“Nottowhatismosteasy，buttowhatishardest；
“Nottowhattastesbest，buttowhatismostdistasteful；
“Nottowhatmostpleases，buttowhatdisgusts；
“Nottomatterofconsolation，buttomatterfordesolationrather；
“Nottorest，buttolabor；
“Nottodesirethemore，buttheless；
“Nottoaspiretowhatishighestandmostprecious，buttowhatislowestandmostcontemptible；
“Nottowillanything，buttowillnothing；
“Nottoseekthebestineverything，buttoseektheworst，sothatyoumayenterfortheloveofChristintoacompletedestitution，aperfectpovertyofspirit，andanabsoluterenunciationofeverythinginthisworld。
“Embracethesepracticeswithalltheenergyofyoursoulandyouwillfindinashorttimegreatdelightsandunspeakableconsolations。
“Despiseyourself，andwishthatothersshoulddespiseyou；
“Speaktoyourowndisadvantage，anddesireotherstodothesame；
“Conceivealowopinionofyourself，andfinditgoodwhenothersholdthesame；
“Toenjoythetasteofallthings，havenotasteforanything。
“Toknowallthings，learntoknownothing。
“Topossessallthings，resolvetopossessnothing。
“Tobeallthings，bewillingtobenothing。
“Togettowhereyouhavenotasteforanything，gothroughwhateverexperiencesyouhavenotastefor。
“Tolearntoknownothing，gowhitheryouareignorant。
“Toreachwhatyoupossessnot，gowhithersoeveryouownnothing。
“Tobewhatyouarenot，experiencewhatyouarenot。”
Theselaterversesplaywiththatvertigoofself-contradictionwhichissodeartomysticism。Thosethatcomenextarecompletelymystical，forinthemSaintJohnpassesfromGodtothemoremetaphysicalnotionoftheAll。
“Whenyoustopatonething，youceasetoopenyourselftotheAll。
“FortocometotheAllyoumustgiveuptheAll。
“AndifyoushouldattaintoowningtheAll，youmustownit，desiringNothing。
“Inthisspoliation，thesoulfindsitstranquillityandrest。
Profoundlyestablishedinthecentreofitsownnothingness，itcanbeassailedbynaughtthatcomesfrombelow；andsinceitnolongerdesiresanything，whatcomesfromabovecannotdepressit；
foritsdesiresalonearethecausesofitswoes。”[182]
[182]SaintJeandelaCroix，vieetOeuvres，Paris，1893，ii。
94，99，abridged。
Andnow，asamoreconcreteexampleofheads4and5，infactofallourheadstogether，andoftheirrationalextremetowhichapsychopathicindividualmaygointhelineofbodilyausterity，I
willquotethesincereSuso’saccountofhisownself-tortures。
Suso，youwillremember，wasoneofthefourteenthcenturyGermanmystics；hisautobiography，writteninthethirdperson，isaclassicreligiousdocument。
“Hewasinhisyouthofatemperamentfulloffireandlife；andwhenthisbegantomakeitselffelt，itwasverygrievoustohim；
andhesoughtbymanydeviceshowhemightbringhisbodyintosubjection。Heworeforalongtimeahairshirtandanironchain，untilthebloodranfromhim，sothathewasobligedtoleavethemoff。Hesecretlycausedanundergarmenttobemadeforhim；andintheundergarmenthehadstripsofleatherfixed，intowhichahundredandfiftybrassnails，pointedandfiledsharp，weredriven，andthepointsofthenailswerealwaysturnedtowardstheflesh。Hehadthisgarmentmadeverytight，andsoarrangedastogoroundhimandfasteninfrontinorderthatitmightfittheclosertohisbody，andthepointednailsmightbedrivenintohisflesh；anditwashighenoughtoreachupwardstohisnavel。Inthisheusedtosleepatnight。Nowinsummer，whenitwashot，andhewasverytiredandillfromhisjourneyings，orwhenheheldtheofficeoflecturer，hewouldsometimes，ashelaythusinbonds，andoppressedwithtoil，andtormentedalsobynoxiousinsects，cryaloudandgivewaytofretfulness，andtwistroundandroundinagony，asawormdoeswhenrunthroughwithapointedneedle。Itoftenseemedtohimasifhewerelyinguponanant-hill，fromthetorturecausedbytheinsects；forifhewishedtosleep，orwhenhehadfallenasleep，theyviedwithoneanother。[183]SometimeshecriedtoAlmightyGodinthefullnessofhisheart：Alas！GentleGod，whatadyingisthis！Whenamaniskilledbymurderersorstrongbeastsofpreyitissoonover；butIliedyinghereunderthecruelinsects，andyetcannotdie。Thenightsinwinterwereneversolong，norwasthesummersohot，astomakehimleaveoffthisexercise。Onthecontrary，hedevisedsomethingfarther——twoleathernloopsintowhichheputhishands，andfastenedoneoneachsidehisthroat，andmadethefasteningssosecurethatevenifhiscellhadbeenonfireabouthim，hecouldnothavehelpedhimself。Thishecontinueduntilhishandsandarmshadbecomealmosttremulouswiththestrain，andthenhedevisedsomethingelse：twoleathergloves；andhecausedabraziertofitthemalloverwithsharp-pointedbrasstacks，andheusedtoputthemonatnight，inorderthatifheshouldtrywhileasleeptothrowoffthehairundergarment，orrelievehimselffromthegnawingsofthevileinsects，thetacksmightthenstickintohisbody。Andsoitcametopass。Ifeverhesoughttohelphimselfwithhishandsinhissleep，hedrovethesharptacksintohisbreast，andtorehimself，sothathisfleshfestered。Whenaftermanyweeksthewoundshadhealed，hetorehimselfagainandmadefreshwounds。
[183]“Insects。”i。e。lice，wereanunfailingtokenofmediaevalsainthood。WereadofFrancisofAssisi’ssheepskinthat“oftenacompanionofthesaintwouldtakeittothefiretocleananddispediculateit，doingso，ashesaid，becausetheseraphicfatherhimselfwasnoenemyofpedocchi，butonthecontrarykeptthemonhim(leportavaadosso)andhelditforanhonorandaglorytowearthesecelestialpearlsinhishabit。QuotedbyP。
Sabatier：SpeculumPerfectionis，etc。，Paris，1898，p。231，note。
“Hecontinuedthistormentingexerciseforaboutsixteenyears。
Attheendofthistime，whenhisbloodwasnowchilled，andthefireofhistemperamentdestroyed，thereappearedtohiminavisiononWhitsunday，amessengerfromheaven，whotoldhimthatGodrequiredthisofhimnolonger。Whereuponhediscontinuedit，andthrewallthesethingsawayintoarunningstream。”
Susothentellshow，toemulatethesorrowsofhiscrucifiedLord，hemadehimselfacrosswiththirtyprotrudingironneedlesandnails。Thisheboreonhisbarebackbetweenhisshouldersdayandnight。“Thefirsttimethathestretchedoutthiscrossuponhisbackhistenderframewasstruckwithterroratit，andbluntedthesharpnailsslightlyagainstastone。Butsoon，repentingofthiswomanlycowardice，hepointedthemallagainwithafile，andplacedoncemorethecrossuponhim。Itmadehisback，wherethebonesare，bloodyandseared。Wheneverhesatdownorstoodup，itwasasifahedgehog-skinwereonhim。
Ifanyonetouchedhimunawares，orpushedagainsthisclothes，ittorehim。”
Susonexttellsofhispenitencesbymeansofstrikingthiscrossandforcingthenailsdeeperintotheflesh，andlikewiseofhisself-scourgings——adreadfulstory——andthengoesonasfollows：
“AtthissameperiodtheServitorprocuredanoldcastawaydoor，andheusedtolieuponitatnightwithoutanybedclothestomakehimcomfortable，exceptthathetookoffhisshoesandwrappedathickcloakroundhim。Hethussecuredforhimselfamostmiserablebed；forhardpea-stalkslayinhumpsunderhishead，thecrosswiththesharpnailsstuckintohisback，hisarmswerelockedfastinbonds，thehorsehairundergarmentwasroundhisloins，andthecloaktoowasheavyandthedoorhard。
Thushelayinwretchedness，afraidtostir，justlikealog，andhewouldsendupmanyasightoGod。
“Inwinterhesufferedverymuchfromthefrost。Ifhestretchedouthisfeettheylaybareonthefloorandfroze，ifhegatheredthemupthebloodbecameallonfireinhislegs，andthiswasgreatpain。Hisfeetwerefullofsores，hislegsdropsical，hiskneesbloodyandseared，hisloinscoveredwithscarsfromthehorsehair，hisbodywasted，hismouthparchedwithintensethirst，andhishandstremulousfromweakness。Amidthesetormentshespenthisnightsanddays；andheenduredthemalloutofthegreatnessofthelovewhichheboreinhishearttotheDivineandEternalWisdom，ourLordJesusChrist，whoseagonizingsufferingshesoughttoimitate。Afteratimehegaveupthispenitentialexerciseofthedoor，andinsteadofithetookuphisabodeinaverysmallcell，andusedthebench，whichwassonarrowandshortthathecouldnotstretchhimselfuponit，ashisbed。Inthishole，oruponthedoor，helayatnightinhisusualbonds，forabouteightyears。Itwasalsohiscustom，duringthespaceoftwenty-fiveyears，providedhewasstayingintheconvent，nevertogoaftercomplineinwinterintoanywarmroom，ortotheconventstovetowarmhimself，nomatterhowcolditmightbe，unlesshewasobligedtodosoforotherreasons。Throughoutalltheseyearshenevertookabath，eitherawaterorasweatingbath；andthishedidinordertomortifyhiscomfort-seekingbody。Hepracticedduringalongtimesuchrigidpovertythathewouldneitherreceivenortouchapenny，eitherwithleaveorwithoutit。Foraconsiderabletimehestrovetoattainsuchahighdegreeofpuritythathewouldneitherscratchnortouchanypartofhisbody，saveonlyhishandsandfeet。”[184]
[184]TheLifeoftheBlessedHenrySuso，byHimself，translatedbyT。F。Knox，London，1865，pp。56-80，abridged。
IspareyoutherecitalofpoorSuso’sself-inflictedtorturesfromthirst。Itispleasanttoknowthatafterhisfortiethyear，Godshowedhimbyaseriesofvisionsthathehadsufficientlybrokendownthenaturalman，andthathemightleavetheseexercisesoff。Hiscaseisdistinctlypathological，buthedoesnotseemtohavehadthealleviation，whichsomeasceticshaveenjoyed，ofanalterationofsensibilitycapableofactuallyturningtormentintoaperversekindofpleasure。OfthefounderoftheSacredHeartorder，forexample，wereadthat“Herloveofpainandsufferingwasinsatiable……Shesaidthatshecouldcheerfullylivetillthedayofjudgment，providedshemightalwayshavematterforsufferingforGod；butthattoliveasingledaywithoutsufferingwouldbeintolerable。Shesaidagainthatshewasdevouredwithtwounassuageablefevers，onefortheholycommunion，theotherforsuffering，humiliation，andannihilation。’Nothingbutpain，’shecontinuallysaidinherletters，’makesmylifesupportable。’“[185]
[185]Bougaud：HistdelabienheureuseMargueriteMarie，Paris，1894，pp。265，171。Compare，also，pp。386，387。
Somuchforthephenomenatowhichtheasceticimpulsewillincertainpersonsgiverise。Intheecclesiasticallyconsecratedcharacterthreeminorbranchesofself-mortificationhavebeenrecognizedasindispensablepathwaystoperfection。Irefertothechastity，obedience，andpovertywhichthemonkvowstoobserve；andupontheheadsofobedienceandpovertyIwillmakeafewremarks。
First，ofObedience。Thesecularlifeofourtwentiethcenturyopenswiththisvirtueheldinnohighesteem。Thedutyoftheindividualtodeterminehisownconductandprofitorsufferbytheconsequencesseems，onthecontrary，tobeoneofourbestrootedcontemporaryProtestantsocialideals。Somuchsothatitisdifficultevenimaginativelytocomprehendhowmenpossessedofaninnerlifeoftheirowncouldeverhavecometothinkthesubjectionofitswilltothatofotherfinitecreaturesrecommendable。Iconfessthattomyselfitseemssomethingofamystery。Yetitevidentlycorrespondstoaprofoundinteriorneedofmanypersons，andwemustdoourbesttounderstandit。
Onthelowestpossibleplane，oneseeshowtheexpediencyofobedienceinafirmecclesiasticalorganizationmusthaveledtoitsbeingviewedasmeritorious。Next，experienceshowsthattherearetimesineveryone’slifewhenonecanbebettercounseledbyothersthanbyone’sself。Inabilitytodecideisoneofthecommonestsymptomsoffatiguednerves；friendswhoseeourtroublesmorebroadly，oftenseethemmorewiselythanwedo；
soitisfrequentlyanactofexcellentvirtuetoconsultandobeyadoctor，apartner，orawife。But，leavingtheselowerprudentialregions，wefind，inthenatureofsomeofthespiritualexcitementswhichwehavebeenstudying，goodreasonsforidealizingobedience。Obediencemayspringfromthegeneralreligiousphenomenonofinnersofteningandself-surrenderandthrowingone’sselfonhigherpowers。Sosavingaretheseattitudesfelttobethatinthemselves，apartfromutility，theybecomeideallyconsecrated；andinobeyingamanwhosefallibilityweseethroughthoroughly，we，nevertheless，mayfeelmuchaswedowhenweresignourwilltothatofinfinitewisdom。
Addself-despairandthepassionofself-crucifixiontothis，andobediencebecomesanasceticsacrifice，agreeablequiteirrespectiveofwhateverprudentialusesitmighthave。
