Prologue — The Journey of the Mind into God
In the beginning I invoke the First Principle, from whom, as from the Father of Lights, descend all illuminations, from whom is every best and every perfect gift—that is, I invoke the Eternal Father, through his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, that, by the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of the same God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and by that of the Blessed Francis, our guide and father, He would illuminate the eyes of our soul, to guide our feet into the way of that peace which passeth all sense, the peace which our Lord Jesus Christ preached and gave, of which preaching our father, Saint Francis, was the repeater, in every sermon proclaiming peace at the beginning and end; in every salutation wishing peace; in every contemplation sighing for ecstatic peace, as a citizen of that Jerusalem, whereof it is said by that Man of Peace, who was peaceful with them who hated peace: “Seek ye those things which are for the peace of Jerusalem.” For He knew that the throne of Solomon was only in peace, as it is written: “In Salem (peace) also is his Tabernacle and his dwelling-place in Zion.” When, therefore, according to the example of our most blessed father Francis, I panted after this peace—I, a sinner, who, though in all respects unworthy, have succeeded, the seventh in order since his transition, in the room of that most blessed Father, to the general ministry of the brethren—it happened that by the Divine will, in the thirty-third year after the transition of this blessed father, I, desiring to find peace of spirit, withdrew to Mount Alvernia as to a quiet place; and while I abode there and was considering in my mind certain mental ascensions to God, there occurred to me, among other things, that miracle which in the above-mentioned spot happened to the blessed Francis, namely, the vision of a winged seraph in the form of a crucifix. And, as I reflected thereupon, it immediately appeared to me that this vision typified the uplifting of our father in contemplation and the way that leads thereto; for by the six wings we may rightly understand the six upliftings of illumination, whereby, as by a kind of steps or paths, the soul is disposed to pass upward to peace through the ecstatic transports of Christian Wisdom. But there is no way save through most ardent love for the Crucified, who so transformed Paul, when caught up to the third heaven, into Christ that he said: “I have been crucified with Christ; and I live no longer as I, but Christ liveth in me.” He likewise so absorbed the mind of Francis that it revealed itself in the flesh, inasmuch as he bore the most sacred stigmata of the Passion in his body for two years before his death. The figure, therefore, of the six seraphic wings implies the six degrees of illumination, which, beginning with created things, lead up even to God, to whom no one rightly enters except through the Crucified. “For he that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber; but he that entereth in by the door shall go in and out and shall find pasture.” Wherefore John saith in the Apocalypse: “Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb; that they may have the authority over the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.” As if He said that the heavenly Jerusalem cannot be entered by contemplation except through the blood of the Lamb as a gate; for no man is in any way disposed to divine contemplations which lead to mental transports, unless with Daniel he be a man of desires; for desires are kindled in us in two ways—through the cry of prayer, which maketh us roar from anguish of heart, and by the lightning of speculation, whereby the mind is turned altogether directly and intently to the rays of light. Wherefore, to the groaning of prayer through Christ crucified, through whose blood we are cleansed from the defilements of sin, I first of all invite the reader, lest he should, perchance, think that reading will suffice without unction, speculation without devotion, research without admiration, circumspection without exultation, industry without piety, knowledge without charity, intelligence without humility, study without divine grace, the mirror without divinely inspired wisdom. To those, therefore, who are subjects of prevenient grace, the humble and pious, the contrite and devout, to those who are anointed with the oil of divine joy, to the lovers of divine Wisdom, and to them who are kindled with the desire thereof, and who wish to devote themselves to magnifying, loving, and trusting God, I offer the following speculations, at the same time warning them that the mirror held up outside availeth little or nothing, unless the mirror of our minds be clean and polished. Exercise thyself, therefore, O man of God, upon the rankling prick of conscience, before thou raisest thine eyes to the rays of divine Wisdom reflected in her mirror, lest haply, from gazing at these rays, thou fall into a deeper pit of darkness.
I purpose to divide my treatise into seven chapters, prefixing to each a title for the easier understanding of the things treated therein. I beg my readers, therefore, that they will regard the intention of the writer more than his work, the meaning of his words more than his uncouth speech, truth more than elegance of style, exercise of affection more than erudition of intellect. Those who will do this must not run lightly over the course of these speculations, but must with all care ruminate upon them.