This fault is one which it is not easy to discover, yet it is very offensive in the sight of God. For He desires and loves to see in us a loyal acknowledgment of this most certain truth, that He Alone is the Source of all good, and that all virtue and grace descend from Him to us, and that from ourselves nothing can come, not even a good thought, which would be worthy of His approval.
Yet, although this most necessary self-distrust is itself the work of the Divine Hand, and is wont to be bestowed by God upon His friends, sometimes by means of holy inspirations, sometimes by sharp chastisements, sometimes by violent and almost insurmountable temptations, at other times by ways not understood by us, nevertheless it is His will that we also, as far as we can, should do our part; I will therefore propose to you four means, by which, relying chiefly on God's assistance, you may be able to acquire self-distrust.
The first is, to meditate upon and to recognize your own vileness and nothingness, and the fact that of yourself you can do no good thing, whereby to deserve an entrance into the Heavenly Kingdom.
The second is, to seek from the Lord with fervent and humble prayers this self-distrust; seeing it is His gift. In order to obtain it, you
