THE ADORNMENT OF THE SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE
CHAPTER II SHOWING HOW WE SHALL CONSIDER THE COMING OF CHRIST IN THREE WAYS
CHAPTER VI OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER VII OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENTS
CHAPTER VIII OF THE THIRD COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER X OF THE FIVE KINDS OF MEN WHO SHALL APPEAR AT THE JUDGMENT
CHAPTER XI OF A SPIRITUAL GOING OUT WITH ALL VIRTUES
CHAPTER XII HOW HUMILITY IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL OTHER VIRTUES
CHAPTER XIV OF THE RENUNCIATION OF SELF WILL
CHAPTER XX OF ZEAL AND DILIGENCE
CHAPTER XXI OF TEMPERANCE AND SOBRIETY
CHAPTER XXIII OF THREE ENEMIES TO BE OVERCOME BY RIGHTEOUSNESS
CHAPTER XXIV OF THE KINGDOM OF THE SOUL
CHAPTER XXV OF A SPIRITUAL MEETING OF GOD AND OURSELVES
CHAPTER XXVI OF THE DESIRE TO KNOW THE BRIDEGROOM IN HIS NATURE
CHAPTER I HOW WE ACHIEVE SUPERNATURAL SIGHT IN OUR INWARD WORKINGS
CHAPTER II OF A THREE-FOLD UNITY WHICH IS IN US BY NATURE
CHAPTER III OF THE INFLOW OF THE GRACE OF GOD INTO OUR SPIRIT
CHAPTER IV SHOWING HOW WE SHOULD FOUND OUR INWARD LIFE ON A FREEDOM FROM IMAGES
CHAPTER V OF A THREE-FOLD COMING OF OUR LORD IN THE INWARD MAN
CHAPTER VI OF THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD IN THE INWARD MAN
CHAPTER VII OF THE THIRD COMING OF OUR LORD
CHAPTER VIII HOW THE FIRST COMING HAS FOUR DEGREES
CHAPTER XIV OF TWO GRIEFS WHICH ARISE FROM INWARD GRATITUDE
CHAPTER XV A SIMILITUDE HOW WE SHOULD PERFORM THE FIRST DEGREE OF OUR INWARD EXERCISE
CHAPTER XVI ANOTHER SIMILITUDE CONCERNING THE SAME EXERCISE
CHAPTER XVII OF THE SECOND DEGREE OF OUR INWARD EXERCISE, WHICH INCREASES INWARDNESS BY HUMILITY
CHAPTER XVIII OF THE PURE DELIGHT OF THE HEART AND THE SENSIBLE POWERS
CHAPTER XIX OF SPIRITUAL INEBRIATION
CHAPTER XX WHAT MAY HINDER A MAN IN THIS INEBRIATION
CHAPTER XXI A SIMILITUDE HOW A MAN SHOULD ACT AND BEAR HIMSELF IN THIS CASE
CHAPTER XXII OF THE THIRD DEGREE OF THE SPIRITUAL COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER XXIII OF THE PAIN AND RESTLESSNESS OF LOVE
CHAPTER XXIV OF ECSTACIES AND DIVINE REVELATIONS
CHAPTER XXV AN EXAMPLE SHOWING HOW ONE IS HINDERED IN THIS EXERCISE
CHAPTER XXVII A PARABLE OF THE ANT
CHAPTER XXVIII OF THE FOURTH DEGREE OF THE COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER XXIX SHOWING WHAT THE FORSAKEN MAN SHOULD DO
CHAPTER XXX A PARABLE: HOW ONE MAY BE HINDERED IN THIS FOURTH DEGREE
CHAPTER XXXI OF ANOTHER HINDRANCE
CHAPTER XXXIIOF FOUR KINDS OF FEVER WHEREWITH A MAN MAY BE TORMENTED
CHAPTER XXXIIISHOWING HOW THESE FOUR DEGREES IN THEIR PERFECTION ARE FOUND IN CHRIST
CHAPTER XXXIVSHOWING HOW A MAN SHOULD LIVE IF HE WOULD BE ENLIGHTENED
CHAPTER XXXVOF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, OR, THE FOUNTAIN WITH THREE RILLS
XXXVICHAPTER XXXVITHE FIRST RILL ADORNS THE MEMORY[1]
CHAPTER XXXVIITHE SECOND RILL ENLIGHTENS THE UNDERSTANDING
CHAPTER XXXVIIITHE THIRD RILL ESTABLISHES THE WILL TO EVERY PERFECTION
CHAPTER XXXIXSHOWING HOW THE ESTABLISHED MAN SHALL GO OUT IN FOUR WAYS
CHAPTER XLHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS GOD AND TOWARDS ALL SAINTS
CHAPTER XLIHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS ALL SINNERS
CHAPTER XLIIHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS HIS FRIENDS IN PURGATORY
CHAPTER XLIIIHE SHALL GO OUT TOWARDS HIMSELF AND TOWARDS ALL GOOD MEN
CHAPTER XLIVSHOWING HOW WE MAY RECOGNISE THOSE MEN WHO FAIL IN CHARITY TO ALL
CHAPTER XLVHOW CHRIST WAS, IS, AND EVER WILL BE THE LOVER OF ALL
CHAPTER XLVIREPROVING ALL THOSE WHO LIVE ON SPIRITUAL GOODS IN AN INORDINATE MANNER
CHAPTER XLVIISHOWING HOW CHRIST HAS GIVEN HIMSELF TO ALL IN COMMON IN THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR
CHAPTER XLVIIIOF THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE NATURE IN THE TRINITY OF THE PERSONS
CHAPTER XLIXSHOWING HOW GOD POSSESSES AND MOVES THE SOUL BOTH IN A NATURAL AND A SUPERNATURAL WAY
CHAPTER LSHOWING HOW A MAN SHOULD BE ADORNED IF HE IS TO RECEIVE THE MOST INWARD EXERCISE
CHAPTER LIOF THE THIRD COMING OF CHRIST
CHAPTER LIISHOWING HOW THE SPIRIT GOES OUT THROUGH THE DIVINE STIRRING
CHAPTER LIIIOF AN ETERNAL HUNGER FOR GOD
CHAPTER LIVOF A LOVING STRIFE BETWEEN THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND OUR SPIRIT
CHAPTER LVOF THE FRUITFUL WORKS OF THE SPIRIT, THE WHICH ARE ETERNAL
CHAPTER LVIIOF THE ESSENTIAL MEETING WITH GOD WITHOUT MEANS IN THE NAKEDNESS OF OUR NATURE
CHAPTER LVIIISHOWING HOW ONE IS LIKE UNTO GOD THROUGH GRACE AND UNLIKE UNTO GOD THROUGH MORTAL SIN
CHAPTER LIXSHOWING HOW ONE POSSESSES GOD IN UNION AND REST, ABOVE ALL LIKENESS THROUGH GRACE
CHAPTER LXIOF HOW GOD AND OUR SPIRIT VISIT EACH OTHER IN THE UNITY AND IN THE LIKENESS
CHAPTER LXIISHOWING HOW WE SHOULD GO OUT TO MEET GOD
CHAPTER LXIIIOF THE ORDERING OF ALL THE VIRTUES THROUGH THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY GHOST
CHAPTER LXIVOF THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF THE MOST INTERIOR LIFE
CHAPTER LXVOF THREE KINDS OF MOST INWARD PRACTICES
CHAPTER LXVISHOWING HOW SOME MEN LIVE CONTRARY TO THESE EXERCISES
CHAPTER LXVIIOF ANOTHER KIND OF PERVERTED MEN
CHAPTER I SHOWING THE THREE WAYS BY WHICH ONE ENTERS INTO THE GOD-SEEING LIFE
CHAPTER III HOW OUR SPIRIT IS CALLED TO GO OUT IN CONTEMPLATION AND FRUITION
CHAPTER IV OF A DIVINE MEETING WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE HIDDENNESS OF OUR SPIRIT
When the sun has risen in the heavens as high as it can, it stands in the sign of Cancer (which means Crab, because it cannot go further, but begins to go back). Then come the fiercest heats of the whole year. And the sun draws up all the moisture, and the earth becomes dry, and the fruits ripen quickly.
So likewise, when Christ, the Divine Sun, has risen to the zenith of our hearts—that is, above all the gifts and consolations and sweetness which we may receive from Him—so that we do not rest in any savours, how great soever they be, which God may pour into our souls; if then, masters of ourselves, we ever turn inwards, by the way which has been shown heretofore, with humble praise and with fervent thanksgiving, towards the very source from which all gifts flow forth according to the needs and the merits of each creature: then Christ stands on high in the zenith of our hearts, and He will draw all things, that is, all our powers, to Himself. When thus neither savour nor consolation can overcome or hinder the loving heart, but it would rather forgo all consolations and all gifts, that it may find Him Whom it loves: then there arises from this the third kind of inward exercise, by which man is uplifted and adorned in his sensibility and the lower part of his being.
The first work of Christ, and the beginning of this degree consists in this: that God draws the heart, the desires, and all the powers of the soul up towards heaven, and calls them to be united with Him, and says in ghostly wise within the heart: Go ye out of yourselves by the way in which I draw and invite you. This drawing and this inviting I cannot well make plain to gross and insensitive men; but it is an inward constraining and drawing of the heart towards the most high unity of God. This inward summons is joyful to the loving heart above anything it ever experienced before. For hence arise a new way and a higher exercise.
Here the heart opens itself in joy and in desire, and all the veins gape, and all the powers of the soul are in readiness, and desire to fulfil that which is demanded of them by God and by His unity. This invitation is a shining forth of Christ, the Eternal Sun; and it brings forth such great pleasure and joy in the heart, and makes the heart open so widely, that it can never wholly close again. And thereby a man is wounded in the heart from within, and feels the wound of love. To be wounded by love is the sweetest feeling and the sharpest pain which any one may endure. To be wounded by love is to know for certain that one shall be healed; for the ghostly wound brings woes and weal at the same time. For Christ, the true Sun streams and shines into the wounded and open heart and calls it to oneness again. And this renews the wound and all its pangs.[1]