The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life | Page 3

sent into Auvergne, the year before, upon the same account; that he
could not tell how the matter passed, but that it proved very well.
So, likewise, in his business in the kitchen (to which he had naturally a
great aversion), having accustomed himself to do everything there for
the love of GOD, and with prayer, upon all occasions, for His grace to
do his work well, he had found everything easy, during fifteen years
that he had been employed there.
That he was very well pleased with the post he was now in; but that he
was as ready to quit that as the former, since he was always pleasing
himself in every condition, by doing little things for the love of GOD.
That with him the set times of prayer were not different from other
times; that he retired to pray, according to the directions of his Superior,
but that he did not want such retirement, nor ask for it, because his
greatest business did not divert him from GOD.
That as he knew his obligation to love GOD in all things, and as he

endeavored so to do, he had no need of a director to advise him, but
that he needed much a Confessor to absolve him. That he was very
sensible of his faults, but not discouraged by them; that he confessed
them to GOD, but did not plead against Him to excuse them. When he
had so done, he peaceably resumed his usual practice of love and
adoration.
That in his trouble of mind, he had consulted nobody, but knowing only
by the light of faith that GOD was present, he contented himself with
directing all his actions to Him, _i.e._, doing them with a desire to
please Him, let what would come of it.
That useless thoughts spoil all: that the mischief began there; but that
we ought to reject them, as soon as we perceived their impertinence to
the matter in hand, or our salvation; and return to our communion with
GOD.
That at the beginning he had often passed his time appointed for prayer,
in rejecting wandering thoughts, and falling back into them. That he
could never regulate his devotion by certain methods as some do. That
nevertheless, at first he had meditated for some time, but afterwards
that went off, in a manner he could give no account of.
That all bodily mortifications and other exercises are useless, except as
they serve to arrive at the union with GOD by love; that he had well
considered this, and found it the shortest way to go straight to Him by a
continual exercise of love, and doing all things for His sake.
That we ought to make a great difference between the acts of the
understanding and those of the _will_: that the first were comparatively
of little value, and the others, all. That our only business was to love
and delight ourselves in GOD.
That all possible kinds of mortification, if they were void of the love of
GOD, could not efface a single sin. That we ought, without anxiety, to
expect the pardon of our sins from the Blood of JESUS CHRIST, only
endeavoring to love Him with all our hearts. That GOD seemed to have
granted the greatest favors to the greatest sinners, as more signal
monuments of his mercy.
That the greatest pains or pleasures of this world, were not to be
compared with what he had experienced of both kinds in a spiritual
state: so that he was careful for nothing and feared nothing, desiring
only one thing of GOD, viz., that he might not offend Him.

That he had no scruples; for, said he, when I fail in my duty, I readily
acknowledge it, saying, _I am used to do so: I shall never do otherwise,
if I am left to myself_. I fail not, then I give GOD thanks,
acknowledging the strength comes from Him.

THIRD CONVERSATION.
He told me that the foundation of the spiritual life in _him_, had been a
high notion and esteem of GOD in faith; which when he had once well
conceived, he had no other care at first, but faithfully to reject every
other thought, that he might perform all his actions for the love of GOD.
That when sometimes he had not thought of GOD for a good while, he
did not disquiet himself for it; but after having acknowledged his
wretchedness to GOD, he returned to Him with so much the greater
trust in Him, as he had found himself wretched through forgetting Him.
That the trust we put in GOD, honors Him much, and draws down great
graces.
That it was impossible, not only that GOD should deceive, hut also that
He should long let a