6. Of the Supernatural and Divine Way

THE third way is Supernatural and Divine, where the soul is moved by the Holy Spirit, Who is Divine Charity, moving man in a sevenfold manner, which consists of seven gifts as they are mentioned by Isaias, which are indeed as it were the seven principal virtues, the roots and beginnings of all virtues. And the Spirit of God Himself is as a living fountain with seven gushing jets, which make seven life-giving rivulets, welling and upspringing in the same fount, and flowing through every kingdom of the soul, and rendering it fertile in many ways. For the Spirit of God Himself is boundless Piety, Brightness and Ardour or Fire, as kindling these seven gifts, and causing them to burn and flame in the pure mind of the soul like seven lamps before the throne of the 27

2& SUPERNATURAL AND DIVINE

Most High Majesty. Besides the Holy Spirit Himself, the Divine Charity, ;the Eternal and most clear Sun, gives forth ! seven lucent and splendid rays, watming, enlightening and sanctifying the kingdom of the soul. These same seven gifts are like seven planets, situated in a pure mind as in the firmament, controlling, ordering and governing the Kingdom of the Soul in divine charity.) In the same way they are compared to the seven locks which adorned the head of most mighty Samson ( — that is of a loving soul) — which signifies a Free Will, whilst they fill it with divine grace, and edify and fortify it with courage ana wis dom against every kind of vices : which gifts therefore the infernal enemy desires to steal away. Finally these seven gifts are seven modes of the activities of the Holy Spirit in the soul with which He adorns, com poses, orders, and renders like Himself, and then perfects and brings forth to eternal fruition.