The Ascent of Mount Carmel

• Wisd. Tii, 22. uuto him: ' Because thou hast asked this things and hast not asked for thyself long life or riches, nor- the lives of thy enemies, but hast asked for thyself wisdom to discern judgment, behold I have done for thee according to thy words, .... yea* and the things aljso which thou didst not ask, I have given thee, to wit, riches , and glory, so that no one hath been like thee, among the kings in all days heretofore.' * 4.. Though a Christian, too, ought to rejoice in moral goods, and in the good works he. does, because they minister, to his temporal well-being, his joy ought not to stop there where that of the heathens did, who . saw nothing beyond this mortal life ; but inasmuch as he has the light of faith, by which he hopes for everlasting life, and without which all things whatever are valueless, his sole and chief rejoicing should be of the second kind, namely, that eternal life is the reward and issue of the good works he does for the love of God. All his care and all his joy ought to be that he serves and honours God by his virtues and good life. For without this intention all our virtues are worthless in the sight of God, as we are taught in the parable of the ten virgins. All these had preserved their virginity and had wrought good works, yet five of them, whose joy therein was not of the second kind, directed unto God, but rather of the first, for they rejoiced and gloried in mere possession, were denied admission into heaven, unacknowledged and unrewarded by the Bridegroom. t

5. There have been many persons in the world of old times who had some virtue and did good works ; • 3 Kings iii. II, IJ. t St Matt. ur. and there are many Christians also at this time, who are virtuous men, and who do great things, but their virtue and good works are utterly useless in the matter of eternal life: because they do not, in them, seek the honour and glory and love of God solely, and above all things. A Christian ought to rejoice, not because of his good works and virtuous life, but because his life and acts are such solely for the love of God, and for no other* reason whatever. For as work done only for God's honour will have a greater reward of glory, so good: works which men do under the influence of other considerations, will end in our greater confusion in the sight of God. The Christian, therefore, if he will direct his rejoicing to God in moral goods, must keep in mind, that the value of his good works, fasting, almsgiving, penances, and prayers, does not depend on their number and nature, but on the love which - moves him to perform them for God ; and that they are thea. most perfect when they are wrought in the most pure and sincere love of God, and with the least regard to our own present and future interests, to joy and sweetness, consolation and praise.

The heart, therefore, must not rest on the joy, comfort, delight, and advantages which holy habits and good works bring with them, .but . refer all to God, purifying itself from all joy, and hiding itself from it in darkness; and desiring that God only may rejoice in what it does in secret, and all this without respect to any other consideration than God's honour and glory. Thus all the strength of the will, with, regard to- moral goods, will be all concentrated in

Seven evils to which men are liable if the will rejoices in The principal evils to which men become exposed through the rejoicing' of the will in good works and a virtuous life are seven in number, and most hurtful, because they are spiritual ; I shall now give a brief description of them : 2. The first is vanity, pride, vain glory, and presumption, for no man can rejoice in his own works without attributing a great value to them. From this springs boasting and other faults ; an instance of which we have in the Pharisee who in his prayer boasted of his fasts and the other good works he was doing. 3. The second evil is generally connected with the first, and it is this : we come to judge others, and to pronounce them to be comparatively wicked and imperfect, and their good works to be inferior to ours ; we despise them in our hearts, and sometimes express ourselves contemptuously about them. The Pharisee had fallen into this also, for in his prayers he said, * O God, I give Thee thanks, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican ; I fast twice in a week.'* Thus by one act he fell into these two evils, namely, self-esteem and contempt of others, as many do daily, who say, I am not like such an one, neither is my life such as his. Yea, many of them are even worse than the Pharisee ; he certainly despised

# St. Luke xviii. II, 12. others and pointed out the object of his contempt, saying, * this publican :' they, indeed, are not satisfied with this* but give way to anger and envy when they hear others praised, or that they are doing more, or are more useful men, than themselves. 4. The third evil is that, as they look for their own satisfaction in their good works, they will in general do only such as will furnish them with this satisfaction, or obtain for them the commendation of others. They do all their works, as our Saviour saith, 1 for to be seen of men,'* and not for God alone. 5. The fourth evil issues out of the third, and is this : God will not reward them for their good works, because they seek it here in this world, in the joy, or the comfort, or the honourable advantages of their good works ; of them our Saviour saith, 'Amen. I say to you, they have received their reward.T They will therefore have nothing but their labour, and confusion of face without its reward. The children of men are so miserably involved in this evil that, in my opinion, the greater part of the good works, which are publicly done, are either vicious or worthless, or imperfect and defective in God's sight, because men do not detach themselves from self-interest and from human respect. What other opinion can we form of those good works; which men do, or of the monuments which they raise, but which would have been undone and unbuilt, if their authors had not been influenced by worldly honour, human respect, and the vanity of this life ? Is not all this too often done in order to perpetuate a name or a pedigree, or to mark

• St. Matt, xiiii. $. 326 THE ASCENT [BOOK m.] authority and lordship ; and that to the extent of setting Up armorial bearings in churches, as if they would establish themselves there as images for the veneration of men ? At the sight of these good works of some people, we may well say that men respect themselves more than God. 6. But passing from these who are the worst, how many are there who in their good works fall into these evils in many ways ? Some expect their good works to be extolled, others expect gratitude for them, others enumerate them, and delight in the fact that such and such persons, and even the whole world are aware of them ; sometimes they will employ a third person to convey their alms, or to do any other good work, in order to make it the more known ; some, too, look both for praise 'and reward. This is nothing else but to sound a trumpet in the streets, like vain men, but whom God for that reason will never reward.* 7. If men wish to avoid this evil they must hide their good works so that God alone shall see them, and they must not wish any one to think much of them. They must hide them not only from others, but from themselves also ; that is, they must take no satisfaction in them nor regard them with complacency, as if they thought them of any value. This is the meaning of those words of our Saviour : ' Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.'t That is, do not look with temporal and carnal eyes upon thy spiritual works. When this precept is observed, the strength of the will is concentrated in God, and our good works become fruit-

3t. Matt lis. T lb. rl 3. [CHAP. XXVH.J OF MOtJNT CARMEL. fulin His sight; but where it is* not observed, we fehall not only lose our labour, but, very frequently, because of our interiorboasting and vanity, sin grievously against God. Those words of Job also are to be understood in this sense : < If . . . . my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my hand with my mouth, which is a very great iniquity.'* Here the ' hand ' means our good works, and ' mouth ' our will which regards them with complacency. This is self-complacency, for the words of Job ate, if my ' heart hath in secret rejoiced/ which is a 'great iniquity, and a denial against the Most High God,' as it is said there. To attribute our good works to ourselves is to deny - them to be God's from Whom all good works proceed, and to follow the example of Lucifer, who rejoiced in himself, denying to God what was His, arrogating it to himself. 5. The fifth evil is, that men of this kind make no progress in the way of perfection ; for cleaving to the pleasure and comfort of their good works, when* this pleasure and comfort cease — which is usually the case when God seeks their advancement/when He gives them dry bread, which is the bread of the perfect, when He deprives them of the milk of babes, when He tries their strength, and purifies their delicate appetites, so that they may be able to taste the food of the strong— they become generally faint of heart, and fail to persevere, because their good works are no longer sources of pleasure. To this we may apply in a spiritual sense those words of the wise man : * Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment.'t For when mortifications

• Job XXXL 26, 2& t Ecclo. x. I come in their way they die to their good works, abandon them, and cease to persevere : it is in perseverance that spiritual sweetness and interior comfort consist. 9. The sixth evil is that men are generally deceiving' themselves ; considering those works wherein they find delight to be of greater importance than those wherein they find none : they praise and esteem the former, but despise and reject the latter ; yet those works, generally, in which a man is most mortified — especially when he is not advanced in perfection — are more pleasing and precious in the eyes of God, by reason of that self-denial involved in their performance, than those good works in which he finds consolation, where self-seeking so easily intrudes. * The evil of their hand/ saith the prophet, € they call good that is, what is evil in their work they say is good. And they come to this because they derive their joy from their good works, and not from pleasing God only. The extent of this evil, among spiritually minded men as well as ordinary Christians, baffles all description, for scarcely any one can be found who doeth good simply for the love of God, without relying on some advantage of joy or comfort, or of some other consideration.

10. The seventh evil is that man, so far as he does not suppress all joy in. moral good works, is the more incapable of listening to reasonable counsel and instruction with reference to his duties. The habitual weakness contracted by doing good works with an eye to this empty joy, so fetters him that he cannot accept the advice given him as the best, or if he does so accept it [CHAP. XXVm.] OF MOUNT CARMEL. he cannot act upon it, through lack of resolution. The love of God and of our neighbour is greatly weakened in these persons, for their self-love, which they indulge in with reference to their own good works, makes charity cold. Very great benefits result to the soul, provided the will is restrained from vainly rejoicing in moral goods. In the first place, it is delivered from many temptations and illusions of Satan, which rejoicing in our good works secretly involves, as we learn from these words of God to Job : ' He sleepeth under the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places.'* This applies to the evil spirit, for he deceives the soul in the moisture of joy and in the hollow of the reed, that is, of good works done through vanity. Nor is it strange that the devil should deceive it secretly in this rejoicing ; for, independently of the devil's suggestion, this empty joy is a delusion itself, especially when a feeling of boasting lurks in the heart, as it is written, 'Thy arrogancy hath deceived thee and the pride of thy heart.' t Can there be a greater delusion than that of boasting? The soul is delivered from it by purifying itself from this joy.

2. The second benefit is that our good works are done with greater deliberation and in greater perfection. If the passion of joy and sweetness prevails, no delibera- • Job xt 16. t Jcrcm. xliz. 16.

The benefits of repressing all joy in moral goods. tion can be had ; for then rage and desire are so strong that they will not bend to reason ; and, in general, under their influence we change our works and intentions, taking one thing in hand to-day and another tomorrow, beginning everything and bringing nothing to good effect. If joy be the main-spring of our work, we shall be inconsistent : some men are naturally more so than others; and when our joy ceases, we abstain also rom our work and our resolution, however important hey may be. With people of this kind, joy is the soul and strength of their good works ; and when that joy disappears their good works perish, and they do not persevere. These are they of whom Christ saith, that they receive the word with joy, and that the devil takes it away forthwith that they may not persevere. € They by the wayside are they that hear ; then the devil cometh and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they Should be saved.'* That is so, because all their strength and support was nothing else but this joy, and therefore to withdraw the will from it is an admirable preparation for perseverance and final success. Thir benefit, then, is as great as is the opposite evil. The wise man regards the substance and fruit of his labous not the pleasure and joy which it brings : he is not like one beating the air, but he reaps from his good works a durable joy, without demanding the tribute of delights.

3. The third benefit is divine; by quenching this hollow rejoicing in our works we attain to poverty of spirit, which is one of the beatitudes: ' Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven/ 1 * St Luke Tiii, I a. t St- Matt. 3. 4. The fourth benefit of suppressing this joy is, that we become gentle, humble, and prudent in our doings. We shall do nothing in a hurry, carried away by the rage and desire of this joy; neither shall we become presumptuous through overvaluing our good works under the influence of it ; nor shall we be incautiously blinded by it. 5. The fifth benefit is that we shall become pleasing unto God and man, delivered from the dominion of avarice and gluttony, spiritual sloth and envy, and a thousand other vices. The fifth kind of goods, in which the will has joy ; the supernatural Their nature, and the difference between them and spiritual goods. How joy in them is to be directed unto I HAVE now to speak of the fifth kind of goods in which the soul rejoices, and which I call supernatural. By these I mean all those gifts and graces of God, which surpass our natural powers and capacities, called by theologians gratis date — such as the gifts of * wisdom and understanding'* given to Solomon, and those mentioned by St. Paul, namely 4 faith, the grace of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, the knowledge and discerning of spirits, the interpretation of words, and also the gift of tongues.' t Though these are really also Spiritual gifts, like those of which I am about to speak, still, owing to the great difference between them, I make this

* 3 Kings iv. 29. t 1 Cor. xii. 9, ia distinction. These gifts, in the use of them, have an immediate reference to the edification of men, and are given by God for that special end, as the Apostle saith, speaking of these graces: 'The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit/* But as to the spiritual graces, the use and practice of them is solely between the soul and God, between God and the soul through the understanding and the will, as I shall show later on.t There is therefore a difference between them if considered with respect to their object. The spiritual gifts are concerned with God and the soul, but the other supernatural gifts, with which I have now to do, are intended for the edification of others ; they differ, too, in their nature, and consequently in their operations, and the doctrine concerning them is therefore of necessity different also. 2. As to the supernatural gifts and graces, in this sense, it is well to observe, with reference to self-denial in the matter of empty joy in them, that there are two great . blessings in this kind of good, namely, temporal and spiritual. The temporal blessings are the healing of the sick, giving sight to the blind, the raising of the dead to life, the casting out of devils, foretelling of future events to make men careful, and other^ of this kind. The spiritual and eternal blessings are, that God is known and served through these works by him who doeth them, and by those for whom and before whom they are wrought.

3. Now as to the first blessing, namely, the temporal : these supernatural acts and wonders merit little or no • i Cor. xii. 7. t Ch. urrii. iqfr. [CHAt\ XXIX.] OF MotfNT CAIt\tEL. 333 rejoicing on the part of the soul, for without the spiritual benefit they are of little or no profit to men, because of themselves, they are not means of union with God, but charity is. Moreover, they may be wrought by persons not in a state of grace and of charity ; for they may be either really the work of God, as in Balaam, the impious prophet, or the deceitful operations of the devil, as in Simon Magus, or the effects of mere natural but secret causes. These marvellous works, if any of them profit him who works Jhem, are true, and the gifts of God. 4. St. Paul tells us what the value of these works is, when they are not accompanied by the second blessing, saying : € If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy, and should know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.'* Many men who have thought much of their own good works, when asking to be admitted unto His glory, will say, • Have not we prophesied in Thy name . . . and done many miracles in Thy name?' Christ our Redeemer will answer : 4 Depart from Me, you that work iniquity.'t

5. Man, therefore, ought to rejoice, not in the possession and exercise of these gifts, but in that he derives from them the second spiritual fruit, namely, serving God in true charity, wherein consists the fruit of everlasting life. Our Lord rebuked His disciples when they returned to Him with joy because they had power * 1 Cor. xiii. I, a. t St. Matt. vii. 22, 23. over evil spirits, saying, * Rejoice not in this, that spirits are subject unto you : but rejoice in this, that your names are written in heaven/* The meaning of which, according to sound theology, is : Rejoice, if your names are written in the book of life. Man, therefore, ought not to rejoice, unless he is walking in the right way, doing his good works in charity. For of what profit is anything in the sight of God which is not His love ? Now that love cannot be perfect if it is not strong enough and wise enough to purify itself from all joy in these things, and to find it only in doing the will of God. It is in this way that the will is united to God by the help of these supernatural goods.

The evils resulting from the will's rejoicing in this kind of He who rejoices in supernatural goods falls, in my opinion, into three principal evils. Deceit and selfdeceit, loss of faith, vain glory, and other vanities. 2. As to the first, it is very easy to deceive oneself and others by rejoicing in these supernatural operations. The reason of that is this: in order to ascertain whether they are true or false, how and when they are to be exerted, great deliberation and great light from God are necessary. Now our rejoicing in, and esteeming, these operations, are a great hindrance to this, partly because the joy in question dulls and obscures the , judgment, and partly also because it makes us not only

• St. Luke x. 2a covet these operations extremely, but also inclines us to an unseasonable manifestation of i them. Admitting even that these operations and powers be real* yet these two defects are enough to delude us: either we do not comprehend them as they ought to be comprehended, or we do not profit by t them and employ them at the right time and in the right way. For though it be true that God, when He distributes these gifts and graces, gives also the light to see them, and the inward movement to manifest them at the right time and in the right way ; still those who receive them, because of their self-seeking or some imperfection or other in the matter, may fall into great errors, by not using their gifts with that perfectness which God requires with respect to time and manner. We have an example in Balaam, who, contrary to the will of God, undertook to curse the people of Israel. God was therefore angry with him, and sought to kill him.* Again, in St. James and St. John, who, carried away by their zeal, would have fire descend from heaven upon the Samaritans, because they refused to receive our Lord. For this He rebuked them.t

3. It is clear from this that imperfect persons, of whom I am speaking, may be influenced by certain imperfect feelings involved in the joy and esteem of these gifts, to manifest them at an improper time. For when they are free from the like imperfections, they are moved to manifest them only as, and when, God wills; in no other way is the manifestation of them right. This is the meaning of that complaint which * Num. xxiu 22, 23. f S. Luktix. 54. 336 THE ASCENT [BOOK m.] God makes by the mouth of Jeremias against certain prophets, saying: *I did not send prophets, yet they ran ; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied/ * And again : They cause my people to err by their lying, and by their wonders ; when I sent them not, nor commanded them.'t It is said* in the same place also that they prophesied the delusions of their own heart, which they would not have done had they not attached themselves in this abominable way to their gifts, using them as their own. 4. All this shows us that the evil of such rejoicing not only leads men to make an impious and perverse usage of the gifts of God, like Balaam and those prophets who, by the wonders which they wrought, deceived the people ; but even to make use of them without having received them from God, like those who uttered their own fancies for prophecies, and published visions which themselves invented, or which the devil represented to them. For when Satan sees men with such dispositions as these, he opens for them a wide field, and supplies them with abundant materials, intruding himself in diverse ways : whereupon such men spread their sails to the wind, become shamelessly presumptuous, and prodigal in the usage of their great gifts.

5. The evil does not stop here, for joy in supernatural gifts, and the desire of them, reach so far that, if men have entered into a secret compact with Satan — it is such a compact that enables many to do what they are d6ing— they venture still further, and enter into an open and avowed compact, making themselves his disciples • Jcrem. xxiii. 21. t lb. ja» and allies by an express stipulation. Hence come wizards, enchanters, magicians, soothsayers, and sorcerers. This joy leads men so far, that they seek to purchase with money, not only these gifts and graces, as did Simon Magus, that they may serve the devil, but holy things also, and— I cannot write it without trembling — things divine. May God here show His great mercy : How hurtful to themselves, and ruinous to Christendom are such men, any one may easily perceive. All those magicians and soothsayers among the people of Israel, whom Saul destroyed out of the land,* had fallen into these great abominations and delusions, because they would imitate the true prophets of God. 6. He who is supernaturally endowed ought, therefore* t j cleanse himself from all desire of, and from all joy in, the exercise of his supernatural gifts ; and God, Who gives them supernaturally for the edification of the Church, in general, or of its members, in particular, will also supernaturally direct him in the use of them, in the right way and at the right time.

As He commanded His disciples to take no thought beforehand how or what they should speak, t that being a supernatural act of faith, so also is it His will— the use of these gifts being of not less importance — that man should bide His time, because the exercise of these gifts is to depend upon His will. Thus the disciples, in whom these gifts and graces were infused, prayed God, nevertheless, to put forth His hand, that they might work miracles and heal the sick and thereby plant the faith of Jesus Christ our Lord in the hearts of men : * Grant unto Thy servants

• I Kings xxviii. 3. f S. Mark xiii 11. that with all confidence they may speak Thy Word, by stretching forth Thy hand to cures ; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy Holy Son Jesus/* 7. The second evil, loss of faith, may come from the first, and this in two ways. The first concern others ; for when a man undertakes to perform a miracle, out of season, and without necessity— over and above that this is to tempt God, which is a great sin — he may not succeed, and so the faith will lose credit and reverence among men. Though sometimes men may succeed in what they thus attempt, because God wills it for some reason or other, as in the case of the witch of Endor— if it be true that it was Samuel himself who then appeared— they shall not always succeed; and when they do succeed, they are not the less in error and blameable, because they use their gifts when they ought not. 8. The second concerns him who uses these gifts when he ought not ; he injures himself because he loses the merit of faith.- For when men attach so much importance to miracles, they depart from the substantial exercise of faith, which is an obscure habit ; and thus where signs and miracles abound, there is the less merit in believing. « Faith has no merit,' saith S. Gregory the Great, € where human reason supplies proof.' t God works miracles when they are necessary for the faith, or for other ends of His glory, and of His saints. For this reason did God work many signs, before He showed Himself to His disciples; that they might believe

* Acti iv. 29, 3a t Horn. 26, in Evangel. without seeing, and so not lose the merit of faith in His resurrection, which they would have done had they seen Him first. He showed to Mary Magdalene first the empty sepulchre, and then the angels, at His bidding, announced His rising again;* for * Faith cometh by hearing,' t so that having heard, she might believe before she saw. And when He showed Himself unto her, it was as the gardener, + that He might thoroughly edify her in the faith, which was failing her in the warmth of His presence. He sent the women to tell His disciples that He had risen; and afterwards they came to see the sepulchre. § He set on fire the hearts of the disciples on the road to Emmaus before they knew Him ; for He was with them in disguise. And finally, He rebuked them all because they did not believe those who told them of His resurrection ; || and in particular, St. Thomas— because he would have palpable proof ol His resurrection— saying * Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed/ If God is not pleased when miracles are sought, for He rebuked the Pharisees because they would not believe without them, saying : * Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe not.'** Those, therefore, who will rejoice in these supernatural gifts, inflict upon themselves a grievous loss in the matter of faith.

9. The third evil is that men, because of their rejoicing in supernatural gifts, fall into vain-glory or some other vanity. The mere act of rejoicing in them, if not purely # St. John xx. 2 ; St. Luke xxiv. 6. t Rom. x. 17. X St John xx. 15. § St. Matt, xxviii. 10 ; St John xx. 3. I St Lake xxiv. 15, 26. If St. John xx. 29. • • St John iv. 48. 840 THE ASCENT [BOOK m.] in and for God, is vanity. This is evident from the fee that our Lord rebuked His disciples, because they rejoiced in that the evil spirits were subject unto them.* If that joy had not been vanity, our Lord would never nave rebuked them for it.

The benefits of self-denial in the joy of supernatural graces. By denying itself in this joy, the soul gains two great benefits besides its deliverance from those three evils already described. The first is that it magnifies and exalts God, and the second is the exaltation of itself God is exalted in the soul in two ways. Firstly, when the heart and the joy of the will are withheld from all that is not God, and fixed upon Him alone. This is the meaning of David in the words already referred to when I began to speak of the night of this power of the will,t which are these : * Man shall come to a deep heart, and God shall be exalted for if the heart be exalted above all things, the soul will be exalted abov* them also. And because it thus fixes itself upon God alone, God is exalted and magnified, making known to the soul His own magnificence and greatness ; for, in this elevation of joy, He testifieth of Himself, Who He is. Now this cannot be done unless the will is emptied of all joy in supernatural gifts, as it is written, « Be still, and see that I am God,'§ and again, 'In a desert land, and where

• St Luke x. 20. t Ch. xv. above : but there is do mention there of those words. X Ps. lxiii. 7, 8. | Ps. si v. II. there is no way, and no water, so in the sanctuary have I come before Thee, to see Thy power and glory.'* 2. As God, therefore, is exalted, when our joy is grounded on our detachment from all things, much more is He exalted when we refrain from joy in His most marvellous works to place it in Him alone; for these graces are of a higher nature by reason of their supernatural character, and therefore to detach ourselves from them to rejoice in God alone, is to give greater honour and glory to God than to them ; for the more numerous and important are the things we disregard for the sake of another, the more we esteem and magnify him. Besides, God is exalted in the other way when the will is withdrawn from these gifts : for the more we believe in God and serve Him without regard to signs and wonders, the more is He exalted in the soul: seeing that our faith in Him is higher than the teaching of signs and wonders.

3. The second benefit is the exaltation of the soul itself ; for by withholding the will from rejoicing in signs and wonders, the soul is exalted in most pure faith which God infuses into it and increases most abundantly. He increases also at the same time the two other theological virtues, charity and hope. Here the soul has the fruition of the highest divine knowledge through the obscure and detached habit of faith; of the delights of love through charity, whereby the will rejoices in nothing but in the living God; and of the satisfaction of the will through hope. All this is a wonderful benefit which essentially and directly tends to the perfect union of the # Ps. UiL 3.

The sixth kind of goods in which the will rejoices. Their nature. The first division of them. The chief object of my book being the guiding of the spirit through these spiritual goods to the divine union of the soul with God, it will be necessary for me, and for my reader, now that I am speaking of the sixth kind of these spiritual goods which conduces the most to that end, to bestow particular attention on the matter. For^ it is quite certain that there are people who, because of their want of knowledge, make use of spiritual things in the order of sense only, leaving the spirit empty ; so that there is scarcely any one, the better part of whose spirit is not corrupted by sensible sweetness, the water being drunk up before it reaches to the spirit, which is, therefore, left dry and barren. 2. With reference then to my subject, I say, that by spiritual goods I mean all those that move us and help us in divine things, in the intercourse of the soul with God, and in the communications of God to the soul. 3. I begin with the generic difference of these goods, namely, sweet and bitter. Each of these is again specifically divided. The sweet goods are of things clear, distinctly understood, and of things that are not so. The bitter also are divided into clear and distinct, and confused'and obscure.

4. These may also be distinguished according to the powers of the soul. Some, being knowledge, pertain to the understanding; some, being affections, petrain to the will; and others, being imaginary, pertain to the memory. For the present I do not speak of the bitter goods, because they belong to the passive night, and I shall have to speak of them hereafter.* I omit also the sweet goods of things confused and indistinct that I may treat of them later ;t they relate to the general confused and loving knowledge wherein consists the union of the sold with God. I passed it over in the second book,+ when I was distinguishing between the apprehensions of the understanding, reserving it for more careful consideration in the book of the Dark Night.§ I now proceed to speak of those sweet goods, which are of things clear and distinct.

Of the spiritual goods distinctly cognisable by the understanding and the memory. The conduct of the will with respect to joy in them. My labour would be great here if I had now to treat of the manifold' apprehensions of the understanding and the memory, teaching how to govern the will with regard to rejoicing in them, if I had not already discussed them at considerable length in the second || and in the third book.1T Having there said how these two powers are to be directed amid these apprehensions to the divine union, and that the same applies to the will also, it is not necessary to return to the subject here, it being • Dark Night, Bk. il ch. v. t Ibid ch. xiii. X Ch. x. and xxiii. § Bk. i. ch. x. | Ch. viii. and xxiii. T Ch. xi and x*. sufficient to repeat that as these two powers are to be emptied of all such apprehensions, so the will also is to repress all joy whatever in them. 2. What I have there said of emptying the memory and the understanding of all these apprehensions is applicable to the will ; for seeing that the understanding and the other powers cannot admit or reject without the intervention of the will, it is clear that the same principle applies to the one as well as to the other. Every explanation, therefore, that the subject requites may be found there, for all the evils and dangers there enumerated will befall the soul if it does not refer unto God all the joy of the will in these apprehensions.

Of the sweet spiritual goods which distinctly affect the will. Everything that furnishes a distinct joy to the will may be classed under four heads : motive, provocative, directive, and perfective. I shall speak of these in order, and first of the motive, which are images, pictures of saints, oratories, and ceremonies. 2. In that which relates to images and pictures of saints much vanity and empty joy may be found. For while they are of great importance in divine service, and very necessary to move the will to devotion, as is evident from the sanction and use of them by our mother the Church— that is a reason why we should profit by them to quicken us in our sloth— there are many people

who rejoice more in the painting and decoration of them than in that which they represent. 3. The Church ordains the use of images for two principal ends : that is, for the honour of the saints, and for the moving of the will and the quickening of our devotion to them. And so far as they minister to this end, they are of great profit, and the use of them is necessary. Those pictures therefore are to be preferred which are most accurately drawn, and which most effectually excite the will to devotion ; we ought to regard this more than the value, curious workmanship, and decorations. There are people, as I have said, who look more to the curious nature of the image and its value than they do to the saint it represents. They so squander that inward devotion, which ought to be spiritually directed to the unseen saint, in demonstrations of outward affection and curiosity, that the senses are pleased and delighted, and the love and the joy of the will rest there. All this is an effectual hindrance to real spirituality, which requires the annihilation of the affections in all particular objects. 4. This is clearly visible in that hateful custom observed nowadays by certain persons who, not holding in abhorrence the vanities of the world, adorn the sacred images with those garments which a frivolous race daily invents for the satisfaction of its wanton recreations and diversions. They clothe the images with those garments which in them are reprehensible, and which the saints have always held, and still hold, in detestation. It is thus that they conspire with the devil to procure some sanction for their vanities, involving the saints therein,

but not without offending them most deeply. The consequence is that all modest and sound devotion, which utterly rejects every trace of vanity, is with such people little more than the elaborate and superfluous decoration of images and curious pictures, to which they are attached and in which they place their joy. You see people who are never satisfied with adding image to image, who reject them if they are not made after a particular pattern, and who must have them arranged in a particular order, so as to please the sense; meanwhile the devotion of the heart is very slight. They hold to their images as Michas to his idols, who when he lost them ran out of his house crying because they had been taken away;11 or as Laban, who made a longjourney to recover them, and in his anger searched for them in the tents of Jacob.t 5. A devout man grounds his devotion chiefly on the invisible; he requires but few images, and uses but few, and such as are more in harmony with divine than with human taste ; fashioning them and himself upon them, according to the pattern of another age, and the habits of the saints, and not of this ; so that the fashion of this world may not only not excite the desire, but not even recur to the memory, through the sight of anything resembling it or appertaining unto it Neither are his affections entangled by the images he uses, for if they be taken from him, he is not therefore distressed, because he seeks within himself the living image, which is Christ crucified, in Whom he desires rather that all things should be taken from him and that all things should fail

• Judg. xviii. 23, 24. f Geo. xxxL 34. him, even those which seemed most to draw him to God: and even when they are taken away from him he is still tranquil. The higher perfection of the soul consists in being calm and joyful amid the privation rather than the possession with the desire of, and affection for, these motives. Though it is well to have a pleasure in the possession of these images and means of greater devotion— for which reason we should choose always those which most promote it— yet it is not perfection to be so attached to them as to be sorrowful when they are taken from us. Be assured of this, the more the soul clings to images or sensible motives the less will its devotion and prayers ascend upwards unto God. Though it be true that, because some images are better representations than others and more devotional, we may prefer the former to the latter, still it must be, as I am saying, for that reason only, and there must be, as I have said, no kind of attachment or self-seeking in that preference. For if there be anything of that kind, that which has to sustain the spirit in its upward flight to God, in forgetfulness of all created things, becomes wholly the prey of the senses, lost in the pleasure which they furnish. I should use these things only as a help to devotion, but owing to my imperfection, they serve as a hindrance, perhaps not less so than attachment and inclination to any other thing whatsoever.

6. Granting that some excuse for this may be admitted in the matter of images, because of our inadequate perception of that detachment and poverty of spirit which perfection requires, at least none can be admitted in the case of that imperfection so generally practised with regard to rosaries. You will scarcely meet with anyone who has not some weakness in this matter. Men take care that their rosaries are of a certain workmanship rather than another, of a certain colour or material, and with particular ornaments. One rosary does not contribute more than another towards the hearing of our prayers: he is heard who tells his beads in the simplicity and integrity of his heart, not thinking of anything but how he may please God the most ; and not valuing one rosary more than another, except only for the indulgences attached to it. 7. Such is the nature of our vain concupiscence, it clings to everything ; it is like the dry rot consuming the sound wood, in good and bad doing its work. What else is it, when thou pleasest thyself with a curious rosary, seeking one of a particular make rather than of another, but to rejoice in the instrument ? Why frequentest thou a particular image, not considering whether it stirs thee up to a greater love of God, but whether it be more curious or valuable than another ? Certainly, if thy desire and thy joy were in pleasing God only, thou wouldst not regard anything1 of this kind.

It is very vexatious to see spiritual persons so attached to the fashion and workmanship of devotional objects, to what is merely motive, given up to the curiosity and empty joy which they minister. Such persons are never satisfied, they are perpetually changing one thing for another ; spiritual devotion is forgotten amid these sensible means, men attaching themselves to them just as they do to any worldly ornaments ; and the issue is no slight detriment to their soul.

The subject continued. The ignorance of some people in the Ij&kve much to say of the ignorance of some people with regard to images ; so great is their folly that they have more confidence in one image than in another, influenced therein solely by their preference of the one over the other. This conduct on their part implies great ignorance of the ways of God, of the service and honour due to Him Who chiefly regards the faith, and interior purity of the suppliant. God sometimes works more miracles at one image than at another of the same kind — though there be a great difference in the workmanship— in order that the devotion of people may be excited there more than elsewhere. The reason why God works miracles and grants graces at one image rather than at another is, that the strangeness of His intervention may stir up the slumbering devotions and affections of the faithfijj As the sight of the image serves to kindle our devotion, and makes us persevere in prayer— both being mpans to move God to hear and grant our petitions— so before that image, because of our prayers and . devout affections, God continues to work miracles and to bestow His graces. The faith and devotion with which the image- is regarded passing on to the saint whom it represents.

^2^As to images then, let us never dwell upon the curious workmanship they may exhibit, so as to have more confidence in some than in others on that account, for this would be great ignorance ; let us esteem those God, for the greater purification of this formal devotion, when He grants graces, and works miracles, does so, in general, through images not very well made, nor artistically painted or adorned, so that the faithfiil may attribute nothing to the work of the artist. And very often our Lord grants his graces by means of images in remote and solitary places. In remote places, that the pilgrimage to them may stir up our devotion, and make it the more intense. In solitary places, that we may retire from the noise and concourse of men to pray in solitude, like our Lord himself. He, therefore, who goes on a pilgrimage, will do well to do so when others do not, even at an unusual time. When many people make a pilgrimage, I would advise staying at home, for in general, men return more dissipated than they were before. And many become pilgrims for recreation more than for devotion. If faith and devotion be wanting, the

image will not suffice. What a perfect living image was our Saviour upon earth ; and yet those who had no faith, though they were constantly about Him and saw * JHis wonderful works, were not benefited by His presence. This is the reason — so we are told in the Gospel— why He did no miracles in His own country.* p/£ wish to mention here certain supernatural effects of some images occasionally on particular persons#. God attaches a special influence to certain images, so that the form of them, and the devotion they excite, remain impressed on the mind of the beholder as if they were the most by which our devotion is most quickenecD Thus # St Matt xiiL 58; St Luke iv. 24. still present before his eyes. And again, when they are recalled by the memory, the same influence is exerted as at the first time they were seen, sometimes more vividly, at others less so; other images even of more perfect workmanship produce no such effects. 4. Many persons also have a devotion to images of a certain fashion and not to others. In some, this is nothing more than mere natural fancy or taste, just as we are pleased with one man's looks more than with another's. They will have naturally a liking for them, and their imagination recalls them more vividly, though not so beautiful in themselves as others, because they are naturally attracted to that particular form and fashion. Thus, some persons will suppose that the fancy they have for a certain image is devotion, while in reality it is perhaps nothing more than natural taste and liking.

5. At other times, it happens that men, while gazing at a particular image will see it move, change colour, make signs, or speak. This, and the supernatural effects just spoken of, are many times real and good effects, the work of God, either to increase devotion, or to support a soul in its weakness, or to prevent frequent distractions ; but at other times they are not true, being the work of the evil spirit to deceive and ruin seuliG I shall therefore explain the whole matter in the next chapter.

How the joy of the will in sacred images is to be referred to God, so that there shall be no hindrance in it, or occasions of As images are very profitable, in that they put us in mind of God and His saints, and move the will to devotion, when we use them in the ordinary way, as we ought; so also are they occasions of great delusions if, when they are the subjects of supernatural effects, we know not how to conduct ourselves as we ought to do in our progress onwards towards God. One of the means by which the devil makes an easy prey of incautious souls, and hinders their progress on the road of true spirituality, is the exhibition of strange and unusual things in connection with images ; whether they be those material images which the Church has sanctioned, or those fantastic images represented to the mind, of some particular saints, or the image of himself transformed into* an angel of light,* in order to delude our souls* The devil, in his cunning, hides himself within those very means which are given us as a remedy and support, that he may seize upon us when we are least upon our guard. Holy souls will therefore be ever circumspectnn things that are good, for that which is evil carries its own witness always with it.

2. I give therefore one direction, and that is sufficient, for the avoidance of all those evils which in this matter may concern the soul, and for the purification of the joy which the will may have in images and for the guidance * 2 Cor. zi. 14. of the soul by means of them to God, which is the object of the Church in the use thereof. The evils to which the soul is liable are either that it is hindered by them in its flight upwards unto God, or that it uses them in a mean and ignorant way, or that it falls into delusions because of them, matters of which I have spoken already. Now the direction I wish to give is this, seeing that images are but motives to invisible things, that we should strive, by means of them, to move, affect, and gladden the will only in the living spirit which the image figures. Let the faithful soul, therefore, take care that, while contemplating an image, the senses be not absorbed in it whether that image be material or in the imagination, of beautiful workmanship or of rich adornment, and whether the devotion it excites be spiritual or sensible. Let him not regard these outward accidents, nor dwell upon them, but venerate the image, as the Church commands, and lift up his mind at once from the material image to these which it represents, with the sweetness and joy of the will resting on God, or on the sain invoked, devoutly, in mental prayer ;

so that what is due to the living and the spiritual may not be wasted on the painted and sensible object. He who shall do this will never be deluded, and the mind and senses will not be hindered from advancing onward with great freedom unto God. The image, too, which supernaturally quickened devotion, will do so more abundantly when our heart at once is lifted up unto God. For whenever He grants us these and other graces, He does so by inclining the affection and joy of the will to that which

is invisible. It is His Word, therefore, that we should do x the same ourselves, by annihilating the strength and satisfaction of our faculties in all visible and sensible things.

Motive goods continued. Oratories and places of prayer. I think I have now explained how the spiritual man may fall into as great imperfections, in the matter of images, as in the matter of temporal and bodily goods ; perhaps greater if he takes pleasure in them. I say, perhaps more dangerous, for in considering, and speaking of, these images as holy things, men make too sure of themselves, and cease to be afraid of attachment to them in a mere natural way. Thus they frequently deceive themselves very much, thinking themselves most devout because they feel a delight in these holy things ; and after all, perhaps, this may be nothing more than natural taste and inclination, which is gratified here as it might have been by anything else. 2. The issue is — I arn going to speak about oratories — that some people are never satisfied in adding image to image in their oratory, taking pleasure in the order and neatness of their arrangements, to the end that their oratory may be well furnished and beautiful to the eye. God is not their object in one arrangement more than in another — perhaps less so, for the delight they experience in these decorations is so much stolen from the reality, as I have just now said.* It is very true that all decora-

[chap, xxxvn.] OF MOUNT carmel. tion, embellishment, and reverence of images are exceedingly little in comparison with that which they represent, and therefore those who treat them with no great decency and reverence are deserving of all blame, as well as those who paint them so clumsily that they rather quench than kindle devotion ; such persons should not be allowed to paint because of their gross unskilfulness But what has that to do with the attachment and desire with which you cling to these decorations and exterior ornaments, seeing that they so engross your senses and make heavy your heart, that you cannot draw near unto God, and love Him, and forget all these matters for His love ? If you are deficient in this through carefulness about outward things, not only will He not be pleased with you, but He will punish you also, because you have sought not His pleasure, but your own, in all things. 3. You may see this truth most clearly in that rejoicing when our Lord entered into Jerusalem. The people sung hymns of joy and strewed branches in the way, but He was weeping,* for the hearts of some oi them were far from Him while they received Him with outward show of honour. * This people honoureth Me •with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.'t We may say of them, that they did that in honour of themselves rather than of God. It is the same with many at this day, for in great solemnities men are wont to rejoice more in the recreation they furnish, whether in seeing or being seen, in the banquet or for any other reason, than in rendering true service unto God.

4. Such inclinations and intentions are not pleasing * St Matt xu. 9 ; St Luke xix. 41. t St Matt. xv. 8. unto God. Much less do they please Him who, when they are making preparations for a great solemnity, invent ridiculous and undevout actions to create laughter among the spectators, that men may be the more distracted; and who make such arrangements as shall please the multitude instead of such as shall quicken devotion among them. What shall I say of those who celebrate great feasts for ends not belonging to them ? of those who make them serve their private interests ? of those who are more intent on their personal advantage therein than on the service of God ? This they know, and God also Who sees it ; and in whichever way the feast is thus observed, let them remember, they keep it for themselves and not for God. What men do to please themselves or others God will not account as done for Himself. Yea, many keep His feasts with solemnity, and yet He is angry with them as He was with the children of Israel, for He slew many thousands of them, when they sung and danced before the golden calf, thinking they were observing a feast in honour of God :* or as He was with Nadab and Abiu, the sons of Aaron, whom He slew with the censers in their hands, because they offered strange fire upon His altar ;t or as with him who came to the wedding feast without the wedding garment, and whom He commanded to be cast, bound hand and foot, * into the exterior darkness.' J

5. This shows us how intolerable to God must be these irreverences in those assemblies which are held in His honour. O Lord, my God, how many feasts are kept by the children of men in which the devil is more honoured • Exod. xxxil 19, 28. t Lcvit. x. I, 2. t St Matt. xxiL 11-13. than Thou ? Satan rejoices in these assemblies, for he profits by them like a merchant in a fair. How often hast Thou to say to them : * This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me,'* because they serve Me in vain ? The chief ground for the service of God is that He is what He is. Other and lower considerations ought not to enter into the question. 6. I return to the subject of oratories. Some people adorn them more for their own pleasure than for God's ; some treat them with so little respect, that they make no more of them than of their ordinary rooms; and some not so much, for they have more pleasure in what is profane than in what is divine. But let me now leave this, and spaak of those who proceed in a more cunning way, that is, of those who consider themselves devout. Many of these take such keen delight in their oratories and in the adorning of them, that they waste in such occupations all the time which they ought to have spent in prayer and interior recollection. They do not see that by not disposing themselves for interior recollection and tranquillity of mind, they are as much distracted by such occupations as by any other worldly occupation, and that they are every moment troubled by such attachment, especially if it be attempted to separate them from their oratories.

The right use of churches and oratories. How the soul is to be directed through them unto God. As to the guidance of the soul onwards to God through this kind of goods, I may observe that it is lawful, and even expedient, for beginners to feel a sensible pleasure in images, oratories, and other visible objects of devotion, because they are not yet entirely weaned from the world, so as to be able to leave the latter wholly for the former. They are like children to whom, when we want to take anything from them which they hold in one hand, we give something to hold in the other, that they may not cry, having both hands empty. The spiritual man, if he is to advance, must deny himself in all those tastes and desires in which the will has pleasure, for true spirituality has but slight connection with any of these things, inasmuch as it consists solely in interior recollection and mental converse with God. For though the spiritual man makes use of images and oratories, yet it is only as it were in passing, and the mind at once rests in God, forgetting all sensible objects. And though it is better to pray where there is the greatest neatness, nevertheless we should choose that place where the senses are least likely to be entertained, and the mind most likely to ascend upwards unto God. On this subject we must listen to the answer of our Lord to the woman of Samaria. She asked Him which was the true place of prayer, the mountain or the temple. He replied that true prayer was not tied to the mountain

but that those who prayed in spirit and in truth were they who were pleasing to His Father. 'The hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore Him. God is a spirit, and they that adore Him must adore Him in spirit and in truth/* 2. And though churches and quiet places are set aside and prepared for prayer— a church ought to be used for no other purpose— nevertheless, in this matter of intimate intercourse with God, that place ought to be chosen which least occupies and allures the senses. It must, therefore, not be a place agreeable and delightful to sense, such as some people search for, lest instead of serving to recollection of mind, it minister to the recreation and satisfactions of sense. For this end, it is well to make choice of a solitary and even wild spot, so that the mind may ascend firmly and directly to God, without hindrance or detention on the part of visible things. Visible things sometimes, it is true, help to raise the soul, but it is when they are instantly forgotten, and the spirit rests in God. For this reason our Saviour commonly chose to pray in solitary places, where there were no attractions for the senses— herein giving us an example — but which tended to lift up the soul to God, such as mountains, which are elevated spots, and generally barren, furnishing no resources for sensible recreation.

3. He, therefore, who is truly spiritual looks only to interior recollection in oblivion of all things, and for that • St. John iv. 23, 24. end chooses a place that is most free from all sensible sweetness and attractions, withdrawing* his thoughts from all that surrounds him, so that in the absence of created things, he may rejoice in God alone. It is wonderful how some spiritual persons are wholly intent on arranging their oratories, and providing places for prayer pleasing to their tastes and inclinations, and making little or nothing of interior recollection, which is the really important matter. If they attended to this, these arrangements of theirs would have been to them not pleasure but mere weariness. The reason, then, why some spiritual persons are never able to enter into the true joys of the spirit, is, that they never wholly cease to rejoice in outward and visible things. Let such reflect that if a visible church and oratory be a fitting and appropriate place for prayer, and images motives thereunto, they must not *so use them as to have all their sweetness and joy in them, and so forget to pray in the living temple, which is the interior recollection of the soul. St. Paul, to remind us of this, says : € Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?'* and our Lord: *Lo, the kingdom of God is within you;'f to the same effect tend the words already cited : 'They that adore Him must adore Him in spirit and in truth/ 1

Continuation of the same subject fCHAP. XL.] OF MOUNT CARMEL. 361 God will make no account of your oratories, and the places you have so well prepared, if you attend more to the pleasure which they furnish than you do to Interior detachment, which is spiritual poverty, and which consists in denying yourself in all that you may possess. 2. You must, therefore, if you would purge the will from joy, and the vain desire for it, and direct that joy to God in your prayers, look only to this, that your conscience be pure, your will wholly with God, and your mind earnestly fixed upon Him ; and that you choose a place for your prayers, the most solitary and unfrequented possible, and there apply the whole joy and satisfaction of your will to the calling upon God and glorifying His name. As to the trifling joys and satisfactions of outward things, regard them not, but labour to deny yourself in them. For if the soul becomes habituated to the sweetness of sensible devotion, it will never advance to the power of spiritual joy which is to be found in spiritual detachment by means of interior recollection.

Of some evils to which men are liable who indulge in the sensible sweetness which results from objects and places of devotion. The spiritual man is subject to many evils, if he will walk in the way of sensible sweetness. These evils are interior as well as exterior. As to the first : he will never attain to that interior recollection which consists in overlooking and forgetting all sensible sweetness, nor will he acquire substantial self-recollection, and solid virtue. 2. As to the second, he unfits himself for praying in all places alike, and he can pray only in those which are to his taste. Thus he will frequently neglect his prayers, because, as they say, he can pray only out of his own book. 3. Besides, this affection for particular places is the source of many inconsistencies ; for those who indulge it never continue in the same place, nor even in the same state of life ; at one time here, at another there ; to-day in one cell, to-morrow in another ; they make arrangements for one oratory to-day, and the next for another. Of such people are those whose life is spent in changing their state and manner of living. As these people are influenced solely by that fervour and sensible sweetness which they find in spiritual things, and as they never do violence to themselves so as to become spiritually selfrecollected by the denial of their will and by voluntary endurance of inconveniences ; so whenever they see a place which seems to them better adapted for devotion, or a state of life better suited to their tastes and inclinations, they run after it at once, and abandon that wherein, they were before. Being thus under the dominion of sensible sweetness, they are eager in the search after novelty ; for sensible sweetness is uncertain and rapidly passes away.

[chap, xll] of mount carmel.

Of the three kinds of devotional places. How the will is to regulate itself in the matter. There are three kinds of places by means of whicn God is wont to move the will to devotion. The first is a certain disposition of the ground and the situation, which because of the agreeable variety of views, the arrangement of the grounds, or of the trees, or because of its quiet loneliness, which naturally tend to quicken devotion. It is profitable to make use of this, provided the will ascends upwards to God, and the circumstances of place be at once forgotten. For in order to secure the and we must not dwell on the means, nor on the motives, longer than necessary. If we set about to refresh our senses, and seek for sensible sweetness, what we shall find will be spiritual dryness and distractions; for spiritual satisfaction and sweetness are to be found only in interior recollection. Therefore, when we are in such a place, we should forget it, and strive to converse inwardly with God, as if we were not there. If we give way to the sweetness of the spot, searching for it in every way, that will be, as I said before,4* a seeking after sensible refreshment, and instability of purpose, rather than spiritual rest. This was the way of the hermits, and other holy solitaries, who in the widest and most pleasing deserts chose the smallest spot that would do, making cells and caves for themselves, and shutting themselves up in them. In such an one remained St. Benedict for three years, and another bound himself with

• Ch. xL | 3. 364 THE ASCENT [BOOK m. a rope, that he might not step beyond its length. Many others also, too numerous to mention, have imposed similar restraints upon themselves. Those holy men well knew that if they did not mortify the desire and longing for spiritual sweetness they never would be able to attain to it, and become spiritual themselves. 2. The second kind is something special, for there are some places, no matter whether desert or not, where God is wont to bestow spiritual graces of exceeding sweetness on some persons in particular, so that in general the hearts of those who have received such graces are attracted to that place, and they feel at times a great and anxious desire to return; though when they do, they do not find what they found there before ; for it is aot in their power. God bestows these graces when, how, and where He wills ; He is not tied to time or place, neither is He subject to any man's will. 3. Nevertheless it is well to return to such a place, provided all attachment to it be wanting, and to pray there sometimes. There are three reasons for this. First, it appears that God, though not bound to place, wills that He should be glorified there by that soul to which He gave that grace. The second, by going there the soul is the more reminded of its duty of thanksgiving for the graces there received. The third is, that remembrance of past graces quickens devotion. It is for these reasons that men ought to revisit such places, and not because they think that God has obliged Himself to bestow His graces there in such a way as not to bestow them elsewhere ; for in the eyes of God the human soul is a more becoming place than any earthly spot.

[chap, xli.] of mount carmel. 866 4. We read in the Holy Scriptures, that Abraham built an altar in the place where God appeared to him, and there called upon His name, and that he visited the place again on his return from Egypt, and called upon God again there at 'the altar which he had made before/* Jacob also consecrated the place where he saw ' the Lord leaning upon the ladder ; ' for he € took the stone which he had laid under his head, and set it up for a title, pouring oil upon the top of it.'t Agar, too, in reverence, gave a name to the place where the Angel appeared to her, saying, * Verily here have I seen the hinder parts of Him that seeth me.'+ 5. The third kind are certain special places which God has chosen that men may there call upon Him and serve Him. Such a place was Mount Sinai where He gave His law unto Moses.§ Such also was that place which He showed unto Abraham, where the patriarch was to sacrifice his son.|| And such too was Mount Horeb, whither He commanded our father Elias to go, and where He was to show Himself unto him.1T Of this kind also is Mount Garganus which St Michael, appearing there to the bishop of Siponto, marked out for his own service, saying : 1 1 am the guardian of this place, let an oratory here be dedicated to God in honour of the angels/** The most glorious Virgin by a miraculous sign— snow in summer — chose a site in Rome for a church in her honour, which Joannes Patricius was to build.ft God knoweth why He chose these

• Genes, xii. 8 ; xiii. 4. t lb. xxviii. 13, 18. X Genes, xvi. 13. S Exod. xxiv. 12. 0 Genes, xxii. 2. f 3 Kings six. & ** Brev. Rom. in Fest. App. S. Mich. lect. 6. ft lb. in Fest S. Marise ad Nives. places for Himself. All we need know is that all is for our good, and that He will hear our prayers > there, and wherever else we pray in perfect faith. Though there is far greater reason why we should be heard in these places, dedicated to His service, because the Church has consecrated them for that special end. Of other motives to prayer adopted by many; namely, many The useless joys and the imperfection of attachment, in which many persons indulge in the things I am speaking of, are perhaps in some degree excusable, because they are indulged in somewhat innocently. But the great reliance which some have on a variety of ceremonies invented by persons of unenlightened minds, deficient in the simplicity of faith, is not to be borne, putting aside for the present, those ceremonies which comprise certain strange names or words signifying nothing, and other matters, not of a sacred character, which an ignorant, rude, and suspicious people intermingle with their prayers. These are clearly evil and a sin ; in many of them is a secret compact with Satan, whereby men provoke God to anger and not to mercy. I do not mean to speak of these, but only of those ceremonies, which being not of this suspicious class, many persons nowadays adopt in their prayers through an indiscreet devotion, and attribute such efficacy, to them, and have such faith in them, that they imagine

[CHAP, xlh.] of mount carmel. 367 their prayers and devotions without these forms are useless, and unheard by God, if they fail in any one of these singularities, or overstep these arbitrary limitations. They have much more confidence in these forms than they have in earnest prayer ; which is a great dishonour and insult offered unto God. For instance a Mass must be said with so many candles, neither more nor fewer ; * by such a priest, at such an hour, neither earlier nor later; on such a day, neither before nor after, the prayers must be offered up, or visits made to a church, so often, in such a way, at such a time, with such ceremonies or gestures, neither earlier nor later, nor in any other way, and the person who is to undertake this must have such and such qualities. They believe that if any one of these ceremonies be neglected all is to no purpose. There are a thousand other absurdities of the same kind. 2. What is still worse, and not to be borne, is, that some people will have it that they have felt the effects of this, or that they have obtained what they asked for, or that they know they shall obtain it when all these ceremonious practices have been duly observed. This is nothing less than to tempt God, and grievously provoke Him to wrath, so much so that occasionally the evil spirit is permitted to deceive such people, and to make them feel or see things utterly at variance with the welfare of their soul. They bring this upon themselves by the self-love which they manifest in their prayers, and by their desire to fulfil their own will rather than the will of (rod. Such persons, because they do not

• Condi Trident Sess. audi, part c 9, Decret dc OUerrandU, Ac. 868 THE ASCENT [BOOK ITJ.j place their whole trust in God, will never come to any good. How the joy and strength of the will is to be directed to God in these devotions. Let such people then know that the more they rely on their ceremonies the less is their confidence in God, and that they will never obtain their desires. There are some people who labour more for their own ends than for the glory of God. Though they know that God will grant their prayer if it be for His service, and that He will not, if it be not ; still, because of their self-love and the empty joy which they have in it, they will multiply their prayers beyond measure. Now if they were to attend to something else of more importance, they would do better : namely, if they set about the purification of their own conscience, and applied themselves to the affair of their own salvation, omitting all prayers which have not this for their end. 2. If they do this, they will obtain that which concerns them most, and they will obtain beside all else, though they did not pray for it, in a better and readier way than if they had directed all their energies to it We have for this the promise of our Lord Himself, Who tells us, 1 seek ye, therefore, first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you/* Such seeking is most pleasing unto God

• S. Matt tL 33. [CHAP. jtLttl.J OF MOUNT CARMEL. and there is no better way to obtain the desires of our heart than to pray with all our might for that which is most pleasing unto Him ; for then He will grant us, not only what we pray for, namely, our eternal salvation, but all that He sees to be expedient and profitable for us, though we ask it not, according to the words of the Psalmist, ' The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.' * They call upon Him in truth who pray for that which is most true, namely, their salvation, as the Psalmist adds, in the same place, ' He will do the will of them that fear Him, and He will hear their prayer and save them. The Lord keepeth all them that love Him.' To be 'nigh' unto men is to satisfy them, and to give them what never entered even into their thoughts to ask for. 3. We have an illustration of this in the history of Solomon. He asked of God wisdom to govern the people — a prayer that was acceptable unto Him — and the answer of God was: 1 Because this choice hath pleased thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches and wealth and glory, nor the lives of them that hate thee, nor many days of life;

but hast asked wisdom and knowledge to be able to judge My people, over which I have made thee king: wisdom and knowledge are granted to thee ; and I will give thee riches and wealth and glory, so that none of the kings before thee, nor after thee, shall be like thee.' t God kept His promise, and made his enemies live in peace, and pay him tribute. We have the same lesson also in the book of Genesis, when God promised Abraham in answer to his prayer to

• Pi. cxliv. i8, 19, 2a t 2 Paral. i. u, 12. 370 THE ASCENT [BOOK tSL] multiply the posterity of his lawful son as the stars of heaven, He said: 'I will make the son also of the bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed.'* 4. The powers of the will, therefore, and the joy it has in prayers, are to be thus referred to God : without leaning upon ceremonies and private observances which the Catholic Church neither adopts nor sanctions ; we must resign to the priest the celebration of Mass, he stands in her place, and has received from her the order of its celebration. Men must not seek out new inventions, as if they knew more than the Holy Ghost and the Church. If they are not heard when they pray in simplicity, let them be siire of this — God will not hear them for their own inventions, however numerous they maybe. 6. As to vocal prayer and other devotions, let no man rely on ceremonies and forms of prayer other than those which Christ and His Church have taught us. It is quite clear that, when His disciples said unto Him, * Teach us to pray,' t He told them all they were to do in order to be heard of the eternal Father. He knew His will. He then taught them only the seven petitions of the Pater Nosier, which include all our wants, spiritual and temporal. He did not teach them many, and other forms of words and ceremonies. He had before told them not to use many words when they prayed, saying, 'When you are praying, speak not much ... for your Father knoweth what is needful for you.'J Only He charged them with great earnestness to persevere in prayer— that is, the Pater Noster— saying,

• Genes. xxL 13. t S. Lake xi. I. t S. Matt. vL 7. 8. [CHAP. XLtn.] OF MOUNT C ARM EL. . 371 'that we ought always to pray, and not to faint.'* He did not teach us a variety of prayers, but to repeat often, with care and fervour, these petitions — for they contain the whole will of God and all our wants also. Thus He Himself, when He turned to the eternal Father, made His prayer the three times in the self-same words of the Pater Nostery saying, as the Evangelists tell us, 'My father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me ; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Tljou wilt;'t — that is, Father, if I must drink this chalice, Thy will be done. 6. The rites and ceremonies which He taught us to observe in our prayers are reduced to one of two ; either to retire into our chamber, where, away from the tumult and presence of men, we may pray with most pure and perfect heart — * When thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret;'* or to withdraw into the lonely wilderness, as He did, in the better and more tranquil hours of the night.

7. There is thus no necessity for determined seasons, nor for appointed days, nor for strange methods, nor for words of double meanings, nor for other prayers than those which the Church employs, and in the sense in which she employs them; for all prayers are comprehended in the Pater Noster. I am not, by this, condemning, but rather approving, those fixed days which some persons occasionally set apart for their devotions, such as novenas, and the like ; what I condemn is the reliance which men have on the ceremonies and self-devised • St Luke xviii i. f St. Matth. xxvi. 39. t St. Matth. vi. 6. 579 THE ASCENT [BOOK m.] observances with which they keep them. This is what Judith also did when she rebuked the people of Bethulia, because they had fixed a time within which God was to have mercy upon them. ' Who are ye,' said the prophetess, € that tempt the Lord ? This is not a word that may draw down mercy, but rather that may stir up wrath and enkindle indignation.'*

Of the second kind of distinct goods in which the will vainly The second kind of distinct sweet goods in which the will vainly rejoices, is that which provokes or persuades us to serve God. This I have called provocative. In this class of goods are preachers who may be considered in two points of view : one, concerning themselves, the other, those who hear them. Both in preaching and in hearing, all require to be reminded that the joy of the will must be directed unto God. 2. As to the preacher, he must bear in mind—if he is to profit his hearers, and not to be puffed up with empty joy and presumption — that his function is more spiritual than vocal : for though it depends on audible words, its power and efficacy is not in the words, but in the spirit which utters them. However high the doctrine he preaches, however adorned his eloquence and sublime his style, the fruits of his sermons will in general be no better than his own spirit. For though it be true that • Judith viii. II, 12. [chap, xliv.] of mount carmel. the word of God is effectual in itself, as it is written, € He will give to His voice the voice of power,'* yet fire^ which has the power of burning, will not burn without

3. Pref ehing depends for its effects on two proper conditions : one on the part of the preacher, the other on the part of the hearer : but in general the fruitfidness of preaching is according to the dispositions of the preacher. Hence the proverb, Such the master, such the disciple. When the seven sons of Sceva, a chief priest of the Jews, attempted to cast out devils like St. Paul, the evil spirit turned upon them in a fury, saying, '* Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you ?t and drove them out of the house naked and wounded. This befel them because of their improper dispositions, and not because Christ would not that they should not cast out devils ; for when the apostles saw one who was not a disciple casting out devils in the name of Christ, and forbade him, He rebuked them, saying, ' Do not forbid him : for there is no man that doth a miracle in My name, and can soon speak ill of Me.' % But He is angry with those who teach His law and keep it not, and who not being spiritual themselves, preach spirituality to others. 'Thou, therefore,' saith He by the mouth of the Apostle, 'that teachest another, teachest not thyself; thou that teachest that men should not steal, stealest.' § and by the mouth of the Psalmist the Holy Ghost, ' To the sinner God hath said, Why dost thou declare My justice, and take My covenant in thy mouth, seeing thou

X St Mark ix. 38. t Acti xix. 15. I Rob. u. 21. hast hated discipline and cast My words behind thee ?*• Here we learn that God will not give to them the spirit that will bring forth good fruit: 4. It is generally observed, so far as we can judge, that the better the life of the preacher, the greater the fruit, though his style may be homely, his eloquence scanty, and his teaching common, for warmth proceeds from the living spirit within. Another kind of preacher will produce scarcely any fruit at all, notwithstanding his fine style and his learning. For though it is true that a good style and action, profound learning, and correct expression have a greater effect when they accompany true spirituality; still when that is wanting, though the senses be charmed, and the understanding delighted, but little or no substantial warmth reaches to the will. In general the will remains dull, and weak as before in good works, though marvellous things have been marvellously told it, but which serve only to please the ear, like a concert of music or the sound of bells. But the spirit does not go beyond its limits, and the voice has no power to raise the dead from the grave. It matters very little if the music I hear is better than another, if it does not move me more than the other to act? Though men may be wonderful preachers, yet their sermons are soon forgotten, if they kindled no fire in the will.

5. This sensible delectation in sermons is not only almost fruitless, but also keeps back the hearer from true spirituality ; for he goes no deeper into the matter than the outward circumstances of the sermon, and • Ffc xli*. i6> 17. [chap, xltv.] of mount carmel. praises the preacher for this and that peculiarity, running after him for such reasons rather than for any edification he derives from him. St. Paul sets this before us very clearly, saying: 'And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ . . . my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in showing of the Spirit and of power.'* 6. It was not the intention of the Apostle, neither is it mine, to find fault with a good style, correct diction, and 'eloquence. These things are valuable to a preacher, as they are in all kinds of affairs : for as a noble expression elevates and restores what is low and mean, so, on the other hand, a poor style debases and ruins even that which is noble. • i Cor. ii. I, 4»

GENESIS. xL 7, 8. Let us go down, 5. xii. 8. Called upon His name, 365- xiiL 4. Altar he had made, 365. xv. 7. To give thee this land, — 8. Whereby may I know, — 18. To thy seed will I give xvi. 13. Verily, here I have xvii. 1. Walk before Me and be perfect, 233. xxl la Cast out this handmaid, 19. — 13. The son of the bond- woman, 37a snii. 2. On one of the mountains, 365. xxvii. 22. The voice, the voice of xxviii. 18. Set it up for a title, xxxi. 33. Idols of Laban, 346. xxxv. 2. Cast away the strange gods, 25. fclvi. 3. Fear not, go down, 157. ftlix. I. Poured out as water, 43. EXODUS, fix. 4. Moses at the bush, 96. iv. 14. Aaron is thy brother, i&. xiv. 2a A dark cloud, 70. xvi. 4. Bread from heaven, 22. — 33. Book in the ark, 27. xviii. 21. Provide. . able men, xix. 9. In the darkness of a xxiii. 8. Neither shalt thou take xxiv. 12. I will give thee tables of stone, 365. xxvii. 8. Not solid, but empty and hollow, 26. xxxii. 19. Saw the calf and the

xxxiii. 2a Not see Me and live, — 22. Set thee in a hole of xxxiv. 2, 3. Thou shalt stand — 6. Lord, God, merciful and gracious, 206. xL 33. Cloud covered the tabernacle, 135. LEVITICUS, x. I. Nadab and Abiu, 26, xi. 4. Who will give us flesh — 33. If there be among you xii. 6. If there be a prophet among you, 138. xvii. 10. Rod of Aaron, 27. xxiL 7. The price of divination, — 22. Arise, and go with him, — 32. Thy way is perverse, W. 12. You heard the voice of His words, 137- 15. You saw no similitude, ▼L 5. Love God with thy whole heart, 281. xxxi. 26. Book in the ark, 27. xxxii. 15. The beloved grew fat, — 15. Grew fat and gross, — 15. Departed from God, JOSUE. % 21. Destruction of Jericho, 51. 14. Took of their victuals, 182. JUDGES. 3. That their gods may be your ruin, 50. 9. Go down into the camp, 188. 16. The pitchers of Gedeon, 101. 16 His soul fainted, 32. 21. Plucked forth his eyes, 306. 14. Michas and his idols, 346. ^ 28. Deliver them into your ii. 30. Tbey that despise me,

iii. 10. Thy servant heareth, 235. 252. . 4U 13. Did not chastise them, t. 4. Dagon before the ark, viii. 7. They have not rejected thee, 174. xii. 3. If I &*ve kk"1 a P"» xxuii 9. Bring mt the ephod, 187. xxviii. 3. Magicians and soothsayers, 337. 12. Why hast thou disturbed my rest, 175. XI. Hast not asked lon^ life, 322. 29. Wisdom and understanding, 331. 12. Dwell in a cloud, 100, 4. To follow strange gods, 38. Build thee up a faithful house, 170. 8. Unto the Mount of God, Horeb, 365. 13. Elias covered his face, 29. Achab humbled himself, 167. XI. Push Syria, 135. 22. Thou shalt deceive him, 1 8a 26. My heart present with thee, 213. 11. Why not tell me ? 213. 12. Eliseus the prophet n. PARALIP. 1*1. But hast asked wisdom, 369. 12. We torn our eyes to TOBIAS. 18. When thou shalt take her, 11. 13. Iniquity will bring it to 11. Who are ye that tempt 12. They sfefll be given to Comforters of Job, 5. Not seasoned with salt 122. xxxi. 27. xxxviiL I. — 16. — 10. xxxvii. 5. xxxviiL 7. xxxix. 6. — 13. xlv. 1 1, xlviii. 17. xlix. 16.

Every sorrow shall tail upon him, 30. If my heart in secret rejoiced, 327. Answered Job out of a whirlwind, joo. He sleepeth under the Rule them with a rod of iron, 165. My soul is troubled, 33. Heard the desire of the poor, 166. Darkness under his feet, Day to day uttereth speech, 7a Sweeter than honey, A heavy burden upon me, 33. Man passeth as an- image, 257. No one like to Thee, My iniquities have over- taken me, 33. Be still. . I am God, 133. 340. When a man is made rich, 287, 296. Hast hated discipline, Like the deaf asp, 308. Fire hath fallen upon them, 34. Before your thornscould know, 36. I will keep my strength to thee, 43, 282. Hunger like dogs, 28. If riches abound, 286, To see Thy power and glory, 341. God shall be exalted, The voice of power, 233, 373. He shall rule from sea — 12. He shall deliver the poor, 161. lxxii. 7. Passed into the affections of the heart, 294. — 8. Spoken wickedness, — 22* I am brought to nothing, lxxvi. 14. Thv way in the holy place, 95. IxxviL 30. Their meat in their

mouth, 23, 176. lxxxv. 8. None like unto Thee, lxxxvii. 16. In labours from my youth, 15. d. 8. The lonely sparrow, — 27. Grow old as a garment, cxiii. 8. Let them that mahe idols, 16. cxvii. 12. Like fire among thorns, cxviii. 61. The cords of my sins, 32. cxxxvii. 6. The high He knoweth afar off, 95. cxxxviii. 1 1. Night shall be my light, cxliv. 18. The Lord is nigh, 369. — 19. He will do the will, cxlvii. 17. Crystals like morsels, H9. PROVERBS. viiL 4. O men, to you I cry, 20, x. 24. Their desire shall be given, 166. xxiii 31. Look not upon the wine, xxiv. 16. A just man shall fall seven times, 47. xxviL 19. Faces shine in the water 2x1. xxx« 15. The horse-leech hath two daughters, 44* xxxi 30. Beauty is vain, 17 301. *~ ECCLESIASTES. L 14. All is vanity, 287. H. 2. Laughter I counted an error, 289, 302. — ia Whatever my eyes iii. 12. To do well in this life, iv. IO. Woe to him that is alone, t. 1. Let thy words be few, 17a — o. He that loveth nches, 12. Riches kept to the hurt of the owner, 287, 296.

v& 1. To seek things above — 3. Better to go into the house of mourning, 289. 4. Anger better than laughter, 289. — 5. The heart of the wise, ▼iii. 4. Full of power, 233. x. 1. Dying flies spoil, etc, CANTICLE. H. 4. Into the cellar of wine, 109. iii. 5- Daughtersof Jerusalem, It. 12. A garden enclosed,252. v. 2. I sleep, 129. vi. 4. Turn away Thine eyes, — II. I knew not, 1 28. ▼iii. 6. Put me as a seal, 271, 274. WISDOM. . 5. Thoughts without understanding, 257, 309. iv. 12. The bewitching of vanity, 291. viL 17. The true knowledge of things, 210. — 21. The nature of living — 22. Which nothing hinders ▼Hi. 1. Ordereth alt things sweetly, 143. xi. 17. By what things a man sinneth, 178. ivL 20. Sweetness of every taste, 23. ECCLESIASTICUS. 10. If thou be rich, 286. 34. Out of one spark a great fire, 49. xiiL I. He that toucheth pitch, 38. six. I. He that contemneth small things, 49. xxiii. 6. The greediness of the^ belly, 44. xxxv. 21. The prayer that pierces the clouds, 128. ISAIAS. 23. They all love bribes, 293. ni. 12. O, my people, 304.

v. 20. Light for darkness, 262. vi. 2. Seraphim, with six wings, &c, 135. viL 9. If you will not believe, 69- ix. 2a Eat, and not be filled, 3 1 . xix. 14. The spirit of giddiness, 179. xxviiL 9. Whom shall he teach ? 160. xxix. 8. Fault with thirst, 3a xl. 18. To whom have you likened God? 97xlviii. 18. Thy peace as a river, lv. 1. All you that thirst, 33. lvii. 20. The wicked are like the raging sea, 3a lixv 10. We have groped for the Uiv. 4. Eye hath not seen, 73, 96, 268, 310. JEREMIAS. I 11. A rod watching, I35r it 13* Broken cisterns, 294. — 13. They have forsaker me, 27. ** 24. The wind of his love, 30. 7- 25. Keep thy foot, 30. 10. The sword reacheth to the soul, 161. -7. 23. I beheld the earth, 17. viii. 15. We looked for peace, 7. Made a derision, 171. 21. I did not send prophets, 28. Chaff to do with the wheat, 235. 29. My words as a fire, 32. I sent them not, 336. Weakness of Banuch, 214. 16. Thy arrogancy hath deceived thee, 329. LAMENTATIONS. 20. My soul shall languish, 258.

Prophecy a snare, 171. The gold become dim, 305. Nazarites whiter than snow, 39. 8. Blacker than coals, 39. r 47. iv. 1. BARUCH. »*• 23. Knew not the way of wisdom, 98. EZEKIEL. 8. Turned not when they went, 283. viii. 8. idols of the house of Israel, 41. — 14. Mourning for Adonis, — i6w With their backs to the temple, 41. *>v- 8. Will set thy face against him, 181. — 9 When the prophets shall DANIEL, fc- 22. I am come to teach thee, 230. "*~ 27. Abomination of desolation, 306. OSEAS. 14. Speak to her heart, JONAS. 4. Yet forty days, 167. 2. Is not this what I said, 11. Their right hand and their left, 38b 3. The evil of their hand, HABACUC I. Stand upon my watch, 274. ST. MATTHEW. 6. All the kingdoms of the world, 201. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, 330. 2. They have their reward, 325, 326. — 3. Let not thy left hand, — 6. What is needful for you, — 7. Speak not much, 370^ — 24. Serve two masters, 243. — 33. Seek first the kingdom of God, 368. vii. 6. Give not • . holy to dogs, 28.

— 14. How narrow the gate, — 22. Done miracles in Thy — 23. Depart from Me, 192, 333. 20. Hath not where to lay His head, 91. 28. Come . . all ye that labour, 33. 30. My yoke is sweet, 90. 30. He that gathereth not with Me, 49. * 22. Sown amid thorns, 286. 58. He wrought not many miracles, 35a their lips, 355. 14. If the blind lead the blind, 34, 151. 26. To take the bread of . children, 28. 24. Let him deny himself, 2d. What doth it profit, 288. 5. This is My beloved Son, 184: 20. Two or three in My name, 189. 23. A rich man shall hardly enter, 286. 29. A hundred fold, 300, 22. Drink of the chalice, 89. 9. Spread their garments in the way, 355. 12. Into the exterior darkness, 356. 5. To be seen of men, 325. 1 5. To make one proselyte, 288. 19. Woe to them . . with child, 44. 1. Like to ten virgins, 322. 21. Faithful over a few things, 109. 39. Father, if it be possible, 371- 19. The vision of Pilate's wife, 135. 46. W^vhast Thou forsaken . 10. Go, tell My brethren,

ST. MARK. 34. Who shall save his life, 87, 89. 38. Do not forbid him, 373. xi. Be not thoughtful beforehand, 337. ifcDBX o* PtACfcS with Hr. 24. Prophet in his own country, 350. viiL 12. They by the wayside, ix. 35. This is My beloved Son, — 54. Fire from heaven, 335. x. 20. Rejoice not in this, xi. 11. Teach us to pray, 370. — 5. Three loaves, 84. — 26. Seven other spirits, 1 10. xiL 20. This night they require thy soul, 287, 300. — 35. Let your loins be girt, xiv. 33. Cannot be My disciple, 22, 260. xvi. & Children of this world, — 10. Faithful in that which — 19. Feasted sumptuously, xvii. 21. The kingdom of God is within you, 360. xviii. I. We ought always to — 11. I am not as the rest of — 19. None is good, but only xxii. 26. He that is greater among you, 19. xxiv. 6. The sepulchre empty, 339. — 15. Drawing near unto — 21. We hoped it was He, — 25. O, foolish and slow of — 32. Our hearts burning ST. JOHN. L 5* Light shineth in dark- ness, 16. Born not of blood, 78. No man hath seen God, 96, 268. iiL 5. Born of water and the Holy Ghost, 79.

— 6. Born of the Spirit, 319. 23. When the true adorers, 359. — 24. In spirit and in truth, — 34. My meat, 56. — . 48. See signs and wonders, 339- ix. 39. For judgment I am x. 9. I am the door, 91. xi. 50. It is expedient one xii. 16. They remembered these — 25. Who killeth his own soul, 89. xiv. 6. I am the way, 91. — 21. He who loveth Me, — 26. He will teach you all things, 168. xvi. 7. If I go not away, 107. xix. 30. It is consummated, 186. — 2. The sepulchre empty, — 3. They came to the xx. 15. If thou hast taken Him — 17. Touch Me not, 107. — 19. Peace be unto you, 253. — 29. Blessed they who have ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. L 6. Restore the kingdom to Israel, 163. W. 29. They may speak Thy Word, 338. ▼ii. 32. Moses at the bush, 96. viii. 22. Purchased with money, xiii. 27. The rulers not knowing — 46. To speak of the Word of God, 93. The Divinity like to gold or silver, 115. Who are you ? 373. ROMANS. 22. Professing to be wise, 18.

28. Reprobate sense, 296. 21. Thou that teachest another, 373. 14. Led by the Spirit of God, 249. 24. Hope seen is not hope, 17. Faith cometh by hearing, 69, 218, 339 3. Not to be more wise than, 228. I. Ordained of God, 143. 1. Not in loftiness of 2. And Him crucified, 9. Eye hath not seen, 73, 96, 268, 310. 10. The Spirit searcheth all things, 212. 14. The spiritual man 15. The spiritual man judgeth all things, 212, 317. I. Milk to drink, not meat, 149. 16. You are the temple of God, 360. 19. Wisdom of this world is foolishness, 18, 19. 17. Joined to the . Lord in one spirit, 245. 27. Seek not a wife, 289. 29. The time is short, 51, 7. The manifestation of 8. Trie word of wisdom, IO. Discerning of spirits, 210, 331. I. If I speak with the tongues of men, 333 10. That which is perfect is 11. When I was a child, 2 CORINTHIANS. 6. The letter killeth, 159. 17. Eternal weight of glory, 10. Having nothing, 299. 14. Light with darkness, 16. 14. Angel of light, 108, 352- 2. In the body or out, 199. 4. Secret words, 206. 9. Virtue made perfect in Infirmity, 52.

GALATIANS. 8. Though we, or an angel, 186, 217. 2. Run in vain, 190. 14. Gentiles to live as the Jews, 192 17. Theflej" " flesh lusteth against the spirit, 317. 3. In whom are bid treasures, 185. 9. Fulness of theGodhead, 5. Service of idols, 295. I THESSALONIANS. 19. Extinguish not the Spirit, f 71. HEBREWS. I. ' 1. Spoken to us by His Son, 184. xL I. Substance of things to be hoped for, 83, 260, 6. He that cometh to God must believe that He ST. JAMES, 73ii. 20. Faith without works is dead, 281. 2 ST. PETER. 19. We have the more firm prophetical word, 142, 218. ArOCALYPSE. xil 4. The third part of the stars, 305. xiiL I. Beast with seven heads, — 7. Make war with the saints, no. xvil 3. Full of names of bias- phemy, 305. xviii 7. So much torment and Abraham, revelation to, 157. Achab, repentance of, 167 ; deceived by his prophets, 180. Adonis, 41. Affections, dangers of, 48. Altar, the, of the old law, 26. Ambition, effects of, 30. Angels, punishment of the, 307. Apprehensions, of the understanding, 102 ; must be rejected, 105 ; spiritual, 195 ; the soul must be detached from, 197 ; dangers of, 215, 261; disclosing of, to the confessor, necessary, 262 ; proper use of, 274.

Aristotle on the bat, 98. Attachment, effects of, 47, 49. Balaam, perverseness of, 176, 192, 295. 333. 335, 336. Beast, the, 109. Beauty, natural, dangers of, 301 ; evils' of joy in, 305. Beginners, 145. Benedict, St., 364. Boasting, spiritual, 329. Bribes, 292. Boethins, observation of, 284. Caiphas, prophecy of, 163. Carmel, 8, 58. Ceremonies, vain, 366 ; humanly devised, 370. Chalice, the, offered to the two disciples, 89. Charity, effect of, 84. Children, desire of, 288. Christians, the difference between, and Jews. 186. Churches, right use of, 359. Cloud, the, in the wilderness, 70 ; in the temple, 100. Contemplation, 97 ; prayer of, 128. Corruption and generation, 28. Concupiscence, mill of, 32, 33. Counsels, the evangelical, 22. Courage, necessity of, in the spiritual life, 4. Creation, nothingness of, 17. Creatures, love of, 15; union with God hindered by, 16 ; wrong to God by, 28 ; bring sorrow, 33 ; cannot be means of union with God, 95 ; detachment from, 298. Dalila, deceit of, 32. Darkness, a necessary state of the soul, 71. Desire, God allows one, 26 ; union hindered by one, 42 ; effects in the soul of one, 52. Desires, resist the spirit, 29 ; torture the soul, 32 ; blind the soul, 34, 38; enkindle concupiscence, 35 ; hinder progress, 30; defile the soul, 38 ; weaken the soul, 44 ; destroy the love of God, 45 ; effects of the natural, 45 ; God made angry by, 50; fruits of, 53 ; how to subdue the, 56.

Directors, need of, 4 ; unskilful, 5. Detachment, night of the soul, 15 ; necessity of, 51, 77, 90 ; gives the soul rest, 59 ; all-important, 203, 298 ; blessings of, 299. Devotion, places of, 364. Dignities, dangers of, 93 ; God hates the willing recipient of, 229. Directors, duty of in the matter of visions, 141, 151 ; mischief wrought by unskilful, 152, 153 ; counsel to, 163 ; everything should be revealed to, 192; advantage of making supernatural visitations known to, 193 ; visions not to be discussed by, 194 ; obedience due to, 210 ; not all men fit for, 232 ; defects of, 254. Doors of the soul, 308. Elias, 96, 365. Eliseus, things distant seen by, 213. Endor, witch of, 338. Faith, night of, 67 ; differs from knowledge, 69; the dark night of the soul, 69 ; and of the understanding, 83; sole means of union, 99, 140, 199 ; foreshadowed in the pitchers of Gedeon, 100 ; admits no new revelation, 218 ; cometh by hearing. 339- , , Feasts, observance of, 356. Forms, supernatural, not to be dwelt on, 259. Garganus, mount, 365. Gedeon, 188. Generosity, 298. God, how He communicates Himself to the soul, 137, 138 ; angry with those who seek visions and revelations, 172; incomprehensible, 268.

Good, moral, 255 ; advantage of, 320; joy in, 323 ; evil of rejoicing in, 324 ; effects of joy in, 290, 294 ; natural, 303. Goods, spiritual kinds of, 342. Gratia gratis data, 211, 331 ; right «se of, 334 ; risks of, 335 ; joy in to be checked, 340. Gregory, St, the Great, 338. Gustato spiritu desipit omnis car*., 146. Heli, the high priest, 168. Heretics, satanic delusions of, 226. Hermits, 363. Honours, desire of, 58, 93. Humility, great worth of, 264. Humanity, the sacred, 248. Images, veneration of, 280; improper use of, 345, 349 ; cautions concerning, 352 ; direction for the right use of, 353. Imagination, the, 113; fed by the senses, 114. Imperfections, habitual, 47 ; supernatural, 134. Impressions, spiritual, 236; dangers of dwelling on, 261. Inconsistency, source of, 330; effects of, 354. Jacob, the three commandments of, 25 ; the promise made to, 157. Jeroboam, the promise to, 169. Jethro, advice of, to Moses, 191. Joannes Patricius, 365. Jonas, affliction of, 171. oy, 284; sources of, 285; suppression of, necessary, 297 ; punishment of, 300 ; evil results of sensual, 314 ; advantages of selfdenial in, 316, 319. Josaphat, prayer of, 176. Judith, 178, 372. Just, the, soul of, 40, 41.

Knowledge, how obtained, 14, 68, 96, 144; natural and supernatural, 102 ; intellectual, 205 ; infused, 210. Learning, dangers of, 93. Leeches, types of desires, 44. Life, the supernatural, 78. Light, the soul in darkness finds, 75 ; not an object of vision, 127 ; the divine, 130. Loaves, lesson of the three, 84. Locutions, 156 ; how men are deceived by, 159 ; interior, 220 ; delusions, 223 ; a possible hindrance to union, 224 ; the understanding must not dwell on, 225 ; three sources of, 227 ; effects of satanic, 228 : formal, 231 ; substantial, 233. Love, effects of, 16, 21. Lucifer, sin of, 327. Lukewarmness, source of, 293, 303, Magic, 337. Manna, the, 23. Marriage, vanity to rejoice in, 289. Martyrdom, 165. Mary Magdalene, St., 107, in, 339. Memory, the, discipline of, 242, 248, 277 ; evils resulting from the use of, 250 ; emptiness of, necessary, 252, 254, 267. Meditations, daughters of Jerusalem, 338. Meditation, discontinuance of, 115 ; when the soul should cease from, "9, 131. Melancholy, effects of, 120. Michas, 346. Mind, peace of, how attained to, Mistakes of spiritual persons, 115. Mortification, the nignt of the soul, 13, 52 ; necessity of, 37. Moses, advice of Jethro to, 191.

Night, the dark, 10 ; nature of, XI; detachment from all things, 14 ; the spiritual, 65 ; ihe active, 85. Oratories, decoration of, 354, 357 ; right use of, 358. Passions, the, 282 ; effects of, 283. Paternoster, 370. Paul, St, consults St. Peter, 190; rapture of, 199. Perfect, the, memory of, 246. Perfection, hindrances of, 3. Perseverance, 328. Pharisee, the, 324. Philosophers, a saying of, 14, 16, 43, 94, 122, 256, 318. Pilgrimages, 350. Pleasure in supernatural things, effects of, 266. Preachers, 372 ; eloquent, 374. Presence of God, 77, 80. Prophecies, the, ridiculed by the Tews, 160, 170 ; concerning our Lord misunderstood, 162. Reason, disordered by sin, 9 ; the guide of the soul, 35. Recreation, 311. Revelations, not to be sought, ill, 172. 184 ; nor admitted, 147 ; fulfilment of, 167 ; the seeking of displeasing unto God, 174 ; dangers of seeking, 176 ; lawful to ask for under the old law, 182 ; two kinds of, 204 ; dangers of, 215 ; diverse modes of, 216. Riches, dangers of, 286 ; disappointments of, 296. Rosaries, improper use of, 348. Samuel rebukes Saul, 175 ; appearance of in Endor, 338. Satan, wiles of, 105 ; able to foretell future events.. 177; effect of visions caused by, 213 ; power of, 214; feigns locutions, 226; cannot feign the substantial locutions, 234.

Self denial, 88, 308. Self-esteem, evil of, 318. Self-government, not safe, 187. Sense, night of, 10, 13, 55. Senses, instrument of knowledge, 68, 96 ; how God prepares them for spiritual uses, 144. Sermons, hearing of, 374. Simon Magus, 295, 333, 337. Sleep, the spiritual, 129. Solomon, cause of the fall of, 37 ; infused knowledge of, 211 ; on riches, 287 ; gifts of, 331 ; prayer of, 309. Soul, the, ravaged by the desires, 27 ; and defiled, 38 ; a perfect image of God, 39, 40 ; one will of, 50 ; faith, the dark night of, 69, must be as a blind man, 72 ; union habitual of, 76 ; compared to a window, 80 ; injured by attending to visions, 107 ; how God trains, 146 ; operations of in union, 245 ; four passions of, 282 ; worldly joy sullies, 309. Spirit, the, night of, 66 ; what it is to extinguish the, 272. Spirituality, liable to certain dangers, 104. Sweetness, sensible, 312 ; evils attending, 361. Teaching of the Holy Ghost, 222, 224. Temple, the, defilement of, 41. Tobias, the elder, 178. Tobias, the younger, 11. Touch, the divine, 207 ; how wrought, 209, 236. Transformation, 77 ; how wrought,

Understanding, the, cannot comprehend God, 97 ; must not dwell upon visions, 136, 142 ; the spiritual eye of the soul, 196. Union, the divine, 46 ; hindered by one voluntary desire, 47 ; explained, 76; not equal in all, 81 ; when wrought, 92 ; faith, the sole means of, 99 ; condition of, 136 ; effects of, 243 ; effects of the habitual, 232. Virgins, the ten, 322. Virtues grow by practice, 54 ; work of the three theological, 82. Vision of God, not equal for all, 81. Visions, must be disregarded, 105, 108, 148 ; effects of diabolic, 106 ; consequences of not rejecting divine, 107, 140 ; blessedness of neglectiag, 109, 138; are not the means of union, in, 138 : satanic, 135 ; imaginary, 135 ; why sent, 143 ; evil effects of attending to, 150; delusions, result of, 181 ; two kinds of spiritual, 198 ; intellectual, more clear than bodily, 200. Way, the strait, 86. ' 1 Why hast Thou forsaken me?" 91. Will, the, dark night of the, 281. Works, good, how defective, 325. Words, the, of God hard to under* ' stand, 170. World, the, wisdom of, 18 } necessity of renouncing, 22.

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