THIS Perfectiō requi­reth a firme and reso­lute desire in the soule that vndertaketh it, & a determinate and set [...]ed purpose [Page 24]to attayne vnto it, and aboue all, it must be as the marke at which she aymeth, and the end which she pretendeth in all her actions. It requireth also, that she giue her selfe to mortification of her senses and passions, endeauouring to sub­due the repugnance and contradi­ction which riseth of them, and to obtaine full dominion and vi­ctory ouer them. Moreouer that she apply her selfe wholy to the mortification, and abnegation of her will, and proper iudgement; vnder an entire obedience and a ful direction of her Superiors, euen with all the forces of her soule. That likewise she so apply her self to vertue according to the occasiōs occurring, or in any other sort; & principally to charity, to the loue of God and her neighbour, that she be not in this way alwayes rude, and as a beginner, but well ad­uanced [Page 25]and profited by progresse of time; at the least she must haue attayned a firme resolution, to be willing rather to dye, then to of­fend God, yea although but veni­ally, or to commit one of the least defects against perfection, in such sort, that the sinne she doth com­mit, be by meere occurring frail­ty. The cause, wherefore all this that hath byn sayd ought to be presupposed, is, for that a firme purpose of al these things in gene­rall, is most necessary for the ob­tayning of Perfection. And it is certaine that whosoeuer without a very earnest desire of these things doth with coldnes, and negligen­ce seeke after vertue, giuing him­selfe to his proper commodities, & selfe interests, liuing like a liberti­ne, and with a will to remayne in his old habits, without amend­ment; can neuer attayne, nor come [Page 26]neere to Perfection, & much lesse to this that is the highest of all.

ALL the building of so high Perfection is foūded in these two Principles, which consist in practice: and therefore by the vse of them, being attentiue to the dai­ly actions of his vocation, and in­stitution, assuredly he shall come to the toppe, and full height of all his building. The first principle is, to haue a meane, & base esteeme of things created, and aboue all of himselfe: frō which esteeme ought to be deriued at least in affection, an entire forsaking of al creatures, and arenouncing of himselfe. And concerning his affection, to haue [Page 27]alwayes this firme in his will & resolution, but to put it in practise principally when it is needfull. And from this ought to be deriued also a true knowledg of the with­drawing that God worketh in vs, admitting, and accepting it with a ready will, to wit, to content our selues, and with great ioy of hart to accept it, when our Lord retyreth himselfe a little from vs, or depriueth vs of anything what­soeuer.

The second Principle is, to haue a most high esteeme of God, not by the way of penetration with Theologicall conceipts, or the like high pointes of Diuinity, for this few can reach vnto, and it is not necessary; but rather by the meane of a great promptitude, & entire submission of the will, and of the whole man, to the maiesty of God, to adore him, and to doe [Page 28]whatsoeuer he exacteth of vs, for his greater glory, without any in­terest of ours, how holy soeuer it be. For which esteeme it sufficeth, that the soule with the light of fayth apprehend God (as we are taught in our Creed) as Almigh­ty, the soueraigne good, our end: and that for the great loue he bare vnto vs, he was mooued to make himselfe man, to suffer paines and death for our sakes. Moreouer that he is alwaies present with vs, and in all things gouerneth vs, as well in those of nature, as of grace: and in particuler calleth vs with a sin­gular vocation, to labour for so high Perfection, & the like; which speciall fauours our Lord giueth to euery one conformable to his capacity, & according to the mea­sure of grace.

Of this so excellent, and high esteem [...] ought to spring a full and [Page 29]entire conformity with the diuine Will, which alwayes must be the rule of all our designemens, affe­ctions and dayly operations. This māner of working by the foresaid meane, with the vse of these two Principles, bringeth the Soule to the vnion, and transformation in God, which is called Deification, not by the mysticall way of raui­shing out of our senses, and eleua­tion of the vnderstanding, nor by most vehement affections, that are deriued, and proceed from thence; for this is subiect to a thousand il­lusions, and to great labour, with danger of infirmity of body, and ruine of spirit, and such payne for the most part auaileth little, and few do attayne vnto it: But it is by the beaten and common way, to wit, by the will wholy confor­med, & with great stability trans­formed into the diuine Will, by [Page 30]perfect loue, the which maketh it to worke all in God, and for God euen without light and of this all are capable, and any that wil, may come vnto it with ioy, and com­fort, but yet not without payne and labour. And after this there followeth ordinarily many other giftes of light, and diuine affecti­ons, but they are to be taken as graces that are giuen gratis as truly they are, and we ought not to be too carefull for them, or to rely much vpon them. They are diuers according to the variety of soules, to some more, to others lesse; and there is no rule on our part, but all dependeth of God, and ought to be wholy submitted to his diuine pleasure.

THE foresayd principles ap­plied to the diuersities of our occasions, actions, and motions, do make the soule to walke with continuall progresse, from the be­ginning, euen vnto the end of Perfection, and all is reduced into three estates, euery one of which, and principally the first, contay­neth diuers degrees, that maketh the soule mount, as it were, by cer­tayne degrees, going from one e­state vnto another, euen to the last. In the first estate, the soule walketh by the way of the knowledge, & base esteeme of her selfe, which is done in diuers manners, and prin­cipally in foure.

[Page 32]1. The first is in acknowled­ging, and esteeming herselfe pure­ly nothing, seing that of nothing she was created, and should be cō ­uerted into nothing of her selfe, if God did not conserue her. Vnto which it helpeth much, to com­pare herselfe to the whole world, to all men, to heauen, to Saints, & to God himselfe, in respect of which things, she knoweth her­selfe to be not so much as a little drop of water, compared with the sea

2. Secondly in houlding her­selfe for the most vile, and vnpro­fitable creature of all, how vile soeuer they be, as is dust, a sinke, an Aposteme &c. all these things being good for some vse, but she for nothing, but to offend God.

3. Thirdly in thinking herselfe the greatest sinner in the world, yea greater then all the diuels put [Page 33]togeather, and worthy of more chastisement, attributing to her­selfe al the sinnes that are commit­ted, and that all their tormentes duly might be inflicted vpon her. For there is no sin but she might haue committed it, if God had not preserued her. Exāples of this may be seene in the liues of S. Francis, and S. Catherine of Siena.

4. The fourth consisteth in this, that she ought to descend to the knowledge of the thinges of the world, the better to contemne them: and for the reiecting of them, she must make choice of the vilest and basest of them, as con­cerning her place, garments, and any thing els; yet so notwithstan­ding, that she affect not singulari­ty: and she must esteeme the most abiect corner in the house the fi [...] ­test habitation for her, and that the office, or charge she hath, exce [...] ­deth [Page 34]much her merits; and that she is not worthy of them, much lesse of greater. The foresayd practice bringeth a man to a true anihilatiō of himselfe. And although he doth not apprehend such conceipts in his vnderstanding, as may clearely represent such basenes vnto him, as he would; yet doth not he leaue to haue that esteeme of himselfe, seeing that he, who willingly abaseth himselfe, and preferreth all creatures, how vile soeuer they be, before him, esteemeth and repu­teth himselfe alwayes the least: & he that knoweth not the practise of this anihilation, knoweth not the profit, and commodity there­of.

Thirdly in the soule that is foū ­ded thus in her owne nothing, there followeth also the disappro­priation or true abnegation, the subtraction or withdrawing that [Page 35]God accustometh to worke in the soule, and the conformity with the diuine will, which maketh a man to be transformed into God: & these things as they haue diuers obiects, so they haue diuers de­grees, according to the order that followeth.

FIRST, and principally there is wrought in the soule a full, & entire renunciation of al things created, that are indifferent, as life, death, health, all commodities, tast and interest of them, offices, dignities, possessions, and other [Page 36]the like things; and this is to be done, first with the affections, re­nouncing them entie [...]ly, and all desire or will she may haue of the: and for her owne part, she ought to cast all desire, and affection, & [...]ntētion that she may haue therin, and the hopes of any commodity, tast and pleasure that may be had therby, euen as if she were dead.

Secondly by worke, leauing actually that which is superfluou [...], and retayning only that which is needfull to her, according to her state, with the counsayle, & con­sent of her Superiors. To this doth correspond the subtraction, or withdrawing, that God doth in vs of the like things, to wit, of life, by sending vs death, of health, by visiting vs with sicknes, of com­modities and meanes when they are taken from vs, of pleasures and solaces, sending vs paynes: and fi­nally [Page 37]of any other worldly chāge, whereof we haue experience al­most euery hou [...]e. All being done by the d [...]ume prouidence in such sort, that there passeth not any day, in which our Lord doth not take from vs, and depriue vs (ac­cording to the variety of his pro­uidence) of many obiects, & com­modities, concerning these transi­tory, and fading things. And he that is free from all affection to the like thinges, admitteth with great alacrity all priuation of them, and easily contemneth them all, how great soeuer they be.

Likewise to this subtraction, & priuation correspondeth a mer­uaylous conformity with the di­uine Will, not desiring any created thing whatsoeuer, but that which our Lord willeth, and that which he giueth vs, reioycing to be, by the meanes of these changes & va­rieties. [...] [Page 40]resaid conformity, a very great, & true loue of God, seeing there is taken away al the hinderances of any created thing, that was bet­weene God & the Soule. And by this meanes the soule commeth to vnite herselfe perfectly with her Creatour, & to tranforme her self perfectly into him: from which ordinarily followeth great gifts, as lights, affections, and diuine motions: but for these we are not to be much carefull, but to seeke aboue all, to separate our selues with all our power from created things, and wholy to resigne our selues vnto God. And this is the extasy, and rauishing of the will, and not of the Vnderstanding, which is much greater, and high­er, and which Deifieth the soule more.

VVE ought to passe fur­ther in subtraction, or withdrawing our selues from things created. For not only this subtraction ought to be of indiffe­rent thinges, as is said, but also of holy and spirituall, that are mea­nes to vnite the spirit with God; yet not, as of such, must we de­priue our selues of them, but for so much as vnder the colour of holi­nes, there may be hid proper loue, and particuler interest; & of these there is to be noted many degres. The first, and that which is com­monly vnderstood of spirituall men to be the lowest, or basest, is [Page 42]touching spirituall consolations, redounding euen to the affections of the hart, that are sensitiue, to wit, tendernes, feruour, teares, sweetnes in our operations, & great facility surmounting diffi­culties, by aboundance of spiri­tuall delight: of which things we ought to depriue our selues, and not to cease vntil such time, as we haue no more feeling of any desi­re to them.

The depriuing our selues of these, consisteth in not making any esteeme, or any accompt of them, considering that these faci­lities, that induce vs to worke, proceed not of any habit, or par­ticuler gifts or graces, nor princi­pally of charity; but only of this sweetnes and pleasure taken ther­in, which is an obiect very pro­portionate to selfeloue, and parti­culer interest, which nourisheth [Page 43]it selfe with selfe contentment, & pleasure, and commeth in tyme vnto a spirituall gluttony: and to receaue satisfaction in this, or to make any great esteeme therof, is no other thing, then to conuert holy obiects into our delights & pleasures, and abuse holy things, accommodating them to our gust, and feeling. A very great vice, al­though it be secret and hid, from which easily may spring diuers vaine delightes, proud illusions, and diabolicall deceipts, and a thousand other euills. Also we must not thinke that vertue de­pendeth of them or cōsisteth the­rin, but we must know, that this is a childish thing, and that with this sweetnes & facility, a litle strength and vertue is sufficient to make vs imbrace the hardest, and most difficult matters: therfore we must depriue our selues of al desire [Page 44]of them as of a meane thing, & of little esteme: and by the foresaid anihilation, acknowledge our sel­ues most vnworthy of them, with a totall indifferency to haue them or not, being incited by vertue & perfection, to vse them when we haue them, only for the end that God sendeth them, to wit; ac­knowledging them with great submission, and referring them vnto God, from whome they proceed, directing in them our in­tention to establish vs, and to in­crease so much the more in true & solide vertues: taking alwaies heed least being transported, and made drunk with this swetnes & spirituall tast, we do not make purposes, or dangerous promises of vertues, or workes that surpasse our forces, and which, when that sensible delight and pleasure cea­seth, wil seeme most difficult, yea [Page 45]impossible vnto vs.

And to auoid such danger, the submission already spoken of, hel­peth greatly; that is, when we admit with great promptitude of hart, the taking away of such con­solations as God is accustomed at times to take from vs, and then to make greater estimation of God, and of vertue, then of any such consolations, yet labouring still according to those former motiōs, with a greater, and more ardent desire then euer, without hauing regard to the contentment of self­loue, but only to the loue of ver­tue it selfe, and for the diuine glory.

The Conformity with God heere is cleare, and is of great im­portance; for that to vnite him­selfe with the diuine will, he de­pri [...]eth himselfe, on his part, of such consolatiō, contenting him­selfe [Page 46]with his spirituall crosse whatsoeuer it be; and so much the more, for that such tasts, and mo­tions surpasse all things created, and all the pleasures that they can affoard: and how much the more a man depriueth himselfe in this sort; so much the more he trans­formeth himselfe into God, and perfect loue, and Deification in­creaseth in him.

AFTER the foresaid degree, there is accustomed to suc­ceed & descend into the soule ce­lestiall lights, desires, and affectiōs of stable and solid vertues, that are without comparison much more high, then the sweetnes already [Page 47]spoken of; for that they are most effectuall meanes for getting of the said solid and stable vertues, & haue their being in the superiour part of man. And then the soule ought to mount to the highest de­gree of forsaking and renouncing his owne will, & of subtraction, and cōformity to the diuine will, with the help of the anihilation, & humble esteeme aforesaid.

Therfore it is necessary to be aduertised, that although such lights, & affections be from God in the beginning, and that presen­tly vpon the receiuing, & imbra­cing of them, they produce in the soule excellent effects, mouing & inciting it to vnite her self with God, by the meanes of firme & so­lid vertues: neuertheles soone after if a man be not well aduised, but suffer himselfe to proceed accor­ding to his naturall inclinatiō, he [Page 48]ordinarily will imbrace willing­ly such lights, & affections, with a certaine satisfaction, and a very great contentement in himself: which is a hidden delight of him­selfe in them: and to cooperate with such lights he setteth himsel­fe to discourse at large, and to for­tifie the naturall forces of his vn­derstanding, wil, and affections, with the which it seemeth vnto him, that his first lights much in­crease, & are interiou [...]ly dilated: which yet is not so, neither is it any effect of God, but only a pure reflection of the soule, and a great contentemēt and pleasure, which she tak [...]th of their first beginning.

And thus by little and little, the infusion of such lights com­ming to cease, the naturall, and reasonable strength of the soule remaineth alone, which ordina­rily is self-loue, which by this de­light [Page 49]goeth dilating this little that he hath of diuine light, esteeming that to be very great which is not: and in this sort he falleth into blindnes of pride, & vaine per­swasion of great vertue, frō when­ce do spring a thousand falshoods, deceipts & illusions; our Lord withdrawing his hand, because of the barre of self-loue which man hath put in his way: and yet such do thinke that they haue great grace infused, & great light, and it is nothing (the beginning only excepted) but only discourse, and naturall strength. And in the end, abandoned of the diuine in­fluence, they fall into great faults, & errours; and from hence often­times proceed very great illusions which notwithstanding had [...] good beginning.

Presently therfore when the soule receaueth such motions, she [Page 50]ought to humble, and anihilate her selfe with great submission, euen as nothing. And this act roo­teth out, and cutteth off all the force of this delight already spo­ken of. Afterwards she must pro­test, that she will not seeke any selfe-contentment, reputing her selfe most vnworthy, as a most vile & abiect persō; & this to f [...]e her soule of al selfe-loue, which by reason of such lights may enter into it. And heere she depriueth herselfe of a much more noble thing then before, & by this grea­ter vertue is obtained: & although it seeme vnto her that she dimini­sheth, or decreaseth, yet notwith­standing it is not so, but the hin­derance is taken away that kept the soule backe, & did hurt her greatly. And our Lord finding the soule by such abnegation dis­posed, increaseth with his particu­ler [Page 51]concourse, the like lights and motions, by true & solid meanes, although it be not with so great tast, & pleasure, and guideth her with great safety in the way of Perfection.

The soule thus depriued by the meanes of such pure & diuine lights, commeth to refer and attri­bute them vnto God, feeling her self in them affected only to the diuine glory, and not vnto any other thing, with great acknowledgement of the diuine bounty, who vouchsafeth by diuine infu­sions, to abase himself to so vile a thing. And this rule of spirituall motions is a matter of great im­portance: for that, if they be not of God, presently they wil be dis­couered by this abnegation; and if such lights come from God, we shal be secured, that neither selfe loue, nor the diuell can haue any [Page 52]part in them. And moreouer refer­ring them vnto God, who hath giuen them vnto vs, we come to make more esteeme of the giuer, then of the gifts, and by this mea­nes get true and solid vertue.

There followeth afterwards another conformity of most pure lights, and motions, with the act of the will, and affections, purged from all selfe respect, and vested with the diuine will, pretending in such diuine influences only to obey Almighty God, & his diuine pleasure, and nothing our selues, where with the soule passeth into God, & transformeth her selfe more highly, and profoundly then euer; & heere she offereth, & giueth, & dedicateth her self who­ly vnto God.

AFTER that the soule is exer­cised thus in purging & dis­appropriating her selfe in these spirituall motions, and in desire of solid vertue, as hath bin said: there wil follow a higher degree which is this. It happeneth often, that hauing such desires, the soule can­not attayne vnto that she preten­deth, and that for some worldly, or humane cause which doth hin­der it: as for example, when we must leaue prayer, by the which the soule findeth her selfe prompt, apt, ready, and as it were inuited to vnite her selfe with God. And obedience on the other side, or [Page 54]charity requireth to leaue it for another worke of great distractiō, but profitable to our neighbours. And this wilbe necessary not on­ly in one worke, or at one tyme only, but it shalbe needfull also concerning our manner of liuing, to leaue the quiet, and contempla­tiue life, in which the soule felt her selfe greatly inflamed with ardent desire of solid vertues, to busy her­self in the negotiations of the acti­ue life, in which she shall haue great repugnance, and by which she shall receaue many occasions of distraction; neuertheles she se­eth clearely, that she is called by God to leaue that for this, & some­tymes also shall find hinderances which proceed from God, to wit, when God giueth vs not so quick­ [...]y as we would, this vertue & per­ [...]ction, which he inciteth vs to [...]esire.

[Page 55]In the like occasions the soule is accustomed to feele payne, an­xiety, and sorrow, for such hin­derances, and is therewith very much afflicted. It is needfull heere that she consider, that there may be selfe-interest in this busines, al­though it be very secret, and hid­den, which she ought to cast away wholy, with a noble and coura­gious abnegation.

The sorrow then, and anxiety that afflicteth the soule in such de­sires, and maketh it vnquiet, pro [...] ­deth ordinarily of selfe-loue: and although it be without sinne, ne­uerthelesse it is a hinderance bet­weene God, and the soule; seeing that as a thing created, it hindereth perfectiton, and keepeth the soule backe from arriuing to the top of the same. Also the propriety is dis­couered plainely, although it be of a holy thing, and it seemeth ther­by [Page 56](althogh indirectly) that a man will giue a law vnto God. And fi­nally the vnquietnes that afflicteth the soule inwardly, is not of God, whose spirit is sweet and gratious, and full of peace and tranquility: & to take away such vnquietnes, he must forsake such desires, & the vertue it selfe, in the manner that followeth.

First a man ought to accept, & receiue this desire as a gift of God, without resting or staying him­selfe in his proper delight and sa­tisfaction, as hath been sayd in the degree before: and he ought to procure with all diligence to put it in execution, neuer letting passe any meanes, that he doth not try by experience, & put in practice, that thereby he may come to such vertue and perfection: for so much as doing this, he chaseth far away all tepidity, & negligence.

[Page 57]When these hinderances before declared happē, he ought present­ly to thinke that the diuine boun­ty is not pleased at that time in the execution of his desire, and there­fore he ought to renounce it quite, with protestation that he will ha­ue neyther vertue, nor perfection (I meane, the execution, or act of desire only, for the ground or es­sence of the desire ought to re­maine) but euen such, and in that manner, & when God will giue it; renouncing vtterly al the rest. He ought then to take away all anxiety, and griefe, discouering plainely his selfe loue, & his owne interest, that was hid vnder such desires, although they be holy: & also learn this most high doctrine, which is, that such a desire euen of martyrdome; with this anxiety, although it seeme to be a great thing commeth to be very base, & [Page 58]little, for so much as it is selfe-inte­rest, & a hindrance between God and the soule: which being taken away, the desire remayneth as great as euer, and insteed of the anxiety, it is accompanyed with a meruaylous tranquillity in God, and in his diuine Will.

And note well, that the soule that hath such a desire with repose, & tranquillity, without the vertue and perfection desired, is more a­greeeble to God then any other who hath such a vertue; which if she had not receaued, or had not attayned vnto, would haue beene much grieued and troubled, seeing that he obtaineth most perfection, who is most conformed to Gods will and pleasure, and exchangeth the vertue created, for the diuine will increated, which doth farre surpasse, and infinitely exceed the other: notwithstanding the desire [Page 59]will remayne, not with humayne feare, that afflicteth & disquieteth the soule, but with a diuine feare, which is annexed necessarily vnto the desire. For to desire a thing that we cannot haue, bringeth feare, which is accōpanyed with paine, vntill such tyme as it is obtayned: but this is a paine from the which doth proceed a meruaylous con­tentment, and a resignation vnto God, knowing wel that our Lord is pleased greatly with such a pain, to wit, to see a soule quiet, and full of peace in her payne, to resigne her selfe and accomplish his will, who for to please her Lord, wil­lingly and of her own accord, wil remaine depriued of a good, that she so instantly doth desire, because her loue vnto her Lord, is more then vnto any perfection, or ver­tue.

In such a soule remaineth ordi­narily [Page 60]a diuine light, that doth in­struct & teach her, what great dili­gence she ought to vse, without [...]uer relenting, or waxing cold & negligent; but a soule must not rely vpō the same, seeing she doth not come to this that she desireth by her diligence, and industry, how great soeuer it be, but by the will and pleasure of God, who sometymes giueth it, & sometimes not, euen as he best pleaseth. Ther­fore by reiecting, and loosing all esteeme of our owne diligence, & industry, is gotten a certayne con­fidence & filiall security, that God, who hath giuen the desire, will al­so giue the perfection, when he shall please, and according to his will. And thus for his owne part, the soule putteth, and casteth her­selfe as a little infant into his ar­mes, and is most contented with­all, thinking no more of it, but [Page 61]with a pure & sincere resignation vnto God, worketh as out of her selfe, and, as we may say, at ad­uenture leaueth all care of her selfe to our Lord, as a little infant, with a kind of diuine tranquillity.

To this so high renunciation, and disappropriation doth corres­pond the subtractiō, or withdraw­ing of our Lord already spoken of, when he doth not giue the vertue we demand, which we ought to admit with ioy, and cooperate in the manner aforesayd. Also there is discouered clearely a conformi­ty with the diuine will, very se­cret, and knowne but vnto few, seeing that man leaueth God for God, that is to say, leaueth and re­nounceth God, in as much as he bringeth any selfe interest with ve [...]e, and perfection, to hau [...] him more excellētly, to wit, with­out any interest. From whence [Page 62]followeth a most high trāsforma­tion, and an admirable Deificati­on, from which is accustomed to proceed excellent gifts, and very rare lights, worthy of such a loue, and so great vnion with God.

In particuler the aforesayd do­ctrine ought to be applied to three sorts of desires, besides the place it hath in all others. The first is of eternall glory, in which she ought to be resigned in the manner be­fore specifyed, when our Lord de­ferreth it, esteeming much more of the diuine will, to the end she might entierly forsake al self loue, althogh it be of the most excellent good that is.

The second is, the desire of this anihilation, renoūcing of her selfe the conformity with God, which she must also moderate with the selfe same rule aforesayd, when our Lord doth not giue it so much as [Page 63]she would: where it is well to be noted, that to forsake willing­ly the loue of the same vertue, which is with anxiety, and super­fluous propriety, for the desire to haue the same vertue with satisfa­ction, and be content to beare the burthen of her imperfectiō against her will, & to conforme her selfe wholy vnto Gods will, is a most great renunciation, and surpasseth all other vertues. And here must be taken away the anxiety, & griefe that we haue to obtaine it: & note well, that the more diligence we shall vse with anxiety, and pro­priety, for to obtaine it of God, the lesse shall we haue it.

The third is the desire of suffe­ring, althogh our nature repugn [...], as a thing contrary to sense: it may happen neuerthelesse, that the de­sire to haue it, is too great by ex­cesse of anxiety, and selfe loue in [...] [Page 66]and indure, taketh away such con­tentment, and hindreth the perfe­ction of operatiōs; the soule ought to take away, & cut off the thoghts of crosses, and paynes, when it is not time to suffer, conuerting and changing all into this cherefulnes of conformity with God, to the which, the thinking of pleasant and delightfull things (so they be holy) helpeth much, for that such thinges are conformable to perfe­ction.

Of this cherefulnes springeth a promptnes to all operations, strength to surmount difficulties, and ioy of hart & vnderstanding, as the Apostle sayth: Gaudete in Do­mino semper, iterum dico gaudete: Re­ioyce in our Lord alwaies, againe I say reioice. Agility also to take in hand any good worke, facility to execute and end it, and sweetnes in all things, euen in the crosse it [Page 67]selfe, when it is taken only for the loue of God, and to please him. And if we haue not such cheerful­nes, at the least we ought to desire it, and inforce our selues to haue it in resisting al hinderances that the diuell shall oppose.

Our Lord was singularly in­dued with this alacrity, and shew­ed it in his countenance, rendring himselfe very amiable, whereby is manifest that he thought not al­wayes on his passion, but that he diuerted and retired his mind and thoughts, except when he knew that it was the will of his Father he should; and thought on ioyfull things with a pleasant aspect, and with a sweet and gracious counte­nance, accompanyed with gra [...]ity and words of weight, to draw th [...] harts of the people with mild [...] and authority; and with this al [...] ­crity he indured, and suffered af­terwards [Page 68]the subtraction, o [...] ta­king of it away, in the tyme of his passion.

THE soule being in this con­formity, tranquillity, and cheerfulnes which hath byn sayd, with progresse in perfect vertues, and with great power of the supe­r [...]our part ouer the inf [...]riour, by reason of the long habit, and great facility she hath gotten in repres­sing, and subduing the motions of her passions; God is wont after this, or when he thinketh good, to permit her to begim to feel [...] great tentations, the li [...]e, or grea­ter then those which she suffered in the beginning of her cōuersion, to wit, of the flesh, of impatience, [Page 69]of feare, of difficultyes, and other the like, in such sort, that she be­ginneth agayne to feele a great re­bellion in her inferior part against the superiour, & the diuel sharply tempteth her, in so much that she is forced to returne to fight, & that with great difficulty: but notwith­standing, the superiour part gene­rously fighteth, gayneth, and bea­reth away the victory.

This mutation and vnexpected change resembleth the imperfect state of a nouice, or beginner on­ly. The rebellions of the inferiour part agaynst the superiour, the re­presentations of diuells, the moti­ōs of sensuality, & the newnes vn­accustomed, are as it were against the common stile of grace, that happeneth to vs ordinarily after the first assaultes of temptations, & the victory ouer them, hauing gottē the habits of perfect vertues, [Page 70]and in such sort subdued sensuali­ty, that scarcely it dare once kicke or repugne. All these things are ac­customed to put the soule in great perill, of thinking she goeth back­ward, and that she hath giuen oc­casion of her being in so euill an estate, whereby is wont to rise in her mind vnquietnes, despayre, & great decay of wonted force: and therfore it behooueth that she stād well vpon her guard, and before all thinges consider and obserue, that the will, by the grace of God is resolute, rather to dye a thousand tymes, then to offend God in the least thing that is. And for that sin consisteth in the will, she ought also firmely to perswade her selfe, that she is farre from committing of it, seeing that all her griefe com­meth of those contrary motions, her will being so earnestly bent, not to offend God. And which is [Page 71]more, she ought to be secure, that she hath not on her part giuen oc­casions to such tentations, seing that she abhorreth, and detesteth them greatly: and principally for that she desireth to conforme her­selfe altogeather to the diuine wil, and to disappropriate herselfe of al thinges created. She must likewise be aduertised, that she doth per­forme this while diuers actes of vertue with the superiour part, for so much as hereby through diuine grace the spirit is made more vi­gorous, although the flesh be mo­ued and incumbred with no small perturbations, and this so much the more, for that she shall find manifestly & assuredly, that there is no offence therin: and if she find that she cannot sufficiently resolue her selfe, for her continuall feares, and remorse of conscience, let her remit her selfe, and repose wholy [Page 72]on the iudgment of him, that hath the guiding of her soule.

Moreouer she must be aduerti­sed, that such temptations, althogh they seeme vnto her to be the same that she was wont to endure in the beginning, are notwithstan­ding very much different, if she consider the cause from whence they proceed: for that then the su­periour part being destitute of good habits, vertues and graces that giue great strength, and the inferiour part full of euill habits, very strong and stubborne, togea­ther with the fraudulent sleights of the diuell concurring therin, no meruayle that the flesh did fight and rebell against the spirit, vntill such tyme as the superiour part were made strong and vigorous, and our Lord giuing strength to resist, and vanquish the inferi­our part; which being thus tamed, [Page 73]the battayle ceaseth soone after, with a submission and tranquilli­lity betweene the one and the o­ther; our Lord permitting al this, to the end, that by the way of cō ­bat, to his imitation, we may ob­tayne the victory, and also by this meanes be made partakers of his celestiall gifts and vertues.

But when after all this the tēp­tations returne, the soule being al­ready fortified, and not hauing gi­uen any occasion thereunto, the [...] she must assuredly know, that this is an expresse prouidence of God, who will haue it so, and that such temptations doe not take their be­ginning of the interiour, to wit, of default that is in her, but come of other causes: and this great and se­cret instruction helpeth much to what end our Lord worketh and permitteth all this. For first it is to the end, that the repose and peace [Page 74]that she had before, be not occa­sion to her of so great satisfaction, and contentment that she come to delight much in herselfe for it, & so be in dāger to fall into pride. Secondly, that selfe-loue which subtilly vseth oftentymes to enter therein, be quite extinguished. Thirdly, that there may increase, & cōtinue in the soule the know­lege of her basenes & little worth. Fourthly, that she may attayne to a new light, and know that per­fection doth not consist in being free from temptations and in ha­uing peace betweene sensuality & reason: for it may so fall out, that these temptations wil be more ve­hement, then those that she had before, and that she shall suffer much by them, and therefore she ought to hold her self assured, that our Lord by such meanes will bring her to greater vertue.

[Page 75]Wherfore when she beginneth to enter into such afflictions or troubles she ought before al things to humble her selfe & descend into her owne nothing, and acknow­ledge herselfe worthy of all temp­tations: and in the same manner, as she was already before accusto­med, to receyne with contentmēt the contempt and afflictions out­wardly: so ought she to inforce herselfe to reioice in that our Lord is pleased to humble her, and to permit her thus to be buffeted of the diuell. Secondly she ought to be willing to want the peace and repose that she felt when she had no great temptations, and likewise all the contentment which she had therein. And how much the more such repose is a high and ex­cellent good, so much the greater sacrifice it is, & more pleasing vn­to God, to be willingly depriued [Page 76]thereof for the l [...]ue of him.

Thirdly, she ought to admit with the same affection, and promptnes, as is spoken of before, the subtraction or withdrawing that our Lord doth vse, which cō ­sisteth in this, that he doth not per­mit the vertue or power of the su­periour part, to redound & worke in the inferiour, by giuing it such force as that it shold not feele these temptations: (which would be, if God did concurre therein as be­fore:) but our Lord withdraweth such concourse, and from hence proceedeth anxiety and affliction. Fourthly she ought not to inforce herselfe to d [...]ue away these temp­tations with great pennance and mortification of nature, as she did at the b [...]ginning when she was a No [...]ce, for by that way (as is read of some Saints) the temptations increase rather then otherwise, but [Page 77]she ought to submit herselfe vnto God with humility, for to suffer them willingly, as long as it is in his will & pleasure, and then not to care for them, but to contemne them.

Afterwardes, of this followeth the conformity to the diuine will greater then euer, seeing that to conforme her selfe vnto him, the soule is content to be left comfort­lesse, and to suffer such paine and confusion, which is most pleasing to his diuine maiesty: besides that, it is very cōformable to that which our Redeemer did, when being in the garden he would that the in­feriour part should find difficulty to suffer, & neuerthelesse he said, non mea, sed tu [...] voluntas fi [...]t, not my will (o Father) but thine be done. And of this conformity riseth in the soule not only a loue of vnion that trās formeth it into God more [Page 78]highly, but also a loue and desire of the crosse, in conformity with our Sauiour, when as to accōplish the diuine will, she is content to suffer temptation. And heere she doth not only offer, and dedicate herselfe vnto God, but doth also sacrifice herselfe vnto him.

BESIDES all this that hath beene sayd, the affliction and payne is accustomed to passe fur­ther, and come euen to the superi­our part where vertue and spirit make their residence. And so she shall perceaue her selfe to fayle & want light in her vnderstanding, and good purposes, and desires in her affections, promptnes to doe well, strength and patience & the [Page 79]like, in such sort, as where before she did fight with great force and vigour, now it will seeme vnto her, that she is without strength and vertue, and that she cannot re­sist, and euery little straw will seeme vnto her a blocke, and so shall feele and perceaue nothing but obscurity, and blindnes, great darkenes, aridity or drinesse, grief, tepidity, rebellion, pusillanimity, confusion and great oppression, seeming vnto her vnpossible to re­turne to her first designementes & good purposes. And heere in very truth is great danger, if she do not inforce herselfe to remedy it as she should, to the end she fall not in­to sundry great inconueniences, whē she is thus abandoned, which happeneth in diuers manners.

First in apprehēding too firme­ly all this that hath beene spoken of, to be a great misery, & for this [Page 80]cause afflicting her selfe, & grow­ing sad. Secondly, too earnest set­ting her selfe to thinke of what cause they proceed, attributing all to her owne defaults, and infor­cing herselfe to look curiously in­to them. Thirdly, of set purpose, procuring with great diligence to free herselfe of them, to take order to remedy all, and returne to her first estate, esteeming the present to be miserable, and yet neuerthe­lesse leesing all this labour: for this being not the true way, nor the remedy of her euill, she findeth the trouble to be thereby increased. Fourthly, for this cause, the soule is accustomed to fall into impati­ence, feare, and pusillanimity & in danger to despayre, it seeming vnto her that nothing doth help her, and that she goeth from euill to worse. Supposing thē the soule to be exercised in these foresayd [Page 81]degrees, it is needfull she consider with her selfe, & principally with the help of him that guideth her, the secret and me [...]uaylous myste­ries that are hidden herein. For the first thē, let her know that the true cause of all that is sayd, is the di­uine prouidence, who willing to make proofe, and to purify a soule, after he hath enriched her with ver­tues, and great strength in the su­pe [...]iour part, is wont to retire his accustomed succours, without the which these vertues cannot work: whe [...]of it commeth, that although she haue them, yet do they seeme to her that she hath them not: and from hence followeth darkenes, aridity, and other miseries already spoken off; notwithstanding the graces and foresayd vertues remai­ning in the soule as before.

For the second, this subtraction or diuine withdrawing doth not [Page 82]proceed of the absence of vertues, giftes, and graces, seeing that they remayne entierly in the soule, & it doth lesse proceed from the acti­on of thē, for so much as indeed the soule is depriued thereof. But we must consider that in internal and spirituall actions, there is a direct act, that tendeth directly to God, to wit, the same internall act or o­peration touching his obiect: as for example, the practicall know­ledge and election, or lawfull de­sire, to haue a wil to suffer, to haue a will to loue God, to haue a will to be temperate, chast, obedient, not to consent vnto sin &c. There is also the act reflectiue, that tur­neth to wardes it selfe, to wit, to discerne & iudge whether he doth such an act, whereby he may re­ceaue contentment, and reioyce therein for the glory of God, for that he discerneth himselfe by the [Page 83]same to be strong, and victorious ouer temptations, with great re­pose of the soule.

Of these two, the first is the pure act of vertue: the secōd is the fruit that redoundeth in vs, & the fruition of the same vertue: & this is most cleare that the act of tem­perance doth not consist to per­ceaue that he [...]ath it, or to reioyce in it, or content himselfe therein, but to desire it, and effectuate it. Now God concurreth in the first, and by that meanes the acts of ver­tue are performed, but he with­draweth the second, to wit, our knowledge, reflection, iudgment, and satisfaction to haue done thē, and therfore it seemeth to vs, that we do them not, & in the place of the knowledge withdrawne, hap­neth darknes & blindnes, in place of the ioyfull affection succeedeth aridity & drynesse: euen as it hap­neth [Page 84]to him that is almost starued, who receyuing food into his sto­macke neyther feeleth nor tasteth it: it is cleare that he eateth, and notwithstanding it seemeth vnto him he eateth not, and hath in a manner no more satisfaction of such an act, then if he had not done it. Seeing then that it is not pro­perly vertue to perceaue our inte­riour actions, and that therin doth not consist vertuous effects and o­perations, being only satisfaction vnto our selues, our Lord preten­ding to bereaue vs of all our pro­per tast & interest, as a hinderance betwixt him & vs. leaueth vs the purity of vertue, which is no o­ther thing but to desire it, & put it in effect, and taketh away the se­cond, which is a certayne selfeloue more subtile then those that haue yet beene specifyed, & an interest with the which the soule nouri­sheth [Page 85]it selfe, and such as diuerteth vs from greater vnion with God: and this being so, it is plainely to be seene, that there is not only no euill heerin, nor any danger to be feared, but that the soule by such a diuine work is purifed the more in vertue, and is purged from all proprieties, and selfe in­terest, although it be very hidden, and is raysed to a degree, and dis­position of greater grace, & much more vnion with God then be­fore. For to make all this mani­fest, the soule that is come to this estate, must be aduertised of two pointes. The first, that if she will examine the purity of vertue, she shall see the same in her actions more then euer she did. For if one should demaund of her in these griefes, obscurities and rebellions, if she would offend God, she would presently answere, that [...] [Page 88]Sauiour Iesus Christ, of whom it is written in the beginning of his dolorous passion: Coepit pauere, [...]a­dere, & moestus esse; that is to say, he began to be troubled, to feare, and became sad: and after he said, Tri­stis est anima mea vsque ad mortem, my soule is sorrowfull euen vnto death. Now we must consider three pointes. First the greatnes of the paine & torments that he was presently to endure. Secondly that then was with drawne from him the concurrence of strength, pa­tience, magnanimity, & the like vertues, concerning the feeling of them in the manner aforesaid, and for that cause he presētly fell into so great anguish, feare, & heauines, that the least of his sorrowes see­med vnto him insupportable, wherof before he reioiced so much in thinking of them, saying: Bap­tis [...] hab [...] baptizari, & qu [...]m [...]do c [...] ­arctor [Page 89]vsque dum perfici [...]tur: I haue to be baptized with a Baptisme, & how am I straitened vntill it be dispatched. Thirdly, that with all this, the stedfastnes of vertue was most firme & more stable thē euer, seeing that in these words to his Apostles, Surgite, [...]amu [...], arise, let vs go (that is, to meet them that came to apprehend him) he discouered a meru [...]ilous promptnes to suffer, patience, strength, and a genero­sity of hart, not to be ouercome or quailed by such a withdrawing or subtraction before mentioned [...] by which the holy Doctors say, that our Lord merited then for the holy Martyrs & other Saints, who in their torments and paines were so richly armed with patien­ce, strength, magnanimity & other vertues in the superiour part, that by the same vertues they did so triumph, & reioyce euen in the [Page 90]middest of their paines & tormēts, as we read of many holy Martyrs. When thē, it shall please our Lord to take away, & bereaue a soule, for the loue he beares it, of this garment, with the foresaid subtra­ction, or withdrawing, as he doth in this estate; then it is cleare, that he bringeth her to a higher imita­tion of himselfe, then was the o­ther, seeing that the same subtra­ction was vsed to him by his eter­nall Father.

And besides this reason of the most liuely imitation of our Lord there followeth others also, to wit, that how much the superior part is more noble then the inferi­our, or then the body: so much more the suffering of it, or both together, is more noble then any martyrdome whatsoeuer of body only, if it be without the other. And moreouer to suffer with this [Page 91]fredom & liberty, or sensible force of vertue, with which the Martyrs were indued was as easye vnto them, as if they had bene in the middest of roses. But with this subtractiō or withdrawing it see­meth not only difficult, but also impossible. So that with all this difficulty to be thus magnani­mous, and couragious with all ef­ficacy, maketh vs more apt, and prepared for higher vertue, and greater merit. And finally to find our selues so freely & highly ray­sed vnto vertue, naturally it is an occasion of perill & danger of pride: wherfore vnto S Paul ( Ne magnitudo reuelationum extelleret eum, least the greatnes of his reuelatiōs should extoll him) there was giuē to preserue him the temptation of the flesh, so to counterpoise the daunger which might follow: by this height of vertue the soule is [Page 92]plunged into this extreme low estate, by the feeling which she hath of troubles & feares &c. And therfore she is secure, that is, she is preserued from danger, which is a signe of higher estate, for that she hath a great foundation of humi­lity, and knowledg of her owne basenes. This as it seemeth, may be gathered of the temptation of S. Paul, which was giuen him for auoyding the perill wherin he was: wherof it followeth, that the hauing of that temptation of the flesh, was a higher estate, then the first, seeing that by this mea­nes the hinderances and imperfe­ctions of the first are taken away. and he is made more secure ther­by, in such sort, as this estate is a certaine probation, that God ma­keth of his elect, a liuely imitation of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, a more excellent Martyr­dome, [Page 93]then the exteriour, & foun­ded vpon profound humility, which is more sure then any other whatsoeuer, and is of greater me­rit, and a disposition to receiue greater gifts & graces, & which is more, an enemy to proper loue; for that it taketh away the satisfa­ction and contentment that is re­ceaued of vertues, and so by con­sequence increaseth, & commeth to be of greater conformity with the diuine will, & is enkindled more in loue towards God, then the others before mentioned: see­ing, that for to satisfy Almighty God, a man depriueth himselfe of so great a good, and remayneth with the pu [...]e actes of vertues, na­ked of all sensible ornaments, and selfe contentment.

That which ought after war­des to be practised, is: First for so much as the diuell is wōt to trou­ble [Page 94]the soule with many thou­ghtes, as if all this happened for some great defaults, that were in her (which afflicteth her much:) to deliuer her selfe from this, she ought to repent herself of all her defects, sinnes, and occasions that she may haue giuē in this case, but in generall, without any more thinking therof; and the rest, to remit herselfe wholy vnto her Su­periour, belieuing in all things his aduise, and renouncing her owne iudgment, keeping her selfe in peace, and repose of conscience, supposing this maxime, which is greatly necessary in this sixt de­gree, to wit, that a man ought not to iudge of himselfe, nor of what he feeleth in himselfe, seing that that the subtraction maketh that he can haue no light, reflection, nor perfect iudgmēt of his actiōs; but he ought to content himselfe, [Page 95]and reioyce in this darknes, and a [...]idity, and ought to humble and submit himself to the iudgment of another, anihilating & acknow­ledging himselfe worthy of this, and so much worse, vnworthy of all light, and in such basenes he ought to glorify God.

Although that the motions of impatience, and other the like na­turall motions be great, and make the soule to become sad and me­lancholy, without feeling any comfort, or solace; yet must she know, and labour for, & to trie by experience, the for said submis­sion, which doth also consist in resigning, & remitting her self wholy vnto God, euen as one that is sick, who althogh he cry throgh the vehemency of his paines, ne­uerthelesse in will, is submitted entirely vnto God, and is content to suffer any thing.

[Page 96]As for feare & pusillanimity (besides that which naturally she feeleth, which is not euil of it self) she ought not to admit any more, not to consent vnto it, but ought to endeauour herself to performe acts of submission, confidence in God, familiarity, & the like.

And doing all this that is a­boue said, and with the same, de­nying herself in all things, and conforming herselfe vnto God, not willing any thing, but what he willeth, if she feele these trou­bles, and darknes to increase, she must not for all that, be afflicted for any thing whatsoeuer it be; but without any kind of murmu­ring, she must seeke to forget her euill, & ought to know that God is accustomed to doe this: that is to say, to withdraw all consola­tion and help in our temptations. Therfore she must then redouble [Page 97]her conformity & thanksgiuing vnto God, and quiet herselfe, and repose with assurance that in the end God will not leaue her, not permit that she be tempted about her strength, which heere doth cōsist wholy in resistance against them, or putting them away, see­ing that is not so much in our power by reason of the subtra­ction: but in this, to suffer and support them; & this is more sure & perfect, then extasy.

VVHo would thinke, that there shold be any thing yet left in the Soule which she might renounce, forsake & with­draw her selfe from, besides this that hath bene said, & especially [Page 98]the soule being brought to the on­ly pure and direct act of vertue, in the which it seemeth there is no­thing but true vertue, & also be­reaued of all proper interest. But if we consider that such an act al­though it be thus purged, is a pure act of election, and of our will, the which, with his actiue vertue imperatiue, in respect of the other powers, worketh and produceth the acts of vertue; it cannot be denyed, but that there is proper will, and interest therin, although much purged, and by consequēce there is somwhat yet to forsake, and to be purged.

The soule then that is left without any other action but to doe in the manner aboue explica­ted, being ariued to the foresaid sixt degree, our Lord is accusto­med to withdraw by little, and little, the power to do such actes, [Page 99]taking now one, now another vntill such tyme, that indeed he taketh away all, except the power to conforme her selfe vnto the di­uine will. And by experience it is proued, that somtymes the soule findeth her selfe so oppressed with griefes and afflictions, and assay­led with so many distractions, & miseries, that willing to enforce herselfe, yet she cannot performe any act, neyther of thākes giuing towards God, nor of fortitude, nor of patience, nor of any other vertue, no not so much as to will that which is aggreable vnto God. And she must remaine in this suf­ferance, pierced through inward­lie with a thousand temptations: so that as the Martyrs could not defend themselues, from their tor­ments & wounds, but receiuing them, conformed themselues to the diuine will; euen so must the [Page 100]soule doe in this case, in whom it may be, there remayneth not any actiue force, but only the passiue, enduring all for the loue of God, and remaining content with the same.

But which is more, he is ac­customed also to take away such an act of conforming herselfe to the diuine will, in such manner, that she hath not any sensible fee­ling to do it, & also lesse can she execute it [...] and there remayneth no other thing; but a passiue tran­quillity, by which, as a lambe be­fore the shearer, she remaineth quiet, and suffereth God to accom­plish whatsoeuer he pleaseth.

This is an entire and absolute subtraction of the actiue power of the soule, to wit, that God with­draweth in such sort his diuine concurrence that the soule cam [...]ot in the superiour part, how holy [Page 101]or raised soeuer she be, make any actiue operations, but only can remaine peaceable, & quiet, endu­ring willingly that which God permitteth to happen vnto her.

To such a withdrawing the soule ought to be correspondent with anihilating and acknowled­ging herselfe to be pure nothing, and full of infinit sinnes, and ther­fore vnworthy to performe any action of vertue: and she ought to reioyce in such contempt, that God worketh in her, taking from her the power to lift her hart vp vnto him, with a free renuncia­tion; she ought to be contented to want wholy the actiue, and all the acts of vertue; the which how much more they were pure, so much greater is the gift that God imparteth therin. After this it of­ten happeneth, that the troubles and afflictions will be not only as [Page 102]before, but much greater, for ha­uing lost the rampire and fortresse of the actes of vertue: and more­ouer in the concupiscible and in­feriour part, there wilbe raised motions so vehement and disor­dered, that she neuer felt the like in her life, in such sort, as it will seeme vnto her, that she is euen in hell it selfe: and heere she must not arme herselfe with any other ar­mour, then with submission and passiue tranquillity in supporting all to satisfy almighty God, who will haue it so. And she ought to know, that such submission and tranquillity giueth to the soule a very great strength, not actiue but passiue, by the which he giueth and leaueth herselfe to be as a prey vnto God; and so like a most pa­tient lambe suffereth all, in great debility & feeblenes. Of this peace and trāquillity followeth a com­formity [Page 103]with the actiue will, al­though passiue, but without com­parison greater then the foresaid, and an inexplicable deification in an act yet passiue, not of oblation, nor of gift, dedication, or holo­caust, but much more excellent & more perfect, as to giue themselu [...] wholy, as it were a prey vnto al­mighty God.

In this estate she must be ad­uertised of some things of much importance: one is, that the inte­riour, and imperatiue actions of vertue are not lost, but are made more actiue then euer, in such fort that a person hath strength to worke and exercise the partes and powers of her body and soule in speaking, thinking, and doing, all that is conuenient to be done, ac­cording to her vocation, yea euen in performing acts of temperance, patience &c. Also when she ought [Page 104]to ayd and help her neighbour, it is with the accustomed affability: for the act of commaundment, & practice resteth in the soule, to commaund, and to direct all her actions of commaund or execu­tion. For the subtraction, or with­drawing ought to bee vnderstood in the vnderstanding and will, concerning the proper interiour acts of the will, intention, fruitiō, election, reioycing, satisfaction, & the like, which indeed are ta­ken away.

Another is, that it must not be vnderstood, that our Lord ta­keth away the gifts, or habits, but the acts, not giuing his help & concurrence, notwithstanding he doth not so alwaies: for that often in this estate, he letteth the soule be free, and at liberty to worke, but sometymes he suspendeth it, and this is done without any cer­taine [Page 105]rule, and when he pleaseth. Therfore the soule ought to be wholy resigned, to be depriued of all acts, or not, as much, and when it shall please God, and to be alwaies ready to renounce thē with this admirable indifferency. When the actiue is taken away in she manner aforesaid, then the soule remaineth in the passiue state in two [...]orts. First, for that with promp [...]nes, & great tran­quillity she submitteth herselfe to all the afflictions, and foresaid troubles, and miseries, induring them most willingly, although she be transpierced, and wounded by them, for the great resolution she hath made rather to suffer a thousand deaths, then to offend God, and for that she suffereth so many euill motions: and also for that she cannot performe any act of vertue, but only suffereth such [Page 106]affliction for the loue of God.

Secondly, the soule in such estate being retyred to the deepest part of her hart, (which the My­sticall Deuines call Pax anima, the peace of the soule) operatiō being withdrawne, she giueth and sub­mitteth herself with great prōpt­nes vnto God, who worketh within with the passiue consent of her freewill, much more higher acts, then of thanks-giuing, loue, vnion with him, election, or any other vertue, without tast; only admitting them, and cooperating with all her hart, and affection, in such sort, that as the vnderstan­ding retyred from the sense in ex­tasy cannot be attentiue with her naturall forces to actiue vertues, as she was before, but receiueth di­uine light, that worketh most high vnderstanding & knowledg in her (which the mysticall Deui­nes [Page 107]call pati diuina:) now if in the vnderstanding raysed aboue her naturall forces, our Lord wor­keth this, the same may be done, much more in the will, when re­nouncing wholy the actiue, she forsaketh the same, & then our Lord raising it into an extasy, & a most vertuous practise, worketh in her entirely what he pleaseth: and this pati diuina, which is an estate much higher then the fore­said, for that extasy of the vnder­standing is dangerous, and few at­taine vnto it, full of infinite occa­sions and subiects of curiosity, & propriety: but heere the will re­nounceth and humbleth herselfe, and with a most assured confidēce submitteth herselfe vnto God: and of such an extasy all are capable, and it is much higher then the o­ther, rendring the soule most ag­greable and pleasing vnto God.

FINALLY our Lord is accusto­med to take away not only the actiue, but also the foresaid passiue, the will remayning in all, and by all, naked and impotent for any thing. It is true, she doth not resist, or oppose her selfe to this, but she suffereth herselfe to be bereaued of all. And for the vnderstanding of this last Estate, which is the highest of all the o­thers, it must be noted, that the vertue and force of the liberty which the will hath, is so great, that she can renounce wholy her will, and wholy her liberty, and indeed bereaueth herselfe of them, as if she neuer had them; and she doth this freely with her good [Page 109]will: and by such a renunciation the will is made as it were no wil, in the like manner, as S. Pauli [...] made himselfe a slaue to deliuer another slaue: euen so the soule hath power to doe with her inte­riour, and with her free will and liberty.

Then our Lord taketh away the actiue, and the passiue by sub­traction, and all acts whatsoeuer, as if she were not at all: and she doth not resist this, but with an entire exhibition of such a renun­ciation, concurring therwith, cō ­meth to be no practicall will, to wit, that all the operations that she doth, or can doe concerning herselfe, she doth not will them, nor doth them as of herself: yet willing them neuerthelesse with a will conformable to the diuine will, in which sort she willeth & worketh them; and therfore she [Page 110]doth them as commaunded im­mediatly by the diuine will, with­out bringing therin any concur­rence of her owne, putting the will of God in the place of hers.

For in as a large & spacious Pal­lace, of the which one only is mai­ster, when he is absent, he lea­ueth some friend of his, absolute mayster, and there is done all, that was done before, but only by the commaundement of the friend, & not of the other: euen so the will renouncing it selfe wholy, aswell in the actiue as in the passiue, al­though pure, & holy, not willing but what God willeth; and now not willing indeed neyther more nor lesse, to haue this satisfaction, as is afore sayd, she renounceth in all thinges, and wholy the sayd actiue and passiue, being resolued not to worke at all, as with her will, notwithstanding she doth al [Page 111]euen as before, but as thinges willed & ordeyned by God, not of herselfe, leauing entirely & imediatly to the good pleasure of God, the commaundment of her body, soule, actions, motions, and feelings, as if truely she had no mā ­ner of will: and to this God cor­respondeth as is sayd, with the withdrawing of all acts: & if per­aduenture she leaueth, or doth the like acts of vertue as before, then she leaueth and doth them, not ac­cording to her proper will, but for so much as she seeth the will of God to be, that she leaue, or doe them. Our Lord and maister him­selfe made this subtraction & re­nunciation in the garden, when he sayd, non mea, sed tua volunta [...] fiat: O Father, not my will be done, but thine: to wit, my will would, as conformable to thine, Eternall Father, suffer crosse, and torments [...] [Page 114]his power: in the same manner he inforceth himselfe, and seeketh as much as he can to deceaue vs, as often as he representeth and put­teth before vs, any proper interest or commodity of ours: and as our Lord cast him off, and vanquished him, in refusing all things, & not admitting any thing, so ought we to ouercome him, and driue him away by the meanes of a perfect anihilation of will, and to pray vnto our Lord, by this his holy & entiere renunciation he will giue vs his g [...]ace to obtaine full and en­tire victory ouer the diuell & sin.