Second Section: Moral Doctrines on Divers Virtues, and Chiefly Religious Perfection

I. Of the Nature of the Divine Truth and the Incarnate Word under Various Symbols, and how One Should Seek God.

He who is of the truth speaks the truth; he who loves light possesses the truth; and the truth in the Church is a sea most calm. This sea leads from earth to heaven, and from heaven to earth; it leads the soul that is on it whithersoever the soul wishes. In this sea the eagles sail — I mean certain angelic creatures in the flesh, but living as if they were out of it. They look like men, but are not men, though made of flesh, and all those who are, swim by love, like our burning seraphim. The depth of this sea is so great that no eye can penetrate it. The water of this sea serves to carry the ships and the mer¬ chandise f{om earth to heaven, and from heaven to the earth. It also gives delight by reason of its soft and pleasant murmur. It serves as nourishment for all it begets in it¬ self, and by its crystal clearness it becomes a glass in which to see one’s self. O truth! O sea! Must this truth be proposed with such a condition? O sea of truth, how sufl5cient thou art! O truth! how lovable and how indispensable, but how little known, and still less embraced! How few embrace thee! Man labors to row that he may guide his little ship throughout this sea, and in it he afterwards learns the alphabet of love. The A signifies {amore) extensive love; B, benign; C {deco), blind; D, desirous; E, ele¬ vated; F, {fervid); G {gelosd)^ jealous and generous (the Word was generous, and such it behooves also the Bride to be); H {umile)^ humble; I {inlero), entire; K {kallido), in¬ telligent in every operation, and full of light; L, lucid; M, mortified, remembering the blood, and dead; N, negative; O {ozioso), idle, thinking nothing of self, but only of God: “ Optimant partem elegit sibi Maria ” — Mary hath chosen the best part ” (Luke x, 42); V {pietosd)j compassionate; Q {querelanie), complaining, like the bride who could not endure for a moment the absence of her bridegroom; R, ruddy with the Blood of the Word; S {sapiente), wise and foolish at one and the same time; because love must be wise in choosing, and foolish even, to draw the soul out of herself, all rapt in God; J, triplicated, towards God, the neighbor, and self, but with that love which begets a holy’ hatred: ** Odit animam suam in hoc mundo'^ — “Hateth his life in this world ” (John xii, 25); V, vehement; X {schietto), sincere; Z, zealous; Con, counsellor; Ru, rumi¬ nating, always within herself of her lover.... All this alphabet must be learned by anyone who wishes to possess charity. Truth is a sea, and the Word is a sea also. The Word lies in the truth, and the truth in the Word. * God is in this sea of truth. The Di¬ vine Word, the Incarnate Word, and everyone who adheres to the truth is in it: Leva in circuitu oculos tuos et vide’’' — “Lift up thy eyes round about and see’’ (Isa lx 4). God plunges into the truth, and hides therein, and draws everything to it. Truly the Word became incarnate, truly He arose from the dead, and truly He gives us either glory or hell; as truth is all that is, and falsehood all that is not, viz., sin itself. But as truth has its being from God, so it is permanent: Et veritas Domini manet in ceternum ’’ — “ And the truth of the Lord remaineth forever’’ (Ps. cxvi, 2). But, alas I that on ac¬ count of this truth man is hated by other men, and for falsehood he is loved by men and hated by God. But what does it matter to be hated by man, who is vanity? All those who rest their thoughts in man, in created things, and in themselves, do not love truth. Who can explain thy greatness, O truth, and thy precious worth? Thou art the nour¬ ishment of charity, the sister of patience, the daughter of humanity, the help of love, the mother of faith, the doctrine of the ignorant, the discipline of the unwise, the bridle of the proud, the prison of the lukewarm, the ladder of the enamored, the repose of the THE IvlEE AND WORKS OF tired, the looking glass of the virgins, the security of all Thy elect. • ♦ • Various are those who go on swimming and. fishing in this sea of truth, and, various are the results they produce. Some, as Peter and the other Apostles, do not catch what they seek, whilst others succeed in doing so; and others again do not catch what they seek, nor anything else. Those who enter in and submit to that Religion so loved by Thee, are those who do not catch what they seek, but get it afterwards in a much better way.... Those who run after the Commandments are they who catch what they seek. Those who do not catch what they fish for are those who keep Thy Commandments, but because they think of some exterior works, which appear to be good, but are not, not being per¬ formed in state of grace, are not good enough to attain the sovereign good, viz., they are lukewarm and negligent concerning the most important affair. Thy service and their sal¬ vation. As the Apostle St. Janies says, “ They do not find, because they ask amiss” (James iv, 3); they do not obtain, because they do not ask. But to all who seek Thee, particularly in Religion {Religious life^ Religious Order), Thou, O my God, givest all Thyself for them to possess. Happy lot of the brides consecrated to Thee, who love Thee above everything, and iu everything serve only Thee, for they possess Thee all and in all, not wishing anything but Thee. Those who seek something else together with Thee, though they partly possess Thee, still they do not possess Thee wholly, for Thou art di¬ vided, so to speak, because their hearts are divided. Thou dost become like one spoken • of by the prophet: Cum sancto sanctus eris... et cum perverso perverteris'" — ‘‘And with the elect Thou wilt be elect, and with the perverse Thou wilt be perverted ” (Ps. xvii, 27). Everyone finds Thee, as he is iu himself, hence in such, as St. Paul says: ” Christus divisus, esC' — ” Christ is divided ” (i Cor. i, 13). Others go about and seek; but because they seek not as they ought, they do not find. They do not seek Thee as Father, I/ord, and Spouse, and do not care to find Thee, but seek after Thee with self-love and pride; and consequently they find themselves without Thee, without them¬ selves, and without all the things of this world; because, loving these much, and seek¬ ing Thee with them, they lose themselves. Thee, and everything.... Next, there is the calm sea of the Word’s Humanity, which is truth itself. In this sea some people purify themselves, others dress, and others feed themselves. The Church feeds, the soul dresses, and all mankind purifies himself in it. The Church feeds with the Blood, the soul dresses with the same Humanity, and mankind is purified by the watergushing from His most sacred side. The Church feeds with Blood; because this, our Christ, like the pelican, who picks his breast with his own bill, and gives life and food to his little brood with the blood that comes therefrom, has done. The soul dresses by uniting intimately with Him, as the garment to the body: Induimini Dominum nostrum Jesum ChHsturn ” — ” Put ye on the Ford Jesus Christ ” (Rom. xiii, 14). She dresses also with Him by love and imitation, and this is that nuptial garment without which one cannot gain admittance into the nuptial banquet-hall; for he who is not dressed with Christ’s Hu¬ manity, by imitation and merit, cannot enter the nuptials of eternal life. Eikewise in this vast sea of the Word’s Humanity not only does the soul dress, but all mankind is puri¬ fied. Every soul continues purifying and washing away her crimes and sins in it. For those who may not be able to get into this sea so quickly, there is the shore to rest on, where there are many trees giving a sweet shade. Hence whoever cannot enter the Blood and the water, and nourish and purify himself in the Divinity and Humanity of the Word, let him stay on the shore; that is practice the humility, obedience and pa¬ tience which the Word taught us iu His Passion. This being done, who shall have a right to complain of not being partaker of the Passion suffered by the Immaculate Word, and of not being able to enter therein? He suffered for all, and accepts not persons nor conditions, but anxious desires. Or can this be said, that the creature suffers any temp¬ tation or tribulation which the Word has not suffered in Himself for us? Every creature can enter under these shades of Thy infinite gifts and graces, O Word; because, if there were nothing else but the eight beatitudes, the following of these would be sufficient to enamor us of Thee, and lead us to union with Thee. Hence let him who cannot be poor in spirit, be meek; and he who cannot be meek, let him be just; and he who does not understand justice, let him follow purity; let him be peaceful who has no peace, or • at least, let him endeavor to possess mercy. O magnanimous and eternal Word! Thou, after all, art the Way along which we must walk, and Thy Hu¬ manity is the sign pointing out this pathway, that we may not be mistaken. Im¬ movable and unchangeable sign given us from eternity, as Teacher and Guide for all those who wish to ascend to the Father: Nemo venit ad Patrem nisi per Me" — “No man cometh to the Father but by Me ” (John xiv, 6), the Eternal Truth said, that Truth which is plain and sweet, and an easy road for us creatures, shortening the path which leads us to our perfect and sovereign God. But many there are who do not take to this easy and delightful road, and follow it not, because of their human reason, darkened by self-love and regard for creatures. Those who pretend to walk solely by the strength of the human reason, will never reach the Divine Word. To reach Him He wishes us to be en¬ tirely dead; simple, like doves, without friction or dissimulation. Moreover, one must not tarr}" on this road, but must walk quickly, forthe Word, our Guide, and Escort, strides like a giant, and, lest we lose sight of Him, we must walk along with Him with equal velocity. Neither should w'e fear to become fatigued; for, in this running and flying, so to say, we shall rest; and He will give us strength to run quickly; nay, to fly. Those who only walk are they who begin with great fervor, and soon fail, as this fervor is not genuine. Hence it comes that they wish to stop for everything they hear or see along the route, and they lose time. They taste not the sweetness and purity of this road, and, wdiat is w'orse, through paying attention to other things, little by little they lose their fervor, which is not genuine; because it is not yet founded on the living stone of the Divine Saviour; that is, according to His will, without following in anything our own will and appetites, even though they appear to us good and spiritual. For, if we follow after what may be called spiritual consolations, when these fail us (God in His judgment sometimes depriving us of them) we fall away from all fervor, and give way to lamen¬ tations and regrets, forsaking even the very way of truth. But those who run on the same road are they who are already well founded on the living stone, so that they are never a source of scandal to their neighbor, or of offense to God; and these run fast, but do not fly. Those who really fly are they who are no longer wise, reasoning about truth, and no longer care to understand it, but simply with a burning desire run to em¬ brace all truth, and with a love all inflamed with it, looking only to God, they go to Him. These do not stop wdiile on the road of truth in any virtue, to practice it, as an act of it, and to form the habit thereof, though this would be very well done; but go on simply with the desire to be united with God, looking to nothing but the end. Because of the ardent wish to reach it, they do not consider or look to the means as such, but only to the end; so that, soaring away at once, they reach the highest degree of perfection.... The Incarnate Word is also a looking-glass for our souls; but one must have his eyes well purified in order to be able to look at Him. O blessed soul ever looking at Him! O Divine Spouse, Thou also art Love! And how canst Thou help showing Thyself as such? Show me, I beg of Thee, what Thou hast done with that publican. Magdalen was also a sinner, when Thou didst manifest Thy clemency to her. But, pray, show me what Thou didst with that so-much-loved Zacchaus. But, behold, I feel in my interior that I must ascend, as he did, if I wish to get Thee. This Spouse of mine passes along the road, but one must raise himself up to take the cross the Lord gives him. Zacchaus would not have seen Thee, my Lord, if he only considered his small stature; but everyone must take up the cross, large or small, which Thou givest to him. This Divine Word shows Himself to me in thick darkness. Wonderful thing! the light is found among the darkness. But what does this indicate, except that the soul filled with darkness — that is, her own passions — finds the Divine Word? Blessed the soul that, possessing and conquering her passions, finds the Word. But one must conquer and hate them — conquer them, because they must be subjected to reason; hate them, because we must hate all things hurtful to our souls. This Word is found in the darkness; shall I contradict the beloved John, who says: “ Et tenebrcs in eo non sunt uUcb'''' — “And in Him there is no darkness “ (i John i, 5)? No; because the darkness in which I find this Divine Word is His most bitter Passion. The soul looking into this looking-glass, viz., the Divine Word sitting at the right hand of the Father, sees nothing to imitate, but everything to adore and admire; but, seeking Him as the Incarnate Word, she finds Him in the darkness of the Passion. Here He is found with great profit, as He can be imitated, having said to Himself; ^^Discite a me, quia mitis sum et humilis corde''' — “ Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart ” (Matth. xi, 29). In this looking-glass can be seen all the extent of heaven — its adornments, gifts, and graces. What else is this but His loving Side? But when we look into it, He causes us to receive every gift and grace; because '•^Oculi Domini super metuenteseum “Theeyes of the Lord are on them that fear Him ’’ (Ps. xxxii, 18). This communication of His brings to me four kinds of knowdedge — one concerning God, one concerning myself, another concerning my neighbor, and another. Religion. O glass without stain! if thou wert more known, thou wouldst be embraced and loved. The knowledge He will give me concerning God, when I look into this glass, will be as to the greatness of the love He bore, bears, and shall bear all mankind, shown by the cons ant commemoration He gives me of His Passion. Whoever possesses this knowledge, is always burning with love for his God. The knowledge concerning myself has refer¬ ence to the benefit not only of the creation, but also of the redemption and the vocation. That concerning my neighbor has reference to the manner of dealing with various kinds of persons, in which one must exercise a hidden prudence, using this knowledge in ioining those characters in the bonds of peace. Many there are who know how to con¬ verse • but, in the inmost recess of their hearts, know not how to compassionate and endure. The knowledge concerning Religion consists in knowing how useful and necessary it is to keep the Religion and the Rule according to the first spirit and rigor of its foundation, observing faithfully all promises and vows which a religious soul makes to God, and constantly keeping the mind away from the world as much as possible. This, O my Jesus, I ask for all, that they may know how useful it is to keep their eyes fixed on Thee in the choice of the state they wish to embrace. The nurse of this knowledge of the Religion is interior mortification or simplicity. These seem two different things, but they are united in one. Behold the glass I must look at in the Side of the Incarnate Word.... I will also take from My Spouse a model of all I should do; and, being unable to copy it fully on account of my frailty, I will at least show Him my grati¬ tude and thank Him because He wrought so many wonderful works for love of me. From Him I will draw the rule which will show me how to walk in the virtuous path. From His humility I will learn to lower myself and know my nothingness. From His obedience I will draw a resolution never to do anything according to my will, but to submit always to the will of others. From His charity I will learn how I must love my neighbor. In this glass I will see also that boundless love He wished to show us by leaving Himself to us in the Blessed Sacrament, which is the compendium of all He has done for us in His life, Passion, and death. Here I will see also the Blood He shed to prepare a bath for us, in which we can at all times wash our souls and adorn them, that they may appear all beautiful in His sight....

The Incarnate Word is also a book, in which I must read three kinds of knowledge, which He wishes to impart to me. The first regards His Divine Majesty, and is nothing but a most clever illumination, which He vouchsafes us by His bounty, concerning that so high, admirable, and adorable communication that passes between the Three Divine Persons, and which ought to be more loved by creatures than related to them.... The soul that possesses such a knowledge is delighted with those loving complacencies which take place in divinis (among the Divine Persons). But here words fail to express every sentiment, and it is necessary rather to meditate and admire than to speak about this matter. The second knowledge this book gives me regards the greatness, the dignity, and the beauty of the soul. How I must acknowledge in myself the beauty of my soul! Who would not become enamored of it? O great and inexplicable beauty! This knowl¬ edge of her greatness begets in the soul a tranquil and constant union and peace of heart, and a pleasing meekness with her neighbors. Blessed and happy is the soul to whom, O my God, Thou dost go on communicating this knowledge; because, as soon as she has learned her greatness, she continues reflecting on what she is of herself — that is, her nothingness. As to the third kind of knowledge — that of the Religion — how fruitful it is, no tongue can explain. Oh! what delight not only the Word, but also the Father and the Holy Ghost, take in the Religion, which almost adapts its order to that of heaven. There is no tranquillity in the Religion, where there is no tranquillity partaking of the Most Holy Trinity!

To the Father belongs the power, also the government; to the Word, wisdom, with the communication; to the Holy Ghost, goodness, with its influxes of tranquillity. The first office in heaven is to render glory and praise to God; the principal office in Religion is to praise God. In heaven there is the communication of the Three Divine Persons; and we partake of this communication according to our capacit)^ given us by Thee, O Word! In heaven the angels are; and in Religion all should be like unto the angels. The first office we remark in the angels, after the adoration of the Most Holy Trinity, is submission to God; and in Religion, after the same adoration, there must be submission to the superiors, and even to equals. In heaven it is never night, and all blessed spirits follow the little Lamb; so we must always follow Him — Christ Crucified — by imitating His Passion. We should always so act that it will never be night, but always daylight; and we should never lie down and rest without being first reconciled to our neighbor. As the Evangelist says: “If thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift” (Matth. V, 23, 24). We must keep God in our midst. He being the light illuminat omnem hominem venientem in himc rnundum ” — “Which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world” i. 9)* ^'Qui sequitur Me non ambulat in tenebris ” — “He that folio weth Me walketh not in darkness ” (John viii, 12).... The foolishness of the cross is an infinite wisdom, and to deny one’s self issovereign prudence. What a wiser foolishness than to take up the cross with my Word and follow in His footsteps! Prudence is a virtue having special reference to the end; hence a per¬ son is called prudent when he or she considers, in every work, what may be the result to him or her, and always acts with mature reflection. Hence, he who denies himself is very prudent, because he looks to the end for which he does it, viz., the future reward, and knows well that he who wants to go to God must walk in the narrow road, as the wide one leads to perdition. One must carry the cross and not drag it. Oh! how numer¬ ous are those who drag it; and how many are also those who do worse, because they throw it off 1 Those drag the cross who complain when they meet with some tribulation or sorrow which God sends them, sometimes, for their greater profit. They throw it away who, as far as they are concerned, do their very utmost to rid themselves of every tribu¬ lation and suffering which God sends them. But woe to these! for they shall perish under the very cross that was intended to be their salvation.

II. She Treats of the Divine Love and the Means of Acquiring: It ; and Unravels Many Subtleties of Self-Love and the Malice of Men.

I see Mary as a little one, and I see her at the right hand of her Son! O Mary! how well do I see thee, holding in thy hands a beautiful vase of sweet liquor! And where was this vase? In the wound of the left side, the sweet Side of the Only Begotten. This liquor is given to those who give up human wisdom and prudence; and they draw It who, with great zeal, thirst after the justice and purity of their hearts, and have become foolish for Christ’s sake. The meek ones and the humble of heart delight in it; and those who really love their neighbor, feed and fatten upon it. Those who possess the perfection of charity are nearly drowned in this liquor; as are also those who know they are nothing and delight in being nothing. This liquor satiates all desires, heals all infirmities, consoles in tribulations, pacifies the soul with God, so that she does not rest until she sees in her neighbor this peace also. This is the which surpasseth all understanding ” (Phil, iv, 7). O sacred Side of my Jesus, Thou art truly that '■'Cellar o/lVine*’ (Cant, ii, 4), into which the soul being introduced, Thou dost inebriate and satiate her with the sweetness of every taste. But those who are introduced therein are pure and virgins; so that it can be said of them: "Hi sunt qui cum mulieribus non sunt coinquinati" — “These are they who were not defiled with women “ (Apoc. xiv, 4)....

Thou, O Word, dost point out to me three particular ways, or steps, by which to reach this wine-cellar — humility, justice, and love! Humility is the first step, bring¬ ing forth a holy hatfed of self, and consequently a true love for the neighbor, nourishing the ignorant, and attracting, by the sweetness of its walk, infidels to God. Humility is that virtue compassionating all, deeming itself inferior to all, and it can truly be said of those who possess it, that "Spiritus Domini requiescit super humilem et quietum" — “The Spirit of God rests upon the humble and peaceful.” The second step is justice; for, when one is just and acts rightly, this virtue proceeds from Thee, O God! It is nour¬ ished by humility, and holds the scales in hand, giving to all what is just, rewarding the well-doer, rendering honor to the great, due reverence to superiors, charity and all that is due to the humble and inferior; the poor, rich, ignorant, or learned, as it may be; giving to everyone what is justly due, having nothing else in view but Thee, O my God! Justice begets truth, which is but a constant act of sincerity towards God and our neigh¬ bor. Love is the third step, which contains in itself great power of motion, so that in an instant it takes us into the wine-cellar of the Divine Side. But there are three kinds of love obstructing this holy and pure love; first is the great and disordered self-love; secondly, the great and solitary love for material things; thirdly, the great and restless love for creatures. Oh! how much the disordered love of creatures inter¬ feres with this pure, divine love I Would to my Spouse that this were not found upon the earth, or, at least, among the Religious; for, I dare say, there is no Religion where someone does not love with particular affection not only relations, but even the Religious. Though not a great offense, this is, nevertheless, a fault; not being altogether devoid of self-love; whilst in Religion one must love everyone equally with charity and the bond of love divine. But, who can recount the barm and subtleties of self-love? I see a multitude of souls, among whom I discover one, O sweet Word, who, in the act of uniting with Thee, remains all recollected, seeing and hearing nothing, so that she does not appear to be upon the earth, but all absorbed in Thee. But sometimes not one hour elapses, until she is vexed because she meets with something not in accord with her will. She no longer appears as one filled with divine love, but as one in whom self-love reigns.

I see another (a priest), who, \yhen offering the mystery of my Spouse to the Eternal Father and in Thy praise, sparkles so with the divine love as to resemble a seraphim; but, no sooner has he departed than, if a fault is discovered and pointed out to him, he will not believe it, and will excuse himself in a thousand ways, to make himself appear innocent. There is another soul, than whom, in the exercises of charity, no bird ever flies more swiftly, when it is a question of leaving all that is comfortable and useful to herself, in order to serve her neighbor. When done, however, it seems to her she has a right to, and she would like to be shown gratitude and rendered thanks by the one benefited. What is worse, she knows and delights in her deed, and wishes to be praised by all. Behold the seat of self-love. There is another soul who is engaged in all her exercises like a simple little girl, happy and fervent, wishing to see or know nothing; but she delights in being noticed by her companions, as one happy and fervent. It seems to her that she does more than the rest, and she aspires to be known for her zeal. She does not perceive that she does less than all others, and derives no profit whatever from her work.

THE I.IEE AND WORKS OF I see another soul, who, in the austerity of her life seems to equal a St. Anthony (the Abbot). Thousands upon thousands of instances of the old Fathers come up in her mind, for her imitation, and every hour she makes a thousand resolutions; but, if obedience forbids her this austerity, she stubbornly refuses to obey, as if she had d^cretionary powers in her own hand. Another one behaves in the refectory with fixed gravity and mortification, but delights in it and likes to be deemed holier than the ^e^. Though aspiring to abstinence and mortification, she would like, nevertheless, to be shown by others every consideration, and is not satisfied, many a time, with what the poverty of Religion can afford. Thus she never rests; for, when some consideration is paid to her, it seems excessive to her; and when it is not given to her, it seems as if no con¬ sideration whatever was paid to her. Hence, not wanting to practice abstinence by tak¬ ing the little that Religion can afford to give others, she does not see that by her will she wishes to have more than the rest. Here self-love greatly prevails. Another one in the recreation hall, seems to hold the scales in her left hand, and the emblem of justice in her right, and, like another St. Paul, thinks that nothing whatever can separate her from the charity of God. She takes no care to guard the senses, it seeming to her that she is so interiorly united to God, that nothing can harm her. Likewise, in the place of dissipation, to so call it, viz., in the parlor, she wishes to show so much wis¬ dom, that she appears desirous to surpass that of St. Augustine. She uses such prudence in conversing, as almost to make it appear that she, of her own wisdom, chose the Religious vocation, instead of acknowledging it from God. What is worse, hearing of this world’s miseries, it seems to her as if the world, because of her holiness, did not deserve to hold her. Thus she manifests her own perfection, and, more still, she thinks she must make known to others their goodness also, and with sweet talk she allures the creatures and makes them feel too confident. By this they lose much time in which they might praise and bless God more and more. Here is a subtle and hidden pride; and self-love is its seat. I will say with Paul, “ Perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils in solitude, perils from false brethren ” (2 Cor. xi, 26); moreover, I will say, perils in myself, if I do not deny myself, by lowering and reputing myself as nothing; perils out of myself, if I do not flee self-complacency in these abasements and humiliations.

O man, how great is thy malice! O Eternal Father, I pray Thee, grant me light and strength to know, abhor, and avoid it!... Know, My daughter (speaking in the Person of the Eternal Father), that the malice of the creatures is so great that, but for the elect and My Brides, who pacify Me, thou wouldst see so much justice and vengeance, that thou couldst not endure it, and shouldst wonder at it. Hence, do not fall asleep, but, as an instrument of Mine, together with My elect, do thou endeavor to appease My anger for so many offenses which are offered to Me. And know, that all those who do not reprehend the offenders, almost prove that they consent to their offenses. The malice and iniquity in the hearts of the creatures cry for justice and vengeance more than the blood of Abel ever did. The malice lurking in the hearts of creatures grieves My goodness so much, that were I to make you understand and see how it is, thou couldst never endure the anguish it would cause thee. But I will show thee as much thereof as thou canst endure, which is nothing compared to what it really is, and yet it seems great even to thee. Dost thou know what malice and iniquity in the hearts of creatures is like? It is just like a rust — nay, it is an impregnable wall, standing between them and Me, which allows them to receive no grace of Mine or of My Truth. Offer constantly, daughter. My Truth and His Blood to Me! Offer also to My Truth His own Blood, so that We may thereby be appeased. See how men by their own malice are in the hands of the devil, who keeps his mouth open to devour them; so that if My elect, by their prayers, did not snatch them from him, they would be devoured by him, and deservedly, because they themselves provoke him to do so. I write in a book all the wicked actions and works of these malicious and malign ones; and, opposite this, I put down all the assistance rendered them by My elect. I will present this book on the Day of Judgment to My Truth, to Whom I give the power to judge them, that they may see that they are justly condemned to eternal torments. Know thou, also, that if in Me or in My Truth, sitting at My right hand, there could be any pain, I would grieve at seeing so much malice and iniquity in the hearts of creatures.

Again, if I could receive consolation from you. My elect would give me so much of it — that is, if this could be said, that it would make me gloriously happy. Hence I tell thee, join My elect also, in order to give Me this solace. The sinners are in so deep and large an abyss, that nothing short of My power and goodness can draw them out of it. This is why My elect are more persecuted to-day than they have ever been, and the time has come when My creatures sin more by malice than frailty. The more I help them with My gifts and graces, the more they increase in malice. Dost thou not see that the garden of My Church is hedged in by thorns and brambles, and the flowers of good desires are so choked and squeezed that with difficulty they can bring their fruit to see maturity? So much opposed to-day is the goodness I inspire in My creatures by human wisdom, that, in many, it brings forth very little fruit. Your mode of living is entirely reduced to ceremonials and excuses; and when people approach the Sacrament of Confession, which My Truth instituted for the regaining of the lost grace, it seems that, instead of accusing thernselves, they go to excuse themselves. Hence it is, that instead of having their sins forgiven, they commit more sins; and all this proceeds from that accursed human respect and self-love. Even My christs do not attend to their duty as they ought, and do not open their eyes to see the things which it is their duty to correct and observe. They let their souls run into faults, sins, and blindness, so that they fall headlong into the depth of all miseries. And all this comes from human respect and from permitting their eyes to be closed by pride. I gave you My Incarnate Word, as a most strong sword, to defend your¬ selves and oppose your enemies; and malicious men, thinking they offend you. My elect, do you no harm — nay, they do harm to themselves, and bring unto themselves death. As it is a most horrible thing to kill one’s self, so it is much more horrible for one to kill his own soul....

This malice is so great that it changes works of perfection into works of con¬ demnation. This malice consists in wanting to investigate the judgments of God and in contradicting His works; it is a thinking and speaking of falsehood and lies. Those who are imbued with this malice explain what happens in their own way, present everything according to their own ideas, and take everything according to their own caprice. They always make excuses, offend the creatures, and contradict Me. They never speak the truth, having one thing in their heart and another on their lips.... Who can ever remove so much malice from the hearts of creatures (she adds in her own person)? Surely nothing less is required than Thy goodness, O my God. O charity! Thou art a file, filing away, little by little, the soul and the body, and nourishing them both, at the same time. Alas! these malignant men seem to me not creatures, but demons. For what are the demons doing but practicing malice, so as to deceive the Truth? Who will oppose so much malice? Whither shall I go? Where shall I turn so that I may not see, O good God, offenses committed against Thee? Everywhere, everywhere, I see malice abounding. O Father, O Word, O Spirit! O God, One in Three Persons, grant that Thy light may be given to each one in particular, that by it everyone may know and partly penetrate his malice; and to me do Thou grant the grace that I may satisfy for them, by laying down my life, if necessary. O malice of the creature, how little and by how few Thou art understood! Good God, it is not understood! Many say Thou art offended, but they know not and do not realize what offending God means. Many know Thy goodness. Thy power, and Thy glory; but the offense offered to Thee by the sinners is not penetrated.... If I turn to the prelates, I see a great part of them full of injustice, with a feigned mercy; if to the princes, I notice them full of avarice and vainglory; if to the subjects, I see them full of hatred and lies; if to the Re¬ ligious,... many seek to buy dignities at the price of Thy Blood, O my Christ, and then they affect to convert people by their words, full of dissimulation, hypocrisy, and ambition.

Woe! woe! to him who dissembles, or, to express it better, pretends not to know nor understand the offenses offered to Thee by sinners! Sometimes these appear small to us. because we do not penetrate deeply the great goodness of God. O immense good¬ ness! diffuse Thyself, I pray, into the hearts of Thy elect, few though they are. See! see! my soul, that Incarnate Word in the midst of a great multitude, scourged and ban¬ tered by all! See how they scoff Him and how they ill-treat Him by signs, by words, and by blows! I see some who would like to deliver Him; but, from fear, self-love, and human respect, they leave my Spouse in the midst of that rabble, to be so maltreated. This self-love is, like a moth, consuming the soul little by little, and by its gnawing reduces it to nothing. O soul! so worthy and noble, why dost thou make thyself so base as to permit thyself to be robbed of thy dignity? and whilst thou art made capable of enjoying everlastingly the wisdom of God, why makest thyself the slave of the devil? Oh! how Thy christs (priests) abase themselves! Being made ministers of invaluable treasures, sometimes they act like incarnate devils. O Father! yes, no more malice, no more ignorance, no more ingratitude — no more! I feel my life fainting away from this horrible sight; so that, whilst living, I die an unendurable death, seeing that I cannot afford any remedy to it. I wonder not at Thy elect laying down their lives in expiation, though I wonder that men could be found to make this necessary.

III. Of the Earthly and Worldly Prudence, and of the True Prudence of God’s Servants ; of Pride and Other Vices, and their Remedies.

People of the world wish for a youthful and perfect prudence; but the lovers of charity, and Thy servants, O my God, must have it very little, that they may hide it, as the fire' is hidden under the ashes. The lovers of the world place their confidence in a "THE EIFE AND WORKS OF human and carnal prudence, and put no trust in God; but good Religious do the reverse, for they trust altogether in God, and then little by little show their prudence, and keep it. Dike a little child, they can manifest it when they please. The garment of prudence is nothing but foolishness: “iVbj stulti propter Christum ” — “We are fools for Christ’s sake” (i Cor. iv, lo). From His mouth honey and milk came forth. O Divine Word, in Thy foolishness (for, because of Thy love Thou dost not mind being so regarded by people), I feel like raising my voice; for, looking at Thee on the cross, I see this prudence; and I see it followed by every Saint; but some loved it, and others became enamored with it....

Pride acts like a very strong wind, which shuts and re-shuts the door, and pene¬ trates everywhere, if it only finds a crack. This wind of pride is very harmful, therefore one must be very careful and fix himself in Thee, O Word, for a long time, so that the soul may be well grounded in humility. The wind, raising a leaf, carries it where it wills; so does this wind of pride in worldly people; it leads them where it wills, and, like grass seeds, soon drops them to the earth, nay, even to hell. Pride is an elevation of the mind above its own being, nay, we may say its nofientity, because we, of our¬ selves, possess nothing; and pride also objects to being subject to any creature. Pride is also the taking of delight in things worldly and transitory, which to the world¬ lings appear great, and yet are nothing. The soul, the mind, the body, possessed by pride, I will not, I know not, how to compare to anything except a bundle of straw, good for nothing but to make a little fire, which soon dies, leaving ugly black ashes. Such is pride. But let us come to the remedy for this vice, with which Divine Goodness supplies us. This is to look steadfastly to Thee, O Word, hanging on the cross. By doing so the soul thinks of Thee, and Thou, seeing her so liumiliated, art moved to look at her. This look acts like the sun upon the earth, which dries it up, and prepares it, by its heat, that it may bring forth fruit. It dries it up, by drawing up all its humidity; so that it becomes more capable of bringing forth its fruit. Like¬ wise Thou, O Word, with the ray of Thy look, drawest to Thyself all the pride which is in the soul; not to draw it into Thee, but to consume it with Thy heat. Let no one dare say that he acquires humility, if he does not look to Thee, O Word, on the cross. I know not, and will not, compare humility to anything but a well-sharpened sword, self-defending and carrying victory against all enemies. By its strokes the devil flees, and the creature with all her strength falls to the ground.... Then comes that accursed vice of avarice, which is rooted in so many hearts, known only to Thee, O my God! I will not compare it to anything but a very thick mist, which blinds and obscures the clear, bright sky; viz., Thyself, O Word! The mist comes down low around the waters, and this worst of vices — 'avarice — fattens upon those who are low and mean, because of the love they bear earthly things, and their walking beside the waters of sensuality. The more they possess of these vain and earthly things, the more the avaricious crave to possess of them. Such also is this wicked vice, that, like pride, it enters even into Thy gifts, O Lord, causing them to be withheld; be¬ cause the soul possessed by the vice of avarice loses the virtue of liberality, so pleasing to Thee, and spoils, as far as it can. Thy being in her, which is communicative of all Thy gifts. For such a vice, the remedy is a disregard and contempt of self; and I will call the virtue opposed to this vice the knowledge of Thee; for, from this comes liberality, which would like to die, that it might communicate all Thy gifts unto others. But what do I say — cease being? It would like to possess a thousand beings, to be able to give itself not only for Thee, and to Thee, but also to its neighbors and for their benefit. Thus, as the avaricious would like to have and keep everything for himself. Thy liberal servant, on the contrary, leaves everything to whomsoever wishes it. Liberality is like the olive tree bearing fruit; and as from the olive comes that useful oil which seasons food, and feeds the lamps, so also the souls possessing that liberality which comes of Thee are enlightened and also enlightening. They give a seasoning, which imparts a taste to all their works. Quasi oliva speciosa in campis ” — “As a fair olive tree in the plains ” (Ecclus xxiv, 19); that soul can be said who is adorned by Thy goodness with this virtue divine....

Anger is nothing but a kindling of the blood, and is caused by pride; hence pride is the mother of anger, so that one feeds and the other receives; pride, as the mother, feeds anger; and this, as an offspring, is inseparable from pride. Anger may be compareii to a ferocious wolf, and makes the creatures become like this animal, devouring the meek sheep. Anger may be called a self-knowledge and complacency, whose right name is self-love. It draws everything to itself, because of the least trifle loses its temper, and is unable to endure anything it may imagine to be opposed to itself. What do I say? A look saddens the soul possessed by this vice; and she does not wish to be at peace with anyone, but rather at war. To this accursed beast of anger is opposed the delightful and benign virtue of meekness, always accompanying us like a dove, fleeing, lamenting, delighting in clear waters, and drawing everyone to itself by its pleasing and plaintive cooing....

Afterwards the accursed vice of gluttony comes, which is so common. Those who are tainted with it are like houses built ou sand, or, to express it better, on water, which soon fall and are carried dowu the rivers. This vice proceeds from a great foolishness and blindness, because God’s creatures use the things which He has made for their needs, as the beasts do. What is given men for their relief thus makes them become subject to even the lowest and meanest creatures, viz., the unreasoning animals, and, although these were made for men’s service, the latter become slaves to them. The remedy for this vice is holy abstinence; and to satiate it, Thy infinite goodness, O my God, has given us Thy Flesh as food, and Thy Blood as drink. Abstinence, or continence, is a constant re¬ minder that we belong to God. Thy Flesh and Blood, O Word, keep us always satiated with Thee, and enjoying and tasting Thee; the desire of being satiated by Thee, and of Thee, ever increases in us; but this can only be understood by one who lives in purity and continence....

Accursed envy is that vice which wishes and craves for what is not its own. And are not those creatures, who are envious of brother’s and sister’s welfare, like the birds of prey called the hawks, that say always, “Mine, mine’’ — mio” — and steal what belongs to others? Envy is the sister of avarice; because, like it, she is always stealing what belongs to the neighbor. The virtue opposed to env}^ is that of char¬ ity, so beautiful and acceptable to the Word. Charity is like the loving pelican, giving her blood not only for her children, but also for her enemies; and, verily, he who pos¬ sesses charity, does not hold or regard anyone as an enemy, but looks upon all as the dearest friends, and for all would give his blood, his life, and even his soul.

IV. Of the Vices Predominating in the Religions, and their Remedies ; also of Simplicity and Purity.

Now, I wish to discourse 011 things nearer to myself. The above-mentioned vices are material things, and ordinarily thrive more in the world than in the Religion. Now, let us come to the vices of the latter. Oh! how much is there to be said, O Word, of the vices of negligence, tepidity, and self-love! Negligence is born of tepidity, and they are like mother and daughter, the former feeding, the latter receiving. Tepidity, which is so abominable in Thy sight, O Word, constantly feeds the negligence of lukewarm Relig¬ ious; and negligence holds tepidity, that it may not depart from them. As water sur¬ rounds a land, and penetrates gently and quietly, so also tepidity enters the hearts, particularly of Religious, who feel it not, and do not avert it. Water undermines great buildings, softening and destroying by degrees their foundations, so gradually as not to be noticed; likewise tepidity ruins and destroys every large spiritual edifice of the soul. Water also dampens and produces other effects; so also tepidity dampens us all; causes us to become very sensual, and produces other consequences in us. Water purges; so also does this tepidity; but what does it purge? Not negligence, because it likes it too well; nay, one cannot exist without the other; but it purges the fervor of the soul. Not being able to live in its company, it purges it, viz., throws it off and extinguishes it altogether. Water quenches thirst; so also does tepidity; but in whom does it quench it? Not in the soul, wherein it rather enkindles a thirst for worldly things and sensuality; but in the devil, for, from a tepid and negligent soul he gets all he wishes. And who are they that are marked by this tepidity and negligence? Alas! how many are they! and especially among Religious there are many who are filled with it in the highest degree, and few are altogether free from it. The remedy for it is a fervent heart, that wishes for and knows nothing, and, not wanting, nor knowing anything, knows and wants all. Every¬ thing is to him earth — heaven, God, union. All appear to him to be Saints, and more just and perfect than himself. He has compassion for errors, gives prudent correction for faults, loves solitude, rejoices in the multitude gathered for good exercises, endures injuries with patience, and excuses them with benignity and meekness.... Now tell me. Spouse of my soul, where dost Thou want to place this bride-purity of Thine, so loved? I find no place worthy of her. But, dear Spouse, I would like to know what prevents this delicate bride of Thine from finding rest in me, and in us. I will tell thee, my soul; as I cannot make others understand it. It is kept off by the least look not given for God; by all the words not uttered in praise of God or for the benefit of the neighbor. Thou dost chase it away from thy intention whenever thou hast not the pure aiin to honor God and help thy neighbor; whenever thou wishest to cover, hide, and excuse thy faults; not thinking that God sees the heart and reveals it to His servants. If thou didst believe this, thou wouldst not act so. Such persons are like the leaves of the trees. When the wind blows they are carried hither and thither, and you cannot see to which side they are blown. But woe to him who will seek to justify himself in this world knowing that at Thy Judgment, O my God, everything must be unraveled, not only before Thee, but also before all creatures. Blessed is he who hides not his faults, for then they are covered by the Blood of the Word; and, he who accuses himself will not suffer auy confusion, but will give glory to the Blood that w'ashes them off. Why should I justify myself before creatures? Does not my pure conscience suffice me? It is wrong to excuse one’s faults to one’s self; it is worse to excuse one’s self to creatures; and worst of all, to excuse one’s self to God’s minister in the Sacrament of Penance. I almost dare say, that it would be better to leave a sin, even of a more grievous kind, uncoufessed (not a mortal sin, though), rather than to confess a less grievous venial sin with ex¬ cuses and palliations; because, by excusing a sin, one makes it more grievous, especially when excusing it deliberately. In doing so sometimes, one, by trying to excuse himself will aggravate the fault of his brother. O purity! thou art beautiful! and thou art ever accompanied by that intimate companion of thine, simplicity. This is very gentle, too. Like a little dog, it follows constantly this beautiful bride; guarding her, and, by its barking, keeping off the evil-minded ones, who would like to harm her and it also leads creatures to her. Those who wish to capture wild beasts, send forth their dogs to bring them out to them. Likewise simplicity leads many creatures to this purity, and they adopt it and wish to follow it, but when they discover that they cannot easily embrace it, they forsake it, not because they do not want it, but because they see it joined to simplicity, which carries with it self-contempt and abasement. Whoever wishes to embrace the one must embrace the other as well. Purity is so delicate a thing that it cannot dwell in a heart too much attached to itself. It is so pure that I cannot take it up, unless I drop all my self-love and opinion. O purity! O simplicity! dwell amongst us. There are not wanting some who artfully cast thee off under the pretext of natural necessity, of pre¬ serving health, the difficulty of keeping thee, or other excuses; yet thou art so charming and pleasant, and dost possess beautiful, golden hair, which is like so many tongues crying out: “Take me, take me! ’’ Oh! wilt thou not dwell at least in monasteries, oratories, and devout and pious places? And yet, even there, thou findest no room, for many, under the appearance of honoring the Saints, do not see that they do things dis¬ pleasing to them. They do many things to honor God and the Saints; but God sees the intention and knows whether their work is to honor Him or His Saints, or to show their own talent and be praised by others. Hence it is, that often, instead of honoring God, they offend Him. They are wont to say they act so as to draw other minds to the con¬ templation of God, alleging that so the Saints did. As to this, one could answer, that the Saints did it because they had a simple and pure intention, or, because the people of their time were so ignorant that they needed to be drawn to the contemplation of God by external things. It may be said also, that all times are not alike. Whilst the Word was in the womb of Mary, the Eternal Father did not require that He should perform great miracles, nor that He should preach; and, when He was in the midst of the Doc¬ tors, He did not expect Him to shed His Blood. But the time came, at last, when He shed His Blood and accomplished everything the Father required of Him. This is no longer the time for the Word to remain in the bosom of Mary, viz., it is not the time to feed the understanding and the heart, but to dispute, like the Word among the Doctors, asking and answering questions; so that the sweet Mother Mary may find us with an enlightened intellect and an inflamed heart, showing the fruit of the milk wherewith she had previously nourished us. The same fruit is not gathered at all times.... O purity and simplicity! come and tell me how the creature can acquire thee inwardly and outwardly. These virtues cannot be acquired except by one who possesses interior love. Love is found in many, but not the interior kind. To know this, let every soul reflect and see whether she is quicker to tell the faults of her neighbor than his virtues, and whether, when commencing to speak of anybody, she is more inclined to manifest his faults than his virtues. This is a great evil, and the listener also partakes of it; for, by his keeping silence, he appears to approve of what is said by the speaker. Wliilst if one’s eyes, I do not mean only the interior eyes, but even the corporal eves, were clear, he would see how the love of our neighbor should be practiced. A person who is guilty of a fault, if he possesses this love, with wise prudence, would go to his neighbor, also staitied with the same fault, and, feigning ignorance of it, would ask his advice. He would beg to be in¬ structed in order to understand in what way it is a fault, and how one should guard against it. Then his neighbor, wishing to answer him, will meditate on the same fault, to be able to advise him, ^nd not to appear wholly ignorant; thus he will come to know that he has the same fault, too; and they would be mutually instructed. Ah! what a sweet love this is, whereby one who has a clear eye, and possesses this internal love, wins his neighbor. For, if I love my sister, I am bound, O my God, though I were chanting Thy praises^ to stop and go to assist her in her needs. And if I am bound to do this in things external, I am much more bound to enlighten and advise her of her fault concerning the soul, which is much more important than the body. If I should remain with her one or two nights, or as long as necessary, in order to assist her in her bodilv needs, how much less (if I possessed this interior love) should I regard it a labor to watch’ one or two nights, weeping bitter tears over even the least fault of my sister! I should be obliged to wish her the possession of all virtues, and to labor that she may acquire them, and not only to wish her every virtue and the salvation of her soul, but also many merits and divine favors. He who does not possess this intrinsic love, does not act thus, and many times, instead of helping his neighbor, he injures him. He deals with him so subtly, talks so artfully, and, under the guise of helping him, tries to know and understand only what pleases him; and not acting with simplicity, he hurts himself, and his neighbor also. What is worse, this is sometimes the case with Religious persons in dealing with those who, compared to the paradise of their own Religion, live in the hell of a misera¬ ble world. When it is necessary for the former to converse with the latter, in order not to displease them, they hide their simplicity, and though this virtue may be possessed by them, they make it appear as if it were absent from them; for by not condemning the talk of others, even when it is contrary to simplicity, by their silence they consent to what is said by them.

To-day Religious do not practice the rules which the Word required His servants to teach us by word and example. What did these servants teach? Not that Religious should recount to those who dwell in the world their own goodness and simplicity, but that neither should they consent to what worldlings might say — nay, that they should flee from them, as that man, Bernard, enamored with Mary, fled from his own flesh; I say his own, because it was begotten in the same womb. The truth must be spoken to them, showing that those things are not tolerated which interfere with the Religious profession. Great care should be taken that the young plants entering Religion should do so with great simplicity. They should be made to understand what they must promise and observ^, and how important these promises are, lest they find them¬ selves in great disturbance and restlessness of spirit. O purity! O sweet simpli¬ city! pray, come; thou dost always make me understand profound things con¬ cerning thee.... O Spouse, Thou dost truly require a great perfection in Thy Religious brides. But tell me, beautiful bride, sweet simplicity, why they do not want to take thee, though thou art so beautiful? Alas! I see a ferocious lion coming from the other side, with another big, ugly be^st. This lion is vainglory, always seeking to swallow this beautiful little bride of purity, and to hinder and steal away all her good works.

Self-complacency dwells always with pride, so that what one does not take away the other one will. That ugly beast is the difl&culty of an action, trying to prevent this pretty little dog of simplicity from accompanying it. Ah! thou art truly beautiful! Come to me, O simplicity! as I cannot endure to see action without thee. I wish to tie thee to my belt. Thou art more persecuted than purity, because that is in the heart and is not seen, but simplicity, which shines in all works, both interior and exterior, is much more persecuted.... O purity, thou art so beautiful that the Father plunges into thee, the Son feeds on thee, the Holy Ghost glories in thee, Mary is well pleased in thee, the angels delight in thee, the Saints find their bliss in thee. Purity is a thing so sublime that, unless God infuses it into the soul, we cannot attain it by our own efforts; but simplicity we can acquire, though with many labors and diflSculties.... In order that the soul may possess this purity (the Saint went on in the Person of the Divine Saviour) four things are necessary. The first is that the soul be altogether dead and out of herself; so as not to have any understanding, knowledge, or will. She must be totally deprived of her being, taking on Mine as far as possible. The second is to try and have all her thoughts, affections, and desires well purified and ever directed towards Me, her God and Creator. She must never let anything enter the heart, or the mind, that might stain her; remove every imagination of any earthly or base things that might separate her from Me and leave a blot on her, and avoid as far as possi¬ ble every sin, even the least. These are they of whom it is written: ‘ ‘ Beati mundo corde; quoniam ipsi Deum Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God ” (Matth. v, 8). The third necessity is cleanliness and bodily purity— I mean, holy virgin¬ ity, in which state I placed all the Religious, as they vowed to Me to preserve it. They must preserve it very strictly, keeping it as a precious treasure; for they become apt thereby to receive My purity. The fourth and last is holy humility, which pleases Me so that I do not care for any other virtue in the soul that is without it; for humility is the mother of purity, and vice versa.... This purity is offended by the least degree of self-will by the least disordered affection, by the smallest grain of the dust of earthly things ’This purity is tarnished by a word not well pondered; and it condemns every look of the soul into her own being, which is a nonentity. This purity abhors every taste, sentiment, and imagination outside of God....,., x. Many are the Religious who possess it (she now speaks in her own person); but, alas » many also there are who have not joined it with the other two virtues, humility and charity The splendor and candor of virginity is without ornament, and almost tarnished without the practice of the other two virtues. Virginity is not acceptable to Thee at all O my God, without humility and charity. Many souls are now in hell, who have kept virginity; but no one will ever be found in the heavenly Fatherland who has not possessed during this life humility and charity.... Humility was perfect in thee, O beloved John (it was the feast-day of St. John the Evangelist); it was holy humility, and not such as is found to-day in the souls wishing to possess it. Some wish to be hum¬ ble in themselves, but will not submit to God or creatures. These will never possess humility. Others submit to God, obeying His Commandments, but do not wish to sub¬ mit to creatures for God’s sake. Though these, to some extent, partake of this humility, they are as if dressed in a very contemptible and abject garment. Some seek humility by submitting to God and creatures for the love of God, and beseeching for it in fervent prayer; and these are they who acquire it, but not perfectly. Thou, O beloved John, makest me understand that if the soul will not sink herself down, even into hell, sincerely deeming herself worse than the very infernal spirits, not by nature, but by sin, she cannot truly declare herself the possessor of humility. Then she can rest with thee on the breast of Jesus, drawing therefrom those deep secrets and that delightful taste of love. As we cannot, like John, rest visibly on the breast of Jesus Incarnate, we must rest on the Holy Gospel; for this, after all, came out of the Heart of the Incarnate Word. The seat of life is in the heart; so the life of the soul lies in the observance of the com¬ mandments and of the evangelical counsels. '

V. Self-Love and Charity Compared.

Self-love is ugly; but holy charity is beautiful and wise. They seem to be disposed to fight one against the other; but charity is so well armed as to regard the blows of the other as a breath of wind. St. Catherine teach^^s me how to overcome in this struggle, viz., by taking the side of humility. This fight against self-love lasts the whole of our lifetime; for self-love pursues us all the time, beginning in the cradle, ending at the grave.* When did charity begin to love us? Charity is eternal; because ^^Deuscharitas est^^ — “God is charity ” (ijohniv, 16). Charity began to love us when we were still in God’s mind, and will last as long as eternity will. It exclaims and says: ‘ ‘ Congratulamini mihV'' — “Congratulate with me ’’ (Phil, ii, 18). It invites everyone to rejoice and make merry, and says: JerusaleM^ et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis earn; gaudete cum Icetitia^' — “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and gather together all ye who love her, and rejoice with gladness.’’ Invite her to a gathering in thy soul, viz., see that there is order and union therein, and that the powers be subject to charity. When all the powers, wishes, passions, and concupiscence are quiet and subject to charity, nothing is to be feared from self-love; because, if it attempts to enter the soul, charity comes forward and repels it, opposing it as a wall and a trench. The fight we must carry on with this self-love all our lifetime consists in never doing anything for our own honor or comfort. We must never rest by day or night, but repel it always. Our own reputation and comfort are the two eyes of this accursed self-love; and we must leave nothing undone to pluck them out and blind it altogether. Hence, with heart burning with divine charity and true love for our neighbor, we should incline our ears to him, as the Prophet says, and not our eyes, or lips, or anything else; because many look to their neighbor, but hear him not, as was the case with Dives in regard to poor Lazarus. We should incline our ears, so that, by hearing, the understanding may be reached, and the will bent to listen to and grant the request. We must incline our ears to the little ones, the poor, the needy of soul and body, answering them peacefully and meekly; but that silly old fellow. Self-love, or Sensual-love, desirous that the ears be inclined to the kings of the earth and their riches, should be despised and de¬ stroyed by our mortifications and sufferings. Divine love cuts off the head of sensual love by two kinds of knowledge; one of which is to prepare a seat in the soul for this love divine; and the other, the knowledge that sensual love is opposed to divine love.

VI. During an Apparition of St. Ignatius de Loyola and St. Angelo, the Carmelite, She is Instructed concerning Humility and Poverty.

I, Ignatius, was chosen by the Mother of thy Spouse to entertain thee about humil¬ ity; hearken, then, to my words: Humility must be infused, like oil in the lamp, into the tender candidates of Religion; and they will never shine with sanctity and perfection, unless, every moment, they are taught humility, and are exercised and tried in it, being shown how this virtue is indispensable to the true Religious. Humility is nothing but a constant knowledge of one’s nonentity, and a constant enjoyment of all those things which tend to produce self-contempt. But one must see to it that in all the humiliations to which the young plant is submitted to attain that end, it remains immovably fixed, reminding her that for no other purpose did she receive the habit. That the devil may have no part in it, their nurse must use a holy artifice, that is, when she desires to keep down their judg¬ ment or will, and they resist or show signs of impatience, she must reprehend them severely, and make much of it, though the thing may be small in itself. Exterior humility must be found in all their words, gestures, and works; and must shine through them. Every word must be forbidden which savors not of humility, and, also every gesture which is opposed to it, such as blasphemies and gestures against any per¬ son’s honor or reputation. All that is done without humility must be abhorred, as a king would abhor the sight of his son if dressed as a guardian of cattle. Let the Religious be, in the edifice of the spiritual perfection, like the stones used for Solomon’s Temple, about which not a sound of hammer was heard. Let all those who would open their mouths while being fitted for the edifice, be taken to the fountain and there inebriated partly with acts of love and partly with acts of mortification; so that they may be un¬ able to speak, but, like inebriates, be overcome by a sweet sleep. If such humiliation be repugnant to anyone, let her Crucified Spouse be given into her hands, reminding her that she must follow Him. Let none rest from this practice of humility until death, and let those who have care of souls cease not from exercising them in this virtue as long as life lasts, because it is a ladder one is never done ascending, and its steps must be mounted many times by multiplying the acts. Being nour¬ ished with humility, go now and feed on poverty.... I, Angelo, wearing the livery of the Mother of the Incarnate Word, say to the dearly beloved brides that poverty, the Bride of Jesus, must be the breast they suck and at which they must constantly feed. Not a day should elapse without speaking of this poverty to these young brides; now praising it, now magnifying it, now making efforts to have them love it, and now trying an experiment to see whether they really do love it. Efforts should be made that their children, viz., their works, be dressed up with nothing but poverty. This poverty you must love greatly in the food, make it shine in the habit, and magnify and sublimate it in everything. God so loves poverty that, to a soul possessing it. He cannot help giving possession of Himself and His kingdom. The soul that pos¬ sesses poverty secures for herself the crown of the martyrs. Those who come to Mary’s dwelling must be embalmed with these two virtues, humility and poverty, that they may preserve the innocence they possessed when taking the habit. By the exercise of these two virtues, obedience, our first vow, is made perfect. Souls possessing humility and poverty confound hell, and have the power of carrying in their hands the head of Holofernes. The Word also makes them the bulwark of His city. Whoever loves these virtues does not waste any words in complaining, always thinks of the poverty of Christ, and makes as little of her own body as the king does of the spider’s cobweb. Humility should be practiced with gravity, and poverty with hilarity. The soul that cares not for riches and transitory goods, but wishes rather for poverty, con¬ founds and conquers all human wealth, despises all vain delights, rejects and abhors all pleasures. She possesses withal a sovereign peace, a perfect tranquillity of spirit, and a security of conscience, which the tongue of man cannot explain: ^'Beati pauper es, quoniam ipsorum est regnum ccelorum ‘ ‘ Blessed are ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of heaven ” (Luke vi, 20). In a word, by interior and exterior poverty of spirit every¬ thing can be acquired; and yet, few know it and still fewer love it.

VII. She Sees Religion under the Appearance of a Most Beautiful Virgin, etc.

Religion said to a soul: Do not put on any ornament whatsoever, unless thou hast previously seen that it looked well on me— that is, wish not for anything and do nothing that is not according to the Rule and the Constitution by thee chosen. Then she began to purify the eyes of that soul, giving it a most splendid light by means of the breath which iiued from her mouth, and flooding it so with light that everything around it seemed turned into light. With the same breath she removed from its eyes some motes, shutting them at once, so that they might see nothing but Jesus Christ. This light, com¬ municated to the soul by Religion through her breath, means that the Religious who keeps the Rule and the Constitution acquires an internal light, whereby she removes from herself the motes of every imperfection, even the least one. From everything she hears in conversing, she draws some good and spiritual profit, even from what are faults. Religion has a file in her hand, whereby she purifies the lips and the tongue of this soul. This is nothing but the fear of God. Not satisfied with purifying her words, she gives her a balm so sweet that, in order to relish it, she does not speak, except when com¬ pelled by necessity; and this' balm is silence. Religion fastens to the feet of her chil¬ dren two spurs of gold; because, though the religious soul walks quickly by herself. Religion wishes, notwithstanding, that she should spur herself; and the more slowly she walks, the more she is pressed to walk faster. The spurs are the examples of the holy ones of the past and the present. They are golden, because they consist wholly of charity, for in every Religion there is some soul inflamed with charity. But those who did not previously put on this garment, have no eyes to see the past and the present ones. We must give place to Religion in our own heart, that this high perfection may abide therein. The soul receives four tastes in Religion, which appear to come out as from four springs. The first of these distills perfect wine, which is the union of God with the religious soul, as Religion is the most suitable and convenient place to unite with God; and this union is likened to wine, because it inebriates the soul with celestial love. Water comes out of the second spring; and it signifies the participation of the Religious in the benefits of the Church in a more particular and noble manner than others, on account of the greater opportunities they have to live in the state of grace, which is necessary in order to be able to partake of the benefits signified by the water. A most sweet liquor similar to oil comes out of the third spring; and it means that the true Re¬ ligious becomes, by participation, like another God on earth, enjoying within himself a sovereign peace, and aspiring but to suffer and be despised. From the fourth spring odoriferous balm flows, symbolizing the counsels and helps of the superiors; and this balm anoints only those who are dead to themselves, even as the natural balm is generally used only for dead bodies.... The faithful Religious are like unto the Innocents in purity and martyrdom. They follow the-Tamb Immaculate, surrounded also with ineffable light and splendor. The Innocents actually gave their life and blood for Jesus, but their martyrdom was over in a moment, whilst that of the Religious is of long dura¬ tion, and is a constant martyrdom.... Moreover, their martyrdom was not voluntary, whilst that of the Religious is accepted and welcome.... Moreover, oh! how few are they who reach this altitude of merit! Jesus is delighted when the Religious offer the Blood He shed in His Passion, just as He was delighted in the blood distilled from the Holy Innocents. O God of sovereign good and mercy 1 Let the Religious sing that new canticle: ^^Ante sedem DeV' — “Before the throne of God ” (Apoc. xiv, 3), when they sitig psalms in the choir with that pure and always upright intention to please Thy Divine Majesty. Oh! how delighted is God with the praise of the true Religious:* decei collaudatio ” — “ Praise becometh the upright ” (Ps. xxxii, i).

VIII. She Speaks of the Efficacy of the Three Religious Vows.

“ Vias tuas, Domine, demonstra mihi, et semitas iuas edoce me'''' — “Show, O Lord, Thy ways to me, and teach me Thy paths ” (Ps. xxiv, 4b Various are the ways and the paths, O Lord, which lead to Thee; and these ways are beautiful, sweet, and delightful— these paths peaceful and decorated. It seems to many that they are on the right way, though they have not yet entered it; and to many it seems as if they had reached the end of the road, though they have not begun to walk upon it. And these are they Thou spokest of, O Word; they are that unsavory salt (Mark ix, 49) which is no good and must be thrown away. Those who keep the Ten Commandments truly, walk by those roads, for they do all that God has commanded. They walk through the paths (which are narrower than the roads) who are under a more particular obedience, such as the Relig¬ ious, who walk in the paths of the observance of the counsels, viz., the three vows. The first is holy obedience, without which one cannot rightly walk in these paths; and this is why so many walk therein so tepidly, not knowing the value of obedience, and not practicing it. But woe, woe to them who embrace Religion with a will of their own I Some also walk in these paths so beautiful, with that poverty so little known and less practiced, nay, despised, so that no one can be found who wants it as a companion, not even among those who are bound to accept and cherish it. Likewise some walk through these paths with holy purity, which unites us to Thee, O Word I They keep all the ceremonies, rules, and customs of the holy Religion, in which Thou, O Word, hast mad? Thyself a plant, growing along those fresh and sweet paths, of which plant we are the branches. *^Ego sum vitis vera... et vos palmites ” — “ I am the True Vine... you the branches ” (John xv, 1-5)....

But as to those who keep not the promises made to Thee, I would wish, if I could, to tear off their habits with my hands; because they are so unworthy of them. They do injury to Thee, O Word, and indulge in hypocrisy and dissimulation, pretend¬ ing to be what they are not, and causing other Religious to be despised. What shall I say of those who are more worthy of blame, viz.. Thy christs, who bear this name so unworthily? Not only would I deprive these of their habits, but also wish that Thou wouldst deprive them of life, if this would be according to Thy pleasure; because, if Thou wouldst take life away from them, it would be giving it to others; for others, if not led by their bad example, would have no occasion to commit sins. These who, as Thou hast said, O Word, should be the light of the world, are more darksome than others. O infinite goodness of a God, in bearing with so much ingratitude in the human creature! Ah I if it were a lord who, in his kindness, gave a hearing to his servant and granted him all the graces and favors he asked for, this would seem a great thing; but if he were to grant the same graces and favors likewise to another servant who, in return, offended and persecuted him, this would certainly be deemed a greater thing. Yet, what com¬ parison can there be between God and the creature? Notwithstanding this ingratitude, O my Lord, Thou lovest this creature so that Thou ceasest not to shower constantly upon him graces, gifts, and benefits. By Thy infinite mercy not only dost Thou incline to us, who are so low and ungrateful, but even goest after those who offend Thee, and believe not in Thee, O Sovereign Goodness! O Infinite Mercy! And in what does this infinite mercy show itself greater? I dare say, it is greater in enduring these constant and grievous offenses offered to Thee, than in the shedding of Thy Blood. O my Spouse! how great is Thy liberality! Thou art to us Father, Spouse, Lord, and Brother: Paternoster^ qui es in ccelis’'’' — “Our Father, who art in heaven “ (Matth. vi, 9). Right was he, that enamored servant of Thine, Francis, to dwell so long on that word. Pater. But I will not dwell on it, but proceed to the consideration of Thy Being, of Thy greatness, and that Thou art a God of sovereign power, wisdom, and goodness; that Thou art immense, incomprehensible, inscrutable, and infinite. But seeing Thee also so beautiful, so pretty, so lovable, benign, meek, and graceful, I will not even dwell on Thy greatness and Divinity. I wish to call Thee Spouse, and, regarding Thee as such, to love and embrace Thee as my chaste, pure, and loving Spouse, knowing that without Thee one could not rest, nor live, nor be happy. Without Thee I am nothing; and even if I could, and Thou wert to enrich me with all the gifts of heaven and earth, I would not desire to be anything without Thee.

IX. On the Day of the Feast for the Canonization of St. Diego, a Franciscan, She Spoke thus.

Happy and blessed art thou, O my advocate Diego, as thou art constantly in the company of the Word and looking at Him. Now I see thee going about making merry, and following the Immaculate Lamb with the holy Virgins, in the midst of four beauti¬ ful queens, and having under thy feet a flying eagle. To three of those queens thou hast made thyself a servant whilst on earth, and one thou hast taken for a spouse; but now all four of them wait on thee in heaven. Obedience and poverty are at thy right hand, purity and charity on thy left, and humility is thy diadem and glory. In this world thou didst choose as thy queens, obedience, poverty, and purity; and to them didst be¬ come a servant. Likewise every Religious, who makes profession of obedience, poverty, and chastity, chooses these three virtues as his queens, and binds himself to their service. But what service do they require of us? Purity requires many things; and purity of heart, in particular, requires detachment from all things under God, and from self (here is the’ difficulty), and to rest only in God. Obedience requires that one should have no will of his own in anything, however holy, and that one should make virtue cheerful to his neighbor, entertain fervent love and reverence for his superiors, make himself blindly obedient to superiors, and also to equals and inferiors. Poverty requires that one should abandon the riches and delights of this world; because, whilst we deprive ourselves of transitorv things, it gives us the immutable and eternal. If purity imposes the giving up of transitory things, poverty imposes even more, viz., that we should not only give them up but distribute them to the poor of Christ. Many do not keep that strict poverty that my ’advocate was wont to keep— speaking in general. But, does not the Rule com¬ mand all the Religious to keep it strictly? Poverty consists in sincerity, rectitude, and simplicity * which all should keep, and which are known to so few in these days. O my glorious advocate, how happily dost thou stay in the midst of these queens! At times THE EIEE AND WORKS OE they are on his right and left, at times they surround him, making a circle. But what capital shall I make of these things which I have heard? I will not avail myself of them, I fear; because, though I understand many things, I put so few into practice. Purity of heart seems difficult to us; obedience we do not understand; poverty we know nothing of, as we are not compelled to practice it.

The lot of poverty is to suffer, and it seems to everyone in Religion that he suffers enough, and that consequently he practices poverty.... What shall I say of humility, which was so deep in my advocate? Though he was humble by nature, he nevertheless changed nature into virtue. And, now in heaven, all is credited to him as virtue; and this makes a shade for him, that he may endure the great heat of the knowl¬ edge and power of the Incarnate Word; for the more one shall have been humble on earth, so much the more knowledge and acquaintance he will have with the Word in heaven. As this virtue brings with it only lowliness and abasement, it is difficult for the great ones of this world to possess it. Hence it is that, as they possessed this virtue, while on earth, only in a less degree, they are assigned in heaven to inferior places, there being a difference in heaven between a greater and a less knowledge of God.... But thou, my advocate, wast father, mother, brother, sister, and spouse of humilit;y'. Father, because thou wast not possessed by humility, but didst possess it; which is a much greater thing. Mother, because thou didst beget it in thyself; and, by deeds and words, didst incline souls to wish for it and secure it. Brother and sister, because as the brother succors the needs of a sister who, when abandoned by all, by him is cared for and assisted, likewise thou didst take this virtue from thy father, holy Francis, who left it to thee by such luminous examples, and obtained by thy exhortations, that thy fathers and brothers should exalt and honor her in themselves. Perhaps I may not be able to explain how thou hast been a spouse to it. But as the spouse does nothing but what is according to the pleasure and wish of the bride, so thou didst not say a word or perform an action wherein humility did not shine.... Now I would like to understand the meaning of that eagle which is under thy feet. It denotes contemplation, prayer, or love, I may say, which did not make thee walk, nor run, but fly. All other virtues helped thee to arrive at the contemplation, because purity made thee fit for it, poverty raised thee, obedience gave thee peace in everything, and charity united thee to God, for ^^Deus charitas esi^^ — “God is charity” — (ijohniv, 8).... In this world thou didst need prayer and contemplation, but now in heaven thou dost constantly see and enjoy God. And how thou didst partake of this great work of charity! The beginning and the end of every action of thine, both interior and exterior, was by charity and for charity. I do not know thy worthy queen, charity; neither do I wish for the present to try and under¬ stand it, as I am too far from the other virtues leading to it. Oh! how many deceive themselves, thinking they possess it, and yet know it not! Behold the proof: Thou wilt sometimes hear something of thyself with a certain amount of regret, under the cloak of charity, and a desire that God may not be offended; but do thou, my soul, look well into it and thou shalt see it is not zeal that God may not be offended, but sensitiveness lest thou be offended. Ah! would to God that there was always this true zeal! But it is not so; for, truly, charity is unknown and not understood, though it is so great that tongues of angels would not be sufficient to describe it. But, O my soul, what wilt thou do with the greatness of the virtues which thou hast understood? Thou wilt not avail thyself of them, for the door of heaven will be shut, and those virtues will remain in heaven and thou on earth; and, though they be on earth, thou wilt look at and praise them, but not take them.

X. At the end of Matin, the Night preceding the Feast of St. Augustine, She Expressed these Sublime Ideas of her Rule and the Religious Perfection.

O -Eternal Word (she began, on seeing an image of Jesus, which she took in h*er hand)! O Inscrutable Word! Thy servant, and my advocate, Augustine, calls Thee *'Old and New Truths and says, too late he knew and loved Thee. He says so of Thee, but I will say it of that truth, the words of which are, like so many chains, to lead me to Thee, Old and New Truth; and well can I say that, until now, I have not known it— I mean my holy Rule— which is, indeed, truth, as it teaches me the way to come to Thee, the Truth.... Happy would I be, were I to do what it counsels me; because I would thereby surely bring myself to Thee, Infallible Truth!... It is old, because it was made and ordained of old— in the Old Testament, before Thv Incarnation. It is new, having been confirmed and kept in the New Testament, after Thy coming. It is ancient; because in its beginning it was kept by the ancient Fathers in all sincerity and rectitude. It is also new, as Thou, O Word, takest pleasure in it, and wishest it to be observed by us with great exactitude and perfection.... Moreover, the soul-bride should be old and new truth; old in prudence, and new in the contempt of self; old in mortification, and new in abandoning herself in God, seeking nothing of or for herself. It is a great thing to seek neither place nor comfort for one’s self; but a much greater thing it is not to seek self, not even God, e'xcept for God’s own sake, abandoning one’s self entirely to His will.... Even the words of the soul-bride must partake of the old and new truth; of the old, in speaking of Thee, O Truth, viz., of the love Thou hast borne and dost bear us, of the glory and happiness of heaven, or any other thing that may excite our hearts to comtemplate Thee, O God Eternal and without a beginning. Its words partake of the new truth, in discoursing of the ways and means we must adopt in order to reach that perfection that God requires of us, and to which our old and new truth — the holy Rule — binds us; in speaking of the virtues to which it binds us more strictly, as obedience, for instance, to which it engages us so, repeating what Thou hast said, O Truth: “He who despises the superiors, despises Me ’’ (Luke x, 16).

We must flee from idleness, so much detested by the Rule, which calls it the recep¬ tacle of all vices. We should arm ourselves against it with holy silence, observing it perfectly in all places, and at all times prescribed by the Rule, and seeing to it that our w’ords are always fruitful.... Our words should also be of the ancient and new truth, even with those we left in the world; ancient, because we should converse with them of the kingdom of heaven, and the way to get to it; new, reminding them of mercy due to the poor, both as to body and spirit. As Thy servant Augustine says, our words should be few and of God; Thy brides should only speak to ask advice, or to help the neighbor, or for Thy love and glory. Oh! how hurtful too much talk is! How many advantages do I miss for the soul, while I waste the time in useless words!... I see, by similitude, a 5^oung girl to whom the Bridegroom, passing by with car¬ loads of gems and ornaments, throws, almost into her hands, many precious objects; whilst she, amusing herself, sees and hears nothing; but the blackest chancellor, our ad¬ versary, notes down everything, to bring it up on Judgment Day. The Bridegroom writes down also the good thoughts and resolutions; but, as they are not carried into effect, they are canceled from the Book of Life; so that the devil puts down to his own account even these good resolutions, because of their not being made good in deeds.... Oh! what perfection God requires of the Religious! Whoever does not save his own soul in Religions where the Rules are regularly kept, can never expect to save his own soul else¬ where.... O sweet little Infant, if we would but hear and comprehend Thy voice! Thou art in the Most Holy Sacrament, and at the same time at the right hand of the Father! If I had that lively faith which I should possess. Oh! how many times I would come to visit Thee, to make myself worthy to hear Thy voice! There is no lively faith, hence we do not hear it.

XI. She Draws various Lessons from the Conversion of St. Paul.

quid me vis facere?^' — “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?’’ (Acts ix, 6). What, O Lord, dost want Thy servant to do in this world? God is pleased to have His elect in His hands, like a royal sceptre; because the sceptre indicates that he who holds it is a king, and by it he shows his servants what his will is, that it may be fulfilled. He wishes His servants, in like manner, whilst they live, to manifest His greatness and glory to His creatures, by examples of virtue and good works, and to show them that He is the Supreme King, Who is to come with great majesty to judge the world. His ser¬ vants likewise, if they are like a sceptre in the hands of God, manifest to the creatures the will of God as it is, viz., that they should practice what He has taught byword and example.... When God introduces the light into the heart of a sinner, as He did with St. Paul, though this light enlightens him, being perfect in itself, because de¬ rived from a most perfect God; still its effect in the sinner is not perfect at once, on account of the indisposition of the receiver. The divine light meets that obstacle most opposed to it, namely, sin, which dominates the sinner. Hence the Apostle becomes blind • because, as the sinner receives this divine light in a dark heart, he becomes at once surrounded by it, and does not then know what he wants or what he must do. But, once this light is infused into this sinner, if he is disposed, by corresponding to the ’first light, he makes himself worthy of a greater light, not on the part of it, which is always clear in itself, but on the part of the sinner, already disposed by the first, so that he becomes capable of knowing the divine mysteries, and is so enlightened that he goes throughout the world manifesting the glory of God to all creatures, preach¬ ing with efficacious words and exemplary works. This is what this holy Apostle did, who having been cast to the ground by the light from above, and blinded by it, imme¬ diately forgot himself, and, seeing himself no longer because of the supernatural blind¬ ness was raised up to the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, where he understood those most deep secrets of the Divinity and the Plumanity of the Word, and learned that THE UFE AND WORKS OF sublime doctrine of the Gospel, which he afterwards taught the whole world. And why did this light become perfect in him? Because he received not only the interior light, but also recovered the sight of his bodily eyes, for by the first light he gave up his own being. Thus the sinner, on receiving the first light, must give up his own being entirely, if he wishes, after the first grace, to receive also the second, which en¬ lightens the soul as to the will of God.

After this comes the cooperation, which makes him do such great things for the honor of God, like St. Paul, who, having renounced himself,^ and seen Arcana Deiy qucs non licet homini loqiii ” — “Secret things of God, which it is not granted to man to utter ” (2 Cor. xii, 4), said: Gratia Dei sum id quod sum, et gratia Dei in me vacua nonfuiD' — “By the grace of God I am what I am, and this grace in me hath not been void.” By the first grace he confessed his nothingness, and that whatever good he pos¬ sessed was from God, Who anticipated him with His grace, and gave him afterwards His light, and made him a vessel of election to manifest His name to the whole world. Et gratia ejus in me vacua non fuit;'' because St. Paul cooperated with this grace of the Lord, laboring much for His honor, preaching to the Gentiles, enduring much, and working hard for the salvation of the souls redeemed by the Blood of the Word. Saying those words of Psalm Ixxiv, 2, 3: ^^Narrabhnus mirabilia tua; cum accepero tempus ego justitias judicabo'^ — “ We will relate Thy wondrous works; when I shall take time I shall judge justice;” she added: St. Paul related the wondrous works of the Lord when he saw that the time was fit to manifest them; and judged justice — that is, all virtuous works — for by justice not only the divine, but also all the holy virtues — as faith, charity, humility, obedience, and others are understood. These become acceptable in the divine sight, even by way of gratitude. The Apostle says: ^'’Narrabimus mirabilia tua A as if he meant to say: So many are the favors and graces, O my God, Thou by Thy goodness hast granted to me, that I do not wish them to remain shut up in me; but, even on the most risky occasion, I will manifest to every nation and people the wonderful things Thou hast wrought in me, and still dost work and wilt work in all ages in every creature.... As to justice, St. Paul here means that whenever he saw the opportunity in his neighbors to exercise charity in their behalf, he judged whether it would be ad¬ vantageous for them or not; and, if God’s honor and the salvation of this or that soul demanded it, he would not allow all the obstacles that might be opposed to him to withdraw him therefrom. If he observed his opportunity to practice patience, he judged whether practicing it would redound to the honor of God or not; after which, he would expose himself to the torments and to death, with intrepidity. Likewise, in all the virtues, he pondered well whether he was to practice them in this or that manner; and, once knowing what God’s honor demanded, he would undoubtedly put it into practice. As this holy Apostle did, so must they do who serve God in the Religions (Religious Orders). God has communicated to the Religious His gifts and graces; also their high vocation; the opportunity for doing good and frequenting the sacraments, and other num¬ berless favors. They must see, therefore, that they do not remain useless in them; but, cooperating with them, they ought to progress from virtue to virtue.... Religious are also bound to relate the wonderful blessings which God by His goodness has granted to them, whilst they have lived in the religious observance and the holy fear of God; so that, hearing of the favors and graces of the sacraments, the word of God, and special benefits granted by God to Religious souls, those who might have it in mind to relax the holy religious life, may take fresh vigor on account of the marvels they hear. Religious must also pass judgment on justice, not only in their own heart, but also as to their Religion, in order that if it were offered to them, by one who had power, to adopt another mode of life or exercise, before they would consent to it, they must judge and see whether it is for the greater good or only a pliable relaxation of said Religion. If they judge the latter to be the case, they should never give their consent to such a changes being introduced, even if this should cost them their life. This is truly passing judgment on justice.... They will also relate the wondrous things of the Lord, and judge justice, who, at all times and occasions, will put into practice all the virtues and good works they possibly can; and they will judge justice, when an action proposed to them as a virtue, whilst it is not so — nay, is contrary thereto, is unmasked by them and rejected, as, not being what it pretends to be, thus showing before all the heavens and the creatures* that they have not received the grace of God in vain.

XII. Words on the Gospel of the Vineyard.

This Father of family — I mean the Holy Ghost — comes out and sends laborers to work in the vineyard of the Most Sacred Humanity of Jesus; I say to work, according to His own works. The Holy Ghost is one and the same thing with Jesus as to the Divinity; but here He is called the Masterof the vineyard (who is Jesus Himself), because the Holy Ghost possessed that Holy Humanity as His, according to the words of Isaiah xi, 2: replevit earn Domhius spiritu sapientics et intellectus, spiritu consilii ” — “And He filled her with the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel.”... It is His vineyard, for the Holy Ghost sends laborers to work therein, inviting and calling them with His divine inspirations to perform all those actions which Jesus did whilst in this world, and put into practice all He has commanded and counseled us to do in the Holy Gospel. He calls at various hours; the conditions of creatures being different, in this variety we see the greatness of this Father of the family, and His benignity. Who never fails at any time, or in any condition in which we may find ourselves, to call us by His divine inspirations. Those whom this Divine Spirit calls at the first hour are the beginners, to whom He gives the knowledge of themselves, whereby they are moved to go and work in this vineyard, and they work in the left foot of Jesus. These, who stop in the sole knowledge of themselves, without progressing, are people of little fer¬ vor, having little heat of God’s love. Those of the third hour are other lay people called by the Holy Ghost to work in this vineyard, by the knowledge of God; and these work in the right foot of Jesus, aud possess a greater degree of God’s love, pass¬ ing from self-knowledge to God’s knowledge, which draws man out of the imperfect state. Those who are called by the same Holy Ghost at the sixth hour are sent to work in the vineyard by wisdom, and they work in the left hand of Jesus. Though this state is somewhat more perfect than the two above mentioned, nevertheless, these souls have attained to a small degree of perfection; because the wisdom they possess is not what is called the gift of the Holy Ghost, but simply the virtue called wisdom, whereby man delights to study and learn a great deal, in order to teach others. These possess a certain greater degree of the fervor of love, just as the sun, when it begins to warm up, but has not yet reached its greatest degree of heat, which is felt at noon, at which hour the fourth class of laborers is called by the same Divine Spirit to work in this vineyard, by charity, which is the bond of perfection. These latter are working in the right hand of Jesus, and are in a more perfect state than the other three classes, though they have not yet attained the height of perfection possible in this life. These have an ardent love for God, and all their works are directed to God, and all performed for His love. They also love their neighbor, and the great zeal they feel for the greater glory of God renders them solicitous to labor much for the salvation of others. The last ones are they who are called to the sovereign degree of perfection which can be reached and secured in this world, viz., to penetrate God’s purity and love. These operate divinely in the sacred side of Jesus, and are said to come at the eleventh hour, which is the end of the day, because they are called by the Holy Ghost with a particular vocation, much higher and more sublime than that of all others; so that, without any other means, but simply through purity and the love of God, they attain the highest degree of perfection without really knowing it or passing through the degrees already mentioned above. The Holy Gospel says these were standing idle in the market-place, which means that they were in the state of relaxation in God that the perfect enjoy, whereby they only do what God wishes, think of nothing, seek nothing, care for nothing, trouble themselves about nothing, except what God wants. These are the first to receive their wages from the Householder, leaving all to Him, for they made no bargain with Him about reward or wages; and as they do nothing to get heaven or any other payment, they are the first ones to be paid off, though they were the last to come; because, being by grace nearer to God, they come to be nearer to Him in union, which union with God is our sovereign re¬ ward. The fact that these last came to work at the eleventh hour, when the sun had lost nearly all its heat, means that, by that relaxation in God, they have, so to say, lost the use of the interior sense, that is, they walk on God’s road like dead people, indiffer¬ ent to tastes, sentiments, or any other things; without which, others less perfect, seem unable to find God. And though it seems to those who are less perfect that they should not get the same reward, as they did not see them working in the vineyard so long and hard as they themselves, viz., laboring by the way of self-knowledge, and the knowledge of God, and through wisdom or charity; nevertheless, the Father of the family well knows that they, in a short time and secretly, have acquired more by the way of purity and God’s love, through that relaxation in God, than they did through all the labors they have borne. Hence it is that God should never be judged by the creature in regard to any of His doings, “The Lord being just, and His judgment right ” (Ps. cxviii, 137), and He can do as He pleases, being good, as the Gospel says of Him.. “Thus the last become the first, and the first last "—'Sic erunt novissimi primi, et primi novissimi" (Luke xiii, 30)...., By the vineyard we may also understand the Religious Congregations to which the Householder, viz., the Holy Ghost, calls those creatures who come to them in various ways and by divers roads. We may put these down as five, corresponding to the five hours in which the Father of the family chooses the creatures for the Religious vocation. At the first hour those are sent who join the Religion by the way of poverty; and these have very little heat of God’s love. Still it is by this road that the light of the sun of grace manifests itself to them; and if they do not stop at this imperfect beginning, they may go on, always increasing more and more in warmth, through God’s love, which is found in the holy Religion. At the second hour those conie who are induced to em¬ brace the Religious state by their parents; who, many times, know not what they are doing; and, this notwithstanding, they are more easily warmed up with God’s love than the first, as they come in with a simple intention, without any malice. At the third hour they come who enter Religion to avoid the labors of the world; and this is a very imperfect beginning. At the fourth hour those are called who enter Religion for fear of not being able to save their souls if they remain in the world. This is a much better beginning, and these are more apt to receive the fire of God’s love than all those mentioned above. At the fifth hour, which corresponds to the eleventh and last one, all those come who are moved to enter Religion by the sole desire to honor God; and these are they who derive much fruit therefrom, and deserve, at the setting of the sun, viz., at the time of death, to receive a great reward from the Father of the family. All these persons introduced into the vineyard of the Lord, both by holy Religion and the Most Holy Humanity of Jesus, can repeat that verse of Ps, xxii, 2: “/» loco pascuce ibi me collocavit ” — “He has set me in a place of pasture.”

XIII. Words on the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven being like to a Man who Sows Good Seed in His Field.

The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man who has sown the good seed in his field. This kingdom is the Word, hidden under the sacramental species, Who comes into the souls to reign therein. The Word is the kingdom, because the kingdom has dominion over many things; and the Word is likened to the kingdom, because He has dominion over all things, having been constituted by His Eternal Father, King and absolute Lord of the whole universe, with all the creatures and everything that is contained therein: their neighbors and the advantage of Holy Church, fail. But, at the time of the harvest, VIZ., at the end of their lives, these souls that love themselves and their judgment too much will be punished. Though God tolerates the cockle a long time in the soul, let no one think that He will ever put it in the barn of life eternal, with the good wheat, unless all evil seed is first burnt out in the fire of purgatory.... This most wise God also permits, with sovereign providence, that some souls do not advert to the fact of their having in themselves this cockle of self-love; as He knows that, if they realized it, they would fall into such discouragement that they would do no more good. Hence, being Ignorant of it, they cannot root it out, and thus it grows in them along with the wheat till death. But even to these souls, at the time of the harvest, which will be their death, God will make known that He did not like this cockle, because it w’as their fault that they did not know it, as they made themselves incapable of such knowledge on account of their having cowardly and pusillanimous hearts. Consequently, by the judgment of the Supreme Judge, they, too, will be sent to the flames of purgatory, to burn out the cockle which has grown with the good seed in His field. The Lord, Who is the Man of the Gospel, Who sowed the good seed in His field, will say: ^^Colligitey primum ziza7iia et alligate ea in fasciculos ad conihurendum ’’—“Gather up first the cockle, and bind it in bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into My barn ” (Matth. xiii, 30). Do not allow, O my God, that to some souls especially chosen by Thee, this self-love and judgment may remain unknown, for Thou seest their anxiety to find it out. To such, by interior inspirations, do Thou give light and knowledge, that they may up¬ root and destroy it. Thus freed, in this life, of such an evil seed, at the time of the har¬ vest the Lord of the field and the seed will take these souls without any delay, and place them, with great joy, in His barn of life eternal. Yes, yes, O Lord! '^Triticum autem congregate hi horremn “But the wheat gather ye into My barn’’ (Matth. xiii, 30).

XIV. Thinking of St. Agnes, She gave Expression to these Thoughts.

The deep love which St. Agnes bore her Spouse had opened for her the door to enter, at pleasure, the nuptial chamber. As the confidant, the friends, and secret grooms of the great lords can go and treat familiarly with them, so she had the privilege of entering into the intimacy of God, and did enter therein at will, as the bride into the chamber of her royal spouse, treating with Him freely and with a loving familiarity. Hence she drew therefrom those deep, divine secrets of the eternal wisdom, which she afterwards mani¬ fested to the world with that divine eloquence which filled with amazement all who heard her. Oh! how full of wisdom and sweetness.are the words uttered by this bride of my Word! '•^Que^n cum amavero casta sum, cum tetigero munda sum; cum accepero virgo sum ’’ — “Whom when I love I remain chaste, when I touch I remain pure, when I receive I remain virgin ‘'Mel et lac ex ejus ore suscepi" — “I drew honey and milk from His lips’’ (Cant, iv, ii); as I hear the blessed Agnes saying: “From the mouth of my heavenly Spouse I received milk and honey, that is charity, which, in this sense, ex¬ tends more to the love of the neighbor than to that of God.’’ Honey, though sweet, is a little rugged; which means that in loving the neighbor one suffers much; especially when one really loves God and leads a perfect life; because, seeing creatures offending God, which is so unlike his ideas, he finds it hard to love them, on account of the love one bears to God, Who is so much offended by them. And yet this God wants us to love the sin¬ ners as much as the just, and those who offend and persecute us, as well as those who love us. Hence, charity having been infused into the glorious Agnes, both for God and her neighbors, she, like honey, was well able to endure its ruggedness in suffering so many ignominious injuries from creatures. Hence, she could well say: “I received the honey from the mouth of my Spouse, that is charity, which enabled me to love my enemies, who otherwise would have incited me to hatred, as they offend my Godin me.’’ St. Agnes also received the milk from the divine lips. Milk retains a sweetness more delicate than that of the honey; it strengthens and nourishes, and is taken at the breast, coming from the inmost life of the giver, and partaking of her sub¬ stance. Hence the milk of the divine will is vefy delicious, and nourishes and strengthens the soul receiving it, as has been said. It is taken by the mouth at the breasts of the Word’s Humanity; but what dost thou mean, holy Agnes, by saying thou hast received it not from the breasts of the Word, but from His mouth? This means that the Word imparts to the soul that delicate feeling for His Divinity by the mouth of His Humanity, and the soul draws Him to herself by the mouth of desire. The milk originates from the inmost part of the giver, and belongs to the substance of

XV. With her Thoughts fixed on Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin, she expresses Loving Sentiments.

The Divine Word, become a little Child, sings: “ Ego sum in sinu Patris sine principio" — “ I am in the Father’s bosom from eternity and, to the little Child, Mary sings: Ab initio et ante sczcula creata su7n'' — “From the beginning and before the world was I created ” (Ecclus. xxiv, 14). Behold the Word speaking to the soul, and saying: “ Quatn suavis crux 7nea rectis corde! ” — “ How sweet is my cross to the righteous of heart.” “ Recti ditigunt fne et ego diligo eos ” — “The righteous love Me and I them, and their souls are like these little children. ”... The hands of the Word on the cross distill honey for the lovers of the cross, and myrrh to those who are far from Him. The ears of the Word lend themselves to the pure and righteous of heart, who love their neigh¬ bors, and those of Mary incline themselves to the souls consecrated to her Divine Son. The eyes of the Word pierce the souls that submit to obedience, and those of Mary the souls dwelling between purity and humility. The feet of the Word w^alk in search of the lost sheep, and those of Mary follow the Word’s footsteps to obtain mercy for sinful souls, she being; “ Mater graticB^ Mater miser icordicB A “ When Thou shalt be on the cross, O Word, Thou shalt draw everything to Thee by Thy Blood (John xii, 32); and Mary, when raised to Thy right hand, will remove all the sins of the creatures, appeas¬ ing Thee by showing Thee her breasts.... Thou speakest to the soul; and what dost Thou say, O sweet Word? Nihil scias, nihit veils, nihil possis, nihil sis et omnia possidebis ” — “ Know nothing, will nothing, be unable to do anything, be nothing, and thou shalt possess all.” Thou shalt believe everything, do and know everything, be capable of anything in Me Who strengthens thee. Thou art so little, and askest of Me so many things. Now that Thou hast spoken to me as a little Child, speak to me from the cross. As a little Child Thou dost tell me to know, will, do, and be nothing, and that I thereby will possess everything; from the cross but one thing Thou dost require of Me, viz., that I shall conform to Thy will. As a little Infant, Thou dost promise me that I will believe, know and be enabled to do everything in Thee; and from the cross Thou dost promise to transform me in Thee.... Heavy is the cross, if carried here without the Crucifix, as I must do; but it is also true that greater then is the reward. Give me strength, sweet Infant, that I may be able to carry it.

XVI. Considerations on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin applied to the Reformation of Life, and Account of a Vision.

Whoever wishes to reach Mary must be light of body, joyful of heart, free of will, pure of intellect, mindful of past benefits, pure of intention, simple in action, true in words, and mortified in his senses. The heart wishing to receive the gifts must be pure, resplendent, and strong; pure in the faithful obedience of the Commandments and religious counsels; resplendent on account of the peace it must feel in itself, and of the remembrance of the Blood it received in holy baptism. Purity can be acquired by the humble lowering of self in the sight of God and creatures, and also by a humble confession. The splendor can be acquired by conformity with the will of God, and that of the superiors. Strength can be secured by means of hope, constant prayer, and confi¬ dence in God. Oh! how many are the gifts and the graces Mary wishes to grant to creatures who are desirous of them! O Mary, how pure and beautiful art thou! By thy looks thou dost wish the angels to rejoice, thou dost strengthen sinners, and render all creatures happy and feastful. In heaven thou, with thy looks, appeasest the anger of God towards sinners, and in the beauty of thy eyes all paradise takes delight. Going to heaven, O Mary, thou dost leave the paradise on earth, leaving thereon that unheard-of example of chastity, which, compared to other states, is a paradise. As all perfections are found in heaven, with all graces and virtues; so every perfection of virtue is centred in virginity, not because this is the perfection of all the virtues, but because it is the most fitting instrument to acquire them. O Mary, loving Mother, now thou hast been raised up to heaven; but thou art now even more solicitous for our welfare, and the more glorious thou art, the more loving towards us. Pray, teach us, thy daughters, that, con¬ versing with our minds in heaven, we may not perform negligently the works of the earth, especially when there is a question of relieving the neighbor.... Mary is the fountain sealed up with the immaculate seal of the Word, wherein she is proclaimed Virgin and Mother.^ This fountain irrigates the whole of heaven, makes the earth bear fiuit, the angels rejoice, and the souls in purgatory feel relief. O Mary, thou art that door through which we were led into our heavenly country when God came down upon the earth. Mary leaves the most chaste mantle of her body to take on a ruddy one, viz., the merits of all the martyrs that had been or were to be; because she, in the Passion ot the Divine bon, had suffered more than all the martyrs put together. These graces, O Mary, came to us through thy admission into heaven. O glorious Mary, glorious is he also that follows thee! But to follow thee we first must die to ourselves; then we must crown Mary spiritually, offering all merits to her, together with all the praises that have been given to her blessed soul, and the merits of all the saints, having a great desire to « increase her glory as far as we can. This offering is very acceptable to the heart of Mary. As our Mother goes up to heaven, there must be in us a burning desire to follow her. O most great Mary, take my soul and my will, and give me thine. O most glorious Map’, our Mother, do not suffer that, whilst thou goest to heaven, our hearts should remain upon earth. During the portion of life which is left to me I wish to enjoy thee, and do nothing else but admire thee.

In another ecstasy, on the eve of the Epiphany, Mary Magdalen said that she saw the most blessed and glorious Virgin showing a great desire to draw to herself the brides consecrated to her beloved Son, to adorn their souls with gifts and graces, thus making them pleasing and acceptable to her Only Begotten Son. The Mother of God intended to favor these brides by purifying the three holy vows they made at their profession; hence the Saint added: “Though Mary sees the essence of the virtue of the vow im¬ printed in many, still there is much need of purification, on account of the many imper¬ fections into which they constantly fall. Hence this loving Mother, who wished that, like the wise men, they might offer these three holy vows, as three precious gifts, to her Diviue Son, by ratifying them every morning, performed this purification in an ineffable manner in the heart of every one of them.” Our Saint also saw the most blessed Virgin placing these, her daughters, with motherly love, under her sacred mantle. She noticed some of them approaching her with such negligence and coldness that they remained outside this mantle, whilst others were running so swiftly, with such ardent fervor, that they entered under it.

And the Blessed Virgin told her, so great was the love she bore these brides of her Only Begotten Son, that though they approach such a Mother with negligence and cold¬ ness, she receives them, nevertheless, with love; and seeing them walk toward her with slow step, she goes forth to meet them, and approaches them, so that they, too, may enter under her mantle. Even if they, persisting in their ingratitude, go farther away, the Mother of Mercy is not angry with these discourteous and ungrateful daughters, but extends her arms more and more to gather them under her mantle; but they, making themselves more unworthy of so great a love, go still farther away. Our Saint noticed also some that ran away very quickly, and some who made light of so much love, and showed contempt for it. This most holy Mother wishing to draw them to herself, with¬ drew her gifts from them, to impart them to other brides, who returned for them not only fruit of gratitude, but of good works as well. The Blessed Virgin complained much to them, that her gifts and graces were not much esteemed by the brides consecrated to her Son, especially her most precious gift of obedience, as the value of this gift was little thought of. But at the end she understood that the protection and the love of this great Motlier of Mercy towards her monastery, which was consecrated to her, was most special. After which, all consoled and full of joy, our Saint came out of this ecstasy. THIRD SECTION-