,,the ,,practice ,,of ,,the ,,presence  
,,of ,,god ,,the ,,best ,,rule    ,,of  
,a ,,holy ,,life4      ,,brother        
,,lawrence4      ,being ,conversations  
and ,letters of ,nicholas ,herman1 of   
,lorraine  7,brother ,lawrence74        
,translated from the ,french4           
,,fleming ,h4 ,,revell ,,company1       
,,new ,,york4  ,,chicago4   ,,toronto4  
,publishers of ,evangelical ,literature4
          ,,preface4        ,this book  
consists of notes of several            
conversations had with1 and  letters    
written by ,nicholas ,herman1 of        
,lorraine1 a lowly and unlearned  man1  
who1 after having been a footman and    
soldier1 was admitted a ,lay  ,brother  
among the barefooted ,carmelites at     
,paris in #afff1 and was  afterwards    
known as ,brother ,lawrence4    ,his    
conversion1 which took place when he was
 about eighteen years old1  was the     
result1 under ,god1 of the mere sight in
 midwinter1 of a dry  and leafless tree1
 and of the reflections it stirred      

respecting the  change the coming spring
 would bring4 ,from that time he grew   
eminently  in the knowledge and love of 
,,god1 endeavoring constantly to walk as
  in ,his presence4 ,no wilderness      
wanderings seem to have intervened      
between the ,red ,sea and the ,jordan of
 his experience4 ,a wholly  consecrated 
man1 he lived his ,christian life       
through as a pilgrim--as  a steward and 
not as an owner1 and died at the age of 
eighty1 leaving  a name which has been  
as ointment poured forth4    ,the       
,conversations are supposed to have been
 written by ,m4 ,beaufort1  ,grand      
,vicar to ,m4 de ,chalons1 formerly     
,cardinal de ,noailles1 by whose        
recommendation the letters were first   
published4    ,the book has1 within a   
short time1 gone through repeated       
,english and  ,american editions1 and   
has been a means of blessing to many    
souls4 ,it  contains very much of that  
wisdom which only lips the ,lord has    
touched  can express1 and which only    

hearts ,he has made teachable can       
receive4    ,may this edition also be   
blessed by ,,god1 and redound to the    
praise of  the glory of ,his grace4     
,,conversations4        ,,first         
,,conversation4      ,the first time ,i 
saw ,brother ,lawrence1 was upon the    
#c;d of ,august1  #afff4 ,he told me    
that ,,god had done him a singular      
favor1 in his  conversion at the age of 
eighteen4    ,that in the winter1 seeing
 a tree stripped of its leaves1 and     
considering that within a little time   
the leaves would be renewed and  after  
that the flowers and fruit appear1 he   
received a high view of  the ,providence
 and ,power of ,,god1 which has never   
since been effaced  from his soul4 ,that
 this view had perfectly set him loose  
from the  world1 and kindled in him such
 a love for ,,god1 that he could not    
tell  whether it had increased during   
the more than forty years he had lived  
since4    ,that he had been footman to  
,m4 ,fieubert1 the treasurer1 and that  

he  was a great awkward fellow who broke
 everything4    ,that he had desired to 
be received into a monastery1 thinking  
that he  would there be made to smart   
for his awkwardness and the faults he   
should commit1 and so he should         
sacrifice to ,,god his life1 with its   
pleasures3 but that ,god had            
disappointed him1 he having met with    
nothing but satisfaction in that state4 
,that we should establish ourselves in a
 sense of ,,god',s ,presence1 by        
continually conversing with ,him4 ,that 
it was a shameful thing to quit  ,his   
conversation1 to think of trifles and   
fooleries4    ,that we should feed and  
nourish our souls with high notions of  
,,god2  which would yield us great joy  
in being devoted to ,him4    ,that we   
ought to quicken1 i4e41 to enliven1 our 
faith4 ,that it was  lamentable we had  
so little2 and that instead of taking   
faith for  the rule of their conduct1   
men amused themselves with trivial      
devotions1 which changed daily4 ,that   

the way of ,faith was the spirit  of the
 ,church1 and that it was sufficient to 
bring us to a high degree  of           
perfection4    ,that we ought to give   
ourselves up to ,,god1 with regard both 
to things  temporal and spiritual1 and  
seek our satisfaction only in the       
fulfilling of ,his will1 whether he lead
 us by suffering or by  consolation1 for
 all would lie equal to a soul truly    
resigned4 ,that  there needed fidelity  
in those dryness1 or insensibilities and
  irksomenesses in prayer1 by which     
,,god tries our love to him2 that  then 
was the time for us to make good and    
effectual acts of  resignation1 whereof 
one alone would oftentimes very much    
promote our  spiritual advancement4     
,that as for the miseries and sins he   
heard of daily in the world1 he  was so 
far from wondering at them1 that1 on the
 contrary1 he was  surprised that there 
were not more1 considering the malice   
sinners  were capable of2 that for his  
part he prayed for them2 but knowing    

that ,,god could remedy the mischiefs   
they did when ,he pleased1 he gave      
himself no farther trouble4    ,that to 
arrive at such resignation as ,,god     
requires1 we should watch  attentively  
over all the passions which mingle as   
well in spiritual  things as in those of
 a grosser nature2 that ,,god would give
 light  concerning those passions to    
those who truly desire to serve ,him4   
,that  if this was my design1 viz41     
sincerely to serve ,,god1 ,i might come 
to  him 7,b4 ,lawrence7 as often as ,i  
pleased1 without any ,fear of being     
troublesome2 but if not1 that ,i ought  
no more to visit him4        ,,second   
,,conversation4      ,that he had always
 been governed by love1 without selfish 
views2 and  that having resolved to make
 the love of ,,god the end of all his   
actions1 he had found reasons to be well
 satisfied with his method4  ,that he   
was pleased when he could take up a     
straw from the ground for  the love of  
,,god1 seeking ,him only1 and nothing   

else1 not even ,his  gifts4    ,that he 
had been long troubled in mind from a   
certain belief that he  should be       
damned2 that all the men in the world   
could not have  persuaded him to the    
contrary2 but that he had thus reasoned 
with  himself about it3 ,i engaged in a 
religious life only for the love of     
,,god1 and ,i have endeavored to act    
only for ,him2 whatever becomes of  me1 
whether ,i be lost or saved1 ,i will    
always continue to act purely  for the  
love of ,,god4 ,i shall have this good  
at least1 that till  death ,i shall have
 done all that is in me to love ,him4   
,that this  trouble of mind had lasted  
four years2 during which time he had    
suffered much4 ,but that at last he had 
seen that this trouble arose  from want 
of faith2 and that since then he had    
passed his life in  perfect liberty and 
continual joy4 ,that he had placed his  
sins betwixt  him and ,,god1 as it were1
 to tell ,him that he did not deserve   
,his  favors1 but that ,,god still      

continued to bestow them in abundance4  
,that in order to form a habit of       
conversing with ,,god continually1 and  
referring all we do to ,him1 we must at 
first apply to ,him with some           
diligence3 but that after a little care 
we should find ,his love  inwardly      
excite us to it without any difficulty4 
,that he expected after the pleasant    
days ,,god had given him1 he should     
have his turn of pain and suffering2 but
 that he was not uneasy about  it1      
knowing very well1 that as he could do  
nothing of himself1 ,,god  would not    
fail to give him the strength to bear   
it4    ,that when an occasion of        
practicing some virtue offered1 he      
addressed  himself to ,,god1 saying1    
,,lord1 ,i cannot do this unless ,thou  
enablest  me3 and that then he received 
strength more than sufficient4    ,that 
when he had failed in his duty1 he only 
confessed his fault1  saying to ,,god1  
,i shall never do otherwise1 if ,you    
leave me to myself2  it is ,you who must

 hinder my falling1 and mend what is    
amiss4 ,that  after this1 he gave       
himself no further uneasiness about it4 
,that we ought to act with ,,god in the 
greatest simplicity1 speaking to  ,him  
frankly and plainly1 and imploring ,his 
assistance in our affairs1  just as they
 happen4 ,that ,,god never failed to    
grant it1 as he had  often experienced4 
,that he had been lately sent into      
,burgundy1 to buy the provision of  wine
 for the society1 which was a very      
unwelcome task for him1 because  he had 
no turn for business1 and because he was
 lame and could not go  about the boat  
but by rolling himself over the casks4  
,that however he  gave himself no       
uneasiness about it1 nor about the      
purchase of the  wine4 ,that he said to 
,,god1 ,it was ,his business he was     
about1 and  that he afterwards found it 
very well performed4 ,that he had been  
sent  into ,auvergne1 the year before1  
upon the same account2 that he could    
not tell how the matter passed1 but that

 it proved very well4    ,so1 likewise1 
in his business in the kitchen 7to which
 he had  naturally a great aversion71   
having accustomed himself to do         
everything there for the love of ,,god1 
and with prayer1 upon all  occasions1   
for ,his grace to do his work well1 he  
had found everything  easy1 during      
fifteen years that he had been employed 
there4    ,that he was very well pleased
 with the post he was now in2 but that  
he  was as ready to quit that as the    
former1 since he was always pleasing    
himself in every condition1 by doing    
little things for the love of  ,,god4   
,that with him the set times of prayer  
were not different from other  times2   
that he retired to pray1 according to   
the directions of his  ,superior1 but   
that he did not want such retirement1   
nor ask for it1  because his greatest   
business did not divert him from ,,god4 
,that as he knew his obligation to love 
,,god in all things1 and as he          
endeavored so to do1 he had no need of a

 director to advise him1 but  that he   
needed much a ,confessor to absolve him4
 ,that he was very  sensible of his     
faults1 but not discouraged by them2    
that he confessed  them to ,,god1 but   
did not plead against ,him to excuse    
them4 ,when he had  so done1 he         
peaceably resumed his usual practice of 
love and  adoration4    ,that in his    
trouble of mind1 he had consulted       
nobody1 but knowing only  by the light  
of faith that ,,god was present1 he     
contented himself with  directing all   
his actions to ,him1 i4e41 doing them   
with a desire to  please ,him1 let what 
would come of it4    ,that useless      
thoughts spoil all3 that the mischief   
began there2 but  that we ought to      
reject them1 as soon as we perceived    
their  impertinence to the matter in    
hand1 or our salvation2 and return to   
our communion with ,,god4    ,that at   
the beginning he had often passed his   
time appointed for  prayer1 in rejecting
 wandering thoughts1 and falling back   

into them4  ,that he could never        
regulate his devotion by certain methods
 as some  do4 ,that nevertheless1 at    
first he had meditated for some time1   
but  afterwards that went off1 in a     
manner he could give no account of4     
,that all bodily mortifications and     
other exercises are useless1 except  as 
they serve to arrive at the union with  
,,god by love2 that he had  well        
considered this1 and found it the       
shortest way to go straight to  ,him by 
a continual exercise of love1 and doing 
all things for ,his  sake4    ,that we  
ought to make a great difference between
 the acts of the  understanding and     
those of the will3 that the first were  
comparatively of little value1 and the  
others1 all4 ,that our only  business   
was to love and delight ourselves in    
,,god4    ,that all possible kinds of   
mortification1 if they were void of the 
love of ,,god1 could not efface a single
 sin4 ,that we ought1 without  anxiety1 
to expect the pardon of our sins from   

the ,blood of ,,jesus  ,,christ1 only   
endeavoring to love ,him with all our   
hearts4 ,that ,,god  seemed to have     
granted the greatest favors to the      
greatest sinners1 as  more signal       
monuments of his mercy4    ,that the    
greatest pains or pleasures of this     
world1 were not to be  compared with    
what he had experienced of both kinds in
 a spiritual  state3 so that he was     
careful for nothing and feared nothing1 
desiring  only one thing of ,,god1 viz41
 that he might not offend ,him4    ,that
 he had no scruples2 for1 said he1 when 
,i fail in my duty1 ,i  readily         
acknowledge it1 saying1 ,i am used to do
 so3 ,i shall never do  otherwise1 if ,i
 am left to myself4 ,i fail not1 then ,i
 give ,,god  thanks1 acknowledging the  
strength comes from ,him4        ,,third
 ,,conversation4      ,he told me that  
the foundation of the spiritual life in 
him1 had  been a high notion and esteem 
of ,,god in faith2 which when he had    
once  well conceived1 he had no other   

care at first1 but faithfully to  reject
 every other thought1 that he might     
perform all his actions for  the love of
 ,,god4 ,that when sometimes he had not 
thought of ,,god for a  good while1 he  
did not disquiet himself for it2 but    
after having  acknowledged his          
wretchedness to ,,god1 he returned to   
,him with so much  the greater trust in 
,him1 as he had found himself wretched  
through  forgetting ,him4    ,that the  
trust we put in ,,god1 honors ,him much1
 and draws down great  graces4    ,that 
it was impossible1 not only that ,,god  
should deceive1 hut also  that ,he      
should long let a soul suffer which is  
perfectly resigned to  ,him1 and        
resolved to endure everything for ,his  
sake4    ,that he had so often          
experienced the ready succors of ,divine
 ,grace  upon all occasions1 that from  
the same experience1 when he had        
business to do1 he did not think of it  
beforehand2 but when it was  time to do 
it1 he found in ,,god1 as in a clear    

mirror1 all that was fit  for him to do4
 ,that of late he had acted thus1       
without anticipating  care2 but before  
the experience above mentioned1 he had  
used it in his  affairs4    ,when       
outward business diverted him a little  
from the thought of ,,god1 a  fresh     
remembrance coming from ,,god invested  
his soul1 and so inflamed  and          
transported him that it was difficult   
for him to contain himself4    ,that he 
was more united to ,,god in his outward 
employments1 than when  he left them for
 devotion in retirement4    ,that he    
expected hereafter some great pain of   
body or mind2 that the  worst that could
 happen to him was1 to lose that sense  
of ,,god which he  had enjoyed so long2 
but that the goodness of ,,god assured  
him ,he would  not forsake him utterly1 
and that ,he would give him strength to 
bear  whatever evil ,he permitted to    
happen to him2 and therefore that he    
feared nothing1 and had no occasion to  
consult with anybody about his  state4  

,that when he had attempted to do it1 he
 had always come away  more perplexed2  
and that as he was conscious of his     
readiness to lay  down his life for the 
love of ,,god1 he had no apprehension of
 danger4  ,that perfect resignation to  
,,god was a sure way to heaven1 a way in
  which we had always sufficient light  
for our conduct4    ,that in the        
beginning of the spiritual life1 we     
ought to be faithful  in doing our duty 
and denying ourselves2 but after that1  
unspeakable  pleasures followed2 that in
 difficulties we need only have recourse
 to  ,,jesus ,,christ1 and beg his      
grace2 with that everything became easy4
    ,that many do not advance in the    
,christian progress because they stick  
in penances1 and particular exercises1  
while they neglect the love of  ,,god1  
which is the end4 ,that this appeared   
plainly by their works1  and was the    
reason why we see so little solid       
virtue4    ,that there needed neither   
art nor science for going to ,,god1 but 

only a  heart resolutely determined to  
apply itself to nothing but ,him1 or for
  ,his sake1 and to love him only4      
,,fourth ,,conversation4      ,he       
discoursed with me very frequently1 and 
with great openness of  heart concerning
 his manner of going to ,,god1 whereof  
some part is  related already4    ,he   
told me that all consists in one hearty 
renunciation of  everything which we are
 sensible does not lead to ,,god2 that  
we might  accustom ourselves to a       
continual conversation with ,him1 with  
freedom  and in simplicity4 ,that we    
need only to recognize ,,god intimately 
present with us1 to address ourselves to
 ,him every moment1 that we may  beg    
,his assistance for knowing ,his will in
 things doubtful1 and for  rightly      
performing those which we plainly see he
 requires of us1  offering them to ,him 
before we do them1 and giving ,him      
thanks when we  have done4    ,that in  
this conversation with ,god1 we are also
 employed in praising1  adoring and     

loving ,him incessantly1 for ,his       
infinite goodness and  perfection4      
,that1 without being discouraged on     
account of our sins1 we should pray  for
 ,his grace with a perfect confidence1  
as relying upon the infinite  merits of 
our ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,that ,,god
 never failed offering us ,his  grace at
 each action2 that he distinctly        
perceived it1 and never  failed of it1  
unless when his thoughts had wandered   
from a sense of  ,,god',s ,presence1 or 
he had forgotten to ask ,his assistance4
    ,that ,,god always gave us light in 
our doubts1 when we had no other  design
 but ask to please ,him4    ,that our   
sanctification did not depend upon      
changing our works1 but  in doing that  
for ,,god's sake1 which we commonly do  
for our own4 ,that  it was lamentable to
 see how many people mistook the means  
for the  end1 addicting themselves to   
certain works1 which they performed very
  imperfectly1 by reason of their human 
or selfish regards4    ,that the most   

excellent method he had found of going  
to ,,god1 was that  of doing our common 
business without any view of pleasing   
men1#a and  7as far as we are capable7  
purely for the love of ,,god4    ,that  
it was a great delusion to think that   
the times of prayer ought  to differ    
from other times3 that we are as        
strictly obliged to adhere  to ,,god by 
action in the time of action1 as by     
prayer in the season of  prayer4        
,that his prayer was nothing else but a 
sense of the presence of ,,god1  his    
soul being at that time insensible to   
everything but ,divine love3  and that  
when the appointed times of prayer were 
past1 he found no  difference1 because  
he still continued with ,,god1 praising 
and blessing  ,him with all his might1  
so that he passed his life in continual 
joy2  yet hoped that ,,god would give   
him somewhat to suffer1 when he should  
grow stronger4    ,that we ought1 once  
for all1 heartily to put our whole trust
 in ,,god1  and make a total surrender  

of ourselves to ,him1 secure that ,he   
would  not deceive us4    ,that we ought
 not to be weary of doing little things 
for the love of  ,,god1 who regards not 
the greatness of the work1 but the love 
with  which it is performed4 ,that we   
should not wonder if1 in the beginning1 
we often failed in our endeavors1 but   
that at last we should gain a  habit1   
which will naturally produce its acts in
 us1 without our care1  and to our      
exceeding great delight4    ,that the   
whole substance of religion was faith1  
hope and charity2 by  the practice of   
which we become united to the will of   
,,god3 that all  besides is indifferent1
 and to be used as a means that we may  
arrive  at our end1 and be swallowed up 
therein1 by faith and charity4    ,that 
all things are possible to him who      
believes--that they are less  difficult 
to him who hopes--that they are more    
easy to him who  loves1 and still more  
easy to him who perseveres in the       
practice of  these three virtues4       

,that the end we ought to propose to    
ourselves is to become1 in this  life1  
the most perfect worshippers of ,,god we
 can possibly be1 as we  hope to be     
through all eternity4    ,that when we  
enter upon the spiritual life1 we should
 consider1 and  examine to the bottom1  
what we are4 ,and then we should find   
ourselves  worthy of all contempt1 and  
not deserving indeed the name of        
,christians3 subject to all kinds of    
misery and numberless accidents1  which 
trouble us and cause perpetual          
vicissitudes in our health1 in  our     
humors1 in our internal and external    
dispositions2 in fine1  persons whom    
,,god would humble by many pains and    
labors1 as well within  as without4     
,after this we should not wonder that   
troubles1  temptations1 oppositions and 
contradictions happen to us from men4   
,we  ought1 on the contrary1 to submit  
ourselves to them1 and bear them as     
long as ,,god pleases1 as things highly 
advantageous to us4    ,that the greater

 perfection a soul aspires after1 the   
more dependent  it is upon ,divine      
grace4    #b;,being questioned by one of
 his own society 7to whom he was obliged
  to open himself7 by what means he had 
attained such an habitual sense  of     
,,god1 he told him that1 since his first
 coming to the monastery1 he  had       
considered ,,god as the end of all his  
thoughts and desires1 as the  mark to   
which they should tend1 and in which    
they should terminate4    ,that in the  
beginning of his novitiate1 he spent the
 hours appointed  for private prayer in 
thinking of ,,god1 so as to convince his
 mind of1  and to impress deeply upon   
his heart1 the ,divine existence1 rather
 by  devout sentiments1 and submission  
to the lights of faith1 than by  studied
 reasonings and elaborate meditations4  
,that by this short and  sure method1 he
 exercised himself in the knowledge and 
love of ,,god1  resolving to use his    
utmost endeavor to live1 in a continual 
sense of  ,his ,presence1 and if        

possible1 never to forget ,him more4    
,that when he had thus in prayer filled 
his mind with great sentiments  of that 
infinite ,being1 he went to his work    
appointed in the kitchen  7for he was   
cook to the society72 there having first
 considered  severally the things his   
office required1 and when and how each  
thing  was to be done1 he spent all the 
intervals of his time1 as well before   
as after his work1 in prayer4    ,that  
when he began his business1 he said to  
,,god1 with a filial trust  in ,him1 ,o 
my ,,god1 since ,thou art with me1 and  
,i must now1 in  obedience to ,thy      
commands1 apply my mind to these outward
 things1 ,i  beseech ,thee to grant me  
the grace to continue in ,thy ,presence2
 and to  this end do ,thou prosper me   
with ,thy assistance1 receive all my    
works1  and possess all my affections4  
,as he proceeded in his work1 he        
continued his familiar conversation     
with his ,maker1--imploring ,his grace1 
and offering to ,him all his  actions4  

,when he had finished1 he examined      
himself how he had discharged his  duty2
 if he found well1 he returned thanks to
 ,,god2 if otherwise1 he  asked pardon2 
and without being discouraged1 he set   
his mind right  again1 and continued his
 exercise of the presence of ,,god1 as  
if he  had never deviated from it4      
,thus1 said he1 by rising after my      
falls1 and by frequently renewed acts of
 faith and love1 ,i am come to  a state 
wherein it would be as difficult for me 
not to think of ,,god as  it was at     
first to accustom myself to it4    ,as  
brother ,lawrence had found such an     
advantage in walking in the  presence of
 ,,god1 it was natural for him to       
recommend it earnestly to  others2 but  
his example was a stronger inducement   
than any arguments  he could propose4   
,his very countenance was edifying1 such
 a sweet and  calm devotion appearing in
 it as could not but effect the         
beholders4  ,and it was observed that in
 the greatest hurry of business in the  

kitchen1 he still preserved his         
recollection and heavenly-mindedness4   
,he was never hasty nor loitering1 but  
did each thing in its season1  with an  
even1 uninterrupted composure and       
tranquility of spirit4 ,the  time of    
business1 said he1 does not with me     
differ from the time of  prayer2 and in 
the noise and clatter of my kitchen1    
while several  persons are at the same  
time calling for different things1 ,i   
possess  ,,god in as great tranquility  
as if ,i were upon my knees at the      
blessed  sacrament4          ,,letters4 
,,first ,,letter4      ,since you desire
 so earnestly that ,i should communicate
 to you the  method by which ,i arrived 
at that habitual sense of ,,god',s      
,presence1 which our ,,lord1 of ,his    
mercy1 has been pleased to  vouch-safe  
to me1 ,i must tell you that it is with 
great difficulty  that ,i am prevailed  
on by your importunities2 and now ,i do 
it only  upon the terms that you show my
 letter to nobody4 ,if ,i knew that you 

should let it be seen1 all the desire   
that ,i have for your advancement  would
 not be able to determine me to it4 ,the
 account ,i can give you  is3    ,having
 found in many books different methods  
of going to ,,god1 and  divers practices
 of the spiritual life1 ,i thought this 
would serve  rather to puzzle me than   
facilitate what ,i sought after1 which  
was  nothing but how to become wholly   
,,god',s4 ,this made me resolve to give 
the all for the all2 so after having    
given myself wholly to ,,god1 that  ,he 
might take away my sin1 ,i renounced1   
for the love of ,him1  everything that  
was not ,he2 and ,i began to live as if 
there was none  but ,he and ,i in the   
world4 ,sometimes ,i considered myself  
before ,him  as a poor criminal at the  
feet of his judge2 at other times ,i    
beheld  ,him in my heart as my ,,father1
 as my ,,god3 ,i worshipped ,him the    
oftenest  that ,i could1 keeping my mind
 in ,his holy ,presence1 and recalling  
it  as often as ,i found it wandered    

from ,him4 ,i found no small pain in    
this exercise1 and yet ,i continued it1 
notwithstanding all the  difficulties   
that occurred1 without troubling or     
disquieting myself  when my mind had    
wandered involuntarily4 ,i made this my 
business as  much all the day long as at
 the appointed times of prayer2 for at  
all  times1 every hour1 every minute1   
even in the height of my business1 ,i   
drove away from my mind everything that 
was capable of interrupting my  thought 
of ,,god4    ,such has been my common   
practice ever since ,i entered in       
religion2  and1 though ,i have done it  
very imperfectly1 yet ,i have found     
great  advantages by it4 ,these1 ,i well
 know1 are to be imputed to the mere    
mercy and goodness of ,,god1 because we 
can do nothing without ,him2 and  ,i    
still less than any4 ,but when we are   
faithful to keep ourselves in  ,his holy
 ,presence1 and set ,him always before  
us1 this not only hinders  our offending
 ,him1 and doing anything that may      

displease ,him1 at least  wilfully1 but 
it also begets in us a holy freedom1    
and1 if ,i may so  speak1 a familiarity 
with ,,god1 wherewith we ask1 and that  
successfully1 the graces we stand in    
need of4 ,in fine1 by often  repeating  
these acts1 they become habitual1 and   
the presence of ,,god  rendered as it   
were natural to us ,give ,him thanks1 if
 you please1  with me1 for ,his great   
goodness towards me1 which ,i can never 
sufficiently admire1 for the many favors
 ,he has done to so miserable a  sinner 
as ,i am4 ,may all things praise ,him4  
,amen4    ,i am1 in our ,,lord1 yours1  
c4        ,,second ,,letter4      ,to   
the ,reverend--    ,not finding my      
manner of life in books1 although ,i    
have no difficulty  about it1 yet1 for  
greater security1 ,i shall be glad to   
know your  thoughts concerning it4      
,in a conversation some days since with 
a person of piety1 he told me  the      
spiritual life was a life of grace1     
which begins with servile  fear1 which  

is increased by hope of eternal life1   
and which is  consummated by pure love4 
,that each of these states had its      
different  stages1 by which one arrives 
at last at that blessed consummation4   
,i have not followed all these methods4 
,on the contrary1 from ,i know  not what
 instincts1 ,i found they discouraged   
me4 ,this was the reason  why1 at my    
entrance into religion1 ,i took a       
resolution to give myself  up to ,,god1 
as the best return ,i could make for    
,his love2 and1 for the  love of ,him1  
to renounce all besides4    ,for the    
first year ,i commonly employed myself  
during the time set  apart for devotion 
with the thought of death1 judgment1    
heaven1 hell1  and my sins1 ,thus       
continued some years1 applying my mind  
carefully the  rest of the day1 and even
 in the midst of my business1 to the    
presence of ,,god1 whom ,i considered   
always as with me1 often as in  me4     
,at length ,i came insensibly to do the 
same thing during my set time of        

prayer1 which caused in me great delight
 and consolation4 ,this  practice       
produced in me so high an esteem for    
,,god1 that faith alone  was capable to 
satisfy me in that point4#c    ,such was
 my beginning2 and yet ,i must tell you 
that for the first ten  years ,i        
suffered much3 the apprehension that ,i 
was not devoted to ,,god  as ,i wished  
to be1 my past sins always present to my
 mind1 and the  great unmerited favors  
which ,,god did me1 were the matter and 
source of  my sufferings4 ,during this  
time ,i fell often1 and rose again      
presently4 ,it seemed to me that all    
creatures1 reason1 and ,,god ,himself   
were against me2 and faith alone for me4
 ,i was troubled sometimes  with        
thoughts that to believe ,i had received
 such favors was an effect  of my       
presumption1 which pretended to be at   
once where others arrive  with          
difficulty2 at other times that it was a
 wilful delusion1 and  that there was no
 salvation for me4    ,when ,i thought  

of nothing but to end my days in these  
troubles 7which  did not at all diminish
 the trust ,i had in ,,god1 and which   
served only  to increase my faith71 ,i  
found myself changed all at once2 and my
  soul1 which1 till that time1 was in   
trouble1 felt a profound inward  peace1 
as if she were in her centre and place  
of rest4    ,ever since that time ,i    
walk before ,,god simply1 in faith1 with
 humility  and with love2 and ,i apply  
myself diligently to do nothing and     
think  nothing which may displease ,him4
 ,i hope that when ,i have done what ,i 
can1 ,he will do with me what ,he       
pleases4    ,as for what passes in me at
 present1 ,i cannot express it4 ,i have 
no  pain or difficulty about my state1  
because ,i have no will but that of     
,,god1 which ,i endeavor to accomplish  
in all things1 and to which ,i am  so   
resigned that ,i would not take up a    
straw from the ground against  ,his     
order1 or from any other motive than    
purely that of love to ,him4    ,i have 

quitted all forms of devotion and set   
prayers but those to  which my state    
obliges me4 ,and ,i make it my business 
only to persevere  in ,his holy         
presence1 wherein ,i keep myself by a   
simple attention1 and  a general fond   
regard to ,,god1 which ,i may call an   
actual presence of  ,,god2 or1 to speak 
better1 an habitual1 silent and secret  
conversation  of the soul with ,,god1   
which often causes me joys and raptures 
inwardly1 and sometimes also outwardly1 
so great1 that ,i am forced to  use     
means to moderate them and prevent their
 appearance to others4    ,in short1 ,i 
am assured beyond all doubt that my soul
 has been with ,,god  above these thirty
 years4 ,i pass over many things that ,i
 may not be  tedious to you1 yet ,i     
think it proper to inform you after what
 manner  ,i consider myself before      
,,god1 whom ,i behold as my ,king4    ,i
 consider myself as the most wretched of
 men1 full of sores and  corruption1 and
 who has committed all sorts of crimes  

against his  ,king2 touched with a      
sensible regret1 ,i confess to him all  
my  wickedness1 ,i ask ,his forgiveness1
 ,i abandon myself in ,his hands that   
,he may do what he pleases with me4 ,the
 ,king1 full of mercy and  goodness1    
very far from chastising me1 embraces me
 with love1 makes me  eat at ,his table1
 serves me with ,his own hands1 gives me
 the key of  ,his treasures2 ,he        
converses and delights ,himself with me 
incessantly1  in a thousand and a       
thousand ways1 and treats me in all     
respects as  ,his favorite4 ,it is thus 
,i consider myself from time to time in 
,his  holy presence4    ,my most useful 
method is this simple attention1 and    
such a general  passionate regard to    
,,god2 to whom ,i find myself often     
attached with  greater sweetness and    
delight than that of an infant at the   
mother's  breast2 so that1 if ,i dare   
use the expression1 ,i should choose to 
call  this state the bosom1 of ,,god1   
for the inexpressible sweetness which ,i

  taste and experience there4    ,if    
sometimes my thoughts wander from it by 
necessity or infirmity1 ,i  am presently
 recalled by inward motions so charming 
and delicious that  ,i am ashamed to    
mention them4 ,i desire your reverence  
to reflect  rather upon my great        
wretchedness1 of which you are fully    
informed1  than upon the great favors   
which ,,god does me1 all unworthy and   
ungrateful as ,i am4    ,as for my set  
hours of prayer1 they are only a        
continuation of the  same exercise4     
,sometimes ,i consider myself there as a
 stone before a  carver1 whereof he is  
to make a statue2 presenting myself thus
 before  ,,god1 ,i desire ,him to form  
,his perfect image in my soul1 and make 
me  entirely like ,himself4    ,at other
 times1 when ,i apply myself to prayer1 
,i feel all my spirit  and all my soul  
lift itself up without any care or      
effort of mine1 and  it continues as it 
were suspended and firmly fixed in      
,,god1 as in its  centre and place of   

rest4    ,i know that some charge this  
state with inactivity1 delusion and     
self-love4 ,i confess that it is a holy 
inactivity1 and would be a  happy       
self-love1 if the soul in that state    
were capable of it2  because1 in effect1
 while she is in this repose1 she cannot
 be  disturbed by such acts as she was  
formerly accustomed to1 and which  were 
then her support1 but which would now   
rather hinder than assist  her4    ,yet 
,i cannot bear that this should be      
called delusion2 because the  soul which
 thus enjoys ,,god desires herein       
nothing but ,him4 ,if this be  delusion 
in me1 it belongs to ,,god to remedy it4
 ,let ,him do what ,he  pleases with me2
 ,i desire only ,him1 and to be wholly  
devoted to ,him4  ,you will1 however1   
oblige me in sending me your opinion1 to
 which ,i  always pay a great deference1
 for ,i have a singular esteem for your 
reverence1 and am in our ,,lord1        
,yours1 c4        ,,third ,,letter4     
,we have a ,,god who is infinitely      

gracious and knows all our wants4 ,i    
always thought that ,he would reduce you
 to extremity4 ,he will come in  ,his   
own time1 and when you least expect it4 
,hope in ,him more than  ever2 thank    
,him with me for the favors he does you1
 particularly for  the fortitude and    
patience which ,he gives you in your    
afflictions4 ,it  is a plain mark of the
 care ,he takes of you4 ,comfort        
yourself1 then1  with ,him1 and give    
thanks for all4    ,i admire also the   
fortitude and bravery of ,mr4 ----4 ,god
 has given him  a good disposition and a
 good will2 but there is in him still a 
little  of the world1 and a great deal  
of youth4 ,i hope the affliction which  
,,god has sent him will prove a         
wholesome remedy to him1 and make him   
enter into himself4 ,it is an accident  
which should engage him to put  all his 
trust in ,him who accompanies him       
everywhere4 ,let him think  of ,him as  
often as he can1 especially in the      
greatest dangers4 ,a  little lifting up 

of the heart suffices4 ,a little        
remembrance of ,,god1  one act of inward
 worship1 though upon a march1 and a    
sword in hand1  are prayers1 which1     
however short1 are nevertheless very    
acceptable to  ,,god2 and far from      
lessening a soldier's courage in        
occasions of  danger1 they best serve to
 fortify it4    ,let him then think of  
,,god the most he can4 ,let him accustom
 himself1  by degrees1 to this small but
 holy exercise4 ,no one will notice it1 
and nothing is easier than to repeat    
often in the day these little  internal 
adorations4 ,recommend to him1 if you   
please1 that he think of  ,,god the most
 he can1 in the manner here directed4   
,it is very fit and  most necessary for 
a soldier1 who is daily exposed to the  
dangers of  life4 ,i hope that ,,god    
will assist him and all the family1 to  
whom ,i  present my service1 being      
theirs and ,yours1 c4        ,,fourth   
,,letter4      ,i have taken this       
opportunity to communicate to you the   

sentiments of  one of our society1      
concerning the admirable effects and    
continual  assistances which he receives
 from the presence of ,,god4 ,let you   
and  me both profit by them4    ,you    
must know his continual care has been1  
for about forty years past  that he has 
spent in religion1 to be always with    
,,god1 and to do  nothing1 say nothing1 
and think nothing which may displease   
,him2 and  this without any other view  
than purely for the love of ,him1 and   
because he deserves infinitely more4    
,he is now so accustomed to that ,divine
 ,presence1 that he receives  from it   
continual succors upon all occasions4   
,for about thirty years1  his soul has  
been filled with joys so continual1 and 
sometimes so  great1 that he is forced  
to use means to moderate them1 and to   
hinder  their appearing outwardly4      
,if sometimes he is a little too much   
absent from that ,divine  ,presence1    
,,god presently makes ,himself to be    
felt in his soul to  recall him1 which  

often happens when he is most engaged in
 his outward  business4 ,he answers with
 exact fidelity to these inward         
drawings1  either by an elevation of his
 heart towards ,,god1 or by a meek and  
fond  regard to ,him1 or by such words  
as love forms upon these occasions1 as  
for instance1 ,my ,god1 here ,i am all  
devoted to ,thee3 ,,lord1 make me       
according to ,thy heart4 ,and then it   
seems to him 7as in effect he  feels it7
 that this ,,god of love1 satisfied with
 such few words1  reposes again1 and    
rests in the fund and centre of his     
soul4 ,the  experience of these things  
gives him such an assurance that ,,god  
is  always in the fund or bottom of his 
soul1 that it renders him  incapable of 
doubting it upon any account whatever4  
,judge by this what content and         
satisfaction he enjoys while he         
continually finds in himself so great a 
treasure4 ,he is no longer in  an       
anxious search after it1 but has it open
 before him1 and may take  what he      

pleases of it4    ,he complains much of 
our blindness1 and cries often that we  
are to be  pitied who content ourselves 
with so little4 ,,god1 saith he1 has    
infinite treasure to bestow1 and we take
 up with a little sensible  devotion1   
which passes in a moment4 ,blind as we  
are1 we hinder ,,god1  and stop the     
current of ,his graces4 ,but when ,he   
finds a soul  penetrated with a lively  
faith1 ,he pours into it ,his graces and
 favors  plentifully3 there they flow   
like a torrent1 which1 after being      
forcibly stopped against its ordinary   
course1 when it has found a  passage1   
spreads itself with impetuosity and     
abundance4    ,yes1 we often stop this  
torrent by the little value we set upon 
it4  ,but let us stop it no more2 let us
 enter into ourselves and break down    
the bank which hinders it4 ,let us make 
way for grace2 let us redeem  the lost  
time1 for perhaps we have but little    
left4 ,death follows us  close2 let us  
be well prepared for it3 for we die but 

once2 and a  miscarriage there is       
irretrievable4    ,i say again1 let us  
enter into ourselves4 ,the time presses1
 there is  no room for delay3 our souls 
are at stake4 ,i believe you have taken 
such effectual measures that you will   
not be surprised4 ,i commend you  for   
it2 it is the one thing necessary4 ,we  
must1 nevertheless1 always  work at it1 
because not to advance in the spiritual 
life is to go  back4 ,but those who have
 the gale of the ,,holy ,,spirit go     
forward even  in sleep4 ,if the vessel  
of our soul is still tossed with winds  
and  storms1 let us awake the ,,lord1   
who reposes in it1 and ,he will quickly 
calm the sea4    ,i have taken the      
liberty to impart to you these good     
sentiments1 that  you may compare them  
with your own4 ,it will serve again to  
kindle and  inflame them1 if by         
misfortune 7which ,,god forbid1 for it  
would be  indeed a great misfortune7    
they should be1 though never so little1 
cooled4 ,let us then both recall our    

first fervors4 ,let us profit by  the   
example and the sentiments of this      
brother1 who is little known of  the    
world1 but known of ,,god1 and extremely
 caressed by ,him4 ,i will  pray for    
you2 do you pray instantly for me1 who  
am1 in our ,,lord4    ,yours1 c4        
,,fifth ,,letter4      ,i received this 
day two books and a letter from ,sister 
----1 who is  preparing to make her     
profession1 and upon that account       
desires the  prayers of your holy       
society1 and yours in particular4 ,i    
perceive that  she reckons much upon    
them2 pray do not disappoint her4 ,beg  
of ,,god  that she may make her         
sacrifice in the view of ,his love      
alone1 and  with a firm resolution to be
 wholly devoted to ,him4 ,i will send   
you  one of these books which treat of  
the presence of ,,god2 a subject  which1
 in my opinion1 contains the whole      
spiritual life2 and it seems  to me that
 whoever duly practices it will soon    
become spiritual4    ,i know that for   

the right practice of it1 the heart must
 be empty of  all other things2 because 
,,god will possess the heart alone2 and 
as  ,he cannot possess it alone without 
emptying it of all besides1 so  neither 
can ,he act there1 and do in it what ,he
 pleases1 unless it be  left vacant to  
,him4    ,there is not in the world a   
kind of life more sweet and delightful  
than that of a continual conversation   
with ,,god4 ,those only can  comprehend 
it who practice and experience it2 yet  
,i do not advise you  to do it from that
 motive4 ,it is not pleasure which we   
ought to seek  in this exercise2 but let
 us do it from a principle of love1 and 
because ,,god would have us4    ,were ,i
 a preacher1 ,i should1 above all other 
things1 preach the  practice of the     
presence of ,,god2 and1 were ,i a       
director1 ,i should  advise all the     
world to do it1 so necessary do ,i think
 it1 and so easy  too4    ,ah6 knew we  
but the want we have of the grace and   
assistance of ,,god1  we should never   

lose sight of ,him1 no1 not for a       
moment4 ,believe me2  make immediately a
 holy and firm resolution never more    
wilfully to  forget ,him1 and to spend  
the rest of your days in ,his sacred    
presence1  deprived for the love of     
,him1 if ,he thinks fit1 of all         
consolations4    ,set heartily about    
this work1 and if you do it as you      
ought1 be  assured that you will soon   
find the effects of it4 ,i will assist  
you  with my prayers1 poor as they are4 
,i recommend myself earnestly to  yours 
and those of your holy society being    
theirs1 and more  particularly          
,yours1 c4        ,,sixth ,,letter4     
,to the ,same4    ,i have received from 
,mrs4 ----1 the things which you gave   
her for me4  ,i wonder that you have not
 given me your thoughts of the little   
book ,i  sent to you1 and which you must
 have received4 ,pray set heartily about
  the practice of it in your old age3 it
 is better late than never4    ,i cannot
 imagine how religious persons can live 

satisfied without the  practice of the  
presence of ,,god4 ,for my part4 ,i keep
 myself retired  with ,him in the fund  
or centre of my soul as much as ,i can2 
and while  ,i am so with ,him ,i fear   
nothing1 but the least turning from ,him
 is  insupportable4    ,this exercise   
does not much fatigue the body2 it is1  
however1 proper  to deprive it          
sometimes1 nay often2 of many little    
pleasures which are  innocent and       
lawful1 for ,,god will not permit that a
 soul which desires  to be devoted      
entirely to ,him should take other      
pleasures than with  ,him3 that is more 
than reasonable4    ,i do not say that  
therefore we must put any violent       
constraint upon  ourselves4 ,no1 we must
 serve ,,god in a holy freedom2 we must 
do our  business faithfully2 without    
trouble or disquiet1 recalling our mind 
to ,,god mildly1 and with tranquility1  
as often as we find it wandering  from  
,him4    ,it is1 however1 necessary to  
put our whole trust in ,,god1 laying    

aside  all other cares1 and even some   
particular forms of devotion1 though    
very good in themselves1 yet such as one
 often engages in  unreasonably1 because
 these devotions are only means to      
attain to the  end4 ,so when by this    
exercise of the presence of ,,god we are
 with  ,him who is our end1 it is then  
useless to return to the means2 but we  
may continue with ,him our commerce of  
love1 persevering in ,his holy          
presence1 one while by an act of praise1
 of adoration or of desire2  one while  
by an act of resignation or             
thanksgiving2 and in all the  ways which
 our spirit can invent4    ,be not      
discouraged by the repugnance which you 
may find in it from  nature2 you must do
 yourself violence4 ,at the first one   
often thinks  it lost time1 but you must
 go on1 and resolve to persevere in it  
to  death1 notwithstanding all the      
difficulties that may occur4 ,i         
recommend myself to the prayers of your 
holy society1 and yours in  particular4 

,i am1 in our ,,lord1    ,yours1 c4     
,,seventh ,,letter4      ,i pity you    
much4 ,it will be of great importance if
 you can leave the  care of your affairs
 to ----1 and spend the remainder of    
your life  only in worshiping ,,god4 ,he
 requires no great matters of us2 a     
little  remembrance of ,him from time to
 time2 a little adoration2 sometimes to 
pray for ,his grace1 sometimes to offer 
,him your sufferings1 and  sometimes to 
return ,him thanks for the favors ,he   
has given you1 and  still gives you1 in 
the midst of your troubles1 and to      
console  yourself with ,him the oftenest
 you can4 ,lift up your heart to ,him1  
sometimes even at your meals1 and when  
you are in company3 the least  little   
remembrance will always be acceptable to
 ,him4 ,you need not cry  very loud2 ,he
 is nearer to us than we are aware of4  
,it is not necessary for being with     
,,god to be always at church3 we may    
make an oratory of our heart wherein to 
retire from time to time to  converse   

with ,him in meekness1 humility and     
love4 ,every one is capable  of such    
familiar conversation with ,,god1 some  
more1 some less3 ,he knows  what we can 
do4 ,let us begin1 then4 ,perhaps ,he   
expects but one  generous resolution on 
our part4 ,have courage4 ,we have but   
little time  to live2 you are near      
sixty-four1 and ,i am almost eighty4    
,let us live  and die with ,,god4       
,sufferings will be sweet and pleasant  
to us while we  are with ,him2 and the  
greatest pleasures will be1 without     
,him1 a cruel  punishment to us4 ,may   
,he be blessed for all4 ,amen4          
,accustom yourself1 then1 by degrees    
thus to worship ,him1 to beg ,his       
grace1 to offer ,him your heart from    
time to time in the midst of your       
business1 even every moment1 if you can4
 ,do not always scrupulously  confine   
yourself to certain rules1 or particular
 forms of devotion1  but act with a     
general confidence in ,,god1 with love  
and humility4 ,you  may assure ---- of  

my poor prayers1 and that ,i am their   
servant1 and  particularly    ,yours in 
our ,,lord1 c4        ,,eighth ,,letter4
      7,concerning wandering thoughts in
 ,prayer47    ,you tell me nothing new2 
you are not the only one that is        
troubled  with wandering thoughts4 ,our 
mind is extremely roving2 but1 as the   
will is mistress of all our faculties1  
she must recall them1 and carry  them to
 ,,god as their last end4    ,when the  
mind1 for want of being sufficiently    
reduced by recollection  at our first   
engaging in devotion1 has contracted    
certain bad habits  of wandering and    
dissipation1 they are difficult to      
overcome1 and  commonly draw us1 even   
against our wills1 to the things of the 
earth4    ,i believe one remedy for this
 is to confess our faults1 and to humble
  ourselves before ,,god4 ,i do not     
advise you to use multiplicity of words 
in prayer3 many words and long          
discourses being often the occasions of 
wandering4 ,hold yourself in prayer     

before ,,god1 like a dumb or  paralytic 
beggar at a rich man's gate4 ,let it be 
your business to  keep your mind in the 
presence of the ,,lord4 ,if it sometimes
 wander and  withdraw itself from ,him1 
do not much disquiet yourself for that3 
trouble and disquiet serve rather to    
distract the mind than to  re-collect   
it3 the will must bring it back in      
tranquility4 ,if you  persevere in this 
manner1 ,,god will have pity on you4    
,one way to re-collect the mind easily  
in the time of prayer1 and  preserve it 
more in tranquility1 is not to let it   
wander too far at  other times3 you     
should keep it strictly in the presence 
of ,,god2 and  being accustomed to think
 of ,him often1 you will find it easy to
 keep  your mind calm in the time of    
prayer1 or at least to recall it from   
its wanderings4    ,i have told you     
already at large1 in my former letters1 
of the  advantages we may draw from this
 practice of the presence of ,,god3 let 
us set about it seriously1 and pray for 

one another4    ,yours1 c4              
,,ninth ,,letter4      ,the enclosed is 
an answer to that which ,i received from
 ----2 pray  deliver it to her4 ,she    
seems to me full of good will1 but she  
would go  faster than grace4 ,one does  
not become holy all at once4 ,i         
recommend  her to you3 we ought to help 
one another by our advice1 and yet more 
by our good examples4 ,you will oblige  
me to let me hear of her from  time to  
time1 and whether she be very fervent   
and very obedient4    ,let us thus think
 often that our only business in this   
life is to  please ,,god1 and that all  
besides is but folly and vanity4 ,you   
and ,i  have lived about forty years in 
religion 7i4e41 a monastic life74  ,have
 we employed them in loving and serving 
,,god1 who by ,his mercy has  called us 
to this state and for that very end8 ,i 
am filled with shame  and confusion when
 ,i reflect on one hand upon the great  
favors which  ,,god has done1 and       
incessantly continues to do me2 and on  

the other1  upon the ill use ,i have    
made of them1 and my small advancement  
in the  way of perfection4    ,since by 
,his mercy ,he gives us still a little  
time1 let us begin in  earnest3 let us  
repair the lost time3 let us return with
 a full  assurance to that ,,father of  
mercies1 who is always ready to receive 
us  affectionately4 ,let us renounce1   
let us generously renounce1 for the     
love of ,him1 all that is not ,himself2 
,he deserves infinitely more4 ,let  us  
think of ,him perpetually4 ,let us put  
all our trust in ,him4 ,i doubt  not but
 we shall soon find the effects of it in
 receiving the  abundance of ,his grace1
 with which we can do all things1 and   
without  which we can do nothing but    
sin4    ,we cannot escape the dangers   
which abound in life without the actual 
and continual help of ,,god3 let us then
 pray to ,him for it  continually4 ,how 
can we pray to ,him without being with  
,him8 ,how can  we be with ,him but in  
thinking of ,him often8 ,and how can we 

often  think of ,him1 but by a holy     
habit which we should form of it8 ,you  
will  tell me that ,i am always saying  
the same thing4 ,it is true1 for this   
is the best and easiest method ,i know2 
and as ,i use no other1 ,i advise  all  
the world to do it4 ,we must know before
 we can love4 ,in order  to know ,,god1 
we must often think of ,him2 and when we
 come to  love ,him1 we shall then also 
think of ,him often1 for our heart will 
be with our treasure4 ,this is an       
argument which well deserves your       
consideration4    ,i am1 ,yours1 c4     
,,tenth ,,letter4      ,i have had a    
good deal of difficulty to bring myself 
to write to ,mr4  ----1 and ,i do it now
 purely because you and ,madam ----     
desire me4  ,pray write the directions  
and send it to him4 ,i am very well     
pleased  with the trust which you have  
in ,,god3 ,i wish that ,he may increase 
it  in you more and more4 ,we cannot    
have too much in so good and faithful  a
 ,friend1 who will never fail us in this

 world nor in the next4    ,if ,mr4 ----
 makes his advantage of the loss he has 
had1 and puts all  his confidence in    
,,god1 ,he will soon give him another   
friend1 more  powerful and more inclined
 to serve him4 ,he disposes of hearts as
 ,he  pleases4 ,perhaps ,mr4 ---- was   
too much attached to him he has lost4   
,we  ought to love our friends1 but     
without encroaching upon the love due   
to ,,god1 which must be the principal4  
,pray remember what ,i have recommended 
to you1 which is1 to think often  on    
,,god1 by day1 by night1 in your        
business1 and even in your  diversions4 
,he is always near you and with you3    
leave ,him not alone4  ,you would think 
it rude to leave a friend alone who came
 to visit you3  why then must ,,god be  
neglected8 ,do not then forget ,him1 but
 think on  ,him often1 adore ,him       
continually1 live and die with ,him2    
this is the  glorious employment of a   
,christian4 ,in a word1 this is our     
profession2  if we do not know it1 we   

must learn it4 ,i will endeavor to help 
you  with my prayers1 and am1 in our    
,,lord1 ,yours1 c4        ,,eleventh    
,,letter4      ,i do not pray that you  
may be delivered from your pains1 but ,i
 pray  ,,god earnestly that ,he would   
give you strength and patience to bear  
them as long as ,he pleases4 ,comfort   
yourself with ,him who holds you        
fastened to the cross4 ,he will loose   
you when ,he thinks fit4 ,happy  those  
who suffer with ,him3 accustom yourself 
to suffer in that manner1  and seek from
 ,him the strength to endure as much1   
and as long1 as ,he  shall judge to be  
necessary for you4 ,the men of the world
 do not  comprehend these truths1 nor is
 it to be wondered at1 since they       
suffer like what they are1 and not like 
,christians4 ,they consider  sickness as
 a pain to nature1 and not as a favor   
from ,,god2 and seeing  it only in that 
light1 they find nothing in it but grief
 and distress4  ,but those who consider 
sickness as coming from the hand of     

,,god1 as the  effect of ,his mercy1 and
 the means which ,he employs for their  
salvation--such1 commonly find in it    
great sweetness and sensible            
consolation4    ,i wish you could       
convince yourself that ,,god is often   
7in some sense7  nearer to us1 and more 
effectually present with us1 in sickness
 than  in health4 ,rely upon no other   
,physician2 for1 according to my        
apprehension1 ,he reserves your cure to 
,himself4 ,put1 then1 all your  trust in
 ,him1 and you will soon find the       
effects of it in your  recovery1 which  
we often retard by putting greater      
confidence in  physic than in ,,god4    
,whatever remedies you make use of1 they
 will succeed only so far as ,he        
permits4 ,when pains come from ,,god1   
,he only can cure them4 ,he often  sends
 diseases of the body to cure those of  
the soul4 ,comfort yourself  with the   
sovereign ,physician both of the soul   
and body4    ,be satisfied with the     
condition in which ,,god places you3    

however happy  you may think me1 ,i envy
 you4 ,pains and sufferings would be a  
paradise  to me while ,i should suffer  
with my ,,god2 and the greatest         
pleasures  would be hell to me if ,i    
could relish them without ,him4 ,all my 
consolation would be to suffer something
 for ,his sake4    ,i must1 in a little 
time1 go to ,,god4 ,what comforts me in 
this life is1  that ,i now see ,him by  
faith2 and ,i see ,him in such a manner 
as might  make me say sometimes1 ,i     
believe no more1 but ,i see4 ,i feel    
what  faith teaches us1 and in that     
assurance and that practice of faith1 ,i
  will live and die with ,him4          
,continue then always with ,,god3 it is 
the only support and comfort for  your  
affliction4 ,i shall beseech ,him to be 
with you4 ,i present my  service4       
,yours1 c4        ,,twelfth ,,letter4   
,if we were well accustomed to the      
exercise of the presence of ,,god1  all 
bodily diseases would be much alleviated
 thereby4 ,,god often  permits that we  

should suffer a little to purify our    
souls and oblige  us to continue with   
,him4    ,take courage3 offer ,him your 
pains incessantly3 pray to ,him for     
strength to endure them4 ,above all1 get
 a habit of entertaining  yourself often
 with ,,god1 and forget ,him the least  
you can4 ,adore ,him  in your           
infirmities1 offer yourself to ,him from
 time to time1 and in  the height of    
your sufferings1 beseech ,him humbly and
 affectionately  7as a child his father7
 to make you conformable to ,his        
holy-will4 ,i  shall endeavor to assist 
you with my poor prayers4    ,,god has  
many ways of drawing us to ,himself4 ,he
 sometimes hides ,himself  from us1 but 
faith alone1 which will not fail us in  
time of need1  ought to be our support1 
and the foundation of our confidence1   
which  must be all in ,,god4    ,i know 
not how ,,god will dispose of me4 ,i am 
always happy4 ,all the  world suffer2   
and ,i1 who deserve the severest        
discipline1 feel joys so  continual and 

so great that ,i can scarce contain     
them4    ,i would willingly ask of ,,god
 a part of your sufferings1 but that ,i 
know my weakness1 which is so great1    
that if ,he left me one moment to       
myself ,i should be the most wretched   
man alive4 ,and yet ,i know not how  ,he
 can leave me alone1 because faith gives
 me as strong a conviction  as sense can
 do1 that ,he never forsakes us until we
 have first  forsaken ,him4 ,let us fear
 to leave ,him4 ,let us be always with  
,him4 ,let  us live and die in ,his     
presence4 ,do you pray for me1 as ,i for
 you4    ,i am1 ,yours1 c4              
,,thirteenth ,,letter4      ,to the     
,same4    ,i am in pain to see you      
suffer so long4 ,what gives me some ease
 and  sweetens the feelings ,i have for 
your griefs is1 that they are proofs  of
 ,,god',s love towards you4 ,see them in
 that view and you will bear  them more 
easily4 ,as your case is1 it is my      
opinion that you should  leave off human
 remedies1 and resign yourself entirely 

to the  providence of ,,god3 perhaps ,he
 stays only for that resignation and a  
perfect trust in ,him to cure you4      
,since1 notwithstanding all your  cares1
 physic has hitherto proved             
unsuccessful1 and your malady still     
increases1 it will not be tempting ,,god
 to abandon yourself in ,his  hands1 and
 expect all from ,him4    ,i told you in
 my last that ,he sometimes permits     
bodily diseases to  cure the distempers 
of the soul4 ,have courage then3 make a 
virtue of  necessity4 ,ask of ,,god1 not
 deliverance from your pains1 but       
strength  to bear resolutely1 for the   
love of ,him1 all that ,he should       
please1  and as long as ,he shall       
please4    ,such prayers1 indeed1 are a 
little hard to nature1 but most         
acceptable  to ,,god1 and sweet to those
 that love ,him4 ,love sweetens pains2  
and  when one loves ,,god1 one suffers  
for ,his sake with joy and courage4 ,do 
you so1 ,i beseech you3 comfort yourself
 with ,him1 who is the only  ,physician 

of all our maladies4 ,he is the ,,father
 of the afflicted1  always ready to help
 us4 ,he loves us infinitely more than  
we imagine4  ,love ,him1 then1 and seek 
no consolation elsewhere4 ,i hope you   
will  soon receive it4 ,adieu4 ,i will  
help you with my prayers1 poor as they  
are1 and shall always be1 in our ,,lord 
,yours1 c4        ,,fourteenth ,,letter4
      ,to the ,same4    ,i render thanks
 to our ,,lord for having relieved you a
 little1  according to your desire4 ,i  
have been often near expiring1 but ,i   
never  was so much satisfied as then4   
,accordingly1 ,i did not pray for any   
relief1 but ,i prayed for strength to   
suffer with courage1 humility and  love4
 ,ah1 how sweet it is to suffer with    
,,god6 ,however great the  sufferings   
may be1 receive them with love4 ,it is  
paradise to suffer  and be with ,him2 so
 that if in this life we would enjoy the
 peace of  paradise we must accustom    
ourselves to a familiar1 humble1        
affectionate conversation with ,him4 ,we

 must hinder our spirits  wandering from
 ,him upon any occasion4 ,we must make  
our heart a  spiritual temple1 wherein  
to adore ,him incessantly4 ,we must     
watch  continually over ourselves1 that 
we may not do1 nor say1 nor think       
anything that may displease ,him4 ,when 
our minds are thus employed  about      
,,god1 suffering will become full of    
unction and consolation4    ,i know that
 to arrive at this state the beginning  
is very difficult1  for we must act     
purely in faith4 ,but though it is      
difficult1 we know  also that we can do 
all things with the grace of ,,god1     
which ,he never  refuses to them who ask
 it earnestly4 ,knock1 persevere in     
knocking1  and ,i answer for it that ,he
 will open to you in ,his due time1 and 
grant you all at once what ,he has      
deferred during many years4 ,adieu6     
,pray to ,him for me1 as ,i pray to ,him
 for you4 ,i hope to see ,him  quickly4 
,i am1 ,yours1 c4        ,,fifteenth    
,,letter4      ,to the ,same4    ,,god  

knoweth best what is needful for us1 and
 all that ,he does is for  our good4 ,if
 we knew how much ,he loves us1 we      
should always be ready  to receive      
equally and with indifference from ,his 
,hand the sweet and  the bitter3 all    
would please that came from ,him4 ,the  
sorest  afflictions never appear        
intolerable1 except when we see them in 
the  wrong light4 ,when we see them as  
dispensed by the hand of ,,god1 when we 
know that it is our loving ,,father who 
abases and distresses us1 our           
sufferings will lose their bitterness1  
and become even matter of  consolation4 
,let all our employment be to know      
,,god3 the more one knows ,him1 the     
more one desires to know ,him4 ,and as  
knowledge is commonly the  measure of   
love1 the deeper and more extensive our 
knowledge shall  be1 the greater will be
 our love3 and if our love of ,,god were
 great1  we should love ,him equally in 
pains and pleasures4    ,let us not     
content ourselves with loving ,,god for 

the mere sensible  favors1 how elevated 
soever1 which he has done1 or may do us4
 ,such  favors1 though never so great1  
cannot bring us so near to ,him as faith
  does in one simple act4 ,let us seek  
,him often by faith4 ,he is within  us3 
seek ,him not elsewhere4 ,if we do love 
,him alone1 are we not rude1  and do we 
not deserve blame1 if we busy ourselves 
about trifles which  do not please and  
perhaps offend ,him4 ,it is to be feared
 these  trifles will one day cost us    
dear4    ,let us begin to be devoted to 
,him in good earnest4 ,let us cast      
everything besides out of our hearts4   
,he would possess them alone4 ,beg  this
 favor of ,him4 ,if we do what we can on
 our parts1 we shall soon  see that     
change wrought in us which we aspire    
after4 ,i cannot thank  ,him            
sufficiently for the relaxation ,he has 
vouchsafed you4 ,i hope from  ,his mercy
 the favor to see ,him within a few     
days4#d ,let us pray for  one another4  
,i am1 in our ,,lord1 ,yours1 c4        

,,notes3    #a3 ,gal4 i1 #aj2 ,eph4 vi1 
#e1 #f4    #b3 ,the particulars which   
follow are collected from other accounts
 of  ,brother ,lawrence4    #c3 ,i      
suppose he means that all distinct      
notions he could form of  ,,god1 were   
unsatisfactory1 because he perceived    
them to be unworthy of  ,,god2 and      
therefore his mind was not to be        
satisfied but by the views  of faith1   
which apprehend ,,god as infinite and   
incomprehensible1 as  ,he is in         
,himself1 and not as ,he can be         
conceived by human ideas4    #d3 ,he    
took to his bed two days after1 and died
 within the week4