CHAPTER XIV.

The last line of the first stanza explained.
t My house being now at rest/ When the house ot sensuality was at rest, that is, when the passions were mortified, concupiscence quenched, the desires subdued and lulled to sleep in the blessed night of the purgation of sense, the soul began to set out on the way of the spirit, the way of proficients, which is also called the illuminative way, or the way of infused contemplation, wherein God Himself teaches and refreshes the soul without meditation or any active efforts that itself may deliberately make. Such, as I have said, is this night (and purgation of the senses.
2. But this night, in their case who are to enter into that other more awful night of the spirit, that they may go forward to the divine union of the love of God — it is not everyone, but only a few who do so in general — is attended with heavy trials and temptations of sense of long continuance, in some longer than in others ; for to some is sent the angel of satan, the spirit of impurity, to buffet them with horrible and violent temptations of the flesh, to trouble their minds with filthy thoughts, and their imaginations with representations of sin most vividly depicted ; which, at times, becomes an affliction more grievous than death.
3 At other times this night is attended by the spirit
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of blasphemy ; the thoughts and conceptions are over- run with intolerable blasphemies, which now and then are suggested to the imagination with such violence as almost to break forth in words ; this, too, is a heavy affliction.
4. Again, another hateful spirit, called by the prophet,] € the spirit of giddiness/* comes to torment them. This spirit so clouds their judgment that they are filled with a thousand scruples and perplexities so embarrassing that they can never satisfy themselves about them, nor submit their judgment therein to the counsel and direction of others. This is one of the most grievous stings and horrors of this night, approaching very nearly/ to that which takes place in the night of the spirit. ^
5. God ordinarily sends these violent storms and temptations, in the night of the purgation of the sense to those whom he is about to lead afterwards into the other night — though all do not enter in — that being thus chastened and buffeted they may prove themselves, dispose and inure sense and faculties for the union of the divine wisdom to which they are to be then admitted. For if the soul be not tempted, tried, and proved in temptations and afflictions, sense will never attain to wisdom. That is why it is said in Ecclesiasticus,f 4 What doth he know/ asks the wise man, ‘ that hath not been tried ? ... he that hath no experience
* Is. xix. 14. f Eccles. xxxiv. 9, 10, 11.
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66 THE DARK NIGHT [BOOK I.
knoweth little. ... he that hath not been tried, what manner of things doth he know r ' Jeremias also bears witness to the same truth, saying : ‘ thou hast chastised me, and I was instructed/* The most proper form of this chastening, for him who will apply himself unto wisdom, are those interior trials of which I am now speaking. They are that which most effectually purges sense of all sweetness and consolations, to which, by reason of our natural weakness, we are addicted, and by them the soul is really humbled that it may be prepared for its coming exaltation.
6. But how long the soul will continue in this fast and penance of sense, cannot with certainty be told, because it is not the same in all, neither are all subjected to the same temptations. These trials are measured by the divine will, and are proportioned to the imperfections, many or few, to be purged away : and also to the degree of union in love to which God intends to raise the soul ; that is the measure of its humiliations, both in their intensity and duration.
7. Those who are strong and more able to bear suffering, are purified in more intense trials, and in less time. But those who are weak are purified very slowly, with weak temptations, and the night of their purgation is long : their senses are refreshed from time to time lest they should fall away ; these, however, come late to the
* Jerem. xxxi. 18.
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pureness of their perfection in this life, and some of them never. These persons are not clearly in the purgative night, nor clearly out of it ; for though they make no progress, yet in order that they may be humble and know themselves, God tries them for a season in aridities and temptations, and visits them with His con- * solations at intervals lest they should become faint- hearted, and seek for comfort in the ways of the world.
8. From other souls, still weaker, God, as it were, hides Himself, that He may try them in His love, for ^ without this hiding of His face from them they would 5 _never learn how to approach Him. But those souls that are to enter so blessed and high a state as this of the union of love, however quickly God may lead them, tarry long, in general, amidst aridities, as we see by experience. Having now brought the first book to a close, I proceed to treat of the second night.
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[book n.