Letter, Sala Balust no. 142. To a great man
Having understood of the change which you have made, I have given many thankes to the immense bounty of our lord, who hath so earnestly taught you, so mercifully found you, and so powerfully conducted you thither, where without any impediment of other employments, you may present him with your whole hart, for a quiet & peaceable habitation, wherein he may converse, and take delight, as he uses to do with his elect. These are not slight favours; nor must we pass them over, without particular acknowledgement, and gratitude. For this, I hold to be that sacrifice, which our lord expressly requires, in recompense of his favours and for want thereof, he hath deprived very many, of those which formerly he had imparted.
So much more, must you have a care of this, as the favour was greater: through the great dangers which threatened you, by reason of the greatness of your person, & the many employments which accompanied you, in the world. And therefore, as our lord hath not performed a less act, in giving you light, that so leaving all things, you may go in pursuit of him, than he did, in favour, of the three Magis, whom he enabled by a star, to do the same: you must be sure, to adore God, & to spread yourself all prostrate upon the ground, acknowledging your own nothing, before that high Majesty, and giving him thankes, from the very bottom of your hart, for the favour you have received: and offering yourself as an everlasting present to him, whose you are by so many Titles. As for me I esteemed it not for one of the least, that he hath vouchsafed to seek the Post child and that he hath placed him, in the ranck●: of them, who are most honoured in his house and all this, through his own only goodness.
What hart is there in the world, which would not melt into tenderness, by the consideration of such a favour as this: to see himself prevented by such a hand, and so as if the question, and doubt had been, whether God's mercy, ●●r our misery should prevail: but he hath mightil●●, & happilly overcome. And not being conte●ted to send us messengers, both within, and from without, himself takes us by the hand, like another Lott:
and draws us out of the place of danger, up the hill, where we may be saved. Do not you forget this going out of Egypt; for it is a certain thing, where many wonderful things of God are seen. And this departure of ours, is not obtained for us, but by the bedding of the blood of the lamb, which ●ath cried out, before the Father, with desi●e that it may be applied to our souls, Cleansing them from all earthly appetites, and consecrating them wholly, to the desire of his divine love. Christ our Lord hath been heard, whilst he was praying for you, as we may very well believe; Giving this stone to his Father, that so, of vild, and bas●, he may make it precious; and that it may be set and worn in the head of Christ our Lord, as a fruit of those great afflictions, which he endured, for the good of souls. Great was that war, and he conquered therein; for he gives souls ●o his Father, who may run after him, and adore him; ut, vinctis mambu: post ●●l●● C●●iant.1
Prepare yourself to receive our Lord, since you are redeemed by him: you are already belonging to him: you are the spoils of his victory, a piece of land you are, which is come to him by lot, that he may cultivate, and water it, and make it fruitful. O how happy are you, if you can but value your own happiness, and consider from whom, and through whom, it hath proceeded. Beseech him, that since he hath done you so much favour, without all desert of yours; his goodness, may never permit, that your hart should serve any but him; nor your eyes behold any other beauty, than the beauty of. God, who hath been so good to you. A great burden it is, which herein, they have Laid upon you, in exchange of those many other burdens, whereof they have eased you. For now, you are grown a deep debtor, of a most profound, internal love; and of diligent service, to that Lord, who hath eased you of all those other obligations: and given you the speed, of a slag wherewith to ●unne in his ways. Think you upon this, and be thankful for this.
And since you are as poor, towards paying, as you were unworthy towards receiving; you shall make an act of renounciation of all your goods, into the hands of our Lord. Beseeching him, that he will accept you all for his; and so take you upon his own account, to serve himself of you, according to his own gust; and desiring that he will dispose of you, as shall please him best.2
I believe, I have already said too much, to a soul to which our Lord is already speaking. For to such souls, all humane discourse is accounted tedious, and troublesome, and it hath reason to be so. But the joy, which, in our Lord, I have conceived; and the commandment which you sent, that I should write, have been the reasons of this letter. I beseech that soveraines' goodness, which hath already vouchsafed you so much favour, that, to his own eternal glory, he may finish the good work which it hath begun.
You see in what fashion I am talking to you. I have laid aside those Titles of honour, and rank, which, according to the style of the world, (now forsaken by you) belonged to your quality. And I writ, as to one, who is already estranged wholly from the world; and in so plain a manner, as is convenient to a domestic servant of Christ our lord, and as is fit for the Institute whereof you are. And since yourself desired it, and I have obeyed you in it; be careful, that, now when you have abhorred the Titles of this world, you may also abhor the affections thereof; and that now you may pass wholly on, into that age, cuius pater Christus est, whose father is Christ our lord. Which consists not so much, in whether the time, be present or future, as itt doth in Spirit, which cometh after flesh. For as the Apostle saith, non prius quod spirituale, sed quod animale, That is not first which is spiritual; but that which is animal. And therefore the spiritual is called, seculum futurum a future age.34
So much the more care must you take of this, as it will be more hard for you, to do it, since he who hath most to leave, doth it with most difficulty. And the man who hath most impediments, is least able to run lightly away. And this is the good which they get, who are the great men of this world, though they come not to know it, till they put themselves to run, after others, who are before them. And then the faster he runs, the more he shall feel it. And by his own experience, he will be able to unbeguild himself, in that which the world believes. Namely, that it is better to be great, then mean, and poor. And so I believe, it hath happened to you, if indeed you have begun to follow Christ our Lord; or at least will find it, when you shall begin.
The thing which must comfort you herein, is this, That, since our Lord vouchsafed to take you for his servant, when you were most untoward, & uncapable thereof, he will give you greater strength, wherewith to serve him now, than he would have given to another, who had not been so incapable. And so must you represent yourself before our Lord, who hath called, and accepted you; beseeching him, that howsoever it may put you to more pain, and shame, he will yet bestow that upon you, whereby you may serve him much, since you own him much. And consider yourself, as a person who brings but half that means, wherewith to negotiate this business, which another brings. And beg pardon, for ill employing even your little stock, but yet with giving thankes to our liberal lord whose works are great, towards his poor creatures. That so living with fear, and trembling, to see yourself so unworthy of such a place, there may grow from thence, a due reverence to all your neighbours; carrying them upon the top of your head, and doing for them, as any slave would do for his lord, considering how mercifully Christ our lord, hath done the same to you, you may have good hope, to prove well in your great business, if you obtain that knowledge of yourself, whereof I have spoken. And then shall you spend your life happily, when you hold every day thereof, to be the last. Christ our Lord be with you. Amen.
Footnotes
Chapter 46 of 57