58 



GhazzaWs Alchemy of Happiness. 



proceeds from him, which transcends what is ordinary, is 

 called a manifestation of grace. The miracle performed by 

 a saint is accounted a miracle of that prophet whose law 

 he follows. He who has received, by whatever means, a 

 revelation of the invisible world, is capable of being or- 

 dained to the office of a prophet. And if he is not ap- 

 pointed by God, the reason will be either, that at the time 

 the existing law had been newly revealed, and that there 

 was no occasion for a prophet, or else that there may be a 

 peculiarity in prophets which is not found in the saints. 

 It follows that it is our duty not to deny either the saint- 

 ship or the miracles of the saints, but to acknowledge them 

 as real. 



You should be aware, however, that this alchemy of 

 happiness, that is, the knowledge of God, which is the oc- 

 casion of the revelation of truth, cannot be acquired with- 

 out spiritual self-denial and effort. Unless a man has 

 reached perfection and the rank of Superior, nothing will 

 be^ revealed to him, except in cases of special divine grace 

 and merciful providence, and this occurs very rarely. Nor, 

 except by divine condescension, is revelation obtained even 

 by all who by effort reach the rank of Superior. And 

 whosoever would attain holiness can only reach it by the 

 path of difficulty. 



You have now learned, student of the divine mysteries, 

 the dignity of the heart through knowledge, and what kind 

 of knowledge it possesses. Now listen and learn its dignity 

 through divine power and on account of the greatness of 

 which it is capable, that you may see how precious you are 

 in yourself, and yet how vile and contemptible you make 

 yourself by your own choice. Know then, that the heart 

 is endowed with properties like those of angels and such 

 as are not found in animals ; and just as the material world 

 is subjected by divine permission to the angels, and when 

 God wills it, the angels send forth the winds, cause rain to 



