Lorenzo Scupoli

“ You are not to do your own will, but to let God do in you what He wills. Let your will be always so freed from self, as to have no desire of your own; and if you have a desire concerning any thing, desire it only in such a manner as not to feel regret, if you should be thwarted in it, but that your peace of mind may remain as undisturbed as if you had entertained no wish in the matter. This is true liberty of spirit, not to bind one's self to any thing. If you yield up your soul to God in this state of detachment, unfettered and alone, you will see the wonders God will work in you. ”

“ Whenever you discover yourself to be absorbed in the act of admiring some noble object, let your thoughts bring the creature down to its own nothingness, and let your mind's eye gaze upon the great Creator therein present, Who made it to be what it is; and, delighting in Him only, say—"O Divine Essence, above all things to be desired, what joy it is to think that Thou Alone art the Infinite Principle of every created being." ”

“ But, beloved, see the malice of the Devil. When he perceives that we resolutely resist the rising of any passion, he not only refrains from stirring it, but when it is excited he seeks to quiet it for the time, lest, by the practice of resisting it, we should form the habit of the opposite virtue.
And besides this, he would dexterously lead us to believe, that we have as brave soldiers quickly trampled under foot our enemies at one blow, so that he may entrap us with the snares of pride and vain-glory. ”

“ I tell you again, that you must not grow weary in the conflict, but must ever bear in mind that it is the bounden duty of all to serve and please God; that the necessity of fighting is absolute, and escape impossible without wounds or death. I tell you, also, that if, as a deserter you were to fly from God, and give yourself to the delights of the world and of the flesh, you would still, in spite of yourself, be forced to labour in the sweat of your brow against many and many a contradiction which would pierce your heart with deadly anguish. ”

“ Neither do I advise you to endeavour to give your attention to all the virtues at once, but to one only, and afterwards to others; for thus the habit of virtue is more easily and firmly rooted in the soul. If you are striving to acquire one particular virtue, you remember it more readily on all occasions; your mind too is sharpened by the discovery of new ways and motives for cultivating it, and the will bends itself more easily and earnestly in the pursuit of it, than if it were occupied with many virtues at once. ”

“ I will that no other fire should burn upon the altar of your heart, and in your sacrifices, and in all your works, but the fire of My Love, which, consuming all other love, and all self-will, will rise to Me as the sweetest odour. ”

“ It is more easy to convert and bring back an open sinner to the path of truth, than the man whose sin is hidden and mantled with the semblance of virtue.
You clearly and distinctly see, then, from what I have said, that the essence of the spiritual life does not lie in any of those things to which I have alluded. It consists in nothing else but the knowledge of the Divine Goodness and Greatness, of our own nothingness, and proneness to all evil; in the love of God and the hatred of self; in entire subjection not only to God Himself, but for the love of Him, to all creatures ”

“ Secondly, never set a fixed time for the attainment of virtues, nor say that you will gain them in so many days, weeks, or years; but, as an infant or a newly-enlisted soldier, fight your way, and push forward towards the summit of perfection.
Do not ever stand still, even for an instant; for to stand still in the way of virtue and perfection, is not to recover breath or courage, but to relapse and grow feebler than before. ”

“ The understanding is the eye of the soul, to which we must trust for discovering and healing the wound of the proud will; if then the eye be weak, or blind, or swelled with the same pride, who shall be able to work a cure? and if the light become darkness, and that whereby we measure our actions be at fault, what will become of the rest? ”

“ When you look upon so many things of earth, which are pleasant to the eyes and valued, consider that they are utterly vile and as dung in respect of the Heavenly riches; after which, despising the whole world, aspire with your whole heart.
When you look towards the sun, consider how much brighter and more beautiful your soul is than it, if you are in the favour of the Creator; and if not in a state of grace, think that it is blacker and more abominable than the darkness of Hell. ”

“ Further, remember, beloved, that this vice of sloth, with its secret poison, will not only gradually kill the early and tender roots which would ultimately have produced habits of virtue, but also habits of virtue which are already formed. It will, like the worm in the wood, insensibly eat away and destroy the very marrow of the spiritual life. It is by this means the Devil spreads his nets and traps in the way of all of us, but especially of those who seek to become spiritual. ”

“ The way to conquer and regulate this first passion is, to consider the objects of its love and attachment, their qualities, and what end it has in view in this attachment and love. And, finding in it qualities of beauty and of goodness, and claims of delight and usefulness, you may say again and again to yourself: "Can anything exceed the Beauty and Goodness of God, Who is the Sole Source of all goodness and perfection?" ”

“ Only allow Him to choose you, and do not hinder Him by your free-will. Sit without a thought of yourself, save that of pleasing God, waiting to be guided to what you have to do; for the Father of the house has already gone forth, and is seeking labourers. Lose all care and thought, strip off all anxiety about yourself, and all affection for earthly things, so that God may clothe you with Himself, and give you what is beyond your power to conceive. Forget yourself entirely, as much as possible, and let the love of God alone live in your soul. ”

“ Fifthly, how, as the Lord hung on the hard wood of the Cross, the weight of His Body in that position increased the size of His most Sacred Wounds, and aggravated inexpressibly the pain.
In order to excite in yourself, by these and other considerations of the same kind, the affection of love, strive to gain more and more deeply the knowledge of your Lord's Infinite Goodness, and Love towards you, Who for your sake willed to suffer such cruel torments; for the more you advance in this knowledge, the more will you increase in love. ”

“ Trust not to being moistened, as it were, with the water of a good and strong purpose, and a resolution rather to die than to offend God; for by frequent excitement, the heat of the fire will gradually dry up the water of your good purpose, and, when you least expect it, will so attack you, that no respect will be left for friends or kindred, no fear of God, no regard for life or reputation, nor for all the pains of Hell. ”

“ If the will be moved by God, besides what has been said above, you must further consider to what end its actions are mostly directed. For if the end be simply to please God, so far it is well, yet even then a man may not feel quite secure; self-love is so subtle, and hides itself beneath good works and acts of virtue.
When this most cruel monster, self-love, shows itself openly, we must pursue it with all hatred even to death;—in little things too, and not only in great. ”

“ As a young soldier, then, and, as it were, a new-born babe in the conflict, return continually to your earliest exercises, as though as yet you had done nothing.
And remember, beloved, that it is much better to seek to advance in virtues, than to examine too nicely what progress you have made; for the Lord God, the true and only Searcher of our hearts, gives this knowledge to some and not to others, according as He sees that it will lead to humility or to pride; and, like a loving Father, He removes a danger from one, whilst to another He vouchsafes an opportunity of growing in the virtue. ”

“ THE third assault is of vain-glory and presumption. In this matter, you must not permit yourself in any imaginable way to be drawn into the very least complacency in yourself, or in your works. Let your delight be in your Lord Alone, in His Mercy, and in the works of His Life and Passion.
Abase yourself ever more and more in your own eyes, even to your last breath; and of every good deed done by you, which may come before you, recognize God Alone for its Author. ”

“ For with this too frequent and unguarded intercourse, the poisonous pleasure of sense insinuates itself; gradually instilling itself, until it penetrates into the very depths of the soul, and darkens the reason more and more, until things which are most dangerous are regarded as of no account; such as loving looks, words of mutual endearment, and charms of conversation; and thus, step by step, a ruinous fall is approached, or at the least some painful temptation which is with great difficulty overcome. ”

“ And if some affront is offered you, be very glad of it, and bear it with joy, being assured, that, because of it, God is with you; and desire no other honour, and seek nothing else but to suffer for love of Him, and whatever may redound to His greater Glory. Strive to rejoice, when others use towards you injurious, reproachful, or contemptuous words; for a great treasure lies hid under the dust, and if you willingly accept it, you will soon find yourself rich, though the one who has enriched you is unconscious of the benefit he has been the means of conferring upon you. ”

“ Take the advice of those who are experienced, and seek to make it a habit, always in desire, and as frequently as possible in act, to give yourself to the contemplation of God's Goodness, and of His constant and tender blessings, and to receive with humility the drops which from His inestimable Goodness distil into your soul. Be on your guard against forcing yourself to shed tears or feel sensibly affected in your devotions, but be still, and with an interior solitude, wait until the Will of God be wrought in you ”

“ For if our Lord in His love spared no pains in order to find the blind and dumb sinner, the lost coin of the Gospel, is it possible that He would turn away from one who, like a lost sheep, calls and cries piteously after the shepherd? ”

“ When your senses are gratified by some sweet odour, do not rest in the enjoyment itself, but let your thoughts pass on to your Lord, from Whom the delight comes; and, filled with inward joy at this contemplation, say—"Grant, O Lord, that as I rejoice because all sweetness comes from Thee, so may my soul, cleansed and delivered from all earthly gratifications, mount up to Thee, and be acceptable as a sweet savour poured forth in Thy Presence." ”