The spiritual guide which disintangles the soul, and brings it by the inward way, to the getting of perfect contemplation, and the rich treasure of internal peace. / Written by Dr. Michael de Molinos, priest : with a short treatise concerning daily communion, by the same author. Translated from the Italian copy, printed at Venice, 1685.

CHAP. XI. Maxims to know a simple, humble, and true Heart.

105. ENcourage thy self to be Humble, em∣bracing Tribulations as Instruments of thy Good; rejoyce in Contempt, and desire that God may be thy onely Refuge, Comfort and Protector.

106. None, let him be never so great in this World, can be greater than he that is in the eye and favour of God: and therefore the truly humble Man despises whatever there is in the World, even to himself, and puts his onely trust and repose in God.

107. The truly humble Man suffers quietly and patiently internal Troubles, and he is the Man that makes great way in a little time, like one that sails before the Wind.

108. The truly humble Man finds God in all things; so that whatever contempt, injury or affront comes to him by means of the Creatures, he receives it with great peace and quiet Inter∣nal, as sent from the Divine Hand, and loves greatly the instrument with which the Lord tryes him.

109. He is not yet arrived at profound Hu∣mility that is taken with Praise, though he does

not desire it, nor seek it, but rather avoids it: because to an humble Heart praises are bitter crosses, although it be wholly quiet and immo∣vable.

110. He has no internal Humility who doth not abhor himself, with a mortal, but withal a peaceable and quiet hatred: But he will never come to possess this treasure, that has not a low and profound knowledge of his own vileness, rottenness and misery.

111. He that is upon excuses and replies, has not a simple and humble heart, especially if he does this with his Superiours; because replies grow from a secret pride that reigns in the Soul, and from thence the total ruine of it.

112. Perfidiousness supposes little submission, and this less humility; and both together they are the fewel of inquietude, discord and distur∣bance.

113. The humble heart is not disquieted by imperfections, though these do grieve it to the Soul; because they are against its loving Lord: nor is he concerned that he cannot do great things; for he always stands in his own Nothing and Misery; nay, he wonders at himself, that he can do any thing of Vertue, and presently thanks the Lord for it, with a true knowledge that it is God that doth all, and remains dissatisfied with what he does himself.

114. The truely humble man, though he see all, yet he looks upon nothing to judge it, be∣cause he judges ill onely of himself.

115. The truely humble man doth always

find an excuse to defend him that mortifies him, at least in a found intention: Who therefore, would be angry with a man of good intenti∣on?

116. So much (nay more) doth false humi∣lity displease God, as true pride does; because that is hypocrisy besides.

117. The truely humble man, though every thing falls out contrary to him, is neither dis∣quieted nor afflicted at it; because he is pre∣pared, and thinks he deserves no less: he is not disquieted under troublesome thoughts, where∣with the Devil seeks to torment him, nor under temptations, tribulations and desertions, but ra∣ther acknowledges his unworthiness, and is af∣fected that the Lord chastises him by the Devil's means, though he be a vile instrument; all he suffers seems nothing to him, and he never doth a thing that he thinks worth any great mat∣ter.

118. He that is arrived at perfect and in∣ward Humility, although he be disturbed at no∣thing, as one that abhors himself, because he knows his imperfection in every thing, his in∣gratitude and his misery, yet he suffers a great cross in induring himself. This is the sign to know true Humility of heart by. But the hap∣py Soul which is gotten to this holy hatred of it self, lives overwhelmed, drowned and swallow∣ed up in the depth of its own Nothing; out of which the Lord raises him by communicating Divine Wisdom to him, and filling him with Light, Peace, Tranquility and Love.