10. Dying to the Flesh by Living in the Spirit

I say further, that it is next to impossible for one ever to arrive at the perfect mortification of his senses and passions by any other way than the love of God. The reason is very plain, for it is the soul that gives life and vigor to the senses, and likewise the senses which stimulate and stir up the passions. A dead man has no more sense or passion left in him, because of the separation which is made between the soul and the senses. All effort that aims only at putting outward things right compels the soul yet farther outward into the things to which it applies itself most zealously. In this way its strength is employed and spread outwardly; thus, being directly taken up with strictness and rigor in externals, the soul is wholly turned that way, and thereby excites the senses instead of mortifying them. For it is only from the soul that the senses can draw force or vigor, and the more attention the soul gives them, the more it enlivens them. This life of sense moves and provokes the passions—so far is it from extinguishing them!

Austerities may well weaken the body, but can never blunt the edge or vigor of the senses, for the reason just now mentioned. One thing alone can do it: the soul, by withdrawing, must turn wholly inward within itself, that it may be taken up with God, who is there present. If the soul turns all its vigor and force within itself, this action separates it from the sense. Then employing its whole force and strength within, it leaves the senses without vigor, and the nearer it draws to God, the more it is separated from the feelings. This is the reason why those persons in whom the attractions of grace are strong find themselves wholly weakened in the outward man, so as many times to faint away.

I do not mean by this that we ought never to mortify ourselves; no! for mortification must always accompany prayer, according to the measure of each one’s strength and circumstances. But I say that none ought to make mortification their chief exercise, nor absolutely to bind themselves to certain austerities. By simply following the inward attraction and employing themselves with the Divine Presence. Without thinking of mortification in particular, God makes them undergo all sorts of discipline; and He gives no respite to the souls that are faithful in surrendering themselves to Him until he has mortified in them all that remains to be mortified.

Therefore we must keep ourselves attentive only to God, and then everything will contribute to our being perfected. All persons are not capable of outward austerities, but all are capable of this. There is no danger of going to excess in the mortification of two of our senses—seeing and hearing, as it is these which continually trouble our minds with their impressions of things. But God does it effectually; we need only to follow His Spirit.

The soul has a double advantage by observing this conduct as it withdraws from the outward, it draws nearer unto God; and, by approaching unto God (besides the secret power and virtue it receives, which support and preserve it) it departs as far from sin as it approaches nearer to God, till at last it is brought to an “habitual conversion.”