I. Let us now return to the reason why our Lord has

assembled us in this house, in which I am most desirous
that we should please His Majesty. Seeing how great
are the disasters of these times ^ (although some persons

^ Extract from a letter from the Saint to Don Lorenzo de
Cepeda, January 17, 1570 : “ I think it would be a consolation to
me to have you in Spain : I feel so little in anything connected
with this world, that perhaps our Lord will grant me this, so that
we may work together to promote His honour and glory, and to
help the salvation of souls. I am deeply grieved at seeing
so many lost, and the Indians cost me many tears. May God

l6 THE WAY OF PERFECTION. [CHAP. III.

have imagined that force of arms could stop this great
evil), and that no human power can quench the devouring
flames of heresy, which spread most rapidly, I think we
should act as people do when, in time of war, the enemy
has overrun the country and the King finds himself
hard pressed. He retires into a strongly fortified town
from whence he sometimes makes a sortie. The small
company with him in the citadel, being picked men, are
better than a large army of cowardly soldiers ; thus they
often come off victors, or at least, if not victors, they are
not vanquished, for there is no traitor in their ranks and
famine alone can conquer them. No famine can force
us to surrender — it may kill us — it cannot vanquish us !
But why have I told you all this ? To teach you, my
sisters, that we must ask God to grant that, of all the
good Christians in this fort, none may desert to the
enemy, that no traitor may be found here, and that the
captains of this castle, or city — that is, the preachers and
theologians — may be proficient in the way of our I.ord.
Since most of these are religious, you must pray that
they may advance in perfection and may follow their
vocation more perfectly. This is very necessary, for, as

enlighten them, for there are many miseries both in their country
and in our own. I travel to many places and talk to many
people, and I can only say that we are often worse than the
beasts, for we do not understand the great dignity of our souls
and we degrade them with the base things of this world. May
God give us light ! ”

CHAP. III.] INTERCESSION FOR THE CHURCH if

I said, it is the arm of the Church, and not of the State,
which must defend us now. We, being women, can fight
for our King in neither way : let us, then, strive so to
live that our prayers may avail to help these servants
of God, who have laboured hard to arm themselves with
learning and virtue with which to help their Sovereign.
You may ask why I insist so much on this, and why I
say we must help those who are better than ourselves.
I will explain this, as I do not think you realise how much
you owe to God for withdrawing you so entirely from all
earthly cares, from occasions of sin, and from the society
of the world. ^ This is a very special favour, and one
not shared in by the men I have been speaking of. In-
deed, it would be less fitting for them now than ever,
for they have to strengthen the weak and to encourage
the timid. What a state soldiers would get into without
their captain ! These defenders of the Church must live
amongst men and associate with them, they must frequent
the Court, and even, at times, conform outwardly to its
customs.

2. Do you think, my daughters, that it is easy to keep
friends with the world, to live in it, to transact worldly
business, and, as I said, to conform to its usages, and yet,
in one’s heart, to remain a stranger and enemy of this
same world, like an exile ? In short, not to be men but
to be angels ? Unless they are all this, they do not
2 Castle, M. vi. ch. vi. 14.

2

l8 THE WAY OF PERFECTION. [cHAP. III.

deserve the name of captains, and may our Lord prevent
them ever leaving their cells, for they will do more harm
than good. This is no time for defects to appear in the
teachers, who, unless they be forearmed by knowing the
need of spurning all things earthly beneath their feet,
detached from all things transitory, and wholly devoted
to what is eternal, are bound to manifest their imperfec-
tions, strive as they may to hide them. For are they
not dealing with the world ? Do not imagine that it
will pardon or fail to observe their shortcomings. Much
that is good may pass unnoticed — or even perhaps be
considered evil, but no fault or imperfection will ever
escape criticism.®

3. I wonder who taught them all about perfection
(not for their ovu practice, for they think it will suffice
to content God if they keep the commandments fairly
well) but that they may censure others, while some-
times they take virtue for self-indulgence ? You see
that, far from requiring but little help from God during
the great struggle in which they are engaged, our de-
fenders need it urgently. I wish you to lead such lives
as to merit to obtain these two favours from God.
Firstly, that among very learned theologians and religious
there may be many with the qualifications I describe, and
that our Lord may perfect those who are less fitted,
for one who is perfect can do more than many who are
3 Found, ch. i. 5, 6. Life, ch. xxxi. 19.

r

CHAP. III.] CHIEF OBJECTS OF PRAYER. icj

imperfect. The other favour is, that, when they are en-
gaged in this war (which, as I said, is a fierce one) our
Lord may uphold them with His hand and protect them
from the many dangers of the world, and may stop their
ears, in these perilous seas, to the song of the Sirens.
If we can prevail with God to grant any of these things,
though we are enclosed in this house, we are fighting
for Him,^ and I shall think all my pains have been well
spent in building this little nook, where I also intended
that the rule of our Lady and Empress should be kept
with all the perfection of its commencement.® Do not
think it is useless to continue these requests : some
people think it a hardship not to pray more for their
own souls, yet what better prayer could there be ? Per-
haps you are troubled at thinking that it will not free you
from the pains of Purgatory ; but this prayer will cancel
some of your debt, and if more is owing, never mind that.
What does it matter if I stay in Purgatory until the Day
of Judgment if my prayers save a single soul ? — how
much more if they save many and give glory to God ?
Care nothing for any earthly pain when there is question
of rendering some greater service to Him Who suffered
so much for us. Constantly try to learn what is most
perfect ; I beg you always to consult those who are
learned : and I will tell you why. I entreat you, for

Lt/e, ch. xxxvi. 28 and note.

® Way of Perf. ch. i. 4, 5 ; ch. xx. 2. Found, ch. i. 5. Rel.
ii. 13.

20 THE WAY OF PERFECTION. [CHAP. III.

the love of God, to beseech His Majesty to hear us in this.
Miserable wretch as I am, I beg Him to grant it, for it is
for His glory and the good of His Church, which is my
only care.®

4. It seems presumption in me to imagine that I have
any power to obtain this — I place all my confidence, O
my God, in these servants of Thine, who are with me and
who, as Thou knowest, neither desire nor seek to do
aught but please Thee. They have left the little they
possessed, only wishing they owned more to offer Thee.
Thou art not ungrateful, O Thou my Creator, that I
need fear Thou wilt refuse them what they ask, nor,
O Lord of my soul, didst Thou repulse women whilst
Thou wert in the world, but didst ever favour them,
and show them tender love and pitiful compassion.^
Thou didst put greater trust in them than in men, for
amongst them was Thy most holy Mother, whose merits
we share, and whose habit we wear, unworthy as we are
by reason of our sins. We can do nothing for Thee in
public, nor do we dare to tell the truths over which we
weep in secret, lest Thou shouldst not hear our most just
petition. Just and good as Thou art, O Lord, I will not

® Escorial, ch. iv. Treats of three very important matters
touching the spiritual life.

The following passage as far as “ though they are but women ”
is not in the MSS. of Valladolid, and even in that of the Escorial
it has been scratched out, but has been restored, with the ex-
ception of two lines which remain illegible.

CHAP. III.] APPEAL TO GOD THE FATHER. 21

believe that Thou wilt reject us. Thou art a just Judge,
not like earthly judges who, being sons of Adam and
stern men, have no faith in woman’s virtue. The day
will come, my King, when all will be known. I
speak not for myself, for all men know of my wicked-
ness, and I rejoice that it is made public, but, seeing
in what manner of times we are living, it is not right
to repulse the good and valiant, though they are but
women. When we beg of Thee honours, income,
riches, any worldly thing, do not listen to us, but
how shouldst Thou not hear us when we ask for what
concerns the honour of Thy Son ? Why, O Eternal
Father, shouldst Thou refuse those who would lose a
thousand honours and a thousand lives for Thee ? Not
for our sakes, O God, for we deserve it not, but for the
sake of Thy Son and of His merits. Think, should such
stripes and insults and such bitter torments be forgotten ?
How can a heart so loving as Thine own endure that
what was instituted with such ardent love by Thy Son,
for the sake of pleasing Thee (for Thou didst bid Him
love us) should be held of so little value as is the
Blessed Sacrament in these days by heretics ? For they
drive It from Its dwelling-place when they destroy the
churches. It is not as if He had left undone aught that
could please Thee. No, He has consummated every-
thing ! Was it not enough, O Eternal Father, for
Him to have had no place in which to lay His head

THE WAY OF PERFECTION.

22

[chap. III.

while He lived, amidst incessant toils, that now they
must deprive Him of the place to which He invites His
friends, seeing that they are fainting and knowing that
those who labour need to be supported by this meat ?
Has He not paid, in overwhelming excess, for the sin of
Adam ? Must this most meek and loving Lamb atone
anew for every fresh sin we commit ? Do not suffer it,
my Sovereign King ; let Thy Majesty be appeased ; look
not on our faults but on Thy most holy Son Who has
redeemed us ; reflect on His merits, on those of His
glorious Mother and on those of the many Saints and
Martyrs who have died for Thee ! But alas, O my God !
who am I, who have dared to offer Thee this petition in
the name of all ? My daughters, what a wretched advo-
cate you have, to gain a hearing and to present your
petition for you ! What if my presumption should anger
this supreme Judge, as would be only right and just ?
But remember, O my Sovereign and my Lord, that Thou
art the God of mercy ; do Thou prove it to this poor
sinner and worm who is thus bold with Thee. Look,
O God, upon my desires and on the tears with which I
beg this of Thee, and, forgetting my evil actions for Thine
own sake, take pity on the many perishing souls and
have mercy on Thy Church. Do not permit these evils
to increase in Christendom, O Lord, but illuminate its
darkness.

5. For the love of our Lord, I beg of you, my sisters.

CHAP. III.] INTERCESSION FOR SUPERIORS.

23

to intercede for this poor, presumptuous creature, and
fulfil your duty by asking Him to give her humility. I
do not charge you particularly to pray for kings and
prelates of the Church, especially for our own Bishop,® as
I see that you do so diligently, therefore I need not
speak of it. But let who will come after me, be sure,
that if the Superior is holy the community will be the
same, therefore ever crave this most important favour
from God. If your prayers and desires, your disciplines
and fasts, are not performed for these intentions, know
that you are not doing the work nor carrying out the
design for which God placed you here, and I beg His
Majesty, for the sake of His Godhead, never to let you
forget this.

® Don Alvaro de Mendoza, belonging to the family of the
Counts of Ribadavia, for some time first chaplain of San Juan
de los Reyes at Toledo, was nominated to the See of Avila in
1560, and became very intimate with St. Teresa, whose convent
he took under his protection and jurisdiction. In 1577 he was
promoted to the See of Palencia, and three years later he, together
with the Archbishops of Toledo and Sevilla, was commissioned
by the Pope to watch over the interests of the Discalced Carmel-
ites. He died April 19, 1586, and was buried in the chapel of
the convent of St. Joseph at Avila, where his tomb is still pre-
served. St. Teresa very frequently speaks of him, always in
terms of the highest veneration.

24

THE WAY OF PERFECTION.

[chap. IV.