'And it is clear that this dark contemplation is in
these its beginnings painful likewise to the soul; for, as this Divine
infused contemplation has many excellences that are extremely good, and
the soul that receives them, not being purged, has many miseries that
are likewise extremely bad, hence it follows that, as two contraries
cannot coexist in one subject - the soul - it must of necessity have
pain and suffering, since it is the subject wherein these two contraries
war against each other, working the one against the other, by reason of
the purgation of the imperfections of the soul which comes to pass
through this contemplation.'
