Chap. XV That the Grace of Devotion Is Obtained by Humility and Self-Denial
1. Thou oughtest to seek the grace of devotion earnestly, to ask it fervently, to wait for it patiently and confidently, to receive it thankfully, to keep it humbly, to work with it diligently, and to commit to God the time and manner of this heavenly visitation, until it shall please him to come unto thee.
Thou oughtest chiefly to humble thyself, when thou feelest inwardly little or no devotion; and yet not to be too much dejected, nor to grieve inordinately.
God often giveth, in one short moment, what he hath a long time denied:
He giveth sometimes in the end, that which in the beginning of prayer he deferred to grant.
2. If grace were always presently given, and ever at hand with a wish, it would be more than man’s infirmity could well bear:
Therefore the grace of devotion is to be expected with a good hope and humble patience. Yet impute it to thyself, and to thy sins, when it is not given to thee, or when it is secretly taken away.
It is sometimes a little thing that hinders or hides grace from us; if that may be called little, and not rather great, which hindereth so great a good:
But if thou remove this same, be it small or great, and perfectly overcome it, thou shalt have thy desire.
3. For as soon as ever thou hast delivered thyself up to God with thy whole heart, and neither seekest this nor that for thine own pleasure or will, but wholly placest thyself in him, thou shalt find thyself united and at peace; for nothing will relish so well, and please thee so much, as the good pleasure of the divine will.
Whosoever therefore with a single heart shall direct his attention upwards to God, and purge himself of all inordinate love or dislike of any created thing, he shall be the most fit to receive grace, and worthy of the gift of devotion:
For the Lord bestows his blessing there where he finds the vessels empty.
And the more perfectly one forsakes these things below, and the more he dies to himself by the contempt of himself, the more speedily grace cometh, entereth in more plentifully, and the higher it elevateth the free heart.
4. Then shall he see and abound, he shall admire, and his heart shall be enlarged within him, because the hand of the Lord is with him, and he has put himself wholly into his hand for ever. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that seeketh God with his whole heart, and taketh not his soul in vain.
Such a one as this, in receiving the Holy Eucharist, obtains a great grace of divine union; because he looks not towards his own devotion and comfort, but, above all devotion and comfort, regards the honour and glory of God.