that thou mayest begin to cry out with St. Peter in great Jubilation of heart O Lord it is good that we remaine here here is our Father here our Sister here our Brother here our Country O Lord permit us to be here and never to depart from hence St. Amb. Let us fly O my soule into our most true Country because there is our Countrey for that which we were created there our Father by whom we were created there is that Hierusalem that Heavenly City which is our Mother O my soule thy love here in this mortall life ought to be so great Saint Ansel and desire to come to that for which we were created and so great thy griefe because as yet thou art not there and so great thy feare least perchance thou never comest there that thou oughtst to feel no Joy but from these things which do either bring thee aid or hope to come thither CHAP. III. Of the Interminable Eternity SOVLE O Man whilst that sometimes I think of these things whilst that silently I consider with my selfe what is that which then shineth in me and woundeth my heart without hurting me and I am afraid yet am inflam'd I admit sometimes mentally into my affection something which is unusuall St. Aug. but I know not what sweetness it is which if it were perfected in me I know not what it shall be that this life shall not be But I fall into a relapse with ponderous burthens and am swallowed up with my wonted cares Here I am able to be but not willing there I am willing to be but am not able miserable in both Haec August MAN O My Soul consider that these celestiall things can not so much as be thought upon of those that are worthily disposed without foretasting of the sweetnesse But I am ignorant what that shall then be when they can be perfectly without intricacy tasted or perceived in thee wherfore it is not to be marvled at if the foretasting of such things cause in thee a wearinesse of this Exile because nothing is more bitter then after that the Soul hath been accustomed to be comforted with the joy of such delights if again it shall begin to be intangled with worldly and transitory things From hence it is that the Soul laboureth struggles and is vexed there she alwaies desires to be and yet it sufficeth not here she is compelled to be yet after this she endeavoureth to ascend to that which she hath already tasted for now having tasted of the Spirit all flesh is distastfull Thou hast seen the joy of the blessed from these that are below thee and from these which are neer thee now behold if thou canst what joy is to come from these which are within thee For man shal be rewarded in body and in mind and with the eternall and inseperable union of these two for our body is composed of four Elements wherfore it shall be remunerated with four gifts of Nature the Earth then shall have eternall immortality the water all manner of impassibility the Air exceeding great agility and the fire most transparent and bright shining clearness then shall the Just shine like the Sun and shall run like sparkles among the reeds for God will wipe away all tears from the eyes of his Saints and then there shall not be any more either lamentation or roaring or greif but everlasting peace and gladness In this sempiternall Kingdome the hearts of the blessed shall shine in clearnes one against another and shalâ— in purity be transparent there every ones Countenance is beheld and conscience penetrated there the bodily substance of any one hideth not his intent from the eyes of another Also at an instant wheresoever the mind would be there the body shal be also presently St. Aug. For as then the mind most perfectly obeyeth its Creator so also the body shal most readily obey its Moover God will make the Soule then so powerfull that from the most full beatitude thereof it shall returne into the body from the superabundance whereof it shall receive the vigor of impassability the splendor of clearness the aptitude of subtilty the promptitude of agility there all the senses shall be imployed in their proper actions for there the eye shall see a most beautifull comliness the tast shall feele a most most sweet Savour the sence of smelling shall be perfumed with a most pleasant odour the touch shall imbrace a most delicious object the Hearing shall be changed by a most delicate Sound for there when the mind is ravished by exultation the Tongue is elevated into a Song of praise SOVLE O Man I have heard these wonderfull things long ago and seeing that these are all true what other thing is this present life but a certain shadow of death MAN O My Soul thou hast sayd well because temporall life compared to the eternall is rather be called death then life for what other thing is this defect of our daily corruption then a certain prolongation of death therfore holy men because they incessantly look into the shortness of this life live as though they were dayly dying and therefore more carefully prepare themselves not minding an abode be cause they alway consider that all these things are nothing in the end But men carnally minded therefore love things present frr that they never weigh how fleeting mans life is for if they should looke into the swiftnes of their passege yea they would in no wise love this prosperity Haec Gregorius Let therefore O my Soule the love of this present life passe from thee and let the fervency of the life to come take place where no adversity disturbeth noe necessity distresseth no trouble disquieteth but ever lasting gladness raigneth and consider how great the future felicity is to be where there shal be no evill thing nor good thing shall be hidden all being imploeyd to the praises of God who shall be All in All for there shall be no end of rest nor shall any want pinch there our being shall have no Death our knowledge shall have no Errour our Love shall have no offence There all slowness all corruption all deformity all infirmity shall be absent There is a new Heaven and a new Earth there we shall be like unto the Angells of God and although not in age yet truly in happines St. Aug. O my Soul Thou shouldest imbrace that Life where there is Life wthout Death Youth without old Age Joy without Sadnesse Peace without Discord Will without Injury Light without Darknesse a Kingdom without Change Consider how much the spirit may rejoyce when it shall resume such a body as now thou hast heard not such a one as thou hast sustained with great griefe and hast overcome with great strife of whom oftentimes thou patiently impatient and meekly angry hast said to thy self Who will free from the body of this death Not surely such a one but now perfectly obeying and spirituall such a
weigh and consider by another mans judgement what thou oughtest to esteem of thy self Thou hast a Spouse of whose beautie if thou didst not doubt thou wouldst know that so fair so comly so only a Son of God would not be ravished with thy countenance if a singular comliness and above all others to be admired did not invite him These S. Aug. But perhaps these mean things O my soul who art too ingratefull do seem to thee too small and mean wherefore in the third place heare an admirable dignitie that thou art of such a simplicity that nothing can inhabit the seat of thy mind nothing can make therein any mansion but only the simplicitie and puritie of the Eternal Trinitie Behold what the Bridegroom saith I saith he and my Father will come unto him and will make a mansion with him And in another place in the Gospel Zacheus make haste to come down because to day it behoveth me to stay in thy house For to insinuate into the mind is only possible to him that created it For he it is who being more intimate in thy thoughts doth give himselfe to thee as S. Aug. saith Rejoice the refore O happie soul that thou canst be an entertainer of such a Guest S. Bern. O happie is that soul which daily doth cleanse her heart that she may receive God to dwel therein which host can want no good because he hath in himselfe the Author of all goodness O how blessed is that Soul with whom God hath found rest which can say Hee that created mee hath rested in my Tabernacle So that the Heavens cannot deny her a resting place in Heaven who hath prepared for himselfe a rest in this life O my soule thou art too covetous if the presence of such a Guest cannot content thee because I know he is so liberall that he wil give and communicate unto thee of his good things that he is so holy that he will enrich thee with his gifts For it would in no wise become so great a Prince if he should permit his Entertainer to want Adorn therefore thy Bed and receive the King thy Maker of whose presence thy whole Family shall rejoâ—ce and be glad O truly wonderfull very admirable sentence The King whose beauty the Sun and Moon do admire whose greatness the Heaven and earth do reverence of whose wisdom the Troops of Heavenly Spirits are illuminated of whose clemency the Colledge of all the blessed are satiated such a one O my Soul desireth thy entertainment thy Supping Parlour more then he coveteth or wisheth for a Heavenly Pallace For his delights are to be with the Sons of men But if yet these do not move thee to praise thy Creator convert the light of thy contemplation to the fourth benefit and know that thy palace is of such a capacity that no creature is sufficient to satisfie thy desire Hugo de Sancto Victore All pleasure all sweetness all power all the abundance of things created may affect a humane heart but cannot satisfie it S. Anselm Every Creature which is not my God is to me poverty And wherefore Truly according to S. Gregory in his Morals a humane Soule which is made earnestly to desire God whatsoever it desireth beneath God is less then God and therefore by right that sufficeth her not which is not God Now as I thinke O my Soul thou hast sufficiently seen thy Nobility which is very laudable Convert now the light of contemplation to thy power Hugo de Arrha animae above all other Creatures which truly is admirable O my Soule what hath thy Spouse given thee Behold this World every thing doth direct his course to that end that it may serve for they profits and that it may continually offer it it selfe to thy pleasures according to the distribution of times See now O my Soule diligently consider that the Creator thy Spouse and friend hath ordained the whole Fabricke of the world for thy service Behold the Angels doe cseanse and inflame thy affection illuminate and inform thy Intellect doe perfect and keepe thy bodie It is a great dignitie to have such Doctors Comforters and such Conservers O my Soule if thou couldst perceive with what joy and with what gladness they assist our prayers are present at our Meditations with what care they conserve us in Good with what desire they expect Us and Our Eternall salvation The Heaven seeks to please thee by his motion the luminaries by their influence the Sun gives the day the Moon lights the night the fire tempers the coldness of the Aire the Aire mitigates for thee the internall heat of fire the water cleanseth thy foulness cooleth the heat of thy thirst and doth fructifie the Earth The Earrh likewise doth beare thee with his solidity recreate thee with his fertility delight thee with his pleasantness Behold O my soule thou hast briefly runne through all from the Inferior to the Superior and hast found that every Creature to this end doth direct his course by the Divine ordination how far they may be beneficiall unto thee and incessantly offer themselves for thy pleasures But take heed O my soule least thou be called not a Spouse but an Adultresse if thou lovest more the gifts of the giver then the affection of the Lover Saint Aug in his 2. Book of Confessions Woe unto thee if thou wander from his foot-steps if thou love his Invitations and not him and dost not consider with the understanding of a pure mind what that most blessed light doth insinuate whose Invitations and foot-steps are the forme and beauty of all Creatures Yet if by chance thou art ignorant of thy selfe O fairest of Woemen Go forth and hasten after the footsteps of the Flock that is of unreasonable Creatures who are the Foot-steps of thy Creator but thou art the mirrour of the most blessed Trinity Therefore thou art accounted more worthy and more Excellent then all they And feed thy Kids nere unto the Tabernacles of the Shepheard that is convert thy cogitations to the Troops of Angels to whom in some sort thou now art like in Nature and shall be fellow Citizen in Glory SOVLE NOw I have been sufficiently silent I have long enough held my peace Even now with shamefastnesse and blushing I am compelled to confesse and say that I have little considered this dignity Alas unhappy soule and miserable that I am I have too unworthily prostituted my love I have not glorified my Maker for all these his benefits I have not blessed my God for all his gifts and have not adored him in all my life but have lived too unworthily and irreverently too vainly and negligently And that I may confesse the truth according to Saint Bern. by how much more perfectly I behold my dignity by so much I am confounded and blush that I have led an unnaturall life For I feare that the fault is so much the more grievous by how much my nature is more worthy
betrayer I have feared the accuser I have feared the Reprehender I have sometimes feared my Conscience I have oftentimes feared Infamy I have sometimes feared Hell and yet alas miserable Soule that I am amongst so many miseries I have not changed nor forsaken my own will The odour also of the Creature hath deceived my smell and I have been ignorant O good Jesus that thy odour doth savour sweeter then all Aromaticall things O good Jesus the fountain of all odour whose sweetness doth make me continually to run and incessantly to labour after thee Pardon me that so late I have known thee so slowly have run after thee in the savour of thy Oyntments I think notwithstanding and by this I do not excuse my selfe that the odour of that heavenly storehouse is not mixed with this earthly stench wherewith I was infected The fals and deceitful sound of the Creatures hath also deceived my hearing and I have not knowne nor perceived How sweet thy words are to the Palate of thy Elect. How pleasant thy Councels are to the cares of thy friends How light thy Commandements are to the hands of thy Saints O Jesus the Fountain of wisdom the Author of knowledge the Giver of chaste Councell make me yet now at least to hear thy voice let thy voice sound in my eares With how great bitterness do I call to mind that I was deceived by that most miserable voice of those that sung and said Come let us enjoy the good things that are let us crown our selves with Roses before they wither and let not the flower of our time pass us let us fill our selves with precious wine and the best ointments let us every where leave signes of our joy and gladness This voice I have heard and have not understood nor considered that all things are vain and to be laughed at For all these and the like suddenly have slipped away and vanished like a shaddow For what have all these vain things brought to their lovers What profit then have they had in those things wherein now they are confounded and ashamed of O Lord my God the light of my heart the food of my soule the vertue affecting my minde I did not love thee yet I fornicated without thee and those that fornicated with mee they cried ha ha The friendship of this world is fornication without thee O what is more miserable then a miserable man that shows not mercy to himselfe But in all these things thou O most loving God wert alwaies present with me I have often heard thy voice I have perceived thy wholsome inspiration but never consented O how often hast thou inspired this most wholesome counsel to me Thou hast sinned forbear leave and blush To which I â—iserable soule have followed the custome of St. Augustine in his booke of Confessions Sometimes I have answered drowsily O Lord expect me a while suffer me a little now I will rest from vanity now I will blush at my naughtiness I will forsake all vaine and worldly things But alas that little that now had neither meane nor measure and it was too long protracted This sloath is a thing Item Augustinus that murthereth many eternally and for ever detains them in sins who do not correct or apply themselves to the voice of our Lord. They heare truely the voice of secret inspiration but do not amend their life saying to morrow to morrow and suddenly the doore is shut and the sinner remains without even without the Arke of the Celestiall Countrey croaking with the voice of a Crow for his sinnes because he would not lament and mourne with the Dove Alas how their owne felicity hath prostrated many men worse in sinnes Saint Greg. their continuall peace hath made many men sluggish and thereby the wicked enemy hath presently more greivously afflicted them by how much longer by the use of quiet he hath found them negligent For whom God doth longer suffer that they may be converted Item Gregorius the more grevously he condemneth them not being converted But O man that I may more perfectly and manifestly discover to thee the story of my unhappinesse all these were not sufficient to make me enough unhappy but alas to make my damnation the greater worldly delicatnesse did too miserably deceive my touch and I was ignorant O Good Jesu that thy embraces were so sweet thy touch so chast thy Familiarity so delightfull For when I shall love thee I am cleane when I touch thee I am chast when I shall receive thee J am a Virgin Thy Embraces O most sweet Jesus do not maculate but purisie thy touch doth not defile but sanctifie O Jesu the fountaine of all sweetnesse and delight pardon me that so lately I have believed how much purity how much dignity how much sweetnes the left hand of thy Eternall wisdome and knowledge hath when it is under my head that is my reason and the right hand of thy clemency and affection when it shall embrace me that is my Will Woe is me miserable soule what can be ever proved so sweet so pleasant so delightfull and healthfull as to rest betwixt the Armes of such a Spouse happily to repose within the kisses of so great a King and friend This sweetnesse the devour soule perceived when she wished saying Lee him kiss me with the kisses of his lips Had the devout soule ever tried these delights when inflamed with love she prayed and almost fainting for the desire of her beloved saying O that thou wert as my Brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother when I should find thee without I would kisse thee yet I should not be despised I would lead thee and bring thee into my Fathers house and into the bed of her that bare me There thou shalt instruct me and I will cause thee to drink of spiced Wine and of the juice of my Pomegranates In the Canticles Who is able to declare but he that in spirit had tasted how much sweetnesse and devotion this discourse containeth when he well considereth and is rightly nourished with a devout mind wherefore I leave the Exposition to the devout soule But O Lord God if these be so sweet to our thinking of them how sweet are they to them that taste them if so pleasant to him that reads them how comfortable will they be by affection to them that feel them make me O most sweet Jesu inwardly to tast that by love Saint Aug. which outwardly I tast by thought make me to perceive by affection what I perceive by my understanding Ah O most sweet Jesu peirce the marrow of my soul with the healthfull shafts of thy love that it may truely burne languish and melt and may faint only with the desire of thee and may desire to be dissolved and to be with thee Let it alwayes hunger after thee only the bread of Celestiall life who descendest from Heaven Let it thirst after thee the Fountaine of life the
now as I think O my soule in some sort thou hast converted the beames of thy contemplation to perceive how the soule is informed by nature and how deformed by sinne now convert thy mind as I hope cleansed from filth by contrition to behold how thou art reformed by Grace Yet thou oughtest to know by how much the more perfect the darknesse of thy understanding is wiped away by the bath of contrition by so much the clearer the benefit of divine reparation is beheld For according to Saint Augustine sinne is a darkness whereby the understanding is dulled and the whole inferiour man is overclouded Wherefore it is necessary that by so much more carefully the mentall Eyes are to be continually cleansed from the darkness of sin by the tears of compunction by how much the more the light of contemplation is darkened thereby Therefore now O my soule being purified in thy affections direct the light of contemplation to behold how by the profound clemency of God how by the high wisdome of God how by the wonderfull power of God thou art reformed by Grace First consider how by the benefit of Redemption he hath freed thee from originall sinne knowest thou not that by originall sinne thou wert robbed of all naturall and spirituall guifts brought into subjection by the power of the Prince of Darknesse repulsed and exiled from thy Country But according to Saint Bern. that singular and excellent Majesty would dye that we might live serve that we might raigne be banished that we might be restored to our Country and he hath subjected himsele to all base works that he might place us above all his works For the sonne of man came to seek and save what had been lost I say that he might humble thee being proud For this the only Son of God St. Greg. in his Register hath taken upon him our infirmity for this he being invisible hath made himselfe not only visible but also hath appeared despised for this he hath suffered scornefull reproches contemptible derisions tormenting passions that he an humble God might teach man that he ought not to be proud God hath despised all earthly Goods Saint August that he might shew us how to contemne all ours he hath sustained all earthly evills that he might teach us how to beare them so that Felicity ought not to be sought in the one nor Adversity be feared in the other Secondly he came Saint Aug. that he might reconcile thee to his Father When thou wert an enemy to the Father I have reconciled thee when thou wert afarre of I came that I might reduce thee when thou wanderdst among Mountains and desarts I have sought thee Amongst Rocks and Woods I found thee upon my Shoulders I have carryed thee I have restored thee to my Father I have laboured I have swet I have exposed my head to Thornes my hands to Nailes I have suffered my side to be opened with a launce I have poured out my blood for thee and I have been torne in peeces with all these I will not say Injuries but Austerities yet alas through sinne thou seperatest thy self from mee Thirdly he came that being sould Saint Aug. he might redeeme thee Let us admire give thanks love praise adore because we are called by the death of our Redeemer from death to life from darkness to light from exile to our Country from Corruption to incorruption from misery to Glory from lamentation to joy O wonderfull and unheard of mixture St. Gr. Nazianzen he that is the Creator is become a Creature he that is Immense is apprehended he that is rich towards all men is become poore He hath taken the forme of my flesh that he might repaire the Image which he had made that he might endow mortall flesh with immortality A wake now O my soule look upon the face of thy Saviour Behold that face in times past full of light with very much splendor now veiled for thee contrary to Charity Beautifull with comelyness now swolne contrary to comeliness esteemed for sweetness now spit upon contrary to favour desireable for love now made abominable contrary to desire See now O my Soule and diligently consider the strange and unheard of wonders our Lord hath done upon earth God is mocked that thou mayest be honoured the Innocent is whipped that thou mayst be comforted the just is crucified that thou mayest be freed the Immaculat Lamb is slain that thou mayest banquet Blood and Water are launced from his side that thou mayest drink c. Look therefore into the price of thy Redemption appeasing the offence of prevarication Behold the example of Information giving help of sanctification Behold the aide of protection laying open the Gate of Imprisonment receive the reward of retribution bringing the grace of Justification Behold O Soule too delicate by continuall contemplating and do by perfectly imitating according to the example of consummated Iustice that which is shewed thee in the Mountaine that is to say in the most victorious passion of Christ Dost thou not consider that thou art puft up with corporall delights and Christ thy Lord thy King thy spouse thy Master and Friend is afflicted with all kind of pains in every part of his Senses by all sorts of men The King mocked him the chief Ruler Iudged him the Desciple sold him the Apostles left him the chtefe Priests Scribes and Pharisees delivered him the Gentiles whipped him the rabble rout and common People condemned him the Souldiers crucified him Saint Bern. That head feared by Angelicall spirits is Crowned with Thorns that face more beautifull then the sonnes of men is spit upon by the Jewes Those Eyes clearer then the Sunne wax dimme in death Those Ears which heare Heavenly Hymnes heare the outragious infultings of sinners That mouth which instructeth Angels it moystned with Vinegar and Gall Those Feet whose footstoole is adored because it is holy are fastened to the Cross Those hands that have framed the Heavens are extended on the Cross and fastened with Nailes his body is beaten his side opened with a launce And what more There remained not in him any thing free but only his Tongue that he might pray for sinners and commend his Mother to his Disciple These Saint Bern. And what more O faithfull soule our Saviour with none of these intisements of his adverse Enemies cold be withdrawn from the care of our Salvation But by how much the more his Aemulation is shown by so much if we despise this the more grievous damnation follows us SOVLE O Man I have been long silent because those things which thou hast proposed both with joy and griefe I have received with a devout mind Rejoycing therefore I will rejoyce in our Lord because he hath loved me so much that he spared not his only begotten Son for me O inestimable love of Charity thou hast delivered thy Son that thou mightest redeem a hand-maid and yet not worthy the name of a
if thou lovest Heavenly things how is it now that thou remainest not in Heaven who art in this life resembling celestiall spirits SOVLE ALas Alas now miserable and unhappy that I am know perceive my selfe for a long season to have been miserably blinded who for so long a time knowingly have erred in temporall and earthly things entangling my selfe by love in worldly and base things from which I have received very little comfort but much grief and some confusion but very little joy yet various and often great sorrow of heart Tell me therefore I pray thee O man what is that Heavenly consolation and how by any means I may be able to attaine to it in this vale of teares and misery What is that which I find in my God when so willingly and so easily I contemne all things for him when I say within my self with joy O God of my heart O God my portion for ever What is that which I tast in that most short houre in my beloved when with all my strength I desire joyfully and heartily to endure all sharp bitter and austere things for him and say It is good for me to cleave to God And who shall seperate me from the charity of Christ MAN O My Soule this consolation according to Saint Bern. is nothing else but a certaine love of Devotion proceeding from the hope of Pardon and tast of the good though but little and a most certaine sweet Delectation wherewith our bountifull God recreateth the afflicted soule whereby the soule is invited to seek God and is vehemently provoked to a divine love Hugo de S. V. O my soule what thinkest thou is so sweet and so pleasant that is accustomed to move the devout soules in the remembrance of their beloved and so sweetly affect them that now they altogether begin to be rapt and alienated from themselves The conscience is exhilerated and the memorie of all their greifs is forgotten The mind rejoyceth the understanding waxeth cleare the heart is illuminated and the affection is made jocund Now they know not where they behold themselves and as though the embraces of love hold something within them and they are ignorant what it is and yet they earnestly desire with all their force to retaine it The mind delightfully struggles in some sort least it should depart from it as though it should find the end of all its desires therein St. Bern. Sometimes as though Hood winckâ— O good Jesu thou sendest me desiring thee into the mouth of my heart yet to know what it is that I feel it is not lawfull for me For truely I perceive a savour being so comfortable a sweetnesse that if is were perfected in me I should seek nothing else Is not this the Jubilee of the heart St. Gregory Jubilee is said to be an unspeakable joy of the mind which cannot be hidden nor uttered in words Yer notwithstanding it may be shown by some motions though not expressed by any proprieties Wherefore the Psalmist saith Blessed is that people that knoweth Jubilation He doth not say who speaketh but who knoweth because Jubilation truly may be known by the understanding but cannot be expressed by word or speech St. Bern. For when I perceive this savour thou sufferest me by no sight of the Body by no sense of the soule by no understanding of the Spirit to consider what it is when I shall receive it and am willing to ruminate thereof and to judge the sweetness of it it presently slideth away yet truly I swallow it in hope of eternall Glory but by long ruminating of the vertue of its operation I desired to infuse it into all the veins and marrow of my soule as though it were a certaine vitall Juice that it might deceive it of all other affections and it might only savour that but presently it hasteneth away and when with Inquisition or acception or the sight there of I gladly desire more strictly to commit some formall imprinted lineaments thereof to memory or otherwise to help my forgetfulnesse by writing by experience I am compelled to confesse that of the Gospell Thou knowest not from whence it cometh or whither it goeth What Declaration O my Soul dost thou think is there so sweet and so pleasant Truly this is the divine consolation SOVLE O Man who will bestow this upon me that this so un-experienced a consolation may enter into my heart that I may forget my miseries and may despise worldly comfort and may happily begin to be estranged from my selfe MAN O My soule Great is that which thou desirest it is an inestimable gift which thou wishest for wherefore as I suppose it cannot be obtained by humane endeavour it can scarcely be gotten but by humble prayers to God and of those that are worthily disposed by the only grant of divine mercy For all Gold in comparison of it is but as a little sand and silver compared to it is accounted as nothing SOVLE O Man tell me I desire thee what manner a one ought that disposition to be wherewith the affection of him that prayes ought to be disposed for obtaining of it MAN OF this matter much might be spoken of them that have tryed it but that I acknowledge my self unexperienced yea I blush to speak a few things Wherefore I feare least it should be objected against me Wherefore dost thou relate what thou hast not tasted Wherfore like an unworthy man dost thou praise what thou art ignorant of SOVLE O Man fear not but with reverence and Humility devoutly propose what thou hast both heard and read For there are many that have to the profit of others determined of great and high matters which they have not learned of their own experience but by the knowledge of others MAN NOw I shall speak with some boldness for those abilities which lack of knowledge denieth Charity supplieth Wherfore as I think so I relate I think under favour of a better Judgment if thou wilt prepare thy self to tast this Celestiall Sweetness thou oughtest to be cleansed exercised and lifted up In the first this Heavenly sweetness is smelled in the second is is tasted and in the third somtimes even to inebriation it is taken and swallowed up First I say thou oughtest to be cleansed from sins from inordinate affections from temporall consolation and from the inordinate love of Creatures because according to St. Bernard he erreth altogether that beleiveth that he is able to mixe the Celestiall sweetness with this dust that divine Balsom with this venemous Joy those Graces of the Holy Ghost with the Allurements of this world But after the Soule shall bee purged by such things cleansed from tear-distilling grones and purifyed by sorrowfull sobbings because as St. Aug saith it is convenient that that mind should always find sorrow in it self who forsaking his Creator did alwaies seek joyes in himselfe and in the Creature Excellently therfore St. Gregory in his Morals speaketh of that Sentence of Job