CONTENTS.

PART I.

CHAP.PAGE
I.THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH SOULS ARE LED TO SEEK AFTER GOD91
II.OF THE FIRST WAY, WHICH IS ACTIVE AND MEDITATIVE94
III.OF THE SECOND WAY, WHICH IS THE PASSIVE WAY OF LIGHT103
IV.OF THE THIRD WAY, WHICH IS THE PASSIVE WAY OF FAITH, AND OF ITS FIRST DEGREE111
V.IMPERFECTIONS OF THIS FIRST DEGREE125
VI.SECOND DEGREE OF THE PASSIVE WAY OF FAITH139
VII.SECT. I.—COMMENCEMENT OF THE THIRD DEGREE OF THE PASSIVE WAY OF FAITH—FIRST DEGREE OF THE SPOLIATION OF THE SOUL151
SECT. II.—SECOND DEGREE OF THE SPOLIATION OF THE SOUL164
[p viii]
SECT. III.—THIRD DEGREE OF SPOLIATION169
SECT. IV.—ENTRANCE INTO MYSTICAL DEATH179
VIII.THIRD DEGREE OF THE PASSIVE WAY OF FAITH, IN ITS CONSUMMATION185
IX.FOURTH DEGREE OF THE PASSIVE WAY OF FAITH, WHICH IS THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE DIVINE LIFE193

PART II.

I.MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESURRECTION LIFE211
II.STABILITY, EXPERIENCE, ELEVATION, AND EXTREME PURITY OF THE ABANDONED SOUL221
III.PERFECT UNION OR DEIFORMITY231
IV.ACTIONS AND SUFFERINGS OF THOSE IN A STATE OF UNION WITH GOD240

[p ix]
A
SHORT METHOD OF PRAYER.

“Walk before me, and be thou perfect.”—Gen. xvii. 1.

[p xi]
AUTHOR’S PREFACE.

I did not write this little work with the thought of its being given to the public. It was prepared for the help of a few Christians who were desirous of loving God with the whole heart. But so many have requested copies of it, because of the benefit they have derived from its perusal, that I have been asked to publish it.

I have left it in its natural simplicity. I do not condemn the opinions of any: on the contrary, I esteem those which are held by others, and submit all that I have written to the censure of persons of experience and learning. I only ask of all that they will not be content with examining the outside, but that they will penetrate the design of the [p xii] writer, which is only to lead others to LOVE God, and to serve Him with greater happiness and success, by enabling them to do it in a simple and easy way, fit for the little ones who are not capable of extraordinary things, but who truly desire to give themselves to God.