of ignorance with science, and the light of truth shines as if in a certain middle state of darkness-like as fire at first with difficulty seizes upon green wood, but, when with wind vehemently excited, it begins to burn with greater intensity in the subject matter, then we see rise vast globes of smoky darkness, and the flame itself scarcely at rare intervals can be discerned, until at length the conflagration by degrees increasing, all vapour being exhausted, and darkness dissipated, the serene splendour may appear. Then the conquering flame rushing through the whole mass of the crackling pile, freely dominates, flying round the subject matter, and licking it with all pervading touch, burns and penetrates, nor rests until pervading it through its most intimate recesses, it draws all that it finds not itself into itself. But after that which is to be burned has lost all property of its own, and wholly passed into the similitude of fire, then all noise ceases, and every sound is hushed—the straws of flame raised aloft are borne away, and that cruel voracious fire, having subjected all things to itself, and incorporated them into a certain friendly similitude, composes itself into a deep and silent peace; because it now finds nothing different from itself nor opposed to it. So in like manner the carnal heart, as if green wood, not yet dried from the humour of fleshly concupiscence, if any spark of the divine fear or love should fall upon it, at first, indeed, arises the smoke of passions and perturbations, reluctant with depraved desires; then, the mind being strengthened when the flame of love begins more fiercely to burn, and more clearly to shine, all the darkness of perturbation ceases, and the soul with a pure mind pours itself out to the contemplation of truth. But, finally, after that the heart becomes penetrated with an assiduous contemplation of truth, and that with all the affection of the soul, it enters wholly into the very fountain of highest truth, then, as if become itself all fire, and changed into the flame of love, the noise and perturbation die away, and it rests in that supreme peace. Then, truly, when he is received with that intimate love, that besides himself there is nothing else left remaining in the heart, God is discerned to be all in all.” The result of this mystic elevation of the highest spiritual faculties is ecstasy-whatever that may be to the souls which suffer it, and they were many, as the Church attests. Angela of Foligny remained three-Ignatius Loyola, seven-) -Magdalen of Pazzi, eight days in ecstasy. Seven times each day Elizabeth of Spalbach was thus transported. The whole lives of some were ecstatic. The hermit Macarius spent nearly all his life in ecstasy, and the same is related of St. Francis of Assissi, Giles his disciple, Columba of Rieti, Gertrude of Oosten, Joseph of Copertino, and many others. Ecstasy in confession, as to Magdalen de Pazzi-ecstasy in communion, as to Catharine of Genoa, and innumerable saints-ecstasy in preaching, as to John of the cross-ecstasy in performing the ceremonies of holy week, as to Thomas of Villanovaecstasy in singing, as to Christina of Stumbelen, and Petrus Petronius, the Carthusian-ecstasy in death, as to holy men and women without number, who departed singing in unearthly tones, to the embraces of their God *, were the gifts bestowed upon the clean of heart, in the churches, cloisters, and even secular houses of the ages of faith. At one time the brightness of the mystic vision rendered them invisible, as in the instances related of Hermann Joseph of Steinfeld, Nevelo of Faventia, and the holy Bona of Pisa t. At another it encompassed them with heaven's own blessed light, visible even to others. While St. Bernardine was preaching in St. Martin's church, at Sienna, all the people beheld an illumination round him. Similarly St. Francis de Sales, while explaining the ten commandments, was encircled with a light which every one saw. The countenance of Camillo de Lellis, while he was preaching on the love of God, began to shine like the sun. At midnight, Esperanza of Brenegalla, in Valencia, adoring the blessed sacrament, was found encompassed with a splendour which lighted up the whole Church. The streams of lustre which issued from Hieronyma Carvallo, prevented the beholders from seeing the countenances of the poor gathered round him, who asked alms. The holy priest William, of the Cistercian order, beheld a light encircling the blessed John, as he sung the song of Zacharias, and directed the prior to notice it, who * Goërres die Christliche Mystik, ii. 398. 402 404. asked him, what had been his thoughts while they sung "Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel:" he replied, "I thought I was in heaven surrounded with angels." The prior again asked him concerning what he had in mind at the verse," Et tu Puer Propheta :" when he answered, I felt as if John the Baptist stood before me, and I became senseless through joy." St. Elizabeth of Hungary, and the holy Hedwig of Poland, were both seen while praying, encompassed with a miraculous light, and the same is related of many others*. It was during such intervals that the transcendant prodigies, with which all holy history rings, were effected. It was then that the bodies of the saints were elevated above the ground †, transported from place to place t, endued with a celestial fragrance §, given a taste of ineffable sweetness ||, instantaneously healed from diseases, extatically assimilated to the divine Saviour, marked with a bleeding crown, pierced in the side, stigmatised to the complete imitation of the Son of God **. Then did they enjoy those gifts, which so visibly bespeak the joys of a world unlike ours-the gift of tears, streaming delicious tears-tears that were a wonder, and rightly denominated a gift from heaven, such a bliss spread through the soul as soon as they flowed forth, like the waters of a river, sweeping away black sorrow and disquietude, and trembling doubts; then came there the gift of jubilation ineffable, inconceivable, producing insensibility to all material objects around-the gift of utterance too of words, that surpass human intelligence, of tones unearthly, as if all that the soul had ever learned here below, were already blotted out and forgotten; and so in truth they were at least while that high triumph lasted, for in that heavenly banqueting, the soul, as Dante saith, outgrows herself, and in the transport lost, held now remembrance none of what she was tt. The uncertain and hidden things of divine wisdom are made manifest to her. "Were such intervals to be granted unto all who studied holiness, faith would lose its merit," says one who had endured them; for what profane person * Id. ii. 310-313. || 86. $ 89. T410. + Id. ii. 515. $ 528. دو 66 would not hail such consolation, if he could be sure of obtaining it? Such joys exceed all the delights of the world, and all the pleasures incident by nature to the heart of man. Then broke forth words of light, of seraphic fire, sounds surpassing all sense and reason. Witness those of Dionysius, speaking of seraphim, which Hugo of St. Victor concludes, can be nothing else but words from a higher world." 'Man," he observes, "does not speak so. "These words," he continues, may be an echo of those unspeakable words which Paul heard when he was raised to the third heaven, and caught up to Paradise. These words came from the word itself, they could not certainly be spoken by him who thoroughly understood them, but yet something could be imparted by them, and that is in the words which we read. They are great as telling of immensity, dark as relating to what is concealed, deep as concerned with what is incomprehensible. They sound like a voice from heaven, and fill us with amazement; but they enlighten us not. Even as some thought that they heard thunder, others an angel, not God himself, so also we. But our amazement must attract us higher, the words must become a sweeter music-an enjoyment, we must learn to love. them; then we shall understand them. If I be less excited to knowledge I shall be incited to love, and meanwhile love itself will be refection, until from it will arise contemplation, by which illumination cometh." The holy Hildegard used to apply to things divine and human names that were unknown to others, and Goërres has published a kind of Glossary to them, which is found in an ancient manuscript. He supposes that the images presented to her in mystic visions could not suggest the ordinary words of man *. But our limits are already overpast, we must not remain here longer, and even listening to such things, is not for ears of uncleansed flesh and blood. These living splendours of the times of faith, rise up now and move from our view. Intellectual extremes have met long enough while they conversed with us. They must proceed upwards, and we descend sorrowing, though not without hope to the blind sordid world again. Yet, reader, if it hath not been thy lot to Die Christliche Mystik, ii, 152. mourn always with the lost and separate, there must be light prepared for thee below, for thou must have known some faithful tender souls to which these visions have been granted. Thou must have observed the silence, the motionless suspension, the tears, the overflowing joy when Christ appears in humble veil upon the lighted altar. Then thou canst understand the long tract of ages by the holy past; then thou canst in some degree conceive with what hopes they looked forward to the clearer vision of another world; for, if such be the victim, self-annihilated as it were on the altar, what will be the Creator visible in his glory? The mystic view, intelligential and obscure, is peace to the heart of man, what will be the unveiled and perfect manifestation of the eternal godhead? “Reliquiæ cogitationum diem festum agent tibi," saith the prophet king. "Think," adds Richard of St. Victor, "what will be the solemnity in the abundance of that view if a festival is celebrated out of the leavings of thoughts *." Some there are, albeit, adorned with bewitching smiles, whose heart, save their Maker, none can to the full possess, watching it no less than she above, who would have all her court be like herself. One have I known, who not from that day when on this earth I first beheld her charms, has ever ceased with inward song adoring to converse with Christ, his blessed mother, and the saints. O thou pure and loving soul, what will it be after so many prayers, so many genuflexions, so many stolen vigils in the stilly night, so many communions prepared for with all thy poor strength, so many kisses bestowed upon the crucifix and holy relics ever next thy bosom, so many aves murmured on the beads, so many tears and prostrations while singing "Tantum ergo and Ó Salutaris Hostia," at the benediction of each closing day, which to thee even in youth was joy, mirth, rapture, every thing— what will it be, I say, after all this life of expectation and desire infinite, of alternate joy and sorrow, of light and darkness passing through the heart, to behold thy God, where days end not, where blessed moments change not, where the vision of glory fades not through eternal years? O spirit, born for joy, who in the rays of life angelic, dost already taste that sweetness, what will be thy *De Grad. Charit. |
