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
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
Soliloquies Meditations and Prayers of St. Bonaventure Cross fecit THE SOLILOQUIES OF St. BONAVENTVRE Containing his four MENTAL EXERCISES AND Also his Treatise called A Bundle of Myrrh Concerning THE PASSION OF OUR SAVIOUR With XIII Spirituall Exercises of the said St. Bonaventure London Printed for H. Twyford and R. Wingate 1655. The Epistle to the Reader upon the Soliloquy of S. BONAVENTURE THIs little work which is no less full of learning then devotion ministreth most copious matter to him that is willing to cherish the light of contemplation and the fire of charity For the Authour induceth the Soul and the inner Man interchangeably the one asking and the other answering and with very many sentences of holy Fathers being intermixed of which as he sayth he hath compiled this Treatise This hee saith that he may easily teach every one how by mentall Exercise converting the eye of contemplation unto those things which are within him unto those that are without him unto those that are below him and to those things that are above him the mutable good being despised he may pursue the Immutable Eternall good with all the perfection of his mind For this Soliloquy hath many things taken out of that work of Hugo de S. Victore de Arrha Animae to which it is very like The Sum of the 4. Mental Exercises of this little Work are as followeth The First Exercise HOw the Soul ought by Mentall Exercise to reflect the Beams of Contemplation to those things which are within her that she may see how she is formed by nature deformed by sinne and reformed by Grace The Second Exercise How the Soul by mentall Exercise ought to convert her Contemplation to to those things that are externall that she may know how unstable worldly wealth is how mutable worldly Excellency is and how miserable worldly magnificence is The Third Exercise How the Soul by mentall Exercise ought to convert the Rays of contemplation unto those things that are below her that she may understand the inevitable necessity of mans death the formidable austerity of finall judgement the intollerable pain of infernall punishment The Fourth Exercise How the Soul by mentall Exercise ought to convert the light of Contemplation unto those things which are above her that she may know and understand the inestimable value of celestiall joy the unspeakable delight and the interminable Eternity The Preface I Bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith that ye be rooted and grounded love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God Eph 3.14 to the 20. Paul the Apostle the Vessel of eternall Election the Treasury of divine Sanctification the Mirrour and Example of heavenly contemplation in his former words sheweth us the Beginning Object and Fruit of mentall Exercise For mentall Exercise to the end it may become pious and wholsome it is necessary that it have a power supernaturally strēgthening a wisdom regulating and a clemency comforting let therefore the devout Soul inflamed with the love of divine contemplation bow the knees of her mind before the Throne of the most blessed and Incomprehensible Trinity let her humbly knock and discreetly desire The strengthening power of God the Father lest wearied with labour she be seduced The directing Wisdome of God the Son lest seduced with error she wander from the truth The comforting Piety and Clemency of the Holy Ghost lest overcome with wearisomness she faint For every good thing that is given and every gift that is perfect is from above descending from the Father of lights and according to S. Augustine all our good is either God or from God he therefore in the beginning of every good worke is fit to be implored from whom originally every good thing proceedeth by whom every good thing exemplarly is produced and to whom every good thing finally is addressed This is that ineffable Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost which the Apostle speaks of when he saith I bow my knees c. unto that place That ye may be able Secondly he sheweth the Object of this wholsome mentall Exercise The Object truly of the Exercise of a devout mind is said to be internall and externall superior and inferior For the devout Soule ought by mentall exercise to reflect the light of contemplation first to her interior thoughts that she may know 1. How she is formed by Nature 2. Deformed by sin 3. Reformed by Grace Secondly she ought to convert the light of contemplation unto those things which are without her that shee may know 1 How unstable worldly wealth is 2 How mutable worldly Excellency is And 3 How miserable worldly Magnificence is Thirdly she ought also to convert the light of her contemplation unto those things that are below her that she may understand 1 The inevitable necessity of mans death 2 The formidable austerity of finall Judgement 3 The intollerable paine of infernall punnishment Fourthly she ought to convert the light of Contemplation unto those things that are above her that she may know and tast 1 The inestimable value of Heavenly Joy 2 The Ineffable delight And 3 The Interminable Eternity This is that blessed Cross terminated with foure ends whereon O Devout Soule thou oughtest continually by meditation to suffer with thy most sweet Bridegroom Christ Jesus This is that fiery Chariot consisting of foure wheels wherewith thou oughtest dayly in contemplation to mount up unto the Palace of Heaven to find out thy most faithfull friend This is that foure-fold Region East West North South which thou O my Soule oughtest daily by Perigrination to enter into and to seek and find out therein by speculation thy most dearest beloved that thou mayest say with the spouse In my Bed I have sought him by night whom my soule loved These foure the Apostle seemeth to insinuate when he addeth That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height The fruit of this wholesome Exercise if it be worthy and laudably put in practise is eternall felicity which is the best and fairest thing and of it selfe most sufficient wanting no other thing besides it selfe Wherein we shall see and shall love shall call upon and laud in Eternity and beyond Eternity him that is blessed for ever This fruit the Apostle promiseth when he concludeth his speech saying That ye mighe be filled with all the fulnesse of God Wee shall then find this fulnesse when God shall be to our will plenty of Peace to our reason fulnesse of light to our
mercifully recalleth me and though both of us be against God yet he is against him that doth not seek him but I am against him that dyed for me Behold him whose Image I abhorred when as I may find my selfe in many things far more horrible MAN FLy Fly from me O horrible substance fly from thy selfe being terrified of thy selfe Thou shoutest not therefore without sorrow of thy heart endure thy horror If thou dost endure thou knowest not thy selfe This is not fortitude but dulnesse of understanding this is not health but an obdurate wickednesse SOVLE IF I should see my selfe it is an intollerable loathing if I should not see my selfe it is an inevitable death O how unhappy he is that is horrible to himselfe but yet he is much more unhappy who is sensible of death Eternall O most meek Father Saint Anselme in his prayers O most clement King J am not able to hide J cannot excuse and yet J do not a little blush to confesse Now J perceive the Cause of so many Evills now I acknowledge what heretofore evilly lay secret For my miserable heart so long as it hath not cared for the joy to come Saint Ber. in his Meditations nor hath sought after divine Councell hath been far estranged from it selfe and busied in the love of earthly things and as long as it hath departed from those and is involved in these Vanity hath deceived it Lvxurie hath defiled it curiosity hath withdrawn it Envy tormented it Anger did vex it Covetousnesse separated it Sloth did make it sorrowfull and thus it was overwhelmed with all vices because it hath forsaken thee our only good which was able to have satisfied it Let therefore O most mercifull God all my time-evilly spent be forgotten of thee and grant that the residue of my time perhaps too short and momentary may be to thee well pleasing to mee fruitfull and to my Neighbour Edification Now O most holy God for the greatnesse of the losse which I unhappy and miserable have miserably incurred I see and acknowledge that I am not able sufficiently to bewaile my selfe and my sinne as I have deserved seeing the detestation of sin not unworthily ought to be as great as the delight was in our miserable will MAN O My Soule if of thy selfe as thou affirmest thou art not able neither sufficient to lament thy fault it is necessary for thee to addresse thy selfe to the Sonn of God thy Saviour dost thou not know thou hast through him him a secure access to God the Father Thy Saviour doth shew his side and wounds to his Father Thinkest thou that there shall be any repulse where there is such an advocate In all dangers therefore distresses and also in doubtfull things think on God Let him not retire from thy heart let him not depart from thy mouth Following him thou canst not stray Imploring him thou canst not despaire Holding him thou canst not fall he protecting thou needest not feare he being thy guid thou canst not be faint if he be propitious thou shalt have pardon Doubt not O my soule Saint Anselm and though thou hast offended the Father and the Son both yet both are mercifull both most holy Let the guilty therefore flye from the anger of the just God to the mercy of his sonne and say O Son of God which art become the sonne of man that thou mayest satisfie for the sin of man either have mercy on me a wicked sinner or shew me one more mercifull to whom I miserable soul may address my self SOVLE O Man how cordiall thy councell is how comfortable thy speech is to me a miserable soule because when I rightly look unto my sinne then I find then I know that I have stained the Elements by my sinnes defiled the Heavens darkened the Starres thereof tormented the damned in Hell troubled the Saints in Heaven irreverently used the Angels ordained for my custody Wherefore I feare to seek help from all these And because the just have justly disdained me I do not presume to fly unto them MAN O My Soule too great is thy feare although thy humiliation be acceptable Knowest thou not that many of the Saints have sinned who have learned in their great offences how they ought to have pitty on us sinners Reflect on Moses that exceeding great Prophet doubting of the divine power Think on David the holiest of Kings sinning against the Divine Law in Adultery and Murther Remember Salomon the wisest adoring vaine and most wickd Idolls Call to mind Manasses the wickedst King who had sinned more then all the Kings of Israel who said I have sinned above the number of the sand of the Sea and I am not worthy to see the height of Heaven in respect of the multitude of my Iniquities reflect alwayes on these obtaining Pardon But to what end shall I say more of the Saints of the old Testament Consider now reflect on a few of the Saints of the new Testament Look upon the Matthew sitting in the Custom House the Publican sinner and received to be a Disciple Look upon Paul stoning Stephen and chosen to be an Apostle Look upon Peter denying Christ and by by obtaining pardon Look upon the Souldier crucifying Christ and yet not despairing of the divine mercy Look upon the Theef hangon the Crosse and obtaining pardon Last of all consider O my soule that that famous unclean sinner Mary Magdalen becomming so singular and speciall a lover of Christ For all how many soever they be which now raign with God have in times past either sinned like us or at least they might have sinned if the divine clemency had not preserved them from sinne Because to whom soever it was granted that he could not at all sinne this was not of nature but of Heavenly Grace SOVLE EVen now I securely implore the Prophets and Kings even now I boldly call upon the Apostles and Martyrs I constantly mediate the most blessed Sonne of God For I know that he is so Holy sweet and favourable that he cannot be named but hee inflames nor thought upon but he recreates the affection of them that love him For this is he that hath procured Health for all These St. Bern. and hath obtained reparation of the whole world O God my Saviour wonderfully singular and singularly wonderfull by whom the Elements are renewed the infirme are healed Saint Anselme men are saved and Angels are restored O my Redeemer from whose abundance of plenitude sprinkled about every Creature is revived O blessed fountaine of Life and Health by thee we have access to the through Grace and by thee even God himselfe doth receive us who hath given thee to us Let thy integrity excuse the fault of our Corruption to him let thy humility obtaine pardon for our vanity give us of thy grace here and vouchsafe to make us partakers of thy glory hereafter CHAP. III. How the Soule is reformed by Grace EVen
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
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
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
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