatred against the Guide and sometimes he makes use of his Tongue to bespatter him with many Reproaches But if this Director be an expert one he laughs at these subtle Snares and diabolical Craftynesses And however the Devil may perswade the Souls of such a state with divers suggestions not to believe their Director that they may not obey him nor profit under him yet nevertheless they may believe and they do believe enough to obey though it be without their own satisfaction 84. Thou wilt ask of thy Guide some Liberty or wilt communicate to him some Grace received If in denying thee that Liberty or rejecting that Grace that thou may'st not grow proud thou withdrawest thy self from his Counsel and leavest him it is a sign that the Favour was false and that thy Spirit walks in danger But if thou dost believe and obey although he do soundly displease thee 't is a sign that thou art alive and unmortified nevertheless thou wilt profit with that violent and working Medicine Because though the inferiour part be troubled and do resent yet the superior part of the Soul doth embrace him and will be humbled and mortified because it knows that this is the divine Will. And though thou dost not know it yet satisfaction goes on emproving in thy Soul and so doth the confidence that thou hast in thy Guide 85. The means of denying self-love and of laying down ones own judgment you must know is subjecting it altogether with true submission to the Counsel of the spiritual Physitian If he hinders you your pleasure or demands what you desire not thousands of false and idle reasons do presently get about his holy Counsel where it is presently known that the Spirit is not altogether mortified nor his own judgment blinded which are irreconcileable Enemies to a ready and blind obedience and the peace of the Soul. 86. Then 't is necessary to overcome thy self and thy quick sentiments to despise those false and lying reasons by obeying holding thy tongue and executing his holy Counsel because that is the way to root up thy appetite and thine own judgment 87. For this reason the ancient Fathers as expert and skilful Masters of Spirit did exercise their Disciples in divers and extraordinary Ways To some they gave order to plant Lettice with the leaves downward to others to Water dry and withered Trees to others to sew and unsew again many times their Cloaths all marvellous and effectual stratagems to make tryal of simple obedience and to cut by the roots the weeds of their own Will and judgement CHAP. XII Treats of the same 88. KNow that thou canst not fetch one step in the way of the Spirit till thon endeavourest to conquer this fierce Enemy thy own judgment And the Soul that will not know this hurt can never be cured A sick man that knows his Disease knows for certain that although he is adry yet it is not good for him to drink and that the Physick prescribed him though it be bitter yet is profitable for him Therefore he believes not his Appetite nor trusts in his own Judgment but yields himself up to a skilful Physitian obeying him in every thing as the means of his Recovery and Cure The knowledge that he is sick helps him not to trust to himself but to follow the wise judgment of
affection is not perfect and ordinarily it is given to weak and nice Souls 103. Thou wilt say that thou feelest thy self indisposed without devotion without fervour without the desire of this Divine Food so as to ask how thou must frequent it believe for certain that none of these things doth hinder or hurt thee whilst you preserve this purpose firm not to sin and your Will determined to avoid every offence and if thou hast confessed all those that thou couldst remember doubt not but that thou art well prepared to come to this Heavenly and Divine Table CHAP. XIV Pursues the same Matter 104. THou must know that in this unspeakaable Sacrament Christ is united with the Soul is made one thing with it whose fineness and purity is the most profound and admirable and the most worthy of consideration and thanks Great was the pureness of him in being made Man greater that of dying ignominiously on the Cross for our sake but the giving of himself whole and entire to man in this admirable Sacrament admits no comparison This is singular favour and infinite pureness because there is no more to give no more to receive O that we could but comprehend him O that we could but know him 105. That God being what he is should be Communicated to my Soul that God should be willing to make a reciprocal ty of union with it which of it self is meer misery O Souls if we could but feed ourselves at this Heavenly Table O that we could scorch ourselves at this burning fire O that we could become one and the same spirit with this Soveraign Lord who withholds us who deceives us who takes us off from burning like Salamanders in the Divine fire of this holy Table 106. 'T is true O Lord that thou entrest into me a miserable creature but true also it is that thou at the same time remainest in thy glory and brightness and in thy self Receive me therefore O my Jesus in thy self in thy beauty and Majesty I am infinitely glad that the vileness of my Soul cannot prejudice thy beautyâ— thou enterest therefore into me without going out of thy self thou livest in the midst of thy brightness and magnificence though thou art in my darkness and misery 107. O my Soul how great is thy vileness Job 7 Chap. how great thy poverty What is man Lord that thou art so mindful of him that thou visitest him and makest him great What is man that thou puttest such an esteem upon him being willing to have thy delights with him and dwell personally with thy greatnesses in him how O Lord can a miserable creature receive an infinite Majesty humble thy self O my soul to the very depth of nothing confess thy unworthyness look upon thy misery and acknowledge the wonders of the Divine Love which suffers it self to be mean in this incomprehensible Mystery that it may be communicated and united with thee 108. O the greatness of love which the amiable Jesus is in a small host who is there subject in some manner to man giving himself whole and sacrificing himself for him to the Eternal Father O Sovereign Lord keep back my heart strongly that it may never more return to its imperfect liberty but all annihilated may die to the world and remain united with thee 109. If thou would'st get all Vertues in the highest degree come blessed Soul come with frequency to this most holy Table for there they do all dwell Eat O my Soul of this Heavenly Food eat and continue come with humility come with Faith to feed of this White and Divine Bread for this is the Mark of Souls and from hence Love draws its Arrows saying Come O Soul and eat this savoury Food if thou would'st get Purity Charity Chastity Light Strength Perfection and Peace CHAP. XV. Declaring when Spiritual and Corporal Penances ought to be used and how hurtful they are when they are done indiscreetly according to ones own judgment and opinion 110. IT is to be known that there are some Souls who to make too great advances in Holiness become much behind-hand in it by doing indiscreet Penances like those who would sing more than their strength allows 'em who strain themselves till they are tired and instead of doing better do worse 111. Many have fallen into this Precipice for want of subjecting their judgment to their spiritual Fathers whil'st they have imagined that unless they give themselves up to rigid Penances they never can be Saints as if sanctity did only consist in them They say that he that sows little reaps little but they sow no other seed with their indiscreet Penances than Self-love instead of rooting of it up 112. But the worst of these indiscreet Penances is that by the use of these dry and barren Severities is begotten and naturalized a certain bitterness of heart towards themselves and their neighbours which is a great stranger to the true Spirit towards themselves because they do not feel the sweetness of Christ's Yoke the sweetness of Charity but only the asperity of Penances whereby their nature becomes imbitter'd and hence it follows that such men become exasperated with their neighbours to the marking and reproving much their faults and holding of 'em for very defective for the same reason that they see 'em go a less rigorous way than themselves hence they grow proud with their exercises of Penance seeing few that do after 'em and thinking themselves better than other folks whereupon they much fall in the account of their Vertues Hence comes the envy of others to see them less penitent and greater favourites of God a clear proof that they fixed their confidence in their own proper diligences 113. Prayer is the nourishment of the Soul and the Soul of Prayer is internal mortification for however bodily Penance and all other exercises chastening the flesh be good and holy and praiseworthy so as they be moderated by discretion according to the state and quality of every one and by the help of the spiritual Director's judgment yet thou wilt never gain any vertue by these means but only vanity and the wind of vain-glory if they do not grow from within Wherefore now thou shalt know when thou art to use most chiefly External Penances 114. When the Soul begins to retire from the World and Vice it ought to tame the Body with rigour that it may be subject to the Spirit and follow the Law of God with ease then it concerns you to manage the Weapons of Hair-cloth Fasting and Discipline to take from the flesh the roots of sin but when the Soul enters into the way of the Spirit imbracing internal mortification corporal chastisements ought to be relaxed because there is trouble enough in the Spirit the heart is weakned the breast suffers the brain is weary the whole Body grieved and disabled for the functions of the Soul. 115. The wise and skilful Director therefore must consider not to give way to these Souls to
difference which is between doing suffering and dying doing is delightful and belongs to beginners suffering with desire belongs to those who are proficients dying always in themselves belongs to those who are accomplished and perfect of which number there are very few in the world 76. How happy wilt thou be if thou hast no other thought but to die in thy self thou wilt then become not only victorious over thine enemies but also over thy self in which victory thou wilt certainly find pure love perfect peace and divine wisdom 77. It is impossible for a man to be able to think and live mystically in a simple understanding of the divine and infused wisdom if he does not first die in himself by the total denying of sense and the reasonable appetite 78. The true lesson of the spiritual man and that which thou oughtest to learn is to leave all things in their place and not meddle with any but what thy office may bind thee to because the Soul which leaves every thing to find God doth then begin to have all in the eternity iâ— seeks 79. Some Souls there are who seek repose others without seeking have the pleasure of it others have a pleasure in pain and others seek it The first do as good as nothing the second are in the way towards it the third run and the last fly 80. The disesteem of delights and the counting of 'em torment is the property of a truly mortified man. 81. Enjoyment and Internal Peace are the Fruits of the Spirit Divine and no man gets 'em into his possession if in the closet of his soul he is not a resigned man. 82. Thou seest that the displeasures of the good pass presently away but for all that endeavour never to have 'em nor to stop in 'em for they damnifie thy health disturb thy reason and disquiet thy spirit 83. Amongst other holy Counsels which thou must observe remember well this that follows Look not upon other mens faults but thine own keep silence with a continued internal conversation mortifie thy self in all things and at all hours and by this means thou wilt get free from many imperfections and make thy self Commander of great Vertues 84. Mortifie thy self in not judging ill of any body at any time because the suspicion of thy neighbour disturbs the purity of heart discomposes it brings the Soul out and takes away its repose 85. Never wilt thou have perfect resignation if thou mind'st humane respects and reflectest upon the little idol of what people say The Soul that goes by the inward way will soon lose it self if once it come to look at reason amongst the creatures and in commerce and conversation with ' em There is no other reason than not to look at reason but to imagine that God permits grievances to fall on us to humble and annihilate us and make us live wholly resigned 86. Behold how God makes greater account of a Soul that lives internally resigned than of another that doth miracles even to the raising of the dead 87. Many Souls there are which though they exercise Prayer yet because they are not mortified are always imperfect and full of self-love 88. Hold it for a true mixim that no body can do a grievance or injury to a Soul despised by it self and one that is nothing in its own account 89. Finally be of hope suffer be silent and patient let nothing affright thee all of it will have a time to end God only is he that is unchangeable patience brings a man in every thing He that hath God hath all things and he that hath him not hath nothing CHAP. IX For the obtaining of Internal Peace 't is necessary for the Soul to know its misery 90. IF the Soul should not fall into some faults it would never come to understand its own misery though it hears men speak and reads spiritual Books nor can it ever obtain precious peace if it do not first know its own miserable weakness because there the remedy is difficult where there is no clear knowledge of the defect God will suffer in thee sometimes one fault sometimes another that by this knowledge of thy self seeing thee so often fallen thou may'st believe that thou art a meer nothing in which knowledge and belief true peace and perfect humility is founded and that thou may'st the better search into thy mystry and see what thou art I will try to undeceive thee in some of thy manifold imperfections 91. Thou art so quick and nice that it may be if thou dost but trip as thou walkest or findest thy way molested thou feelest even Hell it self if thou art denied thy due or thy pleasure opposed thou presently briskest up with a warm resentment of it If thou spiest a fault in thy neighbour instead of pitying him and thinking that thou thy self art liable to the same failing thou indiscreetly reprovest him if thou seest a thing convenient for thee and canst not compass it thou growest sad and full of sorrow if thou receivest a slight injury from thy neighbour thou chidest at him and complainest for it insomuch that for any trifle thou art inwardly and outwardly discomposed and losest thy self 92. Thou would'st be penitent but with another's patience and if the impatience still continues thou layest the fault with much pains upon thy companion without considering that thou art intolerable to thy self and when the rancour is over thou cunningly dost return to make thy self vertuous giving documents and relating spiritual sayings with artifice of wit without mending thy past-faults Although thou willingly dost condemn thy self reproving thy faults before others yet this thou dost more to justifie thy self with him that sees thy faults that thou may'st return again afresh to the former esteem of thy self than through any effect of perfect humility 93. Other times thou dost subtilly alledge that it is not through fault but zeal of justice that thou complainest of thy neighbour Thou believest for the most part that thou art vertuous constant and couragious even to the giving up thy life into the tyrant's hand solely for the sake of divine love yet thou canst scarce hear the least word of anger but presently thou dost afflict and trouble and disquiet thy self These are all industrious engines of self-love and the secret pride of thy soul Know therefore that self-love reigns in thee and that from purchasing this precious peace that is thy greatest hindrance CHAP. X. In which is shewed and discovered what is the false humility and what the true with the effects of ' em 94. THou must know that there are two sorts of humility one false and counterfeit the other true The false one is theirs who like water which must mount upward receive an external fall and artificial submission to rise up again immediately These avoid esteem and honour that so they may be took to be humble they say of themselves that they are very evil that they may be thought good
impossible thing to be sesparated from its beloved and his infinite treasure 145. There are six other steps of Contemplation which are these Fire Union Elevation Illumination Pleasure and Repose With the first the Soul is inkindled and being inkindled is anointed being anointed is raised being raised contemplates contemplating it receives pleasure and receiving pleasure it finds repose By these steps the Soul rises higher being abstracted and experienced in the Spiritual and Internal Way 146. In the first step which is Fire the Soul is illustrated by the means of a divine and ardent ray in kindling the affections divine and drying up those which are but humane The second is the Unction which is a sweet and spiritual Liquor which diffusing it self all the Soul over teaches it strengthens it and disposes it to receive and contemplate the divine truth and sometimes it extends even to nature it self corroborating it by patience with a sensible pleasure that seems celestial 147. The third is the Elevation of the Inner Man over it self that it may get fittest to the clear fountain of pure love 148. The fourth step which is Illumination is an infused knowledge whereby the Soul contemplates sweetly the divine truth rising still from one clearness to another from one light to another from knowledge to knowledge being guided by the Spirit Divine 149. The fifth is a Savoury Pleasure of the Divine Sweetness issuing forth from the plentiful and precious Fountain of the Holy Ghost 150. The sixth is a Sweet and Admirable Tranquility arising from the conquest of Fightings within and frequent Prayer and this very very few have experience of Here the abundance of Joy and Peace is so great that the Soul seems to be in a sweet sleep solacing and reposing it self in the divine breast of love 151. Many other steps of Contemplation there are as Extasies Raptures Melting Deliquium's Glee Kisses Embraces Exultation Union Transformation Espousing and Matrimony which I omit to explain to give no occasion to speculation And because there are whole Books which treat of these Points though they are all for him who finds nothing of 'em any more than a blind man doth of Colour or a deaf man of Musick In a word by these steps we get up to the chamber and repose of the pacifick King and the true Solomon CHAP. XVI Signs to know the Inner Man and the Mind that 's purged 152. THE Signs to know the Inner Man by are four The first If the Understanding produce no other Thoughts than those which stir up to the light of Faith and the Will is so habituated that it begets no other Acts of Love than of God and in order to him The second If when he ceases from an External Work in which he was employed the Understanding and the Will are presently and easily turned to God. The third If in entring upon Prayer he forgets all outward things as if he had not seen nor used ' em The fourth If he carries himself orderly towards outward things as if he were entring into the World again fearing to embroil himself in business and naturally abhorring it uâ—less when charity requires it of him 153. Such a Soul as this is free from the Outward Man and easily enters into the interior solitude where it sees none but God and it self in him loving him with quiet and peace and true love There in that secret center God is kindly speaking to it teaching it a new Kingdom and true Peace and Joy. 154. This spiritual abstracted and retired Soul hath its peace no more broken though outwardly it may meet with combats because through the infinite distance tempests do never reach to that serenest heaven within where pure and perfect love resides and though sometimes it may be naked forsaken fought against and desolate this is only the fury of the storm which threatens and rages no where but without 155. This secret love within hath four effects The first is called Illumination which is a savoury and experimental knowledge of the greatness of God and of its own nothing The second is Inflammation which is an ardent desire of being burnt like the Salamander in this kind and divine fire The third is Sweetness which is a peaceable joyful sweet and intimate fruition The fourth is a swallowing up of the powers in God by which immersion the Soul is so much drencht and fill'd with God that it can't any longer seek desire or will any thing but it s greatest and infinite good 156. From this fullest satiety two effects arise The first is a great courage to suffer for God. The second is a certain hope or assurance that it can never lose him nor be separated from him 157. Here in this internal retirement the beloved Jesus hath his Paradise to whom we may go up standing and conversing on the Earth And if thou desirest to know who he is who is altogether drawn to this inward retirement with enlightened exemplification in God I tell thee it is he that in adversity in discomfort of spirit and in the want of necessaries stands firm and unshaken These constant and inward Souls are outwardly naked and wholly diffused in God whom they continually do contemplate they have no spot they live in God and of him himself they shine brighter than a thousand Suns they are beloved by the Son of God they are the darlings of God the Father and Elect Spouses of the Holy Ghost 158. By three signs is a mind that is purged to be known as St. Thomas says in a Treatise of his The first sign is diligence which is a strength of mind which banishes all neglect and sloth that it may be disposed with earnestness and confidence to the pursuit of vertue The second is severity which likewise is a strength of mind against concupiscence accompanied with an ardent love of roughness vileness and holy poverty The third is benignity and sweetness of mind which drives away all rancour envy aversion and hatred against ones neighbour 159. Till the mind be purg'd the affection purified the memory naked the understanding brightened the will denied and set afire the Soul can never arrive at the intimate and affective union with God and therefore because the spirit of God is purity it self and light and rest the soul where he intends to make his abode must have great purity peace attention and quiet Finally the precious gift of a purg'd mind those only have who with continual diligence do seek love and retain it and desire to be reputed the most vile in the World. CHAP. XVII Of Divine Wisdom 160. DIvine Wisdom is an intellectual and infused knowledge of the divine perfections and things eternal which ought rather to be called Contemplation than Speculation Science is acquired and begets the knowledge of Nature Wisdom is infused and begets the knowledge of the Divine Goodness That desires to know what is not to be attained unto without pains and sweat This desires not to know
do not seek themselves nor set any great value upon their own artificial knowledge but more if they can forget it as if they never had it and onely make use of it â—n its own proper place and time for preaching and dispucing when their turn comes and afterwards give their minds to the simple and naked Contemplation of God without form figure or consideration 181. The Study which is not ordered for God's glory onely is but a short way to Hell â—ot through the Study but the wind of Pride which begets it Miserable is the greatest part of Men at this time whose onely Study is to satisfy the unsatisfiable curiosity of Nature 182. Many seek God and find him not because they are more moved by curiosity than sinâ—ere pure and upright intention they rather desire Spiritual Comforts than God himself and â—s they seek him not with truth they neither find God nor Spiritual Pleasures 183. He that does not endeavour the total deâ—ying of himself will not be truly abstracted â—nd so can never be capable of the truth and the â—â—ght of the Spirit To go towards the mistical Science a man must never meddle with â—hings which are without but with prudence and in that which his Office calls him to Rare are the men who set a higher price upon hearing than speaking But the wise and purely mystical Man never speaks but when he can't help â—t nor doth he concern himself in any thing but what belongs to his Office and then he carries himself with great prudence 184. The Spirit of Divine Wisdom fills men with sweetness governs 'em with courage and inlightens those with excellence who are subject to its direction Where the Divine Spirit dwells there is always simplicity and a holy liberty But craft and double-mindedness fiction artifices policy and wordly respects are Hell it self to wise and sincere men 185. Know that he who would attain to the mystical Sceince must be denied and taken off from Five things First From the Creatures 2dly From Temporal things 3dly From the very Gifts of the Holy Ghost 4ly From himself 5ly He must be lost in God. This last is the compleatest of all because that Soul onely that knows how to be so taken off is that which attains to being lost in God and onely knows where to be in safety 186. God is more satisfied with the affection of the Heart than that of worldly Science 'T is one thing to cleanse the Heart of all that which captivates and pollutes it and another thing to do a thousand things though good and holy without minding that purity of Heart which is the main of all for attaining of Divine Wisdom 187. Never wilt thou get to this Soveraign and Divine Wisdom if thou hast not strength when God cleanseth thee in his own time not onely of thy adherencies to temporal and natural Blessings but further to supernatural and sublime ones such as internal Communications Extasies Raptures and other gratuitous Graces whereon the Soul rests and entertains it self 188. Many Souls come short of arriving to quiet Contemplation to Divine Wisdom and true Knowledge notwithstanding that they spend many hours in Prayer and receive the Sacrament every day because they do not subject and submit themselves wholly and intirely to Him that hath Light nor deny and conquer themselves nor give up themselves totally to God with a perfect devesting and disinteresting of themselves In a word till the Soul be purified in the Fire of inward Pain it will never get to a State of Renovation of Transformation of perfect Contemplation of Divine Wisdom and affective Union CHAP. XIX Of true and perfect Annihilation 189. THou must know that all this fabrick of Annihilation hath its foundation but in two Principles The first is To keep ones self and all wordly things in a low esteem and value from whence the putting in practice of this Self-devesting and of Self-renunciation and forsaking all created things must have its rise and that with the affection and in deed 190. The second Principle must be a great esteem of God to love adore and follow him without the least interest of ones own let it be never so holy From these two Principles will arise a full conformity to the Divine Will. This powerful and practical conformity to the Divine Will in all things leads the Soul to Annihilation and Transformation with God without the mixture of Raptures or external Extasies or vehement Affections This way being liable to many illusions with the danger of weakness and anguish of the understanding by which path there is seldom any that gets up to the top of Perfection which is acquired by t'other safe firm and real way though not without a weighty Cross because therein the High-way of Annihilation and Perfection is founded which is seconded by many gifts of Light and Divine effects and infinite other Graces Gratis datae yet the Soul that is Annihilated must be uncloathed of it all if it would not have 'em be a hindrance to it in its way to Deification 191. As the Soul makes continual progress from its own meanness it ought to walk on to the practice of Annihilation which consists in the abhorring of Honour Dignity and Praise there being no reason that Dignity and Honour should be given to Vileness and a meer Nothing 192. To the Soul that is sensible of its own Vileness it appears an impossible thing to deserve any thing 't is rather confounded and knows it self unworthy of Vertue and Praise it embraces with equal courage all occasions of Contempt Persecution Infamy Shame and Affront and as truly deserving of such reproaches it renders the Lord thanks when it lights upon such occasions to be treated as it deserves and knows it self also unworthy that he should use his justice upon it but above all 't is glad of contempt and affront because its God gets great glory by it 193. Such a Soul as this always chooses the lowest the vilest and the most despised degree as well of place as of cloathing and of all other things without the least affectation of singularity being of the opinion that the greatest Vileness is beyond its deserts and acknowledging it self also unworthy even of this This is the practice that brings the Soul to a true Annihilation of it self 194. The Soul that would be perfect begins to Mortifie its Passions and when 't is advanced in that Exercise it denys it self then with the Divine Aid it passes to the state of Nothing where it despises abhors and plunges it self upon the knowledge that it is Nothing that it can do nothing and that it is worth nothing From hence springs the dying in it self and in its senses in many ways and at all hours and finally from this spiritual Death the true and perfect Annihilation derives its original insomuch that when the Soul is once dead to its will and understanding 't is properly said to be arrived at the perfect and
nakedness finds in its superiour part a profound peace and a sweet rest which brings it to such a perfect union of love that 't is joyful all over And such a Soul as this is already arrived to such a happiness that it neither wills nor desires any thing but what its Beloved wills it conforms it self to this Will in all emergencies as well of comfort as anguish and rejoyces also in every thing to do the Divine Good pleasure 207. There is nothing but what comforts it nor doth it want any thing but what it can well want To dye is enjoyment to it and to live is its joy It is as contented here upon Earth as it can be in Paradise it is as glad under privation as it can be in possession in sickness as it can be in health because it knows that this is the will of its Lord. This is its life this its glory its paradise its peace its repose its rest its consolation and highest happiness 208. If it were necessary to such a Soul as this which is gotten up by the steps of annihilation to the region of peace to make its choice it would chuse desolation before comfort contempt before honour because the loving Jesus made great esteem of reproach and pain if it first endured the hunger of the blessings of Heaven if it thirsted for God if it had the fear of losing him the lamentation of heart and the fighting of the devil now things are altered and hunger is turned into satisfying the thirst into satiety the fear into assurance the sadness into joy the weeping into merriment and the fierce fighting into the greatest peace O happy Soul that enjoys here on earth so great a felicity Thou must know that these kind of Souls though few they are be the strong Pillars which support the Church and such as abate the divine indignation 209. And now this Soul that is entered into the heaven of peace acknowledges it self full of God and his supernatural gifts because it lives grounded in a pure love receiving equal pleasure in light and darkness in night and day in affliction and consolation Through this holy and heavenly indifference it never loses its peace in adversity nor its tranquility in tribulations but sees it self full of unspeakable enjoyments 210. And although the Prince of Darkness makes all the assaults of Hell against it with horrible temptations yet it makes head against 'em and stands like a strong Pillar no more happening to it by 'em than happens to a high mountain and a deep valley in the time of storm and tempest 211. The valley is darkned with thick clouds fierce tempests of hail thunder lightning and hail-stones which looks like the picture of Hell at the same time the lofty mountain glitters by the bright beams of the sun in quietness and serenity continuing clear like heaven immovable and full of light 212. The same happens to this blessed soul the valley of the part below is suffering tribulations combats darkness desolations torments martyrdoms and suggestions and at the same time on the lofty mountain of the higher part of the soul the true sun casts its beams it enflames and enlightens it and so it becomes clear peaceable resplendent quiet serene being a meer ocean of joy 213. So great therefore is the quiet of this pure foul which is gotten up the mountain of tranquility so great is the peace of its spirit so great the serenity and chearfulness that is within that a remnant and glimmering of God do redound even to the outside of it 214. Because in the throne of quiet are manifest the perfections of spiritual beauty here the true light of the secret and divine mysteries of our holy faith here perfect humility even to the annihilation of it self the amplest resignation chastity poverty of spirit the sincerity and innocence of the Dove external modesty silence and internal solitude liberty and purity of heart here the forgetfulness of every created thing even of it self joyful simplicity heavenly indifference continual Prayer a total nakedness perfect disinterestedness a most wise contemplation a conversation of heaven and lastly the most perfect and serene peace within of which this happy soul may say what the wise man said of wisdom that all other graces came along in company with her Venerunt mihi omnia bona paritur cum illa Wisd 7.11 215. This is the rich and hidden treasure this the lost groat of the Gospel this is the blessed life the happy life the true life and the blessedness here below O thou lovely greatness that passest the knowledge of the sons of men O excellent supernatural life how admirable and unspeakable art thou for thou art the very draught of blessedness O how much dost thou raise a soul from earth which loses in its view all things of the vileness of earth thou art poor to look upon but inwardly thou art full of wealth thou seemest low but art exceeding high in a word thou art that which makest men live a life divine here below Give me O Lord thou greatest goodness give me a good portion of this heavenly happiness and true peace that the World sensual as it is is neither capable of understanding nor receiving Quem mundus non potest accipere CHAP. XXII A mournful Exclamation and lamentable Moan to God for the small Company of Souls that arrive at Perfection the Loving Union and the Divine Transformation 216. O Divine Majesty in whose presence the Pillars of Heaven do quake and tremble O thou Goodness more than infinite in whose love the Seraphins burn give me leave O Lord to lament our blindness and ingratitude We all live in mistakes seeking the foolish world and forsaking thee who art our God. We all forsake thee the Fountain of Living Waters for the stinking dirt of the world 217. O we children of men how long shall we follow after lying and vanity Who is it that hath thus deceived us that we should forsake God our greatest good Who is it that speaks the most truth to us Who is it that loves us most Who defends us most Who is it that doth more to shew himself a Friend who more tender to shew himself a Spouse and more good to be a Father that our blindness should be so great that we should all forsake this greatest and infinite goodness 218. O Divine Lord what a few Souls are there in the world which do serve thee with perfection how small is the number of those who are willing to suffer that they may follow Christ crucified that they may embrace the Cross that they may deny and contemn themselves O what a scarcity of Souls is there which are disinterested and totally naked how few are those Souls which are dead to themselves and alive to God which are totally resigned to his divine good pleasure how few those who are adorn'd with simple obedience profound knowledge of themselves and true humility How few those