Letter IV. To Jaime Cazador

From Venice, February 12, 1536.

IjIUS.

May the grace and love of Christ Our Lord favour us and help us always.

Having read a letter from your hand, written on the 5th of January, I have not only derived pleasure from it but also great sorrow, learning from it such unfortunate and distressing events; so that I have been affected by varied and conflicting feelings. I rejoice to see the very good zeal that God Our Lord grants you, in sorrowing with those that sorrow, not only on account of temporal, but in greater degree on account of spiritual infirmities; but I grieve much when I consider the very unhappy events that you communicate to me in your letter. With regard to it five or six points occur to me to which I ought to answer. I will then begin with those which are of least moment, and which satisfy less the thirst of our souls, so that we may not be hampered with the flavour and taste of that which conduces less to our eternal salvation.

First: You say that you will not fail in your customary contribution, only that I must let you know when it is required. Isabel Roser writes that for next April she will provide, so that I may finish my studies. That, it seems to me, will be the best arrangement, so that I may, be provided for the whole year, not only with books, but also with necessary things. In the meantime, although this country costs me dear, and my state of health does not help me to endure want or bodily hardships beyond those that study entiails, still I am fairly well provided for, because Isabel Roser has had twelve crowns paid to me here on her account, over and above the favour and alms you sent me, for the love and service of God Our Lord; Who I trust will repay all in good coin not only what you do for me, but the great solicitude my poverty inspires in you; for I feel that a father could not be more concerned for his own children. A fortnight before Christmas, at Bologna, I was in bed for seven days with pains in the stomach and with ague; so that I determined to come to Venice, where I have been a month and a half, very much improved in health, and enjoying the home and company of a very learned and good man; so that it seems to me that nowhere else could I be better situated.

Second: The news that three nephews have left Manble has not affected me much, though I should like to know something about the reason. This I expect soon to hear, because I have written to friends I have in Paris to go and visit them in my name. I say “not affected,” because if I am not mistaken they are reserved and prudent with men; which makes me think that whatever be their future they will give a good account of themselves. For whilst I was there I noticed that Losada was steady, and with the example of the two elder ones, especially that of Jacobo, I hope in God Our Lord that they will behave as they should, and may He in His entire and highest goodness deign to guide them ever with His hand.

Third: With regard to Mosen Claret’s illness, I have thought it well, as you advised and indeed ordered in our true Lord, to write to him. And since that letter will tell you all, there is nothing left for me to say in this; I only wish that you would help him to look to his interior health, and to the remainder of life that God Our Lord has given him'; for I do not think that he would take it better from any other person. And if he has no children, nor any other near kindred for whom he is obliged to provide, it seems clear — and of this I have no doubt — that the best and soundest course would be to give all back in the form of pious, just and holy objects to Him from Whom he has received it, namely, our Universal Giver, Master and Lord — and that better during life so far as he is able than after death. For that a man should make bequests to another merely that he may feed horses, dogs, and game, and acquire glory, honour, and worldly pomp, is a thing in which I cannot acquiesce. Among other degrees of perfection Saint Gregory mentions these two; one, when a man leaves all that he has to kith and kindred, and; follows Christ Our Lord; and another, which he says is higher, when leaving all, he distributes it among the poor, iuxta illud: Si vis perfectus esse, etc* By this I understand that it is better to give a According to the text: If thou wouldst be perfect, etc.

to the poor when relatives are not in the same need as the poor who are not related; but that, caetera pariaf I must do more for relations than for those who are not related.

Fourth: As to the desire you evince of seeing me where you are and that I should preach there in public, certainly I have the same and it is a lasting desire. Not that I pride myself on being able to do what others cannot, nor on arriving where others cannot reach; but my desire is to preach as an inferior individual, things that are intelligible, easiest, and most elementary, hoping in God Our Lord that following lesser things, He will grant this grace, so that we miay in some degree advance in His praise and due service; for which object, once I have finished my studies, which will be a year from this present Lent, I hope not to tarry elsewhere to speak His word in any place in Spain, until we meet where you are, as we both wish. For it seems to me, and indeed I have no doubt, that I am more indebted to that city of Barcelona than to any other place on this earth. This must be understood, clave non errante / if out of Spain God Our Lord does not appoint me to things more displeasing or difficult to me, and I am not certain of either the one or the other. But I desire to be always in a position n^/ to preach in poverty, and freed from the obligations and impediments which I now have on account of my studies. Whatever happens in regard to what I say, after my studies are concluded I will send on

16 LETTERS AND INSTRUCTIONS to you the few books I have or shall then have, as I have promised Isabel Roser to let her have them.

Fifth: You tell me that you wrote to the devout * woman, and that you wish that she and I should meet, with the idea that if we came to know one another we should experience mutual satisfaction, I fully agree, and it is a general rule with me, that when I associate with any one, even if he be a great sinner, to discourse about the things of God Our Lord, I am the one to gain, and I find great advantage for myself; how much more when it is with persons, servants of and selected by God Our Lord. It is I who must derive the greater advantage in every way. And indeed, ever since Doctor Castro 9 gave me detailed information about her, and I know that you have her under your own direction, I have been greatly drawn to her, giving glory to God Our Lord for what He thus works in her; in Whom I hope, if by it He is to be served and praised, and there is to be the greater advantage to ourselves, that He will soon bring us together.

Sixth: With regard to what you write to me about the monastery of St. Clare, 10 I certainly do not consider him a Christian whose soul is not pierced through by the consideration of such suffering in the service of God Our Lord. And I do not so much take to heart the want of judgment in a single person, as the damage that results to many others, and those persons who could have devoted themselves to the divine service. For just as on account of our weakness we find it very hard to overcome ourselves, so it is where the greatest fruit might follow, that very little is needed to undo all our efforts. Certainly I should much like to lend a helping hand to those nuns, if in any way I could put their religious exercises and discipline on a sure footing, especially of the one who finds herself in so great anguish and peril. For I cannot easily believe, of a person not indulging in worldly pleasures, or less devoted to God Our Lord, and yet in her right senses, that just because she wishes to serve Our Lord better and to come nearer to Him, she should be allowed to fall into such a state of despair. I am human and weak, yet if any one came with the object of serving me, and of loving me more, and if it were in me and if I had the power, I could not let him meet with such disaster; how much more then God Our Lord, Who, being divine, chose to make Himself human and to die, solely for the salvation of us all I I cannot then easily persuade myself that, because she is putting her hand to the things of God, she would have come to such a state of agony, and such distress without some other cause, internal or referring to the future. For it is the characteristic of God Our Lord to give understanding, not to take it away, to give hope, not want of confidence. I say then “some other internal cause,” for it is possible that her soul at the time of the exercises was tainted with sin; and sin is of so many kinds as to be apparently without number; or else that she had a defective c • '

1 8 LETTERS AND INSTRUCTIONS way of proceeding with her exercises; for not everything is good that appears so; and thus in a soul in which good does not dwell on account of existing evil, nor grace on account of sin, the enemy can do much. And I said “without some other future cause,” because, as God Our Lord arranges everything according to order, weight, and measure, it is possible that Hie may have seen that, although at the time she was in a state of grace, she would not avail herself of the gifts and graces to be received, and hence, through lack of perseverance, would fall into greater sins, and finally come to perdition. Therefore the Lord, so full of mercy, in order to repay the small service she has done to Him, has allowed her thus to fall into fears and continual temptations, but all the time keeping guard upon her that she should not perish. For we must always presume that all that the Lord of the world works in rational souls is done in order ^ to give us a greater degree of glory, or to prevent our being still more wicked; and this last, when He does not find in us scope for anything higher. Tand&nt? so long as we do not know the foundation and causes of the state in which that person finds herself, we cannot determine the effects. For us not only is it always very profitable to live in love; but it is also very wise to live in fear; for His divine judgments are in every way inscrutable, in cujus voluntate non est guaerenda ratio} It only remains for us to weep and pray for her better health of conscience, and for that of all the others. May the divine goodness so ordain it, and not permit that the Enemy of human nature should gain such a victory over those for whom He has so dearly paid with His most precious blood, and whom He has in every way redeemed.

And I conclude, praying that through His infinite goodness He may give us abundant grace, so that we may perceive His very holy will, and carry it out completely.

From Venice, February 12, 1536.

Poor in goodness,

Inigo.

Notes on the text

• a Other things being equal.

• b “Unless I am mistaken.’* a “The expression used in the text is * beata/ which may mean either a woman who, though not living in a convent, wears a habit, or, simply, a devout woman.” a “Finally.”

• b “In the understanding of whose will we must not judge by reasoning of our own.”