ly, the operation of God, without a desire either to
advance it, or place any obstacle in the way of its progress. The soul
has been active, in the first stage, to destroy, with all its power,
that which might hinder the kingdom of God within; and this was a great
effort; for habit had rendered interior recollection very difficult,
and the powers of the soul did not easily reunite themselves in one
centre.

Now the soul seeks no longer to combat the obstacles, which hindered
its return within, but lets God combat and act in the soul. Saying, it
is time O, Lord, that thou shouldst take possession of thy kingdom! Do
so, I pray thee, exclusively. I desire, on my part, only to observe
thine operation.

This commencement of the reign of God, and of the passive way, is very
highly relished by the soul. The soul passes days, and even years,
separated from creature enjoyments without weariness. It advances very
much more by this way, in little time, than by all the efforts of many
years. It is not without faults and imperfections, but divine love
diminishes them little by little, or does not permit the soul to become
disturbed by them, lest it become discouraged and its love hindered.
This state is called passive love. The soul sees no cause to fear; it
supposes that all the work is done, and that it has only to pass into
eternity, and to enjoy this good Sovereign, who already gives himself
to the soul in so much fulness.

But in the onward progress of the soul, it becomes no longer doubtful,
whether the soul is to remain in the passive enjoyment of God and his
communications. The soul begins to feel a drawing, to let God not only
be all things in the soul, but there to reign separate from the soul's
enjoyment of his gifts. The soul now experiences what is called, by
the author of the Imitation of Christ, _the exile of the heart_. It
hears a voice in the depth of the soul, or, rather, has an impression,
that God reigns there alone. This exile is at first very painful, for
it is important to notice, that, from the commencement of seeking God
in the depth of the soul to the possession of him, there are many
trials, temptations, sorrows. _Every successive state is marked by a
purifying process_. Persons often mistake, and take the first
purification for the last. When God reigns alone in the soul, separate
from the action of self, and self is destroyed, it is beyond any
previous state.

When the soul has ceased