The com The Exercise of Charity. For the awakening and inflaming of charity, consider that the commandment or counsel given unto thee, or which any of God's mandment of creatures seemeth to suggest, cometh from God's boundless charity. charity, and in order to thy greatest good and happiness, and receive it, as thou wouldst from a guide the path he shewed thee, truth from thy teacher, life from a master, medicine from thy physician, from a king or umpire of the games, the crown, and that when given for thine own single good and benefit. How mightily then ought the love of Him to move thee, Who did nothing in all that He did, desireth nothing in all that He commandeth, Who speaketh nothing, Who by any of His creatures suggesteth nothing but only for thy sake and out of His love towards thee, Who is thy Teacher, and Shepherd, the Guide of thy way, thy King and Maker! For His commandments are sweeter than honey, a lantern unto thy feet, and to be loved above gold and precious stones. loveth But thou, O soul, whom God hath loved with a free and spontaneous love, beware that thou love not this again for aught else but Himself, not with a mercenary love, or an eye to thine own interest or glory, but look only to His will, and love His will, His glory and honour. God us with a disinterested love. Secondly, consider on what grounds men are wont to entertain love. How love First, because they believe they are themselves beloved. Oh ariseth. how greatly hath the Father loved us, who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all; the Son, how greatly hath He loved us, Who was offered for us, because that so He willed, and Who laid down His life for His sheep; the Holy Ghost, how greatly hath He loved us, Who cometh unto us in the fire of love, and maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered, that is, Who in His desire for our salvation causeth us so to make intercession. Secondly, I have said above that faith and hope are increased, the more the thing they respect is worthy to be believed and hoped for ; so too is charity and the love of God and of His will, because He is Himself so worthy to be beloved. And worthy to be beloved He is indeed, as well for His own sake, and as supremely Perfect and Good, as for the benefits He hath bestowed upon thee, and those too which He hath prepared for them that love Him. God, how worthy to bebeloved. Thirdly, see what things they be which may turn thee aside from love, by flattering, threatening, persuading thee; and mark well how strong thy love should be. For love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel Abhor whathin soever as the grave; the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flamet. Many waters cannot quench love. Though therefore all the goods of the world should entice thee, though all its evils should hedge thee in and trouble thee, though even all angelic spirits persuade thee; yet love thou God, for He only is good, and worthy to receive love and glory and honour. dereth love. Note well that God hath done all things Fourthly, take heed that thou love Him with an individual love, for with an individual love He hath embraced and doth embrace thee. For whatsoever is wrought or done, or said or permitted of God, that reckon as said and done and permitted for thee only, and for love towards only thee, for towards each for thy sake. individually God inclineth with love as great as to all collectively; in either case, that is, with a love that is infinite, unutterable, incomprehensible. Fifthly, reflect, if thou didst really love God, after what manner thou wouldst think and speak and act: for the love of God is not The test of idle for it worketh mighty things if love it be at all, but if it will not work it is not love". charity. A shorter Exercise of Faith. O Truth, O Goodness, I believe Thee, Thou that art here and every where most present unto me: and that these things (here name them) and whatsoever things have been written, done, and spoken, are for my learning: and I profess this with all assurance before Thy heavenly court, and that I were without excuse, if I believed them not and did not shew it through Thy grace, by my works. Thou art most Powerful, most Wise, most Good, and shall I not believe Thee? and shall I not embrace these God's Commandments (here name them) testimonies of Thy will? Very sure are they, worthy to be and worthy to be believed and loved, whether I look into or hear believed. reason and wise men or the nature of things. Oh that I had always hearkened unto Thee, O my every Good, and had never offended Thee! O that I had honoured Thee in my life, and by my patience had shewn my faith! Howbeit, from henceforth, I will ever believe and love Thee in deed and in truth. Deal with me as shall seem good unto Thee: I by Resignation Thy grace, when I shall know Thy will, will do it, out of my inward love toward Thee, and whatsoever Thou hast revealed for my tion; and all Thy good pleasure will I embrace, O my Life, and my every Good. Amen. t Cant. viii. 6, 7. u Greg. Hom. 3. in Evang. iii. of self. salva Ejaculations. “All things and these too are possible to him that believeth. I believe, therefore, O Goodness, O Truth, help Thou mine unbelief." “Thou hast said, O Truth, If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins. And wilt Thou, O Truth, deny me in this thing Thy lively faith." "O Jesu, I know that faith without works is dead, and without faith it is impossible to please Thee; increase, I beseech Thee, my faith, that I may please Thee, and live unto Thee, and love Thee for ever.” A shorter Exercise of Hope. Thou knowest, O my God, Thou knowest that we are not sufficient of ourHumbling selves to do any thing, as neither this thing (here name the of self. thing) as of ourselves. Therefore I, that am dust and ashes, flee unto Thee, that by Thee, and by patience and comfort of the Scriptures I may have hope, and hoping in Thee may not be confounded. For dost Thou, O Goodness, thus (here name the object) call me, and wilt Thou turn me back? Dost Thou thus invite and draw me to Thee, and wilt Thou suffer me to faint by the way? Hoping in Thee, O Lord, I know I shall not be powerless for ever, though I find a law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and though I be unworthy of Thy favour. But God's bene- Thou, Who hast given Thy own Body and Blood for my price, fits and pro- and art ready to-day to give Thyself unto me, for a pledge of my other hope. salvation, and Who hast prevented me with so many benefits, (here name them,) and hast so often commanded us to ask, and hast promised to give; O Goodness, O Truth, Thou wilt surely give unto me that which I shall ask, viz. that I may hope in Thee with all my heart; and though Thou slay me, in Thee, O my Hope and Life, will I trust; though the hosts of this world and of vanity rise up and cry out against me, yet shall it be my portion thus (here name it) to keep Thy law, and to follow Thee: for whither shall we go from Thee, Good Jesu, hast not Thou the words of eternal life? mises an Ejaculations. "Thou hast said, O Lord, and so it is, without Me ye can do nothing;' what therefore remaineth unto me, but that I should ever lift up mine eyes unto Thee, and that Thou shouldst help me." "Thou hast been my succour : leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my I am become as it were a monster unto many; but my sure trust is salvation. in Thee." "In God is my health and my glory: O God, the rock of my might and my trust, help me; for it is time that Thou have mercy, yea the time is come." A shorter Exercise of Charity. teach eth us out of love towards The great O Charity, O my God, give me understanding, and I will learn Thy commandments, whether by epistle, or by creatures of Thine Thou speakest unto my heart. For whatsoever I learn unto salvation, it is Thou, ever most present unto me, that out of Thine infinite love teachest it unto God me, O my Health and Medicine of my soul. And how great, how great the love wherewith Thou teachest it unto me, who am us. nothing before Thee! Dost Thou need my goods, that with such free and spontaneous love Thou shouldst prevent me with so many good things and with Thy charity? For Thou so lovedst the world, Eternal Father, that Thou gavest us Thine Only-begotten Son; and Thou so lovedst it, O most gracious Jesu, Son of God, that for me Thou gavest Thy ness of God's precious life unto death, and can then Thy commandments and counsels be grievous unto me. I will love therefore these things (name them) and Thee, O God my strength; O how good is it for me to hold me fast by Thee! What therefore shall be able to separate me from Resignation Thy charity? Shall tribulation, or distress, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or persecution, or the sword? For Thy love is strong as death; and many waters, so I trust, shall not be able to quench Thy charity, the fire, that is, that Thou comest to send upon the earth, and wouldst have to be vehemently kindled. love. of self. Ejaculations. "Though I have all faith that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing: inflame me therefore with Thy love, whose fire is in Zion and furnace in Jerusalem, and it sufficeth me." "Thine Apostle said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved and thine house; save me therefore, and grant me to love Thee, as Thou hast loved me." "Thou so lovedst the world, O Lord, that Thou gavest Thine Only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish; and shall I, whom Thou so lovedst, be able to perish and not to love Thee, O Charity, O every Good, or to love aught but Thee?" IMAGE THE SIXTEENTH. IF THOU WOULDST ATTAIN UNTO THAT GRACE WHICH THOU DESIREST, PUT THY TRUST IN GOD ONLY, AND DISTRUST THYSELF. Although thou mayst have determined to seek after Virtue, as observed in the Contemplation of that mystery which we have considered, and to follow Christ (A): yet, alas, the World (B) and the weight of corrupt nature will hold thee: and perhaps in addition to these, thou wilt be pulled backward by the Chains of Sin (C). But put thy trust in God, and Christ shall liberate thee (D) by His grace; and will point out unto thee the way to Virtue (E). Without the aid of His grace man is like an Infant (F), who is unable either to rise, or to stand, or to defend, and feed himself, or even to seek those things which he needeth from another. Have no confidence therefore in thyself, but put thy trust in God only, and His grace; as the holy David did (G), when he overcame Goliath the Philistine, not with a sling and a stone, but in the Name of the Lord. And take care in thus adventuring with the sure aid of God, that thou art by no means of a doubtful mind, lest with St. Peter (H) thou beginnest to sink on account of the weakness of thy Faith. |