I am God [1] which is to say, Cease from sins, and disengage yourselves from earthly business, and attend carefully to the consideration of my works, and you shall come to see with great light that I only am God, glorious among the nations and exalted over the whole earth. Somewhat of this our Lord communicates very ordinarily to His servants by certain sudden illustrations, which, like lightnings, discover to them some verity of our holy faith, after a manner very different from what they perceived before, [2] which, although they pass suddenly, yet leave the heart very much inflamed with manifold affections of the love of God or sorrow for sins, according as the verity requires which with that light they have contemplated
With these same illuminations our Lord God also touches sinners to convert them, discovering to them on a sudden the greatness of their sins, the danger of their damnation, and other like truths to move and allure them to change their lives; which we shall speak largely of in the fifth part, in the 29th meditation of the conversion of St Paul.
ii. The second manner of our Lord's communicating Himself to us is by a spiritual hearing, speaking within our soul by His inspirations certain interior lively and effectual words, and sometimes even as distinct as those which are heard with our bodily ears; with which He teaches some truth, or discovers His will with such efficacy as to work its fulfilment. And sometimes (as the Spouse says of herself) the soul is mollified, waxes tender, and melts [3] in the love of Almighty God. And he who had his heart sad, dismayed, frozen and hardened touching spiritual matters, with one of these interior words in a moment becomes joyful, confident, enkindled and softened for whatsoever God will do with it.
