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abiding in its place, and not being content with the order of GOD, and what is afforded therein from moment to moment? If men rightly knew this secret, they would all be fully content and satisfied. But alas! instead of being content with what they have, they are ever wishing for what they have not; while the soul, which enters into the divine light begins to be in paradise. What is it that makes paradise? It is the order of GOD, which renders all the saints infinitely content, though very unequal in glory!-From whence comes it that so many poor indigent persons are so contented, and that princes and potentates, who abound to profusion, are so wretched and unhappy? It is because the man who is not content with what he has, will never be without craving desires; and he who is the prey of an unsatisfied desire, can never be content.

ALL Souls have more or less of strong and ardent desires, except those which are in the divine moment. Some have good desires, as to suffer martyrdom for GOD; others thirst for the salvation of their neighbour, and some pant to see GOD in glory. All this is excellent: But he who rests in the divine moment, tnough exempt from all these desires, is infinitely more content, and glorifies God more. The moment of suffering is the order of GOD, and the desire of what one has does not accompany the thing itself. It is written concerning JESUS CHRIST, when he drove out of the temple those who profaned it, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.' John ii. 17. It was in that moment of the order of GOD, that these words had their effect. How many times had JESUS CHRIST been in the temple without such a conduct? Does not he

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occasionally say of himself, that his hour was not get come?

THE Saints in glory ever desire, and ever possess GOD-Yet this can hardly be called a desire; it is rather an appetite which the present good produces, and instead of being restless or painful, but augments the delight of enjoyment: -It is an energy or flight of the spirit, that enjoys and advances incessantly in Gon, discovering still new and transporting beauties in him.Eternity can never exhaust these infinite treasures of that beauty, which is ever ancient and new.-What they have once known, they know eternally, and yet every moment unfolds and discovers new scenes of wonder, and glory, and ever varying delights

THE tendency of the soul to its centre is so strong, that all the impetuosity which we see in inanimate creatures, to return to theirs, are but faint shadows of this bent of the soul to its origint, for the soul being highly superior, is consequently more powerful in its attraction. But GOD being infinite, his attraction is unspeakable.

FROM this infinite attraction of GOD, as well as the bent of the soul to follow the draught of the central force, one may judge of the pain of those souls, which are stopped in this violent bent, more or less, according as the obstacles, which hinder them from becoming lost in GoD, are more or less powerful: As also of the pain of souls in hell, a pain so much the greater as it is accompanied with the despair of ever being united to their centre. The reason we do not feel in this life the strong weight of our separation

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from, or the force of this powerful attraction to our centre, is because of the body, which, amusing itself with created objects, procures a diversion, and takes away the attention of the soul from this attracting virtue of the centre, till the inquietude of its separation hinders it from finding any peaceful rest on earth. Souls in purifying suffer no longer than till the fault or obstruction is taken away-for then the pain ceases, and the degree of their suffering is just in proportion to the guilt or hindrance, which prevents their re-union. And after a fall, they suffer more or less, according to the quality of the fault.-But I wander immoderately.

End of the Year 1682.

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CHAP. XI.

FTER Father La Combe was returned from Rome, well approved, and furnished with testimonials of his life and doctrine, he performed his functions of preaching and confessing as usual. To him I confessed; and he told me at first that I must return, as I have mentioned. I gave him an account of what I had done and suffered in his absence, and what care God had taken of all my concerns. I saw his Providence incessantly extended to the very smallest things. After having been several months without any news of my papers, when some pressed me to write, and blamed my neglect, an invisible hand held me back; my peace and confidence were great herein. I received a letter from the Ecclesiastic at home, which informed me that he had orders to come and see me, and bring me my

papers.

papers.

I had sent for a pretty considerable bundle of things from Paris for my daughter. I heard they were lost on the lake, and could learn no further tidings about them.

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BUT I gave myself no trouble, I always thought they would be found. The man who had taken the charge of them made a search after them a whole month, in all the environs, without hearing any news about them. At the end of three months they were brought to me, having been found in the house of a poor man, who had not opened them, nor knew who brought them thither. Once I had sent for all the money which was to serve me a whole year; the person had been to receive cash for the bill of exchange, having put that money in two bags on horsebacks, forgot that it was there, and gave the horse to a little boy to lead. The money fell from the horse in the middle of the market at Geneva. That instant I arrived, coming on the other side, and having alighted from my litter, the first thing I found was my money, in walking over it; what was surprizing, a great throng was in this place, and not one had perceived it. Many such things have attended me, which, to avoid prolixity, I pass by. These may suffice, to shew the continual protection of GOD.

me.

THE Bishop of Geneva continued to persecute When he wrote to me, it was with politeness and thanks for my charities at Gex: While at the same time he said to others, "I gave no"thing to that house." He wrote against me to the Ursulines with whom I lived, charging them to hinder me from having any conferences with Fa

ther

ther La Combe, for fear of bad consequences. The superior of the house, a man of merit, and the prioress, as well as the community, were so irritated at this, that they could not forbear testifying it to himself. He then excused himself with a pretended respect, saying, I did not mean it that way. They wrote to him, " that I did not see the Father but at the confessional, and not in "conference; that they were so much edified by "me, as to think themselves happy in having

me, and to esteem it a great favour from GOD.' What they said out of pure charity was not pleasing to the Bishop, who, seeing they loved me in this house, said, that I won over every body to my self, and that he wished I were out of the diocese. Though I knew all this, and these good sisters were troubled at it, I could have no trouble by reason of the calm establishment which I was in, the will of GOD rendering every thing equal to me; the creatures, however unreasonable or passionate they appear, not being regarded in themselves but in GOD; for an habitual faith causes every thing to be seen in GoD without distinction. Thus when I see poor souls so ruffled for discourses in the air, so uneasy for explanations, I pity them for their want of light. They have reasons, I know, which self-love causes to appear very just.

To relieve myself a little from the fatigue of continual conversation, as my body grew weak, I desired Father La Combe to allow me a retreat, and to give out that he had ordered me to make He told the people so; but they could hardly leave me in repose. It was then that I let myself be consumed by love all the day long. Then also I perceived the quality of a spiritual mother; for GOD gave me what I cannot express

one.

for

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