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The interior words belonging to the second type are
formal words, which at certain times come to the
spirit by supernatural means, without the
intervention of any of the senses, sometimes when the
spirit is recollected and at other times when it is
not.
I call them formal because they are communicated
to the spirit formally by a third person, the spirit
itself playing no part in this. And they are
therefore very different from those which we have
just described; because not only is there this
difference, that they come without any such
intervention of the spirit itself as takes place in
the other case; but also, as I say, they sometimes
come when the spirit is not recollected and even when
it is far from thinking of the subject of what is
being said to it. This is not so in the first type of
locution -- namely, that of successive words -- which
always has some relation to the subject which the
soul is considering.
2. These words are sometimes very clearly formed
and sometimes less so; for they are frequently like
conceptions in which something is said to the spirit,
whether in the form of a reply to it or in that of
another manner of address. Sometimes there is only
one word; sometimes there are two or more; sometimes
the words succeed one another like those already
described, for they are apt to be continuous, either
instructing the soul or discussing something with it;
and all this comes to pass without any part being
played therein by the spirit, for it is just as
though one person were speaking with another. In this
way, we read, it came to pass with Daniel, who says
that the angel spoke within him.[466] This was a
formal and successive discourse within his spirit,
which instructed him, even as the angel declared at
the time, saying that he had come to instruct him.
3. When these words are no more than formal, the
effect which they produce upon the soul is not great.
For ordinarily they serve only to instruct or
illumine with respect to one thing; and, in order to
produce this effect, it is not necessary that they
should produce any other effect more efficacious than
the purpose to which they are leading. And when they
are of God they invariably work this in the soul; for
they make it ready and quick to do that which it is
commanded or instructed to do; yet at times they take
not from it the repugnance or the difficulty which it
feels, but are rather wont to increase these,
according as God ordains for the better instruction,
increased humility and greater good of the soul.
And this repugnance most commonly occurs when the
soul is commanded to do things of a high order, or
things of a kind that may exalt it; when things are
commanded it that conduce to its greater lowliness
and humility, it responds with more readiness and
ease. And thus we read in Exodus that, when God
commanded Moses to go to Pharao and driver the
people, he showed such great repugnance that He had
to command him three times to do it and to perform
signs for him; and all this was of no avail until God
gave him Aaron for a companion to take part of the
honour.[467]
4. When, on the other hand, the words and
communications are of the devil, it comes to pass
that the soul responds with more ease and readiness
to things that are of greater weight,[468] and for
lowlier things it conceives repugnance.
The fact is that God so greatly abhors seeing
souls attracted by high position that, even when He
commands and obliges them to accept such positions,
He desires them not to be ready and anxious to
command. It is this readiness which God commonly
inspires in the soul, through these formal words,
that constitutes one great difference between them
and those other successive words: the latter move not
the spirit so much, neither do they inspire it with
such readiness, since they are less formal, and since
the understanding has more to do with them.
Nevertheless successive words may sometimes
produce a greater effect by reason of the close
communication that there is at times between the
Divine Spirit and the human. It is in the manner of
their coming that there is a great difference between
the two kinds of locution. With respect to formal
words the soul can have no doubt as to whether or no
it is pronouncing them itself, for it sees quite
ready that it is not, especially when it has not been
thinking of the subject of that which has been said
to it; and even when it has been so thinking it feels
very clearly and distinctly that the words come from
elsewhere.
5. The soul must no more attach importance to all
these formal words than to the other, or successive,
words; for, apart from the fact that to do so would
occupy the spirit with that which is not a legitimate
and proximate means to union with God -- namely,
faith -- it might also very easily cause it to be
deceived by the devil. For sometimes it is hardly
possible to know what words are spoken by a good
spirit, and what by an evil spirit.
By their effects they can hardly be distinguished
at all, since neither kind produces effects of much
importance: sometimes, indeed, with imperfect souls,
words which come from the devil have more efficacy
than have these others, which come from a good
spirit, with souls that are spiritual. The soul,
then, must take no account of what these words may
express, nor attach any importance to them, whether
the spirit from which they come be good or evil.
But the words must be repeated to an experienced
confessor, or to a discreet and learned person, that
he may give instruction and see what it is well to
do, and impart his advice; and the soul must behave,
with regard to them, in a resigned and negative way.
And, if such an expert person cannot be found, it is
better to attach no importance to these words and to
repeat them to nobody; for it is easy to find persons
who will ruin the soul rather than edify it. Souls
must not be given into the charge of any kind of
director, since in so grave a matter it is of the
greatest importance whether one goes astray or acts
rightly.
6. And let it be carefully noted that a soul
should never act according to its own opinion or
accept anything of what these locutions express,
without much reflection and without taking advice of
another. For strange and subtle deceptions may arise
in this matter; so much so that I myself believe that
the soul that does not set itself against accepting
such things cannot fail to be deceived by many of
them.
7. And since we have treated of these deceptions
and perils, and of the caution to be observed with
regard to them, in Chapters seventeen, eighteen,
nineteen and twenty of this book, I refer the reader
to these and say no more on this matter here; I only
repeat that my chief instruction is that the soul
should attach no importance to these things in any
way. |