Letter 13. To a woman
He encourages her to suffer, and shows that the fraite of afflictions is great, when they are well borne.
BEE comforted, be comforted, O you my people, saith the lord your God: speak to the hart of jerusalem, and call her hither; for her punishment is ended, and her sin is pardoned. Confide, my good sister: for these words are spoken to you, and they command you to be comforted, through his favour, who will defend you: though your own infirmities, and those infernal powers, strive to pluck you down. But if they, be careful to persecute you: more careful is Christ our lord, to overshadow you, and to defend you, and to fetch you of from this combat, adorned with new Crowns, which are incomparably more to be esteemed and rejoiced in, than your tribulation deserves to be lamented.1
What is the matter? what is that, which afflicts you? what is that which frights you? your God is the curer of these wounds: be not troubled there at. For at the instant that he closes them, he will shine to you as a sun, seven times more bright, then before you were subject to this affliction, your spiritual prosperities, will incomparably excel, those which are past: since that which you suffer now, doth so fare exceed in bitterness that which formerly you suffered. For these flowds of anguish, use to serve but for a preface, to an abundance of spiritual delight as the tribulations of job were messengers to him, job 24. of a doubling of his estate and comfort, which God bestowed upon him. God afflicted him first, and then he comforted him, he tried him, and then he crowned him: he hide himself from him a little: but afterwards he shown himself more dear, and sweeter, than he had seemed before to be offended.
This is the style, which our lord holds with his servants. He mortifies them so fare, that he seems, as if he would place them, in the very torments of hell: but then instantly again he draws them out, and puts them into perfect ease: and so, as that the whale is neither able to retain him, nor yet so much as to touch him with any offence, whom she had swallowed. Our adversaries, the devils, jonas 2 are full of pride, and they threaten, to devour us: but let us say to them, in their teeth: Come and spare not, for you shall be overcome. Take what council you list, it shall come to nothing, for God is on our side. Let it not, my good sister, pass once so much as in your thought, to be afraid of these infernal wolves: For he, who conquered them once upon the Cross, hath conquered them in you: and will do so again; and will despoil them, to their great shame. And how soever it may seem to you, that the encounter is fierce, and the enemy so strong, as to fright you; be not yet dismayed.
E say 19 For it is our lord who saith: Shall perhaps the prize be taken out of the hand of the strong man? And shall that, which was seized by the mighty, be resumed? Most certainly the captive shall be taken out of the hand of the strong man; and that shall be rescued, which he had taken by violence. And this shall come to pass; because the hand of God, will fight for you; and will overshadow you, as birds with their wings spread abroad, defend and cover those young ones of theirs, which they love so much.
O that our eyes could once but see, that zeal of God, wherewith he keeps our souls, and how safely he clasps them in his hand, even when they think, that they are already lost. Some are wont to throw down a glass, with speed, to show, how dexterously they can receive a brickle thing in safety, which is cast, though never so speedily, from on high. And if the glass could feel and know, it would tremble to see itself cast down so fare and so fast, and to be falling towards hard stones, where it were likely to be broken, into a hundred pieces. But than comes to secure it, the other hand of him, who threw it down; and so it is received without any hurt at all. And thus you who see yourself so drawn even out of yourself, assaulted with such sharp fires, and afflicted by so fierce pains, do tremble and fear, conceiving that you shall be broken all to pieces, by falling into offences against our lord. But you must know and consider, that our lord, who hath brought you into this trouble, he himself will bring you out: and he, who hides himself a while from you, that you may suffer, is yet very near you for your defence. For otherwise, you had been swallowed up ten thousand times over, by your enemies. He throws you down, and yet he receives and saves you from falling. He moves the tempest, but yet he it is, who keeps you from drowning. For in that, which you feel, it is not you, who do any thing, but you suffer it. He who doth it, is the devil, and he shall pay for it.
God sees your hart perfectly well, and that you are a lover of his Commandments, and one, who abhors any thing, which is offensive to him. I beseech him to keep you, as he hath done hitherto, for as for those things, which the devil representes to your mind, be not troubled at all thereat. For though it be full of deformity, and afflict you much, yet you will not be the worse for that. These are things, which happen to many, and not only these, to which you are subject, but others also which are incomparably greater, and which seem indeed, to be a very copy of the true hell, and of that language, which there they hold.
But not for all this, doth God forsake his souls; but even when all humane counsel, and power fails, then runs he towards them: with a mighty hand, taking away the cup of bitterness, even from their mouths, and in exchange thereof, he gives them ten thousand comforts. And, the while, a man comes to know, that he is weak, by having understood his great misery through experience. He knows also, the strength, and malice of his enemies, and procures to fly from them, and leans closer upon God, whom he finds to be only able to deliver him, out of such bitter pangs as those. And thus, out of his former miseries, he both fetches light, whereby he may esteem less of himself: and repose greater confidence in God; and he learns to live with greater caution, and reservation, having discovered the treacheries and malicious proceeding of the devil. And we are not to account little of this benefit: because as our true life consists in knowing, and loving Almighty God: so also is it a thing of great moment, if in the strength and virtue of good spiritual directions we may have some knowledge of the devils ways. Not to the end, that we may love, and honour him, (for that belongs from us to God) but that we may fly from him, and escape from his snares; which are discerned, and known by few men, who yet conceive, that they have some knowledge of God. Nay, therefore we are to make great account of the fruit, which we gather out of these difficulties: because thus the soul grows to gain experience, in the war, against this subtle enemy. And these things, and main others, doth our merciefull lord, draw out of these hard encounters, whereby our adversary pretends to make us fall. And so we make him lose, that which he hoped to gain, and we put a scorn upon him: whilst we profit, and purify our souls, by that very means, which he used, for the disadvantage thereof.
And forasmuch, as you have offered yourself, to the service of Christ our lord: and are now no longer your own, since the day, wherein you were made so happy; do not conceive, that this pastor of your soul, is liable to the fault of being forgettfull. For if he would forget you, he would not call you, nor court you, nor pass so sweet promises to you.
eccle. 11. In the day of adversity, let your mind look back to the day of prosperity, which formerly you enjoyed: that so your present condition, may not draw you down, when it is tempered, with the memory of those favours, which were imparted so you in time past. And be sure that if Christ did not love you, he would not have raised you up, nor given you that jewel. And since you know, that you began to walk in this way for his sake: and that you have desired to please him: and that, according to your frailty, you have procured to do it: lay not such a spot upon your honour, as to fail of confidence in him, from whom, when you remained in separation, he drew you close to himself; & conveyed a sweet, & meek spirit into the bowels of your hart; and set you out, with his own mark; to the end that both you might be his, and that you might know yourself for such.
And now, if the infernal wolf, have presumed to set upon her, who was set forth by the mark of ●esus Christ and who desired to serve him, do not wonder at it; for these are the trials of our Faith, and love; to see if we will be dismayed, and so turn back. There is no true virtue, unless it be tried; and the trials of Faith are dangers, and discountenances of God. But even then, if that faith be pure, and fine, not only it is not dismayed, but how much the more it is vexed, so much the more strength it takes, and even fetches society out of solitude. For we know, that it is the custom of our Lord, to place his servants, even upon the very horns of the bull, and to hide himself, when he hath done, to try their faith. And forasmuch as their sight, is only bend upon the goodness of our Lord; they care not for what they feel, nor from what quarter the wind comes; but a confidence is engendered thereby, that as the anchor of a ship at sea, doth fix itself to the earth; so will a faithful soul, lay fast holde●, upon the Crucifix, and fix his thought, and say; Thou, o Lord, died'st for me, before I was borne; and thou soughist me with the sorrow of thy hart, when I sought thee not nor desired thy ayat; but now I call upon thee, and I love thee, and therefore now forsake me not. If thou didst receane, and shelter him, who was thine enemy; thou wilt never drive him away, who desires to serve thee; and whom thou hast accepted for thine own. And in this faith, you must live, and remain secure amongst, all the waves, and tempests, which the sea can show; though it may seem to you, that the ship is even sinking; and you must labour, that so your hart may not fail; lest else our Lord awake, and chide you, as he did his Apostles, saying: Why fear you ●o men of little faith? whereby you may see, how much in earnest our Lord is, when he requires us to be full of courage: since even, when the waves are entering into the little ship to swallow it up, even than did he reproach them, because they feared. And this he doth, because he will not allow them to be afraid at all, who embark themselves with him. For they go with the true Lord of souls; who is our faithful helper out of the greatest straits.2
And now, since you are one of them, who have quit the shore, and embarked yourself with him, by entering upon his service: what can that be, which you should fear: since you have walked, and do so still, in company of Jesus Christ our Lord. Remember, that S. Peter, whilst he had faith went treading with his feet upon the waters; but as soon, as he saw the wind stiff, and the waves high, he feared. and then presently began to sink. To give us to understand, that with a faith, which was firm, he went secure: and by growing tepid, he began to be drowned, and heard this word from the mouth of our Lord: O thou man of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And in the same manner doth he say to us, if he see us fearful of any visible danger whatsoever.3
And if our Lord took such care to deliver his disciple from a corporal death: much more will he take care, to free you from the death of your soul: and to secure you, that the tempest, which is risen against you, may not drown you. Only be you sure, my good sister, that you be not dismayed, and forsake not the war: for here the Crown is lost, not because men are tempted, but because they either fly, or be overcome. Offer your self to suffer pain, and even fire, for his honour, who suffered so much for you. And by how much the greater your afflictions are, esteem them for so much the more certain to ken, of the love, which passes between Christ our Lord, and you. Beseech him, that he will strengthen you, towards sufferance, and not that he will take away your afflictions. For it will be a Purgatory to you, whereby you may be wholly purified, in the sight of God, and the Cross of your beloved lord will keep you company. This Cross is that thing, which all the lovers of our Lord desire, and by means thereof, you will remain like gold, in the Crusible; so much or the more resplendent, as you ●ere more afflicted.
Consider, that every lover, is to endure somewhat, which may declare himself, for the love of his beloved. And since you are entered into the war of Love, do not turn coward; but consider, how great things, even weak women have endured for Christ our Lord. Some by fire, others by scourges, and others by having had their flesh torn from their bones; and they held themselves happy in suffering for the love of their Lord.
Now you also suffer for him. For if you would forsake him, your enemies would not persecute you; but you are passed over to Iosue's side, joshua 10. and therefore do they move this war against you. And if amongst men, there be want of base, and bloody executioners, the devils come, in their place, who are both more cruel, & are not so soon weary, as the other; and with grates of iron they torment you; and more in the soul, then in the body; and you are to esteem, that you are in martyrdom for the love of Christ our Lord, since you are martyrized for his service.
Do not omit your devotions of Confession, and Communicating, though you should do it without any great sensible appetite, and though the devil should seek to hinder it, as he is wont to do, so fare as to strike your tongue dumb, so that you cannot Confess your sins, as likewise he gives you to believe, that you have eaten, at such a time in the night, that so you may not Communicate the morning after. Tread that enemy of yours underfoot, with all his craft: and pray to our Lord, upon the Cross; and take that Cross in your company; and arm yourself therewith; and offer yourself so truly to any state of sufferance, that if our Lord were pleased, that it should last upon you all your life, you would yet be content therewith. And how much the deeper you shall cast yourself into his will, so much the more speedily, will he relieve you. For he drives not them from him, who strive towards him.
And remember, that there is no love without grief; and that we are to enter, into the kingdom of heaven by many tribulations. Where, for one only hour that you may see God in his beauty: you would think two thousand years of that sufferance, to which now you are subject, to be well employed. And since God is to carry you thither, as you have reason to hope he will; be not cowardly in suffering nor tepid in loning; For he, who died for you, and called you to himself, will not forsake you. I beseech him to be your comfort. Amen.
Footnotes
Chapter 3 of 57