possess the tests of those which are true. What you say of God's
way of teaching the soul, without respect to the imagination and
without interior locutions, is safe, and I find nothing to object
to it. St. Augustine speaks well of it.

"4. Interior locutions in these days have been a delusion of
many, and exterior locutions are the least safe. It is easy
enough to see when they proceed from ourselves, but to
distinguish between those of a good and those of an evil spirit
is more difficult. There are many rules given for finding out
whether they come from our Lord or not, and one of them is, that
they should be sent us in a time of need, or for some good end,
as for the comforting a man under temptation or in doubt, or as a
warning of coming danger. As a good man will not speak
unadvisedly, neither will God; so, considering this, and that the
locutions are agreeable to the holy writings and the teaching of
the Church, my opinion is that the locutions mentioned in the
book came from God.

"5. Imaginary or bodily visions are those which are most
doubtful, and should in no wise be desired, and if they come
undesired still they should be shunned as much as possible, yet
not by treating them with contempt, unless it be certain that
they come from an evil spirit; indeed, I was filled with horror,
and greatly distressed, when I read of the gestures of contempt
that were made. [14] People ought to entreat our Lord not to
lead them by the way of visions, but to reserve for them in
Heaven the blessed vision of Himself and the saints, and to guide
them here along the beaten path as He guides His faithful
servants, and they must take other good measures for avoiding