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Dear reader, I request you to read this Preface for your own
satisfaction as well as mine.
The flower-girl Glycera was so skilled in varying the
arrangement and combination of her flowers, that out of the same
kinds she produced a great variety of bouquets; so that the
painter Pausias, (1) who sought to rival the diversity of her art,
was brought to a standstill, for he could not vary his painting so
endlessly as Glycera varied her bouquets.
Even so the Holy Spirit of God disposes and arranges the devout
teaching which He imparts through the lips and pen of His servants
with such endless variety, that, although the doctrine is ever one
and the same, their treatment of it is different, according to the
varying minds whence that treatment flows. Assuredly I neither
desire, nor ought to write in this book anything but what has been
already said by others before me. I offer you the same flowers,
dear reader, but the bouquet will be somewhat different from
theirs, because it is differently made up.
Almost all those who have written concerning the devout life
have had chiefly in view persons who have altogether quitted the
world; or at any rate they have taught a manner of devotion which
would lead to such total retirement. But my object is to teach
those who are living in towns, at court, in their own households,
and whose calling obliges them to a social life, so far as
externals are concerned. Such persons are apt to reject all
attempt to lead a devout life under the plea of impossibility;
imagining that like as no animal presumes to eat of the plant
commonly called Palma Christi, so no one who is immersed in the
tide of temporal affairs ought to presume to seek the palm of
Christian piety.
And so I have shown them that, like as the mother-of-pearl
lives in the sea without ever absorbing one drop of salt water;
and as near the Chelidonian Isles springs of sweet water start
forth in the midst of the ocean (2) and as the firemoth (3) hovers
in the flames without burning her wings; even so a true stedfast
soul may live in the world untainted by worldly breath, finding a
well-spring of holy piety amid the bitter waves of society, and
hovering amid the flames of earthly lusts without singeing the
wings of its devout life. Of a truth this is not easy, and for
that very reason I would have Christians bestow more care and
energy than heretofore on the attempt, and thus it is that, while
conscious of my own weakness, I endeavour by this book to afford
some help to those who are undertaking this noble work with a
generous heart.
It is not however, my own choice or wish which brings this
Introduction before the public. A certain soul, abounding in
uprightness and virtue, some time since conceived a great desire,
through God's Grace, to aspire more earnestly after a devout life,
and craved my private help with this view. I was bound to her by
various ties, and had long observed her remarkable capacity for
this attainment, so I took great pains to teach her, and having
led her through the various exercises suitable to her
circumstances and her aim, I let her keep written records thereof,
to which she might have recourse when necessary. These she
communicated to a learned and devout Religious, who, believing
that they might be profitable to others, urged me to publish them,
in which he succeeded the more readily that his friendship
exercised great influence upon my will, and his judgment great
authority over my judgment.
So, in order to make the work more useful and acceptable, I
have reviewed the papers and put them together, adding several
matters carrying out my intentions; but all this has been done
with scarce a moment's leisure. Consequently you will find very
little precision in the work, but rather a collection of well
intentioned instructions, explained in clear intelligible words,
at least that is what I have sought to give. But as to a polished
style, I have not given that a thought, having so much else to do.
I have addressed my instructions to Philothea, (4) as adapting
what was originally written for an individual to the common good
of souls. I have made use of a name suitable to all who seek after
the devout life, Philothea meaning one who loves God. Setting then
before me a soul, who through the devout life seeks after the love
of God, I have arranged this Introduction in five parts, in the
first of which I seek by suggestions and exercises to turn
Philothea's mere desire into a hearty resolution; which she makes
after her general confession, by a deliberate protest, followed by
Holy Communion, in which, giving herself to her Saviour and
receiving Him, she is happily received into His Holy Love. After
this, I lead her on by showing her two great means of closer union
with His Divine Majesty; the Sacraments, by which that Gracious
Lord comes to us, and mental prayer, by which He draws us to Him.
This is the Second Part.
In the Third Part I set forth how she should practise certain
virtues most suitable to her advancement, only dwelling on such
special points as she might not find elsewhere, or be able to make
out for herself. In the Fourth Part I bring to light the snares of
some of her enemies, and show her how to pass through them safely
and come forth unhurt. And finally, in the Fifth Part, I lead her
apart to refresh herself and take breath, and renew her strength,
so that she may go on more bravely afterwards, and make good
progress in the devout life.
This is a cavilling age, and I foresee that many will say that
only Religious and persons living apart are fit to undertake the
guidance of souls in such special devout ways; that it requires
more time than a Bishop of so important a diocese as mine can
spare, and that it must take too much thought from the important
duties with which I am charged.
But, dear reader, I reply with S. Denis that the task of
leading souls towards perfection appertains above all others to
Bishops, and that because their Order is supreme among men, as the
Seraphim among Angels, and therefore their leisure cannot be
better spent. The ancient Bishops and Fathers of the Primitive
Church were, to say the least, as devoted to their duties as we
are, yet they did not refuse to undertake the individual guidance
of souls which sought their help, as we see by their epistles;
thereby imitating the Apostles, who, while reaping the universal
world-harvest, yet found time to gather up certain individual
sheaves with special and personal affection. Who can fail to
remember that Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Onesimus, Phekla, Appia,
were the beloved spiritual children of S. Paul, as S. Mark and S.
Petronilla were of S. Peter (for Baronius and Galonius have given
learned and absolute proof that S. Petronilla was not his carnal
but spiritual daughter). And is not one of S. John's Canonical
Epistles addressed to the "elect lady" whom he loved in the faith?
I grant that the guidance of individual souls is a labour, but
it is a labour full of consolation, even as that of harvesters and
grape-gatherers, who are never so well pleased as when most
heavily laden. It is a labour which refreshes and invigorates the
heart by the comfort which it brings to those who bear it; as is
said to be the case with those who carry bundles of cinnamon in
Arabia Felix. It is said that when the tigress finds one of her
young left behind by the hunter in order to delay her while he
carries off the rest of her cubs, she takes it up, however big,
without seeming over-weighted, and speeds only the more swiftly to
her lair, maternal love lightening the load. How much more readily
will the heart of a spiritual father bear the burden of a soul he
finds craving after perfection carrying it in his bosom as a
mother her babe, without feeling weary of the precious burden?
But unquestionably it must be a really paternal heart that can do
this, and therefore it is that the Apostles and their apostolic
followers are wont to call their disciples not merely their
children, but, even more tenderly still, their "little children."
One thing more, dear reader. It is too true that I who write
about the devout life am not myself devout, but most certainly I
am not without the wish to become so, and it is this wish which
encourages me to teach you. A notable literary man has said that a
good way to learn is to study, a better to listen, and the best to
teach. And S. Augustine, writing to the devout Flora, (5) says,
that giving is a claim to receive, and teaching a way to learn.
Alexander caused the lovely Campaspe, (6) who was so dear to
him, to be painted by the great Apelles, who, by dint of
contemplating her as he drew, so graved her features in his heart
and conceived so great a passion for her, that Alexander
discovered it, and, pitying the artist, gave him her to wife,
depriving himself for love of Apelles of the dearest thing he had
in the world, in which, says Pliny, he displayed the greatness of
his soul as much as in the mightiest victory.
And so, friendly reader, it seems to me that as a Bishop, God
wills me to frame in the hearts of His children not merely
ordinary goodness, but yet more His own most precious devotion;
and on my part I undertake willingly to do so, as much out of
obedience to the call of duty as in the hope that, while fixing
the image in others' hearts, my own may haply conceive a holy
love; and that if His Divine Majesty sees me deeply in love, He
may give her to me in an eternal marriage. The beautiful and
chaste Rebecca, as she watered Isaac's camels, was destined to be
his bride, and received his golden earrings and bracelets, and so
I rely on the boundless Goodness of my God, that while I lead His
beloved lambs to the wholesome fountain of devotion, He will take
my soul to be His bride, giving me earrings of the golden words of
love, and strengthening my arms to carry out its works, wherein
lies the essence of all true devotion, the which I pray His
Heavenly Majesty to grant to me and to all the children of His
Church that Church to which I would ever submit all my writings,
actions, words, will and thoughts.
ANNECY, S. Magdalene's Day, 1608.
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