The spiritual conflict writen in Italian by a deuout seruant of God ; and lately translated into English out of the same language.

How by this same Sacrament we may stirre vppe in vs the affections of Loue.

Chap. 30. (Book 30)

TO the ende thou mayest stirre vp in thee with this most holy sacrament the loue which destroyeth, and consu∣meth all selfe-will, thou shalt turne thy thoughts to the loue of God towardes thee; me∣ditating in the night before, how that great and omnipo∣tent Lord, not contented to haue created thee to his owne image and likenesse, and to haue sent downe to the earth his onely begotten Sonne, to serue thee three and thirtie

yeares, in thy iniquities, suffe∣ring so great trauailes, and the most painefull death of the crosse to redeeme thee, he would further leaue him vn∣to thee, in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, for thy foode, & for thy needs, in the which most precious gift, to inflame thee wholy into his loue, con∣sider: first the giuer, who is God himself, that power, wis∣dome, and increated goodnes which hath no end, whose highnesse and perfection infi∣nitely exceede the reach of a∣ny vnderstanding created. Se∣condly cōsider the gift which is his onely Sonne of maiesty, and of greatnesse equall with his father, and of the same sub∣stance and nature with him.

Now if a little and vile thing that comes from the hand of an earthly King, be so much esteemed, and accounted of in respect of the giuer, what ac∣count shal be made of this ce∣lestiall gift, and the same of in∣cōprehensible excellency, be∣ing indeede the very true Son of God, true God, and giuen vs by God himself. Moreouer lift vp thy selfe to thinke of the eternitie of this Loue, by the which before all times it was decreed in his most high wis∣dome, to giue thee himselfe, being an infinite good reioy∣cing from the bottome of thy hart: reason thus with thy self; and is it euen so, that euen in that endlesse eternitie, my mi∣sery was so greatly loued and

esteemed, that my God did think vppon me, and desired with an ardent will to giue me himself for food? Finally turne thy thought to the puritie of the loue, that so great a Lord hath shewed vnto thee, weigh ing wel that it is not as wordly loues are, mingled with some interest of his, or desert of thine, because onely through his owne bountie, and cha∣rity, he hath wholy giuen him selfe to thee.

Thus sweetely pondering with thy selfe, thou mayest say in thy heart. Ah my Lorde, wherefore louest thou mee so much thy vnworthy creature? what wouldest thou with me, O King of Glory, that am but a little dust? I perceiue well O

Lord in the fire of thy charity, that thou hast one onely dis∣signement, which sheweth me thy diuine loue, to be the pu∣rer, sith that thou giuest mee thy loue for no other end, but that I may giue thee mine, and wholy thou giuest thee to me, that I may wholy giue my self to thee, and this not for anie need that thou hast of me, but because that I liuing in thee, may by the vnion of loue bee vnited vnto thee, and that the vilenesse of my earthly heart, may be made one diuine heart with thee. The which thing considered, thou shalt offer thy selfe to the good pleasure of God, with the greatest af∣fectiō that possibly thou canst, being ready with an inflamed

desire alwayes to followe his most blessed will. And when thou shalt feele this desire wel kindled in thee, thou shalt see with thy mind a great will and desire that hee hath, that the next day following thou doe open thy heart vnto him, that hee may enter and abide with thee, and suppe with thee, and delight himselfe together with thee. Whereupon thou shalt stirre vp in thy selfe, a desire to receiue him, with these iacula∣tory prayers: Ah heauen∣ly and diuine Manna, when shall that houre come, that I may receiue thee to thy con∣tentment? When shall I be v∣nited vnto thee by true loue? When for thee (O life of my soule) shall I forsake all mine

owne will, and all my imper∣fections.

And with these and other like iaculatory prayers, and with consideration of the pointes aforesaide, both the euening and the morning, thou shalte kindle this desire in thee to receiue him, to bee vnited vnto him, and to please him.

And see that being collec∣ted into thy selfe, thou keepe the powers of thy soule voyd and free from all curiositie, vaine thoughts, and earthlie affection, and the senses of thy body, as it were fasting from the delight of their seueral ob∣iects. And after thou hast re∣ceiued him, shut vp thy selfe in the closet of thy heart, and

in this, or such like maner talk with thy Sauiour: O King of kings, what hath brought thee vnto me, that am wretched, miserable, poore, blind and na¦ked? and he will answer thee, Loue: O loue vncreated, O sweet loue, what desirest thou of me? No other thing (saieth hee) but loue; no other fire would I haue to burne in the earth of thy heart, but the fire of my loue, that it may con∣sume all other loue, and burne vp all thy selfe-will; this I de∣maund, because I desire to be wholly thine, and that thou mayest be wholly mine. The which cā neuer be whilst thou not making a full resignation of thy selfe (which so much delighteth mee) still doost re∣maine

fastened to the loue of thy selfe, and to thine owne iudgement, and conceits, to e∣uery little will of thine, and to the reputation of thy selfe.

I demand of thee the hatred of thy self, for to giue thee my loue, I demand thy heart, that it may enter, and vnite it selfe with mine, for this was the cause why mine was opened vppon the crosse. I desire of thee (O my louing soule) that thou will nothing, thinke no∣thing, vnderstand nothing, see nothing, out of me, so that I al∣so may will, vnderstand, think, and see all things in thee, in such manner that thy nothing may be swallowed vp in the depth of my infinite good∣nes, and be conuerted into it.

And thus thou shalt be in me most happie, and I content in thee.

In the end after this, thou shalt offer to God the father, his sonne, for thy selfe, for the whole world, and for the souls departed, with the memorie and vnion of that oblation which then he made of him∣selfe, when he hanged bloudy vppon the crosse. And thou maist in this maner offer vp al the sacrifices wich are offered vp that day in the holy Church.