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
turne thy face from me For though I have Judged my selfe unworthy to eat of the bread of thy Children yet I have expected with earnest desire to eat at the least of the Crummes falling from their Table but alas though with with open mouth I have earnestly expected yet I have alwayes been frustrated MAN O My soule the former things which thou hast most lamentably complained of happen by a two fold reason Sometimes of the very pious and wholsome dispensation of the divine goodnesse In his Morals Whereupon Saint Gregory The just God is wont to deferre the complaints of them that Petition him for a time that their desires might encrease to that end they may rather be heard for their good by how much the sooner they are not heard at their desire Holy desires encrease by delayes Item in Homilia for if they faint at the denyall thereof they were not desires For although God of his goodnesse is most clement notwithstanding sometimes it happeneth that he protracteth that which he most willingly would give that thou mayst learne earnestly and ardently to desire great things and more carefully to preserve them obtained with thanksgiving Also sometimes he prolongs his benefits by reason of the inordinate disposition of the Asker Hee is altogether our of the way that thinketh any one can mix that Heavenly sweetnesse with this dust that divine Balsome with this poisonous joy those Graces of the Holy Ghost with the allurements of this World But now O my soule that I may not longer keep thee in dalliance nor longer afflict thee by expectation cleanse thy understanding from vaine and unprofitable Phantasies from naturall and curious reasons from extravagant and overmuch curious employments in the sciences Also cleanse thy affection from sinne from the sequell of sinne and from the occasion or cause thereof Lift up thy reason dilate and declare thy affection enter into the joy of thy Lord which neither Eye in this life hath perfectly seen nor eare hath heard nor hath it ascended into the heart of man Be vehement therefore O my soule in the love and desire of the supernall life of the Saints where there is action not laborious rest not Idle or slothfull where there is life without defection or revolt divine prayse without cessation Haec Aug. Saint Bern. Rejoyce therefore and be glad and consider the reward of thy labour which truly is so much that it cannot be numbred so great that it cannot be measured so pretious that it cannot be terminated SOVLE O Man thou hast now spoken much in generall tell me I pray thee of all in particular because wee understand those things better which are particularly distinguished then those which a generally related MAN O My Soule What can I say when I behold the future joy Now I almost faint with admiration because the joy shall be within us and without us under us and over us nigh us and round about us Thou shalt therefore rejoice in all thou shalt rejoice of all Thy joy I beleive is prefigured in the Apocalipse by that blessed woman which was clothed with the Sun and the Moon was under her feet and a Crown of twelve Stars about her head This woman as I think is a blessed Soule the Daughter Bride and Queen of the eternall King A Daughter by the Creation of Nature a Bride by the Adoption of Grace a Queen by the Collation of Glory This Soule is well sayd to be clothed with the Sun because shee is adorned with the Splendor of divine cleerness crowned with the Dignity of eternall felicity In which happiness for the speciall comliness there are 12 Joyes figured by the Stars by which the Celestiall happines is beautified and adorned These joyes O my Soule thou oughest dayly devoutly to contemplate seek no consolation of thy present misery sojourning in hope patiently and joyfully to sustain all tribulation of this present life O my Soul thou shouldst not be perplext if evil men flourish in this world and thou sufferest Beda that they shall rejoyce and that thou shalt be vexed Alas wicked men have no share in the celestiall joy neither shouldest thou care if thou shouldest have no share in this world but by the hope of that joy at which thou aimest thy Affection may joyfully and patiently endure whatsoever hapneth to thee in the way of adversity Haec Beda St. Ber. O my Soul if at any time worldly joyes the false glory the short and frail power thereof delight thee recall thy mind from them and thou wilt esteem all as dung St. Hierom. Run therefor O my Soul not with the paces of the body but with affection and desire because not only the Angells and Saints but also the Lord and Master of Angells and Saints epxects thee God the Father expects thee as his most beloved Daughter God the Son expects thee as his sweetest Bride God the Holy Ghost expects thee as one most dearly beloved unto him God the Father expects thee that he may constitute thee the Heir of all good things God the Son expects thee that hee may offer thee to God the Father as the fruit of his Nativity and the price of his most precious blood God the Holy Ghost expects thee that he may make thee partaker of his eternall Beatitude and Swetness That most blessed Family of all the Celestiall Spirits of the eternall King do expect thee that they may receive thee into their Colledg therefore desire thou their Society above all things thou shouldest come thither with great modesty if thou hadst loved it in this vale of tears As often therfore as the vain Ambition of this VVorld delighteth thee as often as thou shalt behold any glorious Creature therein presently fly up to Heaven and begin to be what thou art to be Truly I beleive O my Soule if thou wouldest continually keep these heavenly joyes in thy mind thou wouldest build a certain Suburbs of the celestiall Kingdome in his Exile wherein dayly thou mightest spiritually by Assay taste that eternal sweetness for when we settle in our thoughts any thing that is eternall even then we dwell not in this world but in Heaven So great O my Soul is the force of thy love that thou livest there more truly where thou lovest by contemplation then where thou art but by Essence This O most dear Soul is the kingdome of God which is within us which alas we miserably neglect when outwardly we are given to idle and vain things We disperse St. Grego our selves abroad in not caring for the Kingdom of God which is within us we seek abroad for Consolation frome idle things and deceitfull Fopperies so that now wee have lost the Devotion of our ancient Religion even so that we retaine not the forme thereof Thou therefore O my Soule the Daughter of the Eternall King hear with a devout mind and incline thy Eare to holy and health-bringing councells Behold by
hand-maid O Lord Jesus Christ who for me hast not spared thy selfe so vulnerate my heart and so Inebriate my mind with thy blood that what way soever I shall turne my selfe I alwayes may behold thee Crucified and whatsoever I shall look upon may appeare to me ruddy with thy blood that so I may wholly intend thee that I might not find any thing beside thee nor behold any thing but thy wounds This is my comfort I have crucified my self O Lord with thee and let it be to me intimate affliction to mediate upon any thing except thee There is no Affection greater no charity more sincere Hugo de Sancto Victore no love stronger the Innocent hath dyed for me finding nothing in me that he might love But alas as often as I consider this wonderfull favour of divine Piety towards us I am not a little confounded and ashamed of my too much Ingratitude MAN O My Soule thou hast forsaken thy Spouse Hugo de Arrha Animae thou hast prostituted thy love and hast not given thanks for these great benefits yet that he might release thee from thence whence thou hadst falne he hath pleased to descend and piously to suffer that which thou didst endure Think therefore how much he loved thee which by no way but by dying would free thee from death Wherefore O my soule by how much the more worthy thou knowest the benefits of thy Redeemer are by so much the sinnes of thy Ingratitude are the worse See therefore that thou be not ingratefull on whom so many benefits are bestowed for the sinne of Ingratitude is very great because according to Saint Bern. Ingratitude is as it were a burning Wind drying up the Rivers of divine mercy the fountaine of clemency the torrents of Grace Consider therefore O my Soule often ponder and revolve in thy mind the horrible sentence which is pronounced against ingratefull persons in the Person of our Saviour saying O Soule see how great things I suffer for thee I call unto thee who dye for thee See the paines wherewith I am tormented See the Nailes wherewith I am pierced heare the reproaches wherewith I am confounded But although the externall griefe is great yet the Internall torment is far greater when I find thee so ingratefull and else where It is inveighed against ingratefull men in the person of Christ saying Et alibi Bernard O my people what have I done unto thee or in what have I molested thee answer me What is the cause thou wouldest rather obey my Enemy then me Consider that I am he who have created thee I have enriched thee with all good things if these be accounted but little to ingratefull persons yet I have redeemed thee with my most pretious blood Ah! O my soule let not these things depart from thy heart slip from thy mouth alwayes render thanks never cease to blesse and magnifie the only begotten Sonne of God for these his great benefits Let they dearly beloved be for all these benefits sometime to thee a Bundell of Myrrhe in thy heart sometime joy in thy mind praise in thy mouth Melody in thy Eare. SOVLE NOw I am not able longer to containe my self tell I pray thee what shall I render our Lord for all that he hath bestowed on me MAN O My Soule as St. Bern. saith In his Meditations thou owest to him thy whole life and not unworthily because he laid down his own life for thee and hath sustained cruell torments that thou mightest not endure eternall punishment What therefore can seeme hard unto thee when thou shalt call to mind that he that is comely in the favour of God would be crucified for thee O how undue a pitty how free a favour how unlooked for a Charity how wonderfull a sweetness is it that the King of Glory should dye and be crucified for a most despicable worme O how sweet a friend how strong a helper how wise a reconciler is this SOVLE O Man J confesse and truely acknowledge if J had the lives of all the Sons of Adam in me all the dayes of an Age the endeavours of all men that are have been or shall be it were nothing in comparison of that which my Spouse hath sustained for me which the Son of God hath suffered for my sinnes When as therefore J shall give all that J am and whatsoever I am able it will not be as a starr to the Sun as a drop to an Ocean or as dust to a Mountaine MAN O My Soule because I now begin to consider that the Eye of Contemplation being more perspicuous thou acknowledgest the Grace of divine redemption whereby thy Spouse hath delivered thee from originall sinne yet a little now I will begin to speak for my God and show thee to that heap of divine mercy whereby thou art freed from actuall sinne also Convert therefore the light of Contemplation unto the benefit of justification and consider the favour of thy Lord how paternally by secret inspiration he hath recalled thee from sinne how sweetly and how lovingly he hath recalled thee comforting thee by internall communication saying Return Return O Shunamite that is O soule by sinne miserably infected captivated or mortified Returne saith hee O Soule to mee I am thy Creator returne I am thy Redeemer Returne I am thy Comforter And if these seem but little returne last of all because I am thy very liberall rewarder Returne therefore to me I am hee that have so nobly created thee Returne I am he who so mercifully by my most bitter death have delivered thee from eternall damnation Return to mee I am he that so manifoldly have enriched thee with spirituall and corporall good things Returne at last to me O soule I am he who so liberally have now rewarded thee by prepared felicity Returne saith hee from the sin of thought Returne from the sinne of Speech Returne from the sinne of Action Return from the sinne of Custome Returne to me O Soule the Saints with great desire expect thee and at thy comming the Angels rejoyce Return Jesus Christ calls thee with hands extended on the Cross Returne the Abiss of the whole Trinity wait for thy returne O Soule if thou well remembrest this is the voice of thy welbeloved inviâ—ing thee Consider now how great hath been the longanimity of him expecting thee O what a long time he hath expected thy comming alas what a time hath he suffered thee in thy sinnes O how many and for what hath he damned for their sinnes before thy conversion yet mercifully hath he expected thee alwayes sinning Returne yet O Soule Christ expecting thee on the Cross hath his head inclined to kiss thee a a sinner and uncleane hath his Armes stretched forth to embrace thee his hands open to forgive thee his body extended wholly to bestow himselfe upon thee his feet fastened to remain with thee his side opened to suffer thee to enter therein Be therefore now O
to be entangled with so great greifs Saint Augustine libro Confessionum Although without the love of Charity St. Hierome every one may rightly believe yet he cannot attaine unto Beatitude because such is the force of Charity that even Prophesie and Marytrdome without it are esteemed as nothing no Vertue can Equall Charity For Charity obtaineth the Excellency of all Vertues O my God give thy selfe unto me St. Aug. Render thy self unto me I love thee and if that be too little I will love more forcibly I am not able to limit that J might know how much J want of thy love to that which is sufficient that my life might runne into thy embraces and not to divert untill it were hidden in the secrets of thy Countenance This J only know that whatsoever J have without thee and all plenty which is not my God is poverty SOVLE NOw therefore O Man seeing as thou sayest J ought to love my beloved Lover for all these things tell me J pray thee how much and in what manner J may love him to the end J may repay the multiplicity of his so great an Affection MAN O My Soule St. Bern. although according to Saint Bern. the cause of loving God be God himselfe yet the method to love him is to love him without method notwithstanding we can find by the Revelation of holy Scripture a certaine method For he that hath given thee love hath shewed thee a manner how to love saying Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and withall thy strength Love therefore O my soule with a singular love God the Father who hath so nobly created thee of nothing Love God the Sonne who so inestimably hath reformed thee in dying for thee Love God the Holy Ghost who so mercifully and so sweetly by often comforting thee hath preserved thee from sinne and hath strengthened thee in Good Love therefore God the Father valiantly that thou mayest not be dangerously overcome by any other strange love Love God the Sonne wisely that thou mayest not be craftily seduced by any other love Love God the Holy Ghost sweetly that thou mayst not be poysonously infected with any other strange love Or thus according to Saint Bern. Learn of Christ O Christian soule in what manner thou oughtest to love Christ Love sweetly wisely and valiantly Sweetly That all other love may be base to thee in respect of his love and let him only be to thee Honey in thy mouth melody in thy Eare and Jubilee in thy heart Love him wisely that thy love may continually burne in him only and in no other Love valiantly that thy frailty may joyfully undergo all sharp and bitter torments for him that thou mayest say My suffering is scarce the space of an houre or if it were more I feel it not for the love I owe him These Saint Bern. Thus let a Christian by love towards Christ continually resolve Saint Hiero. that he may willingly endure all things for him untill he shall come unto him Let us love Christ and alwayes seek to cleave fast to his embraces and every thing shall seem easie that is difficult Saint Ambrose O my soule alwayes keep in thy mind how sweetly Christ loved thee in his Incarnation how wisely in his Conversation and how valiantly in his Passion There is no love greater no Charity more sincere no Affection stronger the Innocent hath dyed for thee finding nothing in thee that he might love SOVLE TEll me I pray thee O man under favour I ask not out of curiosity but of humility not of presumption but rather of Devotion what is it that I love when I love my God Hugo de S.V. MAN O My soule if thy Question were presumptuous then it were too vitious but because it hath it originall from devotion it deserveth a devout answer Heare therefore In his Book of Confessions what that great Lover of God Saint Augustine saith When I love my God saith he I love not a form or comelinesse not time nor the Candor of that light which is lovely in sight nor â—weet Melodies nor unguents fragrantly senting nor Manna nor Honey nor bodyes acceptable to the Embraces of the flesh These things I love not when I love God But what do I love I love a certaine light a certaine voice a certaine odour a certaine food a certaine Embrasing of my inner man Where there is something shyneth to my soule which no place can comprehend where there is something soundeth which time is not capable of where there is something casteth an odour which a blast cannot disperse where there is something savours which Appetite cannot diminish where there is something cleaveth fast which saciety cannot pull away SOVLE TEll I pray thee O man yet a little of the vertue of Charity which being known the mind may more strongly be enflamed in the love of God MAN TRuely O my Soule the fruit of Charity is great but hidden For according to Saint Augustine it endureth adversity it mitigateth prosperity it is strong in hard suffering pleasant in good works most safe in temptation most liberall in Hospitality amongst true friends most mercy amongst false most patient It is secure among reproches liberall to them that hate it pleasant in time of Anger innocent among treacheries weeping at iniquity taking comfort in truth St. Aug. in praise of Charity O happy love from whence ariseth strength of Manners Saint Bern. purity of affections subtilty of understanding sanctity of desires clearnesse of works fruitfullnesse of Vertues dignity of merits sublimity and height of rewards and honours O sweetnesse of love O the happy love of sweetnesse let my heart feed on thee and let the bowells of my soule be replenished with thy Nectar O my soule how sweet is the food of Charity which refresheth the weary strengtheneth the weak and exhilerateth the sorrowfull For it maketh the yoak of truth sweet and his burden light I confesse O Lord I have not sustained the waight and heat of the day but I carry a sweet yoak and a light burden For my work is scarce the space of an houre and were it more I perceive it not in respect of thy love But what is more O my soule such is the force of love that it is necessary thou be like unto that which thou lovest and to whom thou art joyned by affection in some sort by the society of love thou shalt be transformed in to its similitude The end of the first part The Second Exercise How the Soule by mentall Exercise ought to convert her contemplation to things that are externall that she may know 1 How unstable worldly wealth is 2 How mutable worldly Excellency is c. 3 How miserable worldly Magnificence is CHAP. I. How unstable worldly wealth is SOVLE NOw I see how miserable every soule is setting her heart on worldly things which are attained with labour possessed
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
thou condemnest me in the time of judgment True it is These St. Anselme in his meditations that my Conscience hath deserved damnation my repentance sufficeth not for satisfaction yet certain it is that thy mercy is above every offence Do not O Lord St Aug. in his meditations so look into my evil that thou mayst forget thy owne goodness O good Lord if I have committed that wherby thou mayst condemn me thou hast not lost that wherwith thou mayst save me St. Gregory in Hom. O if man could but understand how admirable that is Behold the Spouse cometh How pletsant Those that were prepared entred with him to the marriage How bitter And the Gate was shut O my Soule what is more Consider how great an evil it is to be separated from the face of Christ to be excluded from that joy of divine Contemplation to be deprived of the most blessed Society of all the Saints to dye an everlasting life and to live an eternall death to be plunged in the bottom of a restless Gulph for ever to be torne in peeces with consuming worms and yet the torments not to end to suffer the noise of raging flames to be blinded with the bitter myst of the sulphurous smoaking Pit not to perceive that which enlightneth but to perceive that which tormenteth St. Aug. Such shall be the power of grief in the infernal deep that it admitteth no other intention of thought within it self SOVLE NOw I tremble with fear now I faint with the horrour therof Tell me I pray thee O man to what purpose is so lamentable a Meditation MAN O My Soul I think that the continuall and devout meditation of the prescribed is the sinners medicine and wholsom encourager and provoker to do all good things and to sustain all evil Thou fearest watching and the labour of thy hands St. Bern. inquadam Epistola but these are but easie to any one meditating on perpetuall flames The remembrance of that darkness maketh a man not to abhor Solitude yet if thou leasurely thinkest on a future discussion of thy words silence shall not displease thee that weeping and gnashing of teeth being often brought before the eyes of thy understanding do render unto thee equall rest and peace St. Aug. inquodam sermone A mans understanding being overcome with the inticements and concupiscences of this world flyeth all labour desireth pleasures can scarce be brought to this that hee can refrain the customes of his former life But when hee shall begin to think on the necessity of future judgment he induceth a voluntary war on his passions moved either by hope of reward or for fear of punishment hee doth violence to his former desires and earnestly contendeth to overcome himselfe Whence cometh these Verses O foelix mortale Genus si semper haberet Aeternum prae mente bonum finemque timeret Right happy is that man that ever hath The eternall good in 's mind and fears his death The fourth Exercise How the Soul by mentall Exercise ought to convert the light of Contemplation to those things that are above her that shee may know and understand 1. The inestimable value of Celestiall Joy 2. The unspeakable Delight and 3. The interminable Eternity CHAP. I. Of the Inestimable value of Celestiall Joy SOVLE EVen now O man thou hast sufficiently affrighted me miserable soule being prostrated in this vale of teares although thou hast taught me not unprofitably have mercy also now on mee most miserable and do what thou long since hast promised Speak a little of the perpetuall felicity if happily I may be able to receive thereby some comfort of mind for that it is delightfull to use change because according to Saint Aug. It is alwayes well done whether it be by punishing or pardoning or by terrifying or comforting so that there by the life of man may be amended Consider O man how noble the mind of man is often times it is more easily perswaded with easie and pleasant things then by terrible and adverse oftentimes it is more allured by promisses and things comforting then it is enforced by threats and terrours Wherefore our Sister the Spouse desired to be drawn with the odour of Celestiall Unguents with the savour of divine graces and so to runne with the Spouse and now not out of feare but love delightfully to walk in the way of his Commandements MAN O My Soule it is true I confesse which thou sayest but alas there are many which will not imitate God in Prosperity Wherefore it is convenient that they be terrified in Adversity For there are many which either for blindnesse understand not the divine Graces or for negligence loose them in vaine Employments Wherefore as I beleeve God out of the abundance of his Infinite goodness would alwayes be ready rather to favour them with Consolations then to affright them with austerities if men were rightly disposed that they might receive his divine consolation which is so pretious and delicate that by no means it is fitting or expedient that it should be indifferently bestowed on all Thou therefore if thou aspirest after all these things proposed unto thee see that thou have a pure understanding and a well disposed affection because the chiefest good is not discerned according to Saint Aug. but by the clearest understandings and I think it is much lesse tasted but by very well disposed affections For it is of many men in this life clearly discerned of whom neverthelesse it is in no wise tasted Wherefore Saint Aug. saith O Lord mak me I desire thee to taste that by affection which by my intellect J understand make me to perceive that by love which J perceive by knowledge SOVLE TEll me J pray thee O man what dispositions ought to proceed in affection and understanding that at least to a little Excess of mind J may be able to tast in contemplation the Celestiall sweetnesse For J have long agoe exercised my mind in speculation and alas as yet my feare is that J have never felt the least drop of that Heavenly sweetnesse J have read many things of the lives and conversation of Saints many things of Nature of the operations and orders of Angels also I have read some things of the inestimable unity of the Divinity of the Incomprehensible Trinity of the Godhead more of the inestimable happinesse of all the blessed and when with all my endeavours I have employed my mind to the former studies alass I have remained yet Hunger-starven and empty and have alwaies cryed out with blessed Saint Aug. Make me O most mercifull Father to tast by affection what I perceive by my understanding and yet I have not profited Also oftentimes being wearied with long study and angry at my self I have cryed out with the Prophet expecting the Crummes which fall from the Table of their Lord in that Heavenly Court How long O Lord wilt thou forget me for ever How long dost thou
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
memory a continuation of Eternity For then God shall be All in All when from reason all errour from will all griefe from Memory all feare shall depart and that shall succeed which we hoped for wonderfull serenity divine pleasure eternall security This Treatise my Conscience instigating me I have compiled for the more ignorant in plaine Phrases out of the works of holy men in forme of a certaine Dialogue wherein the Devout soule a Disciple of the Eternall truth by Meditation asketh Questions and the Inner man mentally speaking answereth But that we may the better attaine to the inestimable Contemplation of this mental exercise First let us begin and humbly by Invocation approach unto the Father of lights Let Vs devoutly bow the knees of our heart before the Throne of the Eternall Majesty and with teares and groans before the Royall seate of the Judiciall Trinity let Vs incessantly pray that God the Father by his blessed Sonne would grant us the grace of mentall Exercise in the Holy Ghost that we may know what is the breadth and length and depth and height that by this we may attaine to that which is the end and complement of of all our desires AMEN The first Exercise How the Soul by mentall Exercise ought to reflect the Beams of Contemplation to those things that are within her that she may see 1. How she is formed by Nature 2. Deformed by Sin 3. Reformed by Grace CHAP. I. How the Soul is formed by Nature TEll me I pray thee after devout invocation of the divine magnificence and after an humble imploring of the Eternall wisdome and last of all after a meek supplication of the supernal piety and clemency if I might obtain the grace of mental exercise concerning the fourfold matter to wit longitude latitude sublimity and profundity tell me I pray thee O man in what order I should begin lest I should lose the worth of this Exercise if I should ignorantly proceed with an unbefitting course for according to S. Ambr. ignorance or want of Order perturbs the form of merits nor is it accounted according to the same Author that there is in us no perfect knowledge of the thing when we know what is to be done and are ignorant in what order to proceed Man O My Soul according to S. Bernard let thy consideration begin with thy selfe lest in vaine thou search into other things thy selfe being neglected Idem Many men knew many things and know not themselves they look into others and forsake themselves seeking God by those things that are externall leaving their internall in whom God is interior Wherefore I will return from the externall to the internal and from the internall I will ascend to the supernall that I may know from whence I came or whither I go from whence I am or what I am and so by the knowledge of my selfe I may ascend to the knowledge of God In like manner S. Chrysostom upon S. Mathew saith That the knowledge of a mans self is not the least part of Philosophy * Item Ambrosius in Hexameron Know thy self O man what thou art look that thou consider what enters into thee in thy thought what passeth from thee in thy discourse Examine thy life therefore O my Soul by a daily discussion consider diligently how much thou profitest how much thou art deficient what thou art in manners what thou art in affection how like or dislike how near or far off thou art to God Ever acknowledge this that it is much more commendable and better for thee if thou knowest thy self then if thy self being neglected thou knowest the course of the Stars the vertues of Hearbs the complexions of Men the natures of living creatures hadst the knowledge of all heavenly earthly things Render therfore thy selfe to thy selfe and if not alwaies yet at least sometimes Govern thy affections direct thy actions correct thy waies Therefore O my Soul keep the Councels of holy men and first of all convert the raies of contemplation to the East region that is to say to the consideration of thy own condition Diligently therefore consider how nobly thou art made of God by nature how vitiously by thy own will thou art deformed through sin how gratiously by the divine goodness thou art often reformed by Grace First therfore consider how nobly thou art formed by nature Thy naturall nobility as I conceive consists in this because that there is imprinted in thee naturally to beautifie thee the image of the most blessed Trinity whereupon S. Anselm in his Prosologie saith I confess O Lord and give thee thanks because thou hast created me according to thy own image that I might be mindfull of thee think of thee and love thee S. Bernard According to the interior man three things I find in me by which I call to mind behold and desire God These three are Memory Understanding and Will For when I am mindfull of God in him also I am delighted for the memory of him is upon one when with my understanding I behold him how much in himselfe he is incomprehensible because he is the beginning and end of all things In Angels desirable because they desire to behold him In all his Saints delectable forasmuch as continually they being happy do rejoice in him In all his Creatures admirable because he powerfully createth wisely governeth bountifully dispenseth all things When I look into these things him also I desire When I love God by my will I transform my selfe into him For this is the power or vertue of love that it maketh thee to be like unto that which thou lovest These S. Bernard Re-acknowledge therefore O my soule how wonderfull and inestimable a dignity it is not only to be a mark of the Creator which is common to all creatures but to be the very Image of him which is only proper to a reasonable creature Praise therfore O my soule our Lord praise thy God O Sion Awake and praise rejoice and be glad because thou art adorned with the image of God made comely with his similitude partaker or reason capable of eternall happiness But because these things perhaps not unworthily may be judged meane if they should end with death exult and praise because beside the aforesaid he hath bestowed on thee an immortall nature an incorruptible substance an interminable durance a perpetual life For thou shouldst not be the Image of the eternall Trinity if thou couldst be shut up within the bounds of death S. Aug. of the city of God O my soule consider that thy Creator after this being hath geven thee a perpetuall being after this he hath given thee power to live to perceive to discern he hath adorned thee with senses he hath enlightened thee with wisdom Attend therefore thy comliness that thou maist understand what beautie thou oughtest to love in thy selfe which if thou be not sufficient to contemplate thy selfe as it befits thee why then at least dost thou not
and noble I am afraid that by so much the offence is so much the more dangerous by how much the Excellency of him who is offended is the greater I much feare that the Injurie is by so much the worse by how much greater the benefits of him have been whom I have wronged Alas Alas O Lord my God I now weigh by the dignity of thy substance the vilenesse of my malice by the comelinesse of Nature I know the deformity of sinne by the remembrance of Benefits received are manifested the Ingratitude of my Actions Wo is me miserable soule now I see now I know that whatsoever I have received for the use of life of the chief Giver I have miserably imployed them to the abuse of sinne and wickednesse The tranquillity of humane peace I have converted to the use of vaine security the Pilgrimage of the Earth I have loved as if it should be my perpetuall Habitation the health and beauty of body I have subjected to the servitude of my pleasure the abundance of plenty I have consumed not for the necessity of my body but to the superfluity of my miserable covetousness Faire weather and refreshing Aire I have abused to serve me for the love of earthly delights I feare alas and much doubt least these become Instruments of my punishment which did serve as evill Instruments to my vices MAN O My Soule in some sort I now perceive that thy knowledge is good For I perceive by thy words that my admonition hath not been in vaine It seemeth to me by the divine power thou art somewhat enlightned and moved by the touch of the true light Because according to Saint Greg. in his Morals Every one whilst he is illuminated by the touch of the true light he is showed from whence that Justice is whereby he is enlightened what that sinne is whereby he is blinded From whence holy men by how much the higher they profit in the dignity of vertues with GOD by so much more clearly they discerne themselves to be unworthy for they when they approach nearest unto the light do more plainely perceive what lay hid within them CHAP. II. How vitiously the Soule is deformed by sinne MAN THerefore O my soul if being touched with the light of truth thou know thy dignity which hitherto thou hast not considered if thou understandest the same whereby thou hast offended thy Creator and hast seen how gratiously thou art framed by Nature So now how vitiously thou art deformed by sinne St. Ansolme Bring to thy own memory O wearisome and miserable soule thy enormous offence and conduct it even to Heaven with sorrow and lamentation Consider O my soule who hast forsaken God and being an Adultress unto Christ what thou hast done Thou hast forsaken thy chast love in Heaven hast despised thy maker hast cast of thy Spouse hast offended thy God thou hast irreverently used thy holy Angel Guardian Thou wast once the Temple of God the Spouse of Christ the Closset of the Holy Ghost Whence is this suddain and quick change of a Virgin of God thou art made corrupted of Satan of a spouse of Christ the Execrable Whore of the Devillâ— Remember O my Soule for what thou hast sould thy beauty for what thou hast cast away thy honour for whom thou hast so filthily defiled thy comlinesse how great a good thou hast sould at so vile a rate O my soule why hast thou robbed thy self of so many good things wherefore hast thou in vaine deprived thy selfe of such honours why hast thou neglected so many good works hast lived so many years so many dayes so many houres without fruit SOVLE I Acknowledge St. Bern. O man that thou speakest truth and not unworthily reprehendest me of so great a Transgression O Lord my God how many times have passed that I behold wherein I have lived before thee without fruit how shall I subsist how shall I be able to lift up my face before thee in that great and terrible Examen when thou shalt command all my dayes to be numbred seeking fruit therein O Lord God why have I at any time omitted thee to be conversant in my heart to embrace thee with all my mind to be delighted with thy sweetnesse Where then were all my internall thoughts when they were not with thee when every Creature hath from thee whatsoever he hath desireable laudable or delectable Alas O Lord now I understand but blush to confess the forme and comlinesse of Creatures have deceived my Eye and I have not considered that thou art more beautifull then all Creatures to whom thou hast communicated but one drop of thy inestimable beauty For who hath adorned the Heaven with starrs the Aire with Birds the Water with Fishes the Earth with Plants and Flowers Men in body with divers complexions in mind with divers Vertues Are not O most mercifull Father these Troops of Heavenly Spirits by thee adorned with divers gifts O good Jesu the fountaine of all pulchritude pardon me miserable soule that I have so lately known and so slowly loved thy beauty wherefore I have most miserably erred The sweetnesse also of the Creatures have deceived my tast and I have not considered that thou art far sweeter then honey For thou hast given to honey and every Creature its sweetness yea thine also and there is not any other sweetnesse or delight in any Creature but the little demonstration of thy sweetnesse which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee whence it comes to passe that the sweetnesse of all the Creatures if any one truely consider it is to no other end but to invite us to thy Eternall sweetnesse O Jesu the fountaine of all sweetnesse and Piety pardon me that I have not observed thy inestimable and mellifluous sweetnesse in the Creature nor tasted them with the affection of my internall mind wherefore I have most miserably erred and gone astray and I have filled my soule till now with the Husks or drasse of Swine But alas I feare as yet I have not been fed with the Bread of thy Children therefore I have alwayes remained empty and Hunger-starven in the delights of the World St. Gregory Because we will not inwardly tast of thy prepared sweetnesse therefore we hunger-starved and miserable Creatures are in love with our own penurie and wants O most sweet Jesus S. Aug. in his Booke of Confessions now I see now I acknowledge that all sweetness which is not from thee hath been to me a great affliction and misery For thou O most mercifull God even in my sins wast alwayes present with me most piously sustaining all my wicked and evil delights imbracing them with thy most bitter griefs teaching me by thy stripes that if I would have delight without bitternesse I could not have it but in thee O Lord. But alas I have not understood this learning therefore have I erred yet in my evill delights I have alwaies feared 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
my soule a Dove nesting in the crevices of the Rock flye into the hollowness of his hands flye into the wounds of his feet flye into his side there is thy rest there is thy security These Saint Bern. O my soule if thou couldest worthily think how many what sort in comparison of thee are rejected Hugo de S.V. which have not deserved to attaine unto that Grace given thee Therefore thy Spouse hath elected and preelected thee he hath chosen thee in all he hath taken thee from all he loved the before all Art thou ignorant how foul thou wert before how polluted and dissolute thou remaindest before He hath washed thee with the water of Regeneration he hath fed the with the food of his most sweet body He hath clothed thee with the Garments of Vertue wherewith thou mightest cover and adorne thy nakednesse He hath bestowed on thee the sweet smelling Odours of good works whereby thou mightest eschew the stench of sinn he hath given the a mirrour even the Scripture wherein thou mightest see thy selfe Thus farre Hugo O my soule thou hast seen the longanimity of him Expecting thee Even now convert the light of thy contemplation to the mercy of him justifying thee Think diligently from whence after all these things is this so inestimable a favour that thou deservest to be his Bride on whom the Angels desire to look What therefore wilt thou give unto our Lord for all these things which he hath given thee For he hath given thee by Grace that thou mayest be a Companion of his Table a companion of his Kingdome a companion of his Bed See with what Armes he is to be embraced of thee with what lipps he is to be kissed who hath esteemed thee at such a rate that he would cleanse thee with his blood and for thee take upon him the sleep of death SOVLE I Confess now and acknowledge I approve and understand that I have received much more then these from my God but that I have repayed for all these nothing worthy so great benefits Wherefore Saint Bernard saith I will sing the mercies of our Lord for ever for that I consider six mercyes done unto me 1. That he hath preserved me from many sinnes 2. That he hath not presently condemned me sinning but I prolonging my iniquity he hath prolonged his Piety and Compassion 3. He hath changed my heart that those things might be sweet unto me which formerly were bitter 4. That he hath mercifully received me repenting 5. That he hath given me ability to forbeare and amend 6. That he hath given me hope to that I shall be pardoned Tell me now O man concerning this divine clemency what I shall render to our Lord for all these things least I be found unworthy to receive if I shall be found ingratefull for those that are received What therefore shall I render to our Lord but that I shal love and give thanks confess and sing prayses to his eternall and blessed name because he is so ready to forgive me my evills and bestow upon me such inestimable good things I attribute it to his grace that he dissolves my sinnes like Ice I attribute it to his grace what evills soever I have not committed and therefore I count all things to be forgiven me whatsoever he being my guide were not committed by me Saint Aug. in his book of Confessions MAN O My soule know that whatsoever thy beloved hath bestowed on thee whatsoever he hath sustained for thee he hath consumated the whole in perpetuall charity wherewith he hath loved thee wherefore as I think whatsoever is given of love only is repayed neither better nor more decently then by love SOVLE BEhold O Lord my God if these things be so how much ought I unhappily and miserable soule love my God who hath created me when I was not hath redemed when I should have perished and hath delivered me from many dangers when I did wander he reduced me when J was ignorant he taught me when I sinned he corrected me when J was sad he comforted me when J stood he held me when J fell he lifted me up when J went he led me when J came he received me These and many other things God hath done for me of which it shall be pleasant unto me alwayes to speak alwayes to think alwayes to give thanks God grant that I may be able to laud and love him for all his benefits For truly according to the Author of the Spirit and Soule he governeth all things he filleth all places he is every where present taking care of all and providing as well for every one in particular as for all yet so I see him wholly employed for my custody as though he had forgotten all and would have care of me only For thus he doth exhibit himself present unto me he alwayes offers himselfe prepared if he find me ready that whensoever I turne my selfe he will not forsake me unlesse I first forsake him Neither have I wherewith to repay him for all these but only that I love him O good Iesu how often after immense and innumerable tears how often after divers sobs and groans hast thou annointed me being wounded and almost at the point of despairing with the unction of thy mercy and hast gladly received me almost altogether fainting nor yet hast thou forsaken me presuming of pardon But above all these O Good Iesu the Cup of thy passion which thou hast drunk being the work of our Redemption which thou hast undertaken not unworthily doth render thee Amiable unto me For this is that which chalengeth to it selfe all my love this is it which more fairely allureth more justly bindeth and more vehemently moveth my devotion For where thou hast humiliated thy selfe where thou hast put from thee thy naturall brightnesse there Charity hath more appeared and Grace hath more amply shined I charge you saith the Soule O yee Daughters of Hierusalem In the Canticles if ye find my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love The Soule doth not hyde whom she loveth because she beleeveth him present to all whom she doth not let passe from her thoughts I love thee O Lord and love is impatient which cannot be pacified with tears untill that be granted unto it which it is in love withall Nothing com forteth its sorrow so long as it beholdeth not what it desireth SOVLE BUt whether or no O Man is he held to love God who rejoyceth that he in no wise hath committed such things as I have committed MAN O My Soule let not any one scorne thee it is convenient that the sick be cured of him from whom it is appointed that he should not be sick or perhaps that he might more cautiously avoyde greater troubles And therefore even so much yea truly the more let him love God because by whom hee perceiveth me to be deprived of so great paines of my sinnes by him he perceiveth himselfe not
with feare lost with griefe But blessed is hee that loveth thee O Lord and an enemy for thee and a friend in thee for he only looseth no deare friend to whom all are deare in thee for no man looseth thee but he that forsakes thee and he that departeth from thee whither goes he but from thee being pleased to thee being angrie These Saint Aug. O Charity which alwayes burnest and are never extinguisned My God who art Charity it selfe inflame mee Thou commandest that I should love thee give me what thou commandest and command what thou pleasest Thou commandest truely that I should containe my selfe from the concupiscence of the flesh from the concupiscence of the Eyes and from the Ambition of the World He loveth thee less O Lord St. Aug. St. Hier. which loveth any thing with thee which he loveth not for thee O man let us alwayes love Christ and let us ever seek to cleave to his embraces and every difficult thing will seeme easie MAN O My soule now I perceive that thou acknowledgst how happy and how blessed he is who is wholly sixt by love in the only desire of eternity who is puffed up neither with prosperity These S. Greg. in his Moralls nor is danted with Adversity and while he hath nothing in this world that he loveth hath likewise nothing the rein that he feareth Convert therefore now O my Soule thy contemplation to those things which are without thee that is to to this sensible world that thou mayest despise both it and those things that are therein so that it being despised thou mayst be more inflamed with the love of thy Spouse For thou lovest him the lesse if thou desirest any thing with him which thou lovest nor for him and in him For by so much according to Saint Gregory every one is separated from the supernall love by how much he is delighted with any thing below him and he is sooner converted to God who hath not any thing in this World wherewith he may be delighted And every one by so much is seperated from the love of earthly things According to the Gloss on Exodus St. Aug. by how much he is elevated to the only love of the eternall Let all other creatures therefore be of small esteem unto thee that thy Creatour only may be sweet in thy heart Weigh therefore and alwayes consider not only by heare-say but by experience not only by relation but also by Action how unstable worldly wealth is how mutable worldly excellency is how false and deceitfull worldly glory is For every thing that is here eminent is more enthralled with sorrow then it can be delighted with honour Saint Bern. Behold the lovers of this World walk about the affairs thereof some seeking riches other honours others Glory But what shall I speak of Riches which are gotten with labour possessed with feare lost with griefe Or what shall I say of honour Thou art seated in a high place but whether or no shall thou not be judged of all yea tormented of all whether or no can any one be in honor without fraud in Praelacy without tribulation in height without Vanity What shall I say of Glory It is nothing else but a certaine vaine tickling of the Eares and can that be without censure Behold whom thou hast out-gone and think that thou hast given them in all things cause of Envy So often I am like the Apostate tatae Angell Saint Bern. as often as I desire to be above others For nothing is swifter then the World and the things thereof which when we desire to hold we loose Saint Hiero. Thou hast seen Emperours thou hast seen Commanders thou hast seen Armies Victories and Triumphs yesterday they were to day they are not yesterday they florished as as a flower to day they are withered as Hay nothing therefore is good but what is perpetuall SOVLE O Man if these things be so what is it that miserable men do seek whilst they desire the vanities of the World O how much they are blinded that seek the Glory thereof Some whilst they look upon the Glory of some eminent men they esteem it some great thing and wish that they may deserve the like But when they behold them in dying they confesse with lamentation how vaine their Glory was and say Behold what a nothing man is MAN O Most deare soule and what are all worldly things but certaine vaine dreams and what hath Pride or the glorying in riches profited their lovers For they have all passed away like a shaddow and like a Ship floating on the Ocean whose tract is not to be found for they are consumed in their wickednesse Alas how many have there been which have left no signe of their being Where are the Princes of the Nations and those that ruled the beasts of the Earth who treasured up Silver and heaped up Gold who built Cities and Castles who have conquered Kings and Kingdoms by Warre Where is the wise man where the Scribe where the Inquisitour of this World Where is Salomon the most wise Where is Alexander the most puissant Where Samson the most strong Where is Absalon the most beautiful Where is Assuerus the most glorious Where are the the most potent Caesars Where the Kings Where are the famous Princes What hath vaine Glory short miâ—th the power of the world a great Family the pleasure of the flesh the falsity of riches the sweetnesse of concupiscence profited them where is their laughter where their joy where their glorying where their Arrogancy Behold the noblenesse of blood the fairenesse of Body their elegant feature their youthfull comelinesse their Possessions their mighty Palaces their Furniture and add also the wisedome of the World yet all these things are but of the World and the World loveth what is his own and yet they do not long subsist therein For the World shall passe away and the Concupiscence thereof Thou therefore Saint Bern. if thou rightly understandest if thou canst rightly see leave to follow such things which it is a misery to obtaine which possessed do burden being loved do defile and being lost do torment Leave thou therefore all these things for him who is above all Fly therefore I say fly O my Soule to the City of Refuge that is to a Religious life where thou mayest do Pennance for sinnes past and obtaine grace for the present and happily obtaine the future Glory Let not the remembrance of thy sinnes hinder thee for where Iniquity hath abounded Grace also is accustomed to Superabound Let not the very austerity of penitences deter thee For the sufferings of this life are not sufficient to satisfie for the fault past which is remitted for the present Grace which is given and for the future Glory which is promised CHAP. II. How mutable worldly Wealth is SOVLE NOw I acknowledge the falsity and instability of the World but I know not how I am captivated that
as yet I am not able to divert my thoughts from it MAN TRuly O my Soule if thou wouldest diligently and prudently consider thy danger thou incurrest by living in the World without doubt thou wouldest restrain thy mind from the Vanities thereof For troublesome and very dangerous is this worldly conversation because according to Saint Bern. Chastity is hazarded in delights humility in riches Godlinesse in much business Truth in much babling CHARITY in this wicked Age. O weak and infirme Soule which art so apt to be deceived so prone to fall so difficult to rise Dost thou not know That as it is a hard thing to preserve a Tree placed in the high way having faire fruit untill they be ripe So it is a difficult thing for a man living according to the World to maintaine Justice immaculate even unto the end These St. Chrysostome The snares of this World are accompanied with true austerity St. Aug. in a certaine Epistle but with false delight with a certaine sorrow but with an uncertaine pleasure with hard labour but with a fearefull rest with a full misery but with no beatitude and with a vaine hope O my soule if thou wouldest consider this thou wouldest despise the World and all things that are therein And what is it O most dear Soule that thou lovest what is it that thou desirest what is it that thou seekest in the World If thou lovest Prelacy what other thing dost thou but confound thy life Dost thou not know that the cheifest honour and a base mind that the first seat and the worst life a Sophysticall tongue and an idle hand much babling and no fruit a grave Countenance and a light carriage great authority and a wavering instability is a monstrous thingâ— Saint Bern. But perhaps thou wouldest say truly I desire Prelacy but I intend to live well and piously therein I commend it but I seldome find what I willingly would commend wherefore I alwayes feare that which Saint Gregory relateth The deserts of Rulers and Subjects are so linked together that oftentimes by the fault of them that rule the Subjects lives are the worse And oftentimes by the faults of the commonalty the life of the Pastors may faile If thou seekest the wisdome of this World Saint Bern. O to what a danger dost thou expose thy selfe Alas how many and what great ones hath the cursed wisdome of the World supplanted and hath extinguished a divine spirit conceived in them which our Lord would more vehemently have enflamed Dost thou not know that the wisdome of the World is earthly sensuall and Diabolicall an enemy of health a destroyer of life and the Mother of lust St. Aug He that seeks health without his Saviour and thinks that he can become wise without the true wisdom is not sound but sick is not wise but fooilsh and he continually is involved in misery For he that profiteth in knowledge and not in good life is far from God as saith Algazel Therefore thou that desirest to be wise learne on Earth such wisedome as the knowledge thereof may persevere with thee in Heaven Study here how thou mayest obtaine to that which once to have seen is to have learned all things This is that eternall Truth without which to know every thing is but foolishnesse which only to know is perfect knowledge S. Hierome St. Aug. O how unhappy a man is he that knoweth all other things and knoweth not thee For blessed is he that knoweth thee though he be ignorant of all other things For if he hath known both thee and other things he is not more happy for those but blessed for the knowledge of thee only St. Anselme But perhaps O my soule thou lovest worldly wealth worldly Pompe and carnall delights and for this only thou unwillingly leavest the World yet consider that all these are but fraile and transitory Tell me where are the Monarchs where the Princes where those Lovers formerly spoken of I am afraid that most of them alas are utterly undone and gone to Hell What doth Pride now profit them what the vaunting of riches For he that loveth the world more then God his life better then a Cloyster Gluttony better then abstinence Luxury better then Continency follows Satan and shall go with him to eternall punishment They that florish with the felicity of this World St. Aug. do perish by the power of God they florish for a time and perish eternally they florish with deceitfull goods but are really tormented If it delight us to have any thing in this World let us with a ready will get into the favour of him that possesseth all things and in him we shall have whatsoever we happily and holily desire For wealth harmeth nor the rich man if he use it well nor doth poverty make the poore man commendable if in his poverty he taketh not heed of the filth of sinne But yet St. Bern. O my soule thou shalt find what thou mayst object saying I despise the World but I am not able to forsake my friends Parents and kinrod O my Soule this objection is frivolous This is a faithfull speech and worthily to be received Though thou say it is a wicked thing to despise Father or Mother yet it is most holy for the love of Christ O cruell Father O monstrous Mother yea not Parents but destroyers who would rather have thee to perish with them then to raign without them Although thy Mother with dangling haire Saint Hierome and her Garments rent show thee the Paps wherewith she had brought thee up And though thy Father lye in thy way yet go on with drye Eyes and flye unto the banner of the Crosse by thy contemned Mother and by thy Father trodden upon It is the only signe of Piety to have been cruell in these things Dost thou not know O my soule that he that hath Jesus hath a Father and Mother and every one a friend why followest thou the dead follow the living and suffer the dead to bury their dead SOVLE NOw I perceive by thy words O man and I know by many experiments that the World also in it self withers but yet alas it florisheth in the hearts of many who love the bitternesse thereof following it flying embracing it sliding away tel me then what is the reason of so great a blindnesse MAN O my soule Saint Hierome art thou ignorant that thou art created so delicate and so noble of thy Spouse the Author of all things that it is unpossible for thee to be without love It is a hard thing for a humane soule not to love for it is of necessity that our mind should be drawne to some affections Wherefore according to Saint Bern. It likewise behoveth thee that thou be delighted either in the highest things or the lowest Therefore according to Saint Gregory because there are some which neglect their own life whilst they desire transitory things and understand not the Eternall
and if they do understand ye dispise them and feel not the grief whilst they are wounded VVherefore alass miserable men they think themselves to be in good case loving this Exile as their Country and rejoycing in blindnesse as in the clearnesse of light Contrarily the minds of the Elect whilst they behold all transitory things as though they were none at all do enquire to what end they were created And when nothing can suffice their affections without God they repose in the only contemplation of their maker desiring to be present with the Heavenly Citizens and yet being placed in the VVorld they rise above the World Sweetnesse seemeth to be in humane things yet but to those These St. Gregory Idem upon Ezechiel which never tasted the sweetnesse of Heavenly Because whilst the humane mind understandeth but a little the Eternall by so much the sweeter he reposeth in temporall But now if any one had cordially tasted what the sweetnesse of Heavenly reward is look by how much the sweeter it becometh which he perceives inwardly by so much the more every thing is converted into bitterness which outwardly he sustaineth CHAP. III. How miserable worldly Magnificence is SOVLE DO not I pray the O man prolong to declare unto me something of worldly and heavenly Joy to that end that the nature of both being more perfectly known I may more truly despise the one and more carefully apply my self to the gaining of the other because as I think that as the good is not loved unlesse it be knowne so the evill is not avoyded unlesse it be understood MAN O My Soule I consider that worldly Joy if truly it may be termed a joy and not rather an unknowne scourge is never truly perceived but when it is perfectly despised Wherefore as it is related by the true contemners of the World Worldly joy is most especially held contemptible for five things First because it hath a baseness in it's object For what is the joy of the world Saint Aug. answereth an unpunished wickedness that is to say to be inebriated with Luxury wholly to be busied in Banquetings to continue in vanities and to suffer no evill in this life for these things For evill people think themselves to be in delights when they are not corrected for their wickednesse And they know not that there is nothing more unhappy then the happiness of Sinners whereby penall infirmity is nourished and an evill will is strengthened 2 It hath impurity in its subject For the soule defiled with sinnes is the subject of worldly joy which gladdeth when it shall do wickedly and rejoyceth in the worst things Wherefore Saint Hierome saith well That to laugh and rejoyce with this world is not the Act of an understanding man but of a mad man Truly O my Soule a cleane heart is not glad and jocund with this uncleane world but with God and in God 3. It hath a shortness in it selfe because the joy of an Hypocrite is like a minute The world is this Hypocrite whose joy is like a point which is neither broad nor long nor high nor low The joy of the world is a vanity Saint Aug. upon Saint John which with a great desire is hoped for that it may come and when it doth come it cannot be stayed O my soule how short how fraile and how transitory is worldly joy For short are the dayes of Man as Job saith 4. They have sorrow in the end because alas they miserable men wast their dayes in pleasure and at an instant they descend into Hell For the end of such joy is sorrow Yea O my soule if thou be able to discerne such joy hath alwayes sorrow mixt with it because ever of necessity the Guilty Conscience feareth cruell things Art thou ignorant O my soule that the joy endureth no longer which is in eating and drinking then the sorrow continueth which is a hungring and thirsting And so of all other things 5. It hath great misery in its own Affection because it is a hindrance of spirituall joy O my soule acknowledge how wretched this world is and how miserable they are that follow it For men have alwayes excluded worldly joyes from a blessed life St. Bern. O how base and unprofitable worldly comfort is and which is more to be feared because it is an Impediment of true and holy consolation Refuse therefore O my soule to be delighted in the World if thou wilt be comforted in the remembrance of God Let all things created be vile unto thee that thy Creator may be sweet in thy heart Saint Aug SOVLE NOw I despise the world now I acknowledge the false joy the true sorrow the false sweetnesse and the true bitternesse thereof and for this not unworthily I contemne all these things according to thy Councell But because as thou affirmest I am not able to be without love tell me I pray thee what shall I do whither shall I turne my selfe where shall I find a fit love MAN O My Soule if thou shouldest perfectly know thy selfe by the knowledge thereof thou wouldest despise the world and all things therein and thou shouldest learne what a Consolation thou oughtest not unworthily to affect in thy love O my soule if thou shouldest understand thy self to be of a Heavenly Nature without doubt thou wouldest abhorre earthly consolation Blush therefore to be comforted in filthinesse which art of Heaven Blush to be delighted with the basest things which art not able to be satisfied but in the cheifest Thou art as I think of a Heavenly Nature and doest desire and seek as I believe naturally if carnall madness would permit thee Heavenly consolation O how sweet and delightfull it would be the seasoning of divine love joyned therewith to live according to Nature if carnall foolishnesse would suffer us which being cured Nature presently is delighted with naturall things SOVLE ANd what is it properly to live according to Nature MAN TO live according to Nature most properly is to lead a Heavenly life on Earth to returne from things externall to the internall and to ascend from the Internall to the Supernall and to do all things according to the most noble part which exceeds in man that is according to his understanding Haec Philosophus 4 Ethicor. SOVLE CAn any one on Earth and in this vale of tears lead an Heavenly life MAN O My Soule if thou doubtest and wonderest at my words as at the words of a sinner Yet heare Saint Aug. and Paul the Apostle Behold what Saint Aug. saith when we apprehend any thing that is eternall either by knowledge or love then we are not in this world whence it is as the Apostle saith Our Conversation is in Heaven O my Soule think therefore that thou art more truely there where thou lovest then where thou dost inanimate because whatsoever thou lovest by that very power of affection thou art transformed into its similitude if therefore thou contemplatest Celestiall things
I sigh before I eat It is the office of the Soule to eat and to be fed with the Contemplations of supernall Light Let it therefore sigh before it feed because he that doth not humiliate himself in this Exile by the bewailing of Heavenly desires cannot tast the joyes of the eternal Kingdom For they are barren of the food of Truth who are delighted in the scarcity of this Peregrination 2. The mind ought to be exercised in the acting of good things and in the suffering of evil Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted Because those whom the love of truth moveth to affection the refreshing of Consolation feedeth St. Bernard O good Jesus how often after innumerable tears and groans hast thou annointed my wounded Soul with the Oyntment of thy merey and somtimes almost despairing hast received me and being comforted and presuming of mercy hast utterly left me Behold in what manner the reward of good things is in it self wherfore truly though in the beginning the way be straight which leadeth to life yet in process of time it is enlarged with the sweetness of inestimable love O how blessed therfore is the consolation which divinely is infused into them that suffer for Christ The third thing wherein the Soule is inebriated with this sweetness is the elevation of the mind when happily the Soul is drawn form earthly delights and after a certain wonderfull manner is elevated above it self above the world yea above every Creature that now the Soul can say The King hath brought me into his Wine-Cellars This is that Wine-Cellar wherinto the Soul is brought where she shal drink of the seasoned wine of the Inestimable Deity and of the most pure Milk of the incontaminated Humanity Hence O my Soul his Friends drink but his most dearest Beloved are therwith in ebriated O happy drunkenness which is accompanied with so chast and holy a sobriety of mind and body Hence it is that the Soul like a drunken man is made gladsom and joyfull in adversity strong and secure in dangers wise and discreet in prosperity free and pious in pardoning Injuries and at last lying drowsie and sleepy in the divine Embraces when the left hand of the Spouse doth friendly beare up the Bride under her head and the right hand of the lover familiarly embraceth his Beloved SOVLE O Man I confess with humility and reverence that sometimes that hapned unto me though alas very seldom That with great violence about the beginning of my conversion I have drawn my mind from earthly things and with very much endeavour have lifted it up to contemplate on Heavenly things I have entred with trembling I have gaz'd about me with blushing I have seen the Quier of Angels the Palaces and Joyes of the Patriarks and Prophets I have beheld the Tabernacles of the Apostles the Feasts of Martyrs the Solaces of Virgins and Confessors Surely I have craved the Almes of some comfort from every one of them I have desired the crumms falling from the Table of their Lord yet I have not obtained them But which is most lamentable to be heard by and by I have been repulsed of all of them as a stranger and one unknown What therfore hath the laborious elevation of the mind profitted me when no comfort hath succeeded it MAN O My Soul this so comfortless a repulse was not without cause I beleive this was the cause for that thou wouldst be a Companion of Comfort befo rt thou were a Companion of Suffering Thou wouldst be a partaker of remuneration before thou wert an Imitator of virtue Strive therefore first to be a Companion of Angels by purity and innocency a companion of the Patriarks and Prophets by humility and confidence of belief study to be a Daughter of of the Apostles and Martyrs by charity and patience a Daughter of the Confessors and Virgins by Piety and Continency and then be confident that in this thy Exile thou shalt with the Prodigal Child obtain Almes of thy Heavenly Father SOVLE O Man now I acknowledg how vain and unsavory all transitory things are and for this I despise the World I little esteem the comfort therof and I fly and contemn worldly joy as Death bringing poysons also I bewail my self past as death and I wash and cleanse my miserable mind with groans and tears and if at any times betwixt tears and groans I perceive the odour of Divine Sweetness though but a little notwithstanding as yet I unhappy and miserable hungry thirsty tast not the food of the Angels and the Wine of thy Friends St. Bern. As yet O Lord my God my heart hath not come neer unto the Abundance of thy Sweetness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee For outwardly I am comforted howsoever with the Sent therof because it is sweeter to me then Balsom or all other Perfumes whatsoever O Lord God if the smell therof be so excellent how pleasant is the tast of thy sweetness If a little tast be of such virtue how much joy hath the Happy inebriation therwith O who will grant it unto me that thou mayest come into my heart and that thou mayst inebriate me with thy Wine and I may embrace thee O my God MAN O Devout Soule I speak under correction you are too covetous St. Aug. and I would to God you were not too presumptuous Examine your strength consider your vileness weigh your virtues and then if it please you it may suffice you rather humbly to run after the Odor of the Divine Oyntments with the young men then presumptuously to rely on your own merits ask that which you about your merits have not deserved SOVLE O Man how harsh and burdensom a Comforter art thou to me a miserable Soul How niggardly a Dispenfer if it be lawfull to say so are thou of the Divine Bounty I boldly speak it I am not able to refraine the smell thereof doth not suffice me a little tast doth not fully refresh me but affect me my love coveteth and requireth Inebriation I know him that saith Drink yee my Friends and be yee Inebriated O my dearest Beloved Though the unworthyness of the Asker do depress yet the piety of the Promiser raiseth hope O man how can I doubt but that he is ready to give me his good things who hath not disdained to suffer me my evills Art thou ignorant of that which thou hast taught many of the goodnesse of God which thou hast learned of Saint Augustine thus speaking Do vera Religione Let humane slothfullnesse blush God will bestow more then man dares ask God hath given us a pledge of this Spirit wherein we may feele his sweetnesse and may tast of the very fountaine of life wherein we may be sweetned and moystned with a sober ebriety like unto a tree that is planted by the runing streames St. Chrysostome Nothing maketh the Omnipotency of God more manifest then that he maketh those omnipotent
Trinity and Unity blessed for ever Amen The end of the last part The humble and Contrite sinners thankfulness to Almighty God for his mercy and goodnesse towards him O Eternall God my Creator behold me wretched sinner thy poore Creature prostrate at the seet of thy mercy craving pardon most humbly of thy Divine Majesty for my horrible ingratitude towards thee in that being made by thee of nothing to thy owne Image and ordained to enjoy thee eternally I have made no account of thee but preferred every trifle before thee and heaped sinne upon sinne with extreame contempt of thy Justice and abuse of thy mercy longanimity and patience Therefore how admirable hath thy clemency been towards me in that thou hast forborne to poure downe thy vengeance upon me to strike me with suddaine death and to cast me headlong to Hell as thou hast done many others not so greivous sinners as I whiles neverthelesse thou hast spared me But seeing it hath pleased thee out of thy infinite goodnesse now to open my eyes and to discover unto me both the horrour of my own Conscience and the bottomless pit whereinto I was ready to fall vouchsafe I beseech thee to consummate and perfect thy owne good work in me giving me an humble and contrite heart that my eyes may be conduites and fountaines of Water to bewaile my sinnes that my teares may be my Bread day and night and that I may bring forth fruits worthy of repentance that thy Justice being satisfied by the merits of thy Son and my Saviour the inevitable and dreadfull houre of my death may serve me for a happy and sure passage to those everlasting and incomprehensible joyes whereto out of thy infinite mercy thou hast ordained me Amen F. Fits-Herbert A BUNDLE OF MYRRHE Concerning the Passion of Christ made by St. BONAVENTURE that famous Dr. of the Church This Tractate is devout and full of all piety wherein a Bundle of Myrrhe is put between the breasts of the spouse that the study of vertues and the desire of compassion to the sufferings of Christ may be increased The first Bundle Of our Lords Praying in the Garden and of his taking MY beloved is to me a Bundle of Myrrhe he shal rest betwixt my breasts The devout soule speaketh thus signifying the bitternesse of the passion of Christ that shee moreover continually beareth about this gathered to gether in her breast And as thou also whosoever thou art that desirest to reforme thy memory by the meditation of Christs passion mayest have these bundles in readinesse which may rest in thy memory The passion of Christ here handled we have compendiously compiled only in order of the Evangelists that from these few the work the manner and the Cause thou mayst have matter copiously to meditate and maist from these few collect many more Think therefore and consider how in that Sollemne Supper Above spoken of whereof it is spoken of before being celebrated and a hymn said Christ God and man seeing his time to approach rise up that hee might go to the Mount this is the work which he did Consider the manner how he carried himselfe within and without going he foretold the flight of his Disciples He affirmed that Peter should thrice deny him and other things he spoke and again consider this work Consider also how he declared those words with exteâ—iour love and with how great interiour affection he disclosed them Thus thou maist do every where neither is it needfull alwayes to repeat them Taking with him Peter James and John he saith my Soule is sorrowfull even unto death leaving them he prayeth alone on the Mount The third time of his prayer being ended through the imagination of death and internall griefe and feare his sweat is made like unto blood demonstrating his unspeakable pain thereby for we read no such thing of any other Then one Angell comforteth his Lord. Consider how Christ mett his Enemies and of his owne accord offered himselfe and with his word prostrated them upon the earth Afterward he is kissed of Judas apprehended by the Iews drawnbound and lead unto Annas house and all his Disciples fled And let this be one bundle for thee to keep in memorie And here if it pleaseth thee thou mayest look upon Christ what hee was that suffered these things and thou maist commit thy self unto him by assent of reason Beleeve there fore and think that he is truly the Sonne of God the Beginning of all things the Saviour of all People and the rewarder of all The Second Bundle Of the mocking of him before Annas and Caiphas and Peter denying him BEfore Annas speaking the truth he is smitten of a wicked Servant Think here of the work the manner and the cause or at least some of them as it liketh thee After this in Caiphas house where the Scribes and Pharisees expected him he is led scorned and strucken as if he were a blasphemer A false witnesse is sought for and is not found he is adjured of the high Priest thrice denyed of Peter But Christ looking back on Peter constrained him to go forth and to weep most bitterly morning being come he is brought bound unto Pilate Think on the manner how they brought him because it was in the worst kind as though he were a theef and a malefactor c. Judas perceiving that they intended to put Christ to death repented so much in himselfe that he had betrayed so good a man hanged and himselfe brought back the money wherewith a field was bought as the Prophet Hieremie foretold Before Pilate he is many wayes falsly accused he is sent unto Herod of him he is scorned at as a fool Here most diligently consider what he is that suffered and make thy selfe like unto him that thou mayest partake in sufferance with the most innocent most meek most loving and most noble And let this be the second bundle The third Bundle Of his Crowning and Crucifying AFter this at the Jews request Pilate dismisseth Barabbas and delivereth Jesus to be crucified being overcome by the importunity of the Iews and the feare of Caesar Then Iesus after the manner and form of a King is diversly scorned is roabed with a mantle crowned with Thornes strucken with a Reed and as a King is adored in scorne Here O man think on the manner consider the cause to wit how Christ carried himselfe and how the Jewes behaved themselves the cause why he suffered so great torments going that he might be crucified carrying his own cross the peopl following the women weeping to whoÌ„ he said weep not for me but weep for your selves He is crucified on Mount Calvarie And here diligently consider the manner of his Crucifying For they either first raised up the Crosse and Christ ascended thereon or surely they put the Cross on the earth and there fastened him thereon with nailes For there appeareth no other manner And here in the third place it is convenient more