Chapter LVI
Beautiful Considerations Concerning The Life Of Man
As often as man in his course approaches this world, the love of worldly things takes root in him, and he is constantly troubled by the thought of them, and he fights with man for them; and becomes bound in love to some person or other, without discrimination. When on the other hand the mind profits by the subtle meditation upon the world to be, constantly thoughts unrivalled will move in it; and expecting the things which he does not see, he goes to meet them, forgetting the things of this world, sometimes forgetting himself, because of his utter absorption in ideas, neglecting visible things on account of these deliberations. So deliberations as well as practice are despised by
1) literally: distinctions /
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him as long as he cares for these ideas. He is devoid of enslaving love related to single persons, but universal love which does not need sight is fixed in his soul. The apperception of recollection concerning human things gradually disappears from his mind, while the thought of hidden things increases in it, gains force and vanquishes bodily deliberations, till it is free from corruptible things, as far as nature allows this. And if it were not that the common [human] recollection was aroused in him, when the need of something which cannot absolutely be dispensed with presents itself, his mind would be directed towards future things the most of the time, by such thoughts as would give him profit of these things. And because of these he becomes a stranger 1) to all the wisdom of this world. So he becomes void of recollection and a fool as it were on account of his having examined human wisdom. 397 Blessed is the man who has been deemed worthy of these things. Tears will not cease to drop from his eyes when he turns unto himself with the recollection of those things by which men are led into error, and why forgiveness is granted them, and whereby the universal end is brought about, and what labour and error is caused by these. It' is said concerning Paul that on account of these emotions which prevailed over his soul, for three years he was not quit of tears, unable to subdue them. Such a deliberation accompanied with the emotion of tears rules man when he perceives the future hope and then turns his mind towards the things of this world, [thinking] how small psychic life is in comparison with the hope preserved for eternities, in the new life. By such affectability man grows dead unto all transitory things and thought of them: and all affections of body and soul die in him. Let us remember this, my beloved, and despise the things of this world, as much as it is possible for us; and let us gradually, to the same extent, approach with our emotions towards future things. For if a man does not compel himself, from time to time utterly neglecting the things which are before the eyes in order to abandon them gradually and to proceed onwards in this way, so that the thought and the contemplation of these things increase in him - he will remain
1) literally: a fool
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in this body with his behaviour. Also those who walk in the way, if they do not go forwards in their daily march and so diminish the distance but remain on one spot, the way before 3 9 8 them will never end and they will never arrive there where they hope to come. Our case resembles theirs. If we do not compel ourselves gradually, we never shall have the power to abandon the bodily things in order to look towards God. Because it is so difficult to free oneself from them when one has once become entangled in any of them, it is a matter of wisdom to struggle in order not to come near to them, so that one may be free even of the thought of them, and thus the mind be able to look towards something different. I do not mean that we should not provide for our wants; for these are a necessity and may bereave nature of life. But we should not put them in the position of the principal service by givingthem the preference over the service of God. But attending to these needs in part, we must leave the care of them to God. We should confide in Him rather than in ourselves. And when a man ventures to despise these (earthly] things wholly for the sake of spiritual things, I do not esteem this improper, because we have all the encourag-ements of scripture that teaches us to be strong in hope; as is written: The Lord is at hand; be careful for nothing 1). And David says: Cast thy care upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee 2). The rich do lack and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 3). And our Lord has commanded us, saying: Be careful for nothing, but frequently think of the future things. And these earthly things which are necessary because of the needs of nature, will not fail thee. 399 May God in His grace grant us that His love be abundant in us, in order that by constant meditation on Him we may forget the world and what belongs to it by becoming free from its bonds; and that instead of many bonds we may be bound with that one bond which is not loosened from those who love Him, namely the bond of the kingdom of the worlds above; that we also may be bound with it, and be deemed worthy of the prefiguration of good the fulness of which is preserved in the future world for those who have possessed
I) Philippians 4, S 2)--Psalms SS, 22 3) Ps. 34, to according to the Peshito
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it here already. That we also may possess it and be possessed by it through the power that comes from it, for ever and ever, Amen.