Letter, Sala Balust no. 147. To a person

It seems, he was in some fear, that the party was returning to sin.

I Remember you often; and the love I bear you, makes me never think of you without some fear and trembling at my hart, considering the many dangers, wherein your soul may be, for which our Lord hath done so much, that if he were still in case to be weary, without doubt he would now be very weary. But he was weary, once for all, when he took our mortal flesh upon him; and from those wearynesses of his, doth result that care, which now without any weariness at all, he takes of such, as he is drawing to himself.

O Sir, how much reason have you, to be grateful for the good which you have received; and careful, at the least, to keep it; and fearful, lest it should slip out of your hands. And I said Careful at the least to keep it; because he, who can make conjecture, that he hath received the gift of justification, must employ himself, like a diligent negociatour; that with five talents he may gain other five, Improving that good, which God began in his soul, and getting, every day, a new part in heaven; since the gate is open, for our getting more, and more in every minute of our life.

It is most certain, that if we should tell a man, that there were a very long way, in the steps whereof there were great felicity to be obtained, yea and that, for the making of one single pace, they would give him the worth of a whole kingdom; and that though a man should go all his life time, in that way, they would never deprive him, of his reward, but that still it should hold on, after the rate, of the first pace, which he had made; I do not think, that in the whole world there is any one worldly man, who in this case, would not be so great a walker, as that he would hardly be ever persuaded to sit still. Now, if covetousness of visible things be able to work so great effects; what will it be fit, that the love of that, which is invisible and eternal, should work in our souls, but a vigilant care, to be still walking on, in the way of God, with resolutions as lively, and more, than they were, which we entertained the first day, when we entered into his service.

Who is he, that can be so absurdly inconsiderate, as not to hold himself a deep debtor to Almighty God, for the many gifts, which he hath received from him, in recompense (as I may say) of so many sins of ours, as that he will not serve so benign a Lord, with all diligence? who is he, that considering whence our Lord hath drawn him, will not resolve to be daily further and further of from hell, and from the impiety of sin? He seems not to have been sorry for his offence, who procures not with diligence to be fare from the like. He doth not sufficiently thank our Lord for this gift, who hath laid aside the memory thereof, & with whom it decays with time; not stirring himself up, to give new thankes, and to present new services, knowing more and more thereof, every day, as a person, who hath received increase of light: This is so great a favour, that David calls it the Benedictions of sweetness. And it is great reason, that we should grow strong with that new grace, which our Lord gave us, and not content ourselves still with being little ones.¹

I said, that at least we must be careful in the continuance and conservation of this gift; because according to good reason we should be encreasers thereof daily more and more. And from hence it grows, that when I see, that the light of your soul is set upon by so many winds, and when I consider your weakness in the midst of so many, and so great, and so subtle enemies, I find myself to be all trembling over you, as any mother would be over her son; who adventures not to rejoice for the good she sees him enjoy, through the fear she hath, that he may chance to lose it.

Tell me, good Sir, how is it with you? are you still on foot in the presence of your God? do you live, in the presence of true life? is God lodged in your hart? is there an union of love between God and your soul? Or is there not perhaps, some little dryness or disagreement grown between you, which your much care of this world, and your little care to please your Lord, may have caused? I fear to hear the answer, which you may chance to give; and yet I cannot content myself to be without hearing it. If you give me good news, my soul will rejoice in our Lord, and I will give him thankes for having conserved, what he hath gained. But if you tell me otherwise, I must be extremely sorry; and yet still howsoever, I must needs know it. For I will not remain without grief, if you be subject to any spiritual loss, or inconvenience. I hope to have a part of your Crown; and I submit myself to bear a part of your pain.

If there be any thing of this kind, take heed you suffer not the wound to fester; and make no intricate knots upon the swathing-bands of your sins. Make haste to break that quickly, which is ill tied up; for you can have no leave to divide yourself from him; who fixed himself to that Crossë for you with so cruel nails. Say aloud to all things; Depart from me; for neither am I yours, neither ought I be so much as mine own. Let the thing be what it will, let the person be who it will, and let the interest be as great as it can be; no other can have Title or justice to carry you away, but only Jesus Christ, who created you, and took you for his son; and after you had been a prodigal admitted of you again, and honoured you, and gave you a new garment, and a sweet embracement of peace; and keeps a state of great repose prepared for you in heaven, if you will keep his commandments.

That man, namely yourself, belongs to this Lord of ours. Though every man in this world, should put in his claim for you; there is none, who hath so dear bought you as he; to whom you also belong by another title. For what is it for God to dye for us, but to repurchase that, at an extreme rate, which was already his, by the benefit of Creation, and to draw us out of hell, and again to admit us to his freindshipp? what is this, but to multiply divers Titles to the same thing? and those so very great, that every one of them, hath reason enough, to carry the whole man after it. O treason of the sons of Adam what is that, which you do, when somewhat else prevails in your hart against Jesus Christ? how are you able to say No to him, whom you are so bound to serve, though it were with the loss of your lives? Shall any small title, which any thing may make towards you, be able to carry you away, and so blind you, as to make you forget so many and so great benedictions, as our Lord lays up in heaven for you? Let the world depart, even now, from our hearts; since it is so soon to depart from our eyes? And when we shall see anything therein, which flourishes, let us bury it under ground, and tread upon it there, in the sepulchre. For by the consideration thereof, we shall obtain a true relation of it, and such a one as will deliver us from it, and free us, from the care of all that, which here is sought, with such a pestilent kind of desire.

What better weights or measure can you desire, that so you may not be deceived, nor be drawn to take one thing for another, then to carry it instantly to the Passion and death of Jesus Christ our Lord, who then condemned that, which the world esteemed; and to carry it also to the hour of our own death, which conducts us all naked, solitary, and defeated, and to be trod upon by the feet of our servants. And you in particular may do well, to remember this point; since, besides the fear, which we all ought to have of that passage, yourself have another particular reason for it; because you have a more particular knowledge of death; for lately you wanted not, as a man may say, a fingar's breadth of passing through it, to eternity.

Take heed, take heed, that you be not deceived by those false appearances, and by those painted masks; for they are no better than masks, which enueagle & deceive our souls. And if you like these shadows so well, raise up your hart to heaven, where the Truths of these things are; whereof here there is but some little resemblance. And so you will neither conceive any envy against him, whom you find to prosper in warldly things; neither yet will you have any great appetite, to possess that, which in fine, you must be forced to leave. Do not entangle yourself with this earth, since God, hath given you some good hopes, and pledges, that he means to carry you to heaven. And those are, his most sacred death, the knowledge, and love of the Crucifix, the receiving of the holy Sacraments, whereby in the holy Church there is given a pardon of our sins; and the adoption of the Sons of God, and consequently of heirs. Let him seek for shadows, who hath no hope to lay hold, on things of substance. Let him respect a short time, who hath had no taste of spiritual benedictions, which last for ever; And let him triumph, like a sot, in the prosperities of this world, who hath not felt in his hart, how delightful a thing it is, to shed tears for having offended God; and how happy a man is, in relying upon Christ our Lord, and in living to him. And since our Lord, hath called us to his mercy, and hath given us the knowledge of his Son Christ Jesus, let us not live according to the flesh; nor allow of any counsel against this counsel, That in a thing so manifest, as it is, that we ought to seek, and esteem the contentment of Christ our Lord, despising the world, and all that is therein, there is no need of taking any man's opinion; and we must not be moved by any vanities of the world, how many, John. 2. and how usual, and how well received soever they may be. The world passes with the delight thereof as S. John saith; but he who will do the will of our Lord, shall remain for ever. Who relies upon that which is unstable, shall fall down together with it; and he, who will adore an Idol, shall grow like that very Idol; but he, who love's Christ, our Lord (and that man love's him who hates the world) he indeed is wise, and worthy, and shall be exalted to sit in that kingdom, with the same Jesus Christ our Lord, as he sits at the right hand of his Father. It is much more worth, to be the least there, then to be the greatest here: If therefore it delight us to reign let us desire to do so, in that eternal kingdom. I beseech Christ our Lord, to bestow it on you. Amen.

Footnotes

1. Psal. 20. ↩