Of the day of eternity and of the straitnesses of this life
Oh most blessed mansion of the City which is above! Oh most clear day
of eternity which the night obscureth not, but the Supreme Truth ever
enlighteneth! Day always joyful, always secure and never changing its
state into those which are contrary. Oh would that this day might shine
forth, and that all these temporal things would come to an end. It
shineth indeed upon the Saints, glowing with unending brightness, but
only from afar and through a glass, upon those who are pilgrims on the
earth.
2. The citizens of heaven know how glorious that day is; the exiled
sons of Eve groan, because this is bitter and wearisome. The days of
this life are few and evil, full of sorrows and straits, where man is
defiled with many sins, ensnared with many passions, bound fast with
many fears, wearied with many cares, distracted with many questionings,
entangled with many vanities, compassed about with many errors, worn
away with many labours, weighed down with temptations, enervated by
pleasures, tormented by poverty.
3. Oh when shall there be an end of these evils? When shall I be
delivered from the wretched slavery of my sins? When shall I be
mindful, O Lord, of Thee alone? When shall I rejoice in Thee to the
full? When shall I be in true liberty without any impediment, without
any burden on mind or body? When shall there be solid peace, peace
immovable and secure, peace within and without, peace firm on every
side? Blessed Jesus, when shall I stand to behold Thee? When shall I
gaze upon the glory of Thy kingdom? When shalt Thou be to me all in
all? Oh when shall I be with Thee in Thy Kingdom which Thou hast
prepared from the foundation of the world for them that love Thee? I am
left destitute, an exile in a hostile land, where are daily wars and
grievous misfortunes.
4. Console my exile, mitigate my sorrow, for towards Thee all my desire
longeth. For all is to me a burden, whatsoever this world offereth for
consolation. I yearn to enjoy Thee intimately, but I cannot attain unto
it. I long to cleave to heavenly things, but temporal things and
unmortified passions press me down. In my mind I would be above all
things, but in my flesh I am unwillingly compelled to be beneath them.
So, wretched man that I am, I fight with myself, and am made grievous
even unto myself, while the spirit seeketh to be above and the flesh to
be beneath.
5. Oh how I suffer inwardly, while with the mind I discourse on
heavenly things, and presently a crowd of carnal things rusheth upon me
whilst I pray. My God, be not Thou far from me, nor depart in wrath
from Thy servant. Cast forth Thy lightning and scatter them; send out
Thine arrows,(1) and let all delusions of my enemy be confounded.
Recall my senses unto Thyself, cause me to forget all worldly things;
grant me quickly to cast away and despise the imaginations of sin.
Succour me, O Eternal Truth, that no vanity may move me. Come unto me,
O Heavenly Sweetness, and let all impurity flee from before Thy face.
Pardon me also, and of Thy mercy deal gently with me, whensoever in
prayer I think on anything besides Thee; for truly I confess that I am
wont to be continually distracted. For often and often, where in the
body I stand or sit, there I myself am not; but rather am I there,
whither I am borne by my thoughts. Where my thought is, there am I; and
there commonly is my thought where that which I love is. That readily
occurreth to me, which naturally delighteth, or pleaseth through
custom.
6. Wherefore Thou, who art the Truth, hast plainly said, Where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.(2) If I love heaven, I
gladly meditate on heavenly things. If I love the world, I rejoice in
the delights of the world, and am made sorry by its adversities. If I
love the flesh, I am continually imagining the things which belong to
the flesh; if I love the spirit, I am delighted by meditating on
spiritual things. For whatsoever things I love, on these I readily
converse and listen, and carry home with me the images of them. But
blessed is that man who for Thy sake, O Lord, is willing to part from
all creatures; who doth violence to his fleshly nature and crucifieth
the lusts of the flesh by the fervour of his spirit, so that with
serene conscience he may offer unto Thee a pure prayer, and be made
worthy to enter into the angelic choirs, having shut out from himself,
both outwardly and inwardly, all worldly things.
(1) Psalm lxxi. 12. (2) Matthew vi. 21.