第四章

本章說明出神是什麼。 表明靈魂由於出神所領受的關於天主偉大的知識，是難以描述的。 說明真正出神的效果，以及它們如何有別於虛假的出神。

1. 出神的必要性。 2. 各種出神。 3. 一種出神：靈魂被一句天主的話喚醒。 4. 靈魂在神魂超拔中所獲得的知識。 5. 出神中所見的神見。 6. 為何天主的恩典難以描述。 7. 梅瑟和燃燒的荊棘。 8. 一個比較。 9. 亞爾巴公爵夫人的珍奇室。 10. 進入最後的居所。 11. 智性的神見。 12. 假出神。 13. 真出神中，天主帶走一切官能。 14. 為一個如此偉大的天主所做的一切都微不足道。 15. 人類的盲目。 16. 天主向一切尋求祂的人慷慨賜恩。 17. 出神時的身體狀況。 18. 意志陶醉於天主的愛中。 19. 出神後的效果。 20. 靈魂希望出神不被人看見。 21. 主安慰一個煩惱的靈魂。 22. 真假出神的辨別。

1. 可憐的小蝴蝶，歷經我所說的那些考驗乃至更多，究竟能找到什麼安歇呢？這一切使她更熱切地渴望新郎。陛下深知我們的軟弱，藉著這些和其他方法堅固她，使她有勇氣與如此偉大的主結合，以祂為淨配。你們也許發笑，以為我在說傻話，覺得這根本不需要勇氣——哪位女性，不論多麼出身低微，不敢與國王聯姻呢？若是世上的君王，我也這麼想；但要嫁給天上的君王，所需的勇氣比你們想像的更多。²⁶⁶我們的本性對如此崇高的事物顯得太怯懦低微——若非天主賜予恩惠，縱使再明白其益處，也是不可能的。你們將會明白陛下如何批准這婚約：大概是在祂以出神攝走靈魂時，剝奪其官能的運作；若保留官能，我想一看到自己與如此威嚴的君主如此接近，身體可能當場斃命。我說的是真正的出神，不是如今常有的那種因女性虛弱而來的幻覺——那些人把一切都想像成出神或神魂超拔。有些體質過於孱弱的人，一個小小的寧靜祈禱就足以讓她們喪命。²⁶⁷

2. 我想在此描述幾種出神，這是我從我曾討論此題的靈修人士那裡得知的，但我不確定能否像在別處那樣加以說明。²⁶⁸已決定重複以前所說的這些及其他在此狀態下發生的事，即使只是為了能按適當的順序說明所有居所所包含的內容，也是值得的。

3. 有一種出神，靈魂雖也許不在祈禱中，卻因記起或聽見天主的某句話而受到震動。²⁶⁹陛下看她長久渴望祂所受的痛苦而動了憐憫，似乎要增大那燃在靈魂內裡的火星，直到靈魂整個燃燃起來，如鳳凰從火焰中以新生命復甦。這樣的人若已是適當的心態，且善用了教會所要求的方法，可以虔誠地相信自己的罪已獲寬赦。²⁷⁰靈魂如此淨化之後，天主以只有祂和靈魂才知道的方式與之結合，就連靈魂自己也不能理解所發生的事，更無法向別人說明。然而心智並未失去官能的運作，因為這神魂超拔並不像昏厥或發作，在那種情況下，內外都毫無感覺。

4. 我所能理解的是，靈魂此時比以往任何時候都更活躍於屬靈的事，對陛下的光明和知識也更為充盈。這似乎不可能：若官能和感官如此沉浸，幾乎可說已然死去，靈魂又如何理解這奧秘？我說不清；也許除了造物主自己，沒有人能說出這些地方所發生的事——我的意思是這重居所和下一重，它們幾乎可視為一體，因為從一重通往另一重的門是大開著的。不過，由於最後幾間房裡所展示的某些事物，只有到達此處的人才能看見，我認為最好還是分開說明各居所。

5. 靈魂在這沉浸中，吾主恩賜她認識天上的奧秘以及想像的神見——這些事後可以描述，因為它們深深烙印在記憶中，永遠難忘。但智性的神見卻不容易這樣轉述；在這時候所領受的一些智性神見極為崇高，使活在世上的人無法以可言說的方式理解它們，雖然待官能恢復運作後，有許多在智性神見中所見的事是可以描述的。你們也許不知道什麼是神見，尤其是智性神見。既然奉有權柄者之命，我會在適當時候講明；雖然看似多餘，對某些人或許有益。

6. 「但是，」你們也許要問我，「若吾主在這居所所賜予的那些極為崇高的恩惠事後無法憶起，它們究竟有什麼益處？」²⁷¹女兒們啊！其價值無可估量，因為雖然領受者無法描述，這些恩惠卻深深烙印在靈魂的中心，永遠不會遺忘。「若沒有看見任何形象、靈魂的官能也沒有理解，又如何能記得呢？」我也不明白這一點，但我知道，天主的偉大某些真理藉著這恩惠如此深印在靈魂上，以致假使信仰沒有告訴我們祂是誰、靈魂有義務相信祂是天主，此後靈魂也會如此敬拜祂——正如雅各伯見了天梯之後所做的。²⁷²這位先祖無疑學到了其他他無法說出的秘密，因為若沒有領受更多的內在光明，他僅憑觀看天使上下天梯，是不可能發現如此崇高的奧秘的。我不確定這段引文是否準確；雖然我聽過這段話，卻不能確定自己是否確實記得。

7. 梅瑟所見的燃燒荊棘，他所能轉述的也只是天主願意讓他轉述的部分，²⁷³然而，若非全能者清楚地向他的靈魂顯示了某些奧秘，使他看見並認識到天主在場，這位立法者就不可能承擔那許多偉大的勞苦。那些崇高的啟示在荊棘的刺中向他顯示，賦予了他為了以色列子民所做的偉大事業所必需的勇氣。姊妹們，我們不應尋求理由來理解天主的隱秘事物，而應相信祂是全能的，並確信我們這些蟲子，以我們有限的理解力，無法理解祂的奇工。讓我們熱切地讚頌祂，因為祂允許我們對這些事有一點點的了解。

8. 我希望能為這題目找一個比喻：好像沒有什麼合適的，但我將使用以下這個。想像你在一間廳室中——我相信這類廳室稱為珍奇室——屬於某位國王或大貴族的，裡面擺放著無數種類的玻璃器皿、瓷器和其他東西，排列得如此齊整，以至於進入這房間就能立刻看到大多數物品。

9. 我去拜訪亞爾巴公爵夫人的府邸時（奉命依服從之道，應她的邀請在旅途中停留），²⁷⁴曾被帶入這樣的一個廳室。進入時我驚嘆不已，心想這堆雜亂的珍奇物品究竟有什麼用；但隨後我想到，看到如此多不同的東西應當使人讚頌天主。幸好我見過那個廳室，因為它為我這裡提供了一個合適的比喻。雖然我在房間裡待了一段時間，裡面的物品實在太多，我忘記了所見的，就好像從未見過一樣，雖然我記得看過那整個陳列。

10. 靈魂與天主極為緊密結合時，也發生某種類似的事。她被引入這座天上居所，那必定在我們靈魂的中心——因為天主居住在靈魂中，祂必定擁有其中最高的居所。靈魂在神魂超拔時，吾主似乎不希望她去理解這些奧秘，她陶醉在天主的喜樂中就已足夠。但有時祂樂意將她從出神狀態帶回，她立刻能感知居所所包含的事物。靈魂回到自身後，心智能憶起所見，卻無法描述，也無法憑自然的能力達到更多的超自然，超過天主所選擇向她顯示的部分。

11. 難道我的意思是靈魂確實見到了什麼，這是一種想像的神見？我絕非如此意思：我說的是智性的神見；但我如此無知愚鈍，什麼都無法說明，我也清楚地知道，若有什麼說得正確，那不是出自我自己。

12. 我認為，若靈魂在出神中任何時候都沒有學到任何奧秘，那就不是真正的出神，而是某種體質纖弱的人——比如女性——可能出現的自然衰弱，是精神用力過度壓倒了肉身，產生的昏迷狀態，就如我相信我在談論寧靜祈禱時所說的。²⁷⁵

13. 真正的出神並非如此；在真正的出神中，我相信天主完全攝走靈魂到祂那裡，因為她完全是祂的，是祂的新娘，向她展示她所贏得的那個王國的一小部分。不論這展示多麼微小，在這偉大的天主裡都是偉大的。祂不允許官能和感官的任何阻礙，而是命令所有居所的門立刻關閉，只留下祂所在的那一間開著，好讓我們進入。蒙受如此憐憫的有福之人——那些不設法從中獲益的人，那些拋棄它的人，是有理由被詛咒的！

14. 啊，姊妹們！對於一位如此樂意向一條蟲傾注自己的天主，我們所放棄的、所做的、或曾能做的一切，又算得了什麼！若我們希望在此生就享受這恩惠，我們在做什麼？為何我們遲延？在尋求這位主的途中，有什麼能抵得上連彌撒中「憶念」的片刻都不浪費，²⁷⁶像那位新娘穿過街道和廣場尋找所愛？²⁷⁷啊，世上不能引導我們、幫助我們達到這境界的一切，都是何等的嘲弄！縱使所能想像的一切塵世快樂、財富和幸福能永遠持續，與那永享的寶藏相比，也不過是令人失望的鄙陋——而那些寶藏，與以天地萬物之主為自己的所有相比，更是算不得什麼。

15. 啊，人類的盲目！何時，何時這塵土才能從我們眼中取去？雖然我們以為不足以蒙蔽我們，我卻看見一些塵埃粒子，若任它散播，足以大大傷害我們。至少，為了天主的愛，我的姊妹們，讓這些過失使我們看清自己的苦況，就如那泥土清明了被淨配治癒的那位盲人的眼睛一樣。²⁷⁸認識了自己的不完美，我們就能更熱切地懇求祂讓我們藉著自己的缺陷蒙益，好能在一切事上喜悅祂。

16. 我不知不覺地遠離了正題：請姊妹們原諒。相信我，每當我談到天主偉大的這些奇跡（我的意思是每當我談到它們），不能不對看見我們因自己的過錯所失去的一切深感痛苦。確實，陛下是按祂的旨意向祂所揀選的人賜予這些恩惠；但若我們以祂尋求我們的那種方式尋求祂，祂就會把這些恩惠賜給我們眾人。祂只渴望有靈魂讓祂可以賜予這些恩惠，因為祂的恩賜不會使祂的財富減少。

17. 回到我所描述的事情。奉淨配的命令，各居所乃至堡壘和整座城堡的門都關閉了；因為當祂意圖攝走靈魂時，祂取走了說話的能力，雖然有時其他官能仍維持稍久，但一個字也說不出來。²⁷⁹有時人立刻失去所有感官，手和身體變得冰冷，彷彿靈魂已然離去；偶爾甚至難以察覺呼吸。²⁸⁰這狀態只持續很短的時間——我的意思是同樣的程度，²⁸¹因為當這深沉的沉浸減退，身體似乎漸漸甦醒，蓄積力量再度回到這給予靈魂更旺盛生命的「死亡」之中。

18. 這神魂超拔的極致狀態持續的時間從不長久；但雖然消退，意志留下的陶醉²⁸²和心智出離自身的喜樂，可使一個人在一天、有時甚至幾天內，無法關注任何能激發意志愛天主之外的事——雖然對這一點她清醒得很，對塵世的一切卻恍若在夢中。

19. 啊，靈魂完全回到自身時，她因領受了這恩惠而感到何等的羞愧，她渴望以天主要求的任何方式事奉祂又是何等熱切！若以前祈禱狀態所產生的強大效果如我所描述，這樣顯著的恩惠又將帶來什麼？這樣的人希望自己有千條生命²⁸³可以為天主奉獻；她希望地上所有的受造物都化作那麼多的舌頭，替她讚頌祂。她渴望從事最嚴格的補贖，²⁸⁴這些對她來說並不費力，因為愛的力量使她幾乎感覺不到。她認識到，殉道者在受苦刑時受了多少苦楚是何等微小，因為當吾主如此相助時，痛苦是容易的；因此這樣的靈魂在陛下不給她任何苦楚時，會向祂抱怨。²⁸⁵

20. 她認為天主在隱密中賜予她出神是一種很大的恩惠，因為當別人看見時，她所感到的羞愧和困窘之大，在某種程度上減少了她的喜樂。她知道世界的惡意，擔心她的神魂超拔不會被歸因於其真正的原因，而只是引發輕率的判斷，而不是理應歸給天主的讚頌。雖然這種痛苦和困擾是難免的，但在我看來，這顯示出某種缺乏謙遜——若她真的希望被人輕視，又何必在乎呢？²⁸⁶

21. 主曾有一次對一個為這類念頭所困的人說：「不要煩惱；人們要麼讚頌我，要麼責備你；無論哪種情況，你都是得益者。」²⁸⁷後來我得知她從這句話大受激勵和安慰；我提出這件事，以防其他人也有同樣的煩惱。顯然，吾主希望眾人知道這靈魂是祂的，沒有人可以打擾她，因為她完全屬於祂。如果人們想要，儘可以攻擊她的身體、名譽和財產，因為陛下從他們所做的一切都能獲得榮耀；但靈魂他們不可侵犯——除非靈魂因最應受責備的輕率而離開淨配的保護，否則祂會護衛她抵抗全世界乃至整個地獄。

22. 我不知道是否已成功地讓你們明白什麼是出神；要完全說明，正如我說的，是不可能的。不過我不認為時間白費了，因為描述了真正的出神。假出神的效果大相逕庭。我稱之為「假的」，不是因為經歷它的人有意欺騙別人，而是因為他們自己在不知情的情況下受了欺騙。由於徵兆和效果與這偉大的恩惠不符，這恩惠本身就因此而受到如此的信用損失，以至於此後吾主賜予任何靈魂時，自然沒有人會相信。願祂永受讚頌和頌揚！阿們，阿們！

TREATS OF HOW GOD SUSPENDS THE SOUL IN PRAYER BY A TRANCE, ECSTASY OR RAPTURE, WHICH I BELIEVE ARE ALL THE SAME THING. GREAT COURAGE REQUIRED TO RECEIVE EXTRAORDINARY FAVOURS FROM HIS MAJESTY.

1. Courage required by the soul for the divine espousals. 2. Raptures. 3. Rapture caused by the spark of love. 4. The powers and senses absorbed. 5. Mysteries revealed during ecstasies. 6. These mysteries are unspeakable. 7. Moses and the burning bush. 8. Simile of the museum. 9. St. Teresa’s visit to the Duchess of Alva. 10. Joy of the soul during raptures. 11. No imaginary vision. 12. True and false raptures. 13. Revelations of future bliss. 14. The soul’s preparation. 15. The soul blinded by its faults. 16. God ready to give these graces to all. 17. Faculties lost during ecstasy. 18. Spiritual inebriation. 19. Fervour and love of suffering left in the soul. 20. Scandal caused to spectators by such favours. 21. Our Lord’s predilection for such a soul. 22. Illusionary raptures.

1. WHAT rest can the poor little butterfly find, with all the trials I have told you of and many more? They serve to make her desire the Bride-groom more ardently. His Majesty, well aware of our weakness, fortifies her by these and other means in order that she may obtain courage for union with a Lord so great and may take Him for her Spouse. Perhaps you will laugh and think I am talking foolishly: there can be no call for courage here; there is no woman, however low her class, who would not dare to wed a king. So I think, were he an earthly monarch, but there is need of more fortitude than you suppose in order to espouse the King of heaven.²⁶⁶ Our nature appears too timid and base for anything so high; without doubt, unless God gave us the grace it would be impossible for us, however much we might appreciate its benefits. You will learn how His Majesty ratifies these espousals; probably this is done when He ravishes the soul by ecstasies, thus depriving it of its faculties; if the use of these were retained, I think the sight of its close vicinity to so mighty a Sovereign would probably deprive the body of life. I am speaking of genuine raptures, not fancies that come from women’s weakness—which so often occur nowadays—making them imagine everything to be a rapture or an ecstasy. As I think I said, some are so feebly constituted as to die of a single prayer of quiet.²⁶⁷

2. I should like to describe here several kinds of raptures of which I have learnt from spiritual persons with whom I have discussed the subject, but I am not sure whether I shall succeed in explaining them as I did elsewhere.²⁶⁸ It has been decided that it will not be amiss to repeat what was said about these and other things that happen in this state, if only that I may treat of all the mansions contain in proper order.

3. In one sort of rapture the soul, although perhaps not engaged in prayer at the time, is struck by some word of God which it either remembers or hears.²⁶⁹ His Majesty, touched with pity by what He has seen it suffer for so long past in its longing for Him, appears to increase the spark I described in the interior of the spirit until it entirely inflames the soul which rises with new life like a phoenix from the flames. Such a one may piously believe her sins are now forgiven,²⁷⁰ supposing that she is in the disposition and has made use of the means required by the Church. The soul being thus purified, God unites it to Himself in a way known only to Him and the spirit, nor does even the latter so understand what happens as to be able to explain it to others afterwards. Yet the mind had not lost the use of its faculties, for this ecstasy does not resemble a swoon or a fit in which nothing either interior or exterior is felt.

4. What I do understand is that the soul has never been more alive to spiritual things nor so full of light and of knowledge of His Majesty as it is now. This might seem impossible; if the powers and senses were so absorbed that we might call them dead, how does the soul understand this mystery? I cannot tell; perhaps no one but the Creator Himself can say what passes in these places—I mean this and the following mansions which may be treated as one, the door leading from one to the other being wide open. However, as some things in the last rooms are only shown to those who get thus far, I thought it better to treat the mansions separately.

5. While the soul is in this suspension, our Lord favours it by discovering to it secrets such as heavenly mysteries and imaginary visions, which admit of description afterwards because they remain so imprinted on the memory that it never forgets them. But when the visions are intellectual they are not thus easily related, some of those received at such a time being so sublime that it is not fitting for man, while living in this world, to understand them in a way that can be told, although when the use of the faculties returns much can be described of what was seen in intellectual vision. Possibly you do not know what a vision is, especially an intellectual one. Since I have been bidden by one who has authority, I will tell you at the proper time. Although seemingly superfluous, it may prove useful to certain people.

6. ’But,’ you will ask me, ‘if the very sublime favours our Lord bestows in this mansion cannot afterwards be remembered, what profit do they bring?’²⁷¹ O daughters! their value cannot be overrated; for though the recipient is incapable of describing them, they are deeply imprinted in the centre of the soul and are never forgotten. ‘How can they be remembered if no image is seen and the powers of the soul do not comprehend them?’ I, too, do not understand this, but I know that certain truths of the greatness of God remain so impressed on the spirit by this favour that, did not faith teach Who He is and that it is bound to believe He is God, the soul would henceforth worship Him as such, as did Jacob when he saw the ladder.²⁷² Doubtless the Patriarch learnt other secrets he was unable to reveal, for unless he had received more interior light he could never have discovered such sublime mysteries merely by watching angels ascending and descending the steps. I am not certain whether this quotation is correct; although I have heard the passage, I cannot feel sure of recalling it exactly.

7. Neither was Moses able to relate more than God willed of what he had seen in the burning bush;²⁷³ but unless the Almighty had clearly revealed certain mysteries to his soul, causing it to see and know its God was present, the lawgiver could never have undertaken so many and such great labours. Such sublime revelations were shown him amidst the thorns of the bush as to give him the needful courage for his great deeds on behalf of the Children of Israel. We must not, sisters, search out reasons for understanding the hidden things of God, but, believing Him to be Almighty, we should be convinced that such worms as ourselves, with our limited power of intelligence, are unable to comprehend His wonders. Let us praise Him fervently for allowing us to understand something of them.

8. I wish I could find some simile for my subject: none seem to suit the purpose, but I will make use of the following. Imagine that you are in an apartment—I fancy it is termed camarin (or private museum)—belonging to a king or a great nobleman, in which are placed numberless kinds of articles of glass, porcelain, and other things, so arranged that most of them are at once seen on entering the room.

9. While on a visit to the house of the Duchess of Alva (where at her request I was bidden by obedience to stay during a journey)²⁷⁴ I was taken into such a room. I stood amazed on entering it and wondered what could be the use of such a jumble of knick-knacks; then I thought that the sight of so many different things should lead one to praise God. It is fortunate I saw them, for they offer me a suitable comparison in this case. Although I was in the room some time, there were so many objects in it that I forgot what I had seen and could no more remember each object, nor of what it was made, than if I had never seen it, though I recalled the sight of the whole collection.

10. Something of this sort occurs when the spirit is very closely united to God. It is introduced into this mansion of the empyrean heaven which must be in the centre of our souls for since God resides in them, He must own one of the mansions. While the soul is in ecstasy, our Lord does not appear to wish it to apprehend these mysteries and its inebriation of joy in Him suffices it. But sometimes He is pleased to withdraw it from this rapture when it at once perceives what the mansion contains. On returning to itself, the mind can recall what has been seen but is unable to describe it, nor can it, by its natural abilities, attain to see more of the supernatural than God has chosen to show it.

11. Do I seem to own that the soul really sees something and that this is an imaginary vision? I mean nothing of the sort: I am speaking of an intellectual vision, but being so ignorant and dull I can explain nothing and am well aware that if anything is rightly stated, it does not come from myself.

12. I think that if the soul learns no mysteries at any time during raptures, they are no true raptures but some natural weakness that may occur to people of delicate constitutions, such as women, when by its strenuous efforts the spirit overpowers physical nature, and produces stupor, as I think I said in connection with the prayer of quiet.²⁷⁵

13. This is not so in genuine raptures, for then I believe God ravishes the soul wholly to Himself, as being His very own and His bride, and shows her some small part of the kingdom she has thus won. However little this may be, all is great that is in this great God. He will allow of no obstacle from the powers or the senses but bids that the doors of all the mansions should be closed at once, only leaving open the one He is in, so that we may enter it. Blessed be such mercy—well may men be accursed who do not seek to profit by it, but who forfeit it!

14. O, my sisters! what nothingness is all we have given up, or that we do, or ever could do for a God who thus wills to communicate Himself to a worm! If we hope to enjoy this favour even during our mortal life, what are we doing? Why do we delay? What can repay the loss of the time of a ‘Memento’²⁷⁶ in searching for this Lord, like the bride through the streets and squares.²⁷⁷ Oh, what a mockery is everything in this world that does not lead towards and help us to attain to this state! Even though all the earthly pleasures, riches, and happiness that can be imagined could last for eternity, they would be disappointing and base contrasted with the treasures which are to be enjoyed for ever—and yet even these are nothing compared with the possession for our own of the Lord of all treasures in heaven and earth.

15. Oh, human blindness! When, oh, when shall this dust be taken from our eyes? Although we think it insufficient to blind us, yet I see some little motes or grains of dust which, if left to spread, will suffice to harm us greatly. At least, for the love of God, my sisters, let these faults convince us of our misery, serving to clear our sight as did the clay the eyes of the blind man who was cured by the Spouse.²⁷⁸ Then, realizing our imperfections, we shall beg Him more fervently to let us benefit by our defers so as to please Him in all things.

16. I have unconsciously wandered far from my subject: forgive me, sisters. Believe me, when I come to these wonders of God’s greatness (I mean when I come to speak of them) I cannot but feel keenly grieved at seeing what we lose by our own fault. It is true that His Majesty grants such favours to whom He chooses; yet if we sought Him as He seeks us, He would give them to us all. He only longs for souls on whom He may bestow them, for His gifts do not diminish His riches.

17. To return to what I was describing. By the commands of the Bridegroom, the doors of the mansions and even those of the keep and of the whole castle are closed; for when He intends ravishing the soul He takes away the power of speech, and although occasionally the other faculties are retained rather longer, no word can be uttered.²⁷⁹ Sometimes the person is at once deprived of all the senses, the hands and body becoming as cold as if the soul had fled; occasionally no breathing can be detected.²⁸⁰ This condition lasts but a short while; I mean in the same degree,²⁸¹ for when this profound suspension diminishes the body seems to come to itself and gain strength to return again to this death which gives more vigorous life to the soul.

18. This supreme state of ecstasy never lasts long, but although it ceases, it leaves the will so inebriated,²⁸²
   (Compare Anton. a Sp. S. l.c. tr. iv. n. 30.) and the mind so transported out of itself that for a day, or sometimes for several days, such a person is incapable of attending to anything but what excites the will to the love of God; although wide awake enough to this, she seems asleep as regards all earthly matters.

19. Oh, when the soul wholly returns to itself, how abashed does it feel at having received this favour and how passionate are its desires of serving God in any way He asks of it! If the former states of prayer caused the powerful effects described, what will not such a signal grace as this do? Such a person wishes she had a thousand lives²⁸³ to spend for God; she would have all earthly creatures changed into as many tongues to praise Him on her account. She longs to perform most severe penances,²⁸⁴ nor do they cost her much, for the power of her love almost prevents their being felt. She realizes how little the martyrs suffered during their tortures, for pain is easy when our Lord thus aids us: therefore such a soul complains to His Majesty when He gives her no suffering?²⁸⁵

20. She considers it a great favour when God sends her this rapture in secret, for when others see it the shame and confusion she feels are so great as somewhat to diminish her transport. Knowing the malice of the world, she fears her ecstasy will not be attributed to its proper cause but may give rise to rash judgment instead of the praise due for it to God. Although this pain and distress are unavoidable, they seem to me to show a certain want of humility, for if she wished to be despised, what would she care?²⁸⁶

21. Our Lord once said to some one who was troubled by such thoughts: ‘Do not be disturbed; people will either praise Me or condemn thee; in either case thou wilt be the gainer.’²⁸⁷ I learnt afterwards that she was greatly encouraged and comforted by this speech; I speak of it in case others may suffer in the same way. Apparently our Lord would have all men know that this soul is His own and that none may molest it, for it is all His. Men are welcome to attack, if they will, the body, the honour, and the possessions of such a person, for glory will accrue to His Majesty from all they do; but the soul they may not assail; unless by a most culpable presumption it withdraws from the protection of its Spouse, He will defend it against the whole world and against all hell besides.

22. I do not know whether I have succeeded in teaching you what a rapture is; to explain it fully would, as I said, be impossible. Still I do not think time has been lost in describing a genuine rapture. The effects in false raptures are very different. I do not call them ‘false’ because people who experience them intentionally deceive others, but because they are themselves unwittingly deceived. As the signs and effects do not correspond with this great grace, the favour itself becomes so discredited that naturally, when our Lord afterwards bestows it on any soul, nobody believes in it. May He be for ever blessed and praised! Amen, Amen!