and is easily hidden. This gives rise to great suffering, especially in
it is with those who are led by the will; the former have more zeal but less solid progress, and should restrain their eager disposition and ignore their emotions, even when they seem burning with love; the latter seem harder and less emotional, and their state appears unspiritual; but there is a delicate something in the depth of the will which nourishes them, which is, as it were, the condensed essence of what the others experience in the intellect and zeal. 6. As this support is very delicate, it often becomes imperceptible, and is easily hidden. This gives rise to great suffering, especially in times of trouble and temptation; for as the appetite and support are delicate and concealed, the will is similar, so that such souls have none of those strong wills. Their state is more level, and their way more constant; but this does not stop them having as severe and even more serious trouble than others; for nothing being done in them by impulse, everything takes place, as it were, naturally, and their feeble, hidden wills cannot be found to advance against their foes. Their faithfulness, however, often excels that of the others. Notice the striking difference between Peter and John; one seems to overflow with zeal, and falls away at the voice of a maid-servant; the other makes no external showing, and remains faithful to the end. 7. You will ask, then, if these souls are urged on by no violent influence, but walk in blindness, do they do the will of God? They do, more truly, although they have no clear assurance; His will is engraved indelibly on their inmost souls, so that they do with cold and languid, but firm and inviolable, abandonment, what others do by the drawings of exquisite delight. 8. Thus they go on under the influence of this divine touch from one stage to another, by a faith more or less certain, and experience alternating dryness and enjoyment of the presence of God, but find that the enjoyment becomes continually deeper and less perceptible, and thus more delicate and interior. They discover, too, that in the midst of their dryness, and without any clear light, they are no less enlightened; for this state is light in itself, though dark to the one who is in it. And so true is this, that they find themselves more acquainted with the truth; I mean that truth implanted in their interior, and which causes everything to yield to the Will of God. This divine Will becomes more familiar to them, and they are able, in their un-dramatic way, to penetrate a thousand mysteries that never could have been discovered by the light of reason and knowledge. They are insensibly and gradually preparing, without