Letter 19. To a lady who asked what charity is
He answers to her demand; and shows her the Love, and Charity, which she is to have to God and her neighbours, here on earth, by that love and charity, the saints have in heaven.
DEVOUT spouse of Christ our Lord; you ask me in your letter, what Charity is; to the end that you may guide you whole life thereby. For the saying of the Apostle S. Paul is true, and whatsoever we do without Charity, is nothing worth, though we should deliver our bodies into the fire. Your demand is very great, and I could wish, that the same Apostle S. Paul, whose sentence moved you to ask me the question, might enable me also to make the answer. For I know not what greater thing than this, you could have asked me, since the sublime part of all our christian religion, consists in it.1
And as the same Apostle saith, He who life's according to it, is a fulfiller of the whole law. So that you o devout spouse of Christ our Lord, must beseech the holy ghost, whose proper attribute is Love, that he will teach, and write that thing in your hart, whereof you ask, as he taught it upon the day of Pentecost, when he infused it, into the hearts of his Apostles. For know; that this is the true teacher of this language, and so as there is none but he.23
For alas! what can my tongue which is made of earth, express of that which is only used with perfection in heaven. This is a celestial language, and they who speak it perfectly, are the blessed spirits, which attend to nothing else, but truly to love our Lord God, with all their strength; and all that which his pleasure is, that they shall love. How shall I be able to speak to you of that Love, which is subject to no interest, and is accompanied with no self-love; and looks towards no other mark, and aims at no other scope, but only God? How I say, shall I speak of it, whom my father Adam hath left all wrapped up in mine own interest, and who apply myself, to seek myself in all things. See how much. For even in those things, which concern the service of God, we do so hang towards ourselves, that many times we perform them for our own interest, or end. And though the works themselves be holy, yet the love wherewith we do them, is impure. And the difference doth only consist in this; that when we seek ourselves by evil works; our Love runs through a conduit of clay; & when we seek ourselves by good works, it runs indeed through a conduit of gold, but in fine it runs towards ourselves.
John. 6 I beseech our true doctor Jesus Christ our Lord, (who ever sought the honour of his Father; and whose love abased him to this world, not for the accomplishing of his own will, but his who sent him) that he will untie my tongue, to the end that I may tell you some part of that which you demand. For certainly, if your good desire did not oblige me to let you know what I have read, my poorness would oblige me to hold my peace.
And now to the end that you might better understand, what Charity is; and how you may ever go, employed therein, I could wish you knew, some part of that Love, which the Blessed spirits have in heaven, to the end that you may know thereby, wherein true Charity doth consist. For how much nearer we shall come to that love, so much the more perfect, will our love be, you must know that the love which is in heaven, doth transform the Saints, into the same will with that of our lord God. For one of the effects of love, as S. Dionysius saith, is, to make the several wills of such as love, to be but one; I mean, that they should have the same will, and the same not will, which the other hath. And now since the will, and love, which our lord hath, is but only of his own glory, and of his essence which is supremely perfect, and glorious, from hence it follows that the love of the Saints, is a Love; and will, wherewith they love, and desire, with all their strength, that our lord God, may in himself be still as good, as glorious, and as worthy of honour as he is. And for as much as they see all that, to be already in him, which they can desire, there follows there upon;
the fruit of the holy ghost, which is an unspeakable joy, to see him whom they love so much, to be so full of treasures, and felicity in himself, as they desire.4
If you will have a touch; or at least some little sent of this divine joy, do but consider how great that joy is, which a good Son receives; in seeing his father whom he love's much, full of honour, beloved by all, rich, powerful, honorable, and very much esteemed by the king. Certainly there be sons so grateful, and well disposed to their parents, as to esteem, that nothing can be compared to the joy, of seeing their fathers so esteemed; which reaches indeed so fare, as that to whatsoever necessity, or affliction themselves may be subject, it serves not to deprive them of that great joy, because they aspire to no other end but only the honour of their parents.
Now if this joy be so great what do you conceive, that the joy of the Saints may be; when being transformed by love, into that true lord of theirs, the universal creator of all things; they shall see him, so full of goodness so holy and so rich in beauty; and that he is a Lord, and creator, so infinitely powerful, as that by one only act of his will, all that which is created hath his beauty, and his being, and no one leaf of any tree, can so much as wag, but by his will? Infallibly this is such a joy, as no eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor can such an unspeakable knowledge as this, ever enter into the hart of any man, but such a one as enjoys and possesses it.
You see here the love which the Saints have in heaven, speaking according to the poorness of our understanding. And from this abundant swelling River, which delights the City of God, doth flow that love which the souls in heaven bear to their neighbours. For as all the desire and joy of the Saints consisteth in their seeing God (who is their true love) full of honour, and glory; from hence they grow to love, with a most fervent love, and to desire with an excess of appetite, that all the Saints may be as full of glory, and beauty, as they also are. And they joy in this, to a strange proportion, because he is honoured, and glorified in them whose honour and glory, they only seek. And in regard that this is the cause why they love the Saints, from hence it grows, that they joy more, and do more desire the glory, and beauty, of the greatest Saints, then of their very selves, because they see that our Blessed Lord, is more glorified in those others, then in them. And by this time, you may perceive how fart this holy company is, from self-love, & from envy, which springs from that root.
But you will tell me perhaps, that it follows from hence, that they will be subject to some disgust, because themselves are not so grown in sanctity as others are, since thereby the glory of God would also have increased in them. This doth not follow, considering that first effect of love, which is the union of two wills in one; for they are transformed into the will of God, and would have nothing done, but that which their lord will, and they see, that this will, is the cause why one hath more glory than another, and from hence they grow to be highly content, with that which he assigns to them, as also, because the diversity of the degrees of glory, in the blessed, doth more beautify the whole City of God, then if they were all, of one rank; as the music of a vial, is much the sweeter, because it hath diverse strings, and distinct sounds, then if they were all, but any one. And since it is so, that because there are different degrees of glory and diverse mansions in the triumphant Church, it is of greater beauty, then if they all possessed but one, John 14. and the same degree of glory, by this they see that our Lord is more honoured in them, then if they were all equal, and consequently they are not troubled for their own being less in glory, than those others are. For they in their colours, and others in other colours of a deeper die, do all concur, to manifest the infinite goodness, and beauty of him, who made them.5
Hear you see, that river which S. John discovered, in the Apocalypse to issue out of the throne of God, and of the lamb, whereof all the blessed spirits in heaven drink. And being inebriated by this love, they sing an everlasting Alleluia admiring, and glorifying our lord God. And you will have discerned a little of that enamel, wherewith those precious stones are accompanied, whereupon that temple of the celestial mountain is founded.67
And now after the resemblance of this temple, which you have seen in that mountain you must build a dwelling place in your soul for our lord;8
just as they said to Moses, that he should provide to make the Tabernacle, after that form which he had seen in the mountain. You must my good sister, (if you mean to go through the way of this life, in perfect charity, and love of our lord) procure to carry about you a continual desire, (or at least the most continual that you can) whereby you may ever wish and like that our lord God (in whose presence you are still to walk) may be in himself, as good, as holy, and as full of glory, as indeed he is. And so with great joy, and complacence, in all the attributes of almighty God, you are to go rejoicing, and your soul is to feast itself, inseeing that your lord & your true love, possesses himself, who is infinitely good, & powerful, from whom all creatures receive their being, and their beauty, & who in himself is so full of glory, and goodness, that all creatures have need of him, & he none of them.9
This must be the whole scope, at which your love must aim.
S. Tho. 1. And herein S. Thomas saith that perfect charity doth consist. As for the love which new devotee's, call Charity, which is when they are kindled in devotion, & in loving our lord tenderly, though this be a holy thing, yet is it not of so high condition, as that other most holy love, which transforms souls into the beloved. To this love, the holy scripture invites us in many places saying;
Ps. 96. Phil. 4 Rejoice you just persons in our lord. And S. Paul saith; Rejoice in our lord. And conceiving that this advice was worthy to be given more than once, he repeats it saying, yet again, I tell you that you must rejoice. The Prophet David expressed the same, when he said, delight you in our lord, and he will give you whatsoever you shall ask. This is that joy, wherewith the most holy virgin rejoiced, when she said, My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.10
And with this joy, did Christ our lord rejoice, when S. Luke said, that Jesus rejoiced in the holy Ghost.11
And the royal Prophet saith, that his hart, & even his flesh rejoiced in the living God. This happens when the soul with the will, (for there the hart signifies the will) are actually loving, & desiring that our lord, may in himself be, what he is. And from the great redundance, which proceeds sometimes from this joy, of the soul the very flesh itself, is kindled in the love of our lord. And because this love, is so excellent & celestial a thing therefore doth the Church (which is directed by the holy ghost) invite us in the beginning of Matins, with a persuasion to love our Lord saying thus. Come let us rejoice in our Lord, and sing canticles of praise, to God our salvation If you will find the excellency of this love, put it in practice, & you shall see that the soul doth not satisfy itself, but in praising God. For when it sees all that to be accomplished in God, which it can wish, it breaks instantly out into thanksgiving to him; for having perfected the desire it hath to praise him, which is the same effect, which flows from the love they have in heaven, as the Prophet David saith, Blessed are they O Lord, who dwell in thy house; for they shall praise thee, for ever, and for ever. S. Augustine was inflamed with this love, when speaking to our Lord, he said, If thou O Lord wert Augustine and I God, I would make thee God, and myself Augustine.121314
I think there is no need to bring testimonies, which may prove the excellency of this Love; for even plain reason tells us, that this is the love which draws a man out of himself, and transforms him unto God, who is his beloved. And out of this love, it must follow that all your works, and devotions, and prayers, must be made by you, to the honour and glory of this God, who deserves to be adored, and served, for his own pure goodness, by as many creatures as he hath made; without carrying any respect at all to the hope which might be had of a reward from him. For though it be good, and holy to serve our Lord, even for retribution, yet is not this an act of so perfect charity as that which seeks no kind of interest, but only the honour, and glory of our Lord God. If at any time you place before your soul, the reward, which they will give it, for the good it doth, to the end that it may be animated towards good works, let not this be your last end, but the will which you have, to serve our Lord. For the more glory you have, the more honour and glory shall our Lord God receive. So that the last aim of all, must be, to glorify our most blessed Lord. And in this manner, if you will, you may incline your hart to the commaundments with respect to the retribution, as the Prophet David said.15
Psal. 118.
But perhaps you will ask. Who is he that can have his soul awake to go ever cheerful, and in delight, rejoicing still in her God; since many times she is so tepid, and so sad, that by no means, she is capable of any joy? what remedy may then be thought of, that we may not fail of this perfect, and supreme love? For this, it was, that I told you, that you were to carry with you a desire whereby you must wish, that our Lord might still be what he is in himself; because Charity consists in this desire. Which desire a soul may have, though it be never so tepid, dry, and sad; as a man may desire, that his father may live happily though himself feel no joy. And herein I only take for granted, that we must suppose man to have the grace of God which our Lord will never deny to one, who strives to walk by this way. I mean that although yourself be sad, you must desire that our Lord may be what he is. And as for the delight, and joy in our Lord, which uses to follow hereupon, this indeed is a fruit of the holy Ghost, which grows from this charity when our Lord is pleased to communicate himself more familiarly to a soul. When his Majesty bestows this favour let us bless him for it; and when he doth not, let us yet persever in that other exercise of ever blessing and adoring him, who is so worthy of infinite glory, and praise. For it is a very great error, into which they fall, who think that when there is no sensible joy; that act of the will is worth nothing; whereas Charity doth yet consist in that act. And for as much as the devil knows this well, he is ever procuring to give us great tepidity and dryness; that so we thinking that we lose our time, may give over this holy exercise.16
You must therefore persever in it, and grow deaf to those temptations of the devil. For if you persever not, you will not arrive to enjoy that crown, and heaven, which such as are proficient in this holy love grow to obtain, even here on earth. You must consider and look with a hundred thousand eyes, that the end and scope of your love be to glorify our Lord in whatsoever you do. For so great was the wrench which our nature took by the sin of our ●●st father in wholly procuring our own ●●terest and good that if you stand not well awake in the watchtower, you will find ●any times, that you do but seek your ●●lfe, even in this very devotion, hich prebends wholly to cast out self-love. And you ●hall take yourself in the manner, with re●oycing that you love our Lord, after this sort, because you shall acquire great rewards in ●eauen thereby, and because your soul ●eceiues much consolation, and for other ●easons, of proper interest, which though ●hey be not ill, yet are they acts of Charity which is imperfect.
You see here in short, the Love of God, which you are to carry in your soul; a Copy of that Original which the Blessed Spirits, have in heaven. It now remains that I declare to you, the love of your neighbour, which grows out of this other profound Love.. The love, my good sister, which you must carry to your neighbour must be, by desiring and loving all that good, which you see in him: because thereby, our Lord God is glorified and adored. And the more that is, the greater must your joy be; as on the other side, any offence or sin which you shall discover in your neighbour must be abhorred by your soul, because he is offended, whose honour and glory you desire. And so as I told you that the love of God consisted in our applause, and will, that our Lord should be the very thing which he is; and that the joy which is taken thereby is a particular gift of our Lord; so also doth the love of your neighbour consist in the application of your will, to desire the good of your neighbour, which is to rejoice in his true good, and to feel much grief, for the sin which he commits.
This is a very particular favour of our Lord, which he bestows upon whom he will. So that if you have observed the matter well, you will have seen, that the mark at which both the love of God, and of our neighbour shoots is, that God may be glorified and adored. And hereby you will also perceive how short he falls of true love, who grieves to see his neighbour grown up apace, in devotion, and virtue, considering that himself is not so grown up. For though it be true, that the true lover of our Lord, will not fail to carry a knife about him, which pierces him through at the very hart, because he serves not our Lord so well as he ought, and might; yet follows it not from hence, that, by seeing another servant of God thrive, faster in spirit then himself, he must therefore be sorry for it or dismayed by it. But rather, the ease, and comfort, which is to serve you for a remedy against that much grief, which your soul receives, because yourself do not serve our Lord, so well as you should, must be to consider, that though you (through your weakness) do not ●hat, to which you are obliged, yet there are others, who comply with that very thing, which you desire; which is, greatly to glorify, ●nd serve our Lord.
But as for that other kind of dismay, to which some are subject; I conceive that it grows but from self-love, for it is certain, that if the end why a true lover of our Lord, desires much to serve him be, that his God may be honoured, and glorified, (who is glorified, as well by the sanctity, which is in the soul of another, as if it were in his own) it follows, that he is to have much joy, to see that others go increasing in the service of our lord, though it be true on the other side, that he may be in pain, because he serves him not so well.
You see here my good sister, what that is to which you must attend, in this paradise of the militant Church, (where our Lord placed you, when he called you to his love, and to his grace) if you will also go on to enjoy the fruit which is gathered from his hand, in the triumphant Church of his glory. In which I beseech our Lord, that we all may glorify him, and praise him, and enjoy him for all eternity. Amen.
Footnotes
Chapter 8 of 57