m from GOD.
That as he knew his obligation to love GOD in all things, and as he
endeavored so to do, he had no need of a director to advise him, but
that he needed much a Confessor to absolve him. That he was very
sensible of his faults, but not discouraged by them; that he confessed
them to GOD, but did not plead against Him to excuse them. When he had
so done, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love and
adoration.
That in his trouble of mind, he had consulted nobody, but knowing only
by the light of faith that GOD was present, he contented himself with
directing all his actions to Him, _i.e._, doing them with a desire to
please Him, let what would come of it.
That useless thoughts spoil all: that the mischief began there; but
that we ought to reject them, as soon as we perceived their
impertinence to the matter in hand, or our salvation; and return to
our communion with GOD.
That at the beginning he had often passed his time appointed for
prayer, in rejecting wandering thoughts, and falling back into them.
That he could never regulate his devotion by certain methods as some
do. That nevertheless, at first he had _meditated_ for some time, but
afterwards that went off, in a manner he could give no account of.
That all bodily mortifications and other exercises are useless, except
as they serve to arrive at the union with GOD by love; that he had
well considered this, and found it the shortest way to go straight to
Him by a continual exercise of love, and doing all things for His
sake.
That we ought to make a great difference between the acts of the
_understanding_ and those of the _will_: that the first were
comparatively of little value, and the others, all. That our only
business was to love and delight ourselves in GOD.
That all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the
love of GOD, could not efface a single sin. That we ought, without
anxiety, to expect the pardon of our sins from the Blood of JESUS
CHRIST, only endeavoring to love Him with all our hearts. That GOD
seemed to have granted the greatest favors to the greatest sinners, as
more signal monuments of his mercy.
That the greatest pains or pleasures of this world, were not to be
compared with what he had experienced of both kinds in a spiritual
state: so that he was careful for nothing and feared nothing, desiring
only one thing of GOD, viz., that he might not offend Him.
That he had no scruples; for, said he, when
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