Letter 64. To the same lady

MY soul love's yours because God love's it, and because I am to have no little part in your happiness. S. Paul saith, that they to whom he preached, were his joy, his honour, and his crown; in respect that receiving the word of God from his mouth, they had changed their life to the better, and had begun to walk in the way of God, and so gave much joy to S. Paul. For, beside that he rejoiced in their good, he also hoped to receive a reward at the last day, for having been that instrument, by means whereof, God had gained those souls, and therefore did he call them his crown. Because, as a crown doth beautify, and honour the head of such as put it on; so they who are saved by means of any man's preaching, will be a means of honouring and joying that man, as some beautiful crown of rich stones might do.

Now this being so, I confess you own me not many thanks, for my wishing well to your soul; because the good thereof is mine, in regard that God hath done me the favour to bestow you upon me, for my spiritual child, and will impart you to me as one of the precious stones of that crown, which one day he will vouchsafe me, if I continue faithful in that vocation, by which he hath called me. And now because you are a stone, which he will set in a crown, it is the pleasure of our Lord to work, and polish you, very well. For, it is no way fit, to put such stones in a crown, as are either rough or of no worth; but such as these will be thrown into hell, since they received not their being wrought, and enameled by the spirit of our lord. But those living stones, whereof the celestial jerusalem is built, are wrought here, with so many blows, that 〈◊〉 seems as if our lord would break them, and that again he gives them new blows, without compassion, even before the pain of the former be gone. But yet, he hath no intention to break them, but to polish them, nor to destroy them, but to beautify them; & to make them such, as that by how much the more they seemed to be ill handled here, so much the more brightly they may shine, at the latter day, in the high presence of almighty God. Then will that appear to be mercy, which here seemed cruelty. And God will see those precious stones which he hath wrought, every one in his proper place, & that, so full of bliss, that the meanest of them is to be incomparably more esteemed than kingdoms, and empires, and whatsoever other earthly things, which can be conceived.

O happy strokes, which are to end in such a high repose! O happy labour, which shall be paid, by the embracements of God himself! Wound us here, O Lord, as much as thou wilt, so that thou cherish us there. Hear make us weep, that there thou mayst wipe away our tears. Discomfort us here, in all things; so that we may enjoy thee, who art all things; and be rigorous to us here, so that there, thou have mercy for us, in store. In this world, we are as banished men, and crowded up into a corner; and we are as it were, upon an Easter eve. Heaven is our country, and our liberty, & our festivity. And therefore, howsoever things happen, we will make a shift to pass it here, to the end that when the glory of God shall appear, we also may appear in glory; & that we may celebrate that joyful Easter, with so many Citizens of heaven who first celebrated the vigil upon earth.

Madam, you must give thankes to our lord; for he treats you, as he hath treated, and as he means to treat his best friends. And as for that only begotten son of his, who is the principal stone of all stones, do but see what blows they gave him. For they wrought, & bet upon him, from head to feet; & these very blows, did also work upon that other second stone of heaven, which is the most Blessed virgin, our Bl. Lady. And so according to the place, which every one is to have there, he must be wrought and polished here. Now if this be necessary, even for just persons, what shall become of us sinners, but only that we must bow down the head, and say, O Lord thou punishest me little in comparison of the much punishment which I deserve. All that which I can suffer is little, though I alone should suffer all the afflictions of the whole world. For to him who deserves hell, what temporal pain, can seem great?

Let us know, that God is full of pity towards us, even then, when he seems most rigorous; without doubt he is full of pity, since whomesoever he punishes here, he will not punish, but comfort there. For it is written, That God doth not punish a man for the same thing, twice. All that which we endure, we deserve, but yet God is so very full of pity that for the stripes which he sends us, he pardons our sins, and he accounts it so, as a piece of service from us, as that he gives us a crown for the sufferance. And since the afflictions of this world prevent Purgatory, and entitle us to heaven, who will not love them, when they come, yea and beg more of God, then yet he had, and even be sorry, when he hath them not. He who knows Christ and his kingdom, hath no compassion of himself, in this world, because he knows himself to be more fit for God, the more afflictions he endures for his sake. And so did that enamoured Ignatius say Fire, Cross, fury of beasts, cutting, quartering, breaking, and destroying of every part of my whole body, and the scourges of the devil himself; Let all these things come upon me, and let me only enjoy Christ our lord. There is nothing in this world, which can do me good; not so much as even a kingdom. It is more happiness for me to dye for Christ our Lord, then to exercise dominion over the earth, from one end thereof to the other. This saith that Saint, as one who knew well and did much love our lord Jesus Christ; and who saw that all was well employed, which could be disbursed for the gaining of him.¹

In this manner, I desire that you would encourage yourself to suffer the Purgatory of your sins; yea and though you should not have committed sin, you should yet apply yourself to endure affliction, for the pure love of Jesus; who endured so great things for you, without having given the least shadow of cause in himself. And I would have you say to him, that howsoever you are bound to suffer what he will send, yet out of a free hart, you would gladly suffer, for the pure love of him, though you were not bound to it. And thus according to the intention of your hart, our Lord will accept it at your hands, as an Emblem which you carry for his love. In the loves of this world men use to make other Emblems; but in the love of God, the Emblem, is sufferance in affliction. And he who is not of a strong hart to suffer much, let him never stand telling me that he love's much. For in this world there is no love without grief. I hope in God, that as here he gives you grief, and trouble; so he hath provided a place of rest, and joy for you, in the other world. Though indeed, the very suffering for such a Lord, is reward enough. And so that as there is nothing so much to be desired, in the other world, as to enjoy that kingdom with Christ our Lord, so neither is there any thing in this, which may be compared to the excellency of suffering with him, and for him. Suffer therefore with a good will, since you are to be crowned, for the same. For the afflictions which you endure, come to you but as a fit means, whereby you may obtain that crown.

Footnotes

1. Nahum. 1. ↩