32. If he is able, let him employ himself in looking upon Christ, who is looking upon him; let him accompany Him, and make his petitions to Him; let him humble himself, and delight himself in Christ, and keep in mind that he never deserved to be there. When he shall be able to do this, though it may be in the beginning of his prayer, he will find great advantage; and this way of prayer brings great advantages with it--at least, so my soul has found it. I do not know whether I am describing it aright; you, my father, will see to it. May our Lord grant me to please Him rightly for ever! Amen. 1. Ch. xi. § 24. 2. Philipp. iv. 13; "Omnia possum in Eo." 3. Confess. x. ch. 29: "Da quod jubes, et jube quod vis." 4. St. Matt. xiv. 30: "Videns vero ventum validum, timuit." 5. Ch. vii. §§ 27, 31. 6. Ch. vii. § 16. 7. See ch. xxxi. § 7, and ch. xxxix. § 14. 8. Ch. xii. § 3. 9. See St. John of the Cross, Living Flame, pp. 267, 278-284, Engl. trans. 10. See ch. xv. § 20. 11. § 18. 12. Prudence, experience, and learning; see § 24. 13. Dan. xii. 3: "Qui autem docti fuerint, fulgebunt quasi splendor firmamenti." 14. § 19. Chapter XIV. The Second State of Prayer. Its Supernatural Character. 1. Having spoken of the toilsome efforts and of the strength required for watering the garden when we have to draw the water out of the well, let us now speak of the second manner of drawing the water, which the Lord of the vineyard has ordained; of the machine of wheel and buckets whereby the gardener may draw more water with less labour, and be able to take some rest without being continually at work. This, then, is what I am now going to describe; and I apply it to the prayer called the prayer of quiet. 2. Herein the soul begins to be recollected; it is now touching on the supernatural--for it never could by any efforts of its own attain to this. True, it seems at times to have been wearied at the wheel, labouring with the understanding, and filling the buckets; but in this second degree the water is higher, and accordingly the labour is much less than it was when the water had to be drawn up out of the well; I mean, that the water is nearer to it, for grace reveals itself more distinctly to the soul. 3. This is a gathering together of the faculties of the soul within itself, in order that it may have the fruition of that contentment in greater sweetness; but the faculties are not lost, neither are they asleep: the will alone is occupied in such a way that, without knowing how it has become a captive, it gives a simple consent to become the prisoner of God; for it knows well what is to be the captive of Him it loves. O my Jesus and my Lord, how pressing now is Thy love! [1] It binds our love in bonds so straitly, that it is not in its power at this moment to love anything else but Thee.