CHAPTER III.
HOW A SOUL IN CHARITY MAKES PROGRESS IN IT.
LET us make use of a parable, Theotimus, seeing that this method
was so agreeable to the sovereign Master of the love which we
are teaching. A great and brave King, having espoused a most
amiable young princess, and having on a certain day led her into
a very retired cabinet, there to converse with her more at his
pleasure, after some discourse saw her by a certain sudden
accident fall down as dead at his feet. Alas! he was extremely
disturbed at this, and it well nigh put him also into a swoon; for
she was dearer to him than his own life. Yet the same love that
gave him this assault of grief, gave hirn an equal strength to sustain it, and set him into action to remedy, with an incomparable
promptitude, the evil which had happened to the dear companion
of his life. Therefore rapidly opening a sideboard which stood
by, he takes a cordial-water, infinitely precious, and having filled
his mouth with it, by force be opens the lips and the set teeth of
his well-beloved princess, then breathing and spurting the precious
liquor which he held in his mouth, into that of his poor lifeless
one who lay in a swoon, and pouring what was left in the phial
about the nostrils the temples, and the heart, he made her return
to herself and to her senses again; that done, he helps her up
gently, and by virtue of remedies so strengthens and revives her,
that she begins to stand and walk very quietly with him; but in
no sort without his help, for he goes assisting and sustaining her
by her arm, till at length he lays to her heart an
epithem
so precious and of so great virtue, that finding herself entirely
restored to her wonted health, she walks all alone, her dear
spouse not now sustaining her so much, but only holding her
right hand softly between his, and his right arm folded over hers
on to her bosom. Thus he went on treating her, and fulfilling
to her in all this four most agreeable offices: for 1. He gave
testimony that his heart was lovingly careful of her. 2. He
continued ever a little nursing her. 3. If she had felt any touch
of her former faintness he would have sustained her. 4. If she
had lighted on any rough and difficult place in her walking he
would have been her support and stay: and in accidents, or
when she would make a little more haste, he raised her and
powerfully succoured her. In fine he stayed by her with this
heartfelt care till night approached, and then he assisted to lay
her in her royal bed.
The soul is the spouse of Our Saviour when she is just; and
because she is never just but when she is in charity, she is also
no sooner spouse than she is led into the cabinet of those delicious
perfumes mentioned in the Canticles. Now when the soul which
has been thus honoured commits sin, she falls as if dead in a
spiritual swoon; and this is in good truth a most unlooked-for
accident: for who would ever think that a creature could forsake her Creator and sovereign good for things so trifling as the
allurements of sin? Truly the heavens are astonished at it, and
if God were subject to passions he would fall down in a swoon
at this misfortune, as when he was mortal he died upon the
cross for our redemption. But seeing it is not now necessary
that he should employ his love in dying for us, when he sees the
soul overthrown by sin he commonly runs to her succour, and
by an unspeakable mercy, lays open the gates of her heart by
the stings and remorses of conscience which come from the divers
lights and apprehensions which he casts into our hearts, with
salutary movements, by which, as by odorous and vital liquors,
he makes the soul return to herself, and brings her back to good
sentiments. And all this, Theotimus, God works in us without
our action,
1 by his all-amiable Goodness which prevents us with its sweetness. For even as our bride, having fainted, would have died in her swoon, if the King had not assisted her; so the soul would remain lost in her sin if God prevented her not. But if the soul thus excited add her consent to the solicitation
of grace, seconding the inspiration which prevents her, and
accepting the required helps provided for her by God; he will
fortify her, and conduct her through various movements of faith,
hope and penitence, even till he restore her to her true spiritual
health, which is no other thing than charity. And while he
thus makes her walk in the virtues by which he disposes her to
this holy love, he does not conduct her only, but in such sort
sustains her, that as she for her part goes as well as she is able
so he on his part supports and sustains her; and it is hard to
say whether she goes or is carried; for she is not so carried
that she goes not, and yet her going is such that if she were not
carried she could not go. So that, to speak apostolically, she
must say; I walk,
not I alone,
but the grace of God with me.2
But the soul being entirely restored to her health by the
excellent epithem of charity which the Holy Ghost infuses into
her heart, she is then able to walk and keep herself upon her
feet of herself, yet by virtue of this health and this sacred
epithem of holy love. Wherefore though she is able to walk,
of herself, yet is she to render the glory thereof to God, who has
bestowed upon her a health so vigorous and strong: for whether
the Holy Ghost fortify us by the motions which he enables our
heart to make, or sustain us by the charity which he infuses
into them, whether he succour us by manner of assistance in
raising and carrying us, or strengthen our hearts by pouring
into them fortifying and quickening love, we always live, walk
and work, in him and by him.
And although by means of charity poured into our hearts, we
are able to walk in the presence of God, and make progress in
the way of salvation, yet still it is the goodness of God which
ever helps the soul to whom he has given his love, continually
holding her with his holy band; for so 1: He doth better make
appear the sweetness of his love towards her. 2. He ever
animates her more and more. 3. He supports her against
depraved inclinations and evil habits contracted by former sins.
4. And finally, he supports her and defends her against temptations.
Do we not often see, Theotimus, that sound and robust men
must be provoked to employ their strength and power well;
and, as one would say, must be drawn by the hand to the
work? So God having given us his charity, and by it the
force and the means to gain ground in the way of perfection,
his lode does not permit him to let us walk thus alone, but
makes him put himself upon the way with us, urges him to
urge us, and solicits his heart to solicit and drive forward ours
to make good use of the charity which he has given us, repeating often, by means of his inspirations, S. Paul's admonitions: See that you receive not the grace of God in vain.3 Whilst we
have time, let us work good to all men.4 So run that you may
obtain.5 So that we are often to think that he repeats in our ears the words which he used to the good father Abraham: Walk before me and be perfect.6
But principally the special assistance of God to the soul
endowed with charity is required in sublime and extraordinary
enterprises; for though charity, however weak it be, gives us
enough inclination, and, as I think, enough power, to do the
works necessary for salvation, yet, to aspire to and undertake
excellent and extraordinary actions, our hearts stand in need of
being pushed and raised by the hand and motion of this great
heavenly lover; as the princess in our parable, although restored
to health, could not ascend nor go fast, unless her dear spouse
raised and strongly supported her. Thus S. Antony and
S. Simeon Stylites were in the grace of God and charity when
they designed so exalted a life; as also the B. Mother
(S.) Teresa when she made her particular vow of obedience,
S. Francis and S. Louis, when they undertook their journey
beyond-seas for the advancement of God's glory, the Blessed
Francis Xavier, when he consecrated his life to the conversion
of the Indians, S. Charles, in exposing himself to serve the
plague-stricken, S. Paulinus, when he sold himself to redeem
the poor widow's child; yet still never would they have struck
such mighty and generous blows, unless God, to that charity
which they had in their hearts, had added special inspirations,
invitations, lights and forces, whereby he animated and pushed
them forward to these extraordinary exploits of spiritual
valour.
Do you not mark the young man of the gospel, whom Our
Saviour loved, and who, consequently, was in charity? Certainly, he never dreamed of selling all he had to give it to the
poor, and following Our Saviour: nay though Our Saviour
had given him such an inspiration, yet had he not the courage
to put it into execution. For these great works, Theotimus, we
need not only to be inspired, but also to be fortified, in order
to effect what the inspiration inclines us to. As again in the
fierce assaults of extraordinary temptations, a special and
particular presence of heavenly succour is absolutely necessary.
For this cause holy church makes us so frequently cry out:
"Excite our hearts O Lord:" "Prevent our actions by thy
holy inspirations and further them with thy continual help:" "O Lord, make haste to help us:" and the like, in order by such prayers to obtain grace to be able to effect excellent and extraordinary works, and more frequently and fervently to do ordinary ones; as also more ardently to resist small temptations, and boldly to combat the greatest. S. Antony was assailed by
a hideous legion of devils, and having long sustained their
attacks, not without incredible pain and torment, at length saw
the roof of his cell burst open, and a heavenly ray enter the
breach, which made the black and darksome troop of his
enemies vanish in a moments and delivered him from all the
pain of the wounds received in that battle; whence he perceived
God's particular presence, and fetching a profound sigh towards
the vision - "where wast thou, O good Jesus," said he, "where
wast thou? Why wast thou not here from the beginning to
have relieved my pain? It was answered him from above.
Antony, I was here: but I awaited the event of thy combat:
and since thou didst behave thyself bravely and valiantly, I will
be thy continual aid." But in what did the valour and courage
of this brave spiritual combatant consist? He himself declared
it another time when, being set upon by a devil who acknowledged himself to be the spirit of fornication, this glorious saint
after many words worthy of his great courage began to sing
the 7 th verse of the 117th Psalm:
The Lord is my helper: and
I will look over my enemies.
And Our Saviour revealed to S. Catharine of Sienna, that he
was in the midst of her heart in a cruel temptation she, had, as
a captain in the midst of a fort to hold it; and that without his
succour she would have been lost in that battle. It is the same
in all the great assaults which our enemy makes against us: and
we may well say with Jacob that it is the angel that delivereth us
from all evil,7 and may sing with the great King David: The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: he hath converted nay soul. So that we ought often to repeat this exclamation and prayer: And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life.8
