e Holy Spirit of the
Lord. I could not but admire to see how the Lord was pleased to make
amends for former damages, pouring out His Spirit in abundance on these
men, while the others were laboring vehemently against it, doing all
they could to destroy its dominion and efficacy in their
fellow-mortals. But those good souls instead of being staggered by
persecutions, grew the stronger by it. The Superior, and the master of
the novices of the house in which this doctor was declared against me,
without knowing me. They were grievously chagrined that a woman, as
they said, should be so much flocked to, and so much sought after.
Looking at things as they were in themselves, and not as they were in
the Lord, who does whatever pleases Him, they had contempt for the gift
which was lodged in so mean an instrument, instead of esteeming the
Lord and His grace. Yet this good brother at length got the superior to
come to see me, and thank me for the good which he said I had done. Our
Lord so ordered, that he found something in my conversation which
reached and took hold of him. At length he was completely brought over.
He it was, who some time after, being visitor, dispersed such a number
of those books, bought at their own charge, which the others had tried
utterly to destroy. Oh, how wonderful art Thou, my God! In all Thy ways
how wise, in all Thy conduct how full of love! How well Thou canst
frustrate all the false wisdom of men, and triumph over their vain
pretensions!

There were in this noviciate many novices. The eldest of them grew so
very uneasy under his vocation, that he knew not what to do. So great
was his trouble that he could neither read, study, pray, nor do
scarcely any of his duties. His companion brought him to me. We spoke
awhile together, and the Lord discovered to me both the cause of his
disorder and its remedy. I told it to him; and he began to practice
prayer, even that of the heart. He was on a sudden wonderfully changed,
and the Lord highly favored him. As I spoke to him grace wrought in his
heart, and his soul drank it in, as the parched ground does the gentle
rain. He felt himself relieved of his pain before he left the room. He
then readily, joyfully, and perfectly performed all his exercises,
which before were done with reluctance and disgust. He now both studied
and prayed easily, and discharged all his duties, in such a manner,
that he was scarce known to himself or to others. What astonished him
mo