Madame Guyon Short Prayer

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On-line at PTW: August 7, 1999

Last update: January 21, 2013

Madame Guyon's

A Short & Very EasyMethod of Prayer

This English translation originally appeared in "Spiritual Progress"

or Instructions in the Divine Life of the Soul

from the French of Fenelon and Madame Guyon"Printed in !#$ Edited %y &ames '( Metcalf(

Reference Note t *)er$ Rea)ers+ The scri!t&re reere$ces sh%$ as Ecc(es%ithi$ the text this !iece, reer s/eti/es t the O() Testa/e$t

Ecclesiastes, %hich a!!ears ater the Prver's, '&t at ther ti/es t the O()Testa/e$t Ecclesiasticus, %hich i$ the D&a" Rhei/s ersi$, a!!eare) &st'ere 4saias.

A SHORT AND VERY EASY

METHOD

OF

PRAYER;

WHICH ALL CAN PRACTICE WITH THE GREATEST FACILITY

AND ARRIVE IN A SHORT TIME !Y ITS MEANS

AT A HIGH DEGREE OF PERFECTION"

!Y MADAME G#YON

$%&( ) %*%*+

"Walk before me

and be thou perfect."

Gen( )vii(!(

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T,e Au-,o.'s P.e/a0e"

T*IS little treatise+ conceived in great simplicity+ ,as not originally intended for

pu%lication( It ,as ,ritten for a fe, individuals+ ,ho ,ere desirous of lovingGod ,ith all their heart( Many+ ho,ever+ %ecause of the profit they received in

reading the manuscript+ ,ished to o%tain copies+ and+ on this account alone+ it

,as committed to the press(

It still remains in its original simplicity( It contains no censure on the various

divine leadings of others on the contrary+ it enforces the received teachings(

The ,hole is su%mitted to the -udgment of the learned and e)perienced

re.uesting them+ ho,ever+ not to stop at the surface+ %ut to enter into the main

design of the author+ ,hich is to induce the whole world to love God, and to serve Him with comfort and success, in a simple and easy manner+ adapted to

those little ones ,ho are un.ualified for learned and deep researches+ %ut ,hoearnestly desire to be truly devoted to God.

/n unpre-udiced reader ,ill find+ hidden under the most common e)pressions+a secret unction+ ,hich ,ill e)cite him to see0 after that happiness ,hich all

should ,ish to en-oy(

In asserting that perfection is easily attained+ the ,ord facility, is used %ecauseGod is+ indeed found ,ith facility+ when we seek Him within ourselves. 1ut

some+ perhaps+ may urge that passage in St( &ohn "Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me," 2vii( $34 this apparent difficulty+ ho,ever+ is removed %y another passage+ ,here *e+ ,ho cannot contradict himself+ has said to all+ "Seek and ye shall find," 2 Matt ( vii( 54( It is true+ indeed+ that he ,ho ,ould see0 God+ and is yet

un,illing to forsa0e his sins+ shall not find him+ %ecause he see0s *im ,here

*e is not and+ therefore+ it is added+ "Ye shall die in your sins." 1ut he+ ,ho,ill ta0e some trou%le to see0 God in his o,n heart+ and sincerely forsa0e his

sin+ that he may dra, near unto *im+ shall infalli%ly find *im(

/ life of piety appears so frightful to many+ and prayer of such difficult

attainment+ that they are discouraged from ta0ing a single step to,ards it( 1ut

as the apprehended difficulty of an underta0ing often causes despair of succeeding and reluctance in commencing+ so its desira%leness+ and the idea

that it is easy to accomplish+ induce us to enter upon its pursuit ,ith pleasure+

and to pursue it ,ith vigor( The advantages and facility of this ,ay aretherefore set forth in the follo,ing treatise(

6 ,ere ,e once persuaded of the goodness of God to,ard his poor creatures+

and of his desire to communicate *imself to them+ ,e should not create idealmonsters+ nor so easily despair of o%taining that good ,hich *e is so earnest to



%esto,7 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all how

shall He not, with him, also freely !ive us all thin!s" 2 #om( viii( $84( It needs only a

little courage and perseverance ,e have enough of %oth in our temporal

concerns+ %ut none at all in the one thing needful+ 2 $uke )( 384(

If any thin0 that God is not easily to %e found in this ,ay+ let them not on my

testimony alter their minds+ %ut let them try it+ and their o,n e)perience ,illconvince them+ that the reality far e)ceeds all my representations of it(

1eloved reader+ puruse this little tract ,ith a sincere and candid spirit+ in

lo,liness of mind+ and not ,ith an inclination to critici9e+ and you ,ill not failto reap profit from it( It ,as ,ritten ,ith a desire that you might wholly devote

yourself to God receive it then ,ith a li0e desire7 for it has no other design than

to invite the simple and the child:li0e to approach their father+ ,ho delights inthe hum%le confidence of his children+ and is greatly grieved at their distrust(

'ith a sincere desire+ therefore+ for your salvation+ see0 nothing from the

unpretending method here proposed+ %ut the love of God+ and you shall

assuredly o%tain it(

'ithout setting up our opinions a%ove those of others+ ,e mean only ,ithsincerity to declare+ from our o,n e)perience and the e)perience of others+ the

happy effects produced %y thus simply follo,ing after the Lord(

/s this treatise ,as intended only to instruct in prayer+ nothing is said of manythings ,hich ,e esteem+ %ecause they do not immediately relate to our main

su%-ect( It is+ ho,ever+ %eyond a dou%t+ that nothing ,ill %e found herein to

offend+ provided it %e read in the spirit ,ith ,hich it ,as ,ritten( /nd it is still

more certain+ that those ,ho in right earnest ma0e trial of the ,ay+ ,ill find ,ehave ,ritten the truth(

It is Thou alone+ 6 holy &esus+ ,ho lovest simplicity and innocence+ "and whose deli!ht is to dwell with the children of men," 2 %rov( viii( $!4+ ,ith those

,ho are+ indeed+ ,illing to %ecome "little children," 2 Matt ( )viii( $4 it is Thou

alone+ ,ho canst render this little ,or0 of any value+ %y imprinting it on theheart+ and leading those ,ho read it to see0 Thee ,ithin themselves+ ,here

Thou reposest as in the manger+ ,aiting to receive proofs of their love+ and to

give them testimony of thine( They lose these advantages %y their o,n fault(1ut it %elongeth unto thee+ 6 child /lmighty; uncreated Love; silent and all:

containing 'ord; to ma0e thyself loved+ en-oyed and understood( Thou canst

do it and I 0no, Thou ,ilt do it %y this little ,or0+ ,hich %elongeth entirely to

Thee+ proceedeth ,holly from Thee+ and tendeth only to Thee;

C H A P T E R I"

THE PRAYER OF THE HEART"

/LL are capa%le of prayer+ and it is a dreadful misfortune that almost all the

,orld have conceived the idea that they are not called to prayer( 'e are all



called to prayer+ as ,e are all called to salvation(

P</=E< is nothing %ut the application of the heart to God, and the internale)ercise of love( St( Paul has en-oined us to "pray without ceasin!" 2& 'hess( v(!54

and our Lord %ids us ,atch and pray+ 2 Mark )iii( $$+$547 all therefore may+ and all

ought to practise prayer( I grant that meditation is attaina%le %ut %y fe,+ for fe,

are capa%le of it and therefore+ my %eloved %rethren ,ho are athirst for salvation+ meditative prayer is not the prayer ,hich God re.uires of you+ nor

,hich ,e ,ould recommend(

8( Let all pray7 you should live %y prayer+ as you should live %y love( "( counsel you to buy of me !old tried in the fire, that ye may be rich." 2 #ev( iii( !(4 This is

very easily o%tained+ much more easily than you can conceive(

>ome all ye that are athirst to the living ,aters+ nor lose your precious moments

in he,ing out cisterns that ,ill hold no ,ater( 2&ohn vii( $5 &er( ii( !$(4 >ome ye

famishing souls+ ,ho find nought to satisfy you come+ and ye shall %e filled;

>ome+ ye poor afflicted ones+ %ending %eneath your load of ,retchedness and pain+ and ye shall %e consoled; >ome+ ye sic0+ to your physician+ and %e not

fearful of approaching him %ecause ye are filled ,ith diseases sho, them+ andthey shall %e healed;

>hildren+ dra, near to your Father+ and he ,ill em%race you in the arms of

love; >ome ye poor+ stray+ ,andering sheep+ return to your Shepherd; >ome+sinners+ to your Saviour; >ome ye dull+ ignorant+ and illiterate+ ye ,ho thin0

yourselves the most incapa%le of prayer; ye are more peculiarly called and

adapted thereto( Let all ,ithout e)ception come+ for &esus >hrist hath called

/LL(

=et let not those come ,ho are ,ithout a heart they are e)cused for there must

%e a heart %efore there can %e love( 1ut ,ho is ,ithout a heart? 6 come+ then+give this heart to God and here learn ho, to ma0e the donation(

$( /ll ,ho are desirous of prayer+ may easily pray+ ena%led %y those ordinary

graces and gifts of the *oly Spirit ,hich are common to all men(

P</=E< is the 0ey to perfection+ and the sovereign good it is the means of

delivering us from every vice+ and o%taining us every virtue for the one greatmeans of %ecoming perfect+ is to ,al0 in the presence of God( *e himself hath

said+ "Walk before me, and be thou perfect." 2Gen( )vii( !(4 It is %y prayer alone that

,e are %rought into his presence+ and maintained in it ,ithout interruption(

3( =ou must+ then+ learn a species of prayer ,hich may %e e)ercised at all times

,hich does not o%struct out,ard employments ,hich may %e e.ually practised

%y princes+ 0ings+ prelates+ priests and magistrates+ soldiers and children+tradesmen+ la%orers+ ,omen+ and sic0 persons it is not the prayer of the head+

%ut 6F T*E *E/<T(



It is not a prayer of the understanding alone+ for the mind of man is so limited

in its operations that it can have %ut one o%-ect at a time %ut it is the P</=E< 6F T*E

*E/<T ,hich is not interrupted %y the e)ercises of reason( @othing can interrupt

this prayer %ut disordered affections and ,hen once ,e have en-oyed God+ andthe s,eetness of his love+ ,e shall find it impossi%le to relish aught %ut himself(

#( @othing is so easily o%tained as the possession and en-oyment of God( *e ismore present to us than ,e are to ourselves( *e is more desirous of giving

*imself to us than ,e are to possess *im ,e only need to 0no, ho, to see0

*im+ and the ,ay is easier and more natural to us than %reathing(

/h; ye ,ho thin0 yourselves so dull and fit for nothing+ %y prayer you may live

on God himself ,ith less difficulty or interruption than you live on the vital air(

'ill it not then %e highly sinful to neglect prayer? 1ut dou%tless you ,ill not+,hen you have learnt the method+ ,hich is the easiest in the ,orld(

C H A P T E R II"

THE FIRST DEGREE OF PRAYER1 MEDITATION"

T*E<E are t,o ,ays of introducing a soul into prayer+ ,hich should %e pursued

for some time the one is meditation, the other is readin! accompanied by

meditation.

Meditative readin! is the choosing some important practical or speculative

truth+ al,ays preferring the practical+ and proceeding thus7 ,hatever truth you

have chosen+ read only a small portion of it+ endeavoring to taste and digest it+to e)tract the essence and su%stance of it+ and proceed no farther ,hile any

savor or relish remains in the passage7 then ta0e up your %oo0 again+ and proceed as %efore+ seldom reading more than half a page at a time(

It is not the .uantity that is read+ %ut the manner of reading+ that yields us

profit( Those ,ho read fast+ reap no more advantage+ than a %ee ,ould %y onlys0imming over the surface of the flo,er+ instead of ,aiting to penetrate into it+

and e)tract its s,eets( Much reading is rather for scholastic su%-ects+ than

divine truths to receive profit from spiritual %oo0s+ ,e must read as I have

descri%ed and I am certain that if that method ,ere pursued+ ,e should %ecome

gradually ha%ituated to prayer %y our reading+ and more fully disposed for itse)ercise(

8( Meditation+ ,hich is the other method+ is to %e practised at an appropriated

season+ and not in the time of reading( I %elieve that the %est manner of

meditating is as follo,s7

'hen %y an act of lively faith+ you are placed in the presence of

God+ read some truth ,herein there is su%stance pause gently



thereon+ not to employ the reason+ %ut merely to fi) the mind

o%serving that the principal e)ercise should ever %e the presence of

God+ and that the su%-ect+ therefore+ should rather serve to stay the

mind+ than e)ercise it in reasoning(

Then let a lively faith in God immediately present in our inmost

souls, produce an eager sin0ing into ourselves+ restraining all our senses from ,andering a%road7 this serves to e)tricate us+ in the

first instance+ from numerous distractions+ to remove us far from

e)ternal o%-ects+ and to %ring us nigh to God+ ,ho is only to %efound in our inmost centre+ ,hich is the Holy of Holies ,herein he

d,ells( *e has even promised to come and ma0e his a%ode ,ith

him that doeth his ,ill( 2 )ohn )iv( 8$(4 St( /ugustine %lames himself for the time he had lost in not having sought God+ from the first+ in this

manner of prayer(

$( 'hen ,e are thus fully entered into ourselves+ and ,armly penetrated

throughout ,ith a lively sense of the Divine presence ,hen the senses are allrecollected+ and ,ithdra,n from the circumference to the centre+ and the soul is

s,eetly and silently employed on the truths ,e have read+ not in reasoning+ %ut

in feeding thereon+ and animating the ,ill %y affection+ rather than fatiguing theunderstanding %y study ,hen+ I say+ the affections are in this state+ 2,hich+

ho,ever difficult it may appear at first+ is+ as I shall hereafter sho,+ easily

attaina%le+4 ,e must allo, them sweetly to repose, and+ as it ,ere+ swallow,hat they have tasted(

For as a person may en-oy the flavor of the finest viands in mastication+ yetreceive no nourishment from them+ if he does not cease the action and s,allo,

the food so ,hen our affections are en0indled+ if ,e endeavor to stir them up

yet more+ ,e e)tinguish the flame+ and the soul is deprived of its nourishment('e should+ therefore+ in a repose of love, full of respect and confidence+

s,allo, the %lessed food ,e have received( This method is highly necessary+

and ,ill advance the soul more in a short time+ than any other in years(

3( 1ut as I have said that our direct and principal e)ercise should consist in the

contemplation of the *ivine presence, ,e should %e e)ceedingly diligent in

recallin! our dissipated senses, as the most easy method of overcoming

distractions for a direct contest only serves to irritate and augment them,hereas+ %y sin0ing ,ithin+ under a vie, %y faith+ of a present God+ and simply

recollecting ourselves+ ,e ,age insensi%ly a very successful+ though indirect

,ar ,ith them(

It is proper here to caution %eginners against ,andering from truth to truth+ and

from su%-ect to su%-ect the right ,ay to penetrate every divine truth+ to en-oyits full relish+ and to imprint it on the heart+ is to d,ell upon it ,hilst its savor

continues(

Though recollection is difficult in the %eginning+ from the ha%it the soul hasac.uired of %eing al,ays a%road+ yet+ ,hen %y the violence it has done itself+ it



%ecomes a little accustomed to it+ the process is soon rendered perfectly easy

and this partly from the force of ha%it+ and partly %ecause God+ ,hose one ,ill

to,ards his creatures is to communicate himself to them+ imparts a%undant

grace+ and an e)perimental en-oyment of his presence+ ,hich very muchfacilitate it(

C H A P T E R III"

THE METHOD OF PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT READ"

T*6SE ,ho cannot read %oo0s+ are not+ on that account+ e)cluded from prayer(

The great %oo0 ,hich teaches all things+ and ,hich is ,ritten all over+ ,ithin

and ,ithout+ is &esus >hrist himself(

The method they should practice is this7 they should first learn this fundamental

truth+ that "the kin!dom of God is within them," 2 $uke )vii( 8!+4 and that it must %e

sought there only(

It is as incum%ent on the clergy to instruct their parishioners in prayer+ as in

their catechism( It is true they tell them the end of their creation %ut they do

not give them sufficient instructions ho, they may attain it(

They should %e taught to %egin %y an act of profound adoration and annihilation

%efore God+ and closing the corporeal eyes+ endeavor to open those of the soul

they should then collect themselves in,ardly+ and %y a lively faith in God+ asd,elling ,ithin them+ pierce into the divine presence not suffering the senses

to ,ander a%road+ %ut holding them as much as may %e in su%-ection(

8( They should then repeat the LordAs prayer in their native tongue pondering alittle upon the meaning of the ,ords+ and the infinite ,illingness of that God

,ho d,ells ,ithin them to %ecome+ indeed+ "their father(" In this state let them pour out their ,ants %efore him and ,hen they have pronounced the ,ord+

"father+" remain a fe, moments in a reverential silence+ ,aiting to have the ,ill

of this their heavenly Father made manifest to them(

/gain+ the >hristian+ %eholding himself in the state of a fee%le child+ soiled and

sorely %ruised %y repeated falls+ destitute of strength to stand+ or of po,er to

cleanse himself+ should lay his deplora%le situation open to his FatherAs vie, in

hum%le confusion occasionally intermingling a ,ord or t,o of love and grief+

and then again sin0ing into silence %efore *im( Then+ continuing the LordAs prayer+ let him %eseech this Bing of Glory to reign in him+ a%andoning himself

to God+ that *e may do it+ and ac0no,ledging his right to rule over him(

If they feel an inclination to peace and silence+ let them not continue the ,ords

of the prayer so long as this sensation holds and ,hen it su%sides+ let them goon ,ith the second petition+ "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven+" upon

,hich let these hum%le supplicants %eseech God to accomplish in them+ and %y

them+ all his ,ill+ and let them surrender their hearts and freedom into his



hands+ to %e disposed of as *e pleases( 'hen they find that the ,ill should %e

employed in loving+ they ,ill desire to love+ and ,ill implore *im for his L6CE

%ut all this ,ill ta0e place s,eetly and peacefully7 and so of the rest of the

prayer+ in ,hich the clergy may instruct them(

1ut they should not %urthen themselves ,ith fre.uent repetitions of set forms+

or studied prayers for the LordAs prayer once repeated as I have -ust descri%ed+,ill produce a%undant fruit(

$( /t other times+ they may place themselves as sheep %efore their Shepherd+

loo0ing up to *im for their true food7 6 divine Shepherd+ Thou feedest thyfloc0 ,ith Thyself+ and art indeed their daily %read( They may also represent to

him the necessities of their families7 %ut let all %e done from this principal and

one great vie, of faith+ that God is ,ithin them(

/ll our imaginations of God amount to nothing a lively faith in his presence is

sufficient( For ,e must not form any image of the Deity+ though ,e may of

&esus >hrist+ %eholding him in his %irth+ or his crucifi)ion+ or in some other state or mystery+ provided the soul al,ays see0s *im in its o,n centre(

6n other occasions+ ,e may loo0 to him as a physician+ and present for hishealing virtue all our maladies %ut al,ays ,ithout pertur%ation+ and ,ith

pauses from time to time+ that the silence+ %eing mingled ,ith action+ may %e

gradually e)tended+ and our o,n e)ertion lessened till at length+ %y continuallyyielding to GodAs operations+ *e gains the complete ascendancy+ as shall %e

hereafter e)plained(

3( 'hen the divine presence is granted us+ and ,e gradually %egin to relish

silence and repose+ this eperimental en-oyment of the presence of God introduces the soul into the second degree of prayer+ ,hich+ %y proceeding in

the manner I have descri%ed+ is attaina%le as ,ell %y the illiterate as %y thelearned some privileged souls+ indeed+ are favored ,ith it even from the

%eginning(

C H A P T E R IV"

THE PRAYER OF SIMPLICITY"

S6ME call the second degree of prayer ontemplation, 'he prayer of /aith and

Stillness, and others call it 'he prayer of Simplicity. I shall here use this latter appellation+ as %eing more -ust than that of contemplation+ ,hich implies a

more advanced state than that I am no, treating of(

'hen the soul has %een for some time e)ercised in the ,ay I have mentioned+ it

gradually finds that it is ena%led to approach God ,ith facility that recollectionis attended ,ith much less difficulty+ and that prayer %ecomes easy+ s,eet+ and

delightful7 it recogni9es that this is the true ,ay of finding God+ and feels that

"his name is as ointment poured forth." 2ant ( i( $(4 The method must no, %e



altered+ and that ,hich I descri%e must %e pursued ,ith courage and fidelity+

,ithout %eing distur%ed at the difficulties ,e may encounter in the ,ay(

8( First+ as soon as the soul %y faith places itself in the presence of God+ and

%ecomes recollected %efore *im+ let it remain thus for a little time in respectful

silence(

1ut if+ at the %eginning+ in forming the act of faith+ it feels some little pleasing

sense of the Divine presence+ let it remain there ,ithout %eing trou%led for a

su%-ect+ and proceed no farther+ %ut carefully cherish this sensation ,hile it

continues( 'hen it a%ates+ it may e)cite the ,ill %y some tender affection andif+ %y the first moving thereof+ it finds itself reinstated in s,eet peace+ let it

there remain the fire must %e gently fanned+ %ut as soon as it is 0indled+ ,e

must cease our efforts+ lest ,e e)tinguish it %y our activity(

$( I ,ould ,armly recommend to all+ never to finish prayer ,ithout remaining

some little time after,ard in a respectful silence( It is also of the greatest

importance for the soul to go to prayer ,ith courage+ and to %ring ,ith it such a pure and disinterested love+ as see0s nothing from God+ %ut to please *im+ and

to do his ,ill for a servant ,ho only proportions his diligence to his hope of re,ard+ is un,orthy of any recompense( Go then to prayer+ not desiring to

en-oy spiritual delights+ %ut to %e -ust as it pleases God this ,ill preserve your

spirit tran.uil in aridities as ,ell as in consolation+ and prevent your %eing

surprised at the apparent repulses or a%sence of God(

C H A P T E R V"

ARIDITIES TO !E !ORNE IN LOVE"

T*6G* God has no other desire than to impart *imself to the loving soul that

see0s *im+ yet *e fre.uently conceals *imself from it+ that it may %e rousedfrom sloth+ and impelled to see0 *im ,ith fidelity and love( 1ut ,ith ,hat

a%undant goodness does *e recompense the faithfulness of his %eloved; /nd

ho, often are these apparent ,ithdra,ings of *imself succeeded %y the

caresses of love;

/t these seasons ,e are apt to %elieve that it proves our fidelity+ and evinces a

greater ardor of affection to see0 *im %y an e)ertion of our o,n strength andactivity or that such a course ,ill induce *im the more speedily to revisit us(

@o+ dear souls+ %elieve me+ this is not the %est ,ay in this degree of prayer ,ith

patient love+ ,ith self:a%asement and humiliation+ ,ith the reiterated %reathingsof an ardent %ut peaceful affection+ and ,ith silence full of veneration+ you

must a,ait the return of the 1eloved(

8( Thus only can you demonstrate that it is * IMSELF alone+ and his good pleasure+that you see0 and not the selfish delights of your o,n sensations in loving

*im( *ence it is said 2 0ccles( ii( 8+$47 "1e not impatient in the time of dryness and

obscurity suffer the suspensions and delays of the consolations of God cleave



unto him, and wait upon him patiently, that thy life may increase and be

renewed."

1e patient in prayer+ though during your ,hole lifetime you should do nothing

else than ,ait the return of the 1eloved in a spirit of humiliation+ a%andonment+

contentment+ and resignation( Most e)cellent prayer; and it may %e

intermingled ,ith the sighings of plaintive love; This conduct indeed is most pleasing to the heart of God+ and ,ill+ a%ove all others+ compel his return(

C H A P T E R VI"

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF)A!ANDONMENT"

*E<E ,e must %egin to abandon and give up our ,hole e)istence to God+ fromthe strong and positive conviction+ that the occurrences of every moment result

from his immediate ,ill and permission+ and are -ust such as our state re.uires(

This conviction ,ill ma0e us content ,ith everything and cause us to regard all

that happens+ not from the side of the creature+ %ut from that of God(

1ut+ dearly %eloved+ ,hoever you are ,ho sincerely ,ish to give yourselves up

to God+ I con-ure you+ that after having once made the donation+ you ta0e notyourselves %ac0 again remem%er+ a gift once presented+ is no longer at the

disposal of the giver(

8( 2bandonment is a matter of the greatest importance in our progress it is the0ey to the inner court so that he ,ho 0no,s truly ho, to a%andon himself+ ,ill

soon %ecome perfect( 'e must therefore continue steadfast and immova%le

therein+ ,ithout listening to the voice of natural reason( Great faith produces

great a%andonment ,e must confide in God+ "hopin! a!ainst hope."2 #om( iv( !(4

$( 2bandonment is the casting off all selfish care+ that ,e may %e altogether atthe divine disposal( /ll >hristians are e)horted to a%andonment for it is said to

all "'ake no thou!ht for the morrow for your Heavenly /ather knoweth that ye

have need of all these thin!s." 2 Matt ( vi( $8:$3(4 "(n all thy ways acknowled!e him,

and he shall direct thy paths." 2 %rov( iii( (4 "ommit thy works unto the $ord and thy thou!hts shall be established." 2 %rov( )vi( $(4 "ommit thy way unto the $ord

trust also in Him and He will brin! it to pass." 2 %salm )))vii( #(4

6ur a%andonment+ then+ should %e+ %oth in respect to e)ternal and internal

things+ an a%solute giving up of all our concerns into the hands of God+forgetting ourselves and thin0ing only of *im %y ,hich the heart ,ill remain

al,ays disengaged+ free+ and at peace(

3( It is practised %y continually losing our o,n ,ill in the ,ill of God

renouncing every private inclination as soon as it arises+ ho,ever good it mayappear+ that ,e may stand in indifference ,ith respect to ourselves+ and only

,ill ,hat God has ,illed from all eternity resigning ourselves in all things+

,hether for soul or %ody+ for time or eternity forgetting the past+ leaving the



future to Providence+ and devoting the present to God satisfied ,ith the present

moment+ ,hich %rings ,ith it GodAs eternal order in reference to us+ and is as

infalli%le a declaration of his ,ill+ as it is inevita%le and common to all

attri%uting nothing that %efalls us to the creature+ %ut regarding all things inGod+ and loo0ing upon all+ e)cepting only our sins+ as infalli%ly proceeding

from *im(

Surrender yourselves then to %e led and disposed of -ust as God pleases+ ,ith

respect %oth to your out,ard and in,ard state(

C H A P T E R VII"

S#FFERING ) A SO#RCE OF CONSOLATION"

1E patient under all the sufferings God sends if your love to *im %e pure+ you

,ill not see0 *im less on >alvary+ than on Ta%or and surely+ *e should %e as

much loved on that as on this+ since it ,as on >alvary that he made the greatest

display of love(

1e not li0e those ,ho give themselves to *im at one season+ only to ,ithdra,

from *im at another( They give themselves only to %e caressed+ and ,restthemselves %ac0 again+ ,hen they are crucified or at least turn for consolation

to the creature(

8( @o+ %eloved souls+ you ,ill not find consolation in aught %ut in the love of the cross+ and in total a%andonment ,ho savoreth not the cross+ savoreth not

the things that %e of God( 2See Matt ( )vi( 8$(4 It is impossi%le to love God ,ithout

loving the cross and a heart that savors the cross+ finds the %itterest things to %e

s,eet "'o the hun!ry soul every bitter thin! is sweet" 2 %rov( ))vii( 54

%ecause itfinds itself hungering for God+ in proportion as it is hungering for the cross(

God gives us the cross+ and the cross gives us God(

'e may %e assured that there is an internal advancement+ ,hen there is

progress in the ,ay of the cross a%andonment and the cross go hand in hand

together(

$( /s soon as anything is presented in the form of suffering+ and you feel a

repugnance+ resign yourself immediately to God ,ith respect to it+ and give

yourself up to *im in sacrifice7 you ,ill then find+ that ,hen the cross arrives+

it ,ill not %e so very %urthensome+ %ecause you have yourself desired it( This+ho,ever does not prevent you from feeling its ,eight+ as some have imagined

for ,hen ,e do not feel the cross+ ,e do not suffer( / sensi%ility to suffering isone of the principal parts of suffering itself( &esus >hrist himself chose to

endure its utmost rigors( 'e often %ear the cross in ,ea0ness+ at other times in

strength all should %e ali0e to us in the ,ill of God(



C H A P T E R VIII"

ON MYSTERIES"

IT ,ill %e o%-ected+ that+ %y this method+ ,e shall have no mysteries imprinted

on our minds %ut so far is this from %eing the case+ that it is the peculiar means

of imparting them to the soul( &esus >hrist+ to ,hom ,e are a%andoned+ and,hom ,e follo, as the ,ay+ ,hom ,e hear as the truth+ and ,ho animates us

as the life 2 )ohn )iv( +4 in imprinting himself on the soul+ impresses there the

characters of his different states( To %ear all the states of &esus >hrist+ is a

much greater thing+ than merely to meditate a%out them( St( Paul %ore in his %ody the states of &esus >hrist "( bear in my body," says he+ "the marks of the

$ord )esus" 2Gal ( vi( !54 %ut he does not say that he reasoned thereon(

8( In this state of a%andonment &esus >hrist fre.uently communicates some

peculiar vie,s+ or revelations of his states7 these ,e should than0fully accept+

and dispose ourselves for ,hat appears to %e his ,ill receiving e.ually

,hatever frame *e may %esto,+ and having no other choice+ %ut that of ardently reaching after *im+ of d,elling ever ,ith *im+ and of sin0ing into

nothingness %efore *im+ and accepting indiscriminately all his gifts+ ,hether dar0ness or illumination+ fecundity or %arrenness+ ,ea0ness or strength+

s,eetness or %itterness+ temptations+ distractions+ pain+ ,eariness+ or

uncertainty and none of all these should+ for one moment+ retard our course(

$( God engages some+ for ,hole years+ in the contemplation and en-oyment of a

single mystery+ the simple vie, or contemplation of ,hich recollects the soul

let them %e faithful to it %ut as soon as God is pleased to ,ithdra, this vie,

from the soul+ let it freely yield to the deprivation( Some are very uneasy attheir ina%ility to meditate on certain mysteries %ut ,ithout reason+ since an

affectionate attachment to God includes in itself every species of devotion+ and

,hoever is calmly united to God alone+ is+ indeed+ most e)cellently andeffectually applied to every divine mystery( 'hoever loves God loves all that

appertains to him(

C H A P T E R I2"

ON VIRT#E"

IT is thus that ,e ac.uire virtue ,ith facility and certainty for as God is the

principle of all virtue+ ,e inherit all in the possession of *imself and in

proportion as ,e approach to,ard his possession+ in li0e proportion do ,ereceive the most eminent virtues( For all virtue is %ut as a mas0+ an outside

appearance muta%le as our garments+ if it %e not %esto,ed from ,ithin then+

indeed+ it is genuine+ essential+ and permanent7 "'he 3in!4s dau!hter is all

!lorious within," says David( 2 %salm )lv( !$(4 These souls+ a%ove all others+ practice

virtue in the most eminent degree+ though they advert not to any particular

virtue( God+ to ,hom they are united+ leads them to the most e)tensive practice

of it *e is e)ceedingly -ealous over them+ and permits them not the least



pleasure(

8( 'hat a hungering for sufferings have those souls+ ,ho thus glo, ,ith divinelove; *o, ,ould they precipitate themselves into e)cessive austerities+ ,ere

they permitted to pursue their o,n inclinations; They thin0 of nought save ho,

they may please their 1eloved and they %egin to neglect and forget themselves

and as their love to God increases+ so do self:detestation and disregard of thecreature(

$( 6 ,ere this simple method once ac.uired+ a ,ay so suited to all+ to the dull

and ignorant as ,ell as to the most learned+ ho, easily ,ould the ,hole churchof God %e reformed; L6CE only is re.uired7 "$ove," says St( /ugustine+ "and

then do what you please." For ,hen ,e truly love+ ,e cannot have so much as a

,ill to do anything that might offend the o%-ect of our affections(

C H A P T E R 2"

MORTIFICATION M#ST !E INTERIO#R"

I S/= further+ that+ in any other ,ay+ it is ne)t to impossi%le to ac.uire a perfect

mortification of the senses and passions(

The reason is o%vious7 the soul gives vigor and energy to the senses+ and the

senses raise and stimulate the passions a dead %ody has neither sensations nor

passions+ %ecause its connection ,ith the soul is dissolved( /ll endeavorsmerely to rectify the e)terior impel the soul yet farther out,ard into that a%out

,hich it is so ,armly and 9ealously engaged( Its po,ers are diffused and

scattered a%road for+ its ,hole attention %eing immediately directed to

austerities and other e)ternals+ it thus invigorates those very senses it is aimingto su%due( For the senses have no other spring ,hence to derive their vigor

than the application of the soul to themselves+ the degree of their life andactivity %eing proportioned to the degree of attention ,hich the soul %esto,s

upon them( This life of the senses stirs up and provo0es the passions+ instead of

suppressing or su%duing them austerities may indeed enfee%le the %ody+ %ut for

the reasons -ust mentioned+ can never ta0e off the 0eenness of the senses+ nor lessen their activity(

8( The only method of effecting this+ is in,ard recollection+ %y ,hich the soul isturned ,holly and altogether in,ard+ to possess a present God( If it direct all its

vigor and energy ,ithin+ this simple act separates it from the senses+ and+

employing all its po,ers internally+ it renders them faint and the nearer it dra,sto God+ the farther is it separated from self( *ence it is+ that those in ,hom the

attractions of grace are very po,erful+ find the out,ard man altogether ,ea0

and fee%le+ and even lia%le to faintings(

$( I do not mean %y this+ to discourage mortification for it should ever

accompany prayer+ according to the strength and state of the person+ or as

o%edience demands( 1ut I say+ that mortification should not %e our principal



e)ercise nor should ,e prescri%e to ourselves such and such austerities+ %ut

simply follo,ing the internal attractions of grace+ and %eing occupied ,ith the

divine presence+ ,ithout thin0ing particularly on mortification+ God ,ill ena%le

us to perform every species of it( *e gives those ,ho a%ide faithful to their a%andonment to *im+ no rela)ation until *e has su%dued everything in them

that remains to %e mortified(

'e have only+ then+ to continue steadfast in the utmost attention to God+ and all

things ,ill %e perfectly done( /ll are not capa%le of out,ard austerities+ %ut all

are capa%le of this( In the mortification of the eye and ear+ ,hich continuallysupply the %usy imagination ,ith ne, su%-ects+ there is little danger of falling

into e)cess %ut God ,ill teach us this also+ and ,e have only to follo, his

Spirit(

3( The soul has a dou%le advantage %y proceeding thus for+ in ,ithdra,ing

from out,ard o%-ects+ it constantly dra,s nearer to God and %esides the secret

sustaining and preserving po,er and virtue ,hich it receives+ it is farther

removed from sin the nearer it comes to *im so that its conversion %ecomesfirmly esta%lished as a matter of ha%it(

C H A P T E R 2I"

ON PERFECT CONVERSION"

"'urn ye unto Him from whom the children of (srael have so deeply revolted."

2 (sa( )))i( (4 >onversion is nothing more than turning from the creature in order to

return to God(

It is not perfect 2ho,ever good and essential to salvation4 ,hen it consistssimply in turning from sin to grace( To %e complete+ it should ta0e place from

,ithout in,ardly(

'hen the soul is once turned to,ard God+ it finds a ,onderful facility in

continuing steadfast in conversion and the longer it remains thus converted+ the

nearer it approaches and the more firmly it adheres to God and the nearer itdra,s to *im+ it is of necessity the farther removed from the creature+ ,hich is

so contrary to *im so that it is so effectually esta%lished in conversion+ that the

state %ecomes ha%itual+ and as it ,ere natural(

@o,+ ,e must not suppose that this is effected %y a violent e)ertion of its o,n po,ers for it is not capa%le of+ nor should it attempt any other co:operation

,ith divine grace+ than that of endeavoring to ,ithdra, itself from e)ternalo%-ects+ and to turn in,ards after ,hich it has nothing farther to do+ than to

continue firm in its adherence to God(

8( G6D has an attractive virtue ,hich dra,s the soul more and more po,erfully

to *imself+ and in attracting+ *e purifies -ust as it is ,ith a gross vapor e)haled

%y the sun+ ,hich+ as it gradually ascends+ is rarified and rendered pure the



vapor+ indeed+ contri%utes to its ascent only %y its passivity %ut the soul co:

operates freely and voluntarily(

This 0ind of introversion is very easy and advances the soul naturally+ and

,ithout effort+ %ecause God is our centre( The centre al,ays e)erts a very

po,erful attractive virtue and the more spiritual and e)alted it is+ the more

violent and irresisti%le are its attractions(

$( 1ut %esides the attracting virtue of the centre+ there is+ in every creature+ a

stron! tendency to reunion ,ith its centre+ ,hich is vigorous and active in

proportion to the spirituality and perfection of the su%-ect(

/s soon as anything is turned to,ards its centre+ it is precipitated to,ards it

,ith e)treme rapidity+ unless it %e ,ithheld %y some invinci%le o%stacle( /stone held in the hand is no sooner disengaged than %y its o,n ,eight it falls to

the earth as to its centre so also ,ater and fire+ ,hen uno%structed+ flo,

incessantly to,ards their centre( @o,+ ,hen the soul %y its efforts to recollect

itself+ is %rought into the influence of the central tendency+ it falls gradually+,ithout any other force than the ,eight of love+ into its proper centre and the

more passive and tran.uil it remains+ and the freer from self:motion+ the morerapidly it advances+ %ecause the energy of the central attractive virtue is

uno%structed+ and has full li%erty for action(

3( /ll our care should therefore %e directed to,ards ac.uiring the greatestdegree of in,ard recollection nor should ,e %e discouraged %y the difficulties

,e encounter in this e)ercise+ ,hich ,ill soon %e recompensed on the part of

God+ %y such a%undant supplies of grace+ as ,ill render it perfectly easy+

provided ,e are faithful in mee0ly withdrawin! our hearts from out,arddistractions and occupations+ and returning to our centre+ ,ith affections full of

tenderness and serenity( 'hen at any time the passions are tur%ulent+ a gentle

retreat in,ards to a present God+ easily deadens them any other ,ay of opposing rather irritates than appeases them(

C H A P T E R 2II"

PRAYER OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD"

T*E soul that is faithful in the e)ercise of love and adherence to God+ as a%ovedescri%ed+ is astonished to feel *im gradually ta0ing possession of its ,hole

%eing it no, en-oys a continual sense of that presence ,hich is %ecome as it

,ere natural to it and this+ as ,ell as prayer+ %ecomes a matter of ha%it( It feelsan unusual serenity gradually diffusing itself over all its faculties( Silence no,

constitutes its ,hole prayer ,hilst God communicates an infused love+ ,hich

is the %eginning of ineffa%le %lessedness(

6 that I ,ere permitted to pursue this su%-ect+ and descri%e some degrees of the

endless progression of su%se.uent states? 1ut I no, ,rite only for %eginners

and shall therefore proceed no farther+ %ut ,ait our LordAs time for developing



,hat may %e applica%le to every state(

8( 'e must+ ho,ever+ urge it as a matter of the highest import+ to cease fromself:action and self:e)ertion+ that God himself may act alone7 *e says %y the

mouth of his prophet David+ "1e still and know that ( am God." 2 %salm )lvi( !(4 1ut

the creature is so infatuated ,ith love and attachment to its o,n ,or0ing+ that it

does not %elieve that it ,or0s at all unless it can feel+ 0no,+ and distinguish allits operations( It is ignorant that its ina%ility minutely to o%serve the manner of

its motion+ is occasioned %y the s,iftness of its progress and that the

operations of God+ a%ounding more and more+ a%sor% those of the creature -ustas ,e see that the stars shine %rightly %efore the sun rises+ %ut gradually vanish

as his light advances+ and %ecome invisi%le+ not from ,ant of light in

themselves+ %ut from the e)cess of it in him(

The case is similar here for there is a strong and universal light ,hich a%sor%s

all the little distinct lights of the soul they gro, faint and disappear under its

po,erful influence+ and self:activity is no, no longer distinguisha%le(

$( Those greatly err+ ,ho accuse this prayer of inactivity+ a charge that can only

arise from ine)perience( 6; if they ,ould %ut ma0e some efforts to,ards theattainment of it+ they ,ould soon %ecome full of light and 0no,ledge in relation

to it(

This appearance of inaction is+ indeed+ not the conse.uence of sterility+ %ut of a%undance+ as ,ill %e clearly perceived %y the e)perienced soul+ ,ho ,ill

recogni9e that the silence is full and unctuous %y reason of plenty(

3( There are t,o 0inds of people that 0eep silence the one %ecause they have

nothing to say+ the other %ecause they have too much7 the latter is the case inthis state silence is occasioned %y e)cess and not %y defect(

To %e dro,ned+ and to die of thirst+ are deaths ,idely different yet ,ater may

%e said to %e the cause of %oth a%undance destroys in one case+ and ,ant in the

other( So here the fullness of grace stills the activity of self and therefore it is

of the utmost importance to remain as silent as possi%le(

The infant hanging at its motherAs %reast+ is a lively illustration of our su%-ect it

%egins to dra, the mil0+ %y moving its little lips %ut ,hen its nourishmentflo,s a%undantly+ it is content to s,allo, ,ithout effort %y any other course it

,ould only hurt itself+ spill the mil0+ and %e o%liged to .uit the %reast(

'e must act in li0e manner in the %eginning of prayer+ %y moving the lips of theaffections %ut as soon as the mil0 of divine grace flo,s freely+ ,e have nothing

to do+ %ut+ in stillness+ s,eetly to im%i%e it+ and ,hen it ceases to flo,+ again

stir up the affections as the infant moves its lips( 'hoever acts other,ise+cannot ma0e the %est use of this grace+ ,hich is %esto,ed to allure the soul into

the repose of Love+ and not to force it into the multiplicity of self(



#( 1ut ,hat %ecomes of the %a%e that thus gently and ,ithout e)ertion+ drin0s in

the mil0? 'ho ,ould %elieve that it could thus receive nourishment? =et the

more peacefully it feeds+ the %etter it thrives( 'hat+ I say+ %ecomes of this

infant? It drops asleep on its motherAs %osom( So the soul that is tran.uil and peaceful in prayer+ sin0s fre.uently into a mystic slum%er+ ,herein all its

po,ers are at rest+ till it is ,holly fitted for that state+ of ,hich it en-oys these

transient anticipations( =ou see that in this process the soul is led naturally+,ithout trou%le+ effort+ art or study(

The interior is not a strong hold+ to %e ta0en %y storm and violence %ut a0ingdom of peace+ ,hich is to %e gained only %y love( If any ,ill thus pursue

the little path I have pointed out+ it ,ill lead them to infused prayer. God

demands nothing e)traordinary nor too difficult on the contrary+ *e is greatly pleased %y a simple and child:li0e conduct(

( The most su%lime attainments in religion+ are those ,hich are easiest

reached the most necessary ordinances are the least difficult( It is thus also in

natural things if you ,ould reach the sea+ em%ar0 on a river+ and you ,ill %econveyed to it insensi%ly and ,ithout e)ertion( 'ould you go to God+ follo,

this s,eet and simple path+ and you ,ill arrive at the desired o%-ect+ ,ith an

ease and e)pedition that ,ill ama9e you(

6 that you ,ould %ut once ma0e the trial; ho, soon ,ould you find that all I

have said is too little+ and that your o,n e)perience ,ill carry you infinitely %eyond it; 'hat is it you fear? 'hy do you not instantly cast yourself into the

arms of L6CE+ ,ho only e)tended them on the cross that *e might em%race

you? 'hat ris0 do you run in depending solely on God+ and a%andoningyourself ,holly to *im? /h; he ,ill not deceive you+ unless %y %esto,ing an

a%undance %eyond your highest hopes %ut those ,ho e)pect all from

themselves+ may hear this re%u0e of God %y his prophet Isaiah+ "Ye havewearied yourselves in the multiplicity of your ways, and have not said, let us

rest in peace." 2 (sa( lvii( !+ Culgate(4

C H A P T E R 2III"

ON REST !EFORE GOD"

T*E S6L advanced thus far+ has no need of any other preparation than its.uietude7 for no, the presence of God+ during the day+ ,hich is the great effect+

or rather continuation of prayer+ %egins to %e infused, and almost without

intermission. The soul certainly en-oys transcendent %lessedness+ and finds thatGod is more intimately present to it than it is to itself(

The only ,ay to find him is %y introversion( @o sooner do the %odily eyesclose+ than the soul is ,rapt in prayer7 it is ama9ed at so great a %lessing+ and

en-oys an internal converse+ ,hich e)ternal matters cannot interrupt(

8( The same may %e said of this species of prayer+ that is said of ,isdom7 "all



!ood thin!s come to!ether with her." 2Wisdom vii( !!(4 For virtues flo, from this soul

into e)ercise ,ith so much s,eetness and facility+ that they appear natural to it+

and the living spring ,ithin %rea0s forth a%undantly into a facility for all

goodness+ and an insensi%ility to all evil(

$( Let it then remain faithful in this state and %e,are of choosing or see0ing

any other disposition ,hatever than this simple rest+ as a preparative either toconfession or communion+ to action or prayer for its sole %usiness is to suffer

itself to %e filled ,ith this divine effusion( I ,ould not %e understood to spea0

of the preparations necessary for ordinances+ %ut of the most perfect interior disposition in ,hich they can %e received(

C H A P T E R 2IV"

ON INTERIO#R SILENCE"

"'he $ord is in his holy temple let all the earth keep silence before him." 2 Hab(

ii( 8(4 The reason ,hy in,ard silence is so indispensa%le+ is+ %ecause the 'ordis essential and eternal+ and necessarily re.uires dispositions in the soul in some

degree correspondent to *is nature+ as a capacity for the reception of *imself(

*earing is a sense formed to receive sounds+ and is rather passive than active+admitting+ %ut not communicating sensation and if ,e ,ould hear+ ,e must

lend the ear for that purpose( >hrist+ the eternal 'ord+ ,ho must %e

communicated to the soul to give it ne, life+ re.uires the most intense attentionto his voice+ ,hen *e ,ould spea0 ,ithin us(

8( *ence it is so fre.uently en-oined upon us in sacred ,rit+ to listen and %eattentive to the voice of God I .uote a fe, of the numerous e)hortations to this

effect7 "Hearken unto me, my people, and !ive ear unto me, 5 my nation+"2 (sa( li(

3+4 and again "Hear me, all ye whom ( carry in my bosom, and bear within my

bowels6" 2 (sa( )lvi( $+4 and further %y the Psalmist+ "Hearken, 5 dau!hter+ and consider, and incline thine ear for!et also thine own people, and thy father4s

house so shall the kin! !reatly desire thy beauty." 2Ps( )lv( !+!!(4

'e must for!et ourselves, and all self:interest+ and listen and %e attentive toGod these t,o simple actions+ or rather passive dispositions+ produce the love

of that %eauty+ ,hich *e himself communicates(

$( 6ut,ard silence is very re.uisite for the cultivation and improvement of

in,ard and+ indeed+ it is impossi%le ,e should %ecome truly interior+ ,ithout

loving silence and retirement( God saith %y the mouth of his prophet+ "( will lead her into solitude, and there will ( speak to her heart 2 Hos( ii( !3+ Culg(4 and

un.uestiona%ly the %eing internally engaged ,ith God is ,holly incompati%le

,ith %eing e)ternally %usied a%out a thousand trifles(

'hen+ through ,ea0ness+ ,e %ecome as it ,ere uncentered+ ,e must

immediately turn again in,ard and this process ,e must repeat as often as our

distractions recur( It is a small matter to %e devout and recollected for an hour



or half hour+ if the unction and spirit of prayer do not continue ,ith us during

the ,hole day(

C H A P T E R 2V"

GOD HIMSELF E2AMINES #S"

SELF:E/MI@/TI6@ should al,ays precede confession+ %ut the manner of it should

%e conforma%le to the state of the soul( The %usiness of those that are advanced

to the degree of ,hich ,e no, treat+ is to lay their ,hole souls open %eforeGod+ ,ho ,ill not fail to enlighten them+ and ena%le them to see the peculiar

nature of their faults( This e)amination+ ho,ever+ should %e peaceful and

tran.uil and ,e should depend on God for the discovery and 0no,ledge of our

sins+ rather than on the diligence of our o,n scrutiny(

'hen ,e e)amine ,ith effort+ ,e are easily deceived+ and %etrayed %y self:love

into error7 "We call the evil !ood, and the !ood evil," 2 (sa( v( 84 %ut ,hen ,e lie in

full e)posure %efore the Sun of <ighteousness+ his divine %eams render thesmallest atoms visi%le( 'e must+ then+ forsa0e self+ and a%andon our souls to

God+ as ,ell in e)amination as confession(

8( 'hen souls have attained to this species of prayer+ no fault escapes the

reprehension of God no sooner are they committed than they are re%u0ed %y an

in,ard %urning and tender confusion( Such is the scrutiny of *im ,ho suffersno evil to %e concealed and the only ,ay is to turn simply to God+ and %ear the

pain and correction *e inflicts(

/s *e %ecomes the incessant e)aminer of the soul+ it can no, no longer

e)amine itself and if it %e faithful in its a%andonment+ e)perience ,ill provethat it is much more effectually e)plored %y his divine light+ than %y all its o,n

carefulness(

$( Those ,ho tread these paths should %e informed of a matter respecting their

confession+ in ,hich they are apt to err( 'hen they %egin to give an account of

their sins+ instead of the regret and contrition they had %een accustomed to feel+they find that love and tran.uility s,eetly pervade and ta0e possession of their

souls7 no, those ,ho are not properly instructed are desirous of resisting this

sensation+ and forming an act of contrition+ %ecause they have heard+ and ,ithtruth+ that this is re.uisite( 1ut they are not a,are that they there%y lose the

genuine contrition+ ,hich is this infused love, and ,hich infinitely surpasses

any effect produced %y self:e)ertion+ comprehending the other acts in itself asin one principal act+ in much higher perfection than if they ,ere distinctly

perceived(

Let them not %e trou%led to do other,ise+ ,hen God acts so e)cellently in andfor them( To hate sin in this manner+ is to hate it as God does( The purest love

is that ,hich is of his immediate operation in the soul ,hy should ,e then %e

so eager for action? Let us remain in the state *e assigns us+ agreea%ly to the



instructions of the ,ise man7 "%ut your confidence in God remain in 7uiet

where he hath placed you." 2 0ccles( )i( 88(4

3( The soul ,ill also %e ama9ed at finding a difficulty in calling its faults to

remem%rance( This+ ho,ever+ should cause no uneasiness+ first+ %ecause this

forgetfulness of our faults is some proof of our purification from them+ and+ in

this degree of advancement+ it is %est to forget ,hatever concerns ourselves that,e may remem%er only God( Secondly+ %ecause+ ,hen confession is our duty+

God ,ill not fail to ma0e 0no,n to us our greatest faults for then *e himself

e)amines and the soul ,ill feel the end of e)amination more perfectlyaccomplished+ than it could possi%ly have %een %y all our o,n endeavors(

#( These instructions+ ho,ever+ ,ould %e altogether unsuita%le to the preceding

degrees+ ,hile the soul continues in its active state+ ,herein it is right andnecessary that it should in all things e)ert itself+ in proportion to its

advancement( /s to those ,ho have arrived at this more advanced state+ I

e)hort them to follo, these instructions+ and not to vary their simple

occupations even on approaching the communion let them remain in silence+and suffer God to act freely( *e cannot %e %etter received than %y *imself(

C H A P T E R 2VI"

ON READING AND VOCAL PRAYERS"

T*E method of reading in this state+ is to cease ,hen you feel yourself

recollected+ and remain in stillness+ reading %ut little+ and al,ays desisting

,hen thus internally attracted( 8( The soul that is called to a state of in,ard silence+ should not encum%er

itself ,ith vocal prayers ,henever it ma0es use of them+ and finds a difficultytherein+ and an attraction to silence+ let it not use constraint %y persevering+ %ut

yield to the internal dra,ings+ unless the repeating such prayers %e a matter of o%ligation( In any other case+ it is much %etter not to %e %urdened ,ith and tied

do,n to the repetition of set forms+ %ut ,holly given up to the leadings of the

*oly Spirit and in this ,ay every species of devotion is fulfilled in a mosteminent degree(

C H A P T E R 2VII"

THE SPIRIT INDITES O#R PETITIONS"

T*E soul should not %e surprised at feeling itself una%le to offer up to God such

petitions as had formerly %een made ,ith facility for no, the Spirit ma0ethintercession for it according to the ,ill of God that Spirit ,hich helpeth our

infirmities "for we know not what we should pray for as we ou!ht but the

Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with !roanin!s which cannot be uttered." 2 #om( viii( 8(4 'e must second the designs of God+ ,hich tend to divest us of all our

o,n operations+ that his may %e su%stituted in their place(



8( Let this+ then+ %e done in you and suffer not yourself to %e attached to

anything+ ho,ever good it may appear it is no longer such to you+ if it in any

measure turns you aside from ,hat God desires of you( For the divine ,ill is

prefera%le to every other good( Sha0e off+ then+ all self:interest+ and live %yfaith and a%andonment here it is that genuine faith %egins truly to operate(

C H A P T E R 2VIII"

ON FA#LTS COMMITTED"

S*6LD ,e either ,ander among e)ternals+ or commit a fault+ ,e must instantly

turn in,ards for having departed there%y from God+ ,e should as soon as

possi%le turn to,ard *im+ and suffer the penalty ,hich *e inflicts(

It is of great importance to guard against ve)ation on account of our faults it

springs from a secret root of pride+ and a love of our o,n e)cellence ,e are

hurt at feeling ,hat ,e are(

8( If ,e %ecome discouraged+ ,e are the more enfee%led and from our

reflections on our imperfections+ a chagrin arises+ ,hich is often ,orse than the

imperfections themselves(

The truly hum%le soul is not surprised at its defects or failings and the more

misera%le it %eholds itself+ the more it a%andons itself to God+ and presses for a

more intimate alliance ,ith *im+ seeing the need it has of his aid( 'e shouldthe rather %e induced to act thus+ as God himself has said+ "( will instruct thee

and teach thee in the way which thou shalt !o ( will !uide thee with mine eye." 2 %salm )))ii( (4

C H A P T E R 2I2"

ON DISTRACTIONS AND TEMPTATIONS"

/ DI<E>T struggle ,ith distractions and temptations rather serves to augment

them+ and ,ithdra,s the soul from that adherence to God+ ,hich should ever %e

its sole occupation( 'e should simply turn a,ay from the evil+ and dra, yetnearer to God( / little child+ on perceiving a monster+ does not ,ait to fight

,ith it+ and ,ill scarcely turn its eyes to,ard it+ %ut .uic0ly shrin0s into the

%osom of its mother+ in assurance of its safety( "God is in the midst of her," saysthe Psalmist+ "she shall not be moved God shall help her, and that ri!ht early." 2 %salm )lvi( #(4

8( If ,e do other,ise+ and in our ,ea0ness attempt to attac0 our enemies+ ,eshall fre.uently find ourselves ,ounded+ if not totally defeated7 %ut+ %y

remaining in the simple presence of God+ ,e shall find instant supplies of

strength for our support( This ,as the resource of David7 "( have set," says he+

"the $ord always before me because he is at my ri!ht hand, ( shall not bemoved. 'herefore my heart is !lad, and my !lory re-oiceth my flesh also shall

rest in hope." 2 %salm )vi( +H(4 /nd it is said in E)odus+ "'he $ord shall fi!ht for you,



and ye shall hold your peace." 2 0od ( )iv( !3(4

C H A P T E R 22"

PRAYER DIVINELY E2PLAINED"

16T* devotion and sacrifice are comprehended in prayer+ ,hich+ according to St(&ohn is an incense+ the smo0e ,hereof ascendeth unto God therefore it is said

in the /pocalypse+ that "unto the an!el was !iven much incense, that he should

offer it with the prayers of all saints." 2 #ev( viii( $(4

Prayer is the effusion of the heart in the presence of God7 "( have poured out

my soul before the $ord," said the mother of Samuel( 2& Sam( i( !#(4 The prayer of the

,ise men at the feet of >hrist in the sta%le of 1ethlehem+ ,as signified %y theincense they offered(

8( Prayer is a certain ,armth of love+ melting+ dissolving+ and su%limating the

soul+ and causing it to ascend unto God+ and+ as the soul is melted+ odors risefrom it and these s,eet e)halations proceed from the consuming fire of love

,ithin(

This is illustrated in the anticles, 2i( !8+4 ,here the spouse says+ "While the kin! sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof." The ta%le is

the centre of the soul and ,hen God is there+ and ,e 0no, ho, to d,ell near+

and a%ide ,ith *im+ the sacred presence gradually dissolves the hardness of thesoul+ and+ as it melts+ fragrance issues forth hence it is+ that the 1eloved says of

his spouse+ in seeing her soul melt ,hen he spo0e+ "Who is this that cometh out

of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and

frankincense"2ant ( v( iii( (4

$( Thus does the soul ascend to God+ %y giving up self to the destroying andannihilating po,er of divine love( This is a state of sacrifice essential to the

>hristian religion+ in ,hich the soul suffers itself to %e destroyed and

annihilated+ that it may pay homage to the sovereignty of God as it is ,ritten+

"'he power of the $ord is !reat, and he is honored only by the humble." 2 0ccles( iii(

8!(4 1y the destruction of self+ ,e ac0no,ledge the supreme e)istence of God(

'e must cease to e)ist in self+ in order that the Spirit of the Eternal 'ord may

e)ist in us7 it is %y the giving up of our o,n life+ that ,e give place to hiscoming and in dying to ourselves+ *e himself lives in us(

'e must surrender our ,hole %eing to >hrist &esus+ and cease to live any longer

in ourselves+ that *e may %ecome our life "that bein! dead, our life may be hid with hrist in God." 2ol ( iii( $(4 "%ass ye into me," sayeth God+ "all ye who

earnestly seek after me." 2 0ccles( ))iv( !(4 1ut ho, is it ,e pass into God? In no ,ay

%ut %y leaving and forsa0ing ourselves+ that ,e may %e lost in *im and thiscan %e effected only %y annihilation+ ,hich+ %eing the true prayer of adoration+

renders unto God alone+ all "blessin!, honor, !lory, and power, forever and

ever." 2 #ev( v( !$(4



3( This prayer of truth it is "worshippin! God in spirit and in truth6" 2 )ohn iv( 8$(4

"(n spirit," %ecause ,e enter into the purity of that Spirit ,hich prayeth ,ithin

us+ and are dra,n forth from our o,n carnal and human method "in truth,"

%ecause ,e are there%y placed in the truth of the all of God+ and the nothing of the creature(

There are %ut these t,o truths+ the/LL

and the @6T*I@G

everything else isfalsehood( 'e can pay due honor to the /LL of God+ only in our o,n /@@I*IL/TI6@

,hich is no sooner accomplished+ than *e+ ,ho never suffers a void in nature+

instantly fills us ,ith *imself(

/h; did ,e %ut 0no, the virtues and the %lessings ,hich the soul derives from

this prayer+ ,e should not %e ,illing to do anything else It is the pearl of !reat

price the hidden treasure, 2 Matt ( )iii( 33+3#+4 ,hich+ ,hoever findeth+ selleth freely allthat he hath to purchase it It is the well of livin! water, which sprin!eth up

unto everlastin! life. It is the adoration of God "in spirit and in truth6" 2 )ohn iv( !3:

8$74 and It is the full performance of the purest evangelical precepts(

#( &esus >hrist assures us+ that the "kin!dom of God is within us6" 2 $uke )vii( 8!74 and

this is true in t,o senses7 first+ ,hen God %ecomes so fully Master and Lord inus+ that nothing resists his dominion+ then our interior is his 0ingdom and

again+ ,hen ,e possess God+ ,ho is the Supreme Good+ ,e possess his

0ingdom also+ ,herein there is fulness of -oy+ and ,here ,e attain the end of

our creation( Thus it is said+ "to serve God is to rei!n." The end of our creation+indeed+ is to en-oy God+ even in this life %ut+ alas; ,ho thin0s of it?

C H A P T E R 22I"

THE SO#L ACTIVE WHEN SELF IS STILL"

S6ME persons+ ,hen they hear of the prayer of silence+ falsely imagine that the

soul remains stupid, dead, and inactive %ut it un.uestiona%ly acts more no%ly

and more e)tensively than it had ever done %efore for God himself is its mover+

and it no, acts %y the agency of his Spirit( St( Paul ,ould have us led by the

Spirit of God. 2 #om( viii( !3(4

It is not meant that ,e should cease from action %ut that ,e should act through

the internal agency of his grace( This is finely represented %y the prophetE9e0ielAs vision of the ,heels+ ,hich had a living Spirit and ,hithersoever the

Spirit ,as to go+ they ,ent they ascended and descended as they ,ere moved

for the Spirit of life ,as in them+ and they returned not ,hen they ,ent( 2 08ek ( i( !:

8!(4 Thus the soul should %e e.ually su%servient to the ,ill of that vivifying Spirit

,hich is in it+ and scrupulously faithful to follo, only as that moves( These

motions never tend to return in reflections on the creatures or self %ut gofor,ard in an incessant approach to,ard the end(

8( This activity of the soul is attended ,ith the utmost tran.uility( 'hen it acts

of itself+ the act is forced and constrained+ and+ therefore+ it is more easily



distinguished %ut ,hen the action is under the influence of the Spirit of grace+

it is so free+ so easy+ and so natural+ that it almost seems as if ,e did not act at

all( "He brou!ht me forth also into a lar!e place He delivered me, because He

deli!hted in me." 2 %s( )viii( !H(4

'hen the soul is in its central tendency+ or in other ,ords+ is returned through

recollection into itself+ from that moment+ the central attraction %ecomes a most potent activity+ infinitely surpassing in energy every other species( @othing+

indeed+ can e.ual the s,iftness of this tendency to the centre and though an

activity+ yet it is so no%le+ so peaceful+ so full of tran.uility+ so natural+ and sospontaneous+ that it appears to the soul as if it ,ere none at all(

'hen a ,heel rolls slo,ly ,e can easily perceive its parts %ut ,hen its motion

is rapid+ ,e can distinguish nothing( So the soul ,hich rests in God+ has anactivity e)ceedingly no%le and elevated+ yet altogether peaceful and the more

peaceful it is+ the s,ifter is its course %ecause it is given up to that Spirit %y

,hom it is moved and directed(

$( This attracting Spirit is no other than God himself+ ,ho+ in dra,ing us+

causes us to run to *im( *o, ,ell did the spouse understand this+ ,hen shesaid+ "*raw me, we will run after thee." 2ant ( i( 3(4 Dra, me unto Thee+ 6 my

divine centre+ %y the secret springs of my e)istence+ and all my po,ers and

senses shall follo, Thee; This simple attraction is %oth an ointment to heal and

a perfume to allure7 we follow, saith she+ the fra!rance of thy perfumes andthough so powerful an attraction+ it is follo,ed %y the soul freely+ and ,ithout

constraint for it is e.ually delightful as forci%le and ,hilst it attracts %y its

po,er+ it carries us a,ay %y its s,eetness( "*raw me," says the spouse+ "and we will run after thee." She spea0s of and to herself7 "draw me," %ehold the

unity of the centre ,hich is dra,n; "we will run," %ehold the correspondence

and course of all the senses and po,ers in follo,ing the attraction of the centre;

3( Instead+ then+ of encouraging sloth+ ,e promote the highest activity+ %y

inculcating a total dependence on the Spirit of God, as our moving principle

for it is in Him, and by Him alone, that we live and move, and have our bein!.2 2cts )vii( 8(4 This mee0 dependence on the Spirit of God is indispensa%ly

necessary+ and causes the soul shortly to attain the unity and simplicity in ,hich

it ,as created(

'e must+ therefore+ forsa0e our multifarious activity+ to enter into the simplicity

and unity of God+ in ,hose image ,e ,ere originally formed( 2Gen( i( 85(4 "'he

Spirit is one and manifold, 2Wisdom vii( 88+4 and his unity does not preclude hismultiplicity( 'e enter into his unity ,hen ,e are united to his Spirit+ and %y

that means have one and the same spirit ,ith *im and ,e are multiplied in

respect to the out,ard e)ecution of his ,ill+ ,ithout any departure from our state of union(

In this ,ay+ ,hen ,e are ,holly moved %y the divine Spirit+ ,hich is infinitely

active+ our activity must+ indeed+ %e more energetic than that ,hich is merelyour o,n( 'e must yield ourselves to the guidance of "wisdom, which is more



movin! than any motion," 2Wisdom vii( 83+4 and %y a%iding in dependence upon its

action+ our activity ,ill %e truly efficient(

#( "2ll thin!s were made by the Word, and without Him was not anythin! made,that was made." 2 )ohn i( $(4 God originally formed us in his own ima!e and

likeness *e %reathed into us the Spirit of his 'ord+ that breath of $ife 2Gen( ii( 54

,hich *e gave us at our creation+ in the participation ,hereof the image of Godconsisted( @o,+ this LIFE is one+ simple+ pure+ intimate+ and al,ays fruitful(

The devil having %ro0en and deformed the divine image in the soul %y sin+ the

agency of the same 'ord ,hose Spirit ,as in%reathed at our creation+ isa%solutely necessary for its renovation( It ,as necessary that it should %e *e+

%ecause *e is the e)press image of his Father and no image can %e repaired %y

its o,n efforts+ %ut must remain passive for that purpose under the hand of the,or0man(

6ur activity should+ therefore+ consist in placin! ourselves in a state of

suscepti%ility to divine impressions+ and plia%ility to all the operations of theEternal 'ord( 'hilst a ta%let is unsteady+ the painter is una%le to produce a

correct picture upon it+ and every movement of self is productive of erroneouslineaments it interrupts the ,or0 and defeats the design of this adora%le

Painter( 'e must then remain in peace+ and move only ,hen *e moves us(

)esus hrist hath life in himself, 2 )ohn v( 8+4 and *e must give life to every living

thing(

The spirit of the >hurch of God is the spirit of the divine movement( Is she idle+

%arren+ or unfruitful? @o she acts+ %ut her activity is in dependence upon the

Spirit of God+ ,ho moves and governs her( &ust so should it %e in her mem%ersthat they may %e spiritual children of the >hurch+ they must %e moved %y the

Spirit(

( /s all action is estima%le only in proportion to the grandeur and dignity of

the efficient principle+ this action is incontesta%ly more @61LE than any other(

/ctions produced %y a divine principle+ are divine %ut creaturely actions+ho,ever good they appear+ are only human, or at least virtuous+ even ,hen

accompanied %y grace(

&esus >hrist says that *e has life in *imself7 all other %eings have only a %orro,ed life %ut the 'ord has life in *imself and %eing communicative of

his nature+ *e desires to %esto, it upon man( 'e should therefore ma0e room

for the influ) of this life+ ,hich can only %e done %y the e-ection and loss of the/damical life+ and the suppression of the activity of self( This is agreea%le to

the assertion of St( Paul+ "(f any man be in hrist, he is a new creature old

thin!s are passed away behold, all thin!s are become new," 29or ( v( !54 %ut this

state can %e accomplished only %y dying to ourselves+ and to all our o,nactivity+ that the activity of God may %e su%stituted in its place(

Instead+ therefore+ of prohi%iting activity+ ,e en-oin it %ut in a%solute



dependence on the Spirit of God+ that his activity may ta0e the place of our

o,n( This can only %e effected %y the consent of the creature and this

concurrence can only %e yielded %y moderatin! our o,n action+ that the activity

of God may+ little %y little+ %e ,holly su%stituted for it(

5( &esus >hrist has e)emplified this in the Gospel( Martha did ,hat ,as right

%ut %ecause she did it in her o,n spirit+ >hrist re%u0ed her( The spirit of man isrestless and tur%ulent for ,hich reason he does little+ though he seems to do a

great deal( "Martha," says >hrist+ "thou art careful and troubled about many

thin!s but one thin! is needful and Mary hath chosen that !ood part which shall not be taken away from her." 2 $uke )( 3!+38(4 /nd ,hat ,as it Mary had chosen?

<epose+ tran.uility+ and peace( She had apparently ceased to act+ that the Spirit

of >hrist might act in her she had ceased to live+ that >hrist might %e her life(

This sho,s ho, necessary it is to renounce ourselves+ and all our activity+ to

follo, >hrist for ,e cannot follo, *im+ if ,e are not animated %y his Spirit(

@o, that his Spirit may gain admittance+ it is necessary that our o,n should %e

e)pelled7 "He that is -oined unto the $ord," says St( Paul+ "is one spirit." 2&or ( vi(

!5(4 /nd David said it ,as good for him to dra, near unto the Lord+ and to put

his trust in him( 2 %salm l))iii( 8(4 'hat is this dra,ing near? It is the %eginning of

union(

( Divine union has its commencement+ its progress+ its achievement+ and its

consummation( It is at first an inclination to,ards God( 'hen the soul isintroverted in the manner %efore descri%ed+ it gets ,ithin the influence of the

central attraction+ and ac.uires an eager desire after union this is the

%eginning( It then adheres to *im ,hen it has got nearer and nearer+ and finally %ecomes one+ that is+ one spirit ,ith *im and then it is that the spirit ,hich had

,andered from God+ returns again to its end(

H( Into this ,ay+ then+ ,hich is the divine motion+ and the spirit of &esus >hrist+,e must necessarily enter( St( Paul says+ "(f any man have not the spirit of

hrist, he is none of his" 2 #om( viii( H47 therefore+ to %e >hristAs+ ,e must %e filled

,ith his Spirit+ and emptied of our o,n( The /postle+ in the same passage+ proves the necessity of this divine influence( "2s many," says he+ "as are led by

the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." 2 #om( viii( !3(4

The spirit of divine filiation is+ then+ the spirit of divine motion7 he therefore

adds+ "Ye have not received the spirit of bonda!e a!ain to fear but ye have

received the spirit of adoption whereby ye cry 2bba, /ather." This spirit is no

other than the spirit of >hrist+ through ,hich ,e participate in his filiation"'he Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God."

'hen the soul yields itself to the influence of this %lessed Spirit+ it perceives

the testimony of its divine filiation and it feels also+ ,ith superadded -oy+ that it has received, not the spirit of bonda!e, but of liberty, even the liberty of the

children of God it then finds that it acts freely and sweetly+ though ,ith vigor

and infalli%ility(



!( The spirit of divine action is so necessary in all things+ that St( Paul+ in the

same passage+ founds that necessity on our ignorance ,ith respect to ,hat ,e

pray for7 "'he Spirit," says he+ "also helpeth our infirmities6 for we know not

what we should pray for as we ou!ht but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with !roanin!s which cannot be uttered." This is plain enough if ,e

0no, not ,hat ,e stand in need of+ nor ho, to pray as ,e ought for those

things ,hich are necessary+ and if the Spirit ,hich is in us+ and to ,hich ,eresign ourselves+ must as0 for us+ should ,e not permit *im to give vent to his

unuttera%le groanings in our %ehalf?

This Spirit is the Spirit of the 'ord+ ,hich is al,ays heard+ as *e says himself7

"( knew that thou hearest me always" 2 )ohn )i( 384 and if ,e freely admit this Spirit

to pray and intercede for us+ ,e also shall %e al,ays heard( /nd ,hy? Let uslearn from the same great /postle+ that s0illful Mystic+ and Master of the

interior life+ ,here he adds+ "He that searcheth the heart, knoweth what is the

mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the saints, accordin! to

the will of God" 2 #om( viii( 8547 that is to say+ the Spirit demands only ,hat isconforma%le to the ,ill of God( The ,ill of God is that ,e should %e saved+

and that ,e should %ecome perfect7 *e+ therefore+ intercedes for all that is

necessary for our perfection(

!!( 'hy+ then+ should ,e %e %urthened ,ith superfluous cares+ and weary

ourselves in the multiplicity of our ways, without ever sayin!, let us rest in

peace. God himself invites us to cast all our care upon *im and *e complainsin Isaiah+ ,ith ineffa%le goodness+ that the soul had e)pended its po,ers and its

treasures on a thousand e)ternal o%-ects+ ,hen there ,as so little to do to attain

all it need desire( "Wherefore," saith God+ "do you spend money for that whichis not bread and your labor for that which satisfieth not Hearken dili!ently

unto me, and eat ye that which is !ood, and let your soul deli!ht itself in

fatness." 2 (sa( lv( 8(4

6h; did ,e %ut 0no, the %lessedness of thus hear0ening to God+ and ho,

greatly the soul is strengthened %y such a course; "1e silent, 5 all flesh, before

the $ord" 2 :ech( ii( !$4 all must cease as soon as *e appears( 1ut to engage us stillfarther to an a%andonment ,ithout reservation+ God assures us+ %y the same

Prophet+ that ,e need fear nothing+ %ecause he ta0es a very special care of us

"an a woman for!et her suckin! child, that she should not have compassionon the son of her womb Yea, she may for!et yet will not ( for!et thee." 2 (sa( )li)(

!#(4 6 ,ords full of consolation; 'ho after that ,ill fear to a%andon himself

,holly to the guidance of God?

C H A P T E R 22II"

ON INWARD AND O#TWARD ACTS"

/>TS are distinguished into e)ternal and internal( 0ternal acts are those ,hich

appear out,ardly+ and %ear relation to some sensi%le o%-ect+ and have no moral

character+ e)cept such as they derive from the principle from ,hich they proceed( I intend here to spea0 only of internal acts+ those energies of the soul+



%y ,hich it turns internally towards some o%-ects+ and away from others(

8( If during my application to God+ I should form a ,ill to change the nature of my act+ I should there%y ,ithdra, myself from God and turn to created o%-ects+

and that in a greater or less degree according to the strength of the act7 and if+

,hen I am turned to,ards the creature+ I ,ould return to God+ I must

necessarily form an act for that purpose and the more perfect this act is+ themore complete is the conversion(

Till conversion is perfected+ many reiterated acts are necessary for it is ,ith

some progressive+ though ,ith others it is instantaneous( My act+ ho,ever+should consist in a continual turning to God+ an e)ertion of every faculty and

po,er of the soul purely for *im+ agreea%ly to the instructions of the son of

Sirach7 "#e;unite all the motions of thy heart in the holiness of God" 2 0ccles( )))( 83+4and to the e)ample of David+ "( will keep my whole stren!th for thee," 2 %salm li)( H+

Culg(4 ,hich is done %y earnestly re:entering into ourselves as Isaiah saith+

"#eturn to your heart" 2 (sa. )lvi( + Culg(4 For ,e have strayed from our heart %y sin+

and it is our heart only that God re.uires7 "My son !ive me thine heart, and let thine eye observe my ways." 2 %rov( ))iii( 8(4 To give the heart to God+ is to have the

,hole energy of the soul ever centering in *im+ that ,e may %e rendered

conforma%le to his ,ill( 'e must+ therefore+ continue invaria%ly turned to God+from our first application to *im(

1ut the spirit %eing unsta%le+ and the soul accustomed to turn to e)ternalo%-ects+ it is easily distracted( This evil+ ho,ever+ ,ill %e counteracted if+ on

perceiving the ,andering+ ,e+ %y a pure act of return to God+ instantly replace

ourselves in *im and this act su%sists as long as the conversion lasts+ %y the po,erful influence of a simple and unfeigned return to God(

$( /s many reiterated acts form a ha%it+ the soul contracts the ha%it of

conversion and that act ,hich ,as %efore interrupted and distinct %ecomesha%itual(

The soul should not+ then+ %e perple)ed a%out forming an act ,hich alreadysu%sists+ and ,hich+ indeed+ it cannot attempt to form ,ithout very great

difficulty it even finds that it is ,ithdra,n from its proper state+ under pretence

of see0ing that ,hich is in reality ac.uired+ seeing the ha%it is already formed+and it is confirmed in ha%itual conversion and ha%itual love( It is see0ing one

act %y the help of many+ instead of continuing attached to God %y one simple

act alone(

'e may remar0+ that at times ,e form ,ith facility many distinct yet simple

acts ,hich sho,s that ,e have ,andered+ and that ,e re:enter our heart after

having strayed from it yet ,hen ,e have re:entered+ ,e should remain there in

peace( 'e err+ therefore+ in supposing that ,e must not form acts we formthem continually6 %ut let them %e conforma%le to the degree of our spiritual

advancement(



3( The great difficulty ,ith most spiritual people arises from their not clearly

comprehending this matter( @o,+ some acts are transient and distinct + others

are continued + and again+ some are direct + and others reflective( /ll cannot form

the first+ neither are all in a state suited to form the others( The first are adaptedto those ,ho have strayed+ and ,ho re.uire a distinct e)ertion+ proportioned to

the e)tent of their deviation if the latter %e inconsidera%le+ an act of the most

simple 0ind is sufficient(

#( 1y the continued act+ I mean that ,here%y the soul is altogether turned

to,ard God %y a direct act+ al,ays su%sisting+ and ,hich it does not rene,unless it has %een interrupted( The soul %eing thus turned+ is in charity+ and

a%ides therein "and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God." 2&)ohn iv( !(4 The

soul then+ as it ,ere+ e)ists and rests in this ha%itual act( It is+ ho,ever+ freefrom sloth for there is still an uninterrupted act subsistin!, ,hich is a sweet

sinkin! into the *eity, ,hose attraction %ecomes more and more po,erful(

Follo,ing this potent attraction+ and d,elling in love and charity+ the soul sin0s

continually deeper into that Love+ maintaining an activity infinitely more po,erful+ vigorous+ and effectual than that ,hich served to accomplish its first

return(

( @o, the soul that is thus profoundly and vi!orously active, %eing ,hollygiven up to God+ does not perceive this act+ %ecause it is direct and not

reflective( This is the reason ,hy some+ not e)pressing themselves properly+

say+ that they ma0e no acts %ut it is a mista0e+ for they ,ere never more trulyor no%ly active they should say+ that they did not distin!uish their acts, and not

that they did not act. I grant that they do not act of themselves %ut they are

dra,n+ and they follo, the attraction( Love is the ,eight ,hich sin0s them( /sone falling into the sea+ ,ould sin0 from one depth to another to all eternity+ if

the sea ,ere infinite+ so they+ ,ithout perceiving their descent+ drop ,ith

inconceiva%le s,iftness into the lo,est deeps(

It is+ then+ improper to say that ,e do not ma0e acts all form acts+ %ut the

manner of their formation is not ali0e in all( The mista0e arises from this+ that

all ,ho 0no, they should act+ are desirous of acting distin!uishably and perceptibly %ut this cannot %e7 sensi%le acts are for %eginners there are others

for those in a more advanced state( To stop in the former+ ,hich are ,ea0 and

of little profit+ is to de%ar ourselves of the latter as to attempt the latter ,ithouthaving passed through the former+ is a no less considera%le error(

5( "'o everythin! there is a season" 2 0ccles( iii( !47 every state has its

commencement+ its progress+ and its consummation+ and it is an unhappy error to stop in the %eginning( There is no art %ut ,hat has its progress at first+ ,e

la%or ,ith toil+ %ut at last ,e reap the fruit of our industry(

'hen the vessel is in port+ the mariners are o%liged to e)ert all their strength+

that they may clear her thence+ and put to sea %ut they su%se.uently turn her

,ith facility as they please( In li0e manner+ ,hile the soul remains in sin andthe creature+ many endeavors are re.uisite to effect its freedom the ca%les

,hich hold it must %e loosed+ and then %y strong and vigorous efforts it gathers



itself in,ard+ pushes off gradually from the old port of Self+ and+ leaving that

%ehind+ proceeds to the interior+ the haven so much desired(

( 'hen the vessel is thus started+ as she advances on the sea+ she leaves the

shore %ehind and the farther she departs from the land+ the less la%or is

re.uisite in moving her for,ard( /t length she %egins to get gently under sail+

and no, proceeds so s,iftly in her course+ that the oars+ ,hich are %ecomeuseless+ are laid aside( *o, is the pilot no, employed? he is content ,ith

spreading the sails and holding the rudder(

'o spread the sails, is to lay ourselves %efore God in the prayer of simplee)position+ to %e moved %y his Spirit to hold the rudder, is to restrain our heart

from ,andering from the true course+ recalling it gently+ and guiding it steadily

%y the dictates of the Spirit of God+ ,hich gradually gains possession of theheart+ -ust as the %ree9e %y degrees fills the sails and impels the vessel( 'hile

the ,inds are fair+ the pilot and the mariners rest from their la%ors( 'hat

progress do they not no, secure+ ,ithout the least fatigue; They ma0e more

,ay no, in one hour+ ,hile they rest and leave the vessel to the ,ind+ than theydid in a length of time %y all their former efforts and even ,ere they no, to

attempt using the oars+ %esides greatly fatiguing themselves+ they ,ould only

retard the vessel %y their useless e)ertions(

This is our proper course interiorly+ and a short time ,ill advance us %y the

divine impulsion farther than many reiterated acts of self:e)ertion( 'hoever ,ill try this path+ ,ill find it the easiest in the ,orld(

H( If the ,ind %e contrary and %lo, a storm+ ,e must cast anchor in the sea+ to

hold the vessel( This anchor is simply trust in God and hope in his goodness+,aiting patiently the calming of the tempest and the return of a favora%le gale

thus did David7 "( waited patiently for the $ord, and he inclined unto me, and

heard my cry." 2 %s( )l( !(4 'e must therefore %e resigned to the Spirit of God+giving ourselves up ,holly to his divine guidance(

C H A P T E R 22III"

AN E2HORTATION TO MINISTERS"

IF all ,ho la%ored for the conversion of others sought to reach them 1= T*E *E/<T+introducing them immediately into prayer and the interior life+ num%erless and

permanent conversions ,ould ensue( 6n the contrary+ fe, and transient fruits

must attend that la%or ,hich is confined to out,ard matters+ such as %urdeningthe disciple ,ith a thousand precepts for e)ternal e)ercises+ instead of leading

the soul to >hrist %y the occupation of the heart in *im(

If ministers ,ere solicitous thus to instruct their parishioners+ shepherds+ ,hilethey ,atched their floc0s+ ,ould have the spirit of the primitive >hristians+ and

the hus%andman at the plough ,ould maintain a %lessed intercourse ,ith his

God the manufacturer+ ,hile he e)hausted his out,ard man ,ith la%or+ ,ould



%e rene,ed ,ith in,ard strength every species of vice ,ould shortly disappear+

and every parishioner ,ould %ecome spiritually minded(

8( 6 ,hen once the *E/<T is gained+ ho, easily is all the rest corrected; this is

,hy God+ a%ove all things+ re.uires the *E/<T( 1y this means alone+ ,e may

e)tirpate the dreadful vices ,hich so prevail among the lo,er orders+ such as

drun0enness+ %lasphemy+ le,dness+ enmity and theft( &ESS

>*<IST

,ould reignevery,here in peace+ and the face of the church ,ould %e rene,ed throughout(

The decay of internal piety is un.uestiona%ly the source of the various errors

that have appeared in the ,orld all ,ould speedily %e overthro,n+ ,ere in,arddevotion re:esta%lished( Errors ta0e possession of no soul+ e)cept such as are

deficient in faith and prayer and if+ instead of engaging our ,andering %rethren

in constant disputations+ ,e ,ould %ut teach them simply to believe+ anddiligently to P</=+ ,e should lead them s,eetly to God(

6 ho, ine)pressi%ly great is the loss sustained %y man0ind from the neglect of

the interior life; /nd ,hat an account ,ill those have to render ,ho areentrusted ,ith the care of souls+ and have not discovered and communicated to

their floc0 this hidden treasure;

$( Some e)cuse themselves %y saying+ that there is danger in this ,ay+ or that

simple persons are incapa%le of comprehending the things of the Spirit( 1ut the

oracles of truth affirm the contrary7 "'he $ord loveth those who walk simply." 2 %rov( )ii( 88+ Culg(4 1ut ,hat danger can there %e in ,al0ing in the only true ,ay+

,hich is &esus >hrist+ giving ourselves up to *im+ fi)ing our eye continually on

*im+ placing all our confidence in his grace+ and tending ,ith all the strength of

our soul to his purest love?

3( The simple ones+ so far from %eing incapable of this perfection+ are+ %y their

docility+ innocence+ and humility+ peculiarly .ualified for its attainment and+ asthey are not accustomed to reasoning+ they are less tenacious of their o,n

opinions( Even from their ,ant of learning+ they su%mit more freely to the

teachings of the divine Spirit ,hereas others+ ,ho are cramped and %linded %yself:sufficiency+ offer much greater resistance to the operations of grace(

'e are told in Scripture that "unto the simple, God !iveth the understandin! of

his law" 2 %salm c)i)( !$+ c)viii( !$+ Culg(47 and ,e are also assured+ that God loves tocommunicate ,ith them7 "'he $ord careth for the simple ( was reduced to

etremity and He saved me." 2 %salm c)iv( + c)v( + Culg(4 Let spiritual fathers %e careful

ho, they prevent their little ones from coming to >hrist *e himself said to hisapostles+ "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kin!dom of

heaven." 2 Matt ( )i)( !3(4 It ,as the endeavor of the apostles to prevent children from

going to our Lord+ ,hich occasioned this command(

#( Man fre.uently applies a remedy to the out,ard %ody+ ,hilst the disease lies

at the heart( The cause of our %eing so unsuccessful in reforming man0ind+

especially those of the lo,er classes+ is our %eginning ,ith e)ternal matters all



our la%ors in this field+ do %ut produce such fruit as endures not %ut if the key

of the interior %e first given+ the e)terior ,ould %e naturally and easily

reformed(

@o, this is very easy( To teach man to see0 God in his heart+ to thin0 of *im+ to

return to *im ,henever he finds he has ,andered from *im+ and to do and

suffer all things ,ith a single eye to please *im+ is leading the soul to thesource of all grace+ and causing it to find there everything necessary for

sanctification(

( I therefore %eseech you all+ 6 ye that have the care of souls+ to put them atonce into this ,ay+ ,hich is &esus >hrist nay+ it is *e himself that con-ures you+

%y all the %lood he has shed for those entrusted to you( "Speak to the heart of

)erusalem+" 2 (sa( )l( 8+ Culg(4 6 ye dispensers of his grace; preachers of his ,ord;ministers of his sacraments; esta%lish his 0ingdom; and that it may indeed

%e esta%lished+ ma0e *im <LE< 6CE< T*E *E/<T; For as it is the heart alone that

can oppose his sovereignty+ it is %y the su%-ection of the heart that his

sovereignty is most highly honored7 "Give !lory to the holiness of God, and he shall become your sanctification." 2 (sa( viii( !$+ Culg(4 >ompose catechisms e)pressly

to teach prayer+ not %y reasoning nor %y method+ for the simple are incapa%le of

that %ut to teach the prayer of the heart+ not of the understanding the prayer of GodAs Spirit+ not of manAs invention(

5( /las; %y directing them to pray in elaborate forms+ and to %e curiouslycritical therein+ you create their chief o%stacles( The children have %een led

astray from the %est of fathers+ %y your endeavoring to teach them too refined a

language( Go+ then+ ye poor children+ to your heavenly Father+ spea0 to him inyour natural language rude and %ar%arous as it may %e+ it is not so to *im( /

father is %etter pleased ,ith an address ,hich love and respect have made

confused+ %ecause he sees that it proceeds from the heart+ than he is %y a dryand %arren harangue+ though never so ela%orate( The simple and undisguised

emotions of love are infinitely more e)pressive than all language+ and all

reasoning(

( Men have desired to love L6CE %y formal rules+ and have thus lost much of

that love( 6 ho, unnecessary is it to teach an art of loving; The language of

love is %ar%arous to him that does not love+ %ut perfectly natural to him that

does and there is no %etter ,ay to learn ho, to love God+ than to love him(The most ignorant often %ecome the most perfect+ %ecause they proceed ,ith

more cordiality and simplicity( The Spirit of God needs none of our

arrangements ,hen it pleases *im+ *e turns shepherds into Prophets+ and+ sofar from e)cluding any from the temple of prayer+ he thro,s ,ide the gates that

all may enter ,hile ,isdom is directed to cry aloud in the high,ays+ "Whoso is

simple let him turn in hither" 2 %rov( i)( 34 and to the fools she saith+ "ome eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which ( have min!led." 2 %rov( i)( #(4 /nd doth not

&esus >hrist himself than0 his Father for having "hid these thin!s from the wise

and prudent, and revealed them unto babes" 2 Matt ( )i( 8#(4



C H A P T E R 22IV"

ON THE PASSIVE WAY TO DIVINE #NION"

IT is impossi%le to attain Divine nion+ solely %y the ,ay of meditation+ or of

the affections+ or %y any devotion+ no matter ho, illuminated( There are many

reasons for this+ the chief of ,hich are those ,hich follo,(

!( /ccording to Scripture+ "no man shall see God and live." 2 0od ( )))iii( 8(4 @o, all

the e)ercises of discursive prayer+ and even of active contemplation, regardedas an end+ and not as a mere preparative to that ,hich is passive+ are still living

e)ercises+ %y ,hich ,e cannot see God that is to say+ %e united ,ith him( /ll

that is of man and of his doing+ %e it never so no%le+ never so e)alted+ must first

%e destroyed(

St( &ohn relates that there ,as silence in heaven( 2 #ev( viii( !(4 @o, heaven

represents the ground and centre of the soul+ ,herein all must %e hushed to

silence ,hen the ma-esty of God appears( /ll the efforts+ nay+ the verye)istence+ of self+ must %e destroyed %ecause nothing is opposite to God+ %ut

self+ and all the malignity of man is in self:appropriation+ as the source of its

evil nature insomuch that the purity of a soul increases in proportion as it losesthis self:hood and that ,hich ,as a fault ,hile the soul lived in self:

appropriation+ is no longer such+ after it has ac.uired purity and innocence+ %y

departing from that self:hood+ ,hich caused the dissimilitude %et,een it andGod(

8( To unite t,o things so opposite as the purity of God and the impurity of thecreature+ the simplicity of God and the multiplicity of man+ much more is

re.uisite than the efforts of the creature( @othing less than an efficaciousoperation of the /lmighty can ever accomplish this for t,o things must have

some relation or similarity %efore they can %ecome one as the impurity of drosscannot %e united ,ith the purity of gold(

$( 'hat+ then+ does God do? *e sends his o,n 'isdom %efore *im+ as fire

shall %e sent upon the earth+ to destroy %y its activity all that is impure and asnothing can resist the po,er of that fire+ %ut it consumes everything+ so this

'isdom destroys all the impurities of the creature+ in order to dispose it for

divine union(

The impurity ,hich is so fatal to union consists in Self;appropriation and

2ctivity.

Self;appropriation %ecause it is the source and fountain of all that

defilement ,hich can never %e allied to essential purity as the rays

of the sun may shine+ indeed+ upon mire+ %ut can never %e united,ith it(

2ctivity for God %eing in an infinite stillness+ the soul+ in order to

%e united to *im+ must participate of his stillness+ else the



contrariety %et,een stillness and activity ,ould prevent

assimilation(

Therefore+ the soul can never arrive at divine union %ut in the rest of its ,ill

nor can it ever %ecome one ,ith God+ %ut %y %eing re:esta%lished in central rest

and in the purity of its first creation(

3( God purifies the soul %y his 'isdom+ as refiners do metals in the furnace(

Gold cannot %e purified %ut %y fire+ ,hich gradually consumes all that is earthy

and foreign+ and separates it from the metal( It is not sufficient to fit it for use

that the earthy part should %e changed into gold it must then %e melted anddissolved %y the force of fire+ to separate from the mass every drossy or alien

particle and must %e again and again cast into the furnace+ until it has lost every

trace of pollution+ and every possi%ility of %eing farther purified(

The goldsmith cannot no, discover any adulterate mi)ture+ %ecause of its

perfect purity and simplicity( The fire no longer touches it and ,ere it to

remain an age in the furnace+ its spotlessness ,ould not %e increased+ nor itssu%stance diminished( It is then fit for the most e).uisite ,or0manship+ and if+

thereafter+ this gold seem o%scured or defiled+ it is nothing more than anaccidental impurity occasioned %y the contact of some foreign %ody+ and is only

superficial it is no hinderance to its employment+ and is ,idely different from

its former de%asement+ ,hich ,as hidden in the ground of its nature+ and+ as it

,ere+ identified ,ith it( Those+ ho,ever+ ,ho are uninstructed+ %eholding the pure gold sullied %y some e)ternal pollution+ ,ould %e disposed to prefer an

impure and gross metal+ that appeared superficially %right and polished(

#( Farther+ the pure and the impure gold are not mingled %efore they can %eunited+ they must %e e.ually refined the goldsmith cannot mi) dross and gold(

'hat ,ill he do+ then? *e ,ill purge out the dross ,ith fire+ so that the inferior

may %ecome as pure as the other+ and then they may %e united( This is ,hat St(Paul means+ ,hen he declares that "the fire shall try every man4s work of what

sort it is" 2&or ( iii !$4 he adds+ "(f any man4s work be burnt, he shall suffer loss,

but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire." *e here intimates+ that there are,or0s so degraded %y impure mi)tures+ that though the mercy of God accepts

them+ yet they must pass through the fire+ to %e purged from self and it is in

this sense that God is said to e)amine and -udge our righteousness+ %ecause that

%y the deeds of the la, there shall no flesh %e -ustified %ut %y the righteousnessof God+ ,hich is %y faith in &esus >hrist( 2 #om( iii( 8+ etc(4

( Thus ,e may see that the divine -ustice and ,isdom+ li0e a pitiless anddevouring fire+ must destroy all that is earthly+ sensual+ and carnal+ and all self:

activity+ %efore the soul can %e united to its God( @o,+ this can never %e

accomplished %y the industry of the creature on the contrary+ he al,ayssu%mits to it ,ith reluctance %ecause+ as I have said+ he is so enamored of self+

and so fearful of its destruction+ that did not God act upon him po,erfully and

,ith authority+ he ,ould never consent(

5( It may+ perhaps+ %e o%-ected here+ that as God never ro%s man of his free ,ill+



he can al,ays resist the divine operations and that I therefore err in saying God

acts absolutely, and without the consent of man.

Let me+ ho,ever+ e)plain( 1y manAs giving a passive consent, God+ ,ithout

usurpation+ may assume full po,er and an entire guidance for having+ in the

%eginning of his conversion+ made an unreserved surrender of himself to all that

God ,ills of him or %y him+ he there%y gave an active consent to ,hatever Godmight after,ards re.uire( 1ut ,hen God %egins to %urn+ destroy+ and purify+

the soul does not perceive that these operations are intended for its good+ %ut

rather supposes the contrary and+ as the gold at first seems rather to %lac0enthan %righten in the fire+ so it conceives that its purity is lost insomuch+ that if

an active and eplicit consent ,ere then re.uired+ the soul could scarcely give

it+ nay ,ould often ,ithhold it( /ll it does is to remain firm in its passiveconsent+ enduring as patiently as possi%le all these divine operations+ ,hich it is

neither a%le nor desirous to o%struct(

( In this manner+ therefore+ the soul is purified from all its self:originated+

distinct+ percepti%le+ and multiplied operations+ ,hich constitute a greatdissimilitude %et,een it and God it is rendered %y degrees conform, and then

uniform and the passive capacity of the creature is elevated+ enno%led+ and

enlarged+ though in a secret and hidden manner+ hence called mystical %ut in allthese operations the soul must concur passively( It is true+ indeed+ that in the

%eginning its activity is re.uisite from ,hich+ ho,ever+ as the divine operations

%ecome stronger+ it must gradually cease yielding itself up to the impulses of the divine Spirit+ till it is ,holly a%sor%ed in *im( 1ut this is a process ,hich

lasts a long time(

H( 'e do not+ then+ say+ as some have supposed+ that there is no need of activity

since+ on the contrary+ it is the gate at ,hich+ ho,ever+ we should not always

tarry+ since ,e ought to tend to,ards ultimate perfection+ ,hich isimpractica%le e)cept the first helps are laid aside for ho,ever necessary they

may have %een at the entrance of the road+ they after,ards %ecome greatly

detrimental to those ,ho adhere to them o%stinately+ preventing them from ever

attaining the end( This made St( Paul say+ "/or!ettin! those thin!s which arebehind, and reachin! forth to those which are before, ( press toward the mark,

for the pri8e of the hi!h callin! of God in hrist )esus." 2 %hil ( iii( !$(4

'ould you not say that he had lost his senses+ ,ho+ having underta0en a -ourney+ should fi) his a%ode at the first inn+ %ecause he had %een told that

many travellers had come that ,ay+ that some had lodged there+ and that the

masters of the house d,elt there? /ll that ,e ,ish+ then+ is+ that souls ,ould press toward the end + ta0ing the shortest and easiest road+ and not stopping at

the first stage( Let them follo, the counsel and e)ample of St( Paul+ and suffer

themselves "to be led by the Spirit of God +" 2 #om( viii( !3+4 ,hich ,ill infalli%lyconduct them to the end of their creation+ the en-oyment of God(

!( 1ut ,hile ,e confess that the en-oyment of God is the end for ,hich alone,e ,ere created+ and that every soul that does not attain divine union and the

purity of its creation in this life+ can only %e saved as %y fire+ ho, strange it is+



that ,e should dread and avoid the process as if that could %e the cause of evil

and imperfection in the present life+ ,hich is to produce the perfection of glory

in the life to come(

!!( @one can %e ignorant that God is the Supreme Good that essential

%lessedness consists in union ,ith *im that the saints differ in glory+ according

as the union is more or less perfect and that the soul cannot attain this union %ythe mere activity of its o,n po,ers+ since God communicates *imself to the

soul+ in proportion as its passive capacity is great+ no%le and e)tensive( 'e can

only %e united to God in simplicity and passivity+ and as this union is %eatitudeitself+ the ,ay that leads us in this passivity cannot %e evil+ %ut must %e the most

free from danger+ and the %est(

!8( This ,ay is not dan!erous( 'ould &esus >hrist have made this the most perfect and necessary of all ,ays+ had it %een so? @o; all can travel it and as

all are called to happiness+ all are li0e,ise called to the en-oyment of God+ %oth

in this life and the ne)t+ for that alone is happiness( I say the en-oyment of God

himself+ and not of his gifts these latter do not constitute essential %eatitude+ asthey cannot fully content the soul it is so no%le and so great+ that the most

e)alted gifts of God cannot ma0e it happy+ unless the Giver also %esto,s

*imself( @o, the ,hole desire of the Divine 1eing is to give *imself to everycreature+ according to the capacity ,ith ,hich it is endo,ed and yet+ alas; ho,

reluctantly man suffers himself to %e dra,n to God; ho, fearful is he to prepare

for divine union;

!$( Some say+ that ,e must not place ourselves in this state. I grant it %ut I say

also+ that no creature could ever do it since it ,ould not %e possi%le for any+ %yall their o,n efforts+ to unite themselves to God it is *e alone must do it( It is

altogether idle+ then+ to e)claim against those ,ho are self:united+ as such a

thing cannot %e(

They say again+ that some may fei!n to have attained this state. @one can any

more feign this+ than the ,retch ,ho is on the point of perishing ,ith hunger

can+ for any length of time at least+ feign to %e full and satisfied( Some ,ish or ,ord+ some sigh or sign+ ,ill inevita%ly escape him+ and %etray that he is far

from %eing satisfied(

Since then none can attain this end %y their o,n la%or+ ,e do not pretend to

introduce any into it+ %ut only to point out the way that leads to it6 %eseeching

all not to become attached to the accommodations on the road, eternal

practices, which must all be left behind when the si!nal is !iven. Thee)perienced instructor 0no,s this+ points to the ,ater of life+ and lends his aid

to o%tain it( 'ould it not %e an un-ustifia%le cruelty to sho, a spring to a thirsty

man+ then %ind him so that he could not reach it+ and suffer him to die of thirst?

!3( This is -ust ,hat is done every day( Let us all agree in the '/=+ as ,e all

agree in the end+ ,hich is evident and incontroverti%le( The '/= has its

%eginning+ progress+ and termination and the nearer ,e approach theconsummation+ the farther is the %eginning %ehind us it is only %y leaving the



one+ that ,e can arrive at the other( =ou cannot get from the entrance to a

distant place+ ,ithout passing over the intermediate space+ and+ if the end %e

good+ holy+ and necessary+ and the entrance also good+ ,hy should the

necessary passage+ the direct road leading from the one to the other+ %e evil?

6 the %lindness of the greater part of man0ind+ ,ho pride themselves on science

and ,isdom; *o, true is it+ 6 my God+ that thou hast hid these thin!s from thewise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes+

FINIS"

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Madame Guyon Short Prayer