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
betrayer I have feared the accuser I have feared the Reprehender I have sometimes feared my Conscience I have oftentimes feared Infamy I have sometimes feared Hell and yet alas miserable Soule that I am amongst so many miseries I have not changed nor forsaken my own will The odour also of the Creature hath deceived my smell and I have been ignorant O good Jesus that thy odour doth savour sweeter then all Aromaticall things O good Jesus the fountain of all odour whose sweetness doth make me continually to run and incessantly to labour after thee Pardon me that so late I have known thee so slowly have run after thee in the savour of thy Oyntments I think notwithstanding and by this I do not excuse my selfe that the odour of that heavenly storehouse is not mixed with this earthly stench wherewith I was infected The fals and deceitful sound of the Creatures hath also deceived my hearing and I have not knowne nor perceived How sweet thy words are to the Palate of thy Elect. How pleasant thy Councels are to the cares of thy friends How light thy Commandements are to the hands of thy Saints O Jesus the Fountain of wisdom the Author of knowledge the Giver of chaste Councell make me yet now at least to hear thy voice let thy voice sound in my eares With how great bitterness do I call to mind that I was deceived by that most miserable voice of those that sung and said Come let us enjoy the good things that are let us crown our selves with Roses before they wither and let not the flower of our time pass us let us fill our selves with precious wine and the best ointments let us every where leave signes of our joy and gladness This voice I have heard and have not understood nor considered that all things are vain and to be laughed at For all these and the like suddenly have slipped away and vanished like a shaddow For what have all these vain things brought to their lovers What profit then have they had in those things wherein now they are confounded and ashamed of O Lord my God the light of my heart the food of my soule the vertue affecting my minde I did not love thee yet I fornicated without thee and those that fornicated with mee they cried ha ha The friendship of this world is fornication without thee O what is more miserable then a miserable man that shows not mercy to himselfe But in all these things thou O most loving God wert alwaies present with me I have often heard thy voice I have perceived thy wholsome inspiration but never consented O how often hast thou inspired this most wholesome counsel to me Thou hast sinned forbear leave and blush To which I â—iserable soule have followed the custome of St. Augustine in his booke of Confessions Sometimes I have answered drowsily O Lord expect me a while suffer me a little now I will rest from vanity now I will blush at my naughtiness I will forsake all vaine and worldly things But alas that little that now had neither meane nor measure and it was too long protracted This sloath is a thing Item Augustinus that murthereth many eternally and for ever detains them in sins who do not correct or apply themselves to the voice of our Lord. They heare truely the voice of secret inspiration but do not amend their life saying to morrow to morrow and suddenly the doore is shut and the sinner remains without even without the Arke of the Celestiall Countrey croaking with the voice of a Crow for his sinnes because he would not lament and mourne with the Dove Alas how their owne felicity hath prostrated many men worse in sinnes Saint Greg. their continuall peace hath made many men sluggish and thereby the wicked enemy hath presently more greivously afflicted them by how much longer by the use of quiet he hath found them negligent For whom God doth longer suffer that they may be converted Item Gregorius the more grevously he condemneth them not being converted But O man that I may more perfectly and manifestly discover to thee the story of my unhappinesse all these were not sufficient to make me enough unhappy but alas to make my damnation the greater worldly delicatnesse did too miserably deceive my touch and I was ignorant O Good Jesu that thy embraces were so sweet thy touch so chast thy Familiarity so delightfull For when I shall love thee I am cleane when I touch thee I am chast when I shall receive thee J am a Virgin Thy Embraces O most sweet Jesus do not maculate but purisie thy touch doth not defile but sanctifie O Jesu the fountaine of all sweetnesse and delight pardon me that so lately I have believed how much purity how much dignity how much sweetnes the left hand of thy Eternall wisdome and knowledge hath when it is under my head that is my reason and the right hand of thy clemency and affection when it shall embrace me that is my Will Woe is me miserable soule what can be ever proved so sweet so pleasant so delightfull and healthfull as to rest betwixt the Armes of such a Spouse happily to repose within the kisses of so great a King and friend This sweetnesse the devour soule perceived when she wished saying Lee him kiss me with the kisses of his lips Had the devout soule ever tried these delights when inflamed with love she prayed and almost fainting for the desire of her beloved saying O that thou wert as my Brother that sucked the breasts of my Mother when I should find thee without I would kisse thee yet I should not be despised I would lead thee and bring thee into my Fathers house and into the bed of her that bare me There thou shalt instruct me and I will cause thee to drink of spiced Wine and of the juice of my Pomegranates In the Canticles Who is able to declare but he that in spirit had tasted how much sweetnesse and devotion this discourse containeth when he well considereth and is rightly nourished with a devout mind wherefore I leave the Exposition to the devout soule But O Lord God if these be so sweet to our thinking of them how sweet are they to them that taste them if so pleasant to him that reads them how comfortable will they be by affection to them that feel them make me O most sweet Jesu inwardly to tast that by love Saint Aug. which outwardly I tast by thought make me to perceive by affection what I perceive by my understanding Ah O most sweet Jesu peirce the marrow of my soul with the healthfull shafts of thy love that it may truely burne languish and melt and may faint only with the desire of thee and may desire to be dissolved and to be with thee Let it alwayes hunger after thee only the bread of Celestiall life who descendest from Heaven Let it thirst after thee the Fountaine of life the
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
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
my soule a Dove nesting in the crevices of the Rock flye into the hollowness of his hands flye into the wounds of his feet flye into his side there is thy rest there is thy security These Saint Bern. O my soule if thou couldest worthily think how many what sort in comparison of thee are rejected Hugo de S.V. which have not deserved to attaine unto that Grace given thee Therefore thy Spouse hath elected and preelected thee he hath chosen thee in all he hath taken thee from all he loved the before all Art thou ignorant how foul thou wert before how polluted and dissolute thou remaindest before He hath washed thee with the water of Regeneration he hath fed the with the food of his most sweet body He hath clothed thee with the Garments of Vertue wherewith thou mightest cover and adorne thy nakednesse He hath bestowed on thee the sweet smelling Odours of good works whereby thou mightest eschew the stench of sinn he hath given the a mirrour even the Scripture wherein thou mightest see thy selfe Thus farre Hugo O my soule thou hast seen the longanimity of him Expecting thee Even now convert the light of thy contemplation to the mercy of him justifying thee Think diligently from whence after all these things is this so inestimable a favour that thou deservest to be his Bride on whom the Angels desire to look What therefore wilt thou give unto our Lord for all these things which he hath given thee For he hath given thee by Grace that thou mayest be a Companion of his Table a companion of his Kingdome a companion of his Bed See with what Armes he is to be embraced of thee with what lipps he is to be kissed who hath esteemed thee at such a rate that he would cleanse thee with his blood and for thee take upon him the sleep of death SOVLE I Confess now and acknowledge I approve and understand that I have received much more then these from my God but that I have repayed for all these nothing worthy so great benefits Wherefore Saint Bernard saith I will sing the mercies of our Lord for ever for that I consider six mercyes done unto me 1. That he hath preserved me from many sinnes 2. That he hath not presently condemned me sinning but I prolonging my iniquity he hath prolonged his Piety and Compassion 3. He hath changed my heart that those things might be sweet unto me which formerly were bitter 4. That he hath mercifully received me repenting 5. That he hath given me ability to forbeare and amend 6. That he hath given me hope to that I shall be pardoned Tell me now O man concerning this divine clemency what I shall render to our Lord for all these things least I be found unworthy to receive if I shall be found ingratefull for those that are received What therefore shall I render to our Lord but that I shal love and give thanks confess and sing prayses to his eternall and blessed name because he is so ready to forgive me my evills and bestow upon me such inestimable good things I attribute it to his grace that he dissolves my sinnes like Ice I attribute it to his grace what evills soever I have not committed and therefore I count all things to be forgiven me whatsoever he being my guide were not committed by me Saint Aug. in his book of Confessions MAN O My soule know that whatsoever thy beloved hath bestowed on thee whatsoever he hath sustained for thee he hath consumated the whole in perpetuall charity wherewith he hath loved thee wherefore as I think whatsoever is given of love only is repayed neither better nor more decently then by love SOVLE BEhold O Lord my God if these things be so how much ought I unhappily and miserable soule love my God who hath created me when I was not hath redemed when I should have perished and hath delivered me from many dangers when I did wander he reduced me when J was ignorant he taught me when I sinned he corrected me when J was sad he comforted me when J stood he held me when J fell he lifted me up when J went he led me when J came he received me These and many other things God hath done for me of which it shall be pleasant unto me alwayes to speak alwayes to think alwayes to give thanks God grant that I may be able to laud and love him for all his benefits For truly according to the Author of the Spirit and Soule he governeth all things he filleth all places he is every where present taking care of all and providing as well for every one in particular as for all yet so I see him wholly employed for my custody as though he had forgotten all and would have care of me only For thus he doth exhibit himself present unto me he alwayes offers himselfe prepared if he find me ready that whensoever I turne my selfe he will not forsake me unlesse I first forsake him Neither have I wherewith to repay him for all these but only that I love him O good Iesu how often after immense and innumerable tears how often after divers sobs and groans hast thou annointed me being wounded and almost at the point of despairing with the unction of thy mercy and hast gladly received me almost altogether fainting nor yet hast thou forsaken me presuming of pardon But above all these O Good Iesu the Cup of thy passion which thou hast drunk being the work of our Redemption which thou hast undertaken not unworthily doth render thee Amiable unto me For this is that which chalengeth to it selfe all my love this is it which more fairely allureth more justly bindeth and more vehemently moveth my devotion For where thou hast humiliated thy selfe where thou hast put from thee thy naturall brightnesse there Charity hath more appeared and Grace hath more amply shined I charge you saith the Soule O yee Daughters of Hierusalem In the Canticles if ye find my beloved that ye tell him that I am sick of love The Soule doth not hyde whom she loveth because she beleeveth him present to all whom she doth not let passe from her thoughts I love thee O Lord and love is impatient which cannot be pacified with tears untill that be granted unto it which it is in love withall Nothing com forteth its sorrow so long as it beholdeth not what it desireth SOVLE BUt whether or no O Man is he held to love God who rejoyceth that he in no wise hath committed such things as I have committed MAN O My Soule let not any one scorne thee it is convenient that the sick be cured of him from whom it is appointed that he should not be sick or perhaps that he might more cautiously avoyde greater troubles And therefore even so much yea truly the more let him love God because by whom hee perceiveth me to be deprived of so great paines of my sinnes by him he perceiveth himselfe not
turne thy face from me For though I have Judged my selfe unworthy to eat of the bread of thy Children yet I have expected with earnest desire to eat at the least of the Crummes falling from their Table but alas though with with open mouth I have earnestly expected yet I have alwayes been frustrated MAN O My soule the former things which thou hast most lamentably complained of happen by a two fold reason Sometimes of the very pious and wholsome dispensation of the divine goodnesse In his Morals Whereupon Saint Gregory The just God is wont to deferre the complaints of them that Petition him for a time that their desires might encrease to that end they may rather be heard for their good by how much the sooner they are not heard at their desire Holy desires encrease by delayes Item in Homilia for if they faint at the denyall thereof they were not desires For although God of his goodnesse is most clement notwithstanding sometimes it happeneth that he protracteth that which he most willingly would give that thou mayst learne earnestly and ardently to desire great things and more carefully to preserve them obtained with thanksgiving Also sometimes he prolongs his benefits by reason of the inordinate disposition of the Asker Hee is altogether our of the way that thinketh any one can mix that Heavenly sweetnesse with this dust that divine Balsome with this poisonous joy those Graces of the Holy Ghost with the allurements of this World But now O my soule that I may not longer keep thee in dalliance nor longer afflict thee by expectation cleanse thy understanding from vaine and unprofitable Phantasies from naturall and curious reasons from extravagant and overmuch curious employments in the sciences Also cleanse thy affection from sinne from the sequell of sinne and from the occasion or cause thereof Lift up thy reason dilate and declare thy affection enter into the joy of thy Lord which neither Eye in this life hath perfectly seen nor eare hath heard nor hath it ascended into the heart of man Be vehement therefore O my soule in the love and desire of the supernall life of the Saints where there is action not laborious rest not Idle or slothfull where there is life without defection or revolt divine prayse without cessation Haec Aug. Saint Bern. Rejoyce therefore and be glad and consider the reward of thy labour which truly is so much that it cannot be numbred so great that it cannot be measured so pretious that it cannot be terminated SOVLE O Man thou hast now spoken much in generall tell me I pray thee of all in particular because wee understand those things better which are particularly distinguished then those which a generally related MAN O My Soule What can I say when I behold the future joy Now I almost faint with admiration because the joy shall be within us and without us under us and over us nigh us and round about us Thou shalt therefore rejoice in all thou shalt rejoice of all Thy joy I beleive is prefigured in the Apocalipse by that blessed woman which was clothed with the Sun and the Moon was under her feet and a Crown of twelve Stars about her head This woman as I think is a blessed Soule the Daughter Bride and Queen of the eternall King A Daughter by the Creation of Nature a Bride by the Adoption of Grace a Queen by the Collation of Glory This Soule is well sayd to be clothed with the Sun because shee is adorned with the Splendor of divine cleerness crowned with the Dignity of eternall felicity In which happiness for the speciall comliness there are 12 Joyes figured by the Stars by which the Celestiall happines is beautified and adorned These joyes O my Soule thou oughest dayly devoutly to contemplate seek no consolation of thy present misery sojourning in hope patiently and joyfully to sustain all tribulation of this present life O my Soul thou shouldst not be perplext if evil men flourish in this world and thou sufferest Beda that they shall rejoyce and that thou shalt be vexed Alas wicked men have no share in the celestiall joy neither shouldest thou care if thou shouldest have no share in this world but by the hope of that joy at which thou aimest thy Affection may joyfully and patiently endure whatsoever hapneth to thee in the way of adversity Haec Beda St. Ber. O my Soul if at any time worldly joyes the false glory the short and frail power thereof delight thee recall thy mind from them and thou wilt esteem all as dung St. Hierom. Run therefor O my Soul not with the paces of the body but with affection and desire because not only the Angells and Saints but also the Lord and Master of Angells and Saints epxects thee God the Father expects thee as his most beloved Daughter God the Son expects thee as his sweetest Bride God the Holy Ghost expects thee as one most dearly beloved unto him God the Father expects thee that he may constitute thee the Heir of all good things God the Son expects thee that hee may offer thee to God the Father as the fruit of his Nativity and the price of his most precious blood God the Holy Ghost expects thee that he may make thee partaker of his eternall Beatitude and Swetness That most blessed Family of all the Celestiall Spirits of the eternall King do expect thee that they may receive thee into their Colledg therefore desire thou their Society above all things thou shouldest come thither with great modesty if thou hadst loved it in this vale of tears As often therfore as the vain Ambition of this VVorld delighteth thee as often as thou shalt behold any glorious Creature therein presently fly up to Heaven and begin to be what thou art to be Truly I beleive O my Soule if thou wouldest continually keep these heavenly joyes in thy mind thou wouldest build a certain Suburbs of the celestiall Kingdome in his Exile wherein dayly thou mightest spiritually by Assay taste that eternal sweetness for when we settle in our thoughts any thing that is eternall even then we dwell not in this world but in Heaven So great O my Soul is the force of thy love that thou livest there more truly where thou lovest by contemplation then where thou art but by Essence This O most dear Soul is the kingdome of God which is within us which alas we miserably neglect when outwardly we are given to idle and vain things We disperse St. Grego our selves abroad in not caring for the Kingdom of God which is within us we seek abroad for Consolation frome idle things and deceitfull Fopperies so that now wee have lost the Devotion of our ancient Religion even so that we retaine not the forme thereof Thou therefore O my Soule the Daughter of the Eternall King hear with a devout mind and incline thy Eare to holy and health-bringing councells Behold by
particularly of the exceeding greatnesse of the inestimable divine piety For all things are common to all in respect of him who is all in All For there the Virgin shall rejoice at the merit of the holy Widdow there the Widdow shall rejoice at the priviledge of the Chast Maid There the Confessors shall be made glad at Triumph of the Martyr there the Martyr shal dance for joy at the Crown of the Confessors there the Prophet shall give thanks for the pious and holy conversation of the Patriarchs there the Patriarchs shall be glad for the faith and speculation of the Prophets there the Apostles and Angells shall rejoice at the merit of all that are inferiour unto them there all the inferiour shall make joy for the glory of all those that are above them For from that tye and bond of holy and perfect Charity it shall come to pass that every one shall have that within another which he hath not of his own merit SOVLE O Man as yet these are not sufficient to ease my mind wherefore I pray thee do not pass over to explicate some things particularly and distinctly of the forsaid banquet MAN O My Soule Thou hast known that as wee are able though unperfectly we resound or Eccho forth the high mysteries of God nor is it a wonder seeing we are very unapt to understand how should we be sufficient to speak when those things which blindly we contemplate are truer then they can be understood and they are more truly understood then they can be expressed by words Notwithstanding that I may not protract thee too long heare what my Intellect imagineth although as yet my affection tasteth but little I think that those seaven Sons of whom we have before mentioned are all the Saints and Elect spirits of God the heirs and sonnes of the most Omnipotent Father These do make banquets every one at appointed time when they feed one another with Heavenly joyes wherein of their own merits every one particularly no preferre or give most delicious dishes according to the Glory bestowed on them In the first day therefore the first begotten that is that number of Heavenly Angells who not unworthily are entitled the first borne because they are the first in Creation and consersation with God from whom they have never departed by sinne but alwayes with constant Charity have cleaved unto God the Father and before all have happily possessed that blessed Heritage of the Celestiall Kingdome These O my Soul bestow upon thee in that feast divers delicious and pretious dishes when every order doth administer particular Joyes from that which it more excellently hath received of his reward Now weigh O my soule what dainties those high Seraphicall spirits bestow on thee who are so nigh unto the eternall Father that there are no other spirits as a Medium between him and them who do more immediatly contemplate him and more perfectly enjoy his eternall good things What joy thinkest thou do these give of the noblenesse of nature what of the clearnesse of Contemplation what of the sincerity of love These therefore that is those that are nominated Seraphims do adorne this banquet with the ardour of divine Charity The Cherubims with the splendour of eternall cleerness The Thrones with the equity or uprightness of the divine Majesty Dominations also glorifie this banquet by the excellency of ruling over others The Principalities by the magnificence of taking charge or councelling the inferiours The Angells by the authority of expelling evill and maligne spirits The Arch-Angells by the dignity of declaring high mysteries The Angells by the Agility of reveiling the lesser secrets of the divine knowledge Behold thou seest how every one particularly doth feed the minds of the Saints with Celestiall joyes with such things which they have received in that Celestiall Court Nor is it to be marvelled at that these spirits do give unto us for our joy these things before spoken of and many other as yet more unknown unto us who so faithfully so sweetly and so lovingly do guard and preserve us in this vale of tears and with all their power earnestly desire to bring us to that Country of eternall beatitude St. Bern. O if any one could know in what manner they prevent us the chiefest being joyned to the singers in middle of the young Virgins playing on Timbrells hee should see forthwith with what care or with what respect they are amiddest them singing are present with them praying are in them meditating are over them or remaine with them reposing are present with them for their help O Empty and â—â—ngerstarven soule if thou couldest but inwardly receive one crumme falling from the Table of their Lord in this Banquet I think from that present thou wouldest impapatiently endure this peregrination I think if thou hadst but tasted one drop of the Wine of their drink thou wouldest loath and disdaine all the sweetness of this world St. Greg. in his Morals if the heart understand by tast once be fastened in celestial things it is by and by discerned how abject and base those things are which before seemed of great account O my beloved soule what shall I say of the Banquet of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins which by other six Sonnes are not unworthily prefigured For every one of these will render so many dishes in this feast as he had vertuous works in this life And who is able to declare how great joy every soule shall receive of the most perfect humility of the holy Patriarchs of the most certaine confidence of the Prophets of the most ardent charity of the Apostles of the couragiousnesse and patience of the Martyrs of the Piety and clemency of the Confessors of the Chastity and continency of the Virgins and the same Saint Gregory saith Truly my voice and tongue faileth In a Homily on St. Luke because my understanding is not able to comprehend how great joy it is to be present with the Quires of Angells to assist with the most blessed spirits the Glory of our Creatour to discerne the countenance of God present to see the unlimited light to be affected with no feare of death to rejoyce and be glad at the gift of perpetuall incorruption O how happy will that day be unto thee when thou shalt returne to the Heritage of thy Fathers and when thou shalt be received of them all with an inestimable joy and happily brought into the bed of the highest King Rouze up thy selfe O my soule and with that famous Queen of Sheba ascend into that Heavenly Hierusalem with the perfumes of vertue with the treasures of good works with great preparations of Celestiall desires and diligently contemplate every particular and behold that truth exceedeth fame that the glory exceedeth all report if perhaps by the greatnesse and noblenesse of admiration thou canst be ravished of thy humane spirit and after a certaine wonderfull manner be transformed into a divine spirit
one I say such a one which shall be to thee for a comfort of contemplation and for an augmentation of Eternall felicity SOVLE I Cannot sufficiently admire all these things yet in respect of the magnitude of admiration I faint in the search thereof Notwithstanding one thing I desire to know in what manner the mind which in this present life is held under by the body from the contemplation of God shall there be assisted by it in contemplation MAN O My Soule this thy Question is scrupulous but fithence it is more curious then devout the answer shall be short For the soule shall then by the divine power have another manner of form to understand then in the passage Nor is it to be wondred at if for the time and place he alter and change the order and forme of action in the Creature who is the framer and Author of universall Nature For in things mutable the whole being of the thing done is in the power of the Doer It is certaine that the Soule would never desire resumption of body if being resumed though never so glorious it should hinder divine contemplation For according to the opinion and doctrine of St. Augustine those holy soules earnestly desire resumption of Body and expect an iterated Union thereof because their felicity cannot be consummated without it nor their pleasure satisfied without it For the soule doth so vehemently desire the body that in some sort it also hindreth and retardeth it's contemplation St. Bern. O miserable stinking and loathsome flesh rom whence is this thy Glory that the holy soules whom God hath marked with his owne Image hath redeemed with his own blood do desire thee do expect thee and their happinesse cannot be consummated without thee nor their sweetnesse satisfied without thee St. Augustine to this When the soule shall receive this body not now carnall but spirituall she shall possesse the perfect forme of her nature obeying and commanding revived and reviving Then it shall come to passe with unspeakeable felicity that that is to her a glory which was before to her a burthen O my soule consider what a glory that shall be then unto thee when thou shalt be arayed and invested with those new and pure Robes of honour adorned with all pretious stones that is with a glorified body wherein there shall shine so many most pretious Jewels as there are vertues in thy mind Then I beleive thou wilt sing unto our Lord with Jubilation a new Song saying Rejoyceing I will rejoyce in our Lord because he hath attyred me with a Garment of health and hath compassed me about with a Vestment of gladness and as a spouse hath graced me with a Crowne Yet in the third place view and diligently consider that if thou art to have so great joy as from another what shalt thou receive from thy own for who can be able to declare how great joy how stupendious a glory how incomprehensible a praise and magnificence thou art to have of the most blessed Trinity of the most happy Society of all the Saints for that thou hast so manfully overcome thy own body with the sheild of Chastity and Continency For that thou hast so potently vanquished the world with the sword of poverty and Indigency for that thou hast so valiantly put to flight the worst of devills with the spear of Humility and Obedience for that thou hast so powerfully withstood and resisted all thy evill Thoughts all thy Passions all thy dissolute Manners consider if thou canst how much glory thou art to have from those whom by Word and Example thoâ— hast exhorted to a virtuous life And what is more thou shalt receive a speciall and an eternall praise for all the virtuous thoughts speeches and actions and that which shall be wanting unto thee in thy self that celestiall and divine society of the blessed will with mutuall charity fulfill and supply because every one shall there receive from his Neighbour what is deficient unto him in his own merit O my Soul when Adversity happens unto thee though thou piously think of these things keep them in mind when thy body greives or overchargeth thee fly mentally unto these when the world rage have recourse unto these when Sathan lyes in wait for thee recreate and mitigate thy mind with these for our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of Glory But because truly that is the only and true joy which is conceived not of the creature but of the Creator to whom all pleasure otherwise compared is a Sorrow all sweetnesse greif and to conclude all that can delight is but troublesome according to St Bern. Therefore I counsell thee O my Soul that now by the aforesaid as though moved disposed and invited thou convert thy self to thy Creator and thou art diligently to weigh and consider how great joy those blessed Spirits receive from him because all joy proposed is either accidentall and for that doth not satisfie but only move or encourage as is that which the blessed Spirits receive from these that are below or neer unto them or it is consubstantiall and for that it sufficeth nor and yet it affecteth as is that which they conceive from these which are within themselves For this joy which they draw from them that are above them is only termed substantiall because by this only the rationall desire of the creature is satisfied All the joy all the sweetness Hugâ— de S. V. all the pleasantness of things created may affect a humane heart but cannot satisfie it SOVLE TEl me I pray thee O man what and how great is that joy because I desire this only this is it which I earnestly covet above all for that I know that these things are not only sufficient although they might be had without it but also do leave the Soul empty hungerstarven and miserable MAN O My Soule Thou seest what and how great that joy is I have asked and examined all my inmost thoughts and they are not sufficient to tell me for if all St. Anselme that are before spoken of are good and pleasant consider seriously how great that delightfull good is which contains in it self the pleasure of all good not such a one as we experience in things created but differing as much as the Creator differeth from the Creature hee that shall enjoy so great a good shall be what he will and what he will not he shall not be Caesarius It is more easie to obtain a good life then to express it whose course is without end use without loathing refection without meat having alwaies after ancient and perpetuall joyes new delectation and a continuated felicity without feare of loosing St. Aug. He is the Reward of virtue who hath giuen virtue and hath promised himself then which nothing can be greater or better For what other thing is it that is spoken by the Prophet I will be
particularly to consider how great he is that suffered so great things that thou mayst go forth to him by viewing him with admiration because he is infinite in power in comelinesse in happinesse and in Eternity Admire therefore that Majesty should be annihilated that Beauty should be discoloured that Felicity should be tormented that Eternity should dye and this is the third bundle The fourth Bundle Of those things which were done whilst Christ hanged on the cross and of the giving up of his Spirit Christ hanging on the Cross thirsteth THinke on the work how Christ hanged thinke on the Manner and Cause consider that hee thirsted prayed for his Crucifiers he is blasphemed on the Cross hee is mocked of them that pass by of the Rulers of the Theif A true and indeleble Title is written Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes His dolefull Mother standeth under the Cross whom he pitieth and commends her to John darkness is made At last evidently shewing how great his pain was and that his humanity was forsaken in that that there was no assistance of his superiour powers or faculties in which it resided unto the inferiour in which he suffered Crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Having taken Vinegar now all things being consummate that nothing remained to be done crying with a loud voice he gave up his Spirit signifying that as long as hee pleased so long he could live and that no one could take from him his Soul but that hee layd it down of his own accord And here thou oughest to consider in what manner he suffered being cloathed in thy forme or likeness For he suffered like unto a true Lamb most freely in respect of himself most obediently in respect of his Father most wisely in respect of his Adversaries Study therefore to put on the habit according to the representation of that forme he put on to wit of Bounty Severity Humility and perfect Knowledg or Prospicacity And this is the fourth Bundle The fifth Bundle Of those things which were done after his death hanging yet on the Cross THe bones of the Theivs were broken a bone of Christ was not bruised least the Effigies thereof might be made void His side is opened from whence the Sacraments of the Church do flow the vail is rent asunder the Graves of the dead are opened that thereby they might rise againe with Christ in the day of his Resurection Here consider how grat he is that suffered for thee and imbâ—ace the Cross with desire of suffering that even as hee hath suffered Injuries Reproaches Mocks Torments so by imitating the Passion of Christ imbrace thou for him all Sufferings full of Injuries Reproaches Scorn and Torments And this is the fifth Bundle The sixth Bundle Of the seven Seals opened by the passion of Christ THE Passion of Christ doth not only reform the memory by devout Meditation nor only inflame the desires unto Devotion but moreover principally illustrateth the understanding and leads it to the knowledge of Truth Even as in the knowledg of the whol frame of the World there were seven things shut up before the passion of Christ which now are opened The first Seal was the admirable Excellency of the Godhead who by the Cross hath manifested himself to be the cheif wisdom in that that he hath destroyed the Devill with the great Justice in as much as hee hath payd the price of our Redemption the greatest mercy because hee hath given his Son for us The second Seal was the intelligible Spirit which is manifested by his Suffering of how great bounty hee is in respect of the Angels who permitted Christ to be crucified of how great dignity in respect of men for in regard of them Christ was crucified of how great cruelty in respect of the Devills who caused their Lord God to be crucified The third Seal is the sensible World which by the death of Christ is prooved to bee a place of Darknesse wherein Blindnesse raigneth because it knew not the true Light wherein barrennesse raigneth because it reputed Christ as unprofitable Impiety and wickednesse in that it condemned the Innocent The fourth Seale was Paradise which by the Cross appeareth to be a place of Glory of Gladness and of plenty therein in respect that Christ for the restitution thereof is made vile poor and miserable Fifthly by the Death of Christ Hell is manifested to be full of all penury viseness and poverty because he hath suffered these things for the exterminating of sinne much more the damned shall suffer these for the just retribution of works The sixth Seale was the â—audable virtue by which the Cross of Christ is prooved to be pretious beautifull and profitable precious because Christ would loose his corporall life before that he would contradict vertue Beautifull because he shined much in his very reproaches profitable because one perfect act of Christs virtue ransacked Hell opened Heaven restored that which was lost The seventh Seale is opened by the Cross and therin appeared how detestable the culpable guiltiness is when for the Remission thereof it needed so great a price so grand a Sacrifice so difficult a medicine The seventh Bundle Of the Resurrection Ascension and sending of the Holy Ghost AND the third day Christ the Conquerour of death rise again and shewed how that we are to rise again also If therefore thou hast suffered with Christ suffering now rejoice with him rising again consider devoutly in what manner the Soule of Christ descended into Hell what it did there and of the joy of the holy Fathers and of the Sorrow of the Devils Think of the fear of the Keepers thinke of the watching of the Angells about the Sepulchre how one only now is reported to fit and then to stand upon the stone now in the Sepulchre then two and these diversly whereby is shown the multitude of Angels about the Sepulchre and the severall uisitations of the women Think how Love and Desire constrained Mary Magdalen and other weomen often to run and to visit the Sepulchre of our Lord thinke upon the divers apparitions of Christ Think upon the sweet discourses of him with his Disciples Consider why Christ would appear in Galilee but that thou oughtest to fly from vices whereupon the Passover is called a passing over But in Galilee that is in the transmigration and change of our bodies we shall behold and see Christ in the Kingdome of Heaven after the generall resurrection Forty daies after the Resurrection Christ ascending on high lead the Captivity of the holy Fathers captive Meditate on the glorious procession of them that ascended with Christ for the Saints followed him the Angels came to meet him and then they did frame those Questistions among themselves whereof the Prophet Isay speaketh who is this that cometh c. Think of the sorrow of the Apostles and the joy of the Angels Think how the Angels returned to comfort the Apostles Learn thou to ascend to