14. Of the appearance and know ledge of the angelic bright ness about her

Clearly in this most approved virgin was fulfilled that which of old the Lord said to Moses and the children of Israel entering the land of promise. " Behold I will send my angel who will go before thee and keep thee ever, and be the guide of thy way" (Exod. xxiii 20). We read in many books of the saints of the appearance of angels, and now the like can be proved in this lowly virgin Lydia from the testimony of many religious. For she was visited most frequently by a holy angel; by whom also she was touched as worthy of his companionship and trusting in his protection, whom she knew as personally as a friend knows his friend. Likewise she knew also the angels of her confessors, and of others her acquaintance, and of many outsiders. And the same angel appeared to her under different forms : sometimes in the shape of a most beautiful man, always, however, with great brightness, as an angel of light, the minister and ST. LYDWINE of SCHIEDAM standard-bearer of eternal light. Some times, however, that brightness was so great that if a thousand suns together shone in their might, yet they would not be able to equal this angelic splendour. At times however he appeared less bright, but always he bore the standard of the Lord's cross upon his forehead, lest perchance she should be deceived by an angel of Satan, who, transfiguring himself into an angel of light, often appeared to her. If however on account of the frequency of visitors she was sometimes disturbed, or on account of the presence or contact of some unclean persons her purity was stained, lest this slight fault should remain long on the white fleece, or pass unpunished, she was deprived of the aforesaid angelic visits and divine raptures. Sometimes also she was burdened in her conscience with certain spiritual defects known only to God and the angels : by reason of these scrupulously chastised she was also hindered from her wonted raptures. Whereupon, bruised in the mortar of her heart, she was wont to confess to the holy angel her guide; and thus cleansed by a humble confession, she hastened to follow him as he went ST. LYDWINE of SCHIEDAM before to the places whither he led. She was also taught by the same holy angel what she ought to confess to him and what to her confessor, for she confessed her excesses daily, according to that word of the psalmist: "I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord, and Thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my sin " (Ps. xxxi 5).