*8. A fuller account of his general way of life he writ to his second director, as follows:
“I have delayed some days after the command I had, to set down the employing of my time, for the better discovering of some things therein; but I find nothing there of strict order because all consists in following the order of God, which causes in a manner continually different things, though all upon the same foundation.
“For my outward behaviour, I usually rise at five (that is, after part of the night spent in prayer.) At my awakening, I consider myself as nothing, before the majesty of God. I unite me to his Son and Spirit. Being risen, I cast myself down, and adore the blessing of the incarnation, which gives us access to God; and deliver up myself to the Holy Jesus, to be entered into his Spirit.
“Being cloathed, I go into the chapel, where I cast myself down, and adore God, abasing me before him, and making me the most little, most naked, most empty of myself that I can; and I hold me there by faith, having recourse to his Son and to his Holy Spirit, that whatsoever is his pleasure may be done by me.
“Between six and seven I read two chapters of the New Testament bare-headed and on my knees. I then give place to my affairs; but if there be no business urgent, I prostrate myself before God till I go to church. There I stay till half an hour past eleven, except when we dine some poor people, then I return at eleven. Before dinner I examine myself, and use some prayers for the Church, and for the propagation of the faith. I dine at twelve, and in the while have something read. Half an hour past twelve I spend an hour with them that have business with me. Then I go out whither the order of God shall direct. Some days are assigned for certain exercises; others are not. But be it as it will, I endeavour to spend about evening an hour in devotion. About seven, after I have used some prayers, we go to supper. After supper I instruct my children. At nine are family prayers, after which I meditate till ten; and then going to my chamber, and recommending myself to my God, after some short prayers, I endeavour to repose.
*“As to the order of my interior, I have not (as I may say) any; for since I left my _Breviary_, all my forms have left me; and now instead of serving me as means to go to God, they would only be hindrances. I bear in me ordinarily an experimental verity, and a plenitude of the ♦presence of the most Holy Trinity, which elevates me to a simple view of God; and with that I do all that his providence enjoins me, not regarding any thing for their greatness or littleness, but only the order of God, and the glory they may render him.
♦ “pesence” replaced with “presence”
“For the things done in community, I often cannot rest there: I perform indeed the exterior for the keeping of order; but follow always my interior, because when a man hath God, there is no need to search for him elsewhere. And when he holds us in one manner, it is not for us to take hold of him in another, and the soul knows well what unites it and what multiplies and directs it.
“For the interior therefore, I follow his attractive; and for the exterior I see the divine will, which I follow, with the discernment of his spirit, in all simplicity; and so I possess by his grace, in all things, silence of spirit, a profound reverence, and solid peace. I communicate almost every day, perceiving myself strongly drawn thereto. *I continually give up myself to God through Jesus Christ, worshipping him in spirit and in truth, loving him with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength, and seeing in all things the conduct of God, and adorning and following it. And this only abiding in my soul, all things else are defaced and blotted out. I have nothing of sensible in me, unless now and then some transitory touches: But, if any dare to say it, when I sound my will, I find it so quick and flaming, that it would devour me, if the same Lord who animates it (though unworthy) did not restrain it. I enter into a heat and into fire, and even to my fingers ends, feel that all within me speaks for its God, and stretcheth itself forth in length and breadth in his immensity, that it may there dissolve and there lose itself to glorify him.”