Volume I, Treatise VIII, Chapter XXIX

What Has Been Already Said Ts Confirmed by Divers Examples

In the Chronicles of the Order of St. Dominick, it is related, that one of the most distinguished persons of the order lived therein many years, leading a life pure, holy, and exemplary, without having felt any spiritual consolation in the discharge of his religious duties. But when he heard the religious speak of those favours God did to others, and of those spiritual sweetnesses with which he filled them, he became so sensibly afflicted, that at last, staying one night in the church after matins, being overwhelmed with grief, he prostrated himself before a crucifix, where, weeping very bitterly, aud almost beside himself, he was moved to make this complaint: ‘ O Lord, I have been always persuaded that you surpass all your creatures in goodness and liberality. Behold me here prostrate who have served you so many years: and, for love of you, have suffered so many grievous afflictions, having made an entire sacrifice of myself unto your divine majesty. Had I served a tyrant for the fourth _ part of that time I have served you, he would before this have given me some mark or testimony of his good will, either by a kind word, a smile, or a favourable look. But you, O Lord, have not bestowed upon me even the least of those favours, that you are accustomed to give to others; and you, who are sweetness itself, of all the world are harder and more cruel to ine than the greatest tyrant in the world would be. Whence proceeds this, O Lord? And why do you treat me after so cruel a manner?” ( Hist. Ord. Preedic. i. p. lib. 1. c. lx.) He had scarce pronounced these words, when on a sudden he heard as dreadful a noise as if the whole church was thrown down; when, seized with fear, and turning his head to see what was the matter, he perceived a devil behind him, who, holding a bar of iron in his hands, gave him such a blow on his body, that he fell with his face upon the ground, without being able to raise himself from it; yet, nevertheless, he had so much strength and courage left as to creep to an altar hard by, where, not being able to move by reason of the great pain he felt, he there remained stretched out as if he had been all over bruised and broken in pieces by the force of the blows. The religious coming afterwards to the office of prime, finding him half dead, carried him to the infirmary, without knowing how or why this strange accident had happened to him. He remained there three whole weeks, suffered most grievous pains, and his body emitted so intolerable a stench, that the infirmarians were scarce able to come near him to dress or assist him. At the end of three weeks he began to recover some strength, and as soon as he was able to rise, being desirous to cure himself entirely of his‘pride and presumption, he went to seek a remedy in the same place where he had committed the fault. Here, full of shame and confusion, bathed in tears, he made a very different prayer from that he made before— confessing his guilt, that he deserved no favour from God, and that he had not received the punishment he deserved. At which time he heard a voice from heaven, that said to him, “If you desire sweetness and comforts, you must know your own baseness, and remember that you are more vile and contemptible than the very dirt or worms.” He profited so well by this instruction, and from what had happened unto him, that from that time forward he became a most perfect religious,

We read another example, very different from the former, in the Life of St. Ignatius. It is related that this saint, considering his faults, and weeping bitterly for them, said: he wished with all his heart God would punish them, by depriving him for some time of all sweetness, and of his divine consolations, that this chastisement might render him more careful and zealous in hisservice. But he owned at the same time, that God had always so great mercy and compassion for him, and treated him with so much sweetness, that the more faults he committed, and the more he thus desired to be punished for them, the more goodness our Lord showed towards him, and poured down upon him with greater abundance the treasures of his infinite liberality. So that he said he thought there was no person in the world in whom two things so opposite were to be found in so great excess as in himself; first, to tall so often into imperfection, and continue so ungrateful to God; the second, to receive so great and continual favours from his divine hand.

Blosius relates that a holy man, to whom our Lord did many favours, and communicated great lights in prayer, begged one day of God, out of great excess of humility, and from an ardent desire of pleasing him more, that he would deprive him of those favours he bestowed upon him, if this would render him more pleasing in his sight. God heard his prayer, and withdrew from him all his cousolations in such manner, that for the space of five years together, he tried him with continual temptations, aridities, and bitterness. One day, being oppressed with surrow, be wept bitterly; at which time two angels appeared and comforted him; but the good man, refusing the consolations they came to give him, said to them, ‘I desire no comfort; for the accomplishment of the will of God in me is all the comfort I desire.”

The same Blosius relates also, that Jesus Christ appearing one day to St. Bridget, who was in great desolation and affliction of mind, asked her why she was afflicted? And the saint having answered him, that it was because she was tormented with an infinity of bad thoughts, which gave her cause to apprehend his just judgments might fall upon her: “It is just,” replied our Saviour, “that as you have taken pleasure iu the vanities of the world against my will, so you should also now suffer against your own many vain and bed thoughts; and as to what concerns my judgments, it is good also that you fear them; but this must be with moderation, and with a firm confidence in me, who am your God.” For you must hold for a certain truth, that bad thoughts which are resisted and rejected as much as possible, are the purgatory of a soul in this world, and a subject of recompense in heaven. Butif you cannot entirely banish them, be contented that you desire all you can to resist them, and then suffer them with patience. But to take care also that you do not attribute this resistance to your own strength, and that pride be not the occasion of your fall; because no one can remain constant in virtue, but so far as he is supported and strengthened by the grace of God.

Taulerus says, that many persons addressing themselves to him in their spiritual afflictions, and complaining that they were in a deplorable condition, because they suffered continual pain and trouble of mind, he gave this answer—That all things went very well with them, and that even the very things they complained of was a favour God bestowed upon them. And when they replied they believed the contrary, and that this happened to them in punishment of their sins; Whether it be for your sins or not, replied he, yet still believe this cross comes from Gud, and therefore willingly embrace it, give him thanks for it, and resign yourselves entirely into his hands. But if they told him they felt themselves quite consumed with the aridities and tediousness they felt in prayer, he answered; Suffer with patience, and thereby you will receive more favours than if you felt in yourselves the transports of a tender and fervent devotion.

A great servant of God was wont to say, that for forty years together, which he had spent in God’s service, and in application to prayer, he had never.yet received any sweetness or comfort; yet notwithstanding as often as he made his: prayer, he felt afterwards greater strength to acquit himself of his spiritual duties, and whenghe neglected it he found himself in so weak and languishing a condition, that he was scarce able to undertake anything that was either good or virtuous.

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