iculty in this, but it soon became both natural and pleasant
to me to tell the truth. By these nothings,--and they are really
nothings, and I am sufficiently nothing when such things could put me to
so much pain,--and by little and little His Divine Majesty vouchsafed to
supply me with strength. I was never good at the choir, but I tried to
do my part for it in folding up the mantles of the singers; and,
methought, in that I was serving the angels of God who so well praised
Him. I did that also by stealth, such was my pride, and my pride was
hurt when they discovered what I did. O my Lord, who that ever reads
this can fail to despise and abhor me? I beseech Thy Divine Majesty that
I may soon be able to leave all such vanities as the praise and blame of
men, and seek Thy praise only! And then add this, which is worth
knowing. The devil will not dare to tempt one to pride or precedency who
is truly humble because, being very crafty, he fears defeat. If you are
truly humble, you will only grow in that grace by every temptation to
pride or praise. For, immediately on the temptation, you will reflect on
your whole past life and present character, and on the stupendous
humility of Jesus Christ. And by these considerations your tempted soul
will come off so victorious, that the enemy will think twice before he
comes back, for fear of a broken head.

ON HUMILITY

Keep yourselves, my daughters, from that false humility which the devil
suggests concerning the greatness of your sins. For hereby he is wont to
disquiet our souls after sundry sorts, and to draw us off Holy Communion,
and also from prayer. It is sometimes a great and a true humility to
esteem ourselves as bad as may be, but at other times it is a false and a
spurious humility. I know it, for I have experienced it. True humility,
however great, does not disquiet nor disorder the soul. It comes with
great peace, and great serenity, and great delight. Though we should see
our utter wickedness, and how truly we deserve to be in hell, and think
that both God and man must despise and abhor us; yet, if this be a true
humility, it comes with a certain sweetness and satisfaction attending
it. This humility does not stifle nor crush the soul. It rather dilates
the soul, and disposes the soul for the better service of God. While
that other sorrow troubles all, and confounds all, and destroys all. It
is the devil's humility when he gets us to distrust Go