Instruccio ad uitam contemplatiuam, orando, meditando, ieiunando, uigilando, et de presumptuosis contemplatiuis et ueris, ac uere canoro iubilo

Instruccio ad uitam contemplatiuam, orando, meditando, ieiunando, uigilando, et de presumptuosis contemplatiuis et ueris, ac uere canoro iubilo

Therefore, one who is chosen to seek love must desire only Christ, transforming oneself into the beloved, who neither possesses earthly substance nor desires to have it. Instead, living contentedly on the alms of others while following Christ through voluntary poverty, one will thrive with a clear conscience, experiencing a heavenly sweetness. Such a person will pour out their whole heart in love for the Creator and will strive to be kindled by heavenly desires with daily growth. Anyone who truly renounces this world and desires to be set ablaze by the fire of the Holy Spirit should not grow cold in prayer and meditation. Through these tears, with Christ's support, the mind is wonderfully set on love, ignited by this fire, and, once ignited, it rejoices, and in joy, it is lifted into a contemplative life. But the mind exits into this excellence when it soars beyond itself and is lifted up, offering the secrets of the open sky to the mental eye. First, it’s necessary to practice this consistently for several years through prayer and meditation, while barely attending to the needs of the body. So, in carrying these things out, one should be fervent, casting aside all pretense, and should seek and sense divine love day and night without growing dull. From this point, the all-powerful Lover will receive the one who loves Him, drawing them into a sublime state above earthly beings and the tumult of harmful and vain thoughts, so that the dying flies do not lose the sweetness of the ointment, because they fully vanish in death. And from then on, love will become sweet to him, and he will be intoxicated by the divine sweetness, tasting the most wonderful honey, so that he will feel nothing in himself except the comfort of the heavenly flavor, and the sign of supreme holiness. Indeed, one who has been sweetened by this sweetness will also strive to watch: for he who truly and sensibly feels his heart burning with the fire of eternal love does not even withdraw his mind from the honeyed mystery that illuminates him; since others who are not equal to him are thought to have this ardor only through imagination. Therefore, those who exist not in truth but in shadow, called to the wedding, do not hesitate to usurp a higher place for themselves, unworthy as they are; they will descend in a just examination with shame, and they will take a lower seat. It is said about these: A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand. But if only they would know themselves and examine their own consciences, the presumptuous would not exist, nor would they compare themselves to the merits of others and insult those who are better. The beloved of God, whose innermost heart is profoundly penetrated by the invisible love of His essence, who also possesses the very depths of his soul filled with joy, rejoices with the greatest fervor because he has dedicated himself continually to God. Whenever Christ wills, not by his own merit, he will receive a sound from above that is sent into him, and meditation will be transformed into melody, and the mind will dwell in a marvelous harmony. For there is an angelic sweetness that the soul receives, and the same song will resound, even if not with the same words, in praise of God. The harmony of angels is like this, though it may not be as great or as clear, because the corruptible flesh still weighs down the lover; whoever experiences this also knows the angelic songs, having been tested in the same way: he is on the way and in the homeland. Sound belongs to song, not to the poem that is sung. That praise is the angelic food, in which even some of the travelers, but with the most ardent love, rejoice in Jesus, when they have already received within themselves the judgment of eternal praise that is sung by the angels to God. The psalmist sang, "Man has eaten the portion of the angels." Therefore, let nature be renewed and transformed into divine glory, taking on the most blessed form, so that it may sing sweetly and divinely, experiencing the delights of eternal love with the greatest sweetness, and never cease to do so. For this reason, it happens to such a lover that I have found nothing of this kind expressed in the writings of certain doctors. This song will indeed burst forth from him to the very lips, and his prayers will be accompanied by a spiritual harmony and heavenly sweetness, and his tongue will be set free. Because it makes way for an abundance of inner joy and a unique sound that inspires the spirit, which before occupied only a brief moment: now it often barely fills even half a day. Indeed, he will sit alone while receiving this, not mixing himself with others in the singing of psalms, and especially he will not sing with the rest. I’m not saying that everyone should try this, but whoever has been given the ability should do what they want, because they are led by the Holy Spirit, and not be diverted from their life by the words of others. Moreover, his heart will remain in clarity and fire, and it will be uplifted in a marvelous melody. It doesn't consider a person's status, which is why it's regarded as foolish or rustic by many. For he will praise God with joyful singing, and from the depths of his heart he will proclaim God's glory; his sweet voice will reach the heights, where the divine majesty delights to listen. The face has a beauty that the king desires, and from it flows an uncreated wisdom that dwells within. Wisdom is drawn from hidden things and delights in being with those who love eternity, because it is not found sweetly among the living on earth; however, it remains in the one I mentioned, for he is entirely melted in the love of Christ, and all his inner being cries out to God. This cry is a melodious love, for it raises a great voice all the way to the ears of God: it is also a longing for good and an inclination toward virtue. His cry is beyond this world, because his mind desires nothing but Christ. The inner person is ignited by the fire of love so that their heart may be shining and burning, and they do nothing outwardly that cannot be interpreted for good. Praise God with joy, but in silence; not for the ears of people, but in the presence of God, and with ineffable sweetness, let your songs be offered, that is, your praises.