Letter 16. To a Lady
MAdam, I would fain ask your ladyship, what kind of taste the fruits of the Cross carry with them, since you are feeding so abundantly thereon. Our lord said thus, I will clymb up to the Palm tree, and gather the fruit thereof: and it seems that he hath taken your ladyship by the hand, and drawn you up with him: to the end, that if heretofore you went up with him by contemplation, to consider how he fed upon them: he is now no more content, that you only accompany him, by having compassion of his pains, but he will have you eat with him at that table of the Cross, & be a witness by experience, of that which he suffered, when he was feeding upon that fruit.1
I dare confidently say, that that soul is happy, which stands at the foot of the Cross of the Son, in society with the Mother of God, who fed at the same table: and was suffering torment, yea and was even crucified in her soul with him. For there is not a more acceptable thing in the eyes of the Father, then to behold his Son, and to see them who accompany the same Son, in the imitation of his affliction and Cross. Let no man deceive himself, by thinking that God is in love with fooleries and conceits; or that every absurd idle fellow shall reign with him, in his kingdom. The favour of God, is reserved for such as love tribulation. No man shall reign with him, but such a one as is crucified: That, in fine the world may know, that forasmuch as he sets that king doom at so high a rate, it is no ordinary place, but most abundant in treasures, and delights, since God himself is the glory thereof: and that they may resolve with fresh courage, to despise all transitory gust, and to endure all kind of Crosses.
How would your ladyship have our lord proceed towards you, but so a he is wont, and will be sure to proceed, with his beloved Children? What would you have him do, but treat you as his Father treated him?
John. 15. As my Father loved me, so do I love you, saith our lord. And now, if any man will make a pause, to consider how the Father treated his Son and such a Son, he will patiently endure his own condition, how sharp soever it may seem. Madam, have patience yet a while, for this tempest will pass, & you will rejoice, that you had it, to pass through. Bow down that neck of yours, to the will of your heavenly Father; for so did Jesus Christ our lord, when they passed that rope over his head, which even flayed his neck, and he, the while, held his peace, both with his heart, and with his tongue, through the obedience which he carried to his Father. What doth that hard halter, upon so delicate a neck: and that heavy cross, upon those weak, and weary shoulders, declare to us; but that we must be obedient in suffering afflictions, though they should even defeat us, and pluck our very hearts out of our bodies?
It is not just nor fit, that your ladyship should take upon you to dispose of your own li●e, and to choose, & say, This I will, and that other, I will not, do or have; since you have offered up yourself so often, as the true slave of our lord, to the accomplishment of every inclination of his holy will. For it is against all reason, that now you should unsay that in your affliction, which formerly you affirmed in time of peace.
Nor must you be like that counterfected kind of friend, who in time of prosperity, is wont to make many offers, but when they would bring him to performance, he unsayes himself.2
Woe be to them, saith the scripture, who have lost their sufferance; employing such persons, as being weary of enduring, and expecting, went headlong with their hearts to the ground, as men who would no longer bear their burdens. Madam, The Just man life's by faith, and our lord requires to be expected, though he stay; for in fine, he promises that he will come. But if a man have a clock, which goeth too fast, and if the time seem too long, before God give the remedy, that must then be said to him, which is in Esay: He who believes, let him not be too hasty; but let him place his felicity in longanimity as S. Peter saith.3
- Pet. 2.
Madam, our lord will come and comfort you. The sea is all in tumult, and the waves will needs drown the ship: and our lord is in a profound sleep, like one who throws a stone, and then hides his hand: or who strikes, & flies It is he, who raised the tempest, & then instantly laid himself to sleep. It is he and no other, who hath designed your ladyship to these tribulations. It is he who afflicts, and wounds, and without him nothing can be done. And he who hath known so well, how to strike, and hath been so diligent to afflict, is now fallen asleep, when they are seeking remedy at his hands, and the more they beg comfort of him, the more he doth sometimes increase discomfort. And yet, notwithstanding all this, he will have us possess a lively faith, which, in all these miseries, must not fail us. And if we have not this faith, we shall be sure, that when he wakes, he will reprove us, and say.4
O men of little faith, why are you afraid.5
You may see, Madam, by this, how lively our Lord will have our faith to be, which may enable us to confide, in him; how fresh, how well tried, and passed even through the very fire. For as chastity is tried by the temptations which are contrary thereunto; as humility is tried by dishonours; patience by afflictions; and charity by rendering good for evil; so is faith and confidence, made evident, when God sends such adversities, as may seem to put men in a manner, even out of their wits; and when he, the while hides himself, and seems to add to them so much the more, as he is the more desired to diminish them.
Even by this pace we must pass, if we will he are this word from our Lord's mouth, O woman great is thy faith.
In this match of wrestling, must we overcome, if we will pretend to the name, and crown of such, as are perfectly, and truly faithful. And we must accept of scourges, which may slice us even to the very soul; and yet we must believe that they are embracements of great, and tender love.6
In this which exteriorly may seem to be the wrath of God, we must believe his divine heart, to be most peaceable, and his bowels most paternal towards us, nor must we argue according to the feeling of flesh & blood, but according to faith, which overcomes and fools all such discourse. This, Madam, is the wisdom of the Cross, which makes the soul, with shirt eyes, submit itself to the holy will of God. And by thus not judging, but confiding in him, it grows wise beyond the wisdom of the whole world. For let him who desires to know, and please God, not raise his eyes, but let him abase them, with humility, and not sift his judgements: and that man shall arrive to true knowledge: and shall find that our lord of power, is entirely sweet towards his servants: and doth then endue them with the greatest blessings, when to the eyes of flesh and blood, he may seem most to have forsaken them.
It is now long ago, since your ladyship hath sung this song, My beloved to me, and I to him. But it is now, that you should especially sing it; for these delicate warbling notes, are best used in these tunes of trouble. Your beloved looks upon you, and taketh care of you: look you also upon him, and confide, in such a taker of care. He is your Father, though he scourge you: be you his daughter, in receiving his correction, with obedience and giving of thanks. And if you be in much pain, whilst you feel the scourge, let it be tempered, by considering the hand from whence it comes, your beloved he is: and he love's you more, than he is beloved by you. He corrects you with love: & do you also receive it with love, that so you may answer our lord in the same tune, wherein he speaks. He hath a mind to purify you by fire: do not fly of from the Crusyble, whatsoever pain it may put you to. For it is better to become pure from the uncleanness of earth, which is once own will, and withal to be broken in pieces; then to be whole otherwise.7
Sing you thus to our lord, Thou hast tried my hart and thou hast visited me by night; thou hast examined me with fire and thou hast not found wickedness in me. For thus doth God purify his elect; and he who is not proved, and purified thus, is no Son, and shall be no heir of his. And for as much as it is now so long a time, since your ladyship hath so fair evidence, that you are borne to inheritt; procure you to pay with readiness, that rend charge, which is laid upon your land. This inheritance is very rich and glorious, but the heirs thereof must suffer much tribulation in this world. They are to be untied, and taken of from the Cross here, when they go up to reign there: and men must not think of going from one pleasure, to another. The bulls which are of a generous kind go all darted, and wounded, out of the Place; but such as are base and cowardly, return home, in whole skins. Just so is the good Christian, who is to be pierced on all sides. And when tyrants, and executioners are wanting, they shall have enough to suffer, in theyre own houses, by theyre children, theyre husbands, and theyre friends, who will by certain sweet, and and smooth ways, torment them worse than those others.8
It is most certain, that to see one suffer whom we love, is a very knife at our hearts: and love is our executioner; and the more love there is, so much is the executioner more cruel. Butt yet let us not turn away our face from him. For this love, was the, executioner of Jesus Christ our lord, which put him to more pain, than all those visible executioners; and this was the executioner of his blessed Mother also, and of as many elect, as God hath had. I would have your ladyship prepare your head to be cut of, and your heart to be tormented by this executioner; and you must procure to fight stoutly, in the presence of God, and of all his celestial court, since such an excellent Crown of glory is prepared for you. Our lord, who sends you this tribulation, knows the time which is most fit for comfort, and he will provide it for you, when it shall be best. In the mean time I beseech him to give your lady ship patience, and to remain with you for ever. Amen.
Footnotes
Chapter 6 of 57