The Book of Divine Consolation

VERILY, this is the true and straight road pointed out by God, and foolish exceedingly is he who doubteth, or who reckoneth not (seeing how that the Son of God did walk upon that road), to follow the Lord, his ineffable Guide and Redeemer. Of a certainty He knew how much of good there was in pains and tribulations. For which reason He did assume and choose these woes, fleeing from joy, censuring worldly consolations and declaring them to be hateful. Wherefore doth it not unreasonably ap pear that before the Son of God did in His own person take these sufferings upon Himself, it did in some ways seem as though there might be found some excuse for those who followed their own wills and fled from tribu lation (albeit He had nevertheless through His saints and prophets shown forth the contrary a long time before), but when the Son of God Himself did choose to bear such great adversities, the man would truly be both miserable and mad who doubted or neglected the truth so clearly set forth, and so loudly preached, and of which the Lord Himself hath given an example unto the world. Of a certainty none would doubt, saving he were void of sense and worthy of all damnation.

Of this damnation, therefore, are we wretches worthy. For, being vile sinners, not only do we refuse to take those sufferings upon us as a penance, but we do resist even when God in His supreme mercy and wisdom sendeth them upon us in order thereby to save us and purge us of evil ; we do flee from them and refuse them impatiently, murmuring and lamenting grievously against them, eagerly seeking consolations and remedies whereby we may be relieved from these tribulations. Oh wretched and truly miserable are we, who not only seek to escape those worldly pains and afflictions which are the remedy and cure for sin, but we do even refuse the assistance of our most wise physician Jesus Christ. If the supreme wisdom of God ordaineth that there should come a little cold, we do immediately draw nigh unto the fire, and do cover ourselves with many garments ; if it chance to be hot or scorching, then we seek the cold ; if our head or our stomach do hurt, we cry and weep and sigh and run unto the physician ; we seek remedies, we lie softly in bed, eat delicate food, and in order that the pains may be relieved, we do weary God and the saints with constant prayers, with promises and vows of fasting, pilgrimages, and atonements. Thus merely that we may be spared those pains and afflictions which are profitable unto us and are sent from God, we do all these and many other things which we would not do for the remission of our sins or the good of our soul.

If God doth further permit that for our profit we should suffer adversity or injury at the hands of some man, we are instantly troubled and moved thereat, we grow angry and lament and do judge that person wickedly, speaking evil against him, and if we can, we do take revenge. Fleeing from harm and injury, we do refuse as far as we are able all suffering, affliction, or adversity which the Eternal God, our heavenly Physician, hath sent unto us, and nothing will we endure with patience or resignation.

How many things are done and how much money is spent in order to avert those pains, afflictions, and ad versities which God in His mercy sendeth or permitteth to fall upon us ! It would doubtless be more salutary and meritorious were we to accept and endure these things willingly instead of choosing other penances and afflictions for ourselves. It is better to wait for God and patiently to bear that which He sendeth ; He is the heavenly Physician who sendeth affliction and adversity to purge and teach and make perfect the soul, and He knoweth better than sick and ignorant man. Wherefore are those afflictions and penances which we ourselves seek and choose often, if not always, an excuse for vaingloriousness, but those which man is apparently forced to bear of necessity and against his will are those which are sent by divine dispensation, and those should be borne with great patience and willingness, albeit their heavenly source is hidden from him. Wherefore do I say and counsel you, oh my children, that ye shall endure cold and ice, heat and scorching, vermin and sweatings, pains in the head or stomach or other parts of the body (saving, however, that which concerns the maintenance thereof), not being curious to seek remedies, save in urgent necessity, for they hinder the good of the soul. I say unto you, moreover, that when God ordereth or permitteth poverty, the death of friends, oppressions, persecutions and shame, beatings and rapine to fall upon us, that we should not bewail our selves ; but inasmuch as they are given and administered

by the supreme Physician, our Saviour, we should not only bear them with patience, but for His love and our own great good we should accept them very willingly. For if we do gladly and readily accept them of our own free will, it is an act far more meritorious than if we accepted them only to do penance, albeit of our own will. Oh, wretched that we are, what more can we say ? Not only do we seek to escape the pains, afflictions, and adversities, sent unto us by a most wise and merciful God (and like unto what He bore Himself), but we do endeavour day and night to enjoy bodily luxury and softness, diligently seeking worldly consolations and con tinually begging for vain delights. Verily, this is not the way of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of all. How shall a miserable soul who is ever seeking consolation in the world approach Him who is the way and the example of suffering ? Of a truth, the wise soul who desireth to live wisely should regard naught else in this world save suffering ; yea, if it did gaze upon Jesus its Beloved and possessed naught save one drop of love, it should seek for no other gain and no other state in this world save His ; that is to say, the state of pain, anguish, and tribulation. And this should be its whole consolation, not only in earthly, temporal, and bodily things, but in spiritual things likewise.

OF HOW PLEASING UNTO GOD IS THE SERVICE OF IN the service of God we should not always be thinking of the spiritual consolations therein to be found. Can it be supposed that when Mary, the mother of Jesus, beheld her beloved Son upon the Cross, crying aloud and dying, that she asked sweetness or consolation of Him in that hour ? Assuredly not ; she accepted the anguish, bitter ness, and pain, and such anguish should be likewise in our souls. It is a sign of little love, yea, of great presumption, if the soul should desire to feel in this world aught of Christ save pain. Wherefore doth God doubtless take greater pleasure in the service of the poor, who serve Him faithfully without reward or benefit whatsoever, than in that of the rich, who every day receive great rewards. And those who serve Him for the sake of reaping spiritual benefits, whose souls are fat and full of spiritual sweetness which they derive from the service of God, who run unto Him and serve Him for love's sake, these have not as great merit as have those who run unto God and serve Him likewise for love's sake, but without any consolation whatsoever, indeed, rather with pain.

Thus, methinketh, doth the divine light which proceedeth from the life of Christ instruct me concerning the way whereby I may through suffering reach God and be in God, namely, by that way whereon walked Jesus Christ our Head. By that way must go hand and arm and foot and all the other members ; and thus through worldly poverty will the soul at last attain unto eternal riches ; through scorn and shame will it attain unto supreme honour and glory, and through a little penance (per formed with grief and pain) will it come to possess the greatest blessing with the greatest joy and consolation. Nevertheless, the soul is bound to adore God for Him self. For He is worthy of being infinitely loved and served by all creatures with the utmost reverence, be cause of His great and surpassing goodness, to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Glory, therefore, unto the omnipotent God, whom it hath pleased to call us into being and create us in His own likeness, we ourselves being nothing. To Him, the all-merciful, be honour, power, and glory, for it hath pleased Him to redeem and exalt us, we who were miserable, wicked, lost, and damned because of the sufferings, pain, contempt, and poverty which His Son did endure.

Glory also unto the most merciful and pitiful God, whose mercy and goodness was so unfailing that He did give His kingdom unto miserable, unworthy sinners, in order that man might without fail attain unto it. Praise and glory, likewise, unto our most sweet God, who of His pity did give us His kingdom, and make us to gain the fellowship and enjoyment of Himself through tribulation, pain, contempt, and poverty. If we were able to purchase His kingdom with wealth, with gold, silver, and precious stones, with luxury, knowledge, and power, the kingdom of heaven could not be gained by all, inasmuch as we are not all alike and do not all possess these things. But it hath pleased Him to grant that His kingdom may be gained with things all persons may possess at all times and of which we may easily have an abundance. For there is no person whatsoever who can not be poor for love of Christ, and who cannot work and do penance at least in his heart, and endure contempt. Certain is it that no man can pass through this life with out encountering some of these things, which, if he beareth them patiently and cheerfully for Christ's sake, will make him worthy of the kingdom of God.

Blessed be God, moreover, in that He hath not set the long and heavy endurance of these things as the price wherewith His kingdom may be gained, but only the span of this life ; so that the eternal kingdom may verily be bought with a moment of time. And surely, even though we had to wait thousands of years and long centuries for the love of God and such a kingdom, even though they were years most grievous and bitter, yet should we nevertheless accept them with boundless joy and longing, with hands clasped in deepest gratitude ! How much more, therefore, should we rejoice for that the merciful God hath ordained and permitted that the aforesaid things need be endured only for the brief space of this our mortal life ! Blessed be God, who by His own word hath promised unto us these gifts and blessings, appearing visibly unto us in His own person to give us assurance thereof, and confirming them by His example. Wherefore there remaineth no manner of doubt that with the brief labours, afflictions, and penances of this short life we may gain His kingdom ; for He hath directly promised it unto us, and what is more, hath confirmed the promise by His own example. He desired tribulation, and not otherwise than through the endurance of supreme suffering and con tempt did He wish to obtain possession of that kingdom which was truly His by inheritance.

Come ye, oh my children, hasten unto the Cross of Christ, take upon yourselves this pain, contempt, and poverty, and enter with all your might into the Passion of Christ, who so loved us that for our sakes, oh ye chil dren of God, was He willing to suffer a most bitter and ignominious death ; and He did this only that He might thereby redeem us and furnish unto us an example of how we should bear hard things for love of Him. Doubt less the perfection and the true sign of sonship is to love God and one's neighbour. And inasmuch as this holy Man of Sorrows did so faithfully and purely love us that He had no pity upon Himself, but wholly gave Himself up to suffering for love of us, so doth He desire that His lawful sons should likewise do, according as they are able. Ye must know then, oh ye children of God, that this Man of Sorrows doth continually bid me help and com fort you. Ye must be faithful unto Him who was faithful unto you, and in faithful love must ye be united with your neighbour, for he who is faithful unto God will also be faithful unto his neighbour. How greatly, purely, and faithfully this holy Man of Sorrows hath loved us hath been made clearly evident by His life, teaching, and death. But because of our unbelief we perceive not that for our sake He was born poor and despised, neither do we re flect earnestly and continuously as we should upon His grievous death, His hard life, and His sweet and most true teaching.

And because we do not entirely comprehend these aforesaid divine and salutary things, we are not dead either unto the world or unto sin, albeit He Him self died in poverty, humility, and contempt. Who is there in these days who will repay the sweet faith shown unto us by the Son of God with even a little faith and constancy ? Verily, we do thrust these things behind us as though they had never been.

COME ye, oh my blessed children, and gaze on this Cross and on Christ who died upon it for our sins, and weep with me because our countless iniquities were the cause of so much suffering. And albeit ye have not offended God as deeply as have I (who am all sin), yet weep ye none the less, for it is not ye yourselves who have resisted sin, but the grace of God which hath preserved and defended you through the merits of the Cross of Christ. There fore, ye saints and innocents, ye should not lament your state less than do I, the sinner. For the greater the grace which hath been vouchsafed unto you, the greater is your debt ; and since ye have not been as thankful as ye should be, ye have in some degree sullied your lives and have lost somewhat of your purity. Wherefore must ye all lament and weep and raise the eyes of your minds unto that Cross ; because in gazing upon the Cross (unto the which the soul cannot attain save by constant prayer, as hath already been said) are we granted full knowledge of our sins, we are overcome with grief and contrition because of them, and are given the light of profound humility. Of a certainty, when in gazing upon the Cross the soul beholdeth all its sins in general and each one in particular, and how for all together and each in particular, Christ was crucified and afflicted, it is overwhelmed with sadness and is thereby moved to punish and reform itself, with all its members and its senses.

Observe, then, ye sons of the blessed God, and behold in Christ crucified the principal example of life, and from Him learn true perfection. Behold the Book of Life, namely, the life and death of Christ crucified, the Man of Sorrows ; through gazing upon His Passion and Cross the soul attaineth unto the knowledge of its sins, and through profound humility unto knowledge of the heart. The soul doth likewise behold and know the multitude of its sins, and how grievously it offendeth God in all its members. Also doth it behold above it the manifesta tion of divine mercy, that is to say, it perceiveth how Christ crucified did endure cruel pain in all the members of His body, because of the sins of each of our members. Thus by means of the Cross it may reflect how greatly and in what manner it hath offended God. Firstly, by the head : man doth wash, comb, and anoint his head, doing also divers other things to render himself pleasing unto men, and then he perceiveth how because of this his sin, Christ hath done penance in His own head and hath borne grievous pains. To make reparation for man's washing, combing, anointing, and twisting of his hair, Christ's most holy head was shorn of its hair, it was pierced by the crown of thorns, beaten with rods and made all bloody with His blood. In like manner the soul beholdeth the other members (as Christ Himself, as though unwittingly, in certain visions and sayings doth almost murmur and lament against us, counting over all the members), and not only doth it behold the multitude of sins committed by each member, but likewise the grievousness thereof.

Verily, when the soul meditateth upon the Cross the infinite grievousness of sin is made plainly manifest ; then doth it comprehend that its guilt could never have been wiped away, its offences forgiven and its punishment re mitted if Christ had not done such great penance for its misdeeds, which is a surpassing great matter to think upon. Moreover, the soul will read in this Book (more clearly than in any other book whatsoever) of divine justice and of how impossible it is for sin ever to remain unpunished.

WHEREIN THE SOUL MAY SEE HOW THAT THE DIVINE THE soul doth also perceive how God the Father willed that His Son should suffer the pains of death and the torments of the Cross rather than that the sins of the human race should remain unpunished. In this Book doth it see, moreover, how infinite was the goodness and pity of Christ ; He had such great compassion on us that, perceiving that neither we ourselves nor any other creature whatsoever could offer sufficient satisfaction for our sins, He did Himself offer satisfaction for us in order that we might not be left in damnation and torments eternal. Herein is seen the infinite will of God, and the infinite care and diligence which He used in saving us and bring ing us back unto the Father ; unto Him was it no great thing to cause the death of His Son, provided He could with justice give us eternal happiness and His most blessed joy and fellowship. Herein is seen, moreover, His in finite wisdom, how by ineffable and unthinkable means (namely, by that death suffered with infinite mercy), He was able to do good unto all creatures, to save and exalt them, without doing anything whatsoever contrary unto His own justice, or in any wise lessening His divinity. The seducer and murderer of our race had led us away from the straight path, but He, true God and true Man, overcame him upon the Cross and saved us.

Even whilst He was held to be dying and helpless, He did quicken all things and destroy death for us all, and through His torments and sufferings He prepared delights, joy, and glory for the whole world, and thereby procured for it glory everlasting. Through the agony of the Cross (which unto men seemed but foolish), He did confound all the wisdom of this world and make manifest the divine wisdom. These, and an infinitude of other things, albeit indescribable, are made manifest by the Cross unto whosoever will intelligently consider them with the help of God's grace.

In this Book the soul further beholdeth the infinite meekness of Christ, who, when He was slain, cursed not nor sought vengeance, but in return for the sin and great injury committed against Him, did promise eternal glory unto those same sinners who crucified Him. Upon the Cross doth the soul likewise behold the in finite humility of Christ, than which none can be greater, seeing that He, the King of Glory, suffered so vile and ignominious a death. It beholdeth how the torments of the Cross procured for us liberation and redemption from hell, the gaining of Paradise and reconciliation with the Father. They did likewise furnish us with an example and instruction in virtue and in steadfastness against enemies, and obtained for us the reward of ever lasting joy. And in this way alone can we wretched sinners be saved. Wherefore is it plain that we may read an infinity of things in this blessed Book, because verily it is the Book of Jesus Christ, the infallible Truth, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

OF PRAYER, OF THE WHICH THERE ARE THREE KINDS, FORASMUCH, therefore, as the knowledge of God uncreate and of Christ crucified is needful, and seeing that without it we cannot transform our minds in His love, it behoveth us to read diligently in that aforesaid Book of Life, that is to say, the life and death of Jesus Christ. And whereas this reading, or rather knowledge, cannot possibly be ac quired without devout, pure, humble, fervent, attentive, and constant prayer (not with the lips alone, but with the heart and mind and all the strength), something must be said of prayer, as well as of the Book of Life. It is through prayer and in prayer that we find God. There are divers kinds of prayer, but in these three kinds alone is God to be found. The first is corporal, the second mental, and the third supernatural. Corporal prayer is that which is always accompanied by the sound of words and by bodily exercises, such as kneel ing down, asking pardon, and bowing oneself. This kind do I continually perform ; and the reason thereof is, that, desiring to exercise myself in mental prayer, I was sometimes deceived and hindered therefrom by idleness and sleep, and did thus lose time. For this reason do I exercise myself in corporal prayer, and this corporal prayer leadeth me unto the mental. But this must be done very attentively. Therefore when thou sayest the Paternoster, thou must consider well that which thou sayest, and not repeat it in haste in order to say it a certain number of times, as do those vain women who perform good deeds for a reward.

Mental prayer is when the meditation of God filleth the mind so entirely that it thinketh on naught else save on God. But when some other reflection entereth into the mind it asketh not that it should be mental prayer because that prayer doth hinder the tongue from per forming its office and it cannot speak. So completely is the mind filled with God that it can concern itself with naught else, neither think of anything save of God. Hence from this mental prayer proceedeth the super natural. Supernatural prayer is that during which the soul is so exalted by this knowledge, or meditation, or fulness of God that it is uplifted above its own nature and understandeth more of God than it otherwise could naturally. And understanding, it knoweth ; but that which it knoweth it cannot explain, because all that it perceiveth and feeleth is above its own nature. In these three degrees of prayer, therefore, man learneth to know God and himself. And knowing Him, he loveth Him, and loving Him he.desireth to possess Him ; and this is the sign of love, for he who loveth not only a part of himself, but the whole, transformeth him self in the thing beloved.

But because this transformation endureth not for ever, the soul seeketh and examineth all other means whereby it may transform itself in its Beloved, in order that this union may be repeated. Wherefore must it be known that the divine wisdom hath ordered all things and given unto each its appointed place. For this reason hath the ineffable wisdom ordained that no man should attain unto mental prayer who hath not previously exercised himself in corporal prayer, neither doth it permit the super- natural to be vouchsafed unto any person who hath not first performed both corporal and mental prayer. This orderly wisdom doth further desire that the prayers set apart for certain hours should be offered at the hours appointed, as is seemly and due. Excepting only if we be so hindered by the great joy of mental or supernatural prayer that the tongue is absolved from performing its office, or if because of grievous infirmity we are not able. In such a case satisfaction may be offered, if possible, in mental quiet, with solitude and bodily solicitude, according as we are able. And God doth further desire that when we pray, we should do so with our whole attention.

HOW THE HEART MUST BE GIVEN WHOLLY UNTO PRAYER AND NOT UNTO OTHER EXERCISES WHEN we pray we must keep our whole hearts fixed thereon, for if our hearts be divided we lose the fruit of true prayer. In all other exercises that we perform, such as eating and drinking and other actions, it is not needful that we should be so single-minded, nor that we should perform them with our whole hearts and bodies. But these things do we only perform outwardly, whereas we must give our hearts wholly unto God if we desire to profit by the fruits of true prayer and not to lose them utterly. The reason wherefore we are tempted during prayer is because our hearts are not wholly given unto God. Pray, therefore, and pray often, because the more often thou prayest the more wilt thou be enlightened and the more deeply and clearly and nobly wilt thou perceive the supreme Good, and that which is supremely good, and the more deeply and excellently thou perceivest it the more wilt thou love it, and the more thou lovest it the more wilt thou delight in it and be able to comprehend it. Then wilt thou attain unto the fulness of light, and wilt thou know that which heretofore thou couldst not know.

An example of this most glorious prayer and of the doctrine and form thereof, and of how we should earnestly persevere in this same prayer, is given unto us in Jesus Christ, who hath taught us both by words and deeds to pray in divers ways. By words did He teach us when He said unto His disciples, " Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." And in like manner in many other parts of the Holy Gospel thou wilt find how He instructed us in this venerable act of prayer, the which, as He hath signified unto all, He holdeth most dear. Thus hath He many times admonished us upon this matter, as one who truly loveth us and desireth our good. x\nd no excuse remaineth unto us, for inasmuch as He said, " Ask and ye shall receive," the result of our prayer doth depend upon ourselves. He desireth also that we should pray unto Him in order that, moved and drawn thereto by His example, we may love this above all other things. The Gospel saith that when He did pray for a great while the sweat ran down upon the ground like unto drops of blood. Wherefore hold thou this example of prayer ever before thine eyes, and see that thou followest it closely, seeing that He prayed not for Himself, but for thee.

There was also that prayer of supplication when He said, " Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me ; nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done."

HOW THAT WE SHOULD SUBMIT OUR WILLS UNTO THE WILL OF GOD, AND HOW THAT PRAYER IS NECESSARY THOU seest, therefore, that when our Saviour Christ prayed, He did submit His will unto that of the Father. Do thou follow His example. Afterwards He prayed again when He said, " Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit." But wherefore should I repeat more things, seeing that His whole life was a prayer, in asmuch as He was continually engaged in making known io4 THE BLESSED ANGELA and manifesting both God and Himself. Shall we saythat Christ prayed in vain ? Then wherefore art thou neglectful, seeing that nothing is obtained without prayer ? Forasmuch as Christ, true God and Man, prayed not for Himself, but that thou mightest have an example of true prayer, it is needful that thou shouldst pray if thou desirest aught. For without prayer canst thou obtain nothing. If He who was actually God would accept nothing without having prayed and asked for it, how darest thou, miserable creature, hope to receive without supplication and prayer ? Now thou knowest well that without the divine light and grace none are saved ; through the divine light doth man start out and progress upon the right way. There fore if thou desirest this divine light thou must pray ; and if thou hast begun to make progress and desirest the light to be increased in thee, thou must pray ; and if thou hast attained unto the highest perfection and desirest to be yet more enlightened in order that thou mayest remain in that state, thou must pray. Pray, if thou desirest faith ; pray if thou desirest hope ; pray if thou desirest charity, or poverty, or obedience, or chastity ; pray if thou desirest any virtue whatsoever.

The way in which thou must pray is this : thou must read the Book of the Life of Christ Jesus, which life was poverty, suffering, contempt, and true obedience. When thou shalt be fully entered into this life and shalt have profited thereby, thou wilt be afflicted by many tribula- tions of the world, the flesh, and the devil. In many divers ways will they molest thee and horribly persecute thee, and if thou wilt overcome thou must pray. When thy soul desireth to pray it behoveth thee to be both mentally and bodily clean, and thou must bethink thyself well of all the evil and the good which thou hast done, examining the intention of thy good deeds, thy fastings, prayers, tears, and other things, and reflecting how that thou hast done but little of God's work, and even that little without reverence and faultily, and hast done evil with great diligence. Confess thy sins and acknowledge them readily, repenting of them abundantly. And through this confession of the heart and contrition of the soul thou wilt find cleanliness, and thus wilt thou pray like unto the publican and not like unto the Pharisee, and by prayer thou shalt be enlightened.

All who desire to receive the Holy Spirit must pray ; for on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended not upon the disciples save when they were at prayer.

THE GREATER THE TEMPTATION, THE GREATER MUST BE LIKEWISE THE PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER WATCH and pray, therefore, that thou givest no ad vantage unto the adversaries who continually surround io6 THE BLESSED ANGELA thee ; for when them ceasest to pray, thou givest place unto the enemy. Therefore, the more thou art tempted the more must thou persevere in prayer. Sometimes, however, prayer is the cause of thy being tempted, as when demons do endeavour to hinder it. But take no heed of aught save of prayer, so that thou mayest always be worthy of being freed from temptation. For through prayer art thou enlightened, through prayer art thou set free from temptation, through prayer art thou cleansed, and through prayer art thou united with God. Prayer is nothing else save the manifestation of God and of oneself, and this manifestation is perfect and true humilia tion, for humility consisteth in the soul, beholding God and itself as it should. Then is the soul in a state of deep humility, and the deeper the humility the greater is the divine grace which springeth therefrom and increaseth there. The more the divine grace humbleth the soul, the more quickly doth this same grace increase and spring afresh out of the depths of that humility. And the more the grace increaseth the more deeply doth the soul abase itself in true humility through the continuance of true prayer. Thus do grace and light divine grow ever within the soul, and the soul is ever prostrate in true humility, duly reading and meditating upon this Life of Christ.

Man's perfection consisteth in knowing the greatness of God and his own nothingness. But how he attaineth unto this through gazing upon that Book of Life hath already been said. Therefore, oh my son, cast away from thee all slothfulness and negligence. I certainly desire thee, oh my son, and do exhort thee, that thou watchest and prayest no less and dost no fewer good works when thou art deprived of the grace and fervour of devotion than in times when thou obtainest that grace of devotion. Verily it is pleasing unto God if, in the fervour of grace, thou dost pray and watch, labour and perform other good works. In all ways pleasing and acceptable unto God, oh my son, is thy sacrifice when, grace and fervour being with held from thee, thou dost watch and pray, and do good works no less than when thou didst enjoy grace. Where fore, my son, if the divine fervour and ardour doth sometimes constrain thee to watch, pray, and offer praise, do it with all thy might whilst the fire burneth within thee. When it so happeneth that God depriveth thee of warmth and fervour (whether because of thine own fault, as is most often the case, or whether for the augmenting and strengthening of grace in thee), thou must neverthe less watch, pray, and do good works as heretofore. And if temptation or tribulation (whereby the children of God are purged and punished) should fall upon thee and grace and fervour be withheld, do thou endeavour none the less to perform the aforesaid good works and strive that thou mayest overcome. Keep thyself in subjection

io8 THE BLESSED ANGELA by constant prayers, vigils, tears, and importunities, so that God in His mercy will at last give thee back thy warmth and fervour. Do thy part, for God will assuredly do His. Constant, ready, and insistent prayer is very acceptable unto God. Therefore do thou persevere in prayer, and concern not thyself with other occupations immediately when thou beginnest to feel more than commonly filled with God. And see that thou givest not thyself unto any occupation or thought before thou hast learnt to separate thyself from all others. Take heed likewise unto thy fervours and thy spirit, which rusheth forward eagerly before thou canst follow it. Inquire and see the be ginning, middle, and end of the road it would take, and thou shalt follow it only so far as it keepeth unto the way of the Book of Life. And take heed of those who say they have the spirit of liberty, for they do openly oppose the Book of the Life of Christ, the which is written according to the law, He being the founder of the law, who liveth for ever and ever. Amen.

OF THE HUMILITY AND EXAMPLE OF CHRIST THE CRUCIFIED VAIN is all prayer without humility ; for, after prayer, humility is the thing most needful unto man. Behold then, ye blessed sons of God, the example of humility furnished unto us in Christ crucified, and herein may ye see the form of all perfection. Behold His life and hearken unto His teaching, which was set forth not in words only but in actual works and fortified with marvellous virtues, and therefore endeavour with your whole minds and energy to follow in His steps. He who was in the form of God did abandon His own nature and take the form of a servant, humbling Himself and rendering obedience even unto death upon the Cross. Truly, He doth offer Himself unto us as an example of humility, ofttimes advising us to take heed unto ourselves, saying, " Learn of Me " (Quia mitis sum et bumilis corde, which is to say, " I am meek and lowly of heart "). Oh my sons, take heed now and see, and with wisdom reflect upon, the depth and profitableness of His teaching, the sublimity and worth of His instruction, whence it springeth and whereon it is founded. " Learn of Me," He saith, " and not of the angels or disciples, but of Me whose humility is all the greater because My majesty is more sublime." He asketh us not to learn fasting of Him, albeit He fasted forty days for an example unto us ; neither doth He ask us to reject the world and live in poverty, albeit He lived in poverty and bade His followers do likewise ; neither doth He ask us to learn of Him how He made the heavens, or performed miracles, or other similar things. This only saith He, " I am meek and lowly of heart," as though He would say, "If by

i io THE BLESSED ANGELA word and deed I have not shown you an example of humility, believe Me not." Yet another time did He set us an example of humility and bid us do likewise and obey Him. For after that He had washed the disciples' feet with His own hands, He said : " Know ye what I have done unto you ? If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." The Saviour of the world hath verily shown meekness and lowliness of heart to be the root and foundation of all virtue. Thus, neither abstinence nor the hardship of fasting, nor poverty, nor vileness of raiment, nor outward show of good works, nor the performing of miracles can avail aught without humility of heart. United with that, abstinence would be blessed and right, then would hardship and poorness of raiment be blessed, and living and stable would be the works builded upon this founda tion.

This lowliness of heart is mother of all the virtues, whence springeth even the exercising of these virtues, as the trunk and branches spring from the root. So precious is this virtue of humility and so firm its founda tion (upon which is built up the whole perfection of the spiritual life), that the Lord did especially desire that we should learn it direct of Him. And inasmuch as it is the root and the safeguard of all virtues, the Virgin Mary, forgetful of all the other virtues of body and soul which she possessed, did trust only in this one, affirming that God was made man of her expressly because of her lowliness of heart, saying, " For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." In this humility must ye build your foundations, oh my sons, and in all ways establish yourselves, in order that ye may show yourselves as members joined unto the Head by a natural unity and in Him find true peace, unto the which no soul can attain excepting it be founded in this humility, without which all those virtues whereby we strive after God are as nothing.

THIS lowliness of heart which Christ desired that we should learn of Him, oh my beloved, is a certain mar vellous and clear light which doth open and quicken the soul in knowing its own vileness and nothingness and the greatness of the divine goodness. The better a man perceiveth all this the more perfect will be his knowledge ii2 THE BLESSED ANGELA of himself. Therefore, perceiving and knowing himself to be nothing and empty of all good, he will more earnestly offer praise and prayer unto the majesty of the divine goodness which he seeth and comprehendeth through this humility, and here is virtue born in him through the grace sent him of God. The greatest and chief of all virtues is charity, which is love towards God and one's neighbour. And this love springeth from that light ; for when the soul perceiveth itself to be nothing, and God inclined towards such vile nothingness and abasing Himself and uniting Himself thereunto, it doth so violently burn with love for Him that through this burning love it is made one with God. And being thus transformed by love, what creature is there who would not love unto the utmost of his power ?

Verily the soul thus transformed through love of its Creator loveth all creatures created by Him according as is seemly ; for it perceiveth God in all His creatures, and beholdeth how greatly He loveth them. The soul rejoiceth thereat and at the good fortune of its neigh bour, and grieveth and lamenteth at his evil fortune ; and being kindly disposed it presumeth not to judge him or despise him when misfortune falleth upon him. For, illumined by the aforesaid light, it beholdeth itself and knoweth itself to be in a plight as bad or even worse than that which hath befallen its neighbour. And if the soul is not fallen, yet it knoweth that it had no power of itself to resist, but that it had been helped by the grace which upholdeth it and comforteth it against evil and temptation, or even removeth the temptation. Where fore it judgeth no man, but rather doth it humiliate itself the more ; for, seeing the defects of its neighbour, it looketh unto itself and perceiveth clearly that if it had not been upheld by God it would have fallen into those same evils even more easily than did its neighbour. And beholding the bodily ills suffered by its neighbour, by the strength of its love it feeleth them to be likewise its own and hath compassion on him, as saith the apostle, " Who is there that hath an infirmity and I have it not ? "

What I have said of love which hath its origin in the root of humility, may likewise be said of faith, of hope, and of all the virtues, which, according unto their several natures, are founded upon humility, and of which we will now speak one by one. Faith is born of humility, for knowing itself to be nothing, and lacking in all divine things, it believeth what is told unto it according unto our faith. Per ceiving through its humility, moreover, that it hath no power of itself and is not able by its own power to achieve aught, it putteth its hope in God. It is thus likewise with the other virtues, of the which ye can better think for yourselves, taught by divine obedience, than by seeing them put down in any writing whatsoever. I say unto you, therefore, that ye must lay firm hold of this virtue and see that it increase within you ; be cause unto him who is truly rooted in humility is given angelic conversation, pure, holy, and peaceful. Because, also, this precious virtue of humility rendereth the soul kindly unto all, welcome and loving, and especially unto the elect of God who have to be converted. These are given us for an example and a light, for through their meekness they are the more easily converted. And that man may enjoy inward peace let him not be disturbed by any adversity whatsoever, so that he say truly with the apostle, " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ ? " Quis separabit nos a charitate Chris ti ?

Oh my sons, cease not from searching until ye shall have found that foundation without which all works fall into ruin and none can make progress upon the way of God. This search is verily important and needful, in asmuch as without humility all other virtues are nothing worth. Hearken unto the desire of the eternal King, Jesus Christ, who hath so ardently prayed you that ye should learn this virtue of Him. Rest upon this founda tion and reflect upon your own vileness and nothingness. Hearken unto the wish of the eternal Truth and Wisdom, who concealeth the value of humility from the wise of this world and revealeth it unto babes, preaching it and showing it forth in examples. My desire after which I do hunger and thirst is that ye should plunge yourselves into the depths of the divine goodness, for if ye trust in the immensity thereof and have a knowledge of yourselves, ye will possess a solid foundation in humility. Then will ye not be so inclined to strife and contention, but ye will be rather as the deaf who hear not, and as the dumb who open not their mouths, and in consequence thereof ye will be true members of Christ, of whom the apostle saith that they enter not into strife or any contest of the flesh.

Of how many good things is this humility the cause ! Those who are filled with it are cairn, quiet, pleasing unto God and abounding in grace, and this are they be cause of their inward and outward peacefulness. When they hear any hard thing spoken against themselves or against some truth, they seek not to excuse themselves but only answer briefly and with a low voice, even unto those who do falsely accuse them, and they will confess their ignorance and be ready to give way rather than contend.

HOW HUMILITY DOTH CAUSE US TO SEE THE MULTI TUDE OF OUR SINS AND THAT AN HUMBLE LIFE DOTH WORK CONTRARY TO THEM THIS silence proceedeth from naught else save from that twofold overwhelming, namely, by the divine immensity and its own vileness ; and the soul is thus overwhelmed in the aforesaid light of humility. But, I pray ye, where is this humility ? Where is this vileness ? Where is this light ? Where is this silence, ii6 THE BLESSED ANGELA and by what may we attain unto these aforesaid things ? Of a certainty we may attain unto them by fervent, pure, constant, and earnest prayer and by reading the Book of the Life of Jesus Christ, that is, reflecting upon His life and death. And when the soul reflecteth upon His suffer ings, it is given unto it to know the multitude of its sins and how it hath offended God with all its members, and it humbleth itself in consequence, as hath already been said. Wherefore do I pray you that ye be always of one mind, that there be no divisions or sects amongst you, but that in your souls there be that which maketh all discord to agree under one will ; and this is lowliness. Lowliness regardeth not any sufficiency of knowledge or of common sense, but only inclineth the soul to perceive its faults and wretched ness, to make accusation and judgment against itself in order to convince itself of its own sins that it may en deavour to remedy them. Lowliness doth not hold itself to be superior to any, neither persuadeth any to think themselves superior to others ; it doth not make men im portant or contentious of speech, albeit its life offendeth all who are opposed unto this simplicity.

Therefore, oh my children, I do desire that your lives, your tongues silent in this lowliness of babes, and the zeal of your discreet compassion should be as a clear mirror unto the adversaries of this life. Oh my beloved, if I should hear it said of you that lowliness had made you to be of one heart and one mind, my soul would be at peace concerning you ! And of a certainty I perceive not how ye can be pleasing unto God if ye are not thus united. Forgive my presumption, oh my children, which hath impelled me to urge you unto the virtue of humility, for it is through zeal and because of your love that I have thus spoken. OF CHARITY, AND HOW THAT WE SHOULD FEAR OUR LOVE IS NOT OF THE TRUE KIND AND DOTH NOT CHARITY and the love of God is the greatest of all virtues ; without it prayer is of no account, neither pleasing unto God, and all the other virtues are without profit whatso ever. That ye may believe this is true, hearken unto the Book of the Life of Jesus Christ, which saith, " If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way and first be reconciled to thy brother." For the gift of prayer is nothing worth if it be not offered in the bonds of charity. Moreover, when in the Lord's prayer we are taught to ask for the re mission of our sins, " Forgive us our trespasses as we for give them that trespass against us," it meaneth that our debts will be forgiven us in prayer according as we have forgiven our brothers the injuries and offences they com-

ii8 THE BLESSED ANGELA mitted against us, and if we forgive them we shall attain unto the state of charity in unity. Know ye, my children, that like as love containeth all worth and goodness, so hate containeth all unworthiness, sin, and evil. Wherefore, my dear children, there is nothing in this world, neither man nor devil nor any other thing, which I do fear as greatly as I fear love. For love penetrateth the soul more than any other thing, neither is there anything which doth so fill the mind and the whole heart as doth love ; so that if the soul hath not the arms wherewith to protect itself, it may easily fall into evil and suffer great ruin. I am not speaking here of wrongful love, the which must be eschewed by all and shunned as a thing perilous and diabolical, but I am speaking of good and spiritual love, such as existeth be twixt God and the soul, or betwixt one neighbour and another. That this is true is plainly proved. For if the love which the soul beareth unto God be not armed with great wisdom and discretion, but moveth with undue fervour, then doth it either presently cease, or it is deceived, or it tendeth unto some unseemly end. For things wherein is no order are neither good nor healthful ; and for this reason are there many persons who believe they are filled with the love of God, whereas they are filled with hatred of Him and do love instead the world, the flesh, and the devil.

When, therefore, any man loveth God because He can save him from bodily infirmities and tribulations and from temporal perils, he loveth himself and God in a manner unbefitting, placing himself before God, who should be loved before all other things. One man loveth everything for himself and thus maketh a god of himself and his own heart, not loving God save for his own sake. Another loveth all worldly things for himself and for the profit of himself and his body ; he loveth his kindred for his own profit and for the honour which they do him. He loveth men, and saintly and spiritual persons in order that he may cover himself with the mantle of their holiness, albeit He loveth them not for their goodness. Verily, such love is not pure, because the fruit thereof is the delighting of the flesh and the body, with all manner of vice and concupiscence. Others are there who love bodily attainments and talents, and would know how to read and sing for the pleasure of others. They delight, moreover, in great and profound learning, in order that in argument they may overcome learnedly and with much reasoning ; yet not out of charity, but that they may with pride correct others and be exalted in their eyes. There are also some who believe they love God, and who do love Him, but with a feeble and imperfect love. These love God in order that He may forgive them their trespasses and liberate them from hell and give them the glory of Paradise, and not because of His goodness. Others love God for the sake of having divine consolation and sweetness, spiritual thoughts, and delights. Others

love Him in order that He may love them. Some love their kindred and friends from a desire that they should be spiritual and good, that they may not be ashamed because of them, but may derive profit and honour. Some love God in order that He may give them under standing, knowledge, and intelligence of books, and that they may be able to speak spiritually, yet not for the honour and profit of others, but that they themselves may be more loved and honoured. They love to be spiritual that they may be esteemed spiritual and be be loved of the spiritually minded, but it is for their own spiritual honour and profit that they do this. They love to be poor, patient, obedient, and outwardly humble and virtuous, in order that they may appear more virtuous than other persons, desiring that none may seem better than themselves, or even approach unto their perfection. And inasmuch as they desire to have none equal unto them, they are in this matter like unto Lucifer, who desired that no creature should be equal unto him. Others there are who desire that their fame should be noised abroad in order that they may be commended as saints alike by good and evil persons. They do praise both those who are spiritual and those who are not, in order that they may not be accused of judging boldly.

Some do love the devout persons who come unto them with a spiritual and perfect love, wholly loving them in God. Nevertheless, this love doth sometimes increase too greatly, and if it be not armed with the weapons of discretion it turneth unto evil. Sometimes it becometh carnal love and unprofitable ; then is it very hurtful for them to converse together and they do uselessly lose their time, inasmuch as their hearts are united in an unseemly bond. This love increaseth and ever desireth the pre sence of the beloved, and falleth sick if it hath it not. And if the beloved is there, the love groweth too great and the lover becometh one with the beloved, so that what pleaseth one pleaseth likewise the other, and what displeaseth one displeaseth the other. Therefore, if the soul be not so fortified that it can control the ardour of this love, which ever increaseth and hath not perfect order or discretion, it must needs fall at last into disorder. And if when this disorder cometh about, the beloved hath not the aforesaid weapons for protection, and is likewise wounded by the sword of love, then is it very much more dangerous, because they do then begin to dis close their secrets one unto the other. Amongst other things, they disclose how greatly they love each other, saying one unto the other, " There is no person in all the world whom I so greatly love, nor whom I do bear so entirely in mine heart." These and many other things do they say, because they must needs speak of that which they feel.

Thus they still desire to love each other for devotion's sake and for the spiritual profit which they believe they do obtain from such love, but they are in peril of being tempted unto unlawful things which might be occasioned by their love. At first, reason doth dissuade them therefrom, for as yet it hath not been entirely overcome by love ; but love groweth and reason beginneth to be obscured and the spirit is weakened and commenceth to believe that it is no sin and in no wise hurtful unto the soul to touch the thing beloved. Wherefore doth it permit this, and so doth it begin to do wrong and to fall from the state of perfection little by little, as reason is obscured by love. And according as it sinketh it be ginneth to esteem as naught those things which are dangerous, and to say, " This may we do, for we mean no evil and it is not a great sin." So gradually these things come to be considered lawful, and, the love increasing more and more, one submitteth entirely unto the will of the other, each doing what the other desireth and not opposing any reason to the contrary. Hence it followeth that the lover obtaineth all his desire, and because of the aforesaid disorder he cannot refuse if he be invited unto evil-doing ; and if he be not invited then doth he invite, knowing that it is pleasing unto the beloved.

Then do they refrain from prayer, from abstinence, from solitude, and from all the other virtues which they did formerly practice, imitating divine love in this most miserable worldly love. And sometimes this love increaseth to such a degree that neither the words nor the presence of the beloved do give the satisfaction they did at first. But loving more ardently, each desireth to know if the beloved be wounded by the sword of love as deeply as is the lover, and then it is that they fall into peril. Then are they confident and sure one of the other, and because they are satisfied neither with words nor with presence, both lover and beloved are inclined unto all evil. For this reason do I say that I fear love more than all things, for herein are all evils committed. Wherefore take ye heed thereof, as of a serpent. Because of evil love, therefore, do I fear good love betwixt one person and another, for good love oft turneth into evil in the aforesaid manner.

THE SOUL IS UNITED WITH GOD IN THREE SEVERAL TO CONTROL THE LOVE OF GOD AND OF ITS IF the love of God be not directed with discretion and protected by its weapons, it turneth unto evil. The weapons wherewith the good love of God and one's neighbour may be controlled are given unto man in the transformation of the soul. Now this transformation is a threefold one : some times the soul is transformed in the will of God, some times with God, and sometimes within God and God within it. i24 THE BLESSED ANGELA The first transformation is when the soul useth all its endeavour to imitate the life of Christ crucified, for herein is made manifest the will of God Himself. The second is when the soul is united unto God and loveth God ; not only because it so willeth, but because it hath great knowledge and joy of God, the which, how ever, it is able to explain and set forth in words. The third is when the soul is so entirely made one with God and God with it, that it knoweth and enjoyeth with God the most high things, the which cannot possibly be set forth in words, nor imagined save by him who feeleth them.

Therefore, the first doth not control the love of lovers as perfectly as it should (albeit it hath much control), because it can still be deceived. The second, if it be very alert, is sufficient to control love. But the third is supreme in the ruling of love, because this third, together with the second, is perfectly instilled into the soul and is given unto it by grace. And this third and the second (albeit not perfect), do nevertheless produce certain wisdom by means of which the soul is enabled to control both the love of God and of the soul. For the know ledge and the sweetness and the fervour which came of the grace of God do so rule the soul and fill it with this wisdom that love endureth and doth continue as it began, and doth not show itself forth as an example with laughter and dancing or other like gestures. In like manner doth it behave wisely and soberly in the love of neighbour or penitent, showing when and how we must condescend unto our neighbour and when not. It is assuredly in its union with God that the soul doth acquire the aforesaid knowledge with a certain maturity and gravity of wisdom, with fair discretion and enlighten ment, so that with these things the soul is enabled so to control the love of God and its neighbour, that it can neither be deceived nor can it fall.

Whosoever doth not feel himself to be filled with this wisdom should never unite himself in cordial and singular love with any person whatsoever, however much he might do it for God's sake, and with good intentions of avoiding those perils which do proceed from such love. Neither should any man ally himself with any one for love's sake, unless he hath first learnt those things whereby he is enabled to separate himself easily from any person when ever he shall choose.

IN order to understand how the aforesaid wisdom ruleth the love of God, ye must know that love hath various properties. Firstly, it maketh tender ; secondly, it maketh sick ; and thirdly, it maketh strong. When the soul feeleth divine love it crieth aloud and maketh a noise like unto a stone which is placed in a furnace to be turned into lime. If the stone be touched by the fire it cracketh noisily, but if it be baked it maketh no noise. Thus the soul doth in the beginning seek divine consolation, but when it hath been overwhelmed thereby, it groweth weak and crieth out against God, lamenting and saying, " Lord, why hast Thou sent this weakness upon me ? " Great audacity, however, is born of that assurance which the soul hath of God. It knoweth of a certainty that God loveth it deeply and doth sometimes favour it by giving it marvellous and ineffable consolations ; but these must not be demanded with importunity. Never theless, if God giveth them they are not to be refused, for they draw the soul nigh unto the beloved, they are its food, they do cure its weariness, and through them is it uplifted and drawn unto seeking, loving, and being united with its beloved.

In this state is the soul contented with consolations, but through the deprivation thereof doth love increase and begin to seek for the beloved. And when it findeth him not it falleth sick and is no more contented with consolations, because it seeketh its beloved alone. And the more consolation, knowledge, and other such things that it hath, the more doth love increase, and the more sick and weary doth it become if it be not in the presence of its beloved. But when the soul is united and placed in the seat of truth, which truth is the seat of the soul, it crieth no more, neither doth it murmur against God ; it groweth no more weak, nor falleth sick, but is filled with marvellous wisdom and ripeness and becometh stable and orderly, and is so strengthened that for love of its beloved would it go even unto death, inasmuch as it possesseth in abun dance the qualities needful for that union. And God Himself maketh the soul to grow, in order that it may hold all that which He desireth to put into it. And the soul beholdeth this thing, and perceiveth that all other things are as nothing if they come not from this.

Then the soul esteemeth as nothing all that it had been heretofore in comparison with what it is now ; it regardeth not anything created, it careth neither for death nor infirmity, neither for honour nor disgrace, and so peaceful and full of comfort is it that nothing can rouse it ; it hath lost all desire and it cannot work, for when it seeth the aforesaid visions it can do nothing whatever. Thus it appeareth that God doeth all things according to His wisdom and in an orderly and seemly manner ; for we fall not sick even when He is absent, and thus do we conform unto His will. Although He be absent we seek Him not, but are satisfied with what He hath ordained and trust wholly in Him. But when these visions are withdrawn from the soul (because none are allowed in this present life to continue therein), there is given and doth remain unto it a new and ardent desire to perform without trouble the works of penitence more vigorously than heretofore, and assuredly this state is more sublime than was the other. And the love now kindled is perfect and causeth the loving soul to imitate its Beloved, Christ crucified, whose sufferings did endure all the time that He lived this mortal life. Thus He began, continued, and ended ; He was ever upon the Cross of poverty, grief, contempt, and obedience, and all the other hard deeds of penitence. Whosoever loveth another perfectly useth all his en deavour to make himself one with that person, following his example and doing those things which please him. Likewise whosoever loveth Jesus, God and Man, will endeavour to transform himself in Him, following His example and doing that which he believeth will please Him, and in his manner of life seeking to be as like unto Him as possible.

THE more perfect a man is and the more he loveth God, the more doth he strive to do these things which God did, which He desireth, commandeth, and counselleth should be done, and to avoid those things which displease Him. And he must do this all the days of his life, for when the Man of Sorrows lived this mortal life He was ever upon a bitter cross of penitence. The length of time, therefore, ordained for penance, is as long as a man shall live. The amount and severity thereof must be according as a man can with discretion perform. And this is unity with the will of God, a unity which He hath ordained should not be only in words, but in doing the works of the Cross and of penitence, such as Christ Him self performed. When the soul is transformed in God and is in God, and hath that perfect union and fulness of vision, it is quiet and worketh nothing whatsoever. But when it cometh again to itself it striveth to transform itself in the will of God in order that it may behold again that vision wherewith it directeth the love of God and of its neighbour as though with arms. For herein doth the soul behold the Being of God, and how all creatures have their being from that Supreme Being, and it perceiveth that there existeth nothing which doth not derive its being from that same Supreme Being.

From this vision doth the soul, thus instructed, draw marvellous learning, ineffable wisdom, and ripe gravity, and from this vision it draweth likewise the true know ledge of the perfection of all things appertaining unto that Supreme Being ; and it cannot doubt it, for it per ceiveth how that all things made by Him are well made. Bad are they only when we ourselves destroy what the Supreme Being hath made well. This vision of the Supreme Being awakeneth a love corresponding unto itself. The Supreme Being inciteth us to love everything which hath its being from Him, all good things and well made things, and teacheth us to love all creatures, rational and irrational, for love of Him ; and everything, whatsoever it may be, which hath its being from Him and which He loveth, doth He incite us also to love. Especially doth He teach us to love those creatures in which we perceive He taketh an especial delight ; for when the soul findeth that Supreme Being yearneth in love towards His creatures, then will it also yearn towards them. The sign manifest of those who stand in the friendship of the Supreme Being is, that they are true followers of His only Son, that they keep the eyes of their mind ever fixed upon Him, ready to love and follow Him, and in all things to transform themselves in the will of the Beloved, namely, the only begotten Son of the Supreme Being.

VISION OF THE SUPREME BEING DOTH MAKE US TO THUS the love created and excited by the vision of the Supreme Being maketh us to know and love Him, to know and love His creatures according unto their conditions, and more or less according unto the inclination of the Supreme Being, for in no wise may it overstep the bounds of His will. Yet everything that is love is to be feared unless this love is given unto the soul by the Supreme God ; but when God sendeth the vision of the Supreme Being, together with love due and sufficient unto Him, then is it safe, and even though it have other visions and revelations it doth not change. Moreover, those who have had this ineffable vision of God are not only able to resist the sword of every un lawful love, but this close thinking upon God sufficeth to cast out the wickedness of every other kind of love. The aforesaid vision of the Being uncreate doth not only bestow love uncreate, but it leaveth within the soul a love uncreate which preventeth the soul from working, inasmuch as it is wholly absorbed by the vision ; but that which worketh is the love uncreate. It should be supposed that when this vision is given unto the soul, the soul worketh and desireth to be united as closely as possible with the Supreme Being ; but then the love uncreate worketh within the soul and persuadeth it to forsake all creatures that it may be more closely united with itself. Wherefore doth this love uncreate do the works of the other love. The principle of such a love is to illuminate, and to awaken fresh desire. And, verily, the new love is the stronger, and for this the soul worketh nothing. But the love uncreate is the one which worketh

all the good which we perform, whilst the evil which we do cometh of ourselves. All goodness cometh from love uncreate, not from ourselves. And this is true humility and undoing of ourselves, that we should verily realise that we ourselves can work no good thing ; and whosoever feeleth this hath the spirit of truth.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS NEVER IDLE, AND PERSUADETH US TO DO PENANCE AS LONG AS LIFE AND AS HARSH ; IT TELLETH US TO DO IT AS OFTEN AS IS CONVENIENT, AND DOTH PERFORM MANY OTHER PROFITABLE THINGS THE love of God is never idle, for it constraineth us to follow in the way of the Cross. And the sign of the working of true love is that it suggesteth unto the soul the way of the Cross, and maketh it to do penance long and hard as life itself, the which it must bear as it con veniently can. This true love hath no smile upon its lips ; it behaveth not unseemly in eating and drinking, nor doth it exhibit any vain joyfulness or say, " I am under no law," but it is always subject unto the law ; and where there is none, then doth it make one for itself. When love shall have followed the way of the Cross and shall have done penance unto the utmost of its power, it will perceive itself to be unprofitable and not working according to the truth ; and it will know God to be all love and itself all hatefulness. Having attained unto such knowledge, it is needful that it do bodily penance ; and whether it be easy or difficult for man to do this, it is all ordained by the love uncreate for the good of the soul.

Be ye not troubled, therefore, by the workings of penitence, for it is God who worketh within you. And in order to induce your will to consent to God working within you, your Master is come to do penance for you and to give you an example thereof, for all the days of His life did He live in most bitter penance. And those who have been exalted unto the vision of the Uncreate and of the Being of God do rest in the Cross and in virtuous works, and with a new and burning love are they inspired, the which doth incite them unto good works. But those in whom is not this spirit of truth do make idols of good works, attributing unto themselves the glory.

THE WAY TO FIND THE LOVE OF GOD IS BY CON STANT, UNTIRING, DEVOUT AND ARDENT PRAYER, AND THE READING OF THE BOOK OF LIFE THE way unto this love is by constant, assiduous, devout and ardent prayer, and the reading of the Book of Life, of which much hath already been said, and whence we obtain that knowledge of God which it is needful for us to have if we would also have His love, as hath already been set forth. Oh my beloved, take comfort, and see that we love God and wholly transform ourselves in Him ; for this Christ, God uncreate, God incarnate, is all love, and therefore loveth all and desireth to be wholly loved. Wherefore doth He desire that His children should be wholly trans formed in Him through love. I pray you, oh ye spiritual children, chosen through love, ye who live in the grace and charity of the good and perfect God, I pray you transform yourselves with the perfection of love. True is it that we are all sons of God by creation, but His elect spiritual children are they in whom the God of love hath planted His love and in whom He delighteth, because He findeth His own like ness in them, which likeness in the soul of each one of the sons of God is formed there solely through the grace of God and the perfect love divine. And perfect is he who hath already transformed his manners and life in the likeness of the life of Christ, who lived in this world poor and despised and full of suffering.

God, therefore, whose nature is noble, desireth to possess the whole heart of His son and not only a part thereof, and He desireth it immediately, and without companionship or hindrance or anything contrary what soever. But He is so merciful unto the soul that if it giveth Him its whole heart He accepteth it willingly, and if it giveth Him only a part He accepteth also the part, albeit His perfect love longeth naturally for the whole and not only a part. We know that the bridegroom who loveth his bride cannot endure that she should have any other companion either openly or in secret. In like manner cannot God endure it. But well do I know that if any person were to understand and taste of that divine love of God who was made man and crucified for us and who is the Supreme Good, he would give himself wholly unto Him, he would take himself away not only from other creatures, but also from his own self, and would love this loving God with his whole heart, and transform himself entirely in God, the Supreme Love. Wherefore, if the soul desireth to attain unto this per fection of perfect love, which giveth itself wholly and doth not serve God for sake of the reward which it hopeth to receive from Him, or because of the future life, but giveth itself unto God and serveth Him for His own sake, who is essentially good in Himself and worthy of being loved for Himself, then the soul must enter by the straight way and must walk thereon with the feet of pure love, upright, fervent, and orderly.

But the first step to be taken by the soul who entereth upon this straight way and desireth to draw nigh unto God is to learn to know God in very truth, and not only outwardly, as though by the colour of the writing (as hath been already said). For as we know so do we love ; therefore if we know but little and darkly, if we do reflect and meditate upon Him only superficially and fleetingly, we shall in consequence love Him but little, as hath been said afore.

THERE are three properties peculiar unto lovers of which it is needful to know. Likewise certain signs of love, whereby each may know whether he be a true lover or not. The first property is to be truly transformed in the will of the Beloved. To me it seemeth that His will is His life, which He showeth forth in His own self ; herein doth He show us poverty, suffering, and contempt, which we must all experience indeed, and when the soul is strengthened and practised in these things neither vice nor temptation can enter into it. The second property is to be transformed in the properties of the Beloved, of which I will at present mention three only. The first is love ; that is, to love all creatures according as is seemly. The second is to be humble and gentle. The third (which is given by God unto His lawful children) is steadfastness ; for the nearer the soul is unto God, the less doth it change in its own self. We are ashamed when we are moved by anything vile, and herein know we our great wretchedness. The third property is to be wholly transformed in God, and then we are beyond all temptation. Then do we no longer live in ourselves, but in Him ; but when we fall back again into our misery we do beware of all creatures and of our own selves.

I pray you, keep control over yourselves and give not yourselves unto any creature, neither lend yourselves unto aught whatsoever ; but give yourselves wholly unto Him who saith, " Thou shalt love the Lord with all thine heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all the strength that thou hast." Of the Signs of Love. These are the signs of love. The first sign of true love is that the lover submitteth his own will unto the will of the beloved. The second is that he forsaketh all other friendship which might be contrary unto his love. He likewise for saketh father and mother, brother and sister, and all other affection which is contrary unto the will of the beloved. The third is, that there is nothing hidden in one which is not revealed unto the other ; and this (according unto my thinking) is the sum and complement of all the other signs and workings of love. The fourth and last is, that the lover doth strive to make himself like unto the beloved. If the beloved be poor, he striveth to be poor ; if the beloved be reputed vile, then he seeketh to be vile also ; if the beloved be in grief, he seeketh to be a sharer of that woe, in order that the condition of one may be like unto that of the other.

Of a truth I do hold that true and perfect love cannot exist betwixt rich and poor, honourable and vile, sorrowful and joyous, because these conditions are widely different one from another, and there can be no perfect love be twixt them because one doth not share the condition of the other. Love is a true virtue, which not only maketh things like unto each other but also uniteth them, and it always leadeth the soul unto its like and not unto its opposite. Of a certainty did Jesus Christ, the Eternal Love, possess all these signs. He submitted His will unto man's will, and even unto death was He obedient unto those who slew Him, albeit He could have overthrown them by only raising His hand. Moreover He forsook all friendship, His kindred and His mother and His own flesh and blood for man's sake, leaving them and going to. His death upon the Cross. He did also reveal unto us His secrets, saying, " I have not called you servants," &c. Moreover, He desired to make Himself like unto man, taking upon Himself true humanity and mortality, be coming like unto man in all things, saving only sin.

Therefore ought we also to do all these things for His sake ; otherwise love goeth halting upon our side, and doth great wrong unto that passionate Lover. Where fore let us make ourselves like unto Him in all things (in which He made Himself like unto our wretchedness), doing penance in that poverty, contempt, pain, and con trition of heart in which He always lived. Of a truth, if one person alone were to perform all the acts of penance which are performed by all the men in the world, they would not suffice to repay the smallest drop of sweat which Christ shed for us, nor would they be enough to merit the least of the joys of Paradise promised unto us, nor to give satisfaction for the least of the mortal sins by us committed, nor yet to repay God for our creation.

HIS PENANCE AS SECRETLY AS POSSIBLE AND IN A EACH person should endeavour to do his penance as secretly as possible ; and if he cannot do this, then should he desire to do it, and he must do his penance in public and endeavour not to be observed. If we neglected good works for this reason we should seem lukewarm and fearful, and we ought to neglect them in no wise whatso ever. In these matters have we our Master's example, for He did many things which were never written down nor noised abroad. Moreover, for our sake He did many things in public, nor did He cease from doing good even though He was seen of men. And although we may find it hard to do penance (which, however, seemeth unto me to be necessary), let us at least make a virtue of necessity and bear patiently and willingly those tribulations which are sent us of God. There is no doubt that when men are troubled out wardly and inwardly, it is a sign that they are loved of the Beloved. Those things which God the Father loved and chose and gave unto His only dearly beloved Son, doth this only Son choose and give unto His dear children. God the Father chose for His Son poverty, contempt, and suffering, persecutions and afflictions, these things out wardly and inwardly did the Son of God endure — weariness, fear, anxiety, and agony, and other things so innumerable that tongue cannot tell nor heart imagine them.

Let us study, then, how to bear worldly tribulations with patience, yea, even with cheerfulness, because herein lieth the sign that the Beloved delighteth in us and hath chosen us and will give us the pledge of His inheritance. When ye suffer, think only upon the sufferings of the Man of Sorrows, and all your own griefs will be healed.

OF THREE BENEFITS DERIVED FROM THE MOST HOLY TRIBULATION FROM this most holy tribulation proceed three things unknown unto us. Firstly, it converteth us unto God ; and, being con verted, it draweth us more nigh unto Him. Secondly, it maketh us to grow ; just as good earth, well prepared, putteth forth shoots and beareth fruit when the rain falleth upon it, so doth the soul grow in virtue when tribulation cometh upon it. Thirdly, it giveth peace, comfort, rest, and calm. This most holy tribulation is exceeding profitable for us ; wherefore let us not avoid it nor hold it in horror. For of a certainty and with all mine heart say I unto you, that our noblest advocates and truest witnesses, those who will be most readily believed in the presence of God, are precisely these holy and precious tribulations, whose worth we know not ; for with them do we purchase the kingdom of heaven, and the joys of eternity are obtained through poverty, tears, suffering, and persecution. And I do firmly believe that nothing doth so help to wards the leading of a good life as do these tribulations ; wherefore do I feel an holy envy of all who are troubled. It is certain, oh my sons, that if the worth and profit of

tribulation were known, there would be great strife and thieving of trouble, and each would forcibly take away from the other the causes of tribulation, which proceeding would greatly grieve Him who is the light of tribulation. May His true consolation comfort us neath the burden of tribulation, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

I HOLD that the tribulations which lie in poverty, con tempt, and suffering are very profitable for us and meet for our endurance. The reason thereof is this : it is needful that man should know himself and God. Now the knowledge of God pre-supposeth a knowledge of self, and therefore man must consider and diligently observe Him who is offended and who it is who giveth offence. Through this consideration is granted grace upon grace, light upon light, and vision upon vision, and hereby cometh he unto a more ample knowledge of God. The better he knoweth the more doth he love, the more he loveth the more powerfully doth he work, and this work is the sign and measure of love. For herein is it shown if the love be pure, true, and upright, that is to say, if he loveth and worketh with due effect and endureth those three things which Christ who loved him did endure and practise all the days of His life. Therefore, he who loveth Christ must love and practise those things ; for inasmuch as He who was all wisdom did choose them for Himself, He did thereby show them to be meet for us.

OF THE MOST SWEET GIFTS OF GOD, POVERTY, CONTEMPT, AND SUFFERING ; AND OF OTHER PERFECTIONS THESE are the sweet gifts of God, and whosoever doth fully obtain them may know himself to be perfected and consummated in the most sweet God, Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ to be perfected in him through transforma tion. And the more perfect man is in these things, the more wholly will he be transformed in Jesus Christ. The first is the love of poverty, whereby the soul putteth away from itself the love of every creature ; for it desireth not the possession of any save of the Lord Jesus Christ, it trusteth not in the help of any creature whatsoever in this life ; and thus doth love of Him not only reign alone in the heart, but is also shown forth in the works. The second is the desire to be despised, scorned, and hated of every creature, and the wish that every creature should esteem the soul worthy of disgrace, so that none should have compassion on it. It should desire likewise to be cherished in the heart of none save of God alone, and by Him alone to be held in good repute.

The third is the desire to feel all the sufferings, burdens, and griefs borne by the heart and body of the most sweet Jesus Christ and His tender mother, and that all creatures should inflict upon the soul those same unending woes. And if it feeleth not able to desire these three things, it may know itself to be very far removed from the likeness of Christ. For these three things were with Him in all places, at all times, and in all His deeds, and likewise with His mother, that is to say, they did bear the utmost poverty, suffering, and contempt. The fourth is that each person should deem himself unworthy of so much good ; that he should know that he could never have these things of his own self ; and the more abundantly he hath them, the more must he deem himself to lack them, for whoso thinketh to possess the thing beloved doth thereby lose the Beloved Himself. Wherefore must we never deem ourselves to have attained unto it, but must ever consider that we are beginning anew, that we have as yet achieved nothing and have obtained none of these things. The fifth is, that the soul should strive constantly to reflect how these things were always in the Lord Jesus Christ, ever imploring God with fervent prayers that He would clothe its heart anew and give it these companions,

and asking naught else ; that it should find all its joy in this life in the perfect transformation of all these things and strive ever to rise unto the thought of how the heart of the most sweet Jesus was full thereof, yea, running over and infinitely more full than He did show forth in His body. The sixth is, that it must flee as though from a pesti lence from all who hinder it from attaining unto these things, whether it be a carnal or spiritual person, and all the things of this world which it holdeth to be unlike or contrary unto that good thing must it hold in horror and flee from them as from a serpent. The seventh is, that it pronounce no judgment upon any other creature whatsoever, nor seek to judge others, as saith the Gospel, it must esteem itself more vile than all others (howsoever evil they may be), and unworthy of the grace of God. It must know, moreover, that whoso ever striveth to possess these three things in this present life and mortal struggle will possess God in fulness here after. Thus is the soul wholly united with God by trans formation. God doth give us of His transformation in this life in order that we may share His humility, poverty, and pain. For the soul should desire no other consola tions in this life, not even spiritual ones, save perchance for the healing of its infirmity. But it should desire only the perfect crucifixion of Christ, the Poor, the Suffering, and Despised,

OF THE MANY SIGNS AND EFFECTS OF LOVE WHICH ARE CAUSED BY THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST I COME now unto the Sacrament of love and grace which is called the Eucharist, and hereof will I say something more than what hath already been said. This Sacrament hath to arouse devout prayer in us and make that the power thereof worketh for good in us. It doth likewise grant us deep humility of heart and moveth us with the desire for true love and charity. And I doubt not, but am very certain, that no soul who beholdeth and contemplateth this holy Sacrament could not be so insensible unto love that it would not be instantly filled with it, reflecting how greatly it had been loved in this Sacrament. Verily, it seemeth unto me that this Sacrament, this holy Mystery, must be considered with great diligence by those who desire to celebrate and receive this sacrifice ; the soul must not pass hastily over this meditation, but must dwell upon it carefully and earnestly. And albeit the things which may be said of this Sacrament cannot be expounded or set forth, methinketh they can be re duced unto seven points, or meditations, the which should be considered one by one.

Firstly, this holy Mystery is new and above all things marvellous, and far beyond our understanding. Albeit this Mystery was shown of old, as is set down in the Holv Scriptures, and is ancient as regardeth its form, it is never theless new as regardeth the exhibition of the Sacrament whereby the creature receiveth grace and new strength. For well do we know, and by faith do we hold without any doubt, that at the holy words ordained and first spoken by Christ Himself, and which He commanded should be likewise spoken by the priest, His minister, the bread and wine do through infinite divine power sub stantially become Christ. Therefore doth this substance of bread and wine by transubstantiation become the body of Christ, and Christ, God and Man, entereth by consecration into that Mystery. The colour, taste, virtue, shape, and all the qualities of that same bread and wine do still remain ; yet not in Christ, but through the divine power over their own natures. For the colour is in itself, and the taste and shape and other qualities are all in themselves. Wherefore, in very truth, this new thing is very great which the divine wisdom worketh of its supreme charity, infinite power, and great goodness, which the Creator doth work in His creatures, and there are, moreover, many other special new things, which the body and blood of Christ work in His friends and His elect. But let no man marvel thereat, nor at other things which are done in the Sacrament, for he must remember the power of Him who doeth them. Neither let him marvel how the

Sacrament can be upon many altars at the same time, upon this side of the sea and upon that, and here and also in other places. For He saith : " Ye understand Me not, and this have I done without you and have worked without you, and unto Me is nothing impossible. I am He who made you what ye are, but now for your own good can ye not understand. If I had desired, I could have made you strong to understand, but this have I done in order that by your faith ye may be deserving ; for there would have been no merit therein if ye had seen clearly wherefore it was done. Believe, therefore, and doubt not." Secondly, this Sacrament is above all things gracious and kindleth love. For that which moveth Him who ordained this most holy Sacrament was the greatest of all things, and not less was the profit which should pro ceed therefrom. I know not what name I should give it, save that of immeasurable love, because of His bound less love did He institute this Sacrament. Because of His great love towards us did He enter into the Sacrament and will abide therein until the end of the world. This He did not only in memory of His death, which is our salvation, but that He might ever and always remain nigh unto us. And whosoever will enter into this deep Mystery must needs have good eyes. Christ knew at His last supper that He must presently depart bodily ; wherefore, overcome by the love which always uniteth the lover and the beloved, He did institute this Sacra-

ment in order that He might always be bodily united with us. Oh, burning and unquenchable love ! Such was and is the love which He bare unto us ! For albeit He had death before His eyes and foresaw most horrible suffer ing, yet nevertheless He gave Himself for those same sinners who persecuted Him, in order that He might be with us at least in this Sacrament, the joy whereof lieth in being united with the Son of Man. What soul is there so cruel, who, profoundly and earnestly reflecting on that love, would not feel moved to return the love of such a Lover, who never forgot us either in life or in death, but did wholly give Himself that He might be ever united with us in love. Verily there is no soul, who, thinking well upon this, would not be wholly transformed in love. Thirdly, this Sacrament is above all things com passionate and induceth unto compassion and suffering, because He endured mortal and unspeakable suffering. When Christ ordained this most holy Sacrament He was on the point of separation from His beloved disciples and from the Virgin, His most dear mother. He knew and saw before Him all those whom He must forsake ; He saw the traitor and that other who denied Him, unto whom He gave His body and His whole self ; He knew that most bitter sufferings were about to fall upon Him, during the which He Himself would be forsaken ; He foresaw the dreadful death, the scourgings, the ill-

treatment, the Cross, the hard nails and the other things then being prepared for Him. For this reason, when praying after supper, He did sweat drops of blood, and not only a little, but so that it ran down upon the ground. Nevertheless, He refrained not from instituting this Sacrament and giving Himself unto us. This Sacrament is, therefore, most proper as a memorial of His grievous and bitter Passion and the shedding of His blood for us miserable sinners. Where fore did Christ say, " As often as ye shall do this, ye do it in remembrance of Me." And what soul is there who could behold these sufferings and not itself be trans formed in suffering ? Of a certainty not one, saving only he who remembereth not the cruel sufferings of Christ's heart. Fourthly, this Sacrament is above all things worthy and venerable, to be regarded with the utmost reverence and humility, because He who ordained this sacrifice was Jesus Christ, God supreme and uncreate. The soul who considereth this sacrifice hath not only to consider Him who ordained it, but likewise that which is contained in that Sacrament. For herein is contained God uncreate, invisible, and omnipotent, He who doeth all things, who is most merciful and just, Creator of the heavens and the earth, of all things visible and invisible ; and this is the chief thing upon which we need here reflect.

There is also a lesser thing joined together with this great thing : for herein is found God made Man, which is to say, divinity and humanity united in one person. So that sometimes in this present life the soul receiveth greater delight from this lesser thing than from the greater, inasmuch as it is better able to receive and understand the lesser thing which it beholdeth in God incarnate. For the soul is a creature, which liveth by its flesh and all the members of its body, wherefore doth it in this life delight in God uncreate, whom it beholdeth in human form, and Christ the Creator and the creature, Deity and soul, with the flesh and blood and all the members of His most holy body. Of a certainty the soul here beholdeth the union of many things herein contained, and from the lesser — that is to say, from the humanity — is it led unto the divinity, and in like manner from the divinity unto the humanity. For which reason doth the soul who well considereth it behold here the ineffable divinity, in which are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and incorruptible riches. In that divinity it beholdeth likewise the only joys which do satisfy our minds, and many other things unspeakable doth it find.

Moreover, it beholdeth here the most Precious Soul and the holy, immaculate oblation, with all the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit. It beholdeth here the most precious body of our Redeemer, the blood with which we were saved and given new life, together with other unspeakable things, which should all excite in us the utmost reverence. For here verily is He whom all the dominions of heaven adore, whom all the celestial spirits do fear, and before whom the strongest powers of the heavens do tremble. If we did but behold Him as they do, with what reverence and humility should we look upon and receive that Sacrament ! What soul is there so proud, who, when it considereth the aforesaid things, doth not humble itself in heart and body in the presence of that Sacrament ! Fifthly, this Sacrament is above all things profitable, and above all things high and spiritual, and it upraiseth us unto heavenly things. This Sacrament was ordained by the most holy Trinity in order that It might bind unto Itself that which It most greatly loved, that It might draw the soul unto Itself, unto God, and away from all created things joining it together with God uncreate ; and thus did It bestow upon the soul spiritual and divine love and mortify and purify it from its sins. It was ordained by the most holy Trinity in order that It might unite and incorporate Itself with us and us with It, and It desireth that we should receive the Sacrament in order that He may receive us ; It desireth that we should bear it in order that He may bear us, fortify us, and com fort us.

What soul is there so wretched, therefore, who, if it well considereth the matter, will refuse to let itself be drawn nigh unto such a Lord, seeing how that such clear- ness of vision hath been sent from heaven to draw it away from earthly things ? Sixthly, this Sacrament is above all things profitable, and giveth us all good things and all grace. Verily, God uncreate doth not come unto us spon taneously in this Sacrament, with so great a perfection of Deity and humanity ; but of a certainty He is there to be received by the soul if only it hath been tried and hath no desire to sin. Hereby He granteth remission of sins, strength against temptation, it restraineth our opposers, augmenteth grace, and heapeth up merit ; wherefore should it be received often and with great reverence. Concerning the words of Saint Augustine wherein he saith, " I do neither praise nor blame the custom of receiving it every day," I say that Saint Augustine was a most wise and holy man who saw how good and evil were mingled together in the Church of God ; and in order that he might not hinder the good, he blamed not this practice, and in order that he might not thereby give security unto the evil, he praised it not.

Many other gifts and benefits innumerable are con ferred upon us if we receive this Sacrament worthily ; it cannot be declared how much grace the soul obtaineth in one single worthy reception, provided only that its misdeeds cause no hindrance. Seventhly, this Sacrament is above all things to be ex tolled, and is supremely worthy of all grace and praise. All that is good, all that is holy, all that is beautiful is found in this Sacrament. For this reason is it the Supreme Good uncreate, which is the Divinity, and it is the supreme good created, which is the humanity of Christ Jesus. Therefore should we ofttimes praise it, because the holy angels cease not to extol it, saying, " Holy, holy, holy." And not only the holy angels, but all the saints and the blessed do see and hear and stand ever before it, and within it. Of a certainty they do stand within this sacrifice, in God the infinite Good ; for these blessed ones are here ever in the presence of God uncreate, the Supreme Good, and of God made Man, who is found in this most admirable Sacrament. And in this Mystery do they receive new sweetness and joy, and offer new praise and thanksgiving. And I do think this is because of the union and understanding which they have ; for inasmuch as they do communicate with the Head and the members, that

is, with Jesus Christ, with God the Head, and His faithful, they do see and hear and understand that Christ rejoiceth greatly in this most high Mystery, herein manifesting and showing forth His goodness, and herein taketh He singular pleasure, for and in the good of His followers and friends, with whom He is joined together by means of this sacrifice. For this reason also do the saints and angels rejoice with Christ in this Mystery, with new joy and praise and thanksgiving. For that which pleaseth Christ pleaseth these likewise. Christ rejoiceth also to be in this Sacra ment with men, yea, He delighteth to be with the sons

of men. And all the blessed of the church triumphant do rejoice because of the good and the profit which the holy souls in the church militant do receive through this Sacrament. Wherefore should the whole church rejoice and praise God for such great blessings and benefits, giving Him great thanks and honour. Therefore, whosoever meaneth to come unto this most holy Sacrament must consider to whom he cometh, how he cometh, and for what reason. For he cometh unto a certain good thing, which is itself all good and the cause of all good, the giver, maker, and possessor of all good ; yet it is itself the only good, without which there can be none other. This good thing sufficeth and filleth every thing, satisfying all the saints and holy spirits, all those who are justified by grace, and all the souls and bodies of the blessed who reign in everlasting glory. Man cometh to receive this good thing, which is God made Man, in whom are all, and who is above all beings. Oh, Good Supreme, unconsidered, unknown, unloved, but found by those who with their whole hearts entirely do desire thee! If man, therefore, doth only consider and regard the morsel which he eateth with his body, if he beholdeth it not with his soul, and doth not meditate and reflect before he receiveth this great good, which is eternal and infinite, if he receiveth it unworthily, then it bringeth eternal death unto both soul and body. But if he receiveth it worthily, it overcometh death and gaineth life blessed

and eternal, and without he receiveth this he hath no life. Christ saith, " Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." We should, therefore, approach that table and that great and good thing with the utmost reverence, fear, and trembling, but above all, with exceeding great love. And the soul should approach unto this Sacrament humbly, exalted, and adorned, for it goeth unto that which is the height of all beauty and perfect glory, supreme holiness, happiness, blessedness, exaltedness, and nobility, all sweetness and all love, and which hath the sweetness of love without end. Thus should the soul go to receive the Sacrament, in order that it may itself be received. It should be pure, that it may be purified ; alive, that it may be quickened ; just, that it may be justified ; ready, that it may be incorporated with God uncreate who was made man, and that it may be one with Him unto all eternity. Amen.

OF THE MANY VISIONS AND CONSOLATIONS RE CEIVED BY THE BLESSED ANGELA OF FOLIGNO GOD INASMUCH AS HE IS ALL GOODNESS ; WHENCE COMETH HATRED OF THIS LIFE AND THE DESIRE TO BLESSED God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, who comforteth us in all our tribulations, Thou hast verily deigned to console me, a sinner, in every tribulation. For during the time of my conversion, already related in the eighteenth step, and after the enlightenment miraculously granted unto me as I was repeating the Paternoster, I did feel great consolation and sweetness in this manner. I was inspired and drawn unto the contemplation of the blessed union of the divinity and humanity of Christ, and in this contemplation did I feel an exceeding great delight, the which was greater than any I had ever felt heretofore. For this reason did I remain for a great part of that day standing in the cell where I was praying, 157 astonished, locked in and alone. My heart was all wrapped up in that joy and I became as one dumb and did lose my speech. Wherefore did it happen that when my companion came she believed that I was about to die ; but she did only weary me and was an hindrance unto me.

Once, before that I had finished giving all I possessed unto the poor (albeit but little then remained for me to give), when I was persevering in these matters, it chanced that one evening when I was at prayer methought I did feel nothing whatsoever of God. Wherefore I lamented and prayed unto God, saying : " Lord, that which I do, I do only that I may find Thee ; wherefore, having done it, do Thou grant me the grace that I may find Thee." And many other similar things did I say in my prayer, and this answer was vouchsafed unto me, " What desirest thou ? " Then I said : "I desire neither gold nor silver ; yea, if Thou wouldst give me the whole world I would not accept it, seeing that I desire Thee only." Then did He say unto me, " Strive diligently and make thyself ready, for when thou hast accomplished that which thou art now doing, the whole Trinity will de scend unto thee." Many other things were also promised unto me, which did ease me of my tribulation and fill me with divine sweetness. And from that hour I did await that the thing which had been told me should be immediately fulfilled.

And I related this unto my companion with some doubt fulness, seeing that great things had been told and promised unto me ; nevertheless they had left me with that divine sweetness and gentleness. After this I went unto the church of Saint Francis, near unto Assisi, and the promise was fulfilled by the way as I went thither. Nevertheless, I had not yet finished giving all things unto the poor, but there was little yet remaining. This had happened because of the death of a noble and holy man, to whom this matter had been entrusted and who had not been able to accomplish it. He had been converted by God's grace through our admonitions, and was about to deprive himself of all he had and give his possessions unto the poor. But he died upon the way. Nevertheless, God did perform many miracles by means of him, and his tomb is held in reverence. As I went unto Saint Francis, therefore, I prayed by the way. And amongst other prayers, I did ask the Blessed Francis that he would implore God for me, that I might serve well his Order, unto which I had but lately renewed my promises, and that he would obtain for me the grace that I might feel somewhat of Christ, but above all, that He would make me become poor and end my days in poverty. For this cause (namely, to have the liberty of poverty) had I journeyed unto Rome, to pray the Blessed Peter that he would obtain for me the grace of true poverty. And thus, through the

merits of the Blessed Peter and the Blessed Francis the gift of true poverty was vouchsafed unto me by divine mercy, even as I was asking for them in prayer as I walked by the way. Now when I was come to that place which lieth be tween Spello and the narrow road which leadeth upward unto Assisi, and is beyond Spello, it was said unto me : " Thou hast prayed unto My servant Francis, and I have not willed to send thee another messenger. I am the Holy Spirit, who am come unto thee to bring thee such consolation as thou hast never before tasted. And I will go with thee even unto Saint Francis ; I shall be within thee and but few of those who are with thee will perceive it. I will bear thee company and will speak with thee all the way ; I will make no end to my speaking and thou wilt not be able to attend unto any save unto Me, for I have bound thee and will not depart from thee until thou comest for the second time unto Saint Francis. Then will I depart from thee in so far as this present con solation is concerned, but in no other manner will I ever leave thee, and thou shalt love Me."

Then began He to speak the following words unto me, which did persuade me to love after this manner : " My daughter who art sweet unto Me, my daughter who art My temple ; My beloved daughter, do thou love Me, for I do greatly love thee and much more than thou lovest Me." And very often did He say unto me : " Bride and daughter, sweet art thou unto Me, I love thee better than any other who is in the valley of Spoleto. Foras much as I have rested and reposed in thee, do thou also rest thyself and repose in Me. I have been with the apostles, who did behold Me with their bodily eyes, but they did not feel Me as thou feelest Me. When thou shalt be come unto thine house thou shalt feel another sweetness, such as thou hast never yet experienced. I shall not speak unto thee as I now speak, but thou wilt only feel Me. Thou hast prayed unto My servant Francis, hoping with him and through him to obtain the things thou desirest, seeing that as my servant Francis hath greatly loved Me, I have done many things for him. If there were to-day any person who loved Me more, much more would I do for him."

Then said He unto me that there are few good persons in these days and but little faith, for which cause He did lament, saying, " So great is the love of the soul who loveth Me without sin, that, if there were any one who loved Me perfectly, I would show him greater mercy than I have ever shown hitherto, and Thou knowest that many great things are recorded which I have done unto divers persons in times past." None can excuse themselves for not having this love, because it is possible for all persons to love God, and He asketh nothing save that the soul shall love and seek Him. He is the love of the soul. But these are deep sayings. That God is the love of the soul did He set forth unto me with lively proof, by His advent and His Cross borne for us, albeit He was so great and glorious. And He did expound unto me His Passion and the other things which He did for our sake ; then He did add, " Behold now, if there be aught in Me save love." He did grieve for that in these times He could find no person upon whom He could pour out His grace, and He did repeat that He would show far greater mercy unto whosoever should love Him at this present time than He had shown unto the saints and the blessed ones hitherto.

Then did He begin again to say unto me, " My be loved daughter who is sweet unto Me, love thou Me, for I do love thee more than thou lovest Me. Love Me, My beloved, for boundless is the love which I bear unto the soul who loveth Me without any sin." Methought He did desire to be loved with that same love which He bore unto the soul, according unto the power and virtue of the soul, and that if only the soul itself would desire this, He would bring it to pass. • Again He said unto me, " My beloved and My bride, love thou Me ! All thy life, thy eating and drinking and sleeping and all that thou dost is pleasing unto Me, if only thou lovest Me." And He said, " I will do great things through thee in the sight of all people ; thou shalt be known and glorified, so that many shall praise My name in thee." These and other similar things did He say unto me. Then, when I heard these words I did count over my sins and consider my faults, and how that I was not worthy of such great love. And I did begin to cast doubt upon these words, wherefore my soul said unto Him who had spoken unto it : " If Thou wert truly the Holy Spirit Thou wouldst not speak thus unto me, for it is neither right nor seemly, seeing how that I am weak and frail and might grow vainglorious thereat."

He answered me, " Reflect and see if thou couldst be vainglorious because of all these things for the which thou art now grown proud ; and see if thou couldst not per ceive the folly of thy words by thinking of other things." So then did I endeavour to grow vainglorious, that I might prove if what He had said were true ; and I began to gaze at the vineyards, that I might learn the folly of my words. And wheresoever I looked He said unto me, " Behold and see, this is My creation," and thereat did I feel the most ineffable sweetness. In the meantime I had remembered all my sins, and on my side I beheld nothing save sins and wrong-doing, so that I did feel greater humility than I had ever felt before. Then did He tell me that I was beloved, that the Son of God and of the Virgin Mary had inclined Himself unto me and was come to speak with me. Wherefore Christ said unto me : — " If all the world came now unto thee, thou couldst not speak with others ; for when I come unto thee, there cometh more than all the world." But in order to calm my doubts He said : " I am He who was crucified for

th.ee, and for thy sake did I endure hunger and thirst, and so greatly have I loved thee that I did shed My blood for thee," and He expounded unto me all His Passion and said : " Ask mercy for thyself and for thy companions and for all whom thou wilt, for I am much more ready to give than thou art to receive." Then did my soul cry aloud, saying, " I will not ask, for I am not worthy and I remember all my sins ! " And it said further, " If Thou who hast spoken with me from the beginning wert truly the Holy Spirit, Thou wouldst not have told me such great things ; and if Thou wert verily within me, then my joy would be so great that I could not bear it and live." Then did He make answer: " Nothing can exist, nothing can be done save according unto My will. At present I will only give thee joy in the measure in which thou hast it. Unto another have I given less joy than this, and he fell upon the ground, neither hearing nor seeing. Yet will I give thee this sign, that thou mayest know who I am : go now and endeavour to speak with thy com panions and think of any thing that thou willst, either good or evil, and thou wrilt see that thou canst not think of aught else save of God. For I am He who alone can bind the thoughts. And all these things do I unto thee, not because of thy merits, but of My goodness."

Whilst He was speaking, all the evils I had committed returned into my memory more clearly than before, wherefore did I more than ever deem myself worthy of hell. Afterwards He said unto me that if I had come in the company of other persons, not such as those with whom I was come, the aforesaid things would not have been done or said unto me. These persons did perceive somewhat of my languor, for at each word did I receive great sweetness ; I had no desire to reach the city or that the road should ever come to an end. I can never de scribe the joy and sweetness which I felt, especially when He said, " I am the Holy Spirit who am entering into thee ; " but briefly, great was the sweetness which I re ceived at each one of His sayings. In this manner, therefore, I did arrive at Saint Francis', as He had foretold. And He departed not from me, but remained with me, even when I sat down to meat, until I went unto Saint Francis' for the second time. When I did bend my knees upon entering in at the door of the church, I immediately beheld a picture of Saint Francis lying in Christ's bosom. Then said Christ unto me : —

" Thus closely will I hold thee, and so much closer that bodily eyes can neither perceive nor comprehend it. But now, My beloved daughter and temple of My de light, the hour is come when I must fill thee with My spirit and must leave thee. I have told thee that be cause of this consolation I must leave thee ; nevertheless, if thou lovest Me, I will not leave thee." Albeit the words were bitter, yet were they full of joy. Then looked I, that I might behold with the eyes of i66 THE BLESSED ANGELA both body and mind. And I beheld ; and if thou seekest to know what I beheld, truly I can only say that it was a thing full of great majesty ; and more than this can I not say, save that it seemed unto me to be full of all goodness. Then He departed with great gentle ness ; not suddenly, but slowly and gradually. Of the words which He spake unto me, the greatest are these : — " Oh my daughter, who art sweeter unto Me than I am unto thee, temple of My delight, thou dost possess the ring of My love and art promised unto Me, so that henceforth thou shalt never leave Me. The blessing of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be upon thee and thine understanding."

Then cried my soul, " If only Thou wilt not leave me, I will commit no mortal sin ! " And He answered me, " That say I not unto thee." Then as He was departing, I did ask a blessing for my companion, and He replied, " Unto her will I give another blessing," and so He departed. And at His departure He would not that I should prostrate myself before Him, but that I should stand upon my feet. But after that He was gone I fell down upon a seat and began to cry with a loud voice, clamouring and calling without any shame and uttering these words, " Oh Love, hereto fore have I never known Thee, why leavest Thou me in this manner ? " And more than this I could not say, for my voice was so suffocated with crying that scarce could I pronounce even this, wherefore was it not heard by the persons around me. This clamouring and crying did come upon me as I entered into the door of the church of Saint Francis. Here was I overwhelmed again and began to make a noise and call aloud in the presence of all the people, that those who were come with me and did know me did stand afar off and were ashamed, believing that I did it for another reason. So was I left with the certainty that it was God who had spoken with me ; and because of His sweetness and the grief of His departure did I cry aloud, desiring to die. And seeing that I did not die, the grief of being separated from Him was so great that all the joints of my limbs did fall asunder.

After these things I departed from Assisi, and with great comfort did I go upon my way, speaking of God. And with much difficulty did I hold my peace ; nevertheless I strove to abstain from talking, because of the company. Then said Christ unto me, " I will give thee a sign by the which thou mayest know that I am Christ who have talked with thee. This sign is the Cross and love of God which I do place within thee and which shall be with thee for ever." And immediately I felt the Cross and the love of God within my soul and spreading throughout my body, so that I did actually feel it corporally ; and feeling it, my soul was dissolved in God's love. When I was returned I stayed within the house, and I felt a sweetness so peaceful, quiet, and great that I know not how to describe it. Wherefore did I long for death, and because of the aforesaid peace and sweet joyfulness was life a greater grief unto me than I can say. I longed for death that I might attain unto that delight of the which I now felt something, and because of this did I wish to depart from this world. Life was a greater grief unto me than had been the deaths of my mother and my children, more heavy than any other grief of which I can bethink me.

Thus did I remain eight days within the house, all feeble. And I cried, " Lord, have mercy upon me and grant that I may remain no longer in this world." From this time forth I was often aware of indescribable odours ; but these and other things can I not explain, so great was the sweetness and joy which I did feel in them. The voice spake unto me many other times, but never at any great length, nor with so much sweetness or deep meaning. Being returned, therefore, from Assisi, as I have said, and lying in mine house, my companion (who was of marvellous simplicity, purity, and virginity) heard a voice saying, " The Holy Spirit is in the cell." Then she came unto me and began to seek round, asking of me, " Tell me what aileth thee, for three times have I been bidden to come unto thee." And I answered, " I am glad of that which hath been bidden thee." And from that time forth I related unto my companion many of these secret things. UPON a certain time when I was at prayer and my spirit was exalted, God spake unto me many gracious words full of love.

And when I looked, I beheld God who spake with me. But if thou seekest to know that which I beheld, I can tell thee nothing, save that I beheld a fulness and a clearness, and felt them within me so abundantly that I can in no wise describe it, nor give any likeness thereof. For what I beheld was not corporal, but as though it were in heaven. Thus I beheld a beauty so great that I can say naught concerning it, save that I saw the Supreme Beauty which containeth within Itself all goodness. And all the saints were standing before this beauteous Majesty, praising it. Methought, however, that I stayed in this trance but a very brief while ; then said God unto me, " My be loved daughter, dear unto Me, all the saints of Paradise do bear an especial love toward thee, and likewise doth My mother, and they will bring thee unto Me." And albeit these words were spoken unto me, all concerning His mother and the saints seemed unto me but a small thing. For so great was my joy in Him that I took no heed of looking at the angels and the saints, because all

i/o THE BLESSED ANGELA their goodness and all their beauty was from Him and in Him ; He was the whole and Supreme Good, with all beauty, and so great a joy had I in His words that I paid no heed to any creature. Again He said unto me, " Infinite is the love which I bear thee, but I do not reveal it unto thee — yea, I do even conceal it." Then answered my soul, " Wherefore hast Thou such love and joy in me, who am hateful, inasmuch as I have offended Thee all the days of my life ? " To this did He make answer, " So great is the love I bear thee that I no more remember thy sins, albeit Mine eyes do see them ; for in thee have I much treasure." Then did my soul feel an assurance so true that it doubted no more. It felt and saw that the eyes of God were searching within it, and it had such joy in those eyes that neither man nor saint come down from heaven could declare it. When He told me that He concealed much love, because I was not able to bear it, my soul answered : " If Thou art God omnipotent, make Thou me able to bear it."