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
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
contemplation the comfort of the Celestiall Kingdome forget by contempt and detestation thy People and thy Fathers house that is to say the World the Devill thy selfe and vain Ambition See therefore and devoutly consider how those divine and Heavenly Spirits which have escaped the danger of this present life and misery although they can never convert themselves from that splendour of that eternall Sonne sometimes notwithstanding they convert the light of their contemplation to things below them sometimes to things above themsometimes to things interiour somtimes to things exteriour They convert themselves I say to things below them and rejoyce for three reasons First That they have overcome by the divine power such impious horrible and cruell enemies Secondly that they have avoided all their defects and sins either by the divine wisdome or long ago have amended their faults transgressions Thirdly That they have escaped such lamentabe and eternally interminable torments by the divine mercy and clemency O my Soul With how great Joy thinkest thou do they daily rejoice when they perceiue so many to be overcome of the flesh the world and the devill so many to be defiled with such diversity of sins of which they shall never obtain pardon so many without end eternally to be damned Truly then I beleive to have passed from death to life redoubleth the joy of life O Lord God if the danger in war be now so greivous how great shall the joy be in Triumph when after the world is overcome and utterly vanquished wicked Pharoah and his Army being drowned in the Red Sea all the Elect shall hold their Timbrels playing singing praising and blessing our Lord saying with one voice Let us sing unto our Lord for glorious c. Then two Cherubims shall be framed that is to say two quiers of the elect to wit the Innocenes and Penitents the one answering the other Holy Holy Holy Lord God of the Sabboth Holy God the Father that hast powerfully delivered us from the world the flesh and the devill Holy God the Son which hast so wisely justified us both from the sinne and punishment Holy God the Holy Ghost which hast so mercifully preserved us from the Eternall Torments All the Earth is full of his Glory who hath called us from the misery of the world to the joyes of the celestiall Kingdome O my Soule what a one shall that day be unto thee when thou shalt be assumed into this quier when all thy torments if thou shalt live well if thou wilt patiently suffer shal be converted into Eternall Jubisee Then thou shalt praise with exultation the Lord thy God for all these things saying I will sing the mercies of our Lord for ever Then which Song according to Saint Aug. that is fung to the praise of the glory of Christ by whose precious blood wee are delivered nothing shall be more pleasant to that City nothing more sweet Thou therefore when thou art tryed with Temptations when thou art overcom with Persecutions and when thou art molested in this World with divers Tribulations then mentally fly into Heaven and consider that this is no other thing but the Subject of eternall joy and then the consideration of the Reward lesseneth the violence of the punishment If we would consider what and how great the Rewards are which are promised us in Heaven all things on Earth would seem vile in our mind and truly not only the goods which delightfully we possesse but also the evills which lamentably wee sustain The troubles of this world are not equivalent to the fault past which is forgiven to the present Grace which is bestowed and for the future glory which is promised which thou then O my Soul with joy shalt possess when thou perfectly understandest that thou hast lived in the world with so great danger wherewith the most are oppressed that thou hast overcome the deceitfull wiles of Satan wherewith many are deceived that thou hast escaped the eternall torments wherewith innumerable are afflicted CHAP. II. Of the ineffable Delight SOVLE O Man how sound and wholsome is thy Consolation for when I consider these things which thou hast proposed by hope I receive very much comfort But O Lord God what thinkest thou shal then that be when I shall truly possess that which now I but hope for MAN O My Soule These are but little which thou hast heard yea comparatively they are as none which thou hast mentally perceived but erect the eyes of thy understanding a little and weigh and devoutly consider how great the joyes are which thou shalt perceive by these which are nere unto thee Attend therefore and consider the beautiful place which the divine wisdome hath built for thee Consider also the delicate food the curious bravery the precious Treasure which the eternal power hath gathered for thee Consider likewise the renowned Colledge with whom thy mind shall eternall rejoice by the divine clemency O my Soul consider how glorious how renowned how gladsome that house of God is the Heavenly City the secure mansion the Countrey coutaining all that delighteth Consider how clear how light how glorious that City is which needeth neither Sun nor Moon that they may shine therein but the Lord himselfe the Sun of Justice the Candor of Eternall light is the light thereof and the Lamb is the Lamp thereof O my Soule consider how high and how spacious how fair and how beautifull how comely and how renowned that City is which the most blessed Trinity of himself adorneth O City of God how glorious are the things which are spoken of thee O Israel how magnificent is the house of God and great is the place of his possessions O my Soule contemplate there the Tabernacles of the Patriarcks and Prophets the Habitacles of the Apostles and Martyrs the stately and lofty Chambers of the Confessors and Virgins the Palaces of the most heavenly Spirits that most beautifull Throne of the most blessed Trinity O my Soul though thou art here corporally yet be there mentally O my Soul fly over all things search all things visit all things enter into all the Gates in order untill thou shalt come into the Palaces of the highest King let thy mind St. Aug. be there and here shall be thy rest O my Soule willingly endeavour to be stayed willingly to be conversant in that holy City because there is life without death youth without old age light without darknesse peace without disturbance For my People shall sit in a Tabernacle of confidence and in a rich rest saith our Lord. Secondly consider the delicate food the curious bravery and the pretious treasure And who shall there be out food but that most blessed Lamb that pure and Immaculate Jesus the Son of God the Father of whom they shall administer most excellent dainties to the holy spirits in all sufficiency very excellent truly of the most pure humanity but most of the more then most blessed Divinity For then the soule
Mother of the Creator of all our Brother in times past lost abject and despised now found now returned now Raigning now commanding all O that thou wert as my Brother sucking the breasts of my Mother when I should find thee without I should kisle thee with the kisses of devotion I would embrace thee with the embraces of love yet â— should not be despised I â—â—ould lead thee into a Chambeâ— with delight of the sweetest fruition This fruition that devout St. In his Meditations Anselme desired when he said O most sweet Infant when shall I see thee when shall I appeare before thy face when shall I be sarisfied with thy comelinesse when shall I behold thy wished for Countenance on whom the Angels desire to look woe be to that soule that loves not thee that seeks not thee who if she love the World she is a slave to sinne she is never quiet or content never secure Let nothing I beseech thee please me without thee let nothing be sweet unto me nothing comely let no pretious thing content mee besides thee Let all things be vile unto me except thee Whatsoever is against thee let it be troublesome unto me and let thy will and pleasure be my indefatigable desire Let it greive me to rejoyce without thee delight me to rejoyce with thee and to weep with thee O good Jesu if it be so sweet to weep with thee how pleasant is it to rejoyce with thee SOVLE O Man Now I languish with Love to see our Lord my Creatour I faint with ardent desire to see Jesus my Brother and my Redeemer now being wounded with desire I sigh and groan to behold that glorious Virgin Mother of my Redeemer O good Jesus when shall I see my Joy which I desire O when will his glory appeare which I hunger after O when will my Comforter come which I expect O that at any time I shall be inebriated with the plenty of his house for which I sigh after Now every Creature is troublesome to me to behold because far incomparably shal that beauty excell from which all these things proceeded MAN O My Soul expect with patience that thy desires may increase because it is written After a while and yee shall not see me and again after a while and yee shall see me SOVLE O Long while O a little too prolixe for although thy merits be little yet notwithstanding large are thy desires MAN O My Soul if thy desires seem unto thee large and great wherewith thou art inflamed to contemplate the Eternal glory and charity with how great a desire thinkest thou oughtest thou to be inflamed perfectly to love God the eternall goodness and eternally to possess the highest Majesty if thou shouldest not love all these things how canst thou rejoice in the Vision Although thou shouldest well see and understand them and shouldest not possess them securely how shouldest thou continue blessed St. Aug. There therefore we shall be at leasure and shall see shall see and love shall love possess for he is the end of our desires who shall be seen without end shall be loved without tediousness shall be praisâ—d eternally without wearisomness for there one and the whole virtue is to love what thou seest and the cheifest felicity is eternally to have what thou lovest there a blessed life is fully perfectly drunken from its very fountain wherefore after a certain wonderfull manner both an innated thirst and also a Satiety is delectably varyed by course but necessity is far repelled from thirst and loathing is far removed from satiety In fine prosologion But that I may not O my Soule now longer keep thee in suspence hear what that devout Anselmus saith of all the former Heavenly joyes stir up thy self now O my Soule and lift up thy whole understanding and as much as thou art able consider attentively how delightfull that good is which containeth the delectation of all good things If a created life be delightful how pleasant is the creating Essence if a made health be pleasant how pleasant is that health which maks all things If the knowledge of the creatures be amiable how pleasant is that knowledge which is of things created why therfor dost thou wander through many things seeking Goods created love one in whome are all If Beauty delight thee the Just shall shine as the sun if Liberty or strength they shall be like unto the Angels of God in Heaven if long and healthfull lifethere is eternal health if satiety or excess they shall be satisfied of the glory and they shall be inebriated with the fulness of the house of God if melody there the Angells do sing if society and freindship there is the society of the Saints all of them of one mind if honours and riches glory and riches are in his Court if security and certainty there is the eternall longitude of all times and ages O humane heart O poor and needy heart O heart experienced in cares yea overwhelmed with sorrowes how much wouldest thou rejoyce if thou shouldest abound in all these enquire of thy inmost thoughts if they be able to conceive there so great joy of their so great a beatitude But if man of so great a beatitude can scarce conceive his own joy how shall he be capable of so many joyes as is the number of the Elect where every one loveth his Neighbour as much as himselfe And doth so much rejoyce at his joy as he loves him so also every one doth more rejoyce without question of the Felicity of God then either of his own or of all the Elect. Because even as he loveth God with all his heart with all his soule and with all his power So the whole heart the whole Soule the whole mind is not sufficient to the fullnesse of that joy because they shall rejoyce so much as they loved they shall love so much as they shall behold Truly neither Eye hath seen nor Eare hath heard nor hath it entred into the heart of Man how much the Saints of God shall love thee and know thee I beseech thee O my God that I may know thee that I may love thee and that I may eternally rejoyce with thee And though I cannot fully in this life yet at least let my knowledge and love of the encrease here that there my joy may be full Here let that be in hope there let it be in possession O Lord and Father here thou commandest by thy Sonne yea thou councellest us to ask and promisest us we shall receive that our joy may be full I begg O Lord that which by thy admirable Councellour thou councellest to ask and promisest us to receive that our joy may be accomplished let my understanding meditate of this let my mouth discourse of this let my Tongue speak thereof let my Soule hunger after it let my flesh thirst after it untill it shall enter into the joy of my God who is 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
their God unlesse I bee whence shall they be satisfied I will be whatsoever is honestly desired of all De Civitate Dei he is the end of our Desires who shall be seen without end shall be beloved without contempt shall be praised without wearisomness this Gift this Affection this Action shall truly be All in All. I thinke notwithstanding that I may not overlong protract thee although truly that bee an inestimable and unspeakable joy yet I conceive iâ—proceedeth of a threefold cause and a triple joy shall make glad and delight those blessed Spirits for they shall delightfully rejoice in the perfect and most excellent contemplation of the divine clearnes they shall sweetely rejoice in the mellifluous and most pleasant taste of the divine goodness they shall eternally rejoice in the quiet and most secure imbracing of the divine Majesty For thou knowest O my soul that thou excellest in thy substance with three naturall powers for thou hast a rationall power which is not perfectly illuminated but by the manifest knowledg of the first Truth and a concupiscible power which is not satisfied but by the perfect love of the cheifest goodness also an irascible power which is not quieted but by the secure comprehension of the Divine Majesty Of these three blessed Saint Bernard speaketh upon the Canticles He that replenisheth thy desire with good things shall be to thy reason fulnesse of light to thy will fullnesse of peace to thy memory a continuation of Eternity Why art thou sad O my soule and wherefore dost thou trouble me hope in God because yet I will confesse unto him when all errour shall depart from thy reason all griefe from thy will all feare from thy memory and that shall succeed which we hoped for wonderfull quietnesse full sweetness and eternall security O my soule how much thinkest thou shall their joy and gladnesse be who perpetually contemplate this mirrour of Eternity wherein all things past present and to come which do appertaine to the chiefest beatitude are most manifestly beheld St. Aug. When we shall arrive at the supernall light of the Father of lights we shall understand al that can be in the creatures Then the Just shall know all that God hath made to be known And what is that they cannot know who see him that knowes all things Saint Anselme SOVLE ANd how can simplicity admit this MAN EVen as by a looking-Glass a threefold vision is demonstrated unto us Fulgen tius in that we see one selves the Glasse and whatsoever is present so by the mirrour of divine clearnesse we know God himselfe and whatsoever is present that is our selves and all creatures SOVLE O Blessed truth I now perceive that to be wise without thee is to be foolish and to know thee perfectly is to become wise MAN O My soule those things which thou desirest naturally to know earnestly endeavour to see in this mirrour seek continually to study and read therein because to have seen this once is to have learned all things Truly Plato's Contemplation 1 Theory 2 Theoremes 3 Scrutineis Aristotles Philosophy Empedocles Speculation Hypocrates Searches Ptolomies Astrology c. shall be seen there and accounted but foolishnesse Because whatsoever we understand here concerning the truth is the least part of those things which we are ignorant of But then O my soule thou shalt see and abound and thy heart shall admire and be enlarged SOVLE AND WHAT SHALL I SEE MAN THe King of Heaven in his Glory Beda The splendour of eternall pulcritude is of such and so great pleasantness and of so great sweetnesse that the very Angells themselves who are incomparably more clear then the Sunne cannot be satisfied therewith Therefore thou shalt then abound with delights in the admirable and wonderfull knowledge of the Divine cleernesse thou shalt admire at the delightfull consideration of thy own glory thou shalt be enlarged in the perfect speculation of all Creatures O stupendious and admirable Contemplation O sweet and delectable consideration O joyfull and unspeakable speculation O Lord my God how worthily is it spoken of thee One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere Because according to Saint Augustine so great is the beauty of Justice so great is the pleasure of the Eternall light that although it were not lawfull to be delighted there in more then an houre of one day for this only innumerable dayes of this life though full of delights and on every side abundancy of temporall good things should rightly and worthily be despised For it is so beautifull and sweet that it being once seen nothing more can be desired and it excelleth all other desires SOVLE ANd is there no other thing whose Vision delighteth whose Contemplation maketh glad MAN O My Soule although these above be sufficient if there were no other thing there yet there remaines one thing though I should for beare to speak of the sweet and pleasant vision of all the others almost innumerable which wonderfully gladdeth the minds of all the Celestiall Spirits and after a certaine wonderfull manner I know not with what inestimable joy inebriateth every blessed creature to wit to see the exceeding glory of our Heavenly Father and the glorified humanity of his most blessed Sonne Who O my soule is sufficient as to think how great joy it begetteth to see the Viâ—gin Mary not now lying with her Infant crying in the Manger not now going about weeping seeking and saying Have ye not seen him whom my soule loveth when shee had lost her most beloved Infant for three daies but now looking on him with Eternall Joy For now shee shall not be troubled as flying into Aegypt from the face of Herod because he is ascended into Heaven but Herod into Hell Now she is not troubled about many things which the Jews have done to her Sonne because all things are subject to him Not now surely watching crying out complaining and saying Who will grant it me that I may dye for thee O my Sonne Absalon when she stood neere unto her only Son hanging and dying on the Crosse now not lamentably lamenting when the Disciple was given her instead of her Master a Servant in stead of her Lord a Creature in stead of the Creator as though it were a stranger instead of her only and most sweet Sonne But now she that in times past was so miserable for us being full of so great sorrow is inestimably exalted above every Creature raigning with Christ in the Pallace of the exceeding blessed Trinity singing rejoycing and saying I have held him and will not part from him And Christ himselfe saying Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy loaden and I will refresh you And this Come unto me all ye that desire me add ye shall be filled from my Generations O my Soule devoutly consider in thy mind what a joy full of all sweetnesse it is to behold a man the Creator of man a woman the