Chapter 51
Of the way wherein we are to carry ourselves, that we may not err by such illusions; and how dangerous the desire is of Revelations, and such things as those.
THROUGH the desire I have, that thy soul may not be one of these, I recommend to thee much, that thou profit, as the prover be saith, by another's harm: and that thou be very careful, that in thyself, there be no consent, either great or small, to any desire of these singular, or supernatural things; for it is a sign either of pride, or at least of curiosity, which is full of danger. There was a time, when1 S. Augustine, was assaulted by this temptation; his words are these. By how many subtleties of temptation, hath the enemy procured, with me, O Lord, that I should beg some miracle at thy hands; but I beseech thee, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our City, the heavenly Jerusalem, which is pure and chaste, that as now all consent to this temptation, is fare from me; so it may ever be fare, and further off S. Bonaventure saith, that many had fallen into great follies, and errors, in punishment of their having desired such things as these; and he saith further that they are not so much to be desired, as feared.
If any such extraordinary things happen to thee, without any desire of thine; be thou afraid, and do not give them credit; but instantly have recourse to our Lord; beseeching2 him that he will be pleased not to carry thee by this way; but that he will suffer thee, to work thy salvation in his holy fear, and in the usual and plain way, of such as serve him. Thou art especially to do this, when any such Revelation or instinct, shall invite thee to admonish, or reprehend a third person, of any thing that is secret; & much more if he be a Priest, or Prelate, or the like, to whom particular reverence is due. In such case as this thou art to cast away these things withal the hart thou hast; and to departed from them, with saying, that which Moses said, Send him O Lord, I beseech thee, whom thou art to send. And jeremy said, I am but a child O Lord, I cannot speak, and both these, did hold themselves for insufficient; and fled from being sent to reprove others.
Do not fear, least by this humble resistance, God should be made angry, or to absent himself, if the business be his; but3 rather he will draw nearer to thee; and he will assure and settle the thing in question. For he that giveth grace, to the humble, will not take it away, for an act of humility; and if it be not of God, the Devil will fly away; as being strooke with the stone of humility, which giveth a blow that breaketh his head, like that of Goliath. And so it happened, to a Father that remained in the Desert; who upon the appearing of the figure of a Crucifix, he would neither adore it, nor believe it. But4 shutting his eyes, said, I will not see Jesus Christ in this world; it shall serve my turn to see him in heaven. Upon which answer, the Devil fled away, who was desirous to deceive him under that form. Another Father, answered (to one that told him that he was an Angel, sent to him, on the behalf of God) I have no need, nor am I worthy to receive messages, by the mouth of Angels, and therefore consider well to whom it is that thou wert sent; for it is not possible they should send thee to me; Nor will I so much as hear thee. And so with this humble answer, the proud Devil fled away.
By this way of humility; and by a most cordial driving away such things as these, many persons have been free, through the mercy of God, from great snares, which by this means the Devil had prepared for them. Experimenting so in themselves, that which David5 saith, Our Lord keepeth the little ones: I humbled myself, and be delivered me. And on the other side, a false instinct, or Revelation of the Devil, finding any vain contentment in the hart of him that doth receive it, taketh root and force from thence, to deceive men, out right; God permitting it, with just judgement. For as S. Augustine saith, Pride deserveth to be deceived.
Thou must therefore be free from this vain inclination; and from thinking that thou art capable of these Revelations; that so thy hart may not vary the compass, in the least point, from that humility wherein thou wert before, under the holy fear of God. And so carry thyself in them as if they had not come to thee. And if notwithstanding this answer of thine the matter do still go on; give thou instantly account to them, that may tell thee what is fit; although it will be better done, to give notice of it instantly, after first it happened; and to help him (by means of prayer, & fasts, & other good works) who is to give thee counsel, that God may declare the truth to him, in a matter that is of so much difficulty. For6 if we hold the good spirit of God, for the wicked spirit of the Devil, it is a great blasphemy; and we shall so, be like to those miserable Pharisees, the contradictours of the truth of God; who attributed to an evil spirit, the works, which Christ Jesus our Lord, did, by the Holy Ghost. And on the other side, if with facility of belief, we accept of the instinct of an evil spirit, as if it were of the Holy Ghost, what greater misery can there be, then to seek darkness and error instead of truth; and, which is worse, the Devil, for God. On both sides, there is great danger; either in holding God for the Devil, or the Devil for God. And how great necessity there is, to be able to distinguish and to judge of these things, as indeed they are, I think there is none, who doth not see. But as evident as this necessity is, so difficult and hidden a thing it is, to get assurance and light, wherewith to clear this doubt. And therefore, as it belongeth not to all men to prophecy, or to work miracles, or to impart such other graces, but to them to whom the Holy Ghost is pleased to impart them; so also, is it not given to the spirit of man, how wise soever it be, to judge with certainty, and truth, of the difference of spirits, unless it were in a matter which were evidently7 against the Scripture, and the Church of God. That light therefore of the Holy Ghost, which is called Discretion of spirits, is wholly necessary in this case; by the inward, and sweet light whereof, the man who hath this gift, doth rightly judge, which is the spirit of Truth, and which of Error. And if the matter be of importance, it must be related to the Prelate, and his resolution is to be followed.
Footnotes
Chapter 53 of 115