The spiritual conflict writen in Italian by a deuout seruant of God ; and lately translated into English out of the same language.

Of Exercise: and first of the Un∣derstanding, which we ought to keepe free from curi∣ositie, and igno∣raunce.

Chap. 4. (Book 4)

IF we haue but onely the di∣strust of our selues and con∣fidence in God, we shall ne∣uer be able to get the victorie of our selues, but rather shall runne headlong into all kind of euill. And therefore besides these, Exercise (the third thing mentioned before) is necessa∣rie.

This Exercise must bee practised principally with the Vnderstanding and Will.

The Vnderstanding must

bee kept from twoo things, from ignorance, and from cu∣riositie.

From ignorance that it may bee bright and cleare to know that which is necessary for the ouercomming of our vitious passions: which light may be obtained two maner of waies.

The first and principall, is praier, praying vnto the holy ghost, that he will vouchsafe to infuse the same into our hearts.

The other a continuall ex∣ercise, of a profound conside∣ration of things as they are in themselues, and not as they ap∣peare to be; for thus exercising our selues, we come to know the truth of those things which are truely good: and the false∣hood

and vanitie of the other, which neuer performe that which they promise in shew, & take away the peace of our heart.

Now deare daughter be at∣tentiue to that which I shal say vnto thee, for it is of great im∣portance, that thou mayst well know the nature and qualitie of those things, which by sun∣drie occasions present them∣selues before thee; it behoueth thee to haue a speciall care, to haue thy will purged, and free from all loue and affection that is not God, or a meane to bring thee to God.

For that the vnderstanding may discerne well and rightly: it is necessary that it do behold and consider the obiect set be∣fore

it, before that the will do fasten the affection vppon it, for at that time the vnderstan∣ding is free and cleare, and wel able to discerne: but if the will haue once placed thaffection, the vnderstanding then, doth not discouer the thing as it is. For so much as that affection which is placed in the midst, darkneth in such sort the vn∣derstanding, that it esteemeth better of the same, then it is in effect, and for such sheweth it vnto the will, which by that is brought to loue it more ar∣dently.

By which increase of loue, the Vnderstanding is yet more blinded; and thus blinded, it maketh the thing, to seem vn∣to the will farre more louelie

and good then before, wher∣by it comes to passe, that these two powers miserably conti∣nue euer to walke as in a cir∣cle from darknesse, into more obscurity, and from error into greater errors: and therefore thou must bee very diligent, and vigilant in this point, ne∣uer to set thy affection vppon any thing whatsoeuer, if it bee not first knowne, and well ex∣amined by the light of vnder∣standing, but especially by the light of grace, and prayer: the which I exhort thee to do, not onely in all other things, but euen in them also, which are holy and good: for although they be so in themselues, yet it may happen, that for circum∣stance of time, of place, and of

measure, or in respect of obe∣dience they be not so for thee, and therfore many persons in very commendable, and ho∣ly exercises haue indaungered themselues.

Also wee must keepe our vnderstanding with great wa∣rinesse from curiositie, that it know not any thing that may let or hinder our victorie, for which cause thou must pursue to the death all curiositie of earthly things not necessarie, although they be lawfull: re∣strain euer thy vnderstanding what thou canst, and loue to make it foolish newes or alte∣rations of the world (be they great or little) let them be to thee as though they were not at all.

And if they be offered vnto thee, oppose thy selfe against them. In the desire of know∣ing heauenly things, be sober, and humble, not willing to know any other thing but Christ crucified, and his life, & death, abandō all other things, for so thou shalt greatly please God, who accompteth them his deare frends, that only de∣sire of him that which is suffi∣cient, to loue his goodnes, and to hate them selues, euery o∣ther thing which men desire, and seeke after, is all but selfe loue, and spirituall pride. If thou do thus, thou shalt escape many deceipts, for the Deuill seeing that in them which at∣tend to spirituall life, the will is coragious and strong, assaieth

to batter the vnderstanding, that by this waie he may be Maister both of the one & the other: wherfore sometimes to these men he geueth deepe and curious conceits, especially to those that haue sharpe and great wittes: to the intent, that being occupied in the same wherin they falsly perswade themselues to enioye GOD, they may forgett to purge their heart, and to attend to their owne mortification, and the knowledge of them selues: Thus they fall into the snare of pride, and make to them selues an Idole of their vnder∣standing, wher vpon it ensueth that by little and little (at vn awares) they beginne to be perswaded, that they need not

the counsell and direction of others: A thing very dange∣rous and very hard to be cured the pride of the vnderstanding being more dangerous then that of the will; for hee that is prowd of wil, wil sometimes obay because he houldeth an other mans opinion to be bet∣ter: But he that doth assured∣lie beleeue his owne opinion to be best, by whom can he be cured; how wil he submitte himself to another mans iudg∣ment, when he taketh it not to be so good as his owne. If the eie of the soule which is the vnderstanding, wherwith it ought to see, & heale the pride therof be blind, and full of the same pride, who can cure it? & if the light become darknes

and the rule, be croked, what wil become of the rest? Ther∣fore see that thou in time op∣pose thy selfe to such a dange∣rous pride, before it pearce the marrowe of thy bones. Blunt the sharpnes of thy vnderstan∣ding, submit easilie thy indg∣ment to an other mans, be∣come foolish for the loue of God, and thou shalt bee wiser then Salomon.