 The Preface of Conceptions of Divine Love This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Anne Boulet Conceptions of Divine Love by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton The Preface Father Gratian informs us that, among the various books which St. Teresa wrote by the express command of her superiors, one was composed by her, consisting of very sublime meditations on Divine Love, on prayer, and other heroic virtues, in which certain words of the Book of Canticles were explained, hence the title, Conceptions of Divine Love on some words of the Book of Canticles. The St. herself, at the end of the seventh chapter, gives us the reason why she composed the book. My design when I began, she says, was to let you understand, daughters, how you might delight yourselves when you hear any words of the Canticles, and that you might meditate on the great mysteries contained in them, though in your opinion they may seem obscure, etc. Unfortunately, only seven chapters remain of this work, which, judging from the four chapters I have translated, must in every respect have equaled her other admirable books. When the saint had finished the work, she showed it to one of her confessors, who, thinking it a dangerous thing for a woman especially, to write on so difficult a part of the Holy Scripture, commanded her instantly to commit the book to flames. St. Teresa did so, with her usual heroic obedience and humility. But our Lord was pleased that a certain nun should previously copy the seven first chapters, which we now possess. However good may have been the motives of the confessor, who commanded the saint to burn the work. Yet I think he was bound first to have her use the whole of the book, before he pronounced judgment upon it. He would then have seen that it was not a commentary, but only an explanation of certain words in the Canticles, which she had either heard in sermons, or read in her brevery. Deeply then, do we deplore the loss of such a book, and sincerely do we regret that the confessor gave such a rash command to the saint. The manuscript of the seven chapters came into the hands of Father Gratian, who published them at Brussels in 1612. Another edition appeared at Valencia the following year, and a third was published at Madrid in 1615. The saint seems to have composed the book about the year 1577, because in it she refers to the Castle of the Soul, which was written in the same year. See Bollandus, page 454. Dandily expresses his highest admiration for the fragment we possess. It certainly abounds in most noble and sublime sediments, which cannot but excite the reader's affections, and incandle the love of God in his heart. J. Dalton. End of the preface. Chapter 1 of Conceptions of Divine Love This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boullet. Conceptions of Divine Love by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. Chapter 1. Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth, for thy breasts are better than wine. Chapter 1, verse 1. I have frequently observed that the soul, according to what she understands here, seems to be discoursing with one person and asking peace from another, because she says, Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth, and immediately she seems to say to him with whom she is speaking, Thy breasts are better. I do not understand how this is, and not understanding it gives me great consolation. For truly the soul is not so much to consider or respect her God, in the things which it seems we may comprehend here below by our poor understanding, as in those things which we cannot in any way understand. I therefore earnestly recommend you, when you read any book, or hear a sermon, or meditate on the mysteries of our holy faith, that you do not fatigue yourselves about what you cannot perfectly understand, nor tire your brain with subtle discussions. This is not fit for women, nor often even for men. When our Lord wishes us to understand the subject, He does it without any trouble to us. This I say with regard to men and women, who are called upon to maintain the truth by their learning, and as for those whom our Lord has appointed to explain it to us, it is evident they must labor and they gain thereby. But we must take what God gives us with simplicity, and what He does not give us, we must not torment ourselves about. But rejoice in considering that our God and our Lord is so great, that one of His words may include a thousand mysteries in it, and thus we do not understand it properly. No matter if it were in Latin, in Hebrew, or in Greek, it is the case even in our own language. How many things are there in the Psalms, which when explained to us in Spanish, are as obscure as if they were in Latin. Be always then on your guard against perplexing your mind or tiring yourselves, since women need no more than what suits their capacity, and in this respect God confers a favor upon us. When His Majesty is pleased to give it to us without care or trouble, we shall discover the meaning, as to the rest let us humble ourselves, and as I have said, be glad to have so great a Lord, whose words cannot sometimes be understood, even when spoken in our own tongue. You may think that in these canticles there are some words which might be expressed in another way. I do not wonder at this, considering our dullness, and therefore I have heard some person say that they avoid even hearing them. Oh, how great is our misery! For as venomous creatures turn all they eat into poison, so it is with us here, in spite of the great favors our Lord bestows upon us, in allowing us to understand the great blessings which the soul enjoys that loves him, and in his encouraging her, that so she may be able to address His Majesty, and regal herself with Him, whereby we ought to conceive a greater love for God, yet we give meanings to those words, corresponding with the cold affections of divine love which we have attained. Oh, my Lord! What bad use we make of all the blessings you have conferred upon us! Your Majesty seeks out ways and means to declare the love you have for us, and we, because little experienced in loving you, so undervalue it, that our thoughts, not accustomed to it, tend to those things which always occupy them, and neglect considering the great mysteries contained in those words, which are inspired by the Holy Ghost, these we avoid. What do we require more to inflame us with His love, than to consider that this mode of speaking is not used without great reason? I remember well I once heard a religious man make a very excellent sermon, and the greater part of his discourse was about those caresses of the spouse with God. But the sermon caused great laughing among the audience, and everything that he said was taken in such a bad part, for he spoke on love, being commanded to do so by his superior, and to preach on certain words of the canticles, that I was astonished. I see clearly that, as I have said, it is owing to our having too little practice in the love of God, which makes us think a soul cannot speak with God in such expressions. But I know some persons who have, on the contrary, gain such great benefit thereby, and so much consolation and security from their fears, as often to give our Lord particular thanks, for leaving so salutary a remedy for souls who love Him with a fervent love, and who see and understand how God abases Himself. But had they not had experience thereof, they would still be fearful. I know a person who for many years lived in great fear, and nothing could comfort her, till our Lord was pleased she should hear certain words from the canticles, and by them she understood her soul was going on well. I think, as I said, that the soul, being enamored of Christ her spouse, suffers all these delights, swoonings, deaths, joys, and afflictions with Him, after she has left for His sake the pleasures of the world, and has now entirely resigned herself into His hands. And this is not only in words, as it happens to some, but with the love in every way sincere and perfected by deeds. Oh, my daughters, what a good paymaster God is! And you have a Lord and a spouse from whom nothing escapes, for He sees and understands it, and therefore, though they may be very trifling matters, do not neglect for love of Him to do all you can, because His Majesty will reward you for them, as if they were great, since He only considers the love wherewith you do them. I conclude them with this advice, that you never detain yourselves longer than I told you, for anything you do not understand, either in the Holy Scriptures or in the mysteries of our faith, neither terrify yourselves at the amorous words, which you may hear passing in them between God and the soul. The love He has had, and still has for us, astonishes and confounds me the more, considering what we are, and knowing and seeing there is no exaggeration of words whereby He might prove His love for us, which He has not exceeded by deeds. When you arrive there, I beseech you to stay a little, and think on what He has discourse to us and done for us. Then we plainly perceive that the love He bears us was so powerful and strong as to make Him suffer so much. What more words can be required to astonish us again? But to return to what I was saying, there must needs be great things and deep mysteries in these words of such immense value, since learned men have told me so, upon my requesting them to explain to me what the Holy Ghost meant to say therein. But yet they did not give me any meaning which was quite satisfactory. Hence you may suppose my pride is very excessive in undertaking to explain to you something out of the canticles. But this is not my intention, however little may be my humility, nor do I think I shall be able to arrive at their true meaning. My intention here is that as I receive consolation in what our Lord allows me to understand when I hear something mentioned from the canticles, so I desire to tell you that which may perhaps comfort you and me. And if what I say do not agree with a meaning, it is at least suitable to my purpose, since as long as we do not depart from what the Church holds and the saints believe and the learned who understand the matter will examine what I say before you see it in print. I think our Lord will allow us to do this, as indeed He does when meditating on His sacred passion we often think on those labors and torments which doubtless our Lord there suffered besides what is written by the evangelists. If this be not done through curiosity, as I mentioned at first, but if we receive whatever His Majesty shall enable us to understand, I consider it certain He is not displeased at our thus consoling and delighting ourselves in His words and works. In the same manner as it would delight a king to see a shepherd on whom He had bestowed some favor, expressing astonishment on viewing His embroidered robe and pondering how it was made and what it was. So we women are not to be so hindered from enjoying the riches of our Lord and from speaking of them as to conceal them entirely, thinking that thereby we do well. We should rather first show our writings to learned men, and if they approve them, then communicate them to others. Neither do I think, God knows well, that I succeed in what I write, but I only do as the shepherd does, whom I have mentioned above. I rejoice to communicate my meditations to you as to my daughters, though I do so with many imperfections. And so I begin with the assistance of my king and likewise with the leave of my confessor. God grant that as it has pleased him to enable me to affect something in other things which I have said, or rather His Majesty by me, perhaps in order to do you good. So I may succeed in this also. But if not, I shall consider the time well spent which I employ in writing and musing with my own thoughts on a subject so divine that I do not deserve to hear it spoken of. Me thinks that in this which I mentioned at first, the spouse speaks with a third person and that the Holy Ghost gives us to understand that there are two natures in Christ, the one divine and the other human. I do not wish to dwell on this point because my intention is to speak of that which I hope may do us good, who treat of prayer, though everything serves to encourage and astonish the soul which loves our Lord with ardent desires. His Majesty knows well that though I have sometimes heard the explanation of these words, which at my request have been explained to me, yet it was not frequently and I do not now remember anything of the explanation. For I have a bad memory and I can say nothing except what our Lord shall teach me and what I think will suit my purpose. I do not remember having ever heard any explanation of this beginning. Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth. O my Lord and my God, what words are these for a worm to utter to its maker? Blessed be thou, O Lord, who by so many ways has instructed us. But who, my King, dare utter these words, but by your permission? This astonishes one and some perhaps may be astonished at my saying that none can utter them. They will say, I am a fool, for the spouse does not wish to speak so, since the words kiss and mouth have many significations. It is also evident we should not speak such words to God and therefore it would be good if simple people did not read these things. I acknowledge these words may have many meanings, but the soul that is so inflamed with love as to make her a fool is nothing else but to utter these words that God would not take away his love from her. O Lord, what are we astonished at? Is not the deed more to be admired than the words? Do we not unite ourselves with the most holy sacrament? I was likewise thinking whether the spouse here requested the favor which Christ afterwards bestowed upon us when he became our food. I also considered whether she desired that close and intimate union was affected by God becoming man and that friendship which he contracted with mankind, for it is evident that a kiss is a sign of peace and of great friendship between two persons. May our Lord help us to understand how many kinds of peace there are. One thing I wish to say before I proceed further and in my opinion it is important, though it might be more seasonable at another time but I will mention it now lest I might forget it, for I consider it most certain. And it is this, that many persons will come to the most holy sacrament in mortal sin. And would to God I were deceived and if they should hear a soul which is consumed through her love of God utter these words, they would be greatly surprised and would consider it a great boldness. At least I am sure they would not express themselves in these or such like words that are found in the canticles. Love utters them and as these people have it not, they may read the canticles every day yet will not practice them or even dare to pronounce them. For truly the very hearing of them excites their fear because such words carry with them a great majesty. Thou indeed, O Lord, art very majestic in the most holy sacrament but as they have not a lively but a dead faith, these persons be holding you so humble under the appearance of bread and as you say nothing to them because they do not deserve to hear you. Presume so much on this account to receive you. Hence these words, taken literally would of themselves excite fear in one if he that utters them were in his perfect senses. But they do not terrify those whom our love and our Lord have ravished out of themselves. You will pardon me for saying this and even more though it be a boldness. And O my Lord if a kiss implies peace and friendship why do not souls beg of you to ratify it with them? What better thing can we ask of you? That which I request of you my Lord is to grant me this peace with a kiss of your mouth. This my daughters is the highest kind of petition as I shall afterwards explain to you. End of Chapter 1 Chapter 2 of Conceptions of Divine Love This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ann Boulet Conceptions of Divine Love by St. Teresa of Avila translated by the reverend John Dalton Chapter 2 She mentions nine kinds of false peace, imperfect love and deceitful prayer. May God deliver you from many kinds of peace which worldlings have. God grant we may never experience them for they raise a perpetual war. There is one peace when a worldly man goes on very quietly, plunged in great sins and yet so secure in his vices that his conscience does not trouble him in anything. This peace you have already heard that he and the devil are friends and that as long as he lives he will not make war upon him because in order to avoid such a war and not for the love of God they would return a little to our Lord and correct themselves. But those who act in this manner will never continue long in his service and the devil knowing this continues to give them pleasure and they return again to his friendship till he makes them understand how false their peace was. Of these I have no occasion to speak let them enjoy their quiet I trust in God so great and evil will not be found amongst us. The devil may also begin to attack us in little things in a kind of peace and thus my daughters whilst we live we must always fear ourselves when a religious begins to grow relax in some things which in themselves seems small and if she continue in this state a long time and find no remorse of conscience this is a false peace and thereby the devil makes her very bad such as breaking any rule of the constitution in itself perhaps no sin and carelessness in performing what our superior commands though this may be done without malice still he in reality holds the place of God and it is good always to obey him. Since it is for this purpose we have come here and we should continually notice what is his will in any other little matters which happen and though in themselves they may seem to be no sins yet they are imperfections and will infallibly happen because we are women. I do not deny it but what I mean to say is that they are sorry for them when they commit them and know they have done wrong for otherwise as I was saying the devil may be glad of it and by little and little he may go on making a soul insensible regarding these small matters I tell you daughters that when the devil shall be able to attain his end he has gained a great deal and because I am afraid to proceed further therefore take great care for the love of God since there must be a war in this life for among so many enemies it is not possible for us to stand with our hands across but we must be continually on our guard and observe how we proceed both in our interior and exterior I also tell you that though in prayer our Lord may confer favors upon you yet when you are not engaged in it there will come a thousand stumbling blocks and little occasions as for instance breaking this rule through negligence not observing another besides internal troubles and temptations I do not say that this war is always to continue or that it is very common nor yet that troubles and temptations must never happen for sometimes they are rather great favors of God and thus the soul improves in this world it is not possible to become angels for this is not our nature the truth is I am not troubled when I see a soul in very great temptations because if she have a love and fear of our Lord she will gain a great deal this I know but if I see any persons always going on quiet and without any kind of war for I have met with some who though I did not see them offend our Lord always kept me in fear I am never secure of them and therefore I do often prove and try them all I can since the devil does not and that so they may see what they are I have indeed met with few such but it is possible that our Lord having raised the soul to a high degree of contemplation one may acquire this method of proceeding and possess a certain internal joy still for my part I consider that they know it not and having examined the subject I perceive that sometimes they have little combats also but these are more rare yet so it is that I do not envy these souls for I have seriously considered the case that they advance much further who sustained the combat I have mentioned and have as sublime prayer in matters of perfection as we are able to conceive in this world let us now leave those souls who are so much improved and mortified after having endured this for many years that they find themselves as it were dead to the world the rest are commonly accustomed to enjoy peace yet not in such a way as not to perceive the faults they commit and be very sorry for them hence you see daughters that God conducts us in many ways but I am always fearful for you as I said when you have no remorse for a fault which you commit since even for a venial sin I think you would be grieved to the heart as thanks be to God I believe you now feel one thing observe and remember for my sake if when a person is alive you prick her even very slightly with a needle does she not feel it or with a thorn however small it may be does it not paint her now if the soul be not dead but have a strong love of God is it not a great grace for her to feel grieved for so little a thing she does which is not in accordance with our professions and obligations oh when an honor it is for a soul to whom God gives this solicitude to make a bed of roses and flowers for his divine majesty it is quite impossible he should refuse to come and wriggle himself with her even though late oh God though we have left the world what are we doing in a monastery wherefore came we here and what can we employ ourselves better than making in our souls lodgings for our spells since we take him for such when we make our profession let's scrupulous persons understand me for I do not speak of a fault committed once or of faults that cannot be known nor always perceived I speak of one who commits them very frequently without making any account of them esteeming them as nothing experiencing no remorse of conscience nor endeavoring to correct them I say again that this is a dangerous piece and beware of it what then will become of those who give way to frequent relaxations of their rule God grant there may be none such the devil may however introduce the evil in many ways God permits it on account of our sins but there is no necessity to speak of it here I thought it useful to say a little in order to put you on your guard against it let us now pass on to the peace and friendship which God begins to show us in prayer on which I shall say what his majesty may give me to understand but I thought fit to speak a little to you at first of the peace which the world gives and our own sensuality affords us the plain is in many respects better explained by others who have written on the subject yet being poor you may perhaps want money to purchase the books and you may find no one to be stow in alms upon you but what I say is kept in the monastery and you can all see it together a person may be deceived many ways in the peace which the world gives I will mention some of these ways that we may be wail our misery exceedingly who through our own world do not arrive at an intimate but our content with a slight friendship with God oh lord would that we did not thus content ourselves but remember the reward is great and without end and that having already arrived at this great familiarity God even here below bestows this happiness upon us and many Terry at the foot of the mountain who might ascend to the top in other things which I have written for you I have often told you this no I repeat it again and beseech you that our thoughts may always be courageous for hereby it may happen God will give you grace that your affections may be likewise believe me this is very important there are then some persons who have obtained the friendship of the Lord for they make a good confession of their sins and repent of them but scarcely have two days passed by before they return to them again now you may be sure this is not the peace and friendship which the spouse desires daughters always endeavor not to be going every time to your confessor to acquaint him with the same fault it is true we cannot be without them but at least let them be changed that they may not take root for then they will be eradicated with more difficulty and it may even happen that from them may spring many other roots if we water every day a plant or shrub that we have set it will grow so large that we shall afterwards require a spade and mattock to dig it up and so it seems to me it is the same thing when we daily commit the same fault however little it may be if we do not correct it but if it should be allowed to grow only one or ten days and then be rooted up immediately all will be easy this amendment you must beg of our Lord in prayer for of ourselves we can do little we should rather add to our former entreaties and in that dreadful judgment at the hour of death they will help us and those especially whom the judge chose in this life for his spouses oh great condescension of God which excites and induces us to walk on with diligence strive to please this Lord our king but how ill do those persons repay his friendship who so soon again become his mortal enemies great indeed is the mercy of God how many friends shall we find so patient when a breach happens even for once between two friends it is never forgotten and never are they such friends again as they were before but how many times do we violate our friendship with God how many years does he wait for us in this manner blessed be thou oh my Lord who waitest for us with such great compassion that you seem to forget your own greatness in order not to punish so perfidious a this appears a dangerous state to me for though the mercy of God be such as we see it is yet we often observe that many die without confession may God in his mercy deliver you from so dreadful of fate there is another peace and friendship of the world less evil than this these that of persons who are careful not to offend God mortally but these people keep themselves from mortal sins yet I think from time to time they sin almost only for they take no care to guard against venial sins though they commit many in the day and thus they come very near to mortal sin do you screw at this they say and many speak thus for I have heard them this holy water is sufficient and so are the remedies which our mother the church uses oh how are these words to be deplored for God's sake daughters use great caution here so as for to become careless about committing a venial sin however small it may be under the pretext of such a remedy for it is very important always to have so clean a conscience that nothing may hinder you from praying to our Lord to grant you that perfect friendship which the spouse desires but this is not what I have mentioned for that is a very suspicious friendship on many grounds because it tends to pleasures which disturb the soul and disposes great topidity nor do such persons know well whether they commit a venial or a mortal sin may God deliver you from this for because they imagine they are not under the guilt of great sins as they see others are they continue in this false peace it is not likewise assign a perfect humility to judge our neighbors to be worse than ourselves since it may be that they are much better because they bewail their sins and this sometimes with great sorrow and perhaps with more firm resolutions than we do and besides many even go further so as never to offend God afterwards either in great or little things but these others thinking they do not commit a grievous offense give greater scope to their delights and taking care that their vocal prayer should for the most part be properly said they are not carried to any higher degrees there is another kind of peace and friendship which our Lord bestows on some persons who though they would not absolutely offend him in anything yet do not so carefully avoid the occasions of sin now though these individuals often observe their appointed times for prayer and our Lord gives them tears and tenderness still they do not wish to give up the pleasures of this life but prefer to have an easy and delightful life for they think that this quiet suits them well for living at their ease this life carries with it many changes and it will be very difficult for such as these to persevere in virtue for as they do not withdraw themselves from the delights of the world they will soon become relaxed in the way of our Lord because there are powerful enemies to turn us aside from it this daughters is not the friendship our spouse wishes nor do you desire it but always keep yourselves even from the least occasion however small if you wish your soul to advance in perfection and to live with security I know not why I mention these things except that you may understand the dangers to which you expose yourselves by not resolutely quitting the pleasures of the world in order to avoid many faults and many troubles but there are so many ways by which our Lord begins to enter into friendship with souls that it seems to me it would be endless to mention those I have known though I am a woman what then may not confessors tell and those persons who more particularly converse with such souls some of them quite astonish me because nothing seems to them to be wanting for being the friends of God I will give you some account of one individual especially with whom I converse not long ago very familiarly she was a person who loved to communicate very frequently and never did she speak ill of anyone she had tenderness and lived in continual solitude for she dwelt in a house by herself she was of such a sweet disposition that nothing could make her angry which was a very great perfection she uttered no unbecoming language had never been married neither was she now of an age to marry and besides she had suffered great afflictions with her usual peace and tranquility when I noticed these good qualities I thought they were signs of a soul far advanced and a very high prayer at first I esteemed her exceedingly because I saw she committed no offense against God and I heard from others also that she was careful not to commit any but when I converse a little more with her I began to perceive that all went on well with her till her interest or self love were touched then her conscience was not so tender but gross enough for I discovered that though she suffered all things that were said to her with patience yet she still adhered to points of honor or esteem being thus immersed in this misery which held her captive she was also so much addicted to listening and inquiring after what was said and done in the world that I wondered how such a person could continue one hour alone she was likewise very fond of her own ease all her actions she gilded over and excused from sin and according to the reason she gave I thought people would have wronged her in some things had they judged otherwise but in other matters as the case was evident she could not well understand her proceedings she quite captivated me and almost everyone considered her to be a saint but I afterwards saw that respecting the persecutions which she mentioned as having suffered she ought not to have represented herself as being free from all blame and I did not envy her way of living nor her sanctity she and two more whom I have seen in my life who were saints in their own opinion have terrified me more all the sinners I ever saw beseech our lord to give us light and daughters praise him exceedingly who has brought you to these monasteries where however so much the devil labors he cannot delude you in the same way that he does those who live in their own houses there are souls who seem to want nothing for soaring to heaven itself since in their own opinion they attain perfection in everything but no one can understand them in monasteries I have never failed to understand them since they cannot do there what they like but only what they are commanded and though in a secular life they might sincerely desire to understand themselves because they are desirous of pleasing God yet they cannot because in whatever they do they follow their own will or if sometimes they deny themselves still they are not much accustomed to such mortification some persons however are to be accepted to whom for many years our lord has given light to enable them to find one who can understand them and whom they can obey and whose great humility carries with it little self-confidence and though they may be more learned yet do they resign themselves to another's judgment others there are who have left all for our lord having neither house nor estate nor any desire for pleasures for they are penitents nor for the things of the world as our lord has already enlightened them to know how miserable they are but yet they place a great value on reputation and do nothing which is not very pleasing to men as well as to God what great discretion and prudence these two qualities but ill agree together and the misfortune is that without perceiving their own weakness they prize their own character with the world almost more than their friendship with God these souls are generally affected with the least thing which is spoken about them though it may be true it disturbs them they do not carry their cross but drag it along the ground and thus it burdens them and wearies them and torments them exceedingly for if the cross be loved it is carried with delight this is certain this then is not the friendship which the spouse expects and therefore my daughters since you have taken the vow I mentioned in the beginning careful you dwell not in the world everything is only a torment to you if you have forsaken more than others forsake the world also its amusements its pleasures and riches all of which though false do yet please some men what do you fear know that you do not well understand the matter since for obtaining one favor which by a word the world can bestow upon you you must first load yourselves with the thousand cares and obligations of which cares there is such abundance if we desire to please worldlings that to avoid being tedious it would be out of place here and indeed quite impossible to mention them there are other souls and with these I conclude in whom if you observe them you will find certain signs by which it is manifest that they begin to advance and yet they stop in the midst of their course though these neither care for the words of men nor for their own reputation yet they are not accustomed to mortification and to the denial of their own will and hence it seems the world has not departed from their body and even though they seem prepared to suffer all things and already to be saints yet in important matters concerning the honor of our Lord they look to their own honor and neglect that of God they do not perceive this fault nor imagine that they now fear the world but only God still they fear what may happen and that a good work might be the beginning of some great evil which it seems the devil suggests to them they prophesy a thousand years beforehand what is to come these are not the souls to imitate the act of saint Peter and cast themselves into the sea or what many other saints have done to risk their rest and their very lives for the good of souls they wish by a quiet way to attract souls to God but not to expose themselves to danger nor does faith affect much in them because they always follow their own resolutions one thing I have observed these that out of religion we see but few in the world who trust in God for their support I know but two persons who have such a confidence but in religion they already know they will want for nothing though I believe that whoever enters into it sincerely for God's sake only will not so much as think of this but how many are their daughters who would not abandon what they have were it not for the security they have in religion and because on other occasions where I have given you directions I have spoken at length of these pusillanimous souls and shown what harm they receive thereby and what immense good they derive by having at least great desires when noble deeds cannot be done I shall say here nothing more about them since then our Lord raises them to so high estate let them serve him therein and shut themselves up in a corner for though they be religious if they cannot otherwise benefit their neighbors especially women yet by heroic resolutions and ardent desires of helping souls their prayers will have great power and either in their lifetime or after their death our Lord perhaps will be pleased to make them instrumental in doing good just as he is doing now with regard to our holy brother Diego who was a layman and knew nothing but to serve yet God revives his memory so many years after his death in order that he may be an example to us by which we shall be excited to praise his majesty as then my daughters our Lord has raised you to this state you want but little towards obtaining that peace and friendship which the spouse desires cease not to implore it with continual tears and fervent desires do all you can on your part to induce him to give it to you though it is evident that this state is not the peace and friendship which the spouse asks still our Lord confers a great favor on those whom he raises to this degree because it is bestowed only after they have practiced prayer penance humility and many other virtues may our Lord be blessed forever who bestows all these upon us Amen End of Chapter 2 Chapter 3 of Conceptions of Divine Love This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ann Boulet Conceptions of Divine Love by St. Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton Chapter 3 On True Peace which is the Love of God and Union with Christ Let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth Canticles Chapter 1 Oh Holy Spouse we now come to that which you ask these that Blessed Peace which makes a soul expose herself to a war with all the world she herself remaining in perfect quiet and security Oh what a great happiness it is to obtain this favor the union of a soul with the will of God so that there may be no division between him and her but one in the same will not in words and desires only but supported by deeds hence when she knows that she can serve her spouse better in something she feels such a great love and desire to please him that she listens not to the reasons which the understanding offers to the contrary nor does she heed the fears it represents to her but she allows faith to operate hence she regards not her own prophet or quiet but understands now that therein consists all her benefit you may think daughters that what I have said is not exactly correct since it is so commendable to act with discretion but you should notice one thing Vs. to know as far as you can for it cannot be known for certain whether our Lord has heard this your petition to kiss you with the kiss of his mouth if he wants to discover this by the effects proceeding from it you must not detain yourselves with anything but forget yourselves in order to please so dear a spouse his majesty makes himself in many ways perceived by those who enjoy this favor one sign is undervaluing all earthly things and esteeming them as they really are not desiring any earthly good because you already know it is vanity taking no delight except with those who love our Lord the glory of this life to value riches just as they deserve and so on this is what he teaches those who have raised them to such a state a soul who has arrived there has nothing to fear unless her not having deserved that God should be pleased to make use of her in giving her troubles and occasions whereby she may do him some service though it may cost her much here then as I have said love and faith work and the soul does not make use of that of which the understanding informs her this union coming between the two spouses has taught her other things which the understanding cannot reach and which she therefore despises and treads under her feet in order that we may understand this better I will make use of a comparison in the country of the Moors there is a slave who has a father or some great friend very poor and yet unless he can redeem him he has no means of being free to effect this object his whole state is not sufficient he must become a slave himself for this captive the great love he has for him obliges him to prefer his friends liberty before his own but discretion immediately steps in with her many reasons alleging that he is more bound to himself and it may be that he has less courage to bear such a captivity than the other that possibly he may be forced to deny his faith and that it is not proper to expose himself to such danger and so on but oh powerful love of God how it thinks there is nothing impossible to one who loves happy the soul who has been able to attain this piece of her God which this Lord gives in spite of all the dangers and afflictions of the world none of which she fears in serving so dear a spouse and Lord nor does she heed the reason such as the friend does whom we have just mentioned you have sisters of a certain saint named Paul Inas bishop and confessor who not for the sake of any son or friend but because he must certainly have arrived at this happy state these this piece of our Lord and to please his majesty and in something to imitate all that he has done for us went into the country of the Moors to be exchanged for a son of a certain widow who came to him in great affliction you have read how well he succeeded and what great profit he gained thereby lately in our own times I knew a person who came to visit me whom our Lord moved with such great charity that it cost him many tears to obtain leave to go and exchange himself for a slave he spoke on the subject with me for he belonged to the discals fathers of Peter of Alcantara and after many entreaties he obtained leave from his general but when he was four leagues from Algiers wither he was bound in order to accomplish his desire God took him to himself and no doubt he received a blessed reward now how many discreet persons were there who told him it was a foolish undertaking it seems such to those amongst us also who have not arrived at such a great love of our Lord and yet what greater extravagance than for us to end the sleep of this life in such great prudence God grant we may deserve to enter heaven but much more to be of the number those who have advanced so far in loving God but I now see that in order to effect such things we have need of his powerful assistance and therefore I advise you daughters that with the spouse you always beg this sweet peace because you may thus triumph over all the little fears of the world and resist them with every kind of quiet and tranquillity is it not clear that on whom so ever God shall be so great a favor as to unite himself in such close friendship with his soul he will thereby become exceedingly enriched with his blessings for truly these goods cannot come from us but only by requesting and desiring that our Lord would bestow this favor upon us and even this too by his assistance as to the rest what can a poor worm do when sin makes it so cowardly and miserable that we measure all virtues exactly according to our mean capacity now daughters what remedy is there for this to desire with the spouse let him kiss me with the kiss of his mouth if a poor country girl should marry a king and have children by him are not those children a blood royal now if our Lord confer so great a favor on a soul as to unite himself so inseparably to her what desires what effects what children of heroic actions might not come from this union unless it happened otherwise by her own fault I am certain that did we once come to the most holy sacrament with great faith and love that once would be sufficient to enrich us how much more if we come frequently but it seems our coming to him is only a compliment and therefore we derive such little benefit oh wretched world that keep us so closely shut the eyes of those who live in thee as not to discern the treasures with which they might purchase everlasting riches oh lord of heaven and earth how is it possible that though living in this mortal life one may enjoy you with such particular friendship and that the holy ghost should so plainly express it in these words and yet that we will not understand what are the caresses where with his majesty regals souls in these canticles what courtings what sweet attractions only one word would be sufficient to dissolve us into you blessed be you oh lord for we shall lose nothing on your part by how many ways and means do you express love for us by labors by so cruel a death by torments by suffering every day and pardoning injuries and not only thus but by certain words which wound the soul who loves you which you scatter in the canticles and which you teach her to say to you I know not how these could be endured except you held him that feels them to adore them not as they deserve but in proportion to our weakness now my lord I ask you nothing else in this life but to kiss me with the kiss of your mouth and this in such a way that I should not be able even though I wished to withdraw myself from this union and friendship oh lord of my life let my will always be so docile that it may never depart from yours and that there may be nothing to hinder me from saying my god and my glory your breasts are better than wine end of chapter 3 chapter 4 of Conceptions of Divine Love this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ann Boulet Conceptions of Divine Love by St. Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton chapter 4 on the sweet, pleasant and delicious love of God which arises from God dwelling in the soul by the prayer of quiet signified by the words the breasts of God thy breasts are better than wine smelling sweet of the best ointments Canticles chapter 1 oh my daughters what great mysteries are concealed under these words God grant we may feel them with difficulty can they be expressed when His Majesty vouchsafes in His mercy to grant the spouse this petition He begins to contract a friendship with the soul which only those among you who have experienced it can understand on this subject I have treated in two books which if our Lord please you will see after my death at great length because I think you required it and therefore I shall only touch on the matter here do not whether I shall explain it in the same words with which our Lord was pleased to enable me to explain in the books I wrote there is excited in the interior of the soul so greatest weakness that it makes her perceive very clearly our Lord is very near to her this is not that kind of devotion which excites one much to tears for though these cause a certain tenderness when one weeps either over our Lord's passion or over our own sins yet it is not as great as this prayer I speak of and which I call the prayer of quiet on account of the repose it produces in all the powers so that the person seems to possess God just as he wishes most it is true that sometimes one finds it otherwise when the soul is not so engulfed but with this sweetness the whole interior and exterior man seems to be delighted as if some very delicious ointment were poured into the inmost part of the soul just like an exquisite perfume it is as if we suddenly came into a place where it is exhaling not only from one but from many things and we know not what it is nor from which of them the scent comes but they all penetrate us and so this most delicious love of our God seems to enter into the soul with such great sweetness as to content and satisfy her though she cannot understand what it is this is the meaning of what the spouse says here my breasts are better than wine and yet she knows not how or whence that good comes which she would feign not lose she would not so much stir or look aside that it might not go away and because where I have spoken in what I wrote I mention what the soul is to do here for her benefit and this is only to let you understand something of what I have written I will say no more here than to tell you that in this friendship our Lord discovers to the soul he is pleased to keep so strict a union with her in order that nothing may be divided between them both here great truths are imparted to her for this light is such that it dazzles her in such a way that she cannot know what the light is it makes her see and understand the vanity of the world though she does not see the master who teaches her yet she already understands he is with her she is then so well instructed and this with such great effects and strength in all virtues that she afterwards knows not herself nor would she do or say anything but praise our Lord and when she is in this enjoyment she is so immersed and absorbed that she seems not to be herself but rather to be seized with a kind of divine a briety that she knows not what she wishes nor what she asks in a word she knows nothing of herself yet she is not so much out of herself as not to understand something of what passes it is true that when this most opulent spouse is pleased to enrich and more sweetly to caress souls he so converts them to himself that like a person swooning through excessive delight and pleasure the soul seems to herself to be suspended in those divine arms and to rest on that divine side and those divine breasts she does nothing but enjoy herself being supported by divine milk where with her spouse feeds and strengthens her she may be able to regal her and make her increase every day in merit when she wakes out of that sleep and that heavenly a briety she remains as it were astonished and stupid and it sees with a kind of holy foolishness so that it seems to me she may use these words thy breasts are better than wine when she was in the beginning of that a briety she thought she could ascend no higher but when she saw herself in a more sublime degree and holy plunged that immense greatness of God whereby she perceives herself more supported she affectionately compared it to breasts and therefore she saith thy breasts are better than wine for as a child does not understand how he grows nor knows how he sucks for even without his sucking the nipple or doing anything on his part often is the nipple put into his mouth and so it is here for the soul of herself is holy ignorant whether she does anything nor does she know how nor whence so great a good comes to her you must understand this is the greatest good that can be enjoyed in this life even though all the delights and pleasures of the world are united together she sees herself nourished and strengthened without knowing when she merited it she is also taught great truths without seeing the master who taught her she is confirmed in virtues and caressed by him who knows how and who is able to do it he knows not what to compare it to except to the caresses of a mother who tenderly loving her infant nurses and fondles him oh my daughters may our lord grant you to understand or rather to speak more correctly to taste for otherwise it cannot be conceived what the joy of the soul is when she is thus affected hither let worldlings come with their riches and lordships with their pleasures honors and trinkets for though they could enjoy all these without the troubles that inevitably follow them which is impossible yet they could not in a thousand years enjoy the pleasure which in one moment a soul possesses which our lord has brought to this state if saint paul says that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come I say they are not worthy or able to merit one hour of that delight which god gives here to the soul and in my opinion no joy or delight can be compared there with or can merit from our lord so sweet a consolation a union so close a love which so evidently makes one understand the baseness of worldly things very pleasant labors those are here below to be compared with this delight for if they are not endured for god's sake they are worthless but if they should his majesty always proportions them according to our strength miserable and cowardly we are so afraid of them oh my daughters let us awake at length for god's sake out of the stream of the world and consider that he reserves not for us in the other life the reward of loving him but he begins his payment in this oh my jesus who can declare the benefit that comes to us from casting ourselves into the arms of our lord and making a covenant with his majesty so that I am for my beloved for me let us not love ourselves so excessively as to pull out our own eyes as the saying is I repeat again oh my god and I again beseech you by the blood of your son to bestow this favor upon me of kissing me with the kiss of your mouth and of giving me your breasts for without you what am I oh lord if not united with you what am I worth if I turn away in the least from your majesty where shall I stop oh my lord my mercy am I good what more excellent blessing can I wish for in this life than to be so united to you that there may be no division between you and me in such company what can appear difficult when you are so near what may not be attempted for you what is there for which I can thank myself and not rather blame myself willingly for not serving you with saint Austin I therefore beseech you with a fervent resolution give what you command and command what you please and I shall never with your assistance and grace break your commandments end of chapter 4 end of conceptions of divine love by saint Teresa of Avila translated by the reverend John Dalton