WIXLIB

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the Cross

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossTable of ContentsAbout This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. iiTitle Page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 1Preface to the Electronic Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 2Principal Abbreviations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 3Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 4Manuscripts Of The Dark Night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 9Prologue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 13Book The First. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 15Chapter I. Sets down the first line and begins to treat of the imperfectionsof beginners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 15Chapter II. Of certain spiritual imperfections which beginners have withrespect to the habit of pride. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 16Chapter III. Of some imperfections which some of these souls are apt tohave, with respect to the second capital sin, which is avarice, in the spiritualsense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 19Chapter IV. Of other imperfections which these beginners are apt to havewith respect to the third sin, which is luxury. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 20Chapter V. Of the imperfections into which beginners fall with respect tothe sin of wrath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 23Chapter VI. Of imperfections with respect to spiritual gluttony. . . . . . . p. 24Chapter VII. Of imperfections with respect to spiritual envy and sloth. . . p. 27Chapter VIII. Wherein is expounded the first line of the first stanza, and abeginning is made of the explanation of this dark night. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 28Chapter IX. Of the signs by which it will be known that the spiritual personis walking along the way of this night and purgation of sense. . . . . . . . p. 30Chapter X. Of the way in which these souls are to conduct themselves inthis dark night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 33Chapter XI. Wherein are expounded the three lines of the stanza. . . . . p. 35Chapter XII. Of the benefits which this night causes in the soul. . . . . . p. 37Chapter XIII. Of other benefits which this night of sense causes in thesoul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 40Chapter XIV. Expounds this last line of the first stanza. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 43Book The Second. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 46Chapter I. Which begins to treat of the dark nights of the spirit and says atwhat time it begins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 46iii

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossChapter II. Describes other imperfections which belong to theseproficients. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 47Chapter III. Annotation for that which follows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 48Chapter IV. Sets down the first stanza and the exposition thereof. . . . . p. 50Chapter V. Sets down the first line and begins to explain how this darkcontemplation is not only night for the soul but is also grief andtorment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 51Chapter VI. Of other kinds of pain that the soul suffers in this night. . . . . p. 53Chapter VII. Continues the same matter and considers other afflictions endconstraints of the will. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 55Chapter VIII. Of other pains which afflict the soul in this state. . . . . . . p. 59Chapter IX. How, although this night brings darkness to the spirit, it doesso in order to illumine it and give it light. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 61Chapter X. Explains this purgation fully by a comparison. . . . . . . . . . p. 65Chapter XI. Begins to explain the second line of the first stanza. Describeshow, as the fruit of these rigorous constraints, the soul finds itself with thevehement passion of Divine love. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 68Chapter XII. Shows how this horrible night is purgatory, and how in it theDivine wisdom illumines men on earth with the same illumination that purgesand illumines the angels in Heaven. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 70Chapter XIII. Of other delectable effects which are wrought in the soul bythis dark night of contemplation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 72Chapter XIV. Wherein are set down and explained the last three lines ofthe first stanza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 76Chapter XV. Sets down the second stanza and its exposition. . . . . . . p. 77Chapter XVI. Explains how, though in darkness, the soul walkssecurely. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 78Chapter XVII. Explains how this dark contemplation is secret. . . . . . . p. 83Chapter XVIII. Explains how this secret wisdom is likewise a ladder. . . . p. 86Chapter XIX. Begins to explain the ten steps of the mystic ladder of Divinelove, according to Saint Bernard and Saint Thomas. The first five are heretreated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 87Chapter XX. Wherein are treated the other five steps of love. . . . . . . . p. 90Chapter XXI. Which explains the word ‘disguised,’ and describes the coloursof the disguise of the soul in this night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 92Chapter XXII. Explains the third line of the second stanza. . . . . . . . . . p. 95Chapter XXIII. Expounds the fourth line and describes the wondrous hidingplace wherein the soul is set during this night. Shows how, although thedevil has an entrance into other places that are very high, he has none intothis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 96iv

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossChapter XXIV. Completes the explanation of the second stanza.Chapter XXV. Wherein is expounded the third stanza. . . . . . . .Indexes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Index of Scripture References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Latin Words and Phrases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .v.p. 101p. 102p. 104p. 104p. 105

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Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossDARK NIGHT OF THE SOULbySaint John of the CrossDOCTOR OF THE CHURCHTHIRD REVISED EDITIONTranslated and edited, with an Introduction,by E. ALLISON PEERSfrom the critical edition ofP. SILVERIO DE SANTA TERESA, C.D.TO THEDISCALCED CARMELITES OF CASTILE,WITH ABIDING MEMORIES OF THEIR HOSPITALITY AND KINDNESSIN MADRID, ÁVILA AND BURGOS,BUT ABOVE ALL OF THEIR DEVOTION TOSAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS,I DEDICATE THIS TRANSLATION

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossPREFACE TO THE ELECTRONIC EDITIONThis electronic edition (v 0.9) was scanned in 1994 from an uncopyrighted 1959 Image Books thirdedition of the Dark Night. The entire text except for the translator’s preface and some of the footnoteshave been reproduced. Nearly 400 footnotes (and parts of footnotes) describing variations amongmanuscripts have been omitted. Page number references in the footnotes have been changed tochapter and section where possible. This edition has been proofread once, but additional errors mayremain. The translator’s preface to the first and second editions may be found with the electronicedition of Ascent of Mount Carmel.2

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossPRINCIPAL ABBREVIATIONSA.V.—Authorized Version of the Bible (1611).D.V.—Douai Version of the Bible (1609).C.W.S.T.J.—The Complete Works of Saint Teresa of Jesus, translated and edited by E. AllisonPeers from the critical edition of P. Silverio de Santa Teresa, C.D. London, Sheed and Ward, 1946.3 vols.H.—E. Allison Peers: Handbook to the Life and Times of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross.London, Burns Oates and Washbourne, 1953.LL.—The Letters of Saint Teresa of Jesus, translated and edited by E. Allison Peers from the criticaledition of P. Silverio de Santa Teresa, C.D. London, Burns Oates and Washbourne, 1951. 2 vols.N.L.M.—National Library of Spain (Biblioteca Nacional), Madrid.Obras (P. Silv.)—Obras de San Juan de la Cruz, Doctor de la Iglesia, editadas y anotadas por elP. Silverio de Santa Teresa, C.D. Burgos, 1929–31. 5 vols.S.S.M.—E. Allison Peers: Studies of the Spanish Mystics. Vol. I, London, Sheldon Press, 1927;2nd ed., London, S.P.C.K., 1951. Vol. II, London, Sheldon Press, 1930.Sobrino.—Jose Antonio de Sobrino, S.J.: Estudios sobre San Juan de la Cruz y nuevos textos desu obra. Madrid, 1950.3

Dark Night of the SoulSt. John of the CrossDARK NIGHT OF THE SOULINTRODUCTIONSOMEWHAT reluctantly, out of respect for a venerable tradition, we publish the Dark Night as aseparate treatise, though in reality it is a continuation of the Ascent of Mount Carmel and fulfils theundertakings given in it:The first night or purgation is of the sensual part of the soul, which is treated in thepresent stanza, and will be treated in the first part of this book. And the second isof the spiritual part; of this speaks the second stanza, which follows; and of this weshall treat likewise, in the second and the third part, with respect to the activity ofthe soul; and in the fourth part, with respect to its passivity.1This ‘fourth part’ is the Dark Night. Of it the Saint writes in a passage which follows that justquoted:And the second night, or purification, pertains to those who are already proficient,occurring at the time when God desires to bring them to the state of union with God.And this latter night is a more obscure and dark and terrible purgation, as we shallsay afterwards.2In his three earlier books he has written of the Active Night, of Sense and of Spirit; he now proposesto deal with the Passive Night, in the same order. He has already taught us how we are to deny andpurify ourselves with the ordinary help of grace, in order to prepare our senses and faculties forunion with God through love. He now proceeds to explain, with an arresting freshness, how thesesame senses and faculties are purged and purified by God with a view to the same end—that ofunion. The combined description of the two nights completes the presentation of active and passivepurgation, to which the Saint limits himself in these treatises, although the subject of the stanzaswhich he is glossing is a much wider one, comprising the whole of the mystical life and endingonly with the Divine embraces of the soul transformed in God through love.The stanzas expounded by the Saint are taken from the same poem in the two treatises. Thecommentary upon the second, however, is very different from that upon the first, for it assumes amuch more advanced state of development. The Active Night has left the senses and faculties wellprepared, though not completely prepared, for the reception of Divine influences and illuminationsin greater abundance than before. The Saint here postulates a principle of dogmatic theology—thatby himself, and with the ordinary aid of grace, man cannot attain to that degree of purgation which12Ascent, Bk. I, chap. i, sect. 2.Op. cit., sect. 3.4