Ascent of Mount Carmel

Argument

Sets down the first stanza. Describes two different nights through which spiritual persons pass, according to the two parts of man, the lower and the higher. Expounds the stanza which follows.

Explains the nature of this dark night through which the soul says that it has passed on the road to union.

Speaks of the first cause of this night, which is that of the privation of the desire in all things, and gives the reason for which it is called night

Wherein is declared how necessary it is for the soul truly to pass through this dark night of sense, which is mortification of desire, in order that it may journey to union with God.

Wherein the aforementioned subject is treated and continued, and it is shown by passages and figures from Holy Scripture how necessary it is for the soul to journey to God through this dark night of the mortification of desire in all things.

Wherein are treated two serious evils caused in the soul by the desires, the one evil being privative and the other positive.

Wherein is shown how the desires torment the soul. This is proved likewise by comparisons and quotations.

Wherein is shown how the desires darken and blind the soul.

Wherein is described how the desires defile the soul. This is proved by comparisons and quotations from Holy Scripture.

Wherein is described how the desires weaken the soul in virtue and make it lukewarm.

Wherein it is proved necessary that the soul that would attain to Divine union should be free from desires, however slight they be.

Which treats of the answer to another question, explaining what the desires are that suffice to cause the evils aforementioned in the soul.

Wherein is described the manner and way which the soul must follow in order to enter this night of sense.

Wherein is expounded the second line of the stanza.

Wherein are expounded the remaining lines of the aforementioned stanza.

Starts explanation of second stanza

Which begins to treat of the second part of cause of this night, which is faith. Proves by two arguments how it is darker than the first and then the third.

How faith is dark night to the soul. This is proved with arguments and quotations and figures from Scripture.

Treats in general of how the soul likewise must be in darkness, in so far as this rests with itself, to the end that it may be effectively guided by faith to the highest contemplation.

Wherein is described what is meant by union of the soul with God. A comparison is given.

Wherein is described how it is the three theological virtues that perfect the three faculties of the soul, and how the said virtues produce emptiness and darkness within them.

Wherein is described how strait is the way that leads to eternal life and how completely detached and disencumbered must be those that will walk in it. We begin to speak of the detachment of the understanding.

Which describes in a general way how no creature and no knowledge that can be comprehended by the understanding can serve as a proximate means of Divine union with God.

How faith is the proximate and proportionate means of the understanding whereby the soul may attain to the Divine union of love. This is proved by passages and figures from Divine Scripture.

Wherein distinction is made between all apprehensions and types of knowledge which can be comprehended by the understanding.

Of the hindrance and harm that may be caused by apprehensions of the understanding which proceed from that which is supernaturally represented to the outward bodily senses; and how the soul is to conduct itself therein.

Which treats of natural imaginary apprehensions. Describes their nature and proves that they cannot be a proportionate means of attainment to union with God. Shows the harm which results from inability to detach one self from them.

Wherein are set down the signs which the spiritual person will find in himself whereby he may know at what season it behoves him to leave meditation and reasoning and pass to the state of contemplation.

Wherein is proved the fitness of these signs, and the reason is given why that which has been said in speaking of them is necessary to progress.

Wherein is explained how it is sometimes well for progressives who are beginning to enter upon this general knowledge of contemplation to make use of natural reasoning and the work of the natural faculties.

Which treats of the imaginary apprehensions that are supernaturally represented in the fancy. Describes how they cannot serve the soul as a proximate means to union with God.

Wherein is described the purpose and manner of God in His communication of spiritual blessings to the soul by means of the senses. Herein is answered the question which has been referred to.

Which treats of the harm that certain spiritual masters may do to souls when they direct them not by a good method with respect to the visions aforementioned. Describes also how these visions may cause deception even though they be of God.

Wherein is expounded and proved how, although visions and locutions which come from God are true, we may be deceived about them. This is proved by quotations from Divine Scripture.

Wherein is proved by passages from Scripture how the sayings and words of God, though always true, do not always rest upon stable causes.

Wherein is explained how at times, although God answers the prayers that are addressed to Him, He is not pleased that we should use such methods. It is also shown how, although He condescend to us and answer us, He is oftentimes wroth.

Wherein is solved a difficulty -- namely, why it is not lawful, under the law of grace, to ask anything of God by supernatural means, as it was under the old law. This solution is proved by a passage from Saint Paul.

Which begins to treat of the apprehensions of the understanding that come in a purely spiritual way, and describes their nature.

Which treats of two kinds of spiritual vision that come supernaturally.

Which treats of revelations, describing their nature and making a distinction between them.

Which treats of the intuition of naked truths in the understanding, explaining how they are of two kinds and how the soul is to conduct itself with respect to them.

Which treats of the second kind of revelation, namely, the disclosure of hidden secrets. Describes the way in which these may assist the soul toward union with God, and the way in which they may be a hindrance; and how the devil may deceive the soul greatly in this matter.

Which treats of interior locutions that may come to the spirit supernaturally. Says of what kinds they are.

Which treats of the first kind of words that the recollected spirit sometimes forms within itself. Describes the cause of these and the profit and the harm which there may be in them.

Which treats of the interior words that come to the spirit formally by supernatural means. Warns the reader of the harm which they may do and of the caution that is necessary in order that the soul may not be deceived by them.

Which treats of the substantial words that come interiorly to the spirit. Describes the difference between them and formal words, and the profit which they bring and the resignation and respect which the soul must observe with regard to them.

Which treats of the apprehensions received by the understanding from interior feelings which come supernaturally to the soul. Describes their cause, and the manner wherein the soul must conduct itself so that they may not obstruct its road to union with God.

Outline

Which treats of the natural apprehensions of the memory and describes how the soul must be voided of them in order to be able to attain to union with God according to this faculty.

Wherein are described three kinds of evil which come to the soul when it enters not into darkness with respect to knowledge and reflections in the memory. Herein is described the first.

Which treats of the second kind of evil that may come to the soul from the devil by way of the natural apprehensions of the memory.

Of the third evil which comes to the soul by way of the distinct natural knowledge of the memory.

Of the benefits which come to the soul from forgetfulness and emptiness of all thoughts and knowledge which it may have in a natural way with respect to the memory.

Which treats of the second kind of apprehension of the memory -- namely, imaginary apprehensions -- and of supernatural knowledge.

Of the evils which may be caused in the soul by the knowledge of supernatural things, if it reflect upon them. Says how many these evils are.

Of the second kind of evil, which is the peril of falling into self-esteem and vain presumption.

Of the third evil that may come to the soul from the devil, through the imaginary apprehensions of the memory.

Of the fourth evil that comes to the soul from the distinct supernatural apprehensions of the memory, which is the hindrance that it interposes to union.

Of the fifth evil that may come to the soul in supernatural imaginary forms and apprehensions, which is a low and unseemingly judgment of God.

Of the benefits which the soul receives through banishing from itself the apprehensions of the imagination. This chapter answers a certain objection and describes a difference which exists between apprehensions that are imaginary, natural and supernatural.

Which treats of spiritual knowledge in so far as it may concern the memory

Which sets down the general method whereby the spiritual person must govern himself with respect to this sense.

Which begins to treat of the dark night of the will. Makes a division between the affections of the will.

Which begins to treat of the first affection of the will. Describes the nature of joy and makes a distinction between the things in which the will can rejoice.

Which treats of joy with respect to temporal blessings. Describes how joy in them must be directed to God.

Of the evils that may befall the soul when it sets its rejoicing upon temporal blessings.

Of the benefits that come to the soul from its withdrawal of joy from temporal things.

Which describes how it is vanity to set the rejoicing of the will upon the good things of nature, and how the soul must direct itself, by means of them, to God.

Of the evils which come to the soul when it sets the rejoicing of its will upon the good things of nature.

Of the benefits which the soul receives from not setting its rejoicing upon the good things of nature.

Which treats of the third kind of good thing whereon the will may set the affection of rejoicing, which kind pertains to sense. Indicates what these good things are and of how many kinds, and how the will has to be directed to God and purged of this rejoicing.

Which treats of the evils that afflict the soul when it desires to set the rejoicing of its will upon the good things of sense.

Of the benefits that come to the soul from self-denial in rejoicing as to things of sense, which benefits are spiritual and temporal.

Which begins to treat of the fourth kind of good -- namely, the moral. Describes wherein this consists, and in what manner joy of the will therein is lawful.

Of seven evils into which a man may fall if he set the rejoicing of his will upon moral good.

Of the benefits which come to the soul through the withdrawal of its rejoicing from moral good.

Which begins to treat of the fifth kind of good thing wherein the will may rejoice, which is the super natural. Describes the nature of these supernatural good things, and how they are distinguished from the spiritual, and how joy in them is to be directed to God.

Of the evils which come to the soul when it sets the rejoicing of the will upon this kind of good.

Of two benefits which are derived from the renunciation of rejoicing in the matter of the supernatural graces.

Which begins to treat of the sixth kind of good wherein the soul may rejoice, Describes its nature and makes the first division under this head.

Of those good things of the spirit which can be distinctly apprehended by the understanding and the memory. Describes how the will is to behave in the matter of rejoicing in them.

Of the delectable spiritual good things which can be distinctly apprehended by the will. Describes the kinds of these.

Which continues to treat of images, and describes the ignorance which certain persons have with respect to them.

Of how the rejoicing of the will must be directed, by way of the images, to God, so that the soul may not go astray because of them or be hindered by them.

Continues to describe motive good. Speaks of oratories and places dedicated to prayer.

Of the way in which oratories and churches should be used, in order to direct the spirit to God.

Which continues to direct the spirit to interior recollection with reference to what has been said.

Of certain evils into which those persons fall who give themselves to pleasure in sensible objects and who frequent places of devotion in the way that has been described.

Of three different kinds of places of devotion and of how the will should conduct itself with regard to them.

Which treats of other motives for prayer that many persons use -- namely, a great variety of ceremonies.

Of the manner wherein the rejoicing and strength of the will must be directed to God through these devotions.

Which treats of the second kind of distinct good, wherein the will may rejoice vainly.

Title Page

Preface to Electronic Edition

Translator's Preface to the First Edition

Introductions to Ascent of Mount Carmel

Translator's Preface to the Second Edition

1. Dates and Methods of Composition. General Characteristics

2. Outstanding Qualities and defects of the Saint's Style

5. History of the Publication of St John of the Cross's Writings -- The First Edition

Introduction