The Soul is not to be disquieted, that is sees it self encompassed with darkness, because
that is an instrument of its greater felicity.
39. There are two sorts of darkness : some unhappy, and others happy : the first are such
as arise from sin, and are unhappy, because they lead the Christian to an eternal precipice.
The second are those which the Lord suffers to be in the Soul, to ground and settle it in
vertue; and these are happy, because they enlighten it, fortifie it, and cause greater light
therein, so that thou oughtest not to grieve and disturb thy self, nor be disconsolate in seeing
thy self obscure and darksom, judging that God hath failed thee, and the light also that thou
formerly had the experience of; thou oughtest rather at that time persevere constantly in
Prayer, it being a manifest sign, that God of his infinite mercy intends to bring thee into the
inward path, and happy way of Paradise. O how happy wilt thou be, if thou embrace it with
peace and resignation, as the instrument of perfect quiet, true light, & of all thy spiritual
good.
40. Know then that the streightest,
most perfect and secure way of proficients, is the way of
darkness: because in them the Lord placed his own Throne; And (Psalm 18.) He made
darkness his secret place. By them the supernatural light which God infuses into the Soul,
grow and increases. Amidst them wisdom and strong love are begotten, by darkness the
soul is annihilated, and the species, which hinder the right view of the divine truth, are
consumed. By this means God introduces the Soul by the inward way into the Prayer of
Rest, and of perfect contemplation, which so few have the experience of. Finally; by darkness
the Lord purgest the senses and sensibility, which hinder the mystical progress.
41.
See now if darkness be not to be esteemed and embraced. What thou oughtest to do
amidst them, is to believe, that thou art before the Lord, and in his Presence; but thou
oughtest to do so, with a sweet and quiet attention; not desire to know any thing, nor search
after delicacies, tenderness or sensible devotions, nor do any thing but what is the good will
and pleasure of God; Because otherwise thou wilt only make circles, all thy life time, and
not advance one step toward perfection.
27
Chap. VI.
CHAP. VII.
To the end the Soul may attain to the supreme internal peace, it is necessary, that God
purge it after his way, because the exercises and mortifications that of it self it sets about, are
not sufficient.
42. So soon as thou shalt firmly resolve to mortifie thy external senses, that thou may’st
advance towards the high mountain of perfection, and union with God;
His divine Majesty
will set his hand to the purging of thy evil inclinations, inordinate desires, vain complacency,
self-love and pride, and other hidden vices, which thou knowest not, and yet reign in the
inner parts of thy Soul, and hinder the divine union.
43. Thou’lt never attain to this happy state, though thou tire thy self out with the external
acts of mortifications and resignation, until this Lord purge thee inwardly, and discipline
thee, after his own way, because he alone knows how secret faults are to be purged out. If
thou persevere constantly, he’ll not only purge thee from affections and engagements to
natural and temporal goods, but in his own time also he will purifie thee with the supernatural and sublime, such as are internal communications; inward raptures and extasies, and
other infused graces, on which the Soul rests and enjoys it self.
44. God will do all this in thy Soul by means of the cross, and dryness, if thou freely giveth
thy consent to it by resignation, and walking through those darksom and desart ways. All
thou hast to do, is to do nothing by thy own choice alone. The subjection of thy liberty, is
that which thou oughtest to do, quietly resigning thy self up in every thing whereby the Lord
shall think fit internally and externally to mortifie thee: because that is the only means, by
which thy Soul can become capable of the divine influences,
whil’st thou sufferest internal
and external tribulation, with humility, patience, and quiet; not the penances, disciplines
and mortifications, which thou couldest impose upon thy self.
45. The husbandman sets a greater esteem upon the plants which he sows in the ground,
than those that spring up of themselves, because these never come to seasonable maturity.
In the same manner God esteems and is better pleased with the vertue, which he sows and
infuses into the Soul (as being sunk into its own nothingness, calm and quiet, retreated
within its own center, and without any election) than all the other vertues which the Soul
pretends to acquire by its own election and endeavours.
46. It concerns thee only then, to prepare thine heart, like clean paper, wherein the divine
wisdom may imprint characters to his own liking. O how great a work will it be for thy Soul
to be whole hours together in Prayer, dumb, resigned, and humble, without acting, knowing,
or desiring to understand any thing
