Three Books on the Death of Christ and Self-Reflection, and Two Books on the Study of Divine and Human Philosophy

that little verse, "O God, come to my assistance." O God, come to my assistance If we do not protect ourselves with the imagination of Christ, by which, as if with shield and sword, we are protected from our enemy who is to be feared more than can be said, at every moment in which he attacks us, where shall we betake ourselves? We will surely go about exchanging arms here and there so that we might repel the force of the enemy. Nor perhaps will those things be prepared for us so quickly that we will not be plundered of all our goods—that is, our virtues—by his prey. Furthermore, we ought to retain His image in the soul and turn it over continually, so that we may take delight in the crucified Christ with the joy that is fitting. Then, so that this habit, having been turned as if into nature, we may repel the encroaching forces of the enemies (as we have said) with our own arms, not foreign ones, from our borders—for that is a habit by which one operates when he wishes (as Averroes says). Then, so that we are not fatigued by most frequent insults. For it could easily happen that, exhausted, we would depart from our protection, unless we fought without anxiety by this memory of Christ, made, as it were, natural. Then also, so that we are rendered alert for performing just works, and leaning upon greater hope, we might ask more confidently and obtain more copiously. "Delight in the Lord," says the Prophet, "and He will give you the petitions of your heart." And elsewhere, "I have run the way of your commandments when you dilated my heart."

That by thinking of the death of Christ we are disposed to love Him. And that three things especially induce us to this: And that the very thought begets, increases, and preserves love. Chap. vii.

a

Three incentives of love

We are snatched up greatly to the love of Christ by this imagination and thought of His cross. For three things especially impel us to love someone: his virtues, benefits conferred upon us, and expected gifts. But Christ, since He is God, is the very virtue of God the Father and every good. And although every virtue (as Cicero says) attracts us to itself and makes us love those in whom it seems to exist, yet liberality does this most of all. But what greater liberality can be devised than that which brings it about that things which are not acquire being itself? That this was conferred upon the whole world by the divine nature of Christ is witnessed by the words of Moses and the faith