CHAPTER X.

INDIFFERENCE OF OUR WILL AND CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD IN ADVERSITY.

THOU shalt never say, such and such tribulations are not fit for me, I could bear others better and with greater fruit. Thou shalt not, I say, speak any such words in the impatience of thy heart; but, whatever God has laid on thy shoulders for thee to bear, that bear without any murmuring, and believe it to be 26most useful to thy soul, as indeed it is. Thou art ever to labour for this end, that thou mayest subdue and adapt thy will in all things to the divine will and ordering; and, having relinquished thy own, thou wilt become accustomed to follow it as promptly as the shadow follows the substance. If thou art able thus to renounce the inclinations of thy senses and affections for God, it is not to be told what peace and tranquillity thou wilt enjoy; for thou wilt begin in this world, as it were, to inhabit a paradise.

The only thing which disturbs thy soul, defiles it, and keeps it from the embrace of the heavenly Spouse, is the preposterous love with which thou seekest thyself, reflectest on thyself, and delightest not in God, but in thyself. From this perverse self-love arise all vicious passions and affections, all confusion and irregularity, and indeed all evil within thee. Inasmuch as this pernicious love is diminished or extinguished in thee, insomuch will thy vices be vanquished.; and thou wilt increase in true liberty and true love of God.

Therefore thou shalt not choose for thyself what evils thou wilt bear, nor again, prescribe what thou wilt not bear; but receive with readiness whatever God has willed to send thee. Neither shalt thou be disturbed, if perchance thou hast brought these misfortunes on thyself by thy sins; but, whether thou hast caused them or not, be tranquil. Impute them all, indeed, to thine own iniquity, and humble thyself, but yet, as I said, be not unduly affrighted, but preserve thy evenness of mind. Let the Passion of thy God satisfy for thy sins; but do thou suffer for the 27love of that God. Let the wicked cause of thy evils be hateful to thee; but do thou endure with calmness the evils themselves, offering them in sacrifice to the Most High. Thus they will be to thee, as it were, a baptism most efficacious in washing away thy .sins, nay more, they will be, so to speak, a most glorious martyrdom.