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The Ascent of Mount Carmel

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The Ascent of Mount Carmel This is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by Google as part of a project to make the world’s books discoverable online. It has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books are our gateways to the past, representing a wealth of history, culture and knowledge that’s often difficult to discover. Marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in this file - a reminder of this book’s long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you. Usage guidelines Google is proud to partner with libraries to digitize public domain materials and make them widely accessible. 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About Google Book Search Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world’s books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at http://books.google.com/ 1 $arbaro College iLtbraru FROM I THE WORKS OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS. NIHIL OBSTAT Eduardus Badger O.C.D. Censor Deputatus. IMPRIMI POTEST Gulielmus Praepositus Johnson Vicarius Generalis. Westmonasterii Die 22 Feb. 1906. THE ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL BY ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS. TRANSLATED BY DAVID LEWIS WITH CORRECTIONS AND A PREFATORY ESSAY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MYSTICISM IN THE CARMELITE ORDER BY BENEDICT ZIMMERMANN, O.C.D. I*rior of St. Luke's, Wincanton, Somerset. LONDON: THOMAS BAKER. MDCCCCVI. MAY 22 1920 iii. CONTENTS. THE ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL. MM Argument i Prologue 3 BOOK I. THE NATURE OF THE DARK NIGHT, THE NECESSITY OF PASSING AND SPECIALLY THE DARK NIGHT OF SENSE AND DESIRE, THROUGH IT IN ORDER TO ATTAIN TO THE DIVINE UNION ; WITH THE EYILS WHICH THESE INFLICT UPON THE SOUL. CHAPTER I. Two kinds of ihis night, corresponding with the division of the soul into higher and lower 9 CHAPTER II. The nature and cause of the dark night . • . , . .11 CHAPTER III. The first cause of this night, the privation of the desire in all things . 13 CHAPTER IV. The necessity of passing truly through the dark night of sense, which is the mortification of the desire, in order to enter on the road of union with God 15 CHAPTER V. Continuation of the same subject. Proofs from scripture of the necessity of drawing near unto God through the dark night of mortified desires 21 CHAPTER VI. Two great evils of the desires : negative and positive. Proofs from Scripture 27 b PAGI CHAPTER VII. The desires torment the svul. Proofs and illustrations . , . Jl CHAPTER VIII. The desires darken the soul. Proofs and illustrations . ... 34 CHAPTER IX. The desires pollute the soul. Proofs from Scripture . ... 38 CHAPTER X. The desires make the soul lukewarm, and enfeeble virtue. Proofs and illustrations 43 CHAPTER XI. The necessity of freedom from all desires, however slight, for the divine union 45 CHAPTER XII. The nature of those desires which suffice to injure the soul . .51 CHAPTER XIII. How the soul enters by faith into the night of sense . .55 CHAPTER XIV. Explanation of the second line of the stanza ...... 60 CHAPTER XV. Explanation of the last lines . 61 BOOK II. s PROXIMATE MEANS Or UNION, FAITH. THE SECOND NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT. CHAPTER I. The second stanza *••..•*...63 CHAPTER II. Tli<_- second part, or cause, of this night— faith. Two reasons why it is dark' ''ran the fust and third 66 CHAPTER III. Faith, the dark night of the soul. Proofs from reason and the Holy Scriptures 67 CONTENTS. » PAW CHAPTER IV. II ow the soul must be in darkness, in order to be duly guided by faith to tfce highest contemplation Jl CHAPTER V. The union of the tool with God. A comparison yft CHAPTER VI. The three theological virtues perfect the powers of the soul, and bring them into a state of emptiness and darkness. Proofs from S. Luke and Isaias 8a CHAPTER VII. The straitness of the way of life. The detachment and freedom necessary for those who walk in it. The detachment of the under standing 86 CHAPTER VIII. No creature, no knowledge, comprehensible by the understanding, can subserve as proximate means of union with God . -93 CHAPTER IX. Faith is the proximate and proportionate means of the understanding by which the soul may attain to the divine union of love. Proofs from the Holy Scriptures 99 CHAPTER X. The divisions of the apprehensions and acts of the understanding . 103 CHAPTER XI. Or the hurt and hindrance resulting from the apprehensions of the under- • standing supernaturally produced through the instrumentality of the outward senses. How tne soul is to be guided under such circum stances 103 CHAPTER XII. Of natural and imaginary apprehensions. Their nature. They cannot be proportionate means of union. The evil results of not knowing bow to detach oneself from them in time 11a CHAPTER XIII. The signs to be observed by the spiritual man that he may knovywhen to withdraw the understanding from imaginary form* and ive meditations .118 CHAPTER XIV. The fitness of these signs. The necessity of observing them for spiritual progress 121 VI. CONTENTS. PACE CHAPTER XV. Of the occasional necessity of meditating, and exerting the natural faculties on the part of those who begin to enter on the contempla tive state 151 CHAPTER XVI. 01 imaginary apprehensions supernaturally represented to the fancy. They cannot be proximate means of union with God . 134 CHAPTER XVII. Of the ends and ways of God in communicating spiritual blessings to the soul through the senses. Answer to the question proposed . 143 CHAPTER XVIII. How souls are injured because their spiritual directors do not guide them aright through these visions. How these visions, though from God, become occasions of error 1 50 CHAPTER XIX. Visions, revelations, and locutions, though true and from God, may deceive. Proofs from Holy Scripture 1 56 CHAPTER XX. Proofs from Scripture that the divine locutions, though always true, are not always certain in their causes 166 CHAPTER XXI. God is at times displeased with certain prayers, though He answers them. Illustrations of His anger with such prayers . .- . .172 CHAPTER XXII. It is not lawful, under the new law, as it was under the old, to enquire of God by supernatural ways. This doctrine profitable for the under- • standing of the mysteries of our holy faith. Proofs from S. Paul . 182 CHAPTER XXIII. Of the purely spiritual apprehensions of the understanding . 195 CHAPTER XXIV. Of the two kinds of spiritual visions which come by the supernatural way 19S CHAPTER XXV. Of revelations : their nature and division ...... 204 CHAPTER XXVI. The knowledge of pure truths. Two kinds thereof. The conduct of the soul therein 205 CONTENTS. vii. PACK CHAPTER XXVII. Of the second kind of revelations, the disclosure of secrets and hidden mysteries. How they may subserve and hinder the divine union. Of the many delusions of the devil incident to them . .216 CHAPTER XXVIII. Of the interior locations which occur supernaturally. Their different kinds 220 CHAPTER XXIX. Of the first kind of words formed by the mind self-recollected. The causes of them. The advantages and disadvantages of them . 221 CHAPTER XXX. Of interior words formally wrought in a supernatural way. Of the dangers incident thereto ; and a necessary caution against delusions . 229 CHAPTER XXXI. Of the interior substantial locutions : the difference between them and the formal. The profitableness of them. The resignation and reverence of the soul in respect of them 233 CHAPTER XXXII. Of intellectual apprehensions resulting from the interior impressions supernaturally effected.
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