THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIM IN HIS Spiritual CONFLICT, And CONQUEST. AT PARIS M.DC.LII. APPROBATIO. UTI finis Praecepti, it a & Consilii, Charitas de corde puro, & Conscientia bona, et Fide non ficta. Ad quam cum facilitate assequendam, & securius retinendam, compendiosam & Regiam viam sternunt Documenta, quae in hoc libro, cujus Titulus est, The Christian Pilgrim, in his spiritual Conflict and Conquest, continentur: quia in illo nil Fidei Catholicae repugnans, aut bonis moribus contradicens, invenitur; sed Doctrina pia, sana, & solida; ad quam legendam & sequendam, omnes, qui repleri consolatione, superabundare gaudio, fervere spiritu, crebro suspicere in Caelum, puras manus in oratione levare, suas solicite observare conscientias, & Sanctorum sequi Vestigia cupiunt, sunt invitandi. Datum Duaci Januarii 17. anno 1652. Stilo Novo. Fra: RUDESINDUS BARLO, Sacrae Theologiae Doctor & Professor in Collegio Vedastino Duaceno▪ The same Approbation Englished. THE End of the Counsel, as well as of the Commandment, is Charity out of a pure Heart, & of a good Conscience, & of Faith unfeigned. Which to obtain with facility, and retain with security, the Documents contained in this book, entitled, The Christian Pilgrim in his Spiritual Conflict and Conquest, Show a plain and compendious way; For therein nothing is found dissonant to our Catholic Faith, or repugnant to Piety; but a holy, sound, and solid Doctrine: To the perusal and practice whereof, all they are invited, who desire to be replenished with comfort, to overflow with joy, to be fervent in Spirit, to aspire frequently towards Heaven, to lift up pure hands in prayer, to preserve their Consciences unspotted, and to follow the steps of the holy Saints. Given at Douai January the seventeenth 1652. Stilo novo. Br: RUDESIND BARLO, Doctor and Professor of Divinity in the Vedastin College Douai. devil capturing a soul 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in Faith THE SPIRITVAL CONFLICT: OR The ARRAIGNMENT of the Spirit of Self-love and Sensuality, at the Bar of Truth and Reason. First published in Spanish, by the Reverend Father John Casta●iza, a Benedictin Monk of ON A: Afterwards, put into the Latin, Italian, German, French, and now lastly into the English Tongue, according to the Original Copy. With many profitable Additions and Explications. The Second Edition Job 7. 1. Man's Life is a Warfare upon Earth. AT PARIS, M.DC.LII. Ephesians 6. 10, 11. MY brethren, be strong. in our Lord, and in the power of his might, Put on the Armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devil. James 4. 7. Be subject to God; resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. Matth. 26. 41. Mark 13. 38. Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation. 1. Cor. 16. 13. Stand fast in Faith, quit you like men; be strong, etc. He shall not be crowned who fights not valiantly. 2. Tim. 2. 5. A Lively portrait of the Spiritual Conflict. To the right Reverend Fathers, Religious Dames, and devout Brothers and Sisters of the holy Order of Saint BENNET. THIS little book is presented unto You; not because the Translator follows the epidemic custom which enforceth the compliment of a Dedication; or expects any return of temporal profit from you; or stoops you to so low a Patronage, as to become Gossipps to this adopted child; which are the vulgar ends of almost all presents of this nature, whereby the Receivers are rather engaged than gratified:) But merely as an humble oblation of Filial duty and respect. For he pretends not to cast in his mite, or bring a gift to your spiritual treasury, but only to pay a little parcel of his larger debt, and to give you an account of some hours of his time, which he acknowledgeth should be all employed in your service. Besides, he but restores unto you, what was your own before, by another and a nearer title of Confraternity; and only new cloths a Spanish Monk of St. Bennets holy Order, with your English habit, (a thing both usual, and hitherto very successful unto you, hoping thereby to make him the better welcome; and not doubting but he will speedily, easily, and efficaciously insinuate himself into your affections, whose daily practices have so great sympathy with his divine doctrine. For what are (or surely should be,) the continual endeavours of a true Benedictin Monk, (and indeed of all devout Christians) but to quell and conquer the world, the flesh, and the Devil, according to the Principles of Truth; to subdue sense to reason; to make his very passions, (by taming them,) useful, and his affections, (by fixing them upon the right object,) instrumental to the attaining of perfection; and to study self-knowledg, practice self-hatred, and persevere in self▪ denial? that God may be the sole possessor of his heart, the only mover of his affections, and the all ruler in his whole man, having now no self-will left to hinder his holy operation. And this is the only drift of this devout Treatise; which may therefore fully serve you (and all pious Pilgrims travelling to their heavenly home) for a clear glass, wherein you may see your own souls without flattery, discover your spiritual blemishes without partiality, learn the rare secret of rooting out vices, implanting virtues, improving all accidents to your best profit, and trimming up your interiours to your highest advantage for the sweet entertainment of your beloved Spouse, without overmuch pains or prolixity. You are (I say▪ to look upon this small book, as upon a Compendious summary of Christian perfection; or as a little store-house, well fraught with the Original seeds and simples of all spirituality, from whence other devout druggist's, cunning in compositions, have since furnished their larger shops, and extracted many ample and indeed some excellent volumes. But because Art is long, Life short; and this life is lent us to learn the Art of living well; what pity is it, that our lives should be more spent in reading, than profiting; that men should take more delight in writing, than instructing; and that we must be forced to seek a few precepts in many sheets, which may be plainly set down in a few pages? Yet such is the strange itch of writers now a days, that the number of books which are extant upon all subjects, seems to exceed that of the readers, whose arms may be as well tired in turning over the vast multitude of volumes, as their brains confounded in studying them: So that it were to be hearty wished, that that grave * S. Thomas of Aquin. who being asked, which was the speediest and best way to become learned▪ Answered, To read only one Book. Doctor's advice were now revived and followed by spiritual persons; which is, That they would only (or at least chief) betake themselves to the serious perusal of some one good Author, for their Guide, Governor, and Conductor in the way of the Spirit; if they mean speedily, and securely to arrive at their desired port of perfection. All other Books, should serve as certain solaces of their appetites, some changes of diet, or holy divertisements in devotion; but this (which they have advisedly made choice of) should be their Souls Daily bread, and the ordinary, familiar, and natural food and sustenance which it should strive to chew and digest. This (I say) should be their School of Defence, where they are to learn the right use of their spiritual weapons; how to Train, Muster, and Order the Army of their unruly passions and affections; how to stand upon their guard when an Alarm is given, or an assault made by their enemies; how to apply fit salus to their sores, when they are worsted and wounded in the skirmish; and finally how to behave themselves in all emergent occasions of troubles and temptations, or other accidents whatsoever. And though I presume not to propose unto you this Brother of yours, as a more absolute master in this Art, than your famous and renowned Abbots, Gersen, Cisnerius, Blosius, and many other excellent and experienced Champions of your Order, with whom he will not enter into the least competition: Yet I may In the 40. chap. of this Book. with him safely promise, that whosoever shall faithfully and perseverantly practise what he here prescribes, shall find this Book, though very little in bulk, yet large enough in virtue and substance to conduct him to the happy end he aims at, to his soul's unspeakable comfort and content. Neither is he to be disesteemed for the plainness of his expressions; for his intent being to touch the heart, rather than to tickle the Ears, he delivers solid sense in undisguised words: And the Interpreter, being to present a true draught of his Original, and not to take upon him the privilege of a Paraphrast; could not shape the acquaint language of these profane times to the divine notions of his Author, without evident danger of sacrilege: and therefore purposely avoids all curiosity of speech, which oftentimes in these high matters, rather puzzles, than edifies; and more amuzes the devout Readers understanding with niceties, than moves his affection to true piety, or makes him resolute in the performance of his duty; which ought to be the only end and aim of all spiritual writers; and he is most happily and sufficiently eloquent, who hits this mark, and works this holy effect; as no doubt but this Religious Author will do in their zealous souls, who make the right use of his doctrine, in order to their spiritual advancement, and union with God; whom holy S. Denys styles, the Father of unions, and who by thesweet bands of love, draws his intelligent creatures to himself, the essential and eternal Unity. To the which lead and conduct us, o God, one in Trinity, and Trine in Unity; Father, Son, and holy Ghost. Amen. An advertisement, To the devout Reader. YOu may justly seem to marvel, why this golden Tract is now said to be taught the English tongue, which was ●●ove fifty years since transplanted into this Printed at Louvain, in the year 1598. Island, out of the gardens of certain Italian manuscripts. But if you will take the pains to confront both the Copies, and compare them with their Original Spanish, or else with the Printed at Douai in the year 1612. and reprinted at Witezburg, 1641. Latin pattern, you will easily perceive this, though not the better, yet to be the far truer Translation. For besides very many and material differences, the 33. Chapter is in that edition altogether foreign to this Author's work; and the whole six last Chapters, (which are most excellent and useful branches of this little tree) are absolutely lopped off, and (as it seems) purposely skipped over; the Conclusion being in each of them one and the same. The reason of which omission, as it is obvious to every understanding (which considers that to be directed to Religious women; and some of these left-out Chapters, Dedicated to the Nuns of S. Andrew 's in Venice, by Hierome Count of Portia. to concern chief the Priestly function;) so it seems to carry with it sufficient grounds where upon to build an excuse for the so doing; because women are uncapable to make use of that kind of devotion: But if a Translators duty be well looked into, (whose chiefest praise consists in faithfulness and sincerity,) we shall no where find that any such privilege of defalkation from his Author's Text, or of addition to the same, doth at all belong to him: Neither do I hereby glance at the least thought of accusation against that first pious Interpreter of this Treatise in our Mother-tongue, who without all doubt delivered it to us, as it was given him; But only render an account of my own fidelity in Copying out my Author's Original; and withal desire such pious women, who shall peruse these excellent Devotions, that The 37. Chapter. How to offer up devoutly the Sacrifice of the Mass. they will rather patiently admit one Chapter, (which concerns them not,) to be inserted into their books; than uncharitably to desire the razing out of the least tittle, which may be profitable to any one. And you are to be furthermore advertised, that this Spiritual Conflict hath been very often printed in the French language; Into which it was also translated by the Religious men called Fulians; and this These Fulians are reform Monks, following S. Bernard as their Patron, & St. Bennet as their Patriarch & lawgiver; men of great esteem for their sancti●y of life, eminency of learning, and exercises of charity. Edition of theirs, was (as it truly deserved) received with the highest applause and liking of all those worthy and illuminated divines of that age; and namely of that famous and blessed Bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales, the mirror of his time, and most skilful conductor of souls in the way of the Spirit; who usually recommended the reading and practice thereof to his dearest Disciples tending to Perfection. One of which, a man of no mean rank and quality, undertook another Translation of the same Treatise, out of an Italian Copy, (which he dedicates to the same holy Bishop of Geneva,) augmented (as he saith) with 27 Chapters, (though they are indeed, either bare subdivisions of some one Chapter of our Author into divers, (as for example, Our third chapter is there divided into three several ones;) Or else they are more ample explications of that Doctrine, which is concisely delivered in the Text; and so may with more propriety be termed These Theatins, are so called from ●heir Institutor, John Peter Garaff, who was first Bishop of Theate, in the Kingdom of Naples, & afterwards Pope Paul the fourth men also renowned for their sanctity. Commentaries than added Chapters,) and written by the Reverend Fathers, commonly called Theatins. And because the endeavours of these pious men serve much to the elucidation of this Subject, and savour of a sincere spirit of Devotion; I have also made use of their pains for your profit; and transferred hither (by way of Explications) whatsoever in that Edition seemed pertinent, and conducing to the illustration of our Author: Yet still punctually observing the Text, and division of his own original Spanish, and the Latin traduction of some learned Divines in the University of Douai, where it was approved and reprinted in the year 1612. If you make your best advantage of these my labours, your own souls will receive the true comfort, and I the full reward I look for. TO THE Devout Champions, fight in this Spiritual Warfare; The Translator wisheth happy Victory, & the reward of eternal Felicity. TO you, dear Souls, is this little work most fitly addressed; who in this deplorable age, (when the deluge of all vices, & an universal inundation of wickedness covers the face of the Earth, and to which that may be applied, almost as properly as in the time of the general flood, All flesh hath corrupted his way;) having happily left the broad and beaten path of perdition, and estranged yourselves from the pernicious Contagion of the times; employ all your diligence and endeavours to preserve your souls pure and clean from all worldly filth and infection, and whatsoever may displease the eyes of your Heavenly Spouse; and take all possible pains that God's sacred Image, stamped upon you in Baptism, but defaced, or at least much darkened through human frailty and infirmity, may be again restored and embellished within you: An enterprise so high and heroic, that no tongue of man can worthily praise or express it. Take courage valiant Champions of Heaven, and faint not in this holy pursuit, having Angels and Saints for your helpers and favourers, and the Almighty himself, stretching out his powerful hand to conduct you with safety and security through all the throngs of difficulties and dangers; and leading you, as it were, over the bellies of the Amorrheans, Cananeans, and all other uncircumcised and profane people, into the true Land of promise, the happy Land of Paradise, replenished with Milk and Honey, the blessed Land of heaven, full-fraught with eternal and unexplicable solaces and sweetnesses. You are also suited with such excellent armour of proof, both offensive and defensive, taken out of the rich store-house of sacred Scripture, and the wholesome doctrine of the Catholic Church, as will not only render you invincible against all opposition, but make you glorious conquerors, and triumphers over all your hellish adversaries. It only remains, that you seriously apply your selves to learn the use of these weapons, to get the art and dexterity of fight to your best advantage, and to study well the manner of these spiritual skirmishes, that so you may give home-blows both with point and edge, and handsomely ward off those which are made at you by your enemies: And then you may be confident of an assured victory. And though this holy Science of Fencing is largely taught, and plainly set forth by many spiritual and skilful Masters, both ancient and modern: yet the whole doctrine thereof is so briefly and familiarly comprised in this little Book, that I know not of any other instruction which can be presented you in this kind, more to your purpose and profit; (especially if you want leisure or conveniency to turn over many or greater volumes;) since you may here find the collected substance, and as it were, the marrow and cream of all the choicest precepts, concerning the aforesaid necessary trade of training up yourselves in the true and practical knowledge of your spiritual weapons. This ministered me the occasion to translate it, that it might be accommodated to your benefit; and to this I was urged and led on by the ardent desire of advancing your good, to the utmost extent of that small power which the Divine goodness hath imparted unto me. Receive it therefore gratefully, and embrace it willingly, O most Dear Souls, as an expert Tutor of arms, and excellent Schoolmaster of the Spiritual Conflict: by whose directions and documents you may fight undantedly, and infallibly foil not only the Flesh and the World together, which wage such cruel and continual war with you; but also all the powers of darkness, and malice of the Devil, from whom neither peace nor truce can ever be expected: waiting with patience & perseverance for that happy hour, in which it will please your loving Lord to give you a full deliverance, to banish all war unto the utmost bounds of the earth, to bruise the Bow, break the Weapons, burn the Buckler, and withdraw your desirous souls from this place of tumults and alarms, to the quiet residence of eternal peace and felicity. To which his Divine goodness grant we may all at last joyfully arrive. THE SUBJECT OF THE SPIRITUAL CONFLICT. THis Book, (correspondent to its title), is of wars, fights, and combats, not against the lawful powers of this world, but against the Eph. 6. 12. Against the rulers of the darkness of this world, etc. 2 Thes. 2. 4 Showing himself as if he were God, etc. Psal. 11. 1. Truth is diminished amongst the children of men. 2 Tim. 2. 5. No one shallbe crowned, who fights not. 1 Thes. 3. 3 We ●re appointed hereunto, etc. Job 7. 1. Man's life is a warfare. 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign, usurped authority of the Prince of darkness; who sits enthroned, as sole Monarch of this inverted Universe, in opposition to God and all goodness; tyrannising and trampling down all virtue, piety and religion; clipping Faith's sacred wings, and blinding her with sin and sensuality; destroying and driving out all justice and sincerity from amongst the sons of men, and endeavouring to substitute double-harted fraud, with all sort of profaneness, impiety, and infidelity, in their stead. The necessity of fight against these monsters, is a sufficient commendation of this our holy enterprise; For we are put here expressly for this purpose; All men are included in this Spiritual Warfare, nor is there any exemption from combating, where there is the least expectation of conquering, or hope of being crowned. How highly then doth it concern each Christian, to learn so to combat that he may conquer, if he attends ever to be crowned? The Sum of this desired Conquest, Ephes. 4. 25. Depose all lying, etc. Coloss. 3. 8 Depose all these, wrath, malice, blasphemy, &c 1 Pet. 2. 1. Rom. 6. 12 13, 14. Let not sin reign in your mortal body, etc. consists in deposing the devil, and setting up God in our souls; in subduing Sense to Reason's empire; in bringing the Animal man under the feet of the Intellectual; in raising up the Intellectual man to his proper Sphaer which is his Creator; and in uniting the Spirit to it's true object and Centre, which is the Divinity. The way to arrive at this high and happy Union, is by continual and indefatigable tendencies of the soul to God, in the tract of sincere and solid Devotion. This solid Devotion depends upon Religion, as the branch on its tree; and since there can he but one right Religion, as there is one only Faith, one law, one Lord, one Jesus Christ; Ephes. 4. 5 One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, etc. so there can be but one real Devotion, and all others must needs be concluded unsecure, superstitions, hypocritical, hypocondriacal. Now lest we should miss this right way, or mistake this real Devotion, we may here fitly, at our first entrance into these holy list, take a general view of this Animal, Sensual, and Carnal man, which is to be destroyed; of this Counterfeit Hypocritical, and Hypocondriacal man, which is to be undeceived; and of this Spiritual, Supersensual, and Perfect man, which is to be brought into us, and built up within us; that so framing a right I day of the end we aim at, we may follow those means, which appear most proportionable for the attaining thereof. THE ANIMAL, CARNAL, AND SENSUAL MAN Is he who gives up the reins of his Reason to the entire conduct of Sensuality, and puts his soul into the devil's power, (by submitting to all sinful suggestions), to be driven and dragged on uncontrollably to all Ephes. 2. 2 You walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the air, etc. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The animal man perceives not the things of God's Spirit, etc. Philip. 3. 19 Whose God is their belly. James. 3. 15. This Wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly▪ sensual, devilish, etc. Judas v. 19 Sensual, having not the Spirit. Ps. 31. 9 wickedness. He walks after the world's perverse course and custom, living in all things according to his own lust and liking; acknowledging no other Superior than his own all-swaying affections, no law but that of his own will, no God but his belly. He easily yields to all his untamed passions and appetites; glutting his senses unrestrainedly with all alluring objects; and making pleasure his only end, heaven, and happiness. Briefly, he is all earth, all sin, all sensuality; in whom is nothing of the Spirit, of grace, of God: his Understanding is a dungeon of darkness; his Memory a Magazine of bestial imaginations; his Will a confusion of base and brutish affections; and his whole man totally depraved and degenerate; resembling the filthy swine, the unclean goat, and the unbridled horse and mule, which have no understanding. THE HYPOCONDRIACAL, HYPOCRITICAL AND COUNTERFEIT MAN. Tinnit: inane est. Tinnit; Inane est. Is he who makes a great show of sanctity and devotion, but hath Ps. 143. 5. Touch the mountains and they will smoke nothing of substance, sincerity, and solidity. Touch him, and he turns into smoke; sound him, and you shall soon find him to be but a windy cask, Nahum, 20. 2. She is empty, void, and waste. 1. Cor. 13. 1. As sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Mat. 6. 2. to the 16. Luke. 18. I am not as other men are. tunnd up with air, an empty echo, a hollow noise, a flatuous an● foolish nothing. He wilfully mistakes the means for the end, and places perfection in pompous forms, Pharisaical fashions, and external practices: If he prays, 'tis in public; if he gives alms, he sounds the trumpet; if he fasts, he disfigures his countenance; if he seemingly punish his body, 'tis to deceive more surely under the guise of sanctity; finally, all his actions rather savour of self-satisfaction and hypocrisy, than have any sense of true piety. Yet he ever pretends to high lights of the Spirit, finds out new and unheard-of ways of walking with God, sleights all that is common, though never so commendable, and catches at all that is curious, though never so dangerous. Thus he loseth himself in his own Chimerical conceptions, and pretending to refine ancient piety, becomes puffed up with secret pride and presumption, and grasps nothing but froth and vanity THE SPIRITUAL, SUPERSENSUAL, AND PERFECT MAN, Is he who walks not in the ways of this wicked world, nor follows the tenants of flesh, and blood, but of Reason, Religion, and Understanding. Rom. 8. per totum If you live after the flesh, you shall die. 1 Cor. 3. 16. You are the temple of God, & God's Spirit dwells in you, &c Rom. 8. 36 Ps. 44. 22. For thy sake we are mortified all the day long, etc. Coloss. 3. 5 His only end and aim is the Perfection of God's love in his soul; his unwearied endeavours are bend against Satan, Sin, Sensuality, and all Selfishness; his main study, is to make his body obedient to the Spirit, his Spirit to Reason, his Reason to Faith, and All to God; and his daily practice is self-mastery and Mortification. And having, 1. Trampled down the Man of sin, 2. Laid a sure and solid groundwork of Devotion, 3. He faithfully applies himself to fight under Christ's banner, and learns exactly the right use of his spiritual weapons, 4. He carefully eschews his enemy's Ambushes, 5. He keeps himself to the continual practice of prayer, introversion, recollection, abstraction, annihilation, contemplation, 6. He courageously climbs up to the mountain top of Perfection, 7. And lastly he sweetly reposes in divine love and Union; as is more amply held forth in these following Treatises. Galathians 6. 8, 9, etc. What things a man shal● sow, those also shall he reap● For he that soweth in his flesh▪ of the flesh also shall reap corruption: But he that sowet● in the Spirit, of the Spiri● shall reap life everlasting. Psalm 125. 6. They that sow in Tears, shall reap in joyfulness. Going they went, and wept, casting their seeds. But coming they shall come with Exultations carrying their Sheaves. ●he INDEX of all the CHAPTERS of this Spiritual Conflict: OR, Arraignment of the spirit of Self-love and Sensuality: ●. I. WHerein Christian perfection consists: and of four things necessary to obtain it. pag. 1 ●ap. II. Of Diffidence or distrust of ourselves. p. 10 ●ap. III. Of Confidence in God. p. 14 ●hap. iv Of Continual exercise: and first, that the Understanding is to be carefully kept from Ignorance, and from Curiosity. p. 20 ●hap▪ V. Of the will: and the end to which we are to direct all our actions. p. 29 ●hap. VI Of a twofold Will in man: and the continual combat between them. p. 38 ●hap. VII. Of the fight with Sensuality: and of the inward way of the Will to acquire Virtues. p. 43 Chap. VIII. What he must do, who feels his superior Will or Rcason, overcome by his Sensuality. p. 52 Chap. IX. That we must not avoid the occasions of the combats. p. 57 Chap. X. Of th● fight against sudden temptation's. p. 60. Chap. XI. Of the fight against our flesh, and fleshly Concupiscence. p. 64. Chap. XII. How to fight against slack● and negligence. p. 7● Chap. XIII. How to govern our S●suality. p. 7● Chap. XIV. Of the order to be observed ● fight against our enemies. p. 10● Chap. XV. What course he must take w● is conquered, and grievously wounded ● his enemies. p. 10● Chap. XVI. That we should keep o● hearts ever quiet and joyful in our Lord▪ p. 100L Chap. XVII. That pious purposes ●● sometimes the deceits of the Devil ● hinder our progress in virtues. p. 111▪ Chap. XVIII. How the Devil endeavour to draw us from the way of virtue. p. 11● Chap. XIX. How our Enemy endeavours to make our virtues instrumental to our ruin. p. 144. Chap. XX. That we must never flatter ourselves, as having subdued our enemies, but must often return to our wont exercises, as if we were yet Novices in this Spiritual Conflict. p. 199▪ Chap. XXI. Of Holy Prayer. p. 200. Chap. XXII. What inward (or Mental) Prayer is, and what Contemplation; and the use thereof. p. 208. Chap. XXIII. How we may join Contemplation to this inward Prayer. p. 211. Chap. XXIV. Of another manner of Prayer, by way of Meditation. p. 214. Chap. XXV. Of a way of Praying by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. p. 215. Chap. XXVI. How to pray and meditate by means of the boly Angels and heavenly Citizens. p. 219 Chap. XXVII. How to meditate upon the holy Cross, and Christ our Saviour banging thereon, to excite and move our affections. p. 222 Chap. XXVIII. Of sensible devotion: as also of spiritual dryness and desolation. p. 236 Chap. XXIX. That the worthy frequenting of the most B. Sacrament, is an esficacious means to conquer our passions. p. 245 Chap. XXX. How to excite in us affections of love, by the sacred Communion. p. 249 Chap. XXXI. Of spiritual Communion. p. 259 Chap. XXXII. Of Thanks giving. p. 262 Chap. XXXII●. Of the perfect oblation of ourselves to our Lord God. p. 263 Chap. XXXIV. How to petition for Divine grace. p. 270 Chap. XXXV. Some short Observations concerning Meditation. p. 273 Chap. XXXVI. An exercise before the sacred Communion. p. 278 Chap. XXXVII. How we may devoutly offer up the sacrifice of the Mass. p. 281 Chap. XXXVIII. An exercise after the holy Communion. p. 286 Chap. XXXIX. A daily examination. p. 289 Chap. XL. Being a Conclusion of the whole work. p. 294. Lord, we have fixed our hopes on thee. Then let us ne'er confounded be. I Kings. 15: 18. Thou shalt fight against them until their utter destruction: (With the four weapons of the Spiritual Combatant; Diffidence of thyself▪ Confidence in God, Continual Exercise, and Devout Prayer. THE Spiritual Conflict: OR, Of the Perfection of a Christian life. CHAP. I. Wherein Christian Perfection consists: And of four things necessary to obtain it. IF thou hearty and seriously The importance of this knowledge. desirest, (o dearly beloved in Christ,) to reach the sublimity of Christian perfection, and to be truly united to thy Lord God, by becoming 〈◊〉 spirit with him, (which is the most profitable employment, and the most excellent and divine enterprise imaginable;) It highly imports thee to understand in the first place wherein this perfection of spiritual life consists. 2. For some there are, who for Some place perfection in austerity. want of this necessary consideration, imagine that this high perfection is placed in leading an austere life, in the maceration of the flesh, in the use of haircloth, in much fasting, watching, and the like rigorous exercises, and bodily afflictions. 3. Others, especially women, judge Others in reciting many prayers. of their progress in spirituality, by their daily recital of many prayers, their assisting at many Masses, their frequent Confessions, and Communions. 4. And there are very many, (ye● Others in their exact observance. even some of them, Religious and cloistered persons) who persuade themselves that perfection consists in frequenting the Choir, in the exact observance of silence, and solitude, and in well-ordered discipline. 5. Thus some by these pious practices, All which are good means, but not directly tending to perfection. some by other external exercises, tend to this desired perfection; but are all wide of the direct way leading unto it: For though these outward and devout employment conduce very much towards the attaining it, yet in them alone, and their exactest observance, it consists not: ti's true, that the discreet use of them, is doubtlessly a forcible means to obtain the Grace of the holy Ghost; to fortify us against our flesh's frailty; to shield & arm us against the deceits and assaults of our common and cruel enemy: and finally to perform our practices of piety (especially whilst we are new-champions and Novices in this spiritual conflict) with more sweetness and alacrity: Yea they produce plenty of fruits to them also who are well-experienced and skilful combatants in this holy warfare; who therefore afflict their body, because it hath been instrumental ● the offence of their Creator; ●herefore love silence and live in so●tude, to shun all occasion of sin, ●nd to attend their heavenly me●itations with more quiet and tranquillity, being untangled from the world's impediments; they are de●out and diligent performers of the divine office; they are fervent and requent in works of charity, in prayer, and holy Communion; and all this for no other reason than God's honour and Glory, and to unite themselves to him, by the sacred bonds of sincere affection. 6. Yet they who rest here, and And they that rest in these lower exercises are in great danger; place their end in these outward exercises, do oft times endanger their own Salvation; and this not by reason of the exercises themselves, (which are truly and naturally holy, and warranted by the practice and example of many great and glorious Saints,) but for that they are so totally attentive to these lower exercises, as they leave their inward man in its natural affections, and unrescued from the snares of the devil. For the deceitful fiend, finding them gone astray in following their affections to those devotions, gives them not only peace but also pleasure in the pursuance of them; they seem to taste they very sweets of Paradise, yea to walk and talk with God, and hear his divine whispers in their Souls; such is their vain persuasion! And are sometimes so absorbed in their curious and deep fancies of meditation, that they conceit themselves even separated from the world, severed from all creatures, and rapt into the third heaven. 7. But how dangerously all such As may appear by the rest of their actions, Souls are deceived, and how wide they are strayed from the right way of perfection, will easily appear by the rest of their actions: For they are commonly very singular, curious, censurers of their neighbour's lives and conversations, and prone to murmur at their proceed: And when themselves are advertised of their own errors, or never so little hindered from their accustomed exercises, (which they frequent chief for fashion's sake,) or barred from the ordinary use of the Sacraments; you shall presently perceive them fall into passion, unquietness, and despair. 8. And if it pleaseth God, (to the And especcially by their want of resignation in time of affliction. end they may truly understand their own state,) to send them some infirmity, or permit some tribulation to befall them, (for such trials are his touchstones, whereby he proves his servant's sincerity,) O how soon shall you discover the false foundation whereon they built the edifice of their feigned devotion? how rotten is their inward man, and how full of secret pride? For they refuse to resign their wills, and to humble their hearts under God's powerful hand, in all the changeable courses of prosperity and adversity: They will not, according to the divine example of God's humble suffering Son, subject themselves to all creatures, nor take their seeming enemies, (that which truly they are) to be their true friends, as being instruments of God's goodness, pomotours of their perfection, and helpers in the reformation of their unmortified passions: which is an evident sign of their dangerous state. For the eyes of their souls are dazzled and corrupted by gazing upon these outward actions, (though good,) arrogating to themselves, I know not what degrees of perfection; and from thence falling into self-conceit, they judge rashly, and contemn others. Nor can they be recalled or cured, unless God himself strikes strongly at the door of their hearts, and dissipates the darkness of their interior with the divine rays of his gracious light; making them see their own danger, and seek the remedy: For a great and manifest sinner is more easily reclaimed, than a seeming Saint; whose secret iniquity, is shrouded under the appearance of virtue and piety. 9 Thus than it is manifest unto True perfection therefore, consists in the knowledge of God and ourselves. thee, (o my beloved,) that spiritual perfection consists not at all in the aforesaid practices and persuasions. Know therefore that it is placed in no other thing, than In the true knowledge of God's goodness and greatness; and of our own baseness, misery, and nothing, and of the proneness of our natural affections to all malice: Also, in the hatred of ourselves, and the love In the love of God, and hatred of ourselves; In resignation to Gods will, and denying of our own. of God: And lastly, in the absolute denying of our own will, and entire resignation of it to the divine will and pleasure: That is, that we totally submit ourselves, not only to the Almighty God, but even to every one of his creatures for his sake; and this for no other end, than only to please his divine Majesty, who deserves to be purely served, highly honoured, perfectly praised and glorified by all. 10. This is the Abnegation which All which Christ hath taught us by word and example. Christ our saviour so often inculcated; This is the Obedience, to which God's son invites and directs his faithful followers, both by his words and by his example; This is the desirable Cross, which his diligent servants are to lay on their shoulders, and so follow the steps of their Saviour; This is that love, which our Lord so seriously, frequently and carefully recommended to the whole world, and especially to his Disciples, as his particular friends and children, after his last supper. 11. If then (my dearly beloved) thou intendest to attain to this high And we must also do it, if we mean to purchase victory. perfection; thou must use violence to thyself, and vanquish thine own affections both great and small; thou must affect this fight, and instruct thy mind to wage this holy war. For the crown of victory is conferred only upon the stout and lawful combatants. Nor is there any thing more glorious to ourselves, or more grateful to God. 12. For as this battle (we now treat of) is the greatest, and of most difficulty; so is the ensuing victory most glorious to ourselves, and most grateful to God: in so much as if thou overcommest, subduest, mortifiest, and rootest out thine own disordinate and unruly affections; thou offerest up to God a more agreeable sacrifice, than if (neglecting this) thou shouldst whip thy body till it were embrued in its own blood, or fast beyond the austerity of the strictest Anchorites, or convert thousands of Infidels and sinners to Christ's faith and perfect penance: For though the conversion of souls be in itself more dear to our Lord God, than the renouncing of our own wills in small matters, yet it is thy part to will and do that chief and most carefully which He most strictly requires of thee: And this is undoubtedly the serious mortification of thy untamed passions, wherein thou shalt better please him, than in any other highest and holiest employment. 13. Being thus instructed, (o dearly But to obtain it, we must provide four necessary weapons. beloved,) wherein Christian perfection consisteth; and that to obtain it, thou must adventure upon a cruel and continual war, if thou intendest to be a conqueror: It befits thee like a stout Christian champion, to arm thy-self with Four necessary weapons, which are, 1. Diffidence of thyself. 2. Confidence in God. 3. Continual exercise. 4. Devout prayer. Of all which weapons, I shall (by God's assistance) now briefly treat, according to their several orders. CHAP. II. Of the diffidence, or distrust of ourselves. THis diffidence of thyself, may be obtained by three manner Distrust of ourselves, which is gotten; First by a deep sense of our own nothing. of ways: First, by a deep sense of thine own baseness and misery, truly acknowledging that of thyself thou canst not do the least good thing: For man can no more effect any good or meritorious work by his own power, than a stone (if I may say it) is able of itself to ascend upwards: and he hath almost the like inclination to evil, as a heavy stone hath to the Earth's centre. 2. The second way to get this self-distrust, 2. By Prayer. is to demand it of him, whose gracious gift it is, with humble and earnest prayers: And to prevail in thy petition, thou must first yield that thou truly wantest it, and that of thyself thou canst never attain to it: and thus totally naked, present thy prayer with a constant faith, and a courageous hope to be heard, and to obtain this desired diffidence of thyself. But let thy prayer increase in daily fervour, and expect with perseverance the divine pleasure in the grant of thy petition: and then be confident, it will sooner or later be granted unto thee. 3. The Third is, That as oft as thou 3. By often reflecting upon our own weakness. failest and fallest into sin, thou presently turn thy soul's eye toward thine own baseness, misery, and inabilily to act any thing that is good; for until this be truly known, and humbly acknowledged by thee, never hope to be secure from falling. 4. Whosoever therefore aspi●es to And this self-knowledge, is leston mus● needs be learned. a blessed union with the increated verity, must first study this necessary lesson of selfe-knowledg: For God permits the proud & presumptuous to fall sometimes into some grievous sin, that so they may be forced to confess their own frailty, and impotency: and according as their pride is greater or less, so is their fall more or less grievous: in so much, as if there were no pride in man, (as there was none in the sacred Virgin Mary) there should likewise be no fall into any sin. 5. Wherefore presently upon thy And we must be careful to rise speedily after our fall. fall, hasten thy thoughts to an humble reflection upon thine own nothing; beg instantly and ardently of thy Lord God, his true and inward light, to see thy own frailty and infirmity, and to keep thee from more dangerous fall for the future. EXPLICATION. THis distrust of thyself (my The great necessity of this distrust in our own strength, dearly beloved) is so necessary for thee in this combat, that without it, thou canst not only never hope to obtain thy so-much-desired conquest over thy enemies, but not so much as to surmount the least of thy passions or imperfections. Thou art therefore seriously and frequently to reflect upon the corruption of is enforced by the corruption of our nature; thy natural inclination, which makes thee apt to conceive a good opinion of thyself and thine own actions, and to persuade thyself that thou art something, when as indeed thou art nothing at all. Weigh further And the weakness thereof; the vanity and presumption of such self-conceits, and the weakness of thine own forces; and consider how And by considering how this acknowledgement pleaseth God, and how much presumption displeaseth him. displeasing the one is to the divine Majesty, and how pleasing the other; for our Lord loves a free confession of our own frailty, and a real acknowledgement of our total dependency upon his power and providence, from whose bounty and benignity all grace and goodness is derived into our souls; since being left to ourselves, we can neither think nor act any one thing which hath the least degree of worth or merit. Wherefore study well this first Thou art therefore to study this fundamental lesson. and fundamental lesson, as being a matter of highest importance, and yet the work of God's holy hand, which he teacheth his dear friends, sometimes by his heavenly inspirations, other times by permitting them to fall grievously, and to be tempted violently, and by other ways unknown to thyself: and be sure to make serious use of the three proposed ways in the precedent chapter; by the due performance and practice whereof, and thy concurrence with God's never-wanting grace, thou mayst confidently hope to attain it. CHAP. III. Of Confidence in God. THou seest then how useful and needful this Self-distrust is: but yet if thou interest the field to fight with that only weapon, thou must look to be either speedily vanquished, or basely put to flight. Wherefore having fitted thyself with this first armour, Distrust of thyself; let thy 2 Confidence in God, which is obtained next diligence be employed to get a pious Confidence in God, begging, hoping, and expecting from him all good, and help whatsoever. In obtaining whereof, make use also of these three advices. 2. For first thou art to crave it instantly, 1 By prayer. and ently and humbly of the divine Majesty. 3. Then, thou art to consider his 2 By considering the divine power, wisdom and goodness, by which he can, knows how, and is willing to help. wonderful power, and contemplate his infinite wisdom, from whence thou wilt conclude, that nothing is either impossible to him, or difficult. Then weigh his boundless goodness, which is ever ready to pour plentifully upon the● all necessaries for thy spiritual proficiency, and all things useful for thy gaining an entire victory over thy enemies. For how can it be possible that this holy and heavenly Shepherd, who for full thirty-three years space hath so carefully run after this strayed sheep, so lovingly recalled her home to himself; so painfully sought her, and so dearly bought her with the price of his blood, and loss of his life; should avert his eyes of compassion from her when she cries, calls, and converts herself unto him? Oh, how can he forget his own promise, and not lay her upon his sacred shoulders, and celebrate a Feast of joy and jubilation with his heavenly Citizens for her happy reduction? Or who can imagine, that our loving Lord God, who so much desires to dwell in our hearts, and feast in our souls; and to this end, is ever knocking at those doors for admittance, that so he may replenish us with the Heavenly Treasures of his graces; should then shut his ears, when we open to him our hearts, or should refuse to give us admittance, when we humbly and earnestly invite him to our banquet? 4. And thirdly, For the obtaining 3. By meditating upon holy writ. this holy confidence and trust in God; make use of the infallible truth of sacred Scriptures: which frequently and manifestly tell thee, that who so place their Confidence in their Lord God, are never confounded. 5. There is also another way to get this Distrust of ourselves and An other means is by thinking on our own frail●y, and God's omnipotency at the beginning of each action. Confidence in God; Which is, never to set upon any work, before thou first makest reflection upon thine own frailty, and thy Lord's omnipotency. For if thou observest not this order in the beginning of thy enterprises, thou shalt find thyself oftentimes deceived, even when thou thinkest to have undertaken them in the best manner: because pride and presumption are so inherent in our nature, that our whole live's diligence, is scarcely sufficient to drive them out; and therefore thou must so order thine actions, that still the thought of thine own nothing, and God's all sufficiency, and readiness to assist thee, go before them. And here, look diligently to thyself, that thou be not deceived: For oftentimes when thou imaginest to have truly attained to this Diffidence in thyself, and Confidence in God, thou art fare short of it; as thou mayest easily perceive, by the remaining motions of thy mind, and frequent fall into imperfections: Whereby we shall not be foolishly dejected at our frequent fall. For if these relapses make thee sad, unquiet, and in a manner desperate of thy spiritual progress; it is an evident sign that thy confidence is in thyself only, and not in thy Creators' goodness: And if thy sadness and despair be great, great also is thy confidence in thyself, and little is thy trust in God; as on the contrary, if thou hast a true distrust of thy own self, and a perfect confidence in God only, thou wilt not much marvel at thy own frailty, nor be vainly dejected at thy frequent fall, which proceed from thy own weakness, and therefore hinder not thy confidence in God's goodness. So that thou wilt conceive a holy anger against thyself for thy sins, and with an humble sorrow for thy offence, wilt trust hereafter less to thyself, and more in God; and with a new-enkindled zeal, and greater courage than before, wilt follow thy begun enterprise to get the victory in this spiritual warfare, and pursue thy enemies even to death. 6. And would to God these A necessary caveat for all spiritual people. truths were diligently dived into by some, who seem to be spiritual; and yet they no sooner fall into defects, but they presently become impatient, and cannot be quieted, till they have recourse to their ghostly Father, rather for their own solace, than for any true devotion: when as the prime motive of their coming to him should be to purge their souls from sin by absolution, and to obtain new strength against their enemies by the sacred Communion. EXPLICATION. AS we can promise to ourselves By God's assistance we can do all things. nothing but failings & fall, because we are of ourselves nothing; so also we may certainly promise to ourselves from our God an entire victory over all our enemies, if we arm our hearts with a lively confidence in his divine Majesty. But Wherein many are deceived, many deceive themselves in supposing that the pusillanimity and disquiet following their fall, is an effect of virtue, because it is accompanied with a displeasure for their offence; when as indeed it springs from pride and presumption, and is founded in selfe-confidence, and conceit of their own strength, to which they too By reason of their pride and presumption in their own strength. much trusting, find by the woeful experience of their fall, that they are truly weak, and really nothing, and thereupon they become troubled & astonished, as at a new thing; and so lose their courage, seeing that prop which sustained their vain confidence, fallen down to the ground. But this befalls not them who are truly humble; For they confiding in God alone, nothing presuming of themselves, when they chance to fall into any fault, feel indeed a true grief in their souls; but are neither disquieted nor astonished, seeing clearly (by the light of truth) that this proceeds from their own misery, frailty, and presumption. CHAP. IU. Of continual exercise: and first, that the Understanding is carefully to be kept from Ignorance, and from Curiosity. IT hath been hitherto declared, The third spiritual weapon, is continual exercise; how much this Distrust of ourselves, and trust in God's goodness, help us on, in our spiritual conflict: But they alone are yet insufficient to gain the victory, and keep us from relapses; and therefore besides these two, a third weapon is necessary, which we above termed Continual Exercise; and this chief consists in the rectified use of our Understanding Which consists, in the right use of the understanding. and Will. 2. First therefore the Understanding is to be carefully kept from two great evils, Ignorance, and Curiosity: From Ignorance, that it may be pure and clear, and so we may The understanding is to be kept from Ignorance, see what is necessary for the taming of our passions, and overcoming of our affections. 3. And this light may be obtained two manner of ways: First and chief by earnest Prayer, invoking First, by prayer, and imploring God's holy Spirit to infuse this light into thy soul. Secondly, Secondly, by a diligent search into our own actions. by daily practice of a profound and accurate search into all thine own actions and affairs; not only as they appear outwardly, but rather as they are truly in themselves. Do but make trial of this exercise for a time, and thou wilt come easily to understand what things and actions are good, and what are evil; as also what are truly good, and what are only in show, promising much by their outward splendour, but performing indeed nothing, nor any way conducing to the quiet of thy conscience. EXPLICATION. THis point, [which is, to estimate This search into all things according to their true worth, will open our eyes to see the meanness of all worldly vanities. all things according to their true and real worth and goodness] being well practised, will open our eyes to see the poorness of all such toys which worldlings most desire and delight in; It will show us, that earthly honours and pleasures, are mere vanities and afflictions of spirit; That injuries, infamies and affronts, patiently suffered, are the harbingers of true happiness and glory; That afflictions are indeed freindships', and that seeming crosses are followed with certain contentments; That to despise the world, is better than to be master of it; and that to be willingly obedient for the love of God, to the meanest creature, is a more magnanimous action, and the sign of a more generous spirit, than to command the greatest Kings; That the humble ackowledgment of our own nothing, is more acceptable to the divine Majesty, than to dive into the height and depth of all sciences; That to quell and conquer our own appetites and imperfections, though they be never so small, merits more praise, than to force the strongest holds, than to triumph over the greatest armies, than to work the greatest miracles, or raise the dead out of their graves. All which things, and others of like nature, are not sincerely discerned by us, because before we enter into ourselves to weigh them well as we ought, and as they truly are, we permit our fancy to be prevented, prepossessed, and surprised, with some sensual affection towards them; which so darkens and dims our understandings, that they are rendered uncapable to judge of those objects rightly and impartially, as they should, and they truly deserve. 4. Wherefore give an attentive Text. A necessary caveat; to keep the will from fixing its love care (o dearly beloved) to what I shall now tell thee, for it will much further thee to fight successfully: The means to know the true nature and properties of all things, which occur in thy daily transactions, is by taking special care to keep thy Will pure and free from all motion of love and affection, which look not directly upon God himself, or upon the means leading unto him. For to the end thy Understanding may rightly distinguish good from evil, it must first consider it, before thy Will hath made its election or Until the Understanding have first pondered the object. reprobation of it; because when the Will hath fastened once its affection upon the object, the Understanding is hindered from coming to a true knowledge thereof; by reason that the consent of the Will intervening, leaves it so involved and obscured, that it appears fare fairer to the Understanding, than it is in itself: And hence it happens, that the object being thus falsely represented to the Will, becomes too too passionately beloved and embraced, without the due enquiry of its real goodness: And by how much the desire or love of the Will is more vehement; by so much the Understanding is more grossly clouded in its judgement; and being so deceived invites the Will to a● increase of affection towards it. So that these too chief powers of man's soul, miserably deceived and misled, walk continually as in a circle, from this darkness into others, and fall from one great error, into others more grievous. 5. Take heed therefore of fastening thy affection upon any thing And the same caveat is necessary also in holy things. whatsoever, before it be well weighed and examined by the Understanding, and recommended to God in prayer; that so thou mayst truly discern, whether it be good or evil. And to this I exhort thee, not only in all indifferent things, but even in them also which are good and holy; for though they are evidently good in themselves, yet they may prove otherwise to thee by reason of some circumstance of time, place, measure, or obedience: Whence it often happens, that many have endangered themselves in their most laudable and holiest exercises. 6. Thou must also warily retain The Understanding is to be also weaned from Curiosity, thy Understanding from Curiosity; lest it draw that into the soul, which may retard it in the intended purchase of victory. For a curious enquiry after earthly things, which are impertinent to thy spiritual purpose, though it may be sometimes permitted, yet, 'tis generally the poison of the spirit: Restrain therefore thy Understanding to thy utmost, and strive to make it simple and foolish. And made simple and foolish to worldly things. As for the changes and chances in the world, whether they be great or small, if they concern thee not, consider them not. And when thou needs must hear or behold them, let thy Will always contradict them. Yea even in the knowledge of heavenly things, be sober and humble, and content thyself in the only desire to know thy crucified Saviour, and his blessed life and death. Abandon all other things; for so thou shalt yield to thy Lord a most grateful service, who puts them into the list of his best friends, that desire no more knowledge than what is sufficient to inflame their hearts in the love of his goodness, and hatred of their own wickedness, for in the search of all other knowledge, nothing but self-love and a certain pernicious pride, lies secretly lurking. 7. If thou thus weanest thy Understanding How highly this conduceth to perfection, from these curiosities, thou shalt happily escape many ambushes of thy enemies: For the wicked spirit, marking the unchangeable will and resolution of those travellers tending to spiritual perfection, not to yield their consent to sin; lays his crafty plots first against their Understanding, that so he may by little and little get the mastery And how cunningly the devil plots against i●, over it, and the Will together. To this end, he suggests to the learned and sharpwitted, sublime and subtle conceits; that they may think themselves already united to the divinity, & so forget themselves, and give over the correction of their own consciences, the resignation of their wills, and study of their own nothing: And thus they are ensnared By suggesting pride to our understanding; with pride, and make to themselves a certain Idol of their own wisdom in their Understandings; and are so highly puffed up and perplexed in these vain thoughts, that they now persuade themselves, not to stand in any need of others counsel or direction. 8. O the danger that these souls Which is far more dangerous, and more difficulty cured, than that of the Will. are in! and how hardly are they cured? by reason that the pride of the Understanding is far more perilous than that of the Will: For he that is proud only in Will, omits not all obedience, but submits his judgement sometimes to others, which he prefers before his own, and believes it to be better: But he that is puffed up with the pride of his Understanding, and assuredly believes his own opinion to be better than that of others; ah! what hope is there of his cure? How shall he be brought to submit to another's judgement, when as he thinks himself the wiser man? For when the Understanding (which is the souls eye, and should both see and correct its secret pride,) is itself blind, and blown up with presumption; when light itself is become darkness, and the very Rule crooked, thou easily conceivest what follows, and what the end of those things is like to be, which depend upon such principles. Wherefore take timely care to prevent this pride, before it pierce thee to the marrow; yield not up the reins to thy understanding, but subject it to counsel, and submit thine own sense to others judgements; become a fool in thy own conceit for the love of thy Lord, and by this means thou shalt be wiser than Solomon. CHAP. V. Of the Will: and the end, to which we are to direct all our actions. IF thou desirest (o dearly beloved) 1. A will to do well, sufficeth not: to become one spirit with thy Lord God, 'tis not enough to have a pious and prompt will to do good works; but even that good thou dost, must (by his divine help and motion) be totally referred to God's honour, and to please him only. In But our actions must be performed only to please God. this thou must look to have a strong conflict with thine own nature, which in all her actions and omissions seeks her own commodity and complacence, especially in things spiritual: Hence it is, that when any good thing is proposed to be performed as from Gods will and pleasure, she readily undertakes to perform it; but yet not as a thing pleasing to God, or proposed by him, but rather because she considers the commodities and content which man reaps by doing the will of God. 2. Wherefore, to the end thou Which that thou mayst attain to, mayst wrest thyself out of this dangerous snare of the Devil, and pernicious stumbling block cast in the way of perfection; and by degrees get a custom to do or not to do, because God will have it so, and with an intention to please him only (who should be the entrance and end of all our actions;) listen diligently to these following advices. 3. When a thing is presented unto Apply thy understanding to Gods will, thee to be performed, which is agreeable to the divine Will: first lift up thy Understanding unto God before thou appliest thy Will to execute it; thus thou shalt clearly discern, that it is his divine pleasure thou shouldest perform it; and that thou shouldst do it solely for his Honour and good liking: And that thy will is drawn and moved by the divine will to effect this work for this only end and intention, because God will have it so, for the honour and glory of his own most sacred Majesty. 4. So likewise, when thou wouldst omit or refuse the things not willed And take heed of being deceived; by God; resolve not rashly upon this omission, until thou hast directed the eye of thy Understanding to the divine will (as is even now declared.) And take particular care over thyself, lest thou be deceived; because it may many times seem to thee that thou actest or omittest this or that, for Gods will and pleasure, when indeed it is otherwise; for because nature is subject to seek herself. nature doth so secretly seek herself in our erterprises; that those very things, which thou thinkest please or displease thee only for the love of God, are principally willed or refused for thy self-interest. 5. Wherefore in the very entrance into any action whatsoever, despoil thyself to the utmost of thy power, of all intentions which hath the least mixture of this proper interest: nor do thou adventure to act or omit any thing, till thou feelest and findest thyself inwardly moved, to begin and go on with it, for Gods only will and pleasure. 6. But if thou wantest time and This intention of doing all for God, is to be always made in the entrance to any work. leisure to make this intention, and to ponder the causes moving thee to do or omit every work; take care to do it when occasion gives thee permission; and then from thy intention, to seek only Gods good pleasure and honour in each one of thy actions and omissions: Now in other affairs, which admit of more deliberation, let this formal and express intention be made at the beginning of thy putting hand unto them: as also in things of longer durance, this intention is to be often renewed; And to be renewed in the progress of it, lest after right beginning, some crooked intention may chance to creep into thy mind: And thus thou mayst shun the secret deceits of thine own Nature, which is too prone to seek herself, and to invert thy well-made intentions, and in stead of God's honour, strike in for her own interest. 7. So that a champion who is not Lest self-love creep in, and so change & corrupt it. very vigilant in this doubtful fight, may (as you see) often begin good works, and intent to perform them punctually according to the divine will & liking; and yet afterwards, almost unawares, the same works may begin to please himself so much for his own sake, that he may wholly forget God's glory and honour. And thus by little and little he may become so changed, bewitched, and abstracted, with the pleasure, profit, and honour, redounding to himself from these works; that if these private conveniencies chance to be abstructed, by means of sickness or other accidents whatsoever, he presently remains much troubled, contristated, and disquieted; nor can he without great difficulty be drawn to his first pure Intention, of doing what God would have him for his only divine honour and glory. EXPLICATION. WHence it manifestly appears, He that doth all things purely to please God, remains in perfect indifferency; that he acted not as moved by God, nor was his intention purely for God: For whosoever follows God's motion, and desires to satisfy him alone, fixeth not his affection upon one thing more than another, but is ready to have this, do that, or leave the other thing, in what manner, time, and circumstance it pleaseth God: So that he remains in such an indifferency, that whether he hath it, or hath it not, he is equally pleased and pacified, always quiet and content; because however it falls out, he hath what he desires, and enjoys the end he aimed at, which was no other, than And hath always what he desires. to be conformable to his Lord God. 8. In all thy actions therefore, and omissions, carefully cherish this Text. Therefore this right intention is of high importance, right Intention; for it is not to be expressed, what strength, efficacy and comfort it will afford thee; in so much as the very least and meanest thing thus performed, (to please God, and for the honour of his name,) are of more merit and higher value in his sight, than the most heroicque works which are done without it. EXPLICATION. BUt if sometimes the disposition 9 This purity of intention may be kept even in things aiming at our own good. of thy soul seems to call upon thee to act any good thing which points more directly at thy own good than God's only glory; [as, To avoid eternal punishment, or to obtain the bliss of Paradise:] Yet even in this also thou mayst propose to thyself this perfect end of the divine will; who is well pleased that thou shouldst not descend into hell, but enjoy his heavenly Kingdom: And thus thou wilt keep alive in thy And it puts such a worth upon our actions, heart this holy motive upon all occasions whatsoever, of the importance whereof, I need not enlarge this discourse; It being most certain, that as the most holy and heroic That the best action without it is lost, and may be sinful; And the smallest action with it is most acceptable to God. work becomes not only defective and utterly lost, if it be not done for a good end, but may become even sinful if its end be sinister: So on the contrary, the smallest and least action, hath an inestimable price and value when done with an intention looking simply upon God, and his good will and pleasure; in so much, that a single penny bestowed on the poor, is more acceptable to the divine Majesty, because it is given purely to please him; than if the same person should liberally profuse all his temporalities for any other end whatsoever, as, to gain thereby the joys of heaven; though this end is not only good, but very much to be desired. 10. This exercise, (of accommodating all our actions purely and only to please God, to sigh always after God, to seek God in every thing we do or omit, and to aspire perpetually to God with lively and lovely affections, as to our most amiable and only good, which deserves in himself that all rational creatures should honour, serve, and love him above all other things,) may seem at first very difficult, but use will render it If this excercise seem hard at first, yet use will render it easy, facile; and the frequent consideration of God's infinite worth, will so inflame the Will in the production of the aforesaid acts of fervour and affection, that we shall with much ease and speed get a habit of doing And soon beget a habit in our souls; all things for his only sake and respect, who only deserves it. To which also the ensuing reflections upon our own obligations to do it, will not a little conduce. 11. For who can choose but be Especially if we consider, persuaded to search and will God's pure honour, with an entire resignation to the ordinances of his divine How dearly our Lord hath loved us. providence in all things, if he often call to his remembrance, how much he hath first honoured and loved him? As in our Creation, he made Which appears in our Creation, Redemption, us of nothing to be like himself, and produced all other creatures in order to our service: IN our Redemption, he sent no Angel, but his only Son to pay our ransom, not by the corruptible value of gold and silver, but by the infinite price of his own precious blood, and by his dolorous and disgraceful death. IN our Preservation, Preservation, each hour and moment, fight our battles for us against our enemies, preventing and accompanying us with his heavenly grace, and leaving with us his dear Son, always ready for our support and sustenance in the Holy Sacrament of the Altar, THESE verily And many other benefits, and many more, are evident tokens of the high price he puts upon our meanness and misery, and of the love which our great Creator bears to us his poor and caitif creatures; and are in themselves such inestimable benefits, that none but Which are so great, that none but God himself can comprehend them. his own divine understanding is capable to comprehend the least thereof: And how much than are we bound in exchange, to do for so excellent a Majesty, who hath done such things for us? For if worldly Potentats, receiving honour from private persons of lowest rank, think themselves bound to return them reciprocal honour, what ought our vileness endeavour towards the supreme Monarch of the Universe, who so highly courts and cherisheth us. CHAP. VI Of a twofold Will in man; and the continual fight between them. THou must take notice (my dearly 2. Wills. Rational, and Sensual. beloved,) of two Wills in man: The one of Reason, which is therefore called Rational and superior; The other of Sense, and so is named Sensual, inferior; and sometimes, sensuality, appetite, concupiscence, flesh, passion, and the like. And though each one of these is in man; yet because the use of Reason truly makes us and denominates us men, we should never own any thing, which our mere sensuality dictates, till our superior and rational Will gives her joint consent. 2. From this diversity springs all The Rational is seated between God's grace, and our sense. our spiritual conflict: For our superior Will and Reason being middled between God's Will, which is above it, and our Sensuality, which is under it, still tempting and enticing it to naughtiness: therefore both of them, that is, Gods Will and our own Sensuality, strive to get this our rational Will, to side with them, and sometimes that, othertimes this, renders her subject and obedient to them. 3. But this battle is of no great And the truly virtuous persons yield promptly to Gods will, difficulty to them who are either truly virtuous, or downright vicious. For they who are virtuous, come no sooner to the knowledge of God's holy will, but they presently yield their consent, and bridle their brutish sensuality: And the wicked do And the vicious to their sensuality. contrarily according to their appetite, checking the divine will which contradicts it. They therefore chiefly feel the brunt of this battle, (especially at first,) who have been great sinners, and are now resolved upon amendment, and to this end sever themselves from worldly and fleshly delights, the better to love and serve their Lord Jesus Christ for the future. For the inward feeling and strokes of Gods will, which their But they who of sinners are become converts have the greatest conflict; Reason receives from above; and the cruel contradictions and adverse motion of their Sensuality, which it must necessarily suffer from below; are so powerful on each side, that the poor Reason is between them both brought into extreme straits and perplexities. 4, Wherefore let none think to Who must therefore resolve to bear patiently the loss of their pleasures. gain the victory, who is not instructed, prepared, and resolved to support patiently all such pains, as he shall endure in leaving his past pleasures: For this surely seems one of the chief causes why so few attain to true perfection; because, feeling grief and trouble in the beginning of their conversion, and in the quitting of their depraved affections and desires, they stand not fast to their resolutions, but yield to their enemies, who treacherously invade them, not making manlike resistance with the sword of Reason; but rather like cowardly soldiers, they skulk away, throw down their arms, yield themselves to the mercy of their enemies, and become again their bondslaves who will now more than formerly tyrannize over them. EXPLICATION. ANd amongst these, one may Divers sorts of unmortified souls. pick out some, who indeed neither take away, nor detain their neighbour's goods wrongfully; but yet have their affections fixed excessively upon them which they possess justly: so likewise they will not purchase honours unlawfully, but they love and desire them passionately; They will keep the commanded fastings punctually, but care not to mortify their gluttony; They will live continently, but are loath to leave pleasing company, which hinders their union with God, and greatly retards them in their tendance to perfection: From all which, and the like petty-affections, Whose affections are accompanied with much imperfection. it follows, that their good works are performed with a certain irksomeness of mind, and are accompanied with divers self-interests, and secret imperfections, yea with self-conceit and good liking of their own actions, and with a longing desire to be liked and loved by others: But all these, not only make no progress in the way of spirituality, but even return backwards, and And who make no progress in spirituality, are in eminent hazard to fall into their former follies; because they are neither enamoured with true virtue, nor grateful to their loving Creator, who hath freed them from the tyranny of the Devil: They are moreover strucken with Ignorance and blindness, since they But are full of ignorance and blindness. neither understand nor see their ow● danger, but falsely and foolishly fancy themselves to be in a state of security. 5. And here thou mayst perceive a Text. A danger in the choice of spiritual exercises discovered. very perilous and pernicious deceit, which very few take true notice of: For many beginners in a spiritual course, out of self-love make choice of such exercises as are most pleasing to themselves, rather than most profitable unto their souls: when as indeed, they ought to begin with the knowledge of their own natural affections, and the naughty desires of their sensuality; and to make their first and fiercest encounter with these enemies: and so long falling on and following this fight, till they be entirely subdued to Reason's Empire, as fare forth as in this life is possible. CHAP. VII. Of the fight against Sensuality: and of the inward way of the Will, to acquire Virtues. AS often as thou feelest thyself assaulted by the motions of 1▪ When Sensuality rebels▪ thy Sensuality, convert thy mind quickly to thy Lord God, and resist manfully: And that thou mayst become a conqueror in this combat, furnish thyself with these several ways and wards against thy foes. 1. Look presenly to thy reason that it consent not. 2. Recall that motion again and again, and as often conquer it. 2. First, let the temptation be no sooner felt in the senses, but that thou forthwith put a precept of obedience upon the Superior Will or Reason, that it yield no consent unto it. In the next place, when thou hast happily vanquished and discomfited any such temptation; excite the same again in thyself, and again repel it with the like fervour: Yea, do it yet again and again, that so often thou mayst have occasion more zealously to hate it, to reject it, to contemn it: And this way is to be used against all temptations, and unruly affections of thy Sensuality; except only what concerns carnality: whereof hereafter in its due place. 3. Lastly, let it be thy exercise to 3. Produce acts of those virtues which are contrary to these vices. produce frequent and fervent acts of those virtues which are contrary to the temptations of these vices: For example: Art thou tempted to impatience? Recall thy mind home into its inner room, and thou shalt there perceive, that this temptation to impatience, doth incessantly strive and sight with thy Superior Will or Reason, to terrify and drive it out of the field, or incline it to consent: Therefore thou must contradict and resist the said temptation with redoubled fervour of thy Reason; and never leave off this resistance, till thou seest thine enemy conquered at thy feet, and become thy Captive. 4. Yet here thou art to be advertized, But beware of thy cunning enemy, who sometimes suppresseth these motions. that our enemy perceiving us ●o constantly and continually to oppose ourselves against his suggestions, passions and affections, ceaseth sometimes (out of his treacherous ●unning) from stirring them up: And which is more, when they are ●aised, he sometimes suppresseth ●hem; lest by the frequent fight of our Reason against them, we should get the habit of those virtues which are opposite to those passions. 5. It imports thee therefore to For than it is thy part to excite them. be weary, that thou lettest not slip this occasion of acquiring these virtues: And if thou hast made a truce with thy foe, and art at peace with thy passions; yet reduce into memory thy past and overcome temptations; and excite the ill suggestions which have formerly molested thee, yea and carry thyself so towards them, as if thou seemedst to consent, and yield them the victory: And with all mark the motives, arguments, & reasons suggested by thy enemy; examine what he aims at, what he would have of thee, and to what thou art inclined; and when thou seest thy Sensitive part stirred up, and evil thoughts ascending, increasing, and almost domineering over thy Reason, which is even ready to give her consent; Then draw back thy foot, and violently excite good thoughts in thy soul in opposition to those evil suggestions, boldly denying them further entrance or longer continuance. And fight the battle over and over, so And to fight afresh with them, often and so long, till thou feelest in thyself, that thou art now a conqueror of thyself. 6. But we must yet furthermore Till thou gettest a perfect hatred against them. take notice, that though we have gallantly fought, and happily foiled our enemies; we are in no security, till we hate them perfectly. And to excite, increase, and perfect this our due hatred against them, we must so often (as aforesaid) stir them up, and provoke them to the combat, thereby to take occasion of contemning, despising, and abhorring them, (that is our evil affections,) with the greater indignation; till we at length come to have a true and constant hatred against them. 7. Now, for the adorning of thy And the way to plant virtues, is to practice acts contrary to these defects. soul with vertures, the former fights and exercises against unruly passions, and evil affections, suffice not; but thou must frequently and fervently undertake the practice of those affections, and acts of those virtues, which are contrary to those now-extirpated passions, and overcome vices. As thus: One gives thee occasion of impatienc●: It is not enough for thee to conquer and quell this motion according to the now-delivered doctrine; but thou shouldst moreover desire, that the same person may, in the same manner, more & more move and molest thee; yea, thou shouldst force thyself to feel content in that trouble; and make resolutions to suffer more of the like nature, or greater of any other: And which is yet above all this, thou must constrain thyself to converse lovingly, speak sweetly, serve cordially that very person, whose occasion thus moves thee to impatience. EXPLICATION. THe reason why such contrary The reason why such contrary acts are so necessary, acts are necessary to perfect our virtue; is, for that the root from which the vice buds forth, can by no other acts so fully be extirpated. Therefore, (to continnue in the same example,) although when we are slighted and contemned, we yield not to the motions of impatience, but beat it down with the three forementioned weapons; yet if we habituate not ourselves to make this contempt pleasing unto us, and to rejoice therein, we shall never be freed and exempt from the vice of impatience; which (by reason of our natural proneness to seek the increase of our particular reputation,) is founded in the abhorring Is, for that whilst the root of vice remains alive in us, it will still bud forth, and choke up our plants of virtue. of all contempt: And so long as this vicious root remains alive, it will be still putting forth, and make our virtue languish and droop, yea and sometimes choke it up: besides, that it puts us to perpetual danger of relapses upon all occasions which are represented unto us: whence it is clear, that without the practice of such contrary acts, we can never obtain the true habits of virtues. And you are further to be instructed, that these acts must be so fervent, frequent, Therefore we must make many acts, contrary to the vicious habit, and numerous, that they may be capable to destroy totally the vicious habit; which having got the possession of our heart by many vicious acts, must be thence extracted by many acts of contrary nature, that the desired virtuous habit may be let in and implanted. Yea, I That we may implant the habit of virtue: moreover advertise you, that more good acts are required to obtain a habit of virtue, than vicious acts to get the habit of vice, because those are not assisted, (as these are,) by nature corrupted with sin. I add to all this, that if the virtue which you practise, requires it, you are to make outward acts conformable to the inward: And these acts must be external as well as internal. Text. Which is indeed full of pain, but very full of profit. as, (in the aforesaid subject,) you must use words of love and sweetness; and strive to find out, and lay hold on some occasion, of serving him, whom you take for your opposite and enemy. 8. And although these practices are full of pain, and seem to be so coldly performed by thee, that thou perceivest them to go against the hair; yet omit them not in any case: For if they are painful, they are also profitable; making thee valiant and bold to fight these holy battles, & preparing thy way to the victory. 9 Thou art moreover to be advertized, And this diligence must be used all so against the least evil motions; that not only these great and grievous temptations, and manifest wickednesses, are to be stoutly resisted; but even the least and lightest passions and disordered motions: For these are but forerunners of the greater, opening the door for them to steal in upon us and oppress us at unawares, and so to precipitate us into all vices: And it oftentimes falls out with them, who sleight these petty temptations, and care not to use diligence in resisting them: that when they afterwards least suspect it, much more grievous suggestions, do suddenly, violently, and dangerously invade them. Yea, and against lawful affections, when they are not absolutely necessary. 10. Lastly, thou must also resolve to skirmish with thy lawful affections, and deny thyself even in thy honest desires, when they appear not to be necessary: For this will render thee an experienced soldier in this spiritual warfare, and a most grateful servant to thy Lord and Saviour. 11. And now I tell thee plainly, For this is the way to become truly spiritual. (my dearly beloved,) If thou wilt try and train up thyself (in thy ghostly quarrel,) according to this prescribed method; thou shalt soon feel, (God's grace assisting thee,) a happy and total change into spirituality. But if thou wilt needs follow other exercises, though seeming most excellent, and performed with such present gust and sweetness, as if thou hadst the full and familiar conference and company of thy Crucified Jesus: never persuade thyself, that such delicious ways, are the direct path to perfection. 12. For as our vices spring fo●m Because all vice springs from the yielding to sense, this fountain, that our superior Will or Reason submits herself to the inferior feelings of Sensuality: So on the contrary, Virtues are ingenerated in our souls, by due submission of this Will to the divine Will; and And all virtue by subduing and submitting our Will to Gods. as our will can never be truly good and grateful to God, (though it receive from him never so holy and heavenly inspirations, and be driven by the impulse of his Will to all its works and omissions) unless it consent to the divine operations within itself; so it cannot be termed bad, and separated from God, though never so much tempted and troubled by the Sensuality, but only by consenting unto it. CHAP. VIII. What he must do who feels his Superior Will or Reason, overcome by his inferior Will or Sensuality. IF thou sometimes findest (o dearly beloved) that thou prevailest nothing at all in the fight of thy Reason against sense; because thou feelest not an efficacious ardour to root out ill affections; Be not troubled, but stand As long as thy Reason consents not to Sensuality, fear not. fast, and still pursue thy fight with courage and constancy: For as long as thy Reason keeps herself from consenting to these motions of Sensuality, so long thou hast the better in this battle, and art master of the field. 2. Nor is it necessary that all thy affections and motions of Sensuality do entirely submit to thy Reason's For victory consists not in feeling no motions, but in not yielding. empire; neither doth our victory consist, in feeling no perverse passions in our Sensuality: But it sufficeth, that our Will and Reason (though Sensuality storm never so much) can always act or omit, do or not do, will or desire, when, how, where, and as she pleaseth: In so much as the Devil himself, and the whole world together, can never alter this our resolution. 3. And if it sometimes happen, But if thy enemies surprise thy reason, that thy enemies suddenly and violently rush in upon thee; and so surprise thy Reason, as to give it no respite to have recourse to such wont ways of devotion, whereby it might suppress these motions: Then briefly make use of thy tongue, and say: No, no, I believe thee not, I will none of thee, I will never consent unto thee. And so behave thyself in this exigent against thy inward foes, as one would do being oppressed unawares with outward enemies: For his sword proving useless in his defence, he strives to step backwards, that so he may get ground and time both to draw his sword, and also to drive his enemy away therewith: And do thou in like sort, O spiritual champion; first give back, thereby Then give back to gain time and strength. to gain time to think upon thy nothing, and that of thyself thou canst never conquer thy cruel enemies: And then buckling up thyself with hope and confidence in thy God, who can do all things, make a gallant assault upon thine enemy; saying, Lord help me, O my God give succour to thy servant; O Jesus, O Marry, the most worthy Mother of my Redeemer, deliver me from this danger. 4. But if thou hast time to breath And if thou hast time, help thyself with consideration, upon it, than thou mayst support thy Will from consenting and yielding, by the succour of thy Understanding: fetching strength from the Consideration of those means, which may help her against her enemies: As for example; If a great and grievous Impatience hath laid hold on thee, (by reason of some accident or affliction,) in so much that it seems more than thou wilt or canst do to bear or dissemble it any longer: help thyself presently with these following thoughts. 5. First, whether or no thou hast First, whether thou hast deserved this affliction. any way deserved, or given just occasion, that this adversity should befall thee: If so, rest contented, be no longer troubled; for it is most just and equitable, that thou patiently bear the blow given to thyself, by If so, rest contented. thine own hands: But if not, Then turn thine eyes to thy other sins, If not, think on thy former sins not yet fully punished. for which neither thy loving Lord hath yet chastised thee as thou deservest, nor thou afflicted thyself as thou oughtest: And thence conclude, Secondly, That thy m●eke and merciful m●ker, hath exchanged either the eternal pain, which thou shouldst have endured in Hell-fire, or else the temporal punishment, due to thee in Purgatory, into this easy and fatherly correction: And what then is more reasonable, than that thou embrace it, not only with a willing mind, but also with a grateful acknowledgement for so bountiful a benefit. Yea, though they were; yet selfe-denial and sufferance is the way to heaven. 6. Thirdly, But if thou thinkest, (which God forbidden thou shouldest) that thou hast done sufficient penance for thy petty-offences: then reflect with thyself, that none can enter the heavenly Kingdom, but they must pass through the narrow gate of selfe-deniall, and of patience in tribulation; for thus Gods holy Son himself, and all his blessed Saints ascended to their glory. 7. Fourthly; Nay, put case thou And if there were another way, yet thy duty to God binds thee to choose this, couldst find out some other way to get to heaven; yet thou art obliged by the law of love, and duty, not to do nor desire it: For the Son of God chose the way of thorns and crosses by which he would enter into his glory; and this for thy love, and that thou shouldst imitate him, who left thee this exact pattern of perfect patience. 8. Lastly, know for certain, that As being most grateful and pleasing to his Majesty. amongst all the pious motives and meditations, which thou makest use of in these or the like events and necessities, for the comfort and confirmation of thy Will; this seems to be one of the most efficacious: To think what a joy and content it is to thy Lord God, how he likes and loves thee, when he beholds thee fight so stoutly for his sake. For nothing surely can be more grateful to thy Creator, than that thou kill, and cut up by the root, all depraved desires; and plant true virtues in their places, and this merely for that thou well knowest it to be his holy Will and pleasure. CHAP. IX. That we must not shun the occasions of these combats. ANd now (my dearly beloved.) 1. The way to get true virtue, is not to avoid, but to seek the occasions of combat. I add to all these means hitherto mentioned for the acquisition of virtues, this as a short and certain memorial: That thou neither fear nor fly, the offered occasions of fight against thy passions. For if thou art desirous to have the habit of any virtue, (as of Patience, for example,) thy way is not to shut thyself up from conversing with men, or to shun those things, (whether words, actions, or cogitations) which move thee to Impatience. No, thou As for example, to get Patience shun not the company, must not shun them, I say, but seek them out, desire them, and love their company and conversation who are the causes of this thy disquiet. And as often as thou shalt have occasion of intercourse with them, prepare thyself, and make ready thy Will to receive joyfully and endure patiently all tribulations and troubles, which they can any way bring upon thee. And this is thy only way to accustom thyself to Patience. 2. In like manner, If thou art Or the employment which is tedious to thee. weary of any work, which grows tedious and troublesome unto thee; (either for that the person who commands it displeaseth thee, or because it is of itself offensive, or that thou art thereby hindered from some other employment, which thou wouldst more willingly embrace) yet omit it not upon any terms, but rather set sooner upon that work than any other, be it never so painful or displeasing: And although the leaving it undone seems to settle and quiet thy mind, yet still see thou desist not from doing it: For thus thou shalt become more and more instructed in the way to get perfect Patience: Nor is that supposed quiet, at all solid, because it springs not from a heart sincerely purified from all disorderly passion. 3. And I teach the same lesson, And the same rule is to be applied to troublesome thoughts. concerning such thoughts; as sometimes trouble and contristate thy mind: To wit, that thy aim be not utterly to expel them, but kindly to entertain them, and treat them as grateful guests; because the trouble of their company, inures thee to the patiented suffering of all contrarieties. And whosoever shall otherwise instruct thee, (o my b●loved,) commands thee to fly that very thing in affliction, which thou seekest to obtain by fight; that is, the virtue which thou desirest to gain, by conquering thine enemies. 4. But yet a young, and unexperienced Yet a young Scholar, must be wary in waging this war; Soldier in this spiritual conflict, must warily enter the list to wage this war with wicked thoughts: and therefore I counsel him sometimes to oppose them, othertimes to exchange them for others, according as he perceives this or that way best profits him in the acquisition of virtues; but never so But never desert the field. to fly from them and totally leave them▪ as to seek to be quit of all trouble and irksomeness which thence ariseth; For though by this flight, he cuts off the occasion of impatience, yet he gets no strength or constancy of heart, against the next rising motions thereof. 5. Whence it follows, that if the same Sergeants of Impatience do at ●or than he will still be unprovided. another time, seize on him; he is soon terrified, and quickly conquered; because he was unprovided of arms convenient for the combat; that is, he had not fortified his mind, with customs, counsels, thoughts, and resolutions to keep perfect patience in all events of Adversity. This way is useful against all imperfections, carnality only excepted. And this way of warring, is very profitable, not only against Impatience, but all other Imperfections; (the carnal still excepted,) whereof shall be hereafter treated. CHAP. X. Of the Fight against sudden temptations and passions. HE that is not yet accustomed to receive sudden adversities and troubles with a calm countenance and quiet mind, may thus enure himself thereto: Let him first diligently consider them with his Understanding, then earnestly desire them with his Will, and finally always expect them with a ready, resolute and prepared Mind. 2. The manner to ponder such First, thou art to ponder them in thy understanding, And foresee what is like to befall thee. adversities by the Understanding is this: Mark thine own state, calling and condition, as also the place and persons where and with whom thou art like daily to converse: thus thou mayst easily foresee what may probably befall thee, and how thou must carry thyself, and fortify thy mind, against any sudden surprisal of thy passions. And if some accident not foreseen chance to happen, then besides this former strength already gained by that first resolution to bear all cross events with an evenness of mind, thou mayst thus farther help thyself. 3. When thou perceivest that thou But if some other cross happens not foreseen; fly to the thoughts of God's love and providence, art slighted, scorned or any way injured; presently enforce thy mind towards thy Lord and maker, and weigh his immense bounty and infinite love to thee: from which thought it will forthwith occur to thy understanding, that he is the chief cause of this thy trouble and tribulation; and that he expressly permits it to befall thee, that thou mayst learn to bear it patiently for his love, and so mayst draw nearer, and be more perfectly united unto him. 4. And after thou hast thus concluded with thyself, that it is his divine will and pleasure thou shouldest suffer it patiently; then reflect thy thoughts back upon thyself, and begin to chide thy soul, and tell it: Ah, why strivest thou to cast off this cross, which neither this nor Who sends it, or permits it, that enemy, but thy most loving Lord, and heavenly Father hath laid upon thy shoulders? Then turn to the Cross or calamity which presseth thee, salute it, praise it, embrace it, and receive it with all possible joy and alacrity. 5. And although the rising passions And be constant though almost conquered. be so unruly and violent, that they suffer not thy mind to elevate itself to God, but leave thee wounded, and almost vanquished; yet persevere in thy well made resolution, and proceed on as if thou wert not worsted in the skirmish. 6. But amongst all the remedies But the best remedy against sudden motions, is to cut off their causes. against these sudden and unexpected motions, this seems most effectual; To take away timely the cause from whence they proceed: As, If thou feelest thy mind much troubled, when thou canst not obtain such a thing, which thou affectest: presently, away with that love to it, exclude that thing from thy mind. But if thy trouble and vexation ariseth not from the thing, but from the person who hinders, helps, or procures it; and this party is so highly displeasing to thy humour, that the least thing as coming from him is troublesome to thee; then the speediest and best remedy is to conquer thine own inclination, and compel thy will to yield him true love and affection. EXPLICATION. FOr besides that he is a Creature, framed as thou art, by the All-powerfull hand of God, and redeemed by the same precious ransom of thy dear Saviour's blood; he furthermore presents thee with a happy occasion, (if thou canst love it, and lay hold thereon,) to make thyself even like God, who is good and gracious to all. CHAP. XI. Of the fight against our flesh, and fleshly concupiscence. IN this war with thy flesh, (o my 1. In this war, thou must change thy weapon; And therefore, Before the temptation assails thee, call it not; But avoid all occasions of procuring it, Which are five, 1. Conversation. dearly beloved) thou must change thy weapon, and fight in a new posture, contrary to the former. And therefore thou art to take particular notice of three times: to wit, the time going before the temptation, accompanying it, and following it. 2. Before thou feelest the temptations of this kind, fight not with them, but diligently fly the occasions; and cut off all causes which procure them: As First, all conversation, though never so little dangerous. EXPLICATION. BEcause this enemy is not to be affronted, but avoided by all possible means, and we are to dread the encounter of any person whatsoever, whose presence may put us in the least danger; nor are we to trust our not feeling presently the stings of the temptation, for this This enemy assails us sometimes by stealth. accursed vice makes its approaches most commonly by stealth and under hand, and hurts us by so much the more grievously by how much it pretends truce and amity, whereby we neither distrust its treachery, nor stand upon our guards to defend ourselves vigorously: So that there is oftentimes more cause of fear, when the haunt & familiarity is continued under the pretext of lawfulness, as of And under the pretext of lawfulness, etc. kindred, of obligation, of compliance, or even of virtue in the party beloved; for then the poisonous pleasure of our sensuality, intermixeth itself with this affection, (which But sensuality may mix itself with thy affection, and ruin thy soul. is in its own nature good and holy) and insensibly distilling into the heart and penetrating by little and little into the very marrow of the soul, at last darkens and obscures the Reason; till it be brought to slight all dangers, and so by degrees fall either into open ruin, or at least into such troublesome temptations, which are afterwards very hard to be conquered. Secondly, All pleasant aspects Text. 2, Aspects. upon any such persons or things, all show of familiarity, all loving Salutaon, all pressing of their hands with thine, or the like levitieses: But if thou hast some affair which must necessarily be transacted with such a one, dispatch it with all speed and gravity. Thirdly, Take heed of idleness, 3. Idleness. and take a particular and perpetual care, never to act or think any thing unbeseeming thy state and vocation. Fourthly, Be punctual in obeying 4 Disobedience. thy Superior, never contradict him in any thing, but be ever ready to execute his command. Fifthly, Judge 5. Vain-Complacency. not rashly of thy neighbour concerning this vice: yea, though his sin be manifest, and cannot admit of any excusation; do thou condole with him, but neither disdain nor despise him. And turning his imperfection to thy own profit, humble and contemn thyself; debase thyself even to the dust, and trembling with awful fear, beg hearty the divine assistance, that thou be not likewise tempted, lest thou likewise fall. For, if thou art ready to judge and slight others, God will punish thee to thy cost, and permit thee to fall into the same vice, that so thou mayst learn truly to know and humble thyself, and suppress thy own pride and presumption: For if thou art proud and fallest not, thy Salvation is much to be doubted of. Lastly, mark seriously, and beware of vaine-complacence in thyself, upon the feeling of any sensible grace, or spiritual comfort: or inward delight in devotion, persuade not thyself that thou art therefore more perfect, or that thou shalt henceforth have no enemies to fight withal; but remain still careful, and ever fearful. 3. In the time accompanying thy In the time of temptation, mark the cause of it; whether external, and fly from it, temptations; weigh whether they proceed from an external or internal cause: by external causes are commonly understood, conversation, speeches, reading, or whatsoever may provoke to this vice: against which the only, present, and perfect remedy, is to omit all such exercises and fly from these occasions: For there is no fight with these temptations, as is aforesaid, but the best security is to fly far from them, lest they infect thy soul with their contagion: By inward causes are meant, Or internal. either the body which is over full of sap and strength: Or the mind, which is infested with filthy thoughts, coming either from our own evil customs, and neglect of our senses; or else from the enemy's suggestion. 4. The first of these inward causes, And prevent it by fit chastisements of the body, which is from the body's fullness, must be prevented with fastings, hairecloths, watch, and the like chastisements and austerities, as Reason dictates, or Obedience directs. The other inward causes coming And by hearty prayer, from filthy fancies, are best remedied by holy prayer, pious meditation, diligent labour, and continual employment, in affairs convenient for thy state. EXPLICATION. THy Prayer may be made in this or the like manner; When thou first apprehendest the approach of the enemy coming to assault thee with such fancies, recurre suddenly to the sacred Crucifix, saying, O my Jesus, my sweet Jesus, secure me with speed, that I be not subdued, and embracing the Cross with thy Saviour upon it, kiss and cherish again and again his holy feet, and speak with heart and affection: O blessed wounds, o chaste and comfortable wounds, o sacred and sugared wounds! wound this wretched and unworthy heart of mine with thy pure and perfect love, and free it from these present and pressing motions of impurity, etc. But I would not advise thee to Text. Yet not according as some books prescribe. choose such points of meditation, which many spiritual books prescribe for remedy of these temptations: which are, to consider, First, the foulness of carnal vices, & their insatiableness: Then the great shame and danger which must of necessity accompany them; and lastly, the loss of fame, and consumption of goods; temporal discontents, and eternal damnation: For though these are good mediations, yet they are not conducing to the conquering of these temptations: For since that Flight, in the judgement of all, is the Sovereign remedy against this disease; therefore every such thing is Which may give new occasions to impurity. to be avoided, which gives any occasion to impure cogitations: But in these forementioned meditations, howsoever the understanding tires i● self in detesting these sins of carnality; yet at the same time, it fastens such fancies in the memory, that there are just grounds to fear the falling into delight thereof. 5. Wherefore, let the matter of But by meditating on Christ's death and passion. thy meditations for this purpose, be rather taken from the passion and death of our Saviour Jesus. And if evil temptations of that nature, do also in these pious meditations intrude themselves (against thy Will) to trouble thee; and notwithstanding thy vigilancy, yet still drive on their plots, and invent new devices against thee; (which may perhaps befall thee as well as others) yet be not out of heart, nor leave off thy well-begun meditations; nor stay to dispute with these flying thoughts; but proceed constantly in what thou art about, leaving and laughing at the other fancies, as if they nothing concerned thee. And this is the only and best way to conquer im●ure cogitations, though never so importunate and troublesome. EXPLICATION. ANd thou mayst conclude thy meditation, with this or some such colloquy: O my sovereign Creator and sweet Redeemer! disengage me from mine enemies for thy bitter passions sake, etc. And be sure not to permit thy fancy to return or reflect on the vice, since the only memory thereof is accompanied with very much danger. 6. And take heed of holding any Text. Dispute not with carnal temptations, argument with them, whether thou hast yielded thy consent or not; for this is a covert deceit of the Devil, who under this mask of good, lies waiting to ensnare thee, and bring thee into inconvenience. Which at another time, when thou enjoyest thy quiet, and art free from these troublesome temptations, will be easily perceived by thee, and taught But discover them to thy Ghostly Father. thee by thy ghostly Father: To whom thou art faithfully to discover all and every such thoughts, and not to be ashamed: For humility is here mainly necessary, if we mean to complete the victory. 7. As concerning holy Prayer, And make no actual and particular reflections upon these temptations. (another remedy against this carnal● malady, and all other spiritual diseases) know, that it must be made with often lifting up thy mind to God, virtually intending to pray for victory over these thine enemies without any actual reflection upon the temptations; Beware therefore of descending to particulars in thy prayers, or to show as it were their malice, and thy misery, by reflecting upon special circumstances: for this may endanger thee to fall into new delectation. And this will suffice thee for thy defence in time of temptation. 8. And after the carnal temptation After the temptation is past, stand upon thy guard. is past, think not that thou art presently safe and secure from the like assault: but stand upon thy guard, and do not so much as ever remember those objects which occasioned thy temptations, though never so much disguised with the appearance of virtue or piety; For all this is a secret persuasion of our corrupted nature, and a craft of the Devil to ensnare us, and allure us to delight. CHAP. XII. How to fight against slackness, and negligence. THat thou mayst secure thyself, (o dearly beloved,) from this pernicious vice; employ thy whole diligence and endeavours, to correspond readily with all holy inspirations, Fellow holy inspirations speedily. and to decline all earthly comforts, curiosities, and superfluous affairs, not directly belonging to thy state and calling. EXPLICATION. COncerning which prompt and speedy correspondency with God's holy inspirations, take this Rule: Be sure not to defer the To begin a good work speedily, and in its due time, enterprise and beginning of that thing, (which thou art certainly satisfied thou oughtest to do), in its due and fit time: For I assure thee, this delay in the beginning of thy work, will prove an unrecoverable loss in the progress thereof: because this first short lingering, calls on a second, which invites a third, and that is attended by another, and so thou wilt pass on to admit of more, to Is of great consequence to overcome sloth. which thy sense will consent more easily than to the first, as having now tasted the bait, and swallowed down the seeming pleasure of this protraction: whence it follows, that thou either interest upon thy exercise when 'tis too late, or wholly omittest it, because thou art totally disgusted therewith. Thus by little and little, and almost insensibly, creeps in this evil habit of Negligence, and in the end we content ourselves with this conceit, that we will do it another time more carefully and diligently. Take heed therefore of this most subtle enemy, Negligence, which not only infects the Will, by making it abhor action; but also blinds the Understanding that it apprehends not the vanity of these ill-grounded maxims, to fancy the doing of our duty another time more devoutly and diligently, which we may now perform; and yet voluntarily leave it, or negligently delay it. Wherefore having courageously And having courageously set upon it, carefully prosecute the same. begun thy good work, continue it carefully, prosecute it diligently, and end it devoutly; yet not so hastily as to hurt or prejudice the perfection thereof, or to imitate the error and idleness of them, who out of slothfulness think upon nothing but to make a speedy end of what they have enterprised; little caring to do it well, but only striving to dispatch it quickly, that they may the sooner enjoy their over much-desired quiet and repose. 2. And because there is no better Text. remedy to recall one fallen into this sluggish vice, than thus to settle him to some good work; (though the slothful man, loathes all such employments; having more thought upon the labour, which he must undergo, The fruit of good works must be discovered, than the fruit which follows it:) Therefore this good must be discovered, and made apparent unto him; and he must be given to understand, that one hearty elevation of the mind to God, or one only bending of the knee humbly to the earth for his honour, is more worth than all worldly wealth and treasures. EXPLICATION. ANd that as often as we make a diligent hast to speed a good work, by using a certain force and violence to ourselves, so often the holy Angels bring crowns of glorious victory from heaven to adorn our souls: and that God by little and little takes away from the tepid and negligent, those graces which he had formerly given them, increasing them to his faithful friends and followers. And as for the pain which is to Text. be taken in the prosecution of virtuous practices; it must be so dexterously And the pains disguised. hid and disguised from him, that it may seem less and lighter than it is. As; If thou shouldest perchance employ thyself in the exercise of pious meditation for the space of one whole hour, and that seems too long to thy lazy disposition; use a pious fraud, and persuade thy sensuality, that after half a quarter's time well spent in prayer, thou wilt presently leave of: And again when this short space is past, get thy body to have patience a little longer, before thou ceasest thy devotions; and thus continuing from space to space, the whole hour will soon be overpassed, and thy sloth easily shaken of. 4. But if indeed thou findest a real Unless there be a real disability. disability of body, to bear such labours; thou mayst lawfully leave it off for a time; till by degrees, it becomes accustomed to perform these practices of piety, with more fervour and alacrity. EXPLICATION. THis I tell thee, as condescending to thy sloth and weakness: But if thou wouldst habituate thyself to make all labour light, and all pains pleasant; the best, though the But the best way to get a custom of enduring, is to expect crosses continually, most difficult way, is to get before it, expect it, & cheerfully embrace it at the first encounter; whence thou wilt find, that all tediousness in the performance thereof will be turned into perfect quiet & content, since what thou dost, thou dost voluntarily and willingly: whereas if on the contrary thou seekest to shun labour, it will And not to seek how to shun them. not only seem irksome when it comes to be performed, but formidable beforehand to thy apprehension; so that thy very qui●t will be subject to trouble, and the fear of this surprisal will continually alarm thy fancy; thou wilt abhor all painstaking, as a thing loathsome, and still dread the occurrence of such occasions, persons or objects, as are like to impose it upon thee. 6. Marvel not that I so much press this point, and inveigh against Negligence, is highly prejudicial to perfection, this vice of Negligence; I do it, for that it is seldom perceived, and yet highly prejudicial, because it persecutes and pursues us most secretly, and subtly, it falls upon us not by force but flattery, it gnaws the very root of all spirituality, and insensibly gangrenes the marrow of our piety and devotion: And our enemy hath no better or more alluring bait to And the most alluring bait of our enemy. entice any one into his treacherous ambushes, especially them who aim at spirituality: Be thou therefore vigilant, (o my dearly beloved,) pray hearty, perform good works diligently, and delay not the spinning of the wool for thy nuptial robe, until the marriage day be come, when thou shouldest be ready and arrayed to go before thy dear Spouse. Reflect, that thy God, who Therefore take timely care to prevent it. gave thee the morning, doth not promise thee an evening; therefore improve each moment to thy profit, and remember the strict account which will be exacted thereof. I And account that day lo●●, in which thou hast done no goodaction. conclude, and counsel thee to give that day for lost, (though thou hast dispatched never so many affairs,) wherein thou hast gotten no victory over thy enemies, nor thanked God for his benefits. CHAP. XIII. How to govern our Sensuality. THy Sensuality (o dearly beloved) is the ordinary gate whereby the Devil enters into thee; Let it be therefore thy chief care so to keep and curb it, that it may rather be a door always open to let in thy Lord God to thy Soul. Therefore in all thy commerce with earthly creatures, be sure to have thy heart Keep thy heart disengaged from earthly creatures, free and disengaged from them; and often elevating the eye of thy affection to thy God, look upon him, hidden in that creature as in his own work: and then reflect, that thy same Lord and love, is within thee also; and thou mayst begin to confer with him in this sort. O my merciful maker, and eternal Lord God; thou art ever present with me; Thou art more within me than I am in myself: and I ungrateful and forgetful wretch, remember thee not, love thee not, honour thee not. 2. At other times, elevate thy And contemplate thy creators greatness; thoughts to the contemplation of God's incomprehensible perfections; and rejoice in those his goods, greatnesses, and glories, more than if they were all thine own. And be more glad, that he is incomprehensible in his Majesty, than if he were within the reach of thy understanding and capacity. 3. And when thou remarkest any And reduce all ●reated perfection to him, the fountain, main perfection, either of Grace or Nature, in any man or woman, (as wisdom, understanding, piety, justice, and the like,) lift up thyself to him who is the bountiful bestower; and consider them not as they are in that creature, but reducing them to thy Lord God, say: Behold these, o my God, are rivulets flowing out of thee, the true, living, eternal and increate fountain; these are the rewards of thy servants, issuing out of the immense Ocean of thy ineffable bounty. 4. But when the beauty of any And all earthly beauty to heavenly glory. creature allures thee to any delight and complacency; pass presently from earthly beauty, to the thought of supernal glory, and therein only taking pleasure, say: O my God, when will the happy day come, that I shall take in thee only my whole delight? 5. Another remedy against suchlike Mark well the craft of the Devil. surprises of pleasure, may be; To ponder presently with thy understanding, how cunningly the Devil, (who only seeks to kill, or at least to wound thy soul mortally,) lies lurking under this bait. Which when thou perceivest, tell him boldly: Ah, thou cursed serpent, how craftily and covertly, dost thou lie in wait, to infect me with thy poison? And then lift up thy mind to God-ward, saying: O the goodness of my God, be thou eternally blessed and praised, which hast discovered my hidden enemy, lying in wait to destroy my soul! 6. But in other accidents, which But when things which are unpleasant befall thee, think upon God's eternal decree. go against the hair, and rather procure pain than pleasure, thou mayst thus exercise thyself: when something happens which is of hard digestion to thy Sensuality, (as heat, hunger, sickness, blows, or the like,) elevate thy mind to that eternal will, who would have it so, and even from all eternity decreed that thou shouldest suffer this or that calamity, at this very time, thus grievously, and with these circumstances, as thou now endurest the same: Therefore full of hearty joy say within thyself: Now is thy divine will, (o my eternal Lord and love) accomplished in me; whereby thou wouldst from all eternity, that I now in this manner, measure, and number, should receive and carry this cross: and I acknowledge all this to be for thine honour and glory, and my own soul's welfare and salvation. 7. And make use also of such like So likewise in any sudden or dismal chance, thoughts, upon all dismal occasions of wind, weather, and the like; which are out of man's power and providence to hinder or prevent. So, when thou readest any thing which tickles thy fancy, turn presently all thy delight to thy Lord God; and conclude, that he infallibly is hid under those words, and now by them sweetly discovers himself unto thee. And in like manner, when good thoughts occur with complacency And in all self complacency. and delight, as proceeding from the reflection upon some good and virtuous action; turn thy mind suddenly to thy Lord God, and adoring him with all possible humility and reverence, acknowledge that good to have sprung from his grace, and therefore thou gratefully returnest it his glory. EXPLICATION. A larger Declaration of the foregoing Chapter, concerning the government of our outward senses. THat thou mayst rightly study this useful science, and learn how to govern & regulate thy outward senses; it imports thee to use all exactness of custody, all curiosity, care, and diligence, and a perpetual and never-intermitted practise; because the appetite which sits as Captain The appetite is violently bend to seek its pleasure, and chief commander of our corrupted nature, is violently and inconsiderately bend to search after worldly solaces, earthly pleasures, and outward contentments; but being of itself unable to acquire them, makes use of the senses, as his Soldiers And makes use of the senses to obtain it. and natural instruments, to apprehend their objects; from whence drawing their images, it imprints them in the soul, and proceeds on to pleasure, which (by reason of the sympathy between it and the flesh) dilates itself through all those senses which are capable of such pleasure: and from hence is derived the common contagion which infects & corrupts both body and soul. Secondly, Now if thou art truly sensible of the danger of this poison, apply speedily The Antidote against this poison, this antidote which I have here prepared against it. Beware of giving up the reins to thy senses, or letting them run at random after the unruly fancy of their leading appetite; and never make use of them in things tending to mere pleasure, without any further good end, profit or necessity; but if unawares, they have gotten And how to curb the senses roaming abroad, vent, and are roamed too far abroad, either recall them back, or else so regulate and curb them, that whereas they had at first basely yielded up themselves, and were become wretched prisoners to vain pleasure, they may now bring home some noble spoil or other from each object, and place it as a trophy in thy soul, where she recollected within herself displays the banners of her affections towards heaven in the contemplation of her Creator: Which thou mayst thus practise: So soon as any object is presented to one of thy outward senses, separate in thy thought, the spirit which is in that creature, from the creature it By separating the spirit of each object, from the thing itself material; self, and conclude that it hath nothing of its own nature which can charm thy sense, but that all is the work of God, whose Spirit bestows invisibly this being upon it, gives it this goodness, and endues it with this beauty, & with all other its prerogatives and perfections: Then rejoice hearty that thy God is the only cause and source of so many and so great excellencies, which he eminently contains in his divine essence, and whereof these are the least and lowest images. 3. So when thou findest thy sense fastened upon some creature which Whether it be a creature which hath only a Being. hath only a Being, reduce it in thy thought to its first nothing, looking with the interior eye of thy soul upon thy Sovereign Creator there present, who beautified it with this Being, and taking pleasure in him alone, thou may'st say: O Divine and desirable essence! how doth my heart leap with joy that thou alone art the infinite beginning of all created Being. 4. In like manner, when thou Or hath a Vegetation, and increase; takest notice of Trees, Plants, Herbs, Flowers, and such other things; thy understanding will soon distinguish, how they have no life of themselves, but from that quickening Spirit, which falls not under the sense of thy fight; to whom thou mayst thus breathe forth: Behold the true life, from which, in which, and by which, all creatures live and increase: O the lively and lovely contentment of my heart! 5. Also, beholding brute-beasts, Or hath sense and feeling. let thy spirit soar up to thy God, the free bestower of all their sense and motion, saying: O prime mover of all things, yet remaining in thyself immovable; how great is my joy in thy firm stability! 6. Moreover, when thy sense is Or is endued with rare beauty; touched and tickled with some rare Beauty; separate with all speed that which appears to the eye, from the inward spirit which appears not at all; and considering, that all the outward fairness, springs only from the invisible Fountain; say with a gladsome heart: Oh! the jubilation of my Soul, when it thinks on that eternal and immense beauty, which is the original source and essential cause of all created comeliness! 7. Furthermore, upon the consideration of any perfection in Creatures, Or excellent perfection; first making the aforesaid separation, then break forth into these-like expressions: O rich treasury of all virtues! What contentment do I feel, that all good is derived from thee, and by thee only? and that all goodness, compared to thy Divine perfection, is a mere nothing. 8. Stretching forth thy hand to Also, when thou undertakest any action, any action, imagine thy Lord God to be the first cause thereof, and thou only the living instrument of his Divine Majesty, to whom thy Soul may thus pour forth itself: O Sovereign Lord of this Universe! how truly do I rejoice that I can do no one thing without thee, and that thou art the prime and principal agent in all good actions. 9 Taking any refection of Meat Or refreshest thy body with meat and drink, or Drink; reflect who gives that gust and savour to that Creature, and taking no other content than in him only, say: Be joyful, O my Soul, that there is no true satisfaction out of thy God, and that in him only thou hast a full abundance of all pleasure. 10. If some delicious smell be Or smellest delicious odours welcome to thy sense; stay not there, but ascend to him who is the source of all sweetness, and with a heart softened with comfort, say: Alas! O my Lord, as I am truly glad that all sweetness proceeds from thee, so grant I beseech thee, that my Soul being truly despoiled and unclothed of all earthly pleasure, may purely soar up to thy delicious Paradise, and render a perpetually pleasing odour to thy Divine Nostrils. 11. When thou art taken with the Or art delighted with musical harmony, Musical harmony of some excellent voice or instrument, turn thy soul to thy Saviour, and speak to him: O my Lord and my God, how do I joy in thy infinite perfections? O what an admirable harmony do they make not only in thyself, but also in the heavenly Citizens, and in all other thy Creatures? 12. Thus mayst thou (my dearly Or any other sensible object. Beloved) raise up thy spirit from all sensible objects to the contemplation of the divinity, as hath been hitherto declared. It remains, that thou be now in like manner instructed how to pass from the same sensible objects to the meditation of the Word incarnate, by frequent reflections upon thy Saviour's Life How to raise thy Soul by the same objects, to contemplate the Word Incarnate. and Passion. And to this effect, all things of the whole Universe will conduce; by considering in them (as before) that Sovereign and Supreme good which is the efficient cause of their whole being and beauty; and thence passing on to the admiration of his immense goodness and greatness, who being the absolute Lord of all these things, would vouchsafe to descend so low as to become man, and to die for man, permitting his own Creatures to arm themselves against him their Creator. Many things will also particularly represent to the eyes of thy Soul, these sacred mysteries; and put thee in mind of the several instruments of his severe sufferings: As for example, by the sight of poor cottages. Of Rain. Poor cottages will remember thee of thy Saviour's stable and cribb: If it raineth, thou wilt reflect upon that Divine moisture, distilling from his Body in his bloody agony: The ●tones which thou beholdest, will Of Stones. put thee in mind of the Rocks rending in sunder at his Death; the Earth Of the Earth. will seem to tell thee how it then trembled; and the bright-shining Sun, how its light was then obscured. Of the Sun. Of the Water, etc. If thou considerest the water, thou wilt fall into contemplation of that which issued out of his opened Side; and the like of all other objects: So, when thou tastest Wine, thou mayst think of Christ's In tasting Wine. Vinegar and Gall; when sweet odours delight thee, how ill savoured In sweet Smells. were the carcases upon Mount Calvary where thy Saviour suffered? Clothing thyself, reflect how the In clothing thyself. eternal Word put on our humanity, to adorn thee with his Divinity; In unclothing thyself. In hearing Noises. unclothing thyself, how he naked, was nailed to the Cross. Hearing a noise or acclamations of People, remember those abominable outcries; Away with him, Crucify him. When the Clock strikes the hour, In hearing the Clock. think how thy Saviour's Heart panted in the Garden at the apprehension of his approaching passion; or seem to hear and count the cruel strokes of the scourges, or blows of the Hammer fastening the Nails through his Body to the Cross. If In time of Sadness. sadness and sorrow seize thee, whether by reason of thine own sufferings and sickness, or out of compassion to others, conceive, alas, how little is all this, compared to the incomprehensible Anguishes, Distresses, and Dolours, which pierced the Body and Soul of thy dear Saviour. 13. Having thus shown thee the Other ways to meditate upon sensible Objects. way how to elevate thy understanding by means of all sensible things to the Divinity, and to the mysteries of the Word incarnate; I will now add other means and method of meditation, drawn from the same sensible objects; that as the Soul's gusts are various, so the spiritual diet may be diversely dressed and served up for their sustenance: though this variety may be also very useful, not only to the simple, but even to elevated Souls well advanced in the way of the Spirit, which are not always equally disposed to sublime contemplations. Neither needest thou fear, that this variety will any way confound thee, if thou art governed by the rule of discretion, ●nd the direction of thy ghostly Father, which thou art carefully and ●umbly to follow, not only in ●his, but in all other thy undertaking. 14. When therefore objects most By considering how mean the best of them are in themselves. pleasing to the eye, delicious to ●he sense, and desirable to flesh and blood, shall be represented unto thee; mark well, how mean these things are in themselves, though never so highly courted and cherished, extolled and esteemed by worldlings: how the best of them is no better than dirt and dung in respect of Heavenly happiness, for which thou art designed, which thou desirest, and to which thou aspirest. 15. When thou gazest on the As the Sun's brightness. Sun's glorious splendour; know for certain, that thine own Soul is far more bright and beautiful than it, if she be in her Creators' grace and favour: otherwise, that she is more obscure and abominable, than darksome and dismal Hell itself. 16. When thou castest up thy corporal eyes to the Heavens; elevate The Heaven's greatness. those of thy Soul to those higher & holier mansions of the blessed Sain●● and Angelical spirits, and there fix and feast thy thoughts, as in the happy mansion prepared for thy eternal abode. 17. When thou hearken'st to the The Birds melody. Birds warbling notes; or other musical charms, soar up in spirit to the sweet harmony of Heaven, where Alleluja's do forever resound, and beg of thy dear Lord, that thou may'st become worthy to chant forth his perpetual praises amongst those heavenly choristers. 18. When thou walkest on the way, Walking abroad. ponder how each one of thy paces, is a step towards thy death. 19 When thou markest the Fowls Marking the swift flight of the Fowls. of the Air, how swiftly they glide through that yielding Element, and the running Waters hastening to their original Ocean; think how thy life slips away, and thy Soul runs on to eternity with greater speed and celerity. 20. When impetuous Winds are In time of Winds, Thunder, Stormes. raised, or Thunder and Lightning rage in the Skies, remember the ●earefull day of Judgement, and prostrating thyself at the foot ●f the Crucifix, adore thy Saviour, ●nd implore his gracious assistance, ●hat thou mayst now make such good use of the time he lends thee, ●hat thou mayst be then prepared ●o appear courageously before his dread Majesty. 21. As concerning divers Accidents, Also upon all other Accidents and Occasions. As of grief & sorrow. which are personal and peculiar to thyself; thou mayst thus behave thee. When Grief or Sadness hath seized thy Heart, when melancholy oppresseth thy mind, or when any inconveniency troubles thy body; raise up and resign thy spirit to the supreme and eternal Will of God, who is pleased this molestation should even now, and thus, touch and torment thee for thy good, and his own glory; and be glad of this occasion to serve him according to his own Decree and Disposition. 22. When thou castest thine eyes When thou lookest upon Christ crucified. upon Christ's sacred Cross, consider it as the banner of thy warfare; from under which thou, mayst not step aside, without eminent danger of being surprised by thy sworn enemies; but following it closely and valiantly, thou hast certain hope to conquer them, and climb up to heaven, loaden with their glorious spoils and trophies. 23. When thou seest the image, Or the image of the Blessed Virgin. representing the holy Virgin mother; turn thy heart towards her, now reigning in Paradise; and give her thanks for having been ever ready to perform the divine will; for bearing and bringing up the Redeemer of the world; and for never denying her favour and secure to thee and all spiritual combatants humbly imploring it. 24. So let the pictures of Saints, seem as so many representatives of And the pictures of Saints. stout champions and Soldiers, who by their courages and conquests, have made thee a free and safe passage to follow them, imitate them, overcome with them, and be crowned with them in eternal glory. 25. Let the Churches, which thou Or interest into Churches frequentest, put thee in mind that thy soul is God's temple, and should be therefore kept most purely, and prepared most perfectly for his coming. 26. Finally, let each creature, all Finally, make all objects & accidents instruments to thy perfection. objects, and every accident, be so spiritualised and distilled by thy understanding from their earthly and material dross, that they may serve thee as true instruments to the perfection of thy soul, and become powerful helps to thee, (contrary to thine enemy's intention) in thy tendance to divine union, which is the only end thou aimest at. How to regulate the Tongue. 1. And because the tongue hath a near assinity with our senses, (for we willingly discourse of those things wherein we take delight) I will here (before I descend to the following doctrine) briefly show thee how thou art to regulate, bridle and master this unruly member. 2. Much prattling proceeds ordinarily Much talk proceeds from presumption. from a certain presumption, which persuades us that we are very knowing in the things we talk of; and so pleasing ourselves in our own conceptions, we endeavour to imprint them in the hearer's hearts with soperfluous repetitions and replications of the same subject, to appear thereby more masters of Reason than others, and as if they stood in need of our instruction. Few words cannot express the evil which ensues upon overmuch talking; for it is the parent of idleness, an argument of ignorance, the door of detraction, the instrument of falsehood, and the blaster of all true devotion and spiritual fervour. 3. Wherefore I advise thee, in the Therefore avoid long discourses, first place, not to enlarge thyself in long discourses, before unwilling hearers, which is to break the laws of civility; nor yet before them who are willing to hearken to thee, lest thou exceed the bounds of modesty. 4. Avoid also, all pathetical and And passionate expressions; passionate expressions, and an over-high elevation of voice; for both these are generally odious to the hearers, and always arguments of thine own vanity and presumption. 5. Speak not at all of thyself, of And all talking of thy own affairs, thine own affairs, of thy patentage or kindred, unless in case of evident necessity, and then also with all possible brevity, simplicity, sincerity, and modesty: and if another seem superfluous in such speeches concerning himself, be thou edified thereat, but imitate him not, though his words tended to his self-abjection and accusation. 6. Discourse not of thy neighbour, Or of thy neighbours. nor any thing concerning him; unless a just occasion urge thee to defend him, or speak well of him. 7. Show a willingness to talk But speak willingly of God. always of God, and particularly of his love and liberality, yet still with profound reverence for fear of failing; and therefore take more content to hear others discourse, than to talk thyself; and conserve what good words are delivered in the cabin of thy heart. 8. As for all other discourses, let the only sound strick thy ears, but keep thy mind fixed upon thy God; And if thou needs must lend an ear because thy answer is expected, yet let thy souls eye glance up to heaven And ponder in thy heart, what thy tongue is to utter. where thy Lord and love is, and first examine briefly in thy heart what thou intendest thy tongue should utter, whereby thou wilt quickly resolve whether speech or silence be now more to the purpose. 9 Lastly, thou wilt find by experience, (my dearly beloved,) that The praise and profit of Silence. Silence is an excellent and useful weapon for thy spiritual combat, giving courage to fight, constancy to continue, and confidence to overcome. It is his sure friend, who distrusts himself, and trusts in his God; it conserveses us in devotion, and comforts us in the exercises of our duty: And surely the bare consideration of the disasters caused by inconsiderate talking, is a sufficient motive to make us in love with silence, to which that thou mayest habituate thyself, make frequent use of solitude and retirement from fruitless company, and frivolous conversation; whereby instead of men, thou shalt have Angels, Saints, and God himself for thy companions and comforters. Finally, reflect upon the conflict which thou hast undertaken, and considering how much thou hast to do, thou wilt find little leisure to spend in idle talk. CHAP. XIV. Of the order to be observed in fight against our enemies. IN thy spiritual combat against thy disordered affections, and passions, follow this method: First, enter into the cabinet of thy Mark which are thy greatest enemies, heart, and let thy inquisitive thoughts search and examine with exact diligence, which be the affections that there bear the greatest sway, and with what thoughts and motions thou art most frequently tempted, and troubled. Secondly, And having found thy And single out the fiercest to fight with: foes, turn thy weapons against that single enemy which then actually molests thee, most nearly endangers thee, and is now ready to grapple with thee, oppress thee, and ruin thee. Thirdly, But in time of peace with But when they appear not, seek them. thy passions, when no enemy appears in field, to provoke thee to battalle; begin thou with them; and make thy strongest onset upon those which have chief indomaged thee, most frequently foiled thee, and wrought thy greatest confusion before thy Lord God. CHAP. XV. What course he must take, who is conquered, and grievously wounded by his enemies. IF thou chance to fall into some vice, either through frailty and weakness, or through wickedness, and wilful malice; Turn thee with When thou art fallen, rise with all speed. all speed to God; and first reflect upon thine own baseness, & hearty hate thyself. Then recollecting thy spirits, and converting thyself again to thy Creator, confess to him thy ingratitude, and say with an inflamed heart: O my Lord, he hold I have done Pray with fervour. like myself: For what better could be expected from me, than baseness, fall, and sinfulness; I am sorry, O my God, with my whole heart: and I confess, I should have done fare worse, and fallen more grievously, had not the hand of thy goodness, kept me, stayed me, and upheld me; for which I render thee most humble thanks. And now (O my loving Lord,) do thou like thyself, according to the treasures of thy mercies; and let me not live out of thy grace, nor ever offend again thy most sacred Majesty. 2. Having thus sincerely poured Be not over-solicitous or fearful. forth thy heart in the presence of God, be not solicitous and thoughtful whether he hath forgiven this thy sin, or no: for such a curiosity savours of pride, endangers thee to fall into the snare of Satan, renders thee unquiet, and consumes time to little purpose: Therefore, cast thyself purely into the paternal bosom of thy merciful Lord, resume thy wont exercises, and take up thy weapons again, as though thou hadst not fallen. Yea, shouldest thou chance to fall many times a day, and receive many grievous wounds from thy enemies; yet never despair, never grow faint-hearted, or over-fearfull of thyself; but still stand upon thy accustomed guards against all new assaults; and do the same things with no less confidence, the second, third, fourth time, and as often as thy need shall require, as thou didst at the first. 3. This kind of exercitation, by so much the more displeaseth the Devil, by how much he well knows it is highly pleasing to God: and for this reason he moves all his engines, to make us tepid and slack in frequenting it. Do thou therefore use But be diligent, and use violence to thine own Inclination, violence to thyself; and the more difficulty thou findest, by so much more redouble thy diligence in doing it; and esteem it not a thing over-irksome, to renew it divers times in one and the same fall; And if after the first, next, and third relapse, thou feelest a grievous trouble, confusion, and diffidence in thyself; yet still endeavour, by all means, to recover the inward quiet of thy soul, Recovering the quiet of thy soul, and reconciliation to thy Sovereign. and then reconcile thyself to thy loving Lord: For that disquietness of conscience remaining after the sin committed, is not any sign of thy sorrow for having offended thy Saviour; but rather of fear, for thy own private damages, which thou hast thereby deserved. 4. Now the way to recover this The way to get this quiet, is to forget thy fault. quiet of mind, may be this: Having truly turned thyself to thy God, and humbly craved pardon for thy sin; think no more of it, but forget it totally for the future; and fix thy thoughts only upon thy Lords infinite love, by which he earnestly desines to unite thee to himself, and make thee partaker of his eternal beatitude. And when by this or the like considerations, thou hast settled thy mind, and stated thy heart in tranquillity; turn thy thoughts again to contemplate thy fall, and do as thou wert directed in the beginning of this Chapter: And when thou goest to confession, (as thou shouldst frequently do,) recall all thy fall and defects into thy memory, discovering them faithfully, and confessing them simply, to thy Ghostly Father. CHAP. XVI. That we should keep our Hearts ever quiet, and joyful in our Lord. EXPLICATION. AS when we have lost the quiet of our Heart, we are to use all possible endeavours to recover it, (as is aforesaid:) So thou must know No accident, can justly deprive us of quiet. that no accident whatsoever can with any just reason deprive us of the same. For 'tis most true, (and thou hast been often told it,) that we must be angry with ourselves for our sins, yet our grief must be governed with discretion, and accompanied with tranquillity, and our sorrow must produce acts and resolutions of amendment of our lives, not of disquiet and anxiety in ourselves. As for other painful and unpleasing accidents, as the sickness, death, yea and eternal damnation of our dear friends; or the scourges of Plague, Famine, War, Saccagings, Burn, and other evils, falling upon ourselves; though as they are things contrary to our For though we must needs abhor things contrary to nature, Yet we may love them as coming from God's permission, And so conform ourselves to his holy will. nature, we must needs reject them; yet we may by the efficacious working of God's Grace, not only desire them, but even be delighted with them, as being the just punishments of the wicked, and exercises of virtue to the good, for which ends out loving Lord permits them to befall us. Thus conforming ourselves to God's holy Will, we may quietly and peaceably pass through the midst of all this lives bitternesses and contrarieties. And take this for a truth, that all Disquiet of mind, is displeasing to our dear Lord; because it is never without some imperfection, and evermore proceeds from some perverse root of self-love- 1. To obtain therefore this quiet of Text. Thou art to appoint a sentinel. Heart in thy Spiritual Conflict; thou must (O dear beloved) appoint over thyself a faithful Scout-watch; which, as soon as it discovers any thing tending to thy trouble and disquiet, may suddenly shoot off the warning piece, that thou mayst timely betake thee to thy Weapons for thy defence. 2. And if it falls out, (as too often it doth,) that through some sudden assault, thou art grievously perplexed; presently setting all other If thou art surprised with perplexity, return with all diligence to quiet thy Heart. things aside, pacify thy interior, and endeavour to regain a quiet and joyful Heart: for this being done, thou wilt be better enabled to prosecute other affairs, which will take small effect, so long as thy mind is troubled and unquiet: Besides, the enemy draws from thence an occasion to tempt thee more violently; For he fears this sacred quiet and peace of the Soul, (as God's Tabernacle wherein he works his wonders,) and therefore he shadows his wiles with the show of good, that he may the more deceive us; exciting in us sundry pious affections, and holy desires: The cunning whereof is discovered by their fruits and effects; which is the bereaving our Hearts of all their joy and content. 3. So soon therefore as thou hast And therefore admit of no new affections, understood by thy scout-watches sign, of some new affection which demands admittance into thy heart; beware of opening unto it, before thou hast blunted the edge of thy Will from any desire thereof; and made an humble offer of it to God, with an acknowledgement of thine Before thou hast offered them to God; own ignorance and blindness, whereby thou art uncapable (without the light of his heavenly Grace, which now thou implorest) to judge of this good motion, and to determine whether it comes from his glorious Majesty, or from some earthly cause and consideration. 4. And be ever mindful of mortifying And mortified thy will and desire; the proneness of thy nature, before thou adventure upon any good desire, though sent from God himself: for such works which ensue upon selfe-mortification, are more grateful unto him, than those which are done following the desires of thy greedy Nature. And this mortification of thy will, doth generally better please him, than the work itself. 5. Thus, driving out vain and vicious affections; and not rashly admitting of the good, till first thy own nature with all her passions and desires be stilled and mortified; Thou mayst be sure to remain in Which is the surest way to remain in peace. peace, and to keep the bulwark of thy Heart in perpetual security from all thy foes without, and from reprehensions, and selfe-afflictions within: which grudge of conscience, though they seem very good, and to come from God, because they blame thee of some defect; yet they are sometimes suggested by the Devil: but the only way to know their off spring, is to examine their effects; For if such selfe-reprehensions keep thee humble and quiet, and spur on thy diligence to do good Works, without lesning thy pious confidence in God; then receive them as inspired by him, who thus knocks at the inner door of thy Heart to teach thee selfe-knowledge. But if they make thee unquiet, pusillanimous, unapt to good Works, and diffident of God, (especially at the time when thou feelest these interior reprehensions and afflictions in thyself;) conclude as a certain truth, that they come not from thy Creator, but are suggested by the deceiver: and therefore harken not to them, but persist merrily in thy devout and accustomed exercises, as if thou didst not at all feel any such suggestions. CHAP. XVII. That pious purposes, are sometimes the deceits of the Devil, to hinder our progress in virtues. BEsides these hitherto discovered deceits of the Devil, this yet remains, to wit, A holy purpose and earnest desire to fight afresh against our former sins: which he therefore suggests unto us, The Devil suggests desires, to fight against former faults, that thou mayst neglect the present, that our minds being taken up with this employment, may forget their daily and more dangerous enemies, and wage no war against them. But he that will take due care of his own spiritual safety, must in the first place, fall to work with his next neighbouring vices, and set them farther of: For through the neglect of this, we fall into many miseries; as they must needs do, who are still wounded afresh, and yet think not of seeking for any salves to cure them. 2. Because these purposes being And fall into self-complacency, esteemed as if they were real performances; we fall into selfe-complacency and secret pride; in so much as we cannot digest a hard word, much less any blows; and yet we attend our high contemplations, and there we can make resolutions to endure patiently, and purely for God's Love, all the pains of Purgatory. And for that our inferior will or sensuality, feels nothing in itself that troubles or grieves it, but looks only upon such calamities as are to come hereafter; we very soolishly and rashly conceit ourselves, to be some of them who are perfectly patiented, and that we actually suffer many great matters for God's Sake. 3. Wherefore, O my beloved, that thou mayst avoid this deceit, resolve, Therefore thou art to fight actually with thy nearest foes, not only in thy mind, but buckle thyself actually to fight with thy nearest foes, which thou findest most troublesome, and most strongly to oppose thee: And thus thou shalt plainly perceive whether thy purposes be true or false, strong or weak: But I may not advise thee, to wage war against those enemies which now trouble not thy quiet, unless thou plainly foreseest, that they are ready to assault thee: For than thou mayst lawfully and profitably fight them, before they fall on thee; that so And not to irritate them which are quiet, thou mayest have the more strength and courage at the time of the Battle. 4. Yet persuade not thyself, that by this foregoing skirmish with thy enemies, thou hast already vanquished them, unless thou hast been for a long time exercised and versed Unless thou art well versed in the acts of that virtue. in the acts of that virtue: in which case, thou mayst resolve to fight against past grievous sins, though thou canst not yet conquer some less defects; the Divine Providence so permitting, to preserve thee in the humble acknowledgement of thy own weakness. 5. But whosoever is careless in Be not careless of small defects. overcoming small defects, and yet thinks he can easily vanquish the greatest, is notoriously vain, and presumptuous, and even already falling into the snare of the Devil. EXPLICATION. I Advise thee here, (my dear beloved,) to take special notice Three things make our designs fruitless. of three principal occasions which render our designs fruitless, and defraud our pious purposes of their desired and expected effect: And this Doctrine will teach thee how to make good purposes as thou oughtest. 6. The first occasion, (which was also touched briefly in the foregoing Text,) is, that we ordinarily purpose 1. The relying upon our strength. to do a good action, or to avoid the doing of evil, more trusting to our strength, than to God's assistance: And this pride, (whence this deceit proceeds,) so hudwinkes the eyes of our Soul, that we see it not at all, and are therefore justly permitted to fall and fail of our expectation, that we may thereby truly come to the knowledge of our own nothing, and learn to ground all our good designs upon the Divine Goodness, Grace, and Power, and not at all in our own strength or endeavours. 7. Another occasion is, that when 2. The want of force to go through with them. our will enters upon a design, it wants force and efficacy to go through with it: (although it seems otherwise to us, because our design eyes the beauty of that virtue which we aim at, rather than the difficulty which intervenes in the getting it,) So that it is no great marvel, that such ill-grounded designs fall down to the ground, and melt away into nothing upon the first sight of the virtue. 8. The third occasion is; That we 3. The no● levelling at the right end. address not our designs to their true and proper end, to wit, the pure Service and Honour of God; For we make them oftentimes, in our afflictions, or in time of distress and dissolution, rather to find thereby some solace in such contrarieties, than only to please our Lord God; who therefore lets us fall afterwards, that we may discern this deceit, and learn, to our cost, to aim at nothing else in all our actions than his holy Will and Pleasure. CHAP. XVIII. How the Devil strives to withdraw us from the way of virtue. MOreover, the Devil makes 1. Another deceit of the Devil, use of an other subtlety, to draw us from the path of virtues, into the precipice of vices. As thus: A certain person falls into a sickness, which he desires to support Exemplified in a sick person. with patience; The Devil, (seeing that if he thus persevere, he must needs get the habit of patience) suggests unto him divers motions and desires, to do this or that good Work, if he could once have health restored: and that he could serve God better; advance his own perfection more effectually; and assist others more charitably, if he were sound, than he can do being sick: And these conceits en-kindle more and more in the breast of the sick person, till they make him weary and impatient of his sufferings; as being thereby hindered from doing such heroic actions: And by this deceit, the Devil casts down a Soul from the practice of Patience, (in Falling into impatience upon pious pretences, which it first exercised itself) into open Impatience against this infirmity; yet not as a thing which is in itself displeasing, but as it is a hindrance, retarding her from the Execution of those good Works, which she unquietly desires to perform. 2. Nor doth the enemy rest here; but having brought the sick person to this, proceeds on in his plot, and And over-earnestly desirous of health. takes away from him the aforesaid suggestions (of such good Works as he could bring about if he enjoyed his health) when the sick person perceives it not; leaving in him only an ardent desire to recover his health: and if this follows not as he would, he falls into grievous sadness and great impatience. 3. The best remedy of this, is, that The remedy, is to admit of no purposes which thou canst not presently practice. when sickness or other adversity hath seized on thee, thou take care to admit no motion or desire into thy mind, which thou canst not forthwith put in execution: otherwise it will make thee solicitous, and leave thee in unquietness. EXPLICATION. ANd thou ●rt in this case, to Because perchance they would not have their effect; persuade thyself with all patience, humility and resignation, that perchance thy now-made in●entions, would not have the effect thou imaginest; because thou art far weaker than thou thinkest: Or, that God Or that God would not receive them. by his secret judgements unknown to thee, by reason of thy demerits, will not receive this good from thee; but rather that thou humble thyself under the sweet and powerful hand of his holy will. So likewise, shouldst thou be hindered by thy ghostly Father, or any other occasion whatsoever, from following thine Therefore, trouble not thyself, when thou canst not perform thy desires; own fancy in thy accustomed devotions, and particularly in receiving the sacred Communion, trouble not thyself with over-earnest desires, but truly devested of all self-will, cloth and content thyself with God's good pleasure; Saying sweetly; If the allseeing eye of divine providence, found not in me so great ingratitude, and so many defects, I should not be now deprived of so great a blessing as is the receiving of my sweet Saviour in the blessed Sacrament; but humbly acknowledging that my loving Lord, doth thus discover unto me mine own unworthiness, his holy name be ever blessed and praised. O my God, I place my whole confidence in thy divine goodness, and hoping thou wilt accept of my will, which I force and conform to thy disposition; I here open to thee my heart, ready to obey thy holy command, disposed to do what thou inspirest; enter into it, I beseech thee, and endow it with Spiritual comfort, and courage against its enemies, and then do with it, O my Creator and Redeemer, that which is most agreeable to thy divine Majesty, and let thy sacred will be now and always my only food and nourishment, since I desire nothing more, o sweet spouse of my soul, but that purged and freed from all things whatsoever displeasing to thee, I may be ready, adorned, and prepared for thy coming, and willing to follow thy blessed disposition in all things whatsoever. But rest secure, that thy good will is acceptable to God. If thou punctually performest these precepts, rest secure, (my dearly beloved,) that all thy good desires to do well, which nevertheless thou canst not compass; (either by reason of thine own nature, or the craft of thy enemy, or God himself not permitting it, to prove thy resignation to his holy will,) will always minister some occasion of satisfying thy duty to thy Lord God in what manner he best pleaseth. And this is the truest service thou canst perform, and the most acceptable sacrifice thou canst offer to his divine Majesty. But I think it very convenient to Another dangerous snare. give thee here another caveat, of a most dangerous and subtle snare, into which many, blinded with self-love, fall unawares: and this it is; They so palliate and excuse their defects that themselves do scarcely perceive them. 4. And mark this diligently; that Text. oftentimes when a man falls into impatience, he imputes it not to the pain which he endures, but for that he is impeded from the practice of good wotks: So that the cause of Divers pretences for our impatience. his impatience relates not to the sickness or adversity itself; but partly to himself as deserving it, partly to others, whom he must be forced to trouble against his will; and partly to the omission of his spiritual exercises. 5. Thus he who fails in his ambitious But all unwarrantable, seeking of honours and offices, will tell you, he complains not for his own sake, but for the necessity of his family and friends, whom he might thus have helped. Now that such men deceive themselves, is made apparent by this; that they are not much troubled, when the very same effects come to pass by some other means or persons, which seemed to afflict them, and under which they covered their own imperfection. 6. For example, Thou tellest me, As is explained by an example. that thy sickness makes thee not impatient, because it is in itself grievous to thee, but for that they who are about thee are thereby overburdened: But should they, whom thou so much compassionatest, be as much overburdened in serving other sick persons, it would not much trouble thee: From whence it is evident, that not the sense of their trouble, but thine own desire, and self-love, was the true root of thy Impatience. And in this manner, thou mayst discover the hidden deceits in the rest of thy affairs. EXPLICATION. TO remedy this, I advise thee, The remedy is, to separate the pain, from the pretended circumstances. (my beloved,) that as soon as thou doubtest of such a deceit, thou presently separate (by the help of thy conception) the pain which presseth thee, from those circumstances which are pretended excuses for thy impatience; and then reflecting upon that alone, force thyself to produce true and efficacious acts of patience, and resignation to suffer it willingly. Thus thou wilt either become a true practiser of virtue, or at least thine eyes will be opened to discover thy own defects, whereof thou wert formally ignorant. 7. Wherefore I exhort thee, that Text. Therefore desire not to be freed from thy Cross, if thou art able to carry thy Cross with patience; thou never desire to be freed from it: for this desire brings with it two great evils: The one is, that if it destroys not thy patience, yet it disposeth thee by little and little to impatience: The other is, That it deprives thee of merit before God, who esteems that only a work of perfect Patience, (though short in reference to time,) which is done with the resignation of our wills to his divine pleasure. 8. In this therefore, and in all But conform thy will to God's. thy other works and proceed follow this Rule: Withdraw and purge thy heart from all other desires and demands, than that only, purely, and simply, which is conform to God's will. And this is the way to be no more disquieted with adversity; since no such thing can befall thee, without his will and liking. 9 But when some lawful means Yet thou mayst use lawful means, so thou takest heed of self-love. must necessarily be used for the expelling of some overburdening adversity; take heed left self-love creep into thy heart with them; and see thou apply them, (not to be thereby freed from thy pressure) but only because it is God's pleasure▪ that thou shouldst make use of those instruments: and then thou canst not be discontented, in case they should not conduce to thy deliverance from adversity. EXPLICATION. How to oppose the Devil, striving to deceive us with indiscretion. When the Devil perceives 1. How to oppose the Devil, striving to deceive us with indiscretion, that thou walkest on warily in the right tract of virtue, so that his common cunning is become useless to his design of making thee go astray: he than transforms himself into an Angel of light, and solicits thee with delightful thoughts, flatters thee with passages of sacred writ, and suggests examples of the Saints; that so conceiting thyself climbed up to the top of perfection, thou mayst fall more dangerously into the precipice which he hath digged for thee. To this end, he presseth And pressing us to afflict our bodies; thee to the punishment of the body, with disciplines, abstinence, hair-cloath, and other extraordinary austerities; that either thou may'st be puffed up with pride, as thinking thou dost very much; or mayst destroy thy health, and so become uncapable to do good works; or lastly, that having endured much in this kind, thou mayst grow weary of doing penance, and abhor thy spiritual exercises; and so become a prey to thine enemies, and a slave to fleshly and worldly pleasures; which hath happened to very many, whose presumption having led them on, and left them to the conduct and violence of an indiscreet zeal, after they had gone beyond the limits of their own virtue by immoderate rigours, perished at last in their own inventions, and so became laughing stocks to their enemies; all which disasters will never befall him who diligently observes this doctrine. Whi●h though it is sometimes good, Yet it must be tempered by discretion: For all cannot imitate the Saints in austerity of life; 2. For although these voluntary pernances are sometimes praiseworthy, and may be meritorious, when strength of body and humility of spirit do correspond and accompany them; yet they must be tempered and moderated by discretion according to each one's nature and quality: Thus, he that is unable of body to imitate the Saints in severity of life, may right well be able to imitate their virtues; by being fervent in devotion, frequent in prayer, continually aspiring to his Lord and love, setting naught by the world and himself, and loving silence and solitude; HE may be humble and affable to all, patiented in suffering affronts, glad of the occasions to do good to his greatest enemies, and finally resolved to perform his Lords will, and promote his honour to the utmost of his power; and never to offend his divine Majesty in the least matter whatsoever. 3. All which inward acts and But each one may imitate their virtues. mortifications are far more pleasing to God th●n the outward macerations of the fl●sh; and therefore I counsel thee to be very punctual in those things which concern thy duty and obligation, but as for extraordinary rigours, be rather backward and fearful, than indiscreetly forward ●o embrace them. 4. Yet I speak not here to those Yet take heed of too much addicting thyself to delicacies, etc. delicate ones, who (though in other things they are sufficiently spiritual) are overmuch inclined to indulgence towards themselves, and to an ex●ct doting and diligence in the preservation of their health, under Under pretence of health, or the better performance of thy duty. pretence of being thereby better able to serve God and perform their duty; for they strive to couple two capital enemies together, the Spirit and the flesh; but unprofitably, and with manifest danger to both, since this solicitude causeth oftentimes the loss of health to the one, and of devotion to the other. Discretion therefore Discretion therefore is the best director in this matter of mortification, must be the chief director in this matter, which must distinguish the diversity of complexions and conditions, and since every one is not of like temper, all cannot be regulated by the same precept. To this I add, that this discretion and moderation is necessary not only in exterior things, but also in the acquisition of interior virtues, as I shall now declare. 5. For though the true Soldier of Christ, aspiring to perfection, must put no limits to his spiritual profit, yet there are some heart of spirit, which need to be quenched with And also in the acquisition of virtues, the dew of discretion, especially such as in beginners are kindled with overmuch fervour. Thou art therefore to know that virtues are to be gotten by little and little, and by degrees, Which must be done by degrees, that so they may take the deeper root, and become more durable in our souls. For example: If Thou art in the pursuit of patience; Thou art first to study how to bear injuries and afflictions, before thou fall to practise those higher degrees of delighting in them, and desiring them. 6. Moreover I advise thee not to And one by one, rather than all or many together; apply thyself to obtain all virtues or many together, but first and principally to practise one, and then afterwards another, for by this means a virtuous habit is more easily planted, and mo●●●irmly fixed in thy soul; For by this continual exercise of one only virtue, the memory is ready upon all occasions, the understanding is studying new means and reasons to acquire it, and the will is more affectionately inclined to embrace it, than if many were the objects of their employments. And such is the conformity and affinity of one virtue to another, that the implanting of any one, is the preparing of the ground for all the others; and whosoever is a proficient For, the obtaining of any one virtue is a preparation to all the rest. in the practice of one virtue, hath thereby learned the manner how to purchase another; in so much that as one is augmented, all the rest do by the same means increase in our souls, by reason of their inseparable nearness, connexion, and concatenation together; they being all beams proceeding from the same Sun, which is the divine light. Further advises for the getting of Virtues. 1. Besides those means formerly prescribed (in the 11. Chapter) for the obtaining of virtues, I will here give thee some brief and material advices concerning this important matter. First, it behoves thee to have a generous First, thou must resolve to suffer. heart, a great courage, and a strong and resolute will, as being certain thou hast to do with cunning enemies, and art to wrestle with many contrarieties, and suffer many 2. Thou must bear a great love to virtue. Crosses. 2. In the next place thou art to bring with thee a particular inclination and affection to virtue, which thou canst not want, if thou truly weighest how pleasing it is to God, how excellent in itself, how profitable and how absolutely necessary to the attaining of all perfection. 3. Every morning make strong and efficacious resolutions and protestations, 3. Thou must practise it upon all occasions. to exercise thyself according to the probable occasions which may that day be offered unto thee; and sometimes in the day reflect upon thyself, and examine thy performance of this promise, and fervently renew thy desires and intentions. 4. Apply all thy actions, spiritual exercises, reading, prayer, and 4. Apply all thy exercises to this end. meditations, for the obtaining of that virtue which thou now practisest. 5. Endeavour so to accustom thyself to form acts of virtue, 5. Form acts thereof. both internal, and external; that they by use may become as easy and natural unto thee, as were formerly their contraries, which were conformable to thy vicious desires. 6. The sweet passages and sentences 6. Think upon such passages of Scripture, as concern, and commend it. of holy scripture, are of great force to this purpose; and therefore it will be convenient to commit divers of them to thy memory touching that virtue thou now aymest at; and to pronounce them often by mouth, or express them in thy heart, especially upon the occasion of feeling the passions and motion's contrary to that virtue: For example, If patience be the virtue thou praisest, reflect upon that saying of Baruch: Baruch 4. Child, suffer patiently the wrath which is fallen upon thee. And that of the Psalmist: The patience of the poor shall Psal. 9 not perish in the end: Or that of Solomon: The man that is patiented, is better Prov. 16. than he that is strong, and he that overcomes his own mind is better than he that conquers towns: And; in your Luke 21. patience you shall possess your souls: And; let us by patience run on to the Heb. 12▪ battle which is proposed unto us. 7. To the same purpose thou mayst 7. Make frequent use of Jaculatory prayers, also make use of these Jaculatory prayers: When, o my God, shall my heart be armed with the shield of patience? When shall I for thy love support cheerfully all contrarieties? O sweet and dear sufferings! which make me like my meek Saviour, afflicted for my sake! O only life, and love of my soul; shall I never compass to content myself for thy glory, amongst thousands of crosses and calamities? Oh, how happy were I, if amidst the flames of tribulations, I could burn with an inflamed desire to suffer yet far more! 8. These and the like ejaculations, and darts of affection, have great power to excite us to virtue, and penetrate even to God's heart in heaven, especially being aided and Which being aided with two wings, wlil so are up to heaven. accompanied with two wings: A true knowledge of the content our Lord takes in our practice of virtue; and a lively and longing desire to obtain it, for no other end than because it is pleasing to his divine Majesty. 9 Thou art yet farther to be instructed, Above all things thou art to make a continual progress: (my dearly beloved,) concerning this weighty and necessary matter of obtaining virtue; that one main point is, to make a continual progress in the practice thereof: ●or if thou leavest off this pursuit, it will necessarily follow, that through the violent inclination of thy sensual appetite, and the alluring impulse of outward objects; unruly passions will press in upon thee, which will either destroy, or at least much diminish the acquired habits of virtue, and will moreover deprive thee of those manifold graces and gifts of God, which by thy continuance and progress thou hadst infallibly obtained. 10. For surely the way of the spirit, walking to perfection, is fare different from that of earthly travellers; who lose nothing by their convenient stay, because they redress their weariness, which is caused and increased by the continuance of their corporal motion; whereas in this way of the spirit, by how much more thou marchest onwards, by so much thy strength more increaseth; for, For by going forward, thy strength increaseth, the inferior part, (which by its resistance, renders the path harsh and painful,) is by this virtuous progress still more and more weakened; and the Superior part, (which is the habitation where virtue resides,) is thereby fomented and fortified: So that by the continuance of well-doing, thou still lessen'st the contradiction which thou feelest in thy journey, and receivest a certain secret content in thy happy conquest. 11. Thus continuing thy designed course, and marching ever onward in thy journey, thou wilt arrive with less pain and more pleasure, ascending by the several degrees and steps of virtue, to the top of the mountain; where thy perfected soul Till thou art gotten up to the mountain of perfection. will perform her pious exercises, not only without contradiction, but with much gust and content, having now tamed and triumphed over her unruly passions, and completed her conquest over herself, and all things created, and being sweetly settled in the bosom of the divinity. 12. Neither is it sufficient, (my dear beloved,) that thou strivest not Thou art also to seek out all occasions of practising virtue, to avoid the offered occasions in this practice of virtues, (as was declared in the ninth precedent Chapter,) But I would have thee seek them out, and joyfully lay hold of them, though they appear never so little, and at a Especially such as are contrary to thy sensuality. distance; especially such as are contrary to thy sensuality. 13. To this hard combat, then mayst encourage thyself by these following considerations: Whereof one is, that all such occasions, are the proportionate and probable, (yea necessary) means, for the acquisition of virtue; in so much that when thou demandest virtue of God, thou also askest these occasions, This being the most proportionate means to attain to it, else thy prayers would be presented in vain, and thy heart would contradict thy lips, yea thou mightest seem to tempt thy Saviour, who ordinarily gives not patience without suffering, nor humility without contempt: and this is also true in all other virtues, which are all acquired by contrary accidents, whereby we best perceive our own wants, and therefore are most moved to desire their redresses: And by how much these feelings are more sensible, by so much the more strong and generous are the acts by which we endeavour to the virtues, we stand in need of. Thou art therefore to make high esteem, and improve thyself, by the least offered occasion; as by a crosse-looke or contradicting word, which will inure thee to the patiented sufferance of more important diff●ulties. 14. The other consideration, is that which hath been formerly touched; To conceive of all things which befall thee, as coming from God's And coming from God's Providence for thy particular profit, Providence for thy particular profit: And though some of them, (as thine own, or others faults,) cannot be imputed to God, (who abhors all sin,) yet they may be referred to him, in as much as he permits them, and though he can, yet doth not hinder them: But all pains and punishments whatsoever, which happen to us, by and through our own defects, or others malice, are from God, and his Divine Providence, to which he concurres, and wills that we endure them; and which he would not permit, (since they contain a certain deformity, a And that thou mayst draw good from them thing ever odious to his purity) but for the good we may draw from them, and for other just reasons best known to his All-knowing Majesty. 15. Being therefore ascertained of Gods Will in all thy sufferings, and that he will have thee to support voluntarily all afflictions which befall thee either by others faults or thine own; it follows, that they are much mistaken, who (to excuse The mistake of some rectified. their impatience) pretend, that God will not this or that thing, because he hates all evil: for what is this, but to seek a cloak to cover their own imperfections, and to refuse the carriage of that Cross, which Christ hath laid upon their shoulders? 16. And I yet further assure thee, To suffer voluntarily by them whom thou hast obliged, that thy Lord God more values thy voluntary digestion of such difficulties which come from those persons whom thou hast obliged, than them which come from other accidents; because the pride of thy perverse nature is more suppressed by these, than by them; and suffering these willingly, thou much contentest and exaltest thy God, by co-operating with him in that, wherein his ineffable bounty, and power do so Is to draw virtue from sin and malice. greatly appear: and this in effect, is to draw from the pestilent poison of sin and malice, a most precious balsam of virtue and goodness. 17. For believe it, (my beloved,) thy Lord God no sooner discovers in thy heart a lively and ardent love of well-doing, and a disinteressed desire of getting this glorious conquest, but he forthwith prepares and presents this chalice of cruel temptations, and harsh occasions, which thou art to take and digest, according as he best knoweth and pleaseth: and therefore confident Receive therefore the bitter cup, mixed by the heavenly Physician; and swallow it cheerfully. of his love, and careful of thine own profit, shut thine eyes, and receive it from his holy Hands, swallowing it down cheerfully, readily, and securely, even to the last and least drop, as a medicine made by a Physician uncapable of error, and whereof the ingredients, are by so much more profitable to thy soul, by how much they have less sweetness and savour to thy sensuality. How to make use of all occasions in the exercise of one virtue. 1. Thou hast been already informed, (my dearly beloved,) that the single practice of one only virtue at once is more profitable, than the laying out for them all together; and that all occasions and occurrences, though different in themselves, are to be directed to that end; Now take this method for thy more easy proceeding therein. 2. It may fall out, that oftentimes in the same day or hour, thou mayst chance to be unjustly reprehended for something which in itself deserves praise; that thou mayst cause anger by doing a good action, or be murmured against for some small subject; that thy fitting demand In all occurring accidents of suffering, may be harshly refused and rejected; that thou art suspected, contradicted, and calumniated without cause; that thy body is afflicted with pain, or thy mind with melancholy; that thou art employed in some peevish affair; that thy diet is ill dressed; and finally, that thou sufferest either in these-like inconsiderable occasions, or perchance in matters of more difficulty to be supported, wherewith this miserable life is replenished. 3. In all which accidents, though it be good to produce divers acts of Make acts of that virtue thou then practisest. virtue, conformable to the variety of the subjects; yet following the Rule already prescribed, thou art to exercise thyself in such acts, as directly aim at that virtue thou then practisest: As for example: If at the time when these occasions are Examples; in the virtue of Patience. offered, thou art upon the acquisition of Patience; thy way is to form acts, of enduring those particular contrarieties, with all willingness, joyfulness, and cheerfulness. If thy virtue be Humility; acknowledge Of Humility. thyself most justly deserving these and far greater indignities: If it be Obedience; yield readily, and submit to God's powerful Hand, Of Obedience. offering to obey (if so he pleaseth) not only all reasonable creatures, but even to sink below the brute beasts, and debase thyself under all things which any way disgust or displease thee: If it be Poverty; Of Poverty. content thyself in the want of all worldly comforts and conveniences, whatsoever: If it be Charity; Of Charity. produce acts of love, both towards thy neighbour, as being instrumental to thy purchasing of virtue; and also towards God, as being the principal and loving cause, whence these crosses proceed, (or at least are permitted) to come upon thee, for thy spiritual practice and profit. And by this Doctrine here delivered concerning the divers accidents which may daily befall thee, thou mayst easily learn how to behave thyself, and make acts of the virtue thou practisest, in any one occasion of sickness, persecution, or other pressures which are of longer durance. 4. As for the space of time, which Concerning the time thou art to stay in the practice of each virtue, Thy director must be judge; is to be employed in the practice of each virtue; it is not for me to determine; but it must be regulated by the condition, diligence, and necessity, of each particular combatant; and according to their much or little progress in the way of the spirit; whereof none can be a competent judge, but he who is the Guider and Director of their souls. 5. But whosoever shall hearty settle himself to work, with the devotion and diligence aforesaid, Yet thou mayst have some signs of thy progress; may without doubt make great profit in few week's practice. And take this for one sure sign of thy proficiency; if amidst all dryness, darkness and distresses of thy Soul, and feeling thyself bereft of all spiritual Whereof one is, if thou losest not courage in time of desolation. gust & comfort, thou ceasest not to continue with courage in thy virtuous enterprises. Moreover, the contradiction of thy sensuality in the forming of acts of virtue, will afford thee a manifest testimony; for the more that is weakened, the more this is strengthened; Another, if the rebellion of thy sensuality be weakened. so that to feel no rebellion in the inferior part, especially in unforeseene assaults, is a true token of thy having obtained the virtue. And as far forth as thy actions are accompanied with a promptitude and alacrity of spirit, so fare thou hast just reason to think thou hast profited in this exercise. 6. Yet take heed of persuading thyself, that thou art in sure possession of perfect virtue, or absolute Yet never think thyself a conqueror, master of any one passion; though happily thou hast not a long time, and after many hot skirmishes, felt these rebellious motions; for the deceit of the Devil, and the corruption Because vice may be clothed in virtues dress, of thy nature, may herein be too hard for thee, since that thing may be really a vice, which secret pride cloths in the habit of virtue. ●f furthermore, thou steadfastly beholdest And thou hast yet much more to do. the perfection to which God hath called thee, thou wilt easily grant, that hadst thou made a far greater progress in the path of perfection, yet thou art scarcely well entered into the first confines thereof. 7. And I must here put thee in Therefore look forwards upon what thou yet wantest, mind, (my dearly beloved,) that thou art still to look forwards, and advance thyself towards those many virtues thou wantest, and not to reflect backwards upon thine own small profit and progress: For this is to be left to thy Lord God, the true searcher and only knower of hearts, who lays open this secret to some, and conceals it from others, according to his Divine knowledge of the pride or humility which will ensue thereupon, and so as a loving Father, takes away from these all danger, and gives those an occasion to increase their virtue. 8. Wherefore let the pious practitioner And pursue thy exercises with patience and constancy. pursue his exercises with patience and constancy, though his perceives not its own progress; assuring himself that he shall in due time see and feel it, when the Divine Providence shall be so pleased for his greater profit. CHAP. XIX. How our enemy endeavours to make our virtues instrumental to our Ruin. 1. OUr deceitful and dangerous enemy the Devil, tempts us also by those very virtues which we have acquired, and casts them, as it were stumbling blocks, in our way, to occasion our ruin. To this end Our enemies strive to make us take pleasure in our virtues. he strives to make us please and delight ourselves in them; that so being puffed up in our self-conceits, we may fall afterwards into the dangerous precipice of pride. 2. But to secure thy Soul from this fearful fall, stand always in the open and plain field, and persevere securely in the true and profound But do thou consider thine own nothing. consideration of thy own nothing; confessing that of thyself, thou art nothing, thou knowest nothing, thou canst do nothing, and thou hast nothing else in thee of thyself, but eternal damnation. 3. And take a serious care, to drive far from thee all such of thine own cogitations, which seem to whisper against this selfe-knowledge: For they surely are suggested by thy sworn enemies, and therefore if thou excludest them not from thy heart, they will either kill, or cruelly wound it. 4. Which truth that thou may'st apprehend, I prescribe this Rule unto thee: When thou goest about to contemplate thine own baseness, think not of the Benefits, Blessings, And mark well what is within thee of thine own goods, and what of God's Gifts. Gifts and Graces which thou findest in thyself; for these are none of thy goods, but God's Gifts: turn thee therefore to take a view of what is thine own, and so thou shalt rightly judge how great, or rather how truly nothing thou art: which thou mayst thus do: Imagine the time before thou hadst a being, and What wert thou from eternity? thou wilt soon find that for an eternity thou wert an absolute nothing, that thou didst nothing, nor couldst contribute in the least manner to thy own life, or any thing which thou now possessest. If in What art thou in time? the next place, thou dost ponder the time wherein thou begann'st to be something, thou wilt likewise understand, that thou receivedst it from the pure bounty and benignity of thy God alone; for he created thee, and gave thee this life, which he still continues and conserveses unto thee, and he doth all other things thou now hast, knowest, and possessest. In so much as thou canst not meet with the least occasion in thyself, whereon to ground a thought of thy being any thing, or of deserving any esteem above others, for any thing. 5. Now as concerning thy state What good canst thou do of thyself? of grace, and abilities given thee to do good: tell me, Can thy nature do the least good thing by itself, deprived of thy Creators' Divine Assistance? If further thou turn thy thoughts upon thine own evil and sinful works, and others yet What evil hast thou, or mightest thou have done? worse which thou hadst undoubtedly done and continued in, if God of his great Mercy had not kept, stayed, and withdrawn thee with the right hand of his holy Grace; thou wilt be easily brought to acknowledge, that thine own wickedness, (both by reason of the length of time, in which thou layest drowned therein, and also of the multitude of thy evil actions and perverse affections,) is so great, that it can neither be expressed, nor numbered; in so much that thou art, or surely mightst have been, like another infernal Lucifer: therefore unless thou wilt be a sacrilegious fellow, and steal away the goods of thy Lord God, and attribute them to thyself, thou mayst justly esteem thyself every day worse than other. EXPLICATION. YEa, thou hast good grounds to So that thou mayst justly think thyself, the worst of all men. think thyself the most ungrateful and ungracious wretch in the World, and to be nothing but dirt and dung of the Earth, or that which is more stinking and abominable, because the loathsomeness and stench of thy sins is fare greater. Text Yet be just in thy self-accusation, 6. Yet here take this necessary caveat, That Justice be joined with this confession of thine own baseness; lest it bring thee more prejudice, than profit: For if in this knowledge and humble confession of thyself thou excellest some other, (who by reason of his own blindness thinks himself something, and for such desires to be esteemed by others;) and art desirous that upon this score, others should think well of thee, and esteem thee that which thou acknowledgest thyself not to be; thou art far worse than he is. 7. Wherefore that the acknowledgement of thy own baseness and vildness, may be true and real, and render thee pleasing to God; thou art not only to acknowledge thyself base and wicked; but behave And not only acknowledge thine own baseness, but so use thyself. thyself as such a one, treat thyself as such a one, and desire to be so held, and so handled by all others. EXPLICATION. Abhorring all honours, rejoicing in affronts, and condescending upon all occasions to perform the basest employments, and to be slighted and contemned by every one; yet still for the only end and intention to humble and exercise thyself, and not out of a certain pride, and secret presumption of spirit. 8. And if it sometimes happen Text. that for some good work, wherein thy Lord God vouchsafed to make thee instrumental, thou comest to gain a good esteem, or beginnest to And stick to this amidst all praise or applause of others. be beloved, or praised by others: Take heed, and be not drawn a tittle from the aforesaid truth of thine own baseness: but turn thy heart to thy Lord God, and there say to him: O my Lord, let it never enter into my thought, to steal from thee thine own Divine goodness. EXPLICATION. TO thee, O my God, all praise and honour is only due; to thee only be given all the glory, and to me that which I truly deserve, which is only confusion. And afterwards thou mayst reflect Text. upon him who praised thee, saying within thyself: Why doth this man think I am good? When indeed there is none good, but thou only my good God. If thou thus proceedest and practisest, thou rendrest truly to God that which is his, and puttest thy soul in a disposition to receive greater grace. EXPLICATION. 9 BUt if the memory of thy good deeds, endanger thy soul to fall into vanity; looking upon them And let not the memory of thy good deeds, puff thee up with vanity; presently as none of thine own goods, but as God's Gifts, reason thus with them: How can you appear and pretend to have a being in my heart, since I neither gave you a beginning, progress, nor perfection; but my good God, by his only Grace and Goodness created you? I therefore acknowledge him for your principal Father, and to him I return all hearty Thanks, Praise, Honour and Glory. 10. Then penetrate the best of thy For thou wilt find the best of them very imperfect. good works, and thou wilt find, thou hast not only failed in perfectly corresponding to the grace which God gave thee to perform them; but also that they are far from that perfection, purity of intention, and due fervour and diligence, which should have accompanied them: in so much that the whole matter being impartially pondered, thou mayst rather be confounded and ashamed, than puffed up with pride and complacency. For nothing is more certain, than that the pure and perfect graces and gifts of God, are destroyed and lessened by our imperfections, when we put them in practice. 11. And if thou wilt elevate thy spirit to thy Lords supreme Greatness and Goodness, and truly resent what service is due to so Divine a Majesty; thou wilt soon conclude And that thou hast no colour to glory in them, that there is no cause or colour for thee to glory in thine own merits, though thy actions had been fare more excellent and renowned than they are; but accusing thyself of Bu● to accuse thy want of duty. want of duty, and trembling at thine own deficiency, wilt put on the person of a poor penitent desiring pardon, and saying; O my God, be favourable unto me, a wretched Sinner. Thou mayst furthermore, enter into comparison of thy works, with them of the Saints and Servants of God; and thou wilt by that parallel, plainly perceive the baseness of thy best actions. 12. Learn therefore (O my Learn therefore humility, beloved) this necessary lesson of humility, and acknowledge thyself with thy whole bundle of good works put together, to be a mere nothing; for this is the firm foundation, whereon thou art to raise the perfect structure of all other virtues; and Which is the foundation of all virtues, the deeper thou layest this groundwork, the higher will be thy spiritual building; yet never think thou canst dig it deep enough, but rather imagine, that if an infinity could befall a creature, thy unworthiness would be infinite. This point, (to wit, selfe-acknowledgement,) being well practised, gives thee the possession And without which thou art less than nothing. of all that is good, and without it thou art less than nothing, though thy actions are more perfect than those of the greatest Saints, and thy heart be in continual recollection with thy Creator. O blessed knowledge! which makes us happy on Earth, and glorious in Heaven! O true light, shining out of our darkness! O great nothing, which rendrest us masters and monarches of all things! No, (my dearly beloved,) I will never give over the pressing of this Point, which thou art ever to practise. 13. If therefore thou desirest to praise God, accuse thyself; if thou wilt exalt his Divine Majesty, dive into thine own misery; If thou wilt find him, climb not up to Heaven, for he will fly from thee, but rather descend into the abyss of thine own nothing, and he will thither come to And it is the only way to praise, find, and please God. thee, and there embrace thee. Yes, he will court and cherish thee by so much the more dearly, deliciously and tenderly; by how much thou seemest abject and vild in thine own eyes, and art well pleased to have all others slight, and scorn thy company, as a mere out cast, an object of derision, and a thing abominable. 14. Know furthermore and consider Therefore thou art bound to him, for permitting thee to be scorned; thyself most unworthy of so high a favour from thy Lord God, as to be neglected and scorned by all; and fail not to render him most hearty and humble thanks. Finally, thou art to be grateful, and sensible of thy great obligation to them who have administered the occasion of this thy spiritual improvement, and to acknowledge And to them who do it. thyself most bound to them who have most mastered and mortified thee. 15. But if notwithstanding all these true and weighty considerations, the subtlety of the Devil, thy own ignorance, or an evil inclination, should have yet the power over thee, so as to disquiet and And be ever wary of the devil, and thine own inclination. trouble thy mind with fancies of selfe-praise, and make some impressions in thy heart, of thine own merits and deserts: 'Tis then thou art chief and courageously to beat down and humble thyself; since thou findest by experience, how poorly thou hast profited in the way of the Spirit, and knowledge of thyself, and what deep roots thy pride and vanity have taken in thy entrails: And this is the way to suck honey out of poison, and to draw health from wounds. Of Rash Judgement. 1. From this vice of selfe-esteem, springeth up another no less dangerous, which is Rash-Judgement Rash-judgemen springs from Self esteem, concerning our neighbouts, and this is commonly followed with contempt of their persons, and detraction from their good name: This vice as it hath its beginning from a p●evish and proud inclination, so likewise And from Pride. it is nourished and fomented by no other food; for Pride and Rash Judgement increase together, comply with each other, and do both jointly covertly and insensibly concur to deceive us. For we presume to exalt ourselves, by judging meanly of others, and we think ourselves free from those imperfections, which we are fully persuaded are in our Brothers. 2. Now, our wily enemy, the Devil, no sooner discovers this perverse disposition in us, but he is busy in keeping our senses open, to ●he Devil strives to ●eepe open our senses, upon our Neighbour's actions; see, hear, examine, control, and heighten the faults of our Neighbours: he is diligent to imprint this imperfection, or that indiscretion, of such or such a person in our spirits: If therefore (my dearly beloved) thy foe is so forward and watchful to entrap thee, be thou equally careful and vigilant to avoid his plots, But we must be as vigilant, to shun, as he is to lay his plots. and rescue thy soul out of his dangerous snares; and in the first place when another's defects are presented before thee, presently withdraw thy thoughts; but if thou art solicited to give sentence, let it be a flat First, by denying to give any sentence; denial, and short answer, that thou hast no such power given thee: and if thou hadst any such privilege, thou couldst hardly form a right and sound judgement, being environed and prevented with such a number of passions, inclining to think more amiss than there is just cause. 3. Then make use of this second and singular remedy: Let the consideration Secondly by looking homewards, upon our own selves, of thine own wants, and interior necessities, so take up thy whole time, and thoughts, that seeing how convenient it is to look homeward, and how much thou art concerned to take order in thy own bleeding affairs; thou mayst recall thy mind from roaming abroad, and have no leisure left to lend away to others superfluously, who hast scarcely time enough to look after thyself in things of absolute necessity. And this serious search into thine own wants, will clear the inward eye of thy soul, from those ill humours which engender this pestiferous imperfection of Rash judgement. For know, that when thou conceivest amiss of thy Neighbour, Where we shall find some root of the same fault we blame in them. there is some root of the same evil in thine own heart, which is apt to take the impression of that object which is like itself. When therefore thou feelest this itching desire to censure another's fault; fall into passion at thyself, as if thou wert equally culpable, and enter into these terms with thine own Soul: Is it possible, that I, who am so miserable, not only because I wallow in the same mire, but am also full of greater faults and inperfections, shall notwithstanding be so proud and presumptuous as to take upon me to judge another? Thus the weapons which first pointed at thy neighbour, but have thus pricked thine own heart, will prove a perfect cure of thy wounds, and a true comfort to thy soul. 4. But when the fault which is If the fau●t be manifest, put a charitable construction upon it; committed, is become manifest, then excuse it with a charitable construction; and piously conclude that thy brother hath many hidden virtues and perfections, for the custody whereof he is thus permitted to fall: or that it is to humble him for a time, to make him see his own nothing; and so from this contempt of others, raise him afterwards to higher perfection in the sight of the divine Majesty, whereby his gain may prove greater than his loss. But if the sin be not only manifest, but even monstrous, and proceeds If monstrous, have recourse to God's secret judgements, from a perverse and obstinate heart; turn thy thoughts to God's secret & severe judgements; where thou wilt find some, whose works seemed to speak them highly wicked, to have afterwards showed evident signs of holiness, and died with opinion of sanctity: and thou wilt also find others, who were thought to have touched the top of perfection, tumbled down into the miserable precipice of eternal damnation: It is And tremble at the proceed of his Providence. therefore thy part to tremble at these unperceiveable proceed of divine providence, and to remain always careful and fearful of thine own condition, not intermeddling with that of others, which is concealed from thy knowledge. 5. Finally, believe it for a certainty, And know that all Charity proceeds from God's good spirit, that all the good and charitable constructions thou puttest upon thy neighbour's actions, are the assured effects of the holy Ghost, and that all contempt, rash censures, and bitterness of mind against them, are derived from thy own malice, and and all bitterness from the Devil, thine enemy's suggestion: wherefore raze out of thy soul with all speed and diligence, such impressions as glance at thy brother's imperfections, and shut not thine eyes to sleep, before thou hast excluded all such thoughts out of thy heart. Of the means to shield us against the attempts of our Enemies at the time of death. 1. Though the whole course of our life is a continual war, yet the The way to be conquerors at our death, most signal and important day of battle, is the day of our death; and whosoever is conquered in that last and inevitable skirmish, remains hopeless of the victory for all eternity: wherefore that thou mayst be then ready to bear this fatal brunt with constancy, fight now and fall upon thine enemies before hand Is to fall now upon our enemies beforehand. courageously; for he that is a stout combatant duting his life, is most like to be conqueror at the point of death, as having by long practice gotten the true use of his weapon. 2. Thou art also to make death familiar to thy thoughts, by frequent and attentive conference and consideration; for so thou wilt less fear it when it comes; and be frecer to resist what will then so fiercely assault thee. Worldlings hear not willingly this doctrine, because it interrups them in the career of their pleasure, which they follow with overmuch passion and affection, and consequently leave it not without great grief and affliction. But do thou (my dearly beloved) make timely preparation for a matter of Therefore make timely preparation, so high importance; and to this end, imagine thyself to be sometimes all alone, helpless, and comfortless, struggling hand to hand with death; and there represent to thy soul, these things following; which as I conceive will then most afflict thee: and consult with thy own heart how to remedy all things before it be to late, that so thou mayst readily make use thereof in thy latest and greatest And now study thy answers, to the four challenges, which thy enemies will then send thee. necessity: For that which can once only be acted, ought in all reason to be very exactly studied beforehand, lest a fault be committed, which can never be redressed. Of four assaults which our enemies make against us at the time of Death; And first, Of their assault against Faith, and of the means to defend ourselves. 3. Our subtle enemies, make ordinary The First is against Faith. their strongest opposition when we are in the weakest condition; and therefore they raise four main batteries against us, from whence they let fly their empoisoned darts at us into our deathbeds: assaulting us, with temptations against Faith, with Despair, with Vainglory, and with Illusions. 4. As for the First: When the Devil sets upon thee with false arguments, The remedy is, to retreat from thy Understanding to thy Will, to batter down thy Faith; make a speedy Retreat from thy Understanding to thy Will, saying: Avoid Satan, thou Father of all falsehood, I will give thee no audience; for it sufficcth and satisfies me to believe that which the Catholic Church proposeth unto me. Take heed therefore of admitting any fancies concerning thy Faith, though they appear never so friendly; but take them all, as indeed they are, for deceits of the Devil, to engage thee in a dispute with him: But if thou art so suddenly entrapped, that thou wantest time to retreat, stand strongly upon thy firm ground: and never yield either to the reasons he allegeth, or to the authorities of Scripture he citeth, assuring thyself, that they are either ●ull of fallacies, or corruptly quoted, or ill applied, or falsely interpreted, ●hough they appear never so clear and evident. 5. And should the subtle Serpent fall upon interrogations to entrap And to give no answer to thy enemy's questions; thee in thy answers: As, What doth the Church believe? vouchsafe him no reply, but frame an inward act of lively and firm Faith; or undauntedly tell him, that the Church beleeus the Truth. If he again proposeth, And, What is this Truth? Say, it is even that thing which this Church believeth. 6. But above all things, keep thy heart and mind fixed and attentive But to fix thy thoughts, upon Christ crucified. upon the contemplation of Christ crucified: where sweetly discoursing with thy Lord and love, say: O my God, o my Saviour, o my Creator, secure me speedily, abandon me not in my necessity, let me not swerve one tittle from the truth of thy Church; and grant me, I beseech thee, this grace, that as I now live in it, so I may constantly die in it, to thy glory, and my own eternal comfort. Of their Second assault of Despair, and the Remedy against it. 7. The Devil's next Engine, wherewith he strives to ruin and destroy The second assault, is of Despair, us, Is the fright he puts into us, upon the thought of our enormous offences, whence he would cast us down headlong into the gulf of despair. In which cruel danger, stand Where, thou art to observe this certain Rule. fast to this certain Rule: That all reflections upon thy sins, proceed from God's grace, and tend to thy good, if they be followed with effects of humility, with true sorrow for having offended so good a God, and with a firm confidence in his goodness: But when this reflection disquiets thy mind, makes thee doubtful and distrustful, peevish and pusillanimous, then (although thy sins appear indeed sufficient, to make thee think thyself justly and eternally damned, and that there can be no reason for thee to hope after Salvation,) assure thyself they are clearly the effects proceeding from Satan's suggestions: And therefore And to have a perfect humble thyself so much the more, and be more hopeful and hope, and humble confidence in God, confident in thy God; whereby thou wilt confound and conquer thy enemy with his own weapons, which he prepared for thy destruction. 8. When therefore thy sins are And never to distrust his mercy, suggested to thy memory, conceive a perfect hatred of them, as of things detestable to the divine goodness; yet be sure to have an hopeful confidence in thy Saviour's passion: And I tell thee yet more; shouldest thou seem to hear God saying unto thee, Away, thou art none of the number of my sheep; yet thou art not to lose thy confidence in his mercy, but humbly to reply, Thou hast just reason, o my Sovereign Lord God, to shake me off for my sins sake; But I have greatest reason to be confident of thy goodness and mercy, and to believe that thou wilt pardon me; therefore I humbly beg salvation for this thy wretched creature; damned indeed by its own malice, but redeemed by the And the merits of his passion. dear ransom of thy Sons most precious blood and passion. Thou wilt save me, o my Redeemer, for thine own glories sake; and I resign myself freely into thy hands, upon the assurance of thy infinite mercy. Do with me, and dispose of me, as thou best pleasest, for thou art my only Lord; and if thou killest me, yet I will place my whole hope in thy heavenly goodness. Of the assault of Vain glory. 9 The third assault, is that of The third assault is, of vainglory, Vainglory and presumption: Here thou art to be squall, wary of the other extreme, and never to admit of the least conceit or complacency in thyself or thy actions, but to refer all goodness that seems to be in thee, purely to God's great mercy, and the merits of Christ's passion; Embase thyself in thy heart, whilst there is the least remainder of breath in thy body, and acknowledge thy Which is conquered by distrust of thyself, and trust in God. God as the true fountain of all thy goodness. Look not at all upon thine own merits, but rely totally upon his mercy. Distrust thyself, and trust in thy Saviour; and think what poor provisions thou hast laid up in store for this passage of death, and thy journey to eternity; and how vain and useless all thine own endeavours will prove, unless God will be pleased to put his helping hand, and gather thee under the sacred wings of his divine protection. Of illusions, and false aprearances, which are usually presented at the hour of death 10. If thy obstinate enemy, who is The fourth assault, is, by false illusions, ever studying to supplant thee, should at this time set upon thee with false appearances, and transfigurations of himself into an Angel of light, thy best way is, to recurre to the certain knowledge of thine own nothing, and boldly to answer him: Depart, o thou accursed devil, into Against which, have recourse to the confession of thy own nothing; And admit them not though they seem to come from heaven. thy own darkness; I neither deserve nor desire any visions: I need no other thing than the mercy of my Jesus, the prayers of the Virgin Mary, and the assistauce of the Saints. Yea, though thou hast reason to guess by some evident signs, that these things are from heaven, yet still deny them all access unto thee, and drive them far from thee; nor needest thou fear lest any such resistance (grounded upon thine own indignity) should displease God; for if the visions come from him, he knows well how to make them manifest, notwithstanding thy opposition: and art secure to be thereby no loser; since he who gives his grace to the humble, cannot be angry with him who practiseth such high acts of that virtue. 11. These are the common and After these general temptations, follow others in particular. ordinary engines, which our enemy makes use of in this last passage: After which follow his other trained bands of temptations, according to each ones particular inclination and disposition. Stand therefore timely to thy arms (my beloved) before this great day of battle steal upon thee; and fight now valiantly and generously against thy violent passions and imperfections, that thou mayst be prepared at that time, which takes from thee all other time and power to perform it. CHAP. XX. That we must never flatttr ourselves, as having subdued our enemies; but must often return, to our wont exercises, as if we were yet Novices in this Spiritual Conflict. I have yet one thing (O beloved) Never persuade thyself, thou hast gotten a full victory, to tell thee of; which is, that thou never persuade thyself to have gotten a full victory over any one of thy passions, though perchance thou hast for a long time together felt no motions thereof: But that thou often renew thy accustomed But often renew thy exercises. spiritual exercises, as if thou wert yet a young beginner, and a freshwater soldier now entering the list. 2. For if we behold, and desire to follow the perfection whereunto God hath called us: we shall find it to be so high and so copious, that For perfection is very high and hard to be obtained. after our best spent endeavours, we shall scarcely presume to say, that we have learned the first principles thereof: And besides this; That which seems to us a virtue, may indeed sometimes be a vice; our judgement being deceived by some secret pride. CHAP. XXI. Of Holy Prayer. WE have hitherto (o beloved) The fourth weapon is Holy prayer. through the divine assistance heard and learned what concerns Diffidence in ourselves, Confidence in our God, and continual Exercise; which are the three necessary means, to get the victory of our passions, and to conquer the disordered motions of our Sensuality. Now follows the fourth, which is Holy Prayer; and this is the best and most efficacious means to obtain all good things from Gods gracious and bountiful hand. EXPLICATION. FOr Prayer, is the food, the comfort, A furthet description of prayer. and the support of the soul during its pilgrimage upon earth: It is a secure bridge for it to pass over the several seas of adversities and prosperities: It is a wall of defence against vices and temptations; a key opening into the cabinet of celestial treasures; the door of holy thoughts; and finally, an invincible Citadel, and sure retreating place from the violent assaults of all our enemies. By prayer, (if thou knowest how to apply it to its true use,) thou puttest a sword into thy Lords powerful hands, wherewith he will fight thy battles for thee, and vanquish all enemies which oppose thee in thy way of perfection. 2. But to make thy prayer grateful, Text. Which must have these properties, useful, and acceptable; it must be accompanied with these conditions, and properties. First, That an ardent desire to 1. A desire to serve God. serve thy Lord God, in such a manner as may best pleasure his divine Majesty, do continually inflame thy heart. EXPLICATION. TO obtain this inflamed desire; How to obtain this inflamed desire. consider that thy Lord God, by reason of his admirable excellencies, of goodness, majesty, wisdom, beauty, and other infinite perfections; is more than worthy to be served, and honoured, by thee and all creatures. That to serve and secure thee, this greatness hath condescended to compassionate thy weakness; and to suffer for thee in his sacred humanity for thirty three year's space, during which time he cured and salved thy stinking sores, (which were gangrened by the soul contagion of sin,) not with medicinal oil, ordinary wine, and common plasters; but with the most precious balsom of his own sacred blood, and with unguents confected of his purest flesh, torn from his body by scourges, thorns and nails. Weigh also the importance of this his service, since thou art thereby enabled to master thyself, to conquer thine enemies, and to become the child of God. Secondly, That thou be possessed Text. Secondly, perfect Faith, with a true and constant Faith, whereby thou believest, that thy loving Lord will give thee all things necessary for his service, and thy salvation. EXPLICATION. THis holy Confidence, is the vessel, which the divine goodness fills with the treasures of his graces; and the greater it is, the richer, and more laden, will thy prayer return into thine own bosom: For how can our unchangeable Lord fail to make us partakers of his good gifts and graces, when as himself hath commanded us to ask them, and promised his holy Spirit to them who petition him for it, with Faith and perseverance? Thirdly, that thou hast no other Text. Thirdly, Conformity to God's will end in frequenting holy prayer, than the accomplishing of Gods will and not thine own; and this as well in ask, as in obtaining. That is, Let nothing move thee to pray, but only that God will have thee pr●y; neither do thou desire to be heard, for any other reason, than that thou hopest it is his pleasure: briefly; Let thy intention, and the whole purpose of thy prayer be this, That thy will may be conformable to Gods will: and strive not at all to bend his will or draw it unto thine. EXPLICATION. ANd this thou art to do so much Because thy own will is subject to error, the rather, because thy will being infected with self-love, is subject to error, and forgetfulness of itself, and so knows not what it asks: but the divine will is ever accompanied with unspeakable goodness, and so can never fail, but is the rule but the divine will is infallibly right. and queen-regent of all other wills, deserving to be followed and obeyed by them all. Thou art therefore always to petition for those things which are conform to God's ho●y will; and when thou suspectest whether some desire of thine be truly such, to make thy demand conditional; and not to wish it, but only so far forth as thy Lord God is well pleased thou shalt obtain it. In things also, which are known to be certainly agreeable to his divine Majesty, such as are virtues, and graces; thou art to pray for them, rather that thou mayst by their means better please, satisfy and serve him, than for any other end or consideration whatsoever, though never so spiritual. Fourthly, That thy prayer, and Text. Fourthly, A connexion with the former exercises. the other before-described spiritual exercises, be so joined together, as that thou undertake not the one, without the practice of the other: For pray thou never so long, and never so much, to obtain any virtue, unless thou also labour, and exercise thyself in the way to get it; thou only temptest God, but obtainest not thy desire. EXPLICATION. FIftly, remember that before thou Fifthly, Thanksgiving for received favours. demandest new favours, thou art to render humble thanks for them thou hast formerly received, by these or the like expressions: O my good and gracious Lord God, who hast made me, redeemed me, and rescued me from mine enemies, oftener than I myself know or can conceive; secure me now also, and deny not to grant this my present petition, though I have been hitherto rebellious to thy will, and ungrateful to thy goodness. And if thy demand be for some particular virtue, whereof thou now standest in great need, by reason of some temptation, trouble or contradiction, which urgeth thee; forget not to thank him for that occasion of thy trial and exercise; which through his gracious assistance, may redound so much to thy spiritual good. Sixthly, since Prayer hath its Sixthly, a reflection upon God's goodness, and promise; and Christ's passion. whole force, power and hope of obtaining, from God's goodness and mercy, from Christ's merits and passion, and from the divine promise; therefore thou mayst fitly usher in thy demands, by some of these following sayings: O my God▪ grant unto thy servant, I beseech thee, this grace for thy supreme goodness sake, that thy most dear Sons merits may impetrate for me the grant of my petition. Remember o my Lord, thine own loving promise; and incline thine ears to hear my prayer. At other times, thou mayst ask by the merits of the most glorious Virgin, and suffrages of the Saints; which are powerful to prevail, in thy pious demands. Seventhly, Thou art to pray with Seventhly, Perseverance. perseverance; For if the continued importunity of the Evangelicall widow, inflected the hard-hearted Judge to give her what she asked; how shall perseverant petitions be rejected, by him who is mercy and goodness itself? Therefore after thy prayer, Text. Prayer must also be strengthened with Hope. strengthen thy soul with a live by Hope in God, that (through his infinite love) he will bestow on thee the now demanded grace or gift, or something that is better for thee, or both together: And although he so long delays his answer, that thou mayst doubt he denies what thou askest; yet remain constantly in this hope, and never slacken therefore, either thy prayer, or thy practice, or thy confidence. And though God seemeth to reject thy prayer, yet persevere knocking. 3. Yea though it may seem to thee that God rejecteth thee and thy prayer: Yet do thou still humble thyself more and more before him, increasing thy Faith, and comforting thyself with hope in thy Saviour. For the more fervently and frequently thou interposest this constant hope in God, even in such violent repulses, and (as it were) manifest reprobations of thy prayer, the more thou becommest pleasing and grateful unto him. 4. And therefore thou art always And always thanking him, as well when he grants, as when he denies. to return him grateful thanks, whom thou acknowledgest no less good, wise and loving in thy behalf, when he seems to cast out thy petition, than when he grants it. Keep then an ever-constant, courageous, and joyful mind, in all events whether good or bad: and humbly submit thyself to the infallible wisdom, and all-ordering providence of thy Lord God. CHAP. XXII. What inward (or mental) prayer is, and what Contemplation: and the use thereof. INward (or mental) prayer, Is an 1. Mental prayer includes aswayes, elevation of the mind to God: and it always includes, either to an actual, or virtual petition of something▪ 2. Virtual petition is, when the mind is lifted up to God to obtain Either a virtual Petition ● some thing, some grace from him; showing him our necessities simply and briefly without any discourse or consideration of any other things: As, when I elevate my mind to God, and confess before him my weakness both to do well, and to defend myself from doing evil: This sort of prayer, is properly termed Virtual; because when I thus briefly lay my mind open to God, he well knows what is there wanting, and how much I stand in need of his help. EXPLICATION. ANd this virtually implies, an humble supplication to his Divine Majesty that he will vouchsafe to supply my necessities. And by how much the more this confession of thine own want and weakness is real and manifest, and thy desire efficacious, and thy confidence lively; by so much also thy demand shall be of more force and value. 3. There is also another kind of inward virtual Prayer, which consists in a simple beholding or contemplation of God in our minds, And this Prayer is, When we silently desire, and (as it were) put our Lord in remembrance of that grace, we formerly demanded. 4. Learn, (O my beloved,) this way of Prayer, and make it familiar unto thee by the frequent use of it: For experience will give thee to understand that it is the best armour of proof against all enemies, adversities and dangers. Have it therefore always in readiness, that where and whensoever need requires thou mayst make use thereof. 5. Actual petition, or actual inward Prayer is when grace is asked Or an actual ask by words expressed in the mind. by words expressed in the mind; In this or the like manner: Give me, O my Lord God, this grace, this benefit, for the honour of thy most sacred name: Or thus, I steadfastly believe, O my God, that it is thy holy will I should beg of thee this grace which I stand in need of: Do thou therefore, O my God, accomplish thine own pleasure in me. 6. Thus also thou mayst present before God's Divine Majesty, thine enemy which annoys thee, or thy sins which afflict thee, joining therewith thine own weakness to resist them: and say; O Lord, look upon thine own creature, made by thy holy hands, and redeemed by thy precious blood: behold also thine enemy and mine, outrageously reaching at me, and striving to take me from thee, and tear me in pieces. O my God, to thee I only fly, In thee only I trust. Consider my weakness, and mine enemy's strength; who will infallibly subject me to his tyranny, if I am left destitute of thy powerful protection. CHAP. XXIII. How we may join Contemplation to this inward Prayer. 1. IF sometimes thou art willing to settle thyself to mental Prayer for a certain space of time, as an hour, or more; thou mayst join Take some points of Christ's Death or Passion. to this way of Prayer, certain Meditations upon the Life and Death of our Saviour Christ, applying always his Actions to that virtue thou then demandest, and so meditating upon them both together. 2. For example: Patience is the virtue thou art now in quest of; choose therefore for the subject of And apply his actions to the virtue thou demandest; thy Meditation, some mystery of Christ's Crucifixion; As, how cruelly he was despoiled of his garments, which were barbarously rend from his Body, carrying away part of his sacred Flesh which cleaved fast unto them: With what ourcries, and As for example to Patience. curses, they crown and uncrown him with Thorns, iterating again and again that terrible torment: How this most innocent Lamb was fastened with Nails to the wood of the Cross, and lifted up into the Air, with unspeakable grief of his Wounds, and new anguish of his whole Body: And so of other the like points. 3. And in these considerations, first apply thy senses to feel, see, etc. the pain which thy dear Saviour endured in these passages in all the Members of his sacred Humanity: Then elevating thy heart to his holy Soul, penetrate into his Patience and Meekness, and see how pleasantly he passeth over these so great and grievous afflictions: and how ready he is, for his Father's satisfaction and our salvation, to suffer much more and fare greater torments: After this, behold him hanging Mark how meekly he suffered, and learn thereby to suffer patiently thy smaller adversities. on his Cross, and completing his sufferings by his Death: stand thou close to him and contemplate him, and think with what an ardent desire he did all this for thee, that thou by his example mightst learn to endure with patience, thy smaller adversities for his honour. And as he turned himself to his Heavenly Father, and prayed for thee; so thou shouldst implore his Grace to bear and overcome this Cross thou now groanest under, and all other thy Of Resolution. grievances, with quiet of mind, and constancy of resolution. 4. And Lastly, compel thy will to consent to these sufferings; And And compel thy will, to take up thy Cross quietly. speak to it, to take up this Cross quietly, and carry it on constantly: Then turn thee to God thy Heavenly Father, and humbly beg of him the virtue of Patience; and that he will be pleased to hear the perfect Prayer of his own dear Son, poured out on the Cross for thee. CHAP. XXIV. Of another certain manner of Prayer, by way of Meditation. 1. THere is yet another manner of Praying and Meditating together; As thus: Having attentively and seriously considered upon thy To pray and meditate together, Saviour's bitter Passion, sustained for thy sake, and to save thy soul; apply thine own senses (as aforesaid) and endeavour to feel (as it were) the like dolours in thyself: and let thy thoughts pierce into the promptitude of mind wherewith Christ thy Saviour suffered all this. 2. And having weighed his exceeding pains and his exact patience; proceed to these two following considerations: By considering Christ Merits, & the content his Heavenly Father took in his obedience. First, of the treasure of Christ's Merits: and Secondly, of the high content and good liking, which his heavenly Father took in his dear Sons perfect obedience. Then, 3. Having filled thy mind with these pious points of Meditation; produce them, and present them to And presenting them both to God. thy Lord God; and beg by virtue of these that grace which thou standest in greatest need of. And thus thou mayst put up thy Petitions, not only in meditating upon any mystery of Christ's passion; but also upon any internal or external action of his. CHAP. XXV. Of a way of praying by the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin. 1. THere is yet, (besides these foregoing methods of Prayer and Meditation,) another way, by the means of the most glorious and ever-blessed Virgin, and Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. W●ich thou mayst thus easily practise: First, fix thy mind and meditation upon God the Eternal Father; then upon Jesus Christ his dear Son and our sweet Saviour; and lastly upon Mary, the First; fix thy mind and meditation upth ' eternal Father. ever-blessed Virgin-Mother. 2. In thy meditation of the Eternal Father, take these two points for thy subject, and offer them up to his Divine Majesty: First, the great liking and content he had in himself from all eternity, concerning this perfect creature the Virgin, before she had a being: Secondly, the wonders he wrought in her, and the content he took in her, when she was borne into the World. 3. And as for the first of these considerations; Soare aloft, and Considering the content he had in himself (concerning her) from all eternity; exalt thy thoughts beyond all time, and above each thing created, penetrating the very eternity of the Deity; and then consider what celebrity of joy and delight the Divine Majesty had within himself, concerning this sacred Virgin and her high perfections: And there finding thy Lord amidst these joys and delights▪ lay hold of the opportunity, and address thy Petition unto him with full hope and confidence, that for this his great joys sake, he will impart bountifully some Grace, Strength and Courage unto thee, whereby thou mayst be enabled to encounter and conquer thine enemies, especially this vice which now chief tempts and troubles thee. 4. Hence proceed to the consideration of those admirable virtues, great gifts, and singular graces, conferred upon this most glorious Virgin; And the wonders he wrought in her, when she had a being. and sometimes present the whole bulk of them to the view of the eternal Father; other-times choose out some particular perfection to lay open before him: imploring and entreating for his own boundless goodness sake, and in respect of these virtues and merits of this his dearly beloved Spouse, that he will graciously hear, and mercifully grant what thou so greatly needest. 5. Then turn thy thoughts towards the Son of God, our Lord Secondly, upon God the Son. Jesus; and represent before him the sacred womb of his Virgin-Mother, which enclosed and carried him for nine month's space: as also the singular reverence wherewith she received him from her womb into her bosom, when he first appeared in the World; assisting him and acknowledging him true man, and adoring him as eternal God; as her own poor child, and as her powerful Creator: Put him further in mind, of her eyes of compassion towards his poverty; of her sacred Arms which so often embraced him; her Kisses, wherewith she cherished him; her Milk wherewith she nourished him; her labours suffered for him all his life time, and her dolours at his Death: by which and the like relations from the dear Mother, thou shalt use (as it were) a certain violence to her beloved Son, to grant thy Petition. 6. Lastly, come to the sacred Virgin Lastly come to the sacred Virgin. herself; lay open before her, her own privileges, prerogatives and perfections; how she only, amongst all Virgins and Women, was especially elected by the eternal, Power, Prudence, and Goodness of God, to be a Mother of G●ace and of pity; to be an assistant and advocate of all mankind; and that (next to her dearly beloved Sons humanity) we can apply ourselves to none but her, for better supplies of our necessities, or truer solace in our sorrows, or greater hopes of happiness. Tell her also of that true and tried saying; that no one did ever faithfully call upon her, who received not a merciful answer, and present assistance by her holy Prayer and Patronage. Lastly, put before her eyes all her Sons sorrows and sufferings upon Earth; and beg of her for his sweet sake, for his only honour, and for his glory, that thou mayst impetrate by her pious intercession the effect of this thy Petition, which that thou mightst obtain, he patiently underwent his so bitter Death and Passion. CHAP. XXVI. How to pray and meditate by means of the holy Angels, and Heavenly Citizens. 1. ANother powerful means to obtain thy Petition, is by the Angels and blessed Saints in Heaven: which is also practised two manner of ways. First▪ apply thy thoughts First, address thyself to the eternal Father. to the Eternal Father; and present before him the Love, Honour and Praise, wherewith his Heavenly Court worship's and exalts him: and withal lay open all the miseries, labours and molestations, which his Saints suffered, and by his grace surmounted, here upon Earth. 2. The other way is, by applying thyself to these glorious spirits, as Next unto the glorious Angels and Saints themselves, to them who not only remember us amidst their joys, but earnestly desire our perfection: beg therefore their faithful assistance in thy fight against vices; and sometimes implore their aid and assistance at the hour of thy Death, against thy dreadful enemies. 3. Other times, reflect upon those excellent gifts and graces, wherewith their Lord God endued them; exciting in thy soul a lively feeling of love and joy, that they possess these high perfections, as much, yea more, than if they were thine own, since such was the good will and pleasure of the Divine Majesty. 4. And that thou mayst more Dividing them into Quires, according to the days of the week. easily and orderly perform and practise this pious exercise; divide the Quires of this blessed company, according to the weekdays, in some such manner, as followeth. Upon Sunday, meditate upon the nine Quires of Angels. Upon Monday, of the holy Apostles. Upon Tuesday, of the glorious Martyrs. Upon Wednesday, of the blessed Bishops. Upon Thursday, of the holy Doctors. Upon Friday, of the holy Confessors. Upon Saturday, of the sacred Virgins. 5. But let no day pass, without But every day praying to the B. Virgin, To thy particular Patron, some special devotion to the most glorious Virgin Mary; to thy Proper-Angel; and to that particular Saint and Patron, to whom thou owest singular duty and Veneration. EXPLICATION. AMongst which I persuade thee to place S. Joseph, the dear Spouse of the sacred Virgin; who (as experience, and contemplative persons testify,) will assist thee by And to S. Joseph. his holy Prayers, in all thy temporal and spiritual necessities; and particularly advance and direct thy Soul in its spiritual Exercises of Prayer and Contemplation: And surely if our loving Lord, so highly esteems his other Saints, because they yielded him his due honour and obedience upon earth; how much more doth he value this most humble and happy Saint; and how prevalent are his prayers like to be, with that Divine Son, who honoured, served, and obeyed him upon Earth, as his Father? CHAP. XXVII. How to meditate upon the holy Cross, and Christ our Saviour hanging thereon, to excite and move our affections. 1. I Have before showed thee, (O my dearly beloved) the manner of meditating and praying upon our Saviour's Passion: now I will instruct thee how thou mayst thereby stir up good motions and enkindle holy affections in thy soul. When therefore thou hast taken some Article of Meditation, upon Christ's Cross and Passion; (as for example, Of his How to enkindle holy affections in meditating on the Passion. Crown of Thorns,) think thus with thyself: How thy most innocent and amiable Lord Jesus, was (with greatest derision and scorn) clothed in a purple coat, crowned with sharp Thorns, cudgeled with a hard Cane, besmeared with filthy spittle. How this King of eternal glory, whom millions of Angels adore in Heaven, was by the worst and wickedest sort of men, mocked upon Earth, as a counterfeit King with scoffing Adoration and Reverence. 2. Now when by these, and such other points of Meditation, thou desirest to raise in thy soul the true feelings and affections of Love; By reflection upon Christ's Love and goodness. elevate thy heart oftentimes whilst thou art meditating, to acknowledge the boundless goodness of thy Lord God, and his love towards thee: which thou mayst easily gather, from the multitude and the bitterness of his sufferings for thee. By this acknowledgement of his Goodness, thy love will be more and more inflamed; and a true contrition for thy sins will be more easily obtained: especially if thou considerest, that thou hast again and again offended, this thy most bountiful and loving Lord God, who was thus cruelly slain formerly for the Ransom of thine iniquity. 3. To raise also a constant hope in How to get a constant hope, thy soul; look upon thy Lord Jesus, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, reduced into the extremity of misery, to free thee from the slavery of Sin and snares of Satan, to reconcile thee to his Heavenly Father, and to give thee confidence to come to him cheerfully in all thy necessities. 4. And if furthermore, thou wouldst by these Meditations on thy Saviour's passion, move thyself to spiritual joy; warn thy thoughts from And a spiritual joy, remaining any longer upon his pains, and pass to the profits, fruits, and effects of his sufferings: There thou wilt find thyself and the whole World absolved from thy sins by them, the Divine wrath appeased, the Devil defeated, Death conquered, the lost sheep reduced, the Angel's seats supplied. Join to all this, the Joy of the sacred Trinity, and of the whole Church both triumphant and militant, who all rejoice in the profit issuing from Christ's cruel Death and As also affections of sorrow and compassion, Passion. 5. But to raise affections of sorrow and compassion towards thy suffering Saviour; thou mayst weigh, not only the many wounds of his sacred body; but the multitude of anguishes, griefs, & sadnesses of his most holy foul. For he well knowing the eminent and infinite dignity of his heavenly Father, (whom he so highly loved,) must needs be grieved above measure, to see this benign and bountiful Creator of all things, after so many and so great benefits, to be so rashly, so maliciously, and so frequently offended, and deluded, by his own creatures. 6. And this sadness of thy Saviour's soul, was much augmented by the foresight he had of that vast multitude of men, who by their own sin and sloth, were to be damned eternally. The same grief was further aggravated, by seeing the immense dolours of his dear and worthily beloved mother; and the same sword spared not his, which pierced her heart with sorrow. Moreover, Christ's sacred foul, which was all-knowing (by reason of the divine union) suffered in all the Martyrs and tender Virgins torments, sustained for his faith and affection. 7. In these and the like meditations And acts of contrition for thy sins. upon thy Lord and Saviour's passion, thou must often reflect, that thou by thy grievous sins and defects, wert the cause and occasion of these his afflictions: and from hence, conceive acts of true sorrow for thy shameful ingratitude, and humble thyself at the feet of his Majesty. And know that to be the best pleasing and most acceptable compassion, when thou persecutest thine own disordered affections, and strivest to ruin those enemies, and root them out of thy heart, which were the cause of thy Lords so cruel pains and passion. 8. And to move thee to a perfect With a perfect hatred of them. hatred of thy sin; think seriously in running over all these points of thy dear Saviour's passion, as if all these his sufferings were for no other cause, than to stir thee up to detest all sin, and destroy thy unruly passions and affections: them especially, which most endommage, defile, and distract thyself, and most displease thy Saviour. 9 Lastly, That by these meditations upon Christ's death and passion, thou mayst be moved to the admiration And to admire God's goodness: by considering 6, circumstances. 1. Who suffereth? 2. For whom? of his goodness: Consider attentively, First, Who he is that suffereth these things? Surely, the only Son of the Almighty God; who to save thee, came from heaven and became man. Secondly, For whom he suffered? Surely, for us poor worms, the works of his own hands, and who always are prone to offend him. Thirdly, By whom he suffered? Surely, By the vild and 3. By whom? vulgar crew, and the very refuse of all nations. Fourthly, What he suffered? 4. What? Surely, disgraces, contumelies, contempts, wounds and torments, more than can be named or imagined. Fifthly, How he suffered all 5. How? this? Surely, with a most patiented, meek, and willing mind; neither showing any sign of distaste, nor speaking any word of reproach, against his most ungrateful and malicious persecutors; but like an innocent lamb led on to the slaughter, he complained not of their violence, and his own sufferings; but laid down his life, his heart remaining full of sweetness. Sixthly, 6. When & where? When and where he suffered? Surely, at the time of their Paschall solemnity, and in their prime and sacred City, and in the presence of his dearest mother, and finally in the view, as it were, of the whole world. EXPLICATION. A further Declaration of the profit which may be drawn from the meditation upon Christ's Passion, and particularly of the imitation of his virtues. AMongst the infinity of profits The first profit, is a confusion at the sight of our imperfections. which may be drawn from this holy exercise, One is; that thou must needs conceive, not only a sorrow for thy sins past, but feel also a shame and confusion in thy soul, to see that those unruly passions, which put Christ Jesus to death upon the Cross, do yet lurk and live within thy heart. The other main profit which flows The second, a desire and demand of pardon, from the former, is; that being truly sensible of thy sins, and ashamed of thine Ingratitude, thou wilt hearty desire, and humbly demand pardon for what is past, and grace to amend for the future: And for an acknowledgement of thy extraordinary obligation, for thy Saviour's sufferings undergone for thy sake, with a resolution of amendment. thou wilt resolve to serve him, love him, and suffer for him hereafter. The third profit, is; that thou wilt fall out with thy perverse inclinations The third, a persecution of our passions. The fourth, an imitation of Christ's virtues. and passions, and persecute them to death, be they never so little. The fourth, is; that thou wilt force thyself to the utmost of thy power, to imitate the virtues of thy dear Saviour; who endured all this, not only to save thee, and satisfy for thy Sins; but also to give thee an example to follow his sacred steps. Another way to meditate on the Passion. And now (my beloved,) I will here declare unto thee another method of meditating upon Christ's passion, which thou mayst make use of, as thy devotion and occasion shall suggest unto thee. If thou desirest (for example) to obtain patience, in imitation of thy Redeemer; consider these points following: First, What the afflicted soul of thy Saviour doth towards his heavenly Father. By considering, Secondly, What the Father doth towards this soul of his Son. Thirdly, What this soul doth towards itself, and its sacred body. Fourthly, What doth thy Saviour towards thee. Fifthly, What shouldst thou do towards thy Saviour. First therefore, Consider how the soul of Jesus Christ being totally First, how Christ's soul carries itself towards his heavenly Father. intentive upon God; Is amazed to behold this infinite and incomprehensible Majesty, in respect whereof all things created are as a pure nothing; submitted, (though immutable in his glory,) to the sufferance of such unworthy usages upon earth, for man; from whom he never received any thing but disloyalty and injuries: And how it afterwards adores, thanks, and offers up itself entirely to the disposition of the divinity. Secondly, how the Father towards him. Secondly, Consider how God willeth and exciteth the soul of thy Saviour, to suffer for thy sake all those blows, buffets, scourges, spitals, blasphemies, thorns, and death upon the Cross; giving him to know, how well it pleaseth him, to see him thus replenished with all sorts of affronts and afflictions. Thirdly, passing on to the soul of thy Saviour Christ, Consider, how with his understanding (which is all Thirdly, how the soul towards itself, and its sacred body. light) knowing how highly his passion pleased God; and with his will (which is all fire) loving the divine Majesty beyond measure, which thus invited him to suffer for thee; he disposeth himself, readily, joyfully, & contentedly to obey his sacred will and pleasure: And who can dive into the depths of those desires which this pure and loving soul of thy Saviour had to suffer for thy sake? It found itself, as it were, in a Labyrinth of troubles; casting about to encounter new ways of sufferings: and therefore freely gave up itself, and it's innocent body, as a prey to the pleasure, and cruelty, of the most lewd and worst sort of villains. Fourthly, Consider in the next Fourthly, how thy Saviour carries himself towards thee. place thy sweet Saviour, amidst his bitter torments, fixing his eyes full of tears and tenderness upon thee; and conceive thou hearest him thus expostulating with thee: Behold, my Child, whither thy immoderate desires, and unmortified affections have brought me; because thou wouldst not use a little violence to thyself: See, and consider, how much, and how willingly I suffer for thy love, and to give thee a pattern of perfect patience: I beg of thee, (o my dear child;) and I conjure thee by all these my sufferings and sorrows, that thou wilt willingly embrace, and cheerfully carry this Cross, and any other which I shall think fit to lay upon thy shoulders; and that thou abandon thyself entirely into such hands as I shall permit to persecute thee in body or fame, how vile, contemptible, and cruel soever they be. O, didst thou but conceive the greatness of the comfort I should receive in this thy patience and courage! But thou mayst read it in these my wounds, wherein my love to thee is written in bloody characters, and which I willingly receive, as so many precious pearls to enrich thy poor soul with all sorts of virtues and perfections, because I love it above all things created: And if I thy Lord and Creator am reduced to this extremity for thy love; why, (o my dear Spouse) wilt thou not consent to endure a little to satisfy my hearts desire; to supple my wounds, and to mitigate these my pains, caused by thy impatience, which more afflicts my soul, than these grievous torments do my body? Fiftly, Consider well who he is Fiftly, how thou shouldst carry thyself towards thy Saviour. that speaks thus unto thee, and thou wilt find that he is the King of glory, jesus Christ, true God and true Man: Mark also the greatness of his grief, the variety of his torments, and the manner and indignity of his disgraces, too bad for the worst of men, or most infamous malefactor in the world: Yet thou seest thy Saviour amidst all these affronts and afflictions, not only unmoveable, mild, and patiented; but even joyful and content, as if he now kept his marriage-banquet: And as a little water, rather strengthens than extinguishes a full kindled fire; so by the increase of his torments, (which were small in respect of his excessive love,) his content and desire of suffering fare greater, was more and more enkindled and augmented: Consider further, that he endured all this by no external violence, nor for any self-interest; but (as he told thee) for thy love, and that thou mightst imitate him, and exercise thyself in the virtue of patience: And then penetrating into that which he desires thou shouldest do, and into the content thou shouldest afford him by this thy practice of patience; produce acts of a passionate will, to bear not only this Cross patiently and joyfully, but any greater; that so thou mayst imitate him more perfectly, and content him more abundantly. And imprinting in thy mind a lively image of these his sufferings, and of his constancy therein; be ashamed to think thy patience so much as a shadow of his, or that thy affections are really any at all, being compared with his; and tremble that the least thought of not enduring for the love of thy Lord, should remain in thy heart. Thy Crucified Jesus, (my beloved,) is the best book thou canst read in; Christ crucified is the best book to read in, and the liveliest image thou canst look upon, to draw the perfect portrait of all virtue: For it being the book of life, it not only informs thy understanding by words, but also inflames thy will by example: The world is full of books, yet all of them together cannot so speedily and perfectly teach the true means of obtaining all virtues, as doth the right contemplation of Christ upon his Cross: But they And to learn all virtues, who employ much time in deploring their Saviour's passion, and admiring his patience, and apply it not at all to their particular practice when occasions If thou makest fit applications to thy particular practice. are offered; do like unto those Soldiers, who before the skirmish, talk of great matters, and speak high words in their tents; but at the first sight of the appearing enemy, they take a fright, quit their colours, cast down their arms, and utterly forsake the field. And indeed, what thing can be more silly, cowardly, and unworthy, than to contemplate, as in a most clear glass, the virtues of our Lord and Saviour, loving them, and admiring them; and presently to forget them, and disesteem them, as soon as any occasion is presented wherein to exercise ourselves in their imitation. CHAP. XXVIII. Of sensible devotion; as also of spiritual dryness, and dereliction. SEnsible devotion, proceeds sometimes from a natural inclination; sometimes from the Devil; and sometimes from God's grace: And by Devotion is best known by the effects it produceth. the fruits of it, thou mayst best judge from which of these springs it issueth: For if thence thou art no whit moved to amendment of life; thou mayst justly fear it comes either from thy enemy, or from thy own nature; and the more sweetness thou feelest, the more shouldst thou be suspicious whence it floweth. 2. When therefore thy soul is replenished How to make profit of all spiritual sweetness in devotion. with spiritual sweetness, question not whence it cometh, nor adhere much unto it; but still stick steadfastly to the acknowledgement of thine own baseness, abstracting thy heart from all other delights or desires, than only that which it takes in God, and his good pleasure. Thus, will these short sweetnesses, whether they spring from thy own nature, or thine enemy's suggestion, be truly turned to thy comfort and profit. 3. Dryness in like manner, or desolation Three causes of spiritual dryness. of the soul, may proceed either out of our own natural defect, or from the Devil, or from God. From the Devil; who thereby The Devil. strives to render the soul tepid, and tedious in her spiritual exercises; and so to draw her by degrees to leave them, and look after earthly solaces. From our selves; Either because Ourselves. we stand in fear of ourselves by reason of our sins, or because we are negligent in the practice of our devotions. From God; who therefore permits God. this dryness, to excite us to more diligence, and abstract us from all other cares and curiosities, but them only which concern our Creator, or have some relation unto his honour, or our own perfection: Or finally, to teach us, not to trust or rest in spiritual joys, but to depend wholly on his holy will and pleasure: As that resigned soul did, which said: Our Lord gave, our Lord hath Job 1. 21. taken away, as it hath pleased him so it is done. 4. When therefore thou feelest this dryness of devotion, enter into thyself and search out the cause thereof; Search out the true cause thereof, and having found it, fight against it; not to recover that sensible sweetness of grace, but to expel fare from thee whatsoever is displeasing to the divine Majesty. 5. And let it be thy continual And keep on thy accustomed practices of piety. care, to keep on thy accustomed practices of piety, notwithstanding this dryness in thy soul; yea, though thou seemest to labour in vain, yet prosecute them with greater diligence, and drink of that bitter potion of desolation with a prompt and peaceable resolution; and if it be so mingled with the thick dregs of a troubled mind, that thou knowest not how to swallow it, nor which way to turn thee; yet persevere with alacrity, and sit And seek no outward comforts. solitarily thus deferted, under the shadow of the holy Cross, seeking no outward solace, though the whole world should offer it, or any creature afford it thee. 6. For thou arr to conceal this Nor pray to have it mitigated. Cross of thine from all persons, except thy ghostly Father, to whom thou art faithfully to discover it; not to have comfort from him, but counsel, how to carry thyself during this dryness, conformable to the divine pleasure and good liking. 7. Nor art thou to make use of the holy Communion, Prayer, or any other spiritual exercise with intention to have the least mitigation of thy adversities; but only that thy good God will give thee strength of spirit, to support thy Cross with patience. And if through trouble and distraction, thou canst hardly make use of thine understanding in thy meditations; keep only a willing mind to do it, and supply it with jaculatory prayers, and frequent elevations of thy mind to thy Lord God. EXPLICATION. IN this case, thou mayst make use of these or the like sacred sentences: My heart is troubled within me, my strength hath forsaken me, and Ps. 37. 11. the light of my eyes is not with me. Lord I suffer violence, answer for Esay. 38. 24. me. Return, return, o my beloved, let me Cant. 6. hear thy voice. How long shall I consider in myself, Psal. 13. 3. and have grief in my heart all the day? Why, o Lord, art thou gone fare Psal. 10. 1. off, and despisest in opportunities, in tribulation? Pardon me, that I may have some Psal. 38. 14 refreshing, before I go hence, and shall be no more. O my God, my God, why hast thou Psal. 22. 9 left me? Or thou mayst say: O my Lord, o my love! where, where dost thou leave thy poor servant thus all alone, who hath no comfort in himself, and desires none from any creature? O what shall he do, if he finds it not in thee? Whither wilt thou go, poor strayed sheep, if thou hearest not the voice of thy divine shepherd? O living fountain! o source of all sweetness! shall I never more become worthy to taste one only drop of thy delights? To whom shall I have recourse, if thou, my God, and only refuge, keepest aloof from me? O unlimited bounty! when shall I have a lively feeling of thy effects? How is it possible for my dry soul to subsist in this desert earth, being deprived, o my God, of thy heavenly dews? When thou findest thyself thus In thy desolation, rememb●r how thy Saviour was left comfortless on the Cross. abandoned; remember how thy dear Saviour was also left comfortless by the same heavenly Father, in the Garden, upon the Cross and in his greatest afflictions; Therefore pronounce with him oftentimes those hard words; Fiat voluutas tua, Thy holy will be done: which proceeding from the depth of thy heart, will sweetly wound the heart of thy Lord God, and move him to compassionate thy misery, either by sending thee comfort, or giving thee courage, constancy, and resignation, to endure it. 8. For know assuredly, that to do Text. or suffer for God's honour, is to him For, to suffer for God, is the best prayer, and makes thee truly devout. the most acceptable prayer; And therefore to endure this dryness with perfect patience, and humble resignation; makes thee truly devout; because true devotion consists in no other thing, than to have a ready will to follow Christ thy Lord, with thy cross on thy shoulder, whither, and which way he pleaseth; having and desiring God, only for God; and sometimes leaving God for God. 9 If therefore spiritual persons, especially Religious men and women, would seeriously examine and measure their progress in the way of perfection and piety, by this Rule; and not by the feeling of sensible devotion, (which many do chief And not sensible devotion. regard;) they surely would make better use of sensible comforts in their exercises of devotion; which their loving Lord affords, to make them more zealous in submitting to his sacred will; which disposeth all things, in order to our salvation and benefit. Wherein many are deceived. 10. And in this also many are much deceived, that when they are troubled with impure and perverse thoughts, they presently become fearful and faint-hearted, and as if God had utterly forsaken them, think it impossible that his holy Spirit should inhabit a heart so troubled and tormented. And they so intricate themselves in these fancies, till by degrees they fall into a grievous dislike of themselves, and lastly into a certain dangerous despair. Which they no sooner apprehend in themselves, but they presently run to their wont ways, to recover their quiet. But hereby they show themselves little grateful to God; who therefore permits them to be thus troubled and tempted, to bring them to the clear knowledge of their own nothing; that so, as wretched, frail, and desolate creatures, they may more seriously seek him, and more diligently draw near him. 11. Wherefore, (o my beloved,) What thou art to do in this distress. that which thou must do in such a distress, is this: Enter strait into a profound reflection upon thine own baseness, and there humble thyself, and confess thy peevish affections and passions, and acknowledge thy proneness to fall, (if left to thyself,) into all manner of wickedness; and that without thy loving Lords care and custody, help and defence, thou wouldst be cast down headlong incontinently. 12. This done, raise thy heart with a good hope, and confidence in thy Creator; seeing it is he only who permitted thee to fall into this adversity, that thou mightst take hold of the occasion to draw nearer unto him by humble prayer; and therefore thou art obliged to render grateful thanks to his divine Majesty, for these-like troubles and temptations. And take this as a certainty: That all such perverse thoughts are sooner expelled with meek sufferance and patience, than with much solicitude and study. CHAP. XXIX. That the worthy frequenting of the most Blessed Sacrament, is an efficacious means to conquer our passions. THe sacred Communion, or most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, is received by devout Christians for divers ends. But if thou desirest to take it, for the particular strengthening of thy soul against the assaults of evil inclinations; attend to what I shall now teach thee. 2. The day before thou intendest Meditate the day before thy Communion, of thy Saviour's desire, etc. to come to thee; to communicate; meditate, if thy leisure give thee leave, of the great desire thy dear Saviour hath to unite himself to thee by the means of this Sacrament, and thereby to root out thy vicious affections. For this his desire is so immense, that no created understanding can comprehend it. 3. But that thou mayst have a small glimpse thereof, consider these two things: First, What pleasure our Lord takes to dwell in us; since the holy Scripture calls this his delights; and in My delights are to be with the children of men. Child, give me thy heart. And how much he hateth sin. requital of this love, he only requires our hearts. Second●y, how much he hateth our sins, which ●●●der his nearer union with us, and are directly opposite to his incompa●●ble perfections. For he being the ●●ely and chief good, the purest light▪ ●●d most perfect beauty, cannot but detest that which is mere darkness, frailty, and the corruption and Canker of our wretched souls. 4. And that this loving desire of thy dear Lord, may take yet deeper impression in thy mind; meditate often of his marvelous works related in the Old and New Testament; especially of his most bitter Passion and cruel death; which he did expressly suffer to deliver thy soul from sin; and to cleanse it from such affections, as are contrary to his divine Majesty. Concerning which point, all the illuminated Doctors of God's Church, do unanimously conclude and teach; That Christ our Saviour would again, if it were needful expos● himself to a thousand deaths, to free us from the least evil passion or affection. 5. By such considerations, thou And move thy soul to a reciprocal desire and affection towards him. wilt easily gather the great desire thy dear Saviour hath to dwell with thee: and from thence conclude, how fitting it is that thou shouldst reciprocally stir up in thyself an ardent affection to receive and entertain him: Which thou mayst do by these and the like jaculatory prayers: Come, o my Lord, and my love; help thy caitif creature to conquer her enemies. When, o when (my dear spouse,) will that happy hour come, that I may receive thee, the bread of life; and being comforted and encouraged by thee, may fully conquer myself, and totally subdue my own evil passions, and disordered affections? 6. And when thou art heightened And then provoke thy passions to battle. with the hope of thy sweet Saviour's coming into thy soul, then provoke thy passions to battle; call up thy affections, and curb them again and again with perfect hatred and disdain; and this done, produce acts and desires of the virtues which are opposite to these vices: And let this be thy evenings entertainment, and morning's ●mploym●●t. 7. But when the hour of sacred Being near the time of Communion thou art to fear, communion draws near; think seriously of thine own faults, failings, and unfaithfulness to thy Lord God, since the time of thy last approach to the sacred table; for which ingratitude and unworthiness, thou tremblest with fear and confusion before his dread Majesty: But then again, encourage and comfort thy But also to have courage and confidence. self with the consideration of his goodness, his readiness to pardon, and his inclination to mercy; and with a pious confidence, that he will have thee receive him, notwithstanding thine own indignity; go on with alacrity of spirit to the holy banquet, and joyfully embrace thy Lord God in thy soul. 8. The Sacred Communion thus After Communion discover thy wants. performed, presently shut up thyself within the closet of thine own heart, and discover to thy Saviour thy wants, and thy weakness; saying in thy mind: Thou seest, o my sweet Saviour, how I am possessed with this passion, and pestered with this perverse affection. Thou also well knowest, o my Lord, my weakness to resist it, and that ●● is not possible for me by my own diligence to be delivered: Therefore this battle is thine; I resign this my quarrel against these enemies into thy powerful hands; and from thee alone I look for the victory. 9 After thou hast thus silently And constantly hope for the divine help. prayed; turn thyself to the eternal Father, and piously present his dear Son Jesus unto him, for the same effect for which thou now receivedst him into thy soul: And expect with constant hope his divine help, which although thou presently perceivest not, yet thou shalt infallibly and plentifully receive, when it shall be most expedient for thee. CHAP. XXX. How to excite in us the affections of love, by the sacred Communion. IF thou desirest to stir up in thy soul, by means of this most holy Sacrament, that fervent love of thy Lord God which destroys and consumes all self-will, and self▪ love within thee: Settle thyself, in the evening which precedes thy communion, to meditate upon thy Lords immense love and liberality, towards Consider God's love and liberality. thee unworthy wretch, the work of his own hands; how not content to have form thee of nothing to his image and likeness; and to have sent his only Son from heaven to inhabit our earth, and to serve thee for the space of three and thirty years in continual labours and travails, and lastly to undergo his most bitter passion, and ignominious death for thy redemption: He would further bequeathe this his Son unto thee in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, for the perpetual food and refreshing of thy soul. 2. And that by the due consideration Especially showed in the sacred Communion. of this special benefit (of sacred Communion) thou mayst become all fire and love; thou shalt thus order thy devout exercise: Consider, in the first place, Who it Weighing first, who it is that comes thus unto thee. is that confers on thee this so large and liberal gift: Surely, it is thy Lord God himself; the divine and increated wisdom and goodness; whose worth and perfection infinitely exceeds the reach of all created capacity. 3. Then, look upon the gift itself 2. What he gives thee. which is the true and only Son of God, of equal height, nature and substance with the heavenly Father and holy Ghost. Now if a small gift proceeding from a King, hath its high value in respect of the giver; how highly is this gift to be valued by us, which is God, and given by God himself, as a token of his true love, and a perpetual memorial of his tender affection towards us? 4. Again, reflect upon the eternity 3. The eternity of his love. of this love, by which it was decreed by his most divine, most hidden, and most holy wisdom, that he would thus give thee himself for thy food and refection: and hence begin with joy and jubily of heart to sing and say within thyself: O infinite goodness of my God and is it even so, that thou lovedst me in thy endless eternity! didst thou, o my Lord and my God, so much value me, thy poor and unworthy creature, that thou remembredst me in thy blessed eternity, and hadst an ardent affection and desire to give me thyself for the food of my soul? 5. And finally, look into the purity 4. The purity of his love. of this love, which so great a Lord shows unto so mean a worm: How different is it from all earthly affection? how free from the least mixture of profit, and self-interest? How fare is it above thy merits, and how purely is it a work of his only mercy and bounty? 6. Having thus seriously and sweetly, with affection and admiration, meditated of the divine goodness; Thy heart may break forth Hence break forth into admiration. into these raptures: Whence is it, O my Lord, that thou so lovest me an abject creature? Why, O King of glory, wilt thou so nearly join me to thyself, who am but a little dust and ashes? I well conceive thy design, O my dear Lord, this thy excessive love towards me: It is to win me reciprocally to thy love; O the purity of divine love! Thou lovest me, o my God, and givest thy whole self unto me, for no other end but that I may in gratitude give thee my love, life, and all, entirely: and this for no need thou hast of me, but merely for thy mercy's sake, and for my advancement and profit; that by this sweet tye and happy union of love, my earthly heart may be raised up to become one with thy divine heart, o my Lord and my God. EXPLICATION. HEre all ravished with joy to see And ravishment to see thyself so highly prized. thyself so highly prized, and beloved of thy Lord God; withdraw into the secretest part of thine own heart, and there acknowledging that all this powerful love, is to entice thy poor and inconsiderate self unto his divine Majesty: make so And make an entire oblation of thyself to him. absolute an oblation of thyself unto him; that thy memory may scarcely think of any thing but thy God; thy affection may abhor all content which comes any way without him; and thy Understanding may admit of no other object for its continual entertainment, than him, who is the only satiety and satisfaction of all thy inward faculties and outward senses. And since there is no action, amongst And this being the chief act of Religion, all them which concern our Religion and loyalty to God, which can compare with this, (of receiving him worthily in the most holy Sacrament,) either in appeasing Strive to perform it most perfectly. his anger, or uniting us to his love: Force thyself to the utmost of thy power to prepare, purify, and open thy heart unto him, and to shut it against all things created. 7. Then offer and dedicate thyself humbly and wholly, with heart and Text. affection, to the divine pleasure; Dedicating thyself wholly ●o him. and retain an ever ready and inflamed desire to please God, and follow his blessed will. And when this holy desire and affection shall be throughly enkindled in thy soul; thou wilt see me to move thy Lord God also to be so much enamoured with thee, that he desires thou shouldest freely open thy heart to him, that he may the next morning enter And freely open thy heart to him. in unto thee, feast with thee, and take his full delight in thee: Then do thou also declare thy mutual desire to receive him, with these kind of Jaculatory prayers. O heavenly and divine manna, when will that wished hour come, that I shall to thine own content, receive thee into my soul? Ah; when shall I be surely united unto thee, by sincere affection? When shall I, (O only life of my soul!) relinquish all self-will, and vanquish all my passions and imperfections? 8. In these and the like devotions thou mayst spend the evening and morning, to excite, cherish, and increase thy desire to receive thy dear Saviour, that so thou mayst perfectly please him, and be most happily united unto him. And in thy pious practices of these things, take this Caveat: Be sure to keep each power and faculty of thy soul, pure and But take heed of vanity and curiosity. free from all curiosity of worldly things, and from all idle and vain thoughts: Take also the like care of thy outward senses, lest thy heart steal out by them, and so thou lose all thy devotion. EXPLICATION. THe time of the sacred Communion At the time near the Communion. drawing nigh; think thou art to receive the Lord who created this great Universe, and thee to his own likeness; the Son of God, who died for thee n●ked on the 1. Think what thou art going to do. Cross; that increased goodness, which hath so often freed thee from danger, death, and damnation; which thy sins deserved. Thank him with most profound Thank, humility; and adore him, (uniting Adore, Implore. all thy spirits and forces of body and soul together,) as true God, and true man. Beg also his pardon for thy faults, and that the same love which moves him to grant thee this great gift, may also induce him to purge thy soul from the stains of all sin and uncleanness, thereby disposing it to a more pure and perfect union with his divine Majesty. When the Priest pronounceth those sacred words: Domine non When Domine non sum dignus, is said. sum dignus; O Lord, I am not worthy; accompany him with these following, and speak to thy Lord and love from the bottom of thy heart. I am not worthy to receive thee, o my great Lord, before whose Majesty the Angels of heaven, tremblingly confess their own nothing. I am not worthy o my Lord, that thou shouldest enter into my heart, who am one of the meanest, weakest, and ungratefullest creatures upon earth. I am not worthy, o my Lord, that thou shouldest lodge with me, because I love thee not, and I remember thee not, though these are prime reasons of thy instituting and remaining in this most blessed Sacrament. Thus humble, confound, and abysm Humble and Confound thyself. thyself, at the serious consideration of thy sins, malice, and misery: but then raising up thy heart with hope by the following words; [Sed But still raising up thy heart with hope. tantum dic verbo, & sanabitur anima mea.] Do thou only speak the word, o my Lord, and my soul will be saved: Enter, o my love, into this unworthy harbour, and make use of thine infinite power and goodness in pardoning my sins, supplying my defects, and protecting me from my enemies. 9 And after thou hast received Text. Having communicated entertain thy guest with amorous expressions. this divine Sacrament, betake thee presently to the innermost closet of thy heart, and there enter into communication with thy holy guest, using these or the like loving and respectful expressions: What hath moved thee, O great King of Kings, to enter in to me, who am nothing but a miserable, despicable, vild, blind, and naked creature? And he will answer thee: Love; for thou art my dove, my friend, my sister, my spouse and my dear beloved. Then thou mayst reply; O increated love, o sweetest dilection, o friendly and faithful charity, what wouldst thou have me do? what demandest thou? what desirest thou? I ask nothing (saith he) but love: I would have nothing burn in the hearth of thy heart, but the fire of my love, that it may devour all foreign love within thee, and destroy all self-will and seeking. This, this is my desire; because I would be truly thine, and would have thee likewise be totally mine: Which can never be compassed, until thou freely deliverest up thyself to my will and pleasure: For without this entire resignation, thy fancy will be always fastened to the loving and liking of thyself, and thine own actions, be they never so mean: I desire therefore that thou shouldest hate thyself, that thou mayst have the love of me: I demand thy heart for my habitation, that I may join and unite it unto mine, for to this end was my heart opened to thee upon the altar of my Cross. My will is, I say, (o my dearly beloved spouse) that thou desire nothing, think nothing, understand nothing, see nothing, feel nothing, but myself only: that so I only may be in th●e, and thou totally turned into me, and that thou mayst possess in me perfect quiet, and I in thee pleasant context. 10. Lastly, thou shalt offer the holy And Lastly, offer up the divine Son to his heavenly Father. Son to his heavenly Father, for thyself, for the whole world, and for the souls departed; in memory and union of that divine oblation which he offered upon the holy Cross: presenting in like manner all the unbloody sacrifices to the divine Majesty, which are that day offered up in his universal Church. CHAP. XXXI. Of Spiritual Communion. ALthough (my beloved) thou canst receive thy sweet Saviour 1. Thou mayst thus often Communicate. sacramentally only once a day; yet thou mayst receive him spiritually, every hour and moment: For nothing can hinder thee from this, but only thine own fault and negligence. And this spiritual Communion may sometimes prove more profitable to thy soul, and pleasing to thy Saviour, than the sacramental, especially if there be a defect in thy due and diligent preparation. 2. For as often as thou desirest By frequent desires. to receive thy loving Lord God thus spiritually into thy soul, thou shalt find him ever ready to feast thee with his own sacred hands; and thou mayest thus easily dispose thyself unto it: Turning thyself to thy Saviour to this end, reflect upon thine own frailty and frequent failings, and conceive an inward sorrow and detestation of thy defects; then make thy supplication with a loving affection, that he will not disdain to enter thy poor cottage, and feast thee with his own true body and blood. 3. So also, when thou art moved And it is an excellent exercise against passions. with a pious zeal against any perverse Passion, and desirest efficaciously to mortify it, or to plant some virtue in thy soul; make use of this spiritual communion, by converting thy thoughts towards thy Lord God, and invoking his aid with ardent prayers, beseech him to enter and possess the secret part of thy soul: Or, calling to mind thy last sacramental communion, speak to him with an inflamed desire: When (o my good God) shall I again welcome thee into the closet of my heart? Come now, (O my Saviour) and comfort me spiritually, with the like strength and virtue. EXPLICATION. IF thou wilt practise this pious How to make great use of this exercise for thy spiritual profit. exercise of spiritual Communion, with more reverence and profit; frame thy intention overnight to apply all the mortifications of thy vicious passions, all the acts of virtue, and whatsoever good thou shalt any way perform, for the obtaining of this happy effect, and that thou mayst worthily open the gate of thy heart, to give due entertainment to so divine a guest. And in the morning settle thy thoughts upon the serious consideration of the great happiness of that sweet soul which worthily receives this most holy Sacrament, whereby sins breaches are repaired, lost virtues are restored, languishing forces are recruted, and each good returns to its first beauty, by the communication of the fruits of Christ's merits and passion. Then force and excite thy heart to an ardent desire of these comforts by thy Lords coming; and turning towards him, say: O my Lord, and my love, I am not worthy to receive thee sacramentally; but do thou, o increated goodness and unlimited power, pardon all my imperfections, and make me worthy to receive thee spiritually, to the honour of thy holy name, and the true comfort of my poor soul. CHAP. XXXII. Of . ALL our good actions are of All goodness is from God. God, and from God; and therefore a thankful gratitude is due to him for all our well performed exercises, for each victory obtained against our enemies, and for all and singular his blessings and benefits. 2. And that thou mayst not be defective To whom therefore all gratitude must be showed. in this point of duty: Remember, that the chief motive why our omnipotent creator confers his mercies upon his creatures, is that they should correspond to him in pious, perpetual and worthy thanksgiving. And because our Lord God in bestowing his benefits, intends principally his own honour; and secondly our profit: do thou likewise First, therefore acknowledge his goodness. in receiving them acknowledge in the first place, his power, wisdom, and goodness, which most gloriously shine in each one of them. 3. And in the next place, reflect upon And then thine own unworthiness. thine own unworthiness of so great favours, who art nothing else but ingratitude, misery, and baseness. And Lastly, submit thyself to obey his divine will and pleasure, and study to perform what thy Lord, in lieu of these benefits, expects from thee; which is, to love him chief, to serve him carefully, and to offer and dedicate thyself to him freely and totally; as I shall now teach thee. CHAP. XXXIII. Of the perfect oblation of thyself, to thy Lord God. AFter for received favours, the soul presently breaks forth into that delicious affection of the Royal Prophet: What shall I render to my Lord, for all the good things he hath given me? That therefore thou mayst do something, seeming like satisfaction; by offering up to his Majesty, all that thou art, hast, and canst; and that entirely, absolutely, voluntarily, and by an efficacious act of thy inward man. 2. Consider first with a serious attention First, consider God's greatness and glory. the greatness and glory of thy Lord God; (for upon this depends the perfect oblation of thyself,) and thou wilt find that there is a reverence and fear due to this his greatness and glory: that there is a love due to his goodness; that there is a hope & confidence due to his mercy; and so of his other attributes and perfections: And thou shalt congratulate and rejoice with thy Lord God, that he is what he is; to wit, the best, greatest, most wise, most holy most happy, most powerful, most infinite, and that he hath all the perfections which he possesseth: Thus multiplying many such amorous acts of complacence in thy heart. 3. Then, bow down the knees of soul and body with most profound 2. Adore and acknowledge him, etc. reverence, before thy Lord and maker, adoting his divine Majesty, and acknowledging him to be the supreme governor of all his creatures: And particularly, that whatsoever good thou hast by nature and by grace, is his proper gift: since he alone conferred it upon thee, and he alone conserveses it in thee: for thus thou must needs confess thyself to be his debtor, though thy offering be never so great; because thou canst present him with nothing, which is not already his own, and first proceeding from his liberality and bounty; neither doth he lose his dominion thereof by conferring it upon thee. 4. In the next place, pass on to the 3. Offer up all thy interest in any thing. oblation itself; and deliver up all thine own interest in whatsoever thou hast or canst, into the holy hands of thy heavenly creator, with all possible cheerfulness and integrity: that is, offer up unto him all that he hath given thee, and so restore thy whole self to thy God in perpetual bondage, to dispose of thee both in time & in eternity, as he best pleaseth: Neither shall it suffice thee to make this oblation generally, by presenting unto him the root and beginning of all thy thoughts, words, and works; but thou shalt do it peculiarly, by presenting even those also, which by reason of thy state thou art obliged to exercise, to the honour & glory of his sacred name. 5. Lastly, thou shalt unite this entire oblation of thyself and all that And unite all to the merits of Christ. belongs to thee, unto the merits of Jesus Christ, the sweet spouse of thy soul; that from thence it may have that value and esteem, which from itself thou canst not hope or expect: And thus thou shalt end thy exercise, by presenting the eternal Father, with thy whole self and the Pre●●●●ing both together to the eternal Father. holy merits of his only Son joined together, with all his actions and sufferings, from the crib unto the Cross; for all these are thy treasures, which he at his death, bequeathed by his last will and testament unto thee, whom he left entitled to all his merits: But remember that thou makest not this oblation for thyself alone, but also for the universal Church, and her members: for thus it will be far more acceptable to God being sweetened with the incense of perfect charity. 6. In like manner, when thou wilt offer up thy fastings, prayers, or other So Likewise in offering thy works of piety. pious works to thy Lord God: consider, that his holy Son thy sweet Saviour hath already presented them together with his own, to his eternal Father; and so hath conjoined and united them both together, do thou therefore offer up the same in the same manner; by which thou shalt know that thy oblations proceed from a sincere heart. And if thou practisest this in time of adversity, thou wilt easily master all misery, anguish, pain, and perils whatsoever, & duly fulfil Gods holy pleasure. 7. If furthermore thou desirest to make an oblation of Christ's actions for thine own offences, he have thy How to offer up Christ's actions for our offences. self in this sort: First cast an eye upon thy sins, and perceiving that thou canst not hope to pacify God's wrath, nor satisfy his divine justice by thine own endeavours: address thyself to thy Saviour's life, passion and death, and fix upon some one or other action or suffering of his; as upon his fasting, or his praying, or the effusion of his precious blood: then reflect, that he offered that his action or passion to his eternal Father for thy sins, and to reconcile him to thee; as if he said: I do now, O my heavenly Father fully satisfy thy divine justice for the sins of this thy servant N. Oh; let it please thee to spare him, and to receive him into the number of thy elect. 8. Do thou also make the same oblation of thy dear Saviour to the eternal Father; and humbly beg for thyself and others, that in virtue of this offering and for his own glories sake, he will in his mercy pardon both thine and their offences. And thou mayst piously and profitably make use of this manner of spiritual exercise, in any action or passage of our Lord and Saviour's life or passion. EXPLICATION. Another manner, of perfect oblation. TO the end thy oblation of thy Christ here on earth, offered not only himself, self may be acceptable to the divine Majesty; Consider, that whilst our Saviour so journed here upon earth, he perpetually offered up to his eternal father, not only himself and all his merits, but also all us mortals together with himself: But also all us, to his Father. Make therefore thy Oblation in virtue and union of his, yea make the selfsame oblation of Jesus Christ, in which he also comprehended thee: Make thou the same oblation. and let this thy oblation be without the least touch of propriety or selfe-wil, neither regarding earthly goods, nor heavenly graces, but purely and precisely looking upon the divine pleasure and providence, to which thou art entirely to submit and sacrifice thyself, as a perpetual holocaust; and forgetting all things created, say unto thy Lord God: Behold, o my good God, o my great Creator, a small lump of mire and earth mixed together, in the hands of thy eternal providence; do with me what best pleaseth thee, in my life, at my death, and after my death; in time, and in eternity. And thou mayst give a How to know the sincerity of thy oblation. probable guests concerning thy own oblation, that it proceeds from a sincere and disinteressed heart, if thou canst perfectly practise it in time of adversity; bearing it with true patience, and being then ready to execute Gods holy will in all thy desolations and distresses. This is the right way, (o my dearly beloved.) to make a beneficial truck and traffic of thyself for thy Saviour, who will give thee himself in exchange, if thou bequeathest and sacrificest thyself thus totally to his divine Majesty. CHAP. XXXIV. How to petition for divine grace. HAving made this perfect oblation Text. First encourage thyself with confidence in his goodness. of this most precious treasure, (which is no less than Christ himself, with all his glorious merits,) to the Eternal Father: thou mayst appear with Confidence before the throne of his mercy, to petition for the supply of thy necessities; And that thou mayst do it with the more decency: First, encourage thyself with confidence, remembering his benefits, bounty, and liberality towards thee: for nothing can more strengthen thy hope of obtaining new supplies, than than the reflection upon God's former favours in time of necessity: And know that this confidence gives the whole efficacy to thy petition; so that without it, never expect to obtain from God any thing which thou demandest. 2. Secondly, Take special care that Secondly, join humility with it. this Confidence be coupled with humility; distrusting totally thine own merits, and relying boldly upon Christ's mercies: Not that I advise thee to become fearful and pusilanimous, upon pretence of humility; so as not to beg large benefits from God's bounty: For though it behoves to know thine own baseness, and to consider how little thou deservest; yet thou must beware of distrusting the divine bounty, or undervaluing his liberality: No, be not dejected; for as thou deservest nothing, so thou hast greater occasion to demand much; since God's gifts are not grounded upon thy deserts, but upon Christ's merits, which are Thirdly, press thy petition with fervent desires. of infinite worth and dignity. 3. Thirdly, Endeavour to press thy petition with frequent and fervent desires: that is, that thou ardently wish to obtain what thou askest: for since thou petitionest a most pious father for a supply of thy necessities, who not only bids thee ask great things, but is also angry if thou askest not; and hath passed his promise to perform thy petition; why shouldst thou not have inflamed desires ●o obtain what thou demandest? 4. And indeed we most commonly The want whereof, hinders the effect of our demands. fail in the effects of our demands, because we want this fervour in our desires, and make our petitions tepidly, rather because faith and reason dictate unto us that such things are needful for us, than that we zealously covet to receive them: The true cause of which tepidity is, for that our affections being fastened to earthly things, we prise them in our wills, though we slight them in our understandings; and consequently though we know in our judgement, that our minds are to be raised up to higher objects, yet we do not seriously seek to be separated from them: whereas if we verily and vigorously, humbly and hearty desired it, our prayers would soon return us a happy effect. 5. Lastly, provide that thy petition Fourthly, Let not thy petition want Charity, want not; First, Affection of charity to thy neighbours; for it should not suffice thee to pray fervently for thyself, but to extend thy piety in petitioning the divine grace for all others. Secondly, Perseverance; For our Perseverance, loving Lord, useth sometimes to prolong and to put off the fulfilling of our petition, for our greater profit, and the better increase and enkindling of our holy desires, as may be exemplified in the Cananean woman, and Evangelicall widow. Thirdly, Resignation of thy will; Refignation. For thou art to represent thy desires to thy dear Lord, as if thou rather expectedst the fulfilling of his divine pleasure, than of thy petition: So Christ prayed in the garden, not to have his own will, but his heavenly Fathers accomplished. CHAP. XXXV. Some short observations concerning meditation. FI●st, Before thou betakest thyself 1. 1. Read overnight the matter of thy meditation. to thy night's rest; read attentively and considerately that mystery of thy Saviour's life, or that argument which thou meanest to meditate upon the morning following; and contracting it into two or three points or heads, commit it to thy memory. 2. When thou awakest from sleep, 2. Reflect of the same in the morning. shut out all other thoughts from thy heart, and let thy employment be to reflect upon, and repeat the points, prepared overnight for this morning's exercise: and think that thou art presently to talk with thy Lord God. 3. Wherefore making (as it were) 3. Weigh his majesty with whom thou confer. a stand, for a short space, before thou art in the place of prayer; imagine that thy great Creator, whom the Angels adore, is present in the Oratory, expecting thee to enter discourse with him, and beholding thy behaviour in thy prayer. Let this truth make a deep impression in thy mind; and thereupon yield him most profound reverence with body and heart, as craving permission to confer with his majesty. 4. Then with bended knees, begin 4. Begin with oblation, and petition. thy prayer; first, offering up to thy Lord God all the cogitations, words, and actions of thy whole life; particularly presenting unto him this present exercise now intended, to his honour and glory; and humbly implore his gracious assistance, that thou mayst perform this thy practice with such attention, devotion, and reverence, as befits one that speaks with his Lord and Saviour. 5. Incontinently after this, imagine Then apply thy senses to the mystery. thyself present to the mystery thou intendest to meditate on, and in the very place where it befell; for this will fix thy fancy from wand'ring: As, If thy theme be of Christ's Incarnation; think thou seest the glorious Archangel entering the secret chamber of the sacred Virgin, and there listen to their; mutual discourses. So, If thy subject be of thy Saviour's flagellation; suppose a pillar before thee with thy dear Lord fastened thereunto, and eye those inhuman executioners, how cruelly they whip and beat him: And thus thou art to vary thy fancy, and conform it to the manner of the mystery. 6. And when the mystery is thus present to thy mind, make thy petition, And beg what thou intendest to obtain. and beg that which thou proposedst to obtain by this exercise: As, If thy meditation be concerning Christ's Incarnation, let thy prayer be for spiritual light, that thou mayst clearly penetrate and perceive that ineffable love which moved him to be made man for thy sake: If it be of his Passion, ask the grace of compassion and condoling with thy dear Saviour's sufferings; and so let thy petition be for such pious affections, as are ushered in by the argument of thy prayer. 7. this done, begin with thy first After this beg in with the first point. point; and if that alone furnish thee with fuel sufficient to inflame thy affection, persevere therein for the whole space assigned to thy prayer; but if otherwise, then pass on to the second. And briefly, take this for a maxim in all meditations; that whensoever thou feelest thy affection enkindled; stay there, and digest well that consideration, till thou hast therein fully satisfied thy devotion. 8. And suffer not thy understanding And beware of fancying high mysteries, to roam after high and delicate mysteries; but make use of its discourse so fare only, as many help to heat thy will with pious affections, and solid resolutions. Wherefore from each consideration extract some affection, and from every affection draw some determinate and particular resolution, to do this very day, this or that thing for thy Lord's honour; to reform this or that fault or imperfection, and to mortify thy sensuality in this or that occasion. And this is the true fruit and profit of prayer. 9 Be resolute also in staying out Or leaving off before the time allotted for prayer, be expired: the full time allotted for thy prayer; and stir not from it through any dryness in devotion, or any trouble of distractions; for such a prayer is for the most part more profitable to a soul using diligent resistance, and patiented expectance of God's grace, than when it sensibly partakes of the sweets and abundance of devotion. 10. Thy exercise being ended, In the end reflect how thou hast behaved thyself, insist a while in the examination of thyself; and reflect how thou hast behaved thyself in thy prayer: If thou findest all well; give thy good God all the thanks; if thou hast been negligent, resolve upon amendment; and take notice of the cause of this ill success, that thou fail not for the future. 11. Let the matter or mysteries And order well the matter of thy medition. thou meanest to meditate upon, be well ordered; as, if thou proposest to thyself, thy Saviour's life and passion, make thy entrance at his Incarnation, and duly proceed in the rest of the ensuing mysteries; and leap not inconstantly from one to another. CHAP. XXXVI. An Exercise before the Sacred Communion. 1. THe conformation of the place, for 1. The place. the settling of thy mind; may be to imagine thy Saviour Christ, encompassed with his Angels and Saints, who all adore his divine Majesty with all possible reverenc●. 2. Make thou also thy humble 2. Beg of thy Saviour to fit up thy poor house. address unto him, and since he vouchsafeth to divert into the harbour of thy poor heart, entreat him to send before him such ornaments, as are necessary for his worthy entertainment; because thy poverty is uncapable to provide, what is suitable to so great a majesty. 3. Then reflect who it is that intends 3. Think what guest is to lodge in it. to lodge with thee; It is surely he, whom the Angel named Jesus, the Saviour of man▪ kind; He, who only can cure thy wounds: He, who so dearly loves thee, and takes such care of thy salvation, that he came purposely and personally to procure it; interposing his authority, hazarding his honour, and losing his life for thee upon an ignominious Cross: And be sure to insist upon this pious consideration, as being very proper to prepare thy soul for the receiving of this most holy Sacrament; according to our Saviour's precept, As often as you shall do these things you shall do them in remembrance of me. 4. Consider to what end thy dear 4. Why he comes to thee, Lord comes unto thee; Surely, to conclude a union between himself and thy soul, whence results a certain divine life, which thou henceforth enjoyest by this sweet union with thy Saviour. For the food we take, begets humours of the same quality which itself is of: and consequently no marvel if this heavenly food, and divine nourishment do in some sort deify the soul. He that eats me, shall live for me, saith our Lord. 5. Let thy next consideration be, to whom he comes; To a little worm 5. To whom he comes. of the earth, to a vessel full of filth and rottenness: and perhaps, (which is fare worse) even to his enemy, to the contemner of his commands, to the wilful transgressor of his laws, to a base runaway, who hath forsaken the colours of his Lord God, and taken part with the Devil. 6. Make therefore thy humble 6. Make thy petition. supplication to thy sweet Saviour, that since he vouchsafeth freely to come unto thee for his own mercy's sake, and for no merits of thine; he will also be pleased to prevent thee with his grace, and adorn thee with the gifts of his holy Spirit, that thou mayst become a worthy receptacle for his sacred body: as he formerly by the like prevention, prepared for himself a happy and holy habitation in the virginal entrails of his most blessed Mother. CHAP. XXXVII. How we may devoutly offer up the sacrifice of the Mass. WHen thou feelest thy heart 1. 1. Free thy fancy from all outward objects. inflamed by this foregoing or the like exercise; free thy fancy of all sensible objects, and shutting the windows of thy senses, so are up to thy Lord God, and fix there the eye of thy soul upon him only, purely, freely, and quietly, excluding all tumults of outward thoughts; and implore the assistance of the holy Ghost, by reciting the hymn of the holy Church, Veni creator spiritus, etc. 2. Then coming to put on the 2. In vesting thyself, mark the mysteries. sacred vestments, mark with attention those mysteries which they mean and signify: and from that very instant of time, take upon thee Christ's person, whom thou representest in this holy action; that so thou mayst be moved, to conform each outward and inward deed, to him whom thou now personatest. 3. Let thy outward deportment be decent. 3. And as for the outward composure of the body; see that thy going forth of the vestry, be with all decency and gravity; let thy countenance be cheerful, thine eyes humbly cast down, and not curious to pry after any passages done in the Church: Let thy voice be low and sober, reading those sacred words neither precipitantly, nor over-pausingly, but beseemingly between both those extremes: Let the holy ceremonies be piously and punctually observed: and let all be attentively performed; taking more care in the Canon, and most of all when thou comest to the words of consecration. 4. Let thy inward composition also correspond with thy outward carriage; 4. And thy inward composition correspondent. and therefore coming to the foot of the Atar, look upon Christ thy Lord and thy love, sitting in his throne of glorious majesty, attended by his Angels and blessed Saints: and think he is presently coming down from his throne to the altar, to enrich thy poor soul with the treasures of his divinity: And considering so high a Majesty, confess thine own misery, meanness, and nothing: and so truly humbling thyself both inwardly and outwardly, begin the action of the sacrifice: And keep this presence of thy Saviour sitting in his throne and beholding thy devotion, until thou comest to the consecration; which done, thou hast him then before thee upon the altar, thou touchest him with thy hands, and embracest him in thy heart there present in the Sacrament. 5. In thy first memento: Contemplate 5. In thy first memento. thy Lord Jesus crucified, reposing in thy heart, and depose all thy necessities and wants in his sacred and sugared wounds. And first offer up thy whole Mass to his holy head, To Christ's holy head. intending it to the eternal honour of the most blessed Trinity, and for the increase of the accidental glory of his dear Mother, thy Angel guardian, and thy particular protectors and patrons in heaven; all which thou shalt join together in the wounds of thy Lords venerable head; and beseech them, that as thou in this vale of misery, strivest to augment their glory; so they in their happy and heavenly mansions, will be pleased to remember thee, and join with thee in the oblation of this divine sacrifice to thine and their Creator. 6. Coming then to the wound To his right hand. of his right hand, pray for the state ecclesiastical; that is, for the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, and pastors of the Church; for all Religious persons and their Prelates: and for them all, offer up this present sacrifice. 7. At the wound of his left hand, To his left hand. pray for the Laity; for Kings, Princes, Magistrates, and the rest of their people; and in particular for thy parents, friends, familiars, and all who desired to be made partakers in thy devotions. 8. At his most sweet heart, offer To his sacred heart. up thy whole self only, humbly representing unto him thy life past, and begging his pardon: thy present being, and desiring his direction: thy spiritual necessities and corporal needs; thy health, thy temptations, thy desires, thy designs; Consecrate all the future thoughts, words and works of thy whole life to his eternal honour: Finally, resign thy whole self reverently and confidently to his divine providence; and so rest secure in his care, since thou hast delivered all thy affairs into his custody, who will better improve all things for thy profit, than thou canst either ask or expect. 9 At the wound of his right foot, To his right foot. offer up the sacrifice for all them who are in God's grace, and continue in his charity, that he will be pleased to preserve them still in his favour and friendship. 10. At the wound of his left foot, To his left foot. offer it up for all sinners, that God will vouchsafe to convert and enlighten them: for all poor, weak, and anyway afflicted wights, that he will please to comfort and deliver them; and lastly for all thou either oughtest, or art bound to pray. And so conclude thy whole oblation with Saint Augustine's words: I recommend Commendo eos, quos tu vis & scis, & velle me nosti. unto thy Majesty, whomsoever thou (o my Lord) will't, and knowest; and wouldst have me remember: And finally, offer up thy Saviour Jesus, thus loaded (as I may say) with all thy petitions and necessities, to his eternal Father in this present sacrifice; saving those words of the Psalmist: Behold, o God our protector, Ps. 83. 10. and look upon the face of thy Christ; And so proceed on in the sacred Action. 11. In thy second memento; Thou 6. In thy second memento. hast Christ present in the holy Sacrament, now glorious and risen from death; unite therefore thy affection unto him, and strive to creep into his open side, and there hid thyself safely and securely from all assaults of thine enemies: There also determine resolutely to do his holy will for the future in all occurrences whatsoever; and put on that pious affection of the Royal Prophet: What is to me in heaven? and besides Psal. 72. 25. thee, o my Lord and love, what would I upon the earth? Lastly, offer up the Sacrifice for the souls of the faithful departed; and complete what remains of the sacred Mass. CHAP. XXXVIII. An Exercise after the holy Communion. REpresent to thyself (as formerly) 1. Representation of the place. thy Blessed Saviour, encompassed with the glorious troops of Angels and heavenly spirits, adoring and praising his divine Majesty. 2. Then implore his grace; that since 2. Imploration of his grace. he beyond all desert of thine, hath vouchsafed to enter thy poor cottage, he will be likewise pleased to furnish it with all such ornaments of holy virtues as may best like himself; and to illustrate thy soul with the beams of his celestial light, as he did that of holy Simeon; that with him, receiving thy Lord into thy loving embraces, thou mayst sweetly intone thy Nunc dimittis, etc. 3. In the next place, consider that 3. Consider whom thou hast within thee. he whom thou hast now within thee, is thy s●me Lord God, of whom before Communion thou conceivedst such high things: And render him humble thanks, for this immense benefit, of communicating and uniting himself unto thee; entreating him that it may not be a sleight (and as it were) a passing visit, but a permanent abode with thee. 4. After this, look upon thine 4. Mark thine own unworthiness. own unworthiness to receive such a guest; how homely is thy habitation? how beggarly, yea how beastly is thy heart? how full of the noise of passions and perplexities? and draw from hence acts of sorrow for thy sins, of shame for thy negligence, and of confusion for the uncleanness of thy soul. 5. And lastly, ask with a most fervent desire, that he who is the King 5. Make thy Petition. of glory and goodness, and the source of all sanctity and purity, will garnish thy soul with his virtues, and wash away all thy filthiness with the water of his celestial grace; and so inseparably unite and join thee to himself, that nothing created may evermore make a breach between thee and him; but that he will strongly lock up the closet-doore of thy heart, and mark it for his own habitation with the signet of his sacred love; that so he alone may there peaceably and perpetually take up his rest, without the least disturbance of any foreign guest. CHAP. XXXIX. A daily Examination. 1. FOr the keeping clean of thy Conscience, it will be necessary for thee to go down daily into it, and sweep each darkest corner thereof with the besom of diligent examination, that all uncleanness may be speedily cast forth of doors. 2. Wherefore, thou art to do three Every Morning thou art to do three things. things every Morning: First, Give God thanks for all his benefits bestowed upon thee in the night past, and particularly for thy delivery from sudden death, and from the deceits of the Devil. 2. Then, make a cordial oblation of all things thou shalt think, speak, or do in the day following: and entreat the Blessed Virgin, that she will be pleased to present with her purest Hands this Oblation of thyself and thy actions, together with thee, to her only Son. 3. And lastly conceiving a confidence of the Divine assistance; make a firm purpose by his grace not to offend him that Day in the least venial sin. 3. And at night, a little before thou At night thou art to examine thyself. betakest thyself to thy rest, examine thyself how stoutly thou hast stood to this good purpose. But before thou descendest to particulars, think of thy Lord's Presence, to whom thou art now ready to give in a reckoning of that days transactions: and endeavour to feel a certain shame and confusion in thyself, like an ill servant before his most indulgent master; or like a perfidious Soldier before his pious Sovereign, who raised him from the dunghill to the highest degree of honour: for how much more reason hast thou to be ashamed in the sight of thy God, whom thou hast served so negligently, and offended so impudently? 4. Begin therefore with a general Begin with a general acknowledgement of God's favours. acknowledgement of thy Lords love and favours, conferred upon thee from the first instant of thy being, to that present hour: rendering him particular thanks for the benefits that day received from his Bounty: And invite all the Angels and Saints, and chief the sacred Virgin, to help thee make a worthy , for thy Creation, Conservation, Redemption, Vocation, Remission of thy enormous crimes, and expectation of thee so long to penance, etc. 5. Secondly, demand light and grace Then beg light and grace. to see thy defects and negligences, which thou hast that day committed, and to feel a true sorrow and contrition for the same: For they are so secret, that without this light thou canst not discern them, and so enormous, that without this aid thou canst not truly judge of them. 6. Thirdly, run over each hour of Next, descend to particulars, the day, and discuss with diligence what were thy Thoughts, Words, Actions or Omissions, in every of them, that thou mayst punctually perceive wherein thou hast particularly transgressed. 7. Fourthly, endeavour to excite a true sorrow for thy sins, (which is And endeavour to excite a true sorrow for thy sins. the main drift of this examen,) and let this grief touch thy heart, because thou hast offended so good a God, rather than for any other inconvenience, which thereby thou incurrest: Let it proceed (I say) not from any fear of punishment which thou hast deserved; but from a true reverence, and high esteem, which is due from thee to the Divine Majesty of thy Lord God, whom thou desirest to love and respect, above all things, and resolvest to practise it for the time to come. 8. Fiftly therefore, and lastly, beg And lastly implore his pardon for the past, and protection for ●he future. his pardon for thy past negligence▪ and his assistance for thy future amendment: promising particularly, and resolving effectually, to shun, fo● his love, this or that occasion of sin; and to lay hold of this or that opportunity, for the correction and bettering of thyself. 9 And if thou happily findest by this serious discussion of thyself, that thy transgressions are not so grievous as to excite thee to this sorrow and shame; refer all this to the Divine mercy, and not to thy own diligence or virtue: And reflect upon thy former faults, and the grievous failings of other worldlings; and conclude that thou hadst surely fallen more foully, had not his Heavenly Grace upheld and prevented thee. EXPLICATION. Another method of Examination. QUestion thyself concerning, three things. First, Wherein thou hast that day fallen and offended. Secondly, What occasioned it. Thirdly How diligent thou hast been in the practice of virtue. Concerning thy fall, read and follow the 15 foregoing Chapter. Concerning the occasions, resolve to cut them off for the future. And for thy practice of virtue; strengthen thy will with these three Cordials; distrust in thyself, trust in God, & Prayer. Suspect thy past victories, and rely not upon thy former good works; but rather forget them, lest thou fall into selfe-complacency; look always forwards upon what thou yet wantest, & how much rests to be done: And acknowledging God's Grace to be the source of all goodness, thank him for all his benefits and blessings; for the inspirations he hath sent thee; and the good desires of virtue he hath given thee; for his deliverance from dangers, and defence against thine enemies. CHAP. XL. Being a Conclusion of the whole Worke. 1. MUch more might be said of This short book we●l practised is sufficient. these important matters; but let this which is here delivered, according to my poor Talon, suffice for the present: which surely if thou endeavourest to keep in thy memory, and accomplish in thy actions, thou hast sufficiently learned and laboured. 2. But in respect of thy weak capacity, and my proposed brevity; it will be necessary that thou use a studious diligence in often revolving and meditating upon these foregoing Precepts: For by frequent consideration, and continual exercise, thou wilt certainly increase thy inward strength, whereby to conquer all thine enemies. EXPLICATION. ABove all things beg incessantly of the Divine Goodness, the gift of perseverance, in thy unwearied endeavours against thy passions and imperfections; it being the chief weapon in this spiritual warfare, against thy never-dying enemies; which like ill weeds are ever budding and breaking forth, so long as the Earth hath any life in it to nourish them. 3. Resolve therefore to betake thy Text. If thou resolvest to fight manfully. self to these proposed Arms of defence; and to fight stoutly, manfully and constantly; because no man can avoid this combat, without endangering the loss of the conquest. Nor can there be any hope of Peace with such enemies; which endommage them most, who most desire to enter league and friendship with them. 4. Neither be thou terrified at And not to be terrified at thy enemy's power. their seeming power and cruelty; since all their force and fury, is in the more powerful hands of that Supreme Captain, for whose honour thou art engaged in the battle; wherein none can be vanquished, but they that will themselves. And if thy Lord for whom thou wagest this war, doth seem sometimes to withdraw his Assistance, and delay thy conquest over thine enemies for a time, yet be not thou faint-hearted, but fight on courageously; being most certain and secure, that his Goodness, Power, and Providence, directs all events, (and more especially all adversities) to the best profit of his soldiers. 5. These thoughts will beget in Though the victory seems to come slowly on. thee a generous spirit, and a constant heart to resist and fight with courage; and therefore though the victory comes slowly on, believe firmly that this deferring is either to free thy soul from secret pride, and conserve thee in true humility: Or else to perfect thee in virtue, and to teach thee to become a tried Soldier, by these long continued conflicts; Or surely, for some other good of thine, which thy Lord then conceals from thee, for thy greater merit and improvement. 6. Go on therefore, (O my dearly beloved) and enter these lists with a cheerful and heroic mind, lest thou seem ungrateful to thy loving Lord God, who so much tendered thy good that he suffered death for thy sake: And attend carefully to every Counsel and Command of thy Captain Christ Jesus, that thou mayst totally rout and ruin all thine enemies: For if thou permittest but one only to live and lurk in thy Soul, it will be as a moat in thy eye, and as a Lance in thy bowels, and prove a perpetual impediment in the progress of so glorious a Victory. APOC. 2. 7. To him that overcommeth, I will give the hidden Manna. 1. KINGS, 15. 18. Thou shalt fighe against them, until their utter destruction. The general Table, containing the several Chapters of this Treatise, as they stand divided into numbers: And being a brief compendium of the whole work. The Spiritual Conflict. Or, The Arraignment of the Spirit of Self-love, and Sensuality, at the bar of Truth and Reason. Chap. I. WHerein Christian perfection consists. The importance of this knowledge is very great. Numb. 1. Some place perfection in austerity. 2. Others in reciting many prayers. 3. Others in exact observance. 4. All which are good means, but not directly tending to perfection. 5. And they that rest in these lower exercises, are in great danger. 6. As may appear by the rest of their actions. 7. And especially by their want of resignation in time of affliction. 8. True perfection therefore consists in the knowledge of God, and ourselves, In the love of God, and hatred of ourselves, In resignation to God's will, and denying our own. 9 All which Christ hath taught us by word and example. 10. And we must also do it, if we mean to purchase victory. 11. Nor is there any thing more glorious to ourselves, or more grateful to God. 12. But to obtain it, we wust provide four necessary weapons. 13. Chap. II. First, Distrust of ourselves, which is gotten, by a deep sense of our own nothing. 1. By Prayer. 2. And by often reflecting upon our own weakness. 3. And this self-knowledge is a lesson must be well learned. 4. And we must be careful to rise speedily after our fall. 5. The great, necessity of this distrust in our own strength, is enforced by the corruption of our nature, and the frailty thereof; and by considering how much this acknowledgement pleaseth God, and presumption displeaseth him. 6. Chap. III. Secondly, Confidence in God, which is obtained. 1. By prayer. 2. By considering the divine power, wisdom, and goodness, by which he can, knows how, and is willing to help us. 3. By meditating upon holy writ. 4. Another means, is; by thinking on our own frailty, and God's omnipotency, at the beginning of each action; Whereby we shall not be foolishly dejected at our frequent failings. 5. A necessary Caveat, for all spiritual people. 6. By God's assistance we can do all things, But many are deceived in presuming upon their own strength. 7. Chap. IU. Thirdly, Continual Exercise, 1. Which consists, in the right use of the Understanding. 2. Which is to be kept from Ignorance, by prayer, and by a diligent discussion of our own actions; judging things according to their true worth; And this will open our eyes to see the meanness of all worldly vanities. 3. A necessary caution, to keep the will from fixing its love, until the Understanding have first pondered the object. 4. And the same caution is necessary also in holy things. 5. The understanding is to be furthermore weaned from curiosity. 6. How highly this conduceth to perfection, and how cunningly the Devil plots against it, by suggesting pride to our Understanding. 7. Which is fare more dangerous, and more difficultly cured than Pride of the Will. 8. Chap. V. Of the Will: and the end, to which we are to direct all our actions. A will to do well sufficeth not, But our actions must also be performed only to please God. 1. Which to attain to, Apply thy Understanding to know Gods will. 3. And take heed of being deceived, because nature is subject to seek herself. 4. This intention, of doing all for God, is to be always made in the entrance upon any work, And to be renewed in the prosecution of it. 6. Lest self love creep in, and so change and corrupt it. 7. He that doth all things to please God, remains in perfect indifferency, and hath always what he desires, wh●ch shows the high importance of this pure intention. 8. And it may be kept even in things aiming at our own good; Finally it puts such a worth upon our actions, that the best of them without it is lost, and may be sinful, and the smallest with it is most acceptable to God. 9 If this exercise seem hard at first, yet use will render it easy, and soon beget a habit in our souls. 10. Especially, if we consider how dearly our Lord hath loved us; as appears in our Creation, Redemption, Preservation, and his other benefits, which are so great that none but God himself can comprehend them. 11. Chap. VI There are in man two wills: The Rational, seated between God's grace & our sense. 1. And the sensual. 2. The truly virtuous persons yield promptly to Gods will, & vicious to their sensuality; But they who of sinners are become converts, have the greatest conflict. 3. Who must therefore resolve to bear patiently the loss of their pleasures. There are divers sorts of unmortifi'd souls; seeming good, but full of imperfection, ignorance and blindness. 4. A danger in the choice of spiritual Exercises, discovered. 5. Chap. VII. Of the fight against Sensuality; and of the inward way of the Will to acquire Virtues. When sensuality rebels. 1. Look strictly to thy reason, that it consent not: and recall that motion again and again, and as often conquer it. 2. Also produce acts of those virtues, which are contrary to these vices. 3. But beware of thy cunning enemy, who sometimes suppresseth these motions. 4. For than it is thy part to excite them, and fight afresh with them. 5. Till thou hast gotten a perfect hatred of them. 6. And the way to plant virtues, is to practice acts contrary to those defects; The reason whereof is, because as long as the root of vice remains alive in us, it will still bud forth, and choke up our plants of virtue. And therefore we must make many Acts (contrary to the vicious habit,) to implant the habit of virtue. 7. And though this be full of pain, yet it is also full of profit. 8. The like diligence must be also used against the least evil motion. 9 Yea and against lawful affections, when they are not absolutely necessary. 10. And this is the way to become truly spiritual. 11. Because all vice springs from the yielding to sense, and all virtue by subduing and submitting our will to Gods. 12. Chap. VIII. What he must do, who feels his Reason conquered by Sense. So long as thou consentest not to Sensuality, fear not. 1. For victory consists not, in feeling no motions, but in not yielding. 2. But if thy enemy surpriseth thy Reason; then give back, to gain time and strength. 3. And if thou hast time, help thyself with consideration. 4. Whether thou hast deserved this affliction: If so, rest contented; If not, think upon thy former sins, not yet fully punished. 5. Yea, though they were, yet self-denial and sufferance is the way to heaven. 6. And if there were another way, yet thy duty to God, binds thee to cbuse this, 7. As being most grateful and pleasing to his Majesty. 8. Chap. IX. That we must not shun the occasions of these Combats. The way to get true virtue, is not to avoid, but to seek the occasions of combat; As for example, To get Patience, eat not the company. 1. Or the employment which is tedious to thee. 2. And the same rule is to be applied to troublesome thoughts. 3. Yet a young Scholar must be wary in waging this war, but never desert the Field; for than he will still be unprovided. This is good in all cases, except that of carnality. 4. Chap. X. Of the fight against sudden Temptations and Passions. First, ponder them in thy understanding: 1. And foresee, what is like to befall thee. 2. But if some other cross happens, not foreseen; fly to the thoughts of God's Love and Providence. 3. Who sends or permits it, 4. and be constant, though almost conquered. 5. But the best remedy against sudden motions, is to cut off their causes. 6. XI. Of the fight against fleshly Concupiscence. In this war, thou art to change thy weapons. 1. And therefore before the temptation assails thee, call it not, but avoid all occasions procuring it. This enemy assails us sometimes by stealth, and upon pretext of lawfulness, etc. but Sensuality may mix itself with thy affection, and ruin thy Soul. 2. The occasions are commonly five: Conversation, Aspects, Idleness, Disobedience, Vain complacency. 2. In the time of the temptation, mark the cause of it, whether external, and fly from it. 3. Or internal, and prevent it by fit chastisements of the body, and by hearty Prayer. 4. Yet not as some Books prescribe, for fear of giving new occasions to impurity. 4. But by meditating on Christ's Death and Passion. 5. Dispute not with carnal temptations, but discover them to thy Ghostly Father. 6. And make no actual and particular reflections upon these temptations. 7. After the temptation is past, stand still upon thy guard. 8. Chap. XII. How to fight against slackness and Negligence. Fellow holy inspirations speedily. For this is of great consequence to conquer Sloth, and having courageously set upon thy work, carefully prosecute the same. 1. The fruit whereof must be discovered, 2. And the pains disguised, 3. Unless there be a real disability. 4. But the best way to get a custom of enduring, is to expect Crosses continually, and not to seek how to avoid them. 5. How prejudicial Negligence is to perfection, and the most alluring hait of our enemy: therefore take timely care to prevent it, and account that day lost, in which thou hast done no good action. 6. Chap. XIII. How to govern our Sensuality. Keep thy heart disengaged from earthly creatures. 1. And contemplate thy Creator's greatness, reducing all created perfection to him, the fountain. 3. And all worldly beauty to heavenly glory. 4. Marking well the craft of the Devil. 5. But in things displeasing to sense, think upon God's eternal decree. 6. So likewise in any sudden or dismal chance, and in all self complacency. 7. A larger Declaration of this Doctrine. The appetite is violently bend to seek its pleasure, and makes use of the Senses to obtain it. 1. The antidote against this poison; and how to curb the senses roaming abroad, by separating the spirit of each object, from the material thing itself. 2. Whether it be a creature which hath only a being, 3. Or hath a vegetation and increase. 4. Or hath sense and feeling. 5. Or is endued with rare beauty. 6. Or excellent perfection. 7. Also when thou undertakest any action. 8. Or refectest thy body with Meat and Drink. 9 Or smellest delicious odours. 10. Or art delighted with musical harmony. 11. Or any other sensible object. How to raise thy Soul by sensible objects to contemplate the word Incarnate: Examples; By the sight of poor Cottages, Stones, the Earth, Sun, Water, etc. In tasting Wine, in smelling, In clothing, and unclothing thyself, in hearing noises, or the Clocks striking, In time of sadness. 12. Other ways to meditate upon sensible objects. 13. By considering how mean the best of them are in themselves. 14. As the Sun's brightness. 15. The Heaven's greatness. 16. The Birds melody. 17. Walking abroad. 18. Marking the flight of the Fowls. 19 In time of Winds, Thunder, Storms. 20. Also upon all other occasions, as of grief. 21. Looking upon Christ crucified. 22. Or the image of the blessed Virgin. 23. And the pictures of Saints. 24. Or interest into Churches. 25. Finally, make all objects and accidents, instruments to thy perfection. 26. How to regulate the Tongue. Much talk proceeds from Presumption. 2. Therefore avoid long discourses. 3. And passionate expressions. 4. And all talking of thy own affairs. 5. Or of thy neighbours. 6. But speak willingly of God. 7. And ponder in thy hear●, what thy Tongue is to utter. 8. The praise and profit of Silence. 9 Chap. XIV. Of the order to be observ●d in fight against our enemies. Mark which are thy greatest. 1. And single out the fiercest to fight with. 2. But when they appear not, seek them. 3. Chap. XV. What course he must take, who is conquered, & grievously wounded by his enemies. When thou art fallen, rise with speed, And pray with fervour. 1. Be not over solicitous or fearful. 2. But be diligent, and use violence to thine own inclination; recovering the quiet of thy Soul, and Reconciliation to thy Sovereign. 3. By forgetting thy fault. 4. Chap. XVI. That we should keep our hearts ever quiet and joyful in our Lord. No accident can justly deprive us of quiet; for though we must needs abhor things contrary to nature, yet we may love them as coming from God's Permission, and so conform ourselves to his holy Will. To obtain this quiet, thou art to appoint a sentinel. 1. And when thou art surprised with perplexity, return with all diligence to quiet thy heart. 2. And therefore admit of no new affections, before thou hast offered them up to God, 3. and mortified thy will and desire, 4. which is the surest way to remain in peace. 5. Chap. XVII. That pious purposes, are sometimes deceits of the Devil, to hinder our progress in virtues. For he suggests unto us desires to fight against former faults, that we may neglect the present. 1. And fall into selfe-complacency. 2. Therefore thou art to fight actually with thy nearest foes, and not to irritate them which are quiet, 3. unless thou art well versed in the acts of that virtue. 4. Be not careless of small defects. 5. Three things make our designs fruitless. First, the relying upon our own strength. 6. Secondly, the want of force to go through with them. 7. Thirdly, the not levelling at the right end. 8. Chap. XVIII. How the Devil strives to withdraw us from the way of virtue. This deceit of the enemy is exemplified in a sick person, falling into impatience, upon pious pretences, 1. and over-earnestly desirous of health. 2. The remedy whereof is, to admit of no purposes; which thou canst not presently put in execution, And to persuade thyself, that either they would not have their effect; or, that God would not receive them from thy unworthy hands. 3. There are divers pretences for impatience, but all unwarrantable. 5. (As is explained by an example.) The remedy of all which is to separate the pain from the pretended circumstances. 6. And not to desire a freedom from thy Cross. 7. But to conform thy will to Gods. 8. Yet thou mayst make use of lawful means, so thou take heed of self-love. How to oppose the Devil, striving to deceive us with indiscretion, and pressing us to afflict our bodies. 1. Which though it is sometimes good, yet it must be prudently tempered. 2. For all cannot imitate the Saints in austerity of life, but each one may imitate their virtues. 3. Yet beware of the other extreme, which is, to addict thyself overmuch to delicacies, etc. under pretext of health or the better performance of thy duty; Discretion therefore is the best director in this matter of mortification. 4. And also in the acquisition of virtues; which must be done by degrees. 5. And one by one, rather than all, or many together, because the obtaining of any one virtue, is a preparation to all the rest. 6. Further advices, for the obtaining of virtues. First, thou must resolve to suffer. 2. Thou must bear a great love to virtue 3. Thou art to practise it upon all occasions. 4. Apply all thy exercises to this end. 5. Form frequent acts thereof. 6. Think upon such passages of Scripture, as concern, and commend it. 7. Make use of Jaculatory prayers, 8. Which being aided with two wings, will soar up to heaven. 9 Above all things, thou art to make a continual progress, 10. (For by going forward, thy strength increaseth.) 11. Till thou art gotten up the mountain of perfection. 12. Thou art also to seek out all occasions of practising virtue, especially such as are contrary to thy Sensuality. 13. This being the most proportionate means to attain to it. 14. And coming from God's providence, for thy particular profit. 15. The mistake of some rectified. 16. To suffer voluntarily by them whom thou hast obliged, is to draw virtue from sin and malice. 17. Receive therefore the bitter cup mixed by thy heavenly Physician. How to make use of sundry occasions in the exercise of one virtue. 1. In all occurring accidents of suffering, 2. Make acts of that virtue thou then practisest: Examples, in the virtue of Patience, Humility, Obedience, Poverty, Charity. 3. As concerning the time, thou art to stay in the practice of each virtue, thy Director must be judge. 4. Yet thou mayst know thy progress by these signs: First, if thou losest not courage in time of desolation; Secondly, If the rebellion of thy Sensuality be weakened. 5. But take heed to think thyself a Conqueror, because Vice may be clothed in Virtue's dress, and thou hast still much to do. 6. And therefore art to look forward upon what thou yet wantest. 7. And to pursue thy exercises with patience and constancy. Chap. XIX. How our enemy endeavours to make our virtues instrumental to our ruin. By making us take pleasure in them. 1. But do thou consider thine own nothing, 2. And mark well what is in thee of thine own goods, and what of God's gifts: What thou wert from eternity, what in time. 4. What good thou canst do of thyself, and what evil thou either haste or mightest have done; Whereby, thou mayst justly think thyself the worst of all men. 5. Yet be just in thy self-accusation. 6. And not only acknowledge thine own baseness, but use thyself accordingly. 7. And stick to this, amidst all praise or applause of others. 8. And let not the memory of thy good deeds, puff thee up with vanity. 9 For thou wilt find the best of them very imperfect, 10. And that thou hast no colour to glory in them, but to accuse thy want of duty. 11. Learn therefore Humility, which is the foundation of all virtues; and without which thou art less than nothing. 12. It being the only way to find praise, and please God. 13. To whom thou art bound, for permitting thee to be scorned; as also to them that do it. 14. Be ever wary of the Devil and of thine own inclination. 15. Of Rash-Judgement; which springs from Self-esteem, and Pride. 1. The Devil strives to keep open our senses, upon our neighbour's actions; but we must be as diligent to shun, as he is to lay his plots; First, by denying to give any sentence. 2. Secondly, by looking homewards upon ourselves; where we shall find some root of the same fault we blame in them. 3. If the fault be manifest, put a charitable construction upon it; If monstrous, have recourse to God's secret judgements; and tremble at the proceed of his Providence. 4. And know, that all Charity proceeds from God's good spirit, and all Bitterness from the Devil. 5. Of the means to shield ourselves against the attempts of our enemies at the time of Death. The way to be then conquerors, is to fall upon our enemies before hand. 1. And to make timely preparation, by studying now the answers of the four challenges our enemies will then sendus. 2. The first is against Faith; and the remedy is, to retreat from thine Understanding to thy Will. 4. And to give no answer to thy enemy's questions, 5. But to fix thy thoughts upon Christ crucified. 6. The second assault, is of Despair; where thou art to observe this certain rule, etc. And to have a perfect hope and humble confidence in God. 7. And never to distrust his mercy, and the merits of his Passion. 8. The Third is, of Vainglory, which is conquered by distrust of thyself, and trust in God. 9 The Fourth is, by F●l●● Illusions, against which have recourse to the confession of thine own nothing: and admit of no apparences, though they seem to come from heaven. 10. After these general temptations, follow others in particular. 11. Chap. XX. That we must never flatter ourselves as having subdued our enemies. But ofte● renew our exercises, for perfection is very high and hard to be obtained. 1. 2. Chap. XXI. Of Holy Prayer. The Fourth main Weapon, in this spiritual warfare. 1. Which must have these properties: First, a Desire to serve God: Secondly, Perfect Faith: Thirdly, Conformity to Gods will; because thine own will is subject to error, but the divine will is infallibly right. Fourthly, A connexion with practice. Fifthly, Thanksgiving for received favours. Sixthly, A reflection upon God's goodness and promise; and upon Christ's Passion. Seventhly, Perseverance. Prayer must also be strengthened with hope. And though God seems to reject thy prayer, yet persevere knocking; and always gratefully thanking him, as well when he denies as grants thy request. Chap. XXII. What Mental Prayer is, and what Contemplation. Mental Prayer includes always either a virtual petition of something, 1. 2. 3. 4. Or an actual ask of it, by words expressed in the mind. 5. 6. Chap. XXIII. How to join Contemplation to this inward Prayer. By taking some points of Christ's death or passion, 1. And applying his actions to the virtue thou demandest. As for example to Patience. 2. Marking how meekly he suffered; and learning thereby to suffer patiently thy smaller adversities. 3. And compelling thy will, to take up thy Cross quietly. 4. Chap. XXIV. Of another certain manner of Prayer, by way of praying and meditating together. 1. Considering Christ's merits, and the content his heavenly Father took in his obedience, 2. And presenting them both to God. 3. Chap. XXV. Of a way of praying by the Intercession of the B. Virgin. 1. First, fix thy mind upon th' eternal Father. 2. Considering the content he had in him self (concerning her) from all eternity. 3. And the wonders he wrought in her, when she had a being. 4. Secondly, upon God the Son. 5. Lastly, upon the sacred Virgin. 6. Chap. XXVI. How to pray and meditate by means of the Holy Angels and heavenly Citizens. First, address thyself to the eternal Father. 1. Next unto the glorious Angels and Saints themselves. 2. Dividing them into quires, according to the days of the week. 4. But every day praying to the Blessed Virgin, to thy particular Partron, and to S. Joseph. Chap. XXVII. How to meditate upon Christ's Passion, and to enkindle holy affections. 1. By reflection upon his love and goodness. 2. How to get constant hope, 3. And a spiritual joy. 4. As also affections of sorrow and compassion, 5. And contrition for thy Sins. 7. With a perfect hatred of them. 8. And to admire God's bounty, by considering; First, Who sufers? Secondly, For whom? Thirdly, By whom? Fourthly, What? Fifthly, How? Sixthly, When and where? 9 A further Declaration of the profit which may be drawn from the Meditation upon Christ's Passion, and particularly of the imitation of His Virtues. The first profit is, a Confusion at the sight of our imperfections. The second, a desire and demand of pardon, with a resolution of amendment. The third, a persecution of our passions. The fourth, an imitation of Christ's Virtues. Another way to Meditate on the Passion; By considering, First, how Christ's Soul carries itself towards the Heavenly Father. Secondly, how the Father to-towards Christ's Soul. Thirdly, how the Soul towards itself and its sacred body. Fourthly, how thy Saviour carries Himself towards thee. Fifthly, how thou shouldst carry thyself towards thy Saviour. Christ Crucified is the best Book to read in, and wherein to learn all virtues; if thou makest fit application to thy particular practice. Chap. XXVIII. Of sensible Devotion, and Spiritual Dryness. Devotion is best known by the effects it produceth. 1. How to make profit of all spiritual sweetness in Devotion. 2. Three causes of Spiritual Dryness, The Devil, Ourselves, and God. 3. Search out the true cause thereof. 4. And keep on thy accustomed practices of piety, without seeking outward comforts. 5. Nor pray to have comfort in thy Cross. 7. Because to suffer for God, is the best Prayer, and makes thee truly devout, 8. And not the feeling of sensible Devotion, 9 Wherein many are deceived. 10. What thou art to do in time of distress and dereliction. 11. Chap. XXIX. That the worthy frequenting of the most Blessed Sacrament, is an efficacious means to conquer our Passions. 1. Meditate the Day before thy Communion, of thy Saviour's desire, etc. to come to thee, 2. Who affirms that his delights are to be with us. 3. And move thy Soul to a reciprocal desire and affection towards him. 5. Then provoke thy passions to battle. 6. Being near the time of Communion, thou art to fear thyself, but to have confidence in thy Saviour. 7. After Communion lay open thy wants, 8. And constantly hope for the Divine help. 9 Chap. XXX. How to excite in us affections of love, by the Sacred Communion. Consider God's Liberality, 1. especially showed in the holy Communion. 2. Weighing First, who it is that comes thus to thee; Secondly, what he gives thee; Thirdly, the eternity of his Love, Fourthly, the Purity of his Love. Hence break forth into admiration, and ravishment to see thyself so highly prized, and make an entire oblation of thyself to him. And this being the chief act of Religion strive to perform it most perfectly. 6. Then dedicate thyself to his Service, and freely open to him thy heart. 7. But beware of vanity and curiosity. At the time of Communion, Think what thou art going to do. Thank, Adore, Implore. When Domine non sum dignus, is said, etc. humble and confound thyself, yet still raising up thy heart with hope. 8. Having communicated, entertain thy guest with amorous expressions. 9 And lastly, offer up the holy Son, to his heavenly Father. 10. Chap. XXXI. Of spiritual Communion. Thou mayst thus often communicate. 1. By frequent desires. 2. And it is an excellent exercise against passions. 3. If thou makest this right use thereof, here prescribed. Chap. XXXII. Of . All goodness is from God. 1. To whom therefore all gratitude is due. 2. First, therefore, acknowledge his goodness, and then thine own unworthiness. 3. Chap. XXXIII. Of the perfect oblation of thyself too God. First, consider God's greatness and glory. Secondly, adore and acknowledge him, etc. Thirdly, Offer up all thy interest in any thing. Fourthly, unite all to the Merits of Christ, presenting both together to the eternal Father. 5. So likewise in offering thy works of piety. 6. How to offer up Christ's Actions for our offences. 7. Another manner of perfect Oblation. Christ here on Earth, offered not only himself, but also all us, to his Father; make thou the same Oblation. How to know the sincerity of thy Oblation. Chap. XXXIV. How to Petition for Divine Grace. First, Encourage thyself with confidence in God's Goodness. Secondly, Join humility with this confidence. Thirdly, Press thy Petition with fervent desires: the want whereof hinders the effects of our demands. Fourthly, Let not thy Petition want Charity, Perseverance, or Resignation. Chap. XXXV. Some short observations concerning Meditation. First, Read overnight the matter of thy Meditation. Secondly, reflect upon it in the morning. Thirdly, Weigh his Majesty with whom thou art to confer. Fourthly, Begin with Oblation, and Petition. Fifthly, Apply thy senses to the mystery. Sixthly, Beg what thou intendest to obtain. Seventhly, after this begin with thy first point, 8. and beware of fancying high mysteries, 9 Or leaving off before the time allotted for Prayer be expired. 10. In the end reflect how thou hast behaved thyself. 11. And be sure to order well the matter of thy Meditation. Chap. XXXVI. An exercise before the sacred Communion. 1. The conformation of the place. 2. Beg of thy Savinor to fit up thy poor house. 3. Think what guest is to lodge in it. 4. Why he comes, 5. and to whom: And lastly, present thy Petition. Chap. XXXVII. How we may devoutly offer up the Sacrifice of the Mass. 1. Free thy fancy from all outward Objects. 2. In vesting thyself, mark each mystery. 3. Let thy outward deportment be decent. 4. and thy inward composition, correspondent. 5. In thy first Memento: To Christ's holy Head; To his right hand; To his lefthand; To his sacred Heart; To his right-Foot; To his left-Foot. 6. In thy second Memento, Unite thy affection unto Jesus Christ now present in the Sacrament. Chap. XXXVIII. An exercise after holy Communion. 1. Representation of the place. 2. Imploration of God's Grace. 3. Consideration, of him whom thou hast within thee, and of thine own unworthiness. 4. Petition. Chap. XXXIX. A Daily Examen. 1. Every Morning thou art to make three acts; of Thanksgiving, 2. Of Oblation, 3. Of Resolution. Secondly, at night thou art to examine thyself: beginning with a general acknowledgement of God's Favo●●●, Then begging his Light and Grace, next, descending to particulars. 6. And endeavour to get a true sorrow for thy sins. 7. And lastly implore pardon for the past, and protection for the future. 8. Another Method of Examitation. By questioning thyself, First, wherein thou hast offended. Secondly, what occasioned it. Thirdly, how thou hast practised virtue. XL. Being a Conclusion of the whole Book. This little Book, well practised with perseverance, is sufficient, Supposing thou fightest manfully, without being terrified at thy enemy's power, though the victory seems to come on never so slowly. FINIS. depiction of death and time Hold thy hand, O Death, whilst Time's Conflict begets an Eternal Conquest. Will▪ Martial. sculpsit. A Lively portrait of the Spiritual Conquest. Love Seraphical Divine of steps Sacred They have disposed Ascension in their hearts The Lawgiver will give a blessing, and they shall ascend from virtue to virtue, (by steps and degrees, even to Heaven). Psalm: 83. v: 6. 7. 8. THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST, IN Five TREATISES, Enabling all Christian Warriors, to conquer themselves, and come to a vicinity with GOD. Habacuc. 3. 19 God our Lord is my strength: he will make my feet as of the Hearts: And upon my high places, he the conqueror, will lead me singing in psalms. AT PARIS, M.DC.LI. The five Treatises Of the Spiritual Conquest. The First. Of the discovery of our enemies Ambuscado's. The Second. Of the use and practise of our Spiritual weapons. The Third. Of the steps, and degrees of Perfection. The Fourth. Of the steps and degrees of divine Seraphical Love. The Fifth, and last. Of the choicest Maxim's of Mystical Divinity. TO THE truly virtuous and our most honoured PATRONS Two in one Right Worthy, and most Honoured Patrons, AMongst the numberless vanities of this life, our thoughts have more than once glanced (not without a certain indignation), upon that exceeding folly of almost all Dedicatory Epistles; the writers whereof, (as if hired tomake Encomiums, and present the world with Panegericks) run over each common place of Rhetoric in the recital of their Patrons rare parts and qualities, leave no tittle of honour untouched, no action of their lives unadmired, no prerogative of pedigree unextolled, no gift of nature or grace unsummed up; and having drained their whole stock of invention in this scrupulous inquest after all sorts of praises; conclude finally, that all these (and more lines of perfection, than either their modesty dares relate, or their capacity can reach), do directly concentrate in the unparalleled breasts of them, whom they thus resolve to celebrate, canonize and Deify. A proceeding so far from pleasing all generous, heroic, and discerning spirits, that it rather puts them to the blush, to see themselves more abused than adorned, with such plain and palpable flatteries. We therefore (most worthy Patrons), who build upon other principles; and follow a Rule and profession obliging us to sincerity: though we most willingly acknowledge your temporal and spiritual greatnesses, hearty congratulate your high perfections, and joyfully consider you mounting up amain the divine ladder of heavenly love & contemplation: Yet we cannot but look upon your souls as immured still in walls of clay; we can only judge you to be faithful pilgrims, not full possessors; to be valiant champions, not yet crowned conquerors; and therefore we conceive that we may much better comply with our duty to God, and our obligation to you, by endeavouring to further you in your spiritual progress, than to follow you with Euge's and acclamations, as if you were already arrived at the desired end of your journey. For this reason, we declare, that the primary motive inducing us to present you with this small spiritual donative, is the ardent zeal and desire we have of your own happy advancement in solid devotion & divine charity. And in pursuance of this design, we First, discover briefly unto you the most common & dangerous snares of your sworn enemies, and show you the safe way to shun them. Secondly, we deliver spiritual arms into your hands, wherewith to defend yourselves, & defeat your foes, by reducing the precepts into practice, & furnishing you with such affective acts & elevations, as may readily serve you for restauratives against fainting in these your indefatigable combats. Thirdly, we raise you up a ladder of perfection; from the top whereof, (which is perfect indifferency, resignation, and obedience to God's Divine will and pleasure), you may comfortably cast down an eye, and counteach step you have taken in your wearisome journey towards your heavenly Jerusalem. Fourthly, from this mountain top of perfection, we show you the divers degrees of sacred and seraphical love, which will lead your elevated souls to perfect union with their beloved Bridegroom, and settle them in the sweet embraces and bosom of the divinity. And lastly, we have made a collection of the chiefest and choicest Maxim's of mystical Theology, to which you may have continual recourse, by which you may solve all your doubts, and in which you may secure your consciences, upon all emergent occasions and difficulties, arising in this your blessed enterprise & tendance to eternal felicity. These are the choice flowers which we have gathered in the several gardens of sacred writers, and bound up in this posy for your present use, comfort, and encouragement. The other end we aim at in this our dedication, is to give you, & posterity, a public and perpetual testimony of our grateful hearts for your many signal favours and temporal benefits; wherewith you have more obliged us, and our nearest friends, than we can either tell how to repay in any other coin, or express in any particular terms: And therefore we desire you to receive this our thankful acknowledgement and real protestatition, proceeding from both our united minds and mouths, as an absolute assurance of our truly devoted service to yourselves, and all the worthy branches of your most honoured family. THE FIRST TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST: Or, A plain discovery of the Ambuscado's, and wily Stratagems of our Enemies, in this our daily War-fare. Enabling the Christian Warrior to foresee, and avoid them. Psal. 56. 7. They prepared a snare for my feet, (but) Psal. 123. 7. The snare is broken, and we are delivered. AT PARIS, M.DC.LI. To the devout Champions, tending to perfection. YOu have beheld, * In this precedent Treatise of our learned and devout author, Fa. John Castaniza. (O Dear Champions of heaven) a famous Duel, fought between the Sense and the Soul, the Elesh and the Spirit, the Animal and the Spiritual man; you have been Spectators of this Grand-plea, and present at this renowned trial; where, before the supreme Tribunal of Truth and Reason, the Animal man was convened and arraigned at the Bar; had Pe●rus Damianus. Serm. 30. his own thoughts, words, and works, for his casting, convincing, and condemning Jury; heaven and earth, irrefragable witnesses against him; his own guilty Conscience, a constant accuser of him; the said Truth and Reason, the impartial Judges, pronouncing sentence upon him; and his own soul, the happy executioner of their just verdict: Which lifting up the sword of holy zeal and indignation, gave such home-blows (of Contrition for the past, and Resolution of amendment for the future) to his heart; that blood of tears and joy, seemed to stream from the wounds; and the whole man, first made a true Martyr of Penance, is now become a faithful witness of God's infinite mercies. You have seen (I say) a notable siege, laid to this rebellious City, man's sensuality, which for its ditches of defence, had depths of impiety; for walls and rampiers, obstinacy and insolency; for towers and bulwarks, mountains of pride and presumption; for arms and weapons, reluctancy to goodness, and resistance of God's inspirations; for artillery, tumults; for dwelling-houses, dens of hypocrisy: for palaces, labyrinths of dissimulation; for temple, proper-will; for Idol, self-love; for Captain, blindness; for Soldiers, exorbitant passions; for counsel, folly; and for constancy, perverse opinions. Yet Babylon is fallen, this treacherous town is taken, sensuality is subdued: So great is the force of Grace, and so happy the success of Truth and Reason! And which is most worthy of joyful admiration, perfect liberty is gained by this captivity, high advancement by this down-fall, holy greatness by this annihilation, and by this death, a happy life. O blessed Conquest! But lest this now stifled fire of rebellion should again burst forth into new flames of sedition, and so your recidivations prove more dangerous than your first diseases; (For Alas! such is man's inconstancy, that he now seems in a Who so stands let him look that he falls not. 1. Cor. 10. 12. firm station, who soon falls and fades away into nothing: such is the nature of his quarrel, that it hath no other point of quiet in this life, than the last full period of his death: such are his watchful enemies, that they Man's life is a warfare upon earth. Job 7. 1. are ever waiting for advantages; and such is his known weakness, that it perpetually woos, and eggs him on to wickedness); how highly doth it import you (O pious Soldiers) to stand constantly and continually to your spiritual arms, & to keep an uninterrupted guard upon all the gates of your inward and outward senses and appetites. To this end, we have here presented you, (out of our Author), Castanizae. with a brief draught of your enemy's chiefest postures; showed you from what grounds they take their usual advantages against you, and discovered where they lay their Foreseen darts, do least hurt. Greg. hom. 35. in Evang. perilous ambushes to entrap you; that being thus duly forewarned of your eminent danger, you may be fitly and fully armed for your necessary defence, preparedly attend their approaches, undantedly receive their charges, courageously repel their violence; and finally, return loaden with glorious Trophies of victory, into your own peaceful consciences; and keep there a delicious Called by Isay; Sabbatum delicatum? Esa. 58. 13 Sabbath of repose in the happy enjoyments of unspeakable delights. The Seven chief Ambushes of our Enemies. 1. SElf-love. Which is the root of all sin, and cause of all inproficiency in the way of perfection. 2. Few are found free from it. 3. To avoid this snare we must seek God's honour in all our actions. 4. To self-love belongs unmortified sensuality, which must be tamed by cutting off superfluities: 5. To the same pertain Pride, Self-conceit. etc. Which must be remedied by the Practice of humility. 6. Also the passions of our inferior nature, Love, Hatred, etc. To which we must oppose Peace of heart. 7. Lastly, the adhering to our own wills and judgements▪ which must be cured by Obedience. 8. Note a triple Obedience. 2. Immoderate affection to creatures. 1. This distracts us from our Creator; against which we must provide Poverty of spirit. 2. Affections to persons corrupt our judgements. 3. We must remedy it, by loving all impartially, in and for God. 4. Spiritual comforts may be sometimes snares of the Devil, therefore we must not stay in them, but transcend them. 3. Extroversion, or an inordinate application of ourselves to external things, 1. Which chokes up Devotion: therefore we must not thrust ourselves upon employments, 2. But kerb our fancies; 3. Perform works of obedience, necessity, and charity, without engaging our affections; 4. And strive to get into our interior, 5. By fixing our heart on Christ crucified. 4. Bitterness of heart, sadness, frowardness, etc. 2. All which proceed either from nature, indiscretion, thoughtfulness, presumption, or immortification; 3. And must be sweetened with Charity. 4. To this belong a certain grudging at God's providence; which must be avoided by a cordial Resignation. 5. Scrupulosity, inward affliction, fearfulness, etc. 1. Which aim at the destruction of our Faith and Confidence in God. 2. To avoid this, we must rely upon God and our guide, 3. And assure ourselves that we cannot err in Confidence, if we fall not into Negligence. 6. Excessive and unnecessary study, 1. Which busies the Understanding, but leaves the Will barren. 2. Puffs us up with Vanity, but leaves us empty of true Piety. 3. The remedy is to rectify our intentions in our studies. 7. Tepidity and coldness in Devotion, 1. Which is the bane of all spirituality. We must always go forward towards perfection, with perseverance, and excite our sluggishness with frequent aspirations. 2. An excellent document of Saint Anthony. Latet hostis, et otia ducis? The first Ambush. Self-love. 1. THis (in S. Austin's opinion) is the root of Self-love is the root of all sin, and cause of all inproficiency in the way of perfection. all sin, and we may fitly add, and avouch it to be the cause of all inproficiency in the way of perfection. For our subtle nature so constantly seeks herself in all her actions and omissions; that even the spiritual man, who treads in the pleasant paths of piety, is subject to be drawn into this dangerous ambush: He will find (upon due examination) some sinister, and self-intention, Read the second ch. of the Spir. Con. creeping in, and corrupting his sincerest endeavours; and perceive, (unless highly illuminated), that there is more of private commodity than pure and perfect charity, in his most transcendent and heroic exercises. 2. Who is not generally more diligent in the performance of his Few are found free from it. duty, for the fear of hell, and hope of heaven, than for the sole and substantial love of his Creator? who hath not rather some small clause and secret condition of self-interest in his actions, than the only fulfilling of God's holy will, and the following of his Divine inspirations? Whom shall we find, though never so great pretenders to perfection, so totally untangled from this net of Self-love, that they neither hover after humane respects and praises; nor look upon rewards or punishments; nor overvalue their own ways and exercises; nor solace themselves with the sweets of sensible devotion; nor please themselves with their high-towring contemplations, and raptures into Gods immediate perfections; nor finally, dress up devotion by the pattern of their own passions, and so fall in love with their own conceptions, and make to themselves in Bethel golden calves, in stead of 3. Reg. 13. 8. the Cherubins in Jerusalem? Whose will is so truly devested from all propriety, as to remain untouched, unmoved, undisquieted, resolute and resigned, in all temporal chances and changes, and in all spiritual dryness, desolation, dereliction, and affliction whatsoever? 3. To avoid this pernicious snare, To avoid this snare, we must seek God's honour in our actions. we must strive to levelly all our actions at God's pure honour and pleasure, as the only end we aim at, the only object of our love, life, and labour; in whom only, and not in the best of his creatures, is found true quiet and content. 4. Unmortified Sensuality, is the To self-love, belongs unmortified sensuality, dear darling of Self-love; This proposes nothing but pleasure and pastime to our seduced appetites, roaming abroad to our affections, makes us sedulous to satisfy our fancies, covetous to content our curiosities, to hearken after vanities, to Read the 7. ch. of the Arraignment glut our gusts with dainties, and to evaporate our precious time and talents in extravagant adhesions to creatures. What hope, Alas! of internal repose and recollection, where such tumults and troubles prepossess the spirit? What place remains for the holy entertainments of heavenly love, when such affections have filled up each corner of the heart? Wherefore a soul that seeks God, Which must be tamed by cutting off superfluities. must scorn to rest in these seeming goods she m●st banish all superfluities, and be content with the mere supplies of her necessities; she must admit of no excess in meat, drink, sleep, attire, talk, or other solaces whatsoever▪ if she really intends to make the body pliable to the spirit, and the spirit proper to tend to perfection. 5. Pride, presumption, vanity, self-esteem, self-complacency, self-content, To the same belong pride self-conceit, etc. self-praise, self-seeking, self-delight, with all the rest of like nature, are but several noozes of the same net, and sprouts, out of the same main root▪ self-love. And whosoever hopes for honour, praise, preferment, or profit from others, for any goods of nature, gifts of grace, or prerogatives of virtue, is fallen into this snare of the Devil, robs God of his proper due, is rotten at the heart, and hath already received his full reward. The remedy of all this (O dear Which must be remedied by the practice of humility. souls), is unfeigned humility. Cast one glance of your souls eye upwards upon your Creator's might and mercy; all your perfections come out of his treasury, and are lent you to be improved for his service, not to be proud of for your own satisfaction: And look down with your other eye upon your bottomless nothing; see there your own base indignity and brutish ingratitude, your great impurity and gross impiety, and be ashamed to desire any temporal esteem, who so truly deserve eternal damnation. 6. Other knots of the same To self-love, appertain also all the passions of our inferior nature love, hatred, etc. snare, are all those passions, which have their residence in our inferior nature; love, hatred, joy, grief, hope, and fear, with their several attendants: these raise up broils to disturb our inward tranquillity, to discompose our Reason, and interpose their earthy exhalations between our superior will and the grace of God. Peace of heart is the secure refuge To which we must oppose Peace of heart. against all these peevish Passions: do but cast your whole care upon your Creator, and call away your inordinate affection from creatures, and what then can punish or perplex you? Remit, and refer all accidents, whether adverse or prosperous, sweet or sour, good or bad, to Gods high power and holy providence; comfort yourselves in his mercy, content yourselves in his all-sufficiency, and quiet yourselves in his love. Ah! how poor, how vain, how vile, how unregardable Read the 4. ch. num. 3. of the conflict. are the best of worldly blessings? how is it possible that things in themselves so contemptible can have the least entrance or admittance into a soul settled in God's pure love and presence? O let the children of this world, who place their final felicity, in such fading fooleries, who have their souls buried in this earth, and swallowed up in sensuality; be solicitous to seek them, glut and burst themselves in the enjoying of them▪ and be dejected to be deprived of them: but we, (O souls aspiring to perfection), whose master is God, whose aim is virtue, whose reward is heaven; what have we to do with these inferior passions? Away with these Mammon's. My heart is signed with the signet of God's love, my hatred is only bend against sin and myself, my joy is in God my Saviour, my grief is that I am not all his, my fear is to offend him, and my hope is to enjoy him. 7. Lastly, all adhering to our proper will and judgement, appertains to this ambush of our enemy. The adhering to our own wills, and preferring of our own judgements, are also points of self-love, Read the 5. ch. of the Conflict. This draws us off by degrees from doing our duty; diverts us from following divine motions, and superiors commands; daunts us from relying entirely on God's providence, and fulfilling perfectly his holy pleasure: we dare not disobey this master, nor will we venture to destroy this Idol of our hearts; 'tis death to be crossed in our conceits, or contradicted in our exercises, which we have chosen according to our private fancy, accustomed with self-complacency, and keep with unpardonable propriety. Perfect obedience breaks through Which must be cured by obedience, submission, and resignation. this snare and a total resignation to God's good will & pleasure, is the secure refuge against this deceit. How can a soul be disquieted to receive or refuse, act or omit, that which she truly conceives to proceed both in substance and circumstance from the divine providence and permission? How can that person go astray who is perfectly obedient to God and his superior; gives up himself wholly to the guidance of God's holy Spirit, and the government of a discreet director; observes each beck of the divine call, (first examined▪ and approved by them who are incharged with their souls); and waits upon the divine will, as the shadow on the body? 8. Where you are to take notice Note a triple obedienc●. 1. Of vow. of a triple obedience: One is of vow another of conformity and a third of union. The first concerns all religious people, and imports an external, exact, and necessary performance of that which is commanded. The Second concerns all spiritual 2. of Conformity. souls, and consists in their inward promptitude and readiness to execute God's will, (manifested by faith and their ghostly guide) purely for himself, and precisely for his own sake, without the least touch of proper interest, or self-seeking. The Third concerns all perfect 3. Of Union. persons, and consists in so entire a connexion of their wills, to the will of their Lord God, that they seem both one: hence it is that they embrace all that happens to themselves or others, good or bad, life or death, for time or eternity, as immediately proceeding from his divine goodness, and as the very best that could happen. Here the soul elevated (above itself, and all things) into God, and steadfastly fixed in divine contemplation, patiently expects, and obediently attends to what he speaks, wills, and acts within her remaining ever ready, and really resigned to suffer outward pains, or inward pressures; to receive comforts, or endure crosses, as the supreme providence best knows, permits and pleases: being fully content with all and faithfully constant in all. The Second Ambush. Immoderate affection to creatures. 1. THis infects, distracts, disquiets, and diverts our minds, from their pure and perfect tendance to our Creator. Ah! what have we (whose inheritance is heaven) to do This affection to creatures, distracts us from our Creator, with the poor and perishable commodities of this world? yet our subtle enemy strives to make us serious in searching after them, solicitous to keep them, and impatient to part with them. Against this, we must provide true poverty of spirit, which consists Again which must provide Poverty or spirit. in a perfect denudation of our souls from all propriety of love to any corruptible creature whatsoever: we must use them only and not rest in them; we may enjoy them, but take no joy in them: if Superiors command them from us, we must cheerfully part with them; if any accident bereave us of them, we must willingly let go our hold, saying, Our Lord gave them, our Lord Read the 13. ch. of the Conflict. hath retaken them, his name be ever praised, his will always performed: Farewell uncertain and unsatisfying profits: welcome sweet and secure poverty! We must throw away courageously all such clogs as retard our soul's flight to perfection: Away with superfluities: Oh! that we could live with the only love of our naked and crucified Jesus! That we could support our feeble Nature, without the supplies of any creatures! that so our souls disengaged from the depressing necessities of flesh and blood, might soar aloft, and sweetly repose in the bosom of divine love! 2. Nor is the overmuch tenderness of affection to any person Affection to persons corrupts our judgements. whomsoever, under what pertext soever, any other thing than a mere ambush of our enemy; for it corrupts our purest actions, and vitiates our most pious intentions; it is the bane of God's love, the poison of our hearts, and the venom of our souls: For when humane favour and respect strive to oversway the love of God, and strike in for a part of that which is due to God only; we do, or leave undone say or unsay, what we neither should nor would, but for their sakes: Ou● kindred corrupt o●r judgements, and courtesies blind our reasons; so that we neither discern their follies, nor correct their faults▪ but rather comply with their imperfections, and sometimes wink at their open wickednesses, for the continuance of our own content. 3. O how far is this from that The remedy is to love all impartially in and for God. pure love, which obligeth us to affect all, (without exception of persons), only in and for God, as bearing his image, as being truly virtuous, and as far forth as they are furtherers to our souls salvation and perfection! Fie upon all friend, ships and affections, which are attended with such dangers, accompanied with such distractions, and followed with such disquiets which busy our fancies, and bend our imaginations, to things so unprofitable and impertinent, and so much impeding us, in our intended progress to the perfection of God's love. 4. So also all disordered delight, Spiritual sweetnesses may be sometimes snares of our enemy; pleasure and propriety in spiritual sweetnesses, and inward solaces of devotion, are mere traps of the enemy, laid to catch and ensnare our unwary souls, and to make them rest with complacency in things, which are not God himself (the end of our desires,) but only his creatures, gifts, and graces. You must not stay here, (O devout We must no● stay in them, but transcend them. souls) but pass on your way, and transcend all for his sake whom you only seek, and not his solaces. These are helps and encouragements in your course, not the goal you must touch; These are neither security Read the 28. ch. of the Confflict. nor sanctity, but only baits of the divine piety, to strengthen you in climbing the steep mountain to his perfect charity. The Third Ambush. Extroversion, or an inordinate application of the soul to external things. 1. THis chokes up the Spirit of Extroversion chokes up devotion, Devotion, quenches the souls ardour in her holy exercises, hinders her hastening to perfection, and buries the whole heart and mind, the whole time and talents in mean and inferior employments, which should be totally taken up in divine contemplation. Take heed of being drawn into this dangerous ambush (O dear Therefore we must not intrude ourselves into employments; souls,) intrude not yourselves into any business: and when Necessity, Obedience, or Charity, (the only pretexts, which can make extroversion lawful and laudable), urge you abroad keep your heart still at home▪ converse there with your Lord and love, and commune with him, concerning the more important affairs of eternity; abstract yourselves from all outward multiplicity, and there treat sweetly and secretly with him, of your souls union to that one thing, which is only and absolutely necessary. 2. Abridge therefore your fancy But kerb our fancies. from fruitless roaming abroad upon all occurring objects, which proceeds from instability of heart, and argues a neglect of your interior: Curb and suppress all extravagations Read ch. 4 n. 6 of the Conflict. of your mind, not only from sinful, but from superfluous, and unprofitable conceptions▪ which nothing advance your soul in its tendance to perfection, but contaminate it with the dust of vanity, and contristate the holy Spirit of God, within you. 3. Perform such works as concern your calling▪ without solicitude of mind, or engagement of affection: Perform work● of obedience, necessity, and charity, without engaging your affections; lest your senses become darkened▪ your soul distracted, your fervour diminished, your prayers neglected, and you sliding insensibly into negligence, and a total discomposition in your inward man, be hardly ever again reclaimed and recollected For how can a soul which is totally environed with worldly impertinencies▪ have any vacant time left for the entertainments of piety? how can a mind, dulled and astonished with the continual noises of mundanity, harken attentively to God's holy inspirations? 4. Wherefore strive timely and And strive to get into your interior. diligently to get into your interior: prevent your soul (which is ever active, never idle,) with pious thoughts, lest evil habits press in first▪ and prepossess it: apply yourselves speedily and seriously to introversion, spiritual silence, and inward attendance to God alone; adhere to him only, and remain unremovable from this maxim, To desire nothing, demand nothing, think of nothing, love nothing, labour for nothing, but him alone, that One and All, which is needful for you: Do this as if nothing else concerned you, and as if there were nothing but He and yourself, and You and himself, considerable in the whole world. 5. The surest way to compass this happy and heavenly design, is to keep your eyes and heart fixed By fixing our hearts upon Christ crucified. constantly and continually upon Christ crucified. This is the solid ground whence the highest contemplatives take their first rise; hither (into this sacred Ark of our Saviour's humanity), they must again return after their lofty soarings into the divinity; and here they must settle, when elsewhere they can find no footing: And surely a soul that seriously considers his sufferings, contemplates his mercies, and reflects upon his virtues; will find her whole time too short to visit each room of his several perfections, and none at all left, to be lost upon extravagant and worldly fancies. The Fourth Ambush. Bitterness of Heart. 1. WHich comprehends all kind Bitterness of heart comprehends all sadness, frowardness, etc. of Sadness, Melancholy, frowardness, restlessness, indignation, despitefulness, proness to impatience, discontent, tediousness of mind, aversion, distaste of all things, dislike of others, suspicions, sinister interpretations, unpleasantness, murmurations, detractions, rancour, malice, rash-judgments, and the like. 2. The source of these bitter All which proceed, either from nature, indiscretion ●n austerities, thoughtfulness, presumption, or immortification; streams, is either perverse nature; or indiscreet austerities; or an over-serious application of the mind to study and thoughtfulness or a secret presumption of self-perfection and sufficiency or an immortification of passions; or a reflection upon past injuries; or an envying at others virtue, praise, preferment and prosperity. And all these anguishs of mind, and harshnesses in conversation, are great impediments in our progress to spirituality, and must necessarily And must be sweetened with charity. be sweetened and seasoned with the Sugar of perfect Charity: For if we truly love our Lord God, how can we scorn his image, stamped in the souls of our Brethren? Do they cease to be Gods amiable creatures, because they displease, despise or Read c. 16▪ of the Conflict. neglect me? may they not be God's friends, though they are my foes? are they not more likely to love God, because they dislike me, who am so truly unworthy to be loved by any one? Are not my seeming enemies, (upon due consideration), my surest friends, since by mortifying me, they increase my stock of merit, occasion my more serious application to the practice of ver●u●, a●d egg me onwards in the way of all perfection? 3. You must therefore buckle up yourselves (O dear Souls) against all these bad and bitter dispositions; by loving all, in, and for God; by being amiable, to a●, And by being amiable and affable to all. affable to all, meek to all, merciful to all: Strive to be gentle in words, cheerful in countenance, pleasing in your proceed, patiented in enduring, compassionate to others in their failings, charitable in assisting them, ready to pardon them pious to interpret their actions for their best advantage, far from troubling or thwarting them, free from contristating or confounding them. 4. There is also another private To this ambush belongs a certain grudging at God's pr●ceedings, Which must be warily avoided, and perilous corner in this ambush of bitterness of heart, which is, a certain grudging at the proceed of God's providence, and a repining at his permission of adversities to fall upon us. Take heed (dear souls)▪ of slipping into this sad and dismal gulf of discontent and murmuration against God, in the least thought, word, or gesture: be not dejected or disquieted at any thing, but say cordially, cheerfully, faithfully and resignedly: It is the By a cordial Resignation. Lord, let him do what seems good in his own eyes. Alas! Can Self-love so blind my understanding, as to make me think I deserve not to suffer this and much more? I offer up myself to thy sweet pleasure, O my God; my heart is ready and prepared to perform what thou pleasest, and to endure what thou permittest; and I am wholly resigned to thy holy will, in all things which shall befall me, for time and eternity. The Fifth Ambush. Scrupulosity. WHich includes all inward affliction, fearfulness, perplexity, vexation and trouble of the soul, and is an evident effect of some secret pride and self-love, 1. This dangerous Ambush is designed by our enemy to cut off Scrupulcsity aims at the destruction of our Faith and Confidence. To avoid this, we must rely upon God and our guide. all succours of Faith and Confidence in God's mercy and goodness from us, that so by degrees he may lead us on, and cast us headlong into the precipice of despair. 2. To avoid this deceit, which aims at your utter ruin and destruction, your only secure and short way (O dear souls), is to cast yourselves really, resignedly, cheerfully and confidently into the bosom of the divine bounty and to the guidance of your ghostly Father: there is no other hope of shelter or safety from these storms of troubles and temptations: There you may make a happy exchange of your servile & slavish fear into sweet & filial love: there you will drown and destroy these dismal, dreadful and desperate Imaginations and fancies in the abysses of Gods infinite mercy: there you will admire, adore, and implore, his power, wisdom and goodness, whereby you will confess, yield, and confide, that he can, knows how, and is willing to help and heal your sick and sorrowful souls in his own good time and liking: there you will truly see that you are nothing of yourselves, but are all things, have all things, and can do all things in him, your all-sufficient creator and comforter. We cannot err in Confidence, so long as we fall not into Negligence. 3. And you may securely stand to this infallible verity; That you can never err in overmuch trust, hope, and confidence in God, and in his mercy and bounty; so long as you slack not in the punctual performance of your duty; cease not in the serious mortification of your passions and sensuality; continue your practices of patience in adversity, of gratitude in prosperity, and of indifferency and resignation to the divine will in all occurrences. The Sixth Ambush. Excessive and unnecessary Study. 1. THis busies the understanding Which busies the Understanding, but leaves the Will barren, S. Bernard. Jerm. 36. super Cantica. about curious notions and useless speculations, and leaves the will barren of all true devotion and affections: For there are some who study to know much, that they may become learned, and it is a foolish curiosity: Some study that they may fallen their skill, and it is a foolish avarice: Some strive to know that they themselves may be known, and it is a foolish vanity: Some study knowledge, that with it they may edify others, and that is charity: And finally some desire knowledge, that they themselves may be edified and their own souls bettered▪ and this is wisdom. 2. Wherefore all such study as aims at the bare knowledge of things, without any ●u●●her relation Puffs us up with vanity, but leaves us empty of true piety. to piety, and proficiency in the way of the Spirit, is a mere trap of our enemy, thereby to puff us up with pride and vanity, to take up our time, and fill up our souls with self-conceits, and presumption: It makes a great noise, and furnisheth our tongues with fair expressions concerning the spiritual life, divine feelings, and the secret ways of God's proceed with his faithful friends and servants; but hath no true taste at all of that which it talks so much; 'tis an empty discourse, void of all inward experience, a mere Hypochondriacal wind. 3. The remedy against this, The remedy is to rectify our intentions. is, to rectify our intentions; Read not dear souls, nor study, to be accounted learned, but to become perfect; desire rather to love God's goodness▪ than to know Read the 1. 2. 3. cha. of the first Book of the Imita. of Christ, And the 43. ch. of the third Book. much of his greatness; to lead a holy life, than to speak high words concerning it. Confess your own ignorance in all things, and content yourselves with the sole-knowledge of your Saviour: This is the sum of all Science, and this alone will suffice for your Salvation. The Seventh Ambush. Tepidity, and coldness in devotion. THis is the bane of all spirituality This is the bane of all spirituality. Read the 12. ch. of the Spir. Conflict. nor hath the devil any more alluring bait, than this (seldom perceived and yet highly prejudicial) lukewarmness in devotion, want of vigour in our spiritual exercises, and defect of fervour in our tendance to perfection. 1. Think not therefore (dear souls), that it sufficeth you to perform your accustomed practices of piety, but that you are continually We must always▪ go forward towards perfection. to aim at a further and daily increase of charity: Consider, that not to advance in the way of the Spirit, is to recoil; and that it is not the multitude of your good works which makes them considerable, but the fervour wherewith they are performed: Be sure to keep your heart and soul always (as much as humane weakness and the rule of discretion will permit) elevated to your Lord and love: cry continually for his grace, knock And sigh after it perseverantly, incessantly at the gate of his mercy, sigh after him perseverantly seek to perform his will diligently, and follow his pleasure purely and perfectly; give that day for lost wherein you have not made some progress in the way of perfection; and finally, rouse up yourselves, and prick forward your sluggish dulness in devotion, with some brief and burning aspirations, which you are to have always ready in your heart and mouth: As Exciting our sluggishness by frequent aspirations. O my Lord, o my God, the life of my soul, and the only love of my heart! when shall I love thee, as I desire and thou demandest? O my Jesus! when shall I die perfectly to the world, myself, and all things, that I may live purely and entirely in thy only charity. O when shall I be nothing to any creature, and every creature nothing to me, but only in thee, and for thee alone? O that I could go out of myself, and get into thee! That I could thrust my caitif heart out of this breast, to establish thine, (o my sweet Saviour) in its place! O let thy true love transform me totally into thee! Let me not live any longer but in thee! Let me not love any creature, but by, in, and for thee, my Creator! O incomprehensible bounty! Either take my soul out of this world; or take the love of this world out of my soul! Either bereave me of my life, or bestow on me thy love, etc. In all which raptures and affections, the holy Spirit is the best director, whose inward impulse and dictamen, you are diligently to follow, (still according to discretion and obedience), with a perpetual longing and loving, sighing and seeking to advance your soul to divine Union. 2. Finally, I conclude with this hearty and heavenly counsel of S. Anthony to his disciples, against this dangerous coldness in devotion: An excellent document of S. Anthony. My brethren, Let this be my general and particular precept unto you, the first and last lesson I teach you: Never to lose your first fervour and good purposes, nor to grow slack in your observances, but to go always forward, and renew daily your devout exercises, as if you daily were new beginners in the way of perfection: This he often repeated and inculcated and being on his deathbed, that his last words might remain more lively imprinted in their minds, he bequeathed unto them as his final and never to be forgotten testament, this piercing and pithy document, able to win, wound and melt a flint into fervour and compunction: O my loving children, I go the way of my forefathers, our Lord calls and invites me, and my soul thirsts after him and heaven: But you, (o my bowels)! what will you do? I have often admonished you, and do at this last gasp▪ leave it you for my will and testament: Take heed you grow not tepid, and go backward, and so on a sudden lose the pains and profit of so many years past: Think still you are to begin anew, as though what you had already suffered for Christ, were nothing: Let your good will and desires get every day new strength and vigour; forget what is past, and run to what is before you; live and labour with such fervour and purity, as if it were your first work that ever pleased God, or the last service you should ever render him in this mortal life. O devout souls! Our days pass away swiftly, death is always at our heels, eternity approaches, wherein our God, whom we have served and loved, will wipe the tears off our eyes, the sweat off our brows, & the blood off our wounds, & crown us with glory, peace, security & immortality: Let us not lose heart in his service, nor hope in his goodness! He expects and invites us: Angels and Saints offer their helping hands: The question is of eternal life, eternal light, eternal liberty, and eternal love. THE SECOND TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST: or, The use and Practice of those necessary weapons, which are prescribed in the Treatise of the Spiritual Conflict. Here Methodically managed, and drawn into seven Exercises, Affective Acts, or Aspirations, according to the days of the Week. Psal. 118. v. 34. Give me understanding, and I will search thy Law, and I will keep it with my whole heart. AT PARIS, M.DC.LI. To the Devout Champions aspiring to Perfection. THat you may make the right use (O devout souls) of these ensuing Exercises, you are first to be premonished, That Aspirations or jaculatorie prayers are short and fervent acts, elevations, desires, and requests of the Soul to God; And they are of divers sorts, and may be performed either in the heart only, or by the heart and mouth jointly. First, they may be practised by way of petition, begging love, virtue, perfection, devotion, etc. As, O Lord, give me light to know thy Will, grace to embrace it, and force to follow it. Help me to overcome myself, and my sworn enemies: Assist me to digest difficulties, and disgraces for thy love. Pity a poor sinner; Pardon a proud beggar; Receive a prodigal Child; Redeem a perishing soul; confirm my frailty, confound my Pride, comfort my Dull, Dark, and desolate Spirit. And the like short, amorous, and pithy petitions. Secondly they may be expressed by way of wishing, and sighing after God, goodness, piety, perfection, etc. As, O Lord, when shall I know thee and myself? When shall I truly love thee, and perfectly hate myself? When shall I live in thee, and be dead to myself? Or thus, Oh, that I were truly virtuous, truly religious, truly mortified! Oh, that I were all thine! O my poor soul, take courage, how shall we abound with delights, when we shall see our Master and Maker in his heavenly Kingdom! Thirdly, they may be performed by way of expostulating, and complaining; sometimes to God, other-times to our own souls; and then to all creatures: As, How long Lord? wilt thou forget me for ever? Why hidest thou thy face? Why art thou sad my soul? O heavens, are you shut against me? &c▪ Fourthly, by shorter expressions: as by Expressing the whole affection in few words, thus: Good God Sweet Jesus! How long! O fire! burn! O one! O all! etc. These must differently be made use of according to the various disposition of the souls dryness or devotion. In all which you are not to bind yourselves to any set form or sorts of words, but only use such as holy and fervent love shall suggest unto you. And this manner of prayer (by fervent Aspirations, frequent acts of love, and inflamed elevations of the soul) is (according to the divine doctrine of S. Denys) the easiest, shortest, sweetest, and perfectest means of uniting the soul to her last end, which is God, and consequently of corresponding to our creation and calling. This (saith he) is that admirable, holy and hidden Unitive wisdom, which without any foregoing meditation, or precedent search into divine mysteries, draws up forthwith the lover's affection to his beloved Lord, which is more and more stretched, intended, and enlarged by these ardent ejaculations of the soul, thus familiarly conferring, communing, treating and talking with her Creator, and raising up herself to him by acts of love, and desires of conjunction. And we may fitly say that the solid foundation of inward perfection is contained in such acts, motions and tendances of our Souls towards God, their neighbours and themselves; as the outward consists in the practical performance of our duties, in relation to the same three objects. Make use therefore (O dear souls), of these affective Devotions, daily, diligently and perseverantly; and you shall soon perceive a happy and heavenly change in your souls; you shall feel your faith strengthened, your devotion actuated; your good desires prepared and put in real performances; your pious intentions ripened for executions; and your well-made purposes and resolutions forwarded to leap into the punctual and particular observation of each part of your duty towards God, the world, and yourselves. The Seven Exercises. The 1. Exercise, For Monday. Of the Knowledge of God, and Confidence in him. The 2. Exercise, For Tuesday. Of the Knowledge, and Diffidence in ourselves. The 3. Exercise, For Wednesday. Of obtaining Remission of our sins. The 4. Exercise, For Thursday. Of subduing Sensuality to Reason. The 5. Exercise, For Friday. Of Mortification, and perfect Abnegation. The 6. Exercise. For Saturday. Of Conformity to Christ crucified. The 7. Exercise, For Sunday. Of perfect Union with God. FOR MONDAY. Of the Knowledge of God, and Confidence in him. The First Exercise. 1. TO know thee, O divine fountain of goodness, is to be truly happy; and yet none can know thee, (O boundless and bottomless Sea of all perfections), but through thine own manifestation and mercy: Vouchsafe therefore, I beseech thee, (o most loving and liberal Lord), to enter this poor & empty heart of thy meanest servant; to inform my ignorant soul, with a glimpse of this necessary science, and to inflame my cold affection, with a small spark of thy holy love. O omnipotent Creator of heaven and earth, both which thou fillest with thy greatness and glory: O God of infinite power, excellent wisdom, unmeasurable goodness, and incomprehensible love! my soul thirsts after thee, the essential source of all felicity; my heart seeks thee, the proper place of its repose; it sighs to thee, the natural centre of all its hope and happiness. IN thy blessed mind, o my God, it first rested in its eternal possibility and similitude, thither it must again return, and there it must either rest eternally or perish for evermore: O let it now find thee, that it may ever love thee. 2. O Lord, most good, glorious, and gracious: most blessed and bountiful, most high and holy; most excellent and ineffable; What words or thoughts can express thy purity and perfection? Let me know thee, O thou life of my soul! Let me see thee, O true light of my eyes! Let me seek thee, O thou only solace of my spirit! Let me find thee, O thou desired of my heart! Let me embrace thee, O my heavenly Spouse! Let me possess thee, O thou sovereign sweetness, and full satiety of all my inward and outward senses. O that my heart could always think on thee, my will ever love thee, my mind still remember thee, my understanding continually conceive thee, my reason perpetually adhere to thee, and my whole man incessantly praise thee! O hid not thy face from me, my joy, my light, and my life! If I may not see thee and live; O let me die that I may see thee: I desire to die here, and be dissolved, that I may see thee, know thee, come to thee, live with thee, and love thee eternally. O ever blessed and glorious divinity! O Father, who of thine own substance, bringest forth an ineffable goodness, coequal, consubstantial and coeternal with thyself, which is thy Some: O Father and Son, who loving each other with infinite charity and content, are united together in one Holy Ghost, equally and unspeakably proceeding from you both! I admire thee, adore thee, and worship thee with all the powers of my body and soul. 3. O sacred Deity! O Triunity, and Vni-Trinity! O Father, S●n, and Holy Ghost! Holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, who wert, art, and shalt be for ever almighty; I thy poor creature, prostrate before the Throne of thy Divine Majesty, from the abyss of my own nothing, invoke, adore and acknowledge thee, the abyss of all perfection: I present thee with all thine own gifts, goods, and graces, which thou hast plentifully poured out upon all thy creatures: I offer up to thy praise the affections of Angels and men, the properties of the elements, the beauty and motion of the whole universe, and the essence of all being: O that my soul were capable to comprise unitedly all their several affections and perfections! how joyfully would it employ them in thy praise? how sweetly would it melt away in thy presence? Behold, O my God, I make an entire oblation of them all, I acknowledge and adore thee with them all, and desire to do it as frequently as I breathe, and as often as there are minutes in time, stars in the firmament, sands in the Ocean, and numbers in all nature. O my Lord, whose love is the life of my soul, increase my knowledge of thee, that I may enlarge my love to thee. Alas! I love thee not, o amiable Lord God, because I know thee not; I know thee not, because darkness and sin hath covered and encompassed my understanding: Wherefore, o bright light, who illuminatest all things, expel this darkness from my soul, drive off these clouds from my understanding, & draw the curtain from off the face of the abyss of my mind, that I may see and know thee, and then I shall not choose but love thee. O my dear Jesus, show me thy divine Father; dart a beam of thy heavenly splendour into my dull heart, that I may have some degree of that holy science which may help me in thy love, make me obedient to thy will, and resolute in thy service. To know all things of this world, o Jesus, and not to know thee, is but ignorance and folly: let me therefore know thy eternal Father; and thee whom he sent for my salvation, and it sufficeth me. O give me this knowledge, that I may give thee my love, and I ask no more. Let me be unknowing, ignorant and a fool in all other things, so I may wisely know thee only, o my God, and my all. 4. O King of glory, I acknowledge thy perfections to be above all knowledge, but that of thy own divine understanding: I confess that thy height is unreachable, thy goodness unchangeable, thy greatness incomprehensible, thy light inaccessible; And all other thy divine attributes and perfections are so mighty and so many, so good and so glorious, so excellent and so admirable, so worthy and so wonderful; that were all the power and prerogatives, all the virtue, wisdom, and qualities of all creatures united in one individual nature, it were not so much in respect of thy glory and greatness, as the least drop of water is, in comparison of the vast Ocean. Wherefore, I beg of thee, (O immense and inaccessible Godhead), only so much to know, conceive, believe and understand of thy hidden majesty, as may efficaciously move my will to thee; and I content myself with so much light of thy divinity, as may force me to love thee ardently, effectually, perseverantly. O my Lord and my love! Fill my heart with the sweet influence of thy heavenly grace, that I may in some measure discover how good and gracious thou art to me, and to all thy creatures! O let me still remember thy mercy, ever dread thy justice, and continually admire and adore thy power and providence. Ah! my noble Soul, stamped with thy Creator's lovely image, endowed with the excellencies of understanding to know him, of will to love him, of Memory to rest in him; why adherest thou not fast to him only in pure and perfect delight, forgetting and foregoing all sensible and worldly objects? 5. O that I were so ravished with thy love and liking (my only amiable Lord God) that through joy, jubily, and admiration, I might feel no self at all, no sense, no change, no inequality! That no prosperity might puff me up, no adversity deject me, no accident separate me from thee, o my God of infinite love and liberality! O that I could be ever joyful in thee, ever grateful to thee, and ever mindful of thy inhabiting presence within me! Thou are always nearer to my soul (o my good God) than my soul is to my body, always conserving, counselling, disposing, directing▪ inciting and inspiring it to thy love; and wilt thou not, (o my senseless and sinful soul!) be always cautious and circumspect how thou behavest thyself in thy Lord's presence, who is so tenderly careful of thy safety? O let his love be no longer neglected, his sweet invitations no longer slighted: O that thou wouldst henceforth walk before him as befits his chaste and holy Spouse, with all respect and reverence, fear and fidelity, courage and constancy! preparing thyself diligently for his divine embraces. 6. Grant I beseech thee, o mighty and merciful Creator, that my whole time and thoughts may be totally taken up in the contemplation of thy unmeasurable benefits and bounty towards me. For I know, Lord, that I am truly nothing, and yet thou carest for me (o my loving maker), as if thou hadst no other creature in heaven or earth; thou deliverest me from innumerable dangers; adornest me with many gifts and graces; givest me leave at all times to have free access to thy throne of mercy, so that with one holy thought, one humble sigh, one devout desire, I may draw near to thee, and enjoy thee, and in thee all comfort and content: O divine privilege! To discover to thee my wants, lay open my wounds, and boldly declare my wishes, as to my nearest, dearest, and trustiest friend and familiar, and to be sure of supplies, salves, and secure in all my necessities! O what goodness, what grace, what mercy is this? O my soul! How loving and liberal a Lord have we? how loving in mercy▪ how liberal in bounty? Ah! our unthankfulness to requite, our unworthiness to deserve his favours! Up my heart, be no longer ungrateful and unfaithful, to so great, good, and gracious a benefactor. Yes, o blessed and bountiful giver, I now say cordially, and will ever stand to i● co●ragiously; I will henceforth love thee▪ o my Lord, my love, my life, my strength, my support my home my harbour▪ and my happiness. I will remember thy sweet words to all sinners; Why will you perish. O children, As I live I desire not the death of a sinner, but that he would turn to me an● live. I will behold thy sacred wounds suffered for me, able to move a rock to love and compassion: And though I am ashamed to think what I have been, and how little I have done, how much thou hast endured for me, how long thou hast expected me how lovingly thou hast besought me, and how poorly I have corresponded to thee; Yet I know, o my Lord, thou ceasest not to be God and good, though I am weak and wicked. Therefore I will take yet courage in thy service, and confidently hope, that thou who soughtest after me a lost sheep, wilt mercifully receive me now I seek after thee my loving shepherd with a right intention, real resolution, and inflamed affection. 7. Yes, (o my Lord and my love), heaven and earth shall sooner perisho than my confidence in thy sweet mercies, and my Saviour's merits: If thou repel me, I will run after thee; If thou shut thy door against me, I will never leave knocking; and if thou killest me, yet I will trust in thee. I wholly cast myself upon thy holy will, providence and protection. I protest with heart and mouth that I now am, and henceforth will be entirely thine; that I have nothing, seek nothing, fear nothing, desire nothing, demand nothing, want nothing, will nothing, but thee only, My Lord, my Love, and my All. And I firmly purpose to serve and love thee (o sacred and supreme Majesty), simply, sincerely, purely and perseverantly, not for any fear of pains or punishment; not for any self-interest of what this world can offer, or the next afford; not for the least hope of heaven or happiness: but I will thee, seek thee, and love thee for thyself only, (o my all-sufficient Lord God), who art the sole object, sweet compleatment, and solid contentment of my soul. Pardon me, protect me, and provide for me; For thou art my only hope and happiness. FOR TVESDAY. Of the Knowledge, and diffidence in ourselves. The Second Exercise. 1. WHat is man, (o Omnipotent Creator) what is this man, that thou shouldst be mindful of him? He is nothing o Lord, and I am the least and worst of those nothings▪ because I have least corresponded to thy grace, and made worst use of thy gifts. O give me light; reach forth thy hand to this blind creature crying after thee, O thou true light of the world, and life of my soul! that now at length I may duly, diligently, cordially and abyssally dive into my own baseness, weakness, misery, nothing: that knowing what I truly am, I may really loathe, hate, distrust, despise, and deny myself, and all my own proceed; sincerely love thee, only trust and hope in thee, and rely wholly upon thy divine providence and protection. I am not only content (o my Lord God) but even willing and desirous, that all thy creatures should take me and treat me, according to my true condition and unworthiness; And I am resolved by thy grace to humble myself, not only under thy mighty hand, but also under all their feet, as their servant and slave, to be trodden on, abhorred, avoided, and detested by them all, as a sink of sin and filthiness. I will be desirous to be esteemed and used as dross among metals, chaff among grain, a Wolf among Sheep, and as Satan amongst the children of God. I acknowledge myself unworthy of all grace and comfort from God or man, and worthy of all pain, punishment, crosses, contradiction, confusion, desolation death, damnation. I will be henceforth ashamed to complain of any aggrievances, and be content to suffer whatsoever the world, the devil, and hell itself, can inflict upon me. 2. And to strengthen this my resolution, I will rationally consider before thee, o my Lord, what I really am? what I was? and what will become of me? both touching my body, my soul, and my whole being? Ay me! I have a body all clay, a soul all sin, a life all frailty, and a substance all nothing. And this is all I have to vaunt of in thy presence, o my Lord and my maker! My material part, is but slime of the earth, the very worst part of the unworthyest element. Ah poor man! and canst thou look so big who cam'st from so base an extraction? be ashamed to lift up thy head, vile mud and dirt, since thy pedigree is so well known, and the ingredients of thy being are so mean and contemptible. And when I consider what this my body was in the womb, how it was conceived in concupiscence, nourished with filthiness, and brought up in darkness; I am ashamed to own my own beginning, which is so horrid and loathsome: and who then can justly boast of state, strength, beauty, or nobility, since the groundwork of all is but a little dung and corruption? Ah poor worm! what a dismal prison wert thou detained in, for nine months' space of thy time? what nasty and poisonous food was thy diet? how wretched was thy birth? how weak and woeful thy infancy? and what art thou in thy best and most flourishing condition in the world, but a clog and cage to thy enthralled soul; a painted sack, or pargetted sepulchre, full of filth, froth, and ordure? O my Lord, give me grace to frame an impartial judgement of what I am, and then how soon shall I check all rise of pride and presumption? 3. I came into this world (o my Lord), with groans and tears, I live in it with griefs and cares, I shall go out of it with pangs and fears, and lastly I must become a horror to the eyes of my dearest friends, a prey of vermin, and a companion of rottenness. Ah! how canst thou be proud of thy perfections, poor clay and ashes? why shouldest thou look to be so highly prized, & so daintily pampered, thou stinking puddle? Dust thou art, & to dust thou must return. Hast thou not always before thy eyes these ashes for thy glass, and death for thy mistress, why then dost thou suffer so many sparkles of vanity to arise from this thy caitiff condition? And thou▪ my poor soul, the spiritual part of my composition; O what shall I say of thee to thy great Lord and maker? What thou ●●st hitherto been, I well know; wretched, wicked, sinful. What thou now art I know not; being uncertain of God's grace and love. What thou shalt be hereafter, I am altogether ignorant; because doubtful of thy correspondency with grace, and fearful of thy perseverance in goodness. Ah sad condition! I came (o my Lord), into this world in original sin, I am bred up in actual sin, and if death and deadly sin meet together, I shall feel the smart of them both eternally: O how much need have I then of thy grace (o merciful Lord God) to avoid sin, since I cannot eschew death! O let me rather admit a deadly wound, than commit a deadly sin! 4. What art thou then, o my whole man, consisting of body and soul? What wert thou, (o N.) from all eternity, before thy conception in the womb, and birth into the world? Nothing. Ah poor nothing! what is less than nothing? where dwells this nothing? who can describe a nothing? which more differs from the least atom in the Sun, than God's infinite greatness from the least of his creatures. O proud nothing! What hast thou, that thou hast not received? Nothing. Why then art thou puffed up with it, as if thou hadst not received it? I acknowledge my whole being, to be from thy only bounty, (O my great, good, and glorious maker): and since I possess nothing, but what I have from thee, since I shall also necessarily fade away into my first nothing, if thou withdraw from me thy conserving hand but a moment; I will no longer glory in that which is none of mine, but I will here lay the foundation of my spiritual edifice, upon this sure and solid ground of thy All, and my own Nothing. I will endeavour to frame a true conceit of my own misery, frailty, insufficiency and nothing, that so I may fully, speedily, and solidly come to this desired self-knowledge and humility. I will run over my lesson, repeat my questions, learn my answers, and strive to grow skilful in this necessary and sacred science. What have I received that I have not abused? Nothing: Body soul, will, judgement, memory, understanding, affection, senses, meat, drink, company, habit, books, prayer, Sacraments, all creatures. Can I then be proud of Sin, Filthiness, rottenness, labour, grief, infirmity, blindness, obstinacy corruption, death and damnation, which are worse than nothing? Shall I boast of thy gifts (O my God), which are not mine; or of my own abuses and ingratitudes? The one is to rob thee of thy honour, the other is to be honoured for thy dishonour. 5. What creature ever sinned so grievously as I have done, and yet sorrowed so little, and suffered less? Who ever forsook so great and good a God, for so little and vain a toy as I have done? What sinful soul is there now in hell, that would not have been a glorious Saint in heaven, if it had the helps, favours, feelings, and visits, which I have both had and abused? Who ever received so many mercies, so sweet comforts, and so great graces from thee, O bountiful Lord God, and made so little and bad use of them as I have done? If I deny all this, my conscience witnesseth against me: If I confess it, oh! why am I not more humble? Finally, If such great troubles, temptations and tribulations had happened to me, as have done to others, I should by consenting have ere now burned in hell fire; but thou, (O meek and merciful Creator) hast spared me, because thou knowest my weakness, and sent me small crosses, because I cannot bear greater, etc. Wherefore, Not unto me, (O Lord), but to thee, be all honour for time and eternity! O that I could know thee, and know myself! O that I could truly see my own nothing, and total dependency on thee! my misery and malice▪ and thy perfection and total goodness. Ay me! weak and wretched N! What are my forces that I should rely on them? I have nothing. O my Lord, but what is thine, my merits are thy mercies, my goods thy graces; yet I neither have been thankful for receiving them, nor faithful in using them. O! when did I trust in my own strength and was not foiled, and confounded? Grant therefore, (O my Lord, o my only hope, and help; O my sole safety and security) that I may totally trust to thee, and distrust myself; truly acknowledge thee, and deny myself; entirely love thee, and hate myself. 6. I confess (o my Lord) that I am the poorest, ungratefullest, unprofitablest, and unworthyest worm of the earth; a thing altogether useless to the world, and only active to offend thee, and to do wickedly in thy sight: and is it possible that I can harbour any thought of self-love, or self-I king? O God of infinite glory, greatness, and majesty, before whom the powers of heaven do tremble! what are all creatures in thy sight? and what am I the meanest of them all? O what proportion is there (great God) between me and thee? between thy All and my Nothing? And yet have I infringed thy laws, disobeyed thy commands, contemned thy Counsels, resisted thy callings, and contradicted thy will to prefer my own! O monstrous impiety and ingratitude! And shall I not willingly submit to all pain, punishment, contradiction, and contempt, which thou (o my highly offended creator▪) shalt suffer thy creatures to inflict upon me? Behold, O my Lord, I debase, humble and annihilate myself under all things that have a being: I will henceforth utterly hate, distrust, and detest myself and wholly love thee, and rely upon thy mercy. O holy self-knowledge. O sacred humility! thou art the key of all perfection▪ the door of all solid virtue, piety and devotion. 7. I now clearly see, by the light of thy divine goodness (O gracious Lord God), what hath hitherto been the cause of my nonproficiency in the way of the Spirit; and why the path of virtue seemed and so unpleasant, thorny, tedious and troublesome to my deceived soul: It was because I had not learned to leave, loath, deny, and distrust myself; and to rely wholly on thee, O my only comfort and support! I will therefore henceforth faithfully practise what I perceive so necessary: I will profoundly humble my soul; both inwardly in thy presence (O my Lord), and outwardly to the whole world. I will joyfully and voluntarily embrace all injury▪ indignity, contempt, correction and confusion which can befall me, with as much pleasure as I have formerly any cherishings and kindness. I will utterly destroy, ruin, and root out all self-love, self-liking, self-seeking, self-praise, and self-complacencie. I will cast myself under the feet of the vilest creatures▪ take pleasure in the meanest employments, and obey them most willingly, whom my nature most distastes and dislikes. I will walk before thee, (O my Creator,) as thy needy, naked, desolate and destitute vassal; acknowledging myself void of all virtue, and attributing to myself nothing but sin, ingratitude, defects, failings, imperfections. I will fully persuade myself that no one can contemn, confound, persecute and punish me as I deserve. I will not regard whether I am honoured or hated, but imagine myself, as a thing dead & forgotten: or as that which never had a being, and is now truly nothing. I will be contented to be accounted an hypocrite in my sincerest actions; and to be thought full of inward impatience secret grudge, and desires of revenge against them who shall any way mortify or misuse me▪ though my heart be never so free from it. Finally, I will have these and the like thoughts and words always in my heart and mouth: I am nothing, I have nothing, I do no good, I am an unprofitable servant, I utterly hate and distrust myself, and totally rely upon thee, O my Lord, my love, and my All. FOR WEDNESDAY. To obtain Remission of our Sins. The Third Exercise. 1. WHo will give water to my head, and fountains of tears to my eyes? And I will weep day and night for my sins, which cover me all over like an incurable ulcer, from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head. Where art thou, O my wretched and wicked soul? In what labyrinths dost thou walk? In what sinks of sin, and puddles of uncleaness dost thou wallow? Awake, arise, lament, repent: how long wilt thou sleep? why wilt thou die? when wilt thou shake off thy fetters? Ah, return silly sheep to thy good Pastor, return poor prodigal to thy pious Father, whose goodness so lovingly invites thee, whose mercy hath so long expected thee. O great and glorious God, the mighty Monarch of heaven and earth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, behold a poor and penitent Publican (who is ashamed to lift up his eyes to heaven, and unworthy to take thy sacred name into his sinful mouth) humbly knocking at thy gate of mercy clipping thy holy feet, and craving thy accustomed pity and compassion. O merciful Lord, hid not thyself from me shut not the door against me. Oh! one crumb of comfort, one dram of devotion to my sad and sick soul, to my dry and desolate spirit. 2. I am conscious of my ingratitude against thee, (O supreme majesty) and my sin is always before me, and confounding me: But whither should I retire myself from thee? To whom should I have recourse but unto thee? Art not thou my Father, my Father of mercies, which have neither limits nor measure? Art not thou my Maker, my preserver, my governor, my deliverer, my King, my Pastor, my Physician, my Priest, and my Sacrifice? If thou art not all this and more to me; and if I am nothing to thee; refuse me, reject me, and relinquish me a prey to be swallowed up by thy enemies. But it is time, (O my Lord) that heaven and earth take notice of what thou art to me, and what I am to thee. It is time thou enter into thy right: And I must now either give myself to thee, or thou must take me unto thee. Not that I aspire to those excellent prerogatives of thy dearest servants: No, my Lord, it sufficeth me to be in the out-rank of thy meanest slaves; to be only stamped with thy mark, and linked fast in thy chains, that I may never more have the power to fly from thee. O grant me this favour (most merciful Father) which thy dear Son hath purchased for me, by the price of his death and passion. I am fallen without thee by my own frailty, but can never hope to rise, but by thy mercy, O my Lord and only support! I am sick without thee, but cannot be cured without thee, my heavenly Physician: I am dead without thee, but can never be revived but by thee, o life of my soul! So true it is that to make me come to thee, thou (o most gracious Lord God), must first come to me. O the admirable goodness of my loving Lord! Even this little I am doing, is rather thine own work than mine: Thou O my Lord, puttest repentance into my soul, desires into my heart, sighs into my breast, confession into my mouth, prayers into my lips, remorse into my memory, resolutions of amendment into my will: 'tis Thou (O gracious God), who chief actest all this good in me, by me, and for me. O my All! do then all in me that thou desirest: And particularly overwhelm (I beseech thee) my whole interior with perfect contrition; not coming from a slavish and servile fear, but from a faithful and filial love: Grant me a true and entire grief for having offended thee, not because of thy promises or threats; but because thou art in thyself, good, amiable, adorable. 3. Or if mercenary interest do yet more move thee, (O my sensual and sinful soul! For how heinously dost thou take a small injury, how deeply dost thou resent a little disgrace, the loss of a dear friend, of health, of honour, or the like temporal and perishable commodities)? O whence is it then, that thou so little apprehendest thy loss of grace, and thy eminent and imminent danger of eternal damnation? Is it a small matter to be God's enemy? To lose the good will of all heaven? To destroy God's image? To cut up life, root and branch? To side with the accursed devils, (thy Creators sworn enemies)? to hatch Treason, & enter Conspiracy with the damned? Yea and to kill (as much as in thee lies) him, who by his own death gave thee life? O brutal and unnatural ingratitude! Surely the annihilating of heaven, The reason is: Because the least degree of a higher order, surpasses the highest degree of the lower order. earth, Angels, men, and all Nature, cannot be compared with this malicious evil and wilful destruction of thy grace O Lord, in my soul. O eternal God what a monster have I then been in grace, what a prodigy in nature, who have so little cared to commit such enormous sins? But (O my Lord) I will even now change my life; I here detest all sin, I make firm purpose of amendment, I have a full confidence in thee my Creator, a good will to do satisfaction, and a total resignation to thy divine pleasure. 4. I am the woeful criminal, (O just judge of my soul), and I will be also the accuser and witness, the advocate and executioner in this tribunal. I summon you therefore, O detestable pride, O abominable envy, O execrable avarice, O beastly lubricity, and all you accursed crew of sins: how long will you reign on earth? how long will you dispeople God's inheritance? who brought you in amongst God's children? 'tis the perverted Will of man (O dread Sovereign) which hath done all these mischiefs. Rectify (o my Lord, I beseech thee) this my crooked Will, and murder these horrible monsters in me, and grant that I may henceforth rather expose my body to a thousand deaths, than my soul to one deadly sin. Thy Saints will rejoice (o God) at my amendment▪ and thy Angels will make a Feast, but thy own resentment of joy will be infinite, because thy love is infinite▪ which goes hand in hand with thy essence and comprehends all love in supreme eminency. I will therefore expect from thee, O heavenly Father, the exact remembrance; from thee, my Redeemer the perfect knowledge; from thee, o holy Spirit, a true repentance and from thee, o Sacred Trinity, an entire absolution and plenary indulgence from all my iniquities. The grief I feel for my past offences; the hatred I have against each sin at this present; and the resolution I make to avoid all iniquity for the future, are not equivalent in me to their enormity and heinousness: I therefore humbly crave (o holy Lord God) that thou wilt accept thine own hatred against sin, for that which I should and would have; and in stead of the sorrow I want, I offer that of thy Son, my sweet Redeemer, with the Sacrifice of his immaculate life and innocent death. And since I cannot be impeccable by nature (O my Lord), nor dare presume to ask to be so by grace; give me leave to prostrate myself before thy infinite bounty and clemency, and beg (by the merits of Jesus Christ, thy dear Son, and by the desires of thy essential love, the blessed holy Ghost), that though I may not be impeccable, yet I may never sin more; and if I must sometimes sin through my frailty, yet that I may never sin mortally. This thou desirest, O Lord, this thou demandest, this thou commandest; OH give me what thou commandest, and command me what thou pleasest. 5. O my good Lord Jesus, who art Lord of my life, and shouldst be the love of my soul (had I not like an ungracious and ungrateful wretch given my heart, and sold my affection, to fond, frail, filthy and fading creatures and comforts, which are so far from bringing me either quiet of mind, peace of conscience, purity of soul, or perfection of spirit; that they leave me nothing but trouble, confusion and remorse, with a world of disquiet and desperate thoughts, violent passions, and vicious inclinations), I find no other refuge, or remedy but to return to thee my Centre; to convert myself to thee, O my good Lord and Master; to cast myself in all humility at thy sacred feet; and hearty to beg thy mercy, pardon and reconciliation. O merciful Father, I truly acknowledge my prodigality, and humbly confess my treachery; and am sorry from my heart, that ever I offended thee, who deservest so much love and service from me: Beseeching thee as a guilty prisoner, to be pitiful to thy poor creature, and mercifully to forgive me the manifold rebellions and grievous iniquities that I have committed against thy Divine Majesty and goodness; and for the love of thee, I freely forgive all them who have any way offended or contristated me, sincerely acknowledging that I deserve no comfort from any creature, but all contempt and confusion, and not only to be troubled by all on earth temporally, but even to be tormented by the Devils in hell eternally. 6. O how ungrateful a child have I been to offend so often and so grievously, so loving and liberal a Father so meek and merciful a Redeemer and so ●weet and sovereign a Majesty, who hath always showed himself so benign and bountiful to me, tolerating me in my sins, and expecting me to his mercy! wooing me to his love▪ and calling me to his service by a thousand means, all which I have either rejected or neglected; and still nevertheless given me time and opportunity to do penance? O my poor soul! how blind and bewitched hast thou been, to leave the bread of Angels, and to feed on the husks of swine; for vanities, villainies; shadows, and nothings, to abandon God and all goodness on whom depends all thy hope and happiness, quiet and comfort for time and eternity? O blindness! O folly! O frenzy! Would God I had never sinned! Oh▪ that I might never sin more! O my God, what have I done? Would I had suffered on the Cross, pains of body, and pangs of soul, when I thus N. sinned! Oh what can I say or do more? I abhor and detest whatsoever I have done, said, thought or desired contrary to thy holy will (O my Lord and my love!) I renounce all company▪ and occasions which may induce me to offend thee. 7. I cast myself at thy sacred feet, to be thy slave for ever, with a firm resolution to bear thy Cross till death, and to do penance and satisfaction for my past pride and pleasure, desiring nothing but to live at thy feet, like the penitent Magdalen, in solitude, silence, submission. O good Jesus! Out of thy infinite mercy, merits, and meekness; suffer not me, thy poor creature, to be damned and separated from thee eternally! O amiable eternity! O eternal amity of God Shall I leave and lose thee, for filthy pleasures, frail creatures, fond friendships, fading honours? No, dear Lord, No: L●● it please thee rather to take my soul out of my body, than thy love out of my soul: let me rather die miserably, than sin mortally. Let me pass on the rest of my pilgrimage in thy grace and fear, that I may end my days in thy friendship and favour; which I beseech thee to grant me (O most powerful and merciful Saviour), by the love of thy sweet heart, by the merits of thy bitter death and passion, by the intercession of thy Blessed Mother, and by the suffrages of all holy▪ happy, and devout souls. Upon all which relying, as upon so many sure anchors of my hope, I commit and resign myself to thy disposition and providence, for time and eternity, (O my Lord, my love, and my All,) fully trusting that thou wilt mercifully pardon my sins, carefully assist me in my wants and weaknesses and in the end happily bring me to eternal bliss, by such means as thy divine wisdom knows most convenient for me. FOR THURSDAY. Of Subduing Sensuality to Reason. The Fourth Exercise. 1. MY Spirit is willing (O most glorious and gracious Lord God), to serve thee, love thee, honour thee, and follow thee; but my flesh is weak, frail and refractory. I do not what I desire (O my God), and what thou demandest; but I act that which I hate, and what thou forbiddest. I feel, O my Lord, a law of sensuality, contradicting the law of my mind, captivating my reason, clouding my judgement, and continually striving to cast me down headlong into sin and perdition. Unhappy man that I am! Who will free me from this body of death? Ah▪ my brutish body! ah! my burdensome flesh! Thou art my dangerous and deadly enemy. 'Tis thy weight that depresseth my soul; thy earth that clogs and corrupts my air; thy contagion and perversity, which infects and debaseth my better part and heavenly portion; thy sensuality▪ which draws on, endangers, and almost destroys my reason. 2. Ah Sensuality! the source of all my misery! how justly do I now hate thee? and how willingly would I leave thee? At my first acquaintance with thee, thou defiledst me with original sin: In my infancy thou mad'st a beast of me; And now in my riper years, thou still pursuest me, proclaimest open war with me, blindest my Understanding with darkness ignorance and errors, makest my Will refractory to good, and ready to all evil, distractest my Memory with vain and vile fancies, and perpetually tossest me to and fro between love and hatred, joy and grief hope and fear, and the rest of thy numerous and enormous irascible and concupiscible powers and passions. Ay me! how sad is my state? how deplorable my condition? Oh! how long (Lord) must I dwell with these devils? how long must I endure the violence of these passions? O my Lord, my strength, and my salvation▪ break these fetters for me! Command a calm? (O thou only Ruler of Sea and winds) and appease the surges of these my unmortified appetites: Oh! restore me to myself again, reduce reason to her lost dominion in my soul, and bring back me thy poor creature, to thee, my powerful Creator. O let not this passenger perish amidst these boisterous billows, nor suffer utter shipwarck in these fearful tempests. I suffer violence (O my Lord) answer for me: the companion which thou hast given me hath deceived me: Sense hath corrupted and conquered my Judgement. Oh! how I am dragged up and down by my al-mastering appetites! commanded by my servants, and fettered by my slaves: O tyranny! O indignity! Ah my soul! O noble spirit, fair as the angels form to thy Creator's lovely resemblance, stamped with his divine character, and heir apparent to his glorious kingdom! To be thus subject to the base and brutal desires of flesh and blood? O intolerable bondage! O unworthy servitude. 3. O Father of mercies, and only Physician of my soul! Thou art almighty, and al-mercy; and I am all weakness, and all misery: There is no part left sincere in my whole body and soul▪ from the contagious poison of passion, from the infectious leprosy of sin and sensuality. All is out of order, (O my Lord) I acknowledge it to my own shame and confusion; each sense is gone astray, each member of my body is corrupted, each power of my soul is perverted. My Understanding is obscured with self-love, my Memory distracted with sensual ●b●ects▪ my Will possessed with peevish inclinations: My affections are vain my passions violent▪ my dispositions vicious: My body is burdensome, my imagination troublesome, my life irksome. These are my wounds (O my heavenly Surgeon). O put to thy helping hand I beseech thee; see, fear, and search them before the gangrene enter, and the grief grow incurable! My soul is sick even to death; if thou wilt, O my Lord, thou canst both cleanse and cure me. To this end thou descendedst from Jerusalem to Jericho, (O pious Samaritan), from heaven to earth (O compassionate Saviour), where thou findest me in this pitiful plight sore, beaten, wounded, half dead, and utterly despoiled of all natural and spiritual riches, by thiefs and robbers, which are the senses of my body, and the faculties of my soul: O pass not by me (sweet Jesus) but mercifully bind up my bleeding wounds with the swathing bands of thy death and passion; power upon them the wine of thy precious blood; and supple them with the oil of thy heavenly grace. 4. I intent, o my Lord, (strengthen me in this hour), I intent, O sweet Saviour, a total reformation of life and manners; an entire mortification of my corporeal senses, and spiritual faculties; an absolute change in my whole man. O grant me (I beseech thee my loving Lord) the powerful assistance of thy special grace, for the performance of this great and good purpose. Teach me now (o my blessed Master), to live inwardly, piously, spiritually; as I loved formerly to live outwardly, vainly, sensually. O let me henceforth yield to thy divine motion, obey thy call, imitate thy example, and follow thy will. O let me never more act or omit any thing, (be it never so little), for my own liking, but purely and perfectly for thy love. 5. Grant (o good Jesus) that at each word of my mouth, at each glance of my eye, at each morsel I eat, at each member I move, and at each inward and outward action I undertake, I may first ask thy leave and permission, and so do it or leave it accordingly, as thy holy inspiration answers and allows me. O that I could perform each natural and necessary work with an actual reflection upon thy praise and pleasure, and with a pure intention to be united to thee, my Lord and my love. Thy outward senses, (o my sweet Saviour) were exactly subject to thy reason, and perfectly obedient to thy sacred soul: O let mine be swallowed up, I beseech thee, (gracious Jesus) and sanctified by the merits of thine. Let me live, love, move, and make use of my senses, purely and only, in thee, for thee, and by thee. Thy sacred hands (o holy Jesus) were harshly nailed to the tree of the Cross; preserve mine I beseech thee from all sinful touching. Thy blessed feet were likewise pierced and fastened to the same rood: O fix my steps, that I run not to evil actions, direct them in thy paths, and make me speedy in all works concerning thy honour, and the assistance of my neighbour. Thy holy mouth was free from guile, full of wisdom: put thy words▪ (sweet Jesus) into mine, let it always speak of thy love, and only sing thy praises. Thy divine ears were filled with blasphemies and derisions: Let not mine be open to hear vanities and detractions. Thy sweet eyes, poured out floods of tears for me: O give unto mine, tears of compassion for thy sufferings, and of compunction for my own sins. Thy taste was tormented with the nousome potion of gall and vinegar: O take from me, I beseech thee, all desire of delicacies; let me not eat or drink but for mere sustenance and necessity. Thy whole humanity (o gracious Jesus,) was martyred and murdered: O grant that I may be truly and totally mortified; Let me not see, feel, hear, taste, smell, eat, drink, do any thing, or make use of any thing, as following my own gust, sensuality, and self-seeking; but in pure conformity to thy divine will and pleasure. 6. O merciful Redeemer! how great and grievous were the inward sufferings of thy holy soul? O for those thy sorrows, and thy tender mercy's sake, cleanse, cure, enlighten, inform, reform, and transform all my inward man. O permit not my Understanding, where the knowledge of thy greatness and goodness should be only seated to be overspread with ignorance and error. Let not my Memory, which should be totally taken up with thee, be stuffed with vain fancies or impertinent curiosities. Let not my Will, which thou gav'st me to desire and love thee, (O my only Lord and love), above all thy creatures, be enslaved to any inferior affection. Repair, (o gracious Redeemer) this lively image of the lovely Trinity▪ which is almost defaced by my brutish sensuality. Grant, (O dear Saviour), that my Understanding, Will and Memory, may be incessantly busied in knowing, loving, and remembering thee, and that they may forget and forgo all other objects, but only in thee and for thee. 7. O that my heart were perfectly disengaged from the love of all creatures! Drain it (sweet Jesus) and deliver it from all foreign and domestic affection; and fill it up again with thine only, that it may never love, desire, nor will any thing but thee alone, O my Lord, my love, and my All. O that my Will were conformable to thine, without any reservation or retraction! Take it unto thee (Dear Lord) freely and fully, for time and eternity: I will have no will but thine; dispose of me as thou pleasest, here and hereafter. O that my Memory were disincombred from all imaginations, and purged from all impressions, but of thee only! Empty it (o thou only amiable object of my soul▪) and then replenish it with such holy and heavenly notions as may best please thy divine Majesty. O that my Understanding were imbued with some measure of the knowledge of thy divinity! O my Lord, infinite in goodness, dreadful in Majesty, and unspeakable in all perfection! O my great, gracious and glorious God, Quicken it, sharpen it, elevate it, and illuminate it, that knowing thee, I may not choose but love thee; and that knowing and loving thee, I may be eternally happy. Behold (Lord), I make an absolute divorce with all self-love, sensuality, and affection to creatures; and give thee myself by an irrevocable donation. Behold, (Lord) the keys, the lodging, the treasure, and the Master prostrate at thy sacred feet, Enter freely, possess all fully, dispose universally, and command absolutely. Put me where thou wilt, give me what thou wilt, treat me as thou wilt, Thine I am, (o my Lord, my love, and my All), for time and FOR FRIDAY. Of Mortification, and perfect Abnegation. The Fifth Exercise. 1. O Eternal, and ever Blessed Lord God Thou hast framed me of soul and body, and fitted me with faculties proportionable to attain the end of my creation, which is to love thee entirely, and to live with thee eternally. But alas! how far am I from observing thy blessed and beautiful order? Thou (o Lord) gav'st me a soul to bear all the sway in my body; Reason to have the chief regency in my soul; thy Law to be the guide of my reason; and thyself to be the sole mover and governor of my whole man. But Oh! how have I wilfully crossed thy sacred design? contradicted thy intention, and swerved from this perfection? My body, is all brutish, my soul all animal, and my reason all sensual. I am all blindness, self-love, and immortification. Yet I know well, and thou (O eternal verity) hast expressly told me; that unless I renounce all, deny myself, take up my Cross, and follow thee, I can never become thy true Disciple. Ah, harsh words to my carnal ears! If thou wilt be my disciple, deny thyself: If thou wilt be perfect, sell all; give away all, reform all, renounce all, relinquish all: If thou wilt possess life eternal, contemn this life temporal: If thou wilt be exalted in heaven, humble thyself in the world: If thou wilt wear a crown with me, bear thy Cross with me. But (O my soul), how wilt thou brook that more dismal sentence, Depart from me, thou accursed, into eternal fire? Wherefore (O my Lord) my love, and my all: Since Thou hast taught me these things by thy sacred word, and shown them by thy holy example: and thou art the way, the truth, and the life; Grant, (O infallible truth) that I may courageously walk in this thy perfect way, that so I may happily come to thee, the only true and eternal life and love of my soul. 2. What dreadest thou (O my fearful and faithless heart?) Behold, Christ thy King and captain is marched on before thee; Take up thy Cross, and travel after him: he leads thee to a Kingdom; heaven is worth thy pains: O take courage to mortify thyself, deny thyself, and die to thyself; that thou may'st live to Jesus, and with Jesus eternally. Learn (O my soul) this short and securing lesson: Leave all things, and thou shalt find one thing which is all in all. Take courage, and fight valiantly against thy own bad nature; pray, suffer, stoop, bear repugnances, swallow down contradictions, digest injuries: the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence: The end thou aymest at is perfection, the reward of thy conqucst, is eternal love, eternal life, eternal happiness. Behold, (o my Lord, my strength, and my salvation), I am fully resolved to lay the axe to the root of this wicked tree. Help me, I beseech thee with thy grace from above, that I may hue myself out of myself, that▪ I may kill, crucify, and mortify my inveigling sensuality, cut off my evil inclinations, rectify my disordered passions, and root out each thought or desire, which tends not directly to thy honour, will and love, O my Lord and my God 3. I know (Lord) that it is bootless to study perfection without the practice of mortification; I confess I can never love thee truly, but in as much as I hate myself really; such is the antipathy between self-love and thy holy affection: Ah! how can a spirit distracted with contrary inclinations be freely and fully vacant to thy divine contemplation? Put therefore I beseech thee, a sluice to my unmortified passions, put a bound to my distraught heart, and powerfully keep back those innumerous concupiscences, and corrupt imaginations violently succeeding each other, that my united affections may intent thee only, the only object of all happiness. Gather (o my Lord) the dispersed forces of my soul from all multiplicity of worldly affections, to the union of thy only love. Keep, I beseech thee, my understanding, will, memory, imagination, and all my inward and outward senses from roaming abroad: that carefully attending and entertaining thy divine presence in my soul, I may attain true introversion, simplification, and union of my Spirit with thine. Reform (o my Lord), all the natural corruptions of my outward man, and redress all the spiritual infirmities of my inward man; destroy and disperse all internal and external enemies and opposers of thy holy love; possess me perfectly, and dispose of me entirely according to thy divine will and pleasure. 4. To this end, (O bless my weak endeavours, almighty and al-merciful Lord God), I will subtract all superfluities from my body, and accustom it to all sorts of sufferings; that so I may fit it up for thee, O holy Spirit, who dwellest not with them that are sensual and subject to sin. Alas! I have not yet resisted to the effusion of my blood; and should I spill each drop of blood in my body, in this holy quarrel; how little ought I to regard it in respect of the great good I expect? I will therefore crucify thee, (O my flesh) with all thy concupiscences. I will mortify my outward senses, the windows by which death steals into my soul, the hinderers of my heart's tranquillity the destroyers of true devotion the dispersers of inward recollection, and the utter ruiners of all the good desires which I conceive and kindle in my prayers; Ah how soon is this divine fire cooled, and quenched, not only by sin, but also by the distracting images of outward objects? I will keep a special and strict watch over my tongue, on which depends my spiritual life or death; and cherish thee (o beloved silence) which art the key of piety, the keeper of innocency, and the preserver of purity. I will trample down my inferior This is the chief exercise of God's children, not to be carried away with affections of flesh and blood, but to conduct themselves according to God's Spirit; nature with all it's evil affections and motions, of love, hatred, joy, sadness, desire, fear, hope, Anger▪ etc. I will order, dispose, and direct it, according to the laws of reason, and thy divine inspirations, (o my Lord and my God). Grant me courage, I beseech thee, to quell and curb this most dangerous and my greatest enemy, which is the source of all my miseries; the citadel from whence sin assails me, and Satan fetcheth his forces to fight against me; Grant, good Lord, that I may Therefore, every one must strive to know his own natural inclinations, and then employ all his forces, and apply all his prayers and spiritual exercises to quell them. never yield to this wicked Eve, persuading Adam (my Superior will) to eat the forbidden fruit; (to consent to unlawful pleasures.) O that I could tame these cruel beasts, my natural passions! how soon should I be master of all moral virtues? O that I could so till this vineyard, so delve this garden, so purge it from all ill weeds of affections, and prune all superfluous surgeons and shoots of passions, that the seed of thy grace, (o heavenly husbandman) might only there take root; increase and fructify? 5. I will also mortify my Superior and rational part with all the curious and fruitless speculations of my Understanding, all conceits of self-wisdom, natural prudence, proper judgement, and good liking of my own proceed: All vain and foolish reflections of my Memory; And all petty desires and affections of my Will, which relate not to thee, the only object and Lord of my love. I am resolved, (o my Lord) to nip off each budding passion as soon as it peeps up in my soul to trouble it in its true repose, and to hinder its liberty and tendance to thy love. I will (by thy gracious assistance) proceed faithfully and sincerely in the hatred, denial, and mortification of my self, and in the prosecution of thy divine love. And in order to this only end and aim, I make in thy presence, and from the very bottom of my heart and soul these particular acts following. I renounce, (o my Lord,) for the pure love of thee, all affection to worldly things. Give them unto me (o gracious God,) or take them from me, as best liketh thy divine Majesty. I resign up all my interest in any thing, though never so near and dear unto me. Behold, (o my Lord and lover) I unclothe my soul from all affections whatsoever to creatures, and desire nothing but thy self-alone O happy nakedness, O rich poverty of Spirit, O pure obedience to the divine will in all things! Be you my heart's delight, my whole pleasure and patrinony. 6. I renounce all self-seeking. Ah! my corrupt nature I abhor thee! Adieu all private-interest, profit, praise and preferment! I will henceforth perform all my actions and exercises (O my Lord God) for thy only pure & perfect love: I will seek to please and praise thee with an inward, ardent and amorous affection, for thyself only, and not for thy gifts or graces. I renounce all sensuality; whether it be in meat, drink, sleep, apparel, curiosity of my five senses, or any thing else whatsoever. (O my Lord) I will make no other use of any thy creatures than I am absolutely compelled to by necessity of nature. I look for no solace but from thee alone, My only comfort and content. I renounce all disordered love to any worldly person. No favour or friendship, (o my only amiable Lord God), no greatness or goodness of any one, shall make me fwerve from my exact duty to thee-wards. No carnal affection to kindred, No tenderness of amity, No private or public respect; No connivency or correspondency shall make me partial in the reproof of vice, or praise of virtue. O take up my whole heart with thy holy love, that thy perfect image and perpetual memory may blot out all species of foreign objects. I renounce all vain, vicious, idle and unprofitable thoughts, fancies and imaginations. O let my mind not only yield no consent, but no entrance unto them! O let me never more contristate thy holy Spirit with these vanities; nor hinder my souls advancement and union with thee by these divertisments. I will henceforth compel my heart to some good employment: I will no longer permit it to wander and waste itself in any idle and superfluous curiosities. No, my Lord and Saviour, thy bitter and blessed passion, thy blessings and benefits, shall be the continual occupation of my interior. O what have I to do with transitory things, who am made for eternity! I renounce all care and solicitude, which necessity, obedience and charity▪ do not oblige me to. No natural passions of joy, sorrow, hope, fear, love, hatred, anger or shamefacedness shall make any impression in this heart of mine, which is preingaged in thy affection, sealed up and settled in thy contemplation. No pretext of lawfulness, nor show of fittingness, nor conceit of compassion, nor excuse of necessity, shall procure the admittance of such passions into my soul, as may any way distract, darken or dull the point of my affection and devotion towards thee, my only Lord and love. I renounce all bitterness of heart against any one. Is he good? be thou eternally praised in him and by him, (O bountiful bestower of all blessings). Is he wicked? Correct him, (o merciful Creator,) comfort, encourage and raise him to amendment. Hath he offended, affronted, injured, or slighted me? I deserve, (o great God) to be trodden on by all creatures, and therefore I freely forgive him for the past, and give him free leave to add stripes to his injuries for the future. Am I denied the grant of my most lawful and just demands? Thou best knowest (O eternal wisdom) what is best for my state and condition; O deny not thy love to my soul, and let me be refused in all other my requests whatsoever. I renounce all vainglory, all self-liking and pride which may arise from worldly praises, all delight springing from any gift of nature or grace which is in me. Not unto me (Lord) but to thy holy name be given all honour and glory. Alas! what am I? what have I? what can I? All is thine, (O my bountiful Lord God) Nothing is mine but sin; and therefore I deserve only shame and confusion. 7. I renounce all desire of delight in my devotions, all sensible gusts of grace, and all sweetnesses and solaces in the inferior faculties of my soul. Ah, my heart! what is all this to thee? follow thou thy Saviour. Thou seekest thy crucified Jesus: This is not he, but his gifts. O my Lord, it is thyself I seek and sigh after: If thou send'st me comforts for the encouragement of my weakness, be thou ever praised, for thou dost like a most benign and bountiful God: If thou withdrawest them, still blessed be thy providence, which hath secret and several ways of conducting souls to thyself; and if thou wilt make trial of my fidelity, by permitting me to be dull, dry, and desolate in my devotions, be thou equally and eternally blessed. I renounce all scrupulosity of Conscience, which reflects any way upon the least diffidence or distrust in thy mercy. I am a sinner (O Jesus) but thou art a Saviour. I have great reason to dread thy justice; but greater to hope in thy goodness. Heaven and earth shall sooner fail, than my confidence in thee my merciful maker. If thou kill me, I will trust in thee; And if I had formerly hated thee, and betrayed thee as Judas did, I would now with penitent Magdalen run to thy blessed feet, weep and bemoan my misery, and hope to obtain thy mercy. And finally, (O my Lord), I absolutely entirely, and irrevocably renounce my whole Will in all things, and totally resign whatsoever any way concerns me, to thy holy will and pleasure. I offer up unto thee the full sacrifice, both principal and accessory, of all that (by thy gift and grace) I am, have, and can; myself, goods▪ graces, body, soul, senses, heart, will, all. I leave no right or title to any selfness in any thing whatsoever: I am no more myself, but thy slave. O Lord, not my will but thine be done for time and eternity. O let me will what thou wilt, or not will at all. Let all my desires be involuntary if they swerve never so little from thy divine pleasure. Die self-will: Live Jesus, my Lord, my Love, my All. FOR SATURDAY. Of Conformity to Christ Crucified. The Sixth Exercise. 1. CRucified jesus! thou only Lord of my life, life of my love, and love of my soul! O that I could reform my life, Deiform my love, and conform my soul to thee▪ the absolute pattern of all perfection! O that I could imprint thy lively and lovely image in my heart! fasten all my affections and imperfections to thy sacred Cross, drown all my desires and defects in thy dear wounds, put off myself totally, and put thee on entirely, O sacred humanity! o my suffering Saviour! O that I could perfectly imitate thee, the pure exemplar of all virtues! that I could give up my whole self to thee▪ by an act of irrevocable donation, as thou demandest and commandest! But alas! I am yet, (O my Jesus,) all self-love, sin and sensuality. I acknowledge▪ (O my Lord) what I have, and what I want; I know what I desire and what I deserve. I confess I am wounded, I am wicked. I am wretched, and I tremblingly come to thee, my heavenly Physician, to be cured, converted, comforted. O sweet Saviour! for thy mercy's sake, and for thy passions sake, Forget and forgive what I have been, pity what I am, satisfy for what I deserve, and supply what I desire. 2. Behold (most merciful jesus) I first cast myself at thy sacred Feet, pierced and fastened to the cruel Cross for my transgressions: Pierce my flesh (O my Lord) with thy fear, and fasten my soul to thy love. O let not pride and presumption nestle any longer in that heart, which thou (O meek Saviour) lovest so tenderly, and redeemest at so dear a rate. O my vain glory and arrogancy what have I to do with you, how much do I now detest you? Wash off these stains, (O jesus) from my poor soul, in these sweet streams flowing from thy wounded Feet. O drown these my imperfections in these sacred Seas of piety. Give me (O Gracious Lord) such true humility of spirit, that I may perfectly perceive the abyss of my own nothing and naughtiness, and rightly conceive the immensity of thy greatness and goodness; whereby I may depress myself unfeignedly, and exalt thee only in my soul. Let me be content to be contemned by all creatures, desire to be despised, be willing to be trodden on as dirt and dust and the very outcast of the whole world: O let me really hate all honour, and humbly pronounce with mouth and mind, I am nothing, have nothing, deserve nothing, desire nothing, but only to please thee perfectly, (my Jesus) praise thee perpetually, love thee purely, and live with thee eternally. 3. Grant me also, good jesus, by the merits of these thy wounds, the virtue of perfect obedience. O let me never tyre in trampling down self-will, in forsaking my own sense, in subduing self-judgement, in submitting my spirit inwardly to thy inspirations, and outwardly not only to my Superiors injunctions, but even to the commands of all thy creatures. O let me have no propriety, affection, or affectation in my own proceed, but wholly mind thy holy pleasure in all things. Let me lay down all my desires at thy sacred Feet (O my jesus), saying, Lord, what wilt thou have me do? so transforming my will into thine, by an absolute forsaking, denying, and annihilating my whole self. Let me receive, (O my Saviour) as from thy secret providence and permission, not only patiently but thankfully, all pain, all poverty, all shame, all sickness, and all sufferings whatsoever; acknowledging that I truly deserve worse, and desiring willingly to endure more, that so I may have a more perfect resemblance of thee, my crucified Lord. Let me learn, (O my Lord), by thy blessed example, the holy lesson of discreet silence, not only from ill and idle talk, but even from all needless, and unprofitable discourses: Let me rather edify by the purity of my life and conversation, than by multiplicity of words and conceptions. O give me (sweet jesus) a free and frequent access to thy sacred Feet during the whole course of my life, and a sure comfort in them at the hour of my death. 4. From thy blessed Feet, (O my dear Lord) I raise my humble devotion to thy al-holy Hands: and beg leave to cast into the sweet fountain issuing from thy powerful right Palm, my manifold sins of malice and injustice; with all my faults of hypocrisy and ingratitude, falsehood and infidelity, rancour, and revenge. Renew, (O Lord God) a right spirit within my bowels: Let exact justice be the square of all my actions; truth the touchstone of my words; and sincerity the subject of my thoughts. Let me be punctual in performing my duty to thee, zealous in punishing myself, and charitable in compassionating my neighbour. Let me ever yield, first unto thy sacred Majesty, all honour and glory, reverence and respect, laud and love, gratitude and obedience, with my whole heart, soul, and strength; next, to my Superiors, equals, and inferiors, and lastly to my own body, soul and senses, that which is my duty, and each one of their respective deuce. O let me fully perform what I am bound to, carefully eschew what is forbidden me, and uprightly walk according to my calling. O let me never presume to slight, scorn, suspect, judge, or condemn any person; but sincerely serve, succour, and seek the temporal and spiritual good of all men whatsoever, even of my professed and most peevish enemies. Lord jesus, give me grace to imitate thy virtues, to be grateful for thy gifts, and to make use of thy goodness in order to my souls advancement in the way of thy dear love▪ and desired union with thy divine Majesty. 5. And in the Sacred wound of thy lefthand, I humbly entomb all my offences of Negligence, tepidity, sluggishness▪ cowardice, and pusillanimity; all my covetous desires, all impurity, and all intemperance. Purge me, (O my powerful Lord), purify me (O my merciful Saviour). Give strength, comfort and courage to my feeble and frail nature, that I may pass undauntedly through all difficulties and dangers, to come to thee, my jesus, to lay hold on thee, and to repose in thee, the only Centre of my desires. Grant me (O my Lord) chastity of body, and cleanness of heart; temperance in my appetites, and sobriety in my senses▪ gravity in my deportment, and moderation in all my proceed; that nothing may dislike thee in my soul, nor dissolve the sacred knot wherewith thou hast fastened me unto thee. Give me also (O jesus my Lord) perfect poverty of spirit. O permit not my soul, intended to enjoy thee, the only solid and satiating riches, to be entangled with the least affection to the poor and perishable trifles of this world. Behold, I cast myself, unclothed from all creatures, into thy naked embraces, (O crucified Saviour) I desire to clip nothing in my folded arms, but a breast burning with desires to please thee (my Creator), and a heart melting away in thy love. I make choice of thy bare Cross, (O Christ) for my best inheritance; I stretch out my opened folds, to meet thy holy and heavenly hug. O let me never more be unclasped from thy blessed bosom: Be thou (O my great-little-naked-Iesu) my rest during the short time of my life, and my refuge at the dreadful hour of my death. 6. And now, O merciful Saviour, I humbly convert my eyes and contemplation, to thy sacred Head crowned with thorns, and thy divine Face, all besmeared with gore and spittle▪ for my sake: Here, I implore strength, (O Jesus) for the weaknesses of my head, and pardon for the wickednesses of my five wits and senses. (O my Lord) I desire to bury in these thy innumerous wounds, the enormous number of my iniquities; and I beseech thee for these thy sufferings sake, to adorn my weak capacity with so much solid wisdom as may fitly suit with my condition. O let me never think, speak, or act any thing, which is not seasoned with the salt of discretion! Let me seriously weigh each circumstance, and patiently wait thy leave and leisure, before I leap into any work. enlighten me, to see clearly thy will and pleasure, and empower me exactly to fulfil and follow it: Open the eyes of my Understanding to behold my own baseness and wickedness, and give me thy gracious assistance to reform it: Help me to form a right judgement of the real vileness and vanity of all transitory things, and endue my heart with courage to contemn them. Inebriate my affection, (o amiable jesus) with the sweetness of thy love, and let all worldly solaces savour of bitterness to my soul. Let me be deaf, blind, and dumb, to all things which are not thyself, o my crucified Saviour. Let me prudently discern, and piously perform, each parcel of my duty, in its due circumstance of time, place, order, measure and manner. Let that holy and innocent simplicity (which is the virtue of thy Saints) shine in all my actions. Let me not be curious to know much, but careful to practise much, and cordial to love thee much, (O my only Lord and love). Cleanse my Will from all self-seeking; Keep my Memory from all superfluities; Close up my Senses f●om all vanities, that my happy soul, separated from all sensible images, may quietly tend to thee only, sweetly repose in thee, and continually enjoy thy blessed presence. O let thy pure and perfect love, (dear Lord jesus) be the faithful scout-watch over all my proceed; that no foreign affection, no sinister intention, no self-liking or self-seeking may steal into my heart, and defraud or disturb its happy enjoyment of thee, and holy unity with thy divine Spirit. Grant, (O my Lord), that I may prudently turn all good events, and all bad accidents, to my spiritual profit; by reflecting wherefore they befall me, of what they warn me, and how far they concern me. Let me learn thereby, gratitude to thy goodness, fervour in prayer, contempt of myself, humility of spirit, care of my actions, resignation to thy will amendment of my life, or what else thy holy Spirit shall please to intimate by these fatherly visitations. O sacred Head of my crucified Saviour, be thou my certain succour, during my lives conflict, and my sure place of retreat, in my last agony with death. 7. And lastly I reverently approach to thy dear Heart, (o amiable Lord jesus), opened with a cruel lance in the sight of thy blessed Mother, and thy beloved Disciple, for the love of my soul. O my jesus, I here implore thy pardon for all my perverse affections, and irregular appetites. Give me thy leave (o my loving Lord) to creep into this sweet hole of the rock, this sacred cleft of the wall, this unlocked closet of heavenly treasures, this saving Ark of the new Testament, and shut thou (O jesus) the door from without, that free from the deluges of all wickedness, and dangers of the world, flesh, and devil, I may sit solitarily, silently, and sweetly harkening to thy divine whispers in my elevated soul. Purge all my impurities, (o my dear Saviour) in the precious blood streaming from thy patent side, and replenish my heart with thy perfect love! Oh! drown me, wound me, burn me, and consume me in thy divine flames of affection; that I may love thee strongly, purely, perfectly, perseverantly. O grant me to leave all things with alacrity for thee (my beloved jesus), though never so great; to loath all things joyfully for thy love, though never so good; to do all things contentedly for thy honour, though never so hard; to suffer all things patiently for thy sake, though never to painful; and to persever constantly in my pious practices, for the sole satisfaction of thy holy will, and accomplishment of thy blessed pleasure. O let me be incessantly calling and knocking at this sacred gate of mercy▪ Let me be still sighing and seeking after thee, (my jesus, my Saviour, my Lord, and my love): Let me be always thinking, ever talking and perpetually tending to unite my heart to thine, to conform it unto thine, to transform it into thine, that I may be all thine, and thou all mine for time and eternity. Grant also, (dear jesus) that I may truly love all others in thee and for thee. O inflame my charity, quicken my faith, rectify my intentions, strengthen my confidence in thee, destroy all complacence in myself, establish me in all these my good purposes, and let me be as often minded of my now-promised duty, and encouraged to proceed forwards in the path of perfection, as I shall eye the sacred image of thy crucified humanity. Elevate my desirous soul unto thyself, (o jesus my Lord) above all chances, changes, and creatures. Oh! let it be so totally attentive to thy presence, so entirely taken up in thy contemplation, and so wholly absorbed in thy love; that no outward objects may touch or trouble it, no inferior cares or cogitations may entangle it, nothing may impede the free intercourse of thy heavenly friendship, nothing may stop the sweet influence of thy divine graces, or any way interrupt it's happy quiet and holy tranquillity. O dear and opened Heart of my dying Lord Jesus, be thou my sweet comfort during this lives pilgrimage, and my sure Sanctuary in its last period. FOR SUNDAY. Of perfect Union with God. The Seventh Exercise. 1. O Infinite, immense and unmeasurable abyss of all bounty! O ever-flowing fountain of mercy! O undraynable Sea of love! O my Lord, my Sovereign my Saviour, and my Sanctifier! Behold I return into thee, the sweet source of my beginning; I run into thee the gracious preserver of my being; and I desire to rest in thee, the only hope of my souls happiness. Be thou henceforth, (O my Creator) the sole subject of my thoughts, and the only object of my love: Be thou, (o God of my heart, heart of my life, life of my soul, and soul of my love) my part and my inheritance for ever: I choose thee only, I offer up myself wholly, I consecrate myself hearty, and dedicate myself eternally to thy love, honour, and service, Ah, good God where dwellest thou? which is the pleasant plaee of thy abode, o King of glory, and comforter of my soul? I seek nothing but thy lovely presence, I desire nothing but the presence of thy love. My soul sighs to see thee, my heart covets to have thee, my love longs to enjoy thee, and I can expect no perfect content, until I am totally united unto thee. If I now beg a glimpse of thy divine face, (O my glorious Lord) than a drop of thy heavenly grace, and afterwards a dram of thy dear affection; Yet in all this, it is thyself, (O sweet God) which I demand: thy whole self is the only satiating object of my boundless desires and unlimited affections. 2. I desire to love thee (o only amiable Lord God), by all means, and beyond all measure, until I am totally transformed into thee by love: O do thou freely and fully possess my spirit, guide it, govern it, enlighten it, inflame it, elevate it, inform it, and transport it, how and when thou pleasest. Oh! Let all adulterate love be quite banished, all multiplicity vanish away, and all impurity and self-seeking swallowed up: Let thy love be my light, my liberty, my life! Lord, I desire but two things in this world: To love, see, taste, and enjoy thee my best beloved; and to be humbled, despised, rejected, and esteemed a reprobate for thy love. O sweet life! O loving Jesus! what a heaven, what a happiness is it to love thee? O how lovely, how loving, and yet how little loved is my God? O source of all goodness, and centre of all good souls! What is the greatest love of mother, friend, life, or any thing else? Art not thou (my God) all this to me, and all in all? Ah, my soul! what didst thou ever best love? And didst thou love thy Lord God as much? I blush, (O my dear Lord), I sigh, and am ashamed to answer: I will henceforth do any thing, suffer any thing, and leave all things for thy love. I will not live but languish, not breathe but burn, by reason of ecstasy and excess of love. 3. O fire! O flames! Burn, consume, annihilate. Alas! Beauty of Angels, how late and how little do I love thee? O come into my soul; behold a poor lodging, yet such as it is, it is all thine: I conceal nothing, I reserve nothing; heart, soul, spirit, all is thine own, compose all, dispose of all, depose all unruly passions, impose what penance thou pleasest, I accept it, (o my Lord) only repose peaceably in my soul, and let no foul or false affection interpose itself, or disturb this blessed union. O that I could please and praise thee purely, perfectly, perpetually! Oh, that I could love thee faithfully, freely, and fully, in all and above all things, o my all and only love! I acknowledge myself bound, (o Lord) in thy chains of charity, I am burned in thy fire, I am wounded, and won to thy love; But what shall I say, What can I give? All I have is not worthy of thee, and yet is thine already: Ask (my sweet Lord) and have, choose and take, make me such as thou desirest, and then take me to thy desire. Give thyself, (o great God) to my soul, and then take my soul with thyself in it: My life, liberty, love and all is thine own. My last will is already made, in which I bequeath all to thee, Thine own death and passion, all thy mercies and merits, all the praises and perfections of thy dear Mother and the blessed Saints and Angels, and all the goods, glories and splendours of all thy creatures. All that I am, have, and can, both spirituals and temporals; kindred, friends, riches, health, honours, estates, offices, devotion all is at thy disposition. I am resolute, (o my Lord) I am resigned and indifferent, to have them increased or diminished, to use them to thy glory, or to lose them altogether. 4. I give thee back, (o merciful Maker) my whole being, either to be what thou wilt, or to be nothing at all; to love thee, or not to live at all. I offer to thee, (o pious Redeemer,) my sins to pardon, my works to perfect, my will to purify. I offer thee my wounds to cure, my soul to cleanse, and my spirit to comfort. I offer to thee (O holy Spirit) my intentions to rectify, my inclinations to sanctify, my affections to deify. Finally, I offer all for one, I give all to one, and all I desire is to be all one with thee, my all and only Lord and love. Thou hast given me, (O my bountiful Creator), the whole world in freehold, for one penny of Rent, saying; Child, give me thy heart: O Lord! Let this penny never want the superscription of thy grace, and let me never want thy grace to pay this rent. O my Lord, all that I have is but two small mites▪ I cast them into thy hands, and had I more, I would give more: Dispose of them both (dear Lord), of my body and soul, as best pleaseth thee, that thy will may be perfectly performed, and thy name purely sanctified in both. O sweet God of my heart! Let me embrace thee in the two arms of profound humility, and perfect charity. O let my heart faint and melt away in the fire of thy divine love, let me lose myself to find thee, be out of myself to live in thee, and be empty of myself to be full of thee. O fun of Justice, dissolve with a beam of thy brightness the frost of my heart, and resolve it into tears of affection. 5. O beautiful and best-beloved of my soul! I am weary of this wretched world: and I breathe, thirst and sigh after thee the sweet fountain of life-giving and soulsaving waters: O thou true rest and refresher of my faint and feeble heart, out of whom there is neither comfort nor content, Let me shroud myself under the shadow of thy wings, until iniquity and infirmity have an end. Come, (Lord Jesus) Speak thy sweet words of love to my languishing soul, for thy servant hears thee. Give me courage, alacrity, fervour and fidelity in thy service, the few remaining moments of my wretched and wearisome pilgrimage. O rest, long expected, and much sighed after! where shall I seek thee? and when shall I find thee? where sleepest thou (O dear Spouse) at midday, in the heat of love? Where is thy secret cabinet of Contemplation, which thou hidest from the wisdom of worldling, and revealest to little ones and humble of heart? O show me the bed of divine Union, wherein thou reposest with the simple, solitary, and mortified soul! O let my poor heart have the honour and happiness to rest in thee, to remain with thee, and to be united to thee! O God of love! wound my soul with thy sweet wounds of love, which nothing can cure but death, wean it from the world's vanity, and wed it to thy increated verity; that treading all creatures under me, I may be rapt into thee (my Creator) above myself, and there like the happy Dove in the secure Ark, repose my weary and faint limbs in the bosom of thee, my Sovereign Lord and lover. 6. O divine wisdom! Led me into the solitude, speak unto my heart, teach me thy holy will in all occurrences. My deep sighs, and secret desires are not hid from thee; Thou knowest nothing can fully cure, comfort and content me but thyself, the one and only necessary thing: O take myself and all, and give me that one thing in whom are all things. O sweet waters of divine Love! which flow from the blessed bosom of the divinity, and from the open side of my Saviour's humanity! Run into my bowels, and like pure oil, penetrate and possess every parcel of my spirit; Irrigate and inebriate it, overflow and absorp it, that it may be transformed and conformed to the divine Spirit▪ so that all my actions, cogitations, and affections may be spiritual, divine, and Deiform. O let my ravished soul, full of life and fire, break forth into these flames of joy and jubilation, I have found him, whom my soul loves: I have him, and I will hold him. This is he, which by reading I sought▪ by meditation I found, by prayer I desired, and by contemplation I enjoy. O how the earth stinks? how loathsome are all creatures to me? O taste, O sweetness, O true and solid pleasure! O how great is the difference between this spiritual, and all fleshly delights? O the multitude of thy sweetnesses, which thou hast laid up, O Lord, for them that fear and love thee! O lights! O delights! O ecstasies of spirit! Wound me, (O sweet God) burn me, consume me, crucify me; Let me cry out with that Lover, Retain, O Lord, the floods of thy grace, or enlarge my heart, for I can hold no longer. I thirst, Lord, give me this water. O when? how long? how much? 7. O my soul! how good is it for us to be here? O sweet and secure home and harbour! Let us remain and rejoice here for ever. I will keep thee, O my dearly beloved, and I will kiss thee; I will conjure thee to remain with me, I will rather lose myself, than leave thy presence. My beloved is mine; his honour is mine, his heart is mine, his heaven is mine: And I am his; behold the key, the keeper, the soul, the body, the lord, the whole (o my God) is thine; Behold, my liberty, my life, my love, all is thine, (o my Jesus) and thine alone; Repose therefore, as a sweet posy, between my breasts; sleep, like a bridegroom, in my heart; and reign, like a King, in the most intim closet of my soul. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly; take full possession of thy own: Come, and please thyself, love thyself, and serve thyself in me, as thou desirest and deservest to be pleased, loved, served. Let thy love▪ (O King of love) be the life of my soul, and the lease of my life, that when I cease to love, I may cease to live. In thy love, (O Jesus) I end this act of love, though my desire actually to love thee be endless: Oh! let me live and die in thy love, and for thy love, that by love I may for ever reign and remain with thee, in thy Kingdom of love. Amen. THE THIRD TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST: Or, The Ascent of the pious soul by Steps and Degrees of Virtues, to the happy Mountain of Perfection. Psal. 83. v. 8. They shall go from vertu into virtue. The God of Gods, shall be seen in Zion. AT PARIS, M.DC.LI. To the Devout Champions tending to Perfection. THis Spiritual ladder (O dear Souls) will show you how much you have profited in pure & solid devotion; how far you have proceeded in the way of the Spirit; how forward you are in seeking God, & forsaking yourselves; & what progress you have made in your journey towards heaven: Contemplate therefore yourselves often, in this impartial mirror; bewail your backwardness, shake off your sloathfulness, increase your fervour, and encourage your diligence to climb this sacred Mountain of Perfection, and to pass on cheerfully from virtue to vertu, Psal. 83. 8. till you happily come to the beatifying sight of your Lord God in Zion. The Seven Degrees of Perfection. 1. Upon the first Step, stand they who are Faithful Catholics, Fearful of God's judgements, and Careful to avoid mortal sin. These are Beginners, who have little inward light, stand upon slippery ground, and though they may be saved, yet so as by fire. 2. On the second Step, stand Proficients, who strive to avoid venial sins, and conquer their sensuality; but are slow in tending to Perfection, and subject to be self-conceited. 3. On the third Step, stand they who casting off sloth, tame themselves with austerities; but their intentions are not pure, nor they well grounded in self-denial. 4. On the fourth Degree, stand they who have gotten into their interior; but yet seek for solaces, and are discouraged with adversities. 5. On the fifth Step, stand they who are fully resigned, and perfectly obedient; but fail for want of experience and courage. 6. On the sixth Step, stand they who have gotten a perfect habit of resignation and constancy; but desire comforts to enable their perseverance; Here also stand they who are indifferent to comforts or desolations, but yet they rest in God's favours with some propriety: Here furthermore stand they who are satisfied with God only; but are not absolutely as willing to leave divine favours, as to have them. 7. On the seventh and highest Degree of Perfection, stand the elevated and contemplative souls, Gods faithful friends and favourites, who are perfectly indifferent, resigned and obedient in all things, to his divine will and pleasure. The first and lowest Degree of Perfection. THe first Step and groundwork of all virtue and perfection, is, To be well settled in the Upon the first step of this ladder, stand Beginners, who are Faithful Catholics, Fearful of God's judgements Careful to avoid mortal sin; Catholic faith, Fearful of Gods severe judgements, and Careful to avoid all mortal sin. This is the Church porch, and entrance into God's holy Temple; but they who stand here, remain cold in charity, careless and undiligent in their lesser duties, remiss in spiritual exercises, negligent in thinking of their obligation, by which they stand engaged to tend towards perfection; and finally they greedily gape after all conveniencies of their corrupted nature, and give up themselves to glut and solace their depraved sensuality. These Beginners have very little But they have little inward light, or no inward light, they know not what is the meaning of mortification, what it is to get into their interior, or what Introversion signifies; but they seemingly satisfy and secure themselves, in that they have a will to avoid the known and capital sins, whereby they hope to escape hell, and avoid Gods heavy judgements. Surely such souls stand upon very unsafe and slippery ground, and Stand upon slippery ground, their salvation is in a doubtful and dangerous condition: for they are so blinded and bewitched with self-love and sensuality, that they cannot well distinguish, perfectly discern, nor rightly judge, what sins are of mortal danger, and what not; so that conversing daily amidst such multitudes of perils, and shaking hands with the world, the flesh and the devil, with so much freedom & so little care and precaution; what do they else, but dance (as it were) upon the very brink of hell, from whence, if they once tread awry, they infallibly tumble headlong into that bottomless dungeon of eternal perdition? Yet in case they should indeed And though they may be saved, foot it so warily all their life time, that death takes them not tripping, nor fallen into mortal offence, (a thing most rare, and not to be presumed on by any one, who carries himself so carelessly), they shall surely be saved; but so, as by fire: They must expect a most sharp and severe Yet so, as by fire. 1 Cor. 3. 13. 15. punishment, a long and piercing purgatory, by reason of their unmortifi'd affections to venial sins, their giving scope to their unbridled senses, their neglect of God's love, their coldness in charity, and their tepidity in tendance to perfection. And as for their good works, they are not likely to be there much available; since their groundwork was servile fear, their end self-love, and their whole drift and intention altogether sinister, and deficient from that purity and perfection, wherewith they should have been performed. The Second Degree of Perfection. THey stand on this second Step, who harkening to God's holy inspirations, following his internal On the 2. step, stand Proficients, Who are careful to shun venial sins, and conquer sensuality; attractions, and obeying the sweet invitations of his Spirit, keep themselves disengaged from all vain affections to the world, yield not to the enticements of flesh and blood, resist the suggested temptations of the devil, and carefully avoid all occasions of offending their Lord and maker, so much as venially. To help on this pious design, they put themselves into good company, seek to converse with virtuous people, are diligent in their devotions, zealous frequenters of the Sacraments, and painful practisers of the corporal and spiritual works of charity. But by reason they are yet slow in the pursuit of solid virtue, and slack in their tendance to Perfection, But are slow in tending to perfection, they are still subject to fall into their enemy's snares and ambushes: For they are terrified at the difficulty of getting an entire conquest over their passions and imperfections, and therefore seem to satisfy and solace their minds with what they have already done, and left, for the love of God, presuming overmuch upon his goodness, flattering themselves with a certain self-security, fancying that they are in a sufficiently good condition; whence they fall into a false opinion of their and subject to be self-conceited. own worth, and an erroneous conceit that little or nothing is wanting to them: All which maxims manifest their secret pride and presumption, and render them by degrees, careless of their further increase and progress in the path of spirituality. The Third Degree of Perfection. Unto which those proficients are ascended, who have more perfectly vanquished all affections to the On the 3. step, stand they, who casting ●ff sloth, tame themselves with austerities; world, subdued their sensuality to the rule of Reason, and changed their slothful and sluggish indisposition, into a noble and generous resolution of mortifying each unruly passion, and wrestling with their evil inclinations: And to this end, they fall seriously and severely to work, applying corporal austerities, fastings, watch, wearing of hair-cloaths, long vocal prayers, and faithfully practise such painful means, as may probably help them forward in their desired conquest over themselves in the acquisition of virtues, and in their tendance to perfection. But because their intentions, in But their intentions are not pu, the performance of these pious practices, are not pure, sincere, divested of all selfishness, and simply for God's supreme honour alone; but have some small mixture of servile fear, which looks upon hell and punishment; or of self-love, which eyes heaven and reward, rather than God's only pleasure and liking; therefore they are yet seduced by the devil's subtlety, and drawn into a certain secret delighting in their own supposed good deeds, relying overmuch upon these outward exercises, and neglecting Nor are they wel-grounded in self-denial. their inward man, by not laying there the true groundwork of solid virtue, which is perfect mortification and self-denial; but following the tract of nature, in its love to these seeming, sensible, and satisfying practices, not duly weighing how highly they hinder the operation of God's holy Spirit in their souls. The Fourth Degree of Perfection. Unto which they are climbed, who rightly considering the nobility of the inward exercise, get Upon the 4. step, stand they, who have gotten into their interior; into themselves, and there study diligently how they may unite their souls to their Creator, with fervent desires and filial affections. Yet these are oftentimes self-seekers, But yet look for solaces, lovers of their own will, and desirers of solaces and sweetnesses in their devotions, rather than the pure pleasure of God: they glory in their own way of the Spirit, and prefer it before that of their brethren; which shows them to have a touch of spiritual pride, and argues them of immortification. And though in time of comfort they seem well resigned to endure all dereliction; yet they are troubled when any cross comes upon them, and discouraged when and are discouraged with adversities. the least adversity befalls them: If they are commanded to leave what they love, or act what they like not, they soon show what they are, & what spirit leads them; they declare their disobedience, fall into grudge and murmurations, and make apparent the hypocrisy of their pretended resignation. Such persons therefore must strive seriously to restrain this wilful propriety, and give up themselves truly and totally to God's good pleasure, and the guidance of their spiritual conductor, without any manner of restraint or reservation: which is the only secure and short way for them to attain to the next higher Degree of Perfection. The fifth Degree of Perfection. IN which are placed those pious souls, which truly renounce their own wills in all their actions, exercises, On the 5. step, stand they, who are fully resigned, and devotions, and are fully resigned to the divine pleasure and disposition: These promptly obey, not only Gods inward calls, and their Superiors commands, and perfectly obedient; but even the becks of all men living, in all things which appear consonant to God's honour, and conducing to their self-denial and mortification: Their chiefest care is to conserve cleanness of heart, their daily prayer is to purchase purity of conscience, and their unwearied endeavours drive only at the perfect union of their souls to their sweet Saviour. But because they are not yet masters in this sacred art, but young and raw Scholars in this tract of true and total resignation; But fail for want of experience, and courage. they sometimes fail for want of courage, constancy, Stediness and solidity in it; all their affections are not absolutely rooted out and mortified by sufficient use and experience in spirituality, which makes them yet waver in their station, stagger in their resolution, slip down now and then into some lower pit of self-love, and admit of some little point of propriety: yet they soon arise, return, and regain their standing, by the help of self-denial and resignation. The Sixth Degree of Perfection. Upon which stand those holy On the 6. step, stand they, who have a habit of resignation; Contemplatives, who by much experience and long continued diligence, have gotten a perfect habit of resignation, and a resolute perseverance and constancy in their good purposes, free from all mixture of self-will, propriety, or the least taint of contradiction from their Lords will and pleasure; faithfully acknowledging that all things whatsoever, even the greatest adversities, and most grievous temptations, turn to the spiritual advancement of such souls, as truly seek God, which is their only aim and employment. Yet even into these high entertainments with God, there may creep in a certain secret inclination to themselves, and an over-eager But desire comforts to enable them. appetite towards gusts and ghostly comforts, upon pretext to be thereby enabled to endure all desolations and adversities: which intention being not precisely pure from all propriety, and absolutely perfect in divine charity, is a great impediment to the operation of the holy Ghost in their souls: For what gifts soever (of nature or grace, outward or Note well this excellent maxim. inward, temporal or spiritual) are not directly used in order to our own humiliation, and our Creator's honour, are abused by us to our gre●t prejudice in spirituality, and prove hindrances and stumbling-blocks in our way to perfection. And upon this same Stair, stands Here also they stand, who are entirely, indifferent also another rank of holy persons, who have brought their inward man to an entire indifferency in all things, whom neither prosperity puffs up, nor adversity dejects, who have their Lords will for the sole law of their actions, and his only love for their All in all: They desire to be truly conformable to their crucified Saviour, and to keep an internal quiet, content, and constancy in all desolation and dereliction: They are well grounded and settled in a simple and sincere affection to their Lord God; which enables them not only to act great and heroic things, but also to suffer all grievous and hard matters. These illuminated souls receive But yet rest in God's favours with some propriety. many sweet and secret graces from the hands of the heavenly bounty, as rewards of their sincere fidelity; their Understandings are replenished with clarity, their Memories are possessed with objects of piety, their Wills are burnt and consumed with perfect charity; But yet these aboundances of divine favours may sometimes turn to their prejudice, when they rest in them with the least spiritual gust and propriety. Here furthermore are seated those Here furthermore they stand, who are satisfied with God only; almost perfect souls, which have really resigned up themselves and all, purely to God's pleasure, are fully contented with him alone, and remain wholly satisfied with all that he either sends or suffers, looking upon himself only, and not upon any of his gifts or goods. These are yet more frequently visited from above, with divine illustrations, and solaced with high and heavenly comforts: but because But are not as willing to leave divine favours as to have them. they are not as really resigned to leave them, and to be bereft of them, as they are ready and willing to have and enjoy them, they seem to have yet a little point left of secret propriety within them; and must therefore take yet a higher flight, before they can perch upon the upmost round of this spiritual ladder: which is, The Seventh and highest Degree of Perfection. WHereunto those elevated, and perfect souls are soared up, which are throughly inflamed, absorbed, and ecstasied in divine contemplation▪ On the 7. step, stand the perfect, contemplatives, wholly dead to the world, abstracted from flesh and blood, and living (as it were) only by vivacity of God's love, and quickening of his holy Spirit within them. These are the dear darlings, blessed minions, holy favourites, and God's faithful friends and dear favourites, happy spouses of the most high, though they sometimes live here below in perpetual oblivion and obscurity: They are brim full of heavenly gifts and graces, lifted up above themselves to taste the unexplicable sweetnesses, and behold the unspeakable glimpses of the divinity: Yet they rest not in these sublime prerogatives with the least pleasure or propriety, but utterly renounce all self-seeking and interest; being securely grounded in solid faith, clothed only with naked charity, and accompanied with abyssal humility, counting themselves worthy of all abjection, conceiving themselves the very worst of all creatures, and contenting themselves to be by all so taken and treated. Their whole comfort is in the Cross of Christ: they neither look for such plentiful showers of heavenly feelings, visitations illuminations, and influences of the Spirit, nor ungratefully neglect them; but remain in perfect indifferency, and Who are perfectly indifferent, and absolutely resigned and obedient. offer up themselves as obedient instruments to all that the holy Ghost shall vouchsafe to operate by or in them: They receive all things from their Creator's hands into their open and disinteressed souls, as if they felt them not; ever praising the divine piety, admiring his liberality, returning all to his honour, resigning all to his will, and being satisfied with his providence and disposition in all temporal and spiritual events whatsoever. Finally their outward man desires no earthly consolation; their inward man breathes nothing but the pure love of God; and the whole compositum begs nothing but a perfect conformity to his crucified Lord and master, in all things, but especially in self-denial and abnegation, the only safe and secure guide of each Step in this his long pilgrimage towards perfection. THE FOURTH TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST: Or, The Triumph of the elevated Soul, in the amorous embraces of her divine Spouse. Canticles. 5. v. 8. Tell my beloved, that I languish with love. Cant. 2. v. 16. My beloved to me, and I to him. AT PARIS, M.DC.LI. To the Loving Spouses, aiming at divine Union with their heavenly Bridegroom. HAving thus happily 1. 1. The Sp●rituall Conflict. Fought and foiled your ghostly enemies, (O Victorious souls;) 2. Prudently 2. The Seven Ambushes. discovered and avoided their dangerous ambushes; 3. Got the right use of your 3. The Seven Exercises. Spiritual weapons, by the frequent and faithful practice of your pious exercises; 4. And 4. The Seven degrees of perfection. courageously climbed up from one degree of solid virtue to another, from the lowest Step of Devotion to the highest degree of Perfection: It only remains, that you now take your 5. last 5. This ladder of divine love, consisting of seven rounds. and sublimest flight, from this mountain-top to the throne of divine love and Union: to facilitate which heavenly enterprise, you may fitly make use of this holy ladder, raised up for your souls assistance in those her high-soarings; that so she may conveniently repose herself, upon each mystical Step thereof, prune her wearied wings, fetch breath a while, and get new strength, and more light, to ascend higher and higher, till she arrives at the full height and head of it, which leans upon the very bosom of the Divinity itself, and leads into the bedchamber of her beloved Bridegroom; where finding a sure footing, and a secure resting place, forgetting the whole world, herself, and all the multiplicity of things which she left below, and from which she hath happily unfettered, disengaged, and loosened herself, she sits silently, solitarily, quietly, and contentedly, attending to that One alone whom she only loves, in whom only she lives, and from whose sweet embraces she desires never more to be separated. The Seven Degrees of divine Love. 1. In the first degree, the soul is wounded with love, sick of love, and languishing with love. 2. In the second, she seeks her Physician. 3. In the third, she fears her own unworthiness, and the loss of her beloved. 4. In the fourth, she willingly suffers for love. 5. In the fifth, she is impatient in her desires of love; and must either obtain, or die for it. lightly, swiftly and nimbly after love; grows bold and confident in love; and becomes united to her beloved. 7. In the seventh, she enjoys her beloved perfectly, and perpetually. The first round of this ladder of divine Love. UPon this first Step, stands the pious soul, which In the first degree, the soul is wounded with love, sick of love, and languishing for love, (after a long experience in the way of the Spirit, and a serious application of herself to the practice of solid virtue, having truly gotten into her own interior, and happily ascended the steep mountain of Perfection), is become deeply wounded with love, sweetly sick of love, and hearty languishing after love: So that she cries out with that fainting Spouse in the Canticles; O tell my beloved, that I languish with love. This infirmity is not to death, but for God's glory; for the Soul in this state defies all sin, deserts whatsoever is not God, and desires him only: she grows weary and sick of all creatures, and aspires after the embraces of her Creator: And as an infirm person, loseth appetite, and loathes all the wont contents of nature; so here, the soul feels no gust, takes no pleasure, finds no comfort; in any earthly objects. She lies sick, and seized on by this mystical fever, caused by the violent heat of heavenly love: and here she is in the degree of contemplative purgation, when she finds no support, no stay, no taste, no quiet, no content, in any thing whatsoever; And therefore she ●oon soars up from this Step to the next. The Second Degree of Love. WHerein she rouseth and raises In the 2: she seeks her Physician. up herself, and casts about which way she may seek and find her loving Physician, who can only cure and comfort her; she gets up early, and eagerly inquires after him without intermission or cessation, whom she failed to find in her bed at night, (in the first degree): She faithfully follows the prints of his steps, turns over nature's book, dives into all creatures, questions all she meets: Oh! have you seen him; whom my soul loveth? Yet she stays no where, stoops not to the lure of any created object; she demands, and passes on, she leaves all for him whom she only loves and longs after: She holds no discourse with Angels themselves, but listens only to his heavenly voice, and desires nothing, but to see a glimpse of his beatifying countenance: O show me thy face, let thy sweet words sound in my ears! Here, love bears all the sway, and hath made so deep an impression in the pious soul that she is perpetually solicitous for love, ever sighing after love, and still carping, caring, and seeking for her well beloved in all things: All her throughts tend to him, all her discourses drive at him, all her affairs end in him: If she sleeps, she dreams of him; if she wakes, she talks of him: Finally she is always, in all things, in all places, transported into this object of her love, and swayed towards this Centre of her life: And recovering new strength, ascends upward to a further Degree. The Third Degree of Love. WHerein she works with more heat and vigour, and of which the King-Prophet speaks; In the 3. she fears her own unworthiness and the loss of her beloved. Psa. 111. Blessed is that person who fears the Lord; for he will exceedingly desire to fulfil his holy laws. Whence may be inferred; that if Fear, which is Love's daughter, cause such effectual desires; how efficacious will those desires be, which proceed immediately from Love itself? The Soul in this Degree believes that her best works, done in the behalf of her beloved, are very base & inconsiderable: she runs over her Registers of accounts, sums up her numerous exploits, measures her long sufferances, and surveys her high services; and they seem at best but poor and mean performances of a greater duty: she finds them nothing worth, by reason of the excess of affection which inflames and consumes her. If jacob's love to Rachel had so powerful an influence upon his spirit, that his twice seven years' apprenticeship seemed to him but a Gene. 29. 20. few days, by reason of the ardour of his desire: What admirable effects will the Creator's love produce in that Soul, which it hath absolutely seized upon, entirely possessed, and throughly penetrated in this third Degree? She will be piously troubled, and angry with herself, that she doth so little for so great a Majesty: and if she might lawfully, she would most willingly give up herself to be minced into a thousand morsels for his love, honour and service, and receive therein full comfort, content, joy and satisfaction. It truly seems to her that she troubles the earth she treads on, and the air she breathes in; and that she unprofitably takes up a place in the world, as a barren tree, which brings forth neither flowers nor fruit: Hence springs a further admirable effect, that she verily thinks herself the worst of all things created, considering what she owes, and calculating what she pays; for Love teacheth her how much God deserves and Humility tells her how little she doth: and because she finds that all her best endeavours are full of defects and imperfections; and that her highest way of corresponding to the love of her heavenly Lord, is so low and unbeseeming his Majesty, she is inwardly pained and confounded in herself. A soul in this state is far from any puff of pride, presumption, vain glory, or censuring of others; and is therefore duly disposed to mount up to the next Degree. The Fourth Degree of Love. WHich is of suffering for her In the 4. she willingly suffers for love. beloved, freely and cheerfully, without the least repining, or reluctancy; because true love makes the heaviest burdens seem light, and the greatest labours easy. In this estate was that Spouse when she spoke to her beloved: Place me as Cant. 8. 6. a signet upon your heart, put me as a seal upon your arm, because love is strong as death, etc. The Spirit hath here such a vigour, that it absolutely subjects and subdues the flesh, and as much slights all motions of sensuality, as a well rooted tree doth the wagging of one of his little leaves. Here the soul seeks not at all her own gust or comfort, either in God, or any of his gifts; nor demands any grace in order to her own solace or support, but all her care is, to cast about her which way she may render some acceptable service to the Divine Majesty, and how she may content and please him in any thing which she can do or suffer, (for that he deserves it for his love and goodness Many seek their own content in God; But Few seek to give God content. towards her,) though such her services cost her never so dear. Ah! Good God, how many of your followers seek in you their own content and comfort, sigh after your favours, expect your cherishings, and run after your gifts and graces; But alas! how few are they, who strive to give you content, and to present you with any worthy donative at their own cost and charges, without some touch of self▪ love or proper interest? You are ever openhanded, (o bountiful Creator), and ready to shower your heavenly benefits upon our heads; but we are always loath to employ that in your love which we receive from your liberality: though this is the only way to have them continued and increased. This degree of love is very high and heroic: For as the soul here seeks her Lord so seriously, and adheres to him so sincerely; that she is ready willing and desirous, to suffer any thing for him: So his divine Majesty often & ordinarily rewards thi● her fidelity with putting her in possession of joy, and giving her many secret, sugared, and delicious visits: For the immense love of the Word incarnate Christ Jesus, permits him not to see his loving Spouse suffer purely for his sake, without hastening to her comfort and secure. Hence she speedily gets up to, The Fifth Degree of Love. WHich moves the inflamed soul to a certain holy impatience In the 5. she is impatient in her desires of love, in her desires of being joined to her beloved: She is seized with such a vehement ardour to overtake him, and to be united to him, that all stay and tarriance, seems to her, tedious and insupportable: She thinks often to have found him, caught him in her arms clasped him in her bosom but perceiving herself still frustrated of her desired object, faints through her eagerness of spirit; as he did who cried out, My soul covets and decays after the Courts of Psa. 83. 1. my Lord. She cannot subsist long in this And must either obtain it or die for it, condition: She must either obtain her love, or cease to live; she is as eager in her desires, as Rachel was to see herself a mother, when she said to Jacob, Give me children or Gen. 30. 1 else I die. Here the soul feeds altogether on love, as she only hungers and thirsts after love So that she quickly raises herself up to, The Sixth Degree. WHere she runs lightly, swftly, and nimbly, after her beloved, In the 6. she runs lightly, swiftly & sweetly after love, Isai. 40. 32 being fortified with Faith, lifted up with Hope, and quickened with Charity: Of which degree the Prophet speaks; They who hope in our Lord, shall exchange their strength, shall take Eagles wings, and fly without fainting: The reason of this lightness, is the overspreading, and dilatation of these three Theological virtues in the soul, whereby it becomes so elevated, that it wants but little of a total purification. Whereupon that enlarged soul said; I have Ps. 118. 32 run over the way of your commandments, when you dilated my heart. Hence she grows hardy in love, grows bold and confident in love, and putting on a confident boldness, is piously, amorously, and strongly transported beyond the ordinary limits of reason: So that she stays not according to judgement, retreats not according to counsel, nor governs and represses her impetuosity, violence, and forwardness, by the rules of modesty and shame-fastness; because the peculiar favour, which her best beloved shows her, communicates to her a holy and heavenly audacity. In this state was that hardy spouse, which begged a Cant. 1. 1. kiss of her beloved's mouth: And Moses, when he peremptorily said Exo. 32. 32 to God, Either pardon this people, or blot my name out of the book of life, wherein thou hast registered it. And then burning sweetly in and becomes united to her beloved. pure and perfect union with her beloved, she cries out; I have found the long desired object of my affections, I will not let go my hold, nor permit him to escape out of my embraces, etc. Here her holy thirst and hunger is satisfied, and she enjoys such unexplicable treasures of delicious love, that were whole volumes filled up with the description thereof, the greater part would still be left uncomprised. And from th● estate the amorous Soul passeth ● to the last Degree, which belong not to this mortal life. The Seventh and last Degree. WHich likens her totally to her wellbeloved Creator, by In the 7. she enjoys her beloved perfectly, etc. the clear vision of divine essence: This she enjoys, as soon as (being here in this world arrived at the Sixth degree of this divine ladder of love) she departs hence to her happy eternity. These blessed Souls, (which are very few in number) are sufficiently purged and purified by Love▪ which hath done that in them here; which Purgatory doth in others elsewhere: so that to them belongs that Beatitude, Blessed are the clean-hearted, Matt. 5. 8. for they shall see God. Now we say, this divine vision causeth a total resemblance of the soul with God, following that sentence of S. John, We know, that, when he shall appear, we shall be like 1 Joh. 3. 2. him, because we shall see him as he ●●: So that all that which the soul ●s and hath, shall be like God by participation. Here nothing at all can ●e concealed from her, according ●o our Saviour's words; In that day Joh. 16. 23 you shall ask me nothing. Because ●he eyes the clear glass of the Godhead, wherein herself and all things are most plainly and perfectly contained: But until that day comes, though the soul be perched never so high, yet God is always hid from her in some manner, as far forth as there wants in her something of this total resemblance with the Divin●●y. Thus, (o amorous souls), by climbing this mystical ladder of divine love, upon which God himself leaneth, you get out of yourselves, and all things, and fly up into the divine being for love (like fire) tends always upwards, with a perpetual desire to be plunged and ingulphed in the Centre of its proper Sphere. Apply yourselves therefore seriously to this holy and inward exercise, that you may attain to these heavenly effects: Embrace with open heart and arms, your good, great, and gracious Lord and love; and resolve with that holy Spouse, I have laid hold on him, and I will never leave him. Draw near Cant. 3. 4. Psal. 33. 6. this divine Sun and be illuminated; he will clear your darkness, errors, and ignorances'; dissipate all your dulness in devotion, dry up the dirt of your concupiscences; encourage you in the carrying of your Cross, give you a general alacrity in the performance of all your actions and undertake, and replenish your souls with unspeakable sweetnesses, comforts, and contents. Come, I say, and only bring with you these three companions, Faith, Love, and Resignation, and leave all other things to the divine disposition. Represent to your thoughts, a woeful and bedridden creature, lying grievously tormented with a burning fever; his Physician prescribing abstinence from drink, as the only and assured way for his cure and recovery; his compassionate friends visiting him, seeking to divert his pains with their pleasant discourses, and to charm his disease with the delight of music, etc. Ah! what unwellcome comforts are all these things to him, who can fix his mind on nothing but drink; who thinks on nothing, talks of nothing, demands nothing, desires nothing, delights in nothing, but only to refresh his ardours, quench his thirst, and assuage his tormenting heat? This is your case, (O dear souls) This should be the beginning, middle, and end, of your whole life and business in this world: Nothing but God, God, God: Neither science nor ignorance, neither music nor misery, neither delights nor desolations, should touch, trouble, or amuse, your faithful, loving, and resigned hearts: God is your only aim and end, 1. To languish after God, 2. To seek God, 3. To fear the losing of God, 4. To suffer for God, 5. To be weary of delay, in your love to God, 6. To run lightly, confidently, & sweetly into God, 7. And Finally to enjoy God, and live in God, and with God eternally. THE FIFTH TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST: Containing The choicest Maxims of Mystical Divinity. With Brief Instructions and Directions, necessary for those Devout Souls which desire, To walk in the way of God's holy Spirit without error, To follow the Divine call without illusion; and Arrive at holy Union without danger or difficulty. Dilated With points of Practice, Affections, and Elevations. Galathians. 6: 16. Whosoever shall follow this Rule, peace be upon them. AT PARIS, M.DC.LI. To the Devout Contemplatives, walking in the way of heavenly Love, and aspiring to perfect Union with God. WE have hitherto conducted you, (O Dear and devout Souls), out of the Egypt Exod. 13. of sin and sensuality, through the Red-Sea of your dangerous conflicts and skirmishes, into the quiet Desert of Divine Contemplation: We have led you to the top of the Deu. 32. 49 mountain Nebo, (by the several laborious Steps of Perfection), from whence we showed you a small glimpse of the glorious land of promise, flowing with the sweet milk and honey of heavenly Love and holy Union. Now lastly, to settle you in your happy station, to assist you in your high undertake, to maintain your heroic fervour, to keep alive this sacred fire burning on the Altars of your inflamed hearts, and to strengthen y●●r thus elevated spirits with Perseverance (which only crowns the work, and infallibly entitles you to children's portions, in this divine inheritance), we have provided these ensuing Maxims of Mystical Divinity, for your continual support and comfort. We name them Maxims, because they contain the general grounds and granted verities of solid Devotion and subl●●● Contemplation; summed ●●, and set in some order, out ●● the larger elucubrations of the most illuminated Mystical writers: And we deliver them in a compendious and concise style, leaving many points rather insinuated than expressed; because our aim is only truth, substance, and solidity, which need no word-ornaments to make them amiable or intelligible; and we conceive they will be more easily admitted into your souls, better retained in your memories, and more efficaciously applied to your practices, being thus nakedly, simply and briefly proposed, than if they were clothed and disguised with any begged lustre from abroad. We look not that sensualists should either read or savour Delicata est divina consolatio, & non datur admittentibus alien●m. Bernardus. them; for their doctrine is too divine, their positions too pure, their practice too perfect, their contents too contrary to the tonents of flesh and blood: Vanity and verity have little commerce together; light and darkness are opposites; sense is at perpetual odds with the spirit, and the greater part of worldlings (in this our corrupted age), are readier to mock at the holy practisers of piety, than to reflect on their own express duty and obligation of tending to perfection. Nor can we promise them a heartier welcome amongst some pretenders to spirituality: for self love hath obtained Nemo ad veram contemplationem scandere valet nisi per scalam humilitatis. Read F. Cisne●ius. chap. 31. 32. 33. etc. so great an Empire over most men's minds, that they generally judge of devotion according to their own gusts and fancies; they embrace Hypochondriacal shows and shadows for truths and substances; and believe that only to be good, which is agreeable to their humour and affection. Some great Scholars also, whose understandings are wholly busied in drawing consequences from natural reason, will strive to discredit that point of our doctrine here delivered, (which denies and forbids the use of such acts of our reason in this heavenly School of highest Recollection), Not duly considering the 1. p. q. 85. a. ●. 1. p. q. 17. a. 4. universally received principle of the Saints, That these two lights, natural and supernatural, Greg. upon Ez●chiel l. 1. ho. 17. can no more actuate the same understanding at one and the same time, than a body can have two different forms together: And that God who hath given us the light of reason for the increase of our natural goods, knowledge, and perfection; hath ordained the light of Faith, (which is above all reason, and implies a negation and cessation of all the acts thereof) for the attaining of supernatural gifts and graces: And it is the often inculcated Maxim of S. Denys, Denys. c. 7. de divin. nomin. F. Garcias Cisnerius. chap. 28. That to receive supernatural benefits, we must relinquish all acts of reason, and quit all such resemblances and images of creatures, as it ordinarily makes use of, for the increase of its natural knowledge. So that it is most certain, that the soul which aims at the purest, perfectest, and sublimest Contemplation, must not only abandon all operations of her outward and inward senses, but transcend all actings and workings of her understanding, and (as it were), blindly elevate herself to an un-explicable union with that object, which is above all natural knowledge and conception: This is to be moved with Love alone, (supported by Faith), without glassing herself in any creature, or staying upon any thing, which is not the very Deity: This is to be ingulphed in divine darkness, and to be so lost and absorbed in God, that she neither sees, feels, nor finds herself any where, but in the divine being: O happy loss! O heavenly darkness! O glorious annihilation! Wherefore, drown yourselves, (O divine Contemplatives) in this Ocean; lose yourselves in this abyss of the divinity; leave all that is material, sensible, intelligible, and look immediately upon the supernatural object of your Faith; stay not in the lower exercises, and feeble discourses of your imaginations, but permit your spirit to take its free flight, as a Royal eagle, & perch upon the increated verity: Take courage in these your sublime exercises, follow them faithfully, humbly, obediently, and perseverantly, according to the rules and directions here prescribed; and let the world slight you, which understands them not; let greatest Schoolmen condemn you, which experience them not; let flesh and blood repine, which relish them not; let the Devil rage, who by this means finds you not, but where you are forth of his reach, and free from his ambushes; that is, in God, in whom only you live by continual recollection, abnegation, abstraction, introversion, annihilation. This is to begin your heaven upon earth, and to fortast that endless felicity in which your faith shall be turned into clear vision, your hope changed into full possession, and your charity knit to her beloved centre and perfection; where you shall praise God incessantly, love him entirely, and enjoy him eternally. The Table of the Maxims. 1. That our end is Perfection, and divine Union, and that Prayer is the way to it. 2. That Beginners may profitably make use of the following Exercise of mental Prayer and Introversion, until they obtain greater light, and more experience in the way of the Spirit. 3. That of all internal Prayer, the affective is most noble, necessary and profitable. 4. That Meditation is a seeking, Contemplation a seeing of God. 5. That continual Recollection, is the Exercise of Exercises, and the immediate way to bring us to perfection and divine Union. The practice of this Exercise is declared in ten canons. 1. That all places are proper for Recollection, but the more quiet the more proper. 2. That to pray on our knees, is a posture most pleasing to God. 3. That we must (especially at first), prefix to ourselves certain and set times of Recollection. 4. That we must frame an act of pure Intention, at our entrance into Recollection. 5. That we must briefly examine our Consciences, and produce acts of Contrition, self-confusion, humility, and resolutions of amendment. 6. That we must also make an Act of perfect Resignation, before we fall upon this Exercise. 7. That we must bring with us, some theme, subject or groundwork of our Prayer and Recollection. 8. That we must look on God by Faith, and leave off all discourses. 9 That we must carry God with us from our Prayer. 10. That we must put on Christ, and imitate his example in all our actions. 6. That for this pure, perfect, and Transcendent prayer, no certain Rules can be prescribed. 7. That the Contemplative must be very observant of the divine visits, lights, and calls. 8. That the only way to get true peace of mind, is to be totally resigned to God. 9 That a Contemplative soul, must lay a solid groundwork to serve her in time of desolation. 10. That in this high Exercise of Recollection, the three Theological virtues, Faith, Hope and Charity, must perfect and possess the three powers of our souls, Understanding, Memory, and Will. 11. That our Understandings must be settled in pure Faith. 12. That our Memories must be settled in pure Hope. 13. That our Wills must be settled in pure Charity. 14. That this Exercise of Recollection and Annihilation, is the short & secure way to divine Union. 15. That all sorts of people may safely addict themselves to this holy exercise of Recollection. 16. That outward Observances are helps, in the practice of this Exercise. 17. That Prayer for others is best practised by a general intention. 18. That all virtues are best practised by addicting ourselves to Contemplation, or this internal Exercise of Recollection. Some examples, for the practice of this divine way of Prayer. Some further Advices, for the same practice of this pure prayer. 19 That corporal austerities, must be always subject to obedience. 20. That Contemplatives must always have the seven verities, (which concern the divine nature, whereupon all Contemplation is grounded), either habitually, or formally in their memories. 21. That J●cul●tory Prayers, are the nearest dispositions to Contemplation. 22. That the Presence of God, is the great ex●rcis● of Contemplatives, and the shortest way to divine Union. A more sublime way to practise the presence of God. 23. That Humiliation is a relic of God's love. 24. That Humility is the solid groundwork of all spirituality. 25. That Silence and Solitude, are our heaven upon earth. 26. That the perfect love of God, and hatred of ourselves, must be our constant and continual employment. 27. That Confidence in God's goodness is the main support of our Spiritual Edifice. 28. That the measure of our progress in Perfection, is the Conformity of our will to the divine will. 29. That unquietness of mind is the bane of Devotion, and curse of Contemplation. 30. That Crosses are to be suffered, not sought; to be taken, not made; to be concealed, not complained of. 31. That Temptations cannot hurt us, if we cast our whole care upon God. 32. That Desolations, derelictions, afflictions, distractions, are to be transcended by generous Resolutions. 33. That Perfection consists in putting off all propriety, and putting on pure and naked charity. 34. That Zeal and eagerness must be tempered with Moderation and discretion. 35. That we must never rely upon our own natural judgement, experience, and knowledge. 36. That we must seek no comfort in any creature. 37. That we must walk, and persever, in these our Spiritual Exercises, with the two feet of Faith and Obedience. Under this Maxim are solved many material doubts arising in our daily progress to Perfection. The first doubt. If we fear that God will forsake us, by reason of our Ingratitude and disloyalty? 2. If our sins trouble us, in respect of Confession and satisfaction? 3. If we can neither pray with fervour, nor suffer with patience; neither feel God present, nor be content in his absence? 4. If we are doubtful that God is angry with us, that we want grace, that we only seek ourselves, that we yield to all temptations? etc. 5. If our consciences are unquiet, and our souls fearful by reason of our proness to sin? etc. 6. If we are full of fears and apprehensions of our estate, by reason we feel in our souls, such slender effects of God's grace and love, and have little devotion, no inward peace? etc. 7. If some extreme cross, calamity, or affliction hath seized our hearts? etc. 8. If we desire to conquer the Devil, and overcome all temptations whatsoever? 9 If we want comfort in long and dangerous temptations, and troubles? 10. If we wonder that God will have us suffer temptation, since our frailty is subject to yield, and so offend his divine Majesty? 11. If we are solicited by our enemy to unchastness? 12. If we are in extraordinary desolation and darkness? 13. If we are tempted to despair of God's mercy, by reason of our frequent falls and relapses into sin? 14. If we are perplexed with great sadness? etc. Other remedies against Sadness. Another antidote, against melancholy and pusillanimity. 15. If we suspect, that our Sadness and temptations proceed from our own fault or negligence, or some secret sin, or our want of correspondency with God's grace? etc. 16. If we doubt that God is displeased with our Prayers, that our afflictions befall us through our own occasion; and cannot satisfy ourselves to think we have done what God requires? 17. If nature hath showed herself a Stepmother unto us, in giving us a hard and harsh disposition, whence proceeds a reluctancy to works of virtue, and mortification of vice: So that we distrust of ever overcoming ourselves? 18. If on the contrary, Our nature is so facile and flexible, that we scarcely find difficulty in any thing: We wonder to hear mention of rebellions, contradictions, desolations, etc. From all which we are secure and quiet; And therefore we fear our actions proceed rather from a natural promptitude than solid virtue? 19 If we so addict ourselves to Recollection, that we look upon works of Obedience, and the external practices of our duty, as impediments to Perfection? 20. If we find such a calm in our passions, imperfections, and temptations, that we hope the worst is past? 21. If scrupulosity overwhelms us? 1. We must obey our Spiritual Director. 2. We must do our best endeavour. But here arise two difficulties. 1. If our Directours knowledge be small, his experience less? etc. 2. If we cannot satisfy ourselves, that we have done our best? etc. 22. If we fear we detest not sin sufficiently, because we feel not so great sorrow for the offence of God, as we do sometimes for a temporal loss? 23. If we cannot ground ourselves in a firm hope of mercy, for that we are so frail and inconstant; we sin daily, and amend not our lives; we repay unto God evil for good; we promise fidelity, and practise nothing less? 24. If we go not on with alacrity, because we know not that our sins are forgiven, that our Confessions are good, and that we are in the state of grace? 25. Though we cannot (in this life) assure ourselves infallibly to be in good state; yet if we could comfort ourselves with most probable tokens of grace, whereby we might feel the pulses of our hearts, and somewhat ease our anguish? 26. If we are troubled because we know not well when we give consent to sinful thoughts? 27. If we cannot well distinguish between Venial and Mortal sin? 28. If these say of Divines terrify us: They sin, who do against their doubt: And, In doubtful things the securer part is to be followed? 29. If finally, we are apprehensive and fearful lest we should grow weary in the way of virtue, and not persevere constantly in our Spiritual Exercises. Maxims of Mystical Divinity. The first Maxim. That our end is perfection and Divine Union; and That Prayer is the way to it. IT is not sufficient for us, (who are resolved upon a spiritual course), to lead an ordinary good life, which consists in the avoiding of sin and scandal, and in the punctual performance of our external duty to God and our neighbour: But our end and aim must be to attain the perfection of God's holy love, and a happy Union of our souls with their first beginning, by living in abstraction, recollection, and perpetual Contemplation, as far forth as Gods holy Spirit shall enable us, and our frailty can correspond. The chief means to attain this our end, is Prayer, without which, all Religion is but a shadow without a body, or a body without a soul; and all outward observances will prove but a superficial, not a real devotion. For it is the constant doctrine of Divines; that what God S. Augustine. S. Basil. S. Chrysostom. S. Thomas. 2, 2. q. 83. a. 2. in his eternal disposition hath determined to bestow upon us, he gives us in time, by the intervention of Prayer: tying (as it were) to this instrument, the conversion of sinners, the advancement of souls, the perfection of Saints, etc. So that as his divine decree is, that we must till the earth, if we will reap the fruits thereof, and provide materials, if we will raise up buildings, and the like; so, his absolute order is, that we must pray if we will have spiritual benefits to be poured into our souls, and supernatural gifts and graces to be granted unto us. Let us therefore in the first place, resolve to prosecute Prayer, courageously, constantly, and perseverantly, at set times, if we intent to make speedy progress in sincere virtue, and lay a sure groundwork of solid spirituality; and let nothing upon any pretext whatsoever, hinder or divert us from it as far as obedience and discretion will give us leave. Lord, heal my wounds, supply my wants, satisfy my wishes. The second Maxim. That Beginuers, may profitably make use of this following exercise of mental Prayer and Introversion, until they obtain greater light, and more experience in the way of the Spirit. THis divine Exercise consists of three parts in general, and Nine points in particular. 1. Preparation of 3. acts 1. An affective & lively apprehension of God's presence. 2. A cordial and profound act of humility. 3. A pure intention to please and praise God only. 2. Consideration of 1. My wounds, both internal and external. 2. My wants, which are many in every degree. 3. My wishes, and humble desires. 3. Conclusion also of 3. acts. 1. Contrition for my sins. 2. Resignation in my wants. 3. Complacence in God, and Confidence in his goodness. A more ample and practical description of this Exercise. The first part is Preparation, of three Acts. 1. A lively apprehension of God's Presence, not only in all places, and all creatures, by his power, and essence, but in our souls, by his mercy, love, care and providence. O my Soul! Where are we? 1. Part. 1 Presence of God. who seethe us? What is he that is with us, and within us? by whose light we see, by whose fire we burn, and by whose love we live? Live, my most glorious and gracious Lord! in whose presence I kneel, in whose arms I rest, and after whose love I breathe: O that thou wert as dear to my soul as thou art near it! Alas, why doth she not care as much for her God, as he doth for her good? Why do I not love thy presence, o my amiable Lord, since thou art present by love? Thou art my Father, my Physician, and my food, hear me, heal me, help me: I am wounded, I am wicked, I am wretched: Out of thee, there is no rest; without thee, there is no hope; remain with me, reign within me; Let me be thine, all thine, ever thine. 2. Profound and cordial humility: acknowledging unfeignedly before God and his Angels, our wickedness, weakness, and wretchedness; what we are, and what we deserve, and so resting quiet in our Centre of nothing. O my Soul! What have we 2 Profound humility. been? What are we? What have we? what can we do? What do we deserve? What do we desire? What hath our loving Father and liberal Lord, that he hath not given us? What have we, proud and prodigal children, that we have not received merely from his merciful hand and heart? What have we received, that we have not abused by self-love or self-delight? O sweet Jesus! Give tears to my eyes, words to my tongue, sighs to my heart, and love to my spirit; for I need them all to deplore my misery, and implore thy mercy; to admire thy beauty, and adore thy bounty; to sigh after thee, and suffer for thee: What I have been, it grieves me to remember; What I am, after so many signal benefits on thy part, and serious promises on mine, I am ashamed to think; What I deserve I am afraid to call to mind; What I desire, I am ignorant how to ask. Lord, for thy mercy's sake, for thy Mother's sake; by thy Bowels of mercy, and her Breasts of meekness; by all that thou hast suffered for me, and she for thee; by all that is dear to thee in heaven and earth; forget and forgive what I have been, my past folly and wickedness; Pity and protect what I am, my present frailty and weakness; Be satisfied for what I deserve, supply what I desire, and be mindful of me in life and death. How much, o my God, do I wish to leave all, and lose myself to find thee? to humble myself, to please thee? and to hate myself, to love thee? But these hard and high matters I dare scarcely promise, how then and when shall I practise them? Yet without thee, (o sacred humility!) there is no solid centre to rest in, no true sweetness to take gust in: therefore, o my God, I come to thy School to learn this necessary lesson, teach me, touch me, wound me, and win me unto thee. 3. Pure intention, to please and praise God only: to be all his, ever his, in what manner and measure he best liketh, both in this prayer, and all things whatsoever. Behold therefore, o my Lord, how out of pure Obedience to thy Will, 3. Pure Intention. and confidence in thy mercy, I now approach to please and praise thee: Not to receive great matters from thee, for I am unworthy; nor to conceive great matters of thee, for I am uncapable; but to leave all for thee, to be humble of heart beyond all, and to love thee more than all: this is both conform to my condition and obligation. I come to prayer. (O my only Lord and love) not to have much, but to give up all, to be thine, all thine ever thine in life and death, for time and eternity, as thou best pleasest: I come. O my centre and sweetness, to seek thee and sigh after thee, yet I am content neither to find thee nor feel thee, but only to see thee by faith, and to suffer for thee with fidelity. I am satisfied and content that thou art so good, great, glorious, rich and happy in thyself: and I am confident that thou in thy good time wilt make me rich in thy mercy, and happy in thy love; for in this Pilgrimage I desire no other happiness than true humility, nor greater riches than naked charity. The second part is Consideration: showing these three things, first to ourselves, and then to our God, as his poor beggars. 1. Our wounds, both internal and external: to wit, our sins, ingratitudes, daily failings, strong passions, etc. Ah! my sick and sinful soul! how 2. Part. 1. Our wounds. weak and wounded are we in every degree, in all parts, in each member of body, and faculty of mind? 1. All is out of order, all is pride and self-love: how impenitent are we in sorrowing? how impatient in suffering? how unconstant in persevering? and yet how importune in sinning? 2. My Understanding is blind to good, clear-sighted to evil; My Will is perverse peevish, cold, sensual; My memory is weak, full of idle images, subject to distractions. 3. My affections are vain, my passions violent, my inclinations vicious. 4. My Faith is little, my Hope less, my Charity lest of all. 5. So forward to extroversion and dissolution, so backward to introversion and compunction, so full of imperfections, and immortifications 6. So little confidence in thy mercy, so little patience in my misery and almost no performance of m● good purposes. 7. So curious t● censure others, so careless to keep m●self and curb my own senses. Finally, all is self-love, self-will, self-conceit, self-seeking, pride, propriety, partiality, which are my daily and dangerous diseases. O Father of mercies, and only Physician of my soul! Thou art almighty, and all-bounty; these are my wounds and impurities, and if thou wilt, thou canst both cure and cleanse me; and if thou wilt not, I will remain content as I am: I am willing to continue weak, so I be not wicked; to be wearied and wounded, so I be not utterly tired, over-turned, defeated, and lose the victory: Cut, kill, crucify, o Lord, only spare me for eternity. 2. Our wants, for we are not only needy, but naked; not only poor, but beggars; who neither know how to deserve an alms, nor how to desire it. O my poor soul! What do we 2. Our wants. want? nay what do we not want? 1. True light, true liberty, true love, true life. 2. A settled attention, a simple intention, a serious introversion, a sincere conversion. 3. Humility of heart, conformity of will, purity of soul, indifferency of spirit. 4. Wisdom to know Gods will, strength to execute it patience to persever in it. 5. Resolution to suffer for our Saviour devotion to sigh after him, diligence to find him, constancy to remain with him. 6. Courage to endure all, faith to forgo all, hope to expect all, charity to give all, and Confidence to gain all. Finally we want all we should have, Yet our loving Lord is ready to bestow on us all that he hath. O my God and all! Thou art all that I want; give me thyself, and all my wants and wishes will be at an end. Thou art all my safety and my only security, all my refuge and my only centre; Until I can return unto thee, or wholly turn into thee, let thy Cross be my Purgatory and thy will be my Paradise, for other heaven upon earth I can never hope to find: Until then▪ I must be content to sweat and sigh under the burde● of this mortal life, to sit like Job upon a dunghill, forlorn and forsaken by all full of soars and sorrows to remain a perpetual and pitiful patient scarcely feeling patience in myself, and finding no compassion in others. 3. Our wishes and desires. What can a wounded wretch wish, but to be cared for and cured? What can a naked beggar desire, but to be clothed and comforted with some few rags and crumms? What can a blind and cold person ask, but light and love? This, O my sovereign and sweet 3. Our wishes. Lord, is the sum and substance of all my wishes and requests. O that I could go out of myself, and get into thee! That I were dissolved from my loathed body, to the end I might dilate my heart in thy love, contemplate thy divine face in perfect liberty, and please and praise thy Majesty eternally! For in this prison of flesh, and vale of tears, I faint under the weight of my temptations, I fall under the burden of my troubles, and I continually fail in the prosecution of my pious purposes. Oh! that thy will did so rule me, and reign over me, that it were a torment to decline never so little from it! O that thy love did so freely and fully possess my heart, that there were no room at all remaining for any bastard or base love of things created! Good Jesus! how truly happy and holy should I be, if I could clearly behold my own nothing in thy all; if I could embrace crosses as crowns, and swallow down all contemprs and confusions, as milk and honey! O when shall I be so elevated in spirit above myself, by ecstasy of love, as to be able and willing to humble myself under all creatures without repugnancy! Alas! shall I never be content to forsake all, and be forsaken by all? Yea having lost and left all fo● One, to be left by that One, who i● my All? and so remain quiet i● my own nothing. How long shall I he wallowing in flesh and blood? how long shall I delay and dally in false loves? How long shall I sigh and not enjoy! seek and not find! live and not love? Come, my Lord, and love▪ Lord Jesus▪ come quickly: Let the fire of thy sweet love so consume in me a●l dross of self-love, and so transform my spirit into thee, that I may take all from thee indifferently▪ give all to thee liberally, and rest and repose in thee eternally. Lord! let me be thine, or nothing! Love, or not live! The third Part, is the Conclusion, which consists also of three Acts. 1. Contrition, which is a hearty and humble sorrow for our sins, ingratit●des, disloyalties, tepidity, etc. O my God how little did I love 3. Part. 1. Contrition. thee when I so carelessly offended thy Majesty? Oh! that I had never sinned mortally, though it had cost me my life immediately! O that I were sure never more to swerve from thy sacred will and commandments! Let me henceforth endure, dear Jesus, a thousand deaths of my body, rather than admit one deadly sin again into my soul! O pity and pardon my past follies and frailties, and prevent me with thy gracious blessings against future fall. How great, o Lord, is my obligation to serve and please thee, were it but for thy favours conferred, thy benefits bestowed, and thy love poured out upon me? and yet, ungrateful wretch that I am, how poorly have I corresponded! Oh! that I had so deep a sense of my sins, that my heart might break with sorrow? Hid not▪ o Lord, thy face from me▪ shut not up thy mercy gates against me; for though I have most grievously gone astray, yet I am resolved upon an entire amendment, correction, reformation of my whole man: this strong resolution, (which is thy gracious gift), grounds my hope in thy goodness, emboldens my confidence in th● mercy, and gives me courage and comfort in thy love. 2. Resignation in all our wan●● wishes, desolations, and distresses, ●● the divine will and pleasure. I am indifferent, O my dear Lord, 2. Resignation. to sickness and health, to light and darkness, to delight and desolation: I am thine, (sweet Jesus)! put me where thou wilt, do with me as thou wilt, send me what thou wilt! I am content, not only to have nothing, but to be nothing, so thou, ● my Lord, be all things unto me! I acknowledge myself unworthy to beg, and less worthy to obtain, and therefore I resign myself still to beg, and yet still to want, even that which I most wish; which is all light, all liberty, all love, all comfort, all content, yea even all virtue▪ peace, and perfection, so long as it shall please thee! O father, I am thine, ever thine, all thine body and soul for time and eternity. Live Jesus only! 3. Complacence and confidence: the first, that our God is what he is; the next, that he will heal our wounds, supply our wants, satisfy our wishes, and turn all to our good. I am glad, o my glorious Lord 3. Complacence, and Confidence. God that thou art so worthy of all love, though I of all others am not worthy to love thee: I am as joyful for what thou art▪ o great God, as if all thou hast were all mine, and I will love thee in all I am and have, as being all thine. Thy Cross is my comfort, thy Will my well▪ fare▪ and thy love my life; so that if I can but suffer for thee, do thy will, and follow thy love, I shall do all that is necessary. I am indeed dry, dark, and desolate, but since it is thy will I am sure it is my good, and therefore sufficient for me, and satisfactory to thee. I hope thou wilt one day complete thy own heavenly design in my soul, healing my wounds, supplying my wants, fulfilling my desires, and filling my yet empty heart with thy sweet presence and perfect love: In the mean space I will say and sing; Live J●sus, Live my Lord, my love, my life, my all! whose name b● blessed by all, whose will be accomplished in all, whose honour be advanced above all. An advertisement, touching the precedent Exercise. 1. We must perform it daily, diligently, discreetly, and with great confidence and courage: 2. Yet without propriety that it may neither hinder the operation of the Holy Ghost within, nor works of due obligation and obedience without. 3. If in the practice of this introversion, we find dryness, and feel little devotion we may sometimes, fitly resume (in lieu of the second part, or consideration), our wont exercises, whereto our minds are more addicted; ending the same with the Conclusion here prescribed, being ever duly disposed to follow the holy Spirits invitation to higher matters. If we faithfully observe these things, we shall infallibly receive comfort, and speedily perceive our own unspeakable profit and progress by the practice of this pious exercise, as being indeed the end of all other external devotions, and the short, sure, simple, and R●gia via, leading to a spiritual, devout, and divine life. The third Maxim. That of all internal Prayer, the affective is most noble, necessary, and profitable. FOr the end and drift of all discursive Prayer, is, to move, inflame, and enkindle our affections in the love of God and virtue; and therefore all discourses must be left by little and little, as our souls can more and more live in Faith, and simplify themselves from material objects, images, and conceptions; and only tend to God by a sweet and secret motion of the will; & an amorous correspondency to the Divine operations, and inward impulses of his holy Spirit; treading down▪ and transcending all things under God, by discreetly forgetting and unknowing them. The fourth Maxim. That Meditation is a seeking, Contemplation a seeing of God. PRayer in general, (according to As is more amply declared in our Introduction to the Spiritual Pilgrimage. the known division) is either Vocal or Mental. Mental Prayer, is, An Elevation of our spirits into God: For as our Creator is elevated above all creatures, so our souls cannot see, talk, and treat with him, purely, and perfectly, but by leaving them all and lifting up themselves above them all. This Elevation is by means of Meditation, Contemplation, Thanksgiving, and Petition: Which 4. Essential parts of Prayer. S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 83. a. 7. are the wings by which our soul▪ fly to God, and the four essential parts of prayer: all others, (as Preparation, lecture, examen, oblation, points, conclusion, and the like), being only accidents, and properties thereof. The difference between Meditation and Contemplation, is this, We Meditate, when we seek after truths, and cast about for reasons The d●fference between Meditation, and to affectionate our wills to the embracing of God's love, Christian virtues, or works of piety and perfection: For our Understandings are (as it were) the Steels, and our Wills the Flints, which no sooner touch each other, but the sparks of holy affections presently fly out, inflaming and actuating our disposed souls with heavenly love. We Contemplate when we steadily Contemplation. and unmovably behold God by Faith, believing that we have him truly with us, and within us; and so leaving all other subjects, objects, reasons and discourses, to look on him as present, love him in silence, and feed on his only satiating sweetness. And this Contemplation is either Ordinary, or Perfect, or Transcendent. Ordinary Contemplation, is when Contemplation is threefold. 1. Ordinary. S. Tho. in. 3. dist. 32. our souls make use of their imagination, and such Species, as they have drawn from sensible objects, (first purified▪ subtilised, and immaterialized by the Understanding)▪ to conduct them to their Creator. Perfect Contemplation, looks directly 2. Perfect. upon the increated light, fixes her view upon the eternal verity, and perches immediately upon the divine being and perfections, without any admixture of fancy, or assistance of creatures. This is called dark Contemplation, because our souls discharged from all inferior objects, and receiving no enlightenings from below, are wholly dazzled, and (as it were) blinded with the bright splendour of God's incomprehensible Majesty, framing no sensible Idea of him, but beholding him with the eyes of faith by way of Negation, and simple adhesion to his divine Essence. Transcendent Contemplation, 3. Transcendent. mounts up yet higher above all intelligible species, and may fitly be termed the Cousin german of beatifical vision, and that last heaven whereunto S. Paul was rap't, where not only all use of Sense is extinguished, and all acting of Understanding abolished; but the spirit is totally transported, absorbed and inflamed with Seraphical love; and the whole inward man is drowned, annihilated, ecstasied, and ineffably united to the Divinity: so that the thus elevated soul can neither say or consider, God is with me or, I am with God; for such advertency or reflection is sensible; whereas this most eminent Contemplation, imports an absolute silence and forgetfulness of ourselves, and all things whatsoever, and an entire conjunction with our Creator, as shall be hereafter further declared. The Practice of the four essential The 4. parts of Prayer, exemplified, parts of prayer; is in this, or the like manner. Taking some mystery of our Saviour's life, (as for example, his praying in the garden of Gethsemani) As is showed in the following Maxim. for our subject or groundwork; we first examine our consciences, ask pardon for our sins, and make resolutions of amendment. Secondly, we give up our will● irrevocably to God, seeking purely his glory, and not our own gust, etc. Then we enter upon the first essential part of Prayer, which is, Meditation; considering our 1. Meditation. dear Redeemer in his bloody sweat, sighing, weeping, praying, and his disciples sleeping; Upon this sad spectacle we make some discourses, concerning the person that suffers, the love wherewith he suffers, the subject for which he suffers. Then our affections being moved 2. Contemplation. by these considerations, and inflamed in God's love, we slide sweetly and insensibly into active Contemplation, leaving all discourses▪ and looking (with our eyes of Faith) upon our suffering Lord. And having melted away in his 3. Thanksgiving. loving presence, for so long time as our Devotion, or the holy Spirits invitation lasts; we hearty thank him for having thus suffered for our salvation. And lastly, we implore his grace, 4. Petition that we may faithfully follow his steps; and above all, that he will grant us his love; which we must filially, affectionately, humbly, and confidently beg at the conclusion of all our exercises. The fifth Maxim. That continual Recollection, is the Exercise of Exercises, and the immediate way to bring us to Perfection and divine Union. THat we may rightly conceive the verity of this Maxim; let us here in the first place take a view of the whole manner, meaning, method, and practice of this sublime exercise, in these ensuing Canons. 1. That all places are proper for Recollection, but the more quiet the more proper. Wheresoever we live, we may and should send up our Petitions, and breathe forth our affections to our every where present Lord and lover, in public and in private, in tempests and in calms, amidst all noises of employments, and in quiet corners of retreat: Job prayed well on a dunghill, and Ionas in the Whale's belly▪ but Judas did not so in his Apostleship, and society of Jesus. Yet when solitude, silence▪ and repose may be obtained, they are the fittest 2, 2. q. 188. a. 8. instruments of Contemplation, and therefore most highly to be prized, and most diligently embraced: I Ose. 2. 14. will lead him into the desert, (says our Lord), and there I will speak to his heart. 2. That to pray on our knees, is a posture most pleasing to God. Let us not hunt for excuses, pretend want of forces, nor cloak our laziness and languour, with that misinterpreted Maxim; That Prayer must have the quietest, easiest, and least constrained composition of body: but rather let us imitate our Lord & Saviour, (since all his actions are our instructions), whose humanity lay often prostrate on the earth, Matt. 26. 39 Mark 14. 35. Ephes. 3. 14. praying, and adoring his divinity and let us follow the example of his Apostle, who frequently bended his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us, I say, submit willingly to this direction unless evident weakness or infirmity hinder us, (for this adoration, and a far higher, is due to the divine Majesty), and therefore let us conceive the contrary to be a manifest temptation of our enemy. 3. That we must (especially at first), prefix to ourselves certain and set times of Recollection. Let us not complain for want of conveniency, time, or opportunity to follow this exercise; for if our wills be ready, time cannot be wanting: If our stomaches call on us for meat, or our bodies for warmth, we can find time to feed and cloth them: are our souls less considerable? Let us rather steal time from our sleep and recreation, than want it for Recollection: And since all our time is given us by God, to be spent in his love and service; let us re-give unto him at least the tithe thereof, and dedicate two hours, of four and twenty, (one in the morning, and the other in the evening) to his particular honour. 4. That we must frame an act of pure Intention, at our entrance into Recollection: as thus, I intent, o my God, to employ each moment of the short time I shall remain in thy presence, in adoring thy Majesty, admiring thy goodness, begging thy pardon for my offences, thy mercy for the souls in Purgatory▪ thy succour for the Church's necessities, thy assistance in such an extremity, thy strength against such an inclination, thy grace for the getting such a virtue: I am here on my knees, (o Lord) to perform these homages, and present these petitions. This Intention will virtually endure the whole time of prayer, and make our seeming idleness, and stillness, active and meritorious. 5. That we must briefly examine our Consciences, and produce acts of Contrition, self-confusion, humility, and resolutions of amendment; Saying from the very bottom of our hearts, in this or the like manner: O my Lord, my God, my 〈◊〉 thou deservest all praise, honour and service, because thou art good, gracious and glorious: I will henceforth rather lose all, than leave thee (o my God), without whom all is nothing: and since thou art so good in thyself, and so good to me, I will (by thy grace) never more offend thee: I will confess my sins, amend my life, perform my penance, walk carefully, humbly, obediently, resignedly in thy presence: to all which I am principally moved by the infinite greatness, beauty, and bounty of thine own divine being, and perfection. In the particular examen of our consciences, (which must never be omitted in the beginning of our Recollection), we must mark to what vice we are most inclined, and wherein we are most frail, and then trample Read the Spir. Confl. c. 7. n. 1. 4. that down, violently and resolutely: for this Captain-imperfection being conquered, the rest will soon yield and submit: And in the next examen, we must impartially search and censure ourselves, and see whether our falls in that kind, are still as frequent as they were formerly: and so set upon our enemy again with fresh fervour, vigour, courage: and constancy, till we have gotten the complete victory. 6. That we must also make an Act of perfect Resignation, before we fall upon this Exercise, Leaving ourselves entirely in God's hands: He is our father, let him dispose of his children, and all that concerns them as he best pleaseth, saying: O my Lord, my father▪ my lover! do with my life, my health, my temporals, my spirituals, my body, my soul, all, all, as thou wilt: I come not hither, to receive my own content, but to learn how to conform me to thy will in all things, and to remain in that very state, (neither more, nor less, nor otherwise) which best pleaseth thy divine Majesty. 7. That we must bring with us, some theme, subject or groundwork of our Prayer and Recollection, As some mystery of our Saviour's life, death, Passion; man's last ends; some vice to be conquered; some virtue to be attained: some divine perfection to be admired; or some jaculatory sentence to be so long stayed on, and chewed, till our souls feel themselves inclined to quit all discoursing and acting, and to remain quiet in an exercise of pure Faith and perfect Resignation, as followeth, 8. That we must look on God by Faith, and leave off all discourse●, When lively conceiving by Faith, that our Lord is in us, and in all things, we humbly beg him to teach us the holy lesson of divine love: and so keeping ourselves in his presence, bidding good night to all creatures, objects, and images whatsoever, (as at this time nothing concerning us), we only and immediately eye the beloved object of our souls, and rest quietly, contentedly, silently, and sweetly absorbed into the Divini●y. 9 That we must carry God with us from our Prayer. Let us not leave our dear Lord in the Oratory, when we rise from Recollection; but bear him along with us continually in our hearts; talking still with him, and of him; eating and drinking in his company; sleeping with him in our arms; negotiating walking recreating doing all things with him, in him, for him, and ever praying and praising him whom we have with us, and within us in the closet of our souls. 10. That we must put on Christ, and imitate his example in all our actions. Our Saviour Christ is our Master, let his life therefore be our model and his practices the patterns which we always study to express and imitate: Let us comport ourselves in eating, drinking, sleeping speaking, praying, and doing all things, as we conceive Christ did,▪ or would do upon the like occasions, if he were now living upon earth in his humanity: Let us study to have this Rule of three always at our finger's ends. 1. To think as Jesus did. 2. To speak as Jesus did. 3. To do as Jesus did: So striving to become (as it were) a Jesus Christ by imitation. Thus briefly we have the whole manner and method of this transcendent Prayer, and divine exercise of Recollection: (to wit, (1.) To get into our retreat, (2.) and there placing ourselves on our knees▪ (3.) Twice every day, (4.) to frame an act of pure Intention, (5.) To examine our consciences, and produce acts of Contrition, (6.) and Resignation, Then to (7.) think on the subject of our prayer, (8.) Leave off all discourses, and look on God by faith, (9▪) Carry God with us from prayer, and (10▪) lastly, put on Christ by imitation.) Which is the short and secure way to divine union and Deiformity, being faithfully performed, discreetly practised, and carefully accompanied with profound humility, perfect obedience, and an absolute submission to our spiritual director, as shall be more fully deduced in the subsequent Maxims. The sixth Maxim. That for this pure, perfect, and Transcendent prayer, no certain Rules can be prescribed. THe ground of all Prayer, even purest, is (as hath been said) some mystery, some devout sentence, some virtue, or some jaculatory dart, etc. until our affection be moved: Now if by continual Introv●rsion and peculiar grace, our Wills are drawn incontinently by the simple view of our beloved Lord, it is needless to use this ordinary means. When our affections are thus enkindled, they break forth into flames of love and aspirations. Then the heat increasing, our Prayer grows more inward, our sighs deeper, our love greater, our hearts more ardent in their desires of Union, which is active Contemplation: Wherewith our souls being overcome and drowned in their lover's presence, leave him to speak, move, act all things with us and within us, and so we sleep in passive Contemplation, freed from all objects of creatures, and sweetly united by pure love to our Creator. The degrees therefore of Prayer in general are these. 1. Devout reading or mixed Prayer. The degrees of Prayer, in general, 2. Vocal Prayer. 3. Meditation or consideration. 4. When the affection is excited, Vocal aspirations. 5. The heat and light increasing, mixed (partly Vocal, partly Mental) affections. 6. Then more still, abstract, and simple Prayer; 7. After which, comes Active Contemplation. 8. And lastly Passive: In which estate, we may and must leave all Rules, and help ourselves by experience, and the ●●ght ●f Earth; but especially by following and humbly obeying the internal motion and attraction of the holy Spirit of God; upon whom chief depends the perfection of this great work. For further explication whereof, The seventh Maxim. That the Contemplative must be very observant of the divine visits, lights, and calls. WE must take heed of tying ourselves to any set forms of words, points, or methods of Mental prayer, after we have made We must tie ourselves to no set methods, some progress in this practice of Recollection; for this were directly to impede the free operation of God's holy Spirit within us: When therefore we shall perceive our souls drawn from discourses to this higher exercise, we must humbly and readily relinquish our former hold, and give scope and leave to the divine invitation; busying ourselves no longer in our former fears and customs, but making use of such inward or outward expressions as fervent love will suggest and furnish us withal; conforming ourselves perfectly to God's will, and cooperating with his grace: yet so, as not to run before it▪ which is the other extreme equally hindering the divine Spirit's intention. Wherefore a quiet▪ indifferent, and industrious attention and correspondency (still willingly giving way to Obedience, for fear of delusion,) is the very best disposition to receive these heavenly visitations. We must not then be troubled, But willingly quit our old customs. if we break our old customs to embrace Gods will: he is the end of all our exercises, and the end being obtained, the means must cease. O how many are called by God, who refuse and resist him, by tying their Spirits to this or that practice, and so bar him from elevating their souls to himself as he pleaseth. They are loath to leave God in their usual Devotions for God in Contemplation: If they begin not their prayers thus, and thus end them they think they have done nothing and remain wholly unsatisfied. Thus they become proprietarians in their Wills, and slaves to their exercises▪ and because they cast not themselves absolutely into the two arms of Gods will and love, they make small progress in the way of solid perfection. The eighth Maxim. That the only way to get true peace of mind, is to be totally Resigned to God. REsignation, is a putting away of What Resignation i●. our own Will, and a placing of God's Will in its stead: it is (as it were) a certain transfusion of our Wills into his; and an unclothing ourselves of all desires, but only that God's holy Will be fully accomplished in heaven and earth. Without this Resignation, we There is no true quiet without it. shall never find quiet in God nor our-selves; and the way to attain to it, is, to receive all that happens, as from God's holy hands, and to be content to bear it as long, and in what manner, and measure he pleaseth: Let us not be troubled (under a false pretence of zeal) at this place, that company, etc. For it is not that, but ourselves who stand in our own light. First then, let us seek God purely in all. 2. See him present in all. 3. Take from him all. 4. Return to him all. Let us be indifferent in all; praise God in all; be quiet and content in all; in sickness and health; in light and darkness; in peace and trouble; in life and death: To be expelled out of Paradise with Adam; to lie full of sores and sorrows with Job on a dunghill; to be forsaken by all with Christ on the cross; to be poor, needy, naked, nothing; being ever ready to say cordially cheerfully, and with an humble and habitual indifferency, Yes, O Father, yes, I will; It pleaseth thee, it shall plea●e me; well, good, best of all: So be it, my good Lord, for time and eternity, in this and in all things. A soul thus resigned, can never be troubled with any cross or calamity, for she eyes Gods Will and embraces his Providence in all occurrences; nothing toucheth her, but only th●t his divine pleasure is not perfectly performed in herself and in all creatures. If in her prayers, she be seized with How to be resigned in desolations. dryness, dulness, desolation, she gratefully confesseth that state to be best for the perfecting of her spirit: She neither complains of, nor considers her inproficiency in her pious exercises; for she comes not to prayer for gusts or graces, but to do Gods will, to receive what he pleaseth, to suffer what ●e permitteth. And because this Resignation is the Key of her true progress, she makes frequent and fervent acts thereof in this or the like manner. Take my Will totally to thee, O Acts of Resignation. my God govern it absolutely, and submit it perfectly to thine own: and because I cannot deliver it up, O my dear Lord, as thou desirest, take it from me by violence, cut off all impediments, break all my fetters for me, bring me forcibly, and bend me absolutely to a blessed conformity with thy Will and pleasure. Let my whole employment in this life, be the practice of this point! Let me neither think of pain, nor look upon recompense; but resignedly behold thee, because thou art in thyself so good▪ so great, so glorious, so amiable, so admirable. I give up my Will, O divine Artist, to be plunged, purified, polished, hammered, filled and fired in the furnace of thy love; O do with it, and with me, as thou best knowest and pleasest: 'Tis for this I now come to prayer, and for this only; that I may be taught this happy lesson of denying mine own, and doing thy Will. Or thus briefly; Lord! I put my Will (and al● that concerns me, inwardly out wardly, temporally, eternally,) into thy holy hands; dispose of all a● thou pleasest, and direct me in a● to do thy divine Will. Having made this act and oblation, let us reflect seriously upon what we have said and done; and that in giving away our Will, we have put the best pawn we have into God's hands, and out of our own power: let us then beware of so infamous and ignoble an action, as to re-take the gift so solemnly delivered, or to do again our own will in any thing whatsoever. The ninth Maxim. That a Contemplative soul, must lay a solid groundwork to serve her in time of Desolation. FOr no soul can in this life be always elevated to the Divinity, and therefore will sometimes need a stay to rest upon, till she can take breath, and repair her forces in order to her higher soarings in Contemplation. This resting place, This groundwork, may be Christ's humanity. may most fitly be the Humanity of Christ, which is the very way and door to the Divinity; upon which (when she returns to herself after she hath been absorbed into the divine light,) she may confidently rely and repose: And without this prop, the higher she ascends, the lower will be her fall back again. The tenth Maxim. That in this high Exercise of Recollection, the three Theological virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, must perfect and possess the three powers of our souls, Understanding, Memory, and Will. IT is, in the first place to be observed, (as an undoubted truth) that a foul cannot (in this life) be united to God immediately by her understanding, memory, will, imagination, or any other sense, power, or faculty whatsoever; but only by the means of Faith in her Understanding, by Hope in her Memory and by Love in her Will. These three virtues must therefore Read F. Cisnerius. ch. 65. be introduced, (by our cooperation with the divine grace) into the said three powers of our souls, in the purest and perfectest manner that is possible, if we will arrive at the height of divine Union. 1. Faith, must so possess our Understanding, as to deprive it (for that present) of all other knowledge than that of God only. 2. Hope, must blot out of our memory all images▪ and thoughts of possessing any thing, but God only. 3. Charity, must unclothe our Wills of all affections, joys, contents▪ satisfactions in any thing, that is not God only: For Faith, tells us of things which cannot be understood by natural light and reason; Hope, looks upon such things as we have not, hold not, possess not; and Charity, retires our love from all creatures, to employ it all, on our Creator. The three powers therefore of our soul, must be perfected by these three virtues; our Understandings, must be informed with this pure Faith; our Memories unclothed of all possession by this pure Hope; and our Wills filled with divine affections by this pure Charity; Thus refusing, denying, and emptying our whole souls, of all that is not this perfect Faith, hope, and charity. In this divine practice is found an absolute assurance against all the subtle snares of the devil and self-love; for a soul which is thus entirely denuded and stripped of all active knowledge, possession, and love of things created, must needs remain in God, in a certain tranquillity, passiveness cessation, sleep, annihilation, absorption: so that there can nothing be found out of God, for Satan, sin, or sensuality to attempt against. But to facilitate the intelligence and practice of this high matter, (upon which foundation stands the whole edifice of this holy Recollection and divine Union) let us particularly deduce and exemplify, how the Understanding is to be placed in pure faith, the Memory, in pure hope, and the Will in pur● charity. The eleventh Maxim. That our Understandings mu● be settled in pure Faith. THe practice of this point, is thu● F. Cisnerius ch. 28. Having conceived some mystery of our Saviour's Passion, or the like for the subject of our prayer; we ruminate a while upon it, not ● much to admire our Lord Jesus, a● imitate him; and we desire to know his virtues, that we may practi●e them in our own particular, by hi● perfect example. Then we make an Act of Faith An act of Faith. saying; I firmly believe that this my suffering Saviour, is not only a man, but also my Sovereign Lord God: I believe that he being Almighty, submitted himself to Pilate, being the creator became a creature, being immortal became mortal; and that in as much as he i● God, he is with me, within me, without me, about me, above me, beneath me, and so in all creatures which have a being. Afterwards, we speak further to our Saviour; O my dearest Lord and lover, Teach me now my lesson, that in requital of what thou hast done for me, I may keep thee company in thy sufferings. And then we quit all discourses, thinking we have no understanding at all left, and looking on our sweet Saviour only by Faith, which hath this property (says S. Thomas) to S. Tho. of Aquin. elevate the soul to God, and free it from all creatures: For so long as there are discourses in our Understanding, images in our Memory, joys or tenderness in our Will, these powers have not pure God but sensible things for their object; because God being above all sensibility, must be found without all creatures; and consequently if we can be totally abstracted from all things created, we shall infallibly lay hold on our Creator. 'Tis therefore impossible (says St. Denys. the divine S. Denys) to be truly united to God▪ unless we leave all material operations, both in sense and in spirit; that is▪ unless we lay aside all senses, all discourses, all imaginations, and all ways of humane wisdom: Till we can do this▪ let us not think to become perfect Contemplatives. The twelfth Maxim. That our Memories must be settled in pure Hope. WHich is done by forgetting all things created▪ heaven, earth, ourselves, all; & being wholly taken up with God, and absorbed in the Divinity. So that by a simple remembrance that we are with God, (without looking back to reiterate the same reflection) we repose and slumber sweetly in him; staying upon no image whatsoever even of our Saviour himself; for as he, (in as much as concerns his humanity), called Joh. 14. 6. himself the way; so he thereby insinuated, that we were not to remain in the way, but to march on to our ways end, which is his Divinity. No marvel then, if we find in The doctrine of mystical Divines explicated. the prescripts of mystical Divines this doctrine; That to arrive at the height of Contemplation, we must leave off all sort of Meditation, though it be on the life and death of our Lord and Saviour; because in all Meditation, there is ever something that is sensible to which nature applying itself, hinders our souls from soaring up to the fineness and quintessence of Contemplation, which is (and can be) only a pure, spiritual, and insensible thing. 'Tis true, that the consideration of the life and death of our loving Saviour, is a most powerful means to mount up to this contemplation of his Divinity; but let us not make that the end, which is but the means and way to it. The thirteenth Maxim. That our Wills must be settled in pure Charity. THis is done, by withdrawing it from all sort of Joy proceeding from any natural, supernatural, or moral good. Joy, is a certain content which our wills take in something we prise; How all Joy is to be quitted and this Joy is either Active, when we may leave it; or Passive, when it is not in our power to quit it. Now, to take Joy and content in natural goods, as, health, wealth, friends, etc. Or, wit, sagacity, discretion, etc. Is a plain vanity. To joy in moral goods, as in the exercise of virtue, etc. Is to imitate the Pagan Philosophers, who loved virtue for virtue's sake; and made that their end, which is only our way to it. Supernatural goods, are either the gratuite gifts of God, as the working of miracles, etc. And we must unclothe our wills from any Joy proceeding from these prerogatives, since they may be conferred upon reprobates: Or they are such goods as have relation to sanctifying grace, as Faith, etc. Which if they are not accompanied with perfect Charity and final Perseverance, are nothing worth; and nothing, can be no true subject of joy. We may here take notice, how little reason some persons have to be troubled, because they have not these extraordinary gifts; when as they may be rather impediments, (if ill used, or overmuch adhered unto) than helps to divine Union: For (says S. Denys), all these things are S. Denys. not God, but only some effects of his favour, ordered by his providence to endear us in his love. Thus the three powers of our souls, Understanding, Memory, and Will, are to follow their three objects, Faith, Hope, and Charity: Now our Lord is our loving Master, to whom we must have continual recourse, and who seeing our longing desires and diligent endeavours, will infallibly instruct us in the particular and unexplicable ways of this divine and perfect Contemplation. The fourteenth Maxim. That this Exercise of Recollection and Annihilation, is the short and secure way to divine Union. FOr a soul which is truly humbled and annihilated, hinders not at all Gods holy operation within her, but leaves herself in his hands (not at all relying upon any discourse or imagination which is coined in her F. Cisnerius ch. 29. own mint), as a child in his mother's arms, who corrects it, cherishes it, washes it, and orders it, as she pleaseth: And must not this needs be the shortest, nearest, surest and most proportionate way to divine Union? For before God created us, we were either nothing at all; or we were in Gods Ideal being; and so were God himself, because all that is in God is God; now his divine Majesty gave us our present being, and we losing ourselves, because we abused this our being, have no better way to regain ourselves than by a no-being; that so we may come to be that which we are not, by denying that being which we are. O secure annihilation! What can hurt that which is nothing? If we thus leave ourselves will-less, self-less, being-less, we suddenly become plunged into the increated being of God, and living in him only by Faith, Hope, and Love, our enemy (as is already said) finds nothing to lay hold on, because our annihilated souls are not where but in God, where they are securely covered and protected under his wings; and who is obliged, (if we may say it), to be our bulwark of defence, against all assaults of our enemies. The fifteenteth Maxim. That all sorts of people may safely addict themselves to this holy exercise of Recollection. 'TIs true, that this way of Prayer is delicate and slippery, for Beginners to tread in. Yet if they will faithfully observe those few necessary precautions here prescribed, they will find (to their unspeakable comfort), that most true in themselves, which experience hath proved F. Cisnerius ch. 22. to be true in others: who though deeply engaged in worldly vanities and affections, falling seriously, resolutely, courageously and humbly, upon Divine Contemplation and Recollection, became, (after some time employed in purging their souls from sin, and settling themselves in virtue, according to counsel and obedience), quickly truly, and totally changed; and were conducted, (as it were by a nearer cut), without pains and tediousness, to higher perfection, than by the ordinary ways of discursive meditation they could in long time have attained. For this is most certain, That If we use our endeavours, Go● always gives us his grace. God denies not his grace to them, who do what ly's ●n their own power. Now any one of us (being assisted with God's grace, and a good will), may do this which follows: 1. We may purge our souls from sin, by Confession, contrition, satisfaction; the means ordained by God and his Church. 2. Resign and give up ourselves, and all that we have, are, and can, to God's Divine Majesty. 3. Adore him in spirit and truth, and present ourselves before him, as his poor, needy, naked creatures. 4. Abstract our Understandings, Memories, and Wills, from all objects and images of creatures, though never so good, high, and holy. 5. Enter into the obscurity of Faith, hope, and love, and leave our souls, as it were, sleeping and swallowed up in the abysses of the Divinity. Finally, all we have to do, is briefly this; We must leave our houses empty, that our Lord and lover may take full possession: and then we may assure ourselves, that at the very instant, in which our dear Lord shall find our hearts vacant, he will enter presently into them, inhabit them, instruct them, and show them how sweet he is to those souls, which Lam. 5. 25. truly seek him. Let us but persever constantly, and courageously, in this pious practice, and we shall soon perceive our unspeakable profit and progress: and though it seems to ourselves, that we perform it with much impurity and imperfection; yet our continued endeavours, enabled with Gods concurring grace, will speedily raise us up to divine Union. The sixteenth Maxim. That outward Observances are helps in the practice of this Exercise. ALl external practices, duties, and mortifications, as fastings, Read F. Cisner●us ch. 68 disciplines, retirements, vocal devotions, etc. must be directed to further our internal conversation with God, and to help us in the acquisition of solid virtue and divine Union: for else they will but puff us up, and make us proud of nothing; profiting little, with much labour. Yet we must be wary of offending against the least ordinance of We must not offend against the least ordinance, etc. the Church, order of the House, or disposition of our Superiors; we must be conscientious, careful, and punctual in each ceremony and constitution; omitting nothing upon pretence that it is no great matter, not commanded under sin, or not much conducing to our spiritual advancement: For this is a token of an ignorant, unfaithful, or indiscreet spirit. God's will, is as well in little as in great things; and who so is careless in small matters, will soon fail in higher. The seventeenth Maxim. That Prayer for others is best practised by a general intention. WE are not lightly to promise We must not lightly promise, the performance of particular Prayers for others, either living or dead. This sort of charity, hinders, diverts, and dissipats our souls; breeding multiplicity, when as one thing is only necessary. We must therefore omit all such obligations, as may renew old affections; and Nor oblige ourselves to pray for others. labour to forget and forsake all, that we may more purely adhere to one, who is our all in all: wherefore let this general, virtual, and cordial intention, suffice for all cases of this nature. First, that we desire to be partakers of all prayers, sacrifices, and merits of the whole Church militant and triumphant, as far as God shall please and we need. Next that we intent to pray for all, (and especially for them who have desired it, or to whom we stand any way engaged), as we do for ourselves. And this without any personal reflection, is more profitable to our friends, and less prejudicial to ourselves: All which is to be understood, when no peculiar promise, occasion, or circumstance, induceth a special obligation and performance. The eighteenth Maxim. That all virtues are best practised by addicting ourselves to Contemplation, or this internal Exercise of Recollection. THe chief way to practise virtue, and prevent temptations, is not by a direct and formal reflection upon them, which imprints images in the soul, and averts her from attending purely to God in her interior: But by a virtuous and vigorous The practice of all virtues in contemplation. binding of her will to God: for being thus seriously and sweetly intent to him only, she can by a happy disdain forget and pass over, or through, all occurring difficulties; and so behave herself orderly and discreetly, as to content both God and man. Now that all virtues in particular are thus most excellently practised; it appears, first in Faith: Whereof Of Fa●th. we are taught to make a lively Act in the entrance to this exercise. And what way can this virtue be more heroically put in use, than to have our souls lifted above all sensible objects, all discourse, all humane wisdom? Hope is here practised: for we Hope. lie prostrate at God's feet as poor beggars, hoping to obtain his grace in order to the performance of his Will; and expecting all good from his mere mercy. Here also our Love is exercised: Charity. because our Will covets nothing but to content our Creator, and rests separated from all that is not himself▪ for the sole love of him. Here is the practise of perfect Resignation. Resignation: for we wish neither quiet nor disquiet, glory nor infamy, pleasure nor pain, but only the fulfilling of God's Will, and a desire to be left in what state he best likes. Patience, must be here necessarily Patience, practised, in respect of the crosses and contradictions suggested by So called by Thaulerus. sensuality in this afflicting exercise. All sin is here destroyed; For that is an aversion from our Creator, and a conversion to creatures: but Destruction of sin. here (by means of perfect Faith) we remain (as it were) agglutinated to God, and governed by his inward grace, which stills all outward motions, stifles all concupiscences, and makes us unknowing and forgetful of ourselves, and all things created. As for Mortification it is here Mortification. S. Greg. the great. practised in a high degree: For he that tastes the sweets of the Spirit, grows soon disgusted with all carnal delights; here the flesh is totally supplanted, and the senses quieted; for the eyes see no outward object, the ears attend to no noise, the tongue remains silent, the understanding contemns all curiosities, the memory draws a curtain over all images; the will is disengaged from willing or nilling any thing; finally here is an entire destruction of all sensuality. Obedience is perfectly practised, Obedience. because the wings of discourse are clipped, and the understanding captivated by Faith. Humility can no where more Humility. appear, than when a soul is so annihilated, as to trust neither little nor much to herself. O Rich nothing! What spiritual mines, what Masses of treasures doth a soul find, that hath thus happily lost herself in her loving Lord? Adoration, sacrifice, devotion, and Adoration and all acts of Religion. all acts of Religion, are here effectually practised; & in a word, if we will be perfect, (says Thaulerus), we must learn this abstraction, that is, this suspension of discourse, and silencing all the workings of Fancy, understanding, memory, will; leaving our souls to the absolute conduct of our Loving Lord, according to the doctrine here delivered; which is the short and secure way to make all our actions divine and celestial. Some examples for the practice of this divine way of Prayer. 1. Receiving the Blessed Sacrament, Examples. How to communicate. I say to my heavenly guest; My God, make me partaker of these sacred mysteries, that my soul may enjoy the effects for which they were by you instituted: Then being secured by my act of Faith, that I have received his body, blood, soul, divinity, etc. I settle myself in this holy idleness and abstraction before described, and remain silent and recollected, harkening what my dear Lord will speak within me. 2. So when I have taken some point of my Saviour's Passion for How to pray. the subject of my prayer, I say; O my Lord, communicate to my soul what you endured in this mystery, to the end she may enjoy those effects, for which you suffered it, etc. 3. In like manner, when I go to How to take our rest. take my rest, I say; Silence my soul! for our God is here present, with us▪ and within us: and in this verity, Recollecting myself in him, I rest all night in prayer▪ (or at least, my Lord allows it me as if I did), because my soul covets to continue in the same happy abstraction recollection, and annihilation▪ during the whole time of sleep. 4. Thus a virtuous, introverted, And do all things to God's glory. 1 Thessal. 5. 17. and recollected soul, doing what lies in her to rest always in her Centre (which is God,) may follow and fulfil the Apostles counsel, which is, to pray continually, and do all things, (even her natural and necessary actions, of eating, drinking, sleeping &c.) to God's glory; and these pure desires and intentions, render them all meritorious. Some further advices for the practice of this pure Prayer. 1. Before we thus recollect ourselves in God, we may make what The first adulce. acts we please; but after we are entered into it we are to remain still, quiet▪ silent insensible, unmoveable as a stock to be fashioned, or a stone to be carved, according to the heavenly workman's design: we must leave ourselves entirely to be moved and managed, as best likes our great Master, who both knows what be our necessities, and how, and when, to supply them. 2. We must take special notice, The second adulce. That as all Arts have their proper terms; So this sacred science of Mystical Divinity, hath its peculiar phrases and expressions: Divine matters may not be handled according to the manner and method of School subtleties; but are to be represented only with simplicity, piety, and a holy liberty of words, which Contemplatives make use of, without metaphysical questions and arguments. When therefore we find in St. How to understand mystical writers. Bonaventure, Eschius, Thaulerus, Rusbrochius, Blosius and others, That a soul divinely and intimately united to God, doth clearly see and experience what she obscurely believed by faith; we are not to infer, Read Cisn●rius ch. 29. that she therefore loseth her faith in this life; for this Mystical experience takes not away our faith, but fortifies, comforts, an● clears it. So when it is usually said b● these spiritual writers, That suc● a degree of Contemplation, of virtue, or of pure love, is the very t● of perfection; It is not meant, tha● a soul which is ascended thither can climb no higher in this he● exile: for that highest degree o● perfection hath a latitude of many degrees of grace; whereby a soul may still increase in sanctity, and ascend each moment to a nearer vicinity with her Creator, When likewise we meet with this doctrine, A soul arrived at Union and Transformation, carries herself passively, she acts not but suffers, God doth all within her, etc. We are to understand, that such a soul doth very little or nothing in comparison of what she did in her former discursive exercises; because she here in this state, finds all done in an instant; and therefore leaves those painful employments, to repose sweetly in a kind of holy idleness of Contemplation and Union with God; which pacifies all her senses, silences all discourses, and lulls all her powers asleep with his charning love and ravishing presence: All which notwithstanding, she remains still here actually loving and looking on her Lord, and consequently is not totally idle, but is in cooperation with his grace. In this sense, St. Denys said; The S. Denys. Ch. 7. de div. nom. Soul of Blessed Hierotheus was heightened to such a Union with God, that it suffered more than it acted, because in this passive contemplation, the soul follows not her accustomed operations: as we see our Understanding works not so much, when it receives its aliment from a higher knowledge, as when it gets it by constrained and laborious discourse; nor our Will in like sort, which commonly follows the motives proposed by the Understanding, to which it is united. The 3. advice, of the practice of ●aith, Hope, and Charity. 3. That which is most important in this exercise of Recollection, is the practice of Faith, Hop● and Charity: For by the Act of Faith, all our knowledge is annihilated; by the act of Hope▪ all ou● worth is evacuated, in denying ou● own forces and relying merely o● God's assistance; by the act of Charity, all our wills and affections (which are not God, in God, for God,) are abandoned: So that by these three Acts the whole ma● is drowned, suppressed, stifled; and consequently our enemy the Devil finds nothing at all to lay hold on, nor any way open for his entrance into our annihilated hearts; but is constrained to return always foiled and ashamed of his ineffectual efforts. 4. Beginners in this exercise, The fourth advice. For Beginners. must vigorously apply themselves unto it for some time, till use and experience fashion them into a habit of recollection; they must therefore in the first place, carefully cleanse their interior from all objects whatsoever and than lock up themselves wi●h God in this inward retreat: for as in vain we shut our doors and windows▪ if the thief be already hid in our house; so the closing of our senses from exterior objects, furthers little or nothing, if in our interior there lurks any thing which is not God. 5. In all our vocal and mental The fifth advice, of our attention to God. devotions, our chief aim must be Attention to God: There are three sorts of attentions. 1. To the words, which is good. 2. To the sense, which is better. 3. To God, (who is the only end of all our prayer), which is best of all. Let our S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 83. a. 13. thoughts therefore abstract from all created objects though never so good, and fix steadfastly upon the increated and essential goodness. This is the main thing we must aspire to during the whole course of our life, not only in our prayers, but in all our practices, To be more attentive to our Lord and love, than to the action we have in hand: This is the Philosophy of perfect lovers, to live more truly where they love, than where they breath. 6. It is not here intended (by The sixth advice. the precedent doctrine), that a soul should not at all meditate upon the That from Meditation we must rise to Contemplation. subject or theme of her prayer nor chew it first by attentively considering it: No, this is not dissuaded but counselled: Only we add, th● assoon as affections are sufficienty kindled, and that our elevated sou● can procure to put themselves upon the aforesaid abstraction, recollection, and contemplation, they presently embrace it, and leave off all discourses which are proper for Schools & Sermons, not for Prayer and Contemplation: It sufficeth us therefore to remember the mystery, apprehend it throughly, imprint it deeply in our hearts, and then to observe the prescribed order: For when one hath sufficiently heard and understood what can be said for his good, he needs neither hear nor speak more of it but presently fall to practise: In this case to hearken after new things, seems more tending to satisfy curiosity▪ than to the increase of inward virtue as he that eats before he hath digested his former meals▪ nourisheth bad humours, but nothing betters his own bodily strength. 7. When therefore any distinct The 7. advice. That we must stay upon no objects or images. notions, forms, or images, intrude themselves into our memories, let us not stay in them, but return amorously to our Lord present within us, think no more of all those varieties, than is absolutely necessary for the knowledge and performance of our duties. The best way therefore to increase our inward strength of spirit. is to work courageously and suffer patiently in silence and solitude, forgetting all creatures, unkowing all objects, transcending all humane events and accidents. What though the whole world perished? though the frame of heaven and earth were dissolved? What is that to t●ee? follow thou thy Lord and love. For indeed he that hath his mind diverted and The 8. advice. How God is to be proposed to our understanding, in an eminent and Negative way. distracted with such fancies in prayer, is little attentive to God's presence. 8. As concerning our Understanding and Will: We are to take notice, that when the Understanding proposeth God to the Will, as just, wise, powerful, or under an● particular attribute; the Will is elevated by that sight alone; and so that act of love is limited lock'● up, and less perfect, than if God were proposed under a most eminent way and as the supreme being, surpassing infinitely all that can fall within the verge of humane conceptions in this life. Though therefore the Understanding may and can propose some positive and particular conception of God to the Will; yet it is far better, and of higher perfection, to do it in common, confusedly and negatively: for our truest knowledge of God, S. Greg. the great. l. 5. moral. c. 26. is to know that we can fully know nothing of him. This is to know by ignorance; and it is signified by Elias, covering his eyes with his cloak when God passed before him; because all our knowledge is disproportionate to God, and therefore we must shut our eyes, totally▪ if we will contemplate him perfectly. O holy ignorance! What Peasant Read Cisnerius. c. 28 is so simple, what Soul, (endued with ordinary capacity) is so senseless, as not to conceive, and comprehend the easy art of this excellent manner of Prayer: for having been admitted to Faith, and adorned with the gifts of the holy Ghost, in baptism, she hath all that is required to make her capable of this Contemplation. We deny not, but that she stands in need of God's special assistance to elevate her to this height; for this Maxim is always presupposed; That God concurs to humane acts, as the first cause, and to supernatural acts, as the author of grace. As for passive or infused Contemplation as it is altogether supernatural, so it is totally Gods work: and this we possess when we See S. Aug. l. 19 c. 2. the civet. Dei. The 9 advice. To take and make use of what is most to ou● spiritual purpose. cannot at all meditate, and yet persever in this holy amorous, and negotiative idleness. 9 If what is here set down for the practice of this Prayer, seems intricate or tedious to any one; let such a soul make choice of that she conceives expedient for her comfort, and leave the rest: for it is not intended that she should be tied to this or that way but only that she should be convinced and confirmed in this truth; That to behold God with a sim●le understanding (which is the same thing with active Contemplation) is more pleasing to him, and profitable to herself, than to seek after him by the sublimest discourses. Retire therefore (o contemplative souls!) from all sensible and intelligible objects; and recollect, abstract, annihilate, and lose yourselves in God: for there (even in the most refined conceptions), your enemy may find ground to pitch his nets but here you are in sanctuary and safety where he can never reach or touch you: Here, and here only in this silence from all discourses; in An exhortation to Contemplation. this solitude from all creatures; in this idleness from all action; in this retreat into the Divine Bosom; in this resignation and conformity to Gods will; you may taste his sweetness in its proper source: here and here only are full and overflowing measures of delight. Created pleasures scarcely reach the soul before they are consumed in the senses; and therefore can never quench our inward thirst after God: 'Tis he alone is capable to content and quiet us, who is our first beginning, and our final end: And who so dives into this truth, will make higher account of one crumb of this contemplation, than of all earthly crowns and kingdoms. The nineteenth Maxim. That corporal austerities, must be always subject to obedience. AUsterities, are sometimes necessary, sometimes obligatory, and sometimes dangerous. 1. By necessary austerities, are Austerities are either 1. Necessary, meant the restraint of our senses, tongues, conversation, self-will: and in this sort of mortification, there is no danger of excess. 2. Those austerities which are 2. Obligatory, commanded, must be preferred before them which are voluntary. 3. Corporal austerities are most dangerous 3. or dangerous. & least profitable, when performed by order of our own Will, without entire submission to Superiors direction, for these are more worthy of reprehension, than praise. But the chief austerity of life, consists in the continual application of ourselves to interior recollection, The chief austerity is continual Recollection. introversion, and contemplation: For here we perpetually chain up our thoughts, yoke all our senses, reform our appetites, correct the disorders of our passions▪ regulate our actions, shackle our Wills, and admit nothing into our souls▪ which may retard or trouble their total tendance to their Lord and lover: So that in the opinion of all spiritual men, this is the most rigorous mortification, and most meritorious way of doing penance. For what is this continual prayer, but an absolute bondage of the whole inward and outward man? since we may not taste, touch, will, do, any thing we have a mind too. And though this blessed slavery may bring us in time to a heavenly tranquillity of life; yet the due and daily practice of this denial and death of the Will, doth so extenuate our truly mortified bodies, that they rather need sometimes to be cherished, than to be any further punished. The twentieth Maxim. That Contemplatives must always have the seven verities, (which concern the divine nature, whereupon all Contemplation is grounded), either habitually, or formally in their memories. 1. THat God is an eternal being: 1 God is an Eternal, he hath ever been, and ever will be, and 'tis impossible for him to be otherwise. 2. That God is an interminable 2. Interminable, being: he so fills and penetrates all things, and all places, that his being borns them, and not they him, who is an infinite fullness. 3. That God is a simple being: 3. Simple, he is all in all creatures all without them, and all in each part of them; because having in himself no parts by reason of h●s infinite simplicity, he must necessarily be with all his perfection, wheresoever he is. 4. That God is an unchangeable 4. Vnchangeable, being: he can neither change in respect of place, because he i● every where; nor in respect of time, for he is eternal; nor in what concerns himself, by reason he is an infinite perfection; and therefore there is in him nothing superfluous to reject, nor defective to repair. 5. That God is an independent 5. Independent, being: All things depend on him, live in him, are conserved by him; and all being is ordained to the glory of his bounty, whence they had their beginning. 6. That God is an all-sufficient 6. Al-sufficient, being: he remedies all that is amiss, supplies all that is wanting, communicates all that is good, satisfies all desires, without the least diminution of his own infinite perfections. 7. That God is an incomprehensible 7. Incomprehensible being. being: no created understanding can comprehend what God is; All our knowledge is too silly and short to reach his heights; yet our spirits are dilated by the light of Faith; and though our Creator may not be comprehended by the creature, yet he may be known by whom he pleaseth, when he pleaseth, and as much as he pleaseth. These verities, and other infinite perfections of God, give light to our dark and weak understandings, in order to the knowledge of his Sovereign Essence. The 21. Maxim. That Jaculatory Prayers, are the nearest dispositions to Contemplation. IF a soul finds great difficulty to This is the doctrine of S. Bonaven▪ circa finem mist. Theol. unwind herself from worldly imaginations, and to apply herself to God by recollection; let her content herself in breathing forth hearty these or the like short words: [O my Lord, when shall I love you? When shall I embrace you?] Let her repeat them affectionately and perseverantly, and she shall sooner be inflamed with divine love, than by the subtle consideration of the greatest secrets of heaven: for 'tis the Will which unites us to God, not the Understanding. These acts of the Will, are the spiritual wings of the soul to lift her up & unite her to her beloved object, they are short, sharp, and swift darts and desires, shot by our burning hearts, and reaching heaven in an instant. Our forefathers the Saints frequently Read the 10. collation of John Cassian. c 10. used them, and most highly prised them: for being short, they trouble not the memory; being fervent, they rouse our dulness and dryness to affection and devotion; being frequent, they still renew our attendance to God's presence, and put us perpetually in mind of our duties. The practice of this exercise, is Read the Spiritual Confl. ch. 13. n. 12. to take occasion from all objects, actions, and accidents, to pray▪ and praise God Do we eat? let us give God thanks. Do we walk abroad? Let us praise him who produced all things which we behold, from the abyss of nothing. Do we look up to heaven's beauty? Let us admire the Creator in his creatures? etc. Have we sinned, or are we tempted? Let us lift up our hearts to God, and say, O Lord, permit me not to fall and offend thee. To die? alas, I am content when thou disposest: but to sin? O preserve me from this disaster! Other times let us burst forth into aspirations of love; as My beloved for me, and I for him. Of Resignation; as, Not my will, o Lord, but thine be done. What do I desire in heaven or earth, but thee, o my God. Of pure intention; as, 'Tis for you, o my God, that I fast; 'tis for your sake that I obey my Superior; 'tis to please you that I study, work, pray, etc. Your will, o Lord, is mine; your content is mine: I have no other I or No, but as you will or will not; all my pleasure is only to please you, etc. This rule is to be observed, that An observation. though all jaculatory prayers are good yet those are best, most profitable and powerful, which our hearts, (moved by God), conceive of themselves, though they be expressed in words never so plain and simple. Nor is there any need of much variety of aspirations; for one only word, being often and amorously repeated, may serve for many days when our souls find therein gu● and profit, and speak unto him whom they look upon as present with their eyes of Faith. This exercise is most easy, and most efficacious: and they who shall piously persever in it, sha●l soon find their hearts inflamed with God's love, and changed from all worldly affections. The 22. Maxim. That the Presence of God, is the great exercise of Contemplatives, and the shortest way to divine Union. THis exercise is called great, because Why called the great exercise, God himself taught it in the world's infancy to his faithful servant Abraham: I am thy God, (saith he), and thy protector, walk in my presence, and thou shalt be perfect. It is called the shortest way to And shortest way to union. divine Union; because it is a summary of all the exercises of prayer, and which alone will conduct our souls to the hidden treasure of perction, and replenish them with those celestial riches, which our loving Lord is wont to communicate to his dearest friends in this life. God is present in several manners How God is present in divers manners. according to our understanding: 1. He is every where present by his essence; which being infinite, cannot be contained within the limits of any place. 2. He is every where present by his power: He moves the heavenly orbs, fixes the earth, governs all his creatures, etc. 3. He is particularly present in heaven, by the demonstrations of his glory. 4. He is specially present in holy places, by grace, benediction, and readiness to hear their Petitions, bless their persons, and accept their sacrifices of praise, who shall there unanimously meet to present them. 5. He is especially present in the hearts of his holy people, by the inhabitation of his holy Spirit. 6. He is especially present in the consciences of all men, where he sits as witness, and judge of all their actions, good and bad. For the practice of this exercise Seven similitudes for the practice of God's presence. of God's presence, we may help our thoughts with these seven similitudes, stirring up in our souls an ardent desire to feel the like effects of his Al-present Majesty. 1. How the soul is in the body; all in the whole, and all in every part of it, moving, animating, informing all; giving it life, beauty, etc. 2. How the meat we eat is digested and changed into our substance, etc. 3. How a little worm lying in the warm Sunshine is environed about with the beams made bright, hot and as it were, burned and inflamed etc. 4. How a black coal amidst a great fire, is ignified, all on fire, and well nigh all fire. 5. How a little piece of paper, is pierced through with oil falling on it; which by degrees dilates itself all over, that the whole seems rather oil than paper. 6. How a small quantity of water in a vessel of wine, is swallowed up, lost changed, annihilated, and turned into wine. 7. How a sponge in the midst of the Ocean, is all compassed within and without, absorbed, imbued, possessed, and as it were, inebriated with water, etc. O that we could always have S. Augustin. de verbis Domini c. 3. this actual faith and thought, that God stands a present witness and judge of all our do; that if we go forth he spies us; if we go in he sees us; if we light the candle he observes us; when we put it out, he also marks us; should we not behave ourselves as becomes so holy a presence? should we not be very impious and impudent to give up the reigns to sin, and sensuality? O that we would alwaits ruminate and remember this real verity, That God is the great eye of the world, watching over our actions; an ever-open ear, to hear all our words; and an unwearied arm to crush sinners into ruin how speedily would sin cease amongst us? how soon should we obtain an habitual fear and reverence of God? What greater engagement can we have to walk unblamably, than to consider we act before that judge, who is infallible in his sentence, Boetius l. 5. de consola. all-knowing in his information severe in his wrath, and powerful to inflict punishment? This perpetual eyeing of God▪ is properly a building to him a Chapel in our hearts, into which we may securely and sweetly retire in the midst of all worldly varieties. This is to walk with God▪ (as Enoch did;) and to be in continual conversation with the Divinity. A more sublime way to practise God's presence: is To look always upon him without any discourse, by a simple act of lively Faith: not to question how, or in what manner he is present; nor to A higher way to practice God's presence. fix our eyes upon his inaccessible splendours; because it is yet night for us, we are but travellers, and we must expect until the bright day of eternity shine upon us and show him unto us as he is in himself; we must not think here to behold him, but be content to believe him present with us and within us, and that we live, move, and have our being in, and by him. In this manner of practising God's presence, it is not needful to form any conception, or representation of God; as that he is here by us, or in any designed place, or in such a form or figure: for we speak here of the presence of God as he is God, which excludes all these imaginations: And therefore it sufficeth to behold him only by Faith, simply believing that he is here and in all places, that he fills the whole universe, and each corner and creature therein contained S. Augus●. and that he is more inward to us than we are to ourselves. The 23. Maxim. That Humiliation is a relic of God's love. WHen any occasion is offered us, of humiliation, abjection, or mortification, let us not examine, how, whence, or from whom it comes but joyfully accept it, embrace it▪ and kiss it, as a rich relic, and royal token of God's great love and favour towards us: Let us force our sensuality to swallow it down and digest it; for though it be bitter, it will purge and perfect our spirits. The 24. Maxim. That Humility is the solid groundwork of all Spirituality. WE are to grave this necessary lesson, not only upon our Oratory, and in all our books▪ but upon the very doors of our hearts, and in the depth of our souls: Learn of me, who am meek and humble-hearted, Christ's lesson, is humility. Mat. 11. 29. and you shall find rest for your souls. O sweet Saviour! O meek and merciful lamb of God teach me this lesson, which I stand in such need of. Oh, that I could perfectly practise it? How purely and peaceably should I both live and die? Meek and humble spirits converse together like mourning turtles, like innocent lambs, and like corporal Angels, turning the blessed family where they live, into an earthly Paradise, etc. In the external practice of this virtue, we are to observe chief these three degrees. First, to forbear, forgo, deny, Three points for the external pactise of humility. and submit our own judgements, hearty, humbly, and really, not only to our Superiors, but also to all others, casting ourselves at their feet, yea and under their feet to be trodden on as dust and dirt: And this, as near as may be, for God's sake. Secondly, not to care what others say or think of us; which point, which that other, Of not meddling with what concerns ●● not, will soon bring us unspeakabl● peace and purity; thinking always with ourselves; What is that to thee? follow thou thy Saviour. Thirdly, to get a habit of patience, condescendence, yielding and being silent, in all occurrences and contradictions. In the internal practice of humility, we are also to observe these three degrees. First, to confess and acknowledge Three points for the internal practice. ourselves more wretched and wicked, impure and imperfect ungrateful and unworthy of all grace and favour, than any soul created. Secondly, to be glad that others treat us for such, as we really take ourselves to be; and repute us forlorn and forsaken creatures, unworthy of all company and comfort. Thirdly, to die utterly to ourselves, and be totally mortified in our appetite● and desires renouncing absolutely all propriety, and self-seeking: These short words, contain infinite perfection. And to move us powerfully to the prosecution of this virtue, we may thus question ourselves: 1. Do not all things humble Motives to humility. themselves to serve me, both in heaven and earth? The Saints to pity me, the Angels to protect me, the Mother of God to remember me, th● Son of God to redeem me, and God himself to remain with me, reign within me, comfort me in my prayers, feed me in Communion, relieve me in tribulation? 2. O strange Humility of my Saviour! Not only to descend unto, but into a wicked worm; not only to eat with a sinner, but to be eaten by a sinner! O strange pride in me, to see the Lord of heaven and earth, so humbled in his Incarnation, Passion, Communion, and yet to see a beggar so proud, a sinner so lofty minded▪ and dust and ashes have such difficulty to stoop! 3. Upon earth: Do not all things serve me for body or soul? some to nourish me, some to me, others to cure me, others to correct me, others to comfort and instruct me? Even my betters, superiors; and confessors, must humble themselves to me, because my pride will not bend to them. All creatures must be subject to me, and I will not be subject to my Creator? Alas! what mean I? when shall I begin? O secure and sweet Humility, when shall I practise thee? 4. Doth not all the world, all that I am and have; my body, my soul, my actions, my sufferings, my sins, furnish me with sufficient arguments of Humility! What was I from eternity? What am I? what shall I be? What have I that I have not received? what have I received that I have not abused? etc. 5. Upon whom doth the Holy Esay 66. 2. Ghost promise to rest, but on humble and quiet souls? Stoop O dust and ashes! O amiable Humility how necessary art thou for me? how pleasing to God and men? With what comfort and quiet dost thou enrich thy possessor? O heaven upon earth! What do I not get by Humility? what do I lose by Pride and presumption? etc. The 25. Maxim. That Silence and Solitude, are our heaven upon earth. THese are the proper instruments S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 188. a. 8. Lam. 3. 28 of Contemplation; where our souls sit silently and solitarily lifted up above themselves; by transcending all things created, and uniting themselves to their Creator. We must observe them diligently, Read Cisnerius. ch. 39 discreetly, and devoutly; not out of a sullen or melancholy humour, or in a disdainful and disgustful manner, or out of pride and singularity, or to wave matter of mortification, or to avoid the company of such as we brook not and have a version from: but with an internal cheerfulness, to converse with God in spiritual joy and fervour. And the ordinary practice of them may be reduced to these four points. First, To retire ourselves, and 4. Points for practice. keep exactly some certain times of silence every day, which (our calling considered), we have enjoined ourselves unto. Secondly, to decline imperceptibly divers unnecessary and impertinent occasions, extroversions, affairs, companies, curiosities, etc. Thirdly, to speak modestly and moderately in time of speaking. Fourthly, to yield easily to others, and not contest in words: For all consists in denying and humbling ourselves. Now in Contemplation, there are three sorts of Silence. 1. When all fancies, imaginations, In Contemplation there is a threefold Silence. and species cease in the soul; So that she is silent as to any created object; desiring no worldly thing, but driving from her all that is not directly God, to whom only she is silently, joyfully, and quietly attentive. 2. When in this great calm, she fits with Mary at her Lord's feet, in a certain spiritual idleness; as it were saying; I will hear what my Lord speaks within me: to whom he answers; Harken my daughter, and behold, and forget thy people and thy father's house. 3. When she transforms herself all into God, her Will tasting his sweetness, and she slumbering in his bosom, in absolute silence, desiring nothing more, because fully satisfied. So that here is a threefold silence. 1. When no creature talks to us; as having no objects of them in our Understandings and Memories. 2. When we talk not to ourselves; as, totally forgetting ourselves, and converting our inward man to God alone, with a receptive subjection; climbing above ourselves by the act of Faith, whereby our Understanding is united immediately to God. 3. When God talks not to us, but leaves us in the enjoyment of this divine sweetness, and elevation of ourselves above ourselves. O heavenly silence! This hath been by some experienced, but can be by none sufficiently explicated. The 26. Maxim. That the perfect love of God, and hatred of ourselves, must be our constant and continual employment. WE cannot love God; except we hate ourselves; and if How to know whether we love God, and hate ourselves. we would truly know how far we are advanced in this love and hatred: First, we must weigh, how willingly we can, and do submit our judgement, in things contrary to our natural inclination; Secondly, how quietly we can, and do suffer such things as are opposite to our sensuality, as hard usage, pains, confusions, etc. We must not conceive we have any degree of pure and perfect love, until our affections are so totally transformed into God, that he freely and fully possess●s our spirit, guides it, enlightens it, inflames it, elevates it, how and when he pleaseth; His love being our only light and life, and we desiring only two things in the world: First, to love, see, taste and enjoy God only; Secondly, to be humbled, despised, reviled, rejected, reputed reprobates for his love. O sweet life! O loving Lord Jesus! What heaven? what happiness is this? We may stir up our souls to an ardent love of God, by these and the like motives. First; What is the object of our Motives to love God. love, and who is the author of all our good? Is it not God only? What have we, (nay what hath he), that he hath not given us, merely of love and for love? thereby to woe, to win, to wed our loves, our souls, our spirits to himself? 2. Who created, redeemed, converted, called, and conserveth us until this present? What hath he not done and endured to purchase our love? 3. What is the greatest love in the world of mother, wife, friend, life, soul? etc. Is not God more than all this to us, yea all in all? What did we ever best love? Did we love God as much? O let us blush, sigh, and be ashamed at our gross ingratitude. Live henceforth O Jesus, my only Lord and love. 4. Whose image do we bea●? whose bitter death was our ransom? whose body and blood is our daily bread and drink? who suffered so much for us and from us, expected us so patiently, invited us so sweetly, received us so mercifully? O Lord what shall we do or say? We are bound in thy chains of charity. We love thee; We are all thine, etc. 5. Upon whom do we depend each moment for our whole being both of nature and grace? Our bodies depend not so much on our souls, nor our life on air, as all things, body, life, soul, depend upon thee, O powerful Lord God O that I had whole worlds to offer thee, infinite bodies to suffer for thee, and innumerable souls to love thee! 6. Have we not an inclination to love? For what were we created? Can we better employ our love than upon God? Doth any Creature better deserve it, or more desire it, than our amiable Creator! 7. Can any thing else fully quiet us in this life, or totally content us in the next? O no: Sweet Saviour, thou art my only safety, security, sanctity. Oh what did I ever love in the world, which did not in the end bring me remorse and repentance? Is not all mixed with many occasions of sin and misery; all vain, inconstant, fading, foolish, deceitful? Our souls, o Lord, are created S. Augustin to and for thee, and until they turn and return unto thee, they will never find perfect peace, quiet, nor content. What quiet had the Prodigal child, till he returned to his loving Father? Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to thy Lord God; Why wilt thou seek after puddle water, when as thou may'st freely quench thy thirst at the fountain head? I thirst, o my Lord, give me this water. 8. To whom must we have recourse, amidst all the distresses of this miserable life? Who will or can comfort us in the pains and pangs of death? Who must be our Judge after death? Who must be our eternal bliss and beatitude? Thou only, O our Lord and love▪ art only all this and all things else to our souls. And shall we please a creature to displease thee our Creator? No Lord, we will die to all creatures, that we may live to thee eternally. 9 O my soul! Upon what canst thou employ thy whole stock of love more reasonably, than upon him, who for thy love freely forfeited his own life? 10. To whom canst thou give up thyself more profitably, than to him who promiseth eternal life for thy love; and that he will be all thine, if thou wilt be all his? 11. To whom canst thou convert thy heart & wed thy affections more necessarily; than to him, who threatens eternal death, if thou love him not? O King of glory, why menacest thou us with hell, if we love not? Can there be a heaven without thy love, or a hell with it? Or is there any heavier hell or death than not to love thee? Had we not better cease to live, than leave to love? Oh! what shall I answer, if I love not? 12. What can make a soul more truly honourable and happy, than to love God as he commandeth? What privilege, to be admitted into privacy with God, to enjoy his company and conversation, enter into his secret cabinet? eat at his table, repose on his breast, be his minion, become all one with him? O honour most admirable! O holiness most amiable! O happiness most Angelical! O life! O love! The 27. Maxim. That Confidence in God's goodness is the main support of our Spiritual Edifice. WE must be confident that our Loving Lord, will, First, pardon our sins; Secondly, strengthen us in all necessities; Thirdly, bring us finally to eternal happiness. And to strengthen this Confidence, we must deeply engrave these two Maxims 2. Maxims in our souls, and then we shall easily be content to leave ourselves in the arms of his paternal providence, and lose ourselves in the abyss of his piety: First, That what ever befalls us, comes immediately Rusbrochius. Read the Conflict. c. 10. n. 3. 4 either from his will, or his permission; Secondly, That he will turn all▪ (even our frailties and failings) to our spiritual good. We may further weigh, what wonderful cause Motives to put our Confidence in God. First, in heaven we have, 1. Viscera misericordiae. 2. Vulnera misericordiae. of confidence and comfort we have; First, In heaven; where we have 1. Bowels of mercy, in God the Father: we cry daily to him as his Son taught us; Our Father which art in heaven, Will not a good father forgive the fault, and forget the folly of his returning and repenting child? 2. Wounds of mercy, in God the Son, the least of which was sufficient to redeem a thousand worlds: whereby we being reconciled and made his friends, will he deny us any thing that is necessary? Is not each drop of his dear blood a motive of loving confidence, and able to melt us into a filial dependency on him? 3. Promises 3. Promise misericordiae. of mercy, in God the Holy Ghost, who hath assured us of his continued comforts till the world's consummation. 4. Words of mercy, 4. Verba misericordiae. when he said; O why will you perish, you of the house of Israel? As I live I desire not the death of a sinner, but that he turn to me and live. What hard heart would not be touched with tenderness, and say reciprocally; As I live, o my Lord God, I detest all sin and convert myself totally to thee, that I may live with thee, and love thee eternally. O holy Conversion! O happy contract! 5. Breasts of mercy, in the 5. Vbera misericordiae. Mother of Jesus: O Jesus, be to us a Jesus! O Mother of Jesus, be to us a Mother of mercies, Let the care of thy honour be ever in our hearts, and the care of our welfare always in thine. 6. Castles of mercy, in the Angels, who are before and behind 6. Castra misericordiae. us, to watch over and protect us. 7. Oracles of mercy; the prayers and suffrages of all the Saints pitying 7. Oracula misericordiae. our misery, and purchasing pardon for us. If we put all this together, we shall find all heaven for us. What matter then if hell be against us? O thou of little faith, whereof canst thou be doubtful or fearful, etc. Secondly, On Earth in the Church Secondly, On Earth. militant, what is not for us? Sacraments, Scriptures, Examples, Prayers. If we go not to heaven where is the fault? What could God do that he hath not done? and what could we have more than we have, for our consolation and salvation? Who can choose but take courage, comfort, and confidence? Thirdly, Look upon Christ Jesus. Thirdly, In Christ. 1. Why came he into this world? 2. How did he carry himself in it towards sinners, both in his life and death? 3. Why was he called Jesus, and termed a friend of Publicans and sinners? 4. Why did he ●●y, That he came to call sinners, and not the Just, and to do mercy and not justice? 5. What access and comfort gave he to all sinners? 6. What was his last will and testament, & c? 7. What his last words? Father, forgive, etc. Fourthly, Ponder Gods Perfectious. Fourthly, Look on God's perfections. 1. He is our maker, we the work of his hands: Doth not each Artist love his own handiwork? Hath not every one a natural proneness, to protect, improve, profit, and perfect his own? Even so our loving Lord takes care of us; he hides and harbours us, as the Hen her Chickens under her wings; he defends us as the apple of his eye: If a mother can forget the fruit of her womb, yet will I never forget you (says our Lord), because I have graven you in my hands and heart. 2. He is Almighty, All-wisdom, All-goodness: Put these together; I have a Father and Maker, that loves me exceedingly; he knows my necessities, and what is best for me; he is rich enough to provide for me: Will he let me perish? will he reject me? Then reason thus further with yourself; In whom shall I confide if not in God? In myself or others? We are all inconstant; all ignorant of what is best; all impotent, and want means to help: O how much better is it▪ to trust in God than men? Fiftly, Reflect upon your own Fiftly our own experience. Experience. 1. Whom did God ever deceive in his promises? 2. Who ever called hearty on him and was refused? 3. Hath he not hitherto merveilously protected and preserved you, and disposed all for your good? Why then should you doubt or distrust his providence for the time to come? No Lord, Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee: Heaven and earth may perish; but no tittle of my hope in thee, my Dear and only Saviour. This shall be my Anchor and stay: If he kill me, I will trust in him. I will rest Secure in his Divine providence▪ and endeavour to get an habitual and stable trust in his paternal protection, (without any care or fear)▪ as doth a child in his father's b●som: This is the ready way to become unmoveable and immutable, quiet and content. Is he God? Is he good? Is he my God? my Father? my Jesus? Jesus crucified? Is his goodness infinite? Doth he want power, wisdom or Will, to pardon, protect, and perfect me? I must surely have little faith, less hope, and no love: If I will not take thy words, (O Lord) thy works, thy wounds, thy life and thy love for secure pledges of thy care towards me, and sufficient motives to place my whole confidence in thee. The 28. Maxim. That the measure of our progress in Perfection●, is the Conformity of our Wi●● with the divine will. 1. FOr our perfection consists in love: and the greatest sign of love, is to have one and the same Will with the beloved: So that look how much we have of our own Will, so much less have we of God's will and love, and consequently are so much the further from the Union of our spirit with him. 1. In this exercise of conformity, consists all perfection. O what holiness and happiness, what privilege and prerogative is it, to have one Will and spirit with God? Is not this to be a Saint, an Angel, a little Christ or a little God? Did not Christ say; Those that do the 〈◊〉 of my Father, are my Brothers, sisters, mother, and kindred? Oh who would not change Wills with God? 2. All things come from God, and for our good. 2. What can befall me, (sin only excepted, which is from my will) but from thee my most sweet Lord, & loving Father? Good and bad, comfort & confusion, life and death are from thee; And what can happen to me from thee, but for my good▪ If my Father be my Physician, shall I not drink the chalice he tempers for me? What better sacrifice can I offer up to thee than my will? In all other oblations, I give but a part of myself, or something belonging to myself: But in this I give the principal, leaving no right to myself; nay I am no more myself, but thy servant and slave. 3. Why were we 3. This is the end of our life, and being. placed in this world (o my soul) but to perform the will of God? Why entered we into the school of perfection, but to learn to practise it purely and perfectly? To what end are all our prayers, communions, exercises, etc. but to know Gods holy will, and to follow it? What profit have we reaped by following hither to our own will? What will become of us, if we continue in it? What means is there to amend it for the future, but humble obedience, and absolute submission of our will in all, and to all, leaving all to God, doing all for God, and receiving all from God▪ that he only may be all in all? What can endamage me but my will? what will? past, present, or to come. The past I detest; my present is, that Gods will be done; for time to come, I desire this my will may stand irrevocable for ever. How often have I done the will of others for my own ends, to please them or pleasure myself? and shall I not do now as much, to please my Lord God? Yes, Lord, I will what thou wilt, neither more nor less, without exception without reservation, without delay. 4. What fruits shall I reap by this 4. The profits of this exercise. Conformity of my Will? 1 Having no will, I can neither sin, err, nor be deluded. 2. There is neither judgement nor hell for me. 3. ● shall find peace and rest▪ and rema● constant and content amidst a● chances and changes; and so beg● my Paradise of delights, in this 〈◊〉 of tears. 4. I shall be freed from all troublesome fears, scruples, d●quiets, indiscretions, and illusions, both in prayer, and in the practise of virtue: All which are derived from the disorder of my Will, and for want of this true conformity and indifferency. 5. This gives every thing I do▪ leave, or suffer, a double grace, merit, and crown. O only sweet, short and sure way! who would not leave, yea loath his own Will, for so many profits and pleasures? 5. What do heaven and earth, Angels and Saints but Gods Will? 5. All Creatures do the will of God. What do the souls in hell, but suffer for having done their own Will? What did Christ Jesus, and Blessed Mary upon earth? The one said, I came not to do my own Will but his that sent me: The other said, Behold, O Lord, thy handmaid, do with me as thou wilt. I say also, with heart and mouth; O my Lord, I am entirely thine, put me where thou wilt; give me what thou wilt, use me how thou wilt, so thou wilt go with me, and give me leave to bear and embrace thee with the two arms of perfect conformity, and lively Confidence. 6. What made the Apostles, 6. Examples of this Conformity. Martyrs, Virgins, so constant and content, amidst their torments and trials? What made those Saints so courageously to defy the devils (flocking about them like so many Lions and Monsters); If God S. Antony, & others. have given you power and permission over us, take us, devour us, hurry us headlong into hell, we will not contradict his Will; but if not, why do you labour in vain? What made Job so patiented on his dunghill? Abraham so resolute to sacrifice his son? And finally, what made Christ in his bloody sweat, to cry out; Not my will, O Father, Lu. 22. 42. but thine be done? All this was caused by the Will of God, which they desired to follow and fulfil, to the last gasp and drop of their blood. O holy and happy souls! When shall I imitate you? O my sweet God, that thou wouldst say of me, as thou didst of that thy servant; I have found a man David. according to my heart, who will do whatsoever I will: Or that I could say as hearty as he did; My heart is ready, O God▪ to accept and execute thy holy Will in all things whatsoever! O my Lord, let all self-will and self-love, hereafter die in me! and let thy only Will and love remain and reign in my spirit; For I am most sure, till I faithfully follow this rule, I shall never find real peace or content. The 29. Maxim. That unquietness of mind is the bane of Devotion, and curse of Contemplation. FOr it is not a single and simple Disquiet is not a single evil. temptation, but a source whence many spring, a monster with many heads, and the greatest evil, (sin only excepted) which seizes on the soul: Let us therefore shun it with all possible speed and diligence, and refuse to give it the least entrance into our hearts, upon what pretence soever. If we perceive ourselves inclined How to prevent it. to be easily troubled; let us duly practise these two points: First, carefully fore-arm and fortify our interiours, against all future contrarieties, crosses, and contingencies, by devoutly performing our morning prayers and exercises of Recollection. Secondly, prudently put off company and occasions of extroversion, bridle our tongues till the tempest be blown over, hid ourselves in a corner▪ turn our souls to our Saviour, read something of devotion, and (in matters of moment) impart our minds to some virtuous friend, etc. If we will always keep internal A rule to keep inward peace. peace, we must observe these three rules: First, We must do nothing only to edify others, without a further end of God's honour; nor any thing, which may justly displease, distaste, dis-edify, or contristate them. Secondly, we must not be eager, eurious, or solicitous to please or satisfy ourselves, yea or to perform our duty's to God-wards, by doing all things in print, perfectly and exactly. Thirdly, All our pleasure must be to please God; yet we must not please ourselves in the pleasure we find in serving and pleasing him. For generally it sufficeth, that we are hearty willing, and quietly careful to serve our Creator, please him in all things, and displease neither him nor any one in any thing and so go on in our Introversion with perfect freedom and liberty, simplicity and purity, without further fears or reflections. Let us, I say, keep on soft and fair, according to order and obedience, in our exercises of Humility, recollection, and inward conversation with God; checking and We must curb importunate desires. curbing all importune pretensions, desires and resolutions of doing strange matters; and resting content in what God sends, and our poverty affords; neither running before his grace, nor beyond our own strength. Let us leave all intermeddling Of little meddling comes great peace. with others do and affairs, looking only to our own care and charge, thinking all others more perfect than ourselves; and being truly glad, that our dear Lord is purely loved and perfectly served by them: This is a sure way to avoid many stumbling blocks of our enemies; to begin to taste the joys of heaven in this life; to live without solicitude, and die without fear or trouble. For the further practice of this Further practices of this point. important point, and to obtain this happy quiet and content of mind, First, We must carefully avoid and contemn all curiosity, to see, hear, know, or have a hand in what concerns us not. Secondly, we must labour to be, (as it were), blind, deaf, dumb, insensible; passing by all things, or letting them pass by us; For all is vanity, [Solomon.] One to one, [S. Giles.] My God and all, [S. Francis.] Whatsoever hath an end; is nothing, [S. terese]. What is that to thee? follow thou me, [Jesus Christ.] Thirdly, What is it we will see, hear, or know? novelty, vanity, a transitory toy, a foolish fable, an impertinent object, a flying shadow, a false deceit. Fourthly, to what end? Either it will defile our souls; or disquiet our minds; or distract our spirits; or divert our intentions; or imprint idle images, or excite our passions; or renew our vicious affections: All which, are great hindrances in a spiritual and contemplative course. Ah! poor souls! what amiable and admirable light and love, do we leave and lose for a vain curiosity? etc. The 30. Maxim. That Crosses are to be suffered, not sought; to be taken, not made; to be concealed, not complained of. IT is far to take crosses, when, where, and how we find them, than to make them ourselves; for this is loss of time, and a nourishment of Self-love. Let us not therefore cast ourselves indiscreetly upon difficulties, or seek out occasions of humility and patience; but be ready to receive, and indifferent to accept such as befall us, and we shall find enough to do. Let us make as little outward show as may be of our inward sufferings; but keep that secret to ourselves, till obedience and just reason induce us to reveal it, and then let us do it simply, sincerely, and resignedly. O what peace, what profit, what pleasure, shall we find in this real proceeding? Complaints are commonly accompanied with self-seeking, and small troubles are sooner cured by quiet suffering, than much showing or speaking of them: Doth this cross come from See the Conflict. ch. 10. n. 2. men; and is it not rather permitted and provided by our beloved Lord from all eternity, to purify us from pride, to purge us from the love of creatures, and to dispose us for heaven and happiness? The 31. Maxim. That Temptations cannot hurt us, if we cast our whole care upon God. WHen temptations, passions, 4. Rules of practice. repugnancies, or repine, rage in the inferior portion of our souls; we are presently to reflect 1. That we have made choice of God's love for our end, and resolve to stand to it till death. 2. That we must willingly submit to the trouble, as long as it shall please God to permit it. 3. That we must continue in our practices of piety and Recollection, as if we felt no afflictions, neither thinking on them, nor fearing them; but assuring ourselves that nothing can injure us, so long as we rely upon God and resent our own weakness. 4. That Prayer may be our chief refuge, and support against all their surprisals: and therefore we may say briefly and hearty; Perfect thy strength, (O powerful Lord,) in my weakness; let thy mercy triumph on the throne of my misery: I detest from my heart whatsoever is contrary to thy holy will in this point N. and all things: I resign myself to suffer it, as long and in what manner thou pleasest, though never so cross to my crooked nature. Sweet Saviour remain with me, and let thy love reign in me, and then I neither want other company, nor desire further comfort. The 32. Maxim. That Desolations, derelictions, afflictions, distractions, are to be transcended by generous Resolutions. IN time of desolation, etc. we are not to dispute with ourselves nor examine the causes or circumstances of our sufferings, for we are then neither competent nor indifferent judges, but we must refer that until the time of Prayer; talk not now with your passionate and partial heart, but speak to God about some other thing; transcending and dissembling your trouble in some such manner; Good God when shall this Pilgrimage have an end? My life is a continual warfare upon earth, wherein all is vanity, all is affliction of spirit, all is full of frailty, misery, instability. O Lord, what is man that thou shouldst mind him? a weak reed, wagged with every wind, and contristated with every little cross and contrariety, burdensome to himself, and troublesome to others, etc. There is more profit, and less danger to suffer Desolation, than to abound with Consolation; to desire sensible love and contrition, than to feel it; to resist temptations, distractions, passions, with patience and resignation, than to have none at all. It's a sign of high and heroic virtue, 1. To be Resigned, when it seems we neither are nor can be resigned. 2. To be Patient, when we are fullest of motions to anger. 3. To be Humble, meek and quiet, in time of sickness, serious business, multiplicity of employments. 4. To be Constant and invariable in all the diversities, and varieties of our own changeable humours, dispositions, inclinations, internal invitations, external instigations. Let us not think we lose our time when we are involuntarily distracted in Prayer, but rather comfort ourselves in being deprived of all comfort, because we then remain in that state in which God would have us. Let us conceive ourselves as within the walls of a strong castle; without which are great noises, outcries, tumults, alarms, but we safe and secure within, slighting their vain attempts: If our desires be to love God, and our intentions to be with him, and we hold no discourse with other divertisments, we have made a good and profitable Prayer, etc. The 33. Maxim. That Perfection consists in putting off all Propriety, and putting on pure and naked Charity. THis will make us love God above all things, and all things in and for him only; uniting our spirits to God, and in him to our neighbours. The practice of this spiritual unclothing of our souls. Behold, o my Lord and love! I generally and totally renounce all things but thee; casting myself into the arms of thy most holy disposition and protection: O my soul! return sweetly to thy seat of rest; repose quietly and confidently in the bosom of Divine bounty; Remain here without diverting or distracting thyself to other objects; Rely securely upon his mercy and providence, cutting off incontinently all superfluous cares and solicitudes, and protesting thou desirest nothing but the advancing of his honour, accomplishing of his will, his love, and himself. Take courage, my naked soul! for if thou art unclothed sometimes, and deprived of thy Lovers embraces, feelings of his comforts, and pleasures of his presence, it is only, that himself alone may purely possess thee. O my Lord and lover! Look upon this soul, which I have endeavoured to strip entirely from all sensual affection: therefore I have not only abandoned, but hated, Father, Mother, brethren, sisters, lands, living, liberty, yea and my own life, that I might become thy disciple: And were it yet to do again, I would cast off Mother, and run over Father to come to thee my loving Jesus: Confirm, O Lord, my courage! Live O rich nakedness! Live my beloved to me and I to him! Let me see no one but only Jesus! Let alone his other gifts, though never so excellent and holy, I am indifferent to leave them or keep them, in the manner and measure he pleaseth▪ 'tis naked Jesus I only seek and sigh after. Unclothe me then, my Lord, 1. Of all sin, great and small. 2. Of all affection to it, even the least venial. 3. Of all curiosity. 4. Of all sensuality. 5. Of all inordinate passion. 6. Of all vanity. 7. Of all self-love and self-will. Let me be reduced to nothing; Put off myself, and put on me thyself crucified; Deprive me of all that distasteth thee; that thou mayest say of me, This is my beloved son in Mat. 12. 18 whom I please myself: This is my disciple whom I Jesus love; This is my rest for ever; Here I will dwell, because I have made choice of it: In this heart, is my harbour, there you shall infallibly find me. The 34. Maxim. That Zeal and eagerness must be tempered with Moderation and discretion. WE must moderate our natural vivacity, activity, and agility of spirit, by shunning all precipitation, and indiscreet forwardness and fervour: Soft and sure; Let us look before we leap: Let us take our eyes in our hands; For that which is well done is twice done, and a thing warily begun, is well nigh half brought about. Let us lend our hands, and not give our hearts to any work; Let us endeavour to perform all our actions with a free and disinteressed mind, without which all is drudgery and slavery. Let us not be over eager: Perfection consists not in multiplicity of action, but in simplicity of intention; not in variety of exercises and devotions, but in peace of mind, and purity of heart; not in saying or doing much, but in suffering and loving much, etc. Let us sometimes check our importunate spirit, as Jesus did Martha: Martha, Martha, thou art Luc. 10. 41 troubled about many things, when as there is but one thing only necessary, which is, A real, cordial, and total Abnegation of thyself in all things. Let not indiscreet zeal serve for a cloak to cover our passionate hearts, and inward hatred of others: True Zeal is full of compassion free from indignation; and perfect charity either will not see what is amiss in others, or seek out the best interpretation of it; excusing the fault, and pitying the party. The 35. Maxim. That we must never rely upon our own natural judgement, experience, and knowledge. THis hath deceived many, and cast them headlong into confusion & despair: hence so many Apostasies, rebellions, dissensions, divisions and scandals in Religion: O how pleasant, beautiful, and edifying a thing is it, to see persons of great perfection, glorious endowments, venerable for age, honourable for learning, renowned in dignity, etc. to be truly humble, supple, simple, soft like Wax, capable of any impression, and condescending to others reason and command. Blessed are the meek, humble, and obedient spirits; for God will not permit them to go astray, or be deceived. The 36. Maxim. That we must seek no comfort in any creature. FOr the practice of this; We must The practice. cheerfully forsake all, and be content to be forsaken by all: resting only in God, by prayer, patience and confidence. Adieu friends, familiars, Confessors, counsellors, books, exercises, Angels: Welcome solitude, crosses, eclipses, shames, wounds, want●, darknesses, desolations, deaths: Yes, O Father because thou so pleasest. Is the creature in which I delight more loving, lovely or beautiful than God my Creator? Hath it been more bountiful or beneficial tome? Can it more justly require, or more liberally requite my love? Can it make me holy or happy, quiet or content? Shall I leave light for darkness, life for death, substance for shadows, All for nothing? Answer impartially, and resolve effectually. The higher practice of this The higher practice. Maxim, in order to Contemplation, is, To estimate things according to Read the Spir. Con. ch. 4. n. 3. their real value: And then, Alas! what comfort can a devout soul, which hath tasted the sweets of her beloved in Contemplation, find in the best of creatures? How far are they from affording her any solid and substantial satisfaction in her spiritual sorrows, sadness or desolation! Therefore show wisely and carefully keeps herself to holy Recollection, resigns herself absolutely to the divine pleasure, continues steadfastly in the presence of her Creator; seeks to treat with him one to one; and leaves worldlings to follow their appetites, as the horse and mule which are void of under standing. Oh! how much more happiness is it to suffer in the sweet company of God, than to enjoy all such false and fantastical pleasures, as all creatures can confer, in the company of men: My soul refuseth this comfort, I remember my God, and in him I am only delighted. And indeed, they who faithfully The true Contemplatives are never sad or solicitous. and fervently addict themselves to spiritual Recollection, are neither sad nor solicitous, but only in show: For what can they want, who are with God? In him they find gardens to walk in, fountains to bathe in, palaces to dwell in, dainties to feed on, and all pleasures to delight in, with such infinite advantages, that they ravish'dly cry out, My God and All: These contemplatives need not your compassion, O worldlings! They are not so drowned in melancholy, so plunged in sorrow, so little enjoying themselves, as you esteem and censure? No, your own poor souls are seriously to be pitied, which are so wide of wisdom, and so wedded to sensuality, as to relinquish true life and liberty, sincere comfort and content, for the shadows & smokes of the world: For this is most certain, that whosoever leaves Recollection to look after earthly consolation, enjoys neither God nor the world; whereas a soul which retires herself from the world to possess God, enjoys truly both God and the world together. The 37. and last Maxim. That we must walk, and persever, in these our Spiritual Exercises, with the two feet of Faith and Obedience. To perform this we must 1. Leave all for one. All others for God Ourselves for God God himself when he withdraws himself, By recollection. By abnegation. By resignation. 2. Leave one for all. 3. Leave one and all. The practice of this Maxim consists in these five points. 1. TO have an ardent desire, affection, The practice. and intention, to love, see, please, and enjoy God. 2. To curb our senses from all curiosity, vanity, apprehensions, etc. which may either defile our souls, or disturb our minds, or distract our spirits; Either seduce us from the right way, or affright us when we are in it. 3. Then we must take Jesus by the right hand, by faith and confidence, abandoning ourselves totally to his mercy, and resting in his providence, with a filial indifferency. 4. We must take our spiritual guide by the left hand, by punctual obedience. 5. In our way, we must have these or the like thoughts, recollections, and devotions. Well, I am going to heaven; to my Father and Creator; to my eternal rest and Centre; to see, love and praise my God for evermore: There only is true life, true love, true light, and true liberty: O Jesus! how long! O Jerusalem, when! Jesus is with me, and for me, him I will follow, after him I will sigh, and for him I will suffer, come what can. If I err, let my guide look to it, for I am obedient; If I stumble, Jesus will not let me fall, for I am faithful. If I cannot have the fruit of Penance, I will keep that of Obedience; What I cannot get by Recollection, I will procure by Resignation; What I want by Indifferency, I will supply by Confidence; though my Deserts fail, my Desires shall prevail. What hath an end, is nothing. Live Eternity! Sometimes let us hearken to Jesus speaking. O my child, my servant, my spouse: What are all things to thee? follow thou me: Let all pass, I am here: All is one, and One is all; trouble not thyself with multiplicity. Be silent, and I will answer for thee; be content, I am thy sufficiency; Be indifferent, all is my will; be confident, all is well: I forgive thee all thou demandest; I will give thee all thou desirest; I will never desert thee, nor withdraw my eyes, hand, heart, from thee; therefore go on quietly, courageously, confidently. Other times let us answer him meekly and faithfully: O good Jesus! save me, for I am thine; O sweet Saviour, support me, for I am weak; O loving guide, direct me, for I am blind, etc. Thus boldly let us keep on our way, 1. Letting pass all, by insensibility. 2. Out-passing all, by fervour. 3. Passing under all, by humility. 4. Passing over all, by generosity and elevation of spirit. Under this Maxim, are solved many material doubts arising in our daily progress to perfection. The first Doubt. If we fear that God will forsake us, by reason of our Ingratitude and disloyalty? 'TIs true, we have been, are still, and ever shall be ungrateful, tepid, and defective in our correspondencies to the divine love and light; and God may in justice forsake us, and yet be a good God; but we must be confident in his mercy that he will not do it, for Jesus sake, in fury and rigour; though he may sometimes withdraw the feelings of his presence to try our loyalty: His holy will be done: Let us never say, God will forsake us; but say, We will never forsake God: Let us first say, Doth God love us? who can doubt it? And do we love him? If we will, we do. Let us never say, We shall never amend, all is lost; But let us often say, We are sinners, wicked, wretched, weak, none more than we: but it truly grieves us to be so; we will endeavour to remedy all; sure we are, our God is Almighty, all-mercy, all-meekness, him we will serve, and in him we will trust in despite of nature, and maugre the devil; and for him all desolation, and death itself is most welcome unto us. The 2. Doubt. If our sins trouble us, in respect of Confession and Satisfaction? LEt us cast off servile fear; and be confident that what is passed is pardoned, by God's mercy and our humble confession; & what is to come may be prevented by God's grace and our diligence and endeavours. The 3. Doubt. If we can neither Pray with fervour, nor Suffer with patience; neither feel God present, nor be content in his absence? LEt us have recourse to these four things, which will supply our defects, and satisfy for our faults. 1. Obedience. 2. Resignation. 3. Confidence. 4. Good desires. Therefore in all our fears, crosses, and troubles, let us make use of these four points in this or The practice. the like manner. O my Lord God, who deservest from me all love and honour, and whom I desire to serve with all my soul; behold I come out of confidence in thy mercy, having no other end, but only to please and praise thee: wherefore I resign myself to thy will, beseeching thee to turn all to thy glory and my good. The 4. Doubt. If we are doubtful that God is angry with us, that we want grace, that we only seek ourselves, that we yield to all temptations? etc. LEt us build upon these three foundations: Humility in acknowledging our own deformity; Sincerity in confessing it; and Confidence of pardon for it: and so persevering constantly and courageously in a course of Prayer, according to direction and obedience, we shall soon find ease, rest and peace. The 5. Doubt. If our Consciences are unquiet, and our souls fearful, by reason of our proness to sin? etc. LEt us Apply these following plasters, and put these tents into our spiritual wounds, as deep as we can, every day for a time, till the cure be perfected. 1. Let us be assured that we are Plasters for a troubled conscience. now at this present in the state of grace (supposing we have already, or are now resolved to do what is necessary for the expiation of our past sins, and the avoiding all sins for the future.) 2. That having a will to please God, and perform our duties, our Prayers are profitable to us and acceptable to God, and we may without presumption take courage and comfort, though we are yet full of passions and ●mperfections. 3. That the feeling of troubles, fears, temptations etc. are neither sins in us, nor signs of God's anger against us. 4. That we are not bound to reflect continually whether we have consented to sin or not; nor to judge whether this or that consent he mortal or venial: Nor to meddle with the sins of our life past, having endeavoured to discharge our consciences once of them in Confession. 5. That we may and must convert our hearts to God at any time, humbly and confidently, in what estate so ever we be, without hesitation or apprehension, preferring his will before our own quiet. 6. That in saying our Office, or Prayers, it sufficeth that we have a good intention to praise and please God, and satisfy our obligation, using moral diligence in driving out bad thoughts, and we need trouble ourselves no further. 7. That so long as we make choice of God for our God, and of his will for our only end; and can say cordially, I love God, I will no sin; we need fear nothing. 8. That we are not bound to do still that which our Conscience dictates, or what our fancy tells us is a divine call; for this is the way never to have true peace, and to be ever subject to illusions. Therefore The old plain rule: Trust and obey, Let pass and Pray. let us follow the old, simple, and secure rule: 1. Trust and 2 Obey, 3 Let pass, and 4 Pray: these will prove our safest haven in the Sea of this world, and our heaven upon earth; thus we may enjoy the peace of God, and lodge in our hearts the God of peace; be blind, and yet see God. Note well, that these aforesaid warrants, are to be followed according to discretion, and with the approbation of our spiritual director. The 6. Doubt. If we are full of fears and apprehensions of our estate, by reason we feel in our souls such slender effects of God's grace and love, and have little devotion, no inward peace? etc. SUch souls can never be cured▪ till they submit their judgements, look with more confidence upon God's mercy, and seek less their own satisfaction and assurance: For, this is an infallible truth, That in An infallible maxim. this life (without revelation), we can have no certainty of our estate, but must still live in ignorance as to that knowledge; to hold the contrary is an heresy, and to seek it inordinately is self-love and curiosity. We must therefore work our salvation betwixt fear and hope; and if we should see or feel any thing in ourselves which should make us secure, it were very suspicious and dangerous. Let us humbly observe these three points. 1. Resolve still to serve and please God in the best manner we can. 2. Resign ourselves to his will and divine ordinance, for time and eternity, without further reflections. Read Blosius, in spec. spirituali. cap. 7. Read the Imit. of Christ. l. 3. cap. 59 3. Build upon the word and warrant of our guide, and rest quiet and confident. They who seek more knowledge and satisfaction by feelings and reasons, seek but their own trouble and ruin; and if we find not here peace and comfort, we may thank ourselves, since it is our disobedience and self-seeking which causeth it. The 7. Doubt. If some extreme cross, calamity, or affliction, hath seized our hearts? etc. LEt us hasten to our Lord God with an humble and confident affection, and placed before him, 1. Kiss the Crucifix, saying, O my The practice. dear Lord, O my sweet Jesus, O my all and only good! 2. Then tell him you are troubled, as you would tell your Spiritual director, and that you know not what to say or do. 3. Acknowledge hearty that you deserve no comfort, but to have heaven shut against you, and hell let lose to torment you. 4. If you would seek comfort, you would not have it out of him, or in any thing contrary to his Divine Will and liking. 5. Then say; O Lord, I have no other Physician for my soul but thee, behold my wounds; thou art my Father, behold my wants; thou art my only Friend, behold my wishes and desires: then expose them unto him, and hearken what counsel and comfort he will give you. 6. Take again the Cross, kiss it, embrace it, resign yourself to suffer; 7. And with an internal act of indifferency, being confident that this cross and trouble is his will, and will be for your good, desire to bear it and whatsoever else he shall lay upon you, knowing he will enable you to do it. 8. Have no recourse to creatures for your contentment, but drink purely and plentifully at the fountain head: and be not weary; you suffer for eternity. The 8. Doubt. If we desire to conquer the Devil, and overcome all temptations whatsoever? LEt us often read, observe, and General Remedies against temptations. The 1. Remedy. Jam. 4. 7. practise these general Remedies. The first is, A strong courage, and firm resolution, to fight and get the victory, and not to yield even to our last gasp. If we resist the Devil, he will fly from us; if we fear him, he will follow us, and insult over us; If we play the Pygmies, he will play the Lion; but let us be Lions, and he will soon show himself a coward: Let us then fight manfully as befits Christ's Soldiers, to give him the honour, and the Devil the terror, who is already chained to our hands, and may bark, S. Hierome Thou mayst persuade, but canst not precipitate. 1 Cor. 4. 9 but cannot by't, unless by blindness and madness we come within his reach. Let us remember in our combats, that we are made a spectacle to God, his Angels, and all his heavenly court: who would not fight valiantly and confidently before such spectators? God beholds us, as our Judge to reward and crown us if we overcome; Christ as our Captain helps us to overcome; all the rest pray for us that we may overcome. Fear not my soul, there 2 Par. 32. 7 are more with us than against us: God and his Angels are on our side, who can withstand us? Let us further reflect, that we plead not only our own cause, but Gods; whom in our persons the Devil seeks to injure and dishonour: Let us then rather die than suffer our good Master's honour to be stained by our cowardice; our dearest blood will be well spilt for such a King and country? Oh! what privilege, to suffer for Jesus sake! Arise Lord, let thy enemies be dispersed, Psal. 42. judge thine own cau●e: Thine is the quarrel, We are thy Champions. Let us also ponder well what S. Paul tells us on God's part; That he is faithful in his promises, and will not permit us to be tempted 1 Cor. 10. 13. beyond our strength, but will draw our good out of our temptations: he knows what mould we are made of, what force we have, and (which is above all) he loves us as the apple of his eye: If he seems sometimes to sleep a while, yet he both sees and succours us. Courage therefore, if we be already at hell-gates, he can & will bring us back again, if we walk amidst the shadows of death, Psal. 22. 4. let us fear no ill, etc. The second Remedy, is, A distrust The 2. Remedy. Psa. 17. 31 in our own forces, and trust in God's help. God protects them that hope in him; and the general reason of the Scripture why God helps his servants, is, because th●y hope and trust in him; so that his honour becomes interessed, if we rely upon his succour: whereas if we trust to our own forces, we have little to do with God; and challenging much to ourselves, quickly fall into blindness of heart, unless God bring us to the acknowledgement of our own nothing by some strong affliction, and make us cry out with Job, There is no help for me in myself. The third Remedy, is Prayer: The 3. Remedy. Mat. 26. 41 Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation. Let us turn our hearts to converse with God, which is better than to reflect upon our temptations and troubles. Let us be so attentive to him, that we have neither leave nor leisure to give ear to devilish suggestions, but transcend them by a generous resolution, rather to die than admit any thing contrary to our Lords love and pleasure. The fourth Remedy, is, To observe The 4. the root, groundwork and occasion of the temptation, and to pull it up, cut it off and destroy it. The fifth Remedy, is, to cure one contrary by another. If we be The 5. tempted to Pride, let Humility be our aim; let us never cease from speaking, writing, reading, meditating, praying and practising it, till we get an habitual loathing of pride. The sixth Remedy, is, to Resist at 6. Resist. at the beginning. the beginning, when it is yet weak. Let us kill the Cockatrice in the shell, lest being hatched it poison us; let us be wise, and not save a penny, to pay a pound, nay to lose all we are worth eternally. The seventh Remedy, is, to reveal 7. Reveal it. it to him who is incharged with our souls: this diminisheth our grief, lessens our trouble, is an act of humility meriting grace and comfort, and confounding our enemy, who cannot brook to have his deceits discovered. The 8. Remedy, is, to avoid Idleness: 8. Avoid Idleness. This was the rule of the Egyptian Monks. Let the Devil always find us well employed, and we shall easily avoid his temptations; He that is idle hath ten Devils to impugn him he that is well busied, hath but one: Let us therefore distribute certain exercises for all times▪ that we may be sure to avoid this mother of all sin and mischief, and the greatest bane of our souls, Idleness. The 9 Doubt. If we want Comfort in long and dangerous temptations and troubles? LEt us consider what Experience and Scriptures teach us: That the life of man is a continual Job. 7. warfare. That wars and commotions James. 4. are within us from our concupiscences and original corruption. That there is a law in our Members, Rom. 7. rebelling against the law of our minds, That when we are resolved Eccles. 12 to give ourselves to God's service, we must prepare our hearts for temptation. The great Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 8. and vessel of election was sore tempted, and shall we poor worms, and sensual creatures, wonder to feel contradiction and combats in our nature? Let us not deceive ourselves, thinking to find present quiet, as soon as we convert ourselves to God by prayer, for then chief the Devil will storm, the Flesh rebel, the World murmur, when they most fear to lose their possession: And if it were not so, what need Colos. 3. 5 such continual Mortification? Why did our heavenly Master Luc. 11. 4. teach us to pray that we might not be led into Temptation? Christ himself was tempted, and Mat. 4. 1. why should we be dismayed? Are we less pleasing to God for that we are tempted, and not rather more acceptable for suffering for his sake? Thou errest, brother (says St. St. Hierom ad Heliod. Jerome), if thou thinkest a Christian can be ever free from persecution; thou art then most dangerously impugned, when thou knowest not that thou art impugned. For all 2 Tim. 3. 12. they who will live devoutly, shall suffer persecution; whereas others, who live sensually may seem to feel no rebellion: because having nothing of God's Spirit in them, their enemies find nothing to war against. Let us not then be troubled that we are tried with Temptations; for it is a most assured sign that we fight not under the Devil's banner, but are revolted against him; who persecutes not his Friends but his Enemies, etc. The 10. Doubt. If we wonder that God will have us suffer Temptation: since our frailty is subject to yield, and so offend his divine Majesty? HE hath good Reason; 1. Lest we should become careless in our duties: Therefore he tells us, I Isay 54. have forsaken thee for a moment, but I will return and recall thee, and be mindful of thee in my eternal pity: What is a moment in respect of Eternity; wherein he means to overflow us with delights, Ne viator tendens ad patriam amet stabulum pro domo sua. S. Aug. 2. Tim. 2. 12. Pro. 17. 3. Revel. 2. 17. in his own kingdom? etc. 2. Lest we should take this place of banishment for our Country, this Pilgrimage for our Paradise, etc. 3. To purge us for our past follies, sins, and ingratitudes, to satisfy for future Purgatory, and to prepare and perfect us for a Crown of glory. 4. To make us truly wise, truly humble, truly virtuous. 5. To Isay 28. 19 keep us in exercise: for many would otherwise neglect prayer, slight obedience, and shun mortification, whereas now they stand carefully upon their guards. 6. To teach us how to help our neighbours by our own trials: whereas he that hath Ecclus. 43. never been tempted, what knows he, either for himself or others? The 11. Doubt. If we are solicited by our enemy to Unchastness? 1. KNow, that God hath called us Read and put in practice the 11. chap. of the Spir. Con. to serve him with purity and integrity of body and soul: this is the end of our Vocation, Let us look how we walk worthy of it, lest that terrible sentence of the holy Ghost be pronounced against us; He ●ath done wickedly in the land Isay. 26. 10. of Saints, he shall not see God's glory, which none can see but clean eyes. 2. Let us comfort ourselves in Wisdom. 8. 21. this; That as it is not sinful but natural to feel rebellious motions; So it is not only possible, but easy Philip. 4. 6 I can do all things in God my comforter. to overcome them; not in ourselves, but in God the gracious giver of strength and comfort. 3. Let us have an ardent desire to live chaste, and make firm and frequent resolutions so to continue what ever it costs us: How many thousand chaste spouses of God, made of the same mould that we are, keep perpetual integrity? etc. 4. Let us seek diligently, and practise seriously such Remedies, as are proper for the preservation of this Jewel. Amongst which the chiefest is Mortification of our rebellious flesh by Austerities: hence S. Thomas calls Chastity from chastising: S. Thomas of Aquin. It is better our Stomaches pain us, than our Consciences, and that we lose health of body, than purity of soul, and salvation of both. This remedy of Mortification is absolutely necessary when carnal motions arise first in the body, and thence redound into the Imagination: but if from the Fancy they descend to the body, we are to apply these following remedies: 1. Let us avoid idleness. 2. Let us Amor otiosorum negotium. change our Employments; if we are assaulted in company, let us seek solitude, if in solitude, let us hasten into company, etc. 3. Silence, temperance S. Ephrem. and custody of senses, are three powerful preservers of Chastity. 4. Let us make great account of little things, and shake off the first Motions of this nature, as we would a burning coal from off our new garment. 5. Ler us humbly (but modestly and discreetly) lay open their nature and manner to our spiritual guide. 6. Let us carefully avoid all suspected company, familiarity, meetings, etc. though our intention be never so spiritual. 7. Let us strive rather to slight, scorn, and neglect these temptations, than formally to resist them. 5. In vehement temptation. 1. Make the sign of the cross upon your heart. 2. Use some brief and burning aspirations; as, Lord, deliver me. I suffer violence; O my God, answer for me. I am thine, O Jesus, body and soul, help me. 3. Defy the Devil with St. Antony: Fie Isay 38. 14. S. Antony. beast! thou wert an Angel: I who am now a beast, will aim to be an Angel, and get thy lost place: be gone, the lodging is already taken up; jesus is here, who is my Lord and love, I am preingaged in a former and purer affection. 6. Let us prepare beforehand certain places of refuge for our shelter and secure till the storm be passed over. 1. The presence of God and his Angels; saying, How is it possible? God sees me, and shall I sin in his sight? 2. Death and eternity; The delight is momentary, the punishment is etern●l●; death is at my door, and shall I adventure? 3. Christ's sacred wounds; let us there hid and secure ourselves, and say, My God hangs on the Cross, and shall I think of taking my pleasure? 4. The love of God; O jesus! my love and my life! I will either love thee, or love nothing at all; Let me rather lose my life than thy love. 5. Humility; Thou art just, O my Lord God; thy will be done. My Pride is cause of this villainy which I feel, etc. And take We must be humble, or we shall not be long chaste. this for an infallible truth; we must be humble, or we shall not be long chaste: Let us be obedient to our Superiors, or let us not look to have our flesh obedient to our spirits. 6. Devotion to Saints excelling in this virtue, especially to the chastest Virgin Mary. 7. The last Remedy, is, to make use of these antidotes timely, orderly, and discreetly, without which no rules, documents, or directions will aught avail us. The 12. Doubt. If we are in extraordinary Desolation and darkness? WE must live by Faith in this case: and know that a sensible choice of God and goodness, is not now necessary; but a Rational adhering to him is sufficient. Our fidelity to God, is showed, in the performance of our duties now as at other times; without losing either our Confidence in him, or seeking Comfort in our sufferings▪ but aspiring, if not sweetly yet sincerely, in this or the like manner: Lord I choose thee, and accept of thy divine pleasure and providence in all things. I reject whatsoever may possess that place and dominion in my soul, which is due to thee alone. Dispose of me and mine, as shall be most for thy honour and glory. Let me be either all thine, or nothing at all. The 13. Doubt. If we are tempted to despair of God's mercy, by reason of our frequent falls, and relapses into sin? THis grievous Malady springs from three causes or errors: For they who are troubled in this point, do not truly weigh, 1. What God is. 2. What sin is. 3. What contrition and sorrow of heart is. 1. Almighty God is a boundless 1. What God is. and bottomless Sea of mercy; he is natural bounty itself▪ he is ever ready to receive, revive, and relieve a penitent soul, though she alone had committed a thousand times a day the sins of the whole world. He considers not what she hath been, but what she desires and resolves now to be: and who so denys his power or Will to pardon sinners, as often as there are moments in time, goes about to deprive him of his honour and divinity itself; for he could not be God if he were not good, and faithful in his promise. O loving Lord God who art not only ready to receive a penitents petition, but even wooest him to present it; Who can truly consider what thou art, and despair of thy mercy? 2. Sin 2. What sin. is a voluntary and deliberate Aversion from God, and Conversion to creatures. 3. Contrition is of that efficacy, that it delivers from all sin, 3. What Contrition. giving confidence of pardon for the past, and courage to avoid it for the future. Let us apply this to our comfort. The 14. Doubt. If we are perplexed with great sadness? THis Passion, is a great hindrance to devotion and perfection; it is the bait of the Devil, the bane of our spirits, the root, mother, and nursery of infinite miseries and mischiefs. The chief causes of Sadness, The causes of sadness. 1. Nature. are these, 1. Nature, when Melancholy over-sways the sanguine humour, this can neither merit nor demerit, but the Devil takes thereby occasion to fill our spirits with unquietness. These have need aswell of corporal as spiritual Physic. 2. A tenderness of heart, and 2. Self-love. passionate love of ourselves: we cannot brook the least contradiction, etc. but we sigh and sob, as if all the world were interessed in our misfortune, and should bear a part in our doleful ditty. The Remedy were to bid such weep on for their penance, or use some coporall austerity. 3. An immortification of our Passions, which (when we seek in 3. Passions good earnest to root out), assault us so strongly, that it seems impossible to cure them, and hence we grow sad. The Remedy is, to conquer this bad nature by counsel, courage, and diligence, etc. Let us pray hearty, suffer willingly, stoop humbly; 'Tis for heaven we fight and suffer. 4. A secret root of pride, vain 4. Secret Pride. esteem, and false opinion we have of ourselves, when things fall not out according to our liking, expectation, or importunate desire; whereupon, we grow sad and troubled. Surely the proud have no true Isay 48. 2● rest, there is no peace to the wicked. Let us Remedy it therefore by learning of Christ true humility, and meekness, out of which there is no hope of quiet. 5. An indiscreet Zeal, and 5. Indiscreet zeal. over-greediness of perfection, which makes us eat more than we can digest, and so cast it up again with great pain▪ undertaking austerities, exercises, introversion, etc. beyond our capacities without counsel; and so we remain afflicted, being unable to go forward, and ashamed to go backward. Let us Remedy this by humble obedience to a discreet guide. 6. Want of fervour in our vocation, 6. Instability of heart. instability of heart, and inconstancy in our exercises, leaving, changing, interrupting them through laziness or lightness; This leaves a worm gnawing upon our conscience, with continual disquiet and sadness. Let us Remedy this with S. Bernard's counsel; Wilt thou never S. Bernard. be sad? live well. A good man is always merry; and a good conscience is a continual feast. 7. Disordinate love and affections 7. Love to creatures. to creatures. Let us love all only for God, and we shall be content and quiet in the loss of the most lovely and beloved creature in the world: God alone will supply all other loves and losses. 8. A jealous and envious eye: 8. An envious eye. This is a dangerous and lamentable cross; For all the Perfections of o●hers are ours, when we love them ●n others; but when we hate them, they are nails in our eyes, and thorns in our hearts, which do extremely torment us. O madness! Have we Parum tibi est, si ipse sis foelix, nisi alter sit infoelix? not sufficient miseries at home, in ourselves, but we must suck poison like Spiders out of others Honey, and what is their crown, must be our cross? What greater wickedness than to pine away with grief at others good? The Remedy of this is by endeavouring to get true Charity, the property whereof, is to weep with the weepers, rejoice with the joyful, to love others good, as our own. Let us avoid Curiosity if we will eschew Envy, for a Curious eye is the fuel of an Envious heart; let us remain like Bees in our hive of Introversion, & there make provision for the Winter of Death & Eternity, etc. 9 Frequent failings in good 9 Frequent relapses. purposes, and relapses into sin. We question whether our sins past are pardoned, and are uncertain that our present Confessions are good; This is of one evil to make two; fo● we have done amiss, and now by losing Courage and confidence, we make ourselves unfit to do better. Let us Remedy it, by acknowledging our fault, using violence to ourselves, and following direction. Other Remedies against Sadness. Orher Remedies against sadness. Jam. 5. 13. 1. Prayer. 1. Prayer is a sovereign Remedy. Is any one sad amongst you? Let him pray. God is our only joy and comfort: Let us lift up our hearts to him, and lay open our wants and desires before him with Resignation, who both can and will abundantly comfort us. Ah! my poor soul, why art thou sad, and whence comes it that thou thus troublest me? Is not our God good and gracious, who hears thy sighs, and sees thy sorrow? what wantest thou, which he cannot or will not give thee, when he sees it most expedient for thee? 2. Sometimes let us sing spiritual 2. Singing Songs; which greatly confound the Devil. 3. Other times we may fitly divert 3. Recreation. our thoughts by some external Recreations or employments. 4. Let us endeavour to make 4. Fervent acts. external and internal Acts with fervour, though without gust; as, embracing and kissing a Crucifix, and speaking reverently and lovingly unto it, etc. 5. A discreet taking of a Discipline, 5. A discipline. obtains wonderful comfort; for the soul is called from the inward troublesome pensiveness, to the outward pain: and the Devil flies away, seeing his companion the Flesh so hardly handled. 6. Frequent Communinn is an 6. Communion. excellent cordial, strengthening our hearts, and rejoicing our spirits. 7. Let us discover the effects 7. Discovery of it. and manner of our sadness to our spiritual guide, and take his advice simply and humbly: This is the remedy of remedies. 8. Let us take heed of making 8. Indifferency. use of these Remedies, only that we may be at ease, and avoid affliction; but for the prevention of danger which may ensue; and for the rest, remain perfectly indifferent and resigned. 9 If we will be free from Sadness, 9 Few desires. we must labour to keep far from us unquietness of mind; if we w●ll have our minds quiet, we must have few desires, and those few only to love and please God. 10. Finally let us beware of 10. Plain-dealing. three things. 1. Of following our Sensuality, in meat, drink, talk, ease, etc. 2. Of vain Complacence, and self-opinion, etc. 3. And above all of Hypocondriacy, Hypocrisy, double dealing & sleights with our guide; for no marvel if he starves and pines away, who l●es to the holy Ghost. If we are simple as children, our loving Father will give us sweetmeats: Woe be to Hypocrites, for it Mat. 23. 13. will go i'll with them in the latter day. Another Antidote against Melancholy and Pusillanimity. The reason of our being so often Pufillanimity procee●s from want, troubled and shaken, is because our spiritual edifice is not supported by these solid props. 1. Faith: For if we captivate 1. of Faith our Understandings to believe what God himself hath told us, what his Church hath taught us, and what our ghostly guides still preach unto us, how can we chose but be comforted and satisfied? 2. Abnegation: For if we have 2. Of Abnegation. made good Confessions, have endeavoured to satisfy God, and our guide, and have a will to obey them in all things, we may rest secure: Let us not say, What shall become of us? Shall we persever? for the desire to know this, argues our hearts of secret pride and propriety: Let us therefore deny ourselves, saying, God's holy will be done in and with us for all time and eternity, and what ever becomes of us, we will serve him till death, because his love deserves it: What need we seek a further security of God's friendship towards us in this life, than to find in our souls these two things; First, for the time past, we have done penance, consisting in Confession, Contrition and Satisfaction: Secondly, for the time to come, we give ourselves totally t● God, to serve and please him the residue of our life, in the best manner possible. Let us put our souls in this estate, and go on with courage, and never more trouble ourselves. 3. Solid Confidence. For if we 3. of Confidence. know God is merciful and Jesus hath suffered enough for all sinners, (whereof we are the chief) how can we but hope that he will be our Jesus? Let us think thus: God loves us, and we desire with all our hearts to love him, & we trust in his love, and for it we will both sigh and suffer, pray and obey, deny ourselves, and die to all creatures: This sauce will digest all our bitterness. The 15. Doubt. If we suspect that our Sadness, and temptations proceed from our own fault or negligence, or some secret sin, or our want of correspondency with God's grace? etc. 1. IF it be so; must we therefore complain, and not rather the more conform ourselves to Gods Will? We have often deserved hell; Our past sins, and present negligences merit eternal punishments; and is it not a special favour to be punished in this life with small troubles and temptations? This is not Hell; nor Eternity of discomfort, nor what we deserv●; Why then are we not both Content and Grateful? 2. In this fatherly chastisement there is both Mercy and Justice: Justice, because we have often shut the doors of our hearts against God, giving a deaf ear to his calls, and therefore it is just that we should now call and knock at the gate of his mercy, and not be heard: Mercy, because our sufferings are small in comparison of our deservings. If this be most true, why lament we our misfortune? Is there any proportion between time and eternity? betwixt this desolation, and the never-ending lamentations of the damned in hell? 3. Let us then receive and kiss his paternal rod with a filial reverence, crying out with S. Augustin: O S. Augustin Lord, spare us not here, so thou spare us hereafter? We have merited Hell, and dare we ask Sweetness in prayer? O pride and presumption! 'Tis sufficient Lord that thou admittest us into thy presence, and permittest us to open our unworthy mouths unto thee, and lament our misery before thy Divine Majesty: And shall we have hearts to Murmur, or tongues to complain of any Usage? The 16. Doubt. If we doubt that God is displeased with our Prayers; that our Afflictions befall us through our own occasion, and cannot satisfy ourselves to think we have done what God requireth? 1. WE must firmly believe, that (besides our own fault which deserves it) our chastisement is a disposition of the most high and holy Providence of God, whose wisdom imparts his blessings as he knows best for his servants: If all receive not spiritual gust and joy in Prayer, let them say with S. Bernard, Give me O Lord, Simplicity, S. Bernard. Humility, and Charity; but for higher favours, as I am unworthy of them, so I am uncapable to make use of them; I leave them therefore for thy special friends and favourites. 2. Let us therefore conceive these afflictions to be sent us from God, 1. To humble us: for should he visit us with great lights, and elevate us in Contemplation; we should presently take complacency in our imaginary devotion, and prefer ourselves before others. 2. To try our Fidelity and perseverance in his love: for the chief end of Prayer, is to obey and please God, and offer him all that we are and have; but to receive relief and comfort is only the secondary end. 3. Let us further consider, that this very internal Trouble and anguish, may and aught to comfort us, as being a token of God's love: for Love is the first wheel of our natural and spiritual clock, setting all the other passions a work; if therefore we grieve that we serve God so tepidly, etc. this Grief proceeds of love, and is an evident sign of a good will to serve him. 4. Let us ground ourselves in that often repeated Maxim; That all things do not only befall us by God's permission, but also that he sends them for our good: And therefore let us say with confident and courageous Judith; Take heart, for our Jud. 8. 27. God hath sent us these Afflictions to amend us, and not to destroy us. The 17. Doubt. If Nature hath showed herself a Stepmother unto us, in giving us a hard and harsh disposition; whence proceeds a reluctancy to works of Virtue, and mortification of Vice; So that we distrust of ever overcoming ourselves? LEt us take courage: The violent Mat. 11. 12 get the Kingdom of heaven: And let us lay hold on these two Truths, 1. That Gods will is, all should Two verities. 1. God's will is, that all should be saved, be saved; and therefore gives every one sufficient Grace and means to that end: if then we have the worst Nature in the world, and do but correspond diligently with that Grace which God gives us, we have no reason at all to fear. Let us fight valiantly under Christ our good Captain, with the Armour of Prayer and Mortification, and not cease to be his Soldiers as long as any blood and breath remains in our bodies. Let us learn to discover, and then (as others do) to detest our own peevish and perverse disposition; Let us not flatter ourselves, but lay the axe to the root, not to the branches; to wit, Resolve to humble our proud hearts in all occasions with courage, constancy & confidence, for one year, and we shall find more peace and quiet than we can imagine. If we sweat drops of blood, it is for Eternity; where not one drop shallbe lost, nor one wound uncounted, nor one soldier uncrowned. 2. That to have bad natures, and 2. Bad natures are no sins, etc. to feel motions against grace, reason, etc. is neither Sin nor Imperfection; so long as we yield not our consent to their leading, etc. The 18. Doubt. If on the contrary, our Nature is so facile and flexible, that we scareely find difficulty in any thing; we wonder to hear mention of Rebellions, Contradictions, Desolations, etc. from all which we are secure and quiet: And therefore we fear our actions are rather of a natural promptitude, than solid Virtue? 'TIs true, that Devotion and Perfection consist not in this external quiet and ease; but in the Victory over ourselves, in habits of solid Virtues, in pure Charity and Indifferency. We are therefore in A dangerous peace. this case to Humble ourselves, and to conceive we know not what Mortification▪ and Abnegation mean. What marvel if a soul, which is seldom Introverted, is rarely distracted? if they who have no care of their Senses, nor custody of their Hearts, are not troubled with their Evagations? If where there is no sap of solid Devotion, there is no sense of Dryness and desolation? O dangerous and unquiet Peace! The 19 Doubt. If we so addict ourselves to Recollection, that we look upon works of Obedience and Charity, and the external practices of our duty, as impediments to Perfection? SUch know not by what Spirit they Luke 12. 25. are led. Let us not vainly adhere to our imaginary Devotions, so as to neglect the least work of Obligation. Without Charity and Obedience, all our prayers are abominable Prov. 17. 15. in his sight, who said, Not every one that cries, Lord, Lord, shall enter into my Kingdom, but Mat. 7. 25. he that doth my Will, etc. The 20. Doubt. If we find such a calm in our Passions, imperfections, and temptations, that we hope the worst is past? LEt us never flatter ourselves Read the Conflict. ch. 20. with such fancies, or admit the least conceit, that we have entirely conquered any one passion or imperfection: but humbly, vigorously, and constantly, keeping on in our tract of Mortification, Recollection, Introversion; think that these calms, comforts, and Time videre unde possis cadere; Noli fieri perversa simplicitate securus. S. August. cessations, are sent us as hony-sops, and milk for children, because we are yet weak, and want courage to encounter such stronger Temptations, wherewith others are tried; And that our Loving Lord, communicates these his favours and friendships unto us, not as best meriting them, but most needing them. The 21. Doubt. If Scrupulosity overwhelms us? AS Carelessness is a dangerous impediment of Perfection, when one shall say, This is not Mortal, this is but a Counsel, not a Precept; this of Perfection, not of Obligation: (For whosoever will obtain the true Spirit of Devotion and Recollection, must be far from this opinion:) So Scrupulosity is another extreme, equally hindering our spiritual progress, and hurting more than sin itself. For this trouble of Spirit, takes The danger of scrupulosity. away all internal strength, comfort, and courage of well-doing, and makes us slide insensibly into Despair of doing better; till at length, we give up all, and either pine away in these melancholy and desperate thoughts, or else yield ourselves to Pleasure and Sensuality, and sometimes to the Devil himself, to find some means of solace and satisfaction. Believe it, inordinate Fear, Sadness, and Scrupulosity, will soon bring a soul into a labyrinth of miseries, and a hell of mischiefs; and therefore she must speedily get Confidence in Confidence in God's mercy is the remedy. God's mercy, and raise up herself to Alacrity of mind, or she will never be able to overcome her difficulties, nor persever long in Spirit. The way to get this Confidence and Joy, is briefly this: The means to get this confidence. 1. To Trust and Obey her discreet guide: who is to assign her a set form of Confession for once a week. 2. He must be resolute and rigorous, taking all upon his own conscience, if she promise faithfully to obey him. 3. He must assure her, that she more offends in want of Confidence and Obedience, than in all other sins; and that if sh●● will not believe this, her disease is incurable. This is the short and safe cure of tbis dangerous Disease: but that we may better understand the nature of our malady, Let us Note Seven sorts of Consciences. 1. A cauterised, corrupted, large 7. Sorts of Consciences. and libertine Conscience, making scruple of nothing, but swallowing down all things. 2. A chiverell Conscience, stretching to all, and caring for nothing, but to avoid great and grievous sins. 3. A quiet Conscience, yet not good, because they take occasion to sin out of a confidence in God's goodness, and hope of his merry. 4. A troubled Conscience, but not good, for want of confidence. 5. A troubled, and also a good Conscience, yet weak; of those who being newly converted to God, lament their past life with bitter tears, and yet are full of rebellious passions, etc. 6. A good, quiet, and confident Conscience of those who are careful to please God, to avoid all sin, to be beneficial to all, burdensome to none; making use of friends by favour, foes by patience, and all men by good will, etc. 7. An erroneous, timorous and scrupulous Conscience, making doubts and difficulties of all things. So that there are, generally speaking, 2. Sorts of bad consciences. two sorts of bad Consciences: The one too large, calling good evil, and evil good; The other too narrow, finding sin where there is none, and taking imaginations for offences, and shadows for substances. The first of these Consciences, 1. Over large: Wh●ch must be cured by removing the causes. 1 Cor. 14. 38. (which is over large) must be cured by removing the causes, which are generally four. 1. Negligence to learn what belongs to our Religion, vocation, profession, obligation and salvation: for who so knows not what he is bound to know, shall not be known by God. 2. Pride, and shame to ask and inform ourselves. 3. Obstinacy and presumption, when we will trust to our own judgements and abilities, and not submit to our betters. 4. Bad affections, and perverse wills, led by passion, and blinded with self-love, from seeing the truth. These have one foot already in hell; which they must pluck out by violence, using the contrary remedies. The Second Conscience, which 2. Over-strait, which must also be cured by the removal of the causes. is over-strait, and scrupulous, may be also cured by the removal of the causes, which may be reduced to these. 1. A fearful nature, coming from abundance of cold; here is need of a twofold Physician, One for the Body to prescribe them good diet; The other for the Soul, to confirm them in Hope, by the consideration of God's mercy, Christ's merits, Scriptures promises, Superiors warrants, etc. 2. Some infirmity or sickness, as Mania, which hurts the forepart of the head, and diminishes the Imagination; Melancholy, which infects the middle part, and diminisheth Reason; Frenzy, which seizeth on the purses or nets of the brain, which are the cells of Judgement. This cause hath need of the like cure. 3. The Devil, by God's permission, for divers causes. This is cured by not caring what humour we are in, but to endeavour with courage and confidence to please God, whether we are sad or merry, fervent or desolate; making use of Prayer and Counsel. 4. An indiscreet and preposterous treating of our bodies. The way to cure this is to follow the rules of Discretion, and to find out their own strength and complexion; yet still taking heed of the contrary extremity, of flattering our sensuality under pretence of spirituality. 5. The keeping company with scrupulous persons, or misunderstanding some Spiritual Books. Remedy this by shunning such Company, laying aside such Books, and obtaining from your Director, a Rule to rely upon, and believing nothing against that. 6. A secret and subtle Self-love and Pride, under the counterfeit mask of fear and care of our souls. Against which we must submit our judgement to Obedience, for we are all blind in our own cause; and this is not only the best, but even the necessary Remedy▪ for such as are particularly bound to Obedience. 7. Ignorance of the mysteries of our faith, and of God's mercy, which makes us think our obligation greater than indeed it is, God more severe than he is, and his yoke more heavy than it is. Which to Remedy, we must see and consider wherein we judge amiss, and whereupon we ground our particular fears; for that is the easiest way to remove them. 8. Let us weigh the virtue of the Physic The virtue of the Physic which must cure us. which must cure our Disease: to wit, First, the infinite goodness of God, and Christ's merits: And what Soul can fear, having so gracious a God, and so great a Ransom? 2. The Credit and Compassion of the Blessed Virgin, and the Prayers and Patronage of Saints and Angels, who being secure for themselves, are solicitous for us. 3. The testimony and sweet promises of holy Scriptures: For how often hath God told us; I am prone to pity; I am ready to receive sinners; I will help them who do their endeavours. If therefore he denys not his mercy to them that seek it, and they seek it who do what lies in them, let us be confident he will not deny us his mercy. He also frequently calls on us, Turn to me, and I will turn to you: Now he cannot but say truth, and fulfil his promise; and doth not that soul convert herself to God, who doth her best to get his grace, and be reconciled unto him? Who then can choose but be of good Comfort, if he be of good Will? By this Doctrine, and these prescribed Remedies, it appears that the only way to overcome Scruples, is, 1. To obey our Spiritual Director. 2. To do our best endeavour. But here arise two difficulties, in this easy lesson. The first is, If our Directo●● The first difficulty. knowledge be small, his experience less, and his conscience not very good, how dare we trust our souls upon his Warrant? Gerson answers: Thou wi●e Gerson's answer. Judger, I say thou errest and a●● deceived, for thou hast not committed thyself and thy soul to a man, because of his discretion and learning, but to God himself; and for his love thou obeyest man, because he is by him ordained thy Prelate and Superior. Therefore our obedience willbe oftentimes so much more pleasing to God, and profitable to our souls, by how much more infirm and unworthy he is whom we refuse not to obey for God's sake. The other difficulty is; If we The second difficulty. cannot satisfy ourselves, that we do our best Endeavours, nor know that we have performed our duty? S. Thomas answers; We must St. Thomas answer. first remove that which hinders grace, to wit, Sin: 2. We must convert our hearts from creatures to our Creator. In a word, we must detest Sin, and choose God, and follow his ordinary means appointed in his Church for our direction: and this is the Summary of our duty. The 22. Doubt. If we fear we detest not Sin sufficiently, because we feel not so great sorrow for the offence of God, as we do sometimes for a temporal loss? LEt us assure ourselves, First, We can never have so much sorrow for our Sins, as God's justice in rigour requires. 2. God doth not exact it of us, because it is not in our power. 3. True sorrow consists not in feeling, but in Reason and Freewill. 4. It is better to have sorrow sometimes only in desire than feeling. 5. It is not necessary this corporal or sensible grief be so great for spiritual as for temporal loss, but it sufficeth to use humane and moral diligence, with firm purpose of a voiding Sin. 6. It is dangerous to make such comparisons and reflections for weak and fearful Consciences: as, If such a thing should happen, what should I do? Should I rather choose death, than such a Sin? and the like: I say, there is no obligation to make such acts. The 23. Doubt. If we cannot ground ourselves in a firm Hope of mercy; for that we are so frail and inconstant; We sin daily, and amend not our lives; We receive Gods blessings, and repay ill for good; We promise, protest, and vow fidelity, and practise nothing less. TEll me, afflicted Souls! Should you see Christ die daily for your daily sins, would you despair of mercy? Even so efficacious is his former death. If you fall hourly, rise again courageously, and purpose to stand more constantly, and fear nothing; but draw Humility out of your Frailty, saying, Whereof am I proud now? Where are my strong Resolutions? Why do I judge others? Who is so feeble sickle, frail, as I am? O Lord this is the Worm that is so proud: Then cast ●ll into Christ's sacred wounds; and leaving all there, go on with as much quiet and Confidence, as if you had not sinned. The 24. Doubt. If we go not on with alacrity, because we know not that our Sins are forgiven, that our Confessions are good, and that we are in state of Grace? WE must take notice, that in seeking these assurances, we may oftentimes directly lose them: 1. In seeking them too eagerly and unquietly. 2. In being self-lovers, and unwilling to be troubled. 3. In being ignorant of what we are bound to know: for (it seems) we conceive those works nothing worth, which are performed without gust, content, satisfaction to ourselves, and quiet. The way than is briefly this: 1. To seek true peace. 2. In God. 3. From his mercy, not our own industry. 4. To be resigned to want peace if he please. 5. To omit nothing we would or should do by reason of the trouble we feel. The 25. Doubt. Though we cannot (in this life) assure ourselves infallibly to be in good estate, yet if we could comfort ourselves with most probable tokens of grace, whereby we might feel the pulses of our hearts, and somewhat ease our anguish? SAint Thomas and S. Bernard assign 4. Signs of a good conscience out of S. Tho. and Bernard. these four signs of a good conscience. 1. To feel a ready Willingness in our hearts, to hear God's word, and to learn the means to love and serve him. 2. To feel a Forwardness to do good Works. 3. To feel a hearty Sorrow for the offence of God. 4. To feel a firm Purpose to avoid all Sin. Gerson adds a fifth: Who so can A ●. out of Gerson. To pronounce these three verities. pronounce hearty and sincerely these three Verities, though he had committed all sins, and should be prevented with sudden death, let him secure himself he is in state of Grace. The first Verity. O Lord! If in Oh! that we would often recite these three truths; especially when we feel our consciences burdened! What infinite profit and comfort would redound to our souls? this or that I have sinned against thy goodness, it truly displeases and grieves me, and I am ready to do penance for it, because I have offended thee, who art worthy of all honour, and have transgressed thy Law and Will, which is most holy, just, and reasonable. The second Verity. O Lord! I have a good purpose and desire by thy grace to take heed I fall not into sin again, and to avoid to my power the occasions thereof, and to mortify my passions, and bad inclinations. The third Verity. O Lord! I have a good Will and purpose to Confess my sins entirely, in due time and place, according to thy Ordinance, and that of thy holy Church. We may add to these, the devout frequentation Three other signs. of the Sacraments, which give life and justifying grace; The warrant of a skilful guide; And a lively confidence in the Divine bounty. The 26. Doubt. If we are troubled, because we know not well when we give consent to sinful Thoughts? 1. IF when the Thought is represented, Rules to know when we consent to sin. we presently fly to the crucifix, expel it, disdain it, dislike it; it is not Sin, but Merit. 2. But if we carelessly linger in it when well perceived, it is Venial. 3. And if we consent to the Thought, and desire the Action, our sin is equal to the act, if it were committed. 4. But if we intent not the Act, but linger delightfully in the Thought, and the thing itself be Mortal, and deliberately entertained, it is also Mortal. The 27. Doubt. If we cannot well distinguish between Venial and Mortal sin? 1. WHat need we determine; let us Confess it, as it is committed. 2. Mortal sin cannot be committed without great corruption of Him who commits it, or great hurt to his Neighbour, or great contempt and neglect of God, (says Richardas' a S. Victore): And S. Thomas Rich. à S. Victore. S. Thomas. says; He sins Mortally, whose total intention of mind is withdrawn from God, who is our last end. 3. Let us conclude with S. Augustin S. August. Gerson. and Gerson: That it is dangerous, even in Prelates and Confessors, to define what is mortal sin, or give Rules therein. The 28. Doubt. If that saying of Divines terrifies Faciens contra dubium incidit in peccatum. In dubiis securior pars est eligenda. us; He that does against his doubt, sins: And, In things which are doubtful, the securer part is to be chosen? WE may, in things which are Doubtful, securely follow a Probable opinion: Now Scruples are not Doubts, but false apprehensions; and therefore on all sides, we may (and sometimes must) go against our own erroneous consciences, especially when Obedience commands it. Let us therefore, with S. Augustin, S. Augustin Tene certum, dimitte incertum. lay hold of that which is certain, and let go the uncertain: And what way is more sure and secure than Obedience? The 29. And last Doubt. If finally we are apprehensive and fearful lest we should grow weary in the way of Virtue, and not Persever constantly in our Spiritual Exercises? LEt us excite our Tepidity by the frequent perusal of this following discourse, and practise accordingly. The Patriarch Jacob, in hope of obtaining the beautiful Rachel, served Laban seven years with diligence and patience: But being cozened by that disloyal worldling with i'll favoured Lia; what doth he? He neither loseth Courage nor Confidence; but with new constancy gins his other seven years' service, with such admirable alacrity, and a heart so fixed upon his desired reward, that the time seemed Gen. 29. but a week to him. O my soul! thou seekest and sighest after eternal Beatitude, consisting essentially in the blessed vision and fruition of God, (signified by Rachel, according to S. Bernard); For S. Bernard. this thou hast bound thyself to serve God; But alas! The world, the flesh, and the Devil, do so often beguile & blind thee, that thou takest blear-eyed Lia, for beautiful Rachel, the world for heaven, the flesh for the Spirit, and diabolical Illusions for Divine inspirations. But what? Lose not courage, nor confidence; Renew thy protestation of loyal service; Serve God one other seven years; Suffer another slavery to get heaven, to die in final grace, and to be eternally joined to that blessed beauty thou lovest; Fellow Jesus to mount Calvary, to consummatum est, to thy last gasp; If thou stumblest, fall not; If thou fallest, up again and march; Stand not, but go forward; for he only that persevers till the end, shall be saved. Let neither frequent temptations, nor fearful imaginations, nor strong passions, nor bad inclinations, nor often fall, nor ordinary frailty, daunt or dismay thee. God is good and gracious, meek and merciful; Thy reward is infinite and eternal; Thy friends are more in heaven, than on earth; persever then, and go forward; if thou canst not run, at least go fair and softly, and securely, after Christ thy Captain, crying, Draw me unto thee, o most dear Lord; for I desire to follow thee and no other: but I am weak and lame, and therefore I make use of two crutches, A strong resolution never to forsake thy love, and a lively confidence in thy grace, goodness, and mercy. O holy and happy, O precious and highly to be prized Perseverance! O final grace! the patrimony only of the elect, and portion of the predestinate! Fight manfully, o my soul! get good habits timely; resist sin valiantly; fast, watch, pray, sigh and suffer perseverantly: heaven is worth thy pains. Persever, O my soul! Persever, Persever; that done, all is done; that wanting, all is undone. This, O Satan! thou knowest full well; and therefore little carest to see me zealous for a Lent, for a year, for a time, so in the end thou may'st make me tyre, tepid, and careless of my progress and Perseverance: 'tis my Perseverance S. Bernard. which thou only enviest at; because that only conquers thee, and crowns me eternally. I discover thy two main snares, (o subtle enemy!) into which thou wouldst allure my unwary soul; and thy first design failing, which was to delay my eonversion to God's service, thou pursuest thy Second, which is, to weary me in my well-begun enterprise. To shift off my Conversion, thou urgedst youth, long life, time enough; (thy daily and dangerous deceits, by which more Christians perish, than by any other thy guiles and stratagems:) Thou knowest the peril of delay, in a matter so important, as is our conversion, perfection, salvation; Thou art not ignorant how one sin draws on another; how he that to day is unfit, will be less to morrow; how custom grows into nature, breeds blindness, hardness of heart, and insensibility; how old diseases are hardly and rarely cured; how God withdraws his grace when 'tis abused, refused, neglected; how much his justice by delay is exasperated, and that we heap coals on our own heads by our negligence. Thou art well skilled in the uncertainty of our frail life, knowst the dangers, chances, changes, and accidents, which may speedily overwhelm us: therefore thou whisperest, stay a little, defer yet for a time; till God in whose hands are the moments of all time, takes from us all time, (who have so long abused the opportunity of time), and sends us into pains eternal without time. But seeing me resolutely and violently breaking all thy chains, running and crying with S. Augustin; S. Augustin Why shall I longer say to morrow? why not now? even at this instant? thou now strivest to undermine my Perseverance: But take courage, o my soul! thy time of enduring will soon end, and thy ensuing joy will be without end. Harken not to thy sworn enemies enchantments; sit not, stand not, sleep not; but pray, watch, and walk, whilst thou hast light and life, that the darkness of eternal night and death overtake thee not. And since thy Loving Lord, is both able and willing to secure and support thee, and to turn every thing to thy advantage, ●ven thy imperfections, frailties and failings, (For thou art warranted, that so Rusbrochius. sure as God is God, so sure it is, that he will permit nothing to befall us, but for our greatest good, and his own glory, and that it is most grateful unto him we so judge of him;) doubt not of his providence and protection, not fear to permit him to deal with thee as he best pleaseth, and to remain in a perfect indifferency to all his divine ordinances and dispositions, saying; Since it is thy will, O Lord, it is certain to be n●y good; be it so: I am as sure thou lovest me, as that thou livest with me: A way then all diffidence, disloyalty, inconstancy: How many Saints have you perverted? how many souls have you damned? Without thee O holy Perseverance all is lost, with thee all is secure; Grace till the end, Glory without end: Welcome holy Confidence! the main support of my life, and the life of my Perseverance; I am content, O my Lord, to be conducted by thee for time and eternity, as thou best pleasest; Led me by land or water, by desolation or devotion, by darkness or day, by sickness or health, I will adhere to thee constantly. If it be thy blessed will, O Loving Lord, that I creep as a snail towards Perfection, I will neither be troubled nor dismayed, I desire not to fly faster than thou enablest me, I quiet myself with the grace thou givest me, which I acknowledge to be not only beyond my deserts, but better for me than my own desires. Finally I here make a general Resolution, and a generous Resignation of my whole self into thy holy hands; hoping that it will give worth and value to all my actions and sufferings. O my Sovereign and sweet maker! A form of general Resolution. my whole Will and desire (according to my great obligation, former profession, and present protestation) is to serve and love thee, and to fulfil thy blessed Will in all things, and to be wholly thine at all times, and in all things whatsoever. 'Tis thy Honour I only aim at, thy Glory I only intent, and thy Will, I only seek to accomplish: To thee alone I render and wish all benediction and eternal praise, and with cordial Joy I say Amen to all that is possessed by thy most amiable and perfect goodness; and joining my humble desires and devotions with all those that love thee, I implore that we may be all thine, and that thou wilt be All in us all. And now, O my soul, since thou hast in some sort happily begun a course of Prayer, Recollection, Abnegation, and Humility, according to Obedience, and supported by Confidence; For further helps to perseverance, read the 22. 23. 24. ch. of St. Teresa's life, Written by herself; And her book entitled, The way to Perfection. Let the Devil storm, let Flesh and blood rebel, let the World murmur; Answer them all, Quod scripsi, scripsi; my Vows and Promises must and shall stand & I am content to sign it with my blood: I will sooner die than swerve from my well-setled Resolutions, or cancel the free deed and gift of myself to my Saviour's service; Darkness, Desolation, Death and Devil shall never make me change. Live my good Purposes to love my dear Lord unchangeably, irrevocably, eternally. Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. 2 Tim. c. 4 v. 7▪ 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which our Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing. James 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which our Lord hath promised to them that love him. Revelation 2. 10. Be thou faithful until death, and I will give thee the crown of life. FINIS. Errata. In the Conflict. PAge 32. line 2. for from read form, p. 45. l. 15. for weary r. wary, p. 69. l. 25. for mediations r. meditations, p. 143. l. 28. for his r. he, p. 143. l. 29. for its r. his, p. 161. l. 29. for ordinary r. ordinarily, p. 201. l. 2. for pleasure r. please, p. 277. l. 2. for many r. may. In the Conquest. PAge 3. l, 29. for some r. son. In the Exercises. Page 103. l. 12. for ●at his r. eat a● his. In the Maxims.