Divine considerations treating of those things which are most profitable, most necessary and most perfect in our Christian profession by John Valdesso.

CONSID. LXXIV.

That it betides to pious persons in spirituall things, as it befalls in outward things to him, who having been blind begins to see.

TO the person that begins to understand spi∣rituall and divine things, and that begins to to know them, I understand that befalls which befalls those persons, who having by some ac∣cident lost the sight of their eyes, begin to reco∣ver it. I say, that as those persons go knowing the being of things, according as they go reco∣vering the sight of their eyes; first confusedly, as it befell to the blind man in the Gospel, who beginning to open his eyes saw men, and it seem∣ed to him that they were trees; and afterwards lesse confusedly, untill such time as by little and little they come to see, and know things in their own proper being.

In the same manner these persons go on know∣ing spirituall and divine things, accordingly as they go purifying their minds with faith, and with love, and with union with God.

First, they know them confusedly, and af∣terwards lesse confusedly, and so by little and little they go advancing in the knowledge of them, untill such time as they arrive and come to know God, and the things that are Gods, in that manner which may be in this present life. And hence, as I understand, it proceeds, that that thing which a person with∣out

the spirit holds for holy, and just, and good, in the things of God; another person who hath the spirit, condemns and reputes defective and evil. And hence it likewise proceeds, that that which a person, who hath little of the spi∣rit, holds for most certain, another who hath more spirit then he, holds for an errour. Going on thus from one step to another, the clearnesse of that judgement increaseth which spirituall persons have of divine matters. Whereby I un∣derstand, that the errour of pious persons, when in those divine and spirituall matters which they know, they form their conceits according to that which they come to know by the first knowledge, not expecting other knowledges more clear and more evident, is no lesse, then that of the blind man, who begins to recover the sight of his eyes, when in the things, which he begins to see, he forms his conceits accor∣ding to that which they appeared unto him at the first, not expecting to see them better, and more clearly.

Furthermore I understand, that it belongs to every pious person to be very modest, and very moderate in approving or condemning things wherein God is pleased or displeased, considering that the judgement which God makes of things is very different from that which men make, how spirituall soever they be: inasmuch as oft-times a person that hath much

spirit condemns that, which another who hath little spirit approves. And I understand, that onely those things ought to be approved for holy, and to be condemned for evil, of which we have the certain testimony of Jesus Christ our Lord.