AN ABRIDGEMENT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION. CONTAINING Many excellent Precepts, & Advertisements, touching the holy, and sacred mystical Divinity.  
Written in Italian, by Fa. Achilles Galliardi of the Society of 〈◊〉 & translated into English:  
By A. H. of the same Society.  
THE SECOND EDITION.  
Imprinted Anno M.DC.XXV.   

TO THE RELIGIOUS MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR NATION. AND To all others who desire to attain to the eminent state of Christian Perfection: health in our Lord.  
THIS Little Book (Devout Religious in Christ jesus) being first written in Italian by the R. Father Achilles Galliardi, of the Society of JESUS, and delivered over, in written papers only, unto an Honourable and very devout Lady of Milan, for her private instruction, and better advancement in spiritual matters, was some years passed gotten out of her Closet, and communicated to more, than it was at first intended. For a little after it was carried into France and there translated, and printed in the French tongue; but with so many omissions, obscurities, and other faults, contrary to the Author's meaning, that in many places it could hardly be drawn to any perfect sense: the which some persons of great zeal, & well experienced Masters of Spirit perceauing, and lamenting that so excellent a Treasure should be obscured & clouded in such darkness; did carefully labour to correct what was amiss, by making clear the obscure places and by restoring of many passages to their proper sense, which were before corrupt and intricate: that so being published anew, it might appear worthy to be presented to the view of posterity.  
In this little Work then, is contained, and set before our eyes, Doctrine of so great Perfection, endeavouring so to purify the intention, & reduce the mind of man to conformity and union with the Will of God, that the view of so great a light, may perhaps dazzle the eyes of such, as yet do look through the cloud of self-love, and are not fully resolved to repel their inward enemies; & in that respect it is not intended, or directed to any such. And much less is it offered to sensual minds, who cannot judge, or discern the worth of such a pearl, but would rather trample it under their feet, then tread the path which leads to such a treasure.  
But I doubt not to de●me it fitly presented to the reading of all such, as have entered, or resolved to enter the paths of Perfection, by imitation of Christ our Lord, in practice & performance of the Counsels Evangelicall. For of such minds we may with reason hope, that first God for his part, as he hath called them from the pursuit of worldly vanities to the verity of his divine love: so he will be no less bountiful unto them in assisting their endeavours with plenty of grace, until he have perfected the work which himself hath begun in their souls.  
And of their part, as they have received from God so much light, as to find this Treasure, and so much wisdom as to know the value thereof, and so much fortitude of mind as to contemn their former worldly estate, for the purchase of this field or state of Religious life: so we may justly expect at their hands, that according to the light, wisdom, and fortitude which they have received, they should be desirous, and glad to labour in digging out the said treasure, and getting it entirely into their own possession: and therefore also that they ought neither to be loath to undertake the labour of digging, nor yet to think much, if having gotten the gold, to sever it from the earth and dross which adhereth unto it. And this true intention of benefitting themselves (which is never wanting in any wise man that hath found but an earthly Treasure) is as much as this Book requireth, in the practice of whatsoever is here prescribed.  
For first we be here advised to dig & descend into our own nothing by Anihilation: then to cast up and throw from us all the earthly substance which lieth between us & the treasure, and this by Disappropriation, or as it is called in the Gospel, by Renunciation of all things which we possess. Then we be led by the virtue of Indifferency to cleanse it also being found, from the dust of our private affections, and self-interest. And thus the gold being gotten into our possession it then teacheth us first how to purify the same from the dross of all self-love, by the Conformity of our will to the Will of God. Secondly, to refine it yet more from the base kind of mettle, which is often much mixed with this divine gold, and yet hardly by the eye to be discerned, but the touchstone of Christ his example doth try it, & the fire of Charity doth refine it, so that it then comes to be Aurum ignitum, spoken of in the Apocalyps, and one thing, as it were, with the fire itself; and this is therefore called Uniformity.  
Then remaineth only, that this gold thus fervent and pliable to the will of him that worketh it, receive the stamp of the heavenly King, that so it may be currant coin in his divine Court: in which it is only a Patient, and nothing is expected of it, but that it take, without resistance, what impression the workman is best pleased to impose. This is the work of Grace in the soul; the workman is God himself, and the stamp he imprinteth in it, is his own Image: and so this sixth and highest degree of perfection is called Deiformity.  
In this state the Soul having first rejected all impediments to her well-doing, rooted out all evil habits, planted in herself the habits of solid virtues, and severed from her intention all self-love; yea having by the help of God's Grace, purified even her most inward desires, & all sensible inclinations, from the infection of self-interest, then is her will not conformed only, but united unto the will of God, and so transformed into the same, that now it seemeth not to be her will that worketh, but the will of God which worketh in her: as though she had given her own hart unto Christ, and (as we read of Catherine of Stena) had received his in exchange, to be in her, from that time forward, the beginning and first motive of all her operations.  
Of which estate also we may understand the words of the Apostle Gal 2. when he said, V●u● autem, iam nonego, viu●t verò in me Christus: And I live now not I, but Christ liveth in me. Much like as we see the graft which is inserted into another stock, which liveth indeed in itself, & bringeth forth fruit, but not by the life it had before, from it own natural root; but by the sap & life it now receiveth from the new stock into which it is graffed, in which it grows, & by which it life's.   

many advices in the book, (especially in the Chapters of the second & third Estate) w●ere i● is t●ught that the soul must be content to f●rgo first all active operation, and practise even of virtues themselves, and lastly to be deprived even of the pas●tue also so far as it may seem sensible unto the soul that it is her own work. And this to the end that Gods will may be the pure, and only motive of her will and works whatsoever; thou must beware in these, & the like sentences, of two several doctrines or errors, wholly contrary to that which is beer intended. The one, lest thou think that a soul being come to that estate, doth not indeed work with her own will, but that God then worketh all in her, so that those works be not really the act●ons of the soul, but of God himself; which thing is both false and absurd The other error is, that a soul in this state of Perfection should not do any thing, but as seeing herself to be clearly moved thereunto by the will of God, and in a manner compelled by the same to do all her actions, so that she in the mean time should be idle, until the feel this impulsion from God. This doctrine would nourish sloth in the soul, yea and breed, if not bring forth, heresy also against the freedom of our will, and against the necessity of our concurrence with the grace of God: all which are not different only, but contrary to the intention of the Author, as (besides the authority of the Parisian Doctors who approved this book, when it was translated out of Italian, and set forth in their own language) the diligent & impartial Reader may also by himself easily discern, if he mark well the whole discourse. For he shall find it here required, that one omit no practice, or proof of likely means, either in rooting out of evil, or in planting of good habits. Also that all the rules, & advices of this book, are to be applied to every man's estate and that he omitting no part of his duty, do practise the same, together with the actions which his estate and institute require. Lastly that this Subtraction of active and passive Will, touching the acts of virtue, is the work only of God in the soul, with which (when the soul doth perceive it to be so) it must concur as with the will of God, to will the same thing, as our duty doth bind us. And this is no other thing than we find in daily practice, though all do not feel it a like, nor all follow this rule, as they should, when they feel it. Ye happeneth unto us more or less whensoever any desolation by God's appointment doth fall upon us, for in that case we find our selves less apt than before to will, or work any good, yea, or to suffer the proceeding of that good (which before we desired) with any contentment: and this desolation may so increase, that it shall seem to us, our desire carrieth us wholly to the contrary of that we had resolved. But all this is only in the inferior part of ou● soul to wit in our natural inclination, which for the time is left to itself, by Subtraction of that effect, and fruit of grace by which it was before comforted, strengthened, and enabled to perform good actions, and concur to supernatural virtues, with desire and delight: which to be the effects and fruits of grace, the Apostle teacheth, Galat. 5.22. when he saith: Fructus autem spiritus est charitas, gaudium, pax, patientia etc. So that all this while grace is not diminished in the superior part of the soul, nor the virtues less perfect which are placed therein, but only there-doundance, fruit, and effect of that grace is stopped, and subtracted for the time, from the inferior part, to increase the batta●le which the soul is to bane, and the victory which it is to obtain, by constantly conforming, and uniting her will to Gods, notwithstanding that increased difficulty; yea by renouncing her own natural will and inclination, transforming the same into the will of God, and so saying with our Saviour Christ in the like case: Non mea, sed tua voluntas ●ia●, Pater: not my will, o Father, but thine be done. In whose example we may see, that the practice of this point may stand with all Perfection, which could not be wanting in his actions. So that the scope of this doctrine is not to make us idle or remiss in working, nor to expect that God should do all in us, and that our will should have no part in the action: but it requireth, that we do coopera●e with God's grace, and labour with all diligence, whilst we can. And when by God's ordinance we feel that our sensible forces do fail us, and that we are not now able to creep, who before were able to run in the ways of God (as the Prophet saith, Psal. 118.32.) cùm dilatater cor nostrum, whilst he dilated our hart with joy and comfort; we must then conform our will to God, yea, and be glad to transform our weak will into his strength of goodness, to unite our drop of water to his sea of graces, and to say with our active will (though our inclinations strive against it) that his will shall be ours, and therefore that we desire his will may be done with us in all things, howsoever our in●er●our part do, according to nature, desire the contrary.  
This is the Perfection unto which this Book leadeth: the practice whereof we may see both used, and declared by God to his beloved Apostle, as may be gathered out of the first Chapter of the 2. Epist. ad Cor. and it is the highest which the soul can arrive unto in this life. For as the will of God is infinitely good, and even goodness itself, so the nearer we come unto it, the more we approach to a good and perfect estate. Neither can there be, even by imagination conceived, a higher Perfection, or greater happiness, either in this world or the next, then to be united unto God, the fountain of all goodness. In this life it is to be done by grace, and in the next by glory. This ●…le Book, gentle Reader, will lead thee to the one, and thy diligent practice of what it teacheth, will bring thee to the other.  
Christ JESUS grant us grace to seek this treasure with true desire, & finding it, to use it to our best commodity. We shall do it the better, if we pray heartily for one another, which I purpose to do for all, that will endeavour to practise this Book, & do crave the like of them for my greater needs. Farewell.  
A. H.   
AN ABRIDGEMENT OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.  

WHAT PERFECTION ought to be presupposed in the Soul that entereth into the practice of that, which is treated off in this discourse. CHAP. I.  
THIS Perfection requireth a firm and resolute desire in the soul that undertaketh it, & a determinate and settled purpose to attain unto it, and above all, it must be as the mark at which she aimeth, and the end which she pretendeth in all her actions. It requireth also, that she give herself to mortification of her senses and passions, endeavouring to subdue the repugnance and contradiction which riseth of them, and to obtain full dominion and victory over them. Moreover that she apply herself wholly to the mortification, and abnegation of her will, and proper judgement; under an entire obedience and a full direction of her Superiors, even with all the forces of her soul. That likewise she so apply herself to virtue according to the occasions occurring, or in any other sort; & principally to charity, to the love of God and her neighbour, that she be not in this way always rude, and as a beginner, but well advanced and profited by progress of time; at the least she must have attained a firm 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 sin she doth commit, be by mere occurring frailty. The cause, wherefore all this that hath been said aught to be presupposed, is, for that a firm purpose of all these things in general, is most necessary for the obtaining of Perfection. And it is certain that whosoever without a very earnest desire of these things doth with coldness, and negligence seek after virtue, giving himself to his proper commodities, & self interests, living like a libertine, and with a will to remain in his old habits, without amendment; can never attain, nor come near to Perfection, & much less to this that is the highest of all.   

TWO PRINCIPSES in which consisteth Perfection. CHAP. II.  
ALL the building of so high Perfection is founded in these two Principles, which consist in practice: and therefore by the use of them, being attentive to the daily actions of his vocation, and institution, assuredly he shall come to the top, and full height of all his building. The first principle is, to have a mean, & base esteem of things created, and above all of himself: from which esteem ought to be derived at least in affection, an entire forsaking of all creatures, and arenouncing of himself. And concerning his affection, to have always this firm in his will & resolution, but to put it in practice principally when it is needful. And from this aught to be derived also a true knowledge of the withdrawing that God worketh in us, admitting, and accepting it with a ready will, to wit, to content ourselves, and with great joy of hart to accept it, when our Lord retireth himself a little from us, or depriveth us of anything whatsoever.  
The second Principle is, to have a most high esteem of God, not by the way of penetration with Theological conceits, or the like high points of Divinity, for this few can reach unto, and it is not necessary; but rather by the mean of a great promptitude, & entire submission of the will, and of the whole man, to the majesty of God, to adore him, and to do whatsoever he exacteth of us, for his greater glory, without any interest of ours, how holy soever it be. For which esteem it sufficeth, that the soul with the light of faith apprehend God (as we are taught in our Creed) as Almighty, the sovereign good, our end: and that for the great love he bore unto us, he was moved to make himself man, to suffer pains and death for our sakes. Moreover that he is always present with us, and in all things governeth us, as well in those of nature, as of grace: and in particular calleth us with a singular vocation, to labour for so high Perfection, & the like; which special favours our Lord giveth to every one conformable to his capacity, & according to the measure of grace.  
Of this so excellent, and high esteems aught to spring a full and entire conformity with the divine Will, which always must be the rule of all our designemen, affections and daily operations. This manner of working by the foresaid means, with the use of these two Principles, bringeth the Soul to the union, and transformation in God, which is called Deification, not by the mystical way of ravishing out of our senses, and elevation of the understanding, nor by most vehement affections, that are derived, and proceed from thence; for this is subject to a thousand illusions, and to great labour, with danger of infirmity of body, and ruin of spirit, and such pain for the most part availeth little, and few do attain unto it: But it is by the beaten and common way, to wit, by the will wholly conformed, & with great stability transformed into the divine Will, by perfect love, the which maketh it to work all in God, and for God even without light and of this all are capable, and any that will, may come unto it with joy, and comfort, but yet not without pain and labour. And after this there followeth ordinarily many other gifts of light, and divine affections, but they are to be taken as graces that are given gratis as truly they are, and we ought not to be too careful for them, or to rely much upon them. They are diverse according to the variety of souls, to some more, to others less; and there is no rule on our part, but all dependeth of God, and aught to be wholly submitted to his divine pleasure.   

OF THE FIRST Estate: & first of Anihilation. CHAP. III.  
THE foresaid principles applied to the diversities of our occasions, actions, and motions, do make the soul to walk with continual progress, from the beginning, even unto the end of Perfection, and all is reduced into three estates, every one of which, and principally the first, containeth diverse degrees, that maketh the soul mount, as it were, by certain degrees, going from one estate unto another, even to the last. In the first estate, the soul walketh by the way of the knowledge, & base esteem of herself, which is done in diverse manners, and principally in four.  
1. The first is in acknowledging, and esteeming herself purely nothing, seeing that of nothing she was created, and should be converted into nothing of herself, if God did not conserve her. Unto which it helpeth much, to compare herself to the whole world, to all men, to heaven, to Saints, & to God himself, in respect of which things, she knoweth herself to be not so much as a little drop of water, compared with the sea  
2. Secondly in holding herself for the most vile, and unprofitable creature of all, how vile soever they be, as is dust, a sink, an Aposteme etc. all these things being good for some use, but she for nothing, but to offend God.  
3. Thirdly in thinking herself the greatest sinner in the world, yea greater than all the devils put together, and worthy of more chastisement, attributing to herself all the sins that are committed, and that all their torments duly might be inflicted upon her. For there is no sin but she might have committed it, if God had not preserved her. Examples of this may be seen in the lives of S. Francis, and S. Catherine of Sienna.  
4. The fourth consisteth in this, that she ought to descend to the knowledge of the things of the world, the better to contemn them: and for the rejecting of them, she must make choice of the vilest and basest of them, as concerning her place, garments, and any thing else; yet so notwithstanding, that she affect not singularity: and she must esteem the most abject corner in the house the fittest habitation for her, and that the office, or charge she hath, exce●deth much her merits; and that she is not worthy of them, much less of greater. The foresaid practice bringeth a man to a true anihilation of himself. And although he doth not apprehend such conceits in his understanding, as may clearly represent such baseness unto him, as he would; yet doth not he leave to have that esteem of himself, seeing that he, who willingly abaseth himself, and preferreth all creatures, how vile soever they be, before him, esteemeth and reputeth himself always the least: & he that knoweth not the practice of this anihilation, knoweth not the profit, and commodity thereof.  
Thirdly in the soul that is founded thus in her own nothing, there followeth also the disappropriation or true abnegation, the subtraction or withdrawing that God accustometh to work in the soul, and the conformity with the divine will, which maketh a man to be transformed into God: & these things as they have diverse objects, so they have diverse degrees, according to the order that followeth.   

OF THE FIRT degree of Abnegation, Subtraction, Conformity: and of the Abjection, and Anihilation of ourselves. CHAP. FOUR  
FIRST, and principally there is wrought in the soul a full, & entire renunciation of all things created, that are indifferent, as life, death, health, all commodities, taste and interest of them, offices, dignities, possessions, and other the like things; and this is to be done, first with the affections, renouncing them entirely, and all desire or will she may have of the: and for her own part, she ought to cast all desire, and affection, & intention that she may have therein, and the hopes of any commodity, taste and pleasure that may be had thereby, even as if she were dead.  
Secondly by work, leaving actually that which is superfluous, and retaining only that which is needful to her, according to her state, with the counsel, & consent of her Superiors. To this doth correspond the subtraction, or withdrawing, that God doth in us of the like things, to wit, of life, by sending us death, of health, by visiting us with sickness, of commodities and means when they are taken from us, of pleasures and solaces, sending us pains: and finally of any other worldly change, whereof we have experience almost every hou●e. All being done by the d●ume providence in such sort, that there passeth not any day, in which our Lord doth not take from us, and deprive us (according to the variety of his providence) of many objects, & commodities, concerning these transitory, and fading things. And he that is free from all affection to the like things, admitteth with great alacrity all privation of them, and easily contemneth them all, how great soever they be.  
Likewise to this subtraction, & privation correspondeth a marvellous conformity with the divine Will, not desiring any created thing whatsoever, but that which our Lord willeth, and that which he giveth us, rejoicing to be, by the means of these changes & varieties. resaid conformity, a very great, & true love of God, seeing there is taken away all the hindrances of any created thing, that was between God & the Soul. And by this means the soul cometh to unite herself perfectly with her Creator, & to tranforme herself perfectly into him: from which ordinarily followeth great gifts, as lights, affections, and divine motions: but for these we are not to be much careful, but to seek above all, to separate ourselves with all our power from created things, and wholly to resign ourselves unto God. And this is the ecstasy, and ravishing of the will, and not of the Understanding, which is much greater, and higher, and which Deifieth the soul more.   

THE SECOND Degree. Chap. V.  
WE ought to pass further in subtraction, or withdrawing ourselves from things created. For not only this subtraction ought to be of indifferent things, as is said, but also of holy and spiritual, that are means to unite the spirit with God; yet not, as of such, must we deprive ourselves of them, but for so much as under the colour of holiness, there may be hid proper love, and particular interest; & of these there is to be noted many degrees. The first, and that which is commonly understood of spiritual men to be the lowest, or basest, is touching spiritual consolations, redounding even to the affections of the hart, that are sensitive, to wit, tenderness, fervour, tears, sweetness in our operations, & great facility surmounting difficulties, by abundance of spiritual delight: of which things we ought to deprive ourselves, and not to cease until such time, as we have no more feeling of any desire to them.  
The depriving ourselves of these, consisteth in not making any esteem, or any account of them, considering that these facilities, that induce us to work, proceed not of any habit, or particular gifts or graces, nor principally of charity; but only of this sweetness and pleasure taken therein, which is an object very proportionate to self-love, and particular interest, which nourisheth itself with self contentment, & pleasure, and cometh in time unto a spiritual gluttony: and to receive satisfaction in this, or to make any great esteem thereof, is no other thing, then to convert holy objects 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 diverse vain delights, proud illusions, and diabolical deceits, and a thousand other evils. Also we must not think that virtue dependeth of them or consists therein, but we must know, that this is a childish thing, and that with this sweetness & facility, a little strength and virtue is sufficient to make us embrace the hardest, and most difficult matters: therefore we must deprive ourselves of all desire of them as of a mean thing, & of little esteem: and by the foresaid anihilation, acknowledge our selves most unworthy of them, with a total indifferency to have them or not, being incited by virtue & perfection, to use them when we have them, only for the end that God sendeth them, to wit; acknowledging them with great submission, and referring them unto God, from whom they proceed, directing in them our intention to establish us, and to increase so much the more in true &  virtues: taking always heed least being transported, and made drunk with this sweetness & spiritual taste, we do not make purposes, or dangerous promises of virtues, or works that surpass our forces, and which, when that sensible delight and pleasure ceaseth, will seem most difficult, yea impossible unto us.  
And to avoid 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 us, and then to make greater estimation of God, and of virtue, then of any such consolations, yet labouring still according to those former motions, with a greater, and more ardent desire then ever, without having regard to the contentment of self-love, but only to the love of virtue itself, and for the divine glory.  
The Conformity with God here is clear, and is of great importance; for that to unite himself with the divine will, he depriveth himself, on his part, of such consolation, contenting himself with his spiritual cross whatsoever it be; and so much the more, for that such tastes, and motions surpass all things created, and all the pleasures that they can afford: and how much the more a man depriveth himself in this sort; so much the more he transformeth himself into God, and perfect love, and Deification increaseth in him.   

THE THIRD Degree. CHAP. VI  
AFTER the foresaid degree, there is accustomed to succeed & descend into the soul celestial lights, desires, and affections of stable and solid virtues, that are without comparison much more high, than the sweetness already spoken of; for that they are most effectual means for getting of the said solid and stable virtues, & have their being in the superior part of man. And then the soul ought to mount to the highest degree of forsaking and renouncing his own will, & of subtraction, and comformity to the divine will, with the help of the anihilation, & humble esteem aforesaid.  
Therefore it is necessary to be advertised, that although such lights, & affections be from God in the beginning, and that presently upon the receiving, & embracing of them, they produce in the soul excellent effects, moving & inciting it to unite herself with God, by the means of firm & solid virtues: nevertheless soon after if a man be not well advised, but suffer himself to proceed according to his natural inclination, he ordinarily will embrace willingly such lights, & affections, with a certain satisfaction, and a very great contentment in himself: which is a hidden delight of himself in them: and to cooperate with such lights he setteth himself to discourse at large, and to fortify the natural forces of his understanding, will, and affections, with the which it seemeth unto him, that his first lights much increase, & are interiously dilated: which yet is not so, neither is it any effect of God, but only a pure reflection of the soul, and a great contentement and pleasure, which she takes of their first beginning.  
And thus by little and little, the infusion of such lights coming to cease, the natural, and reasonable strength of the soul remaineth alone, which ordinarily is self-love, which by this delight goeth dilating this little that he hath of divine light, esteeming that to be very great which is not: and in this sort he falleth into blindness of pride, & vain persuasion of great virtue, from whence do spring a thousand falsehoods, deceits & illusions; our Lord withdrawing his hand, because of the bar of self-love which man hath put in his way: and yet such do think that they have great grace infused, & great light, and it is nothing (the beginning only excepted) but only discourse, and natural strength. And in the end, abandoned of the divine influence, they fall into great faults, & errors; and from hence oftentimes proceed very great illusions which notwithstanding had 〈◊〉 good beginning.  
Presently therefore when the soul receiveth such motions, she ought to humble, and annihilate herself with great submission, even 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 seek any selfe-contentment, reputing herself most unworthy, as a most vile & abject person; & this to f●…e her soul of all self-love, which by reason of such lights may enter into it. And here she depriveth herself of a much more noble thing then before, & by this greater virtue is obtained: & although it seem unto her that she diminisheth, or decreaseth, yet notwithstanding it is not so, but the hindrance is taken away that kept the soul back, & did hurt her greatly. And our Lord finding the soul by such abnegation disposed, increaseth with his particular concourse, the like lights and motions, by true & solid means, although it be not with so great taste, & pleasure, and guideth her with great safety in the way of Perfection.  
The soul thus deprived by the means of such pure & divine lights, cometh to refer and attribute them unto God, feeling herself in them affected only to the divine glory, and not unto any other thing, with great acknowledgement of the divine bounty, who vouchsafeth by divine infusions, to abase himself to so vile a thing. And this rule of spiritual motions is a matter of great importance: for that, if they be not of God, presently they will be discovered by this abnegation; and if such lights come from God, we shall be secured, that neither self love, nor the devil can have any part in them. And moreover referring them unto God, who hath given them unto us, we come to make more esteem of the giver, then of the gifts, and by this means get true and solid virtue.  
There followeth afterwards another conformity of most pure lights, and motions, with the act of the will, and affections, purged from all self respect, and vested with the divine will, pretending in such divine influences only to obey Almighty God, & his divine pleasure, and nothing ourselves, where with the soul passeth into God, & transformeth herself more highly, and profoundly then ever; & here she offereth, & giveth, & dedicateth herself wholly unto God.   

THE FOURTH Degree. CHAP. VII.  
AFTER that the soul is exercised thus in purging & disappropriating herself in these spiritual motions, and in desire of solid virtue, as hath been said: there will follow a higher degree which is this. It happeneth often, that having such desires, the soul cannot attain unto that she pretendeth, and that for some worldly, or humane cause which doth hinder it: as for example, when we must leave prayer, by the which the soul findeth herself prompt, apt, ready, and as it were invited to unite herself with God. And obedience on the other side, or charity requireth to leave it for another work of great distraction, but profitable to our neighbours. And this willbe necessary not only in one work, or at one time only, but it shallbe needful also concerning our manner of living, to leave the quiet, and contemplative life, in which the soul felt herself greatly inflamed with ardent desire of solid virtues, to busy herself in the negotiations of the active life, in which she shall have great repugnance, and by which she shall receive many occasions of distraction; nevertheless she seethe clearly, that she is called by God to leave that for this, & sometimes also shall find hindrances which proceed from God, to wit, when God giveth us not so quickly as we would, this virtue & per●…ction, which he inciteth us to ●esire.  
In the like occasions the soul is accustomed to feel pain, anxiety, and sorrow, for such hindrances, and is therewith very much afflicted. It is needful here that she consider, that there may be self-interest in this business, although it be very secret, and hidden, which she ought to cast away wholly, with a noble and courageous abnegation.  
The sorrow then, and anxiety that afflicteth the soul in such desires, and maketh it unquiet, pro●…deth ordinarily of self-love: and although it be without sin, nevertheless it is a hindrance between God, and the soul; seeing that as a thing created, it hindereth perfectiton, and keepeth the soul back from arriving to the top of the same. Also the propriety is discovered plainly, although it be of a holy thing, and it seemeth thereby (although indirectly) that a man will give a law unto God. And finally the unquietness that afflicteth the soul inwardly, is not of God, whose spirit is sweet and gracious, and full of peace and tranquillity: & to take away such unquietness, he must forsake such desires, & the virtue itself, in the manner that followeth.  
First a man ought to accept, & receive this desire as a gift of God, without resting or staying himself in his proper delight and satisfaction, as hath been said in the degree before: and he ought to procure with all diligence to put it in execution, never letting pass any means, that he doth not try by experience, & put in practice, that thereby he may come to such virtue and perfection: for so much as doing this, he chaseth far away all tepidity, & negligence.  
When these hindrances before declared hap, he ought presently to think that the divine 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 have neither virtue, nor perfection (I mean, the execution, or act of desire only, for the ground or essence of the desire ought to remain) but even such, and in that manner, & when God will give it; renouncing utterly all the rest. He ought then to take away all anxiety, and grief, discovering plainly his self love, & his own interest, that was hid under such desires, although they be holy: & also learn this most high doctrine, which is, that such a desire even of martyrdom; with this anxiety, although it seem to be a great thing cometh to be very base, & little, for so much as it is self-interest, & a hindrance between God and the soul: which being taken away, the desire remaineth as great as ever, and instead of the anxiety, it is accompanied with a marvellous tranquillity in God, and in his divine Will.  
And note well, that the soul that hath such a desire with repose, & tranquillity, without the virtue and perfection desired, is more agreeable to God than any other who hath such a virtue; which if she had not received, or had not attained unto, would have been much grieved and troubled, seeing that he obtaineth most perfection, who is most conformed to Gods will and pleasure, and exchangeth the virtue created, for the divine will increated, which doth fare surpass, and infinitely exceed the other: notwithstanding the desire will remain, not with human fear, that afflicteth & disquieteth the soul, but with a divine fear, which is annexed necessarily unto the desire. For to desire a thing that we cannot have, bringeth fear, which is accompanied with pain, until such time as it is obtained: but this is a pain from the which doth proceed a marvellous contentment, and a resignation unto God, knowing well that our Lord is pleased greatly with such a pain, to wit, to see a soul quiet, and full of peace in her pain, to resign herself and accomplish his will, who for to please her Lord, willingly and of her own accord, will remain deprived of a good, that she so instantly doth desire, because her love unto her Lord, is more than unto any perfection, or virtue.  
In such a soul remaineth ordinarily a divine light, that doth instruct & teach her, what great diligence she ought to use, without ●uer relenting, or waxing cold & negligent; but a soul must not rely upon the same, seeing she doth not come to this that she desireth by her diligence, and industry, how great soever it be, but by the will and pleasure of God, who sometimes giveth it, & sometimes not, even as he best pleaseth. Therefore by rejecting, and losing all esteem of our own diligence, & industry, is gotten a certain confidence & filial security, that God, who hath given the desire, will also give the perfection, when he shall please, and according to his will. And thus for his own part, the soul putteth, and casteth herself as a little infant into his arms, and is most contented withal, thinking no more of it, but with a pure & sincere resignation unto God, worketh as out of herself, and, as we may say, at adventure leaveth all care of herself to our Lord, as a little infant, with a kind of divine tranquillity.  
To this so high renunciation, and disappropriation doth correspond the subtraction, or withdrawing of our Lord already spoken of, when he doth not give the virtue we demand, which we ought to admit with joy, and cooperate in the manner aforesaid. Also there is discovered clearly a conformity with the divine will, very secret, and known but unto few, seeing that man leaveth God for God, that is to say, leaveth and renounceth God, in as much as he bringeth any self interest with ve●…e, and perfection, to hau● him more excellently, to wit, without any interest. From whence followeth a most high transformation, and an admirable Deification, from which is accustomed to proceed excellent gifts, and very rare lights, worthy of such a love, and so great union with God.  
In particular the aforesaid doctrine ought to be applied to three sorts of desires, besides the place it hath in all others. The first is of eternal glory, in which she ought to be resigned in the manner before specified, when our Lord deferreth it, esteeming much more of the divine will, to the end she might entirely forsake all self love, although it be of the most excellent good that is.  
The second is, the desire of this anihilation, renouncing of herself the conformity with God, which she must also moderate with the self same rule aforesaid, when our Lord doth not give it so much as she would: where it is well to be noted, that to forsake willingly the love of the same virtue, which is with anxiety, and superfluous propriety, for the desire to have the same virtue with satisfaction, and be content to bear the burden of her imperfection against her will, & to conform herself wholly unto God's will, is a most great renunciation, and surpasseth all other virtues. And here must be taken away the anxiety, & grief that we have to obtain it: & note well, that the more diligence we shall use with anxiety, and propriety, for to obtain it of God, the less shall we have it.  
The third is the desire of suffering, although our nature repugns, as a thing contrary to sense: it may happen nevertheless, that the desire to have it, is too great by excess of anxiety, and self love in and endure, taketh away such contentment, and hindereth the perfection of operations; the soul ought to take away, & cut off the thoughts of crosses, and pains, when it is not time to suffer, converting and changing all into this cheerfulness of conformity with God, to the which, the thinking of pleasant and delightful things (so they be holy) helpeth much, for that such things are conformable to perfection.  
Of this cheerfulness springeth a promptness to all operations, strength to surmount difficulties, and joy of hart & understanding, as the Apostle saith: Gaudete in Domino semper, iterum dico gaudete: Rejoice in our Lord always, again I say rejoice. Agility also to take in hand any good work, facility to execute and end it, and sweetness in all things, even in the cross it self, when it is taken only for the love of God, and to please him. And if we have not such cheerfulness, at the least we ought to desire it, and enforce ourselves to have it in resisting all hindrances that the devil shall oppose.  
Our Lord was singularly endued with this alacrity, and shown it in his countenance, rendering himself very amiable, whereby is manifest that he thought not always on his passion, but that he diverted and retired his mind and thoughts, except when he knew that it was the will of his Father he should; and thought on joyful things with a pleasant aspect, and with a sweet and gracious countenance, accompanied with gravity and words of weight, to draw th● hearts of the people with mild●… and authority; and with this alacrity he endured, and suffered afterwards the subtraction, o● taking of it away, in the time of his passion.   

THE FIFTH Degree. CHAP. VIII.  
THE soul being in this conformity, tranquillity, and cheerfulness which hath been said, with progress in perfect virtues, and with great power of the superior part over the inferior, 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 than those which she suffered in the beginning of her conversion, to wit, of the flesh, of impatience, of fear, of difficultyes, and other the like, in such sort, that she beginneth again to feel a great rebellion in her inferior part against the superior, & the devil sharply tempteth her, in so much that she is forced to return to fight, & that with great difficulty: but notwithstanding, the superior part generously fighteth, gaineth, and beareth away the victory.  
This mutation and unexpected change resembleth the imperfect state of a novice, or beginner only. The rebellions of the inferior part against the superior, the representations of devils, the motions of sensuality, & the newness unaccustomed, are as it were against the common style of grace, that happeneth to us ordinarily after the first assaults of temptations, & the victory over them, having gotten the habits of perfect virtues, and in such sort subdued sensuality, that scarcely it dare once kick or repugn. All these things are accustomed to put the soul in great peril, of thinking she goeth backward, and that she hath given occasion of her being in so evil an estate, whereby is wont to rise in her mind unquietness, despair, & great decay of wont force: and therefore it behooveth that she stand well upon her guard, and before all things consider and observe, that the will, by the grace of God is resolute, rather to dye a thousand times, then to offend God in the least thing that is. And for that sin consisteth in the will, she ought also firmly to persuade herself, that she is fare from committing of it, seeing that all her grief cometh of those contrary motions, her will being so earnestly bend, not to offend God. And which is more, she ought to be secure, that she hath not on her part given occasions to such tentations, seeing that she abhorreth, and detesteth them greatly: and principally for that she desireth to conform herself altogether to the divine will, and to disappropriate herself of all things created. She must likewise be advertised, that she doth perform this while diverse acts of virtue with the superior part, for so much as hereby through divine grace the spirit is made more vigorous, although the flesh be moved and encumbered with no small perturbations, and this so much the more, for that she shall find manifestly & assuredly, that there is no offence therein: and if she find that she cannot sufficiently resolve herself, for her continual fears, and remorse of conscience, let her remit herself, and repose wholly on the judgement of him, that hath the guiding of her soul.  
Moreover she must be advertised, that such temptations, although they seem unto 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 superior part being destitute of good habits, virtues and graces that give great strength, and the inferior part full of evil habits, very strong and stubborn, together with the fraudulent sleights of the devil concurring therein, no marvel that the flesh did fight and rebel against the spirit, until such time as the superior part were made strong and vigorous, and our Lord giving strength to resist, and vanquish the inferior part; which being thus tamed, the battle ceaseth soon after, with a submission and tranquillility between the one and the other; our Lord permitting all this, to the end, that by the way of combat, to his imitation, we may obtain the victory, and also by this means be made partakers of his celestial gifts and virtues.  
But when after all this the temptations return, the soul being already fortified, and not having given any occasion thereunto, the● she must assuredly know, that this is an express providence of God, who will have it so, and that such temptations do not take their beginning of the interior, 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 that she had before, be not occasion to her of so great satisfaction, and contentment that she come to delight much in herself for it, & so be in danger to fall into pride. Secondly, that self-love which subtly useth oftentimes to enter therein, be quite extinguished. Thirdly, that there may increase, & continued in the soul the knowledge of her baseness & little worth. Fourthly, that she may attain to a new light, and know that perfection doth not consist in being free from temptations and in having peace between sensuality & reason: for it may so fall out, that these temptations will be more vehement, than those that she had before, and that she shall suffer much by them, and therefore she ought to hold herself assured, that our Lord by such means will bring her to greater virtue.  
Wherefore when she beginneth to enter into such afflictions or troubles she ought before all things to humble herself & descend into her own nothing, and acknowledge herself worthy of all temptations: and in the same manner, as she was already before accustomed, to receive with contentment the contempt and afflictions outwardly: so ought she to enforce herself to rejoice in that our Lord is pleased to humble her, and to permit her thus to be buffeted of the devil. 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 unto God, to be willingly deprived thereof for the l●ue of him.  
Thirdly, she ought to admit with the same affection, and promptness, as is spoken of before, the subtraction or withdrawing that our Lord doth use, which consists in this, that he doth not permit the virtue or power of the superior part, to redound & work in the inferior, by giving it such force as that it should not feel these temptations: (which would be, if God did concur therein as before:) but our Lord withdraweth such concourse, and from hence proceedeth anxiety and affliction. Fourthly she ought not to enforce herself to d●…ue away these temptations with great penance and mortification of nature, as she did at the beginning when she was a No●…ce, for by that way (as is read of some Saints) the temptations increase rather than otherwise, but she ought to submit herself unto 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 contemn them.  
Afterwards, of this followeth the conformity to the divine will greater than ever, seeing that to conform herself unto him, the soul is content to be left comfortless, and to suffer such pain and confusion, which is most pleasing to his divine majesty: besides that, it is very comformable to that which our Redeemer did, when being in the garden he would that the inferior part should find difficulty to suffer, & nevertheless 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 soul not only a love of union that transformeth it into God more highly, but also a love and desire of the cross, in conformity with our Saviour, when as to accomplish the divine will, she is content to suffer temptation. And here she doth not only offer, and dedicate herself unto God, but doth also sacrifice herself unto him.   

THE sixth Degree. CHAP. IX.  
BESIDES all this that hath been said, the affliction and pain is accustomed to pass further, and come even to the superior part where virtue and spirit make their residence. And so she shall perceive herself to fail & want light in her understanding, and good purposes, and desires in her affections, promptness to do well, strength and patience & the like, in such sort, as where before she did fight with great force and vigour, now it will seem unto her, that she is without strength and virtue, and that she cannot resist, and every little straw will seem unto her a block, and so shall feel and perceive nothing but obscurity, and blindness, great darkness, aridity or dryness, grief, tepidity, rebellion, pusillanimity, confusion and great oppression, seeming unto her impossible to return to her first designementes & good purposes. And here in very truth is great danger, if she do not enforce herself to remedy it as she should, to the end she fall not into sundry great inconveniences, when she is thus abandoned, which happeneth in diverse manners.  
First in apprehending too firmly all this that hath been spoken of, to be a great misery, & for this cause afflicting herself, & growing sad. Secondly, too earnest setting herself to think of what cause they proceed, attributing all to her own defaults, and enforcing herself to look curiously into them. Thirdly, of set purpose, procuring with great diligence to free herself of them, to take order to remedy all, and return to her first estate, esteeming the present to be miserable, and yet nevertheless losing all this labour: for this being not the true way, nor the remedy of her evil, she findeth the trouble to be thereby increased. Fourthly, for this cause, the soul is accustomed to fall into impatience, fear, and pusillanimity & in danger to despair, it seeming unto her that nothing doth help her, and that she goeth from evil to worse. Supposing than the soul to be exercised in these foresaid degrees, it is needful she consider with herself, & principally with the help of him that guideth her, the secret and marvellous mysteries that are hidden herein. For the first them, let her know that the true cause of all that is said, is the divine providence, who willing to make proof, and to purify a soul, after he hath enriched her with virtues, and great strength in the superior part, is wont to retire his accustomed succours, without the which these virtues cannot work: whereof it cometh, that although she have them, yet do they seem to her that she hath them not: and from hence followeth darkness, aridity, and other miseries already spoken off; notwithstanding the graces and foresaid virtues remaining in the soul as before.  
For the second, this subtraction or divine withdrawing doth not proceed of the absence of virtues, gifts, and graces, seeing that they remain entirely in the soul, & it doth less proceed from the action of them, for so much as indeed the soul is deprived thereof. But we must consider that in internal and spiritual actions, there is a direct act, that tendeth directly to God, to wit, the same internal act or operation touching his object: as for example, the practical knowledge and election, or lawful desire, to have a will to suffer, to have a will to love God, to have a will to be temperate, chaste, obedient, not to consent unto sin etc. There is also the act reflective, that turneth to wards itself, to wit, to discern & judge whether he doth such an act, whereby he may receive contentment, and rejoice therein for the glory of God, for that he discerneth himself by the same to be strong, and victorious over temptations, with great repose of the soul.  
Of these two, the first is the pure act of virtue: the second is the fruit that redoundeth in us, & the fruition of the same virtue: & this is most clear that the act of temperance doth not consist to perceive that he ●ath it, or to rejoice in it, or content himself therein, but to desire it, and effectuate it. Now God concurreth in the first, and by that means the acts of virtue are performed, but he withdraweth the second, to wit, our knowledge, reflection, judgement, and satisfaction to have done them, and therefore it seemeth to us, that we do them not, & in the place of the knowledge withdrawn, happeneth darkness & blindness, in place of the joyful affection succeedeth aridity & dryness: even as it happeneth to him that is almost starved, who receiving food into his stomach neither feeleth nor tasteth it: it is clear that he eateth, and notwithstanding it seemeth unto 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 virtue to perceive our interior actions, and that therein doth not consist virtuous effects and operations, being only satisfaction unto ourselves, our Lord pretending to bereave us of all our proper taste & interest, as a hindrance betwixt him & us. leaveth us the purity of virtue, which is no other thing but to desire it, & put it in effect, and taketh away the second, which is a certain self-love more subtle than those that have yet been specified, & an interest with the which the soul nourisheth itself, and such as diverteth us from greater union with God: and this being so, it is plainly to be seen, that there is not only no evil heerin, nor any danger to be feared, but that the soul by such a divine work is purifed the more in virtue, and is purged from all proprieties, and self interest, although it be very hidden, and is raised to a degree, and disposition of greater grace, & much more union with God then before. For to make all this manifest, the soul that is come to this estate, must be advertised of two points. The first, that if she will examine the purity of virtue, she shall see the same in her actions more than ever she did. For if one should demand of her in these griefs, obscurities and rebellions, if she would offend God, she would presently answer, that Saviour jesus Christ, of whom it is written in the beginning of his dolorous passion: Coepit pavere, ●adere, & moestus esse; that is to say, he began to be troubled, to fear, and became sad: and after he said, Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem, my soul is sorrowful even unto death. Now we must consider three points. First the greatness of the pain & torments that he was presently to endure. Secondly that then was with drawn from him the concurrence of strength, patience, magnanimity, & the like virtues, concerning the feeling of them in the manner aforesaid, and for that cause he presently fell into so great anguish, fear, & heaviness, that the least of his sorrows seemed unto him insupportable, whereof before he rejoiced so much in thinking of them, saying: Baptis●… hab●… baptizari, & qu●m●do c●arctor usque dum perfici●tur: I have to be baptised with a Baptism, & how am I straitened until it be dispatched. Thirdly, that with all this, the steadfastness of virtue was most firm & more stable than ever, seeing that in these words to his Apostles, Surgite, ●amu●, arise, let us go (that is, to meet them that came to apprehend him) he discovered a meru●ilous promptness to suffer, patience, strength, and a generosity of hart, not to be overcome 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 pains were so richly armed with patience, strength, magnanimity & other virtues in the superior part, that by the same virtues they did so triumph, & rejoice even in the midst of their pains & torments, as we read of many holy Martyrs. When then, it shall please our Lord to take away, & bereave a soul, for the love he bears it, of this garment, with the foresaid subtraction, or withdrawing, as he doth in this estate; than it is clear, that he bringeth her to a higher imitation of himself, than was the other, seeing that the same subtraction was used to him by his eternal Father.  
And besides this reason of the most lively imitation of our Lord there followeth others also, to wit, that how much the superior part is more noble than the inferior, or then the body: so much more the suffering of it, or both together, is more noble than any martyrdom whatsoever of body only, if it be without the other. And moreover to suffer with this freedom & liberty, or sensible force of virtue, with which the Martyrs were endued was as easy unto them, as if they had been in the midst of roses. But with this subtraction or withdrawing it seemeth not only difficult, but also impossible. So that with all this difficulty to be thus magnanimous, and courageous with all efficacy, maketh us more apt, and prepared for higher virtue, and greater merit. And finally to find ourselves so freely & highly raised unto virtue, naturally it is an occasion of peril & danger of pride: wherefore unto S Paul (Ne magnitudo revelationum extelleret eum, lest the greatness of his revelations should extol him) there was given to preserve him the temptation of the flesh, so to counterpoise the danger which might follow: by this height of virtue the soul is plunged into this extreme low estate, by the feeling which she hath of troubles & fears etc. And therefore she is secure, that is, she is preserved from danger, which is a sign of higher estate, for that she hath a great foundation of humility, and knowledge of her own baseness. This as it seemeth, may be gathered of the temptation of S. Paul, which was given him for avoiding the peril wherein he was: whereof it followeth, that the having of that temptation of the flesh, was a higher estate, than the first, seeing that by this means the hindrances and imperfections of the first are taken away. and he is made more secure thereby, in such sort, as this estate is a certain probation, that God maketh of his elect, a lively imitation of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, a more excellent Martyrdom, than the exterior, & founded upon profound humility, which is more sure than any other whatsoever, and is of greater merit, and a disposition to receive greater gifts & graces, & which is more, an enemy to proper love; for that it taketh away the satisfaction and contentment that is received of virtues, and so by consequence increaseth, & cometh to be of greater conformity with the divine will, & is enkindled more in love towards God, than the others before mentioned: seeing, that for to satisfy Almighty God, a man depriveth himself of so great a good, and remaineth with the pu●e acts of virtues, naked of all sensible ornaments, and self contentment.  
That which ought after wards to be practised, is: First for so much as the devil is wont to trouble the soul with many thoughts, as if all this happened for some great defaults, that were in her (which afflicteth her much:) to deliver herself from this, she ought to repent herself of all her defects, sins, and occasions that she may have given in this case, but in general, without any more thinking thereof; and the rest, to remit herself wholly unto her Superior, believing in all things his advice, and renouncing her own judgement, keeping herself in peace, and repose of conscience, supposing this maxim, which is greatly necessary in this sixth degree, to wit, that a man ought not to judge of himself, nor of what he feeleth in himself, seeing that that the subtraction maketh that he can have no light, reflection, nor perfect judgement of his actions; but he ought to content himself, and rejoice in this darkness, and a●idity, and aught to humble and submit himself to the judgement of another, anihilating & acknowledging himself worthy of this, and so much worse, unworthy of all light, and in such baseness he ought to glorify God.  
Although that the motions of impatience, and other the like natural motions be great, and make the soul to become sad and melancholy, without feeling any comfort, or solace; yet must she know, and labour for, & to try by experience, the for said submission, which doth also consist in resigning, & remitting herself wholly unto God, even as one that is sick, who although he cry through the vehemency of his pains, nevertheless in will, is submitted entirely unto God, and is content to suffer any thing.  
As for fear & pusillanimity (besides that which naturally she feeleth, which is not evil of itself) she ought not to admit any more, not to consent unto it, but aught to endeavour herself to perform acts of submission, confidence in God, familiarity, & the like.  
And doing all this that is above said, and with the same, denying herself in all things, and conforming herself unto God, not willing any thing, but what he willeth, if she feel these troubles, and darkness to increase, she must not for all that, be afflicted for any thing whatsoever it be; but without any kind of murmuring, she must seek to forget her evil, & aught to know that God is accustomed to do this: that is to say, to withdraw all consolation and help in our temptations. Therefore she must then redouble her conformity & thanksgiving unto God, and quiet herself, and repose with assurance that in the end God will not leave her, not permit that she be tempted about her strength, which here doth consist wholly 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, than ecstasy.   

OF THE SECOND Estate. CHAP. X.  
Who would think, that there should be any thing yet left in the Soul which she might renounce, forsake & withdraw herself from, besides this that hath been said, & especially the soul being brought to the only pure and direct act of virtue, in the which it seemeth there is nothing but true virtue, & also bereft 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 active virtue imperative, in respect of the other powers, worketh and produceth the acts of virtue; it cannot be denied, but that there is proper will, and interest therein, although much purged, and by consequence there is somewhat yet to forsake, and to be purged.  
The soul than that is left without any other action but to do in the manner above explicated, being arrived to the foresaid sixth degree, our Lord is accustomed to withdraw by little, and little, the power to do such acts, taking now one, now another until such time, that indeed he taketh away all, except the power to conform herself unto the divine will. And by experience it is proved, that sometimes the soul findeth herself so oppressed with griefs and afflictions, and assailed with so many distractions, & miseries, that willing to enforce herself, yet she cannot perform any act, neither of thankes giving towards God, nor of fortitude, nor of patience, nor of any other virtue, no not so much as to will that which is agreeable unto God. And she must remain in this sufferance, pierced through inwardly with a thousand temptations: so that as the Martyrs could not defend themselves, from their torments & wounds, but receiving them, conformed themselves to the divine will; even so must the soul do in this case, in whom it may be, there remaineth not any active force, but only the passive, enduring all for the love of God, and remaining content with the same.  
But which is more, he is accustomed also to take away such an act of conforming herself to the divine will, in such manner, that she hath not any sensible feeling to do it, & also less can she execute it● and there remaineth no other thing; but a passive tranquillity, by which, as a lamb before the shearer, she remaineth quiet, and suffereth God to accomplish whatsoever he pleaseth.  
This is an entire and absolute subtraction of the active power of the soul, to wit, that God withdraweth in such sort his divine concurrence that the soul cam●ot in the superior part, how holy or raised soever she be, make any active operations, but only can remain peaceable, & quiet, enduring willingly that which God permitteth to happen unto her.  
To such a withdrawing the soul ought to be correspondent with anihilating and acknowledging herself to be pure nothing, and full of infinite sins, and therefore unworthy to perform any action of virtue: and she ought to rejoice in such contempt, that God worketh in her, taking from her the power to lift her hart up unto him, with a free renunciation; she ought to be contented to want wholly the active, and all the acts of virtue; the which how much more they were pure, so much greater is the gift that God imparteth therein. After this it often happeneth, that the troubles and afflictions will be not only as before, but much greater, for having lost the rampire and fortress of the acts of virtue: and moreover in the concupiscible and inferior part, there willbe raised motions so vehement and disordered, that she never felt the like in her life, in such sort, as it will seem unto her, that she is even in hell itself: and here she must not arm herself with any other armour, then with submission and passive tranquillity in supporting all to satisfy almighty God, who will have it so. And she ought to know, that such submission and tranquillity giveth to the soul a very great strength, not active but passive, by the which he giveth and leaveth herself to be as a prey unto God; and so like a most patiented lamb suffereth all, in great debility & feebleness. Of this peace and tranquillity followeth a comformity with the active will, although passive, but without comparison greater than the foresaid, and an inexplicable deification in an act yet passive, not of oblation, nor of gift, dedication, or holocaust, but much more excellent & more perfect, as to give themselu●… wholly, as it were a prey unto almighty God.  
In this estate she must be advertised of some things of much importance: one is, that the interior, and imperative actions of virtue are not lost, but are made more active than ever, in such fort that a person hath strength to work and exercise the parts and powers of her body and soul in speaking, thinking, and doing, all that is convenient to be done, according to her vocation, yea even in performing acts of temperance, patience etc. Also when she ought to aid and help her neighbour, it is with the accustomed affability: for the act of commandment, & practice resteth in the soul, to command, and to direct all her actions of command or execution. For the subtraction, or withdrawing aught to be understood in the understanding and will, concerning the proper interior acts of the will, intention, fruition, election, rejoicing, satisfaction, & the like, which indeed are taken away.  
Another is, that it must not be understood, that our Lord taketh away the gifts, or habits, but the acts, not giving his help & concurrence, notwithstanding he doth not so always: for that often in this estate, he letteth the soul be free, and at liberty to work, but sometimes he suspendeth it, and this is done without any certain rule, and when he pleaseth. Therefore the soul ought to be wholly resigned, to be deprived of all acts, or not, as much, and when it shall please God, and to be always ready to renounce them with this admirable indifferency. When the active is taken away in she manner aforesaid, than the soul remaineth in the passive state in two ●orts. First, for that with promptness, & great tranquillity she submitteth herself to all the afflictions, and foresaid troubles, and miseries, enduring 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 evil motions: and also for that she cannot perform any act of virtue, but only suffereth such affliction for the love of God.  
Secondly, the soul in such estate being retired to the deepest part of her hart, (which the Mystical Divines call Pax anima, the peace of the soul) operation being withdrawn, she giveth and submitteth herself with great promptness unto God, who worketh within with the passive consent of her freewill, much more higher acts, then of thanksgiving, love, union with him, election, or any other virtue, without taste; only admitting them, and cooperating with all her hart, and affection, in such sort, that as the understanding retired from the sense in ecstasy cannot be attentive with her natural forces to active virtues, as she was before, but receiveth divine light, that worketh most high understanding & knowledge in her (which the mystical Divines call pati divina:) now if in the understanding raised above her natural forces, our Lord worketh this, the same may be done, much more in the will, when renouncing wholly the active, she forsaketh the same, & then our Lord raising it into an ecstasy, & a most virtuous practice, worketh in her entirely what he pleaseth: and this pati divina, which is an estate much higher than the foresaid, for that ecstasy of the understanding is dangerous, and few attain unto it, full of infinite occasions and subjects of curiosity, & propriety: but here the will renounceth and humbleth herself, and with a most assured confidence submitteth herself unto God: and of such an ecstasy all are capable, and it is much higher than the other, rendering the soul most agreeable and pleasing unto God.   

OF THE THIRD and last Estate. CHAP. XI.  
FINALLY our Lord is accustomed to take away not only the active, but also the foresaid passive, the will remaining in all, and by all, naked and impotent for any thing. It is true, she doth not resist, or oppose herself to this, but she suffereth herself to be bereft of all. And for the understanding of this last Estate, which is the highest of all the others, it must be noted, that the virtue and force of the liberty which the will hath, is so great, that she can renounce wholly her will, and wholly her liberty, and indeed bereaveth herself of them, as if she never had them; and she doth this freely with her good will: and by such a renunciation the will is made as it were no will, in the like manner, as S. Pauli●… made himself a slave to deliver another slave: even so the soul hath power to do with her interior, and with her free will and liberty.  
Then our Lord taketh away the active, and the passive by subtraction, and all acts whatsoever, as if she were not at all: and she doth not resist this, but with an entire exhibition of such a renunciation, concurring therewith, comes to be no practical will, to wit, that all the operations that she doth, or can do concerning herself, she doth not will them, nor doth them as of herself: yet willing them nevertheless with a will conformable to the divine will, in which sort she willeth & worketh them; and therefore she doth them as commanded immediately by the divine will, without bringing therein any concurrence of her own, putting the will of God in the place of hers.  
For in as a large & spacious Palace, of the which one only is master, when he is absent, he leaveth some friend of his, absolute master, and there is done all, that was done before, but only by the commandment of the friend, & not of the other: even so the will renouncing itself wholly, aswell in the active as in the passive, although pure, & holy, not willing but what God willeth; and now not willing indeed neither more nor less, to have this satisfaction, as is afore said, she renounceth in all things, and wholly the said active and passive, being resolved not to work at all, as with her will, notwithstanding she doth all even as before, but as things willed & ordained by God, not of herself, leaving entirely & immediately to the good pleasure of God, the commandment of her body, soul, actions, motions, and feelings, as if truly she had no manner of will: and to this God correspondeth as is said, with the withdrawing of all acts: & if peradventure she leaveth, or doth the like acts of virtue as before, than she leaveth and doth them, not according to her proper will, but for so much as she seethe the will of God to be, that she leave, or do them. Our Lord and master himself made this subtraction & renunciation in the garden, when he said, non mea, sed tua volunta● fiat: O Father, not my will be done, but thine: to wit, my will would, as conformable to thine, Eternal Father, suffer cross, and torments his power: in the same manner he enforceth himself, and seeketh as much as he can to deceive us, as often as he representeth and putteth before us, 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 overcome him, and drive him away by the means of a perfect anihilation of will, and to pray unto our Lord, by this his holy & entiere renunciation he will give us his g●ace to obtain full and entire victory over the devil & sin.  

The first point.  
MAN, & whatsoever is created concerning their first origen, proceedeth of nothing; & of himself, by a thousand ways, to wit, by infinite miseries of soul and body (to the which he is subject) is ready, and tending to return to the same nothing, if God by his bounty did not conserve him; and a man sinning is made worse than nothing. By the means of this consideration of this our first origen, and of all things created, we must endeavour or esteem ourselves, and all things created as nothing, and not to love, desire, seek, or will any thing for ourselves: and thus we shall get a perfect anihilation of our will.   

The second point.  
WE must consider, that this true anihilation maketh the soul to become a true portrait and resemblance of the sovereign greatness of God, for that it taketh away the hindrances that are between God and the ●oule; which is done by not willing, or desiring any thing: and thus she becometh a most fair, & clear mirror or looking glass. For even as when we would, that a glass should receive in itself perfectly and entirely the image & figure of some object, it is needful, that so much the further the one be set from the other, as the object is greater in itself; so the greatness of God being infinite, by the means of this anihilation, the soul only taketh from itself all obstacles that do hinder it from uniting itself with God; but which is more, by a great submission in her baseness, & a true knowledge of the infinite greatness of God, she draweth herself infinitely far from the same, and by this means cometh to be disposed, and able to receive in her this infinite object of God; and the same. Lord by the pleasure he taketh, & infinite love that he beareth to this soul, imprinteth and engraveth presently in her, a true resemblance image, & portrait of all his greatness, even to the last Centre of the same.  
This anihilation is of great force to purge the soul of passions, taking away entirely all the objects of them, seeing that he that hath no will to any thing for himself, hath not what to desire, love, fear, or hate: whereof cometh also that it purifieth the soul, concerning the intention, taking away all pretence of any created end whatsoever in all our actions, & maketh it truly capable to have no will to any other thing then to the pure glory of God in himself, seeing she careth for nothing else; from whence also proceedeth an entire and total victory over all temptations; seeing that unto him that desireth nothing, the devil hath not any object to present: and if he doth, he is presently rejected, and driven away with this resolution of not desiring any thing, & by this means he is in all things vanquished and put to flight. The affects and principal signs of this anihilation are these that follow.  
The first is, that the gifts & graces that our Lord communicateth to the soul that is endued therewith, she receiveth them not, nor retaineth them in herself, for so much as that which is nothing cannot receive in itself any thing, but receiveth them in God, & referreth them unto him from whom they proceed.  
Secondly, that she doth not appropriate them to herself, nor rejoice in such graces in herself, neither is she troubled if they be taken from her, or that she happen to lose them; but equally, whether she having them or no, she remaineth content in her nothing.  
Thirdly, she maketh no account of this grace, but for so much as our Lord willbe served by the means of the same.  
Fourthly, she doth not esteem the grace in itself, but for that by the means of it, she cometh to a greater knowledge of the giver, and esteemeth him the more.  
Fiftly, she doth not exalt herself for any gift or grace that she can receive, but always keeping herself in her nothing, remaineth in the same conceit, and opinion of her baseness.  
Sixtly, in the works that she doth, she knoweth truly that of herself she doth nothing, but discovereth in a high manner the divine assistance in them, and that it is he which worketh all, & whatsoever happeneth unto her, although never so grievous & hard to support, yet with an entire peace she reposeth in him.  
Seaventhly, in the time of subtraction, and dryness of spirit, she is not moved with it, neither seeketh any remedy, or consolation, but with all submission embraceth it, and giveth herself in prey unto it, as unto a proper object of nothing.   

THE EXERCISE of Disappropriation.  

The Prayer preparatory accustomed.  
FIRST we must consider how truly was verified in our Lord JESUS Christ, that which he said of himself: Vulpes foveas habent, & volucres cali nidos, filius autem hominis no● habet ubi caput suum reclinet; that is to say: the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air their nests, but the son of the virgin hath not where to repose his head; and how much are we obliged to seek with all our power, to imitate him in disappropriating ourselves of all things, for to answer the infinite love he beareth unto us, Secondly, we must pray unto our Lord with great fervour that he would impart unto us this grace: and we must make a firm & constant resolution to be willing to accept it, with all our hart & affection, & to dispose ourselves perfectly, & wholly to the exercise, and execution of all that it requireth of us.   

The first point.  
WE must consider, that this disappropriation is a resolute will, that comes from God, to be willing to be entirely deprived, concerning our affection, and, as much as possibly is convenient, in effect also of all that we have, and this because there redoundeth thereby greater glory unto God. And by this is understood that we must deprive & disappropriate ourselves, not only of all created things, in as much as they nourish, & entertain in us self-love, and all other faults, and impertections that may be found in us: but which is more, we must also deprive ourselves of that which toucheth us nearer, even of virtues, and graces that we receive of God, of all satisfaction, contentment, consolation, & of any other good, that by the means of them we may attribute to ourselves, resigning all this truly unto God, not desiring in them, nor in any living thing, other taste and contentment, then that his holy will be entirely and fully accomplished in us and all persons. And in the end being deprived of all proper interest and the virtues, and celestial graces remaining in us, even in their purity and perfection, we then ought to acknowledge out selves most unworthy of them: & the more perfect they be, so much the more do they belong unto out Lord. And therefore with an entire, and perfect resignation we ought most freely to offer them unto him in this their natural purity, simplicity and perfection, remitting them unto their first origen. And moreover we must 〈◊〉 always prepared to deprive ourselves of all gifts, graces, & virtues, as if it were to give, & make a present of them, unto any creature whosoever, as it shall please our Lord to ordain, and this for his love, and for his greater glory and honour.   

The second point.  
THIS perfect disappropriation or renunciation, is a dependence, and participation of the divine, which is infinitely proper to God, if we may so say: and nevertheless concerning the affection, our Lord depriveth himself, with a marvellous great and excellent perfection, of all that he hath, with peace, tranquillity, repose of spirit, and infinite magnanimity. This we see in God the Father, who really communicateth himself to the Son, and Holy Ghost: & which is more in effect, he communicateth his gifts unto us in creation, conservation of his graces, as he doth impart them to all his Creatures, & in permitting sins. And in the work of the Incarnation, and in all other mysteries of our redemption, we see how he debaseth himself in things most base, disappropriating, and depriving himself of the contrary perfections. And then when so many Angels departed from him, and so many souls yet do the same, incur●ing eternal damnation, he depriveth himself of them, and of so many graces which he hath imparted to them: we see in him the same disappropriation also in infinite other manners which cannot be explicated. Of this may be gathered, that this is a most high perfection to imitate God himself in foresaid manner, by the means of such a disappropriation.  
The principal effects that this disapropriation worketh, and produceth in the soul, are these that follow.  
First, that the gifts that she receiveth of God, she receiveth and useth them, as if she had not received them, not putting any affection in them, but offering the love which she might have to them, & the gifts of God themselves to him from whom they proceed.  
Secondly, that she rejoiceth in the gifts that she seethe in another, although she hath them not herself, as if they were her own.  
Thirdly, it maketh her ready and prompt to deprive herself of the graces and gifts which she hath reccaved, to enrich her neighbour therewith, and she rejoiceth much in this.  
Fourthly, when she findeth herself deprived of all gifts, aswell spiritual as corporal, and of all graces in what manner foever, she remaineth also content, as if she had not received them, and is not troubled, nor disquieted any thing at all. She knoweth well all her necessities, and miseries, but nevertheless she contenteth herself in them, knowing truly that she hath nothing of herself, and that nothing appertaineth unto her, being unworthy of any thing.    

THE EXERCISE of Indifferency.  

The Prayer preparatory, as accustomed.  
FIRST, we must profoundly think of the sense of these words, Sedere ad dexteram meam & sinistram, non est meum dare vobis, sed quibus paratum est à Patre meo: that is to say: To sit at my right hand, and left, is not mine to give you, but to whom it is prepared of my Father. And how much more in reason are we obliged to be in all things subject, and to remit ourselves wholly to the good pleasure of God by the means of a perfect & total indifferency?  
We must demand humbly this grace of our Lord, with firm resolution, willingly to accept of it, and to put in execution the divine inspirations by which we may be conducted & guided to the same.   

The first Point.  
FIRST, Consider that this indifferency is a most excellent, divine, and high perfection, for that, although our Lord be of nature, and of will most resolute to all that he will do, and to all that which he doth, nevertheless concerning his affection, he is wholly prepared to do, or not to do any work whatsoever, if it were so convenient for him, and if he had, or might have any superior of whom he depended; and moreover concerning the effect, we see that he doth put in execution this divine indifferency, in communicating  
Secondly, this indifferency causeth one to have a great & magnanimous courage, & by it we are disposed, and made prompt, and prepared to all things: and of this springeth a sincerity of hart, that maketh the love of God to increase in the soul.  
Thirdly, the soul that is indifferent, accepteth, and with all her forces consenteth to, all that God will work in her, and with great promptness putteth it in execution, although it seem unto her troublesome, sharp, grievous, and uneasy to support, repugnant to her inclination, and her proper judgement, or of what sort soever it be: in which oftentimes many souls do fail even of spiritual persons, who for want of this indifferency, and deceived by self love, do hinder oftentimes that which God would work in 〈◊〉  
Fourthly, it maketh the soul prepared to live or dye, to receau● consolation or affliction, and to take all things in good part, that can happen either to herself, or others, and all the universal miseries which our Lord permitteth to happen in his Church. Briefly she receiveth all things equally, & in one manner, from the hand of God.  
Fiftly, what thing soever she hath she setteth not her affection thereon, how good, or spiritual soever it be, in which many souls willingly stumble, proposing unto themselves in their actions, a good intention truly in itself, but according to their fashion, and make great account of certain exercises that they do, and which they much esteem. But the soul indifferent, setting all things aside● 〈◊〉, considereth, and st●dieth with great diligence, how to follow, and put in execution the pure, and true interior motions of grace, and divine inspirations, and to do whatsoever she knoweth may redound to the greatest honour & glory of God.  
Sixtly, in time of consolation, she doth not purpose to do difficult matters, and of great perfection, neither doth she suffer herself to be transported by the excessive gust, and sweetness that she feeleth therein; but all that she purposeth to do, is done with repose, & maturity, always conditionally, according to the will of God, to the end, that afterwards in the time of desolation, she remain firm. stable, and constant in the same good purposes.  
Seaventhly, in great Solemnities, and like occasions she doth not consider, nor rely upon her own industry, neither doth she make too long preparations: but using therein convenient diligence, dependeth wholly, and with great simplicity on God, suffering herself to be governed by him, as he best pleaseth.    

THE FOURTH EXERCISE Of Conformity.  

The Prayer preparatory in the manner accustomed.  
FIRST we must consider in these worde● (〈…〉 volum●tem Patri● 〈…〉, that is to say, ●y meat is to do the will of my father which is in hea●en:) 〈◊〉 in other like speeches, the gr●… conformity that our Sa●io●… 〈◊〉 had with the will of his eternal father, so that in all his works he protested, that he pretended no other thing, but entirely to put the fain in execution. And of this we may gather how much more we are obliged to do the same in his imitation, enforcing ourselves as much, as shallbe possible, and with the greatest affection, to bend & submit our will to be conformable unto Gods, and to conceive an earnest and vehement desire thereof, which ought to move us humbly to beseech his divine majesty, that by the virtue of the merits of his dear Son, our Lord jesus Christ, and by the same conformity aforesaid that was in him, he would vouchsafe to impart us abundantly his grace.   

The first point.  
WE must consider, that this Conformity is no other thing then a total and resolute dependence, & subjection of our will, to the divine, in all our works, occurrences, chances, whatsoever they be: and moreover that all things whatsoever they be, are neither good nor holy, but in as much as they are beautified & sanctified with the will of God; and although they be indifferent, yea & seem sometimes impertinent & not to the purpose, in so much notwithstanding as they proceed and depend of the will of God, they are very good, and tend to a very good end, and to the glory of God; and therefore we ought to weigh well, & attentively to consider, how high & perfect a thing it is to be thus conformed to whatsoever we find to be Gods will, in all things & at all times; and how much the endeavouring, & practising of it importeth, and how necessary it is, if we desire to attain to great perfection.   

The second point.  
CONSIDER, that this is a most high perfection of God himself, and which we see to shine in the divine attributes; which in their works, and in themselves are infinitely conformable to the will of God: & from hence springeth this unspeakable harmony in them, as is seen ●…uailously also in the divine divine persons, in all exterior and interior actions, aswell in that concerning created things, as in all increated acts of knowledge, love, enjoying, joy and infinite others. This conformity is seen also amongst the blessed spirits & souls in heaven, who at the least sign they perceive of the will of God, are always prepared to obey, and do obey it with great promptness: it is also seen in all created things, and even in insensible creatures, as is read in the Gospel, qui● 〈◊〉 & venti ebediunt 〈◊〉, for that the sea, and the winds obey him; but above all things it is most apparent in the sacred Humanity of our Lord jesus Christ with the second Person of the Trinity (to whom it it united) and with his eternal Father, and in the inferior part with the superior in all his powers, affections, and operations: & likewise it is seen truly and perfectly in the natural repugnance that he felt, in consideration of the torments, pains, and excess●…e ●olours that he was to suffer: and how much the more he did really & sharply feel them, so much the more he conformed himself with an unspeakable repose to the will of his Father, in desiring them; so much the more increased in him the repugnance, and sensibility of the griefs, in such sort, that the contentment in this conformity, did not bring him any assuagement of his sorrows, but only made that his will sweetly reposed in them, and with so prompt and ready mind, he willed and desired them, that if the jews had not crucified him, he himself (if such had been the will of his Father) was prepared to have done it. We see also the like conformity in his most holy mother; which, next unto this of our Lord jesus Christ, was above all things created most singular & most perfect. And we must consider that all the foresaid conformities are represented in the divine Essence, which containeth in itself all things, & shineth infinitely in them, and in a manner that cannot be explicated, from which proceedeth great honour and glory unto God.   

THE EFFECTS OF this Conformity in a soul endued therewith, are these that follow.  
FIRST it causeth that the said soul studieth, & laboureth with great affection, and diligence to understand and know in all things what is the will of God, & to put it promptly and readily in execution, and not to care for any other thing.  
2. She findeth in all things repose, & tranquillity for the assurance she hath, that in all things the will of God is accomplished.  
3. She enjoyeth great liberty of spirit, free from all scruples, unquietness, and inward bitterness, saying often unto our Lord, Thou knowest Lord, that I desire no other thing but the accomplishing of thy holy will, make me to know it, I beseech thee.  
4. She accepteth, and receiveth afflictions, & tribulations as presents sent immediately from the hand of God, attributing them to no other cause.  
5. She is not troubled for them, neither doth she lament, nor complain unto God, but to the imitation of our Lord jesus Christ, saith, Non mea, sed tua roluntas fiat; not mine but thy will be done.  
6. She taketh pleasure, & rejoiceth in them: and the greater they are, and more contrary unto her, she maketh her commodity the more by them, by a greater knowledge of God, and a perfect submission unto his divine will.  
7. When she is calumniated, & persecuted without any fault of her own part, or any occasion given, she doth not seek to justify and excuse herself, but leaveth all entirely in the hands of God, for to ordain the whole as he shall please.  
8. If by wearyne●, and labour she feel some unquietness, yet she finds repose, considering that this is the will of God, conforming herself unto the same, without seeking in this any particular interest, or good unto herself.    

THE FIFTH EXERCISE of Uniformity.  

The Prayer preparatory is to be made as accustomed.  
FIRST, to consider in these words, Pater mi, non mea sed tua voluntas fiat: Father, not my will, but thy will be done, the great union that the Son of God had with the will of God his Father in a matter so difficult, contrary, and grievous to nature, and so unbeseeming (as may be thought) his greatness, as his passion was; and of this we must gather, by how much greater reason we are obliged to do the like, in the imitation of so rare an example of our Lord jesus Christ.  
Secondly we must with an extreme desire seek to obtain this grace, and instantly to pray unto the eternal Father, that he will make us worthy of it, by the m●rits of his dear Son.   

The first point.  
WE must consider that this uniformity, besides that which is contained in the Conformity, doth more unite the will, with that of Gods. This taketh from us all repugnance, and difficulty, for that in all things we not only will, what our Land willeth, but moreover we are inci●ed, and moved to will it, only f●… the reason that God will 〈…〉 and all our contentment i● 〈◊〉 ●…tisfy the divine will, fo● the 〈◊〉 union that we have with it: and this for the love of itself, and not for any other respect. And the same love inciteth us to the same union with our even Christian: according to that which is written in the Acts of the Apostles: Erat credentium in Domino cor unum, & animauna, all the faithful of our Lord had one hart and one soul in the primitive Church. This uniformity shineth, and is plainly seen, first in things wanting life, the which by an instinct of nature in so great diversities of operations agree altogether to execute marvelously whatsoever they are ordained for by God; and altogether accomplish uniformly this most beautiful, most excellent and marvellous order, and harmony of this world; as we see for example in a house well ordered, that many servants performing duly diverse offices that are commanded them by their master, come finally to accomplish, & finish all, as one only affair. But this uniformity shineth much more perfectly in heaven amongst the happy spirits, and souls, in whom by the efficacy of love, the divine will causeth one hart, spirit, and will, as if truly all together were but one, by a most singular union with the supreme will: but above all it shineth most highly and marvelously in the divine attributes, that agree, and accord in the essence, & divine will, in the divine persons, & in the acts that they produce.   

THE EFFECTS of this Uniformity in a soul●, are these that f●ll●…  
THE First is, that the soul that is endued with this uniformity, not only contenteth herself in all that which is God's will, but moreover uniteth herself with the same of God, and by this being made oneself thing with it, she rejoiceth equally in all things, only for no other cause, but for that the divine will is pleased therewith, & will have it so.  
2. In all places, and in all things she findeth God, and uniteth herself with him, & all creatures serve her as a ladder to raise her unto God.  
3. For the that sins she falleth into, she is grieved for the offence that is against Almighty God: but even of them also she taketh occasion to abase herself, and that with so much greater submission, penetrating into the consideration of the love, with which God hath permitted them, she uniteth herself unto him.  
4. How much the more it seemeth to her sometimes that she is deprived of all grace, abandoned of God, and left as overwhelmed in her miseries; so much the more, by the means of them, she uniteth herself with God, knowing well, that the graces that she first felt in abundance, are retired into God, and that they are kept, and preserved more securely in him, then when she felt them in herself; & is contented, and more rejoiceth to see them in God, then in herself: and therefore raising and uniting herself with God, goeth to find them in him, as in their proper origen, and convenient place.  
5. Being afflicted with any temptation either of the devil, or other creature whatsoever, she rejecteth, and resisteth all the evil that might happen unto her by it, and withal acknowledging such creatures to be ministers of God, who permitteth them for his greater glory, even by the means of these temptations she cometh to unite herself with God.  
6. How much the more she feeleth herself favoured of God by imparting his celestial graces, and how much the more excellent, & of greater consequence they are, she coming afterwards to leave them for to unite herself more fully & perfectly unto God, from whom these foresaid graces proceed: so much the more she showeth, that she made much less esteem of the gifts then of the giver.  
7. In all her interior and exterior operations in a moment & twinkling of an eye, she uniteth herself with God, to know in them his will, & to put it presently in execution: and by this all her actions are done without any disordinate affection, propriety, or particular respect.    

THE sixth EXERCISE Of Deiformity.  

The preparatory Prayer accustomed, before the Exercise.  
IN the beginning, & in consideration of these words of our Lord, Ego dixi Di● estis: I have said, you are Gods etc. and in this that he said unto his Father, ut unumsint, s●…t● Pater in me, & ego in te, ut & ips● in nobis unumsint, that all may be one, as thou my Father art in me, and I in thee, so also that they may be one in us. Hear we must end●…uour to penetrate into the excellency, & greatness of the perfection we are called unto by our Lord jesus, to wit, to unite ourselves in such sort by efficacy of will, and by the vehemency of a loving affection, to the divine will, that being transformed into the same, we be no more, as we may say, ourselves, nor that which we were before, but like unto God, & in God himself, Deified to the imitation of the union of the Son of God, with his eternal Father.  
2. Being prostrate, with a most profound submission in the depth of our nothing, in the presence of the height of his greatness, as altogether astonished, and relying on the love which incited him so much to abase himself, even unto us, thereby to raise us up to himself, we must crave of this love a correspondence of affection, which may live in us with a vehement desire of this true and perfect Deiformity in him.   

The first point.  
WE must consider, that this Deiformity consisteth to have our will united by such efficacy of love, with the divine, that she feel no more from henceforward herself, as if verily she were not at all, but that only she feel in her the divine will, & that all her actions, desires, & works tend to the only accomplishing of the same. In such sort, that even in virtues, and holy things, she willeth them no more, with a created will, nor by it, but only by the increated, made hers by an entire transformation into it; considering that our Lord jesus intended to show this in these words, 〈◊〉 s●d v●luntas fia●.   

The fourth point.  
THAT the humanity of our Saviour jesus Christ, and of his most holy mother, & of all the blessed, by the working of God in them, and by the knowledge, and enjoying that they have of the divinity, are as it were swallowed up, and raised into this foresaid being, and unity, and in the same most perfectly deified: and finally that all the Saints, and the just yet upon the earth, are transformed into God, & from thence afterwards return to their being, as a drop of water being cast into a great vessel full of wine, is changed into the same, & after being out of the said vessel, returneth to his first being.   

The fifth point.  
WE must consider, that after the soul is arrived unto such an estate, that she hath taken away, by the virtue of this Deifying love, and of the other aforesaid lights, all that might hinder the working of God in her, then hath she attained unto this Deiformity; and this Deiformity produceth these effects that follow.  
1. She is Deiformed in all her actions, doing them, as if God did them, and not herself; & th●… in them, & by them entereth wh●ly unto God, and acknowledgeth him, & enjoyeth him.  
2. Even a● a sinner doth 〈◊〉 action but out of God, being 〈◊〉 ●…ed of his grace, even soon the 〈◊〉 such afoule doth not find or do any thing in which God is not, and by means whereof, she doth not enter, and unite herself unto God.  
3. She esteemeth not of any thing, but in as much as it comes from God, or that it be done for God, & in God.  
4. Although that sometimes our Lord hide, and withdraw himself from such a soul, yet in this subtraction, & hiding, she retireth wholly into God, hiding herself in him, without any sweetness or feeling: yea how much the more, that by means of this rigour, leaving, sharpness, and bitterness, it seemeth that she is far from God: so much the more she returneth, is Deiformed, and reposeth in him.  
5. Being most certains and assured, that she herself, as of herself, cannot perform any thing that is good, by reason of her total unability, knowing truly that she is nothing, hath nothing, and can do nothing of herself; she is not confounded, nor any whir troubled, yea even in the midst of confusions, she findeth herself much assured, & contented, knowing certainly that she seeketh not any thing proper, & that nothing of hers is therein, but God doth all immediately.  
6. Although she should raise the dead, and do such marvellous works, & great things, yet she would neither care, nor esteem of such works, or be moved with them; but in as much as God would, she should: & although she should possess all the treasures of heaven & earth, she would not esteem of them in themsel●…, nor for herself, but refer, and offer up all things unto their first origen, from whence they p●…ded.  
7. Although she knew sensibly that she had God in her, yea and though it were in the same manner as our blessed Lady his holy Mother had, she would not be moved any more, then if she did not perceive any such thing at all or that she had him not in herself, but in God, only imitating heerin the glorious virgin Mary, who having in her arms our blessed Lord, held him, as if she had not had him, but as if her arms had been Gods, & as though he held himself, & this was the most excellent Deiformity of this most pure soul.  
8. When the soul that is come to this Deiformity, seethe herself to be praised, she taketh no manner of pleasure therein, neither is she troubled, afflicted, altered, or moved any whit at all, for so much as she is wholly in God, and receiving the praises that belongeth to God, referreth and offereth them all unto him.  
9 Two souls Deiformed, having between them great conformity of affection, entertaining one another with mutual love of very great efficacy, & with great disappropriation; and therefore being to be separated one from the other never so far, for the greater glory of God, do care nothing at all, nor are they any thing disquieted, for whatsoever accident, how great or grievous, that may befall them.  
10. If God would publish to the world the Deiformity that he hath given her, she would not be disquieted or troubled, but would say, Lord thou hast done it, do whatsoever it pleaseth thee, for the whole work is thine.     

OF SELF-LOVE.  

THERE are three forts of self-love; the first is in a worldly person, who life's amidst the honours, greatness, and dignities of this world.  
The second is in a spiritual, person, who desireth to serve God, & this maketh him to seek sweetness, consolation and light, having a desire to serve God.  
The third is in persons that have made some progress and are advanced in the service of our Lord, which is such that with the same, they mingle a desire to profit greatly, and to strive for perfection.  
Therefore great watchfulness & heed is necessary, to be able to know it: & for this end, it is needful to examine very exactly thy interior, and to weigh well, whether such a desire be with pain and anxiety, or not: and when it is found to be with affliction and trouble, the person may be assured it is self-love, and it is the more subtle, in that there increaseth with this pain, a greater desire of perfection. Now he that will profit indeed, must be wary to taken away the hindrance, which is self love, & to hope always in God, & to have a firm confidence, that unto whom almighty God giveth such a desire, he will also give strength & means to bring them to perfection, when it shall be expedient for his honour and glory.  
And we must not think that for any diligence the soul can perform, she can arrive thereunto, but rather with a sincere submission unto God, and with an operation as it were insensible, she shall come to have the accomplishing of her desire. And so in this estate, she must be as a little infant that sucketh, whose operations are of that quality, that they give joy and consolation to the creature, and this for the innocency & purity which is in them, which maketh such creatures not only agreeable to the Creator, but also to those that behold them; even so a soul that would be deprived of proper love, aught in this manner to imitate such acts, that is to say, that even as a little infant desireth neither this, nor that, but only that which maintaineth his life to wit, milk, & this without any self respect: even so a soul ought to do the like, that is to say, to desire only that which giveth her life, which is God himself: and with how much the greater sincerity, fidelity, & constancy she seeketh God, in the in●e●iour of her soul; so much the more she maketh herself agreeable, & pleasing to his divine Majesty.   

THE CONDITIONS that a soul ought to have to perform that which hath been specified, are these that follow.  
1. THE first, is to desire to be even as perfect as God would have her, and when, & in the manner he pleaseth.  
2. To take away all hindrances that may any way impeach the execution of such a desire in her and endeavour that there should not be any thing between God and her, no not God himself, in regard of the pleasure, and contentment that is accustomed to spring of the knowledge and feeling that she hath of God himself: for although that the said pleasure, and contentment be not evil, nor any sin, yet notwithstanding it hindereth, so that the disappropriation doth not arrive to his perfection. Therefore if sometimes the soul take contentment or pleasure in herself, & remain busied in creatures, under the shadow and pretence of the Creator; she putteth God himself as a hindrance, between him & her soul, & disuniteth him from the same, for the respect she hath of that which proceedeth from his divinity, or is appertaining unto him.  
3. Not to take care, or be to much grieved if she attain not to that height of perfection, unto which she findeth herself called: for God is infinitely pleased to 〈◊〉 a soul in pain for his divine 〈◊〉, the Kingly prophet David having said so much in his Psalm 90. Cum ipso sum in tribulation●: that is to say, I am with him in tribulation. For the interior tribulations make a soul more capable than the exterior, to receive particular graces from God; yea sometimes so great, as cannot be thought or imagined: Therefore a soul ought to taken great heed, that she do not grieve or torment herself, if she attain not to the top of the perfection so much desired; for that sometimes God giveth great perfection, and yet with the same a soul shall not be so agreeable to his divine majesty, as another that hath it not, but do on their part all that possibly they can to have it. For having the said perfection she will have a sati●…on, and contentment in herself, the which although it be good, it will not be so pleasing to our Lord, as the pain and affliction that a soul suffereth for his love: but with this pain and trouble she ought to be wholly conformed to his divine will, without disquiet, and not to separate herself any thing at all from the love of God, for otherwise it willbe self-love.   

THE EFFECTS of Self-love.  
THIS Self-love, although it be called in this manner, ought rather nevertheless to be called want of love to ourselves, hatred, death, a selfe-venome, or poison: for that it hath no regard, nor respect, either to life or health, to body or soul, nor to any other thing: it esteemeth of nothing but what it affecteth, it regardeth not God himself. This self-love was first in Lucifer when he made greater esteem of his own excellency, then to be with God in Paradise, whereby he incurred presently death unto himself, to wit, to be separated from God: the like also happeneth to a soul, for it separateth her from God, maketh her become insensible, taking from her the light of reason, to be opiniative, churlish, and void of civility. Self-love is like unto the heath called Dogs-tooth, which being not rooted out, cometh by little & little to have such force, tha●… marreth all other heathes, that are near unto it: even so, if this Self-love be not taken away and ●…ted out of our hart, it will take suck increase in our soul, that it will spoil and corrupt all virtues and graces that are in the same; for 〈◊〉 only it corrupteth the virtues that we have gotten by our industry; but also those that we have received in Baptism, and in the other Sacraments. It doth also the same in our souls, as the oppilations or obstructions do in our bodies, which are the causes of infinite diseases. It maketh a man proud and high minded, and afterwards casteth him into the depth of despair. It giveth him a presumptuous strength, and hope to do what he will, and afterwards makes him unable, and cold in the service of God. It clotheth the soul, & coloureth it with diverse colours under the pretence of sanctity, afterwards despoileth it and maketh it naked of the means that might bring her to her Creator. It is a venom by which the soul becometh senseless, and is ruined and destroyed. It is like unto the most hurtful venom of the Asp: it gnaweth and consumeth without being perceived, and inchaunteth and betwitcheth in such sort, that she knoweth not what she doth, nor what she would; but passing from one thing to another, she tormenteth herself, and not being able to come to what she desireth, she grieveth, fretteth, and pineth away; & if any counsel her for her help, comfort, and profit, she remaineth as a senseless body, not apprehending any thing, like to one that had no life: finally the ornaments that the foresaid self-love giveth unto a soul, are these that follow.  
First it maketh it unlike unto God and like to Lucifer: it causeth it to be hurtful unto other & displeasing to herself. It maketh it a vessel of contumely, or sea of iniquity. A soul infected therewith may be likened to a ship that is exposed to the waves, and tempests of the sea, that is shaken with all sorts of winds; like unto a stinking water, a barren ground that produceth no kind of fruit that is pleasant, an infected carrion, and in a word it is like an unbridled & untamed horse; but which is most of all, such a soul deceiveth those that she converseth withal, for she showeth herself as though she were full of virtue & holiness, & hideth inwardly the qualities of a venomous serpent.   

A DESCRIPTION of Self-love.  
Self-love may be figured, & represented, as a man without eyes, and notwithstanding hath four, but none for God, but for himself: with two he seethe, and with other two foreseeth only that which is for his commodity.  
He hath no ears to understand the voice of God that soundeth mediately, or immediately, to wit, he is not attentive, when he is excited inwardly to know his defaults, and imperfections, but he hath six earers to appropriate any thing to himself: with two he heareth his own praises, with two others he hatkeneth unto that which may augment this self love, & with the other two he is watchful and attentive, that nothing be said against him. He hath three hearts, notwithstanding he hath not one that may bring him any profit for the good of his soul, or whereby to come to perfection, for he hath not any affection, taste, or feeling of good. The first hart is for that which concerneth hi● exterior, or interior commodity in regard of his body.  
The second is for such things at he doth negotiate with others, to the end the world may have him in good reputation.  
The third maketh him to show a mild, and gracious countenance to be beloved of all, having his looks very humble, his words fair, and well placed; outwardly an Angel, but inwardly a ravening wolf; in sum, seeking no other thing then to please himself.   

HOW SELF-LOVE entereth, and intrudeth itself into all things.  
THIS Self-love is most subtle, and hideth itself, entering and intruding into all things, even into the Sacraments. First causing persons to frequent them for the proper gust they find therein.  
Secondly to be well esteemed off by others, & also to cover some defects: it thrusteth itself, & entereth in the same manner, in hearing the word of God for the pleasure they take therein. It entereth into holy Orders, when the are received or used for vanity, for some commodity, ambition, or other evil designment. It thrusteth itself into marriages, when they marry for to satisfy their concupiscence, and appetites. It intrudeth itself also into the practice of virtues, procuring that great pain & travel be employed in it, without having any good, right, or sincere intention for the glory of God, but rather for some other respect. It thrusteth itself, and entereth into the exercise of Prayer, pretending to receive therein taste, light, and feeling, under pretence to be united unto God; and in doing this, the person so infected, seeketh himself, unto God. It entereth also by a certain superfluous, over great, and excessive desire of the cross, but it is for the pleasure that one taketh oftentimes in the same cross, in which self-love much delighteth.   

PROPERTIES of a soul infected with self-love.  
Self-love robbeth from God, what appertaineth unto him, for it stealeth and taketh from him his honour, by seeking to attribute the same unto himself, as the Pharisy rob our Lord of his honour, when he said, now sum sicut coeteri b●minum, I am not like unto other men.  
First this love maketh the soul unlike unto God, being a most simple object, an infinite purity; Self-love maketh the soul double, crafty, and dissembling, and causeth it to seem other than it is.  
Secondly, it maketh her like unto the devil, for even as the devil is never content, nor reposeth; so the like miseries doth self-love cause in the soul, for it causeth much unquietness, and many troubles in her, not being able to find any repose or contentment. It maketh her a liar, and an enemy to truth, and by this means she becometh hateful unto others; for that such qualities are insupportable: moreover it causeth continually fretting and unquiet, for never finding any repose, and not daring to desire death by reason of this self love, she tormenteth and afflicteth herself without ceasing. It bringeth her also to beavessell of contumely, for that to satisfy herself she doth even her best actions, desiring prayers, the Sacraments, and such like things, having for a foundation of all this her self-love. And thus the works become defiled, soul and infected with this self-love, and the soul by this means is a sea of iniquity: for the bottom of her imperfections not being able to be found, she is a sea without bottom, that is mooned and troubled with contrary winds, & swollen with marvellous great, fearful, and horrible waves, being angry, and ever opposing herself against those that would afford her any help or remedy. She is also like unto a ship, exposed to the tempests & raging of the sea, for this soul sailing in the sea of self-love, even as a ship in the sea, so is she combated on every side, making ship wrack for a small matter. She may also be compared to a stinking water, for she runneth on every side (as water that hath no stay) to seek if she can find contentment; but by reason of her imperfections she is very noisome, and yieldeth an evil favour unto those that are pure, and clean. She resembleth also a barren ground, that produceth nothing but thorns, thistles, and other such unsavoury weeds, spoiling all the fruit of good works. She is like unto a stinking carrion, for this self-love infecteth the soul and maketh her serve him as food to a raven, and afterwards to become a prey and repast to that infernal fiend whom she resembleth. Briefly this love thus qualifyed, is as an untamed horse without bit, or bridle; it will not be ruled by any person, nor contain it sel●e, neither by counsel, not by skilful advice, but it maketh the soul to main as rooted in her proper sense, and self judgement, whereby she becometh incorrigible: and this happeneth sometimes to some spiritual person, under colour of sanctity, which is very hardly cured.  
This foresaid Self-love springeth of the delight that the creature hopeth to enjoy in those things she seeketh, and which do appertay ne unto her, and it groweth to that pass, that she esteemeth not of her life, nor of any other thing else: in respect of arrayning to what she so liketh. It proceedeth also of the nature wounded & corrupted in her irascible and concupiscible powers, and evil habits, and customs which have gotten root in the soul. And this is understood, not only of the first kind of self-love which is common & familiar to worldly persons, but also of the second, wherewith oftentimes spiritual persons are entangled, the which may be called self-love, for the taste, & pleasure that they seek in spiritual things. It is understood also of the third kind of self-love in spiritual persons, who are already advanced, and profited in the way of virtue, which may be compared to the poison of the diamond, that gnaweth a creature, interiorly by little, & little, but it leaveth no exterior sign, as other poisons do: so this proper love gnaweth oftentimes inwardly the conscice, but it leaveth no mark or sign in the soul, but killeth it, and bringeth it in the end to death, & damnation. It is a very evident sign of the foresaid self-love when our Lord hath given any particular grace to a soul, and when it pleaseth him to deprive her of it, she falleth into great grief and sadness.  
The root of this foresaid Self-love lieth hid under the colour of feigned holiness, and guideth the soul by a very strait, and narrow way, and maketh it appear, to those that converse which such a person, that the way to serve God is very straight, and more difficult, then in truth it is. It engendereth a great weariness of sanctity, aswell in the parties that have it, as in the persons that converse with them; which is no true holiness. It exciteth a great marvel, and an astonishment with unquietness, which procureth to the parties a disgust and confusion, in seeing that they cannot arrive to that perfection and holiness, which they see in others, whereby they remain without repose, which is a great sign that this holiness proceedeth of self love. And he that wrote this discourse witnesseth to have proved & found this many times in ●…isel●e, to wit, that in thinking on the sanctity of some such per●ō, he much marvelled, but notwithstanding he did not fall into unquietness and confusion.   

REMEDIES against Self-love.  
1. FIRST the soul infected herewith must seek to have a person very much enlightened by God, that hath the discretion of spirits, with whom she must confer of her troubles & desires, and according to his judgement esteem herself to be sick, and to have need of help, as in truth she hath, and is not able to help herself.  
2. Secondly she must 〈…〉 mortify all her desires & affection's, aswell, of those things that are good & holy, as of those that are indifferent, and not to run after them, especially, when she is most provoked unto them, and for this effect it will serve her much to lay open her hart to her spiritual father, and suffer herself to be guided, and conducted by him.  
3. Thirdly the remedy is to think that all things, how good and holy soever they be, are not always pleasing to God, but only those that come from him, and are required by him. And by this we may know, that they come from him when the said things do not move us, nor lift us up unto pride in having them, nor torment & afflict us in having them not, but bring with them a peace and tranquillity to the soul: in such sort, that she remaineth in as great repose in the execution of them, as if she did not execute them at all.  
4. The fourth remedy is to consider, that to accomplish such desires of this self-love, is to contemn God, and to contradict, and be opposite to the divine will, for so much as Divine love, is altogether contrary to Self love; and all our actions that we are induced unto by it, are contrary to the blessed will of God, and by that means we become opposite, and contrary unto him.  
5. The fifth remedy belongeth to the spiritual father, who to take away, and clear the soul from all self-love, in all that she pretendeth in her actions, and desires, must first seek all the means to penetrate into her hart, that is, to gain her good opinion and estimation, and to be grateful unto her; & afterwards he must begin with great sweetness to apply his remedies, and so to cure and heal her: which must not be done in such open manner that she may perceive it, but with some kind of dissimulation, and as it were in jest, making her to do all things contrary to that she herself disposeth off, or desireth to do: As for example, if the said person be desirous to go unto one place of recreation, to make her go to another: sometimes also not taking them away altogether, but correcting them, as if she would mortify herself with long disciplines, to make her to use short, for seldom it doth profit to withstand proper Love altogether at one blow, as to forbid her wholly disciplines, except it be to a person already advanced in the way of perfection, & in the exercise thereof. And as this his dexterity ought to proceed of charity, & love: so also ought she to be ruled with the same love, for so much as in such cures and sickness, severity profiteth nothing, by reason that this self-love is sweet & gracious, and maketh the soul very tender and delicate: so that if she be used with sharpness & roughness, she entereth presently into disdain, flieth and abhorreth the cure. And by this may be seen, that Self-love is healed with love, and by love.  
This sweetness is most necessary in superiors, & principally when they treat with those under their charge, of things appertaining to the superior part, and spirit: for ordinarily in this affair all the evil proceedeth of this root, and severity procureth anger, and disdain, and hindereth much: & moreover the Physician of Self-love must note, that he ought to be continually diligent, & not to abandon the cure, but to do as a Physician doth, who hath one grievously sick in his charge, for he visiteth often his patient, and many times feeleth his pulse, and never abandoneth nor leaveth him, until he perceive that he is in better estate, and that he beginneth to amend.  
He must also note, that there be two sorts of persons that are sick of this self-love: some of them are as it were in a consuming fever, the evil whereof hath already very much penetrated into the inward part; and although oftentimes they are incurable, or at the least very hard to be cured, yet notwithstanding, he must not always despair of them, but must perform in their behalf what the said corporal Physician doth to those that hath the foresaid disease, to wit, to perform on his part, whatsoever he can, and to leave the rest unto God; but he must take great heed, that he do not bear himself to harsh & to austere, for that would be very domageable, and pernicious.  
The others that are sick, are such, and of such an humour, as they may be healed: and although it be needful to use great sweetness, & dexterity in their behalf, as hath been said before, and that there is great difficulty in the cure, yet notwithstanding he must not despair, by reason of the difficulty that he perceiveth in the beginning; for the cause of this difficulty is, that this proper love, doth so much blind the soul, that it doth not permit her to see clearly her faults, and imperfections: and therefore she not acknowledging herself to be sick, the evil can hardly be cured, so that one ought to employ all his care, and industry to make her to enter into this knowledge, which in the end will serve very much for her remedy and cure.  
First the said spiritual father must take great heed that he speak not any thing of self-love, & that must be shunned from the beginning, lest the infirm should be too much dismayed, and fall into too much fear: but he must a far off put before her, and cause her to practise the exercise of disappropriation, depriving her first of some things not very difficult unto her, afterwards make her return to herself, and cause her to know how she was hindered in this love, although in chiding her, he ought to say nothing that may contristate her, or to seem to blame her, but rather by little and little make her know her evil; notwithstanding when she knoweth it, or when she is cured, than he must make her understand, how great, and dangerous it was, for he must comport himself in this behalf, as a guide doth in a journey, who being to pass some dangerous strait, saith nothing to the passengers of the peril and danger, but only encourageth them to follow him, & afterwards having passed the straight, hath no more care, nor looketh back unto it; even so, those that treat with such kind of persons, aught to be have themselves dexterously without making them to think of the difficulty that they shall have to mortify the said selse-love, sometimes speaking to them in parables & similitudes in a third person, sometimes by good counsel, making them to understand & to come to the knowledge of their defects; then with sweetness, and taking ever some good occasion to make them to return, and enter into themselves.  
Whilst I was writing a copy of this book, our Lord inspired this virtuous Dame for whom it was first composed, that she should advertise me of this that followeth, that I might set it down in the end of this work: to wit, that as there is an Angel appointed over proper love to repress it, and fight against it; so there is another over the love of God, to conserve, increase, and augment it, who from the beginning of their creation were deputed to this function, the one, & the other not passing further than their charge. S. Gabrid was deputed over divine love, by the means whereof he was chosen to be the messenger of the sacred m●stery of the Incarnation of the God, a work of most singular love of Almighty God towards mankind, unto whom it was especially revealed in heaven by the most Bl●ss●d ●…mity, when the divine persons made their acts of reciprocal love. S. Michael was also appointed over proper love; and therefore when Lucifer rebelled in heaven against God, seeking to be like to the most high, & equalling himself with him, he was ordained by our Lord to resist him, as one that had a great zeal of divine love, contrary to this self-love. Our Lord then revealed this secret to this holy Lady, and said unto her. Advertise thy spiritual Father, that he may learn, that when any one would heal a soul, infected with Self-love, he demand my aydand succour, by the prayers & intercession of S. Michael the Archangel: and when any soul shallbe touched, & surprised with divine love, it is needful that she implore the favour of S. Gabriel, to the end, that by this means she may more easily attain unto the sovereign perfection of the said love of God.    

AN APPENDIX TO THIS ABRIDGEMENT, whereby to ascend to a most high Perfection.  

THe perfection, presupposed of all the estates before declared, even unto this present, consisteth in an utter forsaking of all pretences whatsoever, & not to pretend any other thing, but God only, in a most excellent, and a most perfect manner, in all our actions, whereby we may attain unto a most high perfection, which consisteth in the examen following, distinguished into seven points.  

1. The first is, when the soul apprehendeth any trouble or affliction, that of new is presented unto her. For that then by the suggestion of the inferior, or infirm part, the apprehension of such a cross is accustomed to be very vehement: and with this, a thousand exaggerations willbe presented, that will cause it to appear more violent, whereby the soul is accustomed to take this affliction with much difficulty, and many repugnances.  

To remedy this, and to provide for it throughly, it is necessary that the superior part of the soul, propose all this before her, as a judge doth, who before he give his sentence, harkeneth to the reasons of both parties, provided always that she be not moved any thing with their reasons, but that she remain without passion or any kind of alteration, suspending her judgement, until she find out what may be according to reason: and that she may the better understand it, these two means will aid her. The one is, that she enter into herself, and consider how Almighty God knoweth, and seethe all her troubles, and whatsoever she endureth, and therefore she ought to remit it wholly into his hands, to dispose thereof as he seethe most expedient. The second is to consider, & believe assuredly, that even as the divine bounty desireth nothing but our good; even so his divine providence (which is hid from us, not being permitted unto us to seek too curiously into it) knoweth very well how to provide & remedy all in time, and manner, as it shall seem best unto him, and not as best liketh us, nor as it may best please us. Of this suspension, and repose of spirit follow two things; the first, that she putteth away, and rejecteth all the hindrances, and trouble, and the deceit's that might happen by this apprehension: and secondly it will follow, that she shall come to conceive a true, pure, sincere, and mature apprehension of all her affairs.    

The second point is, that when the soul is come to receive, and accept this affliction, as coming from God.  

REMEDIES.  
SHE must not rest herself here, or permit herself to accept of it, as often many souls are accustomed to do, to wit, basely with an infinite number of difficultyes, of excuses, and seeking of themselves, but she must accept thereof ●o offer it, & return it unto God, accepting it only in him, and for him.    

4. The fourth point, is to know, in what manner the superior part must suffer with the inferior, and with the exterior senses, in the repugnances, & contrarieties which they feel, as hath been said before.  

REMEDIES.  
THE superior part ought to do all, that hath been said before, in the behalf of the inferior, and weakest parts, in such sort, that it be not with a certain excessive violence, which may cause them wholly to lose their strength, and vigour, or so as may trouble, or make the soul pusillanimous and fearful, or else utterly unable to support so great a blow; but she ought for this cause something to suffer with them, and encourage them with all the reasons the can imagine, and she must do all this with the greatest discretion that she can possibly, in giving now and then some relaxation unto their travails, and afflictions, & in seeking the most convenient remedies that she can advice herself of. Even as one that would have a horse, or any other beast to serve his turn, will give him more meat, to the end he may be strong, and able to travail better when there is need. And when by reason of divine subtraction she cannot use the force of any act of consolation, or ra●sing up of her mind, she ought to repose in this, and procure the parts that are inferior, to repose in the will of God, and this by means of the divine conformity, which will bring much more true and strengthening consolation, although it doth not seem so.    

5. The fift point is, how she ought to comport herself with self-love in this case, or the like.  

REMEDIES.  
Self-love is accustomed to pretend & seek in all things her own interest, and particular commodity directly, or indirectly; and it doth so also in this, under pretence of many good reasons, yea even of virtues, and purposeth many things that are not to the purpose; & for this cause the soul with the purity of a right intention ought to discover by the light of the love of God, all his deceits, & oppose herself against this self love very freely, and effectually; & by the force of a pure & clean love, she ought to reject all particular and selfe respect, and follow purely that which God shall inspire, and teach her.    

6. The sixth point is, how that the superior part ought to answer to the propositions or offers, that our Lord will make unto her concerning these pains, and afflictions, or other greater.  

REMEDIES.  
AFTER this that hath been above said, our Lord is accustomed to make many propositionn to the soul: as for example, that he will send her many other afflictions, or else make her endure this present affliction along time, yea that we will cause her to suffer even the pains of hell; and then ought she with great promptness to be wholly resigned unto God. He also is accustomed to give the choice of two kinds of afflictions for her to accept of one. And in this case raising & ●ixing the eyes of her soul wholly in the perfect love of God, with a marvellous purity, she ought to make her election in God, and this choice must be always of that which will redound most to his honour and glory.    

7. The seaventh is, in what manner she ought to behave herself, that she may use all her powers in the execution of this affair, or of this affliction, and of all that which shallbe necessary, to come to the height of this perfection.  

REMEDIES.  
FOR as much as ordinarily in the exercising of all these things, it is necessary that all the powers, & faculties of the soul concur thereunto, to put it duly in execution; she ought fully to resolve with herself to observe all that she hath deliberated upon, in such sort, that aswell in general, as in particular, she may perfectly accomplish, & put in execution all this that she hath already chosen, and resolved to do in the present affliction, or in any other thing: and she ought to take heed diligently to correct the faults that may hap in the execution, ●yther by reason of her imagination, and representation of afflictions, or of the understanding, or of the will, or of all the other powers. And thus the soul that is perfect, shall become much more perfect: and all this is a disposition unto the state, that rendereth the soul wholly divine.     

THE DAILY EXAMEN of our Conscience, especially at Night. §. 1.  
TO give God thanks for all benefits formerly received, and especially of that present day.  
2. To demand grace & true light, to know & hate our sins.  
3. To call our souls to account, wherein we may have that day offended God: having special consideration of such defects whereunto we are most inclined.  
4. To crave pardon humbly of God for all sins & defects, whereof we find ourselves guilty.  
5. To make a firm purpose, through God's grace to avoid sin hereafter, with intention to confess those wherein we have transgressed. Lastly, say Pater noster. Aue Maria. Credo.   

THE PARTICULAR EXAMEN to be made at three times, very necessary for the better disposing, & searching into ourselves. §. 2.  
THE first is in the morning when, as soon as we awake, we must purpose to keep a diligenr watch that day over ourselves, for the avoiding of some sin or imperfection, which we are desirous to amend.  
The 2. is at Noon, when we must demand God's grace, that we may remember how often we have fallen into that particular sin or defect, & be more heedful hereafter. Then, let us make our first Examen, calling our soul to account, & running over every hour of the day to that present, how often we have fallen thereinto: & let us make so many marke● in the former sign of the ensuing table. This done let us purpose to keep ourselves more warily the rest of the day.  
The 3. Time, shallbe at Night after supper, when we must make the second Examen, running over every hour from the former examination until that, calling to mind, & numbering the times wherein we have offended, making so many marks in the second line of the table mentioned before.   

FOUR ADDITIONS very profitable, for the more easy & speedy rooting out of any Vice, or sin. §. 3.  
THE 1. is, that as often as we commit that particular sin, we be sorry for it from our hart, in witness whereof let us lay our hand upon our breast: which may be done at all times, without being perceived by others.  
The 2. is, that at Night we number & compare the mathes of both lines together, the former line being appointed for the first examen, & the later for the second● & let us see, if from the former hath followed any amendment.  
The 3. is, that we compare the examinations of the first & second day together, & mark whether any amendment hath been made.  
The 4. is, that by comparing two weeks together, it may appear what amendment hath been made, or omitted.  
It is also to be noted, that the first of the lines following, which is longer than the rest, is appointed for the first day, the second somewhat shorter for the second day, and so likewise for every day, shorter & shorter. It being meet that the number of our faults be daily diminished.  

Sunday—  
Mundy—  
Twesday—  
Wednesday—  
Thursday—  
Friday—  
Saturday—    

CERTAIN ADVERTISMENTS necessary for the better making of our Prayer. §. 4.  
BEFORE Prayer, the Soul must exercise itself in some acts of Humility, by considering its own baseness, and the greatness of God, with whom it is to treat, and falling down upon our knees we must begin with the sign of the Cross, blessing ourselves, and craving of the divine Majesty grace, to spend that short time well, which we are to employ in that holy Exercise; so as all out thoughts, words, and works may be sincerely addressed to the greater glory of God. Moreover we must imagine a certain Composition of place, and therein accommodate ourselves in such manner as is taught us, by our spiritual Father and Director in that case. Finally we must persuade out selves, that we stand in the presence of God, who is both within & round about us, to the end that the imagination thereof may incite us to greater attention, confidence, and reverence. Next we must ask of the divine goodness that, which we desire, answerable to the matter whereof the meditation is to be made. For example, if I meditate of sin, I will crave pardon for my own etc.  
We must also make one, or more Colloquies at the end, according to the motions, & affection which the soul shall feel in itself, in speaking sometimes to the Blessed Trinity, sometimes to every one of the three Divine Persons, or to the B. Virgin, or the Saints, giving thankes other while for benefits received, other whiles craving God's help, for getting of some one virtue in particular.  
The repetitions, that our B. Father S. ●gnatius teacheth in the first Week of his Spiritual Exercises must be made after two, or three meditations, in such manner, as is specified in the same place, making three Colloquies, to wit, to the Father, to the Son, and to the B. Virgin.    

THE TABLE.  

1. WHAT Perfection ought to be presupposed in the Soul, that entereth into the practice of that which is treated of, in this Discourse.  
2. Two Principles wherein consisteth Perfection.  
3. Of the 〈◊〉. Estate: & fi●st of Anihilation.  
4. Of the first Degree of Abnegation, Subtraction Conformity: and of the Abject on, & Anihilation of himself.  
5. The second Degree.  
6. The third Degree.  
7. The fourth Degree.  
8. The fifth Degree.  
9 The six Degree.  
10. Of the second Estate.  
11. Of the third, and last Estate.   

THE LADDER of Perfection.  
THE first Exercise of Anihilation.  
The 2. Exercise of Disappropriation  
3. The Exercise of Indifferency.  
4. The Exercise of Conformity.  
5. The Exercise of Uniformity.  
6. The Exercise of Deiformity.  
7. Of Self love.  
8. Of the Effects of self love.  
9 A Description of self-love.  
10. Properties of a soul infected with self-love.  
11. Remedies against self-love.  
12. A supply of this Abridgement, to ascend unto a most high Perfection.  
13. The Examen of our Conscience.   
FINIS.