The Dialogue

How it is possible for the aforesaid souls, who take delight in consolations and mental visions, to be deceived by the Devil in a form of light ; and how to know when a vision is from GOD, and when from the Devil.

" ANOTHER delusion that the Devil often practises upon such souls is, that he transforms himself into a form of light. For, seeing the soul to be disposed to desire and receive such a form, her mind being absorbed, and her desires placed

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in consolations and mental visions alone, (which should not be so, for the soul should place her desires in virtue alone, deeming herself unworthy of consolation), he transforms him self into a form of light in diverse ways, sometimes as an angel, and sometimes as My Truth, or as one of My saints, doing so in order to catch that soul with the hook of her own spiritual delight, which consists in visions and mental pleasure. And if this soul does not rise above herself with true humility, despising every delight, she will remain, caught by the hook, in the hands of the Devil ; but if she, with humility, disdaining the bait of delight, will bind her affec tions fast to Me, Who am the Giver, and not to the gift, she will be released, for the Devil, on account of his pride, cannot bear a humble mind.

" If thou askest Me how it is to be known whether a visitation is from Me or from the Devil, I reply to thee that this is the sign. If it is the Devil who has come into thy mind in a form of light, as has been said, to visit it, thou wilt suddenly feel in his coming great joyousness, but as he stays thou wilt gradually lose joyousness, and thy mind will be left in tedium or excitement, darkening thee within. But if the soul is in truth visited by Me, Eternal Truth, she will, in the first sensation, experience holy fear, and with this fear joy and security, with a sweet prudence, that in doubting does not doubt, the soul, deeming herself unworthy, saying, ' / am not worthy to receive Thy visita tion, and, not being worthy, how can such a thing be ? ' But she will then turn to the broadness of My charity, knowing and seeing that it is possible for Me to give, and that I do not regard her unworthiness, but rather My worthiness, which makes her worthy to receive Me, through grace, in sentiment ; and she will see that I do not despise her desire when she calls to Me, and she will humbly receive Me, saying, ' Behold thine handmaid. Thy will be done in Me.' And she will arise from her prayer and My visitation with joyousness, and will humbly rejoice in mind, deeming herself unworthy, but, recognising with love her joyousness as coming from Me.

" This, then, that I have told thee, is the sign by which

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the soul may know whether her visitation is of Me or of the Devil. If it be of Me, her first sensation will be one of holy fear, her second, joyousness, and at the end she will feel joy and hunger for the virtues. And if it be of the Devil, the first sensation is joyousness, but the mind is left in confusion and darkness.

" I have thus shown thee a means by which the soul, if she will go humbly and with prudence, cannot be deceived, which she will be if she tries to navigate herself by means of her own imperfect love of consolations, rather than by love of Me, as I have told thee."