Quod incendium amoris uicia et peccata purgat, et de signis uere amicicie

Quod incendium amoris uicia et peccata purgat, et de signis uere amicicie

The fire of love, truly embraced in the soul, purges all vices, removes what is diminished and superfluous, and plants the beauty of every virtue. Sin never stands with mortal sin, even if it does with venial sin. But even so, such a burning can be a movement and affection of love for God, which also consumes all venial sins, even without actual consideration of those venial sins, because when a true lover is carried away toward God with a fervent and intense desire, everything that hinders the vision of God is displeasing to him. While he rejoices in a joyful song, his heart cannot express what he tastes of the heavenly, and thus he languishes in love. Perfect men never carry with them anything that is perishable for the life to come, because all their sins are consumed in the fire of Christ's love. But let no one mistakenly think they are perfect when they are not; let them listen to when someone has perfection within themselves. This is the life of the perfect: to cast aside all concern for worldly affairs, to leave behind parents and possessions for Christ, to despise all transient goods for the sake of eternal life, to destroy carnal desires through long labor, to restrain all illicit impulses as much as possible, to be enkindled solely by the love of the Creator, to feel the sweetness of divine contemplation after bitter groans and immense spiritual works; and thus, to speak of the privileged: to be received into a spiritual song or a heavenly sound for the joy of divine love, and to dwell sweetly in internal peace, free from disturbances, so that while nothing external pleases the man of God, he is caught up in the delights of eternal love, resonating within him in a melodious and ineffable jubilation. Indeed, he will have a sweetness in his mind like that of the angels in heaven, although not quite to the same degree. In this way, a perfect person will not need to be purified by fire after this life, since the fire of the Holy Spirit burns ardently in the flesh. Yet this perfect love doesn't mean that a person won't sin at all, but rather that no sin should remain in them that isn't immediately consumed by the fire of love. Such a true lover of Jesus Christ doesn’t pray like other people do, even the righteous, because he is lifted up in the heights of his mind and, captivated by the love of Christ, is caught up into a marvelous joy. He receives within himself a divine sound, as if he were singing with a certain spirit, and he modulates his prayers, even offering them from his mouth in a melody that is clear to both himself and God, yet hidden from human senses. For the strength or spiritual power within him has already overcome the heaviness of the flesh to such an extent that he can continually find delight in Christ, whose heart, transformed by the fire of love, senses the divine warmth in a tangible way, so much so that it can barely endure the magnitude of such burning love without being overwhelmed; yet the goodness of God preserves him until the appointed time, who granted him the ability to love so much and to truly say, 'I languish in love.' Just as a seraph, ignited by love, burns, loves, sings, rejoices, praises, and longs for God. And so, the more fervent your love is, the more acceptable you become. Not only does he not fear death, but he even rejoices in dying, as the Apostle says: "For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."^✦