CHAPTER XVIII.
A BETTER LIFE.
You may have seen an old print of Titus's Arch, in the foreground ofwhich is an Italian lady of quality, with hoop, lappets, and fan,sailing to church, attended by her gentleman-usher. A statelyman-servant in advance clears the way, two ladies-in-waiting followtheir mistress at a respectful distance, and two or three more menialsclose the procession.
Something in this style did Giulia go to the cathedral. As she wasreturning from it one evening, accompanied by Valdes, her heart wasfull, and, after one or two ineffectual beginnings she said--[15]
[15] Vide "Alfabeto Christiano."
"I have so much confidence in our friendship, Signor Valdes, that Ifeel as if I could speak to you on some subjects even more freely thanto a confessor. If you are not pre-engaged, therefore, I would gladlytell you what is on my mind. Do I importune you?"
"On the contrary, Signora," said Valdes, "I am honoured by yourcommands, and you well know there is no one I love better to serve."
"A truce, then, with compliments of every kind. I want to open to you mywhole heart, for I am sure you will pity me. I am a prey to suchconstant dissatisfaction with myself and with everything around me, ascannot be described. I neither know what I wish, nor with what I shouldbe contented. Hence, I cannot conceive anything that could be offered mecapable of appeasing this inquietude and removing my confusion of mind.Many years have I felt thus: and of late you have given me reason tohope that if I would give ear to the preaching of Ochino I should betranquillised. Alas, I find it quite otherwise! And though I admit thatthe fault may be mine rather than his, yet the disappointment is sobitter, that tears frequently come into my eyes through not knowing whatto do with myself, nor what to lean upon."
Saying which, her tone was so sad, and she looked so troubled, that thehumane Valdes was filled with compassion.
"Say freely, Signora," said he, "whatever you wish to ask of me; and beassured that I will always expend in your service all that I know and amable to do."
"Tell me, then," said Giulia, "from what cause you believe this state ofmind to spring, and how, if possible, it can be remedied, or whether itmust be borne."
"You must first make me one promise," said Valdes.
"What can that be?" inquired the Duchess.
"If I show you the way by which you may be relieved from yourdisquietude, you must promise to walk in it."
"Of course. Gladly!"
"Be very attentive, then, Signora, to what I am about to say. You knowit is written that man is made 'in the image and likeness of God.' Andyou will also remember that St. Paul counsels the Corinthians to put offthe old man with his deeds, that is, the sinful nature we have allinherited since the fall, and be clothed with the new man, who iscreated 'in the image and likeness of God.' From this it appears, thatin such a degree as man retains in himself the image and likeness ofGod, in the same degree he apprehends and appreciates spiritual thingsin a spiritual life and conversation. Recognise this, and you will allat once perceive whence your disorder and disquietude of mind arise;because you will see that your soul is striving for restitution to theimage of God, of which at present it is deprived. The remedy is in yourown hands."
"In my hands?"
"Yes! Because as soon as you determine to renew and restore withinyourself the image and likeness of God, you will find peace, quiet, andrepose."
Giulia drew a deep breath, and then said--
"How must I do this?"
"By withdrawing your affections from vain and transitory things, andfixing them on those which are spiritual and eternal. Your spirit thusfinding its proper aliment, will always be content and cheerful, andhere in this present life will begin to taste of that felicity which itexpects to enjoy for ever in the life eternal. To this happiness onlythe real Christian can attain."
"As for that," said the Duchess, "I know many persons who have as much,and perhaps more, cancelled the image of God than I have, who are yetperfectly content and happy."
"Such persons," returned Valdes, "have low and vulgar minds, and cantherefore suffice themselves with mean and frivolous objects that couldnever satisfy a refined and generous nature like yours.... I am not atall sorry that you should be troubled in the way you have described,because it shows that the preaching of the Gospel is producing its firsteffect on you.... There is nothing in this world that could give me somuch pleasure as to see you walking in the path of life, for I hold itfor certain that, once in complete union with God, you would outstripmany who are now saints in heaven."
"I desire to do so," said she, softly.
"Then why don't you do what you desire?" rejoined Valdes.
"Because I don't know how."
"Force, force, Signora! force is the one thing wanting. 'The kingdom ofheaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.'"
"Lead me by the hand, then," said she, "instructing me in thosefootsteps by which I believe you have walked."
"You want me," said Valdes, "to show you some royal and ladylike road bywhich you may get to God without turning away from the world. But, lady,no such compromise can be made. Have you ever crossed a running stream?"
"Yes, many times."
"Do you not remember how your head swam if you looked at the flowingwater, but how steady it was if you fixed your eyes on the oppositeshore? Thus, with God and the world, endeavour to keep the view of yoursoul fixed and nailed with Christ on the cross. And if at any time,through want of care, your eyes are diverted to the things of thisworld, return, return, Signora, as quickly as possible, to fix them onChrist crucified; and all will be well. You know the human heart isnaturally inclined to love. It must either love God and all things forGod, or it must love itself and all things for itself. He who loves God,performs everything he does for Him. And thus, if he loves anythingbesides God, he loves it for the sake of God, and because God wills itso. And then his good works please and are acceptable to God, becausethey spring from love. Agreeable to this is what St. Augustinesays--'Good works follow in them who are already justified, and do notgo before in him who has to be justified.' You know how you yourselfestimate what a person does in your affairs when you know you owe nothis good services to the affection he bears you, but to some othermotive."
This dialogue, which had been begun in the open air, was now beingcarried on in the Duchess's parlour. She sat in a high-backed, richlycarved chair, looking out through the balconied window, on the bay ofNaples, with streaks of summer lightning now and then illumining thesky, and the lurid fires of Vesuvius glowing in the distance. Valdes saton a stool a little apart.
"Since you wish me," said she, after a pause, "to make the love of Godmy prime motive, and, next to it, the love of my neighbour,--well then,I will do so!--but mention, if it please you, some rule by which I mayknow and understand what it is I ought to do; because I wish to givemyself up to the love of God, even so much so as to deprive myself ofyour favour, and that of a hundred others like you."
"No, Signora, no! you can never do that!" said Valdes, fervently: and hethen sketched out for her the outline of a Christian life, notcircumscribed within slavish bounds, but capable of adaptation to timeand place, sex and degree, based only on the immutable principle ofloving God above and in all things, and one's neighbour even as one'sself. It was a memorable evening for Giulia. Her cheeks were wet withtears, but they were the sweetest she had ever shed. They took no noteof time, but prolonged the interview till night.
When they parted, she said to him:
"I shall never forget this conversation!"
"And I," said he, deeply moved, "shall remember it always."
"Oh, that I could preserve every word you have spoken! Do you think youcould commit the substance to writing?"
"Undoubtedly, if you wish it."
"I do wish it, most earnestly. And pray for me, pray for me, dearfriend, that your words may not only sink into my heart, but take rootin it, and bring forth fruit abundantly."
"I will, ind
eed, Signora; but, above all, fail not to pray for yourself,that the love of God may abound in you yet more and more."
"Never knew I till now what that love was! I have heard tell a thousandtimes of this going out of a person's self to enter into God, but never,in all I have heard, was it made comprehensible."
"You are so much the more under obligation to love God, since He haspreserved you so long in this world as to come to know this which tillnow you have not understood."
"You are right. May it please God that I know how to profit by it."
She gave him her hand. He kissed it with the utmost reverence: then,raising his eyes heavenwards, uttered a short, fervent prayer for herconfirmation in the knowledge and love of God.
When he was gone, she covered her eyes with her hand, and tears slowlytrickled down her cheeks. Almost unconsciously, she sank on her kneesand murmured----
"O, my God! teach me to be what Thou wouldst have me to be, and thenenable me to do what Thou wouldst have me to do! Form in me Thine ownimage and likeness, for Christ's sake!"
A strange calm and sweet peace took possession of her soul.
When Valdes presented himself to her, a few days afterwards, he broughther his manuscript version of the substance of their dialogue, writtenin his native Spanish, which was nearly as familiar to her as Italian,seeing that it was continually spoken by Vittoria Colonna and others ofher familiar acquaintance. The faithfulness with which he had recalledthe vivacity of her rejoinders showed how deeply they had interestedhim, and if his own speeches were less closely reported, it was chieflybecause he had taken the opportunity of extending them even at theprice of weakening their spirit.
"Here," said he, "you have what you required of me; and I have called itthe Christian Alphabet, because, in fact, it contains but the A B C ofChristian doctrine. Believe in nothing I have here set down that youcannot bring to the test of Scripture. And do not content yourself withthis Alphabet, or with any mere writings of men, but drink of the purewater of life at its source. May Christ become the peaceful possessor ofyour heart, in such a manner as that He may absolutely and withoutcontradiction rule and regulate all your purposes. When this is thecase, you will not feel the want of anything whatsoever in this life togive you contentment and repose."
She took the book with solemnity, and promised compliance with hiswishes. This singular little work, of which, till lately, it was notknown that there was a copy extant, does not profess to be more thanwhat Valdes called it, and confines itself to inculcating the formationof the Divine image in the soul, if haply it might find Him, withoutattempting to attack the prevailing corruptions of the Church. In fact,this remarkable layman, who set so many Reformers forward on the path ofmartyrdom, did so by inculcating a few great truths, rather than bypulling down strongholds of error; and a certain class of his discipleseventually brought discredit on him by veiling Reformed opinions underthe punctilious observance of Romish practices. But not of thesetemporising spirits were Carnesecchi, Flaminio, or Vergerio; all of whomwere of the school of Valdes.