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    Sublime Classic Catholic Super Pack
    Sublime Classic Catholic Super Pack
    Sublime Classic Catholic Super Pack
    Ebook3,643 pages64 hours

    Sublime Classic Catholic Super Pack

    By Brother Lawrence, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. John of the Cross and

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    About this ebook

    The Catholic Church is over two thousand years old. It has an amazing history and many historical writings. Here are twelve important historical writings on faith and the Kingdom of God, written by scholars and saints alike. There are more than one thousand pages of content here that will help you have a better perspective on what it has meant and continues to mean to be a Catholic.

    Included in this edition are:
    'Spiritual Maxims of Brother Lawrence;
    'The Practice of the Presence of God' by Brother Lawrence;
    'Interior Castle' by St Teresa of Avila;
    'Dark Night of the Soul' by St John of the Cross;
    'Twenty Poems' by St. John of the Cross;
    'Introduction to the Devout Life' by Saint Francis De Sales;
    'Treatise on the Love of God' by Saint Francis De Sales;
    'Pascal's Pensees' by Blaise Pascal;
    'Revelations of Divine Love' by Julian of Norwich;
    'The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi' by Saint Francis of Assisi;
    'On Cleaving to God' by St Albert the Great; and
    'Handbook on Hope, Faith and Love' by Saint Augustine
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWilder Publications, Inc.
    Release dateFeb 5, 2016
    ISBN9781515406945
    Sublime Classic Catholic Super Pack

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      Book preview

      Sublime Classic Catholic Super Pack - Brother Lawrence

      Sublime

      Classic Catholic

      Super Pack

      Spiritual Maxims

      by Brother Lawrence

      The Practice and Presence of God

      by Brother Lawrence

      Interior Castle

      by St. Teresa of Avila

      Dark Night of the Soul

      by St. John of the Cross

      Twenty Poems

      by St. John of the Cross

      Introduction to the Devout Life

      by Saint Francis de Sales

      Treatise on the Love of God

      by Saint Francis de Sales

      Pascal’s Pensées

      by Blaise Pascal

      The Showings of Divine Love

      by Julian of Norwich

      The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi

      by Saint Francis of Assisi

      On Cleaving to God

      by St. Albert the Great

      Handbook on Hope, Faith and Love

      by Saint Augustine

      ©2016 Sublime Books

      All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission except for brief quotations for review purposes only.

      Sublime Books

      PO Box 632

      Floyd, VA 24091-0632

      ISBN 13: 978-1-5154-0694-5

      Table of Contents

      Spiritual Maxims

      Introduction

      Practice Necessary to Acquire the Spiritual Life

      How to Adore God in Spirit and in Truth

      The Union of the Soul with God

      The Presence of God

      The Means of Acquiring the Presence of God

      The Blessings of the Presence of God

      The Practice and Presence of God

      Version I

      Preface

      First Conversation

      Second Conversation

      Third Conversation

      Fourth Conversation

      First Letter

      Second Letter

      Third Letter

      Fourth Letter

      Fifth Letter

      Sixth Letter

      Seventh Letter

      Eighth Letter

      Ninth Letter

      Tenth Letter

      Eleventh Letter

      Twelfth Letter

      Thirteenth Letter

      Fourteenth Letter

      Fifteenth Letter

      Notes

      Version II

      Preface

      First Conversation

      Second Conversation

      Third Conversation

      Fourth Conversation

      First Letter

      Second Letter

      Third Letter

      Fourth Letter

      Fifth Letter

      Sixth Letter

      Seventh Letter

      Eighth Letter

      Ninth Letter

      Tenth Letter

      Eleventh Letter

      Twelfth Letter

      Thirteenth Letter

      Interior Castle

      Foreword

      First Mansions: In which there are Two Chapters

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Second Mansions: In which there is One Chapter only

      Third Mansions: In which there are Two Chapters

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Fourth Mansions: In which there are Three Chapters

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Fifth Mansions: In which there are Four Chapters

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Sixth Mansions: In which there are Eleven Chapters

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Chapter V

      Chapter VI

      Chapter VII

      Chapter VIII

      Chapter IX

      Chapter X

      Chapter XI

      Seventh Mansions: In which there are Four Chapters

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Footnotes

      Dark Night of the Soul

      Foreword

      Principal Abbreviations

      Introduction

      Prologue

      Book the First

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Chapter V

      Chapter VI

      Chapter VII

      Chapter VIII

      Chapter IX

      Chapter X

      Chapter XI

      Chapter XII

      Chapter XIII

      Chapter XIV

      Book the Second

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Chapter V

      Chapter VI

      Chapter VII

      Chapter VIII

      Chapter IX

      Chapter X

      Chapter XI

      Chapter XII

      Chapter XIII

      Chapter XIV

      Chapter XV

      Chapter XVI

      Chapter XVII

      Chapter XVIII

      Chapter XIX

      Chapter XX

      Chapter XXI

      Chapter XXII

      Chapter XXIII

      Chapter XXIV

      Chapter XXV

      Footnotes

      Twenty Poems

      His Heart an Open Wound

      Trinity

      Within the Trinity

      By the Waters of Babylon

      Song of the Soul That Rejoices in Knowing God Through Faith.

      The Dark Night

      The Living Flame Of Love

      Stanzas Concerning an Ecstasy Experienced in High Contemplation

      Stanzas of the Soul That Suffers with Longing to See God

      Stanzas Given a Spiritual Meaning

      A Gloss (With Spiritual Meaning)

      A Gloss (With a Spiritual Meaning)

      Christmas Refrain

      The Sum of Perfection

      Full of Hope I Climbed the Day

      I Came into the Unknown

      I Live Yet Do Not Live in Me

      Love’s Living Flame

      The Fountain

      The Sum of Perfection

      Without a Place and With a Place

      On the Communion of the Three Persons

      A Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ

      Introduction to the Devout Life

      Preface by the Author

      Part I. Counsels and Practices Suitable for the Soul’s Guidance from the First Aspiration after a Devout Life to the Point When it Attains a Confirmed Resolution to Follow the Same

      Chapter I. What True Devotion is.

      Chapter II. The Nature and Excellence of Devotion.

      Chapter III. Devotion is suitable to every Vocation and Profession.

      Chapter IV. The Need of a Guide for those who would enter upon and advance in the Devout Life.

      Chapter V. The First Step must be Purifying the Soul.

      Chapter VI. The First Purification, namely, from Mortal Sin.

      Chapter VII. The Second Purification, from all Sinful Affections.

      Chapter VIII. How to effect this Second Purification.

      Chapter IX. First Meditation Of Creation.

      Chapter X. Second Meditation—Of the End for which we were Created.

      Chapter XI. Third Meditation—Of the Gifts of God.

      Chapter XII. Fourth Meditation—On Sin.

      Chapter XIII. Fifth Meditation—Of Death.

      Chapter XIV . Sixth Meditation—On Judgment.

      Chapter XV. Seventh Meditation—Of Hell.

      Chapter XVI. Eighth Meditation—On Paradise.

      Chapter XVII. Ninth Meditation—On the Choice upon to you between Heaven and Hell.

      Chapter XVIII. Tenth Meditation—How the Soul chooses the Devout Life.

      Chapter XIX. How to make a General Confession.

      Chapter XX. A Hearty Protest made with the object of confirming the Soul’s resolution to serve God, as a conclusion to its Acts of Penitence.

      Chapter XXI. Conclusion of this First Purification.

      Chapter XXII. The Necessity of Purging away all tendency to Venial Sins.

      Chapter XXIII. It is needful to put away all Inclination for Useless and Dangerous Things.

      Chapter XXIV. All Evil Inclinations must be purged away.

      Part II. Containing Sundry Counsels as to Uplifting the Soul to God in Prayer and the Use of the Sacraments

      Chapter I. The Necessity of Prayer.

      Chapter II. A short Method of Meditation. And first, the Presence of God, the First Point of Preparation.

      Chapter III. Invocation, the Second Point of Preparation.

      Chapter IV. The Third Point of Preparation, representing the Mystery to be meditated to your Imagination.

      Chapter V. Considerations, the Second Part of Meditation.

      Chapter VI. The Third Part of Meditation, Affections and Resolutions.

      Chapter VII. The Conclusion and Spiritual Bouquet.

      Chapter VIII. Some Useful Hints as to Meditation.

      Chapter IX. Concerning Dryness in Meditation.

      Chapter X. Morning Prayer.

      Chapter XI. Evening Prayer and Examination of Conscience.

      Chapter XII. On Spiritual Retirement.

      Chapter XIII. Aspirations, Ejaculatory Prayer and Holy Thoughts.

      Chapter XIV. Of Holy Communion, and how to join in it.

      Chapter XV. Of the other Public Offices of the Church.

      Chapter XVI. How the Saints are united to us.

      Chapter XVII. How to Hear and Read God’s Word.

      Chapter XVIII. How to receive Inspirations.

      Chapter XIX. On Confession.

      Chapter XX. Of Frequent Communion.

      Chapter XXI. How to Communicate.

      Part III. Containing Counsels Concerning the Practice of Virtue

      Chapter I. How to select that which we should chiefly Practise.

      Chapter II. The same Subject continued.

      Chapter III. On Patience.

      Chapter IV. On Exterior Humility.

      Chapter V. On Interior Humility.

      Chapter VI. Humility makes us rejoice in our own Abjection.

      Chapter VII. How to combine due care for a Good Reputation with Humility.

      Chapter VIII. Gentleness towards others and Remedies against Anger.

      Chapter IX. On Gentleness towards Ourselves.

      Chapter X. We must attend to the Business of Life carefully, but without Eagerness or Over-Anxiety.

      Chapter XI. On Obedience.

      Chapter XII. On Purity.

      Chapter XIII. How to maintain Purity.

      Chapter XIV. On Poverty of Spirit amid Riches.

      Chapter XV. How to exercise real Poverty, although actually Rich.

      Chapter XVI. How to possess a rich Spirit amid real Poverty.

      Chapter XVII. On Friendship: Evil and Frivolous Friendship.

      Chapter XVIII. On Frivolous Attachments.

      Chapter XIX. Of Real Friendship.

      Chapter XX. Of the Difference between True and False Friendship.

      Chapter XXI. Remedies against Evil Friendships.

      Chapter XXII. Further Advice concerning Intimacies.

      Chapter XXIII. On the Practice of Bodily Mortification.

      Chapter XXIV. Of Society and Solitude.

      Chapter XXV. On Modesty in Dress.

      Chapter XXVI. Of Conversation; and, first, how to Speak of God.

      Chapter XXVII. Of Unseemly Words, and the Respect due to Others.

      Chapter XXVIII. Of Hasty Judgments.

      Chapter XXIX. On Slander.

      Chapter XXX. Further Counsels as to Conversation.

      Chapter XXXI. Of Amusements and Recreations: what are allowable.

      Chapter XXXII. Of Forbidden Amusements.

      Chapter XXXIII. Of Balls, and other Lawful but Dangerous Amusements.

      Chapter XXXIV. When to use such Amusements rightly.

      Chapter XXXV. We must be Faithful in Things Great and Small.

      Chapter XXXVI. Of a Well-Balanced, Reasonable Mind.

      Chapter XXXVII. Of Wishes.

      Chapter XXXVIII. Counsels to Married People.

      Chapter XXXIX. The Sanctity of the Marriage Bed.

      Chapter XL. Counsels to Widows.

      Chapter XLI. One Word to Maidens.

      Part IV. Containing Needful Counsels Concerning Some Ordinary Temptations

      Chapter I. We must not trifle with the Words of Worldly Wisdom.

      Chapter II. The need of a Good Courage.

      Chapter III. Of Temptations, and the difference between experiencing them and consenting to them.

      Chapter IV. Two striking Illustrations of the same.

      Chapter V. Encouragement for the Tempted Soul.

      Chapter VI. When Temptation and Delectation are Sin.

      Chapter VII. Remedies for Great Occasions.

      Chapter VIII. How to resist Minor Temptations.

      Chapter IX. How to remedy Minor Temptations.

      Chapter X. How to strengthen the Heart against Temptation.

      Chapter XI. Anxiety of Mind.

      Chapter XII. Of Sadness and Sorrow.

      Chapter XIII. Of Spiritual and Sensible Consolations, and how to receive them.

      Chapter XIV. Of Dryness and Spiritual Barrenness.

      Chapter XV. In Illustration.

      Part V. Containing Counsels and Practices for Renewing and Confirming the Soul in Devotion

      Chapter I. It is well yearly to Renew Good Resolutions by means of the Following Exercises.

      Chapter II. Meditation on the Benefit conferred on us by God in calling us to His Service.

      Chapter III. Examination of the Soul as to its Progress in the Devout Life.

      Chapter IV. Examination of the Soul’s Condition as regards God.

      Chapter V. Examination of your Condition as regards yourself.

      Chapter VI. Examination of the Soul’s Condition as regards our Neighbour.

      Chapter VII. Examination as to the Affections of the Soul.

      Chapter VIII. The Affections to be excited after such Examination.

      Chapter IX. Reflections suitable to the renewal of Good Resolutions.

      Chapter X. First Consideration—of the Worth of Souls.

      Chapter XI. Second Consideration—on the Excellence of Virtue.

      Chapter XII. The Example of the Saints.

      Chapter XIII. The Love which Jesus Christ bears to us.

      Chapter XIV. The Eternal Love of God for us.

      Chapter XV. General Affections which should result from these Considerations, and Conclusion of the Exercise.

      Chapter XVI. The Impressions which should remain after this Exercise.

      Chapter XVII. An Answer to Two Objections which may be made to this Book.

      Chapter XVIII. Three Important and Final Counsels.

      Footnotes

      Treatise on the Love of God

      Translator’s Introduction

      Dedicatory Prayer

      Preface

      Book I. Containing a Preparation for the Whole Treatise

      Chapter I. That for the Beauty of Human Nature God Has Given the Government of All the Faculties of the Soul to the Will

      Chapter II. How the Will Variously Governs the Powers of the Soul

      Chapter III. How the Will Governs the Sensual Appetite

      Chapter IV. That Love Rules over All the Affections, and Passions, and Even Governs the Will, Although the Will Has Also a Dominion over It

      Chapter V. Of the Affections of the Will

      Chapter VI. How the Love of God Has Dominion over Other Loves

      Chapter VII. Description of Love in General

      Chapter VIII. What Kind of Affinity (Convenance) it Is Which Excites Love

      Chapter IX. That Love Tends to Union

      Chapter X. That the Union to Which Love Aspires Is Spiritual

      Chapter XI. That There Are Two Portions in the Soul, and How

      Chapter XII. That in These Two Portions of the Soul There Are Four Different Degrees of Reason

      Chapter XIII. On the Difference of Loves

      Chapter XIV. That Charity May Be Named Love

      Chapter XV. Of the Affinity There Is Between God and Man

      Chapter XVI. That We Have a Natural Inclination to Love God above All Things

      Chapter XVII. That We Have Not Naturally the Power to Love God above All Things

      Chapter XVIII. That the Natural Inclination Which We Have to Love God Is Not Useless

      Book II. The History of the Generation and Heavenly Birth of Divine Love

      Chapter I. That the Divine Perfections Are Only a Single but Infinite Perfection

      Chapter II. That in God There Is but One Only Act, Which Is His Own Divinity

      Chapter III. Of the Divine Providence in General

      Chapter IV. Of the Supernatural Providence Which God Uses Towards Reasonable Creatures

      Chapter V. That Heavenly Providence Has Provided Men with a Most Abundant Redemption

      Chapter VI. Of Certain Special Favours Exercised by the Divine Providence in the Redemption of Man

      Chapter VII. How Admirable the Divine Providence Is in the Diversity of Graces Given to Men

      Chapter VIII. How Much God Desires We Should Love Him

      Chapter IX. How the Eternal Love of God Prevents Our Hearts with His Inspirations in Order That We May Love Him

      Chapter X. How We Oftentimes Repulse the Inspiration and Refuse to Love God

      Chapter XI. That it Is No Fault of the Divine Goodness If We Have Not a Most Excellent Love

      Chapter XII. That Divine Inspirations Leave Us in Full Liberty to Follow or Repulse Them

      Chapter XIII. Of the First Sentiments of Love Which Divine Inspirations Cause in the Soul Before She Has Faith

      Chapter XIV. Of the Sentiment of Divine Love Which Is Had by Faith

      Chapter XV. Of the Great Sentiment of Love Which We Receive by Holy Hope

      Chapter XVI. How Love Is Practised in Hope

      Chapter XVII. That the Love Which Is in Hope Is Very Good, Though Imperfect

      Chapter XVIII. That Love Is Exercised in Penitence, and First, That There Are Divers Sorts of Penitence

      Chapter XIX. That Penitence Without Love Is Imperfect

      Chapter XX. How the Mingling of Love and Sorrow Takes Place in Contrition

      Chapter XXI. How Our Saviour’s Loving Attractions Assist and Accompany Us to Faith and Charity

      Chapter XXII. A Short Description of Charity

      Book III. Of the Progress and Perfection of Love

      Chapter I. That Holy Love May Be Augmented Still More and More in Every One of Us

      Chapter II. How Easy Our Saviour Has Made the Increase of Love

      Chapter III. How a Soul in Charity Makes Progress in It

      Chapter IV. Of Holy Perseverance in Sacred Love

      Chapter V. That the Happiness of Dying in Heavenly Charity Is a Special Gift of God

      Chapter VI. That We Cannot Attain to Perfect Union with God in this Mortal Life

      Chapter VII. That the Charity of Saints in this Mortal Life Equals, Yea Sometimes Surpasses, That of the Blessed

      Chapter VIII. Of the Incomparable Love Which the Mother of God, Our Blessed Lady, Had

      Chapter IX. A Preparation for the Discourse on the Union of the Blessed with God

      Chapter X. That the Preceding Desire Will Much Increase the Union of the Blessed with God

      Chapter XI. Of the Union of the Blessed Spirits with God, in the Vision of the Divinity

      Chapter XII. Of the Eternal Union of the Blessed Spirits with God, in the Vision of the Eternal Birth of the Son of God

      Chapter XIII. Of the Union of the Blessed with God in the Vision of the Production of the Holy Ghost

      Chapter XIV. That the Holy Light of Glory Will Serve for the Union of the Blessed Spirits with God

      Chapter XV. That There Shall Be Different Degrees of the Union of the Blessed with God

      Book IV. Of the Decay and Ruin of Charity

      Chapter I. That as Long as We Are in this Mortal Life We May Lose the Love of God

      Chapter II. How the Soul Grows Cold in Holy Love

      Chapter III. How We Forsake Divine Love for That of Creatures

      Chapter IV. That Heavenly Love Is Lost in a Moment

      Chapter V. That the Sole Cause of the Decay and Cooling of Charity Is in the Creature’s Will

      Chapter VI. That We Ought to Acknowledge All the Love We Bear to God to Be from God

      Chapter VII. That We must Avoid All Curiosity, and Humbly Acquiesce in God’s Most Wise Providence

      Chapter VIII. An Exhortation to the Amorous Submission Which We Owe to the Decrees of Divine Providence

      Chapter IX. Of a Certain Remainder of Love That Oftentimes Rests in the Soul That Has Lost Holy Charity

      Chapter X. How Dangerous this Imperfect Love Is

      Chapter XI. A Means to Discern this Imperfect Love

      Book V. Of the Two Principal Exercises of Holy Love Which Consist in Complacency and Benevolence

      Chapter I. Of the Sacred Complacency of Love; and First of What it Consists

      Chapter II. How by Holy Complacency We Are Made as Little Infants at Our Saviour’s Breasts

      Chapter III. That Holy Complacency Gives Our Heart to God, and Makes Us Feel a Perpetual Desire in Fruition

      Chapter IV. Of the Loving Condolence by Which the Complacency of Love Is Still Better Declared

      Chapter V. Of the Condolence and Complacency of Love in the Passion of Our Lord

      Chapter VI. Of the Love of Benevolence Which We Exercise Towards Our Saviour by Way of Desire

      Chapter VII. How the Desire to Exalt and Magnify God Separates Us from Inferior Pleasures, and Makes Us Attentive to the Divine Perfections

      Chapter VIII. How Holy Benevolence Produces the Praise of the Divine Well-Beloved

      Chapter IX. How Benevolence Makes Us Call All Creatures to the Praise of God

      Chapter X. How the Desire to Praise God Makes Us Aspire to Heaven

      Chapter XI. How We Practise the Love of Benevolence in the Praises Which Our Saviour and His Mother Give to God

      Chapter XII. Of the Sovereign Praise Which God Gives unto Himself, and How We Exercise Benevolence in It

      Book VI. Of the Exercises of Holy Love in Prayer

      Chapter I. A Description of Mystical Theology, Which Is No Other Thing than Prayer

      Chapter II. Of Meditation—the First Degree of Prayer or Mystical Theology

      Chapter III. A Description of Contemplation, and of the First Difference That There Is Between it and Meditation

      Chapter IV. That Love in this Life Takes its Origin but Not its Excellence from the Knowledge of God

      Chapter V. The Second Difference Between Meditation and Contemplation

      Chapter VI. That Contemplation Is Made Without Labour, Which Is the Third Difference Between it and Meditation

      Chapter VII. Of the Loving Recollection of the Soul in Contemplation

      Chapter VIII. Of the Repose of a Soul Recollected in Her Well-beloved

      Chapter IX. How this Sacred Repose Is Practised

      Chapter X. Of Various Degrees of this Repose, and How it Is to Be Preserved

      Chapter XI. A Continuation of the Discourse Touching the Various Degrees of Holy Quiet, and of an Excellent Abnegation of Self Which Is Sometimes Practised Therein

      Chapter XII. Of the Outflowing (Escoulement) or Liquefaction of the Soul in God

      Chapter XIII. Of the Wound of Love

      Chapter X. Of Some Other Means by Which Holy Love Wounds the Heart

      Chapter XV. Of the Affectionate Languishing of the Heart Wounded with Love

      Book VII. Of the Union of the Soul with Her God, Which Is Perfected in Prayer

      Chapter I. How Love Effects the Union of the Soul with God in Prayer

      Chapter II. Of the Various Degrees of the Holy Union Which Is Made in Prayer

      Chapter III. Of the Sovereign Degree of Union by Suspension and Ravishment

      Chapter IV. Of Rapture, and of the First Species of It

      Chapter V. Of the Second Species of Rapture

      Chapter VI. Of the Signs of Good Rapture, and of the Third Species of the Same

      Chapter VII. How Love Is the Life of the Soul, and Continuation of the Discourse on the Ecstatic Life

      Chapter VIII. An Admirable Exhortation of S. Paul to the Ecstatic and Superhuman Life

      Chapter IX. Of the Supreme Effect of Affective Love, Which Is the Death of the Lovers; and First, of Such as Died in Love

      Chapter X. Of Those Who Died by and for Divine Love

      Chapter XI. How Some of the Heavenly Lovers Died Also of Love

      Chapter XII. Marvellous History of the Death of a Gentleman Who Died of Love on Mount Olivet

      Chapter XIII. That the Most Sacred Virgin Mother of God Died of Love for Her Son

      Chapter XIV. That the Glorious Virgin Died by an Extremely Sweet and Tranquil Death

      Book VIII. Of the Love of Conformity, by Which We Unite Our Will to the Will of God, Signified unto Us by His Commandments, Counsels and Inspirations

      Chapter I. Of the Love of Conformity Proceeding from Sacred Complacency

      Chapter II. Of the Conformity of Submission Which Proceeds from the Love of Benevolence

      Chapter III. How We Are to Conform Ourselves to That Divine Will, Which Is Called the Signified Will

      Chapter IV. Of the Conformity of Our Will to the Will Which God Has to Save Us

      Chapter V. Of the Conformity of Our Will to That Will of God’s Which Is Signified to Us by His Commandments

      Chapter VI. Of the Conformity of Our Will to That Will of God Which Is Signified unto Us by His Counsels

      Chapter VII. That the Love of God’s Will Signified in the Commandments Moves Us to the Love of the Counsels

      Chapter VIII. That the Contempt of the Evangelical Counsels Is a Great Sin

      Chapter IX. A Continuation of the Preceding Discourse. How Every One, While Bound to Love, Is Not Bound to Practise, All the Evangelical Counsels, and Yet How Every One Should Practise What He Is Able

      Chapter X. How We Are to Conform Ourselves to God’s Will Signified unto Us by Inspirations, and First, of the Variety of the Means by Which God Inspires Us

      Chapter XI. Of the Union of Our Will with God’s in the Inspirations Which Are Given for the Extraordinary Practice of Virtues; and of Perseverance in One’s Vocation, the First Mark of Inspiration

      Chapter XII. Of the Union of Man’s Will with God’s in Those Inspirations Which Are Contrary to Ordinary Laws; and of Peace and Tranquillity of Heart, Second Mark of Inspiration

      Chapter XIII. Third Mark of Inspiration, Which Is Holy Obedience to the Church and Superiors

      Chapter XIV. A Short Method to Know God’s Will

      Book IX. Of the Love of Submission, Whereby Our Will Is United to God’s Good-Pleasure

      Chapter I. Of the Union of Our Will to That Divine Will Which Is Called the Will of Good-Pleasure

      Chapter II. That the Union of Our Will with the Good-Pleasure of God Takes Place Principally in Tribulations

      Chapter III. Of the Union of Our Will to the Divine Good-pleasure in Spiritual Afflictions, by Resignation

      Chapter IV. Of the Union of Our Will to the Good-pleasure of God by Indifference

      Chapter V. That Holy Indifference Extends to All Things

      Chapter VI. Of the Practice of Loving Indifference, in Things Belonging to the Service of God

      Chapter VII. Of the Indifference Which We Are to Have as to Our Advancement in Virtues

      Chapter VIII. How We Are to Unite Our Will with God’s in the Permission of Sins

      Chapter IX. How the Purity of Indifference Is to Be Practised in the Actions of Sacred Love

      Chapter X. Means to Discover When We Change in the Matter of this Holy Love

      Chapter XI. Of the Perplexity of a Heart Which Loves Without Knowing Whether it Pleases the Beloved

      Chapter XII. How the Soul Amidst These Interior Anguishes Knows Not the Love She Bears to God: and of the Most Love-Full Death of the Will

      Chapter XIII. How the Will Being Dead to Itself Lives Entirely in God’s Will

      Chapter XIV. An Explanation of What Has Been Said Touching the Decease of Our Will

      Chapter XV. Of the Most Excellent Exercise We Can Make in the Interior and Exterior Troubles of this Life, after Attaining the Indifference and Death of the Will

      Chapter XVI. Of the Perfect Stripping of the Soul Which Is United to God’s Will

      Book X. Of the Commandment of Loving God above All Things

      Chapter I. Of the Sweetness of the Commandment Which God Has Given Us of Loving Him above All Things

      Chapter II. That this Divine Commandment of Love Tends to Heaven, Yet Is Given to the Faithful in this World

      Chapter III. How, While the Whole Heart Is Employed in Sacred Love, Yet One May Love God in Various Ways, and Also Many Other Things Together with Him

      Chapter IV. Of Two Degrees of Perfection with Which this Commandment May Be Kept in this Mortal Life

      Chapter V. Of Two Other Degrees of Greater Perfection, by Which We May Love God above All Things

      Chapter VI. That the Love of God above All Things Is Common to All Lovers

      Chapter VII. Explanation of the Preceding Chapter

      Chapter VIII. A Memorable History to Make Clearly Understood in What the Force and Excellence of Holy Love Consist

      Chapter IX. A Confirmation of What Has Been Said by a Noteworthy Comparison

      Chapter X. That We Are to Love the Divine Goodness Sovereignly above Ourselves

      Chapter XI. How Holy Charity Produces the Love of Our Neighbour

      Chapter XII. How Love Produces Zeal

      Chapter XIII. How God Is Jealous of Us

      Chapter XIV. Of the Zeal or Jealousy Which We Have for Our Lord

      Chapter XV. Advice for the Direction of Holy Zeal

      Chapter XVI. That the Example of Certain Saints Who Seem to Have Exercised Their Zeal with Anger, Makes Nothing Against the Doctrine of the Preceding Chapter

      Chapter XVII. How Our Lord Practised All the Most Excellent Acts of Love

      Book XI. Of the Sovereign Authority Which Sacred Love Holds over All the Virtues, Actions and Perfections of the Soul

      Chapter I. How Agreeable All Virtues Are to God

      Chapter II. That Divine Love Makes the Virtues Immeasurably More Agreeable to God than They Are of Their Own Nature

      Chapter III. That There Are Some Virtues Which Divine Love Raises to a Higher Degree of Excellence than Others

      Chapter IV. That Divine Love More Excellently Sanctifies the Virtues When They Are Practised by its Order and Commandment

      Chapter V. How Love Spreads its Excellence over the Other Virtues, Perfecting Their Particular Excellence

      Chapter VI. Of the Excellent Value Which Sacred Love Gives to the Actions Which Issue from Itself and to Those Which Proceed from the Other Virtues

      Chapter VII. That Perfect Virtues Are Never One Without the Other

      Chapter VIII. How Charity Comprehends All the Virtues

      Chapter IX. That the Virtues Have Their Perfection from Divine Love

      Chapter X. A Digression upon the Imperfection of the Virtues of the Pagans

      Chapter XI. How Human Actions Are Without Worth When They Are

      Chapter XII. How Holy Love Returning into the Soul, Brings Back to Life All the Works Which Sin Had Destroyed

      Chapter XIII. How We Are to Reduce All the Exercise of the Virtues, and All Our Actions to Holy Love

      Chapter XIV. The Practice of What Has Been Said in the Preceding Chapter

      Chapter XV. How Charity Contains in it the Gifts of the Holy Ghost

      Chapter XVI. Of the Loving Fear of Spouses; a Continuation of the Same Subject

      Chapter XVII. How Servile Fear Remains Together with Holy Love

      Chapter XVIII. How Love Makes Use of Natural, Servile and Mercenary Fear

      Chapter XIX. How Sacred Love Contains the Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost, Together with the Eight Beatitudes of the Gospel

      Chapter XX. How Divine Love Makes Use of All the Passions and Affections of the Soul, and Reduces Them to its Obedience

      Chapter XXI. That Sadness Is Almost Always Useless, Yea Contrary to the Service of Holy Love

      Book XII. Containing Certain Counsels for the Progress of the Soul in Holy Love

      Chapter I. That Our Progress in Holy Love Does Not Depend on Our Natural Temperament

      Chapter II. That We Are to Have a Continual Desire to Love

      Chapter III. That to Have the Desire of Sacred Love We Are to Cut off All Other Desires

      Chapter IV. That Our Lawful Occupations Do Not Hinder Us from Practicising Divine Love

      Chapter V. A Very Sweet Example on this Subject

      Chapter VI. That We Are to Employ in the Practice of Divine Love All the Occasions That Present Themselves

      Chapter VII. That We must Take Pains to Do Our Actions Very Perfectly

      Chapter VIII. A General Means for Applying Our Works to God’s Service

      Chapter IX. Of Certain Other Means by Which We May Apply Our Works More Particularly to the Love of God

      Chapter X. An Exhortation to the Sacrifice Which We Are to Make to God of Our Free-will

      Chapter XI. The Motives We Have of Holy Love

      Chapter XII. A Most Useful Method of Employing These Motives

      Chapter XIII. That Mount Calvary Is the Academy of Love

      Footnotes

      Pascal’s Pensées

      Introduction by T. S. Eliot

      Section I: Thoughts on Mind and on Style

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      Section II: The Misery of Man without God

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      Section III: Of the Necessity of the Wager

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      Section IV: Of the Means of Belief

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      Section V: Justice and the Reason of Effects

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      Section VI: The Philosophers

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      Section VII: Morality and Doctrine

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      Section VIII: The Fundamentals of the Christian Religion

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      Section IX: Perpetuity

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      Section X: Typology

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      Section XI: The Prophecies

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      Section XII: Proofs of Jesus Christ

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      Section XIII: The Miracles

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      Section XIV: Appendix: Polemical Fragments

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      The Showings of Divine Love

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      The First Revelation—Chapter IV

      Chapter V

      Chapter VI

      Chapter VII

      Chapter VIII

      Chapter IX

      The Second Revelation—Chapter X

      The Third Revelation—Chapter XI

      The Fourth Revelation—Chapter XII

      The Fifth Revelation—Chapter XIII

      The Sixth Revelation—Chapter XIV

      The Seventh Revelation—Chapter XV

      The Eighth Revelation—Chapter XVI

      Chapter XVII

      Chapter XVIII

      Chapter XIX

      Chapter XX

      Chapter XXI

      The Ninth Revelation—Chapter XXII

      Chapter XXIII

      The Tenth Revelation—Chapter XXIV

      The Eleventh Revelation—Chapter XXV

      The Twelfth Revelation—Chapter XXVI

      The Thirteenth Revelation—Chapter XXVII

      Chapter XXVIII

      Chapter XXIX

      Chapter XXX

      Chapter XXXI

      Chapter XXXII

      Chapter XXXIII

      Chapter XXXIV

      Chapter XXXV

      Chapter XXXVI

      Chapter XXXVII

      Chapter XXXVIII

      Chapter XXXIX

      Chapter XL

      The Fourteenth Revelation—Chapter XLI

      Chapter XLII

      Chapter XLIII

      Anent Certain Points in the Foregoing Fourteen Revelations—Chapter XLIV

      Chapter XLV

      Chapter XLVI

      Chapter XLVII

      Chapter XLVIII

      Chapter XLIX

      Chapter L

      Chapter LI

      Chapter LII

      Chapter LIII

      Chapter LIV

      Chapter LV

      Chapter LVI

      Chapter LVII

      Chapter LVIII

      Chapter LIX

      Chapter LX

      Chapter LXI

      Chapter LXII

      Chapter LXIII

      The Fifteenth Revelation—Chapter LXIV

      Chapter LXV

      Chapter LXVI

      The Sixteenth Revelation—Chapter LXVII

      Chapter LXVIII

      Chapter LXIX

      Chapter LXX

      Chapter LXXI

      Chapter LXXII

      Chapter LXXIII

      Chapter LXXIV

      Chapter LXXV

      Chapter LXXVI

      Chapter LXXVII

      Chapter LXXVIII

      Chapter LXXIX

      Chapter LXXX

      Chapter LXXXI

      Chapter LXXII

      Chapter LXXXIII

      Chapter LXXXIV

      Chapter LXXXV

      Chapter LXXXVI

      The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi

      Introduction

      I

      II

      Chapter I

      Chapter II

      Chapter III

      Chapter IV

      Chapter V

      Chapter VI

      Chapter VII

      Chapter VIII

      Chapter IX

      Chapter X

      Chapter XI

      Chapter XII

      Chapter XIII

      Chapter XIV

      Chapter XV

      Chapter XVI

      Chapter XVII

      Chapter XVIII

      Chapter XIX

      Chapter XX

      Chapter XXI

      Chapter XXII

      Chapter XXIII

      Chapter XXIV

      Chapter XXV

      Chapter XXVI

      Chapter XXVII

      Chapter XXVIII

      Chapter XXIX

      Chapter XXX

      Chapter XXXI

      Chapter XXXII

      Chapter XXXIII

      Chapter XXXIV

      Chapter XXXV

      Chapter XXXVI

      Chapter XXXVII

      Chapter XXXVIII

      Chapter XXXIX

      Chapter XL

      Chapter XLI

      Chapter XLII

      Chapter XLIII

      Chapter XLIV

      Chapter XLV

      Chapter XLVI

      Chapter XLVII

      Chapter XLVIII

      Chapter XLIX

      Chapter L

      Chapter LI

      Chapter LII

      Chapter LIII

      Of the Sacred and Holy Stigmata of St Francis and Certain Considerations Thereon

      Of the First Consideration of the Sacred, Holy Stigmata

      Of the Second Consideration of the Sacred, Holy Stigmata

      Of the Third Consideration of the Sacred Holy Stigmata

      Of the Fourth Consideration of the Sacred, Holy Stigmata

      How Jerome, Who at First Believed Not, Saw and Touched the Sacred, Holy Stigmata of St Francis

      Of the Day and Year of the Death of St Francis

      Of the Canonization of St Francis

      Of the Fifth and Last Consideration of the Sacred, Holy Stigmata

      Chapter LIV

      Chapter LV

      Chapter LVI

      Chapter LVII

      Chapter LVIII

      On Cleaving to God

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Chapter 9

      Chapter 10

      Chapter 11

      Chapter 12

      Chapter 13

      Chapter 14

      Chapter 15

      Chapter 16

      Handbook on Hope, Faith and Love

      Chapter I. The Occasion and Purpose of this Manual

      Chapter II. The Creed and the Lord’s Prayer as Guides to the Interpretation of the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Love

      Chapter III. God the Creator of All; and the Goodness of All Creation

      Chapter IV. The Problem of Evil

      Chapter V. The Kinds and Degrees of Error

      Chapter VI. The Problem of Lying

      Chapter VII. Disputed Questions about the Limits of Knowledge and Certainty in Various Matters

      Chapter VIII. The Plight of Man After the Fall

      Chapter IX. The Replacement of the Fallen Angels By Elect Men

      Chapter X. Jesus Christ the Mediator

      Chapter XI. The Incarnation as Prime Example of the Action of God’s Grace

      Chapter XII. The Role of the Holy Spirit

      Chapter XIII. Baptism and Original Sin

      Chapter XIV. The Mysteries of Christ’s Mediatorial Work and Justification

      Chapter XV. The Holy Spirit and the Church

      Chapter XVI. Problems About Heavenly and Earthly Divisions of the Church

      Chapter XVII. Forgiveness of Sins in the Church

      Chapter XVIII Faith and Works

      Chapter XIX. Almsgiving and Forgiveness

      Chapter XX. Spiritual Almsgiving

      Chapter XXI. Problems of Casuistry

      Chapter XXII. The Two Causes of Sin

      Chapter XXIII. The Reality of the Resurrection

      Chapter XXIV. The Solution to Present Spiritual Enigmas to Be Awaited in the Life of the World To Come

      Chapter XXV. Predestination and the Justice of God

      Chapter XXVI. The Triumph of God’s Sovereign Good Will

      Chapter XXVII. Limits of God’s Plan for Human Salvation

      Chapter XXVIII. The Destiny of Man

      Chapter XXIX. The Last Things

      Chapter XXX. The Principles of Christian Living: Faith and Hope

      Chapter XXXI. Love

      Chapter XXXII. The End of All the Law

      Chapter XXXIII. Conclusion

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      Spiritual Maxims

      by Brother Lawrence

      Introduction

      All things are possible to him who believes; still more to him who hopes; still more to him who loves; and most of all to him who practices all three. All of those who are baptized and believe as they should have taken the first step toward perfection. They will attain perfection if they practice the following maxims.

      We should be considerate of God in everything we do and say. Our goal should be to become perfect in our adoration of Him throughout this earthly life in preparation for all eternity. We must make a firm resolution to overcome, with God’s grace, all the difficulties encountered in a spiritual life.

      From the very beginning of our Christian walk, we should remember who we are and that we are unworthy of the name of Christian, except for what Christ has done for us. In cleansing us from all our impurities, God desires to humble us and allow us to go through a number of trials or difficulties.

      We must believe with certainty that it is both pleasing to God and good for us to sacrifice ourselves for Him. Without this complete submission of our hearts and minds to His will, He cannot work in us to make us perfect.

      The more we aspire to be perfect, the more dependent we are on the grace of God. We begin to need His help with every little thing and at every moment, because without it we can do nothing. The world, the flesh, and the devil wage a fierce and continuous war on our souls. If we weren’t capable of humbly depending on God for assistance, our souls would be dragged down. Although this total dependence may sometimes go against our human nature, God takes great pleasure in it. That should bring us rest

      Practice Necessary to Acquire the Spiritual Life

      The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way. This is especially important in times of temptation, sorrow, separation from God, and even in times of unfaithfulness and sin.

      We must try to converse with God in little ways while we do our work; not in memorized prayer, not trying to recite previously formed thoughts. Rather, we should purely and simply reveal our hearts as the words come to us.

      We must do everything with great care, avoiding impetuous actions, which are evidence of a disordered spirit. God wishes us to work gently, calmly, and lovingly with Him, asking Him to accept our work. By this continual attention to God, we will resist the devil and cause him to flee (James 4:7).

      Whatever we do, even if we are reading the Word or praying, we should stop for a few minutes — as often as possible — to praise God from the depths of our hearts, to enjoy Him there in secret. Since you believe that God is always with you, no matter what you may be doing, why shouldn’t you stop for awhile to adore Him, to praise Him, to petition Him, to offer Him your heart, and to thank Him? What could please God more than for us to leave the cares of the world temporarily in order to worship Him in our spirits? These momentary retreats serve to free us from our selfishness, which can only exist in the world. In short, we cannot show God our loyalty to Him more than by renouncing our worldly selves as much as a thousand times a day to enjoy even a single moment with Him.

      This doesn’t mean you must leave the duties of the world forever; that would be impossible. Let prudence be your guide. But I do believe that it is a common mistake of spirit-filled persons not to leave the cares of the world from time to time to praise God in their spirits and to rest in the peace of His divine presence for a few moments.

      Our adoration of God should be done in faith, believing that He really lives in our hearts, and that He must be loved and served in spirit and in truth. Believe that He is the most independent One, upon Whom all of us depend, and that He is aware of everything that happens to us.

      The Lord’s perfections are truly beyond measure. By His infinite excellence and His sovereign place as both Creator and Savior, He has the right to possess us and all that exists in both heaven and earth. It should be His good pleasure to do with each of us whatever He chooses through all time and eternity. Because of all He is to us, we owe Him our thoughts, words and actions. Let us earnestly endeavor to do this.

      We must carefully examine ourselves to see which virtues we are in most need of, and which we find the hardest to acquire. We should also take note of the sins that we most frequently fall into and what occasions often contribute to that fall. It is in our times of struggle with these areas that we can go before God with entire confidence and remain firm in the presence of His divine Majesty. In humble adoration, we must confess to Him our sins and weaknesses, lovingly asking for the help of His grace in our time of need. In this way, we will find that we can partake of all the virtues found in Him, even though we do not possess one of our own.

      How to Adore God in Spirit and in Truth

      There are three points to consider here:

      First, to adore God in Spirit and in truth means to adore Him as we should. Because God is a Spirit, He must be adored in spirit. That is to say, we must worship Him with a humble, sincere love that comes from the depth and center of our soul. Only God can see this adoration, which we must repeat until it becomes part of our nature, as if God were one with our soul and our soul were one with God. Practice will demonstrate this.

      Secondly, to adore God in truth is to recognize Him for what He is, and ourselves for what we are. Adoring God in truth means that our heart actually sees God as infinitely perfect and worthy of our praise. What man, regardless of how little sense he may have, would not exert all his strength to show his respect and love of this great God?

      Thirdly, to adore God in truth is to admit that our nature is just the opposite of His. Yet, He is willing to make us like Him, if we desire it. Who would be so rash as to neglect, even for a moment, the respect, the love, the service, and the continual adoration that we owe Him?

      The Union of the Soul with God

      The first way in which the soul is united with God is through salvation, solely by His grace.

      This is followed by a period in which a saved soul comes to know God through a series of experiences, some of which bring it into closer union with Him and some take it further away. The soul learns which activities bring God’s presence nearer. It remains in His presence by practicing those activities.

      The most perfect union with God is the actual presence of God. Although this relationship with God is totally spiritual, it is quite dynamic, because the soul is not asleep, but powerfully excited. It is livelier than fire and brighter than the unclouded sun. Yet, it is at the same time tender and devout. It is not a simple expression of the heart, like saying, Lord, I love You with all my heart, or other similar words. Rather, it is an inexpressible state of the soul — gentle, peaceful, respectful, humble, loving, and very simple — that urges it to love God, to adore Him, and to embrace Him with both tenderness and joy.

      Everyone who is striving for divine union must realize that just because something is agreeable and delightful to the will does not mean that it will bring one closer to God. Sometimes it is helpful to disengage the sentiments of the will from the world, in order that it can focus entirely on God. For if the will is able in some manner to comprehend Him, it can be only by love. And that love, which has its end in God, will be hindered by the things of this world.

      The Presence of God

      The presence of God is the concentration of the soul’s attention on God, remembering that He is always present.

      I know a person who for forty years has practiced the presence of God, to which he gives several other names. Sometimes he calls it a simple act — a clear and distinct knowledge of God, and sometimes he calls it a vague view or a general and loving look at God — a remembrance of Him. He also refers to it as attention to God, silent communion with God, confidence in God, or the life and the peace of the soul. To sum it up, this person has told me that all these manners of the presence of God are synonyms which signify the same thing, which have all become natural to him.

      My friend says that by dwelling in the presence of God he has established such a sweet communion with the Lord that his spirit abides, without much effort, in the restful peace of God. In this rest, he is filled with a faith that equips him to handle anything that comes to him.

      This is what he calls the actual presence of God, which includes any and all kinds of communion a person who still dwells on the earth can possibly have with God in heaven. At times, he can live as if no one else existed on earth but himself and God. He lovingly speaks with God wherever he goes, asking Him for all he needs and rejoicing with Him in a thousand ways.

      Nevertheless, one should realize that this conversation with God occurs in the depth and center of the soul. It is there that the soul speaks to God heart to heart and always dwells in a great and profound peace that the soul enjoys in God. The trouble that happens in the world can become like a blaze of straw that goes out even as it is catching fire. The soul can retain its interior peace in God.

      The presence of God is, then, the life and nourishment of the soul, which can be acquired with the grace of God. Here are the means to do so.

      The Means of Acquiring the Presence of God

      The first means is a new life, received by salvation through the blood of Christ.

      The second is faithfully practicing God’s presence. This must always be done gently, humbly, and lovingly, without giving way to anxiety or problems.

      The soul’s eyes must be kept on God, particularly when something is being done in the outside world. Since much time and effort are needed to perfect this practice, one should not be discouraged by failure. Although the habit is difficult to form, it is a source of divine pleasure once it is learned. It is proper that the heart — which is the first to live and which dominates all the other parts of the body — should be the first and the last to love God. The heart is the beginning and the end of all our spiritual and bodily actions and, generally speaking, of everything we do in our lives. It is, therefore, the heart whose attention we must carefully focus on God.

      In the beginning of this practice, it would not be wrong to offer short phrases that are inspired by love, such as Lord, I am all Yours, God of love, I love You with all my heart, or Lord, use me according to Your will. But remember to keep the mind from wandering or returning to the world. Hold your attention on God alone by exercising your will to remain in God’s presence.

      Although this exercise may be difficult at first to maintain, it has marvelous effects on the soul when it is faithfully practiced. It draws the graces of the Lord down in abundance and shows the soul how to see God’s presence everywhere with a pure and loving vision, which is the holiest, firmest, easiest, and the most effective attitude for prayer.

      The Blessings of the Presence of God

      The first blessing that the soul receives from the practice of the presence of God is that its faith is livelier and more active everywhere in our lives. This is particularly true in difficult times, since it obtains the grace we need to deal with temptation and to conduct ourselves in the world. The soul accustomed by this exercise to the practice of faith can actually see and feel God by simply entering His presence. It envokes Him easily and obtains what it needs. In so doing, the soul could be said to approach the Blessed, in that it can almost say, I no longer believe, but I see and experience. Its faith becomes more and more penetrating as it advances through practice.

      The practice of the presence of God strengthens us in hope. Our hope increases as our faith penetrates God’s secrets through practice of our holy exercise. The soul discovers in God a beauty infinitely surpassing not only that of bodies that we see on earth, but even that of the angels. Our hope increases and grows stronger, and the amount of good that it expects to enjoy, and that in some degree it tastes, reassures and sustains it.

      This practice causes the will to rejoice at being set apart from the world, setting it aglow with the fire of holy love. This is because the soul is always with God, Who is a consuming fire, Who reduces into powder whatever is opposed to Him. The soul thus inflamed can no longer live except in the presence of its God. This presence produces a holy ardor, a sacred urgency, and a violent desire in the heart to see this God, Who is loved.

      By practicing God’s presence and continuously looking at Him, the soul familiarizes itself with Him to the extent that it passes almost its whole life in continual acts of love, praise, confidence, thanksgiving, offering, and petition. Sometimes all this may merge into one single act that does not end, because thesoul is always in the ceaseless exercise of God’s Divine presence.

      The Practice and Presence of God

      by Brother Lawrence

      Version I

      Preface

      This book consists of notes of several conversations had with, and letters written by Nicholas Herman, of Lorraine, a lowly and unlearned man, who, after having been a footman and soldier, was admitted a Lay Brother among the barefooted Carmelites at Paris in 1666, and was afterwards known as Brother Lawrence.

      His conversion, which took place when he was about eighteen years old, was the result, under God, of the mere sight in midwinter, of a dry and leafless tree, and of the reflections it stirred respecting the change the coming spring would bring. From that time he grew eminently in the knowledge and love of GOD, endeavoring constantly to walk "as in His presence. No wilderness wanderings seem to have intervened between the Red Sea and the Jordan of his experience. A wholly consecrated man, he lived his Christian life through as a pilgrim—as a steward and not as an owner, and died at the age of eighty, leaving a name which has been as ointment poured forth."

      The Conversations are supposed to have been written by M. Beaufort, Grand Vicar to M. de Chalons, formerly Cardinal de Noailles, by whose recommendation the letters were first published.

      The book has, within a short time, gone through repeated English and American editions, and has been a means of blessing to many souls. It contains very much of that wisdom which only lips the Lord has touched can express, and which only hearts He has made teachable can receive.

      May this edition also be blessed by GOD, and redound to the praise of the glory of His grace.

      First Conversation

      The first time I saw Brother Lawrence, was upon the 3d of August, 1666. He told me that GOD had done him a singular favor, in his conversion at the age of eighteen.

      That in the winter, seeing a tree stripped of its leaves, and considering that within a little time the leaves would be renewed and after that the flowers and fruit appear, he received a high view of the Providence and Power of GOD, which has never since been effaced from his soul. That this view had perfectly set him loose from the world, and kindled in him such a love for GOD, that he could not tell whether it had increased during the more than forty years he had lived since.

      That he had been footman to M. Fieubert, the treasurer, and that he was a great awkward fellow who broke everything.

      That he had desired to be received into a monastery, thinking that he would there be made to smart for his awkwardness and the faults he should commit, and so he should sacrifice to GOD his life, with its pleasures: but that God had disappointed him, he having met with nothing but satisfaction in that state.

      That we should establish ourselves in a sense of GOD’S Presence, by continually conversing with Him. That it was a shameful thing to quit His conversation, to think of trifles and fooleries.

      That we should feed and nourish our souls with high notions of GOD; which would yield us great joy in being devoted to Him.

      That we ought to quicken, i.e., to enliven, our faith. That it was lamentable we had so little; and that instead of taking faith for the rule of their conduct, men amused themselves with trivial devotions, which changed daily. That the way of Faith was the spirit of the Church, and that it was sufficient to bring us to a high degree of perfection.

      That we ought to give ourselves up to GOD, with regard both to things temporal and spiritual, and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His will, whether he lead us by suffering or by consolation, for all would lie equal to a soul truly resigned. That there needed fidelity in those dryness, or insensibilities and irksomenesses in prayer, by which GOD tries our love to him; that then was the time for us to make good and effectual acts of resignation, whereof one alone would oftentimes very much promote our spiritual advancement.

      That as for the miseries and sins he heard of daily in the world, he was so far from wondering at them, that, on the contrary, he was surprised that there were not more, considering the malice sinners were capable of; that for his part he prayed for them; but knowing that GOD could remedy the mischiefs they did when He pleased, he gave himself no farther trouble.

      That to arrive at such resignation as GOD requires, we should watch attentively over all the passions which mingle as well in spiritual things

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