Chapter X. A comfortable Respiration to the poor in Spirit

Let every Soul therefore which is such an one, hear the Divine Voice, and let hear her it with astonishment and admiration, saying; Blessed are the poor in Spirit, because theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Who more poor in Spirit than he, who in all his Spirit finds no rest, finds not where he may lay his head? And this is the counsel of Piety, that he who is displeased with himself, should be pleasing to God: and that he who hates his own House, to wit, an House full of filth and infelicity, should be invited to an House of Glory; an House not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens. And no wonder if he trembles at the greatness of this condescention, if he has difficulty to believe this report, if with great astonishment he admire, and say; Has then misery made man happy? But whosoever thou art that art such an one, be not diffident; not Misery, but Mercy makes happy; but Mercies proper seat is Misery, that Humiliation may pass into Humility, Necessity into Vertue. Thou wilt segregate, O God, says he, a voluntary rain for thine inheritance, and it became infirm, but thou hast perfected it. A profitable infirmity indeed, which seeks after the hand of the Physitian, and to his health does he fail in himself, whom God perfecteth.