Chapter 52
Wherein some signs are given, of good, and bad, or false Revelations, or Illusions.
BESIDES that which I have said, thou art to consider, what fruit or edification these things do leave in thy soul. And1 yet I say not this, as if by these, or other signs, thou art to become the judge of that which passeth in thyself; but to the end, that when thou givest him account, of whom thou art to take counsel, he may so much the more certainly know, & teach thee truth, as thou shalt give him more particular information. Consider therefore, if these things help thee, towards the relief of any spiritual necessity which thou hast; or for any thing concerning thy soul, of notable edification. For if a good man will not speak idle words, much less will God do it; who saith, I am the Lord, who teach thee things which are profitable to be known, and who govern thee in the way, where thou art to go. But when thou seest that there is nothing of moment, but intricate and unnecessary things; esteem it as a fruit which the Devil setteth before such a one, as he seeketh to deceive; and to make him lose his time, and the time of others, to whom he relateth it; and when the Devil can get no more, he contenteth himself with this gain.
Amongst those things which thou art to consider, whether they work them in thy soul or no, let the chief be this, Whether it leave thee more humble, than thou wert before. For humility, as a Doctor saith, giveth such weight to the coin of spirit, as that it doth sufficiently distinguish the mettle which is massy, from that which is light. And S. Gregory saith, The2 most evident distinctive sign of a man elect, is his humility; and of the reprobate, his pride. Consider then I say, what trace is left in thy soul, by this vision, or consolation, or spiritual gust; and if thou perceive thyself to remain more humble, and in more confusion through thine own faults; and with greater reverence, and trembling under the infinite greatness of God; and hast no light inclination to communicate that to other persons, which hath happened to thee; nor dost busy thyself much in considering or making account thereof; but dost procure to forget it, as a thing which may make thee esteem thyself; and if (at any time, when it cometh to thy memory) thou humble thyself, and dost●wonder at the great mercy of God (in showing so great favour to so base creatures) & if thou findest thy hart as quiet, and more settled than it was before, in the knowledge of itself; it hath some show to be of God; because3 it is agreeable to the instruction, and doctrine of Christ; which is, That a man should abase himself, and become despicable in his own eyes; and that for the blessings which he receiveth from God, he must know himself to be more obliged, and confounded; giving the whole glory of it to God, from whose hand all good things proceed. And with this, S. Gregory agreeth, saying, The soul which is full of divine understanding, hath these, for most evident fignes; namely Humility and Truth; both which, if they perfectly join in any soul, it is a thing notorious, that they give testimony of the presence of the Holy Ghost. But when it is an abuse of the Devil, it falleth out very contrary to this. For4 either in the beginning, or at the end of the revelation, of consolation, the soul doth find itself vain, and desirous to speak of what it feeleth; & with some estimation of itself; conceiving that God is to do great matters in it, or by it; and it hath no desire to think upon the defects of itself, or to be reproved by others; but all that persons business is, to be talking, and rolling up and down in his mind, that which he hath felt, and he would be glad that others also, should be talking of it.
When thou shalt see these signs or the like, which show a kind of levity of hart, it may be affirmed, without any doubt, that the evil spirit walketh that way. And how good soever the thing appear, & though it bring tears, or comfort, or knowledge of matters belonging to God; yea although thou be hoist up to the third heaven, yet if thy soul withal, do not remain with profound humility, put thou no confidence in any such thing, which may happen to thee; nor do thou accept thereof. For, how much the more high it is, so much is it the more dangerous, and so much the greater fall will it give thee. Ask grace of God, that thou mayst know, & humble thyself; and that being the ground, let him give thee what is most pleasing to him; but if that be wanting, all the rest (how precious soever it appear) is not gold but copper; nor is it the meal or flower of nourishment, but the ashes of pride.
Pride hath this mischief belonging to it, that it despoileth the soul of the true grace of God; and if it leave any thing that may seem good, it is but counterfeit; & so it is not acceptable to God, but the occasion of greater ruin to him that hath it. We read of our Redeemer, that when he appeared to his disciples, upon the day of the Ascension; he first reprehended their incredulity, & hardness of hart; & after that, he commanded them to go & preach; giving them power to work many and great miracles. Making us underst and thereby, that5 whom he raiseth to great matters, he first abaseth in themselves, giving them knowledge of their own weakness; to the end that although afterward, they grow to fly above the heavens, they may still be fastened to their own baseness, without attributing any other thing to themselves, but their own unworthiness. Let therefore the sum of all be this, that thou do well observe the effects which are caused in thee by such things as these; not thereby to make thyself the judge thereof; but for his information, whose counsel thou art to ask, and follow.
Footnotes
Chapter 54 of 115