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The Ascent of Mount Carmel

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The Ascent of Mount Carmel 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. Prior of St. Luke's^ Wincanton, Somerset. LONDON: THOMAS BAKER. MCMXXII 5080 115 Impression . 1906 Second Impression . 1914 Third Impression . 1918 Fourth Impression . 1922 Printed in Great Britain by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld. London and Aylesbury. 93044 i* A v Q 1Q7A IU. CONTENTS. THE ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL. Argument Prologue BOOK I. THE NATURE OF THE DARK NIGHT, THE NECESSITY OF PASSING AND SPECIALLY THE DARK NIGHT OF SENSE AND DESIRE, IT THROUGH IN ORDER TO ATTAIN TO THE DIVINE UNION J WITH THE EVILS WHICH THESE INFLICT UPON THE SOUL. CHAPTER I. Two kinds of this 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. l*wo great evils oi the desires : negative and positive. Proofs from Scripture 27 i IV. CONTENTS. PAGF CHAPTER VII. The desires the suul. Proofs torment and illustrations , . , . 31 CHAPTER VIII. The desires darken the soul. Proofs and illustrations . .34 CHAPTER IX. desires soul. Proofs from The pollute the Scripture . * , .38 CHAPTER X. The desires make the soul lukewarm, and enfeeble virtue. Proofs and illustrations ........... 43 CHAPTER XL 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 ......... 6l BOOK II. PROXIMATE MEANS OF UNION, FAITH. THE SECOND NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT. CHAPTER I. The second stanza .... ^ o ... 63 CHAPTER II. The second part, or cause, of this night faith. Two reasons why it is darker than the first and third 66 CHAPTER III. Faith, the dark night of the soul. Proofs from reason and the Holy Scriptures , . 67 CONTENTS. V Mat CHAPTER IV. How the soul must be in darkness, in order to be duly guided by faith to the highest contemplation ........ 71 CHAPTER V. The union of the soul with God. A comparison 76 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 .82 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. Of the hurt and hindrance resulting from the apprehensions of the under the of the standing supernatu rally produced through instrumentality outward senses. How the soul is to be guided under such circum stances IO3 CHAPTER XII. cannot Of natural and imaginary apprehensions. Their nature. They of not be proportionate means of union. The evil results knowing how to detach oneself from them in time U* CHAPTER XIII. that he know when The signs to be observed by the spiritual man may to withdraw the understanding from imnginary forms and discursive meditations IJ CHAPTER XIV. for The fitness of these The necessity of observing them signs. "I spiritual progress . 71. CONTENTS. PAGE CHAPTER XV. ( OS the occasional necessity of meditating, and ex'.'/ j/ig the natural faculties on the part of those who begin to enter on the contempla tive state 131 CHAPTER XVI. Oi 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 tin injured because their spiritual directors do not guide them aright through these visions. How these visions, though from God, become occasions of error ........ 150 CHAPTER XIX. Visions, revelations, and locutions, though true and from God, may deceive. Proofs from Holy Scripture 156 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 198 CHAPTER XXV. Of revelations : their nature and division ...... 204 CHAPTER XXVI. Fie knowledge of pure truths. Two kinds thereof. The conduct of <&e soul therein . 20 CONTENTS. Vil. I'Al.E 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 supernalurally. 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 caution ; necessary 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. The sources "of them. The conduct to be observed by the soul so that these apprehensions shall not hinder it on the way of union . 235 BOOK III. THE PURGATION AND ACTIVE NIGHT OF THE MEMORY AND THE WILL. CHAPTER I. Of the natural apprehensions of the memory : which is to be emptied of them, that the soul, according to that faculty, may be united with God. 241 CHAPTER II. Three kinds of evils to which the soul is liable when not in darkness ; with respect to the knowledge and reflections of the memory. Ex planation of the first 250 CHAPTER III. Of the second evil, coming from the evil spirit through the natural ap prehensions of the memory .... ... 253 Vlll. CONTENTS. VMM CHAPTER IV. Of the third evil, proceeding from the distinct natural knowledge of the memory 255 CHAPTER V. The profitableness of forgetfulness and emptiness, with regard to all thoughts and knowledge, which naturally occur to the memory . 256 CHAPTER VI. Of the second kind of apprehensions : the imaginary and supernatural . 259 CHAPTER VII. The evils inflicted on the soul by the knowledge of supernatural things if reflected upon. Their number 260 CHAPTER VIII. Of the second evil : the danger of self-conceit and presumption . 263 CHAPTER IX. Of the third evil : the work of the devil through the imaginary appre hensions of the memory 265 CHAPTER X. Of the fourth evil of the distinct supernatural apprehensions of the memory : the impediment to union ....... 267 CHAPTER XL Of the fifth evil, resulting from the imaginary supernatural apprehen sions : low and unseemly views of God 267 CHAPTER XII. The benefits of withdrawing the soul from the apprehensions of the imagination. Answer to an objection. The difference between the natural and supernatural imaginary apprehensions .... 270 CHAPTER XIII. Of spiritual knowledge as it relates to the memory 277 CHAPTER XIV. General directions for the guidance of the spiritual man in relation to the memory 278 CHAPTER XV. Of the obscure night of the will. Proofs from Deuteronomy and the Psalms. Division of the affections of the will 281 CHAPTER XVI. Of the first affection of the will. What jay is. Its divers sources . 284 CONTENTS. n , PACK CHAPTER XVII. Of in it is to be directed joy temporal goods. How . , , , 286 CHAPTER XVIII. Of the evils resulting from joy in temporal goods ..... 290 CHAPTER XIX. The benefits from our from resulting withdrawing joy temporal things . 297 CHAPTER XX. The joy of the will in natural goods is vanity. How to direct the will to God therein 300 CHAPTER XXI. The evils of the will's in natural rejoicing goods . 302 CHAPTER XXII. The benefits of not in rejoicing natural goods ..,.. 307 CHAPTER XXIII. Of the third kind, sensible goods. Their nature and varieties. The regulation of the will with respect to them 310 CHAPTER XXIV. evils which befall the soul the will has in The when joy sensible goods .
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