ed of the Lord, by reason of its impurity, subsisting
not only in the effects, but in their cause. It is the same way in this
life. This cause, so long as it subsists, absolutely hinders the grace
of God from operating in the soul. But if the sinner comes to die truly
penitent, then the cause, which is the wrong will, being taken away,
there remains only the effect or impurity caused by it. He is then in a
condition to be purified. God of his infinite mercy has provided a
laver of love and of justice, a painful laver indeed, to purify this
soul. And as the defilement is greater or less, so is the pain; but
when the cause is utterly taken away, the pain entirely ceases. Souls,
are received into grace, as soon as the cause of sin ceases; but they
do not pass into the Lord Himself, till all its effects are washed
away. If they have not courage to let Him, in His own way and will,
thoroughly cleanse and purify them, they never enter into the pure
divinity in this life.

The Lord incessantly solicits this will to cease to be rebellious, and
spares nothing on His side for this good end. The will is free, yet
grace follows it still. As soon as the will ceases to rebel, it finds
grace at the door, ready to introduce its unspeakable benefits. O, the
goodness of the Lord and baseness of the sinner, each of them amazing
when clearly seen!

Before I arrived at Grenoble, the lady, my friend, saw in a dream that
our Lord gave me an infinite number of children all uniformly clad,
bearing on their habits the marks of candor and innocence. She thought
I was coming to take care of the children of the hospital. But as soon
as she told me, I discerned that it was not that which the dream meant;
but that our Lord would give me, by a spiritual fruitfulness, a great
number of children; that they would not be my true children, but in
simplicity, candor and innocence. So great an aversion I have to
artifice and disguise.

CHAPTER 16

The physician of whom I have spoken, was disposed to lay open his heart
to me. Our Lord gave him through me all that was necessary for him; for
though disposed to the spiritual life, yet for want of courage and
fidelity he had not duly advanced in it.

He had occasion to bring to me some of his companions who were friars;
and the Lord took hold of them all. It was at the very same time, that
the others of the same order were making all the ravages I have
mentioned, and opposing with all their might th