Chapter 74

Wherein the way of considering the life of jesus Christ our Lord, to the end that it may be of greater profit to us, is prosecuted, in a more particular manner.

BEING then retired into thy Oratory, at the time which thou deputest to this Exercise; first make thy¹ Confession in general; desiring pardon of our Lord for thy sins; and especially them, which thou mayst have committed, since the time of thy last Confession; and thou shalt say a few vocal prayers, according to the former advice which I gave, when I treated of the knowledge of ones self. Then read that mystery of the Passion (which thou art about to meditate) in some book that treats thereof. This² will serve thee for two purposes. The one, to teach thee, what did happen in that mystery, that so thou mayst be able to think upon it; for as for the life, & death, of our Lord, thou art to know them, and that, sound known. The other, for the recollecting of thy hart; to the end that when thou meanest to think upon the Passion, thou mayst not have wand'ring, or tepid thoughts. And although thou do not read, at one time, all that which the book delivereth of that part of the Passion, thou wilt be at no loss thereby; because upon the same days of the weeks following thou wilt come to an end thereof. And, as I told thee before, thy reading must not be such, as to make thee weary; but to stir up the appetite of thy soul, and to prepare matter, for thee to think, and pray upon.

The books which may profit thee, in the thought of the Passion, are amongst others, the Meditations of S. Augustine in Latin; and those of the Father Lewis de Granada in Spanish; and the³ Carthusian, who writeth upon all the gospels. When thou hast ended thy reading, cast thyself upon thy knees, and (having first recollected thine eyes) do thou beseech our Lord, that he will send thee light of the Holy Ghost, which may impart to thee, an amorous, and compassive feeling, of that, which Christ, with such dearness of love, did suffer for thee. Be very⁴ importunate with him, not to permit in thee so great ingratitude, as that thou (being bound to imitate his passion) shouldest hardly find in thy hart, to think upon it. Then place the image of that Mystery which thou wouldst meditate, within thy hart; and if this succeed not with thee, yet esteem, at least, that thou hast it near thee. And⁵ this I say, to let thee know, that thou art not to carry thy thoughts to contemplate our Lord, at Jerusalem, where the Passion was accomplished; for this would do thy head great hurt, and dry up thy devotion. But make account that he is present to thee; and place thou the eyes of thy soul upon his feet; or on the ground near to him; and behold, with all reverence, that which passeth, as if thou wert present at it; and harken to that, which our Lord did say, with all attention. Above all⁶ things behold with a pure, and quiet sight, his most sacred hart; which so aboundeth with love towards us; and which did so much excel, in comparison of that which he suffered exteriorly (though even that were also unspeakable) as the Heaven doth exceed the Earth.

But take heed, that thou do not afflict thy hart, with any forced grief, which useth to fetch out some⁷ few tears with violence; for this, doth hinder that quiet repose, which is wholly needful, in the exercise of prayer, as the Abbot Isaac was wont to say; & they dry up the hart, & make it unfit for the receiving of the visitation of God's spirit, which requireth peace, and rest. Yea, and they use to prejudice even our bodily health; and to leave the soul so frighted, with the disgust which therein it found, that it feareth to return again to prayer, as to some painful thing. But if, with a quiet thinking of these things, our Lord do give thee tears, and compassion, & other devout affections of mind, thou art to take them under this condition, That the excess thereof be not such as to overworke thee to wards the notorious prejudice of thy health; or that thou becommest unable thereby, to resist them, and to hinder crying out; or, by other such exterior signs, to make show of what thou findest within. For if thou dost use thyself to this, thou wilt grow to make those expressions amongst others, and with great note, to which thou art accustomed in thy Oratory, without being able to resist them; but from this, it is reason that thou fly.

So⁸ as, thou art to receive these spiritual gusts, and tears, in such sort, as that thou do not greatly go after them; lest⁹ in the pursuit thereof, thou lose that pious thought, or spiritual affection, by which they were caused. But use thou great diligence, that the thought continue; and as for the other exterior, and sensible feeling, let it take the chance; and by this means thou mayest continue a long time together, in a spiritual, and devout gust of mind. Whereas that other, which may be accounted but as corporal, & to touch upon the sensible part of the soul, cannot last. Nor yet, will it suffer the spiritual affection to continue, unless it be withheld, from following the other which is more corporal. Only¹⁰ to such as are new beginners, a little leave may be allowed, that so they may taste of this sweet kind of milk, a little more than such as are proficient. For¹¹ these later, have an aim to feel in their soul, the high dignity of him that suffers; and the deep indignity of him for whom he suffers; and the mightily much that he suffers; and yet that the love wherewith he doth it, is still greater; and¹² they desire to imitate this love, and this passion, with all the strength, that our Lord shall give. And if herewith, he give them the aforesaid gusts, they drive them not away, nay rather they are thankful for them; but not, as for the more principal. And¹³ although I make no doubt, but that there is a certain kind of love of God, so inflamed, and so fiery, as that, it doth not only not provoke tears, but it hindereth them, and dries them up; so do I also advertise thee, that there is another tender kind of love, which procureth those aforesaid gusts, in the sensitive part of the soul; and in the eyes of the body; which yet, is not blame-worthy, since the doctrine of Christ, is not a doctrine of Stoics, who condemn even the passions which are good. And because Christ our Lord did weep, and was sad, that sufficeth to make us believe, that these things are good, yea even in the most perfect men. O how much hurt, hath been done by certain unlearned men, both to themselves and to others, by their taking the business, of directing souls in the way of spirit into their hands, and by making themselves the judges thereof, whilst yet they do but follow their own ignorant opinion. And this I say, by occasion of men who have been deceived thereby; and to whom those other things, have been displeasing.

Footnotes

1. According to that pious form, which is used in the Holy Catholic Church, Confiteor Deo Ommuipotenti. ↩

2. The manner of reading spiritual books. ↩

3. Di●●ysius Carthusianus. ↩

4. Observe this excellent discourse with great attention. ↩

5. A necessary advice. ↩

6. Our Lord, make v● fit to do so. ↩

7. Take heed of forcing thyself to tears. ↩

8. How we are to carry ourselves, when we have tears & tender motions of the mind. ↩

9. That pious thought which was the cause of tears, is to be cherished, and the tears t●es lues neglected. ↩

10. Indulgence may be used towards beginners. ↩

11. In this true devotion doth consist. ↩

12. Do this and live. ↩

13. Both these loves of God are excellent: but generally speaking, men excel in the former, and women in the later. ↩