|
51. There remain the delights of these eyes of my flesh, concerning
which to make my confessions in the hearing of the ears of Thy temple,
those fraternal and devout ears; and so to conclude the temptations of
"the lust of the flesh" which still assail me, groaning and desiring
to be clothed upon with my house from heaven.' The eyes delight in
fair and varied forms, and bright and pleasing co]ours. Suffer not
these to take possession of my soul; let God rather possess it, He
who made these things "very good. indeed; yet is He my good, not
these. And these move me while awake, during the day; nor is rest
from them granted me, as there is from the voices of melody,
sometimes, in silence, from them all. For that queen of colours,
the light, flooding all that we look upon, wherever I be during the
day, gliding past me in manifold forms, doth soothe me when busied
about other things, and not noticing it. And so strongly doth it
insinuate itself, that if it be suddenly withdrawn it is looked for
longingly, and if long absent doth sadden the mind.
52. O Thou Light, which Tobias saw,' when, his eyes being
closed, he taught his son the way of life; himself going before with
the feet of charity, never going astray. Or that which Isaac saw,
when his fleshly "eyes were dim, so that he could not see" by reason
of old age; it was permitted him, not knowingly to bless his sons,
but in blessing them to know them. Or that which Jacob saw, when he
too, blind through-great age, with an enlightened heart, in the
persons of his own sons, threw light upon the races of the future
people, presignified in them; and laid his hands, mystically
crossed, upon his grandchildren by Joseph, not as their father,
looking outwardly, corrected them, but as he himself distinguished
them. This is the light, the only one, and all those who see and
love it are one. But that corporeal light of which I was speaking
seasoneth the life of the world for her blind lovers, with a tempting
and fatal sweetness. But they who know how to praise Thee for it,
"O God, the world's great Architect,". take it up in Thy
hymn, and are not taken up with it. in their sleep. Such desire I
to be. I resist seductions of the eyes, lest my feet with which I
advance on Thy way be entangled; and I raise my invisible eyes to.
Thee, that Thou wouldst be pleased to "pluck my feet out of the
net.. Thou dost continually pluck them out, for they are
ensnared., Thou never ceasest to pluck them out, but I, constantly
remain fast in the snares set all around me; because Thou "that
keepest Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep."
53. What numberless things, made by divers arts and manufactures,
both in our apparel, shoes, vessels, and every kind of work, in
pictures, too, and sundry images, and these going far beyond
necessary and moderate use and holy signification, have men added for
the enthralment of the eyes; following outwardly what they make,
forsaking inwardly Him by whom they were made, yea, and destroying
that which they themselves were made! But I, O my God and my
Joy, do hence also sing a hymn unto Thee, and offer a sacrifice of
praise unto my Sanctifier. because those beautiful patterns, which
through the medium of men's souls are conveyed into their artistic
hands. emanate from that Beauty which is above our souls, which my
soul sigheth after day and night. But as for the makers and followers
of those outward beauties, they from thence derive the way of approving
them, but not of using them.tx And though they see Him not, yet is
He there, that they might not go astray, but keep their strength for
Thee, and not dissipate it upon delicious lassitudes. And I,
though I both say and perceive this, impede my course with such
beauties, but Thou dost rescue me, O Lord, Thou dost rescue me;
"for Thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes." For I am taken
miserably, and Thou rescuest me mercifully; sometimes not perceiving
it, in that I had come upon them hesitatingly; at other times with
pain, because I was held fast by them.
|
|