The Intelligence of pure truths. Two kinds thereof. The conduct of the soul therein.

The intelligence of pure truths requires, for its proper explanation, that God should hold the hand and wield the pen of the writer. Keep in mind, my dear reader, that these matters are beyond all words. But as my purpose is not to discuss them, but to teach and direct the soul through them to the Divine union, it will be enough if I speak of them concisely within certain limits, so far as my subject requires it.

This kind of visions, or rather of knowledge of pure truths, is very different from that described in the twenty-second chapter, for it is not the same with the intellectual visions of bodily things. It consists in understanding or seeing with the intellect the truths of God, or of things, or concerning things which are, have been, or will be. It is most like to the spirit of Prophecy, as I shall perhaps hereafter explain. This kind of knowledge is twofold: one relates to the Creator, the other to creatures. And though both kinds are most full of sweetness, the delight produced by that which relates to God is not to be compared to aught beside; and there are

Its and

neither words nor language to describe it, for it is the knowledge of God Himself and His delights; as the Psalmist saith, ‘There is no one like to Thee.’*

This knowledge relates directly unto God, in the deepest sense of some of His Attributes; now of His Omnipotence, now of His Might, and again of His Goodness and Sweetness;

and-whenever the soul feels it, it is penetrated by it. In so

far as this becomes pure Contemplation, the soul sees clearly

that it cannot describe it otherwise than in general terms,

which the abundance of delight and happiness forces from it; but still those are not adequate expressions of what it feels within. Thus David, haying had experience of this state, makes use of ordinary words, saying, ‘ The judgments of the Lord,’ that is, what we judge and feel about God, His Might and His Attributes, ‘ are true, justified in themselves, more to be desired than gold and many precious stones, and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.’ t

When God gave Moses the knowledge of Himself, while passing by, all that Moses could say was uttered in ordinary words. For when the Lord passed before him he fell prostrate on his face, and said, ‘O the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, patient and of much compassion and true, Who keepest mercy unto thousands!’{ It is evident from this that Moses was unable to describe what he learned of God in that particular knowledge, and so gave utterance to these words. And though at times, when this knowledge is vouchsafed to the soul, words are uttered, yet the soul knows full well that it has in nowise expressed what it felt, because it is conscious that there are no words of adequate signification. Thus S. Paul, admitted to this knowledge of God, did not attempt to express it, only saying that he had ‘ heard secret words which it is not granted to man to utter.’ §

* Ps. xxxix. 6. + Ps. xviii. 11. { Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7. § 2 Cor. xii. 4.

This Divine knowledge concerning God never relates to particular things, because it is conversant with the Highest, and therefore cannot be explained unless when it is extended to some truth less than God, which is capable of being described; but this general knowledge is ineffable. It is only a soul in union with God that is capable of this profound loving knowledge, for it is itself that union. This knowledge consists in a certain contact of the soul with the Divinity, and it is God Himself Who is then felt and tasted, though not manifestly and distinctly, as it will be in glory. But this touch of knowledge and of sweetness is so deep and so profound that it penetrates into the inmost substance of the soul, and the devil cannot interfere with it, nor produce anything like it—because there is nothing else comparable with it—nor infuse any sweetness or delight which shall at all resemble it. This knowledge savours, in some measure,

of the Divine Essence and of everlasting life, and the devil

has no power to simulate anything so great.

Nevertheless, the devil is able to produce certain pretended imitations of it, by representing to the soul a certain grandeur and sensible fulness, striving to persuade it that this is God; but he cannot so do this that his influence shall penetrate into the interior part of the soul, renew it, and fill it with love profoundly, as the knowledge of God does. For there are some acts of knowledge and touches of God, wrought by Him in the substance of the soul, which so enrich it that one of them is sufficient, not only to purge away at once certain imperfections, which had hitherto resisted the efforts of a whole life, but also to fill the soul with virtues and Divine gifts. Such is the sweetness and deep delight of these touches of God, that one of them is more than a recompense for all the sufferings of this life, however great their number. They render the soul so generous and so courageous

Bliss God.

in the endurance of afflictions for God, that it becomes a special pain to see its tribulations diminished.

Now the soul can never ascend to the height of this knowledge by any reflections or imagination, because it transcends all these, and so God effects it without the cooperation of the soul. Sometimes, when the soul least thinks of it, and when it least. desires it, God touches it divinely, causing certain recollections of Himself. Sometimes, too, the Divine touches are sudden, occurring even while the soul is occupied with something else, and that occasionally of trifling moment. They are also so sensible and efficacious, that at times they make not only the soul, but the body also, to tremble. At other times they come gently, without any agitation whatever, accompanied by a deep sense of delight and spiritual refreshing.

On other occasions, they come at the hearing or utterance of particular expressions, whether taken from the Holy Scripture or elsewhere. But they are not always equally sensible and efficacious, for they are very often exceedingly slight; but however slight they may be, one of these recollections and touches of God is more profitable to the soul than ahy other knowledge of, or meditation on, the creatures and works of God. And as this knowledge is communicated

- suddenly, and independently of the will, the soul must not

strive to receive it, or strive not to receive it, but be humble and resigned; for God will do His own work, how and when He will. I do not say that the soul is to conduct itself negatively here, as in the case of the other apprehensions; because the Divine touches are a part of the Union, to which I would direct the soul, and for attaining unto which I teach it to withdraw and detach itself from all besides. The means by which God effects this great work must be humility and patient suffering for love of Him, with resignation and indifference as to all reward. These graces are not bestowed

on the soul which cleaves to anything of its own, inasmuch they are wrought by an especial Love of God towards the soul, which also loves Him in perfect detachment and pure disinterestedness. This is the meaning of those words of our Lord, ‘ He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.’* These words refer to this knowledge and these touches, of which I am speaking, and which God manifests to the soul that truly loves Him.

The second kind of knowledge, or of visions of interior truths, is very different from this, being of things greatly lower than God. It includes the perception of the truth of things in themselves, of actions and events in the world. Such is the nature of this knowledge, whenever it is given, that it compels assent, without regard to any assertion on the part of others; even if the matter be told otherwise, the soul unable to assent interiorly to that account, though it may violence to itself for that end. The mind perceives something else in that which had been spiritually presented to it, and sees it,as it were, clearly. This may belong to the spirit Prophecy, or to that gift which S. Paul calls ‘the discerning of spirits. f Still, though the soul may hold what it perceives to be certain and true, it must not on that account refuse belief and obedience to its spiritual director, though his counsels contradict the impressions received. This must done in order that the soul may be directed in Faith to the Divine union, towards which it should journey by believing rather than by understanding.

The Holy Scriptures furnish clear evidence of both the one and the other. The particular knowledge of things is thus spoken of by the Wise Man: ‘He hath given me the true knowledge of the things that are: to know the disposition the whole world and the virtues of the elements. The

* S$. John xiv. 21. + 1 Cor. xii. 10, nN 2

2. Supernatural Intuition Creatures,— its certainty,

of

beginning and ending, and midst of the times; the alterations of their courses, and the changes of seasons; the revolutions of the year, and the dispositions of the stars; the natures of living creatures, and the rage of wild beasts; the force of winds, and reasonings of men; the diversities of plants, and the virtues of roots; and all such things as are hid and not foreseen, I have learned: for Wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me.’* And though this knowledge of all things, which the Wise Man says he had received from God, was infused and general, the passage before us is sufficient evidence for all the particular knowledge which God infuses into souls supernaturally, according to His good pleasure: not that He gives a general habit of knowledge, as He gave to Solomon, but that He reveals occasionally certain truths concerning those matters which the Wise Man speaks of..

Though our Lord infuses into many souls habits of knowledge relating to many things, still He does not infuse them so generally as in the case of Solomon. There is a difference like that between the gifts, mentioned by 8. Paul, which God distributes; among these are wisdom, knowledge, faith, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, and interpretation of speeches: ‘ To one indeed, by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom....and to another the word of knowledge,... to another faith,... to another prophecy, to another the discerning of spirits, to another divers kinds of tongues, to another interpretation of speeches.’f All these kinds of knowledge are infused graces gratis date, gratuitously given of God to whom He will, as He gave them to the holy Prophets and the Apostles, and to other Saints.

But over and above these gifts, or graces gratis date, perfect persons, or those who are advancing to Perfection,

* Wisd. vii. 17-21. + 1 Cor. xii. 8-10,

very frequently receive the knowledge of things present or distant, in a certain illumination of their purified and enlightened mind. The following words are applicable in this sense: ‘As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water, so the hearts of men are laid open to the prudent.’*

This is to be understood of those who have attained to the

Science of the Saints, in Holy Scripture called Prudence.f In the same way, too, spiritual persons understand other things, though not always when they will: for this gift is theirs only who have the habit of this knowledge, and even they sometimes are at fault, because all this depends on the good pleasure of God. >

Those persons, whose minds are purified, ascertain with great facility, some better than others, what is passing in the hearts of men, their inclinations and their capacities; and this from certain outward signs, however slight they may be, such as expressions, motions, or gestures. As the devil, being a spirit, can do this, so also the spiritual man, according to the words of the Apostle: ‘The spiritual man judgeth all things,’ { and ‘the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God.’§ Therefore, though spiritual men cannot, in the order of nature, know the thoughts and intentions of others, yet by supernatural enlightenment, through certain signs, they may well do so. And though they may be often deceived in their interpretation of these signs, yet for the most part they will be correct. But we are not to rely on any of these means, for the devil may insinuate himself herein with exceeding cunning, as we shall presently see, and in consequence of this, we must renounce this method and form of knowledge.

Spiritual persons are able to see, though distant, what

* Prov. xxvii. 19. +. ED< 1k, 10. t 1 Cor. ii. 15. § Tb. 10.

the

other men are doing. We have an instance of this in our

holy Father Eliseus, who saw his servant Giezi hide the gifts

of

he had received from Naaman. ‘ Was not my heart present,’ saith the Prophet, ‘ when the man turned back from his chariot to meet thee?’* Eliseus saw in spirit the act, as if he had been present on the spot. The same Prophet saw also what passed in the council of the King of Syria, and revealed it to the King of Israel, thereby frustrating the devices of the former. So when the King of Syria saw that his plans became known to his enemy, he complained to his people, saying: ‘Why do you not tell me who it is that betrays me to the King of Israel? And one of his servants said, No one, my Lord O King; but Eliseus the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the King of Israel all the words, that thou speakest in thy privy chamber.’ f

Both the one and the other kind of this knowledge of events are granted to the soul passively, without effort on its part. For it sometimes occurs that a person, while not thinking at all of the matter, receives in spirit a vivid perception of what he hears or reads, and that with greater distinctness than the words involve; and sometimes, too, even when he knows not the language to which the words belong, the knowledge of the matter is conveyed to him without his being able to explain the terms that imply it.

As to the delusions which the devil is able to effect, and does effect, with reference to this knowledge, I have much to say. Those delusions are very great and very difficult of detection; for the devil, by way of suggestion, is able to represent much intellectual knowledge to the soul, by the use of the bodily senses, and is able to establish that knowledge so firmly as to make it appear true; and if that soul be not humble and cautious, he will no doubt cause it to believe

* 4 Kings y. 26. + Ib. vi. 11, 12.

an infinity of lies. For the suggestions of the devil offer great violence to the soul at times, especially because the senses are weak; and he plays on that weakness with such force, persuasiveness, and determination, that much prayer and repeated efforts become necessary, in order to shake off his influence.

He is wont occasionally to reveal, falsely, but with great distinctness, the sins of others, evil consciences, and corrupt souls, with a view to detraction, and to induce him, to whom the revelation is made, to publish the sins in question, so that other sins may be added to them. He excites a false zeal, deluding him, in whom he excites it, into the belief that these revelations are intended to lead him to pray for the souls of those whom he thus traduces. It is indeed true that God sometimes represents to holy souls the necessities of their neighbours, that they may pray for them, or relieve them. He revealed to Jeremias the weakness of Baruch, that he might advise him therein.* But most frequently it is the devil that doeth this, and that falsely, that persons may be accused of sin, and afflicted: of this we have many proofs. At other times, he communicates with much certainty other kinds of knowledge, and induces men to believe them.

All such knowledge as this, whether it comes from God or not, can be but of little profit to the soul in the Way of Perfection, if it trusts to it: yea, rather, if it is not careful to reject it, it will not only hinder it on its road, but will inflict upon it great evil, and cause it to fall into many delusions; for all the dangers and inconveniences of the Supernatural Apprehensions, and many more, are to be found here. I shall, therefore, not enlarge further on this point; seeing that I have already given sufficient instruction on this

* Jerem. xlv.

of

matter, and shall say but this, that the penitent must be careful to reject this knowledge, walking with God in the way of knowing nothing, and to give account to his director of it all, and abide constantly by his advice.

Let the director guide his penitent quickly past this, and not suffer him to dwell upon it, because it is of no help to him on the road to the Divine union. For as I have said of those things which are passively wrought in the soul, the fruit which God wills, remains behind. I do not, therefore, think it requisite to describe the effects of this knowledge, whether true or false, for my task in such a case would be wearisome and endless. The effects in question cannot be described within reasonable limits, for as the knowledge is manifold, so are the effects of it. The true knowledge brings forth good issues, tending to good; and the false knowledge evil, tending to evil. When I say that this knowledge is to be rejected, and how it is to be done, I have said enough.