Man.

O My Soul, (according to S. Bernard) let thy consi­deration begin with thy selfe, lest in vaine thou search into other things, thy selfe being neglected. [Idem,] Many men knew many things, and know not themselves, they look into others and forsake themselves, seeking God by those things that are exter­nall, leaving their internall, in whom God is interior. Wherefore I will return from the externall to the internal, and from the internall I will ascend to the supernall, that I may know from whence I came, or whither I go; from whence I am, or what I am; and so by the knowledge of [Page 4]my selfe, I may ascend to the knowledge of God. In like manner S. Chrysostom upon S. Mathew saith, That the know­ledge of a mans self is not the least part of Philosophy. Item Ambrosius in Hexa­meron.

Know thy self O man, what thou art, look that thou con­sider what enters into thee in thy thought, what passeth from thee in thy discourse. Exa­mine thy life therefore, O my Soul, by a daily discussion, consider diligently, how much thou profitest, how much thou art deficient, what thou art in manners, what thou art in affection, how like or dis­like, how near or far off thou art to God. Ever acknow­ledge this, that it is much more commendable and bet­ter [Page 5]for thee, if thou knowest thy self, then if (thy self be­ing neglected) thou knowest the course of the Stars, the vertues of Hearbs, the com­plexions of Men, the natures of living creatures, hadst the knowledge of all heavenly & earthly things. Render ther­fore thy selfe to thy selfe, and if not alwaies, yet at least sometimes. Govern thy affe­ctions, direct thy actions, cor­rect thy waies. Therefore O my Soul, keep the Councels of holy men, and first of all convert the raies of contem­plation to the East region, (that is to say) to the consi­deration of thy own condi­tion. Diligently therefore consider how nobly thou art made of God by nature, how vitiously by thy own will [Page 6]thou art deformed through sin, how gratiously by the di­vine goodness thou art often reformed by Grace.

First therfore consider how nobly thou art formed by na­ture. Thy naturall nobility, as I conceive, consists in this, because that there is im­printed in thee naturally to beautifie thee, the image of the most blessed Trinity. whereupon S. Anselm in his Prosologie saith: I confess O Lord, and give thee thanks, because thou hast created me according to thy own image, that I might be mindfull of thee, think of thee, and love thee.

S. Bernard. According to the interior man, three things I find in me, by which I call to mind, behold and [Page 7]desire God. These three are, Memory, Understanding, and Will. For when I am mindfull of God, in him also I am delighted, for the me­mory of him is upon one, when with my understanding I behold him how much in himselfe he is incomprehen­sible, because he is the begin­ning and end of all things.

In Angels desirable, be­cause they desire to behold him.

In all his Saints delectable, forasmuch as continually (they being happy) do rejoice in him.

In all his Creatures admi­rable, because he powerfully createth, wisely governeth, bountifully dispenseth all things.

When I look into these [Page 8]things, him also I desire. When I love God by my will, I transform my selfe into him. For this is the power or ver­tue of love that it maketh thee to be like unto that which thou lovest. These S. Ber­nard.

Re-acknowledge therefore O my soule, how wonderfull and inestimable a dignity it is, not only to be a mark of the Creator, which is common to all creatures, but to be the very Image of him, which is only proper to a rea­sonable creature. Praise ther­fore. O my soule, our Lord; praise thy God O Sion.

Awake and praise, rejoice and be glad, because thou art adorned with the image of God, made comely with his similitude, partaker or reason, [Page 9]capable of eternall happi­ness.

But because these things perhaps not unworthily may be judged meane, if they should end with death, exult and praise, because beside the aforesaid he hath bestowed on thee an immortall nature, an incorruptible substance, an interminable durance, a per­petual life. For thou shouldst not be the Image of the eter­nall Trinity, if thou couldst be shut up within the bounds of death. S. Aug. of the city of God.

O my soule consider that thy Creator after this being, hath geven thee a per­petuall being, after this he hath given thee power to live, to perceive, to discern; he hath adorned thee with senses, [Page 10]he hath enlightened thee with wisdom. Attend there­fore thy comliness, that thou maist understand, what beau­tie thou oughtest to love in thy selfe, which if thou be not sufficient to contemplate thy selfe, as it befits thee, why then at least dost thou not 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 [Page 11]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 [Page 12]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 [Page 13]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 rejo [...]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; [Page 14]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 [Page 15]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, [Page 16]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 [Page 17]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 [Page 18]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 [Page 19]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 21]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, [Page 22]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 [Page 23]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 [Page 24]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.

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 [Page 26]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 Devill [...] [Page 27]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?

SOƲLE.

I Acknowledge, St. Bern. O man that thou spea­kest truth, and not unwor­thily reprehendest me of so [Page 28]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, [Page 29]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 [Page 30]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 [Page 31]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 [Page 32] 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 betrayer, I have feared the accuser, I [Page 33]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 [Page 34]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 [Page 35]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 [Page 37]thou inspired this most whole­some counsel to me? Thou hast sinned, forbear, leave, and blush.

To which I [...]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 [Page 38]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. [Page 39]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 [Page 40]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 [Page 41]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 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 [Page 45]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 [Page 46]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 [Page 47]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 [Page 48]conjecturest, J beleive thou wilt say with me. Shee i [...] 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 [Page 49]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 [Page 50]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 [Page 51]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. [Page 52]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 53]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 [Page 54]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 56]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, [Page 57]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 [Page 58]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 [Page 59]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 [Page 60]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 61]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 [Page 62]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, [Page 63]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 [Page 64]to whom soever it was gran­ted, that he could not at all sinne, this was not of nature, but of Heavenly Grace.

SOƲLE.

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.

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 [Page 67]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 [Page 68]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 [Page 69]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 [Page 70]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 [Page 71]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 [Page 72]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 [Page 73]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 [Page 75]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 [Page 76]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 78]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 [Page 79]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 [Page 80]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, [Page 81]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 [Page 82]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.

SOƲLE.

NOw I am not able lon­ger to containe my self, tell I pray thee: what shall [Page 83]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! [Page 84]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 85]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 [Page 86]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 [Page 87]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 in­vi [...]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 [Page 89]now O 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 [Page 90]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 [Page 91]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 94]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, [Page 95]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.

SOƲLE.

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, [Page 96]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 [Page 97]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 [Page 98]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 [Page 99]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.

SOƲLE.

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 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 [Page 101]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 [Page 102]which is not my God, is po­verty.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 113]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 [Page 104]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 [Page 105]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 [Page 106]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [...]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? [Page 108]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.

SOƲLE.

TEll, I pray thee, O man, yet a little of the vertue of Charity, which being [Page 109]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 [Page 111]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.

SOƲLE.

NOw I see, how miserable every soule is, setting [Page 113]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. [Page 114]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, [Page 115]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 [Page 116]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, [Page 117]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 [Page 118]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 out­gone, 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, [Page 119]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 120]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, [Page 121]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 mi [...]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 [Page 122]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, [Page 123]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 [Page 124]Glory which is promised.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 126]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 thing [...] 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; [Page 128]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 [Page 129]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 [Page 130]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 [Page 131]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 [Page 132]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. [Page 133]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 [Page 134]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 136]and understand not the E­ternall, and if they do under­stand, ye dispise them, and feel not the grief whilst they are wounded. VVherefore a­lass miserable men they think themselves to be in good case, loving this Exile, as their Country, and rejoycing in blindnesse, as in the clear­nesse of light. Contrarily the minds of the Elect, whilst they behold all transitory things as though they were none at all, do enquire to what end they were created. And when nothing can suf­fice their affections without God, they repose in the on­ly contemplation of their maker, desiring to be present with the Heavenly Citizens, and yet being placed in the VVorld, they rise above the [Page 137]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 139]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 [Page 140]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 [Page 141]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 [Page 142]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 [Page 143]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:

SOƲLE.

NOw I despise the world, now I acknowledge the false joy, the true sorrow, the false sweetnesse, and the true [Page 144]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 [Page 145]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.

SOƲLE.

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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 148]thou lovest, then where thou dost inanimate: because whatsoever thou lovest, by that very power of affection thou art transformed into its similitude, if therefore thou contemplatest Celestiall things, if thou lovest Hea­venly things, how is it now that thou remainest not in Heaven, who art in this life, resembling celestiall spirits?

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 149]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 [Page 150]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 [Page 152]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 winck [...], 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 [Page 153]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 [Page 154]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. [Page 155]Truly this is the divine con­solation.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 156]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.

SOƲLE.

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?

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 158]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, [Page 159]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. I sigh before I eat. It is the office of the Soule to eat and to be fed with the Contem­plations of supernall Light: Let it therefore sigh before it feed, because he that doth [Page 160]not humiliate himself in this Exile by the bewailing of Heavenly desires, cannot tast the joyes of the eternal King­dom. For they are barren of the food of Truth, who are delighted in the scarcity of this Peregrination.

2. The mind ought to be exercised in the acting of good things, and in the suf­fering of evil. Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall bee comforted. Because those whom the love of truth mo­veth to affection, the refre­shing of Consolation feedeth. St. Bernard; O good Jesus how often after innumerable tears and groans, hast thou annointed my wounded Soul with the Oyntment of thy merey, and somtimes almost despairing hast received me, [Page 161]and being comforted and pre­suming of mercy hast utterly left me? Behold in what man­ner the reward of good things is in it self, wherfore truly though in the beginning the way be straight which lead­eth to life, yet in process of time, it is enlarged with the sweetness of inestimable love. O how blessed therfore is the consolation which divinely is infused into them that suffer for Christ.

The third thing wherein the Soule is inebriated with this sweetness is the elevation of the mind, when happily the Soul is drawn form earth­ly delights, and after a cer­tain wonderfull manner is e­levated above it self, above the world, yea, above every Creature, that now the Soul [Page 162]can say, The King hath brought me into his Wine-Cellars. This is that Wine-Cellar wherinto the Soul is brought, where she shal drink of the seasoned wine of the Inestimable Dei­ty, and of the most pure Milk of the incontaminated Hu­manity. Hence O my Soul his Friends drink, but his most dearest Beloved are therwith in ebriated. O hap­py drunkenness which is ac­companied with so chast and holy a sobriety of mind and body. Hence it is that the Soul like a drunken man is made gladsom and joyfull in adversity, strong and secure in dangers, wise and discreet in prosperity, free and pious in pardoning Injuries, and at last lying drowsie and slee­py in the divine Embraces, [Page 163]when the left hand of the Spouse doth friendly beare up the Bride under her head, and the right hand of the lo­ver familiarly embraceth his Beloved.

SOƲLE.

O Man, I confess with hu­mility and reverence, that sometimes that hapned unto me, though alas very seldom; That with great vio­lence about the beginning of my conversion, I have drawn my mind from earthly things, and with very much endea­vour have lifted it up to con­template on Heavenly things: I have entred with trembling, I have gaz'd a­bout me with blushing, I have seen the Quier of An­gels, [Page 164]the Palaces and Joyes of the Patriarks, and Pro­phets: I have beheld the Ta­bernacles of the Apostles, the Feasts of Martyrs, the Sola­ces of Virgins and Confes­sors. Surely I have craved the Almes of some comfort from every one of them, I have desired the crumms fal­ling from the Table of their Lord, yet I have not obtain­ed them. But which is most lamentable to be heard, by and by I have been repulsed of all of them as a stranger, and one unknown. What therfore hath the laborious e­levation of the mind profit­ted me, when no comfort hath succeeded it.

MAN.

O My Soul, this so com­fortless a repulse was not without cause. I beleive this was the cause, for that thou wouldst be a Companion of Comfort, befort thou were a Companion of Suffering. Thou wouldst be a partaker of remuneration before thou wert an Imitator of virtue. Strive therefore first to be a Companion of Angels by pu­rity and innocency, a com­panion of the Patriarks and Prophets, by humility and confidence of belief, study to be a Daughter of of the A­postles and Martyrs, by cha­rity and patience, a Daugh­ter of the Confessors and Vir­gins, by Piety and Continen­cy, [Page 166]and then be confident that in this thy Exile, thou shalt with the Prodigal Child obtain Almes of thy Heaven­ly Father.

SOƲLE.

O Man, now I acknowledg how vain and unsavory all transitory things are, and for this I despise the World, I little esteem the comfort therof, and I fly and contemn worldly joy as Death bring­ing poysons, also I bewail my self past as death, and I wash and cleanse my miserable mind with groans and tears, and if at any times betwixt tears and groans, I perceive the odour of Divine Sweet­ness, though but a little; not­withstanding as yet I unhap­py [Page 167]and miserable, hungry & thirsty tast not the food of the Angels, and the Wine of thy Friends. St. Bern. As yet O Lord my God, my heart hath not come neer unto the A­bundance of thy Sweetness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee. For outwardly I am comforted, howsoever with the Sent therof, because it is sweeter to me then Bal­som, or all other Perfumes whatsoever.

O Lord God, if the smell therof be so excellent, how pleasant is the tast of thy sweetness? If a little tast be of such virtue, how much joy hath the Happy inebriation therwith? O who will grant it unto me, that thou mayest come into my heart, and that thou mayst inebriate me with [Page 168]thy Wine, and I may em­brace thee O my God.

MAN.

O Devout Soule (I speak under corre­ction) you are too covetous, St. Aug. and I would to God you were not too presumptuous. Exa­mine your strength, consi­der your vileness, weigh your virtues, and then if it please you, it may suffice you rather humbly to run after the O­dor of the Divine Oyntments with the young men, then presumptuously to rely on your own merits, ask that which you about your merits have not deserved.

SOƲLE.

O Man how harsh and bur­densom a Comforter art thou to me a miserable Soul? How niggardly a Dispenfer (if it be lawfull to say so) are thou of the Divine Boun­ty. I boldly speak it, I am not able to refraine, the smell thereof doth not suf­fice me, a little tast doth not fully refresh me, but af­fect me, my love coveteth and requireth Inebriation. I know him that saith, Drink yee my Friends, and be yee Ine­briated O my dearest Beloved; Though the unworthyness of the Asker do depress, yet the piety of the Promiser rai­seth hope.

O man, how can I doubt [Page 170]but that he is ready to give me his good things, who hath not disdained to suffer me my evills.

Art thou ignorant of that which thou hast taught ma­ny of the goodnesse of God, which thou hast learned of Saint Augustine, thus speak­ing: Do vera Religione. Let humane slothfullnesse blush, God will bestow more then man dares ask? God hath given us a pledge of this Spirit, wherein we may feele his sweetnesse, and may tast of the very fountaine of life, wherein we may be sweet­ned and moystned with a sober ebriety, like unto a tree that is planted by the run­ing streames.

St. Chrysostome. Nothing maketh the Omnipotency of [Page 171]God more manifest, then that he maketh those omni­potent that hope in him: for no deceit, no snare or al­lurement shall be able to de­ject the mind relying on God through hope, or over­come him persevering. Now let humane despaire be asha­med, and cursed be the feare of cowardlinesse which be­leiveth that he can deny or withhold his benefits from them, being rich and very liberall to all those that call upon him, and put their per­fect hope in him. For hath not the eternall Father in whom there is no change, of his sole exceeding great bounty sent his only begot­ten Son, in whom he hath given all that he had, all that he wold, all that [Page 172]he was? So that if his liberality should now di­minish his infinite goodness, perhaps our infirmity and weaknesse not unworthily would stagger. But because he is good of himselfe, and not by any accidentall good he is not by the communica­tion of his goodnesse dimi­nished, nor by Addition of any others goodness, aug­mented.

MAN.

O my soule, Great is thy faith, thou art very strong in hope and confi­dence; And although the hope, which proceeds from the promise of God, and a holy life and conversation be worthy of praise, and ought [Page 173]to be eternised; yet truely I councell thee before thou scendest to get Inebriation into thee, that thou first wholesomely descend below thy selfe by the consideration of thy selfe, that thou mayest learne reverently to feare thy Spouse, before that thou beginnest to enter into his secret Bed-chamber, whom thou oughtest not only to feare when he is angry, but also when he doth most sweetly and delicately che­rish thee.

SOƲLE.

TEll me I pray thee, O man, what are those In­feriour [Page 175]things, to which my consideration is to be con­verted? I hasten to ascend, I seek Inebriation of the divine comfort, I am not able long to rest on those things which are below me. Even now I desire O Lord my helper thy beloved Taber­nacles, I covet with all my strength to dwell in the Courts of our Lord.

MAN.

THese are the Inferiour things, O my Soul, that thou mayst convert thy selfe unto, and may see the inevi­table necessity of Death, and mayst lament all the infalli­ble equity and truth of the Divine Judge, and mayst tremble and be afraid of the [Page 176]intollerable austerity of infer­nall punishment. Consider therefore often, weigh and revolve diligently that death cannot be avoided, that the hour of death cannot be dis­covered, that the time pre-or­dained of God cannot be al­tered.

Isidorus, In humane things nothing is more certain then death, nothing more uncer­tain then the hour of death: it hath not any pity on Po­verty, it is not afraid of power, it respecteth not the excellency of manners or kindred, it spareth not youth or age, it is at the old mans gate, and at the young mans heels.

SOƲLE.

I Understand that our life is nothing else but a pas­sage to death; Why then are temporall things loved, which for such an uncertain time are possessed? Why desire we this life to continue so long, wherin, by how much the longer we live, by so much the more we sin; by how much our life is prolonged, by so much the more numerous is our transgression? for daily evills encrease, and good things are diminished. For who is able to consider, how many evills wee commit in a moment of time, or how ma­ny good things we neglect? For truely it is a great sinne, when wee neither do good, [Page 178]nor think of good, but suffer our mind to wander after vain and unprofitable things.

MAN.

AS St. Gregory saith, Car­nall minds, O my Soul, for that cause love temporall pleasures, because they con­sider not how fleeting this life is; For if they should but look into the swiftness of the passage thereof, truely they would not affect this so little enduring a prosperity. My life is like to one sailing, for whether I sleep or watch, I am still hastning to my end. O present life how many dost thou deceive, which whilest thou flyest art nothing, when thou art seen but a shadow, when exalted, but a fume, to [Page 179]fools pleasant, to wise men bitter, they that love thee know thee not, they that fly thee onely understand thee. To some thou promisest thy selfe for a long season, that thou mayst deceive them, to others for a short time, that thou mayst bring them into despair.

With continuall meditation let us exercise our under­standing, Author de spiri­tu & A­nima. and let us consider our mi­series. With sorrow we entred this life, with labour we live therin, with fear go out ther­of. St. Bern. How many of us have lived in this Region of the shadow of death, in sick­ness of body, in conflict, and in the place of tentation, if wee diligently take notice [Page 180]therof, wee miserably labour with a threefold discommo­dity. For we are easie to be seduced, weak to resist, and frail to operate.

SOƲLE.

NOw I see, that he lives unprofitably in this world, that hastens not to gain that, wherby he may live for ever. Therfore it should not be any ones care to live long, but rather that he may live well: Because although it may be granted to any one that he live well, yet it is cer­tain that it is not granted to any that he may live long. St. Bern. Therefore that is a se­cure life where the consci­ence is pure, where death is expected without feare or [Page 181]trembling, is wished to be at hand with delight, and re­ceived with devotion.

MAN.

O My Soul, if thou under­standest these things to be so, hear my councel, and in this life, so long as it last­eth, prepare for thy self that life which lasteth eternally. Whilst thou art in the flesh dy to the World, that afterwards thou mayst begin to live in God. Understand that there is no one that admitteth death approaching merrily and jo­cundly, but he that hath pre­pared himself therto by good works, whilst he lived, give attention to that of Seneca. The indiscreet man, that is, the sinner and the guilty man [Page 182]beginneth his death in dy­ing; but the wise man and virtuous overcometh death by death.

SOƲLE.

O Man J perceive that the death of good men is blessed, and the death of Sin­ners unhappy and miserable.

MAN.

O My Soul (according to St. Bern.) the death of the just man is good in re­spect of rest, better in respect of change, the best in respect of security. Contrarywise the death of Sinners is most mi­serable, and well may it be termed the worst, evil, in the loss of the world, worse in [Page 183]the separation of the flesh, but the worst in the double sorrow and suffering of the Worme and fire, and that which is worst of all, is in the privation of divine Contem­plation.

SOƲLE.

NOW thou hast spoken sufficiently of death, so also speak of the state of final Judgment.

MAN.

O My Soule J do what thou exhortest, yet J entreat thee to hear with pa­tience. Thou oughtest to know, that although it be a horrible thing to meditate on death, yet to meditate on the state of finall Judgment, as I am perswaded it is no less formidable, because there is not any that then shall be a­ble to deceive his Wisdom, to alter his Justice, to incline his Clemency, to avoid the sentence of revenge and just retribution. St. Bern. Consider therfore, O my Soule, with trembling, how it shall bee with theein the last day, when thy Conscience shall speak a­gainst thee of thy thoughts, [Page 185]when the Elements shall ac­cuse thee of all thy Actions, when the Cross of Christ shall be carried for a testimo­ny against thee, when his stripes shall cry out against thee, his wounds plead a­gainst thee, his nails speak against thee, his scarrs complaine against thee. O Anguish! hence shall proceed the accusing sins, from thence terrifying justice, within a burning Conscience, below the horrible Chaos of Hell, above the angry Judge of just Judgment, without the fla­ming World, within the fear­full justice of the Judge. And if then the just shal scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked man and sinner appear? Where shall they hide themselves? To lye hid impossible, to ap­peare [Page 186]is intollerable.

O sinfull Soul, Anselm in medi­tationi­bus. unprofitable and dry wood, adjudg­ed to eternal flames what will thou an­swer at the day, when all the time bestowed on thee shall be even to the twinkling of an eye exacted, how thou hast spent it? Ah, Ah! O my Soul, what shall then become of vain and idle thoughts, of light, sportfull and ridiculous words, of un­profitable and unfruitfull works.

Woe is me, St. Amb. on St. Luke. if I shall not lament for my sins; woe is me, if I shall not rise at midnight to confess to thee. Now the Axe is laid to the Tree, let him, [Page 187]that may, bring forth fruits, the works truly worthy of repen­tance. O my Soul, whether thou wakest or sleepest, let that horrible Trumpet al­waies sound in thy Ears. A­rise yee dead and come co judg­ment. O my Soule never let this pass from thy memory, Go yee cursed into fire everla­sting: Come yee blessed receive a Kingdom. O what can bee thought more lamentable or more terrible then, Go yee? And what can bee exprest more pleasant then, Come yee? They are two Voyces, then the one whereof there is no­thing can be heard more hor­rible, then the other nothing mre delightful. O my Soule, now separate thy self from the world, that hereafter thou mayst abide with Christ. Now [Page 188]fly the world, that thou mayst follow God; Now forsake the Companies and Societies of wicked people, that hereafter thou mayst be able to follow the Troops of Saints.

MAN.

AFter all these, convert thy Contemplation to the torments of Reprobates, take notice how various they are, how sharp, how intolle­rable. St. Bernard to Eugenius. I am a­fraid of and am [Page 189]astonied at the gnawing Worm & never dying death. O infernall Region to be fly­ed, where there is flaming fire, chilling cold, the im­mortall Worm, intollerable stench, and brusing mallets, palpable darkness, confusion of Sinners, and intangling of Fetters, and the horrible sight of Devils.

Wo be to him for whom the gnawing worm, St. Aug. in quodam sermone. burning flame, thirst without drink, weeping and gnashing of teth, conti­nuall tears shall be prepared, where death is wished for, but shall not bee granted, where there is no order, but ever lasting horrour doth in­habit. What dost thou think then shall bee the sorrow? [Page 190]what the grief? what the la­mentation? when the wick­ed shall bee separated from the company of the just, and shal be delivered to the pow­er of Devils, and shall go with them to everlasting pu­nishment, and shall for ever be with them in lamentation, mourning & groaning with­out end, far from the joyes of Paradice, never to receive comfort, or recreation, but to be tormented for many thou­sands of years, and yet alas most miserable never to be re­leased. There the tormentor and Punisher shall never bee weary, there he that is tor­mented shall never dye; For so shal that fire consume that it shall alwaies notwithstand­ing preserve life: they shall so suffer old torments, as if [Page 191]they were alwaies renewed; they shall alwaies so live without hope of pardon or mercy, as they should dy not­withstanding: they shall so dye, as notwithstanding they may never be consumed.

SOƲLE.

O Man, wherfore is death, as thou sayest, in Hell sought for and not found: And wherfore is that punish­ed eternally, which was committed temporally?

MAN.

BEcause, according to Sr. Gregory, to whom life is offered in this world, and they would not receive it, in Hell they shall seek death, [Page 192]& shall not find it. idem. The wicked willingly would live eternally, that they might persist in their Iniquities for ever. Therfore it pertaineth to the justice of the just Judg, that they should never want punishment, whose mind in this life would never want sin.

St. Hierome. O death how sweet will thou be to those to whom thou hast been so bit­ter, they only desire thee, who so vehemently have ha­ted thee. O my Soul, if these before spoken of seem so ter­rible unto thee, heare those things which are more harsh then all these.

If thou sest be­fore me a thou­sand Hells, St. Chrysost. upon St. Matthew. I do not so much [Page 193]weigh them, as to be expelled from the pleasure of that glo­rious Society, and to become hatefull to my Creator. O my Soul, Hell is terrible, but more terrible is the angry countenance of the Judge, but that which surpasseth all terrour is, the perpetuall e­longation from the Contem­plation of the most sweet and most blessed Trinity. To be excluded from the eternall good, and be estranged from that which God hath prepa­red for them that love him, doth beget so much torment, that if outwardly no torment or punishment should tor­ment, this only was suffici­ent, and it would be better to endure a thousand thousand flames, then to behold that most meek face of Christ [Page 194]angry, and from it to be eter­nall separated. O if God hath dealt thus with the Angells growing proud, what shal be­come of Earth and Ashes? He was proud in a Celestiall Palace, but I upon a Dung­hil. Who will not affirm that it is more tollerable in a rich man to be proud, then in a poor man? Wo is me if pride bee so austerely and harshly punishable in an Angel, how in me miserable and poore, is it to be adjudged?

O mercifull Jesus, for thy names sake grant me thy mer­cy, and pardon me proud pro­voking thee. Behold me mi­serable humbly calling upon thee, and acknowledge O most benign God, what is thine, and wipe away what is any others. Have pity, O [Page 195]Lord, whilst there is time of pity, least 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 [Page 196]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, [Page 197]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 198]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 [Page 199]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:

SOƲLE.

EVen now, O man, thou hast sufficiently affright­ed [Page 201]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 [Page 202]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 [Page 203]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 [Page 204]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.

SOƲLE.

TEll me J pray thee, O man, what dispositions [Page 205]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 [Page 206]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 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 [Page 207]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 [Page 208]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 [Page 209]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 [Page 210]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:

SOƲLE.

O Man, thou hast now spoken much in generall, [Page 211]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 [Page 212]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 [Page 213]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 [Page 215]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 [Page 214]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 [Page 217]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 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, [Page 218]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 [Page 220]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 [Page 221]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, shalbe 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 [Page 222]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 [Page 223]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 225]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 [Page 226]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, [Page 227]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 [Page 228]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 [Page 229]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 231]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 [Page 232]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 [Page 233]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 [Page 234]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 [Page 235]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: [Page 236]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, [Page 237]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.

SOƲLE.

O Man, now I have long held my peace, now I [Page 238]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 [Page 239]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 particularly [Page 241]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 [Page 240]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 242]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 [Page 243]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 [Page 244]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 [Page 245]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, [Page 246]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, [Page 247]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 [...]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 [Page 248]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 [Page 249]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 [Page 250]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, that thou may­est begin to cry out with St. [Page 251] Peter in great Jubilation of heart: O Lord, it is good that we remaine here, here is our Father, here our Si­ster, here our Brother, here our Country. O Lord per­mit us to be here, and never to depart from hence.

St. Amb. Let us fly, O my soule, into our most true Country, because there is our Countrey, for that which we were created, there our Fa­ther by whom we were crea­ted, there is that Hierusalem that Heavenly City, which is our Mother. O my soule, thy love here in this mortall life ought to be so great, Saint Ansel. and desire to come to that, for which we were created, and so great thy griefe, because as yet [Page 252]thou art not there, and so great thy feare, least per­chance thou never comest there that thou oughtst to feel no Joy, but from these things which do either bring thee aid, or hope to come thi­ther.

SOƲLE.

O Man, whilst that some­times I think of these things, whilst that silently I consider with my selfe what is that which then shineth in me [Page 253]and woundeth my heart without hurting me, and I am afraid, yet am inflam'd. I admit sometimes men­tally into my affection something which is unusuall, St. Aug. but I know not what sweetness it is, which if it were perfected in me, I know not what it shall be, that this life shall not be. But I fall into a relapse with ponderous burthens, and am swallowed up with my won­ted cares. Here I am able to be, but not willing, there I am willing to be, but am not able, miserable in both. Haec August.

MAN.

O My Soul, consider that these celestiall things can not so much as be thought upon of those that are wor­thily disposed, without fore­tasting of the sweetnesse. But I am ignorant what that shall then be, when they can be perfectly without intricacy ta­sted or perceived in thee, wherfore it is not to be marv­led at, if the foretasting of such things, cause in thee a wearinesse of this Exile; be­cause nothing is more bitter, then after that the Soul hath been accustomed to be com­forted with the joy of such de­lights, if again it shall be­gin to be intangled with worldly and transitory things.

From hence it is. that the Soul laboureth, struggles and is vexed, there she alwaies de­sires to be, and yet it suffi­ceth not, here she is com­pelled to be, yet after this, she endeavoureth to ascend to that which she hath already tasted, for now having tasted of the Spirit, all flesh is di­stastfull.

Thou hast seen the joy of the blessed from these that are be­low thee, and from these which are neer thee, now be­hold if thou canst, what joy is to come from these which are within thee. For man shalbe rewarded in body and in mind, and with the eter­nall and inseperable union of these two, for our body is com­posed of four Elements, wher­fore it shall be remunerated [Page 256]with four gifts of Nature, the Earth then shall have eter­nall immortality, the water all manner of impassibility, the Air exceeding great agili­ty, and the fire most transpa­rent and bright shining clear­ness: then shall the Just shine like the Sun, and shall run like sparkles among the reeds for God will wipe away all tears from the eyes of his Saints, and then there shall not be any more, either la­mentation, or roaring or greif but everlasting peace, and gladness: In this sempiternall Kingdome, the hearts of the blessed shall shine in clearnes one against another, and shal [...] in purity be transparent, there every ones Counte­nance is beheld, and consci­ence penetrated, there the bo­dily [Page 257]substance of any one hi­deth not his intent from the eyes of another: Also at an instant wheresoever the mind would be, there the body shal be also presently. St. Aug. For as then the mind most perfectly obeyeth its Creator so also the body shal most rea­dily obey its Moover. God will make the Soule then so powerfull, that from the most full beatitude thereof it shall returne into the body, from the superabundance whereof, it shall receive the vigor of impassability, the splendor of clearness, the aptitude of subtilty, the promptitude of agility, there all the senses shall be imployed in their pro­per actions, for there the eye shall see a most beautifull com­liness, the tast shall feele a [Page 258]most most sweet Savour, the sence of smelling shall be per­fumed with a most pleasant odour, the touch shall im­brace a most delicious object, the Hearing shall be changed by a most delicate Sound, for there when the mind is ravi­shed by exultation, the Tongue is elevated into a Song of praise.

SOƲLE.

O Man, I have heard these wonderfull things long a­go, and seeing that these are all true, what other thing is this present life but a cer­tain shadow of death.

MAN.

O My Soul, thou hast sayd well, because temporall life compared to the eternall, is rather be called death then life, for what other thing is this defect of our daily cor­ruption, then a certain pro­longation of death, therfore holy men, because they in­cessantly look into the short­ness of this life, live as though they were dayly dying, and therefore more carefully pre­pare themselves, not minding an abode, be cause they alway consider that all these things are nothing in the end. But men carnally minded there­fore love things present frr that they never weigh how fleeting mans life is, for [Page 260]if they should looke into the swiftnes of their passege, yea they would in no wise love this prosperity. Haec Gregorius.

Let therefore O my Soule the love of this present life passe from thee, and let the fervency of the life to come take place, where no adversi­ty disturbeth, noe necessity distresseth, no trouble dis­quieteth, but ever lasting glad­ness raigneth, and consider how great the future felicity is to be, where there shalbe no evill thing, nor good thing shall be hidden, all be­ing imploeyd to the praises of God, who shall be All in All for there shall be no end of rest, nor shall any want pinch there our being shall have no Death, our knowledge shall have no Errour, our Love [Page 261]shall have no offence.

There all slowness all cor­ruption, all deformity, all in­firmity shall be absent. There is a new Heaven and a new Earth, there we shall be like unto the Angells of God, and although not in age, yet tru­ly in happines.

St. Aug. O my Soul, Thou shouldest imbrace that Life, where there is Life wthout Death, Youth without old Age, Joy without Sadnesse, Peace without Discord, Will without Injury, Light without Darknesse, & a King­dom without Change.

Consider how much the spirit may rejoyce, when it shall resume such a body as now thou hast heard, not such a one as thou hast sustained with great griefe, and hast o­vercome [Page 262]with great strife, of whom oftentimes thou pa­tiently impatient, and meek­ly angry hast said to thy self: Who will free from the body of this death? Not surely such a one, but now perfectly o­beying and spirituall, such a one I say, such a one, which shall be to thee for a comfort of contemplation and for an augmentation of Eternall fe­licity.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 263]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 [Page 264]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, [Page 265]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 [Page 266]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 [Page 267]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 tho [...] [Page 268]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 [Page 269]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 [Page 270]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, Hug [...] de S. V. all the pleasantness of things created may affect a humane heart, but cannot satisfie it.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 272]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, [Page 273]then which nothing can be greater or better. For what other thing is it that is spoken by the Prophet, I will be 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 i [...]proceedeth of a three­fold cause, and a triple joy shall make glad, and delight [Page 274]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 [Page 275]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 [Page 276]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.

SOƲLE.

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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 279]of. But then, O my soule, thou shalt see, and abound, and thy heart shall admire and be enlarged.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 280]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, [Page 281]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.

SOƲLE.

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 [Page 282]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 Vi [...]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 [Page 283]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 [Page 284]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 Mother of the Creator of all, our Bro­ther [Page 285]in times past, lost, abject and despised, now found, now returned, now Raigning, now commanding all. O that thou wert as my Brother sucking the breasts of my Mother, when I should find thee with­out, I should kisle thee with the kisses of devotion, I would embrace thee with the embra­ces of love, yet [...] should not be despised, I [...]ould lead thee into a Chambe [...] with delight of the sweetest fruition?

This fruition that devout St. In his Me­ditations. Anselme desired, when he said O most sweet Infant, when shall I see thee? when shall I appeare before thy face? when shall I be sarisfied with thy comelinesse? when shall I behold thy wished for Coun­tenance? on whom the Angels [Page 286]desire to look: woe be to that soule that loves not thee, that seeks not thee, who if she love the World, she is a slave to sinne, she is never quiet or content, never secure. Let nothing I beseech thee please me without thee, let nothing be sweet unto me, nothing comely, let no pretious thing content mee besides thee; Let all things be vile unto me, ex­cept thee. Whatsoever is a­gainst thee, let it be trouble­some unto me, and let thy will and pleasure be my indefati­gable desire; Let it greive me to rejoyce without thee, de­light me to rejoyce with thee, and to weep with thee. O good Jesu, if it be so sweet to weep with thee, how pleasant is it to rejoyce with thee.

SOƲLE.

O Man, Now I languish with Love to see our Lord my Creatour, I faint with ardent desire to see Jesus my Brother and my Redee­mer, now being wounded, with desire, I sigh and groan to behold that glorious Vir­gin, Mother of my Redeemer. O good Jesus, when shall I see my Joy which I desire? O when will his glory appeare which I hunger after? O when will my Comforter come, which I expect? O that at any time I shall be in­ebriated with the plenty of his house for which I sigh af­ter! Now every Creature is troublesome to me to behold, because far incomparably shal that beauty excell? from [Page 288]which all these things proceeded.

MAN.

O My Soul, expect with pa­tience, that thy desires may increase, because it is written, After a while and yee shall not see me, and again, af­ter a while and yee shall see me.

SOƲLE.

O Long while, O a little too prolixe, for although thy merits be little, yet not­withstanding large are thy desires.

MAN.

O My Soul, if thy desires seem unto thee large and great, wherewith thou art in­flamed [Page 289]to contemplate the E­ternal glory and charity, with how great a desire, thinkest thou, oughtest thou to be in­flamed perfectly to love God, the eternall goodness, and e­ternally to possess the highest Majesty? if thou shouldest not love all these things, how canst thou rejoice in the Vision? Although thou shoul­dest well see and understand them, and shouldest not pos­sess them securely, how shoul­dest thou continue blessed, St. Aug. There therefore we shall be at leasure, and shall see, shall see and love, shall love & possess, for he is the end of our desires, who shall be seen without end, shall be loved without tediousness, shall be prais [...]d eternally without wea­risomness, for there one and [Page 290]the whole virtue is to love, what thou seest, and the chei­fest felicity is eternally to have what thou lovest, there a blessed life is fully & perfect­ly drunken from its very fountain, wherefore after a certain wonderfull manner, both an innated thirst, and also a Satiety is delectably varyed by course, but necessi­ty is far repelled from thirst and loathing is far removed from satiety.

In fine prosologion. But that I may not, O my Soule, now longer keep thee in suspence, hear what that devout Ansel­mus saith, of all the former Heavenly joyes, stir up thy self now, O my Soule, and lift up thy whole understan­ding, and as much as thou art able, consider attentively [Page 291]how delightfull that good is which containeth the dele­ctation of all good things. If a created life be delightful, how pleasant is the creating Essence? if a made health be pleasant, how pleasant is that health which maks all things: If the knowledge of the crea­tures be amiable, how plea­sant is that knowledge which is of things created? why ther­for dost thou wander through many things, seeking Goods created? love one in whome are all, If Beauty delight thee, the Just shall shine as the sun, if Liberty or strength, they shall be like unto the Angels of God in Heaven, if long and healthfull lifethere is eternal, health if satiety or excess, they shall be satisfied of the glory, and they shall be in­ebriated [Page 292]with the fulness of the house of God, if melody, there the Angells do sing, if society and freindship, there is the society of the Saints, & all of them of one mind, if honours and riches, glory and riches are in his Court, if se­curity and certainty, there is the eternall longitude of all times and ages.

O humane heart, O poor and needy heart, O heart ex­perienced in cares, yea over­whelmed with sorrowes, how much wouldest thou rejoyce, if thou shouldest abound in all these, enquire of thy in­most thoughts, if they be able to conceive there so great joy, of their so great a beati­tude. But if man of so great a beatitude can scarce conceive his own joy, how shall he be [Page 293]capable of so many joyes, as is the number of the Elect, where every one loveth his Neigh­bour as much as himselfe. And doth so much rejoyce at his joy, as he loves him? so also every one doth more rejoyce without question of the Feli­city of God, then either of his own or of all the Elect. Be­cause even as he loveth God with all his heart, with all his soule, and with all his power; So the whole heart, the whole Soule, the whole mind, is not sufficient to the fullnesse of that joy, because they shall re­joyce, so much as they loved, they shall love so much as they shall behold. Truly nei­ther Eye hath seen, nor Eare hath heard, nor hath it en­tred into the heart of Man, how much the Saints of God [Page 294]shall love thee and know thee.

I beseech thee, O my God, that I may know thee, that I may love thee, and that I may eternally rejoyce with thee. And though I cannot fully in this life, yet at least, let my knowledge and love of the encrease here, that there my joy may be full. Here let that be in hope there let it be in possession. O Lord and Fa­ther here thou commandest by thy Sonne, yea thou coun­cellest us to ask, and promisest us we shall receive, that our joy may be full: I begg O Lord that which by thy ad­mirable Councellour thou councellest to ask, and pro­misest us to receive that our joy may be accomplished, let my understanding meditate [Page 295]of this, let my mouth discourse of this, let my Tongue speak thereof, let my Soule hun­ger after it, let my flesh thirst after it, untill it shall enter into the joy of my God, who is the Trinity and Unity bles­sed for ever. Amen: