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C O N SO L A T I O N O F T H E
B LESSED A N G EL A OF
F O L IG N O T R A N SL A T E D
FR O M T H E IT A LI A N BY M ARY G .
ST EEG M AN N I N T R O D U C T I O N BY
A L G A R T H O R O LD
CH ATT O AN D W IN D U S L ON D ON
N EW YO R K : D U F F I EL D a
s? CO .
I 9 9
O
C O NT EN TS
TR EAT ISE I
PA E
G
A N GEL A OF FO L I G NO AN D HE R M A N Y AN D
OF
D I VER S T EM TATIONS
P
T REAT ISE I I
OF THE E VA N GEL I C A L D O CT R IN E SET FO RT H BY
THE BLE SS E D A N GELA
I : How it may be known that God hath entered
into the soul
H OW the spiritual man is deceived
H OW , be ing lodged Wit hi n the soul ,
God
worketh alik e upon the
affections and the will
,
man s welfare
O f the great poverty of Christ
H OW Christ revealed Himself poor in powe r
How Christ laid aside His wisdom and His
own nature
How poverty of S pirit is despised by many
O f the humility and contempt of our Saviour
Jesus Christ
O f the constant and many su fferings which
Christ did bear in divers ways
O f the many and divers cruelties used towards
Christ
How th at we should foll ow the infallible
Guide and R edeemer upon the straight
road which He hath shown unto u s
C ONTE NT S ix
PA E
G
possible to find G od
How the heart must be 8 iven whollYunto
praye r and n ot unto othe r exerc i ses
XXII How that we should submit our wills
.
C R AP PA E
G
counselled o f God
XXXI How that love created and excited by
.
CR AP
. PA GE
XXXII The love of G od is never idl e and per
.
,
of Life
XXXIV O f t he p roPert ies of lovers and of the
'
sign s of love
XXXV How that each person should desire
. to
humility of God
Fourth V ision and Consolation wherein she beh eld
,
p sqns
gr ,
but she b eheld Him darkly
,
; and this
vision did inspire her with perfect and holy
hope and full assurance
C Eight h Vision and Consolation wherein she beheld
,
z as t n r :
Sta Al
.
ma , F ol ign o
.
PA GE
FAC SI M I LE or A P A GE F RO M T HE TEXT O F T HE I 5 36
E D ITION (verso o f fol . c lx i ) . xx xiii ,
F AC SI M I LE or A E SI G N RE P RE S E NTIN G T HE A D O RA
D
TION OF T HE M A G I F R O M T HE 1 5 3 6 E D ITION
,
( t
r c o
e f a i g c n con cl us ion o
f tex t) x xx v
FAC SI M I LE OF A D E SI G N RE RE S E NTIN G T H E C RU C I
P
XV II
I N T R O D U C T IO N '
Egyp t pacing the desert in ecstasy half sta rved and turned
,
-
st i t i on
. The humblest blossom of that luxuriant garden
is of infi nite value nor do the roots o f o u r most highly
,
'
. Modern .
‘
centu ries after his death he r ecover ed some papers lost b y
that dev out man King Charles I I What then is it that
'
, , ,
, ; ,
x x ii I N T R OD UCT I ON
The Saint is al so more than t he ascetic As ceticism is a .
real but thought which is the fi rst — and perhaps the last
word o f philosophy Mystics and contemplatives of East
.
P erfe c .
, p .
72 .
I NTR OD UCTI O N
,
”
her death in 1 3 0 9 Her Visions which are o f the most
.
,
.
.
, ,
o f it s goal the
”
, Beat ifi c Vision it has succeeded in in
,
co r orat in i
'
theurgy The inh er ent tendency that all Mys ticis m has
.
the Infi nite into the finite could have saved the wavering
lines of human personality turned inwards to gaze upon
,
'
,
x xx I NTROD UC T I ON
with the Dialo go of S t Catherine o f Siena and the
.
q
nitcn tia / t ent a tio n e/ dott rinaz Vifioni/ 6c
d a f l m d ll b at aAn e
'
in in e c o a t io o s e
g
la de Folignimc uament e t ra/
dutto dc latino in lim
ua
g
viu in u Q
l i l hf m a
d mi difsc in verii
‘
e / c n o
m
non cafca trigam o): q ucflza parola in w e:
-
I I
-
ni
dellab eats Augeladc Foligni.
Dm
'
nes i
t : in
b imus am iI
e erimu
‘
g
re t rib n al fi ue bonfi
u
b l fii) rel fi ne ma I
capt uri q d
’
i i
Facs m l e of p a g e of ori g i n al
A B OO K R
P OF I TA B L E A ND D E VOUT
WH I C H C ONTAI N ETH T H E C ON VE R S I ON ,
PE N I TE N C E
, T E MPTAT I O N ,
DO CT R I NE,
V IS I ON S AN D D I VI NE C O N S O L AT I ON S
,
OF T H E B L ES S ED A N G E LA OF FO L I G NO ,
N E WLY T RAN S L AT E D O UT OF T HE
L AT I N I NTO T H E VU L G A R TON GUE
1 53 6
PR EF A C E B Y T HE O LD I T A L I A N
T R A N SL A T O R
upon earth (seeing that there are more evil books than
goo d) because by reason of their perverse j udgment and
,
did lead most holy and exemplary lives walking upon the ,
the more he doth carefully read and digest and put into ,
friar was chaplain unto the bishop and did hold his au t ho
rity and to him I did determine to make my confession
immediatel y that the sermon should be ended Where .
fore I did confess myself most fully and was absolved of all
my sins And I n this confession I did feel no love but
.
,
for me and I did pray the merciful Lord (who had vouch
,
mine own sins and with such exceeding great grief that I
, ,
did feel that I mys elf had crucified the Lord N evert he .
foot and find refuge there where all sinners find refuge .
deed and all men and women friends and kindred and
, ,
must I put away and even mine own self And I must ,
.
when any offence was said or done unto me but I did bea r ,
.
’
was in the heart o f God and that His will and His heart
were in my heart .
He did say ,
What canst thou do for Me that will
suffi ce Then did I weep and shed such burning tears
that they did burn my flesh wherefore it behoved me t o
,
that 1 was youthful and t hat be gging for alms might lead
me in t o great dan ger and shame and that if I did t his I
‘ ' ‘ ’
Moreover all my friends did dissu ade me from this thing '
choosing to die will ingly for the love of God rather than
to fall short of mine intention So then I did resolve l n .
good earnest .
Then methought that I did put it there and did drink the
blood which was running fres hl y from out of His side and ,
His had been shed for me and I did desire that for His love
,
The si xteenth was that I did come again into the church
,
Each word was written upon mine heart and I did speak
it with great and enduring contrition and compunction .
t hel ess have great consolation and did begin to taste some
that I was enabled to move from the one unto the other
albeit I did not remain equally long in each but in some ,
the tears which I had hitherto wept had been shed almos t
unw illingl y when compared with those which I now shed .
God .
this happened unto me was when I did sell the little piece
of land which was mine to give the money unto the poor
(this was the best possession w hich I had) but in t he b e
'
ginning I did mock at myself for this crying as one mock eth ,
or FOLIGNO 1 3
, , ,
but was seized with a fever and fell 1 nto a sickness ; for the
which reason my companion did hide such pictures of the
Passion from me whenever it was possible in order that ,
CHAPTE R I
OF HE R MAN Y AN D VA R IO U S TEMPTATI O NS
IN order therefore that I might not feel myself exalted by
, ,
1
P et ru c c io w a e i den t l y so m e n o t ed p e r s o n age o f t he t i m e
s v
,
w h se i de t i t
o it i i m o s s i b l e n ow t t ra
yn
ps c e o
1
4 T HE B L ES SED AN GE L A
and con versin gs with G od and that I might n ot be puffed
,
the soul were beyond all comparison more bitter and more
numerous and all were inflicted by the same demons I
, .
his hands tied behind his back and his eyes bound and w ho ,
an d b eat 1 n
g myself most grievously thus causing my h ead ,
me the which I had never known before but I did clea rly ,
truth and goodness but was a certain humble dej ection the
,
,
,
throughout the cities and open places with meat and with
fishes hanging about my neck and to cry This is that
, .
”
souls and o f mine ow n soul likewise
, .
painted and gilded words the which I did colour over and
,
devil may go forth out of t his idol and that by this woman
,
wise men of the world and all the saint s of paradise had
given me every assurance to comfort me and had p ro
m ised me every blessing which could be named not even ,
have been less hard for me to bear than were the aforesaid
torments Wherefore have I ofttimes said that if only I
.
,
it come that the poore r the soul is made and the more pro
fou n dl y humiliated the more doth it abase and purify
,
O F T HE E V A N G E L ICA L DO CT R I N E SET -
F OR T H
B Y T HE B L E SSE D A N G E L A
CHAPTE R I
H OW IT MAY BE KN OWN THAT G OD HATH
ENTE R ED I NTO THE SO U L
IT must be known that God cometh sometimes unto the
so u l when it hath neither called nor prayed unto nor
, ,
greatly delight and rej oice and it doth believe that this
hath been wrought by G od Himself there present but ,
do all the members of the body agree with the soul and do
tru ly form one cause together with it neither do they
rebel against the will o f the soul bu t do perfectly desire
,
"
entered into it and hath granted it the assu ran c e an d the
,
doth one man behold another For the eyes of the s oul
.
o r imagined o r j udged o f .
any other person whatsoever who can embrace the obj ect
,
and draw it unto Himself with such sweetn ess and gentle .
28 THE BLES SED ANGELA
ness that methinketh there is not a man in the world w ho
can declare it n o r e xpress it nor believe it unless he hath
, ,
most sweet love in the soul the whi ch doth make it burn
,
o f any othe r kind seeing that when the soul hath tears it
,
the whole body ; and all inj ury which the soul su ffereth ,
FOLIGNO 2
9
did endure fo r many days and some joys have I the which
,
all that hath been said is much less than was said when the
soul did lodge the Pilgrim who is God because now hath
, ,
mind and all other things we are not able by any means
,
,
Then do reason and the .
s enses saying
,
Behold how great are the benefits God
hath bestowed upon thee through me and bethink thee ,
itself unto the soul and the senses unto reason and per ,
CHAPTE R I I
H OW TH E SPI R ITU AL MAN rs DECEI V ED
T H E R E are divers ways whereby spiritual persons may be
deceived One way and the chief o n e is when the love
.
, ,
aforesaid love doth Christ enter into the soul and the soul
,
34 THE BLES SED ANGELA
it can neither see nor remember aught el se and t her eafter ,
pride and the fall of the first man and the angel neit her
the angel nor the man did possess anything in themselves
o f the mselves for God alo ne hath this and humility is
, ,
found alone in those who are poor and who are persuaded
that they do po ssess nothing Wherefore is poverty a
.
mortal men in whom was no true l ight this thing did seem
or FOLIGNO 35
foolish ness but unto the wise and unto men o f u n der
,
.
to see our faults and b elieve ourselves poor in all merit and
goodness and thus honestly t o esteem ourselves for what
,
p oor and do love that same poverty and those who love,
unto damnation ; and thus likewise are all the wise men
nothing whatsoever if this truth is not in them but they ,
CHAPTE R I I I
H OW B EI N G LODGED WITH I N TH E SO U L GOD WO R KETH
, ,
AN D TH E WILL
T HE soul therefore heareth and u n derst an det h onl y
, ,
body would not be able to bear it but would lose all its
, ,
with the soul and in the soul and when the soul des i r eth
,
3 8 THE BLES SED ANGELA
to hold Him fast He doth instantly depart There re .
, , ,
n ew .
and how t hat his fate in the next world will be ac cor ding
unto his deserts Then co meth death which will be unto
.
,
all eterni t y And no day and no night must pass Whe rein
.
CHAPTE R I V
H OW THAT OU RPE RFECTI ON D OTH CON SIST IN
'
KN OWIN G
‘
p rison .
ava ileth not hing if man knoweth not God and himself ;
for which reason I tel l ye truly that without this know
ledge all those other things will profit you nothing what
soever Wherefore do I marvel that ye desire t o have
.
CHAPTE R V
THE N ECESSITY OF A CON STANT CO NSIDE RATI O N AN D
’
suffe rings Of its Belov ed and doth su ffer with His su ffer
,
43
united w ith Him through suffe r ing and all this cometh
about through perfect vision and the knowledge of Go d ’
‘
, , ,
divine light the soul recogn iset h that it hath itself been
,
the most rich in all things did make Himself poor for o u r ,
doth it incline itself unto Him and suffer with His su ffer
ing For the more clearly the soul doth know Go d and
.
man .
CHAPTE R V I
H OW ALL TH E WAY S OF THE PASSI O N M U ST BE DI GESTED
WITH I N THE H EA RT O R AT LEAST BE R EPEATED B Y
,
THE M O UTH
M Y beloved son I do entreat thee
, ,
a nd wi th all m ine heart
do supplicate thee that thou turn not away the eyes Of
,
tho u art not able t o do this with thine heart at least with ,
u o n e v er
p y side filled w ith un speakable and unceasing pa in
and grief consumed and cast dow n for our sake (which
,
hath been fo und and which the wise and the simple do
covet in di fferent ways The S i mple man knoweth not
.
its virtue and desir eth to possess it onl y for its beauty and
its b rightness and for no other reason but beyond the
,
i
know G od n ot o n l y according to the outward appear
,
'
supr eme goodness and to know His worth For not only .
Him man doth in all ways love Him for His goodness
,
forth unto the soul the form manner and way whereby , , ,
yourselves in the way o f God and set your feet verily upon
this way then haste ye to fly unto the Cross of Christ for
, ,
keep Him save the way o f the life and death of Christ
,
love we are made one w ith God And all this cometh of
, .
OF FOLIGNO 51
n l ight en thee that thou mayst fully know both Him and
from a love of thy faults unto the divine mercy and cast
ing away all falseness Fo r seeing how that the in com
.
grateful but thou shalt study how l n all ways t o obey the
,
—
and the knowledge of God and of himself that is to say ,
Unto these true sons doth God the Father open and
present the Book of Life which is the life of Jesus Christ
, ,
if thou readest the Book of Life thou wilt see therein and
verily comprehend that this thing cometh not of thin e
o w n merit This is one of the signs whereby man may
.
CHAPTE R V I I I
OF THE B OOK OF LIFE WH ICH IS CH R IST WHE R EI N MAN
, ,
Blessed Virgin .
this is the way whereby the soul must reach unto God ,
follow the same road which had been taken by the head ,
CHAPTE R IX
OF TH E G R EAT PO V E RTY OF CH R IST
T HE first companion o f Jesus Christ the Book of Life and ,
the first but the third kind j oined with the first and the
, ,
is the Book the Way and the Leader of the soul was that
, , ,
and kindred and in all fami l iarity with the great and
powerful and finally in all worldly friendship Where
, .
neither for His mother s S ake nor for any other person
’
, ,
Amen .
CHAPTE R X
have cast all things into the depths of the sea If He had .
not verily granted them the power and had not shown
Himself as being helpless and weak there is no manner of ,
such a deed .
power .
CHAPTE R XI
H OW CH R IST LAI D ASIDE H IS WISDOM AN D H IS OWN N ATUR E
S ECON DL Y He did lay aside His own nature making
, ,
, ,
often as we can
62 T HE BLES SED ANGELA
those disciples did suffer hunger and thirst and t rib ril a
,
their feet .
Alas how great is our folly " The migh t y Lord and
,
all things for o u r sake And for our safety will we not
.
only endure the S tate of subj ection but fleeing from all , ,
CHAP TE R XII
H OW PO V E RTY OF SPI R IT IS DESPISED B Y MAN Y
O H, the shame oh the pain o f it " In these da y s is
, ,
utterly rej ect it in deed and will and in all their acts and
intentions And this they do because the wo rld hateth
.
64 THE BLES SED ANGELA
that poverty and God loveth and approveth it choo sing
, ,
that most blessed thing for Himself and for His followers .
CHAPTE R XII I
OF TH E H U M ILITY AN D CO NTEMPT OF O UR SAV IO UR
JES U S CH R IST
T HE second companion by whom Jesus the Son of God , ,
’
t o man s estate they did call Him S amaritan and idolater ;
,
”
o u t devils through the prince of devils Others did lead .
ing did they prepare for Him both in words and deeds ,
they did basely take Him and bind Him and bring Him
before divers judges and councils Some spat in His face.
,
others did kick Him ; others put His white robes upon
Him others crowned Him with thorns smote Him and , , ,
smite Him upon His head with rods and veiling His face ,
doer betwixt evil —doers they did raise Him on high and
did cruelly slay Him And as He hung there dying
.
, ,
68 THE BLES SED ANGELA
we ep n and praying certain of them did deride and
,
“
mock at Him saying ,
Ah thou that destroyest the
, ,
”
Temple " and others reviled Him saying He saved , ,
Othe rs did pierce His dead S ide with a spear and when ,
CHAPTE R XI V
OF TH E CO N STANT AN D MAN Y S UFFE R I N GS WH ICH
CH R IST DID B EA R I N DI V E RS WAY S
H IS third companion w as that of the which He had
the most e xperience and which did endure continually .
affl ict His soul when it was j oined unto His body .
For in that moment whe r ein His soul was united with
His human body it w as instantly filled with supreme
knowledge Wherefore w as Christ possessed of under
.
filled with such agony and sadness that His body did
give forth a bloody sweat which dropped even upon the
earth foreshowing the bitterness of death and His soul
, ,
and affliction .
Beside all thi s the Lord Jesus Ch r ist veri table Book
, ,
He did lament for the whole human race lost cast down , ,
with the utmost grief With such great grief and com
.
be his misery All this did Christ feel more deeply than
.
,
, ,
self and was obedient even unto the death of the Cro ss .
This divine dispens ation was the true cause and origin
of all su ffering wherein it all b egin n et h and endeth And
, .
, ,
su ffering did proceed from the ine ffable light with which
He was filled It is certain that by this enli ghtening
.
,
CHAPTE R XV
OF THE M AN Y AN D C RU ELTIES
D I V ERS U SED
TO WARD S CH R IST
HE who doth well consider the matter wi l l find that
Christ Jesus the So n o f God w as pierced and wounded
, ,
followed Him .
many also were the knives and spears which did pierce the
soul of Christ .
, ,
But especially did He su ffer from the nails for they did ,
with did they most cruelly pierce through His hands and
feet And by thus piercing them quite through and
.
upon the Cross This kind o f nail did cause pain worse
.
than any other ; and even had they been simply passed
through His hands and feet and not driven into the wood ,
with stretching His bones and sinews and drawing all the
joints of His body asunder making Him fast unto the,
hard wood they did also raise the Cross on high exposing
, ,
Him naked in the air and the Wind unto the gaze of all ,
86 THE B L E SSE D AN GE L A
people And the weight of His body did thus hang from
.
His hands and rest upon His feet so that He felt more
,
God did sha re that pain with Christ who bore it Where .
the Word did take place at one and the same time This
, .
much as it was not done unto man alone but unto the ,
ingratitude .
He taught the truth unto those who slew Him and with ,
cries and tears did pray unto the Father for them and in ,
return for this greatest of sins (for the which the whole
world and human nature deserved to perish) He did ,
self same deed for the which the whole w orl d an d every
-
.
never render back evil unto o u r enemies but that for love ,
words and deeds and p r eaching that all they were blessed
,
grace eternal .
CHAPTER XV I
H OW THAT WE SH O U LD FOLLOW TH E I NFALLIBLE
G U IDE AN D R EDEEME R U PON THE ST RAIG HT R OAD
WH ICH H E HATH SH OWN U NTO U S
VE R I L Y this is the true and straight road pointed out by
,
'
those worldly pains and a ffl ic tions which are the r emedy
an d cure for sin but we do even refuse the assistance of
,
bed eat delicate food and in order that the pains may be
, ,
those pains and affl ictions which are profitable unto us and
are sent from God we do all these and many other things
,
patience or resignation .
in
order to avert those pains a ffl ictions and ad
'
S ent
p , ,
necessity and against his will are those which are s ent by
divine dispensation and those should be borne with great
,
only bear them with patience but for His love and o u r
,
Not only do we seek to escape the pains afll ict ion s and , ,
things likewise .
9 0 THE BLES SED ANGELA
way whereby I may through su ffering reach God and be
in God namely by that w ay whereon walk ed Jesus Christ
, ,
, , , ,
did endure .
Glory also unto the most merciful and piti ful God ,
, ,
, .
poverty and enter with all your might into the Passion
,
must ye all lament and weep and raise the eyes of your
minds unto that Cross because in gazing upon the Cross
( unto the which the soul cannot attain save by constant
prayer as hath already been said) are we granted full
,
SC II SC S .
the head : man doth wash comb and anoint his head , , ,
grievousness thereof .
9 6 THE BLES SED AN GELA
V erilywhen the soul m edit at et h upon the C r oss the
,
CHAPTE R XIX
WHE R EI N TH E SO U L MAY SEE H O W THAT TH E DI V I N E
WISDOM HATH U SED I NFI N ITE CA R E AN D DILIGEN CE
I N SA V I N G U S TH R O U G H ME R C Y Y ET N OT OFFEN DI N G
,
sinners b e saved .
CHAPTE R XX
OF P R AY E R OF THE WH ICH TH E R E A R E TH R EE KI N DS
, ,
WH I CH IT IS N OT POSSI BLE TO FI N D G OD
F O RASM U CH therefore as the knowledge of Go d uncreate
, ,
is t o y the
sa life
,
and death of Jesus C hr ist And whereas .
, ,
and constant prayer (not with the lips alone but with
'
the heart and mind and all the strength) , something must
.
:
God that it is uplifted above its own nature and under
standeth more o f G od t han it otherwise cou ld naturally
'
,
n
,
Him and this is the sign o f love for he who lov eth not ,
y , ,
that the divine wisdom hath ordered al l thi ngs and given
unto each its appointed place For this reason hath the .
-
ine ffable wisdom ordained that no man sho uld attain unto
men t al p ray er who hath not previously exercised himself
‘
.
,
rayer ever before thine eyes and see that thou foll ow est
p ,
thee.
CHAPTE R XXII
H OW THAT WE S H O U LD S U BMIT O UR WI LLS U NTO TH E
WILL OF GOD AN D H OW THAT P R AY E R IS N ECESSA RY
,
thou shalt be fully entered into this life and shalt have
profited thereby thou w il t b e afll ict ed by many t rib u l a
,
o
1 06 THE BLE SSED ANGELA
thee ; for when thou ceasest to pray thou givest place ,
deep hum ility and the deeper the humility the greater
,
The more the divine grace humbleth the soul the more ,
of Christ .
.
,
held from thee thou dost watch and pray and do good
, ,
'
, , ,
assuredly do His .
with God And see that thou givest n ot thys elf unto
.
'
. .
,
CHAPTE R XX I V
E XAMPLE OF CH R IST
‘
or T HE HU M I L IT Y AN D
TH E C RU CIFIED
‘
”
If ye know these t hi ngs happy are ye if ye do them
,
.
CHAPTE R XXV
OF H o w G R EATL Y T RU E H U MILITY Q U ICKEN ETH TH E
U N DE R STAN DI N G OF TH E SO U L I N KN OWIN G ITS OWN
V ILEN ESS AN D THE DI V I N E G o o D N Ess
T H IS lowliness of heart which Christ desired that we
should learn o f Him oh my beloved is a certain mar
, ,
vello n s and clear light which doth open and quicken the
soul in knowing its own vileness and nothingness and
the greatness o f the divine goodness The better a man
.
earnestly o ffer praise and prayer unto the maj esty o f the
divine goodness which he s eeth and co m p rehen det h
through this humility and here is vi rt ue born in him
,
there who would not love unto the utmost of his power P
Verily the soul thus transformed through love of it s
Creator loveth all creatures created by Him according as
is seemly ; fo r it p erceivet h G o d in all His creatures
'
its elf to resist but that it had b een helped by the grace
,
~
11
4 T HE BLES SED ANGELA
angelic conversation pure holy and peaceful Because
, , , .
,
Q
Oh my sons cease n ot from searchin g u n t il ye S hall
,
tion and re fl ect upon your own vil eness and nothingness .
but only answer b riefly and with a low voice even unto ,
CHAPTE R XXV I
H OW H U MILITY D OTH CAU SE U S TO SEE THE M U LTI
TU DE OF O UR SI NS AN D THAT AN H U MBLE LIFE DOTH
WO R K CO NT R A RY TO THEM
T HIS silence proceedeth from naught else save from that
twofold overwhelming namely by the divine immensity
, ,
and death And when the soul refl ect et h upon His su fi er
.
and how it hath o ffen ded God with all its members and ,
said .
, , ,
another .
Another loveth all worldly things for himself and for the
profit o f himself and his body he loveth his kindred for
his ow n profit and for the honour which they do him .
the del ighting of the fl esh and the body with all manner ,
Some do love the devout per sons who come unto them
with a spirit u al and perfect love wholly loving the m in
,
from solitude and from all the other virtues which they
,
as is
the lover and then it is that they fall into peril
, .
Then are they confident and S ure one of the other and ,
CHAPTE R XXV I II
TH E SO U L I S U N ITED WITH G O D I N TH R EE SE VE RAL
.
TO CO NT R OL TH E LO V E OF GOD AN D OF ITS
N EIGH B O UR
IF the love of God be not directed with discretion and
protected by its weapons it turneth unto evil The
,
.
'
within it .
12 1
4 THE BLES SED ANGELA
The first transformation is when the soul useth all its
endeavour to imitate the life of Christ crucified for herein ,
feel et h them .
weakness upon me i
Great audacity however is born o f that assurance
, ,
they draw the soul nigh unto the beloved they are it s ,
that it hath the more doth love increase and the more
, ,
Him as possible .
CHAPTE R XXX
TH E M OR E PE RFECT MAN IS TH E M O R E EA R N ESTL Y
,
His only Son that they keep the eyes of their mind ever
,
fixed upon Him ready to love and follow Him and in all
, ,
CHAPTE R XXXI
H OW THAT LO V E C R EATED AN D E X CITED B Y THE
V ISI ON OF THE S U P R EME BEI N G D OTH MAKE U S TO
LO V E GOD AN D H IS C R EATUR ES ACCO R DI N G U NTO
THEI R C ON DITI ON S
T H U S the love created and excited by the vision of the
Supreme Being maketh us to know and love Him to know ,
OF FOLIGNO 1 31
the new love is the stronger and for this the soul worketh
,
CHAPTE R X XXII
is always subj ect unto the law and where there is none ,
forth .
love ye who live in the grace and charity of the good and
,
albeit His perfect love longeth naturally for the whole and
n o t only a part .
but also from his own self and would love this loving
,
cloth not se rve God for sake o f the reward which it hopeth
giveth itself unto G od and serveth Him for His own sake ,
straight way and must walk thereon with the feet of pure
love upright fervent and orderly
, , ,
.
CHAPTE R XXXI V
OF TH E P R OPE RTIES OF LO V E R S
T HE R E are t hree properties p eculiar unto lovers of which
it is needful to know Likewise certain signs of love
.
,
always leadeth the soul unto its like and not unto it s
opposite .
and blood for man s sak e leaving them and going t o His
’
, ,
”
secrets saying ,
I have not call ed y o u servants Sec
, ,
.
fore let u s make ourselves like unto Him in all things (in
which He made Himself like unto ou r wretchedness) ,
CHAPTE R XXXV
H OW THAT EACH PE R SON SH O U LD DESI RE TO PE RFO R M
H IS PENAN CE AS SEC R ETLY AS POSSIBLE AN D I N A
SEEM L Y MAN N E R
E ACH pe r son should endeavour t o do his penance as
secretly as possible and if he cannot do this then should
,
doth this only Son choose and give unto His dear children .
God the Father chose for His Son poverty contempt and , ,
healed .
1 42 T HE BLES SED ANGELA
tribulation were known there would be great strife and
,
CHAPTE R XXXV I I
H OW THE T R IB U LATI ON S WH ICH LIE I N PO VE RTY ,
M OST P R OFITABLE
I H OLD that the tribulations which lie in poverty con ,
for o u r endurance .
be meet for u s .
in the works.
Jesus Christ and His tender mother and tha t all creatures ,
places at all ti mes and in all His deeds and likewise with
, , ,
CHAPTE R X XXIX
OF THE MAN Y SIG N S AN D EFFECTS OF LO V E WH ICH
A R E CAU SED B Y THE SAC RAMENT OF THE E U CHA R IST
I COME now unto the Sacrament o f love and grace which
is called the Eucharist and hereof will I say so m ething
,
not ,
but a m ve ry certain that n o soul who beholdeth
,
Sac r ament .
, ,
shape and all the qualities of that same bread and wine
,
and the taste and shape and other qualities are all in
themselves .
many other special new t hings which the body and blood ,
upon this side of the sea and upon that and he r e and ,
not and this have I done without you and have worked
,
.
in remembrance of Me ”
And what soul is there w ho .
heart .
Deity and soul with the fl esh and blood and all the
,
is t o say from
,
the hu manity — is it led unto the divinity ,
and in like manne r fro m the divinity unto the huma nity .
and the holy immaculate oblation with all the virt ues
, ,
look upon and receive that S acrament " What soul is '
'
fort us .
all the saints and the blessed do see and hear and stand
ever before it , and within it Of a cert ainty they do .
For this reason also do the saints and angels rej oice with
Christ in this Mystery with new j oy and p r aise and
,
do rej oice bec ause of the good and the profit which the
holy souls in the church militant do receiv e through this
Sacrament Wherefore should the whole church rejoice
.
certain good thing which is itself all good and the cause
,
thing satisfying all the saints and holy spirits all those
, ,
who are j ustifi ed by grace and all the souls and bodies of
,
n o t with his soul and doth not me di tate and reflect before
,
.
,
nobility all S weetness and all love and which hath the
, ,
had and give his possessions unto the poor But he died .
reverence .
by the way .
Me for I have bound thee and will not depart from thee
,
until thou comest for the Second time unto Saint F rancis .
lovest Me ”
And very often did He say unto me
. Bride
and dau ghter sweet a rt thou unto Me I love thee bette r
, ,
1 62 THE B L ESSED AN G E L A
'
”
there be aught in Me save love He did grieve for that
.
Love M e
'
.
,
o f the soul and that if only the soul itself would desire
-
love thou Me " All thy life thy eating and drinking
,
”
t han thou art to receive .
good or evil and thou wilt see that thou canst not t hink
,
these
Oh m y daughter w ho art sweeter unto Me t han I
’
the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon thee
, ,
'
after that He was gone I fell down upon a seat and began
to cry with a loud voice clamouring and call ing without
,
p ersons around me .
desiring t o die And seeing that I did not die the grief
.
,
bethink me .
Thus did I remain eight days within the h o use all '
g .
”
And from that .
even conceal it ”
.
that neither man nor saint come down from heaven could
declare it When Hetold me that He concealed much
.
thi s reason will I not grant thy request for I desire that ,
H U MILITY OF GOD
sire not this grace for I fear that it would be hurt ful unto
,
”
me and make me to be vainglorious .
”
also unto me Much am I pleased by thy great fear
,
.
After this I went into the Church and there did the
,
hend the whol e world both here and beyond the sea and
, ,
the abyss and all things else ; and therein did I behold
’
“
said also ,
I have made thee to see something o f My
power behold n ow and see Mine hu mility ”
Then Was .
save pride .
but I can rel ate nothing of it save that I have seen the
,
, s
more suitable unto our needs Yet did this not su ffi ce
.
if He had so pleased .
,
'
st an t l
y desired to turn back but it was not able neither ,
certainty and anxi ety I was exalted yet higher still and
,
and all .
After I had seen the power of God His will and His , ,
but death .
and beseech and imp l ore the Most High that He woul d
no longer cause it to suffer this death but that He wo ul d
,
and betwixt this love and that other mortal love a great
heat There is a certain middle place of the which I can
.
-
sa
y noth ing so deep was it so full of j o
, y and,
unspeakable
delight .
to have or to know .
the whole and those other things are but p art of the
,
, ,
y
lifted but three times only and n o more and although
I beheld Him countless times and always darkly yet , ,
art I and I am th ou
,
”
I see those eyes and that face so
.
,
p hem
y if I do try to tell of it .
j o
y .
can speak some few words with cer tainty ; yet are my
words outside of those divine and ineffable workings and ,
tain all this give or exchange even for the space of the
,
my days .
and that this Good is naught else save this but othe rwise
'
pray the Bl essed Virgin that she would implore her Son
to grant me grace whereby I might know that I had not
or FOLIGNO 1
95
tell me that God would gr ant the grace that everyt hing
I did should be done w ith His per mission
I began therefore to do the three things which had
, ,
’
think o r feel save according unto God s will When I
, ,
.
manner
Oh my daughter who art far sweeter unto Me than
,
further told m e
The Omnipotent God loveth thee more dearly than
any other woman of this city He rej oiceth in thee and
.
, ,
replied
This sign that thou seekest is one that would o nl y
give thee great joy when thou didst behold or touch it ,
another S ign bett er than the one thou seekest and which
, ,
will be for ever with thee and in thy soul thou shalt
"
that it w as thus and if all the wise men of the world had
,
the truth .
His Passion Christ saw that the hea rts o f those wicked
and obstinate men were all turned against Him He saw
how all the members carefully destroyed His name and ,
saw their evil designs their slanders rage and fury and
, , , ,
thou hast seen more of it than hath any o t her saint Thou .
hast seen Him with the eyes both of thy body and thy
mind and most intently hast thou observed Him because
, ,
And my soul
cried again saying Is there here any saint w ho can tell
, ,
OF FOL IGNO 19 3
’
forasmuch as I b eheld such su ffering in the Virgin s
Son my soul w as most grievously afflicted and my own
,
, , ,
all sin grieved more over t hi s than over any other sin .
t r uly For this reason did I su ffer such mortal pain and
.
with lies and I have never desired to draw nigh unto Thee
in very truth for fear lest I might feel those burdens
which Thou didst feel and bear for my sake Wherefore .
”
thy soul more intimately tha n it knoweth itself and ,
enlarged .
me
Those who love My poverty su ffering and contempt
, ,
His sinews were loos ened and undone and His bones dis
placed and so likewise at the sight of the open wounds ,
and say
Bless ed are all ye of my Father w ho hav1n g had
, ,
say i ng
Oh Lord Master and Physician of eternal health "
,
, ,
a nd all the sins of all my memb ers and of all the parts
of my soul and body
Then did I begin and point the m all out saying Oh , ,
—
the wicked j udgment S poken against Myself but above
all I did penance in hearkening unto the weeping of M y
'
For the sins of thy feet wherew ith thou hast sinned ,
had feet all bleeding and covered with the blood which
flowed from My whole b ody .
and My vest and cast dice for them before Mine eyes .
o f the soul for the which I have not brought the true
,
Mary Magdalene who was sick had all these things and
, ,
show eth them His exceeding great del ight in their return .
’
So great is the Father s j oy at their conversion that He
b est ow et h upon them supernatural grace the which He
,
E E BE G I N T HE C O N SO L A T I ON S A N D VI SI ON S
H R
WH IC H SH E D I D HA V E OF T HE SA CR A M E N T
OF T HE A L T A R
, ,
.
,
OF FOLIGNO 223
Now whilst the Mass was being said there was a priest ,
fa ll apart .
N ow is the Son of “
the voice spake again and said ,
”
angels.
”
upon my heart saying and of the Son I do instantly
, , ,
the altar did they S how unto my soul Him whom the
angels praise that is t o say th ey S howed Him who is all
, ,
with Me .
HE R E BE G I N T HE VI SI O N S WHE R E I N SHE W AS
C O M FO R T E D BY T HE B L E SSE D V I R G I N
my joy unspeakable .
HE R E BE G I N T HE VI SI O N S W I T H WH IC H SH E
W AS C O M FO R T E D C O N C E R N I N G H ER C H I L D R E N
WH O SH O U L D FO LL O W A FT E R C H R I ST
FI R ST V ISI O N CON CE R N I N G HE R CH I LD REN
from the Cross and His blood issued forth from His
,
.
,
made him t o kiss the wound in His S ide and clasping him ,
from another for some did He press less and some more
,
into His side ; some did He place there often and some
were wholly absorbed into His side whence there appeared ,
some were adorned with this blood and their faces all
coloured with it according unto their aforesaid degrees
,
.
said
Oh ye blessed sons discover ye the way of the Cross
,
that through you and your preac hing and example may
be discovered and made manifest My truth which hath
”
hitherto been trodden upon and hidden by the world .
T HE BLES SED
’
2 3 6 ANGELA
Then did my so u l unde rstand that in like m an n er as my ‘
n o u n c ed over them .
, ,
TH I R D CONSOLATI O N CO N CE R N I N G HE R CHI LD R EN
blessings kissing them all upon the breast some more and
, ,
been said she absorbed them with a most great and tender
,
love .
a ffectionate
.
thr ough the merits of His most holy M other the V irgin ,
Mary .
Such are those who most commonly att ain unto eternal
life nor is there any other way But those w ho are bidden
, .
.
,
“
Christ ,
'
,
kindred .
pital we bade her sell them and With the money buy
,
the bread which had been given unto us for the love of
G od for ou r ow n sustenance After this we washed the
.
feet of the p oor women and the hands of the men but ,
added : A fath er who hath but one dearly bel oved son
doth administer unto him delicate meats in moderation ,
not wholly taken away for I did not yet feel disposed t o
,
ing of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit And
, , .
bless you with the fl esh of that Hand which was nailed
”
upon t he C ro ss
’
o f the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon
”
y ou and,
may ye keep it through all eternity More .
,
.
concerned him .
OE FOLIGNO 25 1
,
In yet another conversation I heard a voice crying and
saying Oh how great are they How great are they
, ,
o .
sick unto death and which she said was the last o f he r
,
'
salvation .
wr ought for me
The second mystery w h ich Thou hast wr ought fo r u s
maketh us ce rtain of the way of life For Thou tookest '
.
o u r fl esh upon The e and w ast b orn and didst live in s uch
fi ft hl y ,
that hereby we may know also how the Son of -
unto the bitter death of the Cross and hath given satis
,
tion whereof exal teth the soul above the world making ,
o h Lord,
t o know o u r faults that w e may escape the
”
God for ever and ever Amen . .
,
-
or FOLI GNO 259
“
That which I am about to say is not of myself but ,
, .
.
, ,
children ye and all the othe rs who are not here present
, .
”
very sick she said The Wo rd is made Flesh and aft er
, , ,
seemly that the King should lead home the bride whom
He hath loved so long and clothed with the royal robe , .
’
, ,
will come personally and fetch thee and will raise thee
unto Myself for thou hast made thyself meet fo r Me and
,
my S pirit ”
Once after r epeating these wo r ds she said
.
, ,
”
depart .
asleep and rested in p eace And that most holy soul was .
set free from the fl esh and being drawn into the abyss,
E di b
n u rg h 67° Lo d on
n