A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 4Lea, Henry Charles
History
A History of the Inquisition of Spain; vol. 4
Lea, Henry Charles
Inquisition -- Spain
In fact he seems to have recognized his errors and to have confessed
with a freedom indicative of sincere repentance. Much of his confessions
is unfit for transcription, but a brief extract will indicate the
self-deception that reconciled the grossest sensuality with aspirations
for perfection. Thus of one of his accomplices he says that, believing
himself to be illuminated in the sacrifice of the mass, he had written
that none of her directors could estimate her spiritual state as regards
her perfection and Union with God, in spite of the concussions of her
inferior part, excited by obsession, through which those could be
deceived who were unable to understand her interior virtues and perfect
state. Although in obscene acts the woman might seem externally to be a
sinner, yet, by asserting that she had not yielded consent, she might
internally be perfect and be in Union with God. That, as the Incarnate
Word did not contract original sin in his union with humanity, so with
persons annihilated, purged and perfected, God could direct them to
supernatural operations in such wise that the operations of the inferior
part worked no prejudice to their state of perfection, and that the
woman's obscene acts might proceed from obsession, and she be passive
without consent.... That he had believed this doctrine to be infused in
him by God, and thus to be true, like the doctrine of the Church, to be
held unhesitatingly, especially by those obsessed, and he had written
that he was ready to give his life in its defence.... That he had
believed the indecencies committed with this same woman might be an
exercise and martyrdom sent by God for the humiliation and purification
of both, but nevertheless he made confession of them, and took care that
she should do so. She was accustomed to say that, in the inferior part,
she was without sensuality and in the superior part was absorbed in
contemplation and love of God.... That in his oratory after mass and her
communion he had embraced her and told her that she received the light
and that this was the love of God for his creatures.... That Jesus was
in him and worked in him, because neither he nor the woman experienced
sensuality in what they did nor did it from corrupt intention.... That
he had had this belief for seven years prior to his episcopate, and had
maintained it subsequently up to July 1708, but then, in confessing his
sins, a worthy confessor enlightened his blindness, and since then he
had detested his errors and had followed the way of Catholic truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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