I. Will all these graces bestowed by the Spouse upon the soul suffice to content this little dove or butterfly (you see I have not forgotten her after all!) so that she may settle down and rest in the place where she is to die? No indeed: her state is far worse than ever; although she has been receiv- ing these favours for many years past, she still sighs and weeps because each grace augments her pain. She sees herself still far away from God, yet with her increased knowledge of His attributes her longing and her love for Him grow ever stronger as she learns more fully how this great God and Sovereign deserves to be loved. As, year by year her yearning after Him gradually becomes keener, she experiences the bitter suffering I am about to describe. I speak of 'years' because relating what happened to the person I mentioned, though I know well that with God time has no limits and in a single moment He can raise a soul to the most sublime state I have described. His Majesty has the power to do all He wishes and He wishes to do much for us. These longings, tears, sighs, and 252 CHAP. XI.] SIXTH MANSIONS 253 violent and impetuous desires and strong feelings, which seem to proceed from our vehement love, are yet as nothing compared with what I am about to describe and seem but a smouldering fire, the heat of which, though painful, is yet tolerable.
2. While the soul is thus inflamed with love, it often happens that, from a passing thought or spoken word of how death delays its coming, the heart receives, it knows not how or whence, a blow as from a fiery dart.' I do not say that this actually is a 'dart,' but, whatever it may be, decidedly it does not come from any part of our being.* Neither is it really a *blow' though I call it one, but it wounds us severely — not, I think, in that part of our nature subjedl to physical pain but in the very depths and centre of the soul, where this thunder- bolt, in its rapid course, reduces all the earthly part of our nature to powder. At the time we cannot even remember our own existence, for in an instant, the faculties of the soul are so fettered as to be in- capable of any adtion except the power they retain of increasing our torture. Do not think I am ex- aggerating; indeed I fall short of explaining what happens which cannot be described.
3. This is a trance of the senses and faculties ex- cept as regards what helps to make the agony more intense. The understanding realizes acutely what cause there is for grief in separation from God and His Majesty now augments this sorrow by a vivid manifestation of Himself. This increases the an- guish to such a degree that the sufl!^erer gives vent ' Life, ch. xxix. 17. (Transverberation.) ''Ibid. ch. xxix. 13, 14. Rel. viii. 16-19.
254 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap.xi.
to loud cries which she cannot stifle, however patient and accustomed to pain she may be, because this torture is not corporal but attacks the inner- most recesses of the soul. The person I speak of learnt from this how much more acutely the spirit is capable of sufl^ering than the body; she under- stood that this resembled the pains of purgatory, where the absence of the flesh does not prevent the torture's being far worse than any we can feel in this world.
4. I saw some one in this condition who I really thought would have died, nor would it have been surprising, for there is great danger of death in this state. Short as is the time it lasts, it leaves the limbs all disjointed and the pulse as feeble as if the soul were on the point of departure, which is indeed the case, for the natural heat fails, while that which is supernatural so burns the frame that were it increased ever so little God would satisfy the soul's desire for death. Not that any pain is felt by the body at the moment, although, as I said, all the joints are dislocated so that for two or three days afterwards the sufl^ering is too severe for the person to have even the strength to hold a pen;* indeed I believe that the health becomes permanently enfeebled in consequence. At the time this is not felt, probably because the spiritual torments are so much more keen that the bodily ones remain unnoticed; just as when there is very ^ St. John of the Cross, Obscure Ntghtj bk. ii. ch. i. (in fine); spiri- tual Canticle, stanza xiii; xiv-xv. (in Hne). When this happened to St. Teresa she was unable to write for twelve days. Ribera, Acta SS. p. 555 (in Hne). Rel. viii. 13. Life, ch. xx. 16.
CHAP. XI.] SIXTH MANSIONS 2ss severe pain in one part, slighter aches elsewhere are hardly perceived, as I know by experience. During this favour there is no physical suffering either great or small, nor do I think the person would feel it were she torn to pieces.
5. Perhaps you will say this is an imperfe(5lion, and you may ask why she does not conform herself to the will of God since she has so completely surrendered herself to it. Hitherto she has been able to do so and she consecrated her life to it; but now she cannot because her reason is reduced to such a state that she is no longer mistress of herself, nor can she think of anything but what tends to increase her torment — for why should she seek to live apart from her only Good? She feels a strange loneliness, finding no companionship in any earthly creature; nor could she, I believe, among those who dwell in heaven, since they are not her Beloved: meanwhile all society is a torture to her. She is like one suspended in mid-air, who can neither touch the earth nor mount to heaven; she is unable to reach the water while parched with thirst and this is not a thirst that can be borne, but one which nothing will quench nor would she have it quenched save with that water of which our Lord spoke to the Samaritan woman, but this is not given to her.* 6. Alas, O Lord, to what a state dost Thou bring those who love Thee! Yet these sufferings are as nothing compared with the reward Thou wilt give for them. It is right that great riches should be * St. John iv. 15. Life, ch. xxx. 24. ff^ay of P erf. ch. xix. 4 sqq. Concept, ch. vii. 7, 8. Found, ch. xxxi. 42. See note, Life, ch. i. 6.
2S6 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. xi.
dearly bought. Moreover, her pains purify her soul so that it mav enter the seventh mansion, as purgatory cleanses spirits which are to enter hea- ven:* then indeed these trials will appear like a drop of water compared to the sea. Though this torment and grief could not, I think, be surpassed by any earthly cross (so at least this person said and she had endured much both in body and mind), yet they appeared to her as nothing in comparison with their recompense. The soul realizes that it has not merited anguish which is of such measure- less value. This convidiion, although bringing no relief, enables the sufferer to bear her trials willingly — for her entire lifetime, if God so wills, — although instead of dying once for all, this would be but a living death, for truly it is nothing else. 7, Let us remember, sisters, how those who are in hell lack this submission to the divine will and the resignation and consolation God gives such a soul and the solace of knowing that their pains benefit them, for the damned will continually suffer more and more; [more and more, I mean in regard to accidental pains^). The soul feels far more keenly than the body and the torments I have * St. John of the Cross, Obscure Night, bk. ii. ch. xii.
* Marginal note in the Saint's handwriting. The 'substantial' pain of hell consists in the irrevocable loss of God, our last end and supreme Good; this is incurred from the first moment in its fullest intensity and therefore cannot increase. The physical pain with which the bodies will be afflicted when united to the souls after the general resurrection may vary, but will neither increase nor abate. The 'accidental' pain of the damned arises from various causes, for instance from the ever- increasing effects of evil actions, and therefore increases in the same proportion. Thus a heresiarch will suffer keener accidental pain as more and more souls are lost through his false teaching.
CHAP. XI.] SIXTH MANSIONS 257 just described are incomparably less severe than those endured by the lost, who also know that their anguish will last for ever: what, then, will become of these miserable souls? What can we do or suffer during our short lives which is worth reckoning if it will free us from such terrible and endless tor- ments? I assure you that, unless you have learned by experience, it would be impossible to make you realize ha^_ acute are spiritual pangs and how different frornphysical pain^ Our Lord wishes us to undefstanothis^so that we may realize what gratitude we owe Him for having called us to a state where we may hope, by His mercy, to be freed from and forgiven our sins.
8. Let us return to the soul we left in such cruel torment. This agony does not continue for long in its full violence — never, I believe, longer than three or four hours; were it prolonged, the weakness of our nature could not endure it except by a miracle. In one case, where it lasted only a quarter of an hour, the sufferer was left utterly exhausted; indeed, so violent was the attack that she completely lost con- sciousness. This occurred when she unexpectedly heard some verses to the effe(5t that life seemed unending; she was engaged in conversation at the time, which was on the last day of Easter. All Eastertide she had suffered such aridity as hardly to realize what mystery was being celebrated.^ "^ Rel. iv. I. Concept, ch. vii. 2. Isabel of Jesus, in her deposition in the Acts of Canonisation (Fuente, Obras, vol. vi. 3 1 6) declares that she was the singer. The words were: V6ante mis ojos, Dulce Jesus bueno: V6ante mis ojos, Y mu6rame yo ludgo.
258 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap.xi.
9. It is as impossible to resist this suffering as it would be to prevent the flapie's having heat enough to burn us if we were thrown into a fire. These feelings cannot be concealed: all who are present recognize the dangerous condition of such a person although they are unable to see what is passing within her. True, she knows her friends are near, but they and all earthly things seem to her but shadows. To show you that, should you ever be in this state, it is possible for your weakness and human nature to be of help to you, I may tell you that at times, when a person seems dying from her desire for death ^ which so oppresses her soul with grief that it appears on the point of leaving ^ her body, yet her mind, terrified at the thought, tries to still its pain so as to keep death at bay. ^Evidently this fear arises from human infirmity, for the soul's longings for death do not abate meanwhile nor can its sorrows be stilled or allayed until God brings it comfort.' This He' usually does by a deep trance or by some vision whereby the true Comforter consoles and strengthens the heart, which thus becomes resigned to live as long as He wills.''
Fuente, /.c. vol. v. 143, note i. (Euvres, ii. 231. (Poem 36, English version.) There is a slight difference in the two relations of this occur- rence. In Rel. iv. St. Teresa seems to imply that it happened on Easter Sunday evening, but here she says distinctly: 'Pascua de Resurreccion, el postrer dia,' that is, on Easter Tuesday, April 17, i 5 7 1, at Salamanca.
* Compare the words ' Que muero porque no muero ' in the Glosa of St. Teresa. Way ofPerf. ch. xlii. 2. Castle, M. vii. ch. iii. 14.
^ Way ofPerf. ch. xix. 10. Excl. vi.; xii. 2.; xiv.
'" See the two versions of the poems written by the Saint on her recovery from the trance into which she was thrown, beginning ' Vivir sin vivir in me' and the poem, 'Cuan triste es, Dios mio (Poems 2, 3, and 4, English version). See also St. Teresa's poem, 'Ya toda me CHAP. XI.] SIXTH MANSIONS 259 10. This favour entails great suffering but leaves most precious graces within the soul, which loses all fear of any crosses it may henceforth meet with, for in comparison with the acute anguish it has gone through all else seems nothing. Seeing what she has gained, the sufferer would gladly endure frequently the same pains" but can do nothing to help herself in the matter. There are no means of reaching that state again until God chooses to decree it, when neither resistance nor escape is possible. The mind feels far deeper contempt for the world than before, realizing that nothing earthly can succour it in its torture; it is also much more detached from creatures, having learnt that no one but its Creator can bring it consolation and strength. It is more anxious and careful not to offend God, seeing that He can torment as well as comfort."
1 1. Two things in this spiritual state seem to me to endanger life, — one is that of which I have just spoken which is a real peril and no small one; the other an excessive gladness and a delight so extreme \y that the soul appears to swoon away and seems on the point of leaving the body, which indeed would bring it no small joy.
entregue y di.' (Poem 7, English version). Struck by the gentle Hunter And overthrown, Within the arms of Love My soul lay prone. Raised to new life at last, This contract 'tween us passed. That the Beloved should be mine own, 2 6o THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap.xi.
12. Now you see, sisters, whether I had not reason to tell you that courage was needed for these favours and that when any one asks for them from our Lord He may well reply, as He did to the sons of Zebedee: * Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?''' I believe, sisters, we should all answer *Yes' — and we should be perfe6tly right for His Majesty gives strength when He sees it needed: He ever defends such souls and answers for them when they are persecuted and slandered as He did for the Magdalen — if not in words, at least in deeds.'* At last, ah, at last! before they die He repays them for all they have suffered, as you shall now learn. May He be for ever blessed and may all creatures praise Him! Amen.
'* St. Matt. XX. 22: 'Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus sum?'
'^ St. Matt. xxvi. 10: St. Mark xiv. 6; St. John xii. 7. Way ofTerf. ch. xvi. 7; xvii. 4. Excl. v. 2-4.
THE SEVENTH MANSIONS CHAPTER I.
TREATS OF THE SUBLIME FAVOURS GOD BESTOWS ON SOULS WHICH HAVE ENTERED THE SEVENTH MANSIONS. THE AUTHOR SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE SHE BELIEVES TO EXIST BETWEEN SOUL AND SPIRIT ALTHOUGH THEY ARE BOTH ONE. THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SOME NOTEWORTHY THINGS.
1. Sublime mysteries of these mansions. 2. St. Teresa abashed at treating such subjects. 3. Our Lord introduces His bride into His presence chamber. 4. Darkness of a soul in mortal sin. 5. Inter- cession for sinners. 6. The soul an interior world. 7. The spiritual nuptials. 8. Former favours differ from spiritual nuptials. 9. The Blessed Trinity revealed to the soul. 10. Permanence of Its presence in the soul. 11. The effects. 12. This presence is not al- ways equally realised. 13. It is beyond the souFs control. 14. The centre of the soul remains calm. 15. The soul and the spirit dis- tinct though united. 16. The soul and its faculties not identical.
I. You may think, sisters, that so much has been said of this spiritual journey that nothing remains to be added. That would be a great mistake: God's 'y immensity has no limits, neither have His works; ^ therefore, who can recount His mercies and His ' greatness.?' It is impossible, so do not be amazed at what I write about them which is but a cipher of what remains untold concerning God. He has shown great mercy in communicating these mys- ' Ps. cxliv. 3: 'Magnitudinis ejus non est finis.'
261 262 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
teries to one who could recount them to us, for as we learn more of His intercourse with creatures, we ought to praise Him more fervently and to esteem more highly the soul in which He so delights. Each of us possesses a soul but we do not realize its value as made in the image of God, therefore we fail to understand the important secrets it contains. May His Majesty be pleased to guide my pen and to teach me to say somewhat of the much there is to tell of His revelations to the souls He leads into this mansion. I have begged Him earnestly to help me, since He sees that my pqbjedt is to reveal^JHis mercies for the praise and \ ^lory""oMIis~name. I hope He will grant this ^ fav<)ui% if'not for my own sake, at least for yours, sisters — so that you may discover how vital it is for you to 2ut^np_obstack-iiL the-way~-0f "th^-Spi Marriage of the Bridegroom with your, soul which brings, a7 you" will learn, such signal blessings with it.
'2. O great God! surely such a miserable creature as myself should tremble at the thought of speak- ing on such^a. subjed:.,so far beyond anything I deserveTto. -understand. Indeed I felt abashed and doubted whether it would not be better to finish writing about this Mansion in a few words, lest people might imagine that I am recounting my personal experience. I was overwhelmed with shame for, knowing what I am, it is a terrible undertaking. On the other hand, this fear seemed but a temptation and weakness: even if I should be misjudged, so long as God is but a little better praised and known, let all the world revile me, CHAP. I.] SEVENTH MANSIONS 263 Besides, I may be dead before this book is seen May He Who lives and shall live to all eternity be praised! Amen.
3. When our Lord is pleased to take pity on the sufferings, both past and present, endured through. her longing for Him by this soul which He has I spiritually taken for His bride, He, before consum- ^ mating the celestfaF rfiarrTage, brings her into this His mansiorrnr""pfPRenrp fhaniber. I'hls ij^he seventh Mansion, for as He has a dw^elling-place. in heaven, so has He in the soul, where none but ^^ He may abide and which may be termed a second.
heaven. ^ 4. It is important, sisters, that we should not fancy the soul to be in darkness. As we are accus- tomed to believe there is no light but that which is exterior, we imagine that the soul is wrapt in obscurity. This is indeed the case with a soul out of the state of grace,* not, however, through any defed: in the Sun of Justice which remains within it and gives it being, but the soul itself is incapable of receiving the light, as I think I said in speaking of the first Mansion.' A certain person was given to understand that such unfortunate souls are, as it were, imprisoned in a gloomy dungeon, chained hand and foot and unable to perform any merito- rious action: they are also both blind and dumb. Well may we pity them when we refled: that we ourselves were once in the same state and that God may show them mercy also.
^ See the Saint's description of a soul in the state of sin, Rel. iii. 13. (towards the end).
264 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
5. Let us, then, sisters, be most zealous in inter- ceding for them and never negledl it. To pray for -V a soul in mortal sin is a far more profitable form of almsgiving than it vv^ould be to help a Christian w^hom v^^e saw with hands strongly fettered behind his back, tied to a post and dying of hunger — not for want of food, because plenty of the choicest delicacies lay near him, but because he was unable to put them into his mouth, although he was ex- tremely exhausted and on the point of dying, and that not a temporal death, but an eternal one. Would it not be extremely cruel of us to stand looking at him, and give him nothing to eat? What if by your prayers you could loose his bonds? Now you understand.
6. For the love of God I implore you constantly to remember in your prayers souls in a like case. We are not speaking now of them but of others who, by the mercy of God, have done penance for their sins and are in a state of grace. You must not think of the soul as insignificant and petty but as ^ an interior world containing the number of beautiful mansions you have seen; as indeed it should, since in the centre of the soul there is a mansion reserved for God Himself.
7. When His Majesty deigns to bestow on the soul the grace of these divine nuptials. He brings it into His presence chamber and does not treat it as before, when He put it into a trance. I believe He then united it to Himself, as also during the prayer of union; but then only the superior part was afFeded and the soul did not feel called to /^ v CHAP. I.]. SEVENTH MANSIONS 265 enter its own centre as it does in this mansion. Here it matters little whether it is in the one way or the other.
8. In the former favours our Lord unites the spirit to Himself and makes it both blind and dumb like / St. Paul after his conversion/ thus preventing its J knowing whence or how it enjoys this grace, for the supreme delight of the spirit is to realize its nearness to God. During the ad:ual moment of divine union the soul feels nothing, all its powers being entirely lost. But now He ad:s differently: our pitiful God removes the scales from its eyes* letting it see and understand somewhat of the grace received in a strange and wonderful manner in this mansion by means of intelleftual vision.
9. By some mysterious manifestation of the truth, the three Persons of the most Blessed Trinity reveal ^-n \ N themselves, preceded by an illumination which shines on the spirit like a most dazzling cloud of light.*^ The three Persons are distind; from one * Acts ix. 8: 'Surrexit autem Saulus de terra, apertisque oculis nihil videbat.' There is, however, nothing to imply that he was dumb as well as blind.
"Acts ix. 18: *Et confesdm ceciderunt ab oculis ejus tamquam squamae, et visum recepit.' fVay ofPerf. ch. xxviii. ii.
^ Rel. iii. 6; v. 6-8; viii. 20, 21; ix. 12, 17, 19. Deposition by Fr. Giles Gonzalez, S.J., Provincial of Old Castile, afterwards Assistant- General in Rome: 'While the holy Mother lived at the convent of the Incarnation of Avila [as prioress], I often spoke with her, and once I remember she asked me: "What am I to do. Father? Whenever I recollect myself I realize that already in this life the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity may be seen, and that They accompany me and assist me in the management of my affairs." ' (Fuente, Obras, vol. vi. p. 280.)
'Dona Maria Enriquez, Duchess of Alva, said that St. Teresa made known to her many revelations she had received from our Lord, and that she (the duchess) held in her possession three paintings of the 14 266 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
another; a sublime knowledge is infused into the soul, imbuing it with a certainty of the truth that the Three are of one substance, power, and know- '^edge and are one God. Thus that which we hold ■as a docflrine of faith, the soul now, so to speak, understands by sight, though it beholds the Blessed Trinity neither by the eyes of the body nor of the soul, this being no imaginary vision. All the Three Persons here communicate Themselves to the soul, speak to it and make it understand the words of our Lord in the Gospel that He and the Father and the Holy Ghost will come and make their abode with the soul which loves Him and keeps His com- mandments.^ 10. O my God, how different from merely hear- ing and believing these words is it to realize their truth in this way! Day by day a growing astonish- ment takes possession of this soul, for the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity seem never to depart; it sees with certainty, in the way I have described, that They dwell far within its own centre and depths; though for want of learning it cannot describe how, it is conscious of the indwelling of these divine Companions.
11. You may fancy that such a person is beside herself and that her mind is too inebriated to care for anything else. On the contrary, she is far more Blessed Trinity made according to the description of the holy Mother, who, while they were being done, effaced with her own hand those portions which the painter failed to design conformably to the vision she had had.' (Fuente, I.e. p. 297.)
' St. John xiv. 23: 'Si quis diligit me, sermonem meum servabit, et Pater meus diliget eum, et ad eum veniemus, et mansionem apud eum tiaciemus.'
CHAP. I.] SEVENTH MANSIONS 267 ad:ive than before in all that concerns God's service, and when at leisure she enjoys this blessed com- panionship. Unless she first deserts God, I believe He will never cease to make her clearly sensible ^ of His presence: she feels confident, as indeed she may, that He will never so fail her as to allow her to lose this favour after once bestowing it; at the same time, she is more careful than before to avoid ofi^ending Him in any way.
1 2. This presence is not always so entirely realized, that is, so distincflly manifest, as at first, or as it is at times when God renews this favour, otherwise the recipient could not possibly attend to anything else nor live in society. Although not always seen by so clear a light, yet whenever she reflects on it she feels the companionship of the Blessed Trinity. This is as if, when we were with other people in a very well lighted room, some one were to darken it by closing the shutters; we should feel certain that the others were still there, though we were unable to see them.^ 1 3. You may ask: ' Could she not bring back the light and see them again?'' This is not in her ^ One of the Saint's favourite comparisons. See Life, ch. xxvii. 7. Castle, M. vi. ch. viii. 3. Rel. vii. 26.
^'Though the soul be always in the high estate of marriage since God has placed it there, nevertheless, actual union in all its powers is not continuous, though the substantial union is. In this substantial union the powers of the soul are most frequently in union, and drink of His cellar, the understanding by Icnowledge, the will by love, etc. We are not therefore to suppose that the soul, when saying it went out, has ceased from its substantial or essential union with God, but only from the union of its faculties, which is not, and cannot be, per- manent in this life.' (St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle, stanza xxvi. 9. On the words: 'In the inner cellar of my Beloved have I drunk, and when I went forth').
^ V 268 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
power; when our Lord chooses, He will open the shutters of the understanding: He shows her great mercy in never quitting her and in making her realize it so clearly. His divine Majesty seems to be preparing His bride for greater things by this divine companionship which clearly helps per- fection in every way and makes her lose the fear she sometimes felt when other graces were granted her.
14. A certain person so favoured found she had improved in all virtues: whatever were her trials or labours, the centre of her soul seemed never moved from its resting-place. Thus in a manner her soul appeared divided: a short time after God had done her this favour, while undergoing great sufferings, she complained of her soul as Martha did of Mary,'° reproaching it with enjoying solitary peace while leaving her so full of troubles and occupations that she could not keep it company.
1 5. This may seem extravagant to you, daughters, yet though the soul is known to be undivided, it is fad: and no fancy and often happens. Interior eifed:s show for certain that there is a positive dif- ference between the soul and the spirit, although they are one with each other." There is an extremely '" St. Luke X. 40. Excl. v. 2, 3. Way of Per/, ch. xv. 4; xxxi. 4. Rel. viii. 6. Concept, ch. vii. 4.
" Life, ch. xviii. 4. The distinction between soul and spirit, to be found in the Epistle to the Hebrews, iv. i 2, according to Cornelius a Lapide {ad loc.) consists in this, that the term /^///comprises the faculties, senses, and passions, whereas the term spirit denotes the substance of the soul independently of its powers. In the inferior degrees of the Mystical life God operates through the faculties, while in the Mystical marriage ^e acts directly on the substance of the soul. St. Teresa is not quite cHAP.ir.] SEVENTH MANSIONS 269 subtle distIn(5tion between them, so that sometimes they seem to afl in a different manner from one another, as does the knowledge given to them by God.
16. It also appears to me that the soul and its fac- ulties are not identical. There are so many and such transcendental mysteries within us, that it would be presumption for me to attempt to explain them. If by God's mercy we enter heaven we shall understand these secrets.
CHAPTER II.
TREATS OF THE SAME SUBJECT: EXPLAINS, BY SOME DELICATELY DRAWN COMPARISONS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPIRITUAL UNION AND SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE.