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Secrets of the Art
Revealed
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The Great Book of Divine Contemplation
The
Disciple:
"Before
you disclose this Revelation of the Secrets of your Art,
there remains one thing I need to know, Father, you
attest that a certain Book will certainly be a source of
great good for us: is it the one I now bring to light in
the first Tome?
The Teacher:
"No, my
Son, but the first Book and the three others are keys to
opening it: for it contains the supreme apex and center
of human Science and Wisdom: and if the most senseless of
my enemies could fathom the Secret of this Book which he
attacks so vehemently, he would give infinite thanks to
our most glorious and supreme GOD on high, the Giver of
all the greatest gifts from whom everything has come,
including the inestimable worth of this Book."
The
Disciple:
"I beg
you, Father, to name this Book by its proper name so that
such a great treasure may not remain hidden from your
Disciples."
The Teacher:
"Gladly! This is the Great Book of Contemplation in
God comprised of thirty Volumes, five Books, forty
Distinctions and 366 Chapters, the last Chapter is
divided into four parts on account of the intercalary
day, moreover each chapter is divided into exactly 30
paragraphs. And although this Book is better, loftier,
more profound, more perfect, more useful than my other
Books, due to the fact that whatever is good, lofty,
profound, perfect, useful in my Books and regardless of
the innumerable other gifts contained in them, all are
united in this Book like fruit on a great tree;
nonetheless the said noble properties in it have
ascending degrees so that 'the goodness of the Book is
greater and better in the second Volume than in the
first, and in the third Volume than in the second.' (Lib.
Contemp. cap. 366 ab initio). And I tell you this so that
when you come to read this Book, the method for studying
and learning it will not be unknown to you: 'since man
must first learn things that are easier to grasp, anyone
who wants to learn and know this book must first begin
with the first Volume, and then go on to the second, and
then to the third; and this is because the second Volume
is more obscure and difficult to understand than the
first and the third more so than the second' (Lib.
Contemp. cap. 366, pars 2) 'therefore it behooves man to
elevate his intellect as high as he can in this Book.'
(Lib. Mir. Dem. in Prol. f. 2.) and the reason and cause
of this is that this Book was written through the grace
and with the help of GOD; because as the Soul
increasingly enjoys and contemplates its Creator, so it
prepares its memory, intellect and will more and more
clearly and beautifully to dictate and compose this Book:
and, no doubt, the memory, intellect and will of the
reader's Soul must have reached the same degree of
readiness if it wants to understand the writer's mind, as
you will see in the first rule.' (Com. super Art. Demon.)
'And as this is the reason and the method, and as it is
orderly and convenient to find greater sweetness and
pleasure in good things whenever they are more abundantly
used, so in the order of this Book of Contemplation the
second Volume is greater and better than the first, and
the third Volume is greater and better than the second.'
(Lib. Contemp. cap. 366 par. 1.)
Therefore,
to increase the love and fervor for studying this book in
you and in your fellow Disciples, and for acquiring the
Art and Science through which its Secrets are opened and
revealed, in the first Chapter I will elucidate for you
some of the incomparable Properties and Dignities of my
Art and Science so that you may 'recognize a lion from
just seeing its claw' as the proverb says; now if the key
that opens the Palace is so noble, how should you then
esteem the Palace itself? So, my dearest Sons, come and
see, 'See ye that I have not labored for myself only, but
for all that seek out the truth.' (Ecclesiasticus 24 v
47) 'For nothing is covered that shall not be revealed:
nor hid, that shall not be known.' (Matthew 10 v 26) 'For
I make doctrine to shine forth to all as the morning
light, and I will declare it afar off.' (Ecclesiasticus
24 v 44)
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