TREATS OF THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF PERSEVERANCE IN ORDER TO ENTER THE LAST MANSIONS, AND OF THE FIERCE WAR THE DEVIL WAGES AGAINST US. HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS TO TAKE THE RIGHT PATH FROM THE VERY COMMENCEMENT OF OUR JOURNEY. A METHOD OF ACTION WHICH HAS PROVED VERY EFFICACIOUS.
1. Souls in the second iiiaiisioiis. 2. Their state. 3. Their sufferings. 4. They cannot get rid of their imperfections. 5. How God calls these souls. 6. Perseverance is essential. 7. Temptations of the devil. 8. Delusion of earthly joys. 9. God alone to be loved. 10. Reasons for continuing the journey. 11. Warfare of the devil. 12. Importance of choice of friends. 13. Valour required.
14. Presumption of expecting spiritual consolations at first.
15. In the Cross is strength. 16. Our falls should raise us higher. 17- Confidence and perseverance. 18. Recollection. 19. Why we must practise prayer. 20. Meditation kindles love.
I. Now let us consider which are the souls that enter the second mansions, and what they do there. I do not wish to enlarge on this subjedl, having already treated it very fully elsewhere/ for I could not avoid repeating myself, as mv memory is very bad. If I could state my ideas in another form they would not weary you, for we never tire of reading books on this subject, numerous as they are.
' Life, ch. xi-xiii. IVay of Perf ch. xx.-xxix.
59 6o THE INTERIOR CASTLE / 2". In this part of the castle are found souls which ^ have begun to pradlise prayer; they realize the importance of their not remaining in the first man- sions, yet often lack determination to quit their present condition by avoiding occasions of sin, which is a very perilous state to be in.
3. However, it is a great grace that they should sometimes make good their escape from the vipers and poisonous creatures around them and should understand the need of avoiding them. In some way these souls suffer a great deal more than those in the first mansions, although not in such danger, as they begin to understand their peril and there are great hopes of their entering farther into the castle. I say that they suffer a great deal more, for those in an earlier stage are like deaf-mutes and are not so distressed at being unable to speak, while the others, who can hear but cannot talk, find it much harder. At the same time, it is better not to be deaf, and a decided advantage to hear what is said to us.
4. These souls hear our Lord calling them, for as they approach nearer to where His Majesty dwells He proves a loving Neighbour, though they may still be engaged in the amusements and business, the pleasures and vanities of this world. While in this state we continually fall into sin and rise again, J( for the creatures amongst whom we dwell are so venomous, so vicious, and so dangerous, that it is almost impossible to avoid being tripped up by them. Yet such are the pity and compassion of this Lord of ours, so desirous is He that we should SECOND MANSIONS 6i seek Him and enjoy His company, that in one way or another He never ceases calling us to Him. So sweet is His voice, that the poor soul is disconsolate at being unable to follow His bidding at once, and therefore, as I said, suffers more than if it could not hear Him.
5. I do not mean that divine communications and inspirations received in this mansion are the same as those I shall describe later on; God here speaks to souls through words uttered by pious people, by sermons or good books, and in many other such ways. Sometimes He calls souls bv means of sick- ness or troubles, or by some truth He teaches them during prayer, for tepid as thev may be in seeking Him, yet God holds them very dear.
6. Do not think lightly, sisters, of this first grace, nor be downcast if you have not responded imme- diately to Our Lord's voice, for His Majesty is willing to wait for us many a day and even many a year, especially when He sees perseverance and good desires in our hearts. Perseverance is the first essential; with this we are sure to profit greatly. However, the devils now fiercely assault the soul in a thousand different ways: it suffers more than ever, because formerly it was mute and deaf, or at least could hear very little, and offered but feeble resistance, like one who has almost lost all hope of vi(ftcry.
7. Here, however, the understanding being more vigilant and the powers more on the alert, we can- not avoid hearing the fighting and cannonading around us. For now the devils set on us the reptiles, that is to say, thoughts about the world and its joys ^^'' 62 THE INTERIOR CASTLE which they picflure as unending; they remind us of the high esteem men held us in, of our friends and relations; they tell us how the penances which souls in this mansion always begin to wish to per- form would injure our health: in fine, the evil spirits place a thousand impediments in the way.
8. O Jesus! What turmoil the devils cause in the ^ poor soul! How unhappy it feels, not knowing whether to go forward or to return to the first mansion! On the other hand, reason shows it the 'delusion of overrating worldly things, while faith \ teaches what alone can satisfy its cravings. Memory reminds the soul how all earthly joys end, recalling the death of those who lived at ease; how some died suddenly and were soon forgotten, how others, once so prosperous, are now buried beneath the ground and men pass by the graves where they lie, the prey of worms,* while the mind recalls many other such incidents.
9. The will inclines to love Our Lord and longs to make some return to Him Who is so amiable, and Who has given so many proofs of His love, especially by His constant presence with the soul, which this faithful Lover never quits, ever accom- panying it and giving it life and being. The under- * 'How many, thinking to live long, have been deceived and unex- pectedly have been snatched away! How often hast thou heard that such a one was slain by the sword; another drowned; another, falling from on high, broke his neck; this man died at the table; that other came to his death while he was at play...Thus death is the end of all; and man's life passeth suddenly like a shadow' {imitation, bk. i. ch. xxiii. 7). The edition of the Imitation known to St. Teresa under the title of Contemptus Mundi was translated by Luis de Granada, printed at Seville in i 5 36, at Lisbon in i 542, and at Alcala in i 548. See Life, ch. xxxix. 21, note.
SECOND MANSIONS 63 standing aids by showing that however many years life might last, no one could ever wish for a better friend than God; that the world is full of falsehood, and that the worldly pleasures pictured by the devil to the mind were but troubles and cares and annoyances in disguise.
10. Reason convinces the soul that as outside its interior castle are found neither peace nor security, it should cease to seek another home abroad, its own being full of riches that it can enjoy at will. Besides, it is not every one who, like itself, possesses all he needs within his own dwelling, and above all, such a Host, Who will give it all it can desire, unless, like the prodigal son, it chooses to go astray and feed with the swine.^ Surely these arguments are strong enough to defeat the devil's wiles! But, O my God, how the force of worldly habits and the example of others who practise them ruin everything! Our faith is so dead that we trust less to its teaching than to what is visible, though, indeed, we see that worldly lives bring nothing but unhappiness. All this results from those venomous thoughts I described, which, unless we are very careful, will deform the soul as the sting of a viper poisons and swells the body.
1 1. When this happens, great care is evidently needed to cure it, and only God's signal mercy prevents its resulting in death. Indeed, the soul passes through severe trials at this time, especially when the devil perceives from a person's charadter and behaviour that she is likely to make very great ' St. Luke XV. 16: 'Et cupiebat implere ventrem suum de siliquis quas porci manducabant.'
64 THE INTERIOR CASTLE progress, for then all hell will league together to force her to turn back. O my Lord! what need there is here that, by Thy mercy, Thou shouldst prevent the soul from being deluded into forsaking the good begun! Enlighten it to see that its wel- fare consists in perseverance in the right way, and in the withdrawing from bad company.
1 2. It is of the utmost importance for the beginner to associate with those who lead a spiritual life,* and not only with those in the same mansion as herself, but with others who have travelled farther into the castle, who will aid her greatly and draw her to join them. The soul should firmly resolve never to submit to defeat, for if the devil sees it staunchly determined to lose life and comfort and all that he can ofi!^er, rather than return to the first mansion, he will the sooner leave it alone.
13. Let the Christian be valiant; let him not be ■ like those who lay down to drink from the brook when they went to battle (I do not remember when).* Let him resolve to go forth to combat with the host of demons, and be convinced that there is no better weapon than the cross. I have ; already said,* yet it is of such importance that I re- / peat it here: let no one think on starting of the reward to be reaped: this would be a very ignoble way of commencing such a large and stately build- ing. If built on sand it would soon fall down. ^ Souls * Life, c\i. vii. 33-37; xvl. 12; XXX. 6. PVay of Terfection, ch. vi. 1; vii. 4.
' With Gedeon. Jud. vii. 5: ' Qui lingua lambuerint aquas, sicut solent canes lambere, separabis eos seorsum.'
^ Life, ch. xi 16.
' St. Matt. vii. 26, 27: 'Quiaedificavitdomum suam super arenam...SECOND MANSIONS 65 who adled thus would continually suffer from dis- couragement and temptations, for in these mansions no manna rains;* farther on, the soul is pleased with all that comes, because it desires nothing but what God wills.
14. What a farce it is! Here are we, with a thou- sand obstacles, drawbacks, and imperfections within ourselves, our virtues so newly born that they have scarcely the strength to adl (and God grant that they exist at all!) yet we are not ashamed to exped: sweetness in prayer and to complain of feeling dryness.'
15. Do not ad: thus, sisters; embrace the cross your Spouse bore on His shoulders; know that your motto should be: ' Most happy she who suffers most if it be for Christ!"" All else should be looked upon as secondary: if our Lord give it you, render Him grateful thanks. You may imagine you would be resolute in enduring external trials if God gave you interior consolations: His Majesty knows best what is good for us; it is not for us to advise Him how to treat us, for He has the right to tell us that we know not what we ask." Remember, it is of the greatest importance — the sole aim of one beginning to practise prayer should be to endure trials, and to resolve and strive to the utmost of her power to conform her own will to the will of et fuit ruina illius magna.'
* Ps. Ixxvii. 24: 'Pluit illis manna ad manducandum.' fVay of Per/. ch. X. 4.
' Li/g, ch. xii. 5.
^^ Way of Per/, ch. xvii. 6; xxiii. i.
" St. Matt. XX. 22: * Nescitis quid petatis.'
(i^ THE INTERIOR CASTLE God." Be certain that in this consists all the greatest perfed:ion to be attained in the spiritual life, as I will explain later. She who pra(5lises this most perfed:ly will receive from God the highest reward and is the farthest advanced on the right road. Do not imagine that we have need of a cabalistic formula or any other occult or mysterious thing to attain it — our whole welfare consists in doing the will of God. If we start with the false principle of wishing God to follow our will and to lead us in the way we think best, upon what firm foundation can this spiritual edifice rest?
1 6. Let us endeavour to do our best: beware of the poisonous reptiles — that is to say, the bad j thoughts and aridities which are often permitted by God to assail and torment us so that we cannot repel them. Lideed, perchance we feel their sting!
. He allows this to teach us to be more on.our guard ^ in the future and to see whether we grieve much at offending Him. Therefore if you occasionally lapse into sin, do not lose heart and cease trying to advance, for God will draw good even out of our falls, like the merchant who sells theriac, who first takes poison, then the theriac, to prove the power of his elixir." This combat would suffice to teach us to amend our habits if we realized our failings in no other way, and would show us the injury we receive from a life of dissipation. Can any evil be greater than that we find at home? What peace can we hope to find elsewhere, if we have none '" Way of Per/, ch. xvi. 2. Found, ch. v. 2, 3. Life, ch. iv. 1 1; xi. 20.
'^ A drug greatly in vogue until recent times. It was composed of all the essences supposed to contain life-giving and life-preserving qualities of animals and plants.
SECOND MANSIONS 67 within us? What friends or kindred can be so close and intimate as the powers of our soul, which, whether we will or no, must ever bear us company? These seem to wage war on us as if they knew the harm our vices had wrought them. * Peace, peace be unto you,' my sisters, as our Lord said, and many a time proclaimed to His Apostles.''^ Believe me, if we neither possess nor strive to obtain this peace at home, we shall never find it abroad.
17. By the blood which our Lord shed for us, I implore those who have not yet begun to enter into themselves, to stop this warfare: I beg those already started in the right path, not to let the combat turn them back from it. Let them refled: that a relapse is worse than a fall, and see what ruin it would bring. They should confide in God's mercy, trust- ing nothing in themselves; then they will see how His Majesty will lead them from one mansion to another, and will set them in a place where these wild beasts can no more touch or annoy them, but will be entirely at their mercy and merely objeds of ridicule. Then, even in this life, they will enjoy a far greater happiness than they are able even to desire.
18. As I said at the beginning of this work, I have explained elsewhere'* how you should be- have when the devil thus disturbs you. I also told you that the habit of recolledion is not to be gained by force of arms, but with calmness, which will enable you to pradise it for a longer space of time. '* " St. Luke xxiv. 36. St. John xx. 19.
^^ Life, ch. xi. and xix. 8. ff^ay of Perfection, ch. xxlli. 3.
"* Way of P erf. ch. xix. 3.
68 THE INTERIOR CASTLE I will say no more now, except that I think it very helpful for those of you who are beginners to con- sult persons experienced in such matters, lest you imagine that you are injuring yourselves by leaving your prayer to perform any necessary duties. This is not the case; our Lord will dired: such things to our profit, although we may have no one to counsel us.'^ The only remedy for having given up a habit of recollediion is to recommence it, other- wise the soul will continue to lose it more and more every day, and God grant it may realize its danger.
19. You may think, that if it is so very injurious to desist, it would have been better never to have begun, and to have remained outside the castle. But, as I began by saying, and as God Himself declares: * He that loves danger shall perish by it,' " and the door by which we must enter this castle is prayer. Remember, we must get to heaven, and it would be madness to think we could do so without sometimes retiring into our souls so as to know ourselves, or thinking of our failings and of what we owe to God, or frequently imploring His mercy. Our Lord also says, *No man cometh to the Father but by Me"' (I am not sure whether this quotation is correct, but I think so), and, *He that seeth Me seeth the Father also.'"
20. If we never look up at Him and refled: on what we owe Him for having died for us, I do not understand how we can know Him, or perform *' Wa"^ ofPerf. ch. xxiii. 3.
'* Ecclus. iii. 27: 'Qui amat periculum, in illo peribit.' " St. John xiv. 6: 'Nemo venit ad Patrem, nisi per Me.' " St. John xiv. 9. ' Qui videt me, videt et Patrem.'
SECOND MANSIONS 69 good deeds in His service. What value is there in faith without works? and what are they worth if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only good? What would incite us to love our Lord unless we thought of Him? May He give us grace to understand how much we cost Him; that *the servant is not above his lord'"; that we must toil for Him if we would enjoy His glory; and prayer is a necessity to prevent us from constantly falling into temptation."
*' St. Matt. X. 24: 'Nee servus super dominum suum.'
"' St. Matt. xxvi. 41: 'Orate ut non intretis in tentationem.'
V THE THIRD MANSIONS CHAPTER I.
TREATS OF THE INSECURITY OF LIFE IN THIS EXILE, HOWEVER HIGH WE MAY BE RAISED, AND OF HOW WE MUST ALWAYS WALK IN FEAR. CONTAINS SOME GOOD POINTS.
1. Souls in the Third Mansions. 2. Insecurity of this life. 3. Our danger of falling from grace. 4. The Saint beivails her past life. 5. Our Lady's Patronage. 6. Fear necessary even for religious. 7. St. Teresa s contrition. 8. Characteristics of those in the Third Mansions. 9. The rich young man in the Gospel. 10. Reason of aridities in prayer. 11. Humility. 12. Tepidity. 13. We must give all to God. 14. Our debt. 15. Consolations and aridities.
I. As for those who, by the mercy of God, have vanquished in these combats and persevered until they reached the third mansions, what can we say to them but *Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord'? ' It is no small favour from God that I should be able to translate this verse into Spanish so as to explain its meaning, considering how dense I usu- ally am in such matters. We may well call these souls blessed, for, as far as we can tell, unless they turn back in their course they are on the safe road to salvation. Now, my sisters, you see how import- ant it is for them to conquer in their former struggles, for I am convinced that our Lord will ' Ps. cxi: 1. 'Beatus vir qui timet Dominum.'
70 CHAP. I.] THIRD MANSIONS 71 henceforth never cease to keep them in security of conscience, which is no small boon.
2. I am wrong in saying * security/ for there is no security in this life; understand that in such cases I always imply: * If they do not cease to continue as they have begun.' What misery to live in this world! We are like men whose enemies are at the door, who must not lay aside their arms, even while sleeping or eating, and are always in dread lest the foe should enter the fortress by some breach in the walls. O my Lord and my all! How canst Thou wish us to prize such a wretched existence? We could not desist from longing and begging Thee to take us from it, were it not for the hope of losing it for Thy sake or devoting it entirely to Thy service — and above all. because we know it is Thy will that we should live. Since it is so, 'Let us die with Thee!'* as St. Thomas said, for to be away from Thee is but to die again and again, haunted as we are by the dread of losing Thee for ever!
3. This is why I say, daughters, that we ought to ask our Lord as our boon to grant us one day to dwell in safety with the Saints, for with such fears, what pleasure can she enjoy whose only pleasure is to please God? Remember, many Saints have felt this as we do, and were even far more fervent, vet fell into grave sin, and we cannot be sure that God would stretch forth His hand to raise us from sin again to do such penance as they performed. This applies to extraordinary grace.' Truly, my ' St. John xi. 16: 'Eamus et nos ut moriamur cum eo.' ' These last words, in the margin, but in the handwriting of the Saint, were scored through by one of the censors, but Fr. Luis de Leon wrote 72 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
daughters, I feel such terror as I tell you this, that I know not how to write it, nor even how to go on living, when I refled: upon it as I verv often do. Beg of His Majesty, my daughters, to abide within me, for otherwise, what security could I feel, after a life so badly spent as mine has been?
4. Do not grieve at knowing this. I have often seen you troubled when I spoke about it, for you wish that my past had been a very holy one, in which you are right — indeed, I wish the same myself. But what can be done, now that I have wasted it entirely through my own fault? I have no right to complain that God withheld the aid I needed to fulfil your wishes. It is impossible for me to write this without tears and great shame, when I see that I am explaining these matters to those capable of teaching me. What a hard task has obedience laid upon me! God grant that, as I do it for Him, it may be of some service to you; therefore beg Him to pardon me for my miserable presumption.
5. His Majesty knows that I have nothing to rely upon but His mercy; as I cannot cancel the past, I have no other remedy but to flee to Him, and to confide in the merits of His Son and of His Virgin Mother, whose habit, unworthy as I am, I wear as you do also. Praise Him, then, my daughters, for making you truly daughters of our Lady, so that you need not blush for my wickedness as you have such a good Mother. Imitate her; think how great she must be and what a blessing it is for you to have her for a patroness, since my sins and evil underneath, (as he did in other cases) 'Nothing to be crossed out.'
\ CHAP. I.] THIRD MANSIONS 73 charadler have brought no tarnish on the lustre of our holy Order.
6. Still I must give you one warning: be not too confident because you are nuns and the daughters of such a Mother. David was very holy, yet you know what Solomon became.* Therefore do not rely on your enclosure, on your penitential life, nor on your continual exercise of prayer and constant communion with God, nor trust in having left the world or in the idea that you hold its ways in horror. All this is good, but is not enough, as I have already said, to remove all fear; therefore meditate on this text and often recall it: * Blessed is the man. y^ that feareth the Lord.'* 7. I do not recoiled: what I was saving, and have digressed very much: for when I think of myself my mind cannot soar to higher things but is like a bird with broken wings; so I will leave this subjedt for the present.
8. To return to what I began to explain about the souls which have entered the third mansions. God has shown them no small favour, but a very great one, in enabling them to pass through the first difficulties. Thanks to His mercv I believe there are many such people in the world: they are very desirous not to ofl?end His Majesty even by venial sins, they love penance and spend hours in meditation, they employ their time well, exercise themselves in works of charity to their neighbours, are well-ordered in their conversation and dress, * St. Teresa wrote 'Solomon'; Father Gracian corrected 'Absalom,' and Fr. Luis de Leon restored the original text. ° Fs. cxi, I.
6 74 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
and those who own a household govern it well. This is certainly to be desired, and there appears no reason to forbid their entrance to the last man- sions; nor will our Lord deny it them if they desire it, for this is the right disposition for receiving all His favours.
9. O Jesus! can any one declare that he does not desire this great blessing, especially after he has passed through the chief difficulties? No; no one can! We all say we desire it, but there is need of more than that for the Lord to possess entire dominion over the soul. It is not enough to say so, any more than it was enough for the young man when our Lord told him what he must do if he desired to be perfeft.^ Since I began to speak of these dwelling-rooms I have him constantly before my mind, for we are exadlly like him; this very frequently produces the great dryness we feel in prayer, though sometimes it proceeds from other causes as well. I am not speaking of certain interior sufferings which give intolerable pain to many devout souls through no fault of their own; from these trials, however, our Lord always delivers them with much profit to themselves. I also except people who suffer from melancholy and other infirmities. But in these cases, as in all others, we must leave aside the judgments of God.
10. I hold that these effedls usually result from the first cause I mentioned;; such souls know that nothing would induce tqem to commit a sin (many of them would not even commit a venial sin * Matt. xix. 21. \ CHAP. I.] THIRD MANSIONS 75 advertently), and that they employ their life and riches well. They cannot, therefore, patiently en- dure to be excluded from the presence of our King, Whose vassals they consider themselves, as indeed they are. An earthly king may have many subjecfts yet all do not enter his court. Enter then, enter, my daughters, into your interior; pass beyond the thought of your own petty works, which are no - more, nor even as much, as Christians are bound to pqrform: let it suffice that you are God's servants, do not pursue so much as to catch nothing.' Think of the saints, who have entered the Divine Presence, and you will see the difference between them and ourselves.
T I. Do not ask for what you do not deserve, nor should we ever think, however much we may have done for God, that we merit the reward of the saints, for we have offended Him. Oh, humility, humility! I know not why, but I am always tempted to think that persons who complain so much of aridities must be a little wanting in this virtue. However, I am not speaking of severe interior sufferings, which are far worse than a want of devotion.
12. Let us try ourselves, my sisters, or let our Lord try us; He knows well how to do so (although we often pretend to misunderstand Him). We will now speak of these well-ordered souls. Let us con- sider what they do for God and we shall see at once what little right we have to murmur against His Majesty. If we turn our backs on Him and go away sorrowfully like the youth in the Gospel' ' Proverbially, like 'having too many irons in the fire.' • St. Mark. x. 22. Way of T erf. ch. xvii. 5.
76 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
when He tells us what to do to be perfedl, what can God do? for He must proportion the reward to our love for Him. This love, my daughters, , must not be the fabric of our imagination; we must ^---J^ ' \ prove it by our works. Yet do not suppose that our '~t:. o r d "'Kasneed of any works of ours; He only expefts us to manifest our goodwill.^ I 3. It seems to us we have done everything by taking the religious habit of our own will, and renouncing worldly things and all our possessions for God (although they may have been but the nets of St. Peter, '° yet they seemed much to us, for they were our all). This is an excellent disposition: if we continue in it and do not return, even in desire, to the company of the reptiles of the first rooms, doubtless, by persevering in this poverty and de- J tachment of soul, we shall obtain all for which we strive. But, mark this — it must be on one condition — that we * hold ourselves for unprofitable servants,' " as we are told either by St. Paul or by Christ, and that we do not consider that our Lord is bound to grant us any favours, but that, as we have received more from Him, we are the deeper in His debt. 14. How little is all we can do for so generous a . -XGod, Who died for us, Who created us. Who gives