Chapter 104

That the dignity of being a spouse of jesus Christ, requireth, that great care be had in all things▪ and of the example which they, are to lo●ke upon, both in the exterior, and in the interior of their soul; who have a desire to enjoy this dignity.

HEREBY thou wilt have seen, that the great honour, which it is to be a spouse of Christ, doth not go alone; nor is it to be conserved without care. But as, in itself, it is the most high Title that can be expressed; so doth it exact a greater circumspection, than any other, for the keeping thereof, as it is fit. Do¹ not think, that because thou hast not a husband of this world, that therefore thou mayst live, after thine own fancy. But rather know, that thou art obliged to take heed to thyself so much more, & yet more, by how much thy Spouse is greater; and the particular respects, which he demandeth at thy hands, are of many kinds. A woman may comply with her husband, and yet still, be full of faults; but it proves not so, with the celestial spouse, unless thou love him withal thy hart, and withal thy force. And one fit of time idly spent, yea or a word, that shallbe undecent, is not to pass without punishment. Nor yet let this seem rigorous unto thee. For, even² in this inferior world, it goeth somewhat after this manner; and a woman, is bound, to be so much the more punctually a good wife, as she obtaineth a more noble spouse.

Well now, consider if thou canst, who that is, whom thou hast taken for thy spouse; or rather who hath taken thee, for his; and thou wilt see, that³ although the thing which he commanded were small, yet, because it is he who commandeth it, no commandment is small; and no sin also is small, which is committed against it, as S. Hierome saith. And to the end, that thou mayst not possess, such a dignity as this, unworthily; and that thy honour may not grow into shame; I will set a pattern before thee, whereupon I would have thee look; and according to which, I wish that thou wouldst draw thyself. It⁴ is of a Roman virgin called Asella, of whom S. Hierom speaketh thus: There was nothing more cheerful, than her gravity; nor nothing more grave, than her alacrity. Nothing was more sweet than her sorrow; nor more sorrowful than her sweetness. Her face was grown wane, which gave a sign of her great abstinence, but it was not to make any ostentation. Her speech was silent, and her silence was speaking. Her pace, was neither very swift, nor very slow; her habit was ever after the same manner. Her cleanliness, was without being studied; she was clad without curiosity & adorned without any ornament of dressing. And for the pure, and perfect goodness of her life, she deserved, that, in even the City of Rome, where there⁵ is such abundance of pomp; & where humility is esteemed for misery; good men speak well of her; and wicked men dare not presume to do otherwise. This is that pattern, which I would have thee behold, for as much as concerneth the exterior. For, as for the interior, there is no other, but that of Jesus Christ, as he is placed upon the Cross. To whom thou art to conform thyself, so much the more, as thou enjoyest the name of a straighter union, which arriveth to be even that of marriage.