Blanquerna

OF THE MANNER WHEREIN THE HERMIT BLANQUERNA MADE THE “ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ”

It came to pass one day that the hermit who was in Rome, according as we have related above, went to visit the other hermits and recluses who were in Rome, and found that in certain things they had many temptations, because they knew not how to live in the manner which beSt beseemed their State. So he bethought himself that he would go to Blanquerna the hermit, and beg him to make a book which should treat of the life of the hermit, and that by means of that book he should learn and be enabled to keep the other hermits in contemplation and devotion. When Blanquerna was at prayer one day, that hermit came to his cell, and begged him to write the book aforementioned. Long did Blanquerna think in what manner he would make the book and what should be the matter of it.

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2. While Blanquerna thought in this wise it came to his will that he would give himself fervently to the adoration and contemplation of God, to the end that in prayer God should show him the manner wherein he should make the book and likewise the matter of it. While Blanquerna wept and adored, and God caused his soul to rise to the supreme height of its strength in contemplation of Him, Blanquerna felt himself carried away in spirit through the great fervour and devotion which he had, and he con¬ sidered that the strength of love knows no bounds when the Lover has very fervent love to his Beloved. Wherefore it came to the will of Blanquerna that he should make a book of the Lover and the Beloved, the which Lover should be a faithful and devout Christian and the Beloved should be God.

3. While Blanquerna considered after this manner, he remembered how that once when he was Pope a Saracen related to him that the Saracens have certain religious men, and that among others are certain men called Sufis, who are the moSt prized among them, and these men have words of love and brief examples which give to men great devo¬ tion ; and these are words which demand exposition, and by the exposition thereof the understanding soars aloft, and the will likewise soars, and is increased in devotion. When Blanquerna had considered after this wise, he purposed to make the book according to the manner aforementioned, and he commanded the hermit to return to Rome, saying that in a short time he would send to him by the deacon the Book of the Lover and the Beloved, whereby for evermore fervour and devotion would be increased in the hermits, for it would seek to inspire them with the love of God.

OF THE “ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED"

PROLOGUE

Blanquerna was in prayer, and considered the manner wherein to contemplate God and His virtues, and when he had ended his prayer, he wrote down the manner wherein he had contemplated God: and this he did daily, and brought new arguments to his prayer, to the end that after many and divers manners he should compose the Book of the Lover and the Beloved, and that these manners should be brief, and that in a short space of time the soul should learn to refledt in many ways. And with the blessing of God Blanquerna began the book, the which book he divided into as many verses as there are days in the year ; and each verse suffices for the contemplation of God in one day according to the Art of the Book of Contemplation.

BEGIN THE MORAL METAPHORS

1. The Lover asked his Beloved if there remained in Him anything ftill to be loved. And the Beloved answered that he had ftill to love that by which his own love could be increased.

2. Long and perilous are the paths whereby the Lover seeks his Beloved. They are peopled by considerations, sighs and tears. They are lit up by love.

3. Many lovers came together to love One only, their Beloved, who made them all to abound in love. And each one had the Beloved for his possession, and his thoughts of Him were very pleasant, making him to suffer pain which brought delight.

4. The Lover wept and said : “ How long shall it be till the darkness of the world is paft, that the paths to hell may be no more ? When comes the hour wherein water, that flows downwards, shall change its nature and mount upwards? When shall the innocent be more in number than the guilty ? ”

5. “ Ah 1 When shall the Lover with joy lay down his life for the Beloved? And when shall the Beloved see the Lover grow faint for love of Him ? ”

6. Said the Lover to the Beloved: “Thou that filled the sun with splendour, fill my heart with love.” And the Beloved answered : “ Hadft thou not fulness of love, thine eyes had not shed those tears, neither hadft thou come to this place to see Him that loves thee.”

7. The Beloved made trial of His Lover to see if his love for Him were pcrfeft, and He asked him how the presence of the Beloved differed from His absence. The Lover answered : “ As knowledge and remembrance differ from ignorance and oblivion.”

8. The Beloved asked the Lover: “ Haft thou remem¬ brance of aught wherewith I have rewarded thee, that thou 412

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ” wouldft love Me thus ? ” “ Yea,” replied the Lover, “ for I distinguish not between the trials that Thou sendeSt me and the joys.”

9. “ Say, O Lover ! ” asked the Beloved, “ If I double thy trials, wilt thou Still be patient? ” “ Yea,” answered the Lover, “ so that Thou double also my love.”

10. Said the Beloved to the Lover : “ KnoweSt thou yet what love meaneth ? ” The Lover answered : “ If I knew not the meaning of love, I should know the meaning of trial, grief and sorrow.”

1 1 . They asked the Lover : “ Why answereSt thou not thy Beloved when He calleth thee?” He replied: “I brave great perils that I may come to Him, and I speak to Him begging His graces.”

12. “ Foolish Lover! Why doSt thou weary thy body, caSt away thy wealth and leave the joys of this world, and go about as an outcaSl among the people?” “To do honour to the honours of my Beloved," he replied, “ for He is hated1 and dishonoured by more men than honour and love Him.”

1 3. “ Say, Fool of Love 1 Which can be the better seen, the Beloved in the Lover, or the Lover in the Beloved? ” The Lover answered, and said : “ By love can the Beloved be seen, and the Lover by sighs and tears, by trials and by grief.”

14. The Lover sought for one who should tell his Be¬ loved how great trials he was enduring for love of Him, and how he was like to die. And he found his Beloved, Who was reading in a book wherein were written all the griefs which love made him to suffer for his Beloved, and the joy which he had of his love.

1 disamat, lit. “ unloved.” See note, p. I48> abc occurs with particular frequency in the Book of thi implies rather indifference than hate.

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15. Our Lady presented her Son to the Lover, that he might kiss His feet, and that he might write in his book, concerning the virtues of Our Lady.

16. “Say, thou bird that singeft I Haft thou placed thyself in the care of my Beloved, that He may guard thee from indifference, and increase in thee thy love ? ” The bird replied: “ And who makes me to sing but the Lord of love, Who holds indifference1 to be sin? ”

17. Between fear and hope has Love made her home. She lives on thought, and dies of forgetfulness, the founda¬ tions whereof are the delights of this world.

18. There was a contention between the eyes and the memory of the Lover, for the eyes said that it was better to behold the Beloved than to remember Him. But Memory said that remembrance brings tears to the eyes, and makes the heart to burn with love.

19. The Lover enquired of Underftanding and Will which of them was the nearer to his Beloved. And the two ran, and Underftanding came nearer to the Beloved than did Will.

20. There was ftrife between the Lover and the Beloved, and another lover saw it and wept, till peace and concord were made between the Beloved and the Lover.

21. Sighs and Tears came to be judged by the Beloved, and asked Him which of them loved Him the more deeply. And the Beloved gave judgment that sighs were nearer to love, and tears to the eyes.

22. The Lover came to drink of the fountain which gives love to him that has none, and his griefs redoubled. And the Beloved came to drink of that fountain, that the love of one whose griefs were doubled might be doubled also.

1 detamor. See preceding note.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ”

23. The Lover was sick and thought on the Beloved, Who fed him on His merits, quenched his thirft with love| made him to reft in patience, clothed him with humility, and as medicine gave him truth.

24. They asked the Lover where his Beloved was. And he answered: “ See Him for yourselves in a nobler house than all the nobility of creation ; but see Him too in my love, my griefs and my tears.”

25. They said to the Lover: “ Whither goeft thou? ” He answered : “ I come from my Beloved.” “ Whence comeft thou ? ” “ I go to my Beloved.” “ When wilt thou return ? ” “ I shall be with my Beloved.” “ How long wilt thou be with thy Beloved ? ” “ For as long as my thoughts remain on Him.”

26. The birds hymned the dawn, and the Lover,1 2 who is the dawn, awakened. And the birds ended their song, and the Lover died in the dawn for his Beloved.

27. The bird sang in the garden1 of the Beloved. The Lover came, and he said to the bird : “ If we underftand not one another in speech, we may make ourselves underftood by love; for in thy song I see my Beloved before mine eyes.”

28. The Lover was fain to sleep, for he had laboured much in seeking his Beloved; and he feared left he should forget Him. And he wept, that he might not fall asleep, and his Beloved be absent from his remembrance.

29. The Lover and the Beloved met, and the Beloved said to the Lover: “ Thou needeft not to speak to Me. Sign to Me only with thine eyes, for they are words to My heart, — that I may give thee that which thou doft ask.”

1 All the texts read here “Lover,” though we should have exp “ Beloved.” We must either suppose therefore that in this verse Ch the Lover and God the Father is the Beloved, or we ma y read Belo and assume an error on the part of the author, copied by later MSb.

2 verger: more properly “ orchard."

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30. The Lover was disobedient to his Beloved ; and the Lover wept. And the Beloved came in the venture of His Lover, and died, that His Lover might regain what he had loft. So He gave him a greater gift than that which he had loft.

3 1 . The Beloved filled His Lover with love, and grieved not for his tribulations, for they would but make him love the more deeply ; and the greater were the Lover’s tribula¬ tions, the greater was his delight and joy.

32. The Lover said: “ The secrets of my Beloved tor¬ ture me, for my deeds reveal them, and my mouth keeps silence and reveals them to none.”

33. This is Love’s contraft: the Lover muft be longsuffering, patient, humble, fearful, diligent, truftful ; he muft be ready to face great dangers for the honour of his Beloved. And his Beloved is pledged to be true and free, merciful and juft with His lover.

34. The Lover set forth over hill and plain in search of true devotion, and to see if his Beloved were well served. But in every place he found that devotion was sorely lack¬ ing. So he delved into the earth to see if there he could find more perfeft devotion, which was lacking above ground.

35. “ O bird that singeft of love, ask thou of my Be¬ loved, Who has taken me to be His servant, wherefore He tortures me with love.” The bird replied : “ If Love made thee not to bear trials, wherewith couldft thou show thy love for Him ? ”

36. Pensively the Lover trod the paths of his Beloved. Now he ftumbled and fell among the thorns; but they were to him as flowers, and as a bed of love.

37. They asked the Lover: “ Wouldft thou change for another thy Beloved ? ” He answered and said : “ Why, what other is better or nobler than the sovereign and eternal

“ B00K 0F the lover and the BELOVED ”

Good ? For He is infinite in greatness and power and wisdom and love and perfection.”

38. The Lover wept, and sang of his Beloved, and said:

Swifter is love in the heart of the lover than is the splen¬ dour of the lightning to the eye, or the thunder to the ear. The tears of love gather more swiftly than the waves of the sea; and sighing is more proper to love than is whiteness

39. They asked the Lover: “ Wherein is the glory of thy Beloved ? ” He answered : “ He is Glory itself.” They asked him: “ Wherein lies His power? ” He an¬ swered : “ He is Power itself.” “ And wherein lies His wisdom ? ” “ He is Wisdom itself.” “ And wherefore is He to be loved ? ” “ Because He is Love itself.”

40. The Lover rose early and went to seek his Beloved. He found travellers on the road, and he asked if they had seen his Beloved. They answered him: “ When did the eyes of thy mind lose sight of thy Beloved ? ” The Lover answered and said : “ Even when my Beloved is no longer in my thoughts, He is never absent from the eyes of my body, for all things that I see pifture to me my Beloved.”

4 1 . With eyes of thought and grief, sighs and tears, the Lover gazed upon his Beloved; and with eyes of grace, justice and pity, mercy and bounty, the Beloved gazed upon His Lover. And the bird sang of that Countenance so full of delight, whereof we have already spoken.

42. The keys of the doors of love are gilded with medi¬ tations, sighs and tears; the cord which binds them is woven of conscience, contrition, devotion and satisfaction ; the door is kept by justice and mercy.

43. The Lover beat upon the door of his Beloved with blows of love and hope. The Beloved heard the blows of His Lover, with humility, pity, charity and patience. Deity

2D 417

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and Humanity opened the doors, and the Lover went in to his Beloved.

44. Propriety and Community met, and joined together, that there might be love and benevolence between Lover and Beloved.

45. There are two fires that nurture the love of the Lover : the one is made of pleasures, desires and thoughts : the other is compounded of fear and grief, of weeping and of tears.

46. The Lover longed for solitude,1 and went away to live alone, that he might have the companionship of his Beloved, for amid many people he was lonely.

47. The Lover was all alone, in the shade of a fair tree. Men passed by that place, and asked him why he was alone. And the Lover answered : “ I am alone, now that I have seen you and heard you ; until now, I was in the company of my Beloved.”

48. By signs of love, the Lover held converse with the Beloved ; by means of fear, and of weeping and tears and thoughts, the Lover recounted his griefs to the Beloved.

49. The Lover feared left his Beloved should fail him in his greateft need; and the Beloved took love from His Lover. Then the Lover had contrition and repentance of heart; and the Beloved reftored hope and charity to the heart of the Lover, and to his eyes weeping and tears, that love might return to him.

50. Whether Lover and Beloved are near or far is all one; for their love mingles as water mingles with wine. They are linked as heat with light; they agree and are united as Essence and Being.

51. Said the Lover to his Beloved: “ In Thee are both my healing and my grief: the more surely Thou healeft

* So D ( solitat ) ; the other versions have so/tiilat.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ” me, the greater grows my grief; and the more I languish, the more doft Thou give me health.” The Beloved an¬ swered : “ Thy love is a seal and an impress whereby thou doit show forth My honour before men.”

52. The Lover saw himself taken and bound, wounded and killed, for the love of his Beloved ; and they that tor¬ tured him asked him : “ Where is thy Beloved ? ” He answered : “ See Him here in the increase of my love, and the Strength which it gives me to bear my torments.”

53. Said the Lover to the Beloved: “ I have never fled from Thee, nor ceased to love Thee, since I knew Thee, for I was ever in Thee, by Thee and with Thee whitherso¬ ever I went.” The Beloved answered: “ Nor since thou haft known Me and loved Me have I once forgotten thee ; never once have I deceived or failed thee.”

54. As one that was a fool went the Lover through a city, singing of his Beloved ; and men asked him if he had loft his wits. “ My Beloved,” he answered, “ has taken my will, and I myself have yielded up to Him my under¬ standing; so that there is left in me naught but memory, wherewith I remember my Beloved.”

35. The Beloved said: “ It would be a miracle againSt love that the Lover should fall asleep and forget his Be¬ loved.” The Lover answered: “ It would be a miracle likewise against love if the Beloved awakened him not, since He has desired him.”

56. The heart of the Lover soared to the heights of the Beloved, so that he might not be impeded from loving Him in this abyss, the world. And when he reached his Beloved he contemplated Him with sweetness and delight. But the Beloved led him down again to this world that he might contemplate Him in tribulations and griefs.

,7. They asked the Lover : “ Wherein is all thy wealth ? ” He answered: “ In the poverty which I bear for my Be-

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loved.” “ And where is thy repose ? ” “ In the affliftions of love.” “ Who is thy physician ? ” “ The truft that I have in my Beloved.” “ And who is thy mafter ? ” “ The signs which in all creatures I see of my Beloved.”

58. The bird sang upon a branch in leaf and flower, and the breeze ftirred the leaves, and bore away the scent of the flowers. “ What means the trembling of the leaves, and the scent of the flowers ? ” asked the Lover of the bird. The bird answered : “ The trembling of the leaves signifies obedience, and the scent of the flowers, suffering and adversity.”

59. The Lover went in desire of his Beloved, and he met two friends, who greeted and embraced and kissed each other, with love and with tears. And the Lover swooned, so strongly did these two lovers call to his memory his Beloved.

60. The Lover thought on death, and was afraid, till he remembered his Beloved. Then in a loud voice he cried to those that were near him : “ Ah, sirs ! Have love, that ye may fear neither death nor danger, in doing honour to my Beloved.”

61. They asked the Lover where his love fir ft began. He answered: “ It began in the glories of my Beloved; and from that beginning I was led to love my neighbour even as myself, and to cease to love1 deception and falsehood.”

62. “ Say, Fool of Love ! If thy Beloved no longer cared for thee, what wouldft thou do ? ” “ I should love Him ft ill,” he replied. “ Else muft I die; seeing that to cease to love is death and love is life.”

63. They asked the Lover what he meant by perse¬ verance. “ It is both happiness and sorrow,” he answered,

42<

“ B00K OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED » “ in the Lover who ever loves, honours and serves his Beloved with fortitude, patience and hope.”

64. The Lover desired his Beloved to recompense him for the time that he had served Him. And the Beloved reckoned the thoughts and tears and longings and perils and trials which His Lover had borne for love of Him; and the Beloved added to the account eternal bliss, and gave Himself for a recompense to His Lover.

65. They asked the Lover what he meant by happiness. “ It is sorrow,” he replied, “ borne for Love.”

66. “ Say, O Fool 1 What meanest thou by sorrow? ” “ It is the remembrance of the dishonour that is done to my Beloved, Who is worthy of all honour."

67. The Lover was gazing on a Place where he had seen his Beloved. And he said : “ Ah, place that recalled the blessed haunts1 of my Beloved 1 Thou wilt tell my Beloved that I suffer trials and sorrows for His sake.” And that Place made answer : “ When thy Beloved hung upon me, He bore for thy love greater trials and sorrows than all other trials and sorrows that Love could give to its servants.”

68. Said the Lover to his Beloved: “ Thou art all, and through all, and in all, and with all. I would give Thee all of myself that I may have all of Thee, and Thou all of me.” The Beloved answered : “ Thou canft not have Me wholly unless thou art wholly Mine.” And the Lover said : “ Let me be wholly Thine and be Thou wholly mine.” The Beloved answered : “ What then will thy son have, and thy brother and thy father ? ” The Lover replied : “ Thou, O my Beloved ! art so great a Whole, that Thou can£! abound, and be wholly of each one who gives himself wholly to Thee.”

69. The Lover extended and prolonged his thoughts of the greatness and everlaftingness of his Beloved, and he

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found in Him neither beginning, nor mean, nor end. And the Beloved said : “ What measured thou, O Fool ? ” The Lover answered : “ I measure the lesser with the greater, defeCt with fulness, and beginning with infinity and eter¬ nity, to the end that humility, patience, charity and hope may be planted the more firmly in my remembrance.”

70. The paths of love are both long and short. For love is clear, bright and pure, subtle yet simple, strong, diligent, brilliant, and abounding both in fresh thoughts and in old memories.

71. They asked the Lover: “ What are the fruits of love ? ” He answered : “ They are pleasures, thoughts, desires, longings, sighs, trials, perils, torments and griefs. And without these fruits Love’s servants have no part in her.”

72. Many persons were with the Lover, who made complaint of his Beloved that He increased not his love, and of Love, that it gave him trials and sorrows. The Beloved made reply that the trials and sorrows whereof he accused Love were the increase of love itself.

73. “ Say, O Fool 1 Why doSt thou not speak, and what is this for the which thou art thoughtful and perplexed ? ” The Lover answered: “ It is for the beauties of my Be¬ loved, and the likeness between the joys and the sorrows which are brought to me and given me by Love.”

74. “ Say, O Fool 1 Which thing was in being firft, thy heart or thy love ? ” He answered and said : “ Both my heart and love came into being together; for were it not so, the heart had not been made for love, nor love for reflection.”

75. They asked the Fool: “Wherein had thy love its birth : in the secrets of the Beloved, or in the revelation of them to men ? ” He answered : “ Love in its fulness makes no such distinction as this; for secretly the Lover keeps 422

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ” hidden the secrets of his Beloved; secretly also he reveals them, and yet when they are revealed he keeps them secret ftill.”

76. The secrets of love, unrevealed, cause anguish and grief ; revelation of love brings fervour and fear. And for this cause the Lover muft ever have sorrow.

77. Love called his lovers, and bade them ask of him the moft desirable and pleasing gifts. And they asked of Love that he would clothe and adorn them with his own garments, that they might be the more acceptable to the Beloved.

78. The Lover cried aloud to all men, and said : “Love bids you ever love : in walking and sitting, in waking and sleeping, in speech and in silence, in buying and selling, in weeping and laughing, in joy and in sorrow, in gain and in loss — in whatsoever you do, ye mu& love, for this is Love’s commandment.”

79. “ Say, O Fool 1 When came Love firft to thee? ” “In that time,” he replied, “ when my heart was enriched and filled with thoughts and desires, sighs and griefs, and my eyes abounded in weeping and in tears.” “ And what did Love bring thee? ” “ The wondrous ways of my Be¬ loved, His honours and His exceeding worth.”1 “How came these things ? ” “ Through memory and understand¬ ing.” “ Wherewith didst thou receive them ? ” “ With charity and hope.” “ Wherewith dost thou guard them ? ” “ With justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance.”

80. The Beloved sang, and said: “Little knows the Lover of love, if he be ashamed to praise his Beloved, or if he fear to do Him honour in those places wherein He is moil grievously dishonoured; and little knows he of love who is impatient of tribulations; and he who loses trust in his Beloved makes no agreement between love and hope.

1 valors. See note, p. I75> above-

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8 1. The Lover sent letters to his Beloved, asking Him if there were others who would help him to suffer and bear the grievous cares which he endured for love of Him. And the Beloved replied to the Lover : “ There is naught in Me that can fail or wrong thee."

82. They asked the Beloved concerning the love of His Lover. He answered : “ It is a mingling of joy and sorrow, of fervour and fear.”

83. They asked the Lover concerning the love of his Beloved. He answered: “ It is the inflowing of infinite goodness, eternity, power, wisdom, charity and perfeftion. This is that which flows to the Lover from the Beloved.”

84. “ Say, O Fool ! What meanest thou by a marvel ? ” He answered : “ It is a marvel to love things absent more than things present; and to love things visible and things corruptible more than things invisible and incorruptible.”

85. The Lover went to seek his Beloved, and he found a man that was dying without love. And he said : “ How great a sadness is it that any man should die without love 1 ” So the Lover said to him that was dying : “ Say, wherefore doft thou die without love?” And he answered: “ Be¬ cause I have lived without love.”

86. The Lover asked his Beloved: “Which thing is greater — loving, or love itself? ” The Beloved answered: “ In creatures, love is the tree, the fruit whereof is loving ; and the flowers and the leaves are trials and griefs. And in God, love and loving are one and the same thing, with¬ out either griefs or trials.”

87. The Lover was in grief and sorrow, through over¬ much thought. And therefore he begged his Beloved to send him a book, wherein he might see Him in His virtues, that his sorrow might thereby be relieved. So the Beloved sentjthat book to His Lover, and his trials and griefs were doubled.

“ book of the lover and THE BELOVED ”

88. Sick with love was the Lover, and a physician came in to see him who multiplied his sorrows and his thoughts. And in that same hour the Lover was healed.

89. Love went apart with the Lover, and they had great joy of the Beloved; and the Beloved revealed himself to them. The Lover wept, and afterwards was in rapture, and Love swooned thereat. But the Beloved brought life to His Lover by bringing to his memory His virtues.

90. The Lover said to the Beloved : “ By many ways doSt Thou come to my heart, and revealed Thyself to my sight. And by many names do I name Thee. But the love whereby Thou doSt quicken me and mortify me is one, and one alone.”

91. The Beloved revealed Himself to His Lover, clothed in new and scarlet robes. He Stretched out His Arms to embrace him ; He inclined His Head to kiss him ; and He remained on high that he might ever seek Him.

92. The Beloved was absent from His Lover, and the Lover sought his Beloved with his memory and under¬ standing, that he might love Him. The Lover found his Beloved, and he asked Him whither He had been. “ In the absence of thy remembrance,” answered the Beloved, “ and in the ignorance of thy understanding.”

93. “ Say, O Fool! HaSt thou shame when men see thee weep for thy Beloved ? ” “ Shame apart from sin, answered the Lover, “ signifies defeat of love in one who knows not how to love.”

94. The Beloved planted in the heart of the Lover sighs and longings, virtues and love. The Lover watered the seed with his tears.

95. In the body of the Lover the Beloved planted trials, tribulations and griefs. And the Lover tended his body with hope and devotion, patience and consolations.

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96. The Beloved made a great feaft, held a court of many honourable barons, sent many invitations and gave great gifts. To this court came the Lover, and the Beloved said to him : “ Who called thee to come to this court ? " The Lover answered : “ Need and love compelled me to come, that I might behold Thy adornments and Thy wonders.”

97. They asked the Lover: “ Whence art thou ? ” He

answered : “ From love.” “ To whom doft thou belong ? ” “ I belong to love.” “ Who gave thee birth ? ” “ Love.” “ Where waft thou born ? ” “ In love.” “ Who brought thee up ? ” “ Love.” “ How doft thou live ? ” “ By

love.” “ What is thy name ? ” “ Love.” “ Whence

comeft thou ? ” “ From love.” “ Whither goeft thou ? ” “ To love.” “ Where dwelleft thou ? ” “ In love.” “ Haft thou aught but love ? ” “ Yea,” he answered, “ I have faults; and I have sins againft my Beloved.” “ Is there pardon in thy Beloved ? ” “ Yea,” answered the Lover, “ in my Beloved there is mercy and juftice, and therefore am I lodged between fear and hope.”

98. The Beloved left the Lover, and the Lover sought Him in his thoughts, and enquired for Him of men in the language of love.

99. The Lover found his Beloved, who was despised among the people, and he told the Beloved what great wrong was done to His honour. The Beloved answered him, and said : “ Lo, I suffer this dishonour for lack of fervent and devoted lovers.” The Lover wept, and his sorrows were increased, but the Beloved comforted him, by revealing to him His wonders.

100. The light of the Beloved’s abode came to illumine the dwelling of the Lover, to caft out its darkness, and to fill it with joys and griefs and thoughts. And the Lover caft out all things from his dwelling, that the Beloved might be lodged there.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ”

101. They asked the Lover what sign his Beloved bore upon His banner. He answered : “The sign of One dead.” They asked him why He bore such a sign. He answered :

Because He once died and was crucified, and because they that glory in being His lovers mufi follow in His steps.”

102. The Beloved came to lodge in the dwelling of His Lover, and the Reward demanded of Him the reckoning. But the Lover said: “ My Beloved is to be lodged freely.”1

103. Memory and Will set forth together, and climbed into the mountain of the Beloved, that understanding might be exalted and love for the Beloved increased.

104. Every day sighs and tears are messengers between the Lover and the Beloved, that between them there may be solace and companionship and friendship and goodwill.

105. The Lover yearned for his Beloved, and sent to Him his thoughts, that they might bring him back from his Beloved the bliss which for so long had been his.

106. The Beloved gave to His Lover the gift of tears, sighs, griefs, thoughts and sorrows, with the which gift the Lover served his Beloved.

107. The Lover begged his Beloved to give him riches, peace and honour in this world; and the Beloved revealed His Countenance to the memory and understanding of the Lover, and gave Himself as an Aim to his will.

108. They asked the Lover: “Wherein consists hon¬ our ? ” He answered : “ In comprehending and loving my Beloved.” And they asked him also: “ Wherein lies dishonour? ” He answered: “ In forgetting and ceasing to love Him.”

109. “ Tormented was I by love, O Beloved, until I cried that Thou waSt present in my torments; and then

■ V reads : “ My Beloved is to be lodged freely,— yea, with a gift,— for long ago He paid the price of all men.”

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did love ease my griefs, and Thou as a guerdon didft in¬ crease my love, and love doubled my torments.”

iio. In the path of love the Lover found another who was silent, and who with tears, grief, and drawn features made accusation and reproach againft Love. And Love made excuse with loyalty, hope, patience, devotion, forti¬ tude, temperance and happiness ; and he blamed the Lover who cried out upon Love, for that he had given him gifts so noble as these.

in. The Lover sang and said : “ Ah, what great affliftion is love 1 Ah, what great happiness it is to love my Beloved, Who loves His lovers with infinite and eternal love, perfect and complete in everything 1 ”

1 12. The Lover went into a far country thinking to find therein his Beloved, and in the way there met him two lions. The Lover was afraid, even to death, for he desired to live and serve his Beloved. So he sent Memory to his Beloved, that Love might be present at his passing, for with Love he could better endure death. And while the Lover had remembrance of his Beloved, the two lions came to him humbly, licked the tears from his eyes, and caressed his hands and feet. So the Lover went on his way in peace to seek his Beloved.

1 1 3. The Lover journeyed over hill and dale, but he could find no way of escape from the imprisonment in which Love had for so long enthralled his body and his thoughts and all his desires and joys.

1 14. While the Lover went toiling in this wise, he found a hermit who was sleeping near to a fair spring. The Lover wakened the hermit, and asked him if in his dreams he had seen the Beloved. The hermit answered that his own thoughts likewise, whether he was sleeping or waking, were held captive in the prison of Love. The Lover joyed greatly that he had found a fellow-prisoner; and they both wept, for the Beloved has few such lovers as these,

“ BOOK of the lover and THE BELOVED ”

1 1 5- Naught is there in the Beloved wherein the Lover has not care and sorrow, nor has the Lover aught in him¬ self wherein the Beloved joys not and has no part. And therefore is the love of the Beloved ever in a&ion, while that of the Lover is in grief and suffering.1

1 1 6. A bird was singing upon a branch: “ I will give a fresh thought to the lover who will give me two.” The bird gave that fresh thought to the Lover, and the Lover gave two to the bird, that its afflictions might be assuaged ; and the Lover felt his griefs increased.

1 1 7. The Lover and the Beloved met together, and their caresses, embraces and kisses, their weeping and tears, bore witness to their meeting. Then the Beloved asked the Lover concerning his Slate, and the Lover was speechless before his Beloved.

1 18. The Lover and the Beloved Strove, and their love made peace between them. Which of them, think you,* bore the Stronger love toward the other ?

1 19. The Lover loved all those that feared his Beloved, and he feared all those that feared Him not. And there arose this question : Which thing was greater in the Lover, whether love or fear ?

1 20. The Lover made haSle3 to follow his Beloved, and he passed along a road where there was a fierce lion which killed all that passed by it carelessly and without devotion.

121. The Lover said: “ He that fears not my Beloved muSt fear all things, and that he that fears Him may be bold and fervent in all things beside."

122 They asked the Lover: “ What meaneSt thou by occasion?” He answered: ‘‘It is to have pleasure in

passii. The reference is to the 1 fo quistii, translated in §119 slation of this phrase, which

Aristotelian category. Cf. accu “ and there arose this questior occurs frequently, is varied

BLANQUERNA

penance, understanding in knowledge, hope in patience, health in abstinence, consolation in remembrance, love in diligence, loyalty in shame, riches in poverty, peace in obedience, Strife in malevolence.”

123. Love shone through the cloud which had come be¬ tween the Lover and the Beloved, and made it to be as bright and resplendent as is the moon by night, as the day- Star at dawn, as the sun at midday, and as the understand¬ ing in the will ; and through that bright cloud the Lover and the Beloved held converse.

1 24. They asked the Lover : “ What is the greatest darkness ? ” He answered : “ The absence of my Be¬ loved.” “And what is the greatest light?” “The presence of my Beloved.”

123. The sign of the Beloved is seen in the Lover, who for love’s sake is in tribulations, sighs and tears, and thoughts, and is held in contempt of the people.

126. The Lover wrote these words: “ My Beloved delighteth because I raise my thoughts to Him, and for Him my eyes weep, and without grief I have neither life nor feeling, neither can I see nor hear nor smell.”

127. “Ah, Understanding and Willi Cry out1 and awaken the watchdogs that sleep, forgetting my Beloved. Weep, O eyes 1 Sigh, O heart 1 And, Memory, forget not the dishonour which is done to my Beloved by those whom He has so greatly honoured.”

128. The enmity that is between men and my Beloved increases. My Beloved promises gifts and rewards, and threatens with juStice and wisdom. And Memory and Will despise both His threats and His promises.

129. The Beloved drew near to the Lover, to comfort and console him for the griefs which he suffered and the tears which he shed. And the nearer came the Beloved to

1 ladrati: “ bark.”

43°

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ” the Lover, the more he grieved and wept, crying out upon the dishonour which was done to his Beloved.

130. With the pen of love, with the water of his tears, and on paper of suffering, the Lover wrote letters to his Beloved. And in these he told how devotion tarried, how love was dying, and how sin and error were increasing the number of His enemies.

131. The Lover and the Beloved were bound in love with the bonds of memory, understanding, and will, that they might never be parted ; and the cord wherewith these two loves were bound was woven of thoughts and griefs, sighs and tears.

132. The Lover lay in the bed of love: his sheets were of joys, his coverlet was of griefs, his pillow of tears. And none knew if the fabric of the pillow was that of the sheets or of the coverlet.

133. The Beloved clothed His Lover in veSt, coat and mantle, and gave him a helmet of love. His body He clothed with thoughts, his feet with tribulations, and his head with a garland of tears.

1 34. The Beloved adjured His Lover not to forget Him. The Lover answered that he could not forget Him because he could not do otherwise than know Him.

135. The Beloved said to His Lover: “Thou shalt praise and defend Me in those places where men moSt fear to praise Me.” The Lover answered: “ Provide me then with love.” The Beloved answered : “ For love of thee I became incarnate, and endured the pains of death.”

136. The Lover said to his Wellbeloved: “ Show me the way wherein I may make Thee to be known and loved and praised among men.” The Beloved filled His Lover with devotion, patience, charity, tribulations, thoughts, sighs and tears. And to the heart of the Lover came bold¬ ness to praise his Beloved ; and in his mouth were praises

BLANQUERNA

of his Beloved; and in his will was contempt of the re¬ proaches of men who judge falsely.

137. The Lover spake to the people in these words:

“ He that truly remembers my Beloved, in remembering Him forgets all things around; and he that forgets all things in remembering my Beloved, is defended by Him from all things, and receives a part in all things.”

138. They asked the Lover: “Whereof is Love born, whereon does it live, and wherefore does it die ? ” The Lover answered : “ Love is born of remembrance, it lives on understanding, and it dies through forgetfulness.”

139. The Lover forgot all that was beneath the high heavens that his understanding might soar the higher to¬ wards a knowledge of the Beloved, Whom his will desired to contemplate and to preach.

140. The Lover went out to do battle for the honour of his Beloved, and took with him faith, hope, charity, justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance wherewith to vanquish the enemies of his Beloved. And the Lover had been van¬ quished had the Beloved not helped him to make known His greatness.

14 1. The Lover desired to attain to the farthest goal of his love for the Beloved; and other objects blocked his path. For this cause his longing desires and thoughts gave the Lover sorrow and grief.

142. The Lover was glad, and rejoiced in the greatness of his Beloved. But afterwards the Lover was sad because of overmuch thought and refledtion. And he knew not which he felt the more deeply — whether the joys or the sorrows.

143. The Lover was sent by his Beloved as a messenger to Christian princes and to unbelievers, to teach them an Art and Elements ,x whereby to know and love the Beloved.

1 References to certain works of Lull himself.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED"

144. If thou seeft a lover clothed in noble raiment, honoured through vainglory, sated with food and sleep’ know thou that in that man thou seeft damnation and tor¬ ment. And if thou seeft a lover poorly clothed, despised by men, pale and thin with faft and vigil, know thou that in that man thou looked upon salvation and everlasting weal.

145. The Lover made complaint, and his heart cried out for the heat of love that was within him. The Lover died, and the Beloved wept, and gave him the comfort of patience1 and hope and reward.

146. The Lover wept for that which he had loft; and none could comfort him, for his losses could not be re¬ gained.

147. God has created the night that the Lover may keep vigil, and think upon the glories of his Beloved: and the Lover thought that it had been created for the reft and sleep of those that were wearied with loving.

148. Men mocked and reproved the Lover, because he went about as a fool for love’s sake. And the Lover despised their reproaches, and himself reproved them, be¬ cause they loved not his Beloved.

149. The Lover said: “ I am clothed in vile raiment; but love clothes my heart with thoughts of delight, and my body with tears, griefs and sufferings.”

1 50. The Beloved sang, and said : “ Those that praise Me devote themselves to the praise of My valour,2 and the enemies of My honour torment them and have them in contempt. Therefore have I sent to my Lover that he may weep and lament the dishonour which I have suffered, an his laments and tears are born of My love.

* P : “ consolation and patience.

2 1 e. 44 worth.” See note, p. 1 75> above.

BLANQUERNA

1 5 1 . The Lover made oath to the Beloved that for love of Him he endured and loved trials and sufferings, and he begged the Beloved that He would love him and have compassion on his trials and sufferings.1 The Beloved made oath that it was the nature and property of His love to love all them that loved Him, and to have pity on such as endured trials for love of Him. The Lover was glad, and rejoiced in the nature and essential property of his Beloved.

152. The Beloved silenced His Lover, and the Lover took comfort in gazing upon his Beloved.

153. The Lover wept and called upon his Beloved, until the Beloved descended from the supreme heights of Heaven ; and He came to earth to weep and grieve and die for the sake of love, and to teach men to know and love and praise His honours.

1 54. The Lover reproached Christian people, because in their letters they put not firft the name of his Beloved, Jesus Chrift, to do Him the same honour that the Saracens do Mahomet, who was a knave and no true man, when they honour him by naming him in their letters firft of all.

155. The Lover met a squire who walked pensively, and was pale, thin, and poorly clothed; and he greeted the Lover and said: “ Now God guide thee, that thou mayeft find thy Beloved 1 ” And the Lover asked him how he had recognised him ; and the squire said : “ Some there are of Love s secrets that reveal others, and therefore between lovers is there recognition.”

156- The glories, honours and good works of the Be¬ loved are the riches and the treasure of the Lover. And the treasures of the Beloved are the thoughts, desires, tor¬ ments, tears and griefs wherewith the Lover ever honours and loves his Beloved.

1 P. D : that He would have hii trials and auffering(s) in remembrance.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ”

157. Great companies and hofts of lovers have assembled themselves together ; they bear the banner of love, whereon is the figure and the sign of their Beloved. And they will have with them none that has not love, left their Beloved should be dishonoured.

158. Men that show their folly by heaping up riches move the Lover to be a fool for love; and the shame that the Lover has of men at going among them as a fool makes him to be efteemed and loved. Which of the two emotions, think ye, is the greater occasion of love?

I591 Love made the Lover to be sad through excess of thought ; the Beloved sang, and the Lover rejoiced to hear Him. Which of these two occasions, think ye, gave to the Lover the greater increase of love?

160. In the secrets of the Lover are revealed the secrets of the Beloved, and in the secrets of the Beloved are re¬ vealed the secrets of the Lover. Which of these two secrets, think ye, is the greater occasion of revelation ?

16 1. They asked the Fool by what signs his Beloved might be known. He answered and said : “ By mercy and pity, which are essentially in His Will, without change soever.”

162. Such was the love which the Lover had to the Be¬ loved, that he desired the good of all above the good of each,1 and for his Beloved to be everywhere known and praised, and desired.

163. Love and Indifference met in a garden,2 where the Lover and the Beloved were talking in secret. And Love asked Indifference for what intent he had come to that place. “ That the Lover may cease to love,” he replied, “ and the Beloved to be honoured.” The words of Indiffer-

a play upon words, which may d , the particular love which the Lc sral good above the particular, tht

BLANQUEIiNA

ence were greatly displeasing to the Beloved and the Lover, and their love was increased, that it might vanquish and deftroy Indifference.

164. “ Say, O Fool ! In which thing doft thou take the greater pleasure — whether in loving or in hating? ” “ In loving,” he replied, “ for I have only hated to the end that I may love.”

165. “ Say, O Lover 1 Which thing doft thou ftrive to understand the better — whether truth or falsehood ? ” He answered: “Truth.” “ And wherefore so ? " “Because I understand falsehood that I may the better understand truth.”

1 66. The Lover perceived that he was loved by his Be¬ loved, and he enquired of Him if His love and His mercy were one and the same thing. The Beloved affirmed that in His Essence there was no diftinftion between His love and His mercy. Therefore said the Lover: “ Why, then, does Thy love torment me, and why does not Thy mercy heal me of my griefs ? ” And the Beloved answered : “ It is mercy that gives thee these griefs, that thou mayeSt the more perfedtly honour therewith My love.”

167. The Lover desired to go into a far country to do honour to his Beloved, and he wished to disguise himself that he might not be taken captive on the way; but he could not hide the tears in his eyes, nor his pale and drawn face, nor the plaints and thoughts and sighs, the sorrow and the griefs of his heart. And so he was taken captive on the journey and delivered to the tormentors by the enemies of his Beloved.

168. Imprisoned was the Lover in the prison of Love. Thoughts, desires and memories held and enchained him left he should flee to his Beloved. Griefs tormented him ; patience and hope consoled him. And the Lover would have died, but the Beloved revealed to him His Presence, and the Lover revived.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ”

1 69. The Lover met his Beloved, and he knew Him and wept. The Beloved reproved him, because he wept not until he knew Him. “ Wherein didft thou know Me,” He asked, “ since thine eyes were not already wet with tears ? ” The Lover answered: “In my memory, undemanding and will, whereby, so soon as the eyes of my body saw Thee, my love was increased.”

170. “ What meaneft thou by love ? ” said the Beloved. And the Lover answered: “ It is to bear upon the heart of the Lover the features and the words of the Beloved. It is the yearning that is in the heart of the Lover, with desire and tears.”

17 1. “ Love is the mingling of boldness and fear, that comes through great fervour. It is the desire for the Be¬ loved as the end of the will. It is that which makes the Lover like to die when he hears one sing of the beauties of the Beloved. It is that wherein I die daily, and wherein for ever is my will.”

172. Devotion and Yearning sent thoughts as messen¬ gers to the heart of the Lover, to bring tears to his eyes, which for long had wept but now would weep no more.

173. Said the Lover: “ O ye that love, if ye will have fire, come light your lanterns at my heart; if water, come to my eyes, whence flow the tears in ftreams ; if thoughts of love, come gather them from my meditations.

174. It happened one day that the Lover was medi¬ tating on the great love which he had for his Beloved, and the great trials and perils into the which this love for so long had led him, and he fell to considering how that his reward would be great. And as he thus discoursed with himself, he remembered that his Beloved had recom¬ pensed him already, since He had kindled within him a love for His Presence, and through that very love had given him his griefs.

BLANQUERNA

175. The Lover was wiping away the tears which for Love’s sake he had shed, left he should reveal the sufferings which his Beloved sent him. But the Beloved said : “ Why wouldft thou hide from others these marks of thy love? For I have given them to thee that others may love My valour also.”

176. “ Say, thou that for love’s sake goeft as a fool! For how long wilt thou be a slave, and forced to weep and suffer trials and griefs ? ” He answered : “ Till my Be¬ loved shall separate body and soul in me.”

177. “ Say, O Fool, haft thou riches? ” He answered: “ I have my Beloved.” “ Haft thou towns, caftles or cities, provinces or duchies?” He answered: “I have love, thoughts, tears, desires, trials, griefs, which are better than empires or kingdoms.”

178. They asked the Lover wherein he recognised the decrees of his Beloved. He answered : “ In that He allots to His lovers equality of joys and griefs.”

179. “ Say, O Fool! Which of these knows the more of love — he that has joys thereof or he that has trials and griefs?” He answered: “ There can be no knowledge of love without both the one and the other.”

180. They asked the Lover: “ Wherefore wilt thou not defend thyself from the sins and the false crimes whereof men accuse thee ? ” He answered and said : “ I have to defend my Beloved, whom men falsely accuse; man may indeed be full of deceit and error, and is scarce worthy to be defended.”

1 8 1. “ Say, O Fool! Wherefore defendeft thou Love when it thus tries and torments thy body and thy heart ? ” He answered: “ Because it increases my merits and my happiness.”

182. The Lover made complaint of his Beloved, because He caused Love so grievously to torment him. And the

+38

“ B00K 0F THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED" Beloved made reply* by increasing his trials and perils thoughts and tears. s

183. “ Say, O Fool ! Wherefore makeft thou excuse for the guilty ? ” He answered: “ That I may not be like to those that accuse the innocent with the guilty.”

1 84. The Beloved raised the understanding of the Lover that he might comprehend His greatness, and incline his memory to recall his own shortcomings, and that his will might hate them, and soar aloft to love the perfeftions of the Beloved.

185. The Lover sang of his Beloved and said: “ So great is my will to love Thee, that all things that once I hated are now, through love of Thee, a greater happiness and joy to me than those that once I loved without loving Thee.”

186. The Lover went through a great city, and asked if there were any with whom he might speak of his Beloved as he desired. And they showed him a poor man who was weeping for love, and who sought a companion with whom to speak of love.

187. Thoughtful and perplexed was the Lover, as he wondered how his trials could have their source in the glory of his Beloved, Who has such great felicity in Himself.*

1 88. The thoughts of the Lover were between forget¬ fulness of his torments and remembrance of his joys; for the joys of love drive the memory of sorrow away, and the tortures of love recall the happiness which it brings.

189. They asked the Lover: “ Will thy Beloved ever take away thy love?” He answered: “No, not while memory has power to remember, nor underhand, ng to comprehend the glory of my Beloved.’

BLANQUERNA

190. “ Say, O Fool! What is the greatest comparison and similitude of all that can be made? ” He answered: “ That of Lover with Beloved.” They asked him : “ For what reason ? ” He replied : “ For the love that they have each one.”

1 9 1 . They asked the Beloved : “ Haft Thou never had pity ? ” He answered : “ If I had not had pity, my Lover had never learned to love Me, nor had I tormented him with sighs and tears, with trials and with griefs.”

192. The Lover was in a vaft foreft, seeking his Beloved. He found there Truth and Falsehood, who were disputing of his Beloved, for Truth praised Him and Falsehood accused Him. Wherefore the Lover cried out to Love that he would come to the aid of Truth.

193. There came the temptation to the Lover to leave his Beloved, that memory might awaken and find the Presence of the Beloved once more; for in this wise he would remember Him more deeply than he had remem¬ bered Him aforetime, and the underftanding would soar the higher in comprehending Him, and the will in loving Him.

194. One day the Lover ceased to remember his Be¬ loved, and on the next day he remembered that he had forgotten Him. On the day when it came to the Lover that he had forgotten his Beloved, he was in sorrow and pain, and yet in glory and bliss, — the one for his forget¬ fulness, and the other for his remembrance.

195. So earneftly did the Lover desire that his Beloved should be praised and honoured, that he doubted if he could remember Him enough ; and so ftrongly did he abhor the dishonour paid to his Beloved, that he doubted if he could abhor it enough. And for this cause the Lover was speechless and perplexed between his love and fear of his Beloved.

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ” 196. The Lover was like to die of joy, and he lived by grief. And his joys and torments were mingled and united, and became one and the same thing in the will of the Lover. And for this cause the Lover was like to be living and dying at one and the same time.

197. For one hour only the Lover would fain have for¬ gotten his Beloved, and known Him not, that his grief might have some reft. But such oblivion and ignorance had themselves made him to suffer; therefore he had patience, and lifted up his underftanding and his memory, in contemplation of his Beloved.

198. So great was the love of the Lover to his Beloved that he believed all things that He revealed to him. And so earneftly did he desire to underftand Him that he ftrove to underftand by unanswerable reasons all things that were said of Him. And therefore was the love of the Lover for ever between belief and underftanding.

199. They asked the Lover; “What thing is fartheft from thy heart ? ” He answered: “Indifference.” “And why so ? ” “ Because neareft to my heart is love, which is the contrary of indifference.”

200. “Say, O Fool I Haft thou envy ? ” He answered: “ Yea, whensoever I forget the bounty and the riches of my Beloved.”

201. “ Say, O Lover I Haft thou riches ? ” ‘‘ Yea,” he replied, “ I have love.” “ Haft thou poverty?” " Yea, I have love.” “ How then is this?” I am Poor> e replied, “ because my love is no greater, and because it fills so few others with love that they may exalt the honour of my Beloved.”

202. “ Say, O Lover 1 Where is thy power/” H« answered: “In the power of my Beloved.

with doft thou ftrive againft thine eneimes .

the ftrength of my Beloved.” “ Where, n doft thou

BLANQUERNA

find consolation ? ” “ In the eternal treasures of my

Beloved.”

203. “ Say, O Fool 1 Which loveit thou the more — whether the mercy of thy Beloved or His justice ? ” He answered : “ So greatly do I love and fear justice that I find it not in my will to love anything more than the justice of my Beloved.”

204. Sins and merits were driving among themselves in the conscience and the will of the Lover. Justice and re¬ membrance increased his remorse, but mercy and hope increased the assurance of pardon in the will of the Beloved ; wherefore in the penitence of the Lover merits conquered sins and wrongs.

205. The Lover affirmed that all was perfection in his Beloved, and denied that in Him was any fault at all. Which of these two, think you, is the greater, — whether that which he affirmed or denied ?

206. There was an eclipse in the heavens and darkness over all the earth. And it recalled to the Lover that his sins had long ago banished his Beloved from his will, wherefore the darkness had banished the light from his understand¬ ing. This is that light whereby the Beloved reveals Himself to His lovers.

207. Love came to the Lover, who asked him : “ What wilt thou?” And Love replied: “ I have come to thee that I may nurture and direct thy life, so that at thy death thou shalt be able to vanquish thy mortal enemies.”

208. When the Lover forgot his Beloved, Love fell sick ; and the Lover himself fell sick when he gave himself to over-much thinking, and his Beloved gave him trials, long¬ ings and griefs.

209. The Lover found a man who was dying without love. And the Lover wept that a man should die without love, for the dishonour which it brought to his Beloved. 442

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED" So he asked that man : “ Why doft thou die without love ? ” And he answered: “ Because no man will give me know¬ ledge of love, and none has taught me to be a lover.” So the Lover sighed and wept, and said: “Ah, devotion! When wilt thou be greater, that sin may grow less, and that my Beloved may have many fervent and ardent lovers who will praise Him and never shrink from extolling His honours ? ”

2 1 o. The Lover tempted Love to see if he would remain in his mind though he remembered not his Beloved; and his heart ceased to think and his eyes to weep. So his love vanished, and the Lover was perplexed and speechless. And he asked all men if they had seen Love.

2 1 1 . Love and loving, Lover and Beloved are so ftraidy united in the Beloved that they are one a&uality in Essence. And Lover and Beloved are entities diftinft, which agree without contrariety or diversity of essence. Wherefore the Beloved is to be loved above all other objefts of affeftion.

212. “Say, O Fool! Wherefore haft thou so great love ? ” He answered : “ Because long and perilous is the journey which I make in search of my Beloved, and I muft seek Him bearing a great burden and journey with all speed. And none of these things can be accomplished without great love.”

213. The Lover watched and fafted, wept, gave alms, and travelled afar that the Will of the Beloved might be moved to inspire His subjefts with love to honour His Name.1

214. If love suffices not in the Lover to move his Be¬ loved to pity and pardon, the love of the Beloved suffices to give to His creatures grace and benediftion.

BLANQUERNA

215. “ Say, O Fool 1 How canft thou be moS like to thy Beloved ? ” He answered: “ By comprehending and loving with all my power the virtues of my Beloved.”

216. They asked the Lover if his Beloved had defeft of aught. “ Yea,” he answered, “ of those who will love and praise Him, and extol His valour.”

217. The Beloved chastened the heart of His Lover with rods of love, to make him love the tree whence He plucks the rods wherewith He chaftens His lovers. And this is that tree whereon He suffered grief and dishonour and death, that He might bring back to love of Him those lovers whom He had loft.

218. The Lover met his Beloved, and saw Him to be very noble and powerful and worthy of all honour. And he cried : “ How ftrange a thing it is that so few among men know and love and honour Thee as Thou deserveft ! " And the Beloved answered him and said: “ Greatly has man grieved Me; for I created him to know Me, love Me, and honour Me, and yet, of every thousand, but a hundred fear and love Me; and ninety of these hundred fear Me left I should condemn them to Hell, and ten love Me that I may grant them Glory ; hardly is there one who loves Me for My goodness and nobility.” When the Lover heard these words, he wept bitterly for the dishonour paid to his Beloved ; and he said : “ Ah, Beloved, how much haft Thou given to man and how greatly haft Thou honoured him ! Why then has man thus forgotten Thee ? ”

219. The Lover was praising his Beloved, and he said that He had transcended place, because He is in a place where place is not. And therefore, when they asked the Lover where his Beloved was, he replied : “ He is, but none knows where.” Yet he knew that his Beloved was in his remembrance.

220. The Beloved with His merits bought a slave, and

made him to suffer griefs and thoughts, sighs and tears, 4.4.4 °

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ” And He asked him: “ What wilt thou eat and drink? ” The slave replied: “ That which Thou wilt.” “ Wherein wilt thou be clothed ? ” “ In that which Thou desireft." “ Haft thou then no remnant of self-will ? ” asked the Be¬ loved. He answered: “ A subjeft and a slave has none other will than to obey his Lord and his Beloved.”

221. The Beloved enquired of His Lover if he had patience. He answered : “ All things please me, and there¬ fore I need not to have patience, for he that has no dominion over his will cannot be impatient.”

222. Love gave himself to whom he would; and since he gave himself to few and inspired few with fervent love, being not conftrained, therefore the Lover cried out on Love, and accused him before the Beloved. But Love made his defence and said : “ I ftrive not againft free will, for I desire my lovers to have great merit and great glory.”

223. There was great ftrife and discord between the Lover and Love, because the Lover was wearied at the trials which Love made him to bear. And they debated whether Love or the Lover was to blame. So they came to be judged of the Beloved; and He chaftened the Lover with griefs and rewarded him with increase of love.

224. There was a contention whether Love had more of thought than of patience. And the Lover resolved the contention, saying that Love is engendered in thought and nourished with patience.

225. The Lover has for neighbours the virtues of the Beloved; and the neighbours of the Beloved are the thoughts of His Lover, and the trials and the tears which he bears for the sake of Love.

226. The will of the Lover desired to soar on high, that he might greatly love his Beloved; so he comman e understanding to soar as high as it might; -devensodid the understanding command the memory, so a ^

B LAN QUERN A

mounted to the contemplation of the Beloved in His honours.

227. The will of the Lover left him and gave itself up to the Beloved. And the Beloved gave it into the captivity of the Lover, that he might love and serve Him.

228. The Lover said: “ O let not my Beloved think that I have left Him to love another, for my love has united me wholly to One, and to One alone.” The Beloved answered and said : “ Let not My Lover think that I am loved and served by him alone ; for I have many lovers who have loved Me more fervently and for longer than he.”

229. Said the Lover to his Beloved: “ O my Beloved, that art worthy of all love, Thou haft taught and accus¬ tomed mine eyes to see and mine ears to hear of Thy honours. And these have accuftomed my heart to thoughts which have brought tears to my eyes and to my body grief." The Beloved answered the Lover : “ Had I not taught and guided thee so, thy name had not been written in the book of those who shall come to eternal blessing, whose names are wiped out from the book of such as shall go to eternal woe.”

230. In the heart of the Lover are gathered the perfeftions of the Beloved, increasing his thoughts and trials, so that he had altogether died if the Beloved had increased in him any further the thoughts of His greatness.

231. The Beloved came to sojourn in the hoftelry of the Lover; and His Lover made Him a bed of thoughts, and there served Him sighs and tears; and the Beloved paid His reckoning with memories.

232. Love put trials and joys together into the thoughts of the Lover, and the joys made complaint of that union and accused Love before the Beloved. But when He had parted them from the torments which Love gives to his lovers, behold, they vanished and were gone 446 S '

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED ”

233 The marks of the love which the Lover has to his Beloved are, in the beginning, tears; in the continuance, tribulations; and, in the end, death. And with these marks does the Lover preach before the lovers of his Beloved.

234. The Lover went into solitude; and his heart was accompanied by thoughts, his eyes by tears, and his body by afflictions and fails. But when the Lover returned to the companionship of men, these things aforementioned forsook him, and the Lover remained quite alone in the company of many people.

235. Love is an ocean; its waves are troubled by the winds ; it has no port or shore. The Lover perished in this ocean, and with him perished his torments, and the work of his fulfilment began.

236. “ Say, O Fool! What is love?” He answered:

Love is a working together of theory and praftice towards

me end, to the which in like manner moves the fulness of the will of the Lover, that men may honour and serve his Beloved.” Think you now that the Lover’s will accords truly with this end when he longs to be with his Beloved ?

237. They asked the Lover: “ Who is thy Beloved? ” He answered : “ He that makes me to love, desire, faint, sigh, weep, endure reproaches, suffer and die.”

238. They asked the Beloved : “ Who is Thy Lover ? He answered : “ He that fears naught so that he may honour and praise My Name, and renounces all things to obey My commandments and counsels.

239. “ Say, O Fool 1 Which is the heavier and more grievous burden — the trials of love, or the trials of such as love not ? ” And he answered : “ Go, enquire of those that do penance for the love of their Beloved, and of those that do penance from fear of the pains of hell.

BLANQUERNA

240. The Lover slept, and Love died, for he had naught whereon to live. The Lover wakened, and Love revived in the thoughts which the Lover sent to his Beloved.

241. The Lover said : “ The i nfused science comes from the will, devotion and prayer; and acquired science comes from ftudy and understanding.” Which of the two, then, think you, is the more proper and more pleasing to the Lover, and which possesses he the more perfectly ?

242. “ Say, O Fool ! Whence haft thou thy needs ? " He answered: “From thoughts, from longing, from adoration, from trials and from perseverance.” “ And whence haft thou all these things ? " He answered : “ From love.” “ And whence haft thou love? ” “ From my Be¬ loved." “ And whence haft thou thy Beloved ? ” “ From Himself alone.”

243. “ Say, O Fool 1 Wilt thou be free of all things ? ” He answered: “ Yea, save only of my Beloved.” “ Wilt thou be a prisoner?” “Yea, of sighs and thoughts, of trials, perils, exiles, tears, that I may serve my Beloved, for to praise His exceeding valour was I created.”

244. Love tormented the Lover, for the which cause he wept and made complaint. His Beloved called him to come to Him, and be healed ; and the nearer came the Lover to his Beloved, the more grievously did love torment him, for he felt the greater love; but the more he felt of love, the greater was his joy, and the more perfectly did the Beloved heal him of his troubles.

245. Love fell sick, and the Lover tended him with patience, perseverance, obedience and hope. Love grew well, and the Lover fell sick; and he was healed by his Beloved, Who made him to remember His virtues and His honours.

246. “ Say, O Fool 1 What is solitude ? ” He an¬ swered : “ It is solace and companionship between Lover

“ BOOK °p the lover and the beloved ”

and Beloved.” “ And what are solace and companion¬ ship ? ” “ Solitude in the heart of the Lover, when he

remembers naught save only his Beloved.”

247. They asked the Lover : “ In which is there greater peril, whether in trials borne for love’s sake or in pleasures ? ” The Lover took counsel with his Beloved, and answered : “ The perils that come through affli&ions are the perils of impatience ; and those that come through pleasures are the perils of ignorance.”

248. The Beloved gave Love his freedom, and allowed men to take him to themselves as much as they would ; but scarce one was found who would take him. And for this cause the Lover wept, and was sad at the dishonour which is paid to Love in this world by the ungrateful among men and by false lovers.

249. Love destroyed all that was in the heart of his faithful Lover that he might live and have free course therein ; and the Lover would have died had he not had remembrance of his Beloved.

250. The Lover had two thoughts: the one was of the Essence and the Virtues of his Beloved, whereon he thought daily, and the other was of the works of his Beloved. Which of these, thinkeft thou, was the more excellent and the more pleasing to the Beloved ?

251. The Lover died, by reason of his exceeding great love. The Beloved buried him in his country, wherein the Lover rose again. From which, thinkeft thou, received the Lover the greater blessing, whether from his death or from

his resurreftion ?

tempt. 449

BLANQUERtfA

253. One day the Lover was in presence of many men whom his Beloved had in this world too greatly honoured, because they dishonoured Him in their thoughts. These men despised the Beloved and mocked His servants. The Lover wept, tare his hair, Struck his face and rent his clothing. And he cried in a loud voice: “Was ever so great a sin committed as to despise my Beloved ? ”

254. “Say, O Fool I WouldSt thou fain die?” He answered: “ Yea, to the pleasures of this world and the thoughts of the unhappy sinners who forget and dishonour my Beloved ; in whose thoughts I would have no part nor lot, since my Beloved has no part in them.”

255. “ If thou speakeSt truth, O Fool, thou wilt be beaten by men, mocked, reproved, tormented and killed." He answered : “ From these words it follows that if I spake falsehoods I should be praised, loved, served and honoured by men, and caff out by lovers of my Beloved.”

256. False flatterers were speaking ill of the Lover one day in the presence of his Beloved. The Lover was patient, and the Beloved shewed His justice, wisdom and power. And the Lover preferred to be blamed and reproved in this wise, than to be one of those that falsely accused him.

2S1- The Beloved planted many seeds in the heart of His Lover, but one of them only took life and put forth leaf and gave flower and fruit. And it is a question if from this single fruit there may come forth divers seeds.

258. Far above Love is the Beloved; far beneath it is the Lover ; and Love, which lies between these two, makes the Beloved to descend to the Lover, and the Lover to rise toward the Beloved. And this ascending and descending are the beginning and the life of that love whereby the Lover suffers and the Beloved is served 450

“ BOOK of the lover and THE BELOVED "

259. On the right side of Love Stands the Beloved, and on the left side is the Lover; and thus he cannot reach the Beloved unless he pass through Love.

260. Before Love Stands the Beloved, and beyond the Beloved is the Lover; so that the Lover cannot reach Love unless his thoughts and desires have firSt passed through the Beloved.

261. The Beloved made for His Lover Two like unto Himself to be equally beloved in honour and valour. And the Lover conceived equal love for all Three, albeit love is one only in significance of the essential unity of One in Three.

262. The Beloved clothed Himself in the raiment of His Lover, that he might be His companion in glory for ever. So the Lover desired to wear crimson garments daily, that his dress might be more like to the dress of his Beloved.

263. “ Say, O Fool 1 What did thy Beloved before the world was ? ” He answered : “ My Beloved was, — because of His Nature and His divers properties, eternal, personal and infinite, wherein are Lover and Beloved.”

264. The Lover wept and was sad, when he saw how the unbelievers were losing his Beloved through ignorance; but he rejoiced in the ju£ice of his Beloved, Who punishes those that know Him and are disobedient to Him. Which, think you, was greater, whether his sorrow or his joy ? And was his joy greater when he saw his Beloved honoured than his sorrow at seeing Him despised ?

26/. The Lover contemplated his Beloved in the greatest diversity and harmony of virtues ; and in the greatest con trariety of virtues and vices; and again in His Being and perfection, which have greater harmony between themselves than non-exiCtence and imperfedion.

266. The diversity and harmony which the Lover found in the Beloved revealed to him His secrets, to w.t, H.s

BLANQUERNA

plurality and unity, to the greater concordance of essence without contrariety.

267. They said to the Lover: “ If corruption, which is contrary to being, in that it is opposed to generation, which is the contrary of non-exi£tence, were eternally corrupting and corrupted, it would be impossible that non-exiftence or end should harmonise with corruption or the corrupted.” By these words the Lover saw in his Beloved eternal generation.

268. If that which increases the love of the Lover for his Beloved were falseness, that which diminished this love would be truth. And if this were so, it would follow that there would be defedt of the great and the true in the Beloved, and that there would be in Him harmony with the false and the mean.

269. The Lover praised his Beloved, and said that if in Him were the greatefl degree of perfection and the greatest possible freedom from imperfedtion, his Beloved muft be simple and pure adtuality in essence and in operation. And while the Lover praised his Beloved thus, there was revealed to him the Trinity of his Beloved.

270. In the numbers i and iii the Lover found greater harmony than between any others, because by these num¬ bers every bodily form passed from non-exiftence to exig¬ ence. And by considering this harmony of number, the Lover came to the contemplation of the Unity and the Trinity of his Beloved.

271. The Lover extolled the power, the wisdom and the will of his Beloved, Who had created all things, save only sm ; and yet, but for His power and wisdom and will, had sin not existed. But neither the power, the wisdom nor the will of the Beloved are an occasion of sin.

272- The Lover praised and loved his Beloved, for He had created him and given him all things ; and he praised

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED" and loved Him too because it pleased Him to take his form and nature. And it may be asked: “Which praise and which love had more of perfection ? ”

273. Love tempted the Lover concerning wisdom, and asked him whether the Beloved showed the greater love in taking his nature, or in redeeming him. And the Lover was perplexed, and replied at laSt that the Redemption was necessary to put away unhappiness, and the Incarnation to beStow happiness and bliss. And this reply provoked the question again: “ Wherein was the greater love? ”

274. The Lover went from door to door asking alms, to keep in mind the love of his Beloved for His servants, and to practise humility, poverty and patience, which are virtues well-pleasing to the Beloved.

275. They asked pardon of the Lover, for the love of his Beloved ; and the Lover not only pardoned them but gave them himself and his possessions.

276. With tears in his eyes the Lover described the Passion and the pains which his Beloved bore for love of him ; and with sad and heavy thoughts he wrote down the words which he had related; and by mercy and hope he was comforted.

277. Love and the Beloved came to see the Lover, who slept. The Beloved cried out to His Lover, and Love wakened him; and the Lover was obedient to Love and made answer to his Beloved.

278. The Beloved taught His Lover how to love; and Love inftrufted him in perils1 ; and Patience, to ear afflictions for the love of Him to whom he had given him¬ self to be a servant.

279. The Beloved asked men if they had seenHisLover, and they asked Him: “What are the qualities of Thy

> aperil/ar, “ in the undergoing of perils. D has « far! .,0

BLANQVERNA

Lover ? ” And the Beloved said : “ My Lover is ardent yet fearful; rich and yet poor; joyful, sad and pensive; and every day he grieves because of his love.”

280. They asked the Lover: “Wilt thou sell thy desire?” He answered: “ I have sold it already to my Beloved, for such a price as would buy the whole world.”

281. “ Preach, thou, O Fool, and speak concerning thy Beloved; weep and fail.” So the Lover renounced the world, and went forth with love to seek his Beloved, and praised Him in those places wherein He was dishonoured.

282. The Lover builded and made a fair city wherein his Beloved might dwell; of love, thoughts, tears, com¬ plaints and griefs he builded it ; with joy, hope and devo¬ tion he adorned it ; and with faith, justice, prudence, forti¬ tude and temperance he furnished it.

283. The Lover drank of love at the fountain of his Beloved, and there the Beloved washed the feet of His Lover, though many a time he had forgotten and despised His honours, and the world had suffered thereby.

284. “Say, O Fool! What is sin?" He answered: “ It is intention directed and turned away from the final Intention and Reason, for the which all things have been created by my Beloved.”

285. The Lover saw that the world is a thing created, since eternity is more in harmony with his Beloved, who is Infinite Essence in greatness and in all perfeftion, than with the world, which is a finite quantity ; and therefore in the juftice of his Beloved the Lover saw that His eternity muil have been before time and finite quantities

286. The Lover defended his Beloved againft those who said that the world is eternal, saying that the justice of his Beloved would not be perfedt, if He restored not to every soul its own body, and for this no place or material order 454

" BOOK 0F ™E AND the beloved -

would suffice-, nor, if ,h. worid „„ ordered for one end only-, „d ,a, if it here .„„,d be „,ti,g in his l

7?,°/"" Wl"rei" '“a «>»» knowledge that the Catholic Faith is true, and that the beliefs of the Jews and Saracens are falsehood and error?” He answered: “ In the ten conditions of the Book of the Gentile and the Three Wise Men."1

288. Say, O Fool! Wherein is the beginning of wisdom?” He answered: “ In faith and devotion, which are a ladder whereby understanding may rise to a compre¬ hension of the secrets of my Beloved.” “ And wherein have faith and devotion their beginning? ” He answered: “ In my Beloved, Who illumines faith and kindles devo¬ tion.”

289. They asked the Lover : “ Which thing is greater — whether the possible or the impossible ? ” He answered : “ The possible is greater in the creature, and the impos¬ sible in my Beloved, since possibility and power are in agreement, and impossibility and attuality.”

290. “Say, O Fool! Which thing is the greater — whether difference or harmony? ” He answered: “ Save in my Beloved, difference is greater in plurality, and har¬ mony in unity; but in my Beloved they are equal in difference and in unity.”

291. “ Say, O Lover, what is valour? ” He answered:

“ It is the opposite of that which this world holds to be valour, and which false and vainglorious lovers desire; for they go after valour, and in truth have it not,3 being per¬ secutors of true valour.”

1 See p. 366, above.

* qui volen voter havents dcsvalor. XLVIII, above.

This theme

expounded in Chap.

BLANQUERNA

292. “ Say, O Fool! Haft thou seen one without his reason?” He answered: “ I have seen a Bishop who had many cups on his table, and many plates and knives of silver, and in his chamber had many garments and a great bed, and in his coffers great wealth — and at the gates of his palace but few poor.”

293. “ Knoweft thou, O Fool, what is evil?” He answered: “Evil thoughts.” “And what is loyalty?”

“ It is fear of my Beloved, born of charity and of shame, which men reproach.” “ And what is honour ? ” He answered : “ It is to think upon my Beloved, to desire Him and to praise His honours.”

294. The trials and tribulations that the Lover endured for love’s sake made him weary and inclined towards im¬ patience ; and the Beloved reproved him with His honours and His promises, saying that he whom either trouble or happiness affefted knew but little of love. So the Lover was contrite and wept, and he begged his Beloved to reftore his love again.

295. “ Say, O Fool! What is love?” He answered: “ Love is that which throws the free into bondage, and to those that are in bonds gives liberty.” And who can say whether love is nearer to liberty or to bondage ?

296. The Beloved called His Lover, and he answered Him, saying: “What wilt Thou, O Beloved, Thou that art the sight of my eyes, thought of my thoughts, love of my love and fulness of my perfections, — yea, and the source of my beginnings ? ”

297- “ O Beloved,” said the Lover, “ I come to Thee, and I walk in Thee, for Thou doft call me. I go to make contemplation in contemplation, with contemplation of Thy contemplation. In Thy virtue am I, and with Thy virtue I come to Thy virtue, whence I take virtue. And I gmet Thee with Thy greeting which is my greeting in Thy

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED " greeting, by the which I hope for eternal greeting in bless¬ ing of Thy blessing, wherein I am blessed in my blessing.”

298. “ High art Thou, O Beloved, in Thy heights, to the which Thou doft exalt my will, which is exalted in Thy exaltation with Thy height. And this exalts in my remem¬ brance my understanding, which is exalted in Thy exalta¬ tion, that it may know Thy honours, and that the will may have thereof exaltation of love and the memory may have high remembrance.”

299. “ O Beloved, Thou art the glory of my glory, and with Thy glory in Thy glory, doSl Thou give glory to my glory, the which has glory of Thy glory. And by this Thy glory both trials and griefs are in equal measure glory to me, for they come to me to honour Thy glory with the joys and the thoughts that come to me from Thy glory.”

300. “ O Beloved 1 In the prison-house of love doSl Thou hold me enthralled by Thy love, the which has enamoured me of itself, through itself and in itself; for Thou art naught else save love, wherein Thou makeSl me to be alone, with Thy love and Thy honours for my only company. For Thou alone art in myself alone, who am alone with my thoughts, because Thy uniqueness1 in virtues makes me to praise and honour its valour without fear of them that know Thee not and have Thee not alone in their

301. “ Solace of all solace, Beloved, art Thou; for in Thee I solace my thoughts with Thy solace which is solace and comfort of my griefs and my tribulations, which are caused by Thy solace, when Thou solaced not the ignorant with Thy solace, and filled not more with love thoM that know Thy solace that they may honour Thy honours.

102 The Lover made complaint to his Lord concerning his Beloved, and to his Beloved concerning his Lord. And 1 The play upon words would require “ a/e«ness.

BLANQUERNA

the Lord and the Beloved said : “ Who is this that makes division in Us, that are One only? ” The Lover answered and said: “It is pity, which belongs to the Lord, and tribulation, which comes through the Beloved.”

303. The Lover was in peril in the great ocean of love, and he trusted in his Beloved, Who came to him with troubles, thoughts, tears and weeping, sighs and griefs; for the ocean was of love, and of honour that is due to His honours.

304. The Lover rejoiced in the Being of his Beloved, for (said he) “ from His Being is all other Being derived, and by It sustained, and constrained and bound to honour and serve the Being of my Beloved. By no being can He be condemned or destroyed, or made less or greater.” “ What is the Being of thy Beloved ? ” He answered : “ It is a bright ray throughout all things, even as the sun which shines over all the world. For if it withdraw its brightness, it leaves all things in darkness, and when it shines forth it brings the day. Even more so is my Beloved.”

305. “ O Beloved, in Thy greatness doSt Thou make my desires, my thoughts and my afflidtions great; for so great art Thou that all things which have remembrance and understanding and joy of Thee are great; and Thy great¬ ness makes all things small which are contrary to Thy honours and commandments.”

306. “In Eternity my Beloved has beginning, and has had beginning and will have beginning, and in Eternity He has no beginning neither has had nor will have beginning. And these beginnings are no contradiftion in my Beloved, because He is eternal, and has in Himself Unity and Trinity.”

307. “ My Beloved is one, and in His unity my thoughts and my love are united in one will ; the unity of my Beloved is the source of all unities and all pluralities; and the 458

■■bock of the lores AND THE mwym „

308 Sovereign Good is the good of my Beloved, Who .s Cood of my good. For my Beloved is Good Without other good l ; for, were He not so, my good were of another Severe, gn Good And since this is not so, let ail my good therefore, hereafter this life, be to the honou/of to Sovereign Good, for even s’ '

309- “Thou knoweft my sinfulness, O Beloved- be Thou merciful, then, and pardon. Thy knowledge is greater than mine; yet even I know Thy pardon and love, since Thou haft made me to have contrition and grief, and the desire to suffer death that Thy Name may be thereby exalted.”

310. “ Thy power, O Beloved, can save me through Thy goodness, mercy and pardon, yet it can condemn me through Thy juftice, and my failures and imperfeftions. But let Thy power be perfefted in me, for it is wholly perfeftion, whether it bring salvation or eternal punish¬ ment.”

31 1. “ O Beloved, Truth visits my contrite heart, and draws water from mine eyes, whensoe’er my will loves her; and since Thy truth, O Beloved, is sovereign, it exalts my will, that it may do honour to Thy honours, and bears it down, that it may hate my sins.”

312. “ Never was aught true that was not in my Beloved, and false is that which is not in my Beloved, and false will be that which will not be in my Beloved. Wherefore all that will be, or was, or is, muft needs be true if my Beloved is therein ; and false is that which is in truth, if my Beloved is not therein, without any contradiftion follow¬ ing therefrom."

313. The Beloved created, and the Lover deftroyed. The Beloved judged, and the Lover wept. Then the Be-

BLANQUERNA

loved redeemed him, and again the Lover had glory. The Beloved finished His work, and the Lover remained for ever in the companionship of his Beloved.

314. By verdant paths of feeling, imagination, under¬ standing and will, the Lover went in search of his Beloved. And in those paths the Lover endured perils and griefs for the sake of his Beloved, that he might exalt his will and understanding to his Beloved, Who wills that His lovers may comprehend and love Him exceedingly.

315. The perfection of the Beloved moved His Lover to be, and his own shortcomings moved him to be no more. Which of these two forces, think you, has by nature the greater power over the Lover ?

316. “ Thou haSt placed me, O Beloved, between my evil and Thy good. On Thy part may there be pity, mercy, patience, humility, pardon, restoration and help; on mine let there be contrition, perseverance and re¬ membrance with sighs and weeping and tears for Thy sacred Passion.”

317. “ O Beloved, Thou that makeSt me to love! If Thou aideSt me not, why didst Thou will to create me ? And why didSt Thou endure such grief for my sake and bear Thy so grievous Passion ? Since Thou didSt help me thus to rise, Beloved, help me also to descend to the remem¬ brance and hatred of my faults and sins, that my thoughts may the better rise again to desire, honour and praise Thy valour.”

318. “My will, O Beloved, haft Thou made free to love Thy honour or despise Thy valour, that in my will my love to Thee may be increased.

3I9- “In granting me this liberty, O Beloved, haft Thou put my will into danger. Remember, then, Thy Lover in this danger, who places in servitude his free will, praises

60 h°n0Ur’ and increases in his body grief and tears,”

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED"

320. “ O Beloved! Never from Thee came fault nor sin to Thy Lover, nor can Thy Lover attain to perfeftion but through Thy grace and pardon.1 Then, since the Lover has Thee in such possession, do Thou remember him in his tribulations and perils.”

321. “ O Beloved, Who in one Name, Jesus Chrift, art named both God and Man, by that Name my will muS needs adore Thee as God and Man. And if Thou, Beloved, haft so greatly honoured Thy Lover, through none of his merits, who names Thee thus, and wills Thee to be thus named, wherefore honoured Thou not so many ignorant men, who knowingly have been less guilty of dishonouring Thy Name, Jesus Chrift, than has this Thy Lover? ”

322. The Lover wept, and he spake to his Beloved in these words : “ O Beloved, never wert Thou sparing or aught but liberal to Thy Lover, in giving him being, in re¬ deeming him and in granting him many creatures to serve him. Then wherefore, O Beloved, Thou who art sovereign liberality, shouldft Thou be sparing to Thy Lover of tears, thoughts, griefs, wisdom and love that he may do honour to Thy Name? So then, O Beloved, Thy Lover asks of Thee long life, that he may receive of Thee many of the gifts aforesaid.”

323. “ O Beloved, if Thou doff help juft men againfl their mortal enemies, help to increase my thoughts and desires for Thy honour. And if Thou doff help sinners to lead juft lives, help Thy Lover that he may sacrifice his will to Thy praise, and his body for a teflimony of love in the

path of martyrdom.”

„ 4 “My Beloved makes no difference between humility, humble and humbled, for all these are humihty in nure aftuality.” Wherefore the Lover reproves Pride, IX de*“ » » Wgh.. Of his Beloved ,ho,e

1 do e f'rdi. See p. 252, above.

BLANQUERNA

whom He has so greatly honoured in this world, but whom Pride has clothed with hypocrisy, vainglory and vanities.

325. Humility has humbled the Beloved to the depths of the Lover, through the contrition, and likewise through the devotion, of the Lover. And it is a question, in which of these two manners the Beloved has humbled Himself the

326. The Beloved had mercy upon His Lover, because of His perfect love, and because of His Lover’s needs. Which of these two reasons, think you, moved the Beloved the more Strongly to forgive the sins of His Lover ?

327. Our Lady and the angels and saints in glory prayed to my Beloved. And when she remembered the errors wherein the world lies through ignorance, she re¬ membered also the great justice of my Beloved, and the great ignorance of His lovers.

328. The Lover lifted up the powers of his soul, and mounted the ladder of humanity to glory in the Divine Nature ; and by the Divine Nature the powers of his soul descended, to glory in the human nature of his Beloved.

329. The ftraiter are the paths whereby the Lover jour¬ neys to his Beloved, the vaSter is his love ; and the ftraiter his love, the broader are the paths. So that however it be the Lover receives love, trials and griefs, joys and consola¬ tions from his Beloved.

330. Love comes from love, thoughts come from griefs, and tears from griefs likewise; and love leads to love, as thoughts lead to tears and griefs to sighs. And the Beloved watches His Lover, who bears all these affliftions for His love.

33 1 • The desires of the Lover and his memories of the nobility of his Beloved kept vigils and went on journeys and pilgrimages. And they brought to the Lover graces which

“ BOOK 0F THE L0VER *ND the beloved ” :tf nding with spiendo-’ ^ * wiii

nJ,32- ™rhis ima&ination the Lover formed and pictured the Countenance of his Beloved in bodily wise and with his undemanding he beautified It in spiritual things ; and with his will he worshipped It in all creatures.

333- The Lover purchased a day of tears with another day of thoughts; and he sold a day of love for a day of tribulations; and both his thoughts and his love were increased.

334- The Lover was in a far country, and he forgot his Beloved, but was sad at the absence of his lord, his wife, his children and his friends. But soon the memory of his Beloved returned to him, that he might be comforted, and that his exile might cause him neither yearning nor sorrow.

335. The Lover heard the words of his Beloved; his understanding beheld Him in them; his will had pleasure in that which he heard; and his memory recalled the virtues and the promises of his Beloved.

336. The Lover heard men speak evil of his Beloved, and in this evil-speaking his understanding perceived the juStice and patience of his Beloved; for His juStice would punish the evil-speakers, while His patience would await their contrition and repentance. In which of these two, think you, did the Lover believe more earnestly?

337. The Lover fell sick, and made his teStament with the counsel of his Beloved. His sins and faults he be¬ queathed to contrition and penance; worldly pleasures to contempt. To his eyes he left tears; to his heart sighs and love ; to his understanding the graces of his Beloved, and to his memory the Passion which his Beloved endured for love of him. And to his aftivity he bequeathed the guidance of unbelievers, who go to their doom through ignorance.

B LAN QUERN A

338. The scent of flowers brought to the Lover’s mind the evil ftench of riches and meanness, of lasciviousness, of ignorance and pride. The tafte of sweet things recalled to him the bitterness of temporal possessions and of enter¬ ing and quitting this world. The enjoyment of earthly pleasures made him feel how quickly this world passes, and how the delights which are here so pleasant are the occasion of eternal torments.

339. The Lover endured hunger and thiril, heat and cold, poverty and nakedness, sickness and tribulation ; and he would have died had he not had remembrance of his Beloved, Who healed him with hope and memory, with the renunciation of this world and contempt for the revilings of men.

340. The Lover made his bed between trials and joys: in joys he lay down to sleep and in trials he awakened. Which of these two, think you, is more proper to th,e bed of the Lover ?

341. In anger the Lover lay down to sleep, for he feared the revilings of men ; in patience he awakened, remember¬ ing the praises of his Beloved. Of which, think you, had the Lover the greater shame — whether of his Beloved or of men ?

342. The Lover thought upon death, and he was afraid, until he remembered the city of his Beloved, to the which city love and death are the gates and the entrance.

343- The Lover made complaint to his Beloved con¬ cerning the temptations which came to him daily to afflift his thoughts. And the Beloved made answer, saying that temptations are an occasion whereby man may have re¬ course to memory, making remembrance of God and loving His honours and perfeftions.

344- The Lover lo£t a jewel which he greatly prized, and was sorely digressed, until his Beloved put to him this 464

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED" question : “ Which thing profiteth thee the more, whether the jewel that thou hadft or thy patience in all the works of thy Beloved ? ”

345. The Lover fell asleep as he thought upon the trials and the hindrances which he met in serving his Beloved; and he feared left through those hindrances his works might be loft. But the Beloved sent consciousness to him, and he awakened to the merits and powers of his Beloved.

346. The Lover had to make long journeys over roads that were rough and hard; and the time came when he should set out, carrying the heavy burden that Love makes his lovers to bear. So the Lover unburdened his soul of the cares and pleasures of this world, that his body might bear the weight with more ease, and his soul journey along those roads in company with its Beloved.

347. Before the Lover, one day, they spake ill of the Beloved, and the Lover made no reply neither defended his Beloved. Which, think you, was the more to be blamed, the men who spake ill of the Beloved, or the Lover who was silent and defended Him not?

348. As the Lover contemplated his Beloved, his underftanding conceived subtleties and his will was kindled with love. In which of the two, think you, grew his memory more fruitful in thinking on his Beloved?

349. With fervour and fear the Lover journeyed abroad to honour his Beloved. Fervour bore him along and fear preserved him from danger. And while the Lover was journeying thus, he found sighs and tears, which brought him greetings from his Beloved. Through which of these four companions, think you, received the Lover the grea e consolation in his Beloved ?

a CO The Lover gazed upon himself that he might be a mimir' wherein to behold beloved; and he g-dupon his Beloved, as in a mirror wherein he migh k

BLANQUERNA

ledge of himself. Which of these two mirrors, think you, was the nearer to his understanding ?

351. Theology and Philosophy, Medicine and Law met the Lover, who enquired of them if they had seen his Be¬ loved. The firSt wept, the second was doubtful, but the other two were glad. What, think you, was the meaning of each of these happenings to the Lover that was seeking his Beloved ?

352. Full of tears and anguish the Lover went in search of his Beloved, by the paths of the senses and likewise by intellectual roads. Into which of these two ways, think you, did he enter firSt, as he went after his Beloved ? And in which of them did the Beloved reveal Himself to him the more openly ?

353. At the Day of Judgment the Beloved will cause all that men have given Him in this world to be placed on one side, and on the other side all that they have given to the world. Thus shall it be clearly seen how truly1 they have loved Him, and which of their two gifts is the greater and nobler.

354* The will of the Lover was enamoured of itself, and the understanding asked: “ Is it more like the Beloved to love oneself or to love the Beloved ? For the Beloved is worthier of love than anything beside.” With what answer, think you, could the will make reply to the understanding moSt truly ?

3 55- Say, O Fool 1 What is the greatest and nobleSt love to be found in the creature ? ” He answered : “ That which is one with the Creator.” “ And wherefore so ? ” Because there is naught wherewith the Creator can make nobler a creature.”

356. One day the Lover was at prayer, and he perceived that his eyes wept not; and to the end that he might weep

.. . Com. c°ra^mtnt> lit. “ how much from their heart,” hence “ how truly,” how sincerely.”

“ BOOK OF THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED" he bade his thoughts to think upon wealth, and women, and sons, and meats, and vainglory. And his understand¬ ing found that each of the things aforesaid has more men as servants than has his Beloved. And thereupon were his eyes wet with tears, and his soul was in sorrow and pain.

357. The Lover was walking pensively, thinking on his Beloved, and he found on the way many people and great multitudes who asked him for news. And the Lover, who was rejoicing in his Beloved, gave them not that which they asked of him, and said that he could not reply to their words without departing far from his Beloved.

358. Behind and before was the Lover veiled in love,1 and he went seeking his Beloved. Love said to him: “ Whither goeil thou, O Lover ? ” He answered : “ I go to my Beloved, that thou mayeil be increased.”

359. “Say, O Fool! What is Religion?” He an¬ swered : “ Purity of thought, and longing for death whereby the Beloved may be honoured, and renouncing the world, that naught may hinder one from contemplating Him and speaking truth concerning His honours.”

360. “ Say, O Fool ! What are trials, plaints, sighs, tears, affliftions, perils in a Lover ? ” He answered : “ The joys of the Beloved.” “ And why are they so ? ” “ That He may be the more deeply loved by reason of them, and the Lover be the more bounteously rewarded.”

361. They asked the Lover: “Where greater, in the Lover that lives or in the Lot He answered : “ In the Lover that dies.”

n is love the er that dies ? ” “ And where¬

fore ? ” “ Because in one that lives for lo greater, but in one that dies for love it can 36a. Two lovers met: the one revealed the other comprehended Him. And it was of those two was nearer to his Beloved; an

his Beloved, and s disputed which ,d in the solution

B LAN QUERN A

the Lover took knowledge of the demonstration of the Trinity.

363. “Say, O Fool! Wherefore speakeSt thou with such subtlety ? ” He answered : “ That I may raise my understanding to the height of the nobility of my Beloved, and that thereby more men may honour, love and serve Him.”

364. The Lover drank deeply of the wine of memory, understanding and love for the Beloved. And that wine the Beloved made bitter with His tears, and with the weep¬ ing of His Lover.

365. Love heated and inflamed the Lover with remem¬ brance of his Beloved; and the Beloved cooled his ardour, with weeping and tears and forgetfulness of the delights of this world, and the renunciation of vain honours. So his love grew, when he remembered for Whom he suffered griefs and afflidtions, and for whom the men of the world bore trials and persecutions.

366. “ Say, O Fool 1 What is this world ? ” He an¬ swered : “ It is the prison-house of them that love and serve my Beloved.” “ And who is he that imprisons them ? ” He answered : “ Conscience, love, fear, renuncia¬ tion and contrition, and the companionship of wilful men;1 and the labour that knows no reward, wherein lies punish-

Because Blanquerna had to compose the book of the Art of Contemplation, therefore desired he to end the Book of the Lover and the Beloved, the which is now ended, to the glory and praise of our Lord God.

1 Some versions end thus : “ And who is he that frees them ! ’ pity and justice.” “ And where are they then sent i ” “ To and the joyful company of true lovers, where they shall laud, ble the Beloved everlastingly, to whom be ever given praise, hone throughout all the world.”

d glorify nd glory

PROLOGUE

So high and excellent is our Sovereign Good, and so low is man through his guilt and sins, that oftentimes it befalls a hermit or a holy man to be greatly impeded in lifting up his soul to contemplate God; and, since an art or method in this business is of great help therein, Blanquerna fell to considering how he might make an Art of Contemplation which should lead him to have devotion in his heart, and in his eyes weeping and tears, and make his will and under¬ standing the higher rise to the contemplation of God in His honours and His wonders.

2. When Blanquerna the hermit had considered thus, he made by art a Book of Contemplation, the which he divided into twelve parts, namely these: Divine Virtues, Essence, Unity, Trinity, Incarnation, Pater NoSler, Ave Maria , Commandments, Miserere mei Deus, Sacraments, Virtues, Vices.

3. The art of this book is that the Divine virtues should firSl be contemplated in relation to each other, and that then they should be contemplated with the other parts of the book, the soul of the contemplative being fixed upon the Divine virtues in his memory, understanding and will; and also that he should learn to unite in his soul the Divine virtues and the other parts of the book, to the honour and glory of the Divine virtues, which are these: Goodness, Greatness, Eternity, Power, Wisdom, Love, Virtue, Truth, Glory, Perfedion, JuStice, Liberality, Mercy, Humility,

Dominion, Patience.

4. These virtues may be contemplated in divers manners, one of which is to contemplate one with another, or one with two or three or more. A second manner is that whereby man may contemplate these virtues in their rela¬ tion with Essence or Unity or Trinity or Incarnation, and

BLANQUERNA

so with the other parts of this book. Another manner is that whereby with these virtues is contemplated Essence or Unity or Trinity or Incarnation. Another manner is in the words of the Pater N oiler and the Ave Maria, etc. A man may contemplate God and His works with all the sixteen virtues or with any of them, according as he would make his contemplation long or short, and as the matter of the contemplation befits certain virtues rather than others.

5. The conditions of this art are that a man should be suitably disposed toward contemplation and in a fitting place, for by repletion, or with overmuch grieving, or in a place wherein is bu&le and noise or excess of heat or cold, his contemplation may be hindered. And the chief con¬ dition of all in this art is that a man be not impeded by temporal cares in his memory, understanding or will, when he enters upon contemplation.

6. Seeing that we are occupied in treating of other books, we will but briefly relate the way and manner wherein Blan¬ querna followed the art of contemplation. And with the firSt part of the book we will firSt begin.

OF THE MANNER WHEREIN BLANQUERNA CONTEMPLATED THE VIRTUES OF GOD

Blanquerna rose at midnight and gazed upon the heavens and the Stars, and caSt out all things from his thoughts, and fixed them upon the virtues of God. For he was fain to contemplate the goodness of God in all the sixteen virtues, and the sixteen virtues in the goodness of God; for the which cause, falling on his knees, and raising his hands to the heavens and his thoughts to God, he spake these words with his lips and pondered them in his soul with all the powers of his memory, underftanding and will ;

“ ™E ART OF CONTEMPLATION"

2 “O Sovereign Good, Thou that art infinitely great inetermtypowerwisdom, love, virtue, truth, gloly j. fedhon, juft.ce, liberality, mercy, humility, dominion patience I adore Thee as I remember, comprehend, love and speak of Thee and of all these virtues herein named wh.ch are one thing with Thyself, as Thou art one with them, one very Essence without difference soever ”

3- “ O Sovereign Good, that art so great, Sovereign Greatness, that art so good I Wert Thou not eternal, Thou wert not so great a good that my soul could fill its memory with remembrance of Thee, nor its underftanding with understanding of Thee, nor its will with love of Thee. But since Thou art infinite and eternal Good, Thou canft fill my whole soul and every soul with infused grace and blessing, that memory, underftanding and love may be given to Thee, O infinite and eternal Sovereign Good.”

4. Through the power which Blanquerna remembered in Sovereign Goodness, he gained power and Strength to raise his consideration above the firmament, and considered a greatness so exceeding great that it had infinite power of movement, like unto a flash of light shining in the six common directions — to wit, above and below, before and behind, to left and to right; and finding no limit, nor be¬ ginning nor end. As Blanquerna thus considered, he marvelled greatly, the more so when to the consideration of this goodness he joined that of eternity, which has neither beginning nor end. And while Blanquerna was wholly absorbed in this consideration, he remembered how great a good is that of Divine power, which can be so great and so everlafting, and whose knowledge and will are infinite and eternal, as are its virtue, truth, glory, perfeftion, juftice, liberality, mercy, humility, dominion and patience.

5. As Blanquerna pursued his contemplation in this wise, his heart began to burn within him, and his eyes to weep, at the great joy which he had in remembering, underftand¬ ing and loving such noble virtues in Sovereign Goodness.

BLANQUERNA

But ere he could perfedtly weep, his understanding de¬ scended to the level of the imagination, and he fell to thinking and doubting how it could be that, before the world was, God should have justice, liberality, mercy, humility, dominion; and, through the alliance of under¬ standing and imagination, doubt chilled the warmth of his heart and the tears in his eyes grew fewer. So Blanquerna parted understanding and imagination and exalted the former above the latter, remembering how the Sovereign Good is infinite in all perfettion, and how for this cause, through His own virtue and glory, He may have and can have to so great a degree of perfettion all the virtues above named before the world was as well as now that the world is; only that, while the world was not, there was lacking any person who might receive from the Sovereign Good the grace and the influence of these above-named virtues.

6. Greatly now joyed the will of Blanquerna because his understanding had caSt down the imagination which impeded its working and had soared aloft, leaving the imagination behind, to comprehend the infinite power of God, which in juStice, liberality, and the like, muSt needs have been before the world was ; for, were this not so, it would follow that in Sovereign Goodness there was defeat of greatness, power, eternity and virtue. And since it is impossible that in God is any defedt at all, for that cause the will set the heart of Blanquerna so fiercely on fire that his eyes were abundantly filled with tears.

7. While Blanquerna contemplated and wept, his memory, understanding and will conversed mentally with each other within his soul, and they found great delight in the virtues of God, as these words show: “ Memory,” said Understanding, “ what remembrance haSt thou of the goodness, wisdom and love of God? And thou, O Will, what doSt thou love in them ? ” Memory answered and said : “ When I consider in my remembrance how great a good it is to know oneself to be greater and nobler in know- 472

“THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION" ledge and will than any beside, I feel not so high nor so great as when I remember the Sovereign Good, Who is infinite in knowledge and will. And when I consider eternity, power, virtue, truth, and the reft, then I do feel myself to be magnified and exalted as I think upon these things.” With these words and many others did Memory reply to Underftanding; and Will replied in like manner, saying that she felt not so great nor high when she loved the Sovereign Good because He is more loving and wise than any beside, as when she loved Him because of His infinite and eternal wisdom and love. After these words, Underftanding said to Memory and Will that her own ftate was like to theirs in the contemplation of the Sove¬

reign Good.

8. Memory, Underftanding and Will agreed among themselves that they would contemplate the Sovereign Good in His virtue, truth and glory. Memory recalled the virtue of the infinite Good, His virtue being infinite in truth and glory. Underftanding comprehended that which Memory recalled, and Will loved that which Memory recalled and Underftanding comprehended. Once again Memory turned to remembrance, and recalled the infinite truth of Sovereign Good, in the which truth are virtue and glory. And Underftanding comprehended infinite glory, which is in virtue and truth, and our glorious Sovereign Good; and Will loved this wholly and in the unity of one adtuaiity, in

me and the same perfe&ion. „

9. Blanquerna enquired of his Underftanding : If the Sovereign Good give me salvation, what w, It thou t ereby

;:r

. « -hick .. that I be « ..

BLANQUERNA

place where I may love it ; for the virtues which are in the Sovereign Good are worthy in themselves to be loved.”

10. After these words, Blanquerna remembered his sins, and comprehended how great a good it is that in God there is patience ; for were there no patience in God, so soon as man sinned he would be punished and caft out from this world. And therefore he enquired of his Will : “ What thanks shall I render to the patience of God which has thus borne with me ? ” Will answered and said that he should love juft ice in his Sovereign Good, even were it possible that his Underftanding should know that he was to be punished by damnation for his sins. Blanquerna was greatly pleased at the answer which Will had made ; and with his mouth and with the three powers of his soul he praised and blessed patience in the Sovereign Good through all the Divine virtues.

11. In this wise did Blanquerna contemplate the Divine virtues, from midnight until the hour when he should ring for matins, and he gave thanks to God because He had humbled him by guiding him in his contemplation. And as he was about to cease from contemplation and to ring for matins, he began to bethink himself that he had not contemplated the patience of God as highly as the other virtues, because he had contemplated it in relation to him¬ self, as has been declared above. Therefore it behoved him to turn once more to contemplation, and he said that he adored and contemplated the patience of God in that it was one self-same thing with Sovereign goodness and with all the other virtues, without difference soever. Wherefore Underftanding greatly marvelled how patience could be one thing in essence with the remaining virtues. But Memory recalled that in God the virtues have no diversity the one from the other, but that, since their operations in the creatures are diverse, they themselves appear diverse, even as the refleftion of a person appears when he looks into two mirrors, of which one is crooked and the other 474

“ THE ART 0F CONTEMPLATION ”

OF THE MANNER IN WHICH BLANQUERNA CONTEMPLATED BY THREE AND THREE THE VIRTUES OF COD

“ Divine Goodness,” said Blanquerna, “ Thou that art of infinite greatness in eternity, Thou art the good whence springs all good beside; from Thy great good comes all that is good both great and small, and from Thy eternity comes all that abides. Wherefore in all wherein Thou art goodness and greatness, and eternity, I adore Thee, call upon Thee, and love Thee above all that I can underhand and remember. And I pray Thee to make great and abiding that good which Thou hail granted me, that I may praise and serve Thee with all that pertains to Thy honour.”

2. “ Eternal Greatness in power ! Far greater art Thou than I can remember or comprehend or love. My power rises to Thee, that Thou mayeft make it great and abiding, that I may remember, comprehend and love Thy power which is infinite and eternal, from whose influence we truft there may fall upon us grace and blessing, whence we our¬ selves may become great and may abide even unto eternity."

3. “ Eternity, Thou that haft power of knowledge with¬ out end or beginning ! Thou haft given me a beginning and created me that I may abide without end. Thou haft power to save or to damn me. That which Thou wilt do with me and with others, Thy knowledge eternally knows and Thy power can accomplish. For in Thy eternity is no movement or change. No power have I to know how Thou wilt judge me, for my power and knowledge have a begin¬ ning. So, then, may it please Thee, that whatsoever Thou wilt do with me, my power and knowledge and abidingness in this world may be to Thy glory and to the praise of Thine honour.”

BLANQUERNA

4. “ Power, that haft all knowledge and will in thyself 1 Knowledge, that haft all power and will in thyself! Will, that haft all power and knowledge in thyself! Take all my knowledge and power — for already haft Thou taken all my will — that they may love and serve Thee. Thou, O Power, canft know and will, inasmuch as Thou art without increase or diminution or any change soever. Thou, O Knowledge, doft know even as Thou doft will. And Thou, O Will, doft will even as Thou doft will in will, power, and knowledge. Wherefore, since thus it is, and naught can make it otherwise or different, may grace come to my power from this great influence, that I may ever have power, knowledge and will to honour Thy power, — to my knowledge that I may honour Thy knowledge, — and to my will that I may honour Thy love.”

5. ‘‘Wisdom Divine! In Thee are virtue and love. Thou knoweft Thyself to be love above all other love, and virtue above all other virtue : Thou knoweft Thyself to be wisdom greater than all wisdom beside. Wherefore if my knowledge perceive that my will has small virtue in loving Thy Will, Thy knowledge muft needs know that Thy love is greater in loving me, than is my love in loving Thee. And if Thou kneweft not this, Thy knowledge could not know how much greater virtue there is in Thy love and Thy will than in mine, nor could my knowledge and will have the virtue wherewith to contemplate God in perfec¬ tion.” While Blanquerna pursued this contemplation, he bethought himself that if God knew that His will loved sin, He would have no virtue wherewith to love Himself. And thus Blanquerna comprehended that, if he ceased to love God, he would have no virtue wherewith he might cease to love sin. So Blanquerna wept abundantly, when he remembered his sin and guilt at such times as he had sinned.

6. “ Love Divine 1 Thy virtue is more real than that of any love beside, and Thy Truth is more real than all truth 476

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

beside. For if the virtue of the sun be real in giving light and the virtue of fire in giving warmth, far more red is Thy virtue in loving. For between the sun and its splendour there is a difference, and between fire and its heat. But between Thy love and virtue and truth there is no essential difference; and all that Thy love disposes in truth, It does with infinite virtue in love and in truth; whereas all that is done by things beside is done with virtue finite in quantity and time. Wherefore, since this is so, to Thee, O love, O virtue, O truth, I bind and submit myself all the days of my life, that I may honour Thy graces, and proclaim to unbelievers, and to Chriftians who have loft their devotion, the truth of Thy virtue and Thy truth and Thy love.”

7. Virtue, Truth and Glory met in the thoughts of Blanquerna, when he contemplated his Beloved. Blanquerna considered to which of these three he would give the greateft honour in his thoughts and will; but since he could conceive in them no difference soever, he gave them equal honour in remembering, comprehending and desiring his Beloved. And he said: “ I adore Thee, O Virtue, that haft created me ; I adore Thee, O Truth, that shalt judge me ; I adore Thee, O Glory, wherein I hope to be glorified in Virtue and Truth, which will never cease to give glory without end.”

8. Blanquerna enquired of the Truth of his Beloved: “ If in Thee glory and perfeftion were not that which Thou art, what then wouldft Thou be?” And Understanding answered Blanquerna : “ What but falsehood, or a truth like to that of thine, or naught at all, or that in which there would be affliftion everlafting ? ” And Blanquerna said :

“ And if truth were not, what then would glory be ? ” And Memory answered: “It would be naught.”1 And if perfeftion were not, what would glory be? ” “ It would be that which is naught, or nothingness.”

1 Lit. deft ailment, defect ; here total defect, complete loss, non-existence.

B LAN QUERN A

9. Blanquerna fell to considering colour, and compre¬ hended the difference that is between white and red, and the contrariety that is between white and black. He con¬ sidered the glory, perfection and justice of his Beloved, and herein he could comprehend neither difference nor con¬ trariety. He considered whiteness, and could comprehend therein neither difference nor contrariety. He considered glory, and comprehended perfection and juStice. He con¬ sidered perfection, and comprehended justice and glory. He considered justice, and comprehended glory and per¬ fection. Great marvel had Blanquerna as he considered thus, and in that consideration did he exalt his memory and understanding and will to the contemplation of his Beloved. He desired His glory, and his eyes were filled with tears ; and he wept, for he feared the juStice of his Beloved.

10. Memory, Understanding and Will endeavoured in Blanquerna to soar to the Beloved. Memory desired to soar that she might think upon perfection ; U nderStanding, that he might comprehend juSlice; and Will, that she might love liberality. And none of these three powers could rise above any other, for each had need of the three virtues of the Beloved, signifying that the three virtues in the Beloved are one and the same.

11. “JuStice,” said Blanquerna, “what thing desireSt thou in my will ? ” Memory answered for JuStice : “ I desire therein contrition and fear; I desire tears in thine eyes, in thy heart sighs, and in thy body afflictions.” “And thou, Liberality, what desireSt thou in my will ? ” Under¬ standing answered for Liberality: “ I desire to possess it wholly, for love, for repentance and for the despising of the vanities of this world.” “ And thou, Mercy, what de¬ sireSt thou of my memory and understanding ? ” Will answered for Mercy : “ I desire thy memory wholly, for remembrance of the gifts of Mercy and her pardon,1 and

k 1 son do e son perdi, lit. “ its giving and forgiving.” See note, p. 252, 478

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

thine understanding wholly for comprehension of the same and these yet more for the contemplation of Mercy herself " So Blanquerna gave hunself wholly to that which the virtues of his Beloved desired of him.

12. Blanquerna adored and contemplated, in his Be¬ loved, liberality, mercy and humility, and he found them greater and nobler than when he contemplated them in himself. Wherefore he said to Understanding that in his Beloved he could not wholly comprehend liberality, mercy and humility; and to Will he said that the mercy of his Beloved had so great liberality that he might take there¬ from as much humility as he would, and have therefrom as much mercy and liberality as was needful for his salvation.

1 3. Blanquerna perceived that he was in peril of think¬ ing the dominion of his Beloved to be greater than His mercy and humility, because His dominion is over all men, while His mercy and humility illumine not those that be¬ lieve not the Catholic Faith. But the Beloved awakened the memory of Blanquerna, and brought to his mind that mercy made the Son of God to humble Himself by taking our flesh, and dying, as to His Manhood, upon the Cross. And this He did that His dominion might be revealed and proclaimed throughout all the world by those unto whom God has humbled Himself in the Holy Sacrifice, and whom He has so greatly honoured ; and His mercy waits for them to make satisfaction for mortal sins, so many and so grievous, displeasing both to God and man.

14. Blanquerna said that in this world it befits not a prince to have dominion without humility and patience, signifying that it befits not that there should be dominion without humility and patience in God. Wherefore Blan¬ querna, as prince and lord of his memory, understanding and will, humbled himself, though a prince, to have patience, that he might contemplate humility, dominion and patience in his Beloved, from Whom he holds his principality in fief, to give account thereof to his Beloved.

BLANQUERNA

15. So Blanquerna ended his prayer; and, on the day following, he returned to it after another manner, to wit, that he left patience and fell to considering dominion, taking the virtues by three and three that he might follow a new manner. And on the day following he considered the virtues by four and four, by five and five, or by two and two, uniting them with Greatness or Eternity, and so with the other virtues. And in every such combination of one virtue with another appeared new argument and diverse material and manner for the contemplation of his Beloved. And, therefore, because he followed an art in his contem¬ plation, did Blanquerna so abound in the contemplation of his Beloved that his eyes were ever in tears and his soul was filled with devotion, contrition and love.

OF ESSENCE

Blanquerna began to contemplate the Divine Essence together with the Divine virtues; and, remembering, comprehending and loving the virtues, he said these words :

2. “ Divine Essence ! So great art Thou in goodness and eternity, that between Thyself and Thy goodness, greatness and eternity is no difference soever. Thou art Essence, and Thou art God, for between Deity and God there is no difference. I adore Thee as One and the Same, as Deity and God, as Essence and Being. For if as Deity and God, as Essence and Being, Thou wert not One, with¬ out difference soever, Thy greatness would be finite and determined, inferior to Thy goodness and Thy good, Thy eternity and Thy eternal Being. Whence it would follow that Thy Deity was one thing, and God another, and the same of Thy Being and Thy Essence. But since Thy greatness is infinite in goodness and eternity, therefore, O 480

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION"

Sovereign Essence do I adore Thee and bless Thee in one pure and simple aftuality with all Thy virtues ”

3- “Of Thy goodness and of Thy /ood, O glorious Essence, my soul remembers and comprehends that which it can remember and comprehend of no other thing. For goodness and good, greatness and great, abidingness and abiding are not one thing in creatures: were they so, there would be no difference between essence and being in creatures. And, but for this, Thy goodness were not sove¬ reign in greatness as is fitting. Wherefore-to signify the nobility of Thy Being and Essence— Thy Essence and Being are greater as being One, than created essence, and created being, wherein greatness is lacking; by which lack we have knowledge of Thy infinite greatness, and this I praise, holding suspended all the greatness of my will in adoring, contemplating, praising and serving Thy glorious Essence.”

4. “In the creature is essence di&indl from power, know¬ ledge and will created. For one thing is power, another is knowledge and yet another is will. Wherefore essence cannot be one self-same thing with power, knowledge and will. But since Thou, O glorious Essence, makeft no difference between Thy power, knowledge and will, nor is there in Thy power, knowledge and will any difference soever, therefore art Thou one Essence, and between Thy Being and Thy power, knowledge and will is there in no wise any difference. And since this is so, therefore art Thou Sovereign Good, since all other good lacks power, know¬ ledge and will which is one and the same thing with its essence, and by its nature is inclined to corruption ; to the which inclination its nature had been contrary, were there no difference between its Being and its Essence.”

5. “ O glorious Essence 1 Thy power can work no defeft in Thy Being, but my power can work defedt againft my being; and this is so because my being is one thing, my essence another, and yet another my power. And, since

B LAN QUERN A

my power is far other than my being and my essence, it can work against my being and my essence. But Thy power is Thy Essence and Thy Being without difference soever, and therefore canft Thou do naught againft Thy Essence and Thy Being — wherefore, O Essence, haft Thou power eternal, infinite and complete, in truth, virtue, glory and perfection. ”

6. “ After human kind is named humanity, which is of human kind the essence; after the chevalier is named chivalry; after the juft man is named juftice; and after the wise man, wisdom. In Thy Deity art Thou, O God: he who speaks of Thy Deity, speaks of God, and he who speaks of God speaks of Thy Essence. For Thy Virtue suffices to be Thy Essence and Thy Being in truth, in glory and in perfection. And there is greater truth in that Thy Being and Thy Essence are One and the Same, than in that in the creature essence is one thing and being another, in that the juft is one thing and juftice another. Wherefore many that are juft and chivalrous and human may differ in divers regards under juftice, chivalry and humanity. But it is not thus with Thy Being and Essence, for Thy glory and perfection have virtue and truth, wherein is no diversity of Being and Essence.”

7- “ If there were no juftice in the creature it were im¬ possible that the juft man should be created, even as it were a thing impossible that human kind should exift if humanity exifted not. Wherefore when man and humanity and all things else exifted not, there resided already in Thy juftice both juftice and the ‘juft,’ without there being the ‘juft' in Thy Essence, nor, in the juft that is Thine, juftice according to the creature, but rather juftice and the juft according to Thyself. For even as man cannot be without that which is not man — to wit, elements, matter, form, accidents, nature and cause— even so in Thy Essence there could be neither juftice nor the juft, if therein there could be accident or quality or difference of Being and Essence

“ ™E ART 0P CONTEMPLATION ”

t1 aSTi^Th^xi ,°zx

and infinity. And the same is true of Thy mercy and of the remaining virtues. Neither now, when there are crea¬ tes on whom Thou doft bellow gifts and forgiveness, are Thy mercy and liberality any greater. And were there difference between Thy mercy and liberality in Thy Essence, then hadft Thou not been liberal nor merciful till Thou hadft made the creature. And it were impossible that Thou shouldft have created any thing, hadft Thou not had mercy and liberality before creation was.”

9. Blanquerna considered that humility, dominion and patience are in the creature qualities, but in God are Essence; and since these qualities are distant far from Essence, in comparison with the humility, dominion and patience which are Essence, therefore Blanquerna adored humility, dominion and patience, as Divine Essence and Being, and said these words : “ Humility that humbles not, and dominion that has no domain, and patience that is not patient cannot of their nature be Sovereign Essence in goodness and greatness that are eternal and to all creatures. Neither does it beseem the Essence of God that there

should be humility as between greater and less, nor that there should be lord or vassal, doer or sufferer according to the rule of less and greater.” Now, while Blanquerna contemplated in this wise, he became troubled, and feared left he should utter a contradiction ; but, by reason of the height to which his underftanding had risen in his con¬ templation, he knew that his imagination sinned in making a comparison falsely, and his memory recalled that to God muft be attributed all good things that are in the creatures, 483

BLANQUERNA

inasmuch as they muft of need be every one in the Divine Essence, left it should follow that there were any imperfeftion in God. And since humility, dominion and patience are good things in the creature, they muft likewise be in the Divine Essence ; but since in creatures they are not in so great perfection as in God, we muft needs underftand that in another and a nobler way humility, dominion and patience are in the Divine Essence— a way unlike that in which they exift in the creature, wherein they are qualities of accident, having beginning and end.

10. As he contemplated, Blanquerna said that the Essence of his Beloved is immovable, in that He compre¬ hends and is comprehended not; and unchangeable, in that He is eternal; and incorruptible, in that eternal are His power, His will, His knowledge, His virtue, His per¬ fection, His juftice. And therefore ought that so glorious Essence to be more often and more firmly in his remem¬ brance, understanding and will, than any other essence or essences whatsoever.

11. “ The king, with his dominion, and with his Strength, beauty, wisdom, power and juftice, and with his other attributes likewise, has no more of human essence than the man that is of an ill-favoured countenance, and a vassal, and a poor man and of small power and knowledge; and this is so because the king may lose all these things afore¬ said. But of the Essence of God and of His virtues is it not so; for, since this Essence and these virtues are one and the same thing in goodness, greatness, eternity and the reft, no other thing may have the virtues of God, nor be His Essence. And therefore the Divine Essence is in virtue, in presence, in wisdom, in power, and in all that pertains to His Essence, in every place and through every place, in every time and through every time ; and this thing may not be save in the will of God alone.”

12. In this and in many another wise did Blanquerna contemplate the Essence of God, uniting virtues in turn

"THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ” with others, that he might make new argument and lengthier matter for the contemplation of His Essence. And, when he had ended his prayer, he wrote down the substance of his contemplation, and afterwards read that which he had written ; but in his reading he had less of devotion than in his contemplation. Wherefore less devout contemplation is to be had in reading this book than in contemplating the arguments set forth therein; for in con¬ templation the soul soars higher in remembrance, under¬ standing and love of the Divine Essence, than in reading the matter of its contemplation. And devotion accords better with contemplation than with writing.

Blanquerna turned his thoughts and considerations with his love to the contemplation of the Unity of God, and he said these words : “ Sovereign Good ! Alone is Thy Good¬ ness in infinite greatness and in eternity and in power, for there is none other goodness such as can be infinite, eternal and of infinite power; wherefore, O Sovereign Good, I adore Thee alone in one God Who is Sovereign in all perfeftions. Thou art one only Good whence all other good descends and springs. Thy Good of Itself alone sustains all good beside. Thy Good alone is the source of my good wherefore all my good gives and subjefts itself to honour, praise and service of Thy Goo a one.

2 “ O loving Lord ! Greatness that art without beginj „nf1 in Thv Essence full of virtue and complete Tan pe felt Thou doft accord with one God alone and

' „ 1 .h » V, becau.= eternity that i. without Ten” in”. abidingn.*, accord, well with f«a,n« whrf, " “ ence and ha. *%?£?£

is itself both beginning and end in a ^

B LAN QUERN A

were it not so, O Lord, it would follow that justice and perfection were contrary things in eternity, if eternity, which has neither beginning nor end in duration, accorded also with greatness in essence, which has finite and deter¬ mined quantity. And since Thou, my God, art One with Thy juStice and perfection, thereby is it signified to my understanding that Thou art One God eternal and alone."

3. The memory of Blanquerna remembered the good¬ ness, greatness, eternity, wisdom, will and power of God. By His goodness he understood a power with more of good¬ ness than any other; by His greatness, a power that was greater; by eternity, a power more abiding; by wisdom, a power more wise; by will, a power more gracious than any other power soever. Wherefore, when the understand¬ ing had comprehended Divine power, the memory thought upon one power alone, above all others Sovereign, and therefore the understanding comprehended that God was One and One only, for, were there many gods, it were a thing impossible that the understanding could comprehend a greater and nobler power than all beside.

4. Blanquerna considered the virtue that is in the plants and in things which Nature orders to one end, and his understanding comprehended that every thing that is in nature has one virtue which is lord over all other virtues that are in that body; and therefore Nature in each ele¬ mental body has natural appetite rather to one end than to another, since one end — that is, one perfection — has below it all perfections beside. While Blanquerna con¬ sidered this, his memory bore his understanding to the comprehension of the end for which all men are made and created, and of how beaSts, birds, plants, metals, elements, heavens, Stars have one end only, namely, to serve man; and thereby is signified, according to the perfection of power, juStice, wisdom and will, that all men are to honour and serve one God alone ; for were there many gods, each god, according to his perfection and juStice and power, 486

“ THE art of CONTEMPLATION ”

knowledge and will, would have made and created men and creatures for many ends. As Blanquerna contemplated the Unity of God according to the manner aforesaid, he felt himself to be uplifted exceedingly in his memory and under¬ standing and will.

5. To man is given will, whereby he wills to possess for himself alone his caSlle or his city or his kingdom, or his possessions or his wife or his son, or his memory or his understanding or his will, and so of other things. And when to his hurt he finds his peer in these things, he is moved to passion thereby, which is contrary to glory and dominion. When Blanquerna had remembered all this, he remembered the glory and the dominion of God, and com¬ prehended that if there were many gods and lords of the world, their glory and dominion could not be so great as is that of one God alone. And since there muSt needs be postulated of God the highest glory and dominion, there was demonstrated therefore to the understanding of Blan¬ querna that God is One and One only. And, that his under¬ standing might rise to greater heights of comprehension, his will was greatly exalted in fervour to the contemplation of his Beloved, the Spouse of his Will. And he said these

words:

6. “ True is it, O Lord God, that there is no other God save Thyself alone. To Thee alone I offer and present myself, that I may serve Thee. From Thee alone I hope for pardon, for there is none other liberality to give nor mercy to forgive, save Thine only. Humble am I indeed if I humble myself to Thee. Lord am I, if I am Thine alone. Vi dory have I above mine enemies if I can only suffer for Thee. Wheresoever I may be, with all that I am, I give myself to Thee alone, and Thine alone l am, a guilty inner. Of Thee alone I beg forgiveness, in Thee I trufl and for Thee I incur perils. Whatsoever may become of let it be all to one end, to wit. Thy praise, honour and

B LAN QUERN A

Strength, for Thee I weep, for Thee I burn with love, and none other Lord will I have, save Thee only.”

OF TRINITY

Blanquerna was fain to contemplate the holy Trinity of our Lord God, wherefore, at the beginning of his prayer, he begged of God that He would exalt the powers of his soul that they might rise to the contemplation of His virtues, whereby he might contemplate His glorious Trinity. And therefore he said these words: “Divine Essence, glorious and holy, in Whom is the Trinity of Divine Persons ! I ask of Thee this boon, that it may please Thee to humble Thyself that my soul may rise to contemplate Thy Trinity with Thy virtues proper, essential and common to the three Persons, and Thy three proper¬ ties personal and essential. I am not worthy to ask of Thee this boon, nor to receive it; but since Thou canSt give it, and I therewith can the better love, know and praise Thee, for this cause I ask it of Thee, for my soul desires to know and love all these things, that it may the better love and know, praise and serve Thee, and make Thy glories and honours loved and known.”

2. Blanquerna trusted in the help of God, and said these words : “ Never was it in creatures, nor is nor shall be, that infinite and eternal Good should proceed or be engendered, seeing that all created good is finite and determined in greatness and eternity. If in the creature there were a Good which was infinitely great in eternity, knowledge, power and will, it would indeed be possible that one infinite Good should engender another; for were it not so, it were impossible that in the creature there should be such an infinite Good as we have populated above.” When Blan¬ querna had committed this to his memory, understanding

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ’

and love, he remembered and underwood that if the Sove¬ reign Good exceeds created good in greatness, eternity, power, knowledge and love, It muft needs have also a higher and nobler work and aftuality; for, had It not this, it were impossible that It should exceed created good in infinity of goodness, greatness, eternity, power and wisdom.

3. When Blanquerna, by the help of God, had lifted up the powers of his soul, even to the higheft degree to which he had been able to raise them, he strove after another manner to raise them yet higher. And he fell to consider¬ ing how great a good it is that God should be engendered, Who is Good, infinite and eternal, powerful, wise, loving, virtuous, true, glorious, perfedt, juft, liberal, merciful, humble, patient, and over all things Lord. When Blan¬ querna had considered this for a great space of time, he thought again how great a good it is that to God should be attributed a procession of all these virtues aforesaid which are common to the Persons. And yet again he considered how great is that Good whereby God is engendered, and whence proceeds God, the eternal and infinite. When Blanquerna had considered all these things, he considered after the manner of negation how the good of which he had thought might not be in the Sovereign Good. And immediately he felt his soul to be void of devotion and understanding, and returned to the consideration of that upon which he had thought by affirmation, and then he felt his soul to be full of remembrance, understanding and love of the Sovereign Good, and he fell to weeping and praising God Who granted him so high a degree ot con-

ten]Pl Blanquerna had remembrance in his soul of created virtue and was fain to lift it higher through the potency

BLANQUERNA

Wherefore, as they knew not in God His Trinity and His eternal work, they attributed to God an infinite and eternal work in the world, and in those things whereof the world is made. But it better beseems the virtue of God to per¬ form in Himself an eternal and infinite work in power, wisdom, love, perfection and glory, than in any other thing that is not God Himself.” And therefore the perfect juftice, wisdom, glory and truth of God signified to Blanquerna that the world had had a beginning, and that the work of the Divine Essence in Itself, whereby the Father begat the Son, and the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son, is a work infinite, eternal and wholly perfect. And were it not so, it would follow that the world, in receiving eternity, would have juft so much infinite virtue as has the Divine power in giving out virtue unto eternity; and this is a thing impossible. When this im¬ possibility was shown to Blanquerna, his underftanding was so greatly exalted that his will soared high in love to the Trinity; so that love gave affliftions to his body, to his eyes tears, to his heart sighing and devotion, to his mouth prayers and praises of his glorious God.

5. Fearfully did Blanquerna pronounce these words to the Holy Trinity with lips and mind: “ Sovereign Trinity All-Excelling, through Thy common virtues my under¬ ftanding soars that it may contemplate and love Thee, and in Thy virtues personal and proper my underftanding fails me when it has knowledge of Thee. But my will, illumined by the light of faith through Thy blessing, soars to love Thee, wherefore am I contemplating Thee by intellect and by faith without there following any contradiction.”

6. While Blanquerna contemplated thus the Sovereign Trinity, Error and Ignorance were fain to incline him to believe no longer in the Trinity of God, and he considered how in all trinity there was composition. Then Blanquerna thought once more upon the infinite greatness in power, perfeftion and eternity, and comprehended thus how it be- 490

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION"

seemed not that, if plurality and eternity created could not be without such composition, it should follow that the Sovereign Trinity muft needs be compounded. For as the Sovereign Trinity and Plurality is superior to plurality and trinity created, in goodness, greatness, eternity, power and the reft, It muft needs be above it also in simplicity; for, if the Unity of God is in simplicity Sovereign over all unity created, the Sovereign Good muft needs have plurality that It may be in simplicity above plurality created.

7. “ O Holy Trinity! In that I comprehend Thee not Thy greatness is the greater and my underftanding the less, and in that I believe without comprehending Thee is my faith greater than my underftanding, and Thy greatness than my faith. And this is so because Thy greatness is infinite in all perfection, and my faith and underftanding are limited and bounded by Thy greatness. Wherefore,

since through believing in Thee I am greater by faith than by underftanding, if I understood Thee I should be greater in loving than in believing. And, were this not so, it would follow that love agreed rather with ignorance than with underftanding, in the which case love would of necessity be less in the heights of underftanding, and greater in its deeps. And this is impossible, unless there should follow contradiction of merit or of underftanding through faith, which remains that which it was, according to the diversity of obiefts between faith and underftanding. This diversity we have signified above in the Divine virtues common to all three Divine Persons and according to the properties

both personal and Divine.” _ ,

8 To the end that he might use the art of contempl -

tion, Blanquerna considered within himself generation in

infinity and etmuty, ^ ^ ^ creatures, which generation to be like to thing of infinity

he could "“^bended in Sovereig.

and eternity. And mr,n«ition or corruption,

generation simplicity without composition P ^

BLANQUERNA

and in the lower generation he could not believe there was neither corruption nor composition, because his under¬ standing had knowledge that the generation of the creature cannot increase perfedtion in eternity and infinity, in his understanding and memory.

9. “ O Holy Trinity ! If Thou wert not, wherein would God be like unto man ? Or how would that word be true which says: Let us make man in our image and likeness? And if Thou, O Trinity, art unlike any trinity of ours, it is that Thou art a Being infinite and eternal in Wisdom, Power and Perfedtion.” Thus did Blanquerna contemplate the Holy Trinity, and thereto did he lift up the powers of his soul, even to such heights as he could, that he might be obedient to the commandment of God which commands man to love God with all his Strength, and with all his mind and with all his soul, — that is to say, with memory, intelledt and will.

OF INCARNATION

Blanquerna remembered the holy Trinity of our Lord and God, that his understanding might comprehend how through the influence of the great goodness of eternity, power, wisdom and will of the glorious Trinity, God should perform a work in the creature which should be of great benignity, abidingness, power, wisdom and charity ; and for this cause his understanding comprehended that according to the operation which is in the Divine Persons, it was fitting that God should take our human nature, in which and through which might be shown forth His Divine virtues and His works which He has in His Divine Persons ; and that thus the wills of Blanquerna and all men beside might love God and His works. Wherefore Blanquerna spake these words:

"THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ” 2. “ Divine Virtue,” said Blanquerna, “ Thou art in¬ finite in goodness, greatness, eternity, power, wisdom, love and all perfeaion ; wherefore if there were aught else infinite in greatness, eternity and patience, Thou couldft infinitely work therein through greatness, eternity, aftion and the like, since Thou haft the power to work, as that thing would have power to receive. But inasmuch as all virtue is finite, save Thine, therefore neither in eternity nor in in¬ finite greatness is any thing sufficient to receive the impress of Thy work, without beginning of time or quantity. Now to show forth all these things Thy wisdom willed to create a creature greater in goodness and virtue than all other creatures and virtues created, and the Son of God willed to be one Person with that creature, to show that Thy good¬ ness had been able to give Him greater virtue than all creatures else, even as He could make Him greater than the creature and than all other creatures.”

3. “ Thy human nature, O Lord, has a glory greater than all other glories created, and this because its per¬ fection surpasses all other perfection ; and since Thy juftice, O Lord, has greater goodness, power, wisdom and love than any other, therefore it was fain to give greater glory and perfection to Thy humanity than to any other nature created. Whence, since this is so, it is moft meet that all the angels, and all the souls of the saints, yea, and all the bodies of the juft when the resurreftion is paft, should have glory in Thy human nature, and thereby rise to have greater glory in Thy

Divine Nature.”

4 When Blanquerna had considered for a great space of time the things set down above, he felt his memory, undemanding and will to be greatly uplifted m contemnlation. Yet even so his heart gave no tears to his eyes Shat they might be bathed in weeping, and therefore did Blanquerna prepare to uplift the powers ofhis higher that they might multiply devotion th ^

heart, and fill his eyes with weeping and with , ^

BLANQUERNA

high contemplation goes ill save with weeping. Wherefore Blanquerna caused his memory to descend, and to think upon the vileness and the misery of this world, and the sins that are therein, and the great wickedness committed by our father Adam againSt his Creator, in disobeying Him, and the great mercy, liberality, humility and patience of God, when it pleased Him to take human flesh and when He willed to give His Body to poverty, scorn, torments, trials, and to vile and grievous death ; although He had no guilt nor sin such as are ours. While the remembrance of Blanquerna called these things to mind, his understanding was lifted up to comprehend and follow his remembrance, and together they contemplated the lofty and Divine virtues, to wit, goodness, infinity, eternity, and the reSt. And therefore the will had so much devotion from the nobility of the virtues and the Passion and Death of the Nature of Jesus ChriSt, that it gave to the heart sighs and griefs, and the heart gave to the eyes weeping and tears, and to the mouth confession and praise of God.

5. For a great space of time did Blanquerna weep as he contemplated the Incarnation of the Son of God after the manner aforesaid; but, as he wept, the imagination Strove to represent the fashion wherein the Son of God conformed Himself to human nature; and since he might not imagine it, the understanding had no longer knowledge and Blan¬ querna fell to doubting, and his tears and sighs ceased, by reason of his doubt, which destroyed his devotion and made it to vanish. When Blanquerna felt to what State his thoughts had descended, he lifted up once more his memory and understanding to the greatness of the goodness, power, wisdom and perfedtion of God, and in the greatness of these virtues his understanding comprehended that God may con¬ form to Himself human nature, though the imagination know it not neither may imagine it. For greater is God in goodness, power, wisdom and will than is the imagination in its imagining; and in remembering and understanding 494

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

thus Blanquerna destroyed the doubt which he had had concerning the Incarnation; and devotion and contrition returned to his heart, and weeping and tears to his eyes, and his contemplation was loftier and more fervent than at the beginning.

6. Long did Blanquerna contemplate the Incarnation of the Son of God after the manner aforesaid. And when he felt that his mind was wearied by one matter he took another, that through the renewing of the matter his mind might regain strength and virtue for contemplation. So Blan¬ querna remembered how the holy Incarnation and Passion of the Son of God are honoured in the goodness, greatness, eternity, power, etc., of God, and how in this world’He has honoured with His grace many men who render Hint not the honour which they might. After this he remembered how many men there are in this world who are unbelievers and honour not the human nature of Jesus Chrift which God in Himself has so greatly honoured, but believe not, and blaspheme that same nature, and hold that sacred land wherein He took that nature, and wherein, to honour us and reftore us to the Sovereign dominion which we had loft, He suffered Passion and Death. Then, after Blan¬ querna had fixed the powers of his mind upon that matter, his devotions, sighs, tears and griefs were renewed within him, and his mind soared higher and yet higher in con¬ templating the sacred Incarnation of the Son of God. And therefore he said these words: “ Oh Lord God, Who haft so highly honoured and exalted our nature in Thy Divine virtues I When comes that time wherein Thou wilt gready honour our remembrance, underftanding and will, in Thy holy Incarnation

7. So lofty wa powers of his so mind. Memory work, and great ing answered th:

d Passion ? ’

ie contemplation of Blanquerna that the discoursed with one another within h.s d that great goodness performed a great ver worked great might. Underftandreat mercy, humUity, liberality and love

BLANQUERNA

conformed lesser virtues to greater. And Will said that above all creatures he muS needs love his Lord Jesus Chri£t. But at one thing he marvelled, — to wit, how that Jesus ChriSt so greatly loved His people, and willed to suffer for them so great Passion, and how God willed so greatly to humble Himself, and how in the world there are so many men, unbelievers, idolaters and ignorant of His honour. Understanding answered and said that that thing was matter for the will, how that it should have such devo¬ tion as to make a man desire martyrdom that the Incarnation should be honoured ; and that it was matter for the memory, how that it should have remembrance so lofty of the virtues of God that He might be exalted in such necessary demon¬ strations as should show forth to unbelievers the sacred Incarnation and Passion of the Lord Jesus ChriSl.

8. By the Divine Light the spirit of Blanquerna was illumined and inflamed, and he spake these words : “ O Incarnation, O greatest truth of all truths, uncreated and created ! Wherefore are greater in number the men that scorn thee, and know thee not, neither believe thee, than they who honour and believe thee? What wilt thou do? Wilt thou punish so great and mortal failings ? O mercy wherein is so great benignity, love, patience and humility ! Wilt thou pardon them? ” So Blanquerna wept, and be¬ tween fear and hope he sorrowed and joyed, as he contem¬ plated the sacred Incarnation of the Son of God.

OF THE PATER NOS7ER

Blanquerna called to mind the Divine virtues, and through them was fain to contemplate God in the Pater Nof/er , and to set the virtues and the Pater NoSler in his memory, understanding and will. Wherefore he spake to God these words : “ O Father, Thou art Lord over us — that is, God 496

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ” the Father is Father of God the Son, Who is infinite and eternal in goodness, power, wisdom, love, perfeftion and all His other attributes, and Thy Divine Essence is Father of the human nature of Jesus ChriSt by creation and by benignity, mercy, liberality, humility and charity. And therefore said Jesus ChriSt, when He made the prayer of Pater Nofler, that in Thee is the personal Father, Father, rightly so called, of God the Son, and that Thou art that Essence, which is Father of His humanity, and likewise of all other creatures. Because, then, the ApoStles were crea¬ tures, and because they believed in His Trinity and Incar¬ nation, therefore our Lord Jesus ChriSt commanded them that they should say the Pater Nofler."

2. “ Thou, O Lord, art in the heavens God the Father of God the Son, which heavens are Thy infinite greatness, goodness, eternity, power, wisdom, love, etc., and these are Essence wherein is God the Father Who begat God the Son ; and, since infinite perfeStion is in Thy Essence in goodness, greatness, eternity, etc., therefore with the heavens, which are high, may be compared Thy virtues, which are so high that none others save Thine alone suffice to reach heights so exceeding great. By which heights and excellences Thou doSt make known in the Pater Nofler that Thou art Father, because Thou art higher than all creatures, and because in Thy heavens are Thy works, whereby Jesus Chrift called Thee Father, of Himself and of us. Where¬ fore if Jesus ChriSt, Who is God and Man, in the heavens and eoual with Thee as touching His Godhead, and upon the ear^ - touching His Manhood, bears Thee witness that Thou art His Father and ours and art in the heavens, “ meet end tight the. tee, .ho am hem below »» should believe His witness and toy this prayer

"T" Hallowed be, Lord God, Th, hoi, and glorious

BLANQUERNA

through generation and procession, without which genera¬ tion and procession there could not be in Thy Essence these proper and diverse Names eternally and infinitely in good¬ ness, virtue, truth and perfeftion. But since the Father is eternal, the Son eternal and the Holy Ghoft eternal, and each one of these Persons is infinite in perfeftion, therefore are there in Thy Essence Names eternal and infinite in perfeftion, and therefore is it worthy and meet that Thy personal Names should be hallowed in Thy Divine Essence, eternal, infinite and complete.”

4. “ Not alone, O Lord, does juftice require that Thy Name be hallowed in Thy virtues, but of reason also it is worthy and meet that It be hallowed among us here below throughout all the world ; and therefore haft Thou, O Lord, eftablished upon earth the Holy Roman Church, that Thy Name may be named and known throughout all the world, and hallowed in the souls of men and in the holy Sacrament of the Altar. And that the Pope and his colleagues the Cardinals and the other prelates may not be negleftful, nor for other business cease to ftrive for the hallowing of Thy Name, therefore haft Thou given us commandments with Thine own mouth in the Pater NoSler and at the hour of Thy passing from this world, which commandments Thou didft make to Thy minifters the Apoftles after Thy passing.”

5. “ Thy kingdom, O Lord, is Thy very Essence and Thy personal properties, wherein are goodness, greatness, eternity, etc. May that Kingdom come, O Lord, to our souls, through remembrance, understanding and love of Thy universal properties and Thine own personal proper¬ ties, to the end that Thy Kingdom may be honoured among us here below and we ourselves may rise to dwell in Thy glorious Kingdom perpetually.”

6. “ Thy will is done, O Lord, in the heavens and on earth. In the heavens it is done, because Thy Essence is goodness wherein are goodness and will which issues from the infinite Father and Son in goodness, greatness, eternity, 498

" THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION"

c.c Perfeftcd » Thy will, O Lori, in the So. th* i, bogotten eternally and infinitely in all perfeftion; and there fore is it the will, O Lord, of justice, perfeftion, virtue and truth that Thy will be done on earth, that is, in the human nature which Thou didft take, wherein is earth corporal and elemental. And this Will was done by the work of the Holy Gho Si when He gave Thee flesh in the womb of the glorious Virgin."

7- “ O Lord, so lofty and so marvellous is Thy Will that throughout this whole world Thou art to be obeyed through Thy goodness and Thy power, Thy juftice and Thy perfedfion. Thou art obeyed, O Lord, through Thy goodness, humility, patience and mercy, in those who desire to serve Thee, and who upon earth withdraw apart their memory, understanding and love, that they may contemplate and serve Thee. And Thy will is obeyed, O Lord, through Thy juStice, dominion, power and truth, in the punishment with pains of hell of those who may not flee from Thy sen¬ tence and domination, and who fix their remembrance, understanding and will upon earthly vanities, despising the blessings of Heaven.”

8. “Our daily bread, O Lord, is Thy sacred and glorious Body sacrificed upon the Altar. Thy Body is in the heavens, yet daily It is among us here below in this Sacrifice, which in our minds we see through the working of Thy great benignity, wisdom, power, humility, mercy and will. For as the eyes of our body and our other senses fail us when we see this Bread— that is, Thy Body and Blood— even so, O Lord, may the powers of the soul suffice Thou Thyself helping us, that we may see this our Bread through the working of the virtues of Thine Essence. For if Thy power is great in infinity, it follows that under the form of bread may be sacrificed one Body of Flesh and Blood in divers places, signifying Thy And if Thy benignity, humility, will an^ Ilber^ .

BLANQUERNA

it is signified thereby that Thou wilt give us our daily bread in this world which is to-day, for this is the day of choice between damnation and salvation, which day for every one of us will pass away.”

9. “ Forgive us, O Lord, the debt that we owe Thee, for we can never pay Thee, being sinners every one in our father Adam. So great are our debts to Thee that we can never pay Thee, for Thou didSt create us, and didSt will, through love of us, to become Man, to be tortured and crucified for us, and to die. And since Thy perfection is infinite in Thy goodness, greatness, eternity, etc., Thou needed not, O Lord, that we should pay Thee ; for didSt Thou so need, there would be in Thee want of perfection. And since we resolve1 the debts which we owe to our sensual natures, in mortifying them with fadings, afflic¬ tions and prayers, even as we mortify our understanding by believing the marvels which Thy virtues work, then if Thou, O Lord, forgaveSt and pardonedSt us not our debts, as we for love of Thee forgive our debtors, there would be in us greater juStice and perfection than in Thyself. And this may not be; whence, O Lord, it is fitting that Thou shouldSt not require of us our debts, which we could in no wise pay Thee.”

10. “ Well do we know, O Lord, that Thy great good¬ ness, love, liberality and mercy make Thee to desire us to have great merit, that Thy justice may with reason give us great glory and perfection, and therefore doit Thou allow us to be tempted by the world, the flesh and the devil. And since we are poor in memory, understanding and love, it befalls us many a time to be conquered and overcome by our temptations. Wherefore since Thou, O Lord, art so great in benignity, mercy, liberality and humility, give Thou to us that which we merit not, if we endure, but

1 The original has lexam, from a verb which occurs throughout the para¬ graph in the double sense of “ loose ” and “ forgive.” It is difficult to bring this out in the English.

“ THE art of CONTEMPLATION"

conquer not, our temptations, for it suffices us that in Thy kingdom and have Thy glory with h our own.” 7 g 7 WIth°ut merits of

^ ^ « *».

fromevT^h “* US n0t neither delivere^ us

from evil Thy mercy and humility will be without love,

and we shall be creatures without a Lord Who loves His sub] efts, and this is ill-beseeming. Wherefore my memory hopes, O Lord, in Thy succour.” Thus and in many other ways that can neither be told nor written did Blanquerna contemplate in his soul the virtues of God together with the Pater NoSler.

OF AVE MARIA

Blanquerna was fain to contemplate the Queen of Heaven, and of the earth and sea and all that is, with the virtues of her glorious Son, our Lord God. Wherefore he spake these words : “ Hail, Mary 1 The goodness of thy Son, Who is infinitely great in eternity, power, wisdom and love, gives thee salutation, because the Son of God took thy nature, wherewith He is yet one Person only, equal in goodness, greatness, eternity, and the like, to the Father and the Holy Ghoft and to all essence in goodness and virtue.”

2. “ Full of grace 1 Power, Knowledge and Will, which are one power, knowledge and will in essence, and one power, knowledge and will in filiation, have been incar¬ nated in Flesh of thy flesh and Blood of thy blood. This Power, Knowledge and Will is one Son and one only of the Sovereign Father. And through this Son there is

B LAN QUERN A

created, within thee, a Son Who is Man, one Person in unity with a Son Who is God. And therefore, O Queen, art thou filled with grace through the Son of God and thy Son that is Man. And the Son that is God is thy Son, Who is one Person with the Son of God. Wherefore, since this is so, from the inflowing of the fulness of grace whereof thy Son is full, art thou, O Queen, full of grace which is greater than we can remember or comprehend or love. And from thy fulness of grace comes an inflowing to the memory, understanding and will which contemplate the fulness of thy grace. Blessed then, O Queen, be thy grace, which is so full that it fills all those who through the same shall attain perpetual fulfilment.”

3. “ The Lord is with thee, O Queen, namely Virtue, Truth and Glory — that is, the Son of God. This Virtue, Truth and Glory have infinity in power, knowledge and will. This infinity is Sovereign Good in eternity. The Lord within thee, O Queen, is God and Man: God, through His Divine Father, and Man, in that He took of thee flesh and blood. And that this Lord is within thee, O Queen, makes thee to be in great virtue and truth, who after thy Son art pre-eminent in virtue, truth and glory over all other creatures. And this is the reason thereof, that, excepting thy Son, the Lord is in no creature so virtuously, truly and gloriously as in thee, for to no other creature has He given such power to receive His virtue as to thee. Therefore, since by His virtue thou canSt receive greater virtue than any other creature, His glory is more truly in thee than in any other.”

4. “Blessed art thou, O Queen, among women; for greater perfedtion, greater justice, greater liberality is given to thee than to any other woman soever — yea, than to all men and to all angels and to all other creatures. For the perfedtion, justice and liberality which are given to thee, are ChriSt thy Son, Who is perfedtion of all other perfedtion, and ju&ice of all other juStice, and liberality of all other 502

“ the ART of CONTEMPLATION"

liberality; and beside thy Son there were none who should

o o„r , ? ?rfeaio”- F»” r«M<i£

°.9j' " , W ’ y Son comes it by justice that thou

art blessed above all women, because thou haft more of perfection than they all. Then since in thee is such per¬ fection, that perfection which is of juftice and liberality wills that thou shouldft give perfeftion to every soul— in its remembrance if it remember thee, in its undemanding if it understand thee, and in its will if it love thee. And were this not so, there would be a lack of juftice and liberality in thy Son, as also in thee, which is a thing un¬ beseeming and impossible.”

5- “ Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, O Queen, with mercy and humility, which have united that fruit with the Divine Nature, a union greater than any other that may be between God and the creature. And therefore, 0 Queen, to no other creature, nor to all other creatures, has the Divine Nature given so much of mercy and humility, as to the Fruit of thy womb. For this thy Son, glorious Man, is Man in the Son of the glorious God, Who makes Him to be Man, while He is yet with Himself one Person, namely God and Man. And that Person, Who is God, and is infinite mercy and humility in goodness, eternity, power, wisdom, love and the like, has blessed thy Son in His being one with infinity of mercy, humility, goodness, eternity, power, etc. Wherefore, as this is so, O Queen, what fruit may be so blessed or more blessed than the fruit of thy womb ? ”

6. “ O Queen 1 So great is the brightness of the sun, that it gives radiance to the moon, the ftars and the air and since mercy and humility are greater m thy Son than is the sun’s brightness, therefore , 0 Queen, there : com es to ourselves and to the angels an influence from he : bless g of the fruit of thy womb, greater than is the taJW-o

•he >»» - of .11 otto %h« ^ t,l etalt.d thy O Queen, mercy and humility hav g 5o3

BLANQUERNA

Fruit, and have set thee in such excellent places, it is right that thou should^ remember us according to thy greatness in mercy and humility. If mercy has been pleased to honour thee, do thou by thy mercy be pleased to remember us. And if humility willed to incline itself to thee that thou mighteft be exalted, do thou incline thy thoughts to us that to them we may rise and receive the blessing of thy womb.”

7. “ The Holy Ghoft has come upon thee, O Queen, and has overshadowed thee with the power of the Moft High. That Holy Spirit, O Queen, has come upon thee with the Lord of all the world — yea, and of the world to come. He has overshadowed thee with a virtue which comprehends all virtues, and with virtues which are one virtue. The nature which He has taken in thee He has overshadowed with infinite goodness, greatness, eternity, power and the like, and thee has He overshadowed with that nature which He has taken in thee, through the which thou art mother of every virtue and of all virtues created. All of these derive brightness from thy shadow, and through thy shadow they are guided to the brightness of thy Son. By thy shadow, o’ershadcd by shadow human and divine, the Saints in glory are in eternal shade, being shielded from the perpetual fire, in which is no shadow of respite from the heat neither of forgiveness.”

8. “ O Queen of Heaven ! Thy Son for reasons twain is Lord over every creature: the firft, in that He is God; the second, in that He is Man conformed to God and made one with Him. Then as thy Son is doubly Lord of all the world, thou thyself for reasons twain muit over all the world be lady pre-eminent: the firft, in that thou art Mother of God; the second, in that thou art Mother of that Man Who is made one Person with God. And as this is so, do thou, O Lady, have remembrance of that whereover thou art placed, that He Who hath placed thee there may have pleasure therein, and that we ourselves may be exalted in the nobility of His dominion.”

“ THE 4RT OF CONTEMPLATION" 9. Thus in the Ave Maria did Blanquerna contemplate Our Lady with the virtues of her Son ; and, while he con¬ templated, his remembrance and understanding and will were so highly exalted that he took no knowledge if he were weepi ng or no. And when he had ended his contemplation, he knew and remembered that his heart had given no tears to his eyes, that they should be in weeping and tears as he contemplated. And since it was ill-beseeming that he should contemplate Our Lady without weeping, therefore Blanquerna fell to contemplating her anew and to remem¬ bering the patience of her glorious Son on the day when He was Stripped of His garments, spat upon, beaten, crowned with thorns, nailed to the Cross, wounded and killed. He remembered how that Our Lady loved Him with wondrous love, and that, while men tormented Him, He looked upon her, and she upon Him, with looks devout and sweet. How that Our Lady lamented over her Son when she saw Him die; how that she was sore afflifted, as she saw herself divided from Him by death ; how that she knew Him to have done no wrong, but to be Lord and God. And while Blanquerna thus contemplated, and led the powers of his soul to consider the virtues of God and of Our Lady, his heart was so moved with devotion that his eyes thereby had abundance of weeping and of tears.

OF THE COMMANDMENTS

Blanquerna rumemb^d >» the Coepd, tta

!;rhtcr £ sr- « si

virtues of God. And he sa.d these word^ 10^^ " Thou shalt love thy Lord God, (or *°» rf God.

BLANQUERNA

out beginning or end, thou couldSt love God, thou wouldSt be constrained thus to obey His Commandment, for the Lord Who commands thee thus is infinitely good and eternal. But since thou haft a beginning, thou couldft not love before thou wert in being ; yet now that thou art, thou art constrained to love, and, if thou loveSt not, thou art disobedient to infinite and eternal goodness; for the which disobedience He will doom thee to infinite and eternal afflidtion and torment.”

2. The Understanding said to Blanquerna that the power, wisdom and love of God commanded the will to love God with the whole heart. And as he understood that the will could love God wholly through His power, know¬ ledge and will, he said that the power which it had of not loving God in its totality was not of the power, knowledge and will of God, but was of guilt, fault and sin, inclining to powerlessness whatsoever wills not to be power in the power, knowledge and will of God, by Whom is sustained, kept and defended power created againSt power of guilt, if all created will gives itself to love and obey the com¬ mandment of God.

3. While the Understanding of Blanquerna refledted, and mentally spake to his Will the aforementioned words, the Will replied by asking if it were a licit thing to love naught else save only God. The Understanding answered and said that it might love all things created so that it loved them with respedt to God — that is to say, if it loved them that it might the better love God.

4. As the Understanding and the Will of Blanquerna thus discoursed, the Memory recalled how in the Com¬ mandment it is said that man is to love God with all his soul ; and being itself one of the three powers of the soul it held itself obliged with all its might to remember virtue, truth and glory. And Memory said to Understanding that she recalled how that he, being one of the three powers of the soul, was wholly constrained to comprehend the virtue, 506

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

truth and glory of God. When Undemanding had com¬ prehended the argument which Memory recalled and related to him, he was conscious of the many times that he had failed to comprehend the virtue, truth and glory of God, that Will through faith should have the greater merit. And since to Undemanding in his totality has been given as great a commandment as to Will, therefore the Under- Handing exalted himself in all his power to comprehend the virtue, truth and glory of God, and besought forgiveness because through ignorance he had gone aHray, that faith might be greater in Will.

$■ Blanquerna said to God that His Justice was perfeft, and that therefore the commandment which He gave muSt be juft and perfeft to all thought; which commandment would have no perfeftion if it commanded human thought otherwise than to love wholly the juHice and perfeftion of God, since thought is wholly created and dowered by the justice and perfeftion of God. While Blanquerna thus spake concerning thought, and concerning the juHice and perfeftion of God, Will said to Understanding that she set her love more firmly upon the greater part of that which he comprehended when he comprehended with all his power. Thus was Understanding reproved as to that in which for long he had erred— to wit, that he had not risen to comprehend all that he might, that he might have the greater glory. For the commandment is given to the whole of thought, which signifies all the power of the under¬ standing. As Will said these words to Understanding, came contrition to her, with consciousness that she had not commanded Understanding to love God with all h.s •■•3 her. Then, s,nre

s commandment was given

Will had contrition, Memory recalled that many a man Handing,’ through which mortification comes error, s,n an

BLANQUERNA

6. Again Blanquerna considered the commandment of God to the Will, to wit, that man shall love God with all his heart; and then, that he shall love Him with all his soul ; and again, that he shall love Him with all his thought. Wherefore in these three times in which the commandment is made, has man knowledge of the liberality of God which brings mercy to his undemanding, that it may comprehend divers works in the three powers of the soul, according to the diversity of the three commandments aforesaid. For in that God commands man to love with all his heart is signified faith, whereby the will may love above that which the understanding can comprehend. In that He commands man to love Him with all his soul is signified that all three powers of the soul should be fixed equally on some end equally remembered, comprehended and loved. And in that He commands man to love Him with all his thought is signified that God commands man wholly to exalt his understanding, that in remembering God he may have greater remembrance, and in loving Him greater will. And the greatness of these lies in the exaltation of the under¬ standing, whereby God loves to be widely known.

7. Blanquerna said to his soul that to love God with all his heart and soul and thought is the firSt commandment ; wherefore the understanding comprehended the second commandment in its relation to the firSt, in the which second commandment was signified equality of love between Blanquerna and his neighbour, in that God commands the will that man shall love his neighbour even as himself. And since He says not “ with all his soul and all his thought ” nor even “ with all his heart,” there is made a difference between the firSt command¬ ment and the second, by the which difference is signified that the firSt has precedence over the second, and that the second is subjeited and muSt be ruled by the firSt; so that man, in loving, comprehending and remembering God above himself and his neighbour, may do obedience 508

, "THE /tRT 0F mmEuruTioN-

of GodVerCnCe " honour'n8 ^ humility and dominion above all

-nts which are the begi„nings of hese two commandments is obedient) ^

’ andJle that ln any °f the others is disobedient to God

loves himself ,th®. fira.two commandments; and he that

ves himself and his neighbour equally with God is dis¬ obedient to the firft commandment and to all the reft.

OF THE MISERERE MEl DEUS

With the virtues of our Lord God Blanquerna contem¬ plated God in His Essence and Trinity and Incarnation in the sayings of the holy Prophets, as exemplified in these words : “ David begged forgiveness of God according to His mercy, and therefore at the beginning his soul con¬ sidered together grace and mercy, with goodness and eternity ; for the goodness of God is greater than any other goodness, and His eternity than any abidingness soever. And since goodness and eternity accord with greatness, and the mercy of God is great over all other mercy, therefore David besought goodness for the great good of piety, of gifts and forgiveness ; and he besought eternity that such gifts and forgiveness might be eternal and without end. And this petition he made because in the Divine Persons there is conformity in personal properties, which are in Essence goodness, greatness, eternity and mercy.”

2. “ It beseemed not David to make diftinftion in the Essence of God between greatness, mercy and juftice; for these are one thing only. In praying that God would pardon him according to His great mercy, he signified His great justice; for it beseems great mercy according Jo

BLANQUERNA

great juft ice to give and to pardon, and this signifies that it is greater juftice that great mercy should forgive great faults and beftow great gifts than that lesser mercy should grant gifts and forgiveness. And, were this not so, it would follow that great mercy and great juftice would have be¬ tween each other no concord or agreement.”

3. When Blanquerna considered the words aforesaid, his soul rejoiced greatly in his hope of the mercy and juftice of God and of their greatness ; and therefore he underftood how great good, both endless and eternal, was prepared for the man that begs for mercy from the greatness and juftice of God. When Blanquerna in the Essence of God had contemplated goodness, greatness, eternity, mercy and juftice, he entered into another consideration, and con¬ templated the virtues aforesaid in the three Divine Persons, saying these words :

4. “ O Lord God Who art Father, great in Thy power, knowledge and will, by virtue of Thy goodness, eternity, mercy and juftice 1 Behold David, in the person of the Roman Church, beseeches Thy Son, Who is great in power, knowledge and will by virtue of goodness, eternity, juftice and mercy; for in that he besought Thee to have mercy according to Thy greatness, Thou muft needs have mercy with greatness as mighty as is Thine Own, which we our¬ selves could not receive but with that which is equal to Thy greatness, namely, Thy glorious Son, Whom Thou didft give us in the Incarnation and Redemption. Through this Thy Son is signified to us Thy glorious Trinity and Incar¬ nation ; for if in Thy Divine Nature there were no diftinction of Persons, Thou couldft neither give nor pardon according to Thy great mercy, for we should have no ftrength to receive it. But since Thy Son was pleased to take our flesh, therein could our poor nature receive it, since in that Thy Son is God, He is equal in virtue with Thy greatness, and in Him and through Him Thou, even as Thou art, canft give and pardon and judge.”

“ ™E ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

S- Blanquerna remembered truth, glory and am God, and through the words of David he comprehended that greatness accords with truth, glory and J.rfS? which greatness muft needs be infinite, for were it finite .t would not accord with truth, glory and perfeftion, which are v.rtues infinite in God. Whence, as greatness and mercy are infinite v.rtues, and as David besought mercy according to the greatness of God, it is signified thereby that the Son, in Whom is truth, glory and perfeftion, be¬ sought the Father that His gifts and forgiveness might be equal to the infinite grace which the Father has in truth, glory and perfeftion. Whence, as this is so, it is signified thereby that David besought God for His gifts and for¬ giveness in the person of the humanity of Jesus Chrift, to the which humanity they could not have been given had union not been made between it and some Person of equal truth, glory and perfe&ion, and further, with some Person residing in the Divine Essence.

6. “ Liberality, humility, dominion and patience, O Lord God,” said Blanquerna, “are in Thee virtues infinitely great; for, were they not so, they would be contrary to Thy mercy, which is infinite, and it would follow that David would have begged of Thee gifts and forgiveness which Thou couldft not have given him through defeft of Thy virtues. And since it is impossible that in Thee there should be any defeft at all, Thy liberality muft needs have within it a gift proportionate to itself; in Thy humility there muft be that which is humble wherein all may humble themselves ; and Thy dominion muft have that which is proportionate to itself, that Thy mercy, likewise so pro¬ portioned, may have a Lord Who can give. And it is beseeming that Thy mercy have patience in giving the same patience that is in itself. And were this not so, David might have asked for greater Mercy than Thou couldft have or give him, which is a thing wholly un¬ beseeming.” rn

BLANQUERNA

7. According to the manner aforesaid, Blanquerna con¬ templated God in His Essence, Trinity and Incarnation, with his art, expounding the words of David together with the Divine virtues. By this art man may reveal the secrets and the dark sayings which were written by the Prophets to the end that the understanding might exalt itself to search the deep things of God, that its comprehension might be higher, and in the heights of the understanding the will might be lifted up to love God greatly in His Essence, in His Trinity, in His Incarnation and in all His works.

OF THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF HOLY CHURCH

In the Sacraments of Holy Church Blanquerna was fain to contemplate the virtues of God, and he spake to God in these words: “ O Lord God 1 In the Holy Sacrament of Baptism willeSt Thou to show forth the greatness of Thy power, knowledge, will and virtue; for by great virtue of power, knowledge and will doSt Thou reveal to our human understanding a moSt Strange and marvellous work in Baptism, when, by water and by the words of the prieSt and by the faith of the sponsors, the infant, who may not use understanding or will, is in the Sacrament cleansed and purified from original sin. This work, O Lord, is great and marvellous above all works of nature, signifying that Thy virtue is so great in power, knowledge and will that Thou haSt power, knowledge and will to work in super¬ natural wise all that which is of Thy good will and pleasure.”

2. “ As in a city, Lord, there are many and various offices, even so in the city of Holy Mother Church are the offices of the seven Sacraments. As all these offices serve to ennoble the city, so the seven Sacraments serve to demonstrate the noble use which Thy glorious virtues have in the creatures, as is therein shown forth and revealed.

“THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

A"d therefore, Lord, the goodness and greatness of Thy dominion prove how all creatures are obedient in the seven Sacraments to Thy power, knowledge and will ”

3- “ Glorious God 1 As the infant has no eyes of reason till he is grown, the sponsors muft needs have the virtue which Thy virtue gives and renders to the infant when he is of the age to be confirmed and to perform that which his sponsors have promised for him. That the sponsors should have such virtue, that at the confirmation of the child their obligation should be fulfilled, and that the child should receive virtue through his confirming by the Bishop— all this is significant of great virtue, truth, perfeftion and dominion, which in the Sacrament of Confirmation perform all that Thy will demands, without opposition of any other power, which is powerless againft Thine.”

4. Blanquerna was fain to enter into contemplation of the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar with the Divine virtues ; and therefore at the beginning he diredted the powers of his soul towards that contemplation, to the end that, when he should be engaged therein, he might not be impeded by insubordinate remembrance or will, nor yet, through his bodily senses, be disobedient to the Divine virtues. And therefore he said to his soul these words :

5. “ O soul, my friend ! Thou knoweft that the humility of God is great, and great equally therewith is His Power; and since humility and power are one thing in virtue with wisdom, will, truth and perfeftion, the bodily eyes which see bread made Flesh in the Sacrifice of the Altar are little prone to be disobedient to the Divine virtues aforesaid, which are so great that they have power and will and know¬ ledge, that beneath the form of bread there may be Very Flesh’ and Very Blood of the Body of Jesus Chrift. And if this could not be so, it would follow that the eyes had truer power to take for objefts corporal things than ha5t thou, my soul, to take Divine virtues and their works^ Furthermore it would follow that there would be lack of

BLANQUERNA

greatness in the virtues of God, and that truth would accord better with bodily things than with spiritual. And this is a thing ill-beseeming, since God is spiritual Essence and His virtues are spiritual, and the body and the bodily senses are things corporal and corruptible.”

6. For a great space Blanquerna conversed in his mind with the three powers of his soul. Understanding an¬ swered him, saying that he comprehended such greatness in the virtue and the power of God that He could cause Very Flesh and Very Blood to be, under the form of bread ; but he comprehended not the reason why God should will to make that Sacrament nor why He had need to make it. Blanquerna answered Understanding, saying that he should unite in his comprehension the great goodness, wisdom, love, perfection, humility, liberality, mercy and patience of God, and comprehend how great is the power shown by God in that there may be accidents without substance, and substance without accidents. So great a work cannot be performed in the course of nature ; therefore, if it be per¬ formed by the power of God, that power is seen the more clearly to be above nature. And since the will desires this in order that the power may be seen to be the greater and nobler, it is shown to have more of love than has power ; and if neither the power could work it nor the will desire it, so great a good would not accord with knowledge, nor would humility be so great towards us, nor would mercy, liberality or patience accord so well with goodness and greatness; and because in this work we may know that the nobility of the Divine virtues accords beft with great¬ ness, virtue and truth, hereby is signified the reason why God has willed to create and order the Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

7. “ Understanding, my friend I ” said Blanquerna, “ Strive thou in virtue, for thou haft more virtue in under¬ standing, than have the eyes of the body in seeing, or the senses of tafte and touch in tafting and touching, for in 5H

“ THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION *

many a thing doSt thou see these err and fail daily. Let not thyself be vanquished by the bodily senses, but defend thyself from them by the Divine virtues. Comprehended thou how wondrous a work is the Trinity in God, and how far above nature is the Incarnation of the Son of God ? To show forth the wonder of this work, God was pleased to institute the Holy Sacrifice, that thereby we might have daily remembrance of the wondrous and supernatural work of the Divine virtues. For as we ourselves, corporally and physically, make the sign of the figure of our Lord God Jesus ChriSt on the Cross, even so in the Sacrifice of the Altar is made the sign of the miraculous and spiritual work which is performed by the Divine virtues.”

8. Understanding considered deeply the words which Blanquerna spake to him, and comprehended by these words that the imagination had for long impeded him from comprehending the Sacrament of the Altar, because it caused him to represent it to himself more powerfully in its physical and natural aspeft than as in the virtues and the works of his glorious God, to which virtues and works imagination could not soar. And therefore Understanding performed the words of Blanquerna, and he soared aloft in adoration and contemplation of the Holy Sacrament of the

Altar.

9. There was debate between the Memory of Blan¬ querna and his Understanding, which Sacrament was more opposed to the bodily senses,— the Sacrament of the Altar or the Sacrament of Penance. For the Memory recalled that man has sinned againSl God, and that the Holy ApoStolic Father is a man, and that men are his ministers who absolve and pardon and give penance to the.r fellowmen. And Understanding said that the Sacrament of the Altar manifests itself in bodily and sensible form, havmg indeed bodily form, but a form invisible to the bodily senses.

For a great space Understanding upon this matter, and they came

1 Memory nem Blanquerna for judg-

BLANQUERNA

ment. And Blanquerna said that the Sacraments were equally opposed to the senses, for by the Divine virtues, which are incorporeal, were created and instituted the two Sacraments aforesaid and likewise the reSt, all of them super¬ natural, that their sovereignty over virtue natural and created might be shown. And when Blanquerna gave this sentence, he spake these words :

10. “ As the Divine virtue causes the virtue of Flesh and Blood to exiSt under the form of bread, so also It causes the virtue of pardon to exist under the form of a man, — to wit, the prieSt. And as the virtue which is of Flesh and Blood, under the form of the HoSt, is not of the HoSt, but of God, so the virtue of the prieSt in pardoning is not of the prieSt, but under the form of the prieSt is the Virtue of God.”

11. “ Blanquerna 1 ” said Remembrance, “ As thou doSt speak thus subtly, couldSt thou prove to me that since God has power to make the Sacrament of Penance He muSt needs will that this Sacrament should be, for God can do many things which His Will desires not to perform ? ” Blanquerna answered, and said that as in the great good¬ ness, mercy, humility and virtue of God and in His other attributes it is signified that God wills and needs muSt will according to the greatness of His justice, which wills that the virtues be shown forth in exceeding greatness through the Sacrament of the Altar, so by that same ordinance, great justice wills, and muft needs will, that the Sacrament of Penance exist, that the Divine virtues may be shown forth, and men may be directed in contrition, penance, restitution, counsel, affliction, repentance, hope and other things like to these, which could not be without the Sacra¬ ment of Penance.

12. To signify the order which is in the three Divine Persons, and how by means of this order the Person of the Son came to take our human nature, and how lack of order beseems not Baptism and Confirmation, the Holy Sacrifice,

“THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

Penance, Matrimony and Unftion, therefore is it fitting that there be an Order of Priesthood whereby may be ordered each one of the Sacraments aforesaid. And this is signified in the Divine virtues and in the greatness according to the which they are signified and demonstrated to us.

13. In the virtues aforesaid Blanquerna perceived the Order of Matrimony, even as he had seen in them the other sacraments. And he saw that as juStice signified that in temporal things a difference is made to divers men, so also it made it meet that a difference should be made between man and woman, that chaStity and virginity should be con¬ trary to lasciviousness, and that from sensual things the powers of the soul may take order and arrangement, and the commandments of the Divine Sovereignty may be obeyed.

14. “ In the Earthly Paradise,” said Memory to Will,

“ God created matrimony, and in significance of that matrimony He wills that in this world the Sacrament of Matrimony shall exift; for, if it were not, the wisdom and will of God would not unite with perfection in showing forth the great glory of God which accords with justice, to the which is opposed irregular union between man and woman. Through such irregularity man is unworthy of coming to the glory of God, for it would be againft both greatness and perfection if man, after irregular union be¬ tween man and woman, came to the truth and glory of God. And Divine Wisdom and Virtue would have placed

greater virtue in the bodily elements which duly join and unite, that a body may be duly begotten, than in the wills of man and woman, to the end that children may be begotten

and the human race preserved in the world.”

1 r. Blanquerna remembered that in this world man has a beginning, a mean and an end, and that for th'scau“’ to signify the eternal dominion of God Divine Wisdom

ha, ordained Chat •• «»»"« ■* ““ *

fMt sacrament should be BapUsm, and that Enron..

BLANQUERNA

Unftion should be the la&; and thus is signified the sub¬ mission wherein man has lived in the world, in his obedience to the firft sacrament and to the others which are between the firft and the la&. And since juftice has greater reason to judge one that is obedient unto law, and mercy to pardon him by Confession, Contrition, Confirmation and the other sacraments from firft to laft, therefore the great Justice and Sovereignty of God wills that Extreme Unftion may be a sacrament, that thereby a seal, as it were, may be set upon all the other sacraments, and the sacrifice shown forth of the Body of Our Lord God upon the Cross, which Body was anointed with His sacred Blood, with the tears which flowed from His eyes, and the sweat which came to Him in the agony of His death.

OF VIRTUES

Blanquerna remembered the seven virtues which many a time had aided him against the Spirit of Evil, and in them he was fain to contemplate the Divine virtues which the seven virtues had revealed to him. Wherefore he said these words : “ O Faith, that art worthy of all love, great art thou in believing great things of God, and good art thou, since by thee man comes to eternal happiness; illumined with Divine wisdom art thou through the light of grace; that which is true doft thou love, for the love of the King of Heaven makes thee to love His virtue and truth, His glory and perfeftion.”

2. “ O Faith, my friend ! Thou doft believe in God, in Unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons. A great thing is it to believe in things invisible, to believe that infinite Good is that which is infinitely and eternally engendered from infinite and eternal Good. And to believe that from both issues infinite and eternal Good is a belief truly great

“THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION" and marvellous’ and illumined with the wondrous bright¬ ness of the light of grace. And therefore, O Faith so lovely, since thou art great, my soul muft needs give great thanks and render a tribute of great love to the Eternal Greatness and Goodness which has made thee to be so great, and in thy greatness has made me great likewise.”

3. “ Through thee, O Faith, I do believe that by great charity, power, knowledge, humility and mercy, the Son of God took flesh of our Lady Saint Mary, which flesh He united with Himself, becoming therewith one Person having Natures human and Divine without corruption, alteration, composition and accident of Divine Nature, and without change of the human nature which He assumed. Where¬ fore I believe these things so great and marvellous by the exceeding greatness and virtue, dodtrine, mercy and be¬ nignity of the Sovereign Good; and therefore my soul is greatly constrained to remember, comprehend, love, honour and serve the Divine virtues which thou, O Faith, doft make to shine in me so numerously and with so great grace and

such brightness.”

4. Blanquerna discoursed in his soul with Hope, and said that of great things man should have great hope; for from such great goodness, greatness, eternity, power, wisdom, love, virtue, truth, glory, perfedtion, justice, liberality, whence is engendered and whence issues such great good as the virtues aforesaid, should be hoped and desired great happiness. For it is impossible that from such great and noble things as those aforesaid there should not flow an influence exceeding great of so great happiness to lovers of the Divine virtues.

r. “ Consider, O Hope, how great a thing it ,s that the Son of God, Who is so great in virtues, should umte H.mself with man’s own human nature, which is a thing created, Sd* tha t rreature to death and torment for us sinners

the Sovereign Good. See, r ^19

BLANQUERNA

created things great and many and various and beautiful and virtuous and good : angels, heavens, sun, moon, Stars, earth, sea, men, beafts, birds, fishes, plants, metals and other things created. Wherefore, as these things aforesaid are so many, so noble and so great, therefore, O Hope, it behoves thee to truft and hope in goodness, greatness, eternity, power, etc., for great blessings and graces.”

6. “ O Hope, were there no Trinity or Incarnation, thou couldft not hope for such great gifts and blessings from God as now thou canft. For the virtues of God would not show themselves to be so great in our sight as in fact they show themselves, seeing that Trinity and Incarnation exift. And if Resurrettion were not, thou wouldft be less than thou art, for we should not see the charity nor the power, nor the mercy, humility, dominion and patience which in God are so great, as we see them in believing the Resurrection to be true. And therefore, O Hope, we see, thou and I, together with the Divine virtues, Resurrection, and the greatness of the Divine virtues together with the Resurredtion. And therefore, O Faith and Hope, do ye agree in being the greater in yourselves, and we are the greater in you, and we have greater agreement thereby with belief.”

7. “ O Divine Love, that haft within thyself a Lover infinite and eternal in loving 1 From Thee, that art so great in Thy heights in all perfection, shall come all graces ; for if in Thine Essence there are Persons three, Beloved and Loving, Eternal and Infinite in power, knowledge, will, virtue, perfection and glory, from that great inflowing of love which is in Thee will so much come to us here below that we shall love to honour and serve no other, save Thyself alone.”

8. “It is the nature of good that it shall engender other good, and it is the nature of power that it shall engender other power; and the same is true of virtue, glory and perfection. Wherefore, since thou art so great and so noble, 520

"THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”

O Love, for thou art infinite in goodness, eternity, wisdom power and the hke, how may it be that we, who are £ creatures, created by thee anew, thy slaves whom thou haft bought, are not enamoured of thee more ftrongly ? Wherein O Love, is the accord which thou haft with liberality, mercy’ humility and patience? For with such accord muft there needs be pity in thee, and in ourselves muft there be happi¬ ness, hope and love.” ' ‘

9. “ O Divine Juftice ! Among ourselves juftice is predi¬ cated of the juft; and in Thee juft and juftice are one and the same thing. Then, since Thou art juft and juftice infinite in Being and Essence without difference, and since that which is in Thee juft and juftice, Being and Essence, is goodness, eternity, power, wisdom, love, virtue, truth, glory, perfection, mercy, liberality, humility, dominion and patience, it muft needs be, according to such universal virtues and properties, that Thou art to ourselves juft and juftice, with mercy, humility, charity and patience, and that of Thee we have juftice, whereby we may live juftly, praising, honouring and serving Thee. And if in ourselves there is no juftice of that juftice which is in Thee, where then is the influence which from Thy juftice comes to us ? And where is the accord that is between Thy juftice and

Thy goodness, charity, mercy, humility, liberality and patience?”

10. “ O Divine Essence I The great juftice which is in Thee causes the Juft, Infinite, Eternal in goodness, power, wisdom and charity to engender Another Juft, Infinite, Eternal in goodness, power, wisdom and charity, and from both of these Juft aforesaid proceeds Another, Eternal and Infinite in goodness, power, wisdom and charity. Where¬ fore, as this is so, there proceeded from this Thyjuft.ee so great an influence that it made One of ourselves m be one Person with One of the Three that are in Thyself. Whence from the great inflowing ofjuft.ee which o

us with charity, mercy and humd.ty, there will come to us

BLANQUERNA

all that whereby we may become juft in loving, knowing, honouring and serving Thee. And if this Thou doft not, where is the influence of humility, patience, charity and liberality that is in Thee ? Or Who is that Lord that is ours, since it is a reasonable thing that a lord should love, help and beftow gifts upon his subjefts ? ”

11. “I pray Thy power, knowledge and will, O Lord God, for prudence, which Thou wilt give me through the benignity which is in Thee, according to juftice and mercy. Through Thy power and knowledge canft Thou give it me, and since I ask it therewith to love Thee, therefore truth and juftice should make Thee to love prudence in me, that thereby I may know Thee, and knowing, love Thee, and through this knowledge and love may know and will to praise, honour, obey and serve Thee.”

12. “ O Greatness of juftice 1 If Thou wilt have this juftice, O Lord God, upon us sinners to punish us, then mayeft Thou exercise it the better if Thou doft punish us who know Thy Trinity and Incarnation and yet honour, love and serve Thee not, rather than those who know not Trinity in Thee, and who knowing not the Incarnation, believe it not. And if Thou wilt have mercy, humility and pity on us, Thou mayeft the better have it if we know Thee and love Thee, than if we are disobedient to Thee through ignorance. Wherefore, as this is so, then, according to all these reasons and many besides, Thou wilt give prudence to ourselves, faithful Chriftians, and to unbelievers alike, that we may know and love Thee, since Thy liberality accords with Thy will, which has created us principally that we may know and love Thee before all things

|i 3. “Ah Temperance, my friend! Daily do I need thee againft my enemies, who hinder me from contem¬ plating the virtues of my Lord, for Whose sake I have come to this hermitage. I beg for thee of the virtues of the Lord Who has created thee, for I need thee in order 522

“ the art of CONTEMPLATION ”

to serve them Father and mother, kindred and wealth have I left that in this hermitage I may company with thee. Without thee can man do naught againft gluttony or drunkenness, though he wear honest raiment or embrace the eftate of the hermit or the religious life. And I may not have thee without the goodness, greatness, wisdom power, love, virtue, humility, mercy, and liberality of the Lord, in Whom are all these virtues.”

14. O Temperance, man cannot overmuch remember God, nor underhand nor love Him; but by surfeit of remembrance, understanding and love with weeping and faSting, affliftions and vigils, the body weakens and lan¬ guishes and dies, and the soul may not as fervently or continuously contemplate the virtues of God. Therefore, O Temperance, do I need thee both in body and spirit: give thyself to me that thou mayeSt possess me and be my ruler, and no longer be in the servitude of my gluttony and my belly.” In this manner and in many another did Blanquerna pray for virtues created to virtues uncreate that he might therewith serve God.

Blanquerna remembered the seven deadly sins whereby the world is in disorder, namely the world created by the virtues of God. And therefore Blanquerna enquired of Divine Goodness: “Whence come these demons afore¬ said, to wit, the seven deadly sins, which destroy the world ? ” Wherefore Blanquerna said these words : Sove¬ reign Goodness, that art so great in virtue and and that in eternity and nobility art above all creatures! Whence have come

BLANQUERNA

creation and sovereignty. And since Thou art so powerful, wise, loving and virtuous, wherefore doSt Thou suffer that so much evil, deception, error, affliction and ignorance should be in the world through the seven demons afore¬ said ? ”

2. “If Thou, O Goodness, wert evil or defeat of good, these seven deadly sins might have come from Thee. Wherefore, since Thou art fulness of all fulness, and since perfection is contrary to defeft, and since all sin and evil muSt needs have a beginning, let Thy Eternity, then, which exited before such beginning was, tell me whence have come sin and defeCt.”

3. Blanquerna contemplated Sovereign Goodness in greatness, eternity, power, wisdom, love, etc., according to the manner aforesaid, and he felt in his soul that Memory and Understanding were holding converse. Memory said to Understanding that she recalled how that Will desired gluttony, luSt and their companions. And Understanding answered that the desire that desired gluttony or luSt or other vice is born of the will, and therefore the will is to blame because from it proceeds the desire which desires sin, and through that desire the understanding which com¬ prehends sin is to blame, and the desire and the free will with that will inclines to desire sin. And therefore the memory which recalls all these things is to blame. And since Memory, Understanding and Will are creatures of Sovereign Goodness, and give occasion to remember, under¬ stand and love sin, therefore said the Understanding of Blanquerna to his Memory, justifying the goodness of God, that the seven demons have their beginnings in the works of remembrance, understanding and will, which treat of things displeasing to the goodness of God.

4. “ O Divine Wisdom 1 Thou that art Light of all lights, show me the manner and the art whereby I may mortify the seven vices in my memory, understanding and will.” Then Memory recalled the Divine virtues ; Under- 524

“ THE ART °P CONTEMPLATION ”

landing comprehended the shortness of life i„ this world and the pa, ns of hell; Will loved God and all His virtues ceased to love sin and prayed for pardon, and despised thi vanity of this world. And Blanquerna felt in his soul that his vices and sins were mortified through the working of his remembrance, understanding and will. And therefore he spake to Divine Wisdom these words:

5. “ O Sovereign Dodtrine! From Thee comes virtue, from Thy power comes power, and from Thy love comes desire to the soul which desires to remember, comprehend and love Thee. When memory desires not to remember Thee, nor understanding to comprehend Thee, nor will to love Thee, come wrongs and faults from that which the will has no will to desire, and from that which it wills to desire in remembering, comprehending and loving or loving not. And therefore, O Sovereign Dodtrine, be Thine all my remembering, understanding and desiring, together with my memory, understanding and will, that I may contem¬ plate, remember, comprehend and love Thy virtues, and cease to love vices, wrongs and sins, to the end that Thy praise, Thy honour and Thy dominion may daily be in my memory, understanding and will."

6. “ O Sovereign Liberality and Mercy 1 Thou haSt

given me memory to remember, understanding to com¬ prehend, and will to love Thy virtues. But these suffice me not if Thou give me not remembrance in remembering Thy virtues, understanding in comprehending them, and will in desiring them, and if Thou give me not t e seven virtues which are opposed to the seven deadly sins. I pray Thee too to give me remembrance, understanding and will ’to remember, understand and cease from loving gluttony, luSt and the other vices. Wherefore l lh? power can give me all these things which are so needful to me and siS for all these things Thou haSt created me Tpray ThTe to grant me gifts whereby all my powers may honour Thy graces.” 52 5

B LAN QUERN A

7. “ O Glory and Perfeftion 1 To give the power to sin is to give occasion for having faith, hope, charity and the other virtues. The gift of the power to have faith, hope, charity and the like, is a gift againft gluttony, luft and the other vices. Wherefore I pray Thee to give me these virtues, and therewith freedom as to sin, that Thou mayeft grant me to remember, comprehend and love Thy graces, and to remember, comprehend and cease to love my sins and the vain delights of this world.” Blanquerna wept and sighed as he prayed for these gifts, and God granted him that which he desired, and Blanquerna rendered Him thanks with tears. The contemplation and devotion which Blanquerna had, and the art and manner thereof, none can tell it neither explain it, save only God.

ENDED IS THE BOOK OF « THE ART OF CONTEMPLATION ”