,,on ,,union ,,with ,,god ,nihil ,obstat4 ,f4 ,,thos4 ,,bergh1 ,o4,s4,b41 ,,censor ,,deputatus4 ,imprimatur4 ,,edm4 ,,can4 ,,surmont1 ,,vicarius ,,generalis4 ,,westmonasterii1 ,die #g ,decembris1 #aiaa4 ,all rights reserved ,the ,angelus ,series ,,on ,,union ,,with ,,god ,,by ,,blessed ,,albert ,,the ,,great1 ,o4,p4 ,,with ,,notes ,,by ,,rev4 ,p4 ,j4 ,,berthier1 ,o4,p4 ,,translated ,,by ,a ,,benedictine ,,of ,,princethorpe ,,priory ,r4 ,t4 ,,washbourne1 ,,ltd4 ,,paternoster ,,row1 ,,london ,,and ,,at ,,manchester1 ,,birmingham1 ,,and ,,glasgow ,,preface ,surely the most deeply-rooted need of the human soul1 its purest aspiration1 is for the closest possible union with ,god4 ,as one turns over the pages of this little work1 written by ,blessed ,albert the ,great#a towards the end of his life1 when that great soul had ripened and matured1 one feels that here indeed is the ideal of one's hopes4 ,simply and clearly the great principles are laid down1 the way is made plain which leads to the highest spiritual life4 ,it seems as though1 while one reads1 the mists of earth vanish and the snowy summits appear of the mountains of ,god4 ,we breathe only the pure atmosphere of prayer1 peace1 and love1 and the one great fact of the universe1 the ,divine ,presence1 is felt and realized without effort4 ,but is such a life possible amid the whirl of the twentieth century8 ,to faith and love all things are possible1 and our author shows us the loving ,father1 ever ready to give as much and more than we can ask4 ,the spirit of such a work is ever true2 the application may vary with circumstances1 but the guidance of the ,holy ,spirit will never be wanting to those souls who crave for closer union with their ,divine ,master4 ,this little treatise has been very aptly called the ,metaphysics of the ,imitation1 and it is in the hope that it may be of use to souls that it has been translated into ,english4 ,blessed ,albert the ,great is too well known for it to be necessary for us to give more than the briefest outline of his life4 ,the eldest son of the ,count of ,bollstaedt1 he was born at ,lauingen in ,swabia in #abje or #abjf1 though some historians give it as #aaic4 ,as a youth he was sent to the ,university of ,padua1 where he had special facilities for the study of the liberal arts4 ,drawn by the persuasive teaching of ,blessed ,jordan of ,saxony1 he joined the ,order of ,st4 ,dominic in #abbc1 and after completing his studies1 received the ,doctor's degree at the ,university of ,paris4 ,his brilliant genius quickly brought him into the most prominent positions4 ,far-famed for his learning1 he attracted scholars from all parts of ,europe to ,paris1 ,cologne1 ,ratisbon1 etc41 where he successively taught4 ,it was during his years of teaching at ,paris and ,cologne that he counted among his disciples ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 the greatness of whose future he foretold1 and whose lifelong friendship with him then began4 ,in #abed ,albert was elected ,provincial of his ,order in ,germany4 ,in #abfj he was appointed ,bishop of ,ratisbon1 but resigned his see in #abfb4 ,he then continued unweariedly until a few years before his death1 when his great powers1 especially his memory1 failed him1 but the fervour of his soul remained ever the same4 ,in #abhj1 at ,cologne1 he sank1 at last worn out by his manifold labours4 ,whether we consider him as a theologian or as a philosopher1 ,albert was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary men of his age2 ,i might say1 one of the most wonderful men of genius who appeared in past times 7,jourdain74 ,very grateful thanks are due to ,rev4 ,p4 ,j4 ,berthier1 ,o4,p41 for his kind permission to append to this edition a translation of his excellent notes 7from the ,french edition1 entitled ,de l',union avec ,dieu74 ,,contents ,,chapter ,,page ,i4 ,,of ,,the ,,highest ,,perfection ,,which ,,man ,,can ,,attain ,,unto ,,in ,,this ,,life #ae ,,ii4 ,,how ,a ,,man ,,may ,,despise ,,all ,,things ,,and ,,cleave ,,to ,,christ ,,alone #ai ,,iii4 ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,man',s ,,perfection ,,in ,,this ,,life #bc ,,iv4 ,,that ,,our ,,labour ,,must ,,be ,,with ,,the ,,understanding ,,and ,,not ,,with ,,the ,,senses #bg ,v4 ,,of ,,purity ,,of ,,heart1 ,,which ,,is ,,to ,,be ,,sought ,,above ,,all ,,else #cc ,,vi4 ,,that ,a ,,man ,,truly ,,devout ,,must ,,seek ,,god ,,in ,,purity ,,of ,,mind ,,and ,,heart #dj ,,vii4 ,,of ,,the ,,practice ,,of ,,interior ,,recollection #de ,,viii4 ,,that ,a ,,truly ,,devout ,,man ,,should ,,commit ,,himself ,,to ,,god ,,in ,,all ,,that ,,befalls ,,him #eb ,,ix4 ,,the ,,contemplation ,,of ,,god ,,is ,,to ,,be ,,preferred ,,above ,,all ,,other ,,exercises #eg ,x4 ,,that ,,we ,,should ,,not ,,be ,,too ,,solicitous ,,for ,,actual ,,and ,,sensible ,,devotion1 ,,but ,,desire ,,rather ,,the ,,union ,,of ,,our ,,will ,,with ,,god #fe ,,xi4 ,,in ,,what ,,manner ,,we ,,should ,,resist ,,temptation ,,and ,,endure ,,trials #gj ,,xii4 ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,god #gf ,,xiii4 ,,of ,,the ,,nature ,,and ,,advantages ,,of ,,prayer1--,,of ,,interior ,,recollection #hb ,,xiv4 ,,that ,,everything ,,should ,,be ,,judged ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,our ,,conscience #hh ,,xv4 ,,on ,,the ,,contempt ,,of ,,self3 ,,how ,,it ,,is ,,acquired3 ,,its ,,profit ,,to ,,the ,,soul #id ,,xvi4 ,,of ,,the ,,providence ,,of ,,god1 ,,which ,,watches ,,over ,,all ,,things #ajb ,it is good for me to adhere to my ,god4 ,be you therefore perfect1 as also your heavenly ,father is perfect4 ,,on ,,union ,,with ,,god ,,chapter ,i ,,of ,,the ,,highest ,,perfection ,,which ,,man ,,can ,,attain ,,unto ,,in ,,this ,,life ,i have felt moved to write a few last thoughts describing1 as far as one may in this waiting-time of our exile and pilgrimage1 the entire separation of the soul from all earthly things and its close1 unfettered union with ,god4 ,i have been the more urged to this1 because ,christian perfection has no other end but charity1 which unites us to ,god4#b ,this union of charity is essential for salvation1 since it consists in the practice of the precepts and in conformity to the ,divine will4 ,hence it separates us from whatever would war against the essence and habit of charity1 such as mortal sin4#c ,but religious1 the more easily to attain to ,god1 their last end1 have gone beyond this1 and have bound themselves by vow to evangelical perfection1 to that which is voluntary and of counsel4#d ,with the help of these vows they cut off all that might impede the fervour of their love or hinder them in their flight to ,god4 ,they have1 therefore1 by the vow of their religious profession1 renounced all things1 whether pertaining to soul or body4#e ,god is in truth a ,spirit1 and they that adore ,him must adore ,him in spirit and in truth1#f that is1 with a knowledge and love1 an intelligence and will purified from every phantom of earth4 ,hence it is written3 ,when thou shalt pray1 enter into thy chamber--i4e41 into the inmost abode of thy heart--and1 having shut the door of thy senses1 with a pure heart1 a free conscience and an unfeigned faith1 pray to thy ,father in spirit and in truth1 in the secret of thy soul4#g ,then only will a man attain to this ideal1 when he has despoiled and stripped himself of all else2 when1 wholly recollected within himself1 he has hidden from and forgotten the whole world1 that he may abide in silence in the presence of ,jesus ,christ4 ,there1 in solitude of soul1 with loving confidence he makes known his desires to ,god4 ,with all the intensity of his love he pours forth his heart before ,him1 in sincerity and truth1 until he loses himself in ,god4 ,then is his heart enlarged1 inflamed1 and melted in him1 yea1 even in its inmost depths4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,how ,a ,,man ,,may ,,despise ,,all ,,things ,,and ,,cleave ,,to ,,christ ,,alone ,whosoever thou art who longest to enter upon this happy state or seekest to direct thither thy steps1 thus it behoveth thee to act4 ,first1 close1 as it were1 thine eyes1 and bar the doors of thy senses4 ,suffer not anything to entangle thy soul1 nor permit any care or trouble to penetrate within it4 ,shake off all earthly things1 counting them useless1 noxious1 and hurtful to thee4#h ,when thou hast done this1 enter wholly within thyself1 and fix thy gaze upon thy wounded ,jesus1 and upon ,him alone4 ,strive with all thy powers1 unwearyingly1 to reach ,god through ,himself1 that is1 through ,god made ,man1 that thou mayest attain to the knowledge of ,his ,divinity through the wounds of ,his ,sacred ,humanity4 ,in all simplicity and confidence abandon thyself and whatever concerns thee without reserve to ,god's unfailing ,providence1 according to the teaching of ,st4 ,peter3 ,casting all your care upon ,him1#i ,who can do all things4 ,and again it is written3 ,be nothing solicitous2#aj ,cast thy care upon the ,lord and ,he shall sustain thee2#aa ,it is good for me to adhere to my ,god2#ab ,i set the ,lord always in my sight2#ac ,i found ,him ,whom my soul loveth2#ad and ,now all good things came to me#ae together with ,him4 ,this is the hidden and heavenly treasure1 the precious pearl1 which is to be preferred before all4 ,this it is that we must seek with humble confidence and untiring effort1 yet in silence and peace4 ,it must be sought with a brave heart1 even though its price be the loss of bodily comfort1 of esteem1 and of honour4 ,lacking this1 what doth it profit a religious if he gain the whole world1 and suffer the loss of his own soul8#af4 ,of what value are the religious state1 the holiness of our profession1 the shaven head1 the outward signs of a life of abnegation1 if we lack the spirit of humility and truth1 in which ,christ dwells by faith and love8 ,st4 ,luke says3 ,the kingdom of ,god1 that is1 ,christ1 is within you4#ag ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,man',s ,,perfection ,,in ,,this ,,life ,in proportion as the mind is absorbed in the thought and care of the things of this world do we lose the fervour of our devotion1 and drift away from the things of ,heaven4 ,the greater1 on the other hand1 our diligence in withdrawing our powers from the memory1 love and thought of that which is inferior in order to fix them upon that which is above1 the more perfect will be our prayer1 the purer our contemplation4 ,the soul cannot give itself perfectly at the same time to two objects as contrary one to another as light to darkness2#ah for he who lives united to ,god dwells in the light1 he who clings to this world lives in darkness4 ,the highest perfection1 therefore1 of man in this life lies in this3 that he is so united to ,god that his soul with all its powers and faculties becomes recollected in ,him and is one spirit with ,him4#ai ,then it remembers naught save ,god1 nor does it relish or understand anything but ,him4 ,then all its affections1 united in the delights of love1 repose sweetly in the enjoyment of their ,creator4 ,the image of ,god which is imprinted upon the soul is found in the three powers of the reason1 memory1 and will4 ,but since these do not perfectly bear the ,divine likeness1 they have not the same resemblance to ,god as in the first days of man's creation4#bj ,god is the form of the soul upon which ,he must impress ,his own image1 as the seal on the wax or the stamp on the object it marks4#ba ,this can only be fully accomplished when the reason is wholly illuminated according to its capacity1 by the knowledge of ,god1 the ,sovereign ,truth2 the will entirely devoted to the love of the ,supreme ,good2 the memory absorbed in the contemplation and enjoyment of eternal felicity1 and in the sweet repose of so great a happiness4 ,as the perfect possession of this state constitutes the glory of the ,blessed in ,heaven1 it is clear that in its commencement consists the perfection of this life4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,that ,,our ,,labour ,,must ,,be ,,with ,,the ,,understanding ,,and ,,not ,,with ,,the ,,senses ,blessed is he who by continually cleansing his soul from the images and phantoms of earth draws its powers inward1 and thence lifts them up to ,god4 ,at length he in a manner forgets all images1 and by a simple and direct act of pure intellect and will contemplates ,god1 ,who is absolutely simple4 ,cast from thee1 therefore1 all phantoms1 images1 and forms1 and whatsoever is not ,god1#bb that all thy intercourse with ,him may proceed from an understanding1 affection1 and will1 alike purified4 ,this is1 in truth1 the end of all thy labours1 that thou mayest draw nigh unto ,god and repose in ,him within thy soul1 solely by thy understanding and by a fervent love1 free from entanglement or earthly image4 ,not by his bodily organs or outward senses does a man attain to this1 but by the intelligence and will1 which constitute him man4#bc ,so long as he lingers1 trifling with the objects of the imagination and senses1 he has not yet passed beyond the limits and instincts of his animal nature1 which he possesses in common with the brute beasts4 ,they know and feel through images and by their senses1 nor can it be otherwise1 for they have no higher powers4 ,not so is it with man1 who1 by his intelligence1 affections1 and will1 is created in the image and likeness of ,god4 ,hence it is by these powers that he ought1 without intermediary1 purely and directly to commune with ,god1 be united to ,him1 and cleave to ,him4#bd ,the ,devil does his very utmost to hinder us from this exercise1 for he beholds in it a beginning and a foretaste of eternal life1 and he is envious of man4 ,therefore he strives1 now by one temptation or passion1 now by another1 to turn away our thoughts from ,god4 ,at one time he assails us by arousing in us unnecessary anxiety1 foolish cares or troubles1 or by drawing us to irregular conversations and vain curiosity4 ,at another he ensnares us by subtle books1 by the words of others1 by rumours and novelties4 ,then1 again1 he has recourse to trials1 contradictions1 etc4 ,although these things may sometimes seem but very trifling faults1 if faults at all1 yet do they greatly hinder our progress in this holy exercise4 ,therefore1 whether great or small1 they must be resisted and driven from us as evil and harmful1 though they may seem useful and even necessary4 ,it is of great importance that what we have heard1 or seen1 or done1 or said1 should not leave their traces or fill our imagination4 ,neither before nor after1 nor at the time1 should we foster these memories or allow their images to be formed4 ,for when the mind is free from these thoughts1 we are not hindered in our prayer1 in meditation1 or the psalmody1 or in any other of our spiritual exercises1 nor do these distractions return to trouble us4 ,then shouldst thou readily and trustfully commit thyself and all that concerns thee to the unfailing and most sure ,providence of ,god1 in silence and peace4 ,he ,himself will fight for thee1 and will grant thee a liberty and consolation better1 nobler1 and sweeter than would be possible if thou gavest thyself up day and night to thy fancies1 to vain and wandering thoughts1 which hold captive the mind1 as they toss it hither and thither1 wearying soul and body1 and wasting uselessly alike thy time and strength4#be ,accept all things1 whatsoever their cause1 silently and with a tranquil mind1 as coming to thee from the fatherly hand of ,divine ,providence4 ,free thyself1 therefore1 from all the impressions of earthly things1 in so far as thy state and profession require1 so that with a purified mind and sincere affection thou mayest cleave to ,him to ,whom thou hast so often and so entirely vowed thyself4 ,let nothing remain which could come between thy soul and ,god1 that so thou mayest be able to pass surely and directly from the wounds of the ,sacred ,humanity to the brightness of the ,divinity4 ,,chapter ,v ,,of ,,purity ,,of ,,heart1 ,,which ,,is ,,to ,,be ,,sought ,,above ,,all ,,else ,wouldst thou journey by the shortest road1 the straight and safe way unto eternal bliss1 unto thy true country1 to grace and glory8 ,strive with all thy might to obtain habitual cleanness of heart1 purity of mind1 quiet of the senses4 ,gather up thy affections1 and with thy whole heart cleave unto ,god4 ,withdraw as much as thou canst from thy acquaintance and from all men1 and abstain from such affairs as would hinder thy purpose4 ,seek out with jealous care the place1 time1 and means most suited to quiet and contemplation1 and lovingly embrace silence and solitude4 ,beware the dangers of which the times are full2 fly the agitation of a world never at rest1 never still4#bf ,let thy chief study be to gain purity1 freedom1 and peace of heart4 ,close the doors of thy senses and dwell within1 shutting thy heart as diligently as thou canst against the shapes and images of earthly things4 ,of all the practices of the spiritual life purity of heart stands highest1 and rightly1 for it is the end and reward of all our labours1 and is found only with those who live truly according to the spirit and as good religious4 ,wherefore thou shouldst employ all thy diligence and skill in order to free thy heart1 senses1 and affections from whatever could trammel their liberty1 or could fetter or ensnare thy soul4 ,strive earnestly to gather in the wandering affections of thy heart and fix them on the love of the sole and pure ,truth1 the ,sovereign ,good2 then keep them1 as it were1 enchained within thee4 ,fix thy gaze unwaveringly upon ,god and ,divine things2 spurn the follies of earth and seek to be wholly transformed in ,jesus ,christ1 yea1 even to the heart's core4 ,when thou hast begun to cleanse and purify thy soul of earthly images1 and to unify and tranquillize thy heart and mind in ,god with loving confidence1 to the end that thou mayest taste and enjoy in all thy powers the torrents of ,his good pleasure1 and mayest fix thy will and intelligence in ,him1 then thou wilt no longer need to study and read the ,holy ,scriptures to learn the love of ,god and of thy neighbour1 for the ,holy ,spirit ,himself will teach thee4#bg ,spare no pains1 no labour1 to purify thy heart and to establish it in unbroken peace4 ,abide in ,god in the secret place of thy soul as tranquilly as though there had already risen upon thee the dawn of ,eternity1 the unending ,day of ,god4 ,strong in the love of ,jesus1 go forth from thyself1 with a heart pure1 a conscience at peace1 a faith unfeigned2 and in every trial1 every event1 commit thyself unreservedly to ,god1 having nothing so much at heart as perfect obedience to ,his will and good pleasure4 ,if thou wouldst arrive thus far1 it is needful for thee often to enter within thy soul and to abide therein1 disengaging thyself as much as thou canst from all things4 ,keep the eye of thy soul ever in purity and peace2 suffer not the form and images of this world to defile thy mind2 preserve thy will from every earthly care1 and let every fibre of thy heart be rooted in the love of the ,sovereign ,good4 ,thus will thy whole soul1 with all its powers1 be recollected in ,god and form but one spirit with ,him4 ,it is in this that the highest perfection possible to man here below consists4 ,this union of the spirit and of love1 by which a man conforms himself in everything to the supreme and eternal will1 enables us to become by grace what ,god is by ,his nature4#bh ,let us not forget this truth3 the moment a man1 by the help of ,god1 succeeds in overcoming his own will1 that is1 in freeing himself from every inordinate affection and care1 to cast himself and all his miseries unreservedly into the bosom of ,god1 that moment he becomes so pleasing to ,god that he receives the gift of grace4 ,grace brings charity1 and charity drives out all fear and hesitation1 and fills the soul with confidence and hope4 ,what is more blessed than to cast all our care on ,him ,who cannot fail8 ,as long as thou leanest upon thyself thou wilt totter4 ,cast thyself fearlessly into the arms of ,god4 ,he will embrace thee1 ,he will heal and save thee4#bi ,if thou wouldst ponder often upon these truths they would bring to thee more happiness than all the riches1 delights1 honours1 of this false world1 and would make thee more blessed than all the wisdom and knowledge of this corruptible life1 even though thou shouldst surpass all the wise men who have gone before thee4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,that ,a ,,man ,,truly ,,devout ,,must ,,seek ,,god ,,in ,,purity ,,of ,,mind ,,and ,,heart ,as thou goest forward in this work of ridding thee of every earthly thought and entanglement thou wilt behold thy soul regain her strength and the mastery of her inward senses1 and thou wilt begin to taste the sweetness of heavenly things4 ,learn1 therefore1 to keep thyself free from the images of outward and material objects1 for ,god loves with a special love the soul that is thus purified4 ,his delights are to be with the children of men1#cj that is1 with those who1 set free from earthly affairs and distractions1 and at peace from their passions1 offer ,him simple and pure hearts intent on ,him alone4 ,if the memory1 imagination1 and thoughts still dwell below1 it follows of necessity that fresh events1 memories of the past1 and other things will ensnare and drag thee down4 ,but the ,holy ,spirit abides not amid such empty thoughts4 ,the true friend of ,jesus ,christ must be so united by his intelligence and will to the ,divine will and goodness that his imagination and passions have no hold over him1 and that he troubles not whether men give him love or ridicule1 nor heeds what may be done to him4 ,know well that a truly good will does all and is of more value than all4 ,if the will is good1 wholly conformed and united to ,god1 and guided by reason1 it matters little that the flesh1 the senses1 the exterior man are inclined to evil and sluggish in good1 or even that a man find himself interiorly lacking in devotion4#ca ,it suffices that he remains with his whole soul inwardly united to ,god by faith and a good will4 ,this he will accomplish if1 knowing his own imperfection and utter nothingness1 he understands that all his happiness is in his ,creator4 ,then does he forsake himself1 his own strength and powers1 and every creature1 and hides himself in complete abandonment in the bosom of ,god4 ,to ,god are all his actions simply and purely directed4 ,he seeks nothing outside of ,god1 but knows that of a truth he has found in ,him all the good and all the happiness of perfection4 ,then will he be in some measure transformed in ,god4 ,he will no longer be able to think1 love1 understand1 remember aught save ,god and the things of ,god4 ,he will no longer behold himself or creatures save in ,god2 no love will possess him but the love of ,god1 nor will he remember creatures or even his own being1 save in ,god4 ,such a knowledge of the truth renders the soul humble1 makes her a hard judge towards herself1 but merciful to others1 while earthly wisdom puffs up the soul with pride and vanity4 ,behold1 this is wise and spiritual doctrine1 grounded upon the truth1 and leading unto the knowledge and service of ,god1 and to familiarity with ,him4 ,if thou desirest to possess ,him indeed1 thou must of necessity despoil thy heart of earthly affections1 not alone for persons1 but for every creature1 that thou mayest tend to the ,lord thy ,god with thy whole heart and with all thy strength1 freely1 simply1 without fear or solicitude1 trusting everything in entire confidence to ,his all-watchful ,providence4#cb ,,chapter ,,vii ,,on ,,the ,,practice ,,of ,,interior ,,recollection ,the author of the book entitled ,de ,spiritu et ,anima tells us 7chap4 xxi47#cc that to ascend to ,god means nothing else than to enter into oneself4 ,and1 indeed1 he who enters into the secret place of his own soul passes beyond himself1 and does in very truth ascend to ,god4 ,banish1 therefore1 from thy heart the distractions of earth and turn thine eyes to spiritual joys1 that thou mayest learn at last to repose in the light of the contemplation of ,god4 ,verily the soul's true life and her repose are to abide in ,god1 held fast by love1 and sweetly refreshed by the ,divine consolations4 ,but many are the obstacles which hinder us from tasting this rest1 and of our own strength we could never attain to it4 ,the reason is evident--the mind is distracted and preoccupied2 it cannot enter into itself by the aid of the memory1 for it is blinded by phantoms2 nor can it enter by the intellect1 for it is vitiated by the passions4 ,even the desire of interior joys and spiritual delights fails to draw it inward4 ,it lies so deeply buried in things sensible and transitory that it cannot return to itself as to the image of ,god4 ,how needful is it1 then1 that the soul1 lifted upon the wings of reverence and humble confidence1 should rise above itself and every creature by entire detachment1 and should be able to say within itself3 ,he ,whom ,i seek1 love1 desire1 among all1 more than all1 and above all1 cannot be perceived by the senses or the imagination1 for ,he is above both the senses and the understanding4 ,he cannot be perceived by the senses1 yet ,he is the object of all our desires2 ,he is without shape1 but ,he is supremely worthy of our heart's deepest love4 ,he is beyond compare1 and to the pure in heart greatly to be desired4 ,above all else is ,he sweet and love-worthy2 ,his goodness and perfection are infinite4 ,when thou shalt understand this1 thy soul will enter into the darkness of the spirit1 and will advance further and penetrate more deeply into itself4#cd ,thou wilt by this means attain more speedily unto the beholding in a dark manner of the ,trinity in ,unity1 and ,unity in ,trinity1 in ,christ ,jesus1 in proportion as thy effort is more inward2 and the greater is thy charity1 the more precious the fruit thou wilt reap4 ,for the highest1 in spiritual things1 is ever that which is most interior4 ,grow not weary1 therefore1 and rest not from thy efforts until thou hast received some earnest or foretaste of the fulness of joy that awaits thee1 and has obtained some first-fruits of the ,divine sweetness and delights4 ,cease not in thy pursuit till thou shalt behold the ,god of gods in ,sion4#ce ,in thy spiritual ascent and in thy search after a closer union with ,god thou must allow thyself no repose1 no slipping back1 but must go forward till thou hast obtained the object of thy desires4 ,follow the example of mountain-climbers4 ,if thy desires turn aside after the objects which pass below thou wilt lose thyself in byways and countless distractions4 ,thy mind will become dissipated and drawn in all directions by its desires4 ,thy progress will be uncertain1 thou wilt not reach thy goal1 nor find rest after thy labours4 ,if1 on the other hand1 the heart and mind1 led on by love and desire1 withdraw from the distractions of this world1 and little by little abandon baser things to become recollected in the one true and unchangeable ,good1 to dwell there1 held fast by the bonds of love1 then wilt thou grow strong1 and thy recollection will deepen the higher thou risest on the wings of knowledge and desire4 ,they who have attained to this dwell as by habit in the ,sovereign ,good1 and become at last inseparable from it4 ,true life1 which is ,god ,himself1 becomes their inalienable possession2#cf for ever1 free from all fear of the vicissitudes of time and change1#cg they repose in the peaceful enjoyment of this inward happiness1 and in sweet communication with ,god4 ,their abode is for ever fixed within their own souls1 in ,christ ,jesus1 ,who is to all who come to ,him the ,way1 the ,truth1 and the ,life4#ch ,,chapter ,,viii ,,that ,a ,,truly ,,devout ,,man ,,should ,,commit ,,himself ,,to ,,god ,,in ,,all ,,that ,,befalls ,,him ,from all that has hitherto been said1 thou hast understood1 if ,i mistake not1 that the more thou separatest thyself from earthly images and created objects1 and the closer thy union with ,god1 the nearer wilt thou approach to the state of innocence and perfection4 ,what could be happier1 better1 sweeter than this8 ,it is1 therefore1 of supreme importance that thou shouldst preserve thy soul so free from every trace or entanglement of earth that neither the world nor thy friends1 neither prosperity nor adversity1 things present1 past1 or future1 which concern thyself or others1 not even thine own sins above measure1 should have power to trouble thee4 ,think only how thou mayest live1 as it were1 alone with ,god1 removed from the world1 the simple and pure life of the spirit1 as though thy soul were already in eternity and separated from thy body4 ,there thou wouldst not busy thyself with earthly things1 nor be disquieted by the state of the world1 by peace or war1 fair skies or foul1 or anything here below4 ,but thou wouldst be absorbed and filled by ,his love4 ,strive even now in this present life to come forth in a manner from thy body and from every creature4 ,as far as thou canst1 fix the eye of thy soul steadfastly1 with unobscured gaze1 upon the uncreated light4 ,then will thy soul1 purified from the clouds of earth1 be like an ,angel in a human body1 no longer troubled by the flesh1 or disturbed by vain thoughts4 ,arm thyself against temptations1 persecutions1 injuries1 so that in adversity as in prosperity1 thou mayest still cleave to ,god in unbroken peace4 ,when trouble1 discouragement1 confusion of mind assail thee1 do not lose patience or be cast down4 ,do not betake thee to vocal prayers or other consolations1 but endeavour by an act of the will and reason to lift up thy soul and unite it to ,god1 whether thy sensual nature will or no4 ,the devout soul should be so united to ,god1 should so form and preserve her will in conformity to the ,divine will1 that she is no more occupied or allured by any creature than before it was created1 but lives as though there existed but ,god and herself4#ci ,she will receive in unvarying peace all that comes to her from the hand of ,divine ,providence4 ,in all things she will hope in the ,lord1 without losing patience1 peace1 or silence4 ,behold1 therefore1 of how great value it is in the spiritual life to be detached from all things1 that thou mayest be interiorly united to ,god and conformed to ,him4 ,moreover1 there will then be no longer anything to intervene between thy soul and ,god4 ,whence could it come8 ,not from without1 for the vow of voluntary poverty has despoiled thee of all earthly goods1 that of chastity has taken thy body4 ,nor could it come from within1 for obedience has taken from thee thy very will and soul4 ,there is now nothing left which could come between ,god and thyself4 ,that thou art a religious1 thy profession1 thy state1 thy habit and tonsure1 and the other marks of the religious life declare4 ,see to it whether thou art a religious in truth or only one in name4 ,consider how thou art fallen and how thou sinnest against the ,lord thy ,god and against ,his justice if thy deeds do not correspond with thy holy state1 if by will or desire thou clingest to the creature rather than to the ,creator1 or preferrest the creature to the ,creator4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,the ,,contemplation ,,of ,,god ,,is ,,to ,,be ,,preferred ,,above ,,all ,,other ,,exercises ,whatever exists outside of ,god is the work of ,his hands4 ,every creature is1 therefore1 a blending together of the actual and the possible1 and as such is in its nature limited4 ,born of nothing1 it is surrounded by nothingness1 and tends to nothingness4#dj ,of necessity the creature depends each moment upon ,god1 the supreme ,artist1 for its existence1 preservation1 power of action1 and all that it possesses4 ,it is utterly unable to accomplish its own work1 either for itself or for another1 and is impotent as a thing which is not before that which is1 the finite before the infinite4 ,it follows1 therefore1 that our life1 thoughts1 and works should be in ,him1 of ,him1 for ,him1 and directed to ,him1 ,who by the least sign of ,his will could produce creatures unspeakably more perfect than any which now exist4 ,it is impossible that there should be in the mind or heart a thought or a love more profitable1 more perfect or more blessed than those which rest upon ,god1 the ,almighty ,creator1 of ,whom1 in ,whom1 by ,whom1 towards ,whom all tend4 ,he suffices infinitely for ,himself and for others1 since from all eternity ,he contains within ,himself the perfections of all things4 ,there is nothing within ,him which is not ,himself4 ,in ,him and by ,him exist the causes of all transitory things2 in ,him are the immutable origins of all things that change1 whether rational or irrational4 ,all that happens in time has in ,him its eternal principle4 ,he fills all2 ,he is in all things by ,his essence1 by which ,he is more present and more near to them than they are to themselves4#da ,in ,him all things are united and live eternally4#db ,it is true that the weakness of our understanding or our want of experience#dc may oblige us to make use of creatures in our contemplation1 yet there is a kind of contemplation which is very fruitful1 good1 and real1 which seems possible to all4 ,whether he meditates on the creature or the ,creator1 every man may reach the point at which he finds all his joy in ,his ,creator1 ,god1 ,one in ,trinity1 and kindles the fire of ,divine love in himself or in others1 so as to merit eternal life4 ,we should notice here the difference which exists between the contemplation of ,christians and that of pagan philosophers4 ,the latter sought only their own perfection1 and hence their contemplation affected their intellect only2 they desired only to enrich their minds with knowledge4 ,but the contemplation of ,saints1 which is that of ,christians1 seeks as its end the love of the ,god ,whom they contemplate4 ,hence it is not content to find fruit for the intelligence1 but penetrates beyond to the will that it may there enkindle love4 ,the ,saints desired above all in their contemplation the increase of charity4 ,it is better to know ,jesus ,christ and possess ,him spiritually by grace1 than1 without grace1 to have ,him in the body1 or even in ,his essence4 ,the more pure a soul becomes and the deeper her recollection1 the clearer will be her inward vision4 ,she now prepares1 as it were1 a ladder upon which she may ascend to the contemplation of ,god4 ,this contemplation will set her on fire with love for all that is heavenly1 ,divine1 eternal1 and will cause her to despise as utter nothing all that is of time4 ,when we seek to arrive at the knowledge of ,god by the method of negation1 we first remove from our conception of ,him all that pertains to the body1 the senses1 the imagination4 ,then we reject even that which belongs to the reason1 and the idea of being as it is found in creatures4#dd ,this1 according to ,st4 ,denis1 is the best means of attaining to the knowledge of ,god1#de as far as it is possible in this world4 ,this is the darkness in which ,god dwells and into which ,moses entered that he might reach the light inaccessible4#df ,but we must begin1 not with the mind1 but with the body4 ,we must observe the accustomed order1 and pass from the labour of action to the repose of contemplation1 from the moral virtues to those of sublime contemplation4#dg ,why1 ,o my soul1 dost thou vainly wear thyself out in such multiplicity of things8 ,thou findest in them but poverty4 ,seek and love only that perfect good which includes in itself all good1 and it will suffice thee4 ,unhappy art thou if thou knowest and possessest all1 and art ignorant of this4 ,if thou knewest at the same time both this good and all other things1 this alone would render thee the happier4 ,therefore ,st4 ,john has written3 ,this is eternal life3 that they may know thee1#dh and the ,prophet3 ,i shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear4#di ,,chapter ,x ,,that ,,we ,,should ,,not ,,be ,,too ,,solicitous ,,for ,,actual ,,and ,,sensible ,,devotion1 ,,but ,,desire ,,rather ,,the ,,union ,,of ,,our ,,will ,,with ,,god ,seek not too eagerly after the grace of devotion1 sensible sweetness and tears1 but let thy chief care be to remain inwardly united to ,god by good will in the intellectual part of the soul4#ej ,of a truth nothing is so pleasing to ,god as a soul freed from all trace and image of created things4 ,a true religious should be at liberty from every creature that he may be wholly free to devote himself to ,god alone and cleave to ,him4 ,deny thyself1 therefore1 that thou mayest follow ,christ1 thy ,lord and ,god1 ,who was truly poor1 obedient1 chaste1 humble1 and suffering1 and ,whose life and death were a scandal to many1 as the ,gospel clearly shows4#ea ,the soul1 when separated from the body1 troubles not as to what becomes of the shell it has abandoned--it may be burnt1 hanged1 spoken evil of2 and the soul is not afflicted by these outrages1#eb but thinks only of eternity and of the one thing necessary1 of which the ,lord speaks in the ,gospel4#ec ,so shouldst thou regard thy body1 as though the soul were already freed from it4 ,set ever before thine eyes the eternal life in ,god1 which awaits thee1 and think on that only good of which the ,lord said3 ,one thing is necessary4#ed ,a great grace will then descend upon thy soul1 which will aid thee in acquiring purity of mind and simplicity of heart4 ,and1 indeed1 this treasure is close at thy doors4 ,turn from the images and distractions of earth1 and quickly shalt thou find it with thee and learn what it is to be united to ,god without hindrance or impediment4 ,then wilt thou gain an unshaken constancy1 which will strengthen thee to endure all that may befall thee4 ,thus was it with the martyrs1 the ,fathers1 the elect1 and all the blessed4 ,they despised all and thought only of possessing in ,god eternal security for their souls4 ,thus armed within and united to ,god by a good will1 they despised all that is of this world1 as though their soul had already departed from the body4 ,learn from them how great is the power of a good will united to ,god4 ,by that union of the soul with ,god it becomes1 as it were1 cut off from the flesh by a spiritual separation1 and regards the outward man from afar as something alien to it4 ,then1 whatever may happen inwardly or in the body will be as little regarded as though it had befallen another person or a creature without reason4 ,he who is united to ,god is but one mind with ,him4 ,out of regard1 therefore1 for ,his sovereign honour1 never be so bold as to think or imagine in ,his presence what thou wouldst blush to hear or see before men4 ,thou oughtest1 moreover1 to raise all thy thoughts to ,god alone1 and set ,him before thine inward gaze1 as though ,he alone existed4 ,so wilt thou experience the sweetness of ,divine union and even now make a true beginning of the life to come4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,in ,,what ,,manner ,,we ,,should ,,resist ,,temptation ,,and ,,endure ,,trials ,he who with his whole heart draws nigh unto ,god must of necessity be proved by temptation and trial4 ,when the sting of temptation is felt1 by no means give thy consent1 but bear all with patience1 sweetness1 humility1 and courage4 ,if thou art tempted to blasphemy or any shameful sin1 be well assured thou canst do nothing better than to utterly despise and contemn such thoughts4 ,blasphemy is indeed sinful1 scandalous1 and abominable1 yet be not anxious about such temptations1 but rather despise them1 and do not let thy conscience be troubled by them4 ,the enemy will most certainly be put to flight if thou wilt thus contemn both him and his suggestions4 ,he is too proud to endure scorn or contempt4 ,the best remedy is1 therefore1 to trouble no more about these thoughts than we do about the flies which1 against our will1 dance before our eyes4 ,let not the servant of ,christ thus easily and needlessly lose sight of his ,master's presence1 nor let him grow impatient1 murmur1 or complain of these flies2 ,i mean these light temptations1 suspicions1 sadness1 depression1 pusillanimity--mere nothings which a good will can put to flight by an elevation of the soul to ,god4 ,by a good will man makes ,god his ,master1 and the holy ,angels his guardians and protectors4 ,good will drives away temptation as the hand brushes away a fly4 ,peace1 therefore1 to men of good will4#ee ,in truth no better gift than this can be offered to ,god4 ,good will in the soul is the source of all good1 the mother of all virtues4 ,he who possesses it1 possesses without fear of loss all he needs to live a good life4#ef ,if thou desirest what is good and art not able to accomplish it1 ,god will reward thee for it as though thou hadst performed it4#eg ,he has established as an eternal and unchangeable law that merit should lie in the will1 and that upon the will should depend our future of ,heaven or hell1 reward or punishment4#eh ,charity itself consists in nothing else but a strong will to serve ,god1 a loving desire to please ,him1 and a fervent longing to enjoy ,him4 ,forget not1 therefore1 temptation is not sin1 but rather the means of proving virtue4 ,by it man may gain great profit1#ei and this the more inasmuch as the life of man upon earth is a warfare4#fj ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,love ,,of ,,god ,all that we have hitherto described1 all that is necessary for salvation1 can find in love alone its highest1 completest1 most beneficent perfection4 ,love supplies all that is wanting for our salvation2 it contains abundantly every good thing1 and lacks not even the presence of the supreme object of our desires4 ,it is by love alone that we turn to ,god1 are transformed into ,his likeness1 and are united to ,him1 so that we become one spirit with ,him1 and receive by and from ,him all our happiness3 here in grace1 hereafter in glory4 ,love can find no rest till she reposes in the full and perfect possession of the ,beloved4 ,it is by the path of love1 which is charity1 that ,god draws nigh to man1 and man to ,god1 but where charity is not found ,god cannot dwell4 ,if1 then1 we possess charity we possess ,god1 for ,god is charity4#fa ,there is nothing keener than love1 nothing more subtle1 nothing more penetrating4 ,love cannot rest till it has sounded all the depths and learnt the perfections of its ,beloved4 ,it desires to be one with ,him1 and1 if it could1 would form but one being with the ,beloved4 ,it is for this reason that it cannot suffer anything to intervene between it and the object loved1 which is ,god1 but springs forward towards ,him1 and finds no peace till it has overcome every obstacle1 and reached even unto the ,beloved4 ,love has the power of uniting and transforming2 it transforms the one who loves into him who is loved1 and him who is loved into him who loves4 ,each passes into the other1 as far as it is possible4 ,and first consider the intelligence4 ,how completely love transports the loved one into him who loves6 ,with what sweetness and delight the one lives in the memory of the other1 and how earnestly the lover tries to know1 not superficially but intimately1 all that concerns the object of his love1 and strives to enter as far as possible into his inner life6 ,think next of the will1 by which also the loved one lives in him who loves4 ,does he not dwell in him by that tender affection1 that sweet and deeply-rooted joy which he feels8 ,on the other hand1 the lover lives in the beloved by the sympathy of his desires1 by sharing his likes and dislikes1 his joys and sorrows1 until the two seem to form but one4 ,since love is strong as death1#fb it carries the lover out of himself into the heart of the beloved1 and holds him prisoner there4 ,the soul is more truly where it loves than where it gives life1 since it exists in the object loved by its own nature1 by reason and will2 whilst it is in the body it animates only by bestowing on it an existence which it shares with the animal creation4#fc ,there is1 therefore1 but one thing which has power to draw us from outward objects into the depths of our own souls1 there to form an intimate friendship with ,jesus4 ,nothing but the love of ,christ and the desire of ,his sweetness can lead us thus to feel1 to comprehend and experience the presence of ,his ,divinity4 ,the power of love alone is able to lift up the soul from earth to the heights of ,heaven1 nor is it possible to ascend to eternal beatitude except on the wings of love and desire4 ,love is the life of the soul1 its nuptial garment1 its perfection4#fd ,upon charity are based the law1 the prophets1 and the precepts of the ,lord4#fe ,hence the ,apostle wrote to the ,romans3 ,love is therefore the fulfilling of the law1#ff and in the first ,epistle to ,timothy3 ,the end of the commandment is charity4#fg ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,of ,,the ,,nature ,,and ,,advantages ,,of ,,prayer--,,of ,,interior ,,recollection ,of ourselves we are utterly unable to attain to charity or any other good thing4 ,we have naught to offer to the ,lord1 the ,author of all1 which was not ,his already4 ,one thing alone remains to us3 that in every occurrence we should turn to ,him in prayer1 as ,he ,himself taught us by word and example4 ,let us go to ,him as guilty1 poor1 and miserable1 as beggars1 weak and needy1 as subjects and slaves1 yet as ,his children4 ,of ourselves we are utterly destitute4 ,what can we do but cast ourselves at ,his feet in deepest humility1 holy fear mingling in our souls with love1 peace1 and recollection8 ,and while we are fain to draw nigh with all lowliness and modesty1 with minds sincere and simple1 let our hearts burn with great desires1 with ardour and heartfelt longings4 ,and so let us supplicate our ,god1 and lay before ,him with entire confidence the perils which menace us on every side4 ,let us freely1 unhesitatingly1 and in all simplicity1 confide ourselves to ,him1 and offer ,him our whole being1 even to the last fibre1 for are we not in truth absolutely ,his8 ,let us keep nothing for ourselves1 and then will be fulfilled in us the saying of ,blessed ,isaac1 one of the ,fathers of the ,desert1 who1 speaking of this kind of prayer1 said3 ,we shall be one being with ,god1 and ,he will be all in all to us1 when that perfect charity by which ,he loved us first has entered into our inmost hearts4#fh ,this will be accomplished when ,god alone becomes the object of all our love1 our desires1 our striving1 of all our efforts and thoughts1 of all that we behold1 speak of1 hope for2 when that union which exists between the ,father and the ,son1 and between the ,son and the ,father shall be found also in our mind and soul4 ,since ,his love for us is so pure1 sincere1 and unchanging1 ought not we in return to give ,him a love constant and uninterrupted8 ,so intimate should be our union with ,him that our hopes1 thoughts1 prayers breathe only ,god4#fi ,the truly spiritual man should set before him1 as the goal of all his efforts and desires1 the possession even in a mortal body1 of an image of the happiness to come1 and the enjoyment even here below of some foretaste of the delights1 the life1 and glory of ,heaven4 ,this1 ,i say1 is the end of all perfection--that the soul may become so purified from every earthly longing1 and so raised to spiritual things1 that at last the whole life and the desires of the heart form one unbroken prayer4 ,when the soul has thus shaken off the dust of earth and aspires unto her ,god1 to ,whom the true religious ever directs his intention1 dreading the least separation from ,him as a most cruel death2 when peace reigns within and she is delivered from the bondage of her passions and cleaves with firmest purpose to the one ,sovereign ,good1 then will be fulfilled in her the words of the ,apostle3 ,pray without ceasing1#gj and in every place1 lifting up pure hands1 without anger and contention4#ga ,when once this purity of soul has gained the victory over man's natural inclination for the things of sense1 when all earthly longings are quenched and the soul is1 as it were1 transformed into the likeness of pure spirits or ,angels1 then all she receives1 all she undertakes1 all she does1 will be a pure and true prayer4 ,only persevere faithfully in thy efforts and1 as ,i have shown from the beginning1 it will become as simple and easy for thee to contemplate ,god and rejoice in ,him in thy recollection as to live a purely natural life4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,that ,,everything ,,should ,,be ,,judged ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,testimony ,,of ,,our ,,conscience ,there is also another practice which will tend greatly to thy progress in spiritual perfection1 and will aid thee to gain purity of soul and tranquil rest in ,god4 ,whatever men say or think of thee1 bring it before the tribunal of thine own conscience4 ,enter within thyself1 and there1 turning a deaf ear to all else1 set thyself to learn the truth4 ,then wilt thou see clearly that the praise and honour of men bring thee no profit1 but rather loss1 if thou knowest that thou art guilty and worthy of condemnation in the sight of truth4 ,and1 just as it is useless to be honoured outwardly by men if thy conscience accuse thee within1 so in like manner is it no loss to thee if men despise1 blame1 or persecute thee without1 if within thou art innocent and free from reproach or blame4 ,nay1 rather1 thou hast then great reason to rejoice in the ,lord in patience1 silence1 and peace4 ,adversity is powerless to harm where sin has no dominion2 and just as there is no evil which goes unpunished1 so is there no good without recompense4 ,seek not with the hypocrites thy reward and crown from men1 but rather from the hand of ,god1 not now1 but hereafter2 not for a passing moment1 but for eternity4 ,thou canst1 therefore1 do nothing higher nor better in every tribulation or occurrence than enter into the sanctuary of thy soul1 and there call upon the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 thy helper in temptation and affliction4 ,there shouldst thou humble thyself1 confessing thy sins1 and praising thy ,god and ,father1 ,who both chastises and consoles4 ,there dispose thyself to accept with unruffled peace1 readiness1 and confidence from the hands of ,god's unfailing ,providence and marvellous wisdom all that is sent thee of prosperity or adversity1 whether touching thyself or others4 ,then wilt thou obtain remission of thy sins2#gb bitterness will be driven from thy soul1 sweetness and confidence will penetrate it1 grace and mercy will descend upon it4 ,then a sweet familiarity will draw thee on and strengthen thee1 abundant consolation will flow to thee from the bosom of ,god4 ,then thou wilt adhere to ,him and form an indissoluble union with ,him4 ,but beware of imitating hypocrites who1 like the ,pharisees1 try to appear outwardly before men more holy than they know themselves in truth to be4 ,is it not utter folly to seek or desire human praise and glory for oneself or others1 while within we are filled with shameful and grievous sins8 ,assuredly he who pursues such vanities can hope for no share in the good things of which we spoke just now1 but shame will infallibly be his lot4 ,keep thy worthlessness and thy sins ever before thine eyes1 and learn to know thyself that thou mayest grow in humility4 ,shrink not from being regarded by all the world as filthy mud1 vile and abject1 on account of thy grievous sins and defects4 ,esteem thyself among others as dross in the midst of gold1 as tares in the wheat1 straw among the grain1 as a wolf among the sheep1 as ,satan among the children of ,god4 ,neither shouldst thou desire to be respected by others1 or preferred to anyone whatsoever4 ,fly rather with all thy strength of heart and soul from that pestilential poison1 the venom of praise1 from a reputation founded on boasting and ostentation1 lest1 as the ,prophet says1 ,the sinner is praised in the desires of his soul4#gc ,again1 in ,isaias1 we read3 ,they that call thee blessed1 the same deceive thee1 and destroy the way of thy steps4#gd ,also the ,lord says3 ,woe to you when men shall bless you6#ge ,,chapter ,,xv ,,on ,,the ,,contempt ,,of ,,self3 ,,how ,,it ,,is ,,acquired3 ,,its ,,profit ,,to ,,the ,,soul ,the more truly a man knows his own misery1 the more fully and clearly does he behold the majesty of ,god4 ,the more vile he is in his own eyes for the sake of ,god1 of truth1 and of justice1 the more worthy of esteem is he in the eyes of ,god4 ,strive earnestly1 therefore1 to look on thyself as utterly contemptible1 to think thyself unworthy of any benefit1 to be displeasing in thine own eyes1 but pleasing to ,god4 ,desire that others should regard thee as vile and mean4 ,learn not to be troubled in tribulations1 afflictions1 injuries2 not to be incensed against those that inflict them1 nor to entertain thoughts of resentment against them4 ,try1 on the contrary1 sincerely to believe thyself worthy of all injuries1 contempt1 ill-treatment and scorn4 ,in truth1 he who for ,god's sake is filled with sorrow and compunction dreads to be honoured and loved by another4 ,he does not refuse to be an object of hatred1 or shrink from being trodden under foot and despised as long as he lives1 in order that he may practise real humility and cleave in purity of heart to ,god alone4 ,it does not require exterior labour or bodily health to love ,god only1 to hate oneself more than all1 to desire to seem little in the eyes of others3 what is needed is rather repose of the senses1 the effort of the heart1 silence of the mind4 ,it is by labouring with the heart1 by the inward aspiration of the soul1 that thou wilt learn to forsake the base things of earth and to rise to what is heavenly and ,divine4 ,thus wilt thou become transformed in ,god1 and this the more speedily if1 in all sincerity1 without condemning or despising thy neighbour1 thou desirest to be regarded by all as a reproach and scandal--nay1 even to be abhorred as filthy mire1 rather than possess the delights of earth1 or be honoured and exalted by men1 or enjoy any advantage or happiness in this fleeting world4 ,have no other desire in this perishable life of the body1 no other consolation than unceasingly to weep over1 regret and detest thy offences and faults4 ,learn utterly to despise thyself1 to annihilate thyself and to appear daily more contemptible in the eyes of others4 ,strive to become even more unworthy in thine own eyes1 in order to please ,god alone1 to love ,him only and cling to ,him4 ,concern not thyself with anything except thy ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,who ought to reign alone in thy affections4 ,have no solicitude or care save for ,him ,whose power and ,providence give movement and being to all things4#gf ,it is not now the time to rejoice but rather to lament with all the sincerity of thy heart4 ,if thou canst not weep1 sorrow at least that thou hast no tears to shed2 if thou canst1 grieve the more because by the gravity of thy offences and number of thy sins thou art thyself the cause of thy grief4 ,a man under sentence of death does not trouble himself as to the dispositions of his executioners2 so he who truly mourns and sheds the tears of repentance1 refrains from delight1 anger1 vainglory1 indignation1 and every like passion4 ,citizens and criminals are not lodged in like abodes2 so also the life and conduct of those whose faults call for sighs and tears should not resemble those of men who have remained innocent and have nothing to expiate4 ,were it otherwise1 how would the guilty1 great though their crimes may have been1 differ in their punishment and expiation from the innocent8 ,iniquity would then be more free than innocence4 ,renounce all1 therefore1 contemn all1 separate thyself from all1 that thou mayest lay deep the foundations of sincere penance4 ,he who truly loves ,jesus ,christ1 and sorrows for ,him1 who bears ,him in his heart and in his body1 will have no thought1 or care1 or solicitude for aught else4 ,such a one will sincerely mourn over his sins and offences1 will long after eternal happiness1 will remember the ,judgment and will think diligently on his last end in lowly fear4 ,he1 then1 who wishes to arrive speedily at a blessed impassibility and to reach ,god1 counts that day lost on which he has not been ill-spoken of and despised4 ,what is this impassibility but freedom from the vices and passions1 purity of heart1 the adornment of virtue8 ,count thyself as already dead1 since thou must needs die some day4 ,and now1 but one word more4 ,let this be the test of thy thoughts1 words1 and deeds4 ,if they render thee more humble1 more recollected in ,god1 more strong1 then they are according to ,god4 ,but if thou findest it otherwise1 then fear lest all is not according to ,god1 acceptable to ,him1 or profitable to thyself4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,of ,,the ,,providence ,,of ,,god1 ,,which ,,watches ,,over ,,all ,,things ,wouldst thou draw nigh unto ,god without let or hindrance1 freely and in peace1 as we have described8 ,desirest thou to be united and drawn to ,him in a union so close that it will endure in prosperity and adversity1 in life and in death8 ,delay not to commit all things with trustful confidence into the hands of ,his sure and infallible ,providence4 ,is it not most fitting that thou shouldst trust ,him ,who gives to all creatures1 in the first place1 their existence1 power1 and movement1 and1 secondly1 their species and nature1 ordering in all their number1 weight1 and measure8 ,just as ,art presupposes the operations of ,nature1 so ,nature presupposes the work of ,god1 the ,creator1 ,preserver1 ,organizer1 and ,administrator4 ,to ,him alone belong infinite power1 wisdom1 and goodness1 essential mercy1 justice1 truth1 and charity1 immutable eternity1 and immensity4 ,nothing can exist and act of its own power1 but every creature acts of necessity by the power of ,god1 the first moving cause1 the first principle and origin of every action1 ,who acts in every active being4 ,if we consider the ordered harmony of the universe1 it is the ,providence of ,god which must arrange all things1 even to the smallest details4 ,from the infinitely great to the infinitely small nothing can escape ,his eternal ,providence2 nothing has been drawn from ,his control1 either in the acts of free-will1 in events we ascribe to chance or fate1 or in what has been designed by ,him4 ,we may go further3 it is as impossible for ,god to make anything which does not fall within the dominion of ,his ,providence as it is for ,him to create anything which is not subject to ,his action4 ,divine ,providence1 therefore1 extends over all things1 even the thoughts of man4 ,this is the teaching of ,holy ,scripture1 for in the ,epistle of ,st4 ,peter it is written3 ,casting all your care upon ,him1 for ,he hath care of you4#gg ,and1 again1 the ,prophet says3 ,cast thy care upon the ,lord and ,he shall sustain thee4#gh ,also in ,ecclesiasticus we read3 ,my children1 behold the generations of men2 and know ye that no one hath hoped in the ,lord1 and hath been confounded4 ,for who hath continued in ,his commandment1 and hath been forsaken8#gi ,and the ,lord says3 ,be not solicitous1 therefore1 saying1 ,what shall we eat8#hj ,all that thou canst hope for from ,god1 however great it may be1 thou shalt without doubt receive1 according to the promise in ,deuteronomy3 ,every place that your foot shall tread upon shall be yours4#ha ,as much as thou canst desire thou shalt receive1 and as far as the foot of thy confidence reaches1 so far thou shalt possess4 ,hence ,st4 ,bernard says3 ,god1 the ,creator of all things1 is so full of mercy and compassion that whatever may be the grace for which we stretch out our hands1 we shall not fail to receive it4#hb ,it is written in ,st4 ,mark3 ,whatsoever ye shall ask when ye pray1 believe that you shall receive1 and they shall come unto you4#hc ,the greater and more persistent thy confidence in ,god1 and the more earnestly thou turnest to ,him in lowly reverence1 the more abundantly and certainly shalt thou receive all thou dost hope and ask4 ,but if1 on account of the number and magnitude of his sins1 the confidence of any should languish1 let him who feels this torpor remember that all is possible to ,god1 that what ,he wills must infallibly happen1 and what ,he wills not cannot come to pass1 and1 finally1 that it is as easy for ,him to forgive and blot out innumerable and heinous sins as to forgive one4 ,on the other hand1 it is just as impossible for a sinner to deliver himself from a single sin as it would be for him to raise and cleanse himself from many sins2 for1 not only are we unable to accomplish this1 but of ourselves we cannot even think what is right4#hd ,all comes to us from ,god4 ,it is1 however1 far more dangerous1 other things being equal1 to be entangled in many sins than to be held only by one4 ,in truth1 no evil remains unpunished1 and for every mortal sin is due1 in strict justice1 an infinite punishment1 because a mortal sin is committed against ,god1 to ,whom belong infinite greatness1 dignity1 and glory4 ,moreover1 according to the ,apostle1 the ,lord knoweth who are ,his1#he and it is impossible that one of them should perish1 no matter how violently the tempests and waves of error rage1 how great the scandal1 schisms and persecutions1 how grievous the adversities1 discords1 heresies1 tribulations1 or temptations of every kind4 ,the number of the elect and the measure of their merit is eternally and unalterably predestined4 ,so true is this that all the good and evil which can happen to them or to others1 all prosperity and adversity1 serve only to their advantage4 ,nay more1 adversity does but render them more glorious1 and proves their fidelity more surely4 ,delay not1 therefore1 to commit all things without fear to the ,providence of ,god1 by ,whose permission all evil of whatever kind happens1 and ever for some good end4 ,it could not be except ,he permitted it2 its form and measure are allowed by ,him ,who can and will by ,his wisdom turn all to good4 ,just as it is by ,his action that all good is wrought1 so is it by ,his permission that all evil happens4#hf ,but from the evil ,he draws good1 and thus marvellously shows forth ,his power1 wisdom1 and clemency by our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,so also ,he manifests ,his mercy and ,his justice1 the power of grace1 the weakness of nature1 and the beauty of the universe4 ,so ,he shows by the force of contrast the glory of the good1 and the malice and punishment of the wicked4 ,in like manner1 in the conversion of a sinner we behold contrition1 confession1 and penance2 and1 on the other hand1 the tenderness of ,god1 ,his mercy and charity1 ,his glory and ,his goodness4 ,yet sin does not always turn to the good of those who commit it2 but it is usually the greatest of perils and worst of ills1 for it causes the loss of grace and glory4 ,it stains the soul and provokes chastisement and even eternal punishment4 ,from so great an evil may our ,lord ,jesus vouchsafe to preserve us6 ,amen4 ,r4 ,,and ,t4 ,,washbourne1 ,,ltd41 ,,printers1 ,,london4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,following the general tradition1 we attribute this work to ,albert the ,great1 but not all critics are agreed as to its authenticity4 #b ,albert the ,great is speaking here in a special manner of religious perfection1 although what he says is also true of ,christian perfection in general4 #c ,he speaks here of the obligation laid upon all ,christians4 #d ,religious bind themselves to observe as a duty that which was only of counsel4 ,to them1 therefore1 the practice of the counsels becomes an obligation4 #e ,the vows of religion have as their immediate object the removal of obstacles to perfection1 but they do not in themselves constitute perfection4 ,perfection consists in charity4 ,albert the ,great speaks of only one vow1 because in his day the formulas of religious profession mentioned only the vow of obedience1 which includes the other two vows4 #f ,john iv4 #bd4 #g ,matt4 vi4 #f4 #h ,when ,albert the ,great and the other mystics warn us against solicitude with regard to creatures1 they refer to that solicitude which is felt for creatures in themselves2 they do not mean that we ought not to occupy ourselves with them in any way for ,god's sake4 ,the great doctor explains his meaning in clear terms later on in this work4 #i #a ,pet4 v4 #g4 #aj ,phil4 iv4 #f4 #aa ,ps4 liv4 #bc4 #ab ,ps4 lxxii4 #bh4 #ac ,ps4 xv4 #h4 #ad ,cant4 iii4 #d4 #ae ,wis4 vii4 #aa4 #af ,matt4 xvi4 #bf4 #ag ,luke xvii4 #ba4 #ah ,albert the ,great supposes here that we give ourselves equally to ,god and to creatures1 which would be wrong1 and not that creatures are subordinated to ,god1 which would be a virtue4 #ai ,this must be understood to mean that ,god is the principal and supreme end of all created activities4 #bj ,the perfect image of ,god in man does not consist merely in the possession of those faculties by which we resemble ,him1 but rather in performing by faith and love1 as far as is in our power1 acts like those which ,he performs1 in knowing ,him as ,he knows ,himself1 in loving ,him as ,he loves ,himself4 #ba ,in scholastic theology the term form is used of that which gives to anything its accidental or substantial being4 ,god is the accidental form of the soul1 because in giving it its activity ,he bestows upon it something of ,his own activity1 by means of sanctifying grace4 ,yet more truly may it be said that ,god is also the form of the soul in the sense that it is destined by the ordinary workings of ,providence to participate by sanctifying grace in the ,being of ,god1 enjoying thus a participation real1 though created1 in the ,divine nature4 #bb ,we must avoid these things in so far as they separate us from ,god1 but they may also serve to draw us nearer to ,him if we regard them in ,god and for ,god4 #bc ,it is by the intelligence and will that man actually attains to this1 but the use of the sensitive faculties is presupposed4 #bd ,the sensitive faculties1 if used as a means1 often help us to draw near to ,god1 but when used as an end1 their activity becomes an obstacle4 #be ,this teaching is the ,christian rendering of the axiom formulated by the ,philosopher3 ,homo sedendo fit sapiens--,it is in quiet that man gains wisdom4 #bf ,this is especially true for religious4 #bg ,by this is meant that the ,holy ,scriptures1 though always presupposed as the foundation of our belief1 of themselves give only an objective knowledge of ,god1 while that which the ,holy ,ghost gives is experimental4 #bh ,god knows and loves ,himself in ,himself by ,his own nature1 while we know and love ,him in ,himself by grace4 #bi ,a very striking feature in the doctrine of this book is that it requires first the perfection of the soul and the faculties1 whence proceeds that of our actions4 ,some modern authors1 confining themselves to casuistry1 speak almost exclusively of the perfection of actions1 a method less logical and less thorough4 #cj ,prov4 viii4 #ca4 #ca ,the exterior powers of a man are the imagination and passions2 the interior his intelligence and will1 which sometimes find themselves deprived of all the aids of sensible devotion4 #cb ,in truth1 all the designs of ,god in our regard are full of mercy1 and tend especially to our sanctification2 the obstacles to these designs come only from our evil passions4 #cc ,the book ,de ,spiritu et ,anima is of uncertain authorship4 ,it is printed after the works of ,st4 ,augustine in ,migne's ,patrologia ,latina1 vol4 xl41 #ggi4 #cd ,this darkness is the silence of the imagination1 which no longer gains a hearing1 and that of the intellect1 which is sufficiently enlightened to understand that we can in reality understand nothing of the ,divinity in itself1 and that the best thing we can do is to remove from our conception of ,god all those limitations which we observe in creatures4 ,the reason of this is that we can only know ,god naturally by means of what we see in creatures1 and these are always utterly insufficient to give us an adequate idea of the ,creator4 #ce ,ps4 lxxxiii4 #h4 #cf ,we only lose ,god1 the uncreated ,good1 by an unlawful attachment to created good2 if we are free from this attachment1 we tend to ,him without effort4 #cg ,the subsequent condemnation1 in #afhg1 of this doctrine1 as taught by ,molino1 could not1 of course1 be foreseen by ,blessed ,albertus writing in the thirteenth century4 #ch ,john xiv4 #f4 #ci ,and this she does because creatures no longer occupy her1 except for ,god's sake4 #dj ,this is so because1 according to true philosophy1 the essence of a thing is distinct from its existence4 #da ,every actual cause is more intimately present to its accomplished work than the work itself1 which it necessarily precedes4 #db ,john i4 #c1 #d4 #dc ,we cannot always experience ,divine things1 and at first we can only compare them to the things which we experience here below4 #dd ,we deny that there is in ,god anything which is a mere potentiality1 or an imperfection4 ,we deny in ,him also the process of reasoning which is the special work of the faculty of reason1 because this implies the absence of the vision of truth4 ,we deny being as it is found in creatures1 because in creatures it is necessarily limited1 and subject to accident4 #de ,nom4 ,div41 i4 #df ,exod4 xxxiii4 #aa2 ,num4 xii4 #h2 ,heb4 iii4 #b4 #dg ,it would be well to quote ,st4 ,thomas1 the disciple of ,albert the ,great1 upon this important doctrine3 ,a thing may be said to belong to the contemplative life in two senses1 either as an essential part of it1 or as a preliminary disposition4 ,the moral virtues do not belong to the essence of contemplation1 whose sole end is the contemplation of truth4444 ,but they belong to it as a necessary predisposition 444 because they calm the passions and the tumult of exterior preoccupations1 and so facilitate contemplation 7,sum41 #b1 #b;ae1 q4 #ahj1 a4 #b74 ,this distinction should never be lost sight of in reading the mystic books of the scholastics4 #dh ,john xvii4 #c4 #di ,ps4 xvi4 #ae4 #ej ,this admirable doctrine condemns a whole mass of insipid1 shallow1 affected and sensual books and ideas1 which have in modern times flooded the world of piety1 have banished from souls more wholesome thoughts1 and filled them with a questionable and injurious sentimentality4 #ea ,matt4 xi4 #f2 xiii4 #eg1 etc4 #eb ,this shows an excellent grasp of the meaning of the celebrated maxim ,perinde ac cadaver4 #ec ,luke x4 #db4 #ed ,ibid4 #ee ,luke ii4 #ad4 #ef ,nothing could be more conformable to the teaching of the ,gospel than this doctrine4 ,at ,his birth ,jesus bids the ,angels sing that peace belongs to men of good will 7,luke ii4 #ad72 later ,he will declare that ,his meat is to do the will of ,his ,father 7,john iv4 #cd72 that ,he seeks not ,his own will1 but the will of ,him ,who sent ,him 7,john v4 #cj72 that ,he came down from heaven to accomplish it 7,john vi4 #ch72 and when face to face with death ,he will still pray that the ,father's will be done1 not ,his 7,matt4 xxvi4 #ci2 ,luke xxii4 #db74 ,over and over again1 in the ,gospel1 do we find ,him using the same language4 ,he would have ,his disciples act in the same manner4 ,it is not the man1 ,he tells us1 who repeats the words3 ,my ,father1 my ,father1 who shall enter into the ,kingdom of ,heaven1 but he who does the will of ,god 7,matt4 vii4 #ba2 ,rom4 ii4 #ac2 ,jas4 i4 #bb72 and in the prayer which ,he dictates to us ,he bids us ask for the accomplishment of this will as the means of glorifying ,god1 and of sanctifying our souls 7,matt4 vi4 #aj74 ,finally1 ,he tells us that if we conform ourselves to this sovereign will1 we shall be ,his brethren 7,matt4 xii4 #ej2 ,mark iii4 #ce74 ,when certain persons1 pious or otherwise1 confusing sentiment with true love1 ask themselves if they love ,god1 or if they will be able to love ,him always1 we have only to ask them the same question in other words3 ,are they doing the will of ,god8 can they do it8--i4e41 can they perform their duty for ,god's sake8 ,put thus1 the question resolves itself4 ,the reason for such a doctrine is very simple3 to love anyone is to wish him well2 that1 in the case of ,god1 is to desire ,his beneficent will towards us4 ,our ,lord and ,master recalled this principle when ,he said to ,his disciples1 ,you are ,my friends1 if you do the things that ,i command you 7,john xv4 #ad74 #eg ,we must1 in virtue of the same principle1 keep a firm hold of the truth1 as indisputable as it is frequently forgotten1 that we have the merit of the good which we will to carry out and are unable to accomplish1 as we have also the demerit of the evil we should have done and could not4 #eh ,upon the will depends our future of ,heaven or hell1 because1 given the knowledge of ,god1 the will attaches itself to ,him by love1 or hates ,him with obstinacy4 #ei ,we may notice1 in particular1 a three-fold benefit3 first1 temptation calls for conflict1 and so strengthens virtue2 then it obliges a man to adhere deliberately to that virtue which is assailed by the temptation1 and so gain a further perfection2 finally1 there are necessarily included in both the conflict and the adherence to good numerous virtuous1 and therefore meritorious1 acts4 ,thus we may reap advantage from temptation both in our dispositions and our acts4 #fj ,job vii4 #a4 #fa #a ,john iv4 #h4 #fb ,cant4 viii4 #f4 #fc ,the author is speaking here of the soul in so far as it is human1 and it is as such that it is more where it loves than where it gives life4 #fd ,without charity there is no perfect virtue1 since without it no virtue can lead man to his final end1 which is ,god1 although it may lead him to some lower end4 ,it is in this sense that1 according to the older theologians1 charity is the form of the other virtues1 since by it the acts of all the other virtues are supernaturalized and directed to their true end--i4e41 to ,god4 ,cf4 ,st4 ,th4 ,sum41 #b1 #b;ae1 q4 #bc1 aa4 #g1 #h4 #fe ,matt4 xxii4 #dj4 #ff ,rom4 xiii4 #aj4 #fg #a ,tim4 i4 #e4 #fh ,god can only love ,himself or creatures for ,his own sake2 if we have this love within our souls we shall be in a certain sense one being with ,him4 #fi ,this teaching is based on the definition that prayer is essentially an elevation of the soul to ,god4 #gj #a ,thess4 v4 #ag4 #ga #a ,tim4 ii4 #h4 #gb ,remission may be obtained in this way of the fault in the case of venial sins1 of the punishment due in all sins4 #gc ,ps4 ix4 #bd4 #gd ,isa4 iii4 #ab4 #ge ,luke vi4 #bf4 #gf ,st4 ,thomas explains as follows both the possibility and the correctness of this opinion of ourselves3 ,a man can1 without falsehood1 believe and declare himself viler than all others1 both on account of the secret faults which he knows to exist within him1 and on account of the gifts of ,god hidden in the souls of others4 ,st4 ,augustine1 in his work ,de ,virginit41 ch4 lii41 says3 ,believe that others are better than you in the depths of their souls1 although outwardly you may appear better than they4 ,in the same way one may truthfully both say and believe that one is altogether useless and unworthy in his own strength4 ,the ,apostle says 7#b ,cor4 iii4 #e73 ,not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves1 as of ourselves1 but our sufficiency is from ,god 7,sum41 #b1 #b;ae1 q4 #afa1 a4 #f1 #am74 #gg #a ,pet4 v4 #g4 #gh ,ps4 liv4 #bc4 #gi ,ecclus4 ii4 #aa1 #ab4 #hj ,matt4 vi4 #ca4 #ha ,deut4 xi4 #bd4 #hb ,cf4 ,serm4 ,i4 in ,pent4 #hc ,mark xi4 #bd4 #hd #b ,cor4 iii4 #e4 #he #b ,tim4 ii4 #ai4 #hf ,the teaching of ,albert the ,great on ,divine ,providence is truly admirable4 ,it is based upon the axiom that the actions of the creature do not depend partly upon itself and partly upon ,god1 but wholly upon itself and wholly upon ,god 7cf4 ,st4 ,thomas ,cont4 ,gent41 iii4 #gj74 ,human causality is not parallel with the ,divine1 but subordinate to it1 as the scholastics teach4 ,this doctrine alone safeguards the action of ,god and of that of the creature4 ,the doctrine of parallelism derogates from both1 and leads to fatalism by attributing to ,god things which ,he has not done1 and suppressing for man the necessary principle of all good1 especially that of liberty4 ,it is the doctrine of subordinated causes also which explains how things decreed by ,god are determined by the supreme authority1 and infallibly come to pass1 without prejudice to the freedom of action of secondary causes4 ,all this belongs to the highest theology4 ,unhappily1 certain modern authors have forgotten it4 ,the ,angelus ,series ,,of ,authorized ,translations of ,standard ,foreign ,works1 ,original ,works1 and ,selections ,,the ,,first ,,seven ,,volumes ,,are ,,on ,,kindness4 ,by ,very ,rev4 ,j4 ,,guibert1 ,s4,s4 #bj1jjj ,copies sold in ,france4 ,,on ,,character4 ,by ,very ,rev4 ,j4 ,,guibert1 ,s4,s4 #ah1jjj ,copies sold in ,france4 ,,on ,,thanksgiving4 ,selected from ,father ,faber's ,works4 ,by the ,hon4 ,,alison ,,stourton4 ,,from ,a ,,garden ,,jungle4 ,by ,,an ,,unpaid ,,secretary4 ,,on ,,piety4 ,by ,very ,rev4 ,j4 ,,guibert1 ,s4,s4 #ac1jjj ,copies sold in ,france4 ,,on ,,the ,,exercises ,,of ,,piety4 ,by ,very ,rev4 ,j4 ,,guibert1 ,s4,s4 #ac1jjj ,copies sold in ,france4 ,,on ,,union ,,with ,,god4 ,by ,blessed ,,albert ,,the ,,great1 ,o4,p4 ,with notes by ,rev4 ,p4 ,j4 ,,berthier1 ,o4,p4 ,,other ,,volumes ,,in ,,preparation4 ,art linen1 gilt1 with ingrained paper sides1 #as4 #c;d4 net4 ,paste-grain leather1 gilt top and back1 #bs4 #f;d4 net4 ,,london3 ,r4 ,t4 ,,washbourne1 ,,ltd41 ,,paternoster ,,row4 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,passages in italics or underlined are indicated by italics4 ,passages in bold are indicated by bold4 ,superscripted letters are indicated by superscript4