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
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
weigh and consider by another mans judgement what thou oughtest to esteem of thy self Thou hast a Spouse of whose beautie if thou didst not doubt thou wouldst know that so fair so comly so only a Son of God would not be ravished with thy countenance if a singular comliness and above all others to be admired did not invite him These S. Aug. But perhaps these mean things O my soul who art too ingratefull do seem to thee too small and mean wherefore in the third place heare an admirable dignitie that thou art of such a simplicity that nothing can inhabit the seat of thy mind nothing can make therein any mansion but only the simplicitie and puritie of the Eternal Trinitie Behold what the Bridegroom saith I saith he and my Father will come unto him and will make a mansion with him And in another place in the Gospel Zacheus make haste to come down because to day it behoveth me to stay in thy house For to insinuate into the mind is only possible to him that created it For he it is who being more intimate in thy thoughts doth give himselfe to thee as S. Aug. saith Rejoice the refore O happie soul that thou canst be an entertainer of such a Guest S. Bern. O happie is that soul which daily doth cleanse her heart that she may receive God to dwel therein which host can want no good because he hath in himselfe the Author of all goodness O how blessed is that Soul with whom God hath found rest which can say Hee that created mee hath rested in my Tabernacle So that the Heavens cannot deny her a resting place in Heaven who hath prepared for himselfe a rest in this life O my soule thou art too covetous if the presence of such a Guest cannot content thee because I know he is so liberall that he wil give and communicate unto thee of his good things that he is so holy that he will enrich thee with his gifts For it would in no wise become so great a Prince if he should permit his Entertainer to want Adorn therefore thy Bed and receive the King thy Maker of whose presence thy whole Family shall rejoâ—ce and be glad O truly wonderfull very admirable sentence The King whose beauty the Sun and Moon do admire whose greatness the Heaven and earth do reverence of whose wisdom the Troops of Heavenly Spirits are illuminated of whose clemency the Colledge of all the blessed are satiated such a one O my Soul desireth thy entertainment thy Supping Parlour more then he coveteth or wisheth for a Heavenly Pallace For his delights are to be with the Sons of men But if yet these do not move thee to praise thy Creator convert the light of thy contemplation to the fourth benefit and know that thy palace is of such a capacity that no creature is sufficient to satisfie thy desire Hugo de Sancto Victore All pleasure all sweetness all power all the abundance of things created may affect a humane heart but cannot satisfie it S. Anselm Every Creature which is not my God is to me poverty And wherefore Truly according to S. Gregory in his Morals a humane Soule which is made earnestly to desire God whatsoever it desireth beneath God is less then God and therefore by right that sufficeth her not which is not God Now as I thinke O my Soul thou hast sufficiently seen thy Nobility which is very laudable Convert now the light of contemplation to thy power Hugo de Arrha animae above all other Creatures which truly is admirable O my Soule what hath thy Spouse given thee Behold this World every thing doth direct his course to that end that it may serve for they profits and that it may continually offer it it selfe to thy pleasures according to the distribution of times See now O my Soule diligently consider that the Creator thy Spouse and friend hath ordained the whole Fabricke of the world for thy service Behold the Angels doe cseanse and inflame thy affection illuminate and inform thy Intellect doe perfect and keepe thy bodie It is a great dignitie to have such Doctors Comforters and such Conservers O my Soule if thou couldst perceive with what joy and with what gladness they assist our prayers are present at our Meditations with what care they conserve us in Good with what desire they expect Us and Our Eternall salvation The Heaven seeks to please thee by his motion the luminaries by their influence the Sun gives the day the Moon lights the night the fire tempers the coldness of the Aire the Aire mitigates for thee the internall heat of fire the water cleanseth thy foulness cooleth the heat of thy thirst and doth fructifie the Earth The Earrh likewise doth beare thee with his solidity recreate thee with his fertility delight thee with his pleasantness Behold O my soule thou hast briefly runne through all from the Inferior to the Superior and hast found that every Creature to this end doth direct his course by the Divine ordination how far they may be beneficiall unto thee and incessantly offer themselves for thy pleasures But take heed O my soule least thou be called not a Spouse but an Adultresse if thou lovest more the gifts of the giver then the affection of the Lover Saint Aug in his 2. Book of Confessions Woe unto thee if thou wander from his foot-steps if thou love his Invitations and not him and dost not consider with the understanding of a pure mind what that most blessed light doth insinuate whose Invitations and foot-steps are the forme and beauty of all Creatures Yet if by chance thou art ignorant of thy selfe O fairest of Woemen Go forth and hasten after the footsteps of the Flock that is of unreasonable Creatures who are the Foot-steps of thy Creator but thou art the mirrour of the most blessed Trinity Therefore thou art accounted more worthy and more Excellent then all they And feed thy Kids nere unto the Tabernacles of the Shepheard that is convert thy cogitations to the Troops of Angels to whom in some sort thou now art like in Nature and shall be fellow Citizen in Glory SOVLE NOw I have been sufficiently silent I have long enough held my peace Even now with shamefastnesse and blushing I am compelled to confesse and say that I have little considered this dignity Alas unhappy soule and miserable that I am I have too unworthily prostituted my love I have not glorified my Maker for all these his benefits I have not blessed my God for all his gifts and have not adored him in all my life but have lived too unworthily and irreverently too vainly and negligently And that I may confesse the truth according to Saint Bern. by how much more perfectly I behold my dignity by so much I am confounded and blush that I have led an unnaturall life For I feare that the fault is so much the more grievous by how much my nature is more worthy
and noble I am afraid that by so much the offence is so much the more dangerous by how much the Excellency of him who is offended is the greater I much feare that the Injurie is by so much the worse by how much greater the benefits of him have been whom I have wronged Alas Alas O Lord my God I now weigh by the dignity of thy substance the vilenesse of my malice by the comelinesse of Nature I know the deformity of sinne by the remembrance of Benefits received are manifested the Ingratitude of my Actions Wo is me miserable soule now I see now I know that whatsoever I have received for the use of life of the chief Giver I have miserably imployed them to the abuse of sinne and wickednesse The tranquillity of humane peace I have converted to the use of vaine security the Pilgrimage of the Earth I have loved as if it should be my perpetuall Habitation the health and beauty of body I have subjected to the servitude of my pleasure the abundance of plenty I have consumed not for the necessity of my body but to the superfluity of my miserable covetousness Faire weather and refreshing Aire I have abused to serve me for the love of earthly delights I feare alas and much doubt least these become Instruments of my punishment which did serve as evill Instruments to my vices MAN O My Soule in some sort I now perceive that thy knowledge is good For I perceive by thy words that my admonition hath not been in vaine It seemeth to me by the divine power thou art somewhat enlightned and moved by the touch of the true light Because according to Saint Greg. in his Morals Every one whilst he is illuminated by the touch of the true light he is showed from whence that Justice is whereby he is enlightened what that sinne is whereby he is blinded From whence holy men by how much the higher they profit in the dignity of vertues with GOD by so much more clearly they discerne themselves to be unworthy for they when they approach nearest unto the light do more plainely perceive what lay hid within them CHAP. II. How vitiously the Soule is deformed by sinne MAN THerefore O my soul if being touched with the light of truth thou know thy dignity which hitherto thou hast not considered if thou understandest the same whereby thou hast offended thy Creator and hast seen how gratiously thou art framed by Nature So now how vitiously thou art deformed by sinne St. Ansolme Bring to thy own memory O wearisome and miserable soule thy enormous offence and conduct it even to Heaven with sorrow and lamentation Consider O my soule who hast forsaken God and being an Adultress unto Christ what thou hast done Thou hast forsaken thy chast love in Heaven hast despised thy maker hast cast of thy Spouse hast offended thy God thou hast irreverently used thy holy Angel Guardian Thou wast once the Temple of God the Spouse of Christ the Closset of the Holy Ghost Whence is this suddain and quick change of a Virgin of God thou art made corrupted of Satan of a spouse of Christ the Execrable Whore of the Devillâ— Remember O my Soule for what thou hast sould thy beauty for what thou hast cast away thy honour for whom thou hast so filthily defiled thy comlinesse how great a good thou hast sould at so vile a rate O my soule why hast thou robbed thy self of so many good things wherefore hast thou in vaine deprived thy selfe of such honours why hast thou neglected so many good works hast lived so many years so many dayes so many houres without fruit SOVLE I Acknowledge St. Bern. O man that thou speakest truth and not unworthily reprehendest me of so great a Transgression O Lord my God how many times have passed that I behold wherein I have lived before thee without fruit how shall I subsist how shall I be able to lift up my face before thee in that great and terrible Examen when thou shalt command all my dayes to be numbred seeking fruit therein O Lord God why have I at any time omitted thee to be conversant in my heart to embrace thee with all my mind to be delighted with thy sweetnesse Where then were all my internall thoughts when they were not with thee when every Creature hath from thee whatsoever he hath desireable laudable or delectable Alas O Lord now I understand but blush to confess the forme and comlinesse of Creatures have deceived my Eye and I have not considered that thou art more beautifull then all Creatures to whom thou hast communicated but one drop of thy inestimable beauty For who hath adorned the Heaven with starrs the Aire with Birds the Water with Fishes the Earth with Plants and Flowers Men in body with divers complexions in mind with divers Vertues Are not O most mercifull Father these Troops of Heavenly Spirits by thee adorned with divers gifts O good Jesu the fountaine of all pulchritude pardon me miserable soule that I have so lately known and so slowly loved thy beauty wherefore I have most miserably erred The sweetnesse also of the Creatures have deceived my tast and I have not considered that thou art far sweeter then honey For thou hast given to honey and every Creature its sweetness yea thine also and there is not any other sweetnesse or delight in any Creature but the little demonstration of thy sweetnesse which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee whence it comes to passe that the sweetnesse of all the Creatures if any one truely consider it is to no other end but to invite us to thy Eternall sweetnesse O Jesu the fountaine of all sweetnesse and Piety pardon me that I have not observed thy inestimable and mellifluous sweetnesse in the Creature nor tasted them with the affection of my internall mind wherefore I have most miserably erred and gone astray and I have filled my soule till now with the Husks or drasse of Swine But alas I feare as yet I have not been fed with the Bread of thy Children therefore I have alwayes remained empty and Hunger-starven in the delights of the World St. Gregory Because we will not inwardly tast of thy prepared sweetnesse therefore we hunger-starved and miserable Creatures are in love with our own penurie and wants O most sweet Jesus S. Aug. in his Booke of Confessions now I see now I acknowledge that all sweetness which is not from thee hath been to me a great affliction and misery For thou O most mercifull God even in my sins wast alwayes present with me most piously sustaining all my wicked and evil delights imbracing them with thy most bitter griefs teaching me by thy stripes that if I would have delight without bitternesse I could not have it but in thee O Lord. But alas I have not understood this learning therefore have I erred yet in my evill delights I have alwaies feared the
fountaine of Eternall light the torrent of true pleasure That it may alwayes desire thee seek thee and may find thee and sweetly rest in thee But what madnesse what infernall furies so long time hath hindred such things and such comforts of my mind such joyes and mellifluous banquets from me Tell me J pray thee O man what is the cause of so great evill what is the reason of so much danger what is the occasion of so great losse MAN I Perceive O my soule that now thou art wearied with labours now vexed with sorrow that thou art not further able to find to whom thou mayst ascribe the great evill brought upon thee J desire therefore that thou wilt heare me with patience if J shall demonstrate to thee the cause of so great a losse if J show thee the Enemy of so great an evill Now somewhat in part thou hast discovered the enemy yet perhaps for greif of mind thou hast not considered that thou hast O my soule a domestick enemy an Enemy that is thy friend an adversary thy Neighbour which hath rendred thee evill for good and under pretence of friendship being thy crueller foe hath deprived thee of all these and many more infinite good things This enemy under favour is thy unhappy and miserable flesh yet very much beloved and pleasant unto thee This when thou hast pampered thou hast raised against thee thy worst enemy This when thou hast honoured thou hast armed against thy self the cruellest adversary This when thou hast adorned with various and pretious Garments thou hast robbed thy self of all internall ornaments knowing not what blessed Saint Gregorie saith in his Homilies From whence saith he the flesh for a time lives sweetly from thence the spirit for ever shal be tormented lament and bewaile And contrarily by how much the more the flesh is oppressed by so much the more the spirit rejoyceth in Heavenly hope Wherefore for so great an injurie offered to us by thee I am not able to containe my self any longer but will reprove so great an evill hitherto in silence dangerously passed over J know saith Saint Bernard a certaine one who for many years hath lived with thee hath sate with thee at Table hath received meat from thy hand and hath slept in thy bosome when she pleased hath had discourse with thee this one by Hereditary right is thy own servant but because thou hast too delicately fed her and hast spared the Rod she hath lifted up her heel against thee and despised thee brought thee into servitude And he further addeth O miserable soule and to be pittied who shall deliver thee from the bond of this disgrace Let God arise and let the armed fall and let the enemy be bruised This enemy J say is the contemner of God the friend of the World the worshipper of Satan What thinkest thou of her if rightly thou conjecturest J beleive thou wilt say with me Shee iâ— guilty of death let her be crucified Do not therefore dissemble do not defer doe not spare crucifie her crucifie her But on what Cross on the Crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ in which there is our health life and resurrection Call to mind therefore O my soule thy first beginnings consider that thou art marked with the Jmage of God adorned with his similitude espoused by faith endowed with hope pre-elected by Charity redeemed with his blood partaker of grace cepable of Beatitude what hast thou to do with flesh that thou sufferest these things if thou diligently weigh its Condition thou hast never seen a viler dunghill If thou wouldest number its miseries how it is laden with sinnes itching with Concupiscences busied with passions polluted with illusions full of confusion and replete with ignominie what other thing hast thou of it but obscene and uncleane thoughts These Saint Bern. O divine soule which art from Heaven blush to be transformed into the similitude of a Swine blush to wallow in the Mire The same Author on the Canticles O my soule so long as thou art in the flesh thou art conversant among thornes and it is necessary that thou greivously suffer the troubles of temptations and the stings of resistance Wherefore it is said to thee in the Canticles As the Lillie amongst Thornes so is my beloved among the Daughters O faire Lillie O tender and delicate flower unbeleiven and subverters are with thee and thou hast thy habitation with Scorpions See therefore how warily it behoveth thee to walk among thorns The flesh and the World are full of thornes to walk among these and not to be hurt is of divine grace and not of humane power These Saint Bernard And there is another strong and cruell enemy which by his wonderfull craft dissolveth the Customes of all breatheth cares searcheth the affections and there alwayes seeketh cause to hurt where he shall observe any one more studiously to be busied For this old Serpent being an enemy of mankind hath known from the begining to whom he may insinuare the inticements of gluttony to whom he may poure in the poison of Envy to whom he may lay the baits of faire perswasions unto luxurie to whom he may promise the vaine allurements of Pride he knoweth whom he may oppresse with feare whom he may deceive with joy whom he may seduce with admiration He hath also some obliged unto him whole Wit and Language he maketh use of to the deceiving of others O Soule fraile to resist easie to fall difficult to rise how shalt thou be able to escape the snares of this cruell adversary whom thou knowest to be endowed with so many subtilties SOVLE NOw I see now I first perceive that as Saint Anselme saith it is the Custome of sinne which is not easily known of him who is pressed therewith but presently when any one shall begin to alienate himselfe from it then at last he knoweth in how great obscenity and pollution he hath continued Therefore because I now somewhat begin to alienate my selfe from sinne and thereby I come to acknowledge my selfe and my sinne I am not further able to containe my selfe from lamentation O Lord my God thou hast impressed in me thy most lovely image and J have deformed it with a most hatefull Diabolicall similitude Alas alas miserable man that J have imprinted the Image of the Devill on the Jmage of God why have J not hated the imitation of him whose name J do abhorre He hath fallen of his own accord J willingly have gone astray He with the bare punishment preceding proudly hath sinned J having seen his punishment contemning it have sinned He was once created in Jnnocency J often times have been restored He hath raised himselfe against him that made him J have raised my self against him that hath made me a new He hath forsaken God that permitted him to fall but I have fled from that God that sought after me He remaineth in malice being reprobated of God I runne from God that
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
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
hand-maid O Lord Jesus Christ who for me hast not spared thy selfe so vulnerate my heart and so Inebriate my mind with thy blood that what way soever I shall turne my selfe I alwayes may behold thee Crucified and whatsoever I shall look upon may appeare to me ruddy with thy blood that so I may wholly intend thee that I might not find any thing beside thee nor behold any thing but thy wounds This is my comfort I have crucified my self O Lord with thee and let it be to me intimate affliction to mediate upon any thing except thee There is no Affection greater no charity more sincere Hugo de Sancto Victore no love stronger the Innocent hath dyed for me finding nothing in me that he might love But alas as often as I consider this wonderfull favour of divine Piety towards us I am not a little confounded and ashamed of my too much Ingratitude MAN O My Soule thou hast forsaken thy Spouse Hugo de Arrha Animae thou hast prostituted thy love and hast not given thanks for these great benefits yet that he might release thee from thence whence thou hadst falne he hath pleased to descend and piously to suffer that which thou didst endure Think therefore how much he loved thee which by no way but by dying would free thee from death Wherefore O my soule by how much the more worthy thou knowest the benefits of thy Redeemer are by so much the sinnes of thy Ingratitude are the worse See therefore that thou be not ingratefull on whom so many benefits are bestowed for the sinne of Ingratitude is very great because according to Saint Bern. Ingratitude is as it were a burning Wind drying up the Rivers of divine mercy the fountaine of clemency the torrents of Grace Consider therefore O my Soule often ponder and revolve in thy mind the horrible sentence which is pronounced against ingratefull persons in the Person of our Saviour saying O Soule see how great things I suffer for thee I call unto thee who dye for thee See the paines wherewith I am tormented See the Nailes wherewith I am pierced heare the reproaches wherewith I am confounded But although the externall griefe is great yet the Internall torment is far greater when I find thee so ingratefull and else where It is inveighed against ingratefull men in the person of Christ saying Et alibi Bernard O my people what have I done unto thee or in what have I molested thee answer me What is the cause thou wouldest rather obey my Enemy then me Consider that I am he who have created thee I have enriched thee with all good things if these be accounted but little to ingratefull persons yet I have redeemed thee with my most pretious blood Ah! O my soule let not these things depart from thy heart slip from thy mouth alwayes render thanks never cease to blesse and magnifie the only begotten Sonne of God for these his great benefits Let they dearly beloved be for all these benefits sometime to thee a Bundell of Myrrhe in thy heart sometime joy in thy mind praise in thy mouth Melody in thy Eare. SOVLE NOw I am not able longer to containe my self tell I pray thee what shall I render our Lord for all that he hath bestowed on me MAN O My Soule as St. Bern. saith In his Meditations thou owest to him thy whole life and not unworthily because he laid down his own life for thee and hath sustained cruell torments that thou mightest not endure eternall punishment What therefore can seeme hard unto thee when thou shalt call to mind that he that is comely in the favour of God would be crucified for thee O how undue a pitty how free a favour how unlooked for a Charity how wonderfull a sweetness is it that the King of Glory should dye and be crucified for a most despicable worme O how sweet a friend how strong a helper how wise a reconciler is this SOVLE O Man J confesse and truely acknowledge if J had the lives of all the Sons of Adam in me all the dayes of an Age the endeavours of all men that are have been or shall be it were nothing in comparison of that which my Spouse hath sustained for me which the Son of God hath suffered for my sinnes When as therefore J shall give all that J am and whatsoever I am able it will not be as a starr to the Sun as a drop to an Ocean or as dust to a Mountaine MAN O My Soule because I now begin to consider that the Eye of Contemplation being more perspicuous thou acknowledgest the Grace of divine redemption whereby thy Spouse hath delivered thee from originall sinne yet a little now I will begin to speak for my God and show thee to that heap of divine mercy whereby thou art freed from actuall sinne also Convert therefore the light of Contemplation unto the benefit of justification and consider the favour of thy Lord how paternally by secret inspiration he hath recalled thee from sinne how sweetly and how lovingly he hath recalled thee comforting thee by internall communication saying Return Return O Shunamite that is O soule by sinne miserably infected captivated or mortified Returne saith hee O Soule to mee I am thy Creator returne I am thy Redeemer Returne I am thy Comforter And if these seem but little returne last of all because I am thy very liberall rewarder Returne therefore to me I am hee that have so nobly created thee Returne I am he who so mercifully by my most bitter death have delivered thee from eternall damnation Return to mee I am he that so manifoldly have enriched thee with spirituall and corporall good things Returne at last to me O soule I am he who so liberally have now rewarded thee by prepared felicity Returne saith hee from the sin of thought Returne from the sinne of Speech Returne from the sinne of Action Return from the sinne of Custome Returne to me O Soule the Saints with great desire expect thee and at thy comming the Angels rejoyce Return Jesus Christ calls thee with hands extended on the Cross Returne the Abiss of the whole Trinity wait for thy returne O Soule if thou well remembrest this is the voice of thy welbeloved inviâ—ing thee Consider now how great hath been the longanimity of him expecting thee O what a long time he hath expected thy comming alas what a time hath he suffered thee in thy sinnes O how many and for what hath he damned for their sinnes before thy conversion yet mercifully hath he expected thee alwayes sinning Returne yet O Soule Christ expecting thee on the Cross hath his head inclined to kiss thee a a sinner and uncleane hath his Armes stretched forth to embrace thee his hands open to forgive thee his body extended wholly to bestow himselfe upon thee his feet fastened to remain with thee his side opened to suffer thee to enter therein Be therefore now O
to be entangled with so great greifs Saint Augustine libro Confessionum Although without the love of Charity St. Hierome every one may rightly believe yet he cannot attaine unto Beatitude because such is the force of Charity that even Prophesie and Marytrdome without it are esteemed as nothing no Vertue can Equall Charity For Charity obtaineth the Excellency of all Vertues O my God give thy selfe unto me St. Aug. Render thy self unto me I love thee and if that be too little I will love more forcibly I am not able to limit that J might know how much J want of thy love to that which is sufficient that my life might runne into thy embraces and not to divert untill it were hidden in the secrets of thy Countenance This J only know that whatsoever J have without thee and all plenty which is not my God is poverty SOVLE NOw therefore O Man seeing as thou sayest J ought to love my beloved Lover for all these things tell me J pray thee how much and in what manner J may love him to the end J may repay the multiplicity of his so great an Affection MAN O My Soule St. Bern. although according to Saint Bern. the cause of loving God be God himselfe yet the method to love him is to love him without method notwithstanding we can find by the Revelation of holy Scripture a certaine method For he that hath given thee love hath shewed thee a manner how to love saying Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and withall thy strength Love therefore O my soule with a singular love God the Father who hath so nobly created thee of nothing Love God the Sonne who so inestimably hath reformed thee in dying for thee Love God the Holy Ghost who so mercifully and so sweetly by often comforting thee hath preserved thee from sinne and hath strengthened thee in Good Love therefore God the Father valiantly that thou mayest not be dangerously overcome by any other strange love Love God the Sonne wisely that thou mayest not be craftily seduced by any other love Love God the Holy Ghost sweetly that thou mayst not be poysonously infected with any other strange love Or thus according to Saint Bern. Learn of Christ O Christian soule in what manner thou oughtest to love Christ Love sweetly wisely and valiantly Sweetly That all other love may be base to thee in respect of his love and let him only be to thee Honey in thy mouth melody in thy Eare and Jubilee in thy heart Love him wisely that thy love may continually burne in him only and in no other Love valiantly that thy frailty may joyfully undergo all sharp and bitter torments for him that thou mayest say My suffering is scarce the space of an houre or if it were more I feel it not for the love I owe him These Saint Bern. Thus let a Christian by love towards Christ continually resolve Saint Hiero. that he may willingly endure all things for him untill he shall come unto him Let us love Christ and alwayes seek to cleave fast to his embraces and every thing shall seem easie that is difficult Saint Ambrose O my soule alwayes keep in thy mind how sweetly Christ loved thee in his Incarnation how wisely in his Conversation and how valiantly in his Passion There is no love greater no Charity more sincere no Affection stronger the Innocent hath dyed for thee finding nothing in thee that he might love SOVLE TEll me I pray thee O man under favour I ask not out of curiosity but of humility not of presumption but rather of Devotion what is it that I love when I love my God Hugo de S.V. MAN O My soule if thy Question were presumptuous then it were too vitious but because it hath it originall from devotion it deserveth a devout answer Heare therefore In his Book of Confessions what that great Lover of God Saint Augustine saith When I love my God saith he I love not a form or comelinesse not time nor the Candor of that light which is lovely in sight nor â—weet Melodies nor unguents fragrantly senting nor Manna nor Honey nor bodyes acceptable to the Embraces of the flesh These things I love not when I love God But what do I love I love a certaine light a certaine voice a certaine odour a certaine food a certaine Embrasing of my inner man Where there is something shyneth to my soule which no place can comprehend where there is something soundeth which time is not capable of where there is something casteth an odour which a blast cannot disperse where there is something savours which Appetite cannot diminish where there is something cleaveth fast which saciety cannot pull away SOVLE TEll I pray thee O man yet a little of the vertue of Charity which being known the mind may more strongly be enflamed in the love of God MAN TRuely O my Soule the fruit of Charity is great but hidden For according to Saint Augustine it endureth adversity it mitigateth prosperity it is strong in hard suffering pleasant in good works most safe in temptation most liberall in Hospitality amongst true friends most mercy amongst false most patient It is secure among reproches liberall to them that hate it pleasant in time of Anger innocent among treacheries weeping at iniquity taking comfort in truth St. Aug. in praise of Charity O happy love from whence ariseth strength of Manners Saint Bern. purity of affections subtilty of understanding sanctity of desires clearnesse of works fruitfullnesse of Vertues dignity of merits sublimity and height of rewards and honours O sweetnesse of love O the happy love of sweetnesse let my heart feed on thee and let the bowells of my soule be replenished with thy Nectar O my soule how sweet is the food of Charity which refresheth the weary strengtheneth the weak and exhilerateth the sorrowfull For it maketh the yoak of truth sweet and his burden light I confesse O Lord I have not sustained the waight and heat of the day but I carry a sweet yoak and a light burden For my work is scarce the space of an houre and were it more I perceive it not in respect of thy love But what is more O my soule such is the force of love that it is necessary thou be like unto that which thou lovest and to whom thou art joyned by affection in some sort by the society of love thou shalt be transformed in to its similitude The end of the first part The Second Exercise How the Soule by mentall Exercise ought to convert her contemplation to things that are externall that she may know 1 How unstable worldly wealth is 2 How mutable worldly Excellency is c. 3 How miserable worldly Magnificence is CHAP. I. How unstable worldly wealth is SOVLE NOw I see how miserable every soule is setting her heart on worldly things which are attained with labour possessed
with feare lost with griefe But blessed is hee that loveth thee O Lord and an enemy for thee and a friend in thee for he only looseth no deare friend to whom all are deare in thee for no man looseth thee but he that forsakes thee and he that departeth from thee whither goes he but from thee being pleased to thee being angrie These Saint Aug. O Charity which alwayes burnest and are never extinguisned My God who art Charity it selfe inflame mee Thou commandest that I should love thee give me what thou commandest and command what thou pleasest Thou commandest truely that I should containe my selfe from the concupiscence of the flesh from the concupiscence of the Eyes and from the Ambition of the World He loveth thee less O Lord St. Aug. St. Hier. which loveth any thing with thee which he loveth not for thee O man let us alwayes love Christ and let us ever seek to cleave to his embraces and every difficult thing will seeme easie MAN O My soule now I perceive that thou acknowledgst how happy and how blessed he is who is wholly sixt by love in the only desire of eternity who is puffed up neither with prosperity These S. Greg. in his Moralls nor is danted with Adversity and while he hath nothing in this world that he loveth hath likewise nothing the rein that he feareth Convert therefore now O my Soule thy contemplation to those things which are without thee that is to to this sensible world that thou mayest despise both it and those things that are therein so that it being despised thou mayst be more inflamed with the love of thy Spouse For thou lovest him the lesse if thou desirest any thing with him which thou lovest nor for him and in him For by so much according to Saint Gregory every one is separated from the supernall love by how much he is delighted with any thing below him and he is sooner converted to God who hath not any thing in this World wherewith he may be delighted And every one by so much is seperated from the love of earthly things According to the Gloss on Exodus St. Aug. by how much he is elevated to the only love of the eternall Let all other creatures therefore be of small esteem unto thee that thy Creatour only may be sweet in thy heart Weigh therefore and alwayes consider not only by heare-say but by experience not only by relation but also by Action how unstable worldly wealth is how mutable worldly excellency is how false and deceitfull worldly glory is For every thing that is here eminent is more enthralled with sorrow then it can be delighted with honour Saint Bern. Behold the lovers of this World walk about the affairs thereof some seeking riches other honours others Glory But what shall I speak of Riches which are gotten with labour possessed with feare lost with griefe Or what shall I say of honour Thou art seated in a high place but whether or no shall thou not be judged of all yea tormented of all whether or no can any one be in honor without fraud in Praelacy without tribulation in height without Vanity What shall I say of Glory It is nothing else but a certaine vaine tickling of the Eares and can that be without censure Behold whom thou hast out-gone and think that thou hast given them in all things cause of Envy So often I am like the Apostate tatae Angell Saint Bern. as often as I desire to be above others For nothing is swifter then the World and the things thereof which when we desire to hold we loose Saint Hiero. Thou hast seen Emperours thou hast seen Commanders thou hast seen Armies Victories and Triumphs yesterday they were to day they are not yesterday they florished as as a flower to day they are withered as Hay nothing therefore is good but what is perpetuall SOVLE O Man if these things be so what is it that miserable men do seek whilst they desire the vanities of the World O how much they are blinded that seek the Glory thereof Some whilst they look upon the Glory of some eminent men they esteem it some great thing and wish that they may deserve the like But when they behold them in dying they confesse with lamentation how vaine their Glory was and say Behold what a nothing man is MAN O Most deare soule and what are all worldly things but certaine vaine dreams and what hath Pride or the glorying in riches profited their lovers For they have all passed away like a shaddow and like a Ship floating on the Ocean whose tract is not to be found for they are consumed in their wickednesse Alas how many have there been which have left no signe of their being Where are the Princes of the Nations and those that ruled the beasts of the Earth who treasured up Silver and heaped up Gold who built Cities and Castles who have conquered Kings and Kingdoms by Warre Where is the wise man where the Scribe where the Inquisitour of this World Where is Salomon the most wise Where is Alexander the most puissant Where Samson the most strong Where is Absalon the most beautiful Where is Assuerus the most glorious Where are the the most potent Caesars Where the Kings Where are the famous Princes What hath vaine Glory short miâ—th the power of the world a great Family the pleasure of the flesh the falsity of riches the sweetnesse of concupiscence profited them where is their laughter where their joy where their glorying where their Arrogancy Behold the noblenesse of blood the fairenesse of Body their elegant feature their youthfull comelinesse their Possessions their mighty Palaces their Furniture and add also the wisedome of the World yet all these things are but of the World and the World loveth what is his own and yet they do not long subsist therein For the World shall passe away and the Concupiscence thereof Thou therefore Saint Bern. if thou rightly understandest if thou canst rightly see leave to follow such things which it is a misery to obtaine which possessed do burden being loved do defile and being lost do torment Leave thou therefore all these things for him who is above all Fly therefore I say fly O my Soule to the City of Refuge that is to a Religious life where thou mayest do Pennance for sinnes past and obtaine grace for the present and happily obtaine the future Glory Let not the remembrance of thy sinnes hinder thee for where Iniquity hath abounded Grace also is accustomed to Superabound Let not the very austerity of penitences deter thee For the sufferings of this life are not sufficient to satisfie for the fault past which is remitted for the present Grace which is given and for the future Glory which is promised CHAP. II. How mutable worldly Wealth is SOVLE NOw I acknowledge the falsity and instability of the World but I know not how I am captivated that
as yet I am not able to divert my thoughts from it MAN TRuly O my Soule if thou wouldest diligently and prudently consider thy danger thou incurrest by living in the World without doubt thou wouldest restrain thy mind from the Vanities thereof For troublesome and very dangerous is this worldly conversation because according to Saint Bern. Chastity is hazarded in delights humility in riches Godlinesse in much business Truth in much babling CHARITY in this wicked Age. O weak and infirme Soule which art so apt to be deceived so prone to fall so difficult to rise Dost thou not know That as it is a hard thing to preserve a Tree placed in the high way having faire fruit untill they be ripe So it is a difficult thing for a man living according to the World to maintaine Justice immaculate even unto the end These St. Chrysostome The snares of this World are accompanied with true austerity St. Aug. in a certaine Epistle but with false delight with a certaine sorrow but with an uncertaine pleasure with hard labour but with a fearefull rest with a full misery but with no beatitude and with a vaine hope O my soule if thou wouldest consider this thou wouldest despise the World and all things that are therein And what is it O most dear Soule that thou lovest what is it that thou desirest what is it that thou seekest in the World If thou lovest Prelacy what other thing dost thou but confound thy life Dost thou not know that the cheifest honour and a base mind that the first seat and the worst life a Sophysticall tongue and an idle hand much babling and no fruit a grave Countenance and a light carriage great authority and a wavering instability is a monstrous thingâ— Saint Bern. But perhaps thou wouldest say truly I desire Prelacy but I intend to live well and piously therein I commend it but I seldome find what I willingly would commend wherefore I alwayes feare that which Saint Gregory relateth The deserts of Rulers and Subjects are so linked together that oftentimes by the fault of them that rule the Subjects lives are the worse And oftentimes by the faults of the commonalty the life of the Pastors may faile If thou seekest the wisdome of this World Saint Bern. O to what a danger dost thou expose thy selfe Alas how many and what great ones hath the cursed wisdome of the World supplanted and hath extinguished a divine spirit conceived in them which our Lord would more vehemently have enflamed Dost thou not know that the wisdome of the World is earthly sensuall and Diabolicall an enemy of health a destroyer of life and the Mother of lust St. Aug He that seeks health without his Saviour and thinks that he can become wise without the true wisdom is not sound but sick is not wise but fooilsh and he continually is involved in misery For he that profiteth in knowledge and not in good life is far from God as saith Algazel Therefore thou that desirest to be wise learne on Earth such wisedome as the knowledge thereof may persevere with thee in Heaven Study here how thou mayest obtaine to that which once to have seen is to have learned all things This is that eternall Truth without which to know every thing is but foolishnesse which only to know is perfect knowledge S. Hierome St. Aug. O how unhappy a man is he that knoweth all other things and knoweth not thee For blessed is he that knoweth thee though he be ignorant of all other things For if he hath known both thee and other things he is not more happy for those but blessed for the knowledge of thee only St. Anselme But perhaps O my soule thou lovest worldly wealth worldly Pompe and carnall delights and for this only thou unwillingly leavest the World yet consider that all these are but fraile and transitory Tell me where are the Monarchs where the Princes where those Lovers formerly spoken of I am afraid that most of them alas are utterly undone and gone to Hell What doth Pride now profit them what the vaunting of riches For he that loveth the world more then God his life better then a Cloyster Gluttony better then abstinence Luxury better then Continency follows Satan and shall go with him to eternall punishment They that florish with the felicity of this World St. Aug. do perish by the power of God they florish for a time and perish eternally they florish with deceitfull goods but are really tormented If it delight us to have any thing in this World let us with a ready will get into the favour of him that possesseth all things and in him we shall have whatsoever we happily and holily desire For wealth harmeth nor the rich man if he use it well nor doth poverty make the poore man commendable if in his poverty he taketh not heed of the filth of sinne But yet St. Bern. O my soule thou shalt find what thou mayst object saying I despise the World but I am not able to forsake my friends Parents and kinrod O my Soule this objection is frivolous This is a faithfull speech and worthily to be received Though thou say it is a wicked thing to despise Father or Mother yet it is most holy for the love of Christ O cruell Father O monstrous Mother yea not Parents but destroyers who would rather have thee to perish with them then to raign without them Although thy Mother with dangling haire Saint Hierome and her Garments rent show thee the Paps wherewith she had brought thee up And though thy Father lye in thy way yet go on with drye Eyes and flye unto the banner of the Crosse by thy contemned Mother and by thy Father trodden upon It is the only signe of Piety to have been cruell in these things Dost thou not know O my soule that he that hath Jesus hath a Father and Mother and every one a friend why followest thou the dead follow the living and suffer the dead to bury their dead SOVLE NOw I perceive by thy words O man and I know by many experiments that the World also in it self withers but yet alas it florisheth in the hearts of many who love the bitternesse thereof following it flying embracing it sliding away tel me then what is the reason of so great a blindnesse MAN O my soule Saint Hierome art thou ignorant that thou art created so delicate and so noble of thy Spouse the Author of all things that it is unpossible for thee to be without love It is a hard thing for a humane soule not to love for it is of necessity that our mind should be drawne to some affections Wherefore according to Saint Bern. It likewise behoveth thee that thou be delighted either in the highest things or the lowest Therefore according to Saint Gregory because there are some which neglect their own life whilst they desire transitory things and understand not the Eternall
if thou lovest Heavenly things how is it now that thou remainest not in Heaven who art in this life resembling celestiall spirits SOVLE ALas Alas now miserable and unhappy that I am know perceive my selfe for a long season to have been miserably blinded who for so long a time knowingly have erred in temporall and earthly things entangling my selfe by love in worldly and base things from which I have received very little comfort but much grief and some confusion but very little joy yet various and often great sorrow of heart Tell me therefore I pray thee O man what is that Heavenly consolation and how by any means I may be able to attaine to it in this vale of teares and misery What is that which I find in my God when so willingly and so easily I contemne all things for him when I say within my self with joy O God of my heart O God my portion for ever What is that which I tast in that most short houre in my beloved when with all my strength I desire joyfully and heartily to endure all sharp bitter and austere things for him and say It is good for me to cleave to God And who shall seperate me from the charity of Christ MAN O My Soule this consolation according to Saint Bern. is nothing else but a certaine love of Devotion proceeding from the hope of Pardon and tast of the good though but little and a most certaine sweet Delectation wherewith our bountifull God recreateth the afflicted soule whereby the soule is invited to seek God and is vehemently provoked to a divine love Hugo de S. V. O my soule what thinkest thou is so sweet and so pleasant that is accustomed to move the devout soules in the remembrance of their beloved and so sweetly affect them that now they altogether begin to be rapt and alienated from themselves The conscience is exhilerated and the memorie of all their greifs is forgotten The mind rejoyceth the understanding waxeth cleare the heart is illuminated and the affection is made jocund Now they know not where they behold themselves and as though the embraces of love hold something within them and they are ignorant what it is and yet they earnestly desire with all their force to retaine it The mind delightfully struggles in some sort least it should depart from it as though it should find the end of all its desires therein St. Bern. Sometimes as though Hood winckâ— O good Jesu thou sendest me desiring thee into the mouth of my heart yet to know what it is that I feel it is not lawfull for me For truely I perceive a savour being so comfortable a sweetnesse that if is were perfected in me I should seek nothing else Is not this the Jubilee of the heart St. Gregory Jubilee is said to be an unspeakable joy of the mind which cannot be hidden nor uttered in words Yer notwithstanding it may be shown by some motions though not expressed by any proprieties Wherefore the Psalmist saith Blessed is that people that knoweth Jubilation He doth not say who speaketh but who knoweth because Jubilation truly may be known by the understanding but cannot be expressed by word or speech St. Bern. For when I perceive this savour thou sufferest me by no sight of the Body by no sense of the soule by no understanding of the Spirit to consider what it is when I shall receive it and am willing to ruminate thereof and to judge the sweetness of it it presently slideth away yet truly I swallow it in hope of eternall Glory but by long ruminating of the vertue of its operation I desired to infuse it into all the veins and marrow of my soule as though it were a certaine vitall Juice that it might deceive it of all other affections and it might only savour that but presently it hasteneth away and when with Inquisition or acception or the sight there of I gladly desire more strictly to commit some formall imprinted lineaments thereof to memory or otherwise to help my forgetfulnesse by writing by experience I am compelled to confesse that of the Gospell Thou knowest not from whence it cometh or whither it goeth What Declaration O my Soul dost thou think is there so sweet and so pleasant Truly this is the divine consolation SOVLE O Man who will bestow this upon me that this so un-experienced a consolation may enter into my heart that I may forget my miseries and may despise worldly comfort and may happily begin to be estranged from my selfe MAN O My soule Great is that which thou desirest it is an inestimable gift which thou wishest for wherefore as I suppose it cannot be obtained by humane endeavour it can scarcely be gotten but by humble prayers to God and of those that are worthily disposed by the only grant of divine mercy For all Gold in comparison of it is but as a little sand and silver compared to it is accounted as nothing SOVLE O Man tell me I desire thee what manner a one ought that disposition to be wherewith the affection of him that prayes ought to be disposed for obtaining of it MAN OF this matter much might be spoken of them that have tryed it but that I acknowledge my self unexperienced yea I blush to speak a few things Wherefore I feare least it should be objected against me Wherefore dost thou relate what thou hast not tasted Wherfore like an unworthy man dost thou praise what thou art ignorant of SOVLE O Man fear not but with reverence and Humility devoutly propose what thou hast both heard and read For there are many that have to the profit of others determined of great and high matters which they have not learned of their own experience but by the knowledge of others MAN NOw I shall speak with some boldness for those abilities which lack of knowledge denieth Charity supplieth Wherfore as I think so I relate I think under favour of a better Judgment if thou wilt prepare thy self to tast this Celestiall Sweetness thou oughtest to be cleansed exercised and lifted up In the first this Heavenly sweetness is smelled in the second is is tasted and in the third somtimes even to inebriation it is taken and swallowed up First I say thou oughtest to be cleansed from sins from inordinate affections from temporall consolation and from the inordinate love of Creatures because according to St. Bernard he erreth altogether that beleiveth that he is able to mixe the Celestiall sweetness with this dust that divine Balsom with this venemous Joy those Graces of the Holy Ghost with the Allurements of this world But after the Soule shall bee purged by such things cleansed from tear-distilling grones and purifyed by sorrowfull sobbings because as St. Aug saith it is convenient that that mind should always find sorrow in it self who forsaking his Creator did alwaies seek joyes in himselfe and in the Creature Excellently therfore St. Gregory in his Morals speaketh of that Sentence of Job
thou condemnest me in the time of judgment True it is These St. Anselme in his meditations that my Conscience hath deserved damnation my repentance sufficeth not for satisfaction yet certain it is that thy mercy is above every offence Do not O Lord St Aug. in his meditations so look into my evil that thou mayst forget thy owne goodness O good Lord if I have committed that wherby thou mayst condemn me thou hast not lost that wherwith thou mayst save me St. Gregory in Hom. O if man could but understand how admirable that is Behold the Spouse cometh How pletsant Those that were prepared entred with him to the marriage How bitter And the Gate was shut O my Soule what is more Consider how great an evil it is to be separated from the face of Christ to be excluded from that joy of divine Contemplation to be deprived of the most blessed Society of all the Saints to dye an everlasting life and to live an eternall death to be plunged in the bottom of a restless Gulph for ever to be torne in peeces with consuming worms and yet the torments not to end to suffer the noise of raging flames to be blinded with the bitter myst of the sulphurous smoaking Pit not to perceive that which enlightneth but to perceive that which tormenteth St. Aug. Such shall be the power of grief in the infernal deep that it admitteth no other intention of thought within it self SOVLE NOw I tremble with fear now I faint with the horrour therof Tell me I pray thee O man to what purpose is so lamentable a Meditation MAN O My Soul I think that the continuall and devout meditation of the prescribed is the sinners medicine and wholsom encourager and provoker to do all good things and to sustain all evil Thou fearest watching and the labour of thy hands St. Bern. inquadam Epistola but these are but easie to any one meditating on perpetuall flames The remembrance of that darkness maketh a man not to abhor Solitude yet if thou leasurely thinkest on a future discussion of thy words silence shall not displease thee that weeping and gnashing of teeth being often brought before the eyes of thy understanding do render unto thee equall rest and peace St. Aug. inquodam sermone A mans understanding being overcome with the inticements and concupiscences of this world flyeth all labour desireth pleasures can scarce be brought to this that hee can refrain the customes of his former life But when hee shall begin to think on the necessity of future judgment he induceth a voluntary war on his passions moved either by hope of reward or for fear of punishment hee doth violence to his former desires and earnestly contendeth to overcome himselfe Whence cometh these Verses O foelix mortale Genus si semper haberet Aeternum prae mente bonum finemque timeret Right happy is that man that ever hath The eternall good in 's mind and fears his death The fourth Exercise How the Soul by mentall Exercise ought to convert the light of Contemplation to those things that are above her that shee may know and understand 1. The inestimable value of Celestiall Joy 2. The unspeakable Delight and 3. The interminable Eternity CHAP. I. Of the Inestimable value of Celestiall Joy SOVLE EVen now O man thou hast sufficiently affrighted me miserable soule being prostrated in this vale of teares although thou hast taught me not unprofitably have mercy also now on mee most miserable and do what thou long since hast promised Speak a little of the perpetuall felicity if happily I may be able to receive thereby some comfort of mind for that it is delightfull to use change because according to Saint Aug. It is alwayes well done whether it be by punishing or pardoning or by terrifying or comforting so that there by the life of man may be amended Consider O man how noble the mind of man is often times it is more easily perswaded with easie and pleasant things then by terrible and adverse oftentimes it is more allured by promisses and things comforting then it is enforced by threats and terrours Wherefore our Sister the Spouse desired to be drawn with the odour of Celestiall Unguents with the savour of divine graces and so to runne with the Spouse and now not out of feare but love delightfully to walk in the way of his Commandements MAN O My Soule it is true I confesse which thou sayest but alas there are many which will not imitate God in Prosperity Wherefore it is convenient that they be terrified in Adversity For there are many which either for blindnesse understand not the divine Graces or for negligence loose them in vaine Employments Wherefore as I beleeve God out of the abundance of his Infinite goodness would alwayes be ready rather to favour them with Consolations then to affright them with austerities if men were rightly disposed that they might receive his divine consolation which is so pretious and delicate that by no means it is fitting or expedient that it should be indifferently bestowed on all Thou therefore if thou aspirest after all these things proposed unto thee see that thou have a pure understanding and a well disposed affection because the chiefest good is not discerned according to Saint Aug. but by the clearest understandings and I think it is much lesse tasted but by very well disposed affections For it is of many men in this life clearly discerned of whom neverthelesse it is in no wise tasted Wherefore Saint Aug. saith O Lord mak me I desire thee to taste that by affection which by my intellect J understand make me to perceive that by love which J perceive by knowledge SOVLE TEll me J pray thee O man what dispositions ought to proceed in affection and understanding that at least to a little Excess of mind J may be able to tast in contemplation the Celestiall sweetnesse For J have long agoe exercised my mind in speculation and alas as yet my feare is that J have never felt the least drop of that Heavenly sweetnesse J have read many things of the lives and conversation of Saints many things of Nature of the operations and orders of Angels also I have read some things of the inestimable unity of the Divinity of the Incomprehensible Trinity of the Godhead more of the inestimable happinesse of all the blessed and when with all my endeavours I have employed my mind to the former studies alass I have remained yet Hunger-starven and empty and have alwaies cryed out with blessed Saint Aug. Make me O most mercifull Father to tast by affection what I perceive by my understanding and yet I have not profited Also oftentimes being wearied with long study and angry at my self I have cryed out with the Prophet expecting the Crummes which fall from the Table of their Lord in that Heavenly Court How long O Lord wilt thou forget me for ever How long dost thou
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
shall enter in to tast the Divinity shall go forth to tast or assay the humanity and she shall find a Pasture full of all sufficiency and satiety O how blessed are they that shal be called to the marriage e-Supper of the Lamb. There also a blessed life is drunkin its fountaine Whereupon sometimes part thereof is sprinkled as it were on this our humane life whereby we may become in temptations stronger mere Juste temperate and wiser There alwayes thirst and satiety are joyned together but after a wonderfull manner necessity shall be far from thirst and loathing far from satiety For they shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house and thou shalt give them to drink of the Torrent of thy pleasure according to the Prophet SOVLE ANd when shall this be MAN I Beleive nor before that time Manciple untill when that sweet dispenser of the highest King the splendour of the Paternall glory the candour of the eternall light the Figure of the divine substance the mirrour without spot of the extraordinary Godlike clearnesse on whom all those celestiall spirits desire to look when such a one and so great a one shall gird himselfe and shall make them to sit down and personally passing by them shall minister unto them O my soule here devoutly consider how great joy those good spirits shall then conceive of so stupendious a dignity of him that serves them of so admirable a charity of every particular companion banqueting of the plenty of very delitious dainties of the numerous Assembly of the servitours of the sweet sounding-Eccho of the Musicall Instruments and of others playing singing and praysing the King of Glory God the Son of God In this great Celestiall and admirable banquet thou shalt hear Angels rejoycing Virgins dancing Apostles singing Martyrs sporting Confessors praysing Patriarchs and Prophets making merry all the Saints and Elect of God unanimously collauding the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and with one voyce saying Holy Holy holy Lord God of Sabath all the Earth is full of thy Glory O how glorious is that Kingdome wherein all the Saints raigne with Christ cloathed with white stoles following the Lamb which way soever he shall go O my soule how can there be the want of any good when there is such variety of matter for the rejoycer For then shall be opened all those treasures of the Eternall God where there are all riches all delights laid up and divers and pretious gifts shall be given to every one according to their deserts But if yet these are not sufficient consider in the third place all the Colledge of Saints nere unto thee which the Divine clemency hath assembled together for an addition of thy beatitude Because the possession of any Good is not pleasant without a Companion as saith Seneca See then what tongue or what vnderstanding is able to conceive how great the joyes are of that supernall City to be present with the Quiers of Augels alwayes to assist with the most blessed Spirits the glory of our Creator and never to depare from the most blessed society of them but continually with them and of their joy to rejoyce for ever Saint Anselme For there all are known of every one there every one are known of all Nor shall it be a secret to any of them to know of what Country of what Nation of what kindred every one is borne For there shall be so blessed and perfect a charity of the Just that every one of them will love his Neighbour as much as himselfe Whereof that inestimable good shal follow that every one shall so rejoyce at the joy or good of another as though it were of his own merit Therefore when there is such an innumerable number of the Elect who thinkest thou is sufficient to declare the joy of the blessed St. Hierome describing these Joyes saith Go forth I pray hee O my soule In the end of an Epistle to Eustochius a little from the Pavilion of thy body that standing in the doore thou mayest perceive the Glory of God passing by and before thy eyes describe the reward of thy present labour What a day shall that be unto thee when out Lord shall meet thee accompanied with his Heavenly Quier when the Spouse himselfe shall meet thee with all his Saints saying Arise come make hast my beloved my deare my Dove now the Winter is over the shower is gone and past Then the Angels shall admire at thy Glory saying Who is this that ascendeth from the desert flowing with delights and leaning on her beloved The Daughters of Sion shall see thee and praise thee Then those 144 thousand in sight of the Throne and Elders shall hould their Harps and sing a new song Then thou shalt flye securely into the embraces of the Spouse saying with Jubilation I have found him whom my Soule loveth I have held him and will not let him depart Haec Hieronimus Then those seven Sonnes of that great Job who is more excellent then all that remaine in the blessed Easterne Region every one on his proper day shall make Feasts and shall invite thee their Sister thee their Companion And every one of them shall say unto thee Drink now and sit down with pleasure for thou hast found favour of the highest Prince And thou shalt answer with Joy saying I will drink and become merrier because to day my soule is magnified more then all the dayes of my life O truely unheard of magnificency O joyfull and pleasant Excellency the like whereof was never heard on Earth I beleive that all the Pompe of this World in comparison thereof would scarce be as a little drop SOVLE O Man now I have long held my peace now I haue been sufficiently silent because those things which thou hast proposed I have heard with exceeding much delight and admiration Do not prolong me I pray thee but expound to me more particularly and perfectly something of this banquet of the Heavenly spirits for that a little before thou hast touched something thereof but hast passed them over toe quickly MAN O My Soul I would rather again passe over with silence what thou requirest then with a polluted tongue utter the least thing of the Celestiall secret mystery yea or conceive in mind because I that am alas as yet too often entangled with worldly superfluous things that am alas as yet with other worldlings fed O pitty with husks of swine I very much blush and am confounded to discourse of such familiar operations of the divine Spirit Yet because I am not able to contradict thy pious desires I will speak breifly what some times the Holy Ghost instigating me though unworthy I often mentally thinke of For although in that celestiall Court where fulness of all good is perfectly in all of them although there for the difference of merits some things are bestowed in excellency yet nothing shall be possessed according to Sr. Gregory there
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
Christ but let it be by the ascendings before spoken of that thou maiest here leave vice because no vice ascendeth with our Saviour as Saint Augustine saith After that our Lord sent from Heaven the Holy Ghost in fiery tongues See and behold how the Apostles were afterwards comforted and grounded in Charity Meditate why the Holy Ghost appeared in fire why in tongues why in both together and why in the forme of other Creatures and study to obtaine in thy selfe the proprieties of such things Consider the effects and gifts of the Holy Ghost and many other such like things concerning the sending of the Holy Ghost and the signes of him fighting against Gluttony to witt sleep hardnesse of heart Idlenesse Malapartness of laughter contradiction and Insensibility SPIRITUALL EXERCISES IN this little work our Author proposeth thirteen spirituall Exercises and to the last he annexeth a certaine short forme taken out of Saint Bernard whereby we may climbe from Externall to the Internall and from these to the supernall All which truly by how much the shorter they are proposed of the Author by so much the oftner they ought to be exercised oâ— us That thou mayest be preserved in vertues it is necessary for thee to have spirituall exercises wherewith thou mayest employ thy mind because unlesse thou dost so thou canst not persevere in vertues First therefore thou shalt exercise thy selfe in Prayer after this manner and feruently at these times Before the beginning of every work or Act thou shalt cal upon our Lord and shalt pray a little with some such short Prayer O God make hast to help me Have mercy on me O God or the like Also whensoever thou hearest the Bell to toule thou shalt pray or when thou hearest it to strike the houres fervently thou shalt make secretly within thy selfe these Prayers and thou shalt do it so that though thou be nere unto others they shall not perceive that thou prayest Thy second Exercise shall be this to wit that thou earnestly determine whensoever thou hearest the Bell toule generally to amend thy selfe and pray to God that thou mayest Before thou beginnest any notable work thou shalt briefly consider how thou hast determined to carry thy selfe in thy former purpose In like manner every morning thou maist consider how thou wouldest behave thy self the whole day and this before thou dost thy outward Actions and when thou dost any Act thou shalt briefly weigh how thou hast purposed Also three or four times a day thou must vehemently set thy self against Pride Thy third Exercise shal be the meditation of some good thing when time admitteth For thou shalt have every day one speciall memoriall whereof thou shalt often think and to what course thou intendest For on Sunday thou shalt have for thy memoriall to think on the Kingdome of Heaven Munday of the last Judgment Tuesday of the benefits of God Wednesday of Death Thursday of the paines of Hell Friday of the passion of our Lord. Saturday of their owne sinnes Nothwithstanding Thou shalt consider every day together of the passion of our Lord with the matter of the day and the benefits of God And in every hour of the morning as of the prime Terse c. thou shalt thinke and consider somthing of the passion of that houre mixt with the matter of the day Thus therefore by purposing and Acting I hope that thou wilt competently spend thy time Thy fourth Excercise shall be That thou dayly exercise thy selfe in humble and abject works alwaies to choose the lowest place and with all thy heart to despise thy self and to esteem thy selfe unworthy any praise but to ascribe all to God nor shalt thou care whether thou art praised or dispraised Be mindfull and look into thy self and thou shalt find that thou art unworthy of any esteeme but most worthy of all Reproach For when thou art neer unto others thou art to carry thy self silently courteously and modestly yet so as it may become thee Thy fift Excercise shall be that thou shunne all signes of Pride to witt clamour in speech and so of all other things The sixth Exercise shall be that thou often consider wherein thou carriest thy self evilly wheresoever thou shalt be and thou shalt not suffer any little vice passe over without Judgement because he that doth not weigh little faults falleth often into greater The 7th Exercise shall be that chiefly wheresoever thou shalt be thou keep a Guard on thy Eyes because from the not looking to them infinite mischeifs and evills proceed Therefore have an especiall care unto thy Eyes The 8th Exercise is to consider the good Actions of others and not the evill For when thou seest or perceivest any one to sinne thou shalt think that if he should have so much Grace from God as thy selfe much more fervently he would amend himselfe then thou And if thou perceivest any one to do any good thou shalt consider how thou maist imitate that good Thy 9th Exercise shall be that all that thou seest and hearest from men that thou Conster it to the best and so thou shalt not be censured Thy 10th Exercise shall be that alwayes wheresoever thou shalt be thou maist carry thy selfe mannerly and decently in thy outward carriage least thou maist give an ill example to others because the externall indecency is a signe of an indevout mind Thy 11th Exercise shall be that alwayes wheresoeuer thou art thou mayest take heed that thou dost not that thing whereby thou maist give an ill example to any one or wherein any may interpret ill of thee because it is very dangerous to shew an ill example to others The 12th Exercise shall be couragiously to resist temptations and to abstaine and withdraw thy selfe from carnall concupiscences because in them there is no health The last shall be that thou maist alwayes stand in feare and carry thy selfe modestly and so keep thy selfe being alone as when thou art with others For God seeth all things which thou dost Thou shalt study to perform these Exercises commonly as much as in thee lyes and thou shalt diligently entreat our Lord that he will give thee grace to do them because without him thou canst do nothing c. I will returne from things externall to the Internall and will ascend from the internall to the supernall that I may know from whence I come or whither I goe what I am and from whence I am that so from the knowledge of my selfe I may be able to come to the knowledge of God For by how much I profit in mine own knowledge by so much the nearer I come to the knowledge of God From whence do I come according to the exteriour man from those Parents who caused me to be damned before I was borne they being sinners have begotten me a sinner in their sinne and in sinne have nursed me what am I A man of a slippery humour for I am in a moment of conception conceived of humane seed moreover this Spume being coagulated by encreasing a little is made flesh afterward lamenting and wailing I am delivered to the exile of this World and behold now I waxing greater am full of Iniquities Incontinently I shall be presented before the severe Judge Then it shall be said of mee behold the man and his works Consider those things more seriously DEO GRATIAS AMEN FINIS