elt for him. I answered
them, "Perhaps I may never see him again, but I shall ever be glad to
do him justice. It is not he who hinders me from engaging at Gex. It is
only because I know it to be none of my vocation." They asked me, "Who
could know that better than the bishop?" They further told me, "I was
under a deception, and my state was good for nothing." This gave me no
uneasiness, having referred to God the care of requiring, and of
exacting what He requires, and in whatever manner He demands it.

A soul in this state seeks nothing for itself, but all for God. Some
may say, "What, then, does this soul?" It leaves itself to be conducted
by God's providences and creatures. Outwardly, its life seems quite
common; inwardly, it is wholly resigned to the divine will. The more
everything appears adverse, and even desperate, the more calm it is, in
spite of the annoyance and pain of the senses and of the creatures,
which, for some time after the new life, raise some clouds and
obstructions, as I have already signified. But when the soul is
entirely passed into its original Being, all these things no more cause
any separation or partition. It finds no more of that impurity which
came from self-seeking, from a human manner of acting, from an
unguarded word, from any warm emotion or eagerness, which caused such a
mist, as it then could neither prevent nor remedy, having so often
experienced its own efforts, to be useless, and even hurtful, as they
did nothing else but sill more and more defile it. There is in such
case no other way or means of remedy, but in waiting till the Sun of
Righteousness dissipate those fogs. The whole work of purification
comes from God only. Afterward this conduct becomes natural; then the
soul can say with the royal prophet, "Though an host should encamp
against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise up against
me, in him will I confide." For then, though assaulted on every side,
it continues fixed as a rock. Having no will but for what God sees meet
to order, be it what it may, high or low, great or small, sweet or
bitter, honor, wealth, life, or any other object, what can shake its
peace? It is true, our nature is so crafty that it worms itself through
everything; a selfish sight is like the basilisk's, it destroys.

Trial are suited to the state of the soul, whether conducted by lights,
gifts, or ecstasies, or by the entire destruction of self in the way of
naked faith. Both these