Letter IV. To an Abbess

On the excellence of mental prayer, and on the virtues of religious life.

ANNECY, iSth August 1614.

MY DEAR SISTER — This first time of writing to you I want to say one or two words of preface, which may serve for all the letters which I shall send you in future as occasion requires. I. That neither you nor I will make after this any preface; for the love of God which you have will be a preface to you, and my desire to have it will be your preface to me. 2. In virtue of this same love, possessed or desired, assure yourself, my dear sister, that you and all your daughters will always find my soul open and dedicated to the service of yours. 3. But all this without ceremony, without formalities; since, although our vocations are different in rank, this holy love to which we aspire equals us and joins us in itself.

Truly, both you and your daughters are very fortunate to have at last met with the vein of that living water which springeth up into everlasting life* and to desire to drink it at the hand of Our Lord, to whom, with St. Catharine of Genoa and the blessed Mother (St.) Teresa, you seem to me to be making this prayer: Lord, give me of this water.

May this divine goodness be for ever praised, who himself has made himself a spring of living water in the midst of your community; for our Lord is a fountain John iv. 14.

LET. iv.] Further Letters Outside Visitation. 273 from which we draw by prayer the water of cleansing, of refreshment, of fertility, and of sweetness.

God knows, my dear sister, what the monasteries are in which this most holy exercise is not practised; God knows what obedience, what poverty, and what chastity are observed there before the eyes of his divine Providence, and whether the communities of daughters are not rather companies of prisoners than true lovers of Jesus Christ.

But we have not so much need to consider that evil, as to weigh at its just weight the great good which souls receive from most holy prayer. You then are not deceived in having embraced it, but deluded are the souls which being able to apply themselves to it do not. And yet in a certain fashion (it seems to me) the sweet Saviour of your soul has deceived you with a deception full of love, in order to draw you to his more particular communications, having tied you by means which himself alone could find, and conducted you by ways which himself alone has known. Lift very high then your heart, to follow his attractions earnestly and holily; and so long as true sweetness and humility of heart reign amongst you fear not to be deceived.

Brother N. is ignorant truly, but ignorant with more knowledge than many wise men: he has the true foundations of the spiritual life, and his society cannot but be helpful to you; I am sure that his superior will not refuse him to you, provided that you make use of him with discretion and without causing him too much distraction.

I have not yet been able to read the little book you sent me; I will do so at my first leisure.

You have done well to make yourself familiar with iv. s the Blessed Mother Teresa, for in truth her books are a treasure of spiritual instruction.

Above all things, let there reign amongst you mutual, sincere, and spiritual love, that perfection of common life so much to be loved and so little loved in this age, even in those monasteries which the world admires; holy simplicity, sweetness of heart, and love of one's own abjection: but this care, my dearest sister, must be diligent and firm, and not eager or by fits and starts.

I shall be very glad to hear news of you often, and do not doubt but that I shall answer. M. N. will let me have your letters safely.

In particular it has been a consolation to me to know the goodness and virtue of your father confessor, who with the spirit of a true father towards you co operates in your good desires, and is also very glad that others contribute also. Would to God that all the others of your Order were equally charitable and devoted to God's glory; the monasteries which are in their charge would be more perfect and more pure.

I salute again my dear Sisters Anne and Mary Salome, and rejoice that they have entered into this Order at a time when true and perfect piety is begin ning to flourish again therein; and for their consolation I tell them that their relative, Madame Descrilles, who is now a novice at the Visitation, also tries hard on her part to make progress in Our Lord.

My dear sister, I write to you without leisure, but not without an extreme affection towards you and all your daughters, all of whom I supplicate to recommend my soul to God's mercy, as on my part I will not cease to wish you blessing upon blessing; and may the source of all blessing live and reign for ever in

LET. v.] Further Letters Outside Visitation. 275 your hearts. Amen. I am with a most cordial love, your very humble, &c.