THE SPIRITVAL EXERCISES. OF THE MOST VIRTUOUS and Religious D. GERTRUDE MORE of the holy Order of S. Bennet and English Congregation of our Ladies of Comfort in Cambray, she called them.  
Amor ordinem nescit.  
And Idiots Devotions.  
Her only Spiritual Father and Directour the Ven. Fa. Baker styled them.  
Confessiones Amantis.  
A Lover's Confessions.  
Amans Deum anima, sub Deo despicit universa.  
A soul that loveth God, despiseth all things that be inferior unto God. Imit. l. 2. c. 5.  
Printed at Paris, by LEWIS DE LA FOSSE, in the Carme street, at the sign of the Looking Glass. M. DC. L VIII.  
With Approbation.   

REnowned, More whose bloody Fate  
England near yet could expiate,  
Such was thy constant Faith, so much  

Sir Thom- More,  Thy Hope, thy Charity was such;  
As made thee twice a Martyr prove;  
Of Faith in Death, in Life of Love!  
View here thy Grandchilds broken Har●  
Wounded with a Seraphic Dart.  
Who while she lived mortals among  
Thus to her Spouse Divine she sung.  
Mirror of Beauty in whose Face  
The essence lives of every Grace!  
True lustre dwells in thy sole sphere  
Those glimmerings that sometimes appear●  
In this dark vail, this gloomy night  
Are shadows tipped with glow worm light●  
Show me thy radiant parts above,  
Wbere Angels vnconsumed move  
Where amorous fire maintains their li●●  
As man by breathing Air, survives.  
But if perchance the mortal eye,  
That views thy dazzling looks mnst die  
With blind faith here i'll kiss them & desi●  
To feel the heat, before I see the fire.   


D. GERTRUDE MORE MAGNES AMORIS AMOR. R. Loch●m sculp●it    

TO THE R. MOTHER  
The R. Mother Bridgit More of Saint Peter and Saint Paul most worthy Prioress of the English Benedictin Nuns of our Lady of Hope in Paris.  
REVEREND MOTHER,  
This devout Book comes to you of right being your natural sisters excellent Goods, and there is no other heir left to it but your deserving self besides I know few or none do any way pretend to it, but you and your Religious ●●ock who exactly trace by true practice ●ô Practice, divine practice the only ●eans) the same holy paths this book ●reats of. Take and accept of it therefore R. MOTHER: I guess I need not much invite you, for I dare say it will be most dear to you, and most highly esteemed by you, and yours. If it chance to fall into the hands of any such as may reject, or cry it down: (as some few did the Idiots Devotions of the same Spirit lately set forth) it will (as that did) but receive the greater lustre thereby, and be more highly prised, by how much it may be misprised by such sensual persons as relish not the Spirit of God, or whose vain and flashing wits as it were spurn at the Divine, and true heavenly Wisdom. That it hath some hands set in th● margin, and divers characters in many places to point out certain matter and make them more remarakable, is no● but that in a manner every line and syllable is most remarkable and worthy t● be observed. And that some places o● Scripture are quoted in the margin, an● not all, is because those be the more clea● plain and unmingled texts, though th● whole Book hath nothing in it almost bu● Scripture.  
And if there be somewhat in the latter end the very same with what is said in the preface, it will not much annoy since good advice cannot be too often rtpeated.  
I will say nothing of the admirable graces and gifts of the Author (let the Book speak them) because I should seem thereby to praise, and extol you (her natural Sister, and imbued with the same natural and supernatural gifts) than which nothing would be more ungrateful and distasteful unto you. Howsoever R. MOTHER give me leave to invite and incite you and your Holy Company to go on cheerfully and couradgiously in these sacred and secret Paths of Divine Love.. With your Beauty and Fairness intend, proceed prosperiously and reign. Let the wisemen, or rather wits of the world laugh at you. They senseless think your life Madness, and your ways dishonourable. Be not I say dismayed. For your Truth Mildness, justice; and your Right hand (which is is your Spiritual Prayer) will marueillously conduct you. So desirous to be partaker of your holy Prayers, and committing you to the Divine Protection, I rest ever  
R. MOTHER, Your most humble servant and faithful friend in our Lord. F. G.   

THIS DEVOVT SOULS. ADVERTISEMENT to the Reader. With an Apology for herself, and her spiritual Guide, and Director the V. F. Augustin Baker.  
Wherein is excellently described a true intern, contemplative Spiritual life, and the manner how to live happily in it, with right, and true Obedience to God an man.  
IT may seem very strange (and that very justly) that I should write what here I have written; But when I have here declared my reason for it, I may perhaps pass with th● censure only of being a little presumptuous. Yet God (who is my witness in all, and my ●esire above all) knoweth upon what grounds I have done it; And that it is but for mine own private comfort and help, and to be seen by no other, but against my will, my superiors only excepted, from whom (as they shall require) I will not conceal the very secrets of my hart much less this which I have written to lie by me, wherein there may be what they may mislike and correct, to which I shall most willingly submit myself. Yea and though it seem to me to be a great help to me to have that which I have writ in more light to read when I am either in obscurity of temptation, or other bodily indisposition to which I may be often incident. Yet I will suppress it at their command and good pleasure, and put the want thereof willingly to the hazard: 
☞  out of confidence in the assistance of God, who is a lover, and rewarder of Obedience. Which virtue (howsoever it may be otherwise thought) I honour from my hart, and believe verily that nothing that I do which doth not partake of that is of any regard at all with God.  

●. F. Aug. Baker  This I have thus affirmed because he who hath been my Master, and Father in a spiritual life: and hath brought me into a course, which much satisfieth my soul, and conscience between me and God: (It tending to nothing but to love God by seeking him above all Graces and Gifts: And by withdrawing all inordinate affection from all created things to become f●ee to love and praise God in as pure and perfect a manet, as this life will admit. And also to true submission, and subjection of myself for God to whomsoever he puts over me in this life, with as great a contempt of myself as my frailty can reach unto.)  
Is notwithstanding taxed now by the same words in a manner which were alleged against our blessed Saviour. 
Luk. 20.23.  We have found this man subverting the people, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar. Which though none can justly say of him; Yet it hath pleased God to honour him so much as to have him even in a public instrument (which I have heard read) covertly pointed at, taxed and accused of this manner of proceeding.  
They taking for their ground, the impe●fections of some through mere frailty committed in this kind. As also because some who are of other ways, and understand not this, affirm it may be inferred out of his books that subjects (in what they pretend to have a divine call to) may resist contradict and disobey Superiors. Which that it may be inferred I cannot deny: ●ince a meaner wit than he that affirmeth this may draw strange consequences out of any book in the house, if he will look upon them with no other intention, but to carp. But if they will ta●e one place with another and consider what we believe, and practise also, according to our imperfection and frailty, they will see and find in practise the quite contrary. And what was allowed by Fa. Baker concerning shifting to get time and means for ou● prayer, was but in case that Superiors did account it but an unprofitable exercise. 
☞  Which was the only thing I have o●ten heard him affirm in which he would ever allow a soul to deal in any shifting manner with their Superiors under what pretence soever.  
And this in it-self was never held to be a sin, but an imperfection, which he also th●ught it to be. But this reason, for his as it were winking at their imperfection, was to make souls that were apt for prayer to make the higher esteem ●hereof, and perceive the necessity of prosecuting it daily and diligently too, if they ever desired to arrive to any perfect degree in the love of God. Which esteem if it had not b● such means been brought into the house: It would have been hard for ●im to have made a soul believe and acknowledge the necessity, and nobility of it. For it may be practised by some a long t●me before they find any extraordinary benefit by it, and till they find the effect of it in their own souls they may be apt to neglect, and make no esteem of it in these days when all most every one of esteem invaigh against it as the most dangerous or unprofitable exercise in the world.  
For some hold one of these opinions, and somo hold the other, to wit. Some hold it only unprofitable. Others say it is very profitable if one could avoid the perils of it, which yet in women they hold a thing almost impossible. Which opinion of the two I most feared, because those that hold it pretend by their objection to have some experience in a spiritual life: And therefore their words are the apt to make in a soul the greater impression: but as for the former, it plainly showeth a mere ignorance in the affirmers.  
To by carried away therefore with this opinion and error of the dangerousness of a spiritual life. Is that which by these writings I intended, and desired to avoid by the help, and Grace of Almighty God. And therefore when I was clear and not obscured with fear (which I am very subject to) I set down these things to be a help, and comfort to me amid the oppositions to that which I have found and experienced so proper and good for me. Which yet whether it be or no my Superiors will be better able to judge, seeing not only what I believe in all, and my opinion in these things they so much fear our error in; but also my practice in a particular manner.  
Now as for the shifting about our Prayer, which is the chief ground of the forsaid public instrument before mentioned, that wholly tendeth (supposing our belief, and practise to be according) to the disgrace of those who are in that course of prayer, and to affright those who come after from following their advice in any thing. They being there painted out in plain terms to be enemies to the gowernment of Superiors, as having had their instructions by a strange, and indirect way, and means. I say for all that hath been faid in this kind of following our prayer, (come on it what will through opposition of Superiors) I dare affirm that opinion of Fa. Bakers hath to us been recalled by him long before the publishing of the instrument. For it was only for an entrance, vot for a continuance since a soul well settled in prayer would not need it-though at first for four or five years a soul by being hindered from two serious recollections in a day by her Superiors, would have perhaps been in great danger of inconueniency to her progress, and also never have been able to have obeyed ●s she should. Which is a certain effect of a truly prosecuted course of prayer: ● supposing it be one who is fit for it; ●or otherwise it may be very convenient ●or her to be put into some other course more proper for her, and if she resist Supuriors in it, she will be in danger of great inconvenience, if not errors by her misunderstanding, and mis-applying that which was not for her turn, and this we have in this very house seen and known) which if by untimely hindering (a soul apt for it) a Superior procure● he will also incur an inconueniency though not so great as hers. Which is that she who would (by prosecuting discretely a course of Mental pra●er) have become subject if it were necessary even to a very d●gg; 
☜  becometh for want of that strength, and help which therein she got, to be almost impossible to be ruled by the wisest man in the world.  
For living in Religion (as I can speak by experience) if one be not in a right course between God and our soul: 
☜  Ones nature grows much worse; then ever it would have been, if they had lived in the word. For Pride, and self love which are ●ooted in our soul by sin findeth means to strengthen themselves exceedingly in one in Religion, if she be not in a course that may tea●h her, and procure her true Humility. For by ●he corrections, and contradictions which cannot be avoided by any living in a Religious community, I found my hart ●rown (as I ma● say) as hard as a stone, and nothing could have been able to have mollified it; but by being ●ut into a course of prayer; by which a soul tendeth towards God, and learneth of him the true lesson of humbling herself. Which effect I finding by following Father Bakers plain, simple● easy and sweet instructions, I was loath to change them for them I could not understand. A●d for this reason by all the meanes● could imagin● I have endeavoured to strengthen myself by writing, gathering, and thus (as i● some part of my papers i● will appear) addressing my speech to our Lord. This way i● so plain, and easy that a● long as the sou● holds Humility, it is impossible for her t● err to her great inconueniency, at least in h● main point which ●s the love of God. For i● less imports for smalller sins, her im●erfectiōs and errors or bangors, ● speaking of suc● as are accounted such by some precise an● exact persons) as to overshoot herself i● that in which another would have c●m● off with honour, or some such point, n● way greatly to the purpose, as to any hindrance to her course. Yea by these things (I say) she rather gaineth than looseth since many time● they are a great occasion of Humility to her soul, which much advanceth her, and is above all chiefly necessary for her. For love to God, and true Humility increase the one the other and are inseparable companions.  
In fine as to the point of following Prayer, when the Superior as that time would 
☜  otherwise employ her which I was speaking of before. I say that after the soul hath been some goo● space practised in that exercise The Superiors cannot hinder her in it by imposing that which to them seemeth fit: And the s●ul w●l have no desire to resist them neither can she do it without a check from God Almighty. For no employments which Religious women have in Religion can h●nder them (after they have had a good entrance) that the Superiors can impose upon the●, for if they pray not a● one time thy can easily pray at another, 
☜  or best of all pray with the work it-self, and make the work their prayer.  
This therefore being so that Fa Baker did this at fi●st, but as a shift in the beginning, there is no just cause to find such fault with it, he doing it for these two rea●●ns. First, because some chief Superiors had so poor an opinion of Prayer, that they thought they did God good service when they hindered them, who seem to make esteem of it. The other reason, because tho●e he gave his instructions to, and seemed to him most fit for them, were likely to come into place of Authority; and thereby were not only themselves to suffer much by the continual opposi●ions they were like to find; but also were to bear a great part of the others Burdens which were more fearful, and had been a lesser time practised in the course: who yet were likely (if they were encouraged) to prosper very well in a spiritual, and internal life. These two were I say in part his reasons, which made him go so far in this point. And yet we that had these instructions delivered by him, had them with such circumstances that we could not possibly take liberty in any thing that was contrary to our Superiors minds by his Books, or words.  
And verily I may with a safe conscience affirm, that if I would never so fain, I could not find any thing in his books, nor in any of this instructions, on which I could ground myself (without a check in my conscience, for doing the instructions wrongs) to neglect, omit, shift of, or sheightly to perform any thing of my Superiors commanding, or ordaining. Nor could I ever infer any thing out of them, but that they tend only, and wholly to humble the soul; and urge her to seek, desire, and rest in God alone. And this I dare affirm under all the Oaths in the world, if justice by lawful authority should exact the same of me. 
☜  For not any book which he hat writ hath ever tended to any thing else, then that we should live with all submission and subjection to God, and our Superiors. And if he had taught ●he contrary, an extraordinary effect of it would have appeared in us before now, we having been dealt with (being ourselves in authority) as we have been; And ●ndeed in such manner that no human instructions could have enabled us quietly to ●aue supported the same. The grace of God only, and tending to him by the way ●f love could do it; which so humbleth the soul that no difficulty, or disgrace can hap which she expecteth not, and therefore is abled willingly to embrace the ●●me.  
Verily I can affirm this by mine own experience that a cross word, or a slight reprehension before I was in this course was more insupportable to me, and did more disquiet my mind, than all the difficulties and disgraces, which have fallen upon me since, have done. For now me thinks though I be neglected by the whole world: By flying to our Lord he easeth me of all my burden. And as I have desired to have no friend, or comfort but him so it pleaseth him, neither in doubts, fears, pains, disgraces, nor any other miseries (whereunto this life of ours is so subject) to reject me. Only he exacts of me that in all the contradictions he sends me I humble myself, and be confident of his help; which, if I do so, I shall be much more sure, than i● in mine own hands● had a most absolute power to help myself.  
And this humble confidence maketh one's way so clear that the soul hath few, or no questions in many years, though they have such very near that are never so well able to resolve them● This want o● questions is almost all the ground of difficulty between these souls and the Confessor, who thinks himself neglected t● have souls have no more business with hi● then in mere confession. 
☞  But I know no● how the souls can ●elpe it, though there●by they should offend the whole world It seemeth to some a great presumptions that the soul seemeth ●o think herself f●● to guide herself, and al●o by it they in●ferre that she sleighteth others though he● Superiors as not fit to govern her, so ignorant do they think she doth esteem them. But God and her own conscience knoweth that none of these things are the cause of her being so reserved, as indeed she is, unless she be asked by them: which if she be they will see that she doth not in any kind sleight, or neglect them; yet in speaking she useth discretion where and to whom (for one Superior may be fit to be treated with in one point, and another in another) which none can judge or term a breach of Obedience, and yet this is the furthest that ever Fa. Baker taught.  
And who would not think it a mere folly; if I out of pretence of Obedience, and greater Perfection should treat with one in matter of conscience (in which I were doubtful) who had such difficulty with me in his nature that he were as little able to judge in my case as I were in mine own. For my part our Congregation giving leave for it, and wanting those who are able to judge aright in my case; as well as in others. I should do not only myself an injury thus foolishly to go to work; but also him, whom I should thus treat with upon these terms. Which foolish proceedding is not a proper effect of true Obedience, but rather a fancy, and mere folly.  
O how far is it then from Fa. Baker's meaning to teach, or allow of any thing which may savour of disobedience! It is true that that which those term Obedience, who draw it to nothing, but a mere politic course (that leaveth by the practice of it in a soul a poor effect in comparison of that which by the vow of Obedience, God and the Church intendeth) serveth where it is practised to keep better order than where there is no Obedience at all (which God knows in these days is too ordinary:) for opposing against Superiors is a course which cannot stand without great inconveniences For if God require that seculars should obey the Prince, and the Laws of the Realm, so far as it may be done without offence to his own Laws: and if it be required of them that they pay taxes which are by the King unjustly exacted: What shall Religious persons allege for their defence, if after the vow of Obedience they resist, and withstand their lawful Superiors in what they may justly exact (as we ought to judge all to be that is not apparent sin and offence to God:) and better it is to obey in never so imperfect a manner, then to cont●nd, and withstand Superiors under what pretence soever. For though it be true that some great saints have afflicted their subjects, and misunderstood their proceedings: yet we shall always read that the good subject never sought for other remedy then Patience expecting (for their clearing in the matter) God Almighty's good will, and pleasure who permitteh this often to happen without the fault of the subject much less of the Superior who may do that in justice which we subjects are not able to comprehend the cause off. 
☜  Neither need we trouble ourselves with thinking of that, but regard God in all and walk solicitously with him: and then will all turn to our good, and God will infailibly teach us true Obedience which is a virtue that maketh our life in some sort to resemble the life of the Saints in Heaven. For they in all regard God, and are totally subject to him. They grieve not to see others in higher degree than they, but see it is just it should be in all things as it is they praise God in all the sins they see committed in the world & are resigned, though they hate sin, And wonder to see such a Goodness as God is so forgotten by men, and so little sought after by aspiring through love towards him. This they see, and yet they remain in Peace; and: so shall we (though in a far inferior manner if we perporme Obedience as we ought, and obey God as readily as the shadow followeth the body; 
☜  by which course we shall become truly happy. And this is our end of coming to Religion, and if we do comply with our obligation in this kind we shall live quietly and die confidently; for the Humility that is in this practice will carry us through all things. This way of true Obedience, and subjection to God in all things, is a way which though we walk as it were upon thorns by reason of the contradictionss, temptations, pains, and afflictions with which those are tried that must be his true friends: yet the regard that the soul in all hath of him, and the love which by all increaseth in her, maketh it seem to her that she walketh upon Roses in comparison of the difficulties she suffered when she sought her own will, by following it, and seeking her own ease, and honour.  
This is that Obedience which Fa. Baker so much commends, and wishes souls to make right use of in there Obedienco to Superiors which is so immediate a disposition to it, and so great a help to strengthen, and perfect it: and which if we neglect in vain do we pretend to practife that towards God. For their ordinances, and orders are a most certain argument of his will: And nothing will he bid a soul do contrary to them.  
And if it should seem otherwise to the soul, yet by his own words she would know that she were to stand to their judgement till he altered their minds, which he always doth, if it be according to his will, and necessary for his honour that) the Superior condescend. This I am confident he doth teach, and hold; and never other doctrine did I ever hear him affirm, and what might be construed in a contrary sense was but to condescend to the imperfection of beginners: who if they had been held to such precise Obedience, as some would exact of them, they would have been in great danger never to have obeyed rightly at al. For by exacting virtue and the practice thereof above the Grace and ability of a simple beginner; they make Obedience and other virtues seem to be by practise an intolerable burden, and they by this means also faint in their way even in their first beginning. Whereas if they had been to do things with discretion they vould have been able to go faster on every day than other. And this one point is of sueh moment that for want of the true practice thereof, it cometh many times that the burdens of Religion seem so heavy to good and well meaning ●ouls.  
And in this point do most men differ ●rom Fa. Baker in their direction of souls more them in any other point. And if this course had not by him been held with me in an extraordinary manner; and that he had not daily for a long time encouraged me not to be daunted with my sins, and imperfections, (assuring me that it would all tur● to my good, if by prayer I would endeavour to tend to God, and use the bes● means I could (yet with all possible patience with myself for my defects) to re●forme myself in all inordinate affection● to created things and this more by quiet●nes then extraordinary force.) I know no● what would have become of me. By thi● means (I say) divers imperfections t● which I was subject (and which I defit●ed, yet could not at first reform) fell of b● little, and little: wh●n God Almighty, di● (as I may say) see his time. Which wa● a quite coutrary course to that which wa● extolled by all that ever I met with befor● Who can give for th● most part no other advice then to overcome all things by forc● and violence.  
But God did sh●w to me plainly in read●ing Fa. Baker Books that my way was t● overcome myself as I could, not as 〈◊〉 would; but expect Gods good pleasure 〈◊〉 it. And then when he pleased if I did 〈◊〉 best, I should by his Grace get the better 〈◊〉 that which with all my industry I was n●● able to overcome. Which made me 〈◊〉 clearly my own frailty, and how little 〈◊〉 are able to do of ourselves; yea indeed even nothing that is good. For when I have been able to overcome myself in a thing many a time, yet when I have thought myself thereby secure that I was able to do it again, I have failed more than ever before, which maketh me never dare to presume of my own strength in any thing how little soever it seem: for if I do I am sure to fail.  
Another thing besides this point of Obedience (by a certain persons means) is much feared in us by our Fathers: And that is that we slight, neglect and contemn all books, and instructions but Fa. Bakers; (Which is as God knows) quite otherwise. For though (as may be gathered by what I have here collected and noted) I do arm myself by all the means I can imagine against those Objections which are 
☜  made by those of contrary ways that I may hold on my way which seems to be so proper, and fit for my desired estate which I have taken upon me by my profession; I have no reason to alter for ways I am not able to understand; my conscience being satisfied with this I am in: and my Superiors never yet condemning the same. Yet ●s I say I am far from slighting other instructions; but hold they are very good for ●hem for whom they may be proper, which they do not seem for me. Because the more I read, or hear of them the more confused● & without coherence they seem to be. Fo● I find nothing but saying and unsaying as i● seems to me, as in one place urging mos● vehemently the necessity of mental prayer● and in twenty other places making it a mos● impossible thing to give one's self to praye● without more endangering our salvation then before.  
And where they treat of Obedience they treat of as it seems to me in such ma●ner that it is almost impossible to find ou● how, or which way one may perform 〈◊〉 in any certain, or quiet manner. But th● more they speak of it, the more impossibl● thing they seem to make it. And verily● could never put it together to make other sense of it do what I ●an, then to draw i● to this: (as they express it,) that it is a mo●● servile thing and much like that where wit● s●ruants are subject for fifty shillings a ye● in the world, and no further effect coul● come to me by the practice of it (as th●● seem to mean) as to any true knowledge of God, or myself, then would have com● by my being a servant in the world, on●● forsooth by reason it is performed by us i● virtue of our vow of Obedience, whic● makes them acts of greater perfection an● consequently of much more merit. But th●● is a subtle point fitter to be disputed then n●eessary to be believed. For I know, and that by experience that it is possible to comply with our external Obediences and perform them so that the Superior shall have one in good esteem, and be able to discover no great defect in our performance of them: And yet th● soul as far from knowing what true obedience is, as she was when she came into Religion, performing them all that while but in a natural manner, of which proceeding nothing can be expected but a natural effect. Pride and disobedience increasing daily in the soul, which is an entrance (if God prevent it not) to unspeakable inconvenience. But yet though I could draw no sure, and solid ground, for a soul by Obedience according to such instructions, yet the defect may be in me as to those ways, and not in the instructions. For some have affirmed they find much good by them; of which I am exceeding glad. For so souls may live Quietly, Obediently, 
☜  and Humbly in the house, it is all one to me by what meanus, or by whom God Almighty doth it. And there are some in the house that I should adu●se rather to read such instructions then Fa. Baker's (if I were worthy to give advice,) And this I would do if they we●e both private men, but much more now these instructions are delivered by the Confessor whose place deserveth an extraordinary respect which to my power shall ever be given him, or any other in his place whosoever he be. But yet I must needs say that of all in this house I could never see, but one who could discourse, and distinguish his points in, and of Obedience, and draw out of them a settled quiet, and satisfactory course, but that when he is gone they be as far to seek as they were before in the understanding of it. For another will express it in another manner, and so under all while they live they must as it were begin again.  
This therefore was that which made me so affect F. Baker's instructions at first when he delivered them: because I saw they were grounded upon God, (not upon him) who could never fail whatsoever became of him. And by this regarding God in all, and doing all out of Obedience to him; our soul becometh so humble, that it liveth in a manner, as subject to all she liveth with as any one can be to any Superior in the world. She troubleth not her head disputing how, which way, and in what manner she shall obey in this, or that: but she simply obeys in all as far as her frail●y will permit, and as willingly would she be the most abject, and most neglected in the house as ever she was willing to do any thing in all her life. For having recours to God maketh her insensible to those things so fat as may stand with flesh and blood. And God doth send, 
☜  and give a soul that seeketh nothing but sincerely to love, and please him) such occasions to humble herself (which to none can be seen; because the knowledge, and cause is wholly within herself) that it is of more force to humble her then her being neglected of all the world would be; though that be also a great help and a great favour of God. For her soul can never be pure, and free for the ascending to the praise of God, till it be very humble, which the more a sonl endeavoureth to be, the more Peace doth she enjoy, and the freer access doth she find to God, and the less impediments between him and her soul.  
For this true Humility, and Obedieuce to God which Fa. Baker doth so urge a soul to in all his Words and Books is an immediate disposition to that which S. Paul wished to us. Which is that our conversation may be in Heaven. And never was there such perceptible friendship love, and correspondence between any in this world (how great soever their love might seem) as there is between those souls, and our Lor●, and his Angels, and Saints in Heaven. Which though it be not so perceivable to sense as the other which is founded upon that alone; yet by Faith, and love the soul doth more plainly, and certainly enjoy it, than we, can be certain of any thing which with our corporal eyes may be seen: and such a confidence doth accompany his love that she desireth not to be more certain of any thing. She can wish, then that she dependeth wholly of her God alone: whose will is above all mast dear to her, and to whom she often cryeth out in her soul with the glorious S. Augustin, saying: That all that abundance that is not her v●ry God himself is to her, but extreme penury. And therefore she feareth not any want of temporal mean●. For she accounteth it too great an happiness, and honour that by the want of that which is necessary for the sustenance of nature, she should have the occasion the sooner to enjoy him her only desire, whom while she liveth here she cannot fully enjoy: Because none can see God● and live, till which be granted her all things seem as nothing to her. For she longing and sighing only after him nothing can comfort, or satisfy her soul while He giveth not himself to her. Yet in this banishment she remains content, because Hi● will is by her even in this life preferred before her own.  
Although those instructions before by me mentioned do much seem to be like the jesuits as I gather by their books, yet I hold them to be nothing so intelligible as theirs, but more confufed by reason he would bring these, and Fa. Bakers into one, & make a complete life for a soul out of both. Which if he (to wit the Compiler of those instructions she much misliks' for contemplative souls) can do for his own understanding, and practise: yet I shall think he will find few that will be able to do in it as he doth; but will confound one with another, and he able with quiet and satisfaction to practise neither.  
For those that cannot use any discourse to be held to it, 
☜  it doth them little, or no good. And those that can do nothing but by the means of discourse will profit as little by other ways. Now for my own part I do profess I could never find good: by discourse neither did I stand in need thereof. For it was an easy matter for any that could have given me instructions for the way of love (which is by the exercise of the will) to persuade me that to love God, & seek after him alone was a most happy thing, and that it alone was able to make me truly happy: for I did desire this exceedingly of myself, and was very desirous to dispose my●self for such a course betwixt my soul, and God as might make me mo●t pleasing to him: and make me not as I then was such a stranger to him. And this I thought was by me to be brought about by a means which I was very defective in; And that was by ask of questions of those who were most l●kly to tell me what I should do to compass this my desire. Which I, failing in, and when I did ask was yet as far from knowing as I was before, I thought to get it by reading, and the more I read the les I did understand: which made me almost quite out of hart. But going to Father Baker almost in a desperate case: He told me my way must be by Prayer● for which he gave me some instructions according as he delivereth them in his Idiots Devotion, and referred me for the rest in that point to God. Which he doing, and giving all other instructions for other things suitable: I found presently that course of l●ue which I so much desired. And though I went so simply to work that I desired to know nothing, (●or curiosity in reading those things which help to this course is very dangerous though in themselves they seem but simple,) yet God did make all things to me so plain that was necessary for me to know, that I wondered to see such an alteration in my soul. Yea by may saying the divine office (of which merely by my extraordinary, memory I had gotten a little vuderstanding) he did so enlighten and instruct me, that no industry of mine own could have attained such knowledge (for this my only purpose of loving God, and humbling myself) as I had even thus for nothing; for my pains, and industry was so little that it was not so much as to be esteemed. And thus God of his mere Mercy dealeth still with my soul; for which if I by not humbly grateful, no punishment is sufficient for me. But I hope though I be so frail and weak; yet his Grace will in all assist me which I beseech you to beg of him for me.  
It sussiseth not for the soul that there is in God himself whom the soul seeketh after) Simplicity, or Unity: but there must also be all possible Simplicity in the soul herself, for the making her fit to treat with God, and thereupon become united to him. The more simple or one that the soul is (which is that the more she is free and rid of all thoughts of creatures which cause multiplicity) the liker is she to God who is simplicity itself, & the more apt, and worthy to become united to Him. 
☜  And therefore all the cunning, and industry of a spiritual master should ever be by all lawful means to rid the soul of all multiplicity encumbrances, blocks, and all other things that are enemies to the forsaid Simplicity in soul. And indeed every image o● a created thing is an impediment to the said simplicity; And therefore is to be rejected at such time as the soul is in case to apply it-self immediately to God.  
He that is a true spiritual Master will in such a case take great heed how he lay any thing on the soul lest it cause the forsaid impediment. Every soul of her own nature is apt to contract multiplicity, and impediments enough: and if she have withal a Master to devose, and lay more on her how can she be but held back, and be indisposed for the said perfect immediate treaty wi●h God And one only impediment is impediment enough, and hinders al.  
The spirit of Simplicity doth bring, and cause much Peace in the soul for tending wholly towards that one thing which is o●ly necessary; 
☞  It maketh the soul as insensible as it can towards all other things digestin● and passing over with patience unkindness & injuries, whereby her life becometh pro●perly a life of Patience. Also as this simplicity is grounded upon plain, and simple instru●ctions, so is it, and must i● withal be as we founded upon simple, and plain dealing with God, and Man. Simply intending Go● and avoiding all double dealing, and all undue intention.  
A true spiritual life should be one ●on● continued thread lasting from the time o● his conversion to the end of his life. Saint Paul reprehendeth those who are ever learning, and never ●ome to the perfection of knowledge. Such are they who yielding to temptations lose their supernatural light, and fall into a state of less light which is more natural than fupernatural and ●therefore is but darkness in comparison of the other light, and always is deceitful and erroneous as to the ●inding of the right way towards God. Whereas the other said internal light within then proceeded from a Superior cause or gift that is more supernatural.  

The things absolutely necessary for those who shall begin, and prosper in a true spiritual course are these that follow.  

1. INstructions proper for a contemplative life.  
2. Secondly, an aptness to understand, and practise the said instructions aright.  
3. Thirdly, a great couradg to withstand all temptations come they from within, or without that might draw her into multiplicity from simplicity: & especially sear w●●h soon draweth one into the most pestilent multiplicity that is maketh one more blind every day than other; and consequently into more diffidence, whereby they are made almost wholly incapable of conversing with God, unless God show them their errors, and they begin again: which is a hard matter to do, if a soul have once lost her light: which God I beseech him deliver all capable souls from doing. For it is the greatest ingratitude that can be offered to God, and none but God can tell the miseries, perplexities, and difficulties that attend on such a soul all the days of her life, as Saint Angela doth testify with terrible words.  
4. Fourtly there is necessary in the soul a good, and right judgement for the understanding of things a right For else the soul will erroneously vnderstand all things though never so plain. The more she knows the farther she is to seek, and the more errors she falleth into. And better it were if such souls could be known (which is almost impossible till they have had some knowledge of a spiritual life: for many times they seem to have a greater aptness than the most capable souls, and a greater inclination towards God than others; and yet run into error, and are in danger (do what they can, that h●ue the care of them) (to breaks their brains, or overthrow their bodies) that they never had spiritual instructions further than for the Active life.  
5. Fiftly, a great capacity of tending towards God by the exercise of the will: which being prosecuted together with true mortification of themselves will brings saith Blosius, to a mystic Union, and ●perfection in time convenient.   
Of those that have all these conditions there are yet great difference: for some have more aptness, and find les impediments than others, and some have more light, and others les, as it pleaseth God. Yet those that are most bumble, and faithful to him though they seem les clear are the most pleasing to God, who be blessed by al. Amen,  
The Observing of the divine call, 
☜  which indeed should be, and is the very life of a spiritual life, Is by most spiritual Masters now a days turned into a scorn, or scoff. And therefore no marvel that true spirituality should in these days be so rare, and almost unknown. Nay if a soul give but herself to prayer she shall have an hundred enemies one objecting against one point, another against another of her proceedings.  
Every one (according to their spirit, and humour (desiring to reform her in they know not what themselves; which if she be moved with, no other effect is like to come of it, then happened to the Painter who altered his work so long, and often that at last it had neither form nor fashion; And all other that had procured this alteration in the picture (which at first was a very good one) called the workman fool for his labour.  
The Application whereof is very plain and proper to our purpose.  

1. First. There is difference between Unity, and Union: for as Unity is but one thing, so union is a coupling together at last of two things.  

☞  2. Secondly, simplicity is a singleness, or being alone, and simple is single, that is a thing alone. And therefore simple, or single● and one or simplicity, and unity is but the self same thing.  
3. Thirdly, multiplicity is a many foldnes of things, and two, or more diver things do make a multiplicity; but one things & les than two will not make a multiplicity, God and a creature both though of together as distinct things are a multiplicity: not because the apprehension of Go● being apprehended but according to Fait● but because of the thinking of the creature, not as in God (for then it would cause no multiplicity) is a thing distinct from God; and a creature alone thought of without any apprehension withal of God if it be not to be termed multiplicity (which it is in the take of mystic Authors) yet is it not most certainly the simplicity in soul that is required for union with God.  
4. Fourtly, God is but one thing, or an Unity, simplicity, or a singleness. For though all things, and all diversity of things be indeed in God; yet they are all of them but one thing in him. Yea whatsoever thing, or things be in him they are God himself. God was, and is that one thing (which our Saviour defending S. Mary Magdelen said to be) only necessary.   
The imperfect Contemplative spirits, who commonly in their external businesses are in their interior full of multiplicity; do yet for all that when their businesses are l●id aside, and they betake themselves to their recollection at the season proper for it● (in regard they have as it were a natural, and habitual propension towards God, and his immediate presence with a loathing, or at least neglect, or disesteem of all creatures as to any affection to them) easily surmont all multiplicity of images that could be occasioned by their precedent employments, wherein their souls had never fixed their love: as who were not, nor could be satified, or much delighted with them.  

☞  All the spiritual men in the world are not able by their instructions to make another that yet of herself it most apt ●or it to become truly spiritual, without the scholar herself do withal carefully observe, and pursue the foresaid Lghts and Calls, as her primum mobile, or first movers And to say● Tak● all your instructions from without, is all one in effect as to say; Tend not to Contemplation For God, and none but He is the true, and immediate Teacher, and Director in the most obscure and supernatural way of Contemplation. Yet here ● would be understood that under these terms of divine interior Lights, Motions, and Calls which I take to be the ro●t, and cause of all her true Obediences, and other good needs: I intent, and comprrhend all Calls through other obligations as when th●y are otherwise commande● by the universal divine Law natural, o● positive: by the Church, or o; her human Law, or by the wills of Superiors. And ● true spiritual Man should do nothing bu● out of the said root, or cause which is th● divine Cal.  
A supernatural Discretion is miparted b● God to a welminded soul that disposet● herself for it. which disposition consisteth ●hiefly in the use of abstraction, and prayer. This is the light by which God guideth ●ouls which he leadeth to Contemplation, ●nd thereby teacheth them what is necessary for them to know, or do externally or internally: so far as conduceth to the ●aid end. Simple, and unlearned souls by ●he said light come to find out those internal ways most obscure of themselves; 
☜  which no man though never so learned ●nd acutely witted can discern, or find ●ut of himself.  
The most spiritual man in the world cannot instil this light into another. Al he can do is exteriorly to teach a soul how to dispose herself for it. And as a soul that hath never so great a capacity for it (speaking ordinarily) cannot find it out without the help of some experienced person; so one that hath no aptness for it, all the teachers in the world cannot put it into her. 
☜  And those that have the aptness can never find true comfort, and satisfaction, but in contemplative instructions, and being once well instructed will find all things preach them to her in their kind, nor will she understand any thing she reads, or hears but in that s●nse, if it be to any purpose. Finding that to be her only secure way, and all things to help her thereunto, if it be not her own fault, how much soever the fore mentioned meddlers mislik of her proceedings, and misinterpret them. So one that hath not that aptness will misunderstand all, or most of those instructions and wonder how they can be practised without falling into this, or that error, and taking this, or that liberty by them thus measuring others by their own understanding of things.  
This was always thus, and ever will be, be the persons never so holy, God permitting it for the exercise of both. I mean only amongst women: for men though they should be defective in practice yet they have it by speculation if they be scholars And verily I am of Saint Teresaes' min● that learned men are not so apt to put sou● out of their way, as the unlearned are● For if the unlearned be spiritual, and no● truly spiritual: it is ineredible the Martyrdom that a Contemplative soul hath t● undergo being under his charge, and young miracle it will be for her (if she ha● not many to encourage her) to hold t● the instructions proper for her, and which only she can prosper: and out o● which if he should put her, he would b● the first but only herself that would b● weary of her. But if she hold patience ●● will fair with her as it did with S. Ma●● Magdalene, that our Saviour will answer ●or her, as far as it is convenient for her obtaining the best part, which shall never ●e taeken from her.  
Nothing is more improper for a Contemplative soul then to contend, complain, or justify herself, all her remedy for ●he most part being to come from Silence, Prtience, Humility and Resignation. I except where justice doth require a simple re●●tion of the Truth to Superiors; when the ●ood of her own, or other souls in the ●owse requires it. And that she must never do suddenly, or out of passion, or aversion, but it behoveth her to consult the matter often and seriously with our Lord, and in the mean time to behave herself humbly to the party, or parties and do them both with God, and man all offices of true charity she can.  
The supernatural light, or discretion is to be nourrished, and increased by all the external helps that can be afforded. And great heed is to be taken that it be not obscured, or destroyed: as God knows it may easily be, if we look not well about us. And the least mote of darkness defeats the whole sight, God permitting it for our ●●nnes, and negligences when it happeneth.  
This light is commonly never given but where the internal senses are naturally adapted, and made proper for the receiving, an● using of it. And therefore extravagant imagi●nations though otherwise never so deuou● or of never so retired natures are uncapable of it: yea are in manifest peril to mistake● at least of making right of use of it, misap●ply, and misunderstand (to their gre●● prejudice, and others great inconuenie●●ce, and trouble) this doctrine of the diui●● C●l. And better it were, if it were pos●●●ble, that such souls should never so mu●● as hear of the divine call.  
This confirms that old proverb whic● sayeth, one man's meat is another man's pe●●son, and so it is in this. For a soul truly a●● for Contemplative instructons can never find any solidity, or certainty in a●● other thing then this of observing of 〈◊〉 divine call in all things; and finds that it 〈◊〉 at hand at all times, and all occasions to ●● her guide, and directrix; (such a capaci●● is there in our soul to have relation to G●● in all cases, and in particular it is necessary in doubtful cases. For where he determ●●neth ●t by Obedience, or necessity, it we●● to tempt him to desire Him otherwise 〈◊〉 declare his ●il to us,) so as I say that 〈◊〉 the soul can find no comfort, or certain in any other instructions so on the other sid nothing is more perilous to be misunderstood by those that have not an ap●●●es for a Contemplative life, or the inter●al exercise thereof, though otherwise ne●er so good souls, and of never so good ●eaning.  
None are capable of rightly understanding and practising this instruction of the divine call, 
☜  but they who are resolved to ●eny themselves in all things, and who ●ittingly, and willingly adhere to no crea●●d thiug: for if the so I do willingly re●●in an affection to any thing she is at a ●op, and can go no further. For God must ●e sought, and loved wholly if we desire ●nd endeavour to arrive to perfection.  
This observing the divine call was that su●●●ly which S. Augustin speaketh of in his ●onfessions, where he lamenteth his case ●f darkness, and blindness before he had ●●uen himself wholly, and seriously to the ●●●uice of God, and to observing, and liu●●g according to his justice.. These are his ●ords. And I was not then acquainted with ●●at true interior justice which judgeth not by dystome, but by the most righteous law of Almighty God. And certainly the better disposition the soul is in of living and walking in this light, and according to this justice, the better will she prosper in a spiritual life, and the more clear will her way 〈◊〉, and the les peril of erring; for it is the ●ay of Humility, And no●e but the hmuble can walk in this light long, or find a●● gust therein.  
They will either leave the light, or t●● light will worthily leave them if ever the● had it.  
Thaulerus saith that God rewardeth 〈◊〉 works but his own, the purer our interition is in doing suffering, or forbearing, t●● more is it His own, and the more perfe●●●ly a soul complieth with her duty to wa●● God (in that manner that he exacteth of h●● and is proper to her state, and the gra●● given her) the more she pleaseth God. A●● in this respect it is truly said that Obsequence is better than Sacrifice: for we do ne●● foe much, if it be not that, and in that m●●ner God requireth it of us; we shall 〈◊〉 in blindness and find no peace in our so●● for God hath ordained a certain way, 〈◊〉 means for every soul, for her walkin● and profiting in the way of Perfectious And in that only will they find their p●●●gres to consist, to observe what it is 〈◊〉 exacts of them, and enables them to; 〈◊〉 not what others do or can do, or h●● done. For as we all differ in face so ● we differ in the manner of our exerc●●● that are interior. As for example if 〈◊〉 who is of a free nature, and can ●●●dure, little abstraction should force 〈◊〉 self to as much as those who are of s●● ●nd retired natures, and ●o recollect herself in time of work, and other times, ●n which by order of the house she is to ●eep silence (which exterior silence she is ●o observe) she would but hurt her ●ealth, and it may be her lead, and not ●●el be able to recollect herself then, nor ●t the time proper for Recollection, and ●o loose all for want of discretion. Where●s if she should do what she is able, and ●o more, and abstract herself by little, ●nd little as God shall increase his grace, she ●il in time be enabled to that which will ●e sufficient for her, and God will require ●o more but what he hath given, which ●ow little soever it be, we ought to accounted it more than we deserve, and employing that well he will increase it, who 〈◊〉 more willing and desirous to give than we can be to receive. If we line so retiredly as he will enable us, we shall easily perceive what he doth require, and exact of us in every thing: for we being Religious are by Obedienee, and necessity for ●he most part disposed of; and for the rest we have God always present to consult with, and when we cannot by that means ●e resolved he will show us how, and where ●e shall otherwise be resolved. But those ●h●t go the way of true Humility, and ●ortification will have few questions after they are well grounded, and instructed 〈◊〉 a spiritual life. For, for the most part 〈◊〉 questions do but tend to the winding o●● selves out of some Cross or Mortification or easing our mind of some difficulty which will if we yield thereto but put o● our eyes, & consequently put us out of 〈◊〉 right way. Yea though those we con●● with be never so spititual, or vndersta●● our case never so well, and of these I ha●● been most afraid of all: for from oth●● we can easily restraign ourselves, but fro● them upon pretence that we may ease 〈◊〉 minds, and at least do ourselves no han● if it do us no good, we often cause 〈◊〉 prejudice and obseurity to our souls: 〈◊〉 yet when all comes to all we must 〈◊〉 that we do, if we will be the faithful ●●●●uants of God, and profit in a spiritual 〈◊〉 If ever God do stand to his promise 〈◊〉 ever he did, and will to all his promis● or granting when he is asked, and of opposing to those ●hat knock: where, or wh●● will he fulfil such promise more truly, 〈◊〉 certainly then in the case where a simp●● and sincere meaning soul out of necess●●● and with all resignation, and humility b● at his hands the solution of that, that co●●cerns her for his service and honour, 〈◊〉 the salvation, and perfection of herself his love.  
The more a soul holds herself to this light, and walks by, it the more her light increaseth; and the more she leaves this light and walks by another seeming light, the more her darkness increaseth. The clearer this light is in her soul the better able she is to judge what is the just and most righteous will of Alm: 
☜  God in those things which Faith, and Obedience hath not determined: for what one is bound to believe, and do for salvation the Catholic Church, doth determine; but what we are to do for perfection there be many different opinions; yet all agree in this that it must be the way of Abnegation, but for the rightly applying of Spiritual and contemplative instructions to one's own particular. He is the only able teacher who is the most true ●oue, and light the holy Ghost, of whom the Author of the scale of perfection writeth ●o his scholar being a woman thus. For grace (which Fa. Baker termeth a call) shall even ●each thee by it-self if thou wil● but observe ●t, and follow it till thou come to the end, all ●hat is necessary for thee from time to time, ●or God alone can only teach this way.  
And of those who give themselves seriously to walk in the way of Perfection, ●aint john speaketh thus. 
1. Io. 2. 20.27.  But you have the ●nction from the holy one, and know all things, ●nd the unction which you have received from him let it abide in you; and you have no need that any man teach you, but as this unction teacheth you of all things, and it is true, an● it is no lie. And as it hath taught you abide in him.  
There are two reasons, or necessitie● why God himself should take on him, an● perform the office of a Contemplative Master.  

1. The first is because he can and no● but he can; for though the soul may hau● an instruction from another, yet is sh● to make use of it but according to her i●●ternal Master's direction, and as if he, an● none other had given it her.  
2. The second reason of Conuenienc● or necessity of Gods being the Teach●● is, that though man also could resolve doubts, and give all directions both inte●●nal and external; yet were it not only i●●conuenient, but even impeditive to her 〈◊〉 her way to Contemplation, by reason 〈◊〉 the solicituds, and distractions the so● would incur by such occasions as causi●● a life merely of distractions. For in som● souls there do occur to be resolved frequent, and daily, or hourly passage 〈◊〉 the forepart of a spiritual course (espe●cially in the interior) which of the●●selues are questionable: but such goi●● forth for resolution ●ould mar all in a co●●templatiue spirit, as causing a life merely of distraction, and multiplicity, and those the most profound, and pernicious distractions, as being upon mere internal matters: for solicitudes about the interior are the most prejudicial that are as to tendance to contemplation: because they most obscure the soul, and yet this is the miserable life of scrupulous persons. Whereas the soul having always her Master at hand, and that nearer to her than she is to herself, and He an infallible one, and a most quick dispatcher, all the mischiefs of the precedent case are avoided, and she satisfied in her questions with all sufficience, and security. Neither will it be sufficient for the soul in this excursions that it is judged a reasonable occasion to ask a question by him ●he consulteth: for if it were a thing wher●n God himself would have resolved her, if ●he would have had patience, or else that it were a thing that for her mortification he would have had her ignorant in: 
☜  she will perhaps incur much obscurity for such going forth without her internal Maisters●eaue ●eaue, and liking, and withal such a check ●n her conscience that she could with more ●ase have endured the displeasure of all the world: then have thus displeased her be●●ued, whom alone she desireth, intendeth, & thirsteth a●ter, and to whom to adhere, & in here she putteth all her content & happiness. Al he doth and permitteth seemeth mos● just, 
☞  and reasonable to her, and to live interiorsly, and exteriorly according to the right Rule of his justice, is all she desireth. These are they which (our Saviour said) should Adore ●im in Spirit, and Truth, and of whom it is said, All the glory of the so● is within, for the Kingdom of God is with●● us, such a soul may truly say. I will hear● what my Lord God saith within me. Th●● my most sweet Lord God be ever adored and praised, and sought after by us all, an● blissed, and praised by all in Heaven, an● earth for ever, and ever. Amen.   
Thaulerus saith that it is as easy for o● that hath an aptness for an internal life, an● will be diligent, and observant in it, 〈◊〉 note, observe, and discern the divine 〈◊〉 within him, as it is for one to discern 〈◊〉 ●ight hand from his left. And it is plain 〈◊〉 our rule, that our holy Fathers desire that souls should observe their internal 〈◊〉 and the tracts of the divine spirit who is th● proper Master of the interior. And it but a mere natural course that we can 〈◊〉 by the mere instruction of man, fr●● whom only we have our first help, a● instruction, and then the souls capable 〈◊〉 living a true internal life are to be referred to God the only Teacher of the way of spirit.  
And where it is objected by those who pretend to be spiritual that following the divine Tracts, Mo●●ons and Calls is perilous dangerous, and without all warrant, or security. It may be answered (supposing always an aptness in the party that hath the instructions) that as the power of God surpasseth the power of man; so the warrant, & security of God which a true internal liver findeth from God is far beyond the warrant of a mortal man: the warrant of one man being contradicted by another: that from God is able to stand in all the contrarieties, changes, and opposi●ions which happen out of the differing of all men in indifferent things: for as for other things God referreth the soul to the ordinary means he useth in those cases. As for example for confession of mortal sins she most confess them to a P●iest who hath jurisdiction over her, and for a true doubt she must not presume that he must resolve her by himself, but she must ask according to discretion, and obedience; and for her rule, and other obligations of Religion she must observe ●hem out of Obedience to God, and superiors, which being done, and also going, and walking the way of the cross, what warrant I pray you will she need (after her conscience is once well settled) from confessor or Superior. Woe be to those, at lea●t woe in this respect, that have a confidence rather in men then in God. And those that praise so much the security of a soul that hath no other confidence in God at her death but so far as she is warranted by he● Confessor: 
☞  for she cannot but by this means die perplexed, and troubled. For today I have a Confessor which will warrant me● and to morrow another who will doubt of my case. To day I have one so precise that he will warrant me in nothing, and to mo●●ow I have one who thinketh he can pierce so far into all things that if I will adhere unto him, and no body else he wil● answer for al. He goes away; and another who must assist me at my death comes who is of a good meaning, but canno● pierce so far, as the other: He at first finding us to fear, feareth too: We have forgot our couradg upon the others warrant going before, and fall into fear with him at the present: And yet ou● soul doth not alter before God according to every one's apprehension we meet with: if it d●d, or if this were all the certainty that were to be found between God, and our souls in Religion, we might bid all true confidence à lieu (I mean those only who are apt for an internal life● for as for others I do not take upon me to know their case) and place our peace upon that which is as changeable as the moon: to wit, the humours, and opinions of men in indifferent things. I have had myself a Confessor who though he had the largest conscience that ever I knew good man have in my life, in what he pleased, yet out of the difficulty he had with me in his nature, and out of his aptness thereby to take all I did and said in another sense than I meant it: he could, and did turn twenty things, which my other Confessors made no great matter of, into horrible mortal si●s, and would have frighted me ●rom the Sacraments till I had settled my conscience according to his will, and mind. What was I to do in this case? I h●d been warranted by three former Confessors two of which were my chief Superiors & Doctors of Divinity; and now this present wholly doubted my case: he had (as he pretended) agrea●er reach into my case then all the rest, and they were simple to him in discovering truly the state of my soul. But should I in this case put my soul into h●s hands, who desired to know all that ha● passed ●n my life to inform him in some things he desired to know rout of policy thereby also to tie me to himself more absolutely? Verily if I had thus put myself on him, I had done great wrong to God: and I might have bid farewell to all true peace hereafter: but standing to my former warrant, and giving him the respect was due to him, and being reserved towards him, I have hitherto God be praised kept myself out of his fingers. And also by the grace of God hope to hold on my way in tendance towards God, thereby raising myself (according as his divine Majesty shall vouchsafe to enable me) out of my natural fear to the lout of God, Who is only able to satisfy, and satiate our soul. And not as this my Confessor would have had me to plunge myself by reason of his words, and threats of my miserable state: which notwithstanding his apprehensions is so much, and no more, as it is in the sight of God, who changeth not his opinion of us, as the humour of the Confessor may be: but imagineth us according to what we really are in very truth. But these spiritual men of this kind would be so absolute that there is no power left in the soul thus under such to have relation, or confidence in God, whereby those for the most part under them, if they be poor simple women, of how good spirits soever, live miserable dejected lives: for it is their only way to bring their politic, and absolute government about. And ordinarily under this pretence they do it; saying that there is no way to make this, or that soul humble, but to bring them into such fear, that they neither dare speak, think, or do any thing without their approbation. At least so far they must have relation to them, as it may serve this turn to inform them of what is for their purpose: and then that soul is happy in their eyes, and they will declare that they are so to others: that they may follow their example. Then the perplexity the soul suffereth they term a profitable pill to cure their disease with al. And the confusion they suffer to see themselves disloyal to God and man, to serve their Confessors turn; he termeth a suffering for justice, and warranteth them, what harm, disquiet, or confusion soever cometh by this their doings to others, or themselves out of Obedience to him, he will answer for it, and therein they have done God, and their Congregation great, and faithful service.  
O misery, that all this should be fathered upon holy Obedience the most noble of all virtues! who sees not that this is a turning of religious Obedience (in those that simply desire to perform it) to a policy abominable to be thought or named. O my G●d was this thy meaning when we vowed ourselves to thee! Or rather didst not, Thou say, be as wise as Serpents, and simple as Doves? Thou didst not, say, be so foolish under pretence of blind Obedience, that thou shalt not know thy right hand from the left. Thou bidst us give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to Thee what is Thine. By truly obeying thy will, Law, and Euangelical counsels we grow wiser. But by pretending to practise Obedience, Charity, Humility, Patience, etc. in perfection before we be ripe for it● (through perseverant prayer, and concurrence of thy grace which do●h not such things suddenly) we lose all, and live in blindness, and the highest we come to, is servile fear, and mere folly. O happy are they to whom God giveth an aptness for an internal Contemplative life, 
☞  and withal some one who may instruct them in it. Verily the mos● part of souls in this howser who have been fit for it, have been satisfied with so few instructions that in a manner they might be expressed in five lives. As for example tha● they Transcend Fear, and Tend to God b● the exercise of the will, by which in tim● (as pleaseth God) all impediments shall b● removed between God, and their soul● Which Blosius warranteth a perseueri● soul in his ●nstitutions very confidently.  
But alas those that are not in this simpy way have such an apprehension of a spir●●tual internal life, and make it seem so perilous, and dangerous, that souls would be frighted exceedingly to read their books, and hear their Sermons (which cannot be avoided possibly) if they were not armed with armour of proof by God, and those who live in, and walk this happy way of simplicity: Which whosoever truly walketh will not condemn much less contemn those who speak against it, but humble themselves in all things: knowing that others who live extroverted lives may be more pleasing to God than they & that for many reasons which they may easily conceive. And yet it doth not hinder these, at least it ought not, from prosecuting their ways to which they are called; and in which by God Almighty's: infinite mercy they have so many books of Fa. Bakers own writing, and transcribing to encourage, and comfort them in all the opposition which G●d doth permit only for our exercise, and not by it that we should be put out of our way through our defect in patience, which the very exercisers of us would for the most p●rt be very sorry for; if it should so happen, how soever the public instrument and other speeches do sound to us. For who can doubt that is a wise man that a soul that hath a good, and found natural judgement, solid Contemplative instructions, many in the house that practise the same doctrine aright, and a quiet nature seconded with concurrence of God Almighty's Grace, and goeth in all the way of Abnegation, and Resignation, should pass many years without cause of questions about her interior. For who doubteth, but the soul may love God more and more every day, and extend her will as infinitely towards God as she can, and bear all occurring difficulties with as much patience as she can, and perform her ordinary obediences by the orders of the house, and particular ordinances of Superiors with as much relation to God, and out of Obedience to him as she can: and all this without any great questions. Yea, the forsaid course of spirit, in a manner taketh away all occasion of questions at least of intricate questions, which draweth the soul our of her interior more than into it. And by the way I say this, that those souls who are apt to ask questions though they be never so quiet, devout innocent natures, or have never so much wit, and judgement they will never prospero in a contemplative course, and in those instructions. And therefore will do well, and much better to take the ordinary instructions of these days: and it were well if such souls never heard nor read contemplative books, and instructions; because they misunderstanding them will make both themselves, and others also with them, to lay the defect which was only in them upon the unfitness of the instructions for woman: for it will seem to them that they cannot possibly be practised by women without perils, and dangers unspeakable: which wrong done to souls put out of their way by this means (who would have happily prospered therein (redoundteh to the dishonour of Almighty God. But yet as it seems to them that they cannot be practised without great danger: So those on the contrary who are fit, and capable for these ways see and experience how little peril there is in them: for can a soul be too humble, and love God too well? No certainly. And this is all the course of this internal life, and to this only it tends, to love God, and to humble ourselves.  
Let us therefore make that benefit God willeth we should by these oppositions, and contradictions we find and feel from ou● Order, to wit. To humble ourselves in all, and behave ourselves with all respect, and Obedience to them, as if they had done nothing. Let us encouradge one another to this, and let us not think God cannot be well served by any other course then this. For certainly the jesuits who have the perfection in their institute of the Active life, are in a very proper course for their kind of life: for that spiritual exercise which they yearly take doth them much good, and maketh them deal with the more pure intention in their action●, and affairs being also strenthned with a daily recollection w●● maketh them foresee many inconveniences, and thereby prevent them better than they who do give themselves to no such thing: for who can think but it helpeth a man much to proceed with the more prudence, when by a certain re●irednes he hath so much foresight of his businesses, and occasions. They have also a settled form or fashion in all their proceedings, and exercises which those whom they take into their order must conform themselves to, 
☞  how apt or unapt soever they be for it in their nature And they having indeed the choice in a manner of all the prime wits of their schools, are easily able to find those, who are able to uphold, and maintain that politic manner among them. The main point of upholding and maintaining of it being the exact Obedience which they require of all, and which all with one uniform consent standing upon, and performing, they thus as they do, uphold the same form, and grow in all too hard for all other orders; they being all in a manner divided amongst themselues● and these of all nations standing against all the world for themselves. Besides the subordination is also much strengthened with the fear they have, who desire to make any resistance how little soever of being put out of their order to their perpetual infamy and shame, and want with all of that which is necessary: which they are incident to who leave this order.  
This I say helpeth them to the power of disposing without any resistance of any under them according as it may be most for the temporalities, and honour to the order. Withal they h●ue a great regard to the employing of men according to their abilities having almost all the best employments at their disposing: (and that is a great matter to the maintaining of their order in greatness, for if they wanted abundance of action their order would quickly fall into great desolation And this is the reason 
☜  as I conceive which maketh the Nuns of Contemplative orders prosper so i'll under their hands● Because they put them into Exercises of discourse, and yet withal do not go about to bring their houses into that subordination which they have amongst themselves. And besides they can not find these poor women sufficient action to employ themselves in: and therefore out of the Abundance of wit which they get by that superficial recollection; 
☜  they device, and make for themselves unnecessary, and unprofitable action. And this was in the light of Truth certainly foreseen by their founder Saint Ignatius, 
☞  when he absolutely forbade them the care, and government of Religious women: and with this his foresight I wish he had so provided that they indeed had never meddled, or undertaken in this kind: for better it is ●or women to be kept in their ignorance whereby they would be the more easily ruled; then to be puffed up w●th knowledge so little for the good (and so far short of what is necessary for the perfection) of their souls. Yet Hospital Nuns make a good shift with their instructions: which showeth plainly that those who follow their kind of sensible exercises without going further, or looking after a more spiritual prayer of the will, must be held in much Action, or else they will be apt to make a great stir. But in enclosed Monasteries action sufficient in this kind is impossible to be had, or found. And therefore I wish with all my hart that either this course were not amongst such, so much as known, or else that they rested not in ●hese first exercises, but proceeded to the most noble, yea as Seraphinus F●rmanus saith, to the Omnipotent exercise of the wil Which if it were now practised in our, and other contemplar●ue Orde's as it should, quickly would they surpas in knowledge, and all moral, and divine Virtues those whose furthest pretence in these sensible exercises is but to do their actions with the more deliberation, and consequently with the more human discretion; which it gaiveth indeed; but it is but in a manner a mere natural proceeding: only so far as it may be grounded in Faith, and Charity, it deserveth both more praise, and reward then a mere natural action. But how far those proceedings are from leading a soul to perfect Charity which is the end of our coming to Religion may be seen by the few ●aints which it now produceth. And though they have a great advantage by their uniformity in exercises, 
☜  and their agreement among themselves; yet this being generally accounted to proceed, and to be upheld by policy; it worketh no great effect for the most part, further than by it with all others, and against all others to serve their own turn: which is a quite contrary effect to that, which that Order produced when it was in its prime, by having in it some great Contemplatives, and when they did so much good and were so beneficial to the whole world. And different also from that which our order and others were, when in like manner they flowrishd with Saints. For then the honour of God was sought, and all Orders with one uniform consent did concur to the advancement of tbat alone● They then applied themselves to several exercises in the exterior every one according to his institute; some more easy, some more strict; some of more action, and some of les. Yet interiorly their end was all one, that was to find God in their souls. And out of that, perfect Charity did grow in them by those internal exercises: They did every one (not out of custom, or because he was of such, or such an order) as God did require, and enable them employ part of their time in gaining and doing good unto souls. Then there was not such solicitous, 
☞  entangling, and as I may so say sole care of temporalities, God taking care of them, and casting them on them. Then there wa● indeed, perfect amity without interest, or fond affection to their impediment of loving, and seeking God alone, who is that one thing which is only necessary. Then there was no exceptions of persons, but they were contented so God's honour were advanced by any as well as by their own order or themselves. O Lord my God, if this spirit might be revived again how much would my soul rejoice! If S● Benet's, S. Augustin, S. Francis, S. Ignatius Children were all (as perfectly as this life would permit) united together, and did with one hart, and consent seek and labour to advance thy honour, and praise, as our Founders do wish in heaven, than would the spirit of the primitive Church flourish, and thy turn, and mangled members of thy Church be healed, and perfectly set together again; Then sinners, and heretics would easily be converted by them to thee. Then there would be another learning then now there doth flourish in our order, and others; for thou by them wouldst speak who makest the tongues of infants eloquent. Then they by prayer conversing in a familiar, and tender manner with thee would speak so that none would be able to resist thee in them. Then their judgement would be so cleared that they would understand most hidden mysteries. Then an hour of prayer would instruct them more fully, than an hundred years' study can do if they have not in all things relation to thee the only true wisdom, and in whose light, is true light only to be seen. By loving thee, and dying to themselves in all things they would become masters of themselves, and all the world. Then nothing would move them, nothing would affright them, because, thou wouldst be their comfort, and stay in all things. Certainly there is a wonderful difference between the Obedience which a soul that liveth an internal life giveth to a Superior, and that which we give out of custom. The fomer is slow at first and seemeth very defective therein: the other so violent many times at first that it continueth not longt; he former groweth more strong, and firm every day than other, and the later groweth oftentimes a greather burden every day than other. Certainly a soul that pretendeth to live an internal spiritual life, and yet hath not a great esteem of Obedience, is much to be feared, and in great peril of errors; yet that which in these days is termed Obedience, I do not mean: for I knew one who having a Confessor that had much difficulty with her though he affirmed that it was a great breach of Obedience to have relation (while he bore that place) to any other, yet she made use in cases of difficulty (with leave of an higher Superior) of another, whom she thought more able to judge in that which concerned her; and yet she hopeth this was no breach of Obedience: for if she had thought that God in this case had exacted of her not ●o have gone to another, she would (what difficulty soever she had endured) have made use of no other: But this she thought was not his pleasure: because she was in a probability to fall into great inconveniences, if she treated with him in an inward manner. Who professed by his deeds, and words to take advantage of any thing she could that might serve his turn as far as he could in conscience; beside the difficulty he had with her in his nature made him incapable of judging aright in that which belonged to her: for that difficulty of his made him misapprehend all she did, or said. If she held her peace she neglected him, if she spoke she did it to sound him ●o serve her own turn; if she was compassionate towards him in his infirmities, she flattered him; if she offered him not that which he stood need of, she was averted from him. And thus it passed between them which made her have as little to do with him as Obedience to higher powers would permit her: for by their order she was to confess weekly to him which was no small difficulty ●o her: but she knowing it to be God's will, did it out of Obedience to him to whom if we do as we ought we must be subject in all things without exceptions.  
And this is the benefit of an internal life that makes one capable of seeing, and knowing of God's will, and also most ready to perform it which way soever he signifies it to them: 
☜  and makes them obey as readily and willingly a simple impertinent Superior, as they would an Angel, or the wisest creature in the World. Yea if a worm, or any creature we●e ordained by God to rule over them, they would see, and embrace with all their hearts his will by them, for without this total subjection to God it is impossible to become truly spiritual: for if we resist his will in our Superiors in vain do we pretend to please him. We must learn therefore this virtue of him, that true Humility and Obedience may be out stay in all; which two virtues together with the divine virtue of Discretion, he will teach us, if we labour to become more and more humble: for seeing that it is his will we should obey, and become truly humble How can we doubt but he will give us the Gracé, if we ●umbly, and perseverantly beg it of him, and practise them upon occasion as well as we can? for he himself saith; When we ask our father bread he doth not give us a stone, nor if we asko him a fi●h he doth not give us a serpent: much les will he deny us what is necessary to make us pleasing to him; if we seek● or desire nothing but by true love to be faithful to him.  
O Prayer, Prayer able to obtain all things! O how cometh it to pass my Lord that this Omnipotent prayer, as some of thy dear servants style it, should be so unknown; yea even by them whom th●● termest the salt of the earth contemned, at least as to the practice of poor simple women; for wom they hold it above all things most dangerous even to mine own knowledge, as I hau● known affirmed by Superiors of several Orders! O misery to be lamented most heartily by those that have a taste in Prayer, and by the effect thereof know, how sweet a thing it is to attend only, and wholly to the praise, and love of God? Surely the want of the wisdom which by prayer the Saints did gain, is the teason why custom in all things doth take place (for the most part in the world) of true reason. The world surely was never reform of sins, and errors, but by the wisdom which cometh from God, and is far different from that which is accounted wisdom by the world which is as S. Paul saith, foolishness with God: for the wisdom of God proceedeth out of humility, and perfect Charity. This wisdom did Saint F●ancis enjoy, when yet by the world he was desirous to be accounted a fool, which opinion though many had of him, yet the effect of his wisdom was evidently seen by the great reformation he made in the world.  
It will never go well, and peaceably in the world as long as they are only employed, 
☜  and have the spiritual government of souls, who take policy for their chief ground next to Faith; which in the order and manner of their writes in these days me thinks they seem in all to pretend: for they prise that most which may serve their turn, and suppress all orders but their own (though not in plain terms) as far inferior to them in all things. And that indeed it is not so to me seems evident; for I know none, but may be compared to them in a● things, but policy. This is my simple opinion. If the soul hath not so much wit, or discretion when she knoweth for certainty or else doubteth of the certainty of a thing that cocerns her: or knowing the certainty will go, and ask, it as a doubt; or taking it as a doubt se●ing need to ask will not pu● herself to ask, I may warrant her from ever coming to contemplation. Whosoever are lead by the spirit of God, they are the children of God. As S. Paul said: If we were the perfect children of God his spirit would live, and reign in us. But for as much as yet we are not: we are seriously to labour to be; and that he may be All in All with us, and in us: and his diui●e voice and w●● only regarded, and executed and none b●● his. And let us take the greatest heed th●● can be of lessening the worthy estimation of the divine call that in it-self is the pri●● verity, or divine way proceeding from it Let us extol and commend it as we wou●● do God himself; and dispose us, and ●● others as much as we are able that in all things it may be observed, and fulfilled by us al.  
But O Religion, No Religion where the knowledge of the divine call is as it were unknown unless it be in speculation: or perhaps through ignorance is persecuted, depraved, obscured derided, banished, and sought to be pulled up by the roots, and kept out of the hearts of those that desire it, or are capable of it! Surely God will take all this as done to himself, and revenge it in an extraordinary manner: except where invincible ignorance excuseth this proceeding. But yet for the verity of this doctrine, or the general practice of it God will never permit the gates of hell to prevail so far as to be able to extinguish it. Because it is the root, and cause of all sanctity in his Church: howsoever he may permit it to be lost out of the hearts of some particular persons through their frailties, and the working of others. And surely, Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis; Unless that God had been in us, and holpen of late more than man did, or could; Obscuratus penitus fuisset pusilus noster sol, & versa in densissimas tenebras tenuis nostra lux: Our little sun had been wholly obscured, and our small light turned into a thick darkness by the late proceedings, by writings, preachings, speakings, threatenings, libel, and other actings of some persons the Divine call had been exploded clean lost and abandoned.   

The Religious Fa. whom she chiefly points at for opposing the free following of the divine call and ●a. Baker's doctrine, did upon his death bed repent him of it, and was very sorry he had done it, professing himself never to have been any true practiser of such spirituality, and that he had taken upon him that which he could not judge of: and he further declared that he much liked, and approved all entirely what Fa. Baker had written, and taught.  
But God would not suffer it neither will he: yet far be it from any man to say, or think that it was directly intended, or maliciously done; It was at the most, but indirectly at sin● omni pra●a voluntate, and without any intention. But God only, and their own consciences know what hath passed therein by the occasion of the said late proceedings. I mean what fears, what doubts, 
☞  what perils, what shake, what internal probations, explorations, purifications, etc. Sed benedictus es Domine Deus meus, Qui adiwisti nos, & consolatus es nos; Qui ex mag●a tentatione magnum fecisti proventum, Qui ex tenebris lucem creas, & veritatem ex erroribus & faelsitate f●cis magis clarescere. Mane nobiscum in aeternum. Instrue, conforta, stabili, veritas tua mancat in aternum, spiritus tuus bonus nos instruat, dirigat protegat, & ducat in via quae ducit ad te. De nobis caeci sumus, & lux non est in nobis; Vine, regna, & splendesce intra nos dissipetur, & in vihilum redigatur nubes tenebrarum, & ignoran●iae. O vere, & sole sol! adoramus te orientem, fruamur lucente, Qui●● deficimus desicientes. In te, & per the spiremus, respiremus, & expiremus.  
Superiors in my poor judgement after they have granted, and declared most ample, and almost all possible authority to their deputies (for the government of poor fearful souls that raight have been ruled according to Gods will with les than a beck) have need to have an eye, and good respect to matters: and not expect that God must always do for their safeguard, that which themselves might do.  
They speak with little consideration, who say, it is enough to do what a Counsellor adviseth, especially in virtue of his place, or office: unless they regard withal that the soul hath been so taught by God or man that she knows how to use such counsel for her profit, and namely ●or contemplation. For if this were so there would not be such searsity of illuminated persons as there are; and I have known some who have been so obedient that they never did any thing contrary to their Superiors will, nor refused to do any thing that was enjoined them by their Superiors: yea further were so inward with their Superiors that they seemed one hart, and one soul with them, and yet for all that they have affirmed in my hearing, that they were as ignorant of God, and as great strangers to him as they were when they first took the habit: yea not altogether so fervorous and devout as when they entered into Religion seven years before. So that it semmes either the Superior must be spiritual to make his subject so; or the subject must be so spiritual as to know how to benefit himself by his obedience, and other exercises, or else he w●l never come to perfection, lèt him have never so great aptness to a spiritual life, or read, or hear never so much to that effect. For where we read of great supplies on God's part for, and in works of obedience; either the subject, o● Superior was an illuminated person, and had a great regard to G●d in that which was done, or commanded, that it was his will, and what he would have to be done in it, he did clearly see in his interior. For if some disposition, were not required in the party, or parties, for God to do, and supply great matters in the soul by that bare word, do it for Obedience, a Superior might by the command have God so at his command and at a beck that he commanding his subject to come to perfection, or to do such or such a work in such, and such perfection, God should presently enable the soul to do it so; Though neither the subject, or Superior knew what perfection were further then by speculation. But the expecting of such miracles is absurd: for God hath ordained another way to come to perfection. And never any by this course come to find out the right way, or ever attain to that degree of perfection which is so much spoken of, & even out of ignorance exacted, & expected the first day of taking the habit, to wit of blind Obedience. Which yet in some sort, some who have good, and quiet natures attain to (but the clean contrary way to that which they should do) to wit to a blind Obedience without sense, or reason: never going further in it or by it then to a natural perfection: which though it be much extolled by those that see her, and is better for her soul then to obey only in what she list, and no more, which is another extreme: yet she grows but by this into favour with Superiors, and into credit with those with whom she lives, & into a certain natural perfection of mortification which little benefitteth her soul, and for which if she look not well about her, she will receive her reward in this life, to wit by satisfying, and contenting herself with the good liking, and applause of her Superiors, and companions, and thinking that if she can please them she dischargeth her duty to God as to her obligation of tending to perfection. But if there we●e to be no other effect of all our mortifications, and abstractions, and other Obediences in Religion; I should say, Woe is me that I was Religious, But to this may be answered that by our vows and virtue of our profession we have a double merit for all that we do: whereas if we were not Religious we should have but a single reward, and this the Church by her power and the superaboundance of the merits of our Saviour (of which she hath the distribution by way of Indulgence: or by virtue of vows made by souls that are in the favour, and grace of God, and consequently her dear children) imparteth to us that are Religious. But t● this I reply that if this were sufficient the world would never have been fuller of S●ints then now, for there were never more Religious; and yet none will deny that the world was ever so, without Saints as it is at this day since Christ's time. Which plainly showeth that there is to be some other disposition in the soul for her advancing by the exercises of Religion. And that the having made the Profession, and living laudably therein in the sight of others, is not sufficient for her before God; nor the pretended examples of former times: nor that blind Obedience which is so much extolled, and commended by all to be exacted in perfection of her before she have found good entrance into her interior by prayer and abstraction, and can regard God in that which is to be performed by her, and by the good disposition that is in her so●l turn it to good, and not to the obscuring of her soul. For otherwise it will be blind Obedienee indeed and obscure her soul so that she can neither perform that nor any thing else as God doth require she should; which if she do not, it will little avail her that others like of it.  
By which you see that only living in Religion 
☜  and pleasing our Superiors will not advance us in the way of perfection, nor practising a blind Obedience which hath in it neither reason nor discretion; and presuming to practise virtues in perfection before we are come to any perfection is to break our necks for ever coming to perfection. Can a soul of a years standing in Religion take upon her to be come to Abraham's perfection; surely if she do, I should hardly expect to see God prosper that her presumption with an Abraham's reward. It is plain therefore that we may very ab●urd●ly oftentimes apply the examples of Saints to our poor imperfect case, and get little by it. Yet this is not to disapprove of a souls prompt Obedience, for that is most laudable. And those souls who are in a contemplative course, and end eavour nothing bu● by ●ntring into their interior to be able to regard God and his will, or call in every thing they do or omit, will grow more obedient & submissive every day than other and perform that which is said; that they should be subject to enery living creature for God. Which those other hasty, and inconsiderate persons who will practice every th●ng presently in its perfection will never arrive to: but rather for their hastiness (if there natures be not the better) they will be found more stubborn, rebellious, and more hard to be ruled fourteen, or twenty years after their coming into Religion than they were the first day. And then they will look for these, and these privileges; their Antiquity forsooth must be respected; they must be exempted from ptostrations, and if they have behaved themselves more submissively, and obediently then others though it were but merely out of the quietness of their natures; they must be observed, respected and preferred in Office before all others, or else they have infinite wrong; and they pretend if they be neglected, it will be a cause of others less Obedience, and respect to Superiors: who they say will rather prefer others that will not take it well to be thus humbled than one who may be made a fool of as I have been all this while, and it seems ever shall be. Had not Superiors better wink at a little want of too much forwardness in an imperfect soul who doth it merely out of consideration of her own frailty, and that she may not obscure, or put out that little light which by much labour, care, and industry she hath through God's grace, and assistance gotten in her soul for the finding out, and walking in the way of perfection, and contemplation? Yes certainly: it were far better for Superiors to pass over some sleight imperfections which have no sin in them, in a s●ul who seriously laboureth for perfection. For such a ●oul will give, as it is given her: that is to say, that as God of his mercy, and goodness by her conversing with h●m, by her suffering that he lays upon her with the best resignation she can, and by observing the divine call, and will, and living according to the justice of God, shall strengthen her soul, and purify it in his love; and so much the more prompt, and ready to obey will she be, and give every day more and more respect to Superiors.  
And there is one thing in this virtue of Obedience principally to be observed, and practised to make it pleasing to God, and an advancement to the soul: and that is that the thing commanded, and done be according to the justice of God. But to this may, or will be answered that all that is not a sin, if it be commanded us by our Superiors is according to the justice of God. But if this were so, so many more would come to perfection, then do: And it would be far more easy to come to it than it is; But perfection, and sanctity must be gotten by others means then by persuading ourselves, that we shall come to it by simply doing, from time to time what our Superio● willeth, or biddeth us. If with all we do not in our interior regard God in his justice, as well as the exterior bidding of Superiors, and do it more out of the regard of that then the other: yea as much as is possible (if we will do it well) we are to do it with a simple pure regard of God, and his call; for though the interior call never contradicteth the exteriors (for if it do, it is to be strewdly suspected) and that for the most part of things to be done in Religion God caelleth the soul by exterior Obedience; Yet it is his will that in all those things as well as in mere internal, 
☜  the soul should simply regard him, and that as absolutely as if he by himself had bidden, or commanded her. Neither doth such a soul regard who, or what, or in what manner God requireth it at her hands, but it sufficeth her that it is he that exacteth it of her, whom she in simplicity of spirit endeavoureth to regard in all things with out any mean of creatures; Which maketh the soul indifferent whether she were commanded by an Angel, or a worm if it were Gods will: rather to command her, and signify his will to her by the worm; not that she esteemed not of the Angel in a far higher degree, but because she would not make any thing her object, or do any thing out of any other respect then to conform herself to the divine justice in all things, 
☜  and regard him alone in all she did, or omitted. And certainly let a soul be persuaded, or persuade herself what she will as a means to arrive to perfection, she shall never find true peace (if she be of a contemplative spirit, and be not defective in her natural judgement) but by following the divine call, and regarding that in all she doth, or omitteth: and though she do all that Superiors command, yet to do it with as little regard of them, and as much of God as if he had immediately commanded her by himself. And so much as God shall by his grace (concurring with her care, and diligence) enable her to work in this observation of the divine call, so much the more light, she shall have for the observing of it, so much the more profit, and peace will she find in her own soul: and so much the more shall she walk according to the justice of God, of which how much the more our works do partake, so much are they worth and no more: for as Tau●erus saith, God rewardeth no works but his own.  
Where it is said in our Constitutions that after our profession we have not so much as pour over our own bodies, or souls. I understand it that by the very nature of our profession we are so bound to tend to Perfection: that we should do nothing but in regard to God, whose will we have ●here professed, to choos for our own, and whose justice we will with all diligence perform, let him signify it by what, whom, and in what m●ner h● please: without any regard of our own profit, or commodity for time, or eternity; and certainly in this sense Obedience cannot be too much commended. But let our actions be never so much commended, and applauded by our Superiors, and all others: if it go not right between God, and our souls, it will be but little to our com●ort, or profit. And if we reflect upon the circumstances of the Superiors command whereby we may obscure that regarding God in our souls we shall never become perfect in Obedience. For as S. Paul saith, Pour was not given for destruction, but for edification, and applying it, performing it, and exacting it in an other manner then as it was meant, and ordained by God in and by our Religious Profession: is the reason that so few become perfectly Obedient: for by making our Obedience to regard Superiors in the first place; for example to trouble, and perplex ourselves in thin●ing it must be done with this circumstance, and this manner, and at this time, and divers other circumstances little to the purpose, or else I shall not perform my Obedience in perfection. This is to tyre out myself, and make myself weary of Obedence, and not to serve God with alacri●y, and cheerful willingness. This is to find his yoke intolerable, and not sweet and easy; which certainly if it be not to us it is our own fault, and not his. For he hath set such order, and measure in all things, that the more they are done according to his will the more easily are they done; for he is far from being the Author of disquiet, and confusion, His spirit i● justice, and Peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. And it is we that by our prepost●rousnes do pervert his justice, and cause that effect in our souls by that which we pretend he exacts: 
This Sir Thomas Mo●e the fa●●u● L●r● Chancellor of England B●essed, and r●now●e● Martyr of Christ JESUS was her great, great grandfather.  And so (as sir Thomas More saith) the urchin wench goes whining up, and down, as if nothing she did, or could do (for some circumstance, or other which was wanting in it) did please H●m; W●● yet indeed is so easily pleased by those of good wills, and who intent, or desire nothing but to please, and content him, and seek him simply, and purely, not any gift, or grace, but according to his will: that if there were no world but this and that my soul were to die with my body yet I would choos to serve, and please him alone, and none but him; rather then by doing the contrary 
☞  have all others my friends, and have all the honours, pleasures, and in fine the whole world at my command; and this though I were also to suffer, and subject myself for his sake to every living creature whilst ●● lived. For in this kind of life lieth ●●d the greatest Heaven that can be enjoyed vpon earth. And though he try the souls with divers temptations, yet he doth it with much regard of their frailty, & doth so accommodate his grace to that he layeth upon them: that they find he reserves that for to morrow which the soul was not able to have borne with profit to d●y. 
☜  And the soul so plainly sees that she of herself is able to do nothing: so that if she had overcome one difficulty or temptation a thousand times, she dareth no more confide in her being able to overcome it again then if she had never done it yet in all her life. And yet she is so confident in God, that if it were pronounced unto her by God himself (who can no● deceive or be deceived) that there were infinite disgraces, pains, temptations, poverties, and confusions hung over her head; All the care she would take would be to beseech God continually that as he provided those troubles for her, so he may enable her to bear them without offending him therein, and in that manner for his glory that he intended by sending them: for of herself she willingly acknowledgeth that no feather is more easily carried a way with a violent wind, than her soul would be carried to hell by the least temptation the devil could suggest unto her if he did not in all things by his grace protect her. And the longer, and the more faithfully a soul hath served our Lord the clearer doth it appear to her, 
☞  that whatsoever is well done by her it is so wholly to be attributed to God, that she deserves most just punishment if she take any part of it to herself; or presume by what she hath done by his power, to be able to endure the least cross that can befall her of her own self.  

☞  But to return to that I was speaking of, I mean Obedience. I say (in the words of a most learned man Albertus Magnus' Master to the divine Saint Thomas of Aquin) that so far as any virtue pertaks of discretion so much of virtue hath it in it, and no more. So tha● if a soul practise Humility, Charity● Obedience, and in fine a●y other virtue without discretion it will more partake of folly, then true virtue as the effect in the practiser will show. This discretion is the pure gift of God the which he never so abundantly bestows upon any but that they are all their life to have relation daily, and hourly to him by prayer, 
☞  in which he teacheth them as far as it is necessary for them what they are to do, or what means they must take to know what is best to be done in all that they doubt of. For whether he resolve them by himself, or by others, th●y acknowledge it to come fr●m h●m, neither do they desire to be their own choosers in this, or any thing else, and so it comes all to one pass, as to them; for they regard him a like in all things. Neither can one generally speaking, apply another's case to onesself without danger: because the circumstances may much differ, and so make that in them a folly, which was in another Perfection. Which many times we blindly do, 
☜  and no wonder if we prosper accordly. For in all things we are to have relation to God, and do what he exacts, and not what is the custom or what this, or that body hath done in the like case. And if we do otherwise we shall be as blind as beetles, and never prosper in a true internal, contemplative, spiritual life. And for want of well practising this point many get no entrance into their interior all their life, though they have in them a very great aptness for it. And this point I have before touched in one place of these my notes for mine own remembrance, which I have written down either as I heard them from Fa. Baker, or as they came into my head when I was least obscured with the passion of fear, to be a help to me● or at least some little light when I was not so well able to help myself.  
And reason I had having so many occasions to try me within and without, 
☜  and to put me into perplexity, and fear. For one in eminent place did labour ●y his objections to divert me though not with i'll intention, but out of a pretence of putting me into a course more proper for me, as for example, because I was full of imperfections he pretended that contemplative instructions were no way proper for me, and that I took too much liberty by them, they being proper for those of more tender, and fearful consciences than I was. And in fine gave it me under his hand very resolutly as a determination from my Ghostly Father, as in the place of God Almighty that those that gave me contemplative instructions, and applied the liberty tha● was necessary for contemplative souls (o● which he saith there are not two in all the house) to me, might give me peace, b●● never true peace in God. These were his words which did so much astonish me that it made me purvey for all the instructions that I could tha● might uphold me in that which I found was the only way that I could prosper in, or be able to find our Saviour's yoke sweet, and his b●rth●● light: for I had suffered so much before God did bestow the favour upon me o● being put into a course that was prope● for me, and this for near ●iue years after my coming over, and had fallen into so many great inconveniences and miseries tha● none could believe it, but I that felt it● And though I made a shift a days to set ● good face on it, yet in the night I bewailed my miseries with more than ordinary Tears of which God and our blessed Lady were Witnesses of, though few others on earth. And I did rouse up all the books in the house, and whatsoever I found that any had done to please God, I took notes of it and did it as I could. And this course I always held since I came into Religion: as also to consult with all the men that any had found good by in the house, and yet all this would do me no good. And me thought I Was as great a stranger to Almighty God as I was in England when I scarce thought (as to any good I did) whether there were a God, or no. And being thus perplexed, and tossed with a thousand imaginations, and overwhelmed with miseries, yea almost desperate through the fear, and consideration of my sins; My Mystris advised me ●o go to Father Baker telling me that fowre● or five in the house had found good by him, and that at least it was no harm to try, and it would do me no harm though it did me no good; for he was a very grave man, and one that was much respected in the Congregation, such like words as these she used to me and I in my nature being not very hard to be ruled (though I remember I had no great mind to it of myself) did as she bid me which being done I found myself in fifteen days so quiet that I wondered at myself: 
☞  the which was so soon as I had received from him some general instructions. As that I must give all to God, without any reservation wittingly, and willingly of any inordinate affection to any creature: the which I found myself willing to do. And that ● must use prayer twice a day, which I found myself capable of; and though I found little of that which is called sensible devotion, yet I found that with a little industry, I was able to use it with much profit, and that it did make any thing very tolerable which happened to me. Yea, and it made me capable of understanding any thing that was necessary for me in a spiritual life, and discovereth daily to me that which is an impediment between God, and my soul as far as is necessary: and makes me abhor to do any thing in the wo●ld for any other intention then out of the regard of God, and because God would have me so do. And I find by, and in the exercise of prayer G●● doth find such means to humble we that all the creatures in the world could never have found them out for me, and also sends me such internal crosses, and shows me yet so plainly what I shall do in them (if I will advance my soul by them as he desireth) that it were ●ut to obscure my soul to ask questions ●bout them, and will, or nile I, I must bear ●hem. And thus I see that God doth so ●emper every thing he layeth upon me, ●hat it is so much and no more than I am able to bear, & is convenient for me. And ●e thinks I see that any thing I overcome ●s so wholly to be attributed to God that I cannot presume to be able to endure the ●east cross in the world, and should think ●t an extreme presumption to expose myself to hazard, by wilfully putting myself of mine own accord to the suffering of any thing but what Obedience, and necessity provideth for me, which I find to be enough.  
Thus upon occasion I have foolishly strayed from my purpose, and now I return to me matter of applying blindly the practice of Saints to our imperfect case: for God will prosper us by those exercises that h● thinketh good, and not by those of our own inventions. If the soul simply regard God in the best manner she can, it will be as easy for her to see what he would have her to do, or omit. (I mean in things that are not sin) when to ask, when to hold her peace; when to pray, and how to pray, &c) as it is easy to discern her right hand from the left, or the Sun from the Moon, but this w●l be if she go the way of abnegation, and not else; and if s●● rest in God above all creatures and have relation to him as well as she can according t● her imperfect state in all things whatsoe●er either in a general, or particular manner 〈◊〉 the case requireth: for we canno● prospe● any other way in a spiritual course, or b● any other means then the divine conducts And this not prospering any other way● or by any other means than God pleaseth may be very well applied in some sort t● the case where the director out of his ow● head, and out of his own customs would have the soul pray in that manner he hath good by: And if God lead her by another way th●n he hath gone, she is wrong howsoever it be indeed. And if the soul be fu●● of perceptible imperfections in her outward carriage, and if in occasions she be apt to overshoot herself sometimes in jest, sometimes in earnest, than he will determine she is not fit for internal exercises unless they be very gross and sensible ones. And if she will not believe him in this so far as presently to relinquish her former directions, she goes astray. Into which directions notwithstanding she hath been put by the adu●se of her chief Superior, and found by prosecuting what she had begun that her soul was reform by little and little, and that she was willing, ●nd enabled by God's grace to amend any particular defects that the Confessor found 〈◊〉 her, and reprehended her for: only ●hen he misliked her course and would ●ot tell her why nor wherefor, but in a confused manner she stood upon her guard, ●nd held her peace, having before endeavoured by all informations she could, and ●s well as she could to express herself, that ●he might do things with his good leave, ●nd liking. I say she held her peace, and was confident that her course was never ●he worse for his fearing, and meant not ●y the grace of God to alter it: till Superiors by diligent examination of her (which ●he most willingly will accept, and give ●hem all the informations she can, as she ●●th done him) should judge thereof to ●hose determination she finally meant to ●and. For my part I say, I shall follow her example the best I can. But if besides her ●mperfections, he by some inward discourse perceived by her (when she was in ●ome darkness, and much obscured for that ●ime with the passion of fear) that she ●ad some scruples of her former life which troubled her; though indeed she had been advised by two who known her conscience as well as she could make them, and who were men of as much respect as any ●n the Congregation, and one of them her chief Superior, and the other her director for many years: Notwithstanding I sa● she had both their warrants for what sh● did under their hands, and indeed find● herself checked in conscience by G●● himself in an extraordinary manner, whe● she doth in this point yield to follow he● own sense, desire, and fear rather the● what they have advised her. Yet I say ● this Ghostly Father of hers should think i● not only fit, but altogether necessary t● bring her into all fear he could, pretending that the liveliness of her nature, and th● great couradg she had could not be abat●ed with any thing else then with letting her, and advising her to dive into her conscience, and case as much as she would and that she could never come to profit bu● by laying a good foundation by this mean● which he pretended was so necessary for some things which he discovered in her that it was hard (if possible) for her to be saved unless she did proceed in this manner: what would you advise the poor soul to do? I will tell you what I do, and upon what reasons I do it, as well as ● can.  

1. First, for the i'll ground which he said I laid, he grounded it upon, these reasons ● first was upon the unsettledness he thought was in my conscience: which indeed wa● ●s it is at sometimes in which humour he once lighted upon me. And as to this I comforted myself that I needed not to ●eare: seeing I had done what I had been advised to by the said two upon whom I relied in it; Nay also when he was better able to judge in my case, he advised me the very same himself. As also when I am in prayer, and most clear, I see I cannot please God by any other means then by standing to the advice that hath been given me by the said two in this kind.  
2. Secondly, he grounded himself upon a conceit, that I held so constantly to the course I had been put into before he came out of Policy, because I would not be taxed with inconstancy, and also because I might lose the interest in those who had the same instructions, and that partly because they were many of them, the most eminent persons in the house for natural talents. But to this I answer●ed myself that as for Policy, I did not well understand it, and so far as I did understand it, I did abhor it even out of ●his respect that those who practised it (in ●he nature I understood him he meant) ●ead miserable lives, and must oblige themselves more to the humours of many to ●ring their ends about, (than the love of liberty would have permitted me if ● had had no better intention,) and lye●● for the most part miss of their ends in tha● which they most desired, and perhaps undergo great disgraces in having thei● plots discovered: this I say if I had had no other intē●ion would have made me abhori●● But I also comforted myself with this: tha● since I first entered into this course, 
☞  I neue● desired the friendship or favour of any creature living, nor so much as● durst wis● deliberately that any thing should happens otherwise then it did. And when I thought it for the honour of God, and good of the Convent, I did not fear any disgrace, o● difficulty that could happen unto me i● that I thought fit to be done. And wha● I did in it out of other intention or natural inclination, I desired that God should purge me for it by any contrary success in the business as he pleased.  
3. A third reason, he had (as the afore mentioned writing of his gives me to thinks as I understood it) was out of this respects that I was cheerful, merry, and free, notwithstanding he had judged my case to b● so bad, and perilous, whereby he might think that I slighted his admonishmen●●● and was insensible of my own miserable case. As to his I had these reasons to comfort and help me. One was that reflexing upon my own conscience between God, and my soul, I saw no cause but that ● might hope that matters went well between him, and me; and that I was ne●er the worse for his fear of me, and some things he charged me with I found myself innocent of, and some others I found myself guilty of I endeavoured the best I could to amend. Also for my showing myself cheerful, it was partly to bear up myself; and partly because I thought that was the way to make him the sooner to let me alone, as indeed it happened. And another reason was because I am naturally sad, and had more than ordinary exercise as that time which made me more subject to it. And also I find it necessary to be as cheerful as I can, because nothing obscures my soul, and hindereth my Prayer, and transcendance so much as yielding to sadness.   
I also perceived both by his writings words, and sermons that he in all things almost misunderstood my case, that though he were very spiritual as for his own particular, and in a course that he seemeth to me to prosper very well in, and which was apt to be much applauded by the admirers of sensible things; yet he was far short of being able to direct a soul to Contemplation who was in nature, and by grace apt for those instructions that tend to it. And I perceived also that although he could ●auour almost no books but those of Contemplative Authors, yet he still misunderstood them so in his application of their writings to others that all his proceedings turned rather to the breeding of a dangerous multiplicity in the soul, then to the riddance which is so absolutely necessary: that without the director help the soul in that, in vain is all he can do to her, as to her coming to Contemplation.  
I also perceived that he misliked the happy instructions we had received, (and which caused in me so much peace, and comfort: after so much perplexity, and affliction) because some had misunderstood, and mispractised, and mis-applyed them. This I say made me much to suspect his sufficiency, as for rightly understanding Contemplative instructions in which, and by which (as I had experienced for five, or six years before) I could only prosper, and live contented i● my state. This I s●y I wondered, at because it did plainly appear that those who were weary of those instructions, in which other prospered so well, were for som● notable reasons wholly uncapable of benefitting themselves by such instructions 〈◊〉 least in these days when true Spirituality hath so many oppositions, and adversaries, and so few that help, and bear up a soul in them, and I say upon these terms such souls can never hold to them. And therefore it were fit (and he as fit as any) they should seek to be put into a more sensible course, which might be taught by man from time to time as they stood in need of. Whereas others who are truly capable of spiritual contemplative instructions, after the soul is once well instructed, her director hath little to do but to rid her in all things as much as he can lawfully, and to refer her to God, who can only teach perfect Prayer, and bring the soul to true Perfection. But those men who think themselves able to bring a fool to 
☜  perfection of Prayer by imposing their devices upon her, and will limit God by their pretending that she is bound to obey them, and can prosper by no other exercises then ●uch as they seem to have found good by. From such men I say God bliss all capable souls, lest they put themselves into their hands: for if they under any pretence follow their inventions, and leave the way that God hath placed them in, and would prosper them by; the miserable effect will show how little part God had in this their doing: for as his works have most happy success, so ours have mo●● woeful; and if we lay it upon Obedience we do God infinite wrong. Because the effect of Obedience if it be true Obedience, is very profitable to a soul, and never prejudicial but it is when we give that to Caesar, that 〈◊〉 Gods, that it succeeds i'll with us by obeying ● for by this pretended Obedience we darken, and obscure our soul contrary to God● meaning, and intention. And it is always seen that when a soul suffereth herself to be put out of her way by a director, or Superior, that when she thinks she hath done all she can, as to the doing their will, yet she is further from it then she was before, and both the Superior, and she miss of their desire. She because she hath lost her peace which made her capable of giving her Superior his due without prejudice to her soul, and of doing it, as it was Gods will she should; the which now she finds clean contrary by reason of her perverting the sweet order of justice, she being now so obscured that she knows not what to give God, and what Caesar. And by this means the Superior also misseth of what he intended, because now the soul giveth him less than she did before.  
We have infinite examples of the happy success of Saints though their Superiors were not always such as seconded them in all particulars, sometimes they being such as did not understood them, and God permitting it for their greater good. And a soul shall always find contradiction from some Superior, or other: And yet if the soul live in her interior as she should, it will be no impediment to her progress, no more than it was to S. Teresa, joannes de Cruse, Balthasar Aluares of the Society of JESUS who was persecuted by his order, and his writings suppressed (as I have heard even to this day. And joannes de Cruee besides other contradictions eight months put in prison by his Superior. And these souls though they might seem to others to have varied from true Obedience; yet the effect showed they were far from such matter. And these days there is in contemplative souls a more seeming disobedience then heretofore because there are fewer Superiors then ever there were that will concur, or approve of their proceeding. But doth this exempt Religious from the right Obedience more than heretofore? No certainly; for their is no way but by Obedience to come to God, and no virtue without Obedience is pleasing to God. But it is an Obedience that regardeth God, and that doth what he would: And not a foolish pretended Obedience which is in the letter, and not in the spirit. None can truly see how to obey but out of an internal light given and imparted to the soul by God, who is the true teacher of Obedience, and all other solid virtues. And in these days where true Obedience is so little known, and where Obedience is counted to be practised in perfection, when the subject is punctual out of a sympathy of nature with his Superior, and can by reason of a quiet nature magnify him, and think that they must have no other relation to God in his world then by their Superior, whom to please, and whose good will, and good word to enjoy is the perfection of what they came for, without further acquaintance with God in their soul. This I say being now termed Obedience, it is no wonder the world is so scarce of Saints. God I beseech him teach us that Obedience which is sou●d; for the other vanisheth away as smoak as to any solid effect in the foul.  
It is an easy matter to talk, and exhort souls to conform themselves in their interior to others where there is no obligation, or any profit to come of it, & though it be against the stream of a true spirit, and ●al, and though he that thus adviseth us is here to day; and gone to morrow; yet the perplexity that comes by such proceedings, if it be contrary to what God requires of us, may stick by us while we live to our great harm and grief. But were they that thus urge us (out of a certain custom) ever put to it themselves? No surely: for if they had they would have more feeling of others being put out of their way. I speak not of a direct putting of a soul out; for that is to palpable of being i'll, but of a● indirect which pretendeth many things in excuse, and in particular more perfection, etc. But the poor soul if she be by these pretences put out of her way, will find herself both void of comfort, quiet, and perfection. For God never prospers indiscreet, and inconsiderate proceedings; though we in them, and for them be applauded by all the world. All that draws to multiplicity, and estranging from God, in our interior let us bliss ourselves from as the poison of our soul, and any thing, or creature that would interpose it-self between God, and our soul, is an impediment to contemplation Woe be to those souls, if they have a capacity for an internal life, that are studying how to write and speak to creatures to the pouring out of their affections. For by this means their affection will be taken up by the way, and the creatures will be more regarded than the Creator, though the subject of their writings be of, and for God. Much vanity I have known in this kind, the Ghostly Father admiring the wit, devotion, and humility of his penitent. And the penitent b● having her proceedings in that kind admired, published, & applauded by her Ghostly Father, was in great danger to vanish away in her own cogitations. These sensible proceedings often draw the soul (do what sh● can) more to men then God.  
There are two things now a days by which we take upon us to measure other men's perfection. The one is by the quietness of their nature. And the other is if we be Superiors we judge, by the sympathy that is between them, and us; terming them most humble, obedient, etc. that are most stutable to our spirit, and sense, those specially do so whose exercise is in sense, and who put much perfection in sensible devotion. But certainly true Humility is so subtle a thing that none can judge who is most perfect therein, but God; and those to whom he revealeth it. And this is the reason why it is said; Tha● the judgements of God are far different from, those of men.  
Pour was given by God, for edification● and not for destruction. The which edification principally consisteth in the Superior-accommodating himself to the interior divine call of his subject; and with that intention are all Religious professions made, and to be intended by the Professors, and Accepters of the Profession, and especially according to the intention of our holy Mother the Church, by whose warrant those Passions receive their validity. And therefore a Superior that neglects to proceed with ●is subjects according to such their divine ●●l accommodated to the rule strayeth from the scope, and intention of Religious Pro●ession. And for the avoiding of these mischiefs, as also for the difficulty that the Superiors find, & have in the true discovery of ●●ternal calls that are of mere spiritual things, I may say was the cause, wherefor the Holy Ghost (who is the proper master of true spirituality) hath inspired the pens of the torrent of his Doctors of the holy Church, to declare, and teach that souls as well in Religion as out of it, Are free for their mere interior whereby they may be able to follow such teaching from the Holy Ghost himself, as man cannot afford them: though man may hurt, or destroy such teachings easily where God permitteth it: and themselves yield to it to their own great los, and harm. And the interior is of that great, and infinite worth, 
☜  and moment, that so that that may be well, it is no matter what cometh of all other things. Yea than all other things will be well, if that be in good case by harkening to, and following the divine interior call which is all in all, to a capable soul. O woe, woe, yea a thousand times woe to a soul that is frighted by any threats, overcome by 〈◊〉 temptat●ons● or cast down by yielding 〈◊〉 fears into that perplexity which make● her unfit to hear, and follow what G●● speaketh to her soul, and dis-inableth h●● from following prayer, which Seraphina● Firmanus termeth for the Nobility, a●● worth of it; Omnipotent! O you souls wh● are capable of prayer, be grateful to o●● Lord, 
☞  for it is the greatest happiness that ca● be possessed in this life. For by it, it is ea●● passing through all things how hard, an● painful soever. By it we come to be familiar with God himself, and to convers 〈◊〉 Heaven; By it all impediments will be re●moued between God, and our souls; By 〈◊〉 we shall receive light for all that God woul● do by vs● By it we shall come to regard God in all, and wholly neglect ourselves By it we shall know how to converse o● earth without prejudice to our souls. An● in fine by it, we shall prays God, and become so united to him, that nothing shall b● able to separate us for time or eternity fro● his sweet Goodness. O let him be all in all to v● who can only satisfy our souls. He is his ow● Prays in which, and by which we are infinitely happy though of ourselves we a●● able to prays, and love him, but in a very poor manner. Who can say (that desires nothing but to love, and prays him) that th●y ●e poors seeing, h● 〈◊〉 ho is more theirs then ●ey are there own, is so rich, and to whom●othing ●othing is wanting that should make him● infinite happiness. In this let us joy, in this ●t us glory without intermission. When ●e are not able actually to attend to him, ●nd prays him, let us commend our hart, ●●d soul to the saints in Heaven who without ceasing prais our Lord. Let us by them do ●●at which we are not able to do by ourselves. ●ea let us desire him (who is his own preys, ●o is only able to do as he deserveth) to apply what he desires we should wish him.  
Let us rest in him alone, and not in anything that is, or can be created. Let us not ●eek the gift but the giver. Let us seek no o●her comfort, but to be able with out all com●ort to be true to him. O how little is all the ●oue we can give him in comparison of that he●eserueth ●eserueth from us. Where therefore is their ●●ome in our souls, for any created thing? Let us wish, and desire, and as far as it lies 〈◊〉 us procure that all love be given to him. Let him have all Glory all Honour, & prays. ●et us desire the favour of none but him●lone ●lone, to whose free disposition let us stand for time, and eternity as absolutely by our ●il, as if we had never had being. Nothing we do or suffer let us esteem great, for our sins deserve we should endure much more. Let our whole care tend to the magnifying of him; Let his Honour be ours, 〈◊〉 Glory ours & let us seek nothing but to 〈◊〉 wholly his: who is most worthy to be th●● He is. It is his delight to be with the childr●● of men? What should comfort us, but t● prays, and love him. Those that seek him sha● find him if they seek him withal their ha●● O who would seek any thing instead of hi● or any thing besides him, being he is not mor● willing to give us any thing then himself here by Grace, and in Heaven by Glory● Let us adore him in Spirit and Truth, all w● can give him is nothing unless we entirely give him ourselves, and that also canno● add to his Greatness, and Glory; yet if we do this, so much doth his diuine Majesty esteem of this gift, 
☞  it being all we can give him; that for it, and in requital of it, h● will give us himself. Al his gifts, and graces are as means to the preparing us for thi● end, if we use them rightly with humility, & according to the just will of Almighty God● Let us extend our will to serve, love, prays, please, and magnify our Lord to the uttermost we are able: yea without all limits, or bounds, let us desire his Honour, till suc● time as we may be swallowed up in the bottomless ocean of all love, & prais God i● himself in whom, and by whom only we can prays him, as we ought. Let us love hi● here as far as we are possibly able without ●egard of ourselves either, for time or eternity. This is the humble love that feeleth ●o burden. This is the true love that know●th not how to attribute any thing it doth, ●r suffereth to it-self. It chooseth not wher●n God should make use of her, but accommodateth itsself to his pleasure in all things. ●f it were his will to have it so, she would ●ather for ever be picking of chips, or straws ●hen out of her own election be doing that ●hich is most admired, or might seem to ●er to procure her the greatest reward. O ●ou souls on whom God bestoweth this loue●hink ●hink it not much to bear the burden not only of yourselves but of all you live with: ●or God beareth you up in all, more than you ●an conceive or imagine! Beware above all ●hings of pride; for that cast even Angels ●ut of Heaven. A soul of prayer as long as ●he keeps humility is in little, or no peril of going out of her way.  
Give to Caesar that is Caesar's, and that to God, that is Gods. 
Matt. 22.21.  If there be not something due to God which cannot be given to men; or if it were so confused that there ●ere no certainty what were due to the one, ●o wit God: and what were due for God●o ●o the other, to wit, man: a soul would be so confused as to teaching, and leading the way of Perfection, that she would never know where to begin, and where to end● or when she did well, 
☞  or i'll. For certain when the soul doth that by men, wh● ought to be done by God, and can be d● by none but him; It goeth not well with h●● as for walking in a true contemplative co●● She also doth not well when she would ha● God do that by himself, which he would d● by means of Superiors, or directors. A●● certainly if a soul be a capable soul of co●●templatiue instructions, and be well groun●●ed in them by help of one experienced, a●● walk the way of entire abnegation seeki●● God, and not his gifts, and be diligent 〈◊〉 observing what God will do by himself 〈◊〉 her soul, and wherein he referreth her t● others, and walk with that indifferency th●● it is all one to her which way, or by who● God will manifest his will to her: She shall 〈◊〉 easily see what, and how to do in all things to please God best, as she may discern th● Sun from the Moon. And this is to give th●● to God that is Gods, and that to Caesar that i● Caesar's.   
FINIS.   

Devout spiritual Reader.  
I Desire none other should cast their eye on this true intern spiritual Book; And I doubt not but your patience will bear with ●he many faults escaped by a stranger's pres●e; And your Charity correct them by ta●ing your pen in your hand, and adding ●hat is wanting a whole word, a letter, or letters, and taking away what is superbious. One great one I will particularly duise you of, to wit page the 19 l. 22. in ●he preface there wants a not. So that you must read, wanting not those, in steed of wanting those. For so it is in the original in her own hand. The others the sense will direct you how to correct. Adieu.   

The Approbation.  
Having read over this small Treatise en●tituled, The Spiritual Exercises of th● most Religious and verruous Dame Gertrud● More, etc. with much comfort, and edification seeing the fervent expressions o● divine love in her pious soul. And finding nothing in it jarring with the universal Belief, or Christian Morality of our Catholic Church, I have willingly approved it as such; and set my hand hereunto, at Paris the 26. of March 1658.  
Hen. HOLDEN.   

The Approbation.  
THese Confessions or Soliloques written by the late deceased Dame Gertrude More Religious of the English Convent of Cambray of the holy Order of S● Bennet, pious fspring of that Noble and Glorious Martyr sir Thomas More, Chancellor of England, containing nothing but a true practice of that divine Book of the Imitation of Christ (restored of late to the true Author john Gerson Venerable Abbot of the same Order) approved by all for the mirror of Christian and Religious perfection, needs no Approbation but a serious recommendation to all such as desire a true pattern to attain to the perfect love of God by affective prayer and practise thereof. Sic censeo ego. Parisiis. 1. Aprilis 1658.  
Fr. WALGRAVIUS Doct. Theol. Monachus & Prior Benedictinus.   

CONFESSIONES AMANTIS. THE CONFESSIONS OF A lovings & pious soul to almighty God.  

THE FIRST CONFESSION.  
MY Lord; we often read in our office (of the Breviary) that those that forsake all for thy sake, 
Math● 19 30.  shall receive a hundred fold in this life, and life everlasting in the next. This we read, and hear; this was spoken by thy own mouth, and therefore of the truth thereof we cannot doubt, nor in the hope ●hereof can we be deceived; presupposing we on our part be not wanting of that which is necessary to the performance of that which thou exactest. But tell me, I beseech thee, my God● tell me I say for thy own sake, what i● it●, that thou exactest of them who shal● obtain this thy promise? for I see ma●ny leave their parents, friends, ac●quaintance, their fortunes, their ric● possessions, country, and all, and ye● is it plain that they find not this hundred fold in this life; that is the forerunner of the everlasting in the next. For I see their state is a burden to them, and the obligations of Obedience and religious observance is esteemed by them a great servitude, and burden. What is the meaning of this my Lord● Shall I doubt that those who resolutly, and willingly forsake all the world for for thee would stick at forsaking themselves also, seeing that by forsaking, and denying themselves, they should find thee in a most particular manner in their souls? Is such forsaking of ourselves to be accounted a losing of ourselves? O no! but it is a most sweet● and happy exchange, to leave o●● own● wills for to perform thine; to be subject for thee to every living creature, is not a burden, but the greatest liberty in this world. But (alas) my God, the reason why we find thy yoke a burden, is, because we bear it not with thee, by which only it is to be made an easy yoke. If souls who have actually forsaken the world, and in desire themselves also (which most coming into Religion are desirous to do) were but put into some course between thee, 
☜  and their souls by those who had the care of them, or authority over them, they would not, as th●y do, fly back from their first intention, but would every day more, and more by conversing with thee, get more light to know thy will, & strength to perform it; But being ignorant how to converse with thee, and how in all things to have relation to thee, thy yoke becomes more, and more burdensome to them, and every day they fall into new difficulties, and inconueniencies, and are in danger at last to fall into open rebellion against their lawful Superiors, and some of them into strange friendships; a thing which is worthy to be bewailed with bloody tears, that hearts capable of thy love, and by profession consecrated thereunto, should so miserably lose themselves in pouring out themselves, where, and from whom no true comfort can be found, or had. O Lord, remove these impediments from those who are thine by so many titles; let them know thee, and of thee, that they may love nothing but thee; and let them love thee that they may know themselves, and their own weakness and also thy power and Majesty. O my Lord, how infinitely is my soul bound to praise, and love thee, since by means of a faithful servant of thine, 
V. Fa. Baker  I have been instructed in thy law, and taught how to have in all things relation to thee, my only beloved, by which means all Crosses, miseries, pains, disgraces, temptations, are most tolerable to me, I having thee so present to whom I may speak, or write, and by whom (though I am contemptible in the eyes, as I justly deserve to be; of all the world) I am not yet despised, or neglected; for which infinite mercy, ●ll praise and honour be given to the●. O when shall I be grateful to thee? Or ●hat sha●l I render for all thou bestowest on me? I have nothing, but a hart desirous to love, and praise thee; but for ability to do either, alas, my God it is wanting to me. O that all loves might be wholly conuerted to thee! At least let those who have dedicated themselves to thee, cease to desire any thing out of thee; Send them means to know how sweet it is to have no friend but thee, and to be neglected by all but thy sweet mercy.  

O can that soul that loves her God  
For very shame complain  
To any other than himself  
Of what she doth sustain!  
No way to her was ever sound,  
Nor ever shall there be,  
But taking up thy Cross my Lord,  
Thereby to follow thee.  
This is the Way, the Truth, the Life,  
Which leadeth unto heaven,  
None is secure, but only this,  
Though seeming ne'er so even.  
Those that do walk this happy path,  
JESUS doth company;  
But those who go another way,  
Will err most miserably.  
And in this way do not think much,  
That thou dost much endure;  
No, though it be from holy men;  
For God doth this procure,  
That thou mayst seek himself alone,  
And put thy trust in him,  
And not in any creatures living,  
How good so ere they seem.  
For suffering by the means of th'ill  
Will little thee advance;  
But to be sensured by the good,  
Goes near to thee perchance●  
Alas we show but little ●oue,  
If we must choose which way,  
Our Lord must try our Love to him,  
And not in all obey.  
We must submit ourselves to him,  
And be of cheerful hart;  
For he expecteth much of them  
Who be of Mary's part.  
For she must bear a censure hard  
From all without exception;  
But thou, O Lord, will't her excuse,  
Who art her soul's election.  
If she will patiently sustain,  
And be to thee attended,  
Thou favourably wilt judge of her,  
Who knowst her heart's intent.  
For all but thou, as well she sees,  
May err concerning her;  
They only judge as they conceive,  
But thou canst never err.  
Complain not therefore, loving soul,  
If thou wilt be of those,  
Who love their God more than themselves,  
and Mary's part have chose.  
If all thou dost be taken ill  
By those of high perfection;  
And further if thou be accused  
To be of some great faction,  
Our Lord will answer all for thee,  
If thou wilt hold thy peace,  
And from contentions, and complaints  
Wilt patiently surcease,  
Leaving all, care unto thy God,  
And only him intend;  
Yet what is ill, reform in thee,  
And this will all amend.  
As far as he doth think it good,  
Who is most just, and wise,  
He will thee by afflictions purge,  
From what displease his eyes.  
Wilt thou of all that love thy God,  
From suffering be exempt?  
O no, but bliss, as others do  
thy God, and live content!  
Amidst the various accidents,  
That do to thee befall,  
Commit thyself, and all to God  
Who seeks our good in all.  
Thyself art blind, and cannot judge  
What is the best for thee;  
But he doth pierce into all things,  
How h●dd so ere th●y be.  
My hart shall only this desire,  
That thou my Lord dispose,  
Even as thou pleasest in all things,  
Till these mine eyes thou close  
By death, which I so much desire,  
Because it will procure  
Me to enjoy my God, my all.  
Where I shall be secure  
That none from me can take my Lord;  
But for eternity,  
I shall enjoy my only good,  
And to him ever be  
United by a knot of Love,  
Which nothing shall unity,  
But will remain, as permanent  
As his Divinity.  
O happy hour, when wilt thou come,  
And set my Spirit free,  
That I may love and praise my God  
For perpetuity,  
Contemplating his glorious face  
With all that him adore,  
Singing with them his sweetest praise,  
For e●er, and ever more!   
In this is such and so great comfort, and peace, that well may the soul be termed to receive a hundred fold in this life, who despiseth itself, and all other things that it may find thee, O how free is such a soul to fly with the wings of Love to the throne of thy Divine Majesty; Never was there, or can be imagined such a Love; as is between an humble soul, and thee. Who can express: what passeth between such a soul, and thee? Verily neither man, nor Angel is able to do it sufficiently; and the more such a soul knows of thee, the more sound becometh her humility, the which thyself only can teach one perfectly; and it is impossible to get it in verity, and perfection, but by conversing with thee. O my God bestow this heavenly gift on me, which only findeth favour before thee. Those that possess it are able in, and by thee to bear all things, to understand all things as far as it is necessary for them. For one learneth more in Prayer of thee in one hour, than all creatures in the world could teach one in fifty years; for that which thou teachest is sound, solid, and secure; because it tends to nothing but to love thee, & neglect itself. Thy words bring force & strength in themselves; thy words are words of peace to the soul; thy words are not like the words of men, which pass, as a sound through the air; bu● thine pierce the very bottom of our souls; Let me hearken therefore to thee, who speaketh love and most certain truth; The wisdom of the world is foolishness before thee; But thy wisdom is much to be desired, and for it willingly ought we to give all our substance; to it we ought to be espoused; and by it if we will be happy, all our actions ought to be governed. Although thou didst say, 
Math● 18. 3.  that unless we become as little children we could not enter into the kingdom of heaven, yet withal thou hast said, 
Math● 10, 16.  that we ought to be wise as serpents, and simple as doves; where thou puttest that we should be wise before we be simple, and not simplicity before wisdom; whereof I ask thee the reason, O my Lord, with all the humility I am possibly able. For it seems to me● that therein● as in all thy words, there is a hidden Mystery; tell me, I say, my God (of whom in all cases, and doubts I ask solution, and many times by it thou dost make many things manifest to my simplicity;) tell me ● say) what was the reason? Verily it seemeth to me, that thou biddest us be wise before we become simple, because that is only true Simplicity, which followeth true Wisdom. For we cannot become truly simplified in our soul, but by thy heavenly gift of true wisdom. For there is a simplicity which is without wisdom, and discretion, which little availeth to perfection. This virtue of Simplicity becometh more, and more perfect in the soul, as she increaseth in humility, and charity; yet at the very first of our conversion this is in some sort practised by us, if we do as we ought to do. As for example; to become pleasing to thee, it is absolutely necessary that a soul walk simply and sincerely before thyself and all men; and read, and hear, obey, and per●forme all in a simple, and humble manner; not searching into that which belongeth not unto her; this (I say) thou dost exact; for nothing is more odious to thee, than the contrary practice; But yet this doth not diminish our natural reason; but maketh it more clear, and able to comprehend what is necessary for us. This virtue also therefore bestow upon me, who even in my nature (as thou well knowest) did ever above all things hate dissembling, and dissimulation. O Lord, poor as I am, and most sinful, thus thou ●eest how I presume to speak unto ●h●e; but easily shall I obtain pardon of thee, because thou ouerflowest with ●he abundance of thy mercy; for wh●ch Glory, Praise, Adoration be to thee, who art my Lord, and my God, and only desired by me. I have no friend to speak, or treat with but thee, and some of thy Saints, to whom thou hast given charge of me, and to whom I fly when my sins affright me; amongst whom next after thy Dear Mother, the Queen of mercy, is my beloved S. Augustine.  

O Glorious Saint whose hart did burn,  
And flame with Love Divine,  
Remember me most sinful wretch,  
Who hunger starved doth pine.  
For want of that which thou enjoyest  
In such abundant measure;  
It is my God that I do mean,  
My joy, and all my treasure.  
Thy words O Saint are truly sweet,  
Because thou dost address  
Them unto him who's only meet  
Our miseries to redress.   
At whose intorcession much hast thou done for me; Honour them, my Lord for me who am so poor thate have nothing to present them, or thee; only a desire of being grateful to thee, who be by all eternally pray●sed. Amen. (It was S. Augustine the Doctor and amorous servant of God, that she here meant.)   

THE SECOND CONFESSION.  Omnis ex vobis qui non renunti at omnibus quae possident, 
Luk. 14.  non potest meus esse discipulus. Qui habet aures audiendi audiat. All you who renounce not all you possess, cannot be my disciple, who hath ears of hearing let him hear. 
THESE are thy words, my Lord which though they seem hard at first, yet being explicated to our souls by thee, they become most easy, and sweet to perform; Teach me therefore my God, I beseech thee for thy mercy's sake, teach me I say, how I ●hall perform this to the glory of thy●oly ●oly name; Thou hast inflamed my ●art, as thou knowest, with such a continual desire, and longing after thee, ●hat it seemeth easy to me to perform whatsoever is exacted by thee. For ●hough I be frail above all I can express, or imagine, yet I am confident in thee, by whose help and power it is possible to give me to do all that it pleaseth thee to exact of me; 
Psal. 142.  Teach me to do thy will, because thou art my God. Let me Love thee, because to want thy Love is a most grievous affliction to me. far as thou knowest, it is from me to have willingly a divided hart to thee. Is it possible that having but one soul, & hart, I should bestow any of the affection they are capable of, on any thing but thee? O fa●r be this from me; Nothing that could happen to my soul would so afflict, and discomfort me, as to see it adhered to any created thing, or to it very-selfe, willingly, to the impediment of my being wholly possessed by thee. Make me that thou wouldst have me, that I may as thou exactest, praise thee. This shall be my study, my care, and all my endeavour, to sing in my hart songs of Love to thee, who art only desired and sought after by me; In thy praise I am only happy; in which my joy, I will exullt with all that love thee, For what can be a comfort to me, while I live separated from thee, but only to remember, that my God, who is more mine, than I am my own, is absolutely and infinitely happy? O let this thy Love wholly transform me into itself, that I may become insensible to all created things whatsoever; Let me be wholly possessed by thee, who by so many titles layeth claim to me. Can I say, or think that any thing is worthy of love but thee? O, no; but if I had then thousand hearts, all were to ● little to bestow upon thee● Shall● I any more be so miserable, 
☞  as by loving, having, adhering to, or desiring any created thing, to become estranged from thee, in whom I have placed all my hope, love, and desire● I have indeed chosen thee for my only love, light, hope, comfort, refuge, ●elight, and whatsoever else can be desired, or imagined, but it was not of ●y self; but thy mercy and goodness ●nforced me, even whither I would 〈◊〉 no, by sending me the means to now how to serve thee, and withal ●iuing me grace of loathing all wh●ch was not to be a help to me. O ●●ese thy mercies when I recount be●ore thee, even depriveth me of my ●ery senses, to see thee to have been so ●ood, & merciful to her, who as it is ●ade plain to me by thee, hath offended, and been more ungrateful to thee●hen ●hen any I did either see, or hear off. ●hall not I therefore humble my soul ●efore thee, and at the feet of all for the ●●●e of thee, who hath been thus tender of her good, who of all thine is the last, ●nd least, and most contemptible; the ●hich being so apparent to me, I will ●et more and more humble myself ●y desiring to be despised by all, for ●●y honour, and glory. Thus, my Lord, ●ust, and ashes presumeth to speak ●nto thee; and sitting alone I read what write of thee, and calling to mind what thou hast done for me, I reioye● in the multitude of thy mercy. Fo● nothing can here be found in what I here write for my comfort, being banished from him whom till I may enjoy as he is in himself nothing will ● rest in; for nothing can satiat me. Yet as I say, it alaieth my grief for having offended thee, and of being thus remo●te from my beginning (to which mos● ardently I long to return as pure, as I was created by thee) This my speaking in all my misery to Thee. None therefore can wonder at me. For as one who desi●reth the presence of her beloved, and expecteth when it shall be, can take no comfort till she see whom she so much desireth; In the mean while spending her time, sometimes with thinking that this joy to her will shortly be, and sometimes being wearied with long expectation, she employeth herself in some thing which may a little recreate her hart, while thus with her it must be; and above all it is a pleasure to her to hear of him, which she cannot ●et see. Thus, O Lord, it passeth even ●n that love, which will, and deserveth ●o pass; which none deserveth but ●●ou. And there is no comparison able ●o express the love which is between a faithful soul, and thee. For the more we love thee, the more pure and quiet becometh the soul by this thy heavenly charity, Whereas, alas! it fareth far otherwise with us when we love any thing out of thee, & which, is an impediment to thy Love; which misery before thee, in the bitterness of my sou●e, I bemoan; because thou having made our soul so capable of thy divine Love, and so able to have relation in all to thee, it is an ingratitude able to astonish me, that we should east away our love upon that which is so little able● to satisfy our soul, and whereof there is as little certainty as there is of the ●ind; yea even in a moment we lose the favour, and opinion of one, upon whom we have bestowed much time in winning it. O folly, which be henceforth far from me! Let that infinite extent, and desirable freedom of my will, power itself out wholly upon thee, that at last i● may become perfectly united to thy divine Majesty. O how little worth (when ● am with thee) is the desiring of the praise, applause, and commendation of men, who are now o● one mind, and now of another, nothing being permanent under the sun. Verily when in thy light I see this truth, it seemeth to me to be an intolerable burden to be esteemed, and praised by men, whose favour often maketh us incur thy displeasure● at least my frailty causeth it so to me. Help me therefore, and make me by all to become truly humble, and pleasing to thee who be adored three and one for all eternity, to thy infinite glory. Amen.   

THE THIRD CONFESSION.  
O That I were able to win the hearts of the whole world to thee! which seeing I am not able to do, let me be no let at least to any souls of ●eing thee. All love and praise is due ●nto thee, and all pain, reproach, confusion, and shame unto me, which ●rant I may bear without offending thee, and then a thousand times welcome be any of them, which may increase my love to thee. O let me forsak all for thee, which thou willest us to do, that we may find thee! What is this thou sayest (tell me thy poor servant) leave all? Have I any thing to leave which is not more burdensome to keep, than it is pain to leave. If I seek myself, what do I labour for, but my own pain? If I forsake myself for thee, behold a most sweet peace is found by me. Thus there for are thy Laws; The more perfectly we perform them, the more delightful is thy yoke. They were made by thee out of thy love to us; and if we love, they will be most easy, and pleasant to us. For indeed where thou biddest us leave and forskae all, that we may find rest in our souls, thou speakest to us, as being sensual. For when we leave our friends, riches, honours, pleasures, yea and even (which is most of all) our very selves, wha● have we left, or forsaken? Some thin● indeed, as it seems to us, these thing are, when through blindness, and igno●rance, we esteem them as benefit and comforts; but doing it upon 〈◊〉 word, we find we have left nothing, ●● find thee who art all things. We have left our friends, who are incident to leave us, when we stand in most need of them. We have left honour, which being had proveth nothing else but● mere burden to us. And so in fine nothing is there to be left, which if 〈◊〉 did but love our own peace and qui●● without all further respect, we would choose as the very best what thou do●● exact. For virtue is amiable in itself and those that had but a very show of it, as to what it is indeed, even among the Heathens were honoured for God● Who therefore would not follow the my God, in whom alone is to be foun● true good? Thou teachest the mild and humble, thy ways, and thou rest● willingly in a peaceful hart. What ca● bring true peace to our soul, but t●● ●oue? Give this Love therefore to me, ●ho wisheth and desires only, that ●n all I may be true to thee.   

THE FOURTH CONFESSION.  
O My Lord and my God, to whom I dust and ashes am not worthy to speak! Yet hear me my Lord recounting here before thee thy own ●ords spoken by thy servant in thy name, who art truth itself. 
Psal. 33. 12.  Venife filij ●●●ite me, timorem Domini docebo vos. Pro●ibe ling●am tuam è malo, & labia tua ne ●juantur dolum. Diverte à malo, & fac ●nam; inquire pacem, & persequere eam. 
Psal. 33. 14.  Conte o Sons Hear● me I will ●each you the ●eare of our Lord. Forbid thy tongue from evil, ● thy lips that they speak not guile, turn ●rom evil and do good, seek peace, & prosecute itt. here thou biddest me as thy child come to thee, and thou wilt teach ●e thy fear, as that thou art my Lord. ●eere thou biddest me refrain my tongue from guile, and my lips that they spea●k not guile, and also hate evil, and do good, inquire after peace and follow it, these last words in●deed comprehending all. But of who● shall I inquire peace my Lord, & my Go● of whom I say, shall I inquire to lea● it? Truly of thyself, who in teaching me the way of peaoe, canst give me grayce to follow it. Of thee therefore I desire to learn, whose words are work● Speak to my hart; speak so that I may hear, and follow it; Give me the Humility which knoweth no guile; Give me the Love that accompanieth it. L●● thou knowest that there was never more necessity of begging in this kind thy help; because humble Love is now of the world almost unknown, yea even of them who should teach it the res●● the wisdom of thy truth is set a side● and that which is the wisdom of the world beareth sway over all; out of which it groweth, that even Humility, Obedience, and Charity (the most noble virtues that are, or can be) are exacted and practised even by way of human policy, which maketh so little union in the world between them ●hose whole study ought to b●, how they might love, and draw most forcibly all the hearts, and souls in the ●orld to the pure love of thee. O Lord how far have our sins cast us from ●hee! In lighten my soul, O Lord, I ●umbly beseech thee, while here, to my grief, I do in the bitterness of my soul, rehearse these things before ●hee, whom I (most contemptible, and ●nworthy) find in all so willing to ●ear, and help me. If we would love, we should abundantly partake of ●hee. For nothing is held by thee too dear for them, who alone above all creatures, and comforts seek the pure ●oue of thee. Out of this true love between a soul and thee, there ariseth such a knowledge in the soul, that it loatheth all that is an impediment to ●er further proceeding in the Love of thee. O Love, Love, even by naming ●hee, my soul looseth itself in ●hee! Nothing can satiat my soul my Lord, as it is well known to thee, but ●o be swallowed up in thee for all eternity. No knowledge which here we can have of thee, can satisfy my soul seeking, and longing without ceasing after thee. By faith we are certain of thee, and by Love we in some sort experience in our souls thy greatness, and goodness, thy beauty, and sweetness, which more confirmeth us in the hope of thee. O what knowledge is to be compared to that which is taught the humble by thee, which tendeth yet only to thy making her understand her own nothing, and mere dependence of thee. Thy words, (as my dear S. Augustin saith, speaking in his wont manner to thee) do-●●e● smile upon those that neither seek, o● desire any thing but thee. What canst thou deny to such, as thus love thee? Verily thou seemest so enamoured of them, as if thou wert forgettfull of the infiniteness of thy Majesty. The more they become humble, the more they are regarded by thee, and the more (in thy light) do they perceive their unworthiness to be thus advanced to love thee, which the more short it is of that which in will they desire by more, and more humility to become before thee, the more they endeavour to become grateful to thy infinite mercy. O who can express the joy that an humble soul takes in being despised for thee! Verily nothing doth she esteem so great a burden, as to be favoured, honoured, esteemed, or applauded by men, whose opinion she feareth may deceive her through her great frailty! O how little is the opinion of men to be esteemed, seeing they are so ●●ekle, inconstant, and easily deceived! but thy judgements, my Lord God, are true, and justified in themselves; be thou my witness, and defender, who ●●nst not be deceived; and then let all the world censure me as they please; 
☜  a good conscience is better than a thousand witnesses; give me this then; and I shall easily pass through all things! Speak, my Lord, peace to my hart, that I may attend to thee alone my only beloved. Shall I after all thy benefits desire any thing beside thee? O no, my God● far, far, far be this misery from me, 
☞  after my soul hath been thus urged by thee to sigh, long, and thirst without ceasing after being united with thee.   

THE fifth CONFESSION.  
TELL me, my Lord, I beseech thee, what can my soul pretend if it seek any thing with thee, which is an impediment to my truly loving thee? What can I, I say, pretend, seeing no peace, or comfort can be found, but only in thee? What do we when we desire comfort of thee, but deprive ourselves of a most happy liberty, which they enjoy who desire nothing for time or eternity, 
☞  but (without all regard of themselves) to be perfectly conformable to thee. If we would live without all intention, or wish: but of enjoying thee (which cannot be done, but by a truly humble and faithful soul) the devil could not overcome us by any wile. We should easily retain true peace with ourselves, with all the world, and above all with thee. For when we adhere to any created thing we become a slave to our Passion, and are in eminent danger of sin. No way is plain, secure, and easy, and without peril of all error, but this, that the soul seek nothing but thee her Creator; 
Esay. 35. 8.  This is the way, in which a fool cannot err; this is the way without questions, in which a soul without all impediment adhereth to thee, the fountain of all true wisdom who willingly illuminateth our needy souls, if we will but give thee our hart, and soul to thyself; thou considerest not our former sins, after thou hast once blotted them out, but dost upon them (who have had the manners of beasts in times past) most bountifully, and abundantly bestow and refresh them with the sweet dew of thy grace, which having tasted in their soul, it maketh them loathe all that is less than Thee; neither can they take any content, but in hearing thy name, speaking to thee, and longing after thee, after tho● haft wounded their soul with thy Divine Charity. O let me sit alone silent to all the world, and it to me, thate may learn the song of Love, and praise o● thee, which is so infinitely due to thee from me! This song none can sing but those that truly love thee, and whose only consolation is to be without all com●ort as often, and as much as it shall please thee. Nothing as thou know'st, do I put any joy, or comfort in, but in sighing after thee, wh● a●t not here (as thou art) to be by us seen. O teach me those virtues, which draw a soul so out of herself into thee, that she becometh insensible to all things but thee; these virtues are, true Humility which knoweth not how to exallt itself, perfect Subjection to thee, and Discretion which can only be taught by thy Majesty, and yet is so necessary, that no virtue hath more virtue in it, then partaketh of true Discretion. For without that, we instead of true virtue practise absurd follies! O my Lord. above all things let me seek thy glory, who be praised by all creatures for all eternity Amen.   

THE sixth CONFESSION.  
IS it any wonder, my Lord God that in all my doubts, temptations, pains, and in this continual warrfare which I find upon earth● and in my grief of being separated by sins daily unwillingly committed, and living in flesh and blood from thee my only beloved and my most infinite good, I recurre to thee for succour, & help? What shall I do, if I should not in all things speak unto thee, consult with thee, and have relation to thee? what would become of me, whose frailty, and weakness is above all that can be imagined, much less expressed by me; but by recurring to thee I find, and get light, and a certain sweet, and heavenly repast towards the sustaining of all the miseries this banishment of ours is subject unto. Alas, thou know'st I have placed all my peace and hope in thee; All I desire is, that may love thee, and become totally subject to thee; Do with me whatsoever thou pleasest. For I desire no more power to choose any thing any more, then if I had never been; only thy-self I long for and desire to possess, and obtain; yet in what manner, & measure as thou didst from all eternity will, and ordain. For in this desire, my soul, hart, and will have no limits, nor can they sufficiently extend themselves to their fill, save only by loving and praising thee by thyself (which is my refuge) all power in myself I feeling utterly to fail. Certainly only by loving, knowing, and enjoying thee can my soul become truly happy: bring me to this I beseech thee, seeing that thou vouchsafest such a desire to her who is thy poorest, sinnfullest and most contemptible creature: neither is there any creature, nor can there be, of so little desert, but that they deserve what thou dost to and for my soul far, far, far be●or me; All the Glory therefore be given to thee. For nothing but confusion is due unto me; which grant I may bear patiently when through thy just judgement it falleth upon me.   

THE VII. CONFESSION.  
I Have inquired of others about all those things which I thought appertained, or might be a help to me for the better service of thee; But no stability could I find in any Instructions till I was referred to thee, who art that one thing which is only necessary. 
☜  Few are the Instructions which to a good will were necessary, if we were referred to thee, as our principal, and only Master, and Director, who can indeed never err, and is always present, and both teaches us what Obedience, and Humility is, and giveth grace also to perform them, which none can do but thy-self. O how happy are they who truly adore thee in truth, and Spirit! For these in thy light shall see light, and in thy strength are able to pass through all difficulties, how great soever. These adhering faithfully to thee, sustain their Crosses so cheerfully, as if in their suffering they beheld thee for whom they suffer, with their corporal eyes. And they desiring no knowledge of thee but what they have by faith (which is only secure, 
☞  and void of all peril of error) Thou wonderfully confirmest them in the light of that which is in itself so secure. What comfort can a soul take in any created thing, who hath placed her joy in thee alone? No Angel can satisfy her, or make her grei●e the lesser, while she is banished from her God, who is her Glory, and her Crown. Yet one thing she hath to be some comfort to her while thus it stands with her, which none can take from her; 
☞  and that is the having of relation upon all occurrents to thee immediately in her soul, in such a manner that nothing can interpose itself between thee, and her. She indeed highly esteemeth all that thou hast made; every thing as it is derived by partaking of thy grace; More in perfection of which degree, are Angels and the Souls of men, and she preferreth the latter (that are yet in this world) before herself in all things: but yet as in comparison of thee, they are to her, as if they were mere nothing, as for resting or placing her felicity in them. For well she knoweth that if there were no soul yet created, nor ever to be, but only her own soul, and that ●ere (as all souls are) capable of thee, she should by possessing thee alone, and without them be infinitely happy; for thus it is; for nothing can ●atiat a reasonable soul, but only thou; And having of thee, who art indeed all, nothing could be said to be ●anting to her. Thus my God it stands with me; for which all glory and praise be given to thee eternally. For if it had not stood thus with our souls, that our happiness had only depended on thee, some defect there would have been, that might have been an impediment between a soul and thee. O that some who live wholly to thee, and experience the infinite desire thou hast to impart thyself to all reasonable souls, would come out of their solitud, & their living wholly ●or the good of themselves, & declare the way of Love to hungry, and even starved souls! O how many would then be as tractable Lambs, who now rebel as stiffnecked souls! 
Fa. ●●er.  Verily thou knowest that before I met with such a servant of th●e my hart seemed ●o me and also to others, to be grown (living yet in Religion more hard as to any good, then ever was a stone; but heating thy law made by him so easy, & plain, it was great joy to my soul, and little did it seem to suffer all the pain, and misery in the world, so I might please and serve thee my only beloved. I had indeed inquired about thee of many before, and those such as were most likely to have known; they all agreed in points necessary to salvation, neither should I have erred as I did, if I had followed them; but what was the mean, and way to a perfect Union with thee in my soul, I could not at all hear, or learn. For they had (as some of them humbly professed) been for twenty years employed in hearing Confessions; and in studies, thereby endeavouring to thy great honour to work the salvation of streying souls, which was a happy course for them, so that they had little experience in directing Contemplative souls; But as one of them professed, who was our chief Superior, 
V. R. F. Rudesind Barlo.  if we had not found one of our own Order, who could in this have given satisfaction to our souls, he would have sought over all the world most willingly to have found, and procured one for us; for which Humility, and Charity of his, I beseech thee my Lord God to reward him as beseemeth thy infinite Goodness And grant that we, who have, or shall find benefit by these most happy Instructions, may be as faithful to thee, as it is possible for souls loaden with flesh, and blood; and let our hearts study nothing else, but how to love th●e; and by perfect subjection let our souls live quietly under whomsoever is set over us by thee. For in vain do we pretend to obey thee, 
☞  if we be not pliable to those that are set over us by thy Divine Majesty. For those who truly endeavour to please thee would obey a worm, if it could command in the name, 
☞  and power of thee. For so much is an action pleasing to thee, as it is done in that manner it is exacted of us by thee; which good will, and pleasure of thine we cannot learn but by conversing with thee, which if we do, and live withal as well as our frailty will permit, wholly to thee, and seek our own abjection, it will easily appear to us how, and which way in all things we shall behave ourselves to become truly obedient to thee. For either by the Rule, custom, or order of the house, or by the special ordinance of the Superior God showeth us what to do, 
☜  they being infallible declarations of his will, and the most certain of all; Or else for things for ●hich they refer us to thee, as for the manner of our Prayer, and such like things, thou teachest an humble soul what therein to do, and when to ask of others, and when to seek the solutions from thee; But indeed as I have confessed to thee before, speaking ordinarily, few are the questions that occur in the way that is of humble Resignation; 
☜  Only thou requirest, that how clearly, or securely soever a soul walk, she be ready in all that is required of her by Superiors, to give them a faithful account, and to amend, and correct whatsoever they judge amiss; This lesson they learn who in all have relation to thee, and thou givest them grace to obey in all for thee, if we dispose our souls to hear, and follow thee. For thou givest one grace to one, and an other to an other, and some may do that with profit, which would to another be a main prejudice. Thou givest wisdom to all thy little ones, but not to all in one manner, but to a Superior in one kind, and to a subject in another. In all therefore if we will truly obey, we ought to observe ourselves, what doth hinder, and what doth help towards the obtaining of thy divine Love, for which all things are and have been ordained by thy divine Goodness; and yet to do this as we ought, passeth so between thee, and us: that none can discern it by us, 
☞  unless perhaps they hold the same course. For this proceeding doth not make a soul singular in her actions, and carriage (for singularity is a vice which thou extremely hatest) but rather makes one exceedingly love the common obediences, and external exercises, all of them putting one's soul in mind of her duty towards thee in all things; and so hast thou ordained, and disposed the orders of this house, that they are a sufficient book ●o teach us our duty, 
☜  and do show us when to Praise thee, and when to cease from actually doing it; When to speak, and when to be silent; and for my part following them as well as I can, quietly, and out of Obedience to thee, I find them all most necessary, and proper to advance a soul in the true Love of thee; and particularly the Divine Office is such a heavenly thing, that in it we find whatsoever we can desire. For sometimes in it we address us to thee for help, and pardon for our sins; and sometimes thou speakest to us; so that it pierceth, and woundeth with desire of thee, the very bottom of our souls, and sometimes thou teachest a soul to understand more in it of the knowledge of thee, and of themselves, than ever could have been by all the teaching in the world, 
☜  showed to a soul in five hundred years; and as I have often already said thy words are works; and therefore happy are the humble, and peaceful of hart; for these find such free access to thee, that thou be comest indeed all in all and above all to them, while they seel● nothing but thee; and no peril is there to them in their way, as long 〈◊〉 they retain true Humility in the●● souls. For who can hurt a soul, 〈◊〉 deceive her, while she adhereth faithfully to thee? but if she presume any thing of herself, what perills● and danger she is subject unto, and she apt to fall into, none can conceive, much less express. And to this effect of showing a soul how to walk securely, writeth thy great servant the Author of the following of Christ in his 21. Chapter of his third book, whose words with great joy I read, and before thee speaking too, I will here bring them in; beseeching thee to instruct me in the true practice of them. For they contain the way in which a fool cannot err, and without the practice of this, our souls lie open to all the snares of the Devil: thine, and our enemy; No instruction did she so much regard, so frequently reflection, or more volue, and ●●●olve in her mind, nor more delighted in, ●hen this that followeth, being merely of ●er own finding, and observing in the said ●ook; which she was familiar in; and no marvel, considering the excellency, and necessity of it for the purpose which she hath mentioned, being the securing of one in a Spiritual course, thus therefore doth he say speaking to her soul.  
Super omnia, & in omnibus requiesces ●●ima mea in Domino semper: quia ipse est ●anctorum aeterna requies. Da mihi dullsome & amantissime jesu, in Te super ●mnem Salutem & Pulchritudinem, super omnem Gloriam & honorem, super omnem ●●tentiam & Dignitatem, super omnem Scientiam & Subtilitatem, super omnes Divitias & Artes, super omnem Laetitian & Exultationem, superomnem famam & Laudem, super omnem Suavitatem & Consolationem, super omnem Spem & Promissionem, super omne Meritum & Desiderium, super omnia dona & munera, quae potes dare & infundere, super omne Gaudium & iubilationem, quam potest mens capere & ●●ntire: Denique super Angelos & Archangelos: super omnem Exercitum Coeli, & super omnia visibilia, & invisibilia, & super omne quod Tu D●us meus non es● Quia Tu Domine Deus meus, super omnia optimus es, Tu solus Altissimus, Tu solus Potentissimus, Tu solus Sufficientissimus & Plenissimus, Tu solus Suavissimus & Solatiosissimus, Tu solus Pulcherrimus & Amantissimus: Tu solus Nobilissimus & Gloriosissimus super omnia, in quo cunct●● bona simul perfecte sunt, & semper fu●runt, & erunt. Atque ideo minus est & ins●ffici●ns, qui●quid pr●ter Teipsum mihi donas, aut de teipso reuelas vel promitt●● Te non viso, nec plene adepto. Quoniam quidem non potest cor meum veraciter requiescere, nec totaliter contentari, nisiin Te requies●at, & omnia dona, omnemque Creaturam transcendat.  
Above all things, & in all things my soul thou shalt ever rest in God, for he is the eternal rest of the Saints. grant Me most sweet, and loving jesus to Rest in Thee above all Creatures; above all Health, and Beauty, above all Glory, and Honour; above all I hour, and Dignity; above all Knowledge, and Subtlety; above all riches, and Arts; Above all joy, and gladness; above all fame, and Praise; ●boue all sweetness, and Comfort; above ●ll Hope, and Promise's, above all merit, ●nd Desire; above all Gifts, and prefents ●hat Thou canst give, and impart; above all joy, and jubilee that the Mind can re●eiue, & feel: lastly above Angels, and archangels, above all the heavenly Host, above all things visible, and invisible; and above All that Thou art not my God.  
For Thou my Lord God art good above all goods, Thou alone most high; Thou alone ●ost powerful; Thou alone most full, and sufficient; Thou alone most sweet, and comfortable; thou alone most beautiful, and loving, Thou alone most noble, and Glorious above all Things, in whom all ●oods together are most perfectly, have been, and ever shall be. And therefore it 〈◊〉 too little, and not sufficient whatsoever Thou bestowest on Me besides thyself, or reuealest of t●y self, or promisest, whilst Thou art not seen, nor fully obtained. For surely my Hart cannot rest, nor be fully contented unless itt rest in Thee, and transcend all gifts, and Creatures whatsoever. 
All things, desires, and loves are vain  
But only that which tends  
To God alone our chiefest good,  
And all things else transcends.  
My soul therefore by this sweet Love  
shall day, and night aspire,  
And rest in God (all things above)  
My Love, and life's desire.  
And while I live, I'll never cease  
To languish for his Love,  
Breathing, and sighing after him,  
Till he my life remove.  
For since ● am not where I love,  
How can I comfort find,  
But only in the song of Love  
By Love to me assigned?  
And where so ere ●his word is 〈◊〉 love  
It yields a silver sound;  
But if that word I miss in it  
Me thinks I want my ground.  
Nothing so simple can be pennd  
If it but treat of Love,  
But that it serveth in some sort  
My sadness to remove.  
And shall my soul by senseless love,  
Which yet is never true,  
Bestow more love where it is lost,  
Then where 't is only due?  
● no my God, but rather let  
Such folly be to me  
A means to urge my sinful soul  
To Love more fernently!  
And henceforth let me draw no breath,  
But to aspire by Love  
To thee my God, and all my good  
By whom I live and move.  
No Stag in chase so thirsty is,  
Or greedy of sweet spring,  
As is my soul of thee my God  
While I here sighing sing.  
My soul where is thy Love, and Lord,  
Since him thou canst not find?  
O cheer up hart, be comforted,  
For he is in thy mind!  
To him relation thou mayst have,  
As often as thou goes  
Unto the closet of thy hart,  
Thy griefs for to disclose.  
As silly Lambs from ravening Wolves  
For help to Shepherds fly,  
So shall my soul in every case  
For help, and council hie,  
To thee my God by humble Prayer,  
In hope, and confidence,  
That thou my Lord wilt succour me,  
And be my soul's defence.  
And seeing that my God is rich  
How can I say, I'm poor?  
And he more my, than I mine own:  
What can I wish for I more?  
And in his Majesty, and power,  
Much more I will rejoice,  
Th●n if of all in heaven, and earth  
I had command, and choice.  
My God one thing alone thou knowst  
I fear and apprehend,  
Which is my Lord for to displease,  
Whose mercies have no end.  
From all that doth displease thine eye●●  
Be pleased to set me free,  
For nothing else in heaven, or earth,  
Do I desire but thee.  
And let me rather death embrace,  
Then thee my God offend,  
Or in my hart to give thy place  
To any other friend.  
Nothing would grieve my soul so much,  
As in me to perceive  
Any affection in the world  
That thine would me bereave.  
I know thou must possess alone,  
Or else we are not thine,  
In such good plight as we should be,  
If light to us did shine,  
As thou desirest it should do  
By grace our souls within;  
For which are all the helps we have  
Intended, and have been  
Imparted, and bestowed by thee,  
That we might live alone  
To thee who satiat'st pure souls  
With joys that are unknown.  
And woe to them a thousand times,  
Who interest have in any, 
☜   
Or have divided hearts to thee,  
After thy gifts so many.  
For thou hast purchased our love  
At too too dear a rate,  
To have a partner in our hart,  
Which justly thou dost hate.  
O this thy wrong makes Angel's blush  
O make it far from me  
Since that I am both body and soul  
All conseerate to thee!  
And I also will grieve with them,  
To see thee have such wrong  
From souls selected by thyself  
To sing with them the song  
Of Love, and praise to thee, O God,  
And even in this place  
To Contemplate thee, as we may,  
O sweet and happy grace!  
If we would die unto ourselves  
And all things else but thee,  
It would be natural to our souls  
For to ascend, and be  
United to our Centre dear,  
To which our souls would hy,  
Being as proper then to us,  
As fire to upwards fly.  
O let us therefore love my God,  
For Love pertains to him,  
And let our souls seek nothing else,  
But in this Love to swim,  
Till we absorbed by his sweet Love  
Return from whom we came,  
Where we shall melt into that Love,  
Which joyeth me to name.  
And never can I it too much Speak of, or it desire,  
Since that my God, who's Love itself,  
Doth only Love require.  
Come therefore all, and let us love  
And with a pure aspect,  
Regard our God in all we do,  
And he will us protect.  
O that all things upon the earth,  
Re-ecchoed with thy praise  
My everlasting glorious God,  
The Ancient of days!  
And it I wish with all my soul  
Incessantly to sing;  
But seeing this I cannot do,  
My sighs to heaven shall ring;  
Yea if I writ out all the sea,  
Yet could I not express  
The joy, and comfort I do feel  
In what thou dost possess.  
No gifts, or grace, nor comforts here  
How great so ere they be,  
Can satiat my longing soul,  
While I possess not thee.  
For thou art all my heart's desire,  
Yea all that I do crave,  
In earth, or heaven now, and ever  
Thou art all that I would have.  
And I do wish with all my soul,  
That to thee I could pray,  
With all my hart, and all my strength  
Ten thousand times a day.  
Let peoples, tribes, and tongues confess  
Unto thy Majesty;  
And let us never cease to sing  
Sanctus, Sanctus to thee.  These are his words my Lord God, which whosoever practiseth, shall find a Spiritual internal life so easy, sweet, secure, and void of all questions, 
☞  that they will walk (even in this banishment, where our life is termed, and that most justly, a continual warfare) with a heavenly peace, 
●ob. 7. 1.  and security. For to that soul who proposeth nothing to herself but thyself alone, above all gifts, and creatures, what can interpose itself for to harm her, while she remaineth thus confident, and humble between Majesty and her soul. Certainly so subject doth such an one live to thee, and to all others in that manner, as shall be exacted by thee, that there can nothing carry her away, while thus it stands with her, to any error of vanity; and her love is so founded in true Charity, and practised with such Humility, and so in her very soul, that nothing can interrupt her conversation with thee; Besides in a soul who walketh upon this secure ground of only seeking thee, and only resting in thee, such a divine light doth shine, that she judgeth according to the justice of thy Divine will, and not according to sense, or custom, which in these blind days takes place almost in all things of true reason; and this for want of having recourse to thee, my Lord, who art the only true light; and of this defect it proceeds, that the divine ways of Love are now held so perilous, and insecure, 
☜  in which my God thou hast an infinite wrong, seeing that we were made only to Love, and attend to the praise of thee, our Lord. It is true, those who will pretend to lead a Spiritual life, and yet seek not in all to deny themselves, but desire this gift, or this grace, this favour, or that comfort, let them pretend for their excuse in it whatsoever they please, do o●ten times miserably deceive, not only themselves, but also many others, and bring an internal life wholly into a scorn, and contempt to the prejudice of their own souls, and also of many others. But I wish that those that do this simply by being for a Spiritual life unapt, might give themselves to that which by Superiors should be found most fitting for them, 
☞  and no● be a cause that thy sweet mercy, an● goodness should have such wrong as that other souls who were fit should be hindered from having relation to thee, by which their souls would be turned wholly into Love, by a vehement desire, and longing after thee, that one thing that is only necessary; and from this house.  
(To wit of the Benedictine Nunn● 〈◊〉 Cambray. The same she means for Pa●●● issued thence, and where her natural Sister of the same Spirit Governs at present.) I beseech thee for thy own sake, keep this misery, which of all other is the greatest that I can comprehend o● imagine.   

THE vl CONFESSION.  
BLESSED is that Simplicity (saith my foremencioned Author in his fourth book of the Following of Christ) that forsaketh the difficullt way of many questions. Those are his words in his said divine Book, where he proveth the way of Love to be so easy, and secure, as I have before signified. O how happy are they who follow thee in Humility, and Simplicity of hart! for these have few doubts which are the cause of questions. The more a soul is void of doubts, the more capable is she (speaking ordinarily) of these secret ways of the Divine Love For commonly her way must be to resign herself to thy will. What room is there left then for questions? Yet when it is thy will, that in a real doubt she ask, thou teachest her how to proceed in it, that it may be a help to her soul, and no hindrance, which seldom happens when without thy leave, and sending she presumeth to endanger herself to be entangled by falling out of one doubt, and question into five hundred others. Let it be with my soul, 
Kings 1. 19  O Lord, as it is said of Anna the Mother of thy Prophet Samuel, that she turned her countenance no more towards several ways. For having been taught, and instructed by thy sweet mercy, that One thing is to me only necessary, let me not lose myself by following, or trying those several ways of which she speaketh. I have as thou know'st, my God, had sufficient trial of them, to the great misery, and difficulty of my poor soul for that time; let me now sing, and that from the bottom of my soul, 
Psal. 72.28 Psal. 7●. 25.  that it is good for me to adhere to my God, besides whom what is to me in heaven, or what desire I on earth? Only thyself my Lord is desired by me, and only thou canst comfort and satisfy me. It becometh me to become wholly subject to thee, so that for time, and eternity, thou mayst dispose of me as it pleases thee, which with my whole soul I beseech thee to do, and then I ●hall be as happy as I desire to be. Thou know'st that since I was taught what it was to love thee, I never durst wish, or desire any thing. For it appeareth plain to me, that my blindness, and ignorance is so great, that even in the desire of that which in itself is good, I may be extremely deceived. Only thyself knoweth what is most to thy honour, and best for me; and therefore whatsoever thou dost, shall be best welcome to me. I desire no liberty to choose any thing besides thee, because it sufficeth me if thou wilt become all in all, and above all to me; which desire. I know is pleasing to thee, and therefore I beseech thee inlardg my hart, and soulin this longing, and sighing after thee my only beloved. Let my hart be free to thee. For none deserves any part therein besides thee. O how great a grief would it be to me, if any c●●ated thing should be an impediment to my being wholly thine! Verily if I should find, that my will were false to thee by desiring any thing but thee, nothing in heaven, or earth could comfort me, while thus it stood between my hart, and thee. Give me therefore grace to be faithful to thee, who hath showed such an infinite mercy towards me, as to let me know of the way of Love, whereby all Crosses become tolerable to me. Never shall I be satisfied with blessing thee, and thanking thee for this thy Mercy. All, that love thee, praise thee for me, who am not worthy to name thee. Verily if I be now ungrateful to thee, it is pity thy earth should bear me. Yet thou know'st my extreme frailty, and therefore in all have mercy on me, and in the end save me who put all my hope in thee. What shall I render for this thy infinite benefit bestowed on me? Verily if I should be despised by all the world, as I justly deserve to be, and should have, and feel the pains of all that ever have suffered for thee, and should be shut up in a place which were only big enough to contain me, and were (as unworthy of them, as indeed I believe, and acknowledge myself to be) debarred of the Sacraments, 
☜  by which such grace to souls, is so abundantly imparted by thee, and were held for a reprobate by all that are most esteemed, and respected by me, yet this were little to endure in requital of this benefit which I have here recounted before thee, and which I read with so much joy, that it is a solace to me in those difficulties which are only known to thee, and which would, if I were not exceedingly holpen by thee, quite overwhelm me for as it is well known to thee, they do oftentimes make all my strength decay so that I seem to be left without so much as is sufficient to go even about the house; But when I have been thus dealt with by thee, I have been withal enabled more fervently to praise thee; And thy intention by it was apparent to me. For by it thou didst so abate pride that was most strong in me, that all I could have done, or devised, or all other creatures with me, could not so much in many years have humbled me, and have bread such a contempt in my soul of resting, or taking delight in any thing which was less than thee. Thus, my God, thou dealest with me, who, as I have often said, am not worthy to name thy Majesty; and I see, if we will but give ourselves wholly to the seeking after thee, and dispose ourselves to suffer whatsoever it shall please thee, we shall not need to take care for any thing, but how to please, and praise thee. 
☞  For thou wilt provide Crosses such, and so much as will be sufficient to make v● become that, thou wouldst ●aue us to be; and in those of thy sending there is no danger, if we will endeavour to be faithful to thee, and in them call often upon thee. But when we place such perfection in suffering, that we think we do nothing unless we be in matters of suffering, and are as it were loath to lose time (as we think we do) by being without occasion of suffering, 
☜  we oftentimes fail in those Crosses which ●e in such an humour do lay upon ourselves or thrust ourselves into without thy leave, and disable us from undergoing, and suffering those which then, or afterwards are by thee thought to be fitter for us; and we seeing ourselves to fail in these of our own undertaking, which we made ourselves sure to be able to stand unto, grow to be dejected, yea sometimes even so far as to mistrust all the course we had held before. For we remembering we endured greater matters before, (being of Gods sending, and through his grace) presumed now also of that strength which then we had, which was not, as we conceived, ours, but our Lords, who rewardeth no works but his own. If we will therefore in all live secure, let us desire nothing, no not even to have matter of suffering, save so far, as it shall be his pleasure. For certainly to suffer for him is so great an honour, that one may justly esteem herself unworthy thereof; and yet it is a thing so necessary to advance us in the way of Love, that we need not doubt but God will provide it when he sees it fit; and when he doth send it, come it which way it will, it will be no impediment to a faithful soul; but her only way, in this as well as all other things, for to live secure, is, to be as a little child by humble Resignation, 
☞  and let God do with us in all what he will. For only by this means we can live in Peace, & avoid the snares of self love, and the devil. For a soul that is apt to esteem greatly of a little suffering, and thinketh when she hath in it a slight occasion, that it layeth open the way to great matters between God, and her soul, God useth to lead her by another way, till she see, and acknowledge her error; and many times she falleth into sin, and imperfection by her greediness to advance her soul by untimely suffering, which at last maketh her cry out to thee; O Lord; how great is my blindness, and frailty? help me therefore my God in all these miseries, which here thy sinful servant speaketh of as a guilty person to thee; Great, great is my folly, and frailty, and therefore for help, and strength I fly unto thee; spare my soul sinning before thee, and let me now begin to love only thee; help me in all, my Lord for vain is the help of man. 
Psal. 59 13.  I will therefore confide in thee my God, my mercy, who be Adored, Praised, and Exalted, for time and eternity. Amen.   

THE NINTH CONFESSION.  
LEX Domini immaculata convertens animas; 
Psal. 18. 8. 9  testimonium Domini fidele sapientiam praestans paruulis; justitiae Domini rectae laerificantes corda; praeceptum Domini lucidum illuminans oculos. The Law of our Lord is immaculate, correcting souls, the Testimony of our Lord is faithful, giving Wisdom to little Ones. The justices of our Lord be right, making hearts joyful: the precept of our Lord light some illuminating the eyes. These my God are the words of thy Royal Prophet, which are (as it followeth in the same Psalm) to be desired above gold, and rich precious stones; yea they are more sweet to a loving soul then the honey, or the honey comb. Let this Law of thine convert my soul, that it may become one of thy little ones to whom the grace of true Wisdom is o●ten promised by thee. Let thy justice make my hart joyful. For in the performance thereof is true Peace only to be found They that live according to this thy justice, do enjoy such a diuìne tranquillity, that it cannot be expressed by any pen whatsoever. None can walk in this path of true justice (in perfection) but the humble. Those find out in thy light what is thy best will, and pleasure in all things as far as humane flesh will admit, and perform thy just will, as well as human frailty will reach. When we do perform any thing by this just rule of thy holy will, we find an admirable effect thereof in our soul. This is that which by performing in all things we become truly subject to thee, and have the merit of Obedience, which maketh all our actions so noble before thee; and of which virtue of Obedience how much, 
☜  or how little our actions partake, so much, and no more do they deserve reward. Worthily may Obedience be preferred before Sacrifice. For it is that which governeth heaven, and earth, and which only deserveth reward in thy sight. Happy are they who walk this way. For they have a ●ast even of the joys of heaven. For as they there obey thy will, so these thy humble souls do also endeavour to do the same. This Obedience to thee maketh the Angels as ●ell content with their degree of Glory, as to be of the Seraphins, who are yet in a far higher degree in thy Kingdom. This maketh the Saints content with theirs; this maketh souls on earth who aspire to thee with all their hearts, to limit their desires with thy good will, and pleasure, and by this means they desire neither life, nor death; but in it conform themselves to thy most just will; this maketh them desire disgrace, nor Glory neither pain nor health, neither Crosses, nor comforts. This Obedience to thee, and to Superiors for thee, made some souls pleasing to thee by living in the wilderness, and others by living in a Community, some by living to the profit of their neighbour, and others by living, and attending only to thee in their souls, some by living in high, and eminent degree, and having command over many others, and some by being esteemed abject, and the very scum of the world; and these if they had of their own choice, and election chosen the contrary state, would never have arrived to true Sanctity: Some also by many pains, & Crosses come to thee, & some only by an internal affection to thee, having that in affection which others suffer in act, they also are respected by thee; By which it appears how great a subjection is exacted by thee of those who desire to become united to thee, and never can we prosper in a Spiritual life unless we harken to thee, and observe even in the least things, what thou wouldst have us do, and go that way thou wouldst have us in all things whatsoever. For we may be sure thou wilt lead us by the way of Abnegation which is the way of the Cross which if we will walk with humility, and simplicity, we shall with security arrive at the port of eternal Glory, and enjoy thee our only beloved in that degree thou hadst ordained for us from all eternity, live we long, or die we soon. For only in thee can we be happy, and by thy mere grace can we deserve to enjoy thee. What we overcome is so done in thy strength that the glory is wholly due to thee alone; and this I find daily, seeing that when I presume of my own strength, though it be in a thing which I have often overcome, and many times far greater it seems to me, yet I fail in that, even often to the offending thee my Lord in an extraordinary manner. From this error therefore my God hereafter deliver thy poor contemptible servant, that I may praise thee who art my only strength, and hope● Led me which way thou wilt, so●● may bless thee in all, and rest in thee above all. From thee the strong receive their strength, and in thee sinners that have nothing of our own have wherewith to supply all our want; thou fliest up with them who by an ardent love have surmounted all created things, and are firmly united to thee in Spirit; and thou also lendest thy sweet hand to thy little, and imperfect ones who are of a good will, to help them out of the mire, and dirt of passions, and inordinate affections; In this mercy my soul doth hope, and rejoice, and I do in my poverty congratulate the perfections of others, beseeching thee to make me partaker of their merits; And above all out of the abundance of thy own store, give me wherewith to return to thee for all the mer●ies thou hast showed to my sinful ●oul. Let me please thee, and praise ●hee, and desire no more but that thou do with me whatsoever thou know'st most to thy honour. O that souls would convert their hart wholly to thee the most desirable beauty, 
Psal. 144.9.  to whom if we compare all that is fair which thou hast made, they will seem ●o be without all beauty, and light! O if by humility souls would dispose themselves for the Divine Love, what a reformation would there quickly be in the whole world? When I remember how many souls separate themselves by sinful sinning from thee, 
Psal. 33. 6.  it pierceth my very soul, seeing they forsak him, who is an infinite good and a most amiable beauty. Remember, O Lord, for thy own sake our extreme frailty, and give gra●e that we may all convert, and return by Love to thy Divine Majesty, whose mercies are above all thy works; for which Glory be ever to thee by all for time, and eternity. Amen.   

THE X. CONFESSION.  
ACCEDITE ad Deum, & illuminamini, & facies vestrae non confundentur. Come to Him, and be illuminated; and your faces shall not be confounded. These words in our divine Office are spoken not only by him, who by thy own testimony was a man according to thy own hart, but proceeded from the holy Ghost, the Spirit of all truth, who speaketh by the Prophets and Apostles for the comfort, instruction, and illumination of such as are true members of our holy Mother the Church, how weak, and contemptible soever they be; In the belief of which Church, and in hope of thy mercies, which I have always experienced to be great towards me thy poor servant, I fly to thee in all my doubts, and obscurities, which sin, ignorance, and imperfection cause to my soul in her way ●owards thee her only desired Beloved; ●he, by whom thou speak this, had ●●cepted any, I should not have da●d to have applied it to myself; ●ut as it is, I should do thee wrong, ●o fly from thee, when thou bidst me ●●me, and be illuminated; Though my ●●nnes be great, yet thy mercies ex●eed all the sins in the world; I ●ill therefore come to thee, that my ●●ce be not confounded; I will approach ●o thee the only true light, that my sou●● may Love thee, being guided by ●his thy light. In this light the glorious 〈◊〉. Augustin walked in an extraordinary manner, when he cried out with ● most amorous hart; Lord let me know ●hee, and let me know myself. These too knowledges are inseparable companions, and increase the one ●y the other. For who can know thee●nlesse ●nlesse he know himself, unless he ●e taught by thee? Those that would ●now some thing of thee, and would be favoured by thee, for any end but to love thee, and to learn to despise themselves be in peril of a most dangerous ruin. For those that walk the true way of the Cross, desire n● favour but to be able without a● comfort to be faithful to thee m● Lord God. Those that have done th● contrary (of which alas there hau● not been a few) are they which hau● brought a Spiritual life into such contempt, that they shall have in ● manner all the world about their eared to censure them who enter into it one objecting, it will put one out o● his wits, as they have found by experience in many that venture● upon such a course; Others say; Those that affect singular ways of Spirit are in eminent peril of being deluded by the devil; Others pretend that those (poor souls) pretend such perfection, that they slight, and contemn the courses of others, though their Superiors, and betters, which is an evident sign, that they are for all their pretence in a great error. Others object that they abstract their affections from all the world, and indeed would seem to be dead to all creatures, but that this they do, that they may the better love themselves; and while they seek themselves in a Spiritual manner in the gifts, and graces of God, they say they are in more danger than those that live in sin, and wickedness. Others allege, that the quietness they seem to enjoy in occurring accidents of difficulty, is either natural, or else because they pretending to lead forsooth a Spiritual life are bound in honour to endure them patiently, lest otherwise they be proved to their disgrace to be but in an imaginary course, which a Spiritual life in these days is generally held to be. Thus, and in infinite other manners, as it is known to thee, I have in some sort experienced, even from them, whom I could have expected by the place they ●ear, to have been heartened in my desire of tending to thee to the uttermost ability of my soul; but well might they do it, seeing they were also in place, where they were bound to reform in me what was, and is amiss in my life, which I must confess is very much, but yet I confide in thy help. But in fine the objections against an internal life are so many, that much help is necessary for a soul that shall be able to hold, and go through with all objections, and difficulties in that kind. For one says; for want of this circumstance, all their life is in peril; and another saith, that the said circumstance may stand with a true Spiritual life; but yet that there is another matter, or circumstance which were necessary to be reform in their course; and thus in their exceptions there be so many minds, as men; and yet none of them can say, there is any sin in that which they allege for such a main impediment, the fault being indeed only that it is not suitable to their apprehension, and experience in spiritual matters. Thus therefore it stands with souls that in these days would lead a Spiritual life; But those who place all their hope in thee my God, shall remain stable as a rock, and in thee who art their strength, and refuge they live peaceable, and content, having the testimony of their conscience to b● their comfort amidst all oppositions, and contradictions. But above all objections which I have heard, that goes nearest my hart, is when I read, or hear, that it is perilous to walk the way of Love, 
☜  and that (as some would seem to prove) no soul in any other course, or state is in such peril, as is a soul who giveth herself to thi● study; But let them affirm that who will. For my part I will shut my ears from harkening to such men; because nothing is more plain, more easy, more secure, more pleasant than the way of Love.. For that way of Love it cannot be called, if the soul seek in it any thing but thee alone, which these men would make it almost impossible for one to do. But thou know'st (my God) that in this thou hast wrong. For it being thy own desire that souls should love thee, and thou having made them only for that end that they might wholly attend, even in this life, to the Love, and Praise of thee alone; how can this way be dangerous, where the only endeavour of the soul is that thy will be in all fulfiled? who can doubt of thy assistance, and help therein, though we be able to do nothing of ourselves? Verily it cannot be doubted any more than it can be feared, that thou wilt cease to be good to thy creatures which thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood. Let not souls therefore I beseech thee by any such frights be brought into fear of walking this noble, and amiable way; but let us sing in hope; 
Psal. ●6. 1.  Dominus illuminatio mea, & salus mea, quem timebo? Si Deus pro nobis, quis contra nos. My Lord is my light, and my Salvation whom shall I fear? If God be with us, what matter is it who is against us. Let us proceed humbly, till we be admitted to enjoy thee the God of Gods in Zion, where thy praise shall be perfected in us. These things therefore remembering, and recounting before thee, do strengthen my soul, that it fall not from the steadfastness, which is grounded, and founded upon thee; To hearten, and inconradg my soul by speaking, and writing thus to thee, was the cause why these things have been written by me, which I read, when I cannot (for some indisposition in body or mind) otherwise think upon thee; and when I am overwhelmed in any misery, it becometh most tolerable by having thus conference with thee, who never disdainest me; for which all Glory be given to thee, who art my Lord, and my God blessed for all eternity. Amen Alleluia.   

THE XI. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord, to whom I will speak, and before whom my hart shall not be silent, while thus it stands with me, lest the heavy weight of sins and my disordered passions do oppress my soul, and separate it from thee, the only desire, and beloved of my hart. It behooveth me indeed to be silent, and that all created things be likewise silent to me, to the end ● may hear the sweet whispering of thy voi●●, and attend in most quiet repose of soul to thy Divine Majesty, speaking to my hart. But this must be when my soul is drawn, and sweetly attracted by thee to attend to what it shall please thee to work in me. But now in these my sins which passions, and inordinate affections cause in me; My soul doth cry out in the bottom thereof, and call upon thee who art my refuge, helper, and deliverer in all these my afflictions, and miseries; and this my prayer is not rejected by thee, because thou art a bottom less Sea of mercy. O when shall my soul see all impediments removed, that it may be united to thee, and return to thee, from whom it had her being, to this end, that it might by pure Love become capable of enjoying thee for all eternity! What are all things to me without thee? Verily nothing but a shadow, neither can any of them, no nor all of them together satisfy, or comfort me. By Loving, Pleasing, and Praising thee, as thou wouldst have me, shall I become truly content, and happy, and by no gifts, or graces, or favours besides, how great soever they be. Return, ret●rn my soul to him that only can satiat thee, and without whom all things, as thou seest, are most bitter and unpleasing to thee. Only by Humility, and Obedience, can this be accomplished in thee. Humble, despise, and subject thyself in all without exceptions, that he may take pity on thee. Indeed, my Lord, I desire thus to become for thee, For I may truly say; 
Psal. 72. 23.  I was brought to nothing, and I knew it not; and I am as a beast before thee; and yet also I may say, 
Psal. 72.  that I am always with thee, and thou with me by thy preventing mercy. It is a poor way ●o think to become honourable by standing upon our points; and yet this is that which now is most in practice in these days. O how far is this from the practice of thy Saints, and servants, who thought it their greatest honour to be despised, neglected, reviled, and contemned by all this world, to the end they might become honourable in thy eyes, my Lord, who hath said, 
Math. 5. 11.  that blessed are we, when we are spoken ill of by men, and persecuted by them. Give me this true humility, I beseech thee, which maketh souls capable of receiving this thy blessing promised to the humble● and those which serve thee for Love, whose joy thou thyself art, and who follow thee by the way of the Cross, which seemeth indeed contemptible in their eyes who do not discern, nor discover the hidden treasure that lieth in the confusion received, and embraced with the arms of Love by a faithful soul, who seeketh nothing but to imitate her beloved, who died the ignominious death of the Cross to purchase her love, and to make her of an enemy, to become an intimate, and inward friend of this our heavenly Bridegroom. 
☞  This poverty, and contempt I say, which thy little ones do undergo in this life, (my Lord God) seemeth to the lovers of this world, to be an intolerable burden; but those that truly walk this way of Humility, 
☜  do find that in it lieth the greatest comfort, and sweetness that can be found, and enjoyed in this world. For thou bearest thy-self the burden of the humble, and what toucheth them toucheth the apple of thine eye. Nothing dost thou think to dear for them, seeing all thy gifts, graces, favours, and comforts, which thy goodness imparteth to them, they use only to thy praise, and to the abasing of themselves under the feet of all thy creatures, as most unworthy of this thy mercy, of all of them. O what power hath an humble soul with thee, while she becometh totally subject to thee, even as if no power of willing, or choosing were given her by thee, which while she doth, well it goes with her before thee, and great is the liberty of such an one, while she only desireth, and seeketh thee. For in doing so, we do become capable in an extraordinary manner of enjoying thee, who though thou art not to be seen in this life as thou art, yet an humble soul is not ignorant of thee. For her faith is wonderfully cleared, and great is the knowledge of a soul, which by love obtaineth the heavenly wisdom of thee, 
Math. 11. 2  which thou hast hidden from the wise, and prudent of the world, and revealed it to thy little ones, who sigh, and long without ceasing to become united to thy Divine Majesty, that thy Praise may be perfected in them to thy eternal Glory. O how frequently, and confidently do these souls fly unto thee; and how often are they even amazed to see thy infinite sweetness, and most amiable beauty; Nothing is so present to them, as is this their Lord God; yea my God, such a knowledge of thee doth Love's cause in an humble soul, that it maketh her for a time neither to see, feel, yea nor to think of any thing besides thee; but this in this vale of tears is not of long continuance, and hath many interruptions by ●eason of the strife between our spirit and our three enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil; but yet thy grace is in all occasions near to our soul, and nothing shall blemish the purity thereof, if we humbly adhere unto thee, and wholly mistrust our own forces (as we well may) and be confident in thee, who art so merciful, and pitiful to those who presume not to have any strength but thee. This humble love is able to go through all difficulties, and to bear all burdens, and to sustain all pains and disgraces; because it seeketh only thee for her witness, who art her glory, her honour, and her crown, most near, and dear to her, yea even more present than she is to herself, and more hers than she is her own; and consequently being wholly forgetful of herself, she only seeketh, and intendeth thy praise and glory, my Lord God, the peace of her hart, and the comfort of her soul. It seemeth to a soul at first that by denying, forsaking, neglecting, and despising herself she shall undergo a most grievous Martyrdom; but by approaching to thee my God, and conversing with thee in a most loving, and tender manner, and beseeching thy assistance in all her streightnesses, and necessities, she findeth this way of Abnegation sweet above all the delights of the world. 
☞  For by rectifying our will, and conforming it in all to thine, we walk an easy way, and find a ●ast of the joy, which they feel who are in heaven united to thee for all eternity, with whom let us praise thee for ever and ever. Amen, Amen, I beseech thee.   

THE XII. CONFESSION.  

●ant. ●. 7.  SI dedexit homo omnem substantiam domus s●ae pro Dilectione, quasinihil despiciet eam. If any Man shall give a● the substance of his hows for Love, as if it were nothing He shall despise it. O my Lord, and my God, to whom only all Love is due! Behold I desire with all my hart to give all for this thy Love.. But alas what hath thy poor servant to give thee? Verily nothing that may deserve this thy Love, as a requital, it being above all I am, or can suffer, or do. What can I give thee, seeing I have nothing but what I have received of thee? If I give thee my body, and soul, what is that in comparison of what I owe unto thee? them indeed I have consecrated to thee, but as due to thee by right, not as before appertaining to me, unless I ●ould usurp that which I was to restore to thee. What then shall I give ●hee for this thy love so much desired, and sighed after by me? If I reflect upon myself, I have nothing to give to thee; But shall I in this my extreme ●ouerty, and nothing, despair of gaining, and obtaining this most desirable Love of thee, which rejoiceth my soul even to name, and speak of to thee? No, No, I will not fear to obtain it of thee. For if that which I have, and am, be (as indeed it is) short of deserving this favour from thee (which is of being indeed one of those who seek, desire, and love only thyself, and all others merely for thee) yet I will give thy-self to thee, who art all my joy, and the only desire, and treasure of my hart; By thy-self I will praise thee, and in thee I wil● hope to be transformed into that love which shall be swallowed up in thee for all eternity. Only to love thee was my soul created, and only by being turned wholly into love can my soul be truly happy. What can my soul desire out of ●hee, seeing thou art only Good, and the most incomprehensible beauty, which the Angels are never satisfied with beholding, being infinitely delighted while they are wholly turned into the pure love, and Praise of thee. We here in this vale of tears do sigh with tears in our eyes, longing to enjoy thee, and to be freed from the occasions of offending thy sweet Mercy. We (I say) sigh, and make our moan to thee while it is daily said to our soul, where is thy God? Yea, even I say so, speaking to thee, where art thou my Lord, and when shall I without all mean be united to thee, that my love may be entirely bestowed upon thee, and nothing but thyself live, and reign in me, that without ceasing I might Praise, and Adore thee, the most glorious, and amiable Majesty, to whom all knees ought to bow; and prostrate: we ought to acknowledge our mere dependence of thee. O how plain dost thou sometimes show it me, that I am nothing, 
☜  and less than nothing, while I stand before thee, neither can any thing be by justice due to me, otherwais then by thy mere mercy if I should never, so faithfully serve, and praise thee! For what can they challenge of thee, who were not able so much as to move, or be without thee, much less do any good, or suffer any thing purely for the love of thee. Give me therefore, that I may have to give unto thee, seeing by myself I am not able according to my desire to love, and praise thee; by thy-self without ceasing I will praise, and love thee, and in thy mercy, and grace shall my soul hope to become truly pleasing to thee; here I will by faith adhere to thee, and by love my soul shall both day, and night aspire unto thee, till at last by the merits of thy death, & Passion, 
1. Cor. 15.55.  death shall be swallowed up in victory. In the mean time let the love of true Charity instruct me, which is more strong than death, that I may faithfully serve thee, though it be not yet admitted me to enjoy thee. Let me rest in nothing but thee, and let thy name be my defence, and comfort, which to hear, and behold, doth above all earthly things delight, and refresh me amidst the storms of temptations which daily assault me. O my God; indeed thou art that unchangeable light, which I ever come to consult with in all my afflictions, and necessities; and beholds to my unspeakable comfort, and strength) I hear thee giving answers, by saying this, and commanding that, and this I do by resorting to thee often! This is that which delighteth me, and I fly as speedily to this pleasure as I justly may from all the actions which are imposed upon me even by necessity itself; and it exceedingly rejoiceth me to sit down and sigh after thee, and by speaking, and writing to, and of thee, to become at least for that short time forgettful of all things besides thee. This is that which maketh the grievous but then of flesh, and blood tolerable to me: in which living my soul by sin cometh often (to my grief above all other miseries) wounded to thee, craving and beseeching, for thy own-sake that I may never fail to beg, and find mercy of thee, whom to offend is the only misery that can in this life befall me, and no pain, or difficulty is feared by me, save so far as it may (considering my extreme frailty) be a means to make me offend thee. O Lord do not reject me, though I have never done any good, and am so far from truly loving thee! 
☞  I will now take the adui●e given me, to fly, be silent, and quiet; and I will hourly come to learn the song of Love, and Praise of thee: teach me to know myself, and to know thee. I desire that wisdom which despiseth all for love of thee, and only that knowledge do I wish for, that securely guideth a soul towards thee, and into thee. Those that love thee, and seek only to please thee, are those which have a sight in part, of what in heaven we shall enjoy clearly for all eternity. O what knowledge doth a truly loving soul obtain of thee, and how much is her faith confirmed in the greatness, beauty, and infinitnes of thy Majesty! but alas they are drawn down by the weight of their corruptible flesh, and sometimes even forget what they have with the eyes of their soul seen, and learned of thee; and sometimes foolishly think they are something, till they feel the effect of this their misery, and offend thee through their pride, and forgettfullnes of their own nothing, and of the greatness of thy Majesty, which pride above all things deliver me from, I beseech thee, because it makes souls so odious before thyself and all that love thee. Let me give all Glory to thee, who without any desert of mine, hast thus sweetly with Grace prevented me, for which be thou ever by all Praised, and Adored. Amen.   

THE XIII. CONFESSION.  
O Lord, whose Power, Majesty, and Wisdom have no end, have mercy on me sinner, and give me leave to speak unto thee my God, and ask thee, whither men are pleasing to thee, because they abound with human knowledge. And behold thou affirmest; no; but unhappy are they who can pierce into all things, 
☜  if they be ignorant of thee. Let me therefore love, and then I shall not be ignorant of that knowledge which maketh souls so pleasing in thine eyes, to wit, knowledge of thee, and myself. O Love which in lightnest souls, and inflamest hearts w●th chaste love, flow into my soul! This love is honourable wisdom, and though the enjoyers thereof be accounted fools by the wise of this world, yet thou hast another opinion of them; and their humble souls find much favour in thy pure eyes, my God With this Love did those abound, of whom S. Paul speaketh, that they went up, 
Hebr. 11.  and down in goat's skins, needy, despised, hidden in dens, and caves, of whom the world was not worthy; yet some of thy Saints became very honourable, and glorious even in the eyes of the world, the which was forced to acknowledge thee great in, and by them; and there was no resisting of thy wisdom speaking by them, amongst which of these thy servants was the great S. Augustin Doctor, and light of thy Church a most ardent lover of thee my God. He in those books of his that I have seen, turneth his speeches so to thy Majesty, that his words thereby become sweeter than ordinary; and while he declareth his own misery, he giveth to understand to us thy most abundant mercy, that all that desire to love thee my God● may (being invited by him) praise thee with him, and for the favour showed by thee to him. O that all to whom thou offerest the favour of bestowing on them thy divine Love, (if they would after sinning by true Humility dispose themselves for it) would become (by his example) grateful to thee, and love thee as thou wouldst by them be beloved! O how soon dost thou by thy Grace wipe out the sinn●● of such, who now detesting their former i'll lives do strive by humble love to become grateful to thee for thy preventing Mercy? O Lord, my God, though thou hast forgiven me much, yet I am far from loving thee much; Those who now enjoy thee, that have heertofor been sinners as I, be they Intercessors to thee for me● and be thou ever praised for thy infinite mercy by all thy Majesty's creatures for ever an● ever; Amen.   

THE XIV. CONFESSION●  
O Lord my God, who sweetly disposest all things, give thy poor contemptible creature leave to speak unto thee, who art the only desire of my soul, and my hope from my youth, and entirely beloved of my hart; To thee I will speak, and write, not as to one a far of; but to stir up my soul to Love thee alone, and to draw occasions out of all things to praise, and exalt thee, whose mercies are above all thy works. To whom should I make my moan in all my miseries, but to thyself who art my God, and All, and who art nearer to me, than I am to myself? To whom should I go to be instructed but to the fountain of all wisdom? Behold men change their minds, and almost every man differeth in opinion from another, in matters that are indifferent, and so great is my ignorance, and blindness naturally, that vn●esse thou instruct me, I shall all ways ●auer, and never come to any true perfection of knowledge. They stand at ●oo great a hazard, who confide in themselves, and cast not their hope ●holy upon thee. All creatures are unstable, and those that seek not ●hee above all creatures, but put their trust more in men then in thee, will find no true peace in their souls. O that I did truly Love! for by Love only my soul shall become capable of understanding truth. Love is humble, peaceable, subject to thee in all things. The soul that loveth thee is more conversant in heaven then on earth; and what here she of necessity must admit of, serves to her rather as a cessation then any consolation. The soul that loves, findeth occasion in all, and by all things to praise thee my God, and to humble itself. Such are willingly subject for thee, and do see how odious it is to thee, to see that subjects should contemn, contradict, or withstand th● power in Superiors, and make thei● imperfection a colour for our sinne● If it be right between our soul's an● thee, we shall gladly obey thee, spea●ke thou or ordain thou by whom tho●● pleasest. Teach me therefore to obey for thou only canst instruct me wh● true humble Obedience is. If thou d● not teach me, I may perhaps give to Caesar what is t●yne, and deny to give Caesar what is due to him by thy will. Let me obey therefore for thee● and in order to thy will, and with an internal regard of thee, whose due is all the subjection, and love that can be given by my poor soul. Open the eyes of my soul that I may see what thou exactest in all things. Instruct me by whom, and in what manner tho● pleasest; So I may but know what thy will, and pleasure is, it sufficeth thy poor servant. Give me grace to obey thee my God, with all that Love thee, for ever, Amen.   

THE XV. CONFESSION.  
O Lord my God, what soul that truly loves thee, can complain what difficulties soever she endures, or how great a desolation soever obscures her soul, or how great pains soever she sustains, seeing thou, whom she loveth more than her life, and self, art always the same, beholding with an amorous, and loving eye, the loving soul, afflicted by thee, or by thy permission, rather to try her fidelity, then to oppress her with such a burden that might separate her from her only beloved; for seeing nothing is dreaded by her but to be separated from her God, she holding humility, and confidence, thou, O Lord, wilt never permit her to be overcome. For thou makest the quarrel thine own thus fought by us, and the victory ours, though indeed gained by thee, not by our own selves. O how happy am I in thy Power, and Glory? Verily, though I were to return to my own nothing, yet I could not account myself void of an infinite happiness, seeing my God, who is more mine then ● am my own, would remain, and be the same in all Wisdom, and Majesty; Th●s is the repose of my labour, and the crown of my glory, in which I will exult in my greatest calamities, and miseries, O Love let me live in, and to thee, and die to all created things whatsoever! O Love, Love, live, reign, and wholly possess my soul! Consider not, O my God so much what I am, and have been, as what I desire to be. O Lord, my God, and all my Good.   

THE XVI. CONFESSION.  
O Lord my God; Father of the poor, and true comforter of all afflicted souls; be merciful to my desolate hart, and stir it up to perfect love of thee, that I may simply seek thee, and sigh after thee my beloved absent, and not for the sorrow I feel at the present. Let me long to embrace thee with the arms of my soul, and think it little to endure any misery in body, or soul, to be at last admitted into the boosom of my Love, fairest, and choicest of thousands. Let all fall down, and adore my God, the glory of my hart. Let the sound of his Praise be heard to sound, and resound over all the earth.  
O when shall my soul, having transcended itself, and all created things, be firmly united to thee, the beloved of my hart, resting in thee, not in thy gifts or graces, and neither desiring, nor taking any satisfaction in any work, or exercise whatsoever, but in all pains, temptations, contempts, desolations, poverties, and miseries either of body, or mind, conforming myself to thy sweet will for time and eternity, who as justly as ever thou didst any thing, mayst condemn my soul eternally to hell, from which nothing but thy mere mercy were able to save, and deliver me; and daily I should incur this sentence, if thou didst not out of thy goodness ever help, and protect me, thy sinful seruant●  
This only I desi●, this only I ask, that I may in all things praise thee, and that I may desire no comfort, but to be able without all comfort, human, or divine, to be true to thee, and not offend thy Ha●osty.   

THE XVII. CONFESSION.  
TO whom but to thee, my Lord should I fly in all temptations, and Crosses, whose arms are open to embrace, all repentant sinners, and whose hands are lifted up to give a sweet benediction to all in misery; If I either had, or desired to have any friend, or comforter but thee, I could not with confidence fly into thy bosom for succour in this which is now fallen on me. I● ever thou hadst rejected any that hoped in thee, I might fear; but as it is, I will sing in my affliction with tea●es in mine eyes to thee, and never leave to hope in thine abundant mercy.  
Is it much that I serve thee, whom all creatures are bound to serve? and we are so happy in being subject to thee, that no liberty is to be compared to the happiness of depending of thee.   

THE XVIII. CONFESSION.  
WHEN thou art present, O my God, than my hart rejoiceth, and in pea●e singeth thy praises; but when thou hidest thy beautiful face, my soul becometh exceedingly obscured, and troubled; yea even overwhelmed in darkness, and misery, in which case long remaining (which is most justly permitted by thee for my humiliation) what shall I do to lift up my soul to thee, but as one sick with love of her absent beloved? to speak with him it is impossible, the distance of place is so great; but yet she may hear others who speak of him, which a little mitigateth her misery, though while he is absent all is irksome to her, because the delay afflicteth her hart; But yet, is she without all comfort? No; for she may write to, and of him; and if none will carry it to her dear beloved, it shall remain by her, that he may see at his return, how she languished for love, and could take comfort in nothing that all creatures could offer, or propose to her soul, while she possessed not what she only desired; her life by love being more with her beloved, then where she lived; for which cause, she heareth, and yet mindeth not what is said, unless perhaps they treat, feelingly of her absent love, and speak in his praise; She seeth, and yet cannot take comfort in what she beholdeth; She sleepeth, but her hart waketh; and in fine while she cannot enjoy her beloved, nothing can satisfy her unquiet hart. Thus my God even sensual, and unreasonable love transporteth a reasonable soul; But if natural love be of that force, what doth that soul feel, whom thou hast wounded with thy pure Love? And of what power is that love that is seconded by thee, who art the fountain of all true Love, and sweetness? What shall I say of a soul that hath tasted how sweet our Lord is? Verily she yet living, dieth a thousand deaths, because she seeth herself so far from possessing thee my God, whom none can see, and live; nor none enjoy as thou art in thyself, till thou free her of the heavy, and sinful burden of flesh, and bloud● And although thou dost admit her longing, and sighing after thee alone, to, I know not what, nor can I express, the unspeakable joy, and delights, which I say thou some times admittest her to; (therein not like to the lovers in this world, who oftimes reject where they are most beloved) yet out of thy care of her, thou suddenly turnest away thy face, at which till she love thee for thyself, she will become troubled, and too too impatient in the delay which thou makest of returning to her again; the which if she bear with a resigned mind, making thy will her law, above all the desires of her hart, and sit solitary like the turtle dove, thou wilt in good time assuredly return, and being absent wilt be present to hear her prayers, and see her tears shed for the sorrow she conceiveth to offend thee her desired beloved, whom she would love withal her hart, with all her soul, and all her strength, and praise thee day, and night without ceasing, as it beseems a soul languishing with thy love.   

THE XIX. CONFESSION.  
REMEMBER, O my God, that thou mad'st me for to love thee. Why therefore dost thou permit me to offend so sweet a Goodness? Although none do find thee in an extraordinary manner in the bottom of their souls, but those that serve thee my God for Love, and walk by the way of the Cross, yet I do confidently affirm, that thy yoke, and burden, thy Law, and thy Cross, are not by far so heavy, grievous, and burden ●ome, as be the painful ways of ●in, which seem ●o be sweetened with some delights● but in the hart it proveth more bitter than gall; whereas thy yoke being born by a truly loving soul, is many times heavy when thou leavest her, thereby to show her, how little she can do, or suffer of herself, and that she may glory in thee, and not in her own power, and humble herself, and not prefer herself before others; when I say thou pleasest to leave her thus as it were forlorn, she feeleth indeed a great burden, and nothing can comfort her, till thou her desired, and only beloved return. For she having forsaken all for thee, and having tasted of thy sweetness, sayeth with the Prophet; 
Psal. ●. 8.37  Turn away mine eyes that they see not vanity; lest like a dog she return to her vomit; and after having had a glimmering of thy light, she, because she feared she should not be able to sustain thy chastisements and should forget, and lose herself by these tribulations, and desirous that she might be happily enabled to en●er the more fully into thee, and fearing (I say) her own frailty, she thus again crieth out to thee by these other words of the Psalmist, saying; 
Pas. 187.2.  Domine Deus salutis meae; in die clamavi & nocte coram te. O Lord God of my salvation, day, and night have I cried after Thee. For who but thyself can comfort a soul that indeed neither seeks nor desires any thing but thee my God? O when shall I spend all my strength, and forces in singing thy Praises! Who would set their hearts upon any thing but thee, seeing thou hast made all other things so hard to be obtained, that we might seek only thee, for whom we were made, and whose Love we may more easily obtain then any thing else whatsoever? O let me Love thee, who only for that end didst create me! We would have that which is worth nothing, and many times grieve for the loss of that which would but cause us perplexity, and trouble to have; In the mean time neglecting that which thou so infinitely desirest to bestow upon us, to wit, thy love, than which nothing is so good, or sweet, or that bringeth such true peace to the soul.   

THE XX. CONFESSION.  
WITHOUT pain, it is impossible (O my most Amiable God) to live in love. But if the difficulties which thy true friends, and servants feel, were weighed with the miseries of those, who rather seek to please themselves, and others then thee- there would be found an infinite dis●parity. For thy yoke is sweet, and thy burden light to the simple, and humble, and to those who serve thee for love, and whose joy thou thyself art, and who nothing else but thee, my God, do se●k for, in time, or eternity, These I say, are despised, contemned, afflicted, pained, tempted, troubled, and many times sit sorrowful with a heavy hart, and sad countenance; But thy will being their law, and thy disposition their consolation, I may boldly affirm, that in all this they suffer nothing, in comparison of the fond● lovers of this world; because thou being ever more present to them then t●ey to themselves, dost when thou seest thy time refresh their souls with the light, and comfort of thy grace; yea seeming to be even prodigal of thy sweetness, to such as abide faithful to thee in their tribulations, and hope, confide, and glory in thee, and not in themselves, and who take occasion in all they see, hear, suffer, overcome, to humble themselves under thy mighty hand, and bless, and praise thy justice, and Mercy in all things whatsoever; Amongst which number admit me poor, and contemptible sinner, to thy greater glory (for this thy Mercy) from all creatures, for ever and ever Amen.   

THE XXI. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord, and my God, remove all impediments between thy Goodness, and my poor soul, that I may love thee, who only deservest all love, and honour. Give me an humble, and peaceful hart, that thou mayst inhabit therein, as thou desirest Suppress in me by thy sweet Grace the sin of pride which maketh me as yet so odious to thy Divine Majesty. O if we did but by true Humility abase ourselves, what beams of true light would shine in the bottom of our souls! O what amity is there between thy Divine Majesty, and an humble soul! Nothing but Humility could have drawn thee down to the earth; and only Humility can make us capable of being drawn by ●hee up to heaven. The truly humble convers familiarly with thee, and thy Saints; They presuming nothing of themselves can do all things in thee who strengthnest them. And thou art so chary, and tender of the humble, that what concerneth them, thou esteemest to concern thy own self, and even thy own hart; And they thinking they do nothing, do by thee do all things. Many unknown to the world● and of no esteem wi●h it, shall before thee have the honour, and mer●t in the next world, of that which no● other men boast of, and attribute to themselves For the humble living still in their own nothing, give all glory to thee, by whom only all good is performed, in the mean while thou enriching them of thy mere Mercy with thy Merits. O happy exchange, thin● for ours, dirt for the most pure gold What is all we can do? Verily nothing. every me therefore poor beggar with somewhat of thine; At th● feet I lay whatsoever thou givest, o● hast given me: Give, or take away 〈◊〉 thou pleasest, so thou do not blot m● out of the book of life. Open to me knocking at the door of thy Mercy. I have been five and twenty years (this signifieth her age at the, writing hereof, as that she was then five and twenty years old) in my infirmity of most loathsome sins; behold my misery, and take pity upon me Son of David! I defiled that ●oul that was made to thy own Image, and likeness; have compassion on her, who hath no other friend, or comforter, but thyself the only desired of my hart. For thy own sake be propitious to my sin for it is much. Nothing that I have done can I allege to thee, which hath deserved any reward in thine eyes; Only desires, of which many bourn in hell, they being little without good works. Give her to drink who withers away for want of thee the fountain of all sweetness. I will pour out my soul before thee, that at least I may comfort myself with relating to thee my sins, and miseries. Behold all my enemies triumph over me, of whom most easily in all temptations they get ●he victory. Fight for me; or else I know not what will become of me; give me true Humility by which all things are easily overcome, and all thou exactest, most perfectly accomplished by us thy Majesty's poor creatures. Give thyself to me● who hath nothing of her own to offer thee; and if thou give me thyself, I am as rich as I desire to be; and if thou shouldst besto● upon me all thou hast, or can create, it would be little to me, unless I possessed thee. By thy self I Praise thee, whose name doth not beseem the mouth of a sinner. O let me Love, or not live! I give myself to thee, whom alone I wish for, and desire with all the forces of my hart, and soul. O my God, how near thou art to us, ready to hear and receive our prayers and petitions? Behold thy s●ee● providence showeth itself in all things! O how long shall my God be thus forgotten by creatures! When wilt thou by Love be by all sought after, as thou oughtest to be by us?   

THE XXII. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord, let all things praise thee! Let thy just will be our law. Let subjects humbly obey in, and for thee. For inferiors contending, and withstanding their Superiors in that thou wouldst have them obey in, 
☜  is most odious in thine eyes, and nothing they can do will please thee, unless they will hear thy voice as well by others, as from thyself. For it is not so much the greatness of the action that thou regardest, as the being done by us in that manner thou wouldst have it done by us, and in nothing can we obey thee as we ought to do, unless we first regard, and intent thee in that which by us is accomplished; and a Superior reflecting on his own authority, rather than on what in thy behalf he ought to exact; in that case or cases, and rather on what by his power he can command, then on what according to thy pleasure were best to be done, rath●r governeth in his own power then in thine, and the effect (unless it be very straight and right between his subiect● hearts, and thee) will consequently be more human than divine; and the Superiors while sensible of their honour abusing the power given by thee, do yet lose what they would have. For their subjects often looking upon rather what is defective in the Superior, then upon their own duty, both of them fail in their duties to thy dishonour, who so sweetly hast disposed of all things, if we did not pervert thine order, with seeking, not thee, and thine honour, but our own, and ourselves, from which misery bless us, I beseech thee for thine own sake, that thou mais● be glorified both in the Commanders, and the Obeyers.   

THE XXIII. CONFESSION.  
O How happy are those thou instructest in thy Law, and in whom it goeth straight between their souls and thet. For their only care is to please and praise thee in all things. These humbly obey for thee, and see how dangerous it is to resist thy will in any thing how little soever. But very much must we strive to humble ourselves, if we desire to know, and stand unto the things that are exacted of us by thee. For nothing is able to enlighten our blindness, but thy Grace shining in an humble soul. If we knew never so much and could do wonders, if we had never so great guifs of nature and grace, 
☜  yet could we not thereby become pleasing to thee, unless withal we were diligent in the exercise of true Humility. O give me this Gift! For none of himsef is able to attain to it. My God, make me truly humble that I may be wholly thine. Let me by Love adhere to thee, that all impediments may be removed between my soul, and thee. Let all created things be to me as if they were not, as to their becoming any impediment between my poor soul, and thy goodness, that so I may not be hindered by any thing from being united to thee. For this thou maidst our souls, that by thy Grace we might return to thee, whom by sin we had strayed from, and that humbly seeking to Love thee, and using all things created only to this end, that we may at last find, and possess ●hee, who only art able to satiate us; and therefore miserable are we, when we seek any things beside thee, from which doing I beseech thee defend us. Amen.   

THE XXIV. CONFESSION.  
NOn in solo pane vivit homo, sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore Dei. 
Math. 4. 4.  These are thine o●● words, my Lord, ●hich I rehears be●ore thee (to whom power out my hart and my soul) ●ith unspeakable joy, hoping that ●hy word shall be a light unto my feet, that I may avoid the gins and snares, which the world, the ●●esh, and the devil do lay to catch ●nd entrap my sinful, and weak ●oul. Thy words indeed are sweet because thou speakest Peace to the hart, and givest by them strength ●o the soul. It is well known to thee why I do thus dilate myself in speaking and writing to thee, my Lord and my God, rehearsing to thee, to whom all things are manifest, the desires, intentions, and afflictions, or comforts of my hart. For as th●u●ell ●ell know'st, if I should not when ● enjoy some more interior light set down in writing some thiugs which I may peruse at other times that ●re of obsurity, I should be apt to forget to praise thee, 
☞  yea and eue● wither away with the grief and anguish which by thy sweet permission overwhelmeth my soul; be th●● blessed for all; who take away 〈◊〉 beseech thee, or give, as it best plea●seth thee, from thy poor seruant● only deprive me not of Grace● So I may Love thee, I care not wha● happeneth to me. Let thy will be done for time, and eternity. Roo● out of my soul that pride whic● maketh me so far from being tha● thou wouldst have me to be. My desire is great to Praise, love, honour, and truly serve thee; but my power is so little, that none hath been less faithful to thee, than I; But where doth the liberality of thy infinite merc● extend itself more willingly, the● where there is greatest poverty an● misery? Though I be poor yet m● Lord is rich; though I be in all blindness, as to the discerning of trut● yet my Lord is light itself. To him therefore I will approach, that in his light I may see light. I will beg of thee, that I may become capable of glorying in thy riches, and then nothing shall be wanting to me, seeing my Lord possesseth in himself all good things. Be thou my Lord what ●hou art, and I a miserable sinner casting mine eyes upon the earth do cry to thee to be merciful to my sins. I sitting here in the shadow of death, morn, and lament, that I have made no more haste to conclude an everlasting ●eague and peace with my Lord God, to whom now my soul doth aspire day and night without ceasing. O my Lord when I remember what ●hou hast done for me, I faint and fail to see how ungrateful for it I have been and am to thee! What didst thou mean to help me, and ●ecall me from my sins, when I least thought of thee? And not content with that, 
R. F. Baker  thou didst also by means of a faithful servant of thine, make my state which was so heavy ● burden to me through my fault, and ignorance, to become so delightful to me, that I may and do truly acknowledge, that thy yoke of Religion is sweet above all the delights, and pleasures of the world, and thy burden so light, that crosses pains, afflictions internal, and ex●ternal born, as thy burden are most light and easy, and cause more true peace to my hart, than I can express, which be it said to thy honour: and grant me to humble myself in all, that I may grow still more and more pleasing to thee, who art the only desire of my hart, and comfort of my soul. 
☞  Let his instructions of whom I speak to thee, according to his desire still more and more inflame my love unto thee. Be thou all in all, and above all, unto me. If thou teach not my soul to love, in vain is the endeavour of man speaking and preaching to me. Let me ●eare thee by him, and let me not so hearken to him without; that I grow deaf to thee who art within. Thy words are works. Either speak by others for our good, or by t●y self in the most interior of our soul. O happiness, that there should be such a capacity in us of having relation to thee in all things! All things created may fail us; but thou who only canst fatiat our hearts, canst never change or alter, but art still the same, and thy years shall not fail. Thou teachest a soul true Humility and solid virtue. In thee nothing is neglected; thou art the Maiester of Perfection. Thou teachest the simple, humble, and loving soul thy ways and givest her hidden Manna, in the strength of which she may walk even to the house of her God where she shall praise him for ever and ever. Qui ambulat simpliciter, ambulat confidenter; who walketh simply, walketh confidently; if we love thee, all will cooperat to good, which grant to thy own Praise. Amen.   

THE XXV. CONFESSION.  

Io. 8. 2  OMnis populus venit ad jesum, & sedens docebat eos. All the people came jesus, and he sitting taught them. Can I hear and consider these words written by thy best beloved Disciple, and not even melt into tears of joy? If indeed any had been by thee my Lord rejected, I might have feared, and that most justly, remembering my past, and present sins. But to put me out of fear, and doubt, thy holy Evangelist saith, Omnis all. To thee therefore I will fly, and of thee I will learn, how I may Please, Praise, and love thee, and how by true Humility, I may die to myself and all created things: Hereby wholly to live to thee my all, and only good. Thou know'st that my soul without ceasing doth long after thee, and to see it-self free from all that which is a hindrance to my perfectly loving thee. O● Love of my Lord God, how forcible art thou in a pure soul? O who will give thee to me, that my hart may be purged, and purified, thereby to become a pleasing habitation for my God? O Lord, who art Goodness itself; can there be found any joy, comfort, or true content in any thing but thee? Can there I say? for as for me; far hath it been from thee to permit any thing but thy self to be sweet to me. O all ye that think it a burden to be obliged by your Profession to tend to great Perfection, and fear the punishment of our doing the contrary, raise up your hearts, 
☜  and remember what it is that our Lord exacteth of you by this your Profession! and this as it may seem at first a severe exaction, so remember well, and consider (I say) what it is, and your hearts will rejoice, that fear our Lord. It is, O it is, to love, without bounds or measure; It is to leave yourself, that you may find God; It is to fly from the world that you may hear our Lord speaking peace to your soul; It is to submit, and subject yourself wholly to him whose will none can resist, but as they are permitted by him; It is to be subject to every living creature for him, who submitted himsef to the death of the Cross, that we might become capable of enjoying him! This is that he exacteth of us, who have dedicated our souls wholly to him; This is that he requireth, which though at first it seem a burden to perform, yet that which seemeth so, is indeed quite otherwise, 
☞  as we shall find in effect, if we perform that out of love, which out of his love to us, he exacteth of us. For what is sweeter than to love? Yea and to love him, whom the more we love the more it becometh delightful to us to love; the more strict our obligation is to him the lighter is our burden we have to bear; For he doing all that he hath done for us to bring us into this state to oblige us to love, doth also, if we be not the hindrance, oblige himself to give us this Divine love of his, which is able to unite a poor contemptible creature to his Divine Majesty, whom we are not worthy to name. O sweet and most desirable yoke! well mayst thou be said to be sweet, thou bringing true and perfect liberty. For love maketh light all burdens, and sweeteneth all labours; and to them that love, it is easy to suffer any adversities for their loveds' sake! O let me being obliged by thee to love, let me, I say, through thy mercy obtain this love of three, which maketh a soul in all things grateful, and faithful to thee! Let me not offend thee in my miseries, and then come as many as pleases thee; for I account that only a misery, to wit, to offend thee. Let all things praise thee, and let me in all praise thy Divine Majesty, with them that love thee. Behold, Fire, Sea, Snow, Thunder, Lightning, Hail, and ●he Spirits of storms do thy will; and yet I in all contradict it, who am capable of thy love, and am invited to love so many ways by thee my God. O let this thy love wholly possess my soul, that all that is within me may bless thy holy Name! I renounce into thy hands all that is in me contrary to this thy love; Let it wholly consume me that I may be wholly turned into love, and that nothing else may be desired by me. Let me be drowned, and swallowed up in that of Divine love, in which my soul may swim for all eternity, never more by sin to be separated from thee. O when will this day come, that I may return to thee my beginning! When will thy Glory appear? When shall death be swallowed up in victory, that I may without ceasing Praise thee my God, whose name I write with no small comfort, though otherwise I be so dry, that I can scarce think upon thee. To hear th●e named, or to write to, or of thee, refresheth my soul in all her misery, and to it I fly from the thoughts, fears, and cares which as thou know'st often oppress me for my humiliation, who for my pride deserve justly to be rejected for ever by thee; But in such case I hope both living and dying, that thou my Lord art my God, my Mercy; and what is wanting to me, I shall abundantly possess, if I confide only in thee, which grant that I may not fail to do, who only art to be Adored for all eternity. Amen.   

THE XXVI. CONFESSION.  
ERant appropinquantes ad jesum Publicani, 
Luk 1 .1.  & peccatores, ut audirent illum? There were sinners and Publicans approaching to jesus that they might hear him. This is writ in the Gospel of this day my Lord, which doth much comfort my sinful soul, flying to thee for help, and succour in the necessities wherein I daily languish. For none didst thou ever reject, neither sick, as witness the Lepers, and divers others which were abhorred by men for their loathsome diseases, nor the deformed, nor the blind, nor the lame, nor the poor and contemptible, no nor the sinners whose loathsome sins made their souls much more deformed in thy pure eyes, than any disease could make a body in the eyes of the beholders. But why do I presume to speak to my God in this simple manner? verily my Lord, only presuming of the most abundant fountain of thy mercies, do I thus refresh my soul with recounting these things before thee because these places in the Gospel which treat so particularly of thy receiving, and forgiving sinners doth particularly appartain to me, who having among them found grace in this kind before thee, I do likewise in these things I read, find that which putteth me in hope of the continuance of thy Mercy. Behold I desire now to convert my hart wholly to thee, and to become totally in all things subject to thy Divine Majesty. Let thy Grace affist me. For it is not any thing I can do, can save me. The Angel that hath care of me, praise thee for me, and assist me with his intercession for me. Thy Mother hath been indeed a Mother to me (for which be she honoured for all eternity, as it beseemeth so great an humility to be) she vouchsafing to take pity on me poor miserable sinner, for all which Praise be to thee my God and All, for all eternity. Amen.   

THE XXVII. CONFESSION.  
PAtientia pauperum non peribit in finem. 
Ps. 9 19  The patience of the poor shall not perish in the end. O Lord, my God, seeing the way of the Cross is the way that all in this life must walk, of what state, or dignity soever they be; none exempted from suffering, some in body by pains, and sickness; some by poverty, and want of necessaries; some by loss of friends; some by the disloialty of such whom they confided in; 
☜  some by loss of their goods by fire, wars, and the like, and some by their own indiscretion, unwariness, and want of foresight falling into disgrace; some by setting their affection where it is rejected, grow desperate mad; and some thereby living in perpetual discomfort become woeful murderers of themselves; some fortune frowning upon them, have all things go contrary to their desire; and in fine, no place, no person, nor any condition can be free from suffering in this miserable life. But shall we think this was ordained to be thus by thee, by chance, or because thou dost not love what thou hast made? No, God forbid we should ever think so; but that which made thee ordain it so, was only to the end that we being proved or tried● as gold in the furnace, should thereby become capable of thy pure love; the which if we could obtain, easy would it be to suffer any thing which thou permittedst to happen unto us. For as for some of the Crosses, which happen in this life, we are the cause of them ourselves; and by them we not only suffer pain, but also detriment in our souls; because they proceed from our yielding to sin. and giving way to our passions, and in ordinat affections, thereby becoming a slave to sensuality; over which we should be absolute masters, if we did, as we ought, concur with thy grace. And verily, my God, to whom I speak and write with much content to my soul, thou by this means enlightening me with that divine truth which leadeth in some sort to thyself, and much inflameth my hart with a most ardent desire of thee the only desire of my soul, to whom I1 aspire day and night, without ceasing, in my simple man●r: Verily I say that I am ignorant how it is possible to proceed with any confidence, or comfort in any thing, if our foundation be not founded in thee by a sincere intention. For till I resolved, what difficulties soever there by I endured, to make thy will mine own and thy Disposition, my consolation, I found no stability in any thing, 
☜  or exercise whatsoever; 
☞  and since that time I have found certainty and quiet in all the uncerteinty of contrary occurrence. For if thou be intended in all our actions, what should we fear● For we only intending and desiring thy honour in all things, how can we doubt but that this by thee in all things will be accomplished, seeing that which thou dost desire and will we should seek, and intent (to wit they honour) which is only aimed at by us? Can we imagine thou wilt sail on thy part, we desiring to do what lieth in us? No, No, but confidently we may hope, that nothing shall be wanting to us; and thou kwnowst, my Lord God, that when any thing happeneth, which seemeth so to derogate from thy divine honour, that it greiveth my hart, thou presently quietest me with these words saying to my soul. 
Psal. ●5 ●1.  Vacate & videte quoniam ego sum Deus, exaltabor in gentibus, & exaltabor in terra. Be quiet, and see that I am God: I shall be exalted among the Gentiles, and shall be exalted in the earth. With these words, I say, thou comfortest my soul. For though I have desired to make an exchange with ●hee, that I may take only care to seek thy honour in all things, committing the care of my welfare to ●h●e, yet in those things, which happen as I think contrary to thy honour, 
☜  I ought to conform my will to thy sweet disposition, or permission, and not disquiet my soul under any pretence whatsoever. For the quiet and humble hart is the place where thou delightest to dwell. Thou who art the God of Peace, give me that ●rue love of thee, which only bringeth true Peace, and bless this thy little flock, and especially those in it ●ho are by their patience and discretion helpers and furthers to true peace and concord in this poor Convent of thine; My most dea●e Lady ●hy Mother, and mine by thy sweet Mercy, pray to thee for this house of hers, as also our good Angels, ●ho have care of us. Saint Michael ●ho was so zealous of his honour, Saint Raphael who guides us in the way of thy Law, Sanit Gabriel, who brought us the happy tidings of thy coming into this world, to reconcile us sinners to thy heavenly Father, Our most holy Father S. Benedict, our Mother S. Scholastica, as also S. joseph, S. john, S. Thomas, and S. Gertrude, in whose hart ●hou didst delight to dwell; and also my beloved Father S. Augustin, whom thou hast given me in a particular manner, to be a help to me in doubts and fears, and an incouradgement by his books to hope for pardon for my innumerable sins, and as a fire are all his words to inflame me to seek after and aspire to thy divine love, and to wish only, that that may wholly possess my soul, which grant for his sake, as also thine own, who art Blessed for ever. Amen.   

THE XXVIII. CONFESSION.  
INCINA cor meum Deus in testimonia tua; 
Psal. 118.  Ecce concupui mandata tua; in aequitate tua vivifica me-Incline, my God, my hart to thy testimonies, and in thy truth quicken my soul. For behold my soul doth exceedingly covet to perform thy law. For thy law is truth, and the effect thereof is justice, and Peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. When I remember how I have strayed from thee by sin, I become ashamed before th●e. But when I consider thy Mercy I hope still (notwithstanding what is passed) to become through thy grace, which so sweetly prevented me, pleasing to thy Divine Majesty. O Lord, enlighten my soul obscured● by sin and ill customs; enlighten it that I may walk the way of justice, and Truth, which is the way whereof thou speakest by Esaie the Prophet, 
Esaio 35. 8.  in which a fool cannot err, as he affirmeth● O let me by true Humility become a fool according to his meaning, let me become as a bittle child, that I may be capable of entering into the Kingdom of Heaven! Certainly we ought to live so subject to thee, that we have no election of any thing, as pretending ourselves, for time, or eternity; And also we ought to have in our soul such a relation to thee, that in thy light, in thy truth, and wholly according to thy will, we perform all we do, and out of that respect omit what we omit. 
☞  O my God, let me, I say, walk this way of Love which knoweth not how to sack it-self in any t●ing whatsoever! Let this Love wholly possess my soul, and hart; which I beseech thee may live, and move only in, and out of a pure, and sincere love to thee, who above all aught to be loved and desired. Let this fire, which thou cam'st into this world to send, and willedst it should burn, consume me wholly into itself, that forgetful of myself, and all created things, I may be mindful of thee, my Lord, and my God. It is thy promise's, that where sin ●ath abounded, gra●e shall superbound, that the riches of thy Mer●y may appear and show it-self to the Glory of thy holy Name; which Mercy, I beseech thee, extend itself ●o me, that I may praise thee for ever and ever. O that thy pure love were ●o grounded and established in my hart, that I might sigh, and pant without ceasing, after thee, and be ●ble in the strength of this thy Love, ●o live without al● comfort and con●olation, human, or divine, thereby ●o become the more conformable to ●hee, the beloved of my soul! O how ●appy are they that truly love t●ee? certainly, whatsoever they suffer, it ●● very tolerable to them, because he or whose love they suffer, is th●ir hel●er; Indeed, my Lord, thou art a hiden God; but yet not so hidden from ●ur soul, but that in some sort we ●aue therein according to our poor capacities, not only a taste, but also sight of thee; for as even thou thy self hast said; 
Mat. 5. 8.  Blessed are the clean of hart, for they shall see God. O sight to be wished, desired, and longed for● because once to have seen thee is to have learned all things. Nothing can bring us to this sight, but love. But what love must it be? Not a sensible love only, a childish love, a love which seeketh it-self, more than the beloved. No, but it must b● an ardent love, a pure love, a couradgious love, 
☞  a love of Charity, an● humble love, and a constant love, not worn out with labours, no● daunted with any difficulties. O Lord give this love unto my soul, that ● may never more live, nor breath bu● out of a most pure love of thee, my All and only Good! let me love thee fo● thyself, and nothing else, but in an● for thee. Let me love nothing in stee● of thee. 
Cant. 1. 8.  For to give all for love is ●● most sweet bargain; for Love is as stron● as death. O that this thy love might flo● in such abundance into the har● of all capable thereof, that the son● of thy love, and Praise might conti●nually be heard through out all the earth! O what do we do loving vanity, and seeking a lie? What do ●●e abusing the most noble capacity of our souls by desiring that which passeth away like smoke? What do ●●e loving that which is more changeable than the Moon? Can any ●hing satiate our hearts but our God? Can we find true repose out of him? ●s any thing worthy of our love, but ●hat Goodness which is love it-self, and ●hom the more we love, the more we ●re able to love; because for love, he made us capable of love? But alas, my God, my soul was in honour, ●nd I knew not it; I was compared ●o beasts, and by sin became like to ●hem, or worse than they. Is this my equital for all thy love? Is this excusable that my soul made by thee●o ●o be delighted with the food of ●ngels (which is love) should delight ●●-self with the bread of swine? O is ●y hart able to rehears this before ●●ee and not through excessive grief ●reak in sunder? Could I in my nature not abide to be disloyal to one whom I found to be a faithful friend to me? and can I endure to remember my disloyalty to my God? Could I with joy undergo for my friend, 
☞  disgrace, and difficulty, and can I endure nothing for my God? Was the absence of a dear friend intolerable to me, and can I abide to see myself cease at any time to sigh and long after my God? O no my God, let that be far from me, I here renounce before heaven and earth all inordinate affections to creature's Place with thy own hands t●● love in their room● that it expelling thence all ●hat now is therein displeasing to t●ine eyes, thou ma●● thy sel● wholly possess me giving and distributing my affections, and disposing the passions of my ha●● according to thy sweet will, which only is just, only holy and true i● it-self. C how sincere then are o● affections, when we love our neig●●bour only in, and for thee? The●● we pity not one, and are hard hearted to another according to the inclination of our perverse nature, but behold thee in all, and consequently willingly serve and assist all for thy love; then we do not show our seve meek only to our friends; but also to those by whom we suffer most contradiction, and gladly upon all occasions extend our charity. For there is no true friendship but that which is founded upon thee, and which is maintained without impediment to thy love. 
☜  This is only the love of Charity: which Charity knoweth not how to repine, to be angry, to be exceptious, to be inconstant, to be troublesome, to be suspicious, or jealous; for it regardeth thee in all, and desireth thee above all; It taketh all in good part; it wondereth not to see men exceed in words, finding it-self, so often to offend in deeds; it beareth all things, it hopeth all things, and it confideth in thee above all things; it wisheth only that thy will may be performed in all and by all creatures; by which means it retaineth true peace in all that happeneth. O give me this ●hy love which worketh such wonderful effects in an humble soul! Give it to me, and I will ask thee no more. Let it possess my soul, that nothing but thyself may be loved, or desired by me. Can thy Goodness find in thy hart to see me thus languishing for want of thy love, seeking myself in all things, and not being able out of true love to suffer any thing? It is true tho● hast made my soul to loathe all created things, and hast showed me most plainly that all is vanity and affliction of spirit, save to love thee, and that nothing is permanent under the Sun, ●and that vain and inconstant is every creature living, so that 〈◊〉 cannot, me thinks if I would (so am I held by thee) desire the friendship, or favour of any creature; but this is not sufficient for me; an● therefore take pity on me begging and beseeching grace, and mercy o● thee; It sufficeth not me that my sou● refuseth to be comforted, but I mus● also remember my God, that with his love my soul may be inflamed. Art thou ignorant that my soul having had through thy sweet Mercy, a taste of thee, cannot find comfort in any thing but in enjoying of thee? O no, this is as all other things are, most manifest to thee; and if thou wouldst not have had me thus for love to importune thee, thou wouldst not have made me incapable of being satisfied without thee; This which I say, I do not speak of presumption, but out of the urgent desire of my hart, ●hich hath resolved to convert itself wholly to thee; thou who didst bid me to ask, hast promised I shall releave; thou who didst bid me knock, ●ast promised it shall in time convenient be opened to me● which ●owre, O my Lord, when shall it be, ●hat without ceasing I may praise ●hee, and never any more offend thee? still which be granted me, I will sigh ●fter thee, and in my hart in the bitterness of my soul, I will call upon ●hee; and sometimes I will also being enabled, and invited thereunto by thee, sing love songs to my wellbeloved, who is ever within the hearing of me● For thou art not like the lover's o● this world (upon whom that love yet which is only due to thee is often bestowed) here to day and ● far off to morrow: No, no, thus i● is not between thee and thy lovers. Fo● though thou triest them, that thei● love may become more pure, ye● thou, seeing them begin to fail vn●der their burden, dost quickly ca●● thine eyes upon them, and with t●● sweet dew of thy Grace refreshe● them, that by these changes thei● love may grow more strong, and b● firmly established in thee, who ar● that only thing which is only neces●sary for me, and which only I re●quire of thee. Let this thy love wor● in and by me, because thou rewarde● no works but thine own, and let m● love thee, as thou wouldst be belous by me, I cannot tell how much lo●● I would have of thee, because I woul● love thee beyond all that can be ima●gined, or desired by me; be thou in this as in all other things, my chooser for me, who art my only choice, most dear to me; 
Pas. 86. 3.  Glorious things are said of thee my Lord and God, the most absolute, and amiable beauty; the more I shall love thee, the more will my soul desire thee, and to suffer for thee. Let me love thee for thyself, and not any thing instead of thee; and let my whole substance by thy love, and Praise be consumed in me, that I may return pure unto thee, who be by all in Heaven, and Earth blessed and loved for ever and ever. Amen.   

THE XXIX. CONFESSION.  
O My God, my only beloved; me thinks I hear thee sweetly checking my soul with these words; (when under what pretence soever) I pretend by my care, or unreasonable solicitude, that more than One thing is necessary to my soul, thereby falling into that multiplicity whic● is so apt to dim, and obscure our soul, and so contrary to a pure tending to Thee our only good, and to a removing of all impediments between our souls and thee by transcending all created things whatsoever) these words I say) thou often speakest to my hart; 
Luk 24..  Quem quaeris mulier, viventem cum mortuis? Whom dost thou seek woman, one living amongst the dead? But Lord I answer t●ee now in all desire, and humility of hart, that I seek nothing but thy self, no gift, no comfort, or sweetness; no friends but thyself, and thy heavenly citizens; no power but of wishing that thy will may be my law; no honour but thine? no consolation but that I may in solitude, and silence all the days of my li●e be able to live without all consolation human, or divine, no recreation by conversation, or other business, or employments, but so far as it is necessary to bear up my spirit to attend unto t●ee more seriously at convenient times, and rather let all necessary distraction, by help of thy Grace serve, as a mere cessation; then by the least affection to them, or comfort in them, they should become an impediment to my aspiring to thee. For this is a rule thou know'st hath been gruen me by a faithful servant of thy divine Majesty, 
R. F. Baker  who indeed gave me most general instructions, that we might not be ●yed to him, or any other creature, but might being left more free to thee, fly the more freely with wings of Divine love, 
☜  which carrieth a soul even in human flesh above all that is not thy very self; of such force is thy Grace concurring with our will, which is by nature capable of an infinite extent towards thee, when as it neither seeketh, intendeth, desireth, willeth, nor resteth in any ●hing●, but the●; T●is (I say) was his general rule that if we did not do ●hings with affection, they would cause us no hurtful distraction, which grant may be so unto me I beseech thee, 
☜  who am not able without much, and often diverting my ind to indifferent things, to attend to thee in my soul at other fitting times, and this by reason of my great weakness of body and head. Let all this imperfection in me, humble me and let it be no impediment to my truly loving, serving, praising thee, and adhering only to thee, which is my only desire by all I do● or omit. Let not my gre●uous sins passed, or present too much deject, or trouble me; but let them serve to humble my soul, and be a means totally to subect it to thee and all others, so far as it is thy will it should be. Let me praise thee in all, whose providence, and care hath been so infinite great towards me thy most contemptible creature, the which verily I may, and must confess, and acknowledge to thee most particularly in this, that thou hast so particularly, and plainly as thou hast done for my humiliation, discovered my sins unto me, whereby I might know and confess my● obligation to thee; and ●ith all compassion on the sins, and imperfections of others, which they also are permitted to fall into, that rising up, their love may be the greater, when they remember it before thee; And this I may add to thy greater glory, that thou didst reserve this knowledge of my sinful, and miserable state from me till by means of thy said servant, 
V. F Baker  I was put into the way of love, and aspiring to thee; for else it would have wholly dejected, and overwhelmed me be thou by all glorified and Praised for thy Mercies to me. Amen.   

THE XXX. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord God, to and before whom only, I de●ire to pour out my hart, and the desires, affec●tions, and afflictions thereof! For thy own sake forsake not me who desireth to leave all for thee. If thou wilt thou can●t save me. Though I have never to my knowledge done any thing that deserveth any grace, or favour before thee, yet merely out of thine own goodness forgive me my sins, and have mercy on me. Let thy Mercy which without any desert of mine prevented me, bring me to thee. Let nothing for time, or eternity but thy self be desired by me. Let not my soul loose, it-self by resting in any thing but thee. Let me take com●ort in hearing of thee; and let all inordinate love to creatures be rooted out of my hart by thee. Thou know'st for that which is past, I am heartily sorry, and it often draweth tears from mine eyes to think that their love should have been more strong and powerful in me, than that sweet love of thine is now, which challengeth so full, and whole possession of my hart; and soul by so many titles which none can deny to thee. Take it now therefore wholly to thy-self, and ler me rather cease to be, then to give any part to any, but as it shall be distributed by thine own sef; thy friends only shall be mine, that in fine I may have only thee for my friend above all friends; take from me of them thou givest me as it best pleases thee. For so I shall come to love all in thee, 
☜  and yet they will be, as if they were not, as to any impediment to my being united to thee. Let me without ceasing aspire by love unto thee that I may be lifted above myself and all created things, so to be pure, and free unto thee. Amen.   

THE XXXI. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord, when I remember my innumerable sins, it seemeth not much to me that I sustain these things both without and within. But yet my dear God I may speak to thee (in the bitterness of my soul) who art my only refuge, and comfort in affliction, and say, that thou seemest to me to shut up all hope of means to help myself, by some things which I already do, and more am like hereafter to sustain; Of whom should I beg help but of thee, or strength to bear this to thy honour with conformity to thy blessed will? Who can bestow this on me but thy-self? Thou know'st that since I gave my-sef to a serious tending to thee, 
☞  I never desired the friendship or favour of any creature living. Nay, (to thy honour I speak it) thou many times, and several ways showed me so plainly the vncertain●y, instability, and changeableness of all created things, that my soul even loatheth the favour of any how good soever, neither do I wonder to see those whom to day upon occasion I am resolute I may be confident in, to morrow be in an humour of interpreting all I have done, or said in another sense then indeed I meant it. This indeed thou permittest to the end we may trust in thee alone, adhere to thee alone, and for to purge our souls of the interest, which nature getteth even in the actions which we do with best intention. Thou know●t I nei●her desire nor pretend any thing, but do wish with all my soul that thy Will be perfectly accomplished, and take this answer from thee (which I shall anon recite) when I am too solicitous of my own good, or too much troubled with the prejudice, or affliction of those thy servants with whom I (most unworthy ●inner) live, who are in thee all without exception most dearly beloved by me, with this answer following of thine, I am (I say) put in mind of my dury, where thou sayest; Quid ad ●e? tu me sequere; 
Io 21. 22.  What is that to thee, do thou follow me; And I answer thee my Lord, that as for me, it is good for me to adhere to thee, who art that One thing, which is only necessary. Thou alone suffisest me, and all things bu● thy-self shall be to me, as if they were not, that I may ●ind and enjoy thee, a●ter whom my soul doth pant and sigh without ceasing, longing after t●ee with all my forces, who art my all and only good. No rhirst in any though never so weary and tired, can be so great for want of that which naturally quencheth our thirst when we pant, and are dry with heat and thirst, as is the thirst which my soul doth sustain sighing, and panting after thee the living fountain, which yet I cannot enjoy, till my soul be set free from this corruptible flesh, but the more I sigh, the more I am delighted to sigh after thee, whom I would so fain enjoy, The more I love, the more I am yet able farther to love thee; the more I deny myself, the mor● sweet it be. cometh to me to suffer for thee the only beloved of my soul. Woe is me that ever I offended such a good●nes as art thou my God Certainly my sins deserve to be punished in an extraordinary manner, because I committed them more wilfully then ordinary. Such was the carefulness of thy servant my natural father, who was so careful that I should be kept out of all occasions of sin, that I might (considering the nature also which thou gavest me) have lived very innocently; But what through my greater fault, and negligence is due to me for my sins, be, it supplied by the superaboundance of thy Mercy, which I will from henceforth with all my forces extol; and I beseech thee remember thy true servant my said Father, who through his care prevented my further evil; 
V. F. Baker  and also I offer to ●hee him whose happy instructions hath made thy yoke s● s●eet, and thy burden so light to me, who as thou know'st found it so grievous and heavy before I took my instructions from him, that I was weary of the yoke, and despaired ever to bear thy burden with any comfort or quiet, whereas afterward being put into a course of Prayer and Mortification by h●m, my greatest obligations seemed to be most most desirable burdens, for all thy benefits be thou by all praised for ever. Amen.   

THE XXXII. CONFESSION.  
MAy I ask thy Majesty this question, being not worthy so much as to name or think upon thee; May I (I say) ask thee, how it is possible that thou canst find in thy hart thus to heap benefits upon the most unworthy, ungreatful, and contemptible of all thy creatures? Is there any sin that I have not commited, at least by my will? Yea verily so great, and numberless do my ●ins, and imperfections appear to me that I never read, or heard of any, whose sins (for one reason, or other) could be compared to mine. Shall not therefore my soul praise my God? Can any wonder to see me in all occasions fly to thee, and speak to thee, wh● haste without any the least desert on my part thus sweetly with thy Grace prevented me, and not only averted my will from all that displeaseth thee, but also drawn me so forcible to desire only thee, that my soul even loatheth all that may any way hinder it from truly adhering to thee; and such an inclination hath my will continually towards th●e, that it cannot endure to rest in any thing but thee alone; I would have thee alone; I desire to love; and seek thee, esteeming all gifts, 
☜  and graces so much, and no more, as they may and do enable me to rest only in the● which grant I may ever do for thy own sake, who art goodness itself, and who be ever blessed; Amen.   

THE XXXIII. CONFESSION.  
O Thou who despisest not any in grief, and misery flying to thee; hear and help me in that which is sustained by me, to whom should I fly but to thee? If I had or desired to have any friends besides thee, thou mightst bid me go unto them, and speak to them to help me, But as it is, all having forsaken me, and I all for th●e; behold I come unto thee, not as one, who thinketh herself any way to deserve to be beheld, or heard of thee, but as one who hath no other refuge besides thee. Thy mercy, which infinity surpasses my sins, inviteth me hourly to come confidently to thee; These therefore are thy words, with which thou art most willing to be challenged by thy poor servants, who by reason of their great frailty and weakness may allege them in their necessities and want of help in whic● they are, to thee I say who speake●● them for our help and comfort; No● vos relinquam orpha●os; Petite & ac●pietis, ut gaudium vestrum sit plenu● Paraclitus docebit vos omnia. 
Io 14. 18.  Si quis ●i●ligit me, sermonem meum seruabit, & ●at●r meus diliget eum, & ad cum v●niemus, & mansionem apud eum fac●mus. I will not leave you orphans; A● and you shall receive, that your joy may ●ful. The Holy Ghost will teach you ● things. If any love me he will keep m● word, and my Father will love him, and ● will come to him, and will make our mansion with him: If thou wilt be our Father what cause have we to complain though we be despised, and forsaken, yea and traoden down by the whole world? But as for me I shall never be weary of saying; it is good to adhere to my Lord God; This I will ask; this I will beg even for thy own Jake, that thou wilt be my helper, defender, and refuge in all my necessities, and do not for ever ●orsak her who is so poor, and frail of her-sef, that she hath nothing of her own doing, or suffering wherein she can glory, or confide. If thou wilt not forsake me, I shall be sa●e; If thou leave me to myself, nothing can I expect, but utterly to perish. Let me observe all thou exacteth of me, out of pure and sincere love neither desiring, 
☜  no nor so much, as reflecting upon other reward, then that I may be so happy, as in all things to be conformable to thy holy wil It is a sufficient comfort even of it-self, to be tied, and bound to thee by the obligation of vows, and to serve thee for love, and to endeavourin all to be so subject to thee, as if it were not in our power to will, or desire any thing whatsoever. In this lieth hidden a most sweet, and peaceable life, even amidst the various changes and alterations which this our banishment daily experienceth, which is truly termed a warfare; in which sometimes we overcome by thy assisting grace, and sometimes we are vanquished by our enemies the world● the flesh, and the devil, the which gives us occasion to acknowledge justly before thee daily our exceeding great frailty. But this in my daily combats is my comfort, that my Lord and love, my only beloved and most dearly desired Lord my God, a●ter whom I thirst, and languish, seeth and beholdeth me, and is nee● to be called upon in this my necessity. For as he loveth those that fight with great couradg, and strength, so he despiseth not his little children, to whom gnats and flies seem so great enemies (for so I may term my little sufferings if I compare them to those of his strong and faihful servants, which without changing their countenance they most couradgiously endure, yea even before my face) that we weep and hide our faces in his boosom, to avoid the biting, and stinging of so small adversities. This, my God, is my case; help, and assist me that I may be daily more strengthened, and confirmed in thee, that at last I may be that in all things thou wouldst have me ●o be. Amen.   

THE XXXIV. CONFESSION.  
BEatus homo quem tu erudieris Domine, & de lege tua docueris eum. 
Psal. 93 1●, 17.  Nisi quia Dominus adiwit me, paulo minus habitasset in inferno anima mea. Blessed is the man, whom thou shalt teach O Lord, and shalt instruct him in thy law? Unless God had helped me within very little my soul had dwelled in hell. This is my solace in sorrows, and my refreshment in labours to call upon my God and to write unto him, so that when my soul groweth more heavy, and dull, I may in that case read in my own writings as in a book, the mercies of my Lord showed unto me, thereby to raise up my soul to a sweeter remembrance of him, whom my hart desire thin all and above all to love, and enjoy. We may I confess being taught this my lesson by thee, that if thou hadst not most powerfully holpen and delivered me my soul had dwelled in hel● where it might most justly have no● been, if thy mere Mercy had not hitherto delivered me, which continue to do, my Lord, I most humbly beseech thee. For as it is said in the Psalm, unless thou O Lord, keep my soul, in vain is my labour in defending it. Who therefore can blame me flying unto thee, or for having in all things relation to my God my mercy so that if I at any time grow slack in flying to him, or in calling upon hi● in my doubts and miseries, this which I now write lying by me, and often being looked upon by me, may be a means to put me in mind of his former mercy, which hath been so great to me, that it cannot possibly be expressed; and whatsoever hereafter becometh of me, be the fault wholly attributed to me; for nothing hath my Lord God left undone, which might win me wholly to himself, and make me despise myself and all created things for his love. For when I sinned, he recalled me, and forsook me not in that my misery of offending such an infinite goodness, so shamefully, and that also after my entry into Religion, the happiness and worth whereof I did not yet know by which means I grew weary of bearing therein his sweet yoke and light burden, the which is heavy only through our fault, and not of it-self. Through which default, and ignorance of mine it grew so grievous and intolerable to me, that I wished often it might have been shaken of lawfully by me, pretending it was so incompatible with my good, that I could scarcely work my salvation in this my state and Profession. This, my God thou art witness of is true, 
☞  and so it did continue with me above two years after I had in show forsaken the world, and the world, indeed forsaken me, but did my Lord in these biter afflictions forsake me? No, no, but he provided such a help for me by means of a faithful servant of his that quickly was my sorrow turned into joy, yea into such an unspeakable joy, that it hath sweetened all the sorrows which since that time have befallen me. For as soon as my soul was set in a way of tending to my God by Prayer, and Ab●egation, I found all my miseries presently disperse themselves and come to nothing; yea even in five weeks my soul became so enamoured with the yoke of this my dear Lord, that if I must have made not only four, but four thousands vows to have become wholly dedicated to him, 
☞  I should have embraced this state with more joy, and content, then ever I did find in obtaining that which ever I most of all wished, or desired; yea and as thou know'st my God, by my souls being put into a course of prayer, I seemed to have now found a true means whereby I might love without end, or measure, and that without any peril, or danger. For who can love thee, 
☜  my God, too much? O let me melt wholly into love, to record these thy most abundant Mercies? Let me never be weary of singing thy Praise, who thus hast invited and drawn me (even whither I would or no) to a perfect contempt of all created things, that I may adhere to thee above all gifts whatsoever. This I do so particularly write down, because my frailty is so great, that I may perhaps grow unmindful of thee, notwithstanding all this that thou hast done for me, which I beseech thee for thine own sake never permit me to be, that I may praise and love thee without ceasing, who art my God blessed for ever and ever. Amen.   

THE XXXV. CONFESSION.  

Io. 3. 21.  QVi facit veritatem● venit ad lucem, ut manifestentur opera eius quae in Deo sunt facta. O Lord what is more amiable, and desirable than Truth. That is it which powerfully prevaileth in all things, and no wonder, seeing thou art Truth. Well may Truth be oppressed, 
☞  thou permitting it, but suppressed it-self can never be, because as thou sayest, heaven and earth shall fail; but thy word shall not fail. He that loveth verity, and doth desi● to live to thee cometh to the light? And what is this light? Is it not thy-self my God? Yes verily. For in thy light only can we see light. By faith we are made capable, or disposed for this light. For as thou sayest; My just liveth by faith. 
Rom. 1.17.  By this light we are strengthened in hope, and inflamed in charity, and by approaching to the●, who artour true light and life, we obtain a light which teacheth us to do our works in thee, and for thee. In his light we discover our own nothing, ●nd perceive we are poor, and frail of ourselves above all we can imagine, ● conceive; and by it we plainly perceive, that whatsoever is well ●one by us, is as truly to be attributed to thee, as if it had been done without any concurrence of ours ●ith thee; and that it is as just our ●ill should in all things obey thee, ●nd that without any challenging ●f reward ●or it of thee (but only so ●r as it is due by thy mere promised ●ercy) as it is certain, that without ●ee we could neither live, nor be. also in this light we see in some sort as it were in a looking glass) how ●reat, and good a God we have, and ●●at he is more present to us then ●e are to ourselves, which maketh ●y soul exult and rejoice amidst ●●e troubles, tumults, and various changes which the difficulty of passions, and cross actions, and the ●●stability of ●uman, and transitory things daily and hourly cause 〈◊〉 my soul. For who can mourn for want of a friend, who hath her only friend always present with her? 
☞  who can choose but hope seeing he is her helper, for whose love, she fighteth against flesh and blood, yea and against the power of darkness? But how doth she fight? Not as one confiding in her own strength, but in his help, whose love hath made her proclaim war with all that would hinder her from being true to this her only beloved. To those that love, what can be wanting, seeing love is able to sweeten all labours, and lighten all burdens? As for me therefore I will sing without ceasing in my hart; It is good for me to adhere to my God, and to put my whole trust in him, 
Psal. 72.  For vain is the help of man. After him I will sigh; to him I will sing. For my offences I will weep, and humble myself at the feet of all creatures, because nothing pleaseth him so well, as humibity; and I will approach to my God, and walk solicitous with him; Of him I will write, and I will not depart from him● lest darkness, and the shadow of death do apprehend my sinful foul. He shall be my God, who am his unworthiest creature, that so no evil may have power over me. I will long, my Lord, to be dissolved, and that I may more fully, and perfectly enjoy the●, and never any more offend thee, who art so worthy of all Praise, Glory, Honour, and Adoration for ever. Amen.   

THE XXXVI. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord, to thee I will speak, to whom yet the secrets of my hart are otherwise most clearly, manifest; To thee I will speak, and upon thee I will call. If thou wilt my Lord thou canst save me. This day my Lord God; it is read of thee in the holy Church, 
Mat. 9.3.  that thou didst heal the man sick of the Palsy. Let me also find grace before thee, that my diseases may by thee be cured, that so I may become pleasing to thee. For the diseases of the mind in which I languish are much more grievous than those of the body. For these make us but ungratful to men, but the other make us displeasing in thine eyes. But thy goodness as it is seen in this example together with the cure of the one, did also use to grant pardon for the other. For thou didst say to him; Thy sins are forgiven thee; by w●ich he became cured in body, and soul. This thy mercy I remember with great joy, and comfort, and falling down at thy feet my Lord, I beg of thee, that thou wilt be merciful to me a sinner for thy own sake, and say unto my soul; Thy sins are forgiven t●ee; and grant that I may now begin to live to thee, that so by thy grace all impediments may be removed, which hinder me from loving thee, as thou wouldst be loved by me, whic● is all I wish, or desire. To this end, I fly to thee; to this end I sigh after thee, only wishing and desiirng that in all things, thy holy will may be perfectly accomplished in me for time, and eternity. If I should not hourly approach to thee, who art the only true light, darkness, and the shadow of death would overwhelm me, and make me uncapable of this thy light, which leadeth to the true love of thee. O how happy were I, if I could truly say; Anima mea in manibus meis semper, My soul in my hands always, that so my soul might truly hear, and follow what my Lord speaketh to my hart For thy words ate works! O give me a true contempt of my●sef, that I may die to all that the world esteemeth, or desireth! For I find where I seek myself, there I am caught as it were in a snare, and where I for●ake myself, there I become more, and more capable of that true liberty of spirit, which carrieth the soul above itself and all created things, that i● may more perfectly be united to thee. For this is thy will, that by true Abnegation in all things both external, and internal, and by a total subjection to thee, both as concerning ourselves and all others in any thing that can be wished by us, we should enjoy a certain divine heavenly peace amidst the crosses, passiôs, contradictions, andmutabilities which are incident to our life in this warfare of ours. For the more sound a soul is in the practice of this doctrine of thine, 
☞  of denying herself in all, and following thee by proposing no other end to herself in any thing, but thyself alone, 
☞  the more she getteth, as I may say, her soul into her hands, and the less she is moved in all things that happen either without her, or within her. For she seeth, and knoweth that such have ever been thy practice, and permissions about crosses, and difficulties falling upon souls, which was and is, with and for this intention of thine, that they of necessity must suffer, and thereby become disposed and in some sort worthy for to enter into thy Kingdom; Neither doth the soul that attendeth to thee wonder at cross accidents nor at the ways, or means by which they fall upon her, but in all of them she confideth in thee, that they shall all turn to her greatest good. And as for the faults which she comitteth, she humbleth herself, hoping still more and more in thy merci●ful forgiveness, and assistance. It is not strange to her to see so many and different opinions of all men concerning the use of matters and things that of themselves are indifferent; but remembering that as S. Paul saith; 
Rom. 1 ●●. 5.  Every man aboundeth in his own sense, she adhereth to thee, who art still the same, and hath relation to thee in all she doth or omitteth; By which means thou teachest her (seeking simply thine honour in all things) where, when, in what manner, 
☜  and of whom she shall ask in doubtful cases. For it is all one to her, O my God (If thou require it) to be resolved by another, or by thyself; But indeed in the way of Abnegation questions are rare, 
☜  and to go forth questioning without thy sending, is but a mere immortification, and doth entangle the soul, and bring her into inconveniences incomprehensible; and for such doing, when we so do, we cannot pass without a bitter check for it in our interior by thy divine Majesty, as thou know'st, my good Lord, my soul hath experienced. For those souls that thou leadest by the way of love of them I say, thou exactest, that they should make their moan, only to thee, thou having as it were given them a pledge that thou wilt become all in all, and above all to them, if they will but remain faithful to thee. Also they so little desire or esteem any graces, comforts, or favours which can be granted, 
☞  or bestowed upon them (but only so far as they are merely necessary to maintain them in grace, and favour in thee, and only as they are thought fit for them by thee (whom they de●ire to be gratful to for all thy benefits) that they never desire them, but wish rather to adhere to thee by pure faith, 
☞  that they may become thereby the more dear and pleasing to thee. For a as, my Lord God, what is all thou canst give to a loving soul who sigheth and panteth after thee alone, and esteemeth all things as dung, that she may gain thee? What is all, I say, whilst thou givest not thy-f●lf, who art that one thing which is only necessary and which alone can satisfy our souls. Was it any comfort to St Mary Magdalen, when she sought the●, to find two Angels, which presented themselves instead of tbee? verily, I cannot think it was any joy unto her. For that soul that hath set her whole love and desire on thee, can never find any true satisfaction, but only in thee. Yea comforts granted by thee make the soul become afraid, least th●t by them she should the less ●a thfully serve thee; and so far as it may stand with thy will, considering my extraordinary frailty, I had rather serve thee without consolation, then to find, or feel that which may make me esteem any thing of myself, or hinder me from resting only in thee, who ar● my God, and all my desire for ever. Amen.   

THE XXXVII. CONFESSION.  
THis day, my L●rd, it is read in the Gospel of our Office, that thou didst send thy servants into the lanes for the poor, lame, blind, and deformed, to compel them to en●ter and taste of thy supper, the which thy Mercy did so particularly extend itself to me, that with great joy and comfort I hear it read, and with exceeding desire of gratitude, I recount it here in the sight of thy divine Majesty. For first, who could be more deformed in body and soul than I? and yet thou didst not despise me; and Secondly, who could have less desire to enter into holy Religion, which is the place where we may most abundantly taste and see, how sweet our Lord is, than my frozen and stupid soul? And yet thy Goodness compelled me to enter. O who will give me power, and ability sufficiently to extol thy most a boundant Mercy, which in this and all other things thy sweet Goodness hath showed towards me! Blessed infinitely be my Lord by all his creatures, My only study shall be to praise thee, and my only desire that I may be faithful in all crosses, and miseries to thee my only beloved. Let thy Grace flow I beseech thee upon thy servant, who with so much care, pains, and solicitud, for thy sake endeavoured to win my hart wholly to thee. Remember him unto good according to all he hath done for me; 
V F. Baker  He hath truly made me to see and feel (though through my great fault, and ignorance I before thought otherwise) that thy yoke is sweet and thy burden light, which now I shall al●o being convinced by experience, acknowledge before heaven and earth to thine honour and my confusion, who durst presume to think otherwise. Pardon, I beseech thee therefore for thin● own sake, this my sin among the rest which are innumerable; and let me hereafter be a true servant and child of thine, ●ho be blessed by all, for ever, and ever. Amen.   

THE XXXVIII. CONFESSION  

1 Thes. 5. 17.  SEmper gaudete, sine intermissione orate. Always rejoice, Pray without ceasing. O my Lord and my God; They that truly love thee, may indeed justly always rejoice, and without intermission praise thee! But I that daily and hourly offend thy divino Majesty ought to weep and lament my sins bitterly, sitting solitary and making my moan to thee my God, who art only able to help and comfort me in this misery.  
O when shall I become truly humble! Teach me Humility, Obedience, and Patience, enlighten my soul, obscured by my pride, and other sins, that I may love thy Law, and humbly embrace thy blessed will in all things. O let me be truly subject to thee, as thou wouldst have me, and even to all others also● as it is exacted by thee of me! Woe be to my soul, if daily it become not more and more obedient ro t●ee, and to others for thee. Give me true Discretion. For no virtue hath more of virtue in it, than it partaketh o● this divine virtue. Give me true Wisdom, which maketh souls so pleasing to thee, and which thou impartest to the humble, and those that serve thee for love, and that seek thee above all gifts and created things whatsoever. O love, love, flow into my soul, that I may sigh and pant after my God alone, and praise this my beloved for all eternity. Amen.   

THE XXXIX. CONFESSION.  
O Deus meus, quis similis tibi! O my God who is like to thee! Who will give m● that without ceasing● may adhere to thee, and with an amorous aspect, regard thee in all things, not seeking myself nor the pleasing of any creature for itself, in any thing I, do or omit?  

jer. 12 11.  Desolatione desolata est omnis terra; quia nullus est qui recogiter cord. With desolation all the land is made desolate, Because there is none who considereth in the hart. O my God, what wonder is it that we live in blindness, if we come not to thee who art the only true light? What do we with souls, and hearts capable of love, if we do not by them aspire to thee, with all our strength, and adhere to thee, the only true and perfect good? What is sweet, what is to be desired, but thee, my Lord, who art beauty itself? What couldst thou do more than make out souls to thine own image and likeness, and able ●o be satisfied with nothing but thyself? O misery, of all miseries the greatest, that thou shouldst be offended, and forgotten by us, and that any thing should possess our souls besides thy love, which only can make us happy, and pleasing in thine eyes. Woe is me, who have strayed from the fountain of living water, by which my ●oul is dried up, and even withereth away in thirst after transitory things. Change this my thirst by thy●weet ●weet grace and Mercy to a thirsting after thee my God, the glory of my hart, and the peace and comfort of my soul. O let me love, or not live; and let me in all, by all, and above all praise thee, who art blessed for all eternity. Amen.   

THE XL. CONFESSION.  
MY soul bless thou our Lord, and all things within me his holy name. 
Psal. 102. 1.  All spirits praise my God, for ever and ever magnify him.  
I will declare to thee my God in all things, how it stands with me, that I may hope and be strengthened in and by thee. I will beg what is necessary for me to please and serve thee. For what canst thou deny to them, who have no hope or comfort, but only in thee. He who giveth himself, giveth all; and when thou deniest what we ask, it is that thou mayst give t●● own self more fully to us thy poor servants, and that impediments may be the more truly removed between our souls and thee.  
Simplify my soul that it may return to thee; adorn me with ●●ine own merits, that I may not appear naked of good before thee, and supply my defect in praising and lou●ng thee. To thee my God, all my interior powers shall aspire day, and night without ceasing. Let me draw no breath but thereby to sigh and pant after thee the living fountain. Let all actions which by Obedience, or necessity be imposed on me, be undertaken, and done by me with an in●erior regard of thee, that I may truly in them obey and seek thee, the most amiable beloved of my hart and soul; let them be as a cessation, or pausing for the time, that I may afterward with the more force and savour at times convenient attend to thee in the bottom of my soul, and therein praise thee. Amen.   

THE XLI. CONFESSION.  
COme all ye that have vowed your bodies, and souls to our Lord, Come let us love. Let us give all not only once, but every moment to him, that made us to bestow on us himself. Let us not only love, but be wholly transformed into the divine love. Let us live to him ●lone, leaving all others for his sake only. Let us charitably interpret the words and deeds of those with whom we live; and if any fa●l in that which he ought to perform, give us grace, my God, 
☜  to remember how weak human nature is for good, and how great is our frailty as to a sin, and how soon we also (if thou didst not protect us) might fail in a more shameful manner. O my God, thou hast commanded us to love our neighbour as ourselves, and behold we either, love them inordinately to our impediment of loving thee, or else we are short towards them of ●rue Charity. From both these errors deliver the soul of thy poor servant, and grant me to love all as t●ou wouldst have me. Let no difficulties they cause to me, make me in them the less to behold and consider thee. Verily, if there were no other reward to be given to those who for thy sake requite evil with good, than the true peace which they find in their souls by it, it were most worthy our labour. But thou, my Lord, reservest great reward in the next life for those, who for bitterness caused to them by others, do return sweetness unto ●hem; yea nothing is more pleasing, and acceptable to thee, then that we by humility and patience do pacify those who are offended with us. But alas my God, I will speak, and will not be silent in the ears of my Lord, and with tears in mine eyes will bewail my sins, and offences. I ●now there is no more true love in our souls to our neighbours, than we are dead to ourselves, and live unto thee. What therefore can I think of my poor soul, so barren of all true virtue? If I love thy very-self so little, as indeed I do, where wilt thou●ind ●ind in me, that Charity which by thy law I owe for thee towards them? Verily, when I consider how destitute I am of all that might make, me pleasing in thine eyes, I cannot but tremble, and fear. Yet again taking hart, remembering thy Mercy towards me, I find I have cause of hope, thou being goodness itself, whose nature is to desire to impart it-self; which if thou wilt be pleased to do to my poor soul, I shall notwithstanding all my sins become yet in thee and by thee most happy; towards which I beseech thee grant me grace to dispose myself for thy only honour, who be Blessed for ever. Amen.   

THE XLII. CONFESSION.  
O Lord my God, what Mercy art thou pleased to show to my sinful soul? Is it possible after so many abominable offences that thou shouldst thus particularly favour me? If it were ever possible to be lawful for thy creatures to exclaim against thee and tax thee o● injustice, it might be admitted them in this thou hast done and dost ●or me, the most sinnful and most contemptible of all thy Majesty's creatures. If ● had ever don● any good they perhaps would not wonder at the●; but as it is, the● cannot but at least admire thy infinite sweetness and Mercy. For what sin is there I have not commited, at least by my wil But the greater thy Merc● the more I hope the honour and praise will be which thy servant will yield to t●ee for it●; and do th●● thyself, I beseech the●, supply ou● defect in this and all other things, so that perfect praise may be yielded to thee in all and by all for ever and ever. Amen.   

THE XLIII. CONFESSION.  
LOrd, with great joy I desire to celebrat this divine Solemnity of thy Resurrection. Thou hast showed thy-self in all forms, so that the weakest capacities might in some sort apprehend thee who art incomprehensible. Thou appearedst a child, that thy little ones might conceive more easily some things that might move them to love thee, and being as it is were astonished at t●y love towards us, and at thy infinite humility, we might thirst after thy example, and love only thee. For all thou hast done, or said, is for our comfort and instruction. What hast thou left undone, which might any way further our good, if we would but concur with thy Grace; But we streying from thee, how can we choose but be blind. For only in thy light can we see and discern that which only importeth us to see and know, to wit, to know thee, thereby to love thee, and to know ourselves, thereby to hum●ble us in all things before thy Divine Majesty. For nothing but true Humility can make us gracious in thine eyes. So much as we truly humble ourselves, so much, and no more, do we increase in our love to thee. O how peaceful amidst all storms is the souls of the humble? how favoured by thee, though they be despised by the whole world. They are indeed often neglected by men; but most conversant with thee and thine Angels and Saints in heaven. Never was there ever such acquaintance, love, and friendship, between any in this world, as there is between thy Goodness and an humble soul, that seeketh thee above all graces and gifts whatsoever, and transcendeth all created things, that she may adhere to thee in the bottom of her soul. Verily it is so strange, that it putteth the heavenly Court into admiration, that we that have dedicated our souls wholly to thee, should love, seek, or desire any thing besides thee. But alas human frailty, as they well know, is very great, and therefore they also cannot choos but pity and pray for us; and especially we women, silly to all things that this ●orld admires, and therefore most contemptible of all creatures, if we do not labour for the love of thee, ● the which to do, thou dost as willingly enable us as thou dost the wise of the world, if we hinder not thy grace who despisest not any thing thou hast made. How much are we to be therefore blamed and condemned if we labour not, I say, for thy love? 
☜  Yea to show thy power thou hast been pleased many times to bring a silly woman, loving thee, to that wisdom that no creature by wit or industry could attain to the same. But where my Lord have these thy Spouses in these days placed there hearts? Where, I say, seeing they seek, and desire so much the ●auour and praise of the world, to have the friendship of men, and by letters and token's to draw their hearts from thee unto them, notwithstanding (as good reason) it prospereth not with us in such doing; for they by this means seeing our defect in loving thee, cannot confide in them, who are not true to thee; but contrary compare us to those, who proffer love to all, and yet, as we ought for thee, love none. O Lord remove these scandals from thy Church; Let us, though we cannot serve thee, in great matters, yet let us, I say, have no ●arts but to love thee, no tongues but to praise thee, nor eyes but to behold thy creatures, as things inviting our souls to loue● sigh, pant, and ●uen languish after t●ee; No ears but to hear what is thy will; and in fine not to live but in, and for t●ee, and for thy love to be subject to every human creature, as far as it is exacted of us by thee. Give that humility which by thy blessed Apostle Saint Paul thou requirest in us, that I may willingly submit myself to the power of Superiors set over me by ●hee. It is true I see and hear daily, ●hat scandals, what discorders, and ●hat confusions arise in Communities for want o● due submission in subjects to their Superiors; but alas, my God certainly a chief cause thereof is (at least in many who have good wills) because thy are not taught to obey t●ee interiorly in their souls, out of which it would prove easy to them to obey exteriorly, whereas now it seems a burden intolerable; and forsooth under pretence of greater perfection, 
☜  we often fall in● to open rebellion. Surely this was not the practice of Saints, who yet sound often great opposition and mortification by means of Superiors, which they bearing patiently and obeying still out of an internal●egard ●egard of thee in their souls, all turned to their greater advancement in ●hy love; and their Superiors at last ●y thy help concurred to that which ●hey desired, so far as it was thy will, who, hast disposed of all things in order and justice, and nothing can be well done but that we do out of an internal light from thee and out of obedience to thee, to whom obedience is due in all things whatsoever. Thou hast set an order in all things, and every thing as it is ordained by thee, will concur to a most heavenly harmony; but corrupting thy meaning, all things are out of order, and peace on all sides is disturbed. O how happy are they, whose souls are in a right way to hear and follow thy will, and who do nothing without consulting with thee in their soul, giving that to God which is only Gods own, and to Caesar that which is due to Caesar for God? for both these obediences are necessary to make a true spiritual life. For in vain do we give to thee, if we deny Obedience to them who are set over us by thee; and also in vain is it to please and have the favour of our Superiors, if we internally neglect to have in all things relation to thee; from both these errors deliver me, 
☜  I beseech thee, that my soul may be a peaceful habitation for thee. Let me humbly behave myself towards all; and let me not measure my case before thee by the opinion my Superiors and Sisters have of me, for they may applaud me, and yet it may stand i'll with me before thee; and they may take all in another worse sense than thou know'st I meant it, and that justly, and yet it may go well between thy goodness and me through thy abound Mercy.   

THE XLIV. CONFESSION.  
O How happy are those souls who love nothing but thee? Verily there is so little stability in all things but in thee, that it is a strange thing that we should live so miserable lives thou offering us a most peaceful and quiet life, if we would but seek thee alone, who art more present to us, than we are to ourselves; and by thee our soul doth live, more than our body doth by our soul; Those that possess thee have all things, and those who want thee, if they had all the world can afford, do yet indeed possess nothing. If we desire to love where our love may not be lost, what shall we love but thee, wh● hast said; 
Io. 15. 9  Sicut dilexit me Pater, & ego dilexi vos; As my Father loved me, so have I loved you; Do we not therefore well deserve to live in all perplexity and misery, if we do not leave to love all other things to set our whole loves upon thee, ●ho hast made us such sweet promises; yea let us hear what thou dost further add; 
Io. 15. 5.  Qui mane● in me, & ego in eo, hic fert fructum multum. Who remaineth in me, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruit. O let me be remain in thee, and then let all the world be against me! I desire not, my God, by any particular favours in this life to be more certain of thee; But I do beg of thee, that by true Humility, Obedience, and Patience, I may be more confirmed in thee by true love, only in simple faith; 
☜  in all desolations, crosses, pains, disgraces, miseries adhering to thee the only desire of my soul, and not resting in any gift or grace of thine whatsoever, that I may at last for thy o●n sake find favour in the eyes of thy Divine Majesty, notwirhstanding my sins and ignorances', in which I have hitherto lived; for whieh thy mercy o● forgiving them me, be thou for ever blessed and praised by all thy creatures. Amen. Amen.   

THE XLV. CONFESSION.  
O Lord, my God, to whom upon all occasions, I (most unworthy) with thy leave presume to speak, and ask questions in my simple manner. Open the eyes of my soul, that I may know and understand thy Will and Law, and Grace to perform them to thine honour. Thou my God, who art more mine, than I am mine own, do not reject me speaking and writing to thee. For what do I desire, or wish but thee? Or what are all things to me without thee? Surely, nothing. For thou hast showed me through thy sweet mercy and grace without any desert of mine own, that all things are vanity but to love and please thee, which I beseech thee that I may do with all the forces of my hart, and soul. For truly there is no true peace, or comfort out of thee. Let me therefore know myself and know thee, that in all I may praise and please thee. Amen.   

THE XLVI. CONFESSION.  

Io. 20.  LORD it is read to day of thee that Saint Mary Magdalen approaching to kiss thy feet, it would not be admitted her by thee. If it may please thee, I will humbly ask of thee the meaning of this. For I am somewhat amazed at it. For when she came to thy feet loaden with many and grievous sins, thou admittedly her most easily; and when she had a long time been trained up in thy happy school of Perfection, and had accompanied thee in thy Passion, and mourned for thee at thy tomb, taking no rest till thou her beloved returned to her again; and besides she offered to have taken thee away from all the world, if they would have but told her where they had laid thee; and yet dost thou now deny her to touch and kiss thy blessed feet. What, shall we think she loved thee less now then when she first desired to love thee? Or shall we think, that as her love grew more, and more to thee, thine grew less and less to her? No, God forbid I should ever admit of such a thought; But, O my Lord, thou being wisdom it-self, intendedst to bring this great and ardent lover to a love more spiritual, then that with which she loved thee when t●ou conversedst with her before thy death and Passion. For it is thy custom with great mildness to receive sinners, and when they grow more strong in love thou seemest to treat them with more severity, that they at first may hope in thee, and go forward in thy love and service, and that after being a little strengthened with light and comfort from thee, thou mayst try them many ways, lest they should attribute that which they have done to their own forces, and that favour which they have receaed, to their own labours, and deserts; which thou know'st we are very apt to do, if thou didst not through permitting us to fall into temptation, show us our own frailty. But this blessed Saint (whose intercession I most humbly implore for thy sake, whom now none can deprive her of) did not think that by denying her to touch t●y feet she received wrong. For her humble soul thought it-self too unworthy of such a favour, when thou didst put her in mind, that she was to convers with thee in a more spiritual manner then before; neither did she reflect on the labour, pain and grief she had sustained. For, as thou know'st, love feeleth no labour, nor complaineth of any burden. For only to have seen thee alive again, was sufficient to make her forget all former afflictions. For her sake, and for all their sakes that love thee, be merciful to my sins, and bring me by true love to be united to thee with them, where for ever without ceasing I may praise thee my only beloved. Amen.   

THE XLVII. CONFESSION.  
O LORD, my God; I will speak to thee again, and again I will call upon thee the entirely beloved of my hart I will melt away in thy praises, and I will invite all thy spouses to to seek thee alone above all thy gifts and above all creatures. For in thee alone is true peaee, and comfort to be found, and enjoyed. O how happy should I esteem myself, if I were able to praise thee without ceasing, or be any cause that any should more and more languish with thy love. What should I do being born down with the weight of mortal flesh, and divers internal afflictions, so that I can many times scarcely think on thee? What should I do (I say● but li●t up my hart, with my hands as it were by main force, sometimes by words, and sometimes by writing unto thee, which I do not do as to one that is far of from me, 
☞  but as to one who is more near to me then I am to myself, and of whose Goodness, whose Wisdom, wh●se Beauty, whose Mercy, and most absolute and incomparable greatness, I am more assured of, than I am of any thing I see with my corporal eyes. O who would not love this Go●nes, this Majesty, and submit themselves ●o this most amiable beloved o● our souls? If any comfort, or happiness were to be found out of him, we were something excusable in neglecting and forgetting our chief good; ●ut seeing we cannot even in this mortal li●e find any content, but by loving, praising, and truly seeking and serving him, we are too miserable and too blame for losing ourselves by resting with love and inordinate affection in transitory and visible things? O far be it from thy spouses to set their affection upon any thing b●● thee, or to bereave thee of the affection which from all is to thee only due. All that we, are and have, is too little for thee; Let us not therefore of that little we have, take from thee! O let us love thee above all, and all others in and ●or thee. I do bemoan this misery above all miseries, that those who have dedicated themselves to thee, should seek the love and favour of others, to their own and the others impediment in thy love and service. Oftentimes we comply and correspond under pretence to get temporal means, the while neglecting thee, 
☜  who feedest the birds and clothest the beasts of the earth, who neither sow, not reap, neither are they solicitous of any thing but depend of thy mere providence, and yet thou providest for them Can we think thou wilt have less care of us that have left all the world for thee, then of the unreasonnable creatues made only for our services? Hast not thou said by the Spirit of all truth, that first seek for the Kingdom of God, and his justice, all things else seal be added to you? 
Mat. 6.33.  O let us therefore leave all things truly, that we may confide in thee, casting our care upon thee, who wilt nourish our souls, and bodies, if we will but faithfully and constantly adhere unto thee our supreme and only Good. Let us leave pretending any thing, but thee. For often even under the pretence of getting prayers of others, we pour out ourselves, in the mean time, neglecting to have relation to thee, who wouldst more willingly give, than we could ask, if we would but truly, and faithfully adhere to thee, and not stray out of ourselves, hindering both ourselves, and others from adhering to thee, to whom we owe all we are, and can do, and and therefore are greatly to blame, when we do not endeavour to love thee with all our soul, with all our mind and all our strength, which grant for thy own sake we may endeavour to do, to thy honour and glory, who be praised, loved, and adored for all eternity. Amen.   

THE XLVIII. CONFESSION.  
SHALL not my soul be subject to God? O my Lord, far be it from me to will, or desire any thing but according to thy divine will, which is only holy; Let me never resist thy will, signified to me by any means whatsoever. Let my soul be wholly turned into a flame of divine love, that I may aspire and tend to nothing else but thy-self alone; Blot out my sins that my soul may return to thee by love, from whom by sin it hath strayed! O let nothing but this desire of thee, my God, possess my hart; Let that be my solace in labours, pains, temptations, desolations, and all afflictions of body, or mind! Let not my hart (drawn by thee to seek after nothing but love) be so base as to covet, desire, and rest in any thing but thee. Thou art my life, my choice, and my only beloved. When I hear the● but named, my Lord God, it forcible draweth me into myself, that I may attend unto thee, forgetting myself, and whatsoever else besides thee, for which benefit be thou infinitely praised. Amen.   

THE XLIX. CONFESSION.  

Psal. 150.  OMNIS ●piritus l●udet Dominum. Bonedicite omnia opera Domini Domino; 
Dan. 3.37.  laudate & super exaltate eum in saeoula. Let every spirit praise our Lord●; Bless our Lord all the works of o●● Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. O my God that I were able with a pure soul and loving hart to extol thy praise. But alas, 
Eccli. 15. 9  thy praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. But shall I for this hold my peace? If I do, yet permit me this comfort for thine own sake, that I may invite others more worthy, to sing and set forth the praise of thy divine Majesty, with whom yet as the last, and least, my soul shall join in the praise of thee our dear Creator; and in that which is so worthily possessed by thy sweet Goodness I will rejoice with all the forces of my hart and soul! O my holy and dear delight, what a most harmonious melody would refound over all the earth, if thy will, and just disposition took place in all things. Behold all thy works praise thee, every one in their kind; only man for whose help and comfort all other things on ●arth were created) ● perverteth the order of thy justice, by mi●u●ing that noble free will, which thou gavest him, to choose, and love thee with! O what couldst thou have done more, then with such a noble gift to have endued us! Certainly if we would intend thee in all, and have relation to thee in all, who art more present to our souls, than we are to ourselves, we should hear thee giving answers, sometimes by others, sometimes by thyself, and sometimes by t●e words of holy Scriptures, and ancient Fathers; and subjects would be tractable to Superiors rather governing by thee then by themselves; what tho● wouldst command, they would commend; and in all not seeking their own glory or exaltation, would glory in thee, not in their own pours and what were done by thee, they would then account only well done● but what they did o● themselves they would account little profitable, 
☞  as to the advancement o● souls Than they would be able to see wha● were fit for every soul vnde● thei● chardg, and when thou permitted● this not to be so clear to them, the● would humble themselves acknow●ledging it happened for their vn●wo●thines, beseeching thee to do tha● by thy-self which could not be done by them; and if thou shouldst perhaps let another (though their subject) to see and discern what were fit in that case, or cases though he were but the last and lowest, and of the least esteem in the Convent, yet certainly such Superiors would not account it to derogate from their authority, that such an one should supply their place, and Offifice upon occasions; because they seek thy honour, and not their own; and though thou hadst given them power to command, yet no otherwise would they use it, then according to such manner and in such cases as thou dost require they should; In this manner governing with relation to thee and regard of thy will, and with indifferency what thou wilt do by them, what by others, and what by thy-self, whose spirit breatheth where it pleases. 
Io. 3. 8.  Then the sensual love, and friendship between the Superiors and their subjects would cease; then sincerity, and reason would take place both in the commander, and in the obeyer, both thinking all their love and labour to be too little for thy goodness; then would be peace on all sides, 
☞  and the imperfections of all, would turn to the advancement, not to the prejudice of any; then as they desired the friendship, or favour of none, but in all things willingly and gladly depending of thy providence, so they would be friends with all thy friends, and pity, and pray for (from the bottom of their souls) those that are thine enemies, amongst which they ●ould verrly believe they should have been the greatest; if thou of thy sweet Mercy hadst not prevented them. Also inferiors that truly live to thee and desiring nothing else but thee, though thou didst teach, and instruct them about the use of indifferent things by an internal light which discerneth between custom and true reason, between their natural desires and thy true justice, which only ought to take place in all things, yet they accounting themselves wholly unworthy of being instructed by thee, most willingly hear thy will and commands, not only from Superiors, but from any creature whatsoever, accounting it sufficient for them that it was signified to them, that it was thy will, the which we ought to follow as doth a shadow the the body, or else of little worth is any thing we do. For thou rewardest no works but thine own. O if all creatures would serve thee according to their capacities and state's, what a resemblance would this life have with heaven! No person, no state can pretend to be excused from being able to serve and plea●e thee, who hast made our hart for thy-self, and it can never have true rest and repose but in thee the Centre o● our souls. What creature is so little or contemptible that doth not in some sort invite us in its kind to love and praise thee my Lord God? If we would l●ue thee, they would not fail to serve us, till we could serve thee without them. But alas as it is affirmed, and that most truly, tha● order is the life of things, so man being out of order by seeking himself more than thee, and by doing that which may redound rather to his own honour then to thine, hath made all thy other creatures refuse that obedience which they owed to man, if that he were truly obedient to thee. Our defect in this towards thee puts all out of order. For how can subjects be pliable to the will of Superiors, if first they be not in the way of obeying thee wit● relation of their obediences to man as to thee and merely for an according to thy ●il? And how can we b● at peace with others, i● first we b● not by true resignation in a way t● have peace with thee in our own souls● Where is the Obedience due to thee and others for ●hee, since oftentimes out of blindness we give Caesar tha● which was Gods, and deny to him that which was due to him by the 〈◊〉 of God? As also if Superiors an● Priests should stand upon points v● surping that to themselves whic● thou hast reserved to thyself; what shall become of subjects? Certainly they will not well know what to do unless it be very right between them and thee. But alas, 
Mat. 3. 15.  Si sal evanuerit in quo salietur? If the salt lose its virtue in what shall it be salted? Happy are they that light upon a good Superior; but much more happy are they, who by true light in Humility and Abnegation are instructed by thee, who art the only true teacher of Humility, true obedience and perfect Pryer. O my Lord, when shall it be said, that the multitude of beleivers are of one hart and soul? When shall all be united in the bonds of true peace? Never till our Charity beginning in thee do spread itself to all others for thee. For there is no true friendship but that which thou knittest between such as love all in and for thee, and thee above all that can be imagined or desired. O when shall thy justice and Truth in all things take place, 
☜  that the earth may breathe forth nothing but thy Praise? Then we should be in pain, and not seem to suffer● so sweet or pleasing would the pai● be; we should live on earth, (no● as being strangers) in heaven; and living here should more live wit● thee our beloved, then where we of necessity lived. For than thy will being done in earth as in heaven; the earth would resemble heaven, whereby the pain and grief of our banishment would be sweetened with ● comfort almost heavenly, and tha● together with resigning ourselves to thy holy will to be contented to be denied for a time till thy will might thereby be wholly accomplished● and after that come to see thy glorious face and enjoy thee as thou an● in thy-self, who is our only happiness the expectation whereof would mak● this world tolerable to us, and w● should then seek thy glory and th● fulfilling of thy●ustice ●ustice in all things and not our own comfort, an● honour. Verily, all thy disposition are so just, that all things woul● happen to our greatest good, i● we with humility and confidence in thee would proceed in all things; And not any state, condition, or corporal complexion is there, wherein thou hast not been served in a perfect manner by some, or other. And if we run through all degrees from the Pope to the simple Religious, and from the greatest Monarc● to the poorest beggar, in all we shall find some that have faitfully served and praised thee. And as for natur●l complexions, or dispositions, the most wicked have brought forth children proving Saints; and others who have lived (as to all manner of sins● so i●, that whole Countries have fared the worse for them, and divers souls perished by their means, yet by humility have become so pleasing to thee, O Lord, that thou mad'st them thy boosom friends; And no trade nor occupation, i● it be lawful, but hath o● it Saints, to the end to show thou despisest nothing that thou ha●t made, how contemptible soever it seem in the eyes of men. Why therefore do we not love thee, seeing all things on thy part concur to this end? We may pretend what excuse we will; but nothing will excuse us before thee, who had no other end in creating us, but that we should be partakers of that glory which thou prepared for those that truly love thee; and in that country of all happiness, we seal receive all good things, and above all shall enjoy thee the beginning and fountain of all good, without whom all things are as nothing as to the contenting and satisfying of our souls. And seeing merely thou cr●atedst us for ou● good, thou being infinitely happy of thy-self before thou createdst any thing, why shall we lay the fault of our not profiting or everlasting perishing upon the●? If there had bee● any thing wanting of thy part, w● might justly complain to thee; an● if there were any thing yet merely necessary, we requiring it humbl● of th●e. thou couldst not ●so infinal good art thou) deny it us. But seein● thou createdst man in the state of innocency, and after his ●al redeemedst him with the precious Blood of thy only begotten Son, and hast given us a Law under which we are to walk, 
☜  and by means of our holy Mother the Church haste and dost determine of all things as certainly as if that thou thy-self wert still corporally present to give answers in all things necessary to salvation, how worthily are we to be condemned if we do not correspond and satisfy such thy most gracious will and provision about us? Besides we have thee within us, to have recourse unto upon all occasions, the which that we may do with the les impediments thou hast ordained the overlooking and solicitude over us of the Superiors thy Vicegerents, who govern us here by ●hy appointment, and whom to resist in any thing so it do not derogate from thy own authority immediately to thy-self) were highly to offend and displease thee. For by these thy Substitutes thou dost judge, and determine of Spirits and of the verity and goodness of them and of their exercises, and doings; as whether they proceed from thee and thy motions, or no; and by them declarest what in general is to be done, or omitted; and in particular as there is occasion, in seculars partly by seculars powers, and in Religious by their Pastors and Superiors, that thus being in some certainty of subordination, and good exterior order, we may freely attend to thee in our souls, without going forth but of mere necessity.   

THE L. CONFESSION.  
O WHO would seek, or love any thing but thee my God, who art exceeding great, and of thy goodness, there is no end? Who woul● lose thee for nothing, and depa●t from the fountain of life, for to drink out of a cistern, that is ●ul of filthy, and muddy water! What are all things, but thyself, for the satisfying of our souls? If thou diedst as thou diedst for us, that we might live only to thee, can we think it much, if heavens, earth, sea, and all contained in them, rise up against us forgetting and neglecting thy Mercy? O let us love thee, and all things will be at peace with us, and we at peace with ourselves. Is it not a shame for us to see the birds praise thee, and all creatures in their kind to give the honour, and yet we only capable of thy love forgetful and ungrateful to thee? What is there is this world but it calleth upon us to seek thee in sincerity of hart, and to live to thee alone, and to make use of them every one in their kind, to the end we may concur with them to the praise of thee our Lord, and Creator, to whom all love and honour is only due? The Angels most humbly assist us, and pity us offending thee, which willingly to do is so heinous a thing in their eyes that they are amazed to see us stray from true reason. But alas man was in honour, and knew it not; he was compared to beasts and become like unto them. In this my misery I sigh and groan to my God, who in this my affliction is only able to help and comfort m●. O how can we find in our hart to offend thee? That, and that alone is to be esteemed truly a misery. But yet are we sinners without comfort? No, no, my God, seeing thou canst forgive more than we can offend, and it will redound to thine ●onour and praise for ever and ever, that thou hast pardoned so many and grievous sins and sinners. In which thy glory I exult from ●he bottom of my soul; because seeing I have offended, for which I am heartily sorry, yet will my God be extolled by all creatures for forgiving it, for all eternity. O thou ●ho art thine own praise supply in this and in all other things, the defect that is in all us thy creatures to praise thee as thy justice requireth thou so shouldst be magnifyed by us all, who without thee are nothing but a sack full of filth, and the map of all misery.   

THE LI. CONFESSION.  
O Lord, my dear God, if we that are created to mine own image and likeness, and whose happiness doth consist in loving, pleasing, praising, and enjoying thee! If we (I say) ● did seek and desire only thee, how well would it go in this world? If we were faithful to thee, all things would be so to us. When I see any of thy creatures abuse the nobility of their soul by straying from thee, or at least by losing their time which is so precious, in labouring and taking great pains to obtain the favour of men, or something else as little to the purpose how can it but wound my very hart? seeing thou art neglected, and they take great pains for what they cannot possible obtain; in the mean time forgetting to seek after thy sweet love, which might be obtained even for nothing, in comparison of what they sustain by labouring for that which perhaps if they do get, or obtain, they are farther from being satisfied than they were before. It is true the more we love thee, the more we desire to love thee; And the more we love, the more able we are to love, and the more easy it is to love; and love making all pains, confusions, difficulties, and afflictions sweet, what is there left to suffer? Only indeed the hiding of thy face and denying us fully to enjoy thee; this only remains to pierce our hearts with, if we truly love; 
☞  and yet thy just will is a consolation even in the greatest extremity of this difficulty. Who would therefore not love thee, wholly forgetting themselves and their own profit, and commodity either for time or eternity? Certainly the Prophets, Martyrs, Confessors, and Virgins that loved thee more than their lives found torments, bannishments, imprisonments, and persecutions sweeter by reason of their love to thee, and of their desiring to be faithful to thy amiable Majesty, than all the pleasures, contentments, riches honours, and glory of the world did ever yet yield to those that have most abounded therewith since the beginning of the world. O if we could ask Solomon (for all the abundance he lived in) and S. Francis in his poverty, or S. Laurence upon his Gridiron; and certainly both by his acknowledgement and theirs, their poverty, and pain through love, were sweeter than all his delights even in this world; yea even job sitting upon the Dunghill and saying; God gave, and God hath taken away, as it pleaseth our Lord so let it be, his name be blessed for ever enjoyed more comfort and true peace in soul, than all the comforts and pleasures of this world could give, or have caused to him. For only submission to thee, my dear God, bringeth true comfort to our souls! O if we did truly humble ou● selves, how greatly would thy goodness be exalted in our souls? If we did seek thee, not thy gifts, graces, and comforts, how then should we go out of ourselves and thereby enter into thee? O if we were rruly humble, how much wouldst thou be pleased to be served by us? and how many do far the better for thy humble ones, though they be hidden and unknown for such to the world● Certainly the humble are so dear to thee, 
☞  that thou seemest not willing, or able to do any thing without them For while unmindful of all but thee, they forget themselves, thou in ● the mean time enrichest them with thine own works, that they may merit more grace, glory and favour before t●ee in all things thou dost or permittest, to which to the uttermost of their power they concur by humble resignation, if they can do no more, which is sufficient to satisfy thee, who needest not our works, or labours; but it is our hearts, souls, and loves that thou requirest, and by which thou wilt do good to us, or by us. What thou thinkest meet for us to do, or to be able to do, aught to be indifferent to us, who should have no will but thine, nor any election but of thee. Well may it be said, that where Humility is, there is also Wisdom. For the truly humble being guided by thy interior Truth and justice more than by human wisdom, surpass the weakness of their own folly; for so all wisdom may be esteemed, that is not from thee and in thy light, by which light only we can discern the glorious truth and not by the natural light of our weak understanding, 
☜  that is not able without a beam of thy Grace to discover such truth, so blind is our soul of it-self without t●ee; and it is only true humility that maketh us capable of this thy light. And yet if a soul had been with S. Paul in the third Heaven, if she should leave the way of Humility, she would return to her former blindness, and the more she by usurping thy gifts and graces to herself did puff up herself, the more all true light and discretion would depart from her soul, and the more haet folly would appear to heaven, and earth to her great confusion both in this life and in the next if she did not return and come to know her own nothing. For as it is truly said; The corruption of the best, is the worst. O Lord deliver all from this accursed sin of pride, which turned Angels into most ugly devils, and hath been the ca●se of the separation of so many souls (created by thee to enjoy eternal felicity) from thee my God; But especially deliver those from this most odious vice who have had the means by the mercy of thy sweet Goodness, to come to some true knowledge of thee and themselves. For if we knew all, and could discourse with all the wit and eloquence of the Philosophers, 
☞  Orators, and Divines of the causes and effects of all natural and supernatural things, yet if we did not know thee by endeavouring truly to love thee, we might truly be said to know nothing. For only by loving thee and knowing ourselves is true Wisdom obtained. And how can it but pervert all true justice, that thou art by so few (in comparison of the whole world) sought with a pure intention? If we being almost to death benumed with cold should for remedy go forth into the blustering and far colder wind, or in the scorching heat of summer should for mitigation thereof to our body go to an hot flaming fire, who would not judge us even out of our wits for our so doing? Even so we when wanting supernatural light that is true light and necessary for the guidance of us in the way towards thee, we in lieu of seeking after that light and of taking the means to come by it, 
☜  do betake us on●y to our natural light, the which as to the said supernatural end is but mere blindness, and darkness, and thus proceeding in assuming for our means the contrary o● that w● should, we prosper both in our practice and in our end accordingly. The things which we practise as virtues being indeed no true virtues for want of the discretion that it necessary for the perfection of them● and the which discretion is but the self same as the light had from thee, whereby oftentimes our pretended virtues come to have more of vices then of true virtues in them, such defect proceeding out of this, that indeed in our in●ard and secret consciences we think that we are able to do that which is right and profitable of our own selves and without light, and ability for it from thee. And when harm falleth to us, or to others by such our blind proceedings we lay the fault of it upon thee where it is not● and not upon ourselves, where indeed it is. O ler this folly also be far from us! for thou art just, O my Lord, and thy judgements are equity, how hidden soever thy meaning in them be to our souls. I for my part desire to adore thee in all thou disposest, and do most gladly acknowledge, that all thou hast made is good, if it be put for that use ●or which thou mad'st it. Do not we see that even Spiders, and Serpents do draw the venom from the earth both for the purging it, and also for a farther use that man thereof makes, and yet these to our seeming are of the least worth as to good among thy creatures. But it is our misusing, abusing, and mis-applying thy creatures that makes the world turn upside down. The hail thunder storms, rain, & snow, did the three Children in the furnace invite to praise thee as good in themselves being made by thee. But nothing is so good in this world, but it may be perverted and abused. For if man whose soul was made by thee in such purity, by sin becometh so foul, how can this choose but breed disorder in the world, all things therein being given by thee to be disposed by him, and used by him as ●●lp● to ●●rue thee while we live here? But o my God, I will speak to thee, and I will call upon thee who art Wisedam it-self; If thou smile at my folly. yet behold me sinner, and instruct me in thy Law, which is sweet above all delights of the world; and to serve thee for love, is that which I only desire. In all my miseries and afflictions of body and soul thou despis●st not any soul flying to thee, and dilating myself to thee, I do comfort and strengthen my hart, which aspireth to nothing, as thou know'st by this my speaking to t●ee, but to ease my soul by begging help of thee, and declaring to thee my only friend, my sins and miseries. For if we fly from t●ee whither go we, but out o● one darkness into another? Who can discover our wounds to us, but thy-f●lf, who when we acknowledge them, dost also cure the languishing diseases of our very souls? O in thy light let me see light, that so all impediments may be removed between thy goodness and my sou●? My ●oul can never return to thee, till it ●e purged and purified by grace●nd ●nd Mercy. Of myself I can do nothing. Thou therefore that mad'st and redeemedst me, save me, who every moment should perish, if I were not assisted by thee. I see nothing, or hear any thing, but it giveth me new cause to praise thee, and to seek thee above all gifts, graces, and creatures; Grant me therefore to serve thee in that manner thou wouldst be served by me● For I am not able to do any thing good of myself. Let me by Humility and tru● obedience return to thee, from whom for my sins I deserve to be separated with the devils eternally; but thy Mercy, which is above all thy works, pardon me, and give me Grace to live better hereafter. O my God, me thinks some times I have so lively a feeling of my own nothing, and see so plainly that we depend wholly of thy grace, and Mercy, that I wonder how it is possible I should an● more be able to presume of myself in any thing whatsoever. But alas this passeth away; 
☞  and like dust carried away with the wind, so is my soul with vanity; In which my sin, and misery I groan to thee from the bottom of my soul, who art my helper and my deliverer from all mine enemies, whereof the greatest is myself; and to thee I declare my iniquities which are without end, or measure, to the end I may glorify thee the more who showest mercy to me, and reiectest not the most disloyal of all thy Majesty's servants. For which let heaven, and earth praise thee, seeing I am not able by any thing to show gratitude to thee. For I can do nothing but declare thy Mercy, and beseech thyself to supply my defect in praising thee. For thou only canst do it, as I desire it should be done. The very Seraphins are too short of being able according to thy worth to praise thee and all thy Angels and ●aints account themselves, as dumb in comparison of thy deserts from them For all thy sweet Mercy be thou there● for by all, not as able, but as willing to praise t●ee, magnifyed for ever and ever. Amen.   

THE XLII. CONFESSION.  
O My Lord, and my God; If none have much forgiven them, but those that love much, what will become of me? This day we read in our Office, that Saint Marie Magdalen coming to thy feet (which she watered with her rears) heard that comfortable answer from thee, to wit; Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee; 
Luk 9 ●5.  but it was out of this regard that she loved much. This answer thou mad'st to her (whose hart in silence spoke unto thee) doth much comfort my sinful soul. But yet when I remember how void I am of that which was the necessary disposition for her soul to hear those comfortable words, thy sins are forgiven thee, go in peace, it draweth tears ●rom mine eyes to see how far my soul is destitute of that pure love which prevaileth with thy divine Majesty. What shall I say? What shall I do? Or wherein shall I hope? I am not fit to plead for myself, my sins, indeed are so many and so great; and as for the love which only thou desirest, behold my soul is destitute of it. For if I have any towards thee, my God it is but a sensible, childish love, which is a love little beseeming the bestowing upon such a God, who is all Good, Beauty, Wisdom, yea even Goodness and Love it-self; to whom is due a love which is able to suffer all things for this love is a strong love, more strong than death it-self, the which kind of love is far from me, who am blown down with the least blast of temptation, and cannot endure any disgrace, desolation, or difficulty whatsoever, as it beseems a true lover of his. But notwithstanding my poverty, and misery, yet I will hope in him and will approach to his feet, who is Mercy itself. There, my Lord, and my God, I will in filence sigh and weep both for my sins and for my defect in loving thee, who art worthy of all love and Praise whatsoever. There I will beg this love so much to be desired. There I will wish and long for it● and from thy feet I will not depart till thou denounce to me; thy sins are forgiven thee, and sayest to my soul, go in peace. This voice I long to hear in my hart, that I may with the voice of exaltation praise thee for ever. Amen.   

THE LIII. CONFESSION.  
AMen, Amen, dico vobis; quia receperunt mercedem suam. (Math. 6., Amen, Amen I say ●nto you they have received their reward. These thy words my Lord and my God come into my mind so often as my thoughts dare to think of having deserved any reward at t●y hands, and serve as a motive to subject my soul totally to thy divine Majesty, before whom now I do profess, and acknowledge that my desires, and endeavours are so defective in comparison of what is to thee due from me; that I may, and do even say to my soul; Peace; be humble and subject in all to thy God, whom thou art not worthy so much as to name with thy defiled mouth. Indeed my Lord, whose power and Majesty prostrate I acknowledge and adore● with all mine hart and soul; if I should, neither in this, nor in the next world, 
☞  receive any other reward but what already thou hast bestowed on me, which I have (I must needs contesse) received gratis of thy Mercy without any desert of mine own, 
She died presently hereupon.  yet that which t●ou hast so already done for me, is sufficient to declare to Heaven, and earth the superaboundance of thy mercy and clemency to a sinful, and contemp●tible creature. I will there for sing unto thee mercy, and judgement all the days of my life, wishing always that thy will, which is justice itself may be wholly and perfectly accom●plish●d in me, thy sinful servant Let me live aslong as it pleaseth thee, or die in the very beginning of these my desires to love; send sickness, or health; sudden or lingering death; poverty, or abundance, good fame or that I be by all the world despised; and in fine in all do with me as it is most for thine honour. For in this I pla●e all my comfort and happiness, faithfully to serve thee, and to be little or great in thine eyes, as seemeth best to thee. For I account it a sufficient reward for all that ever I shall be able to do, or suffer, that thou hast admitted me unworthy wretch, into a place of living where I may know and even see with mine eyes how to serve and please thee; this (I say) is more than can be deserved by me For to serve thee is an honour above all that can be imagined by me; yet without any regard of recompense it is due to thee, that I serve, and love thee with all the forces of my body and soul, which grant I may now begin to do and persever therein till my end, that I may for thy own sake obtain the happiness eternally to praise thee. O remove all impediments between my soul and thee; Let me die to all created things that I may live alone to thee● O let all creatures be to me, as if they were not, to the end I may more fully attend to thee in the bottom of my soul, where I will in silence hearken to thee! Speak Peace to my soul, that I may be capable of thy voice more sweet than all things whatsoever. Speak to my hart; but speak so as I may hear thee. Teach me how to practise to thy honour those divine virtues which make souls so pleasing to thee; to wit Charity, Humility, Obedience, Patience, and Discretion, which judgeth between custom and true reason; between opinion and thy true justice, which manifesteth itself to those souls, who seek only to love and praise thee.    

THIS pious soul having written thus far went no farther, being surprised with a bodily indisposition vpo● the 29. or 30. of july 1633. which proved to be h●r last sickness that brought her to a happy death upon the 17. of August following. The last of these Confessions save one, she began (as there appeareth) upon S. Mary magdalen's day, being the 22. of july next b●fore her death.  

HERE FOLLOW SOME other Sentences, and Sayings of the same pious Soul found in some others papers of hers.  
THE interior, or Spiritual disposition os man, is of that great, and infinite worth, and moment; that so it be well, all other matters will also go well, and be in good plight. And the good state of the interior (and thereby also of the exterior) proceedeth from the harkening to and following of the Divine interior Cal, or inspiration, the which to a ●oul capable of an internal life is, or aught to be as all in al. And woe to such a soul who overcome by threats or perswa●ions from without, or by temptations within her, or, other occasions whatsoever, g●ueth over her prosecution of Mental prayer, by means whereof only is she capable of discerning and following the divine will, and Cal. And therefore o you souls that are capable of internal prayer, do you accordingly prosecute it, and be grateful to God for the grace of it. For it causeth the greatest happiness that is to be gotten in this li●e, and an answarable happiness in the future. For by it in this life one passeth through all things how hard, and painful soever they be. By it we become familiar even with God himself, and to have our conversation in Heaven. By it all impediments will be removed between God and the soul●: By it you shall receive light and grace for all that God would do by you, By it we shall come to regard God in all things, and profitably neglect ourselves. By it we shall know how to converse on earth without prejudice to our souls: And in fine by it we shall praise God, and become so united to him, that nothing shall be able to separate us for time, or eternity from his sweet Goodness. And let him be all in all to us, who only can satisfy our souls. He is his own Praise, i● which and by w●ich we are infinitely happy, though of ourselves we a●e able to praise and love him, but in a very poor manner. who can say (that desire nothing but to love and praise him) that they are poor, seeing he who is more theirs than they are their own, is so rich, and to whom nothing is wanting that should make him an infinite happiness? in this let us joy, in this jet us glory without intermission. when we are not able to attend unto him and praise him as we would, let us commend our hart and soul to the Saints in Heaven, who without ceasing praise our Lord: Let us do that by them, which we are not able to do by ourselves: yea let us desire him, who is his own praise, and only is able to do it as he deserveth to have it done, to supply what he desires we should wish him. L●t us s●ek no other comfort but to be able without all comfort to be true to him, Let us rest in him alone, and and not in any thing that is or can be crea●ted. Let us not se●ke the gist, but the giver. O hoW little is all the love we can give him, in comparison of that he deserveth from us? where, therefore shall th●re be room for any created thing in out souls? Let us wish and desire. and (as far as it lies in us) procure that all love be given to him. Let him have all Glory, all Honour, and all Praise, Let us desire the favour of none, but him alone, to whose free disposition, let us stand for time and eternity, as absolutely by ou● will, as if we never had any other freedom of w●l in us. Nothing we do or suffer, let us este●me great: for our sins deserve much more. Let our whole care tend to the magnifying of him. Let his honour b● ours, and let us seek nothing, but to be whoiy his, who is most worthy to be that that he is If it is his delight be to be with the children of men, what should comfort us, but to praise and love him? Those that seek him shall find him With all their heart, O who would seek any thing besides him, seeing he is not more willing to give us any thing, than his own self, here by grace, and hereafter in Heaven by glory Let us adore him in spirit and truth. All w● can give him is nothing, unless we entirely give him our selves, and that also cannot add to his greatness, and glory: yet if we do this, so much doth his divine Majesty esteem of this gift, that for it and in requital of it, he will give us his own self: all his gifts, and graces are a means for the preparing of us for this end, if we use thei● rightly with Humility, and according to the just will of Almighty God. Let us extend our will to serve, love, praise, please, and magnify our Lord to the uttermost we are able, ●ea without all limits or bounds. Le● us ●esire his honour, till such time as we may be swallowed up in the bottomless Ocean of all love, and praise God in himself, in whom and by and in whom only, we can praise him as we ought. Let us love him as far as we ar● possible able, without regard of ourselves, either for time, or eternity. This is the humble love that feeleth no burden. This is the love that knoweth not how to attribute any thing it doth or suffereth, to it-self. It chooseth not wherein God sh●l make use of her, but accommodateth herself in all things to his divine pleasure. If it were his will to hau● it so, she would rather for ever be picking up chips or straws, than out of her own election, to be doing that which is most admired, or might seem to her to procure her the greatest reward. O you souls that God bestoweth his love upon, think it not much to bear the burden, not only of yourselves, but also of all that you live with: for God beareth you up in all, more than you can conceive or imagine, Beware above all things of pride, For that cast even Angels out of heaven. A soul of prayer aslong as she keeps Humility, 
☜  is in no peril of going out of her way.  
It is certainly true, that God giveth himself to them, who forsake all: I say, all and not by halfs, 
☜  with reserving what we please to ourselves, but to all that forsake all, he giveth himself, without exception of persons, and he that pleaseth our Lord ne●deth nor fear all the devils in hell.  
It is a wonderful thing to see the variety of opinions that are, or may be about the best use of those things that of themselves are indifferent, or at least are not evil, one holding this, a●d another that, every man according to his fancy, and (as Saint Paul saith) abounding in his ●wn sense. 
Rom. 4 3.  No wonder then that those that liu●, and converse with others, and namely in a Religious Community, do easily fall into occasion of jars, and differences with others, whilst every one pretends the truth, and the best to be of her side, howsoever it be indeed; and therefore ones nature will easily take occasion of jarring with o●hers, if it be not mortified by restraint from what it is inclining to by such occasions. It is only the diui●e virtue of true discretion that is able to discern and judge for ones own practice what is good, better, or best of all in the use of those indifferent things. The more truly mortified the ●oul is, the clearer is such light of discretion in her, and will increase in her, if she be still solicitous more and more to live to God in her interior, and to die to herself, and to all created things by simply regarding God in all she doth, o● omitteth, & intending him alone in all ●●●ngs.  
It is a true proverb that it is an easier matter to corrupt the mind of one, then of a great many. Wherefor we must remember that it is a good, and happy thing for Brethren to dwell in One, or rather (by true love and charity) in that One Which is truly necessary, 
☜  to wit, in God. For no love is true, but that which is in him, and for him, and without impediment to his love. All other loves are false, slippery, perverse and vain, as not being founded in God the ground of all true, and happy love, nor being referred to him and his love. But the true love, which is the divine, will make all others dear unto us for his sake, and none dear but in h●m and for him. It will make us in capable of accounting any to be our enemies how hardly soever they treat us, because in all things we will regard God, that permitteth such difficulties to happen to us, to the end our fidelity to him may thereby be tried and so not rega●d (with any aversion) the party who afflicteth us: And it will be sufficient for us towards the pacification of our soul upon the hard, or bitter usadge offered us, that we remember that he hath suffered it to happen to us for our good, who only knoweth what is best for the humbling of us and the abating of our pride, the which must be done if will be pleasing to God, to whom now, and ever I commit myself. Amen.  
Vnum sit mihi ●o●um, id est, omnia in omnibus. Let one be all to to me, that is, All in Al. This was a Poesy bestowed on me and my Partners by another, the truth whereof I pray God may answerably be in the hearts, and loves of us, and of all other souls whatsoever.  
The simple ex●rc●se of the will being faithfully and perseverant, prosecuted (through Gods concurring g●●ce) removeth in time all impediments between our soul and God; 
☞  and the soul by love cometh so to transcend all created things, y●a even her own self, that all creatures are to her as if they were not, as to any hurtful distraction they cause to her, or as to any other impediment between her and God, the which can be only by inordinate adhering in affection to those creatures.  
A true spiritual internal life is so private and secret between God and the soul, that others cannot easily dis●erne it, no not by by the external effects of it. 
☞  For in her exterior carriage ●he is common, and general as hating singularity; by means whereof, she evoideth much occasion of pride, and walketh the more se●urly between God and her.  
Those ●hat live an internal life do so withdraw all natural inordinate affection from creatures, that they often therefore are censured by superiors & equals to neglect others out of pride. But they abhorring to have special interest in any, do proceed so far as they can, according to true charity, and mind not what others judge of them, they desiring only in all to dischardg their duty to God, ●hom they regard in all things; and as they have interest in none, so not any hath interest in them. In that which they propose to Superiors they proceed (as in all things else) with all sincerity, de●esting the contrary practice even with those that are most adverse, and contrary to them, much more with Superiors; and whatsoever they desi●e to do, they do it with such an indifferency, th●t what event soever come of it, they remain in peace, embracing it as Gods will, whose will is their law. If that which they propose, either for the common good and peace of the house, or for their own g●od● do not seem fit in true justice, or reason to Superiors to be granted, they importune no farther, nor desire the favour of being condescended to in their motion. ●ut rather (remaining themselves indifferent) that they determine and proceed in it, to whom it appertaineth.  
A Superior hath gre●t reason to take heed of putting a soul from the exercise of her internal Prayer, or so overchardging h●r with labourss, or solicitudes, that she cannot not become recollected ●n her daily prayer, it being a soul that hath aptness in her to make spiritual progress by prayer, and the other exercises of a Contemplative life; yea not only the soul herself will feel the unspeakable damage that w●l come to her thereby, but also the Superior himself in the Obedtence which he expecteth, and is due to him from her, will see the harm and lose that cometh by such be● reaving of the soul of her prayer. For she who would by discreet, prosecuting a course of mental prayer have become subject (i● it were necessary) even to the creature tha● is of the least esteem, or worth in the world, becometh now for want of that strength and help which is gotten by such prayer; to be almost impossible to be ruled by ●he wisest man in the world. For living in Religion (as I can speak by experience● if one be not in a right course of prayer and other exercises, between God and our soul, ones nature groweth much worse than ever it would have been if she had lived in the world. For pride and self-love, which are rooted in our soul by sin, findeth means to strengthen itself exceed●ngly in one in Religion, if she be not in a coarse that may teach her and procure her tru● Humility. For by the corrections and contradictions of the will (which cannot by any be avoided, but will be, living in a Religious Community) I found my hart grown, as I may say, as hard as a stone, and nothing would have been able to have mollified it, but by being put into a course of prayer, by which a soul tendeth towards Go●, and learneth of him the lesson of truly humbling, herself; In which course being placed, and ever tending to the increase of Humility, even the defects and errors she committeth either out of frailty or ignorance, ●o turn to her gain, as giving her occasion of the greater humbling of herself to and under God; and Humility, and the love of God (wherein all her good consisteth) do each of th●m increase the one the other, f●r they are inseparable companions.  
It is the grace of God and tending to him by way of love, that only can so enable a soul, that no difficulty, or disgrace can happen, which she is not prepared for, and therefore is able willingly to embrace the same. Verily I can affirm this by mine own experience, that a cross word, or slight reprehension before I got into th●s spiritual course, was more insupportable to me, and did more disquiet my mind, than all the difficulties or disgraces, which since have fallen upon me, have done. For now me thinks though I be neglected by all the world, yet by flying to our Lord he easeth ●e of all my burden; and as I have desired to have no other friend, or comforter but him so it pleaseth him neither in doubts, fe●●es, pains, disgraces, nor in any other miseries (whereunto this life of ours is so subject) to reject me; Only he exacts of me that in all the contradictions of w●l he sends me, or permits to fall on me, I will humble myself and be confident in his help; Of Which, if I do so, I shall be much more sure, then if in mine own hands I had a most absolute power.  
None are able to persecute the way of the Divine Love, but they who are resolved to to deny themselves in all things, and who willingly and wittingly adhere to no created thing; For if the soul do willingly retain an affection to any such thing, she is at a stop, and can go no farther. For God must be sought and loved wholly, if we desire to arrive to Perfection.   

She speaking of the Sanctity of the old Orders in old time, when th●y were in their best case, or in the Prime of their good Spirits, writeth and sayeth as as followeth, viz.  
THAN only the honour of God was sincerely, without intermingling of human ends, or interests, intended and sought, and all Orders with one consent of hart did concur to the advancement of that alone, they then applied themselves to several exercises in the exterior every one according to his Institute, some more easy and some more strict, some of more action, and some of less; yet interiorly their principal end was all one, and that was to find and enjoy God in their souls; and out of that perfect Charity which esp●●cially by those their internal exercises did gro● in them, they did every one as God did require and enable them, employ part of their time in gaining, or doing good to other souls. Th●n there was no great care or solicitude about temporall●ties, God taking care, and being as it were solicitous to them; Th●n there was indeed all sincere and real proceedings between them; Then there was perfect amity without proper interest or fond affection to the impediment of the●r loving and seeking after God alone; who is that One thing which only is necessary; Then there was no acceptation of persons, but they were contented, so God's honour were advanced, not caring though it were done by any other Order as well as by themselves. O Lord my God, if this Spirit might be revived again, how much would my soul rejoice? If Saint Benet's his, S. Francis h. s, S. Ig●atius his, etc. children were perfectly, as this life will permit, united together, and with one hart, and consent seek and labour to advance thy honour and praise, as our founders do in Heaven, which if we did then would the Spirit of the primitive Church flourish, and thy torn and mangled members be healed and perfectly set again together; Then heretics and sinners would easily be converted by them to thee; Then there would be another learning, then now there doth flourish in our Order; and thou by them wouldst speak, who makest the tongue's of infant's eloquent; 
Wis. 10  Then they by prayer conversing in a familiar and tender manner with thee, would speak so, that none would be able to resist thee in them, Then their judgement would be so cleared that they would understand most hidden mysteries; Then an hour of prayer would instruct them more fully, than fifty years' study can do, they having by the mean of such prayer (in all things) relation to thee the only true wisdom, and in whose light only is true light to be seen. By loving thee and dying to themselves in all things they would become masters of themselves, and all the world would than nothing move them, nor would any thing affright them, because thou wouldst be their stay and comfort in all things.  
If we will do as we ought and as is best for us, we must be subject to the will of God in all things without exception; And this is the benefit of an internal life, that it makes one capable of seeing and knowing Gods will, and also most ready to perform it, Which way soever he signify it to them; which makes them obey as readily, and willingly (merely for God's sake and out of obedience to him) a simple or imperfect Superior, as they would an Angel, or the Wisest creature in the world; yea if it were possible that a worm, or any other creature were ordained by God to rule over them, ●hey would with all their hearts embrace his will by them. For without this total subjection to God, it is impossible to become truly Spiritual. For if we resist his will in our Superiors; in vain do we pretend to please him? This virtue therefore of Obedience, we must learn of him the which must be grounded upon true ' Humility, that must be our stay in all things. And those two virtues of Humility and Obedience, together with the divine virtue of Discretion, he will teach us, if we do our parts in seeking to become more & more humble, and subject to him. For seeing it is his will we should obey and become truly Humble, how can we doubt but he will give us the grace, if we Humbly and perseverantly beg it of Him, and practise those virtues upon occasions as well as we can? For he himself hath sa●d; 
Luk 11.12.  wh●n we ask our father bread, he doth not give a stone, nor if we ask him fish, will he give a serpent; much less will he deny us what is necessary to make us pleasing to him, and we seeking, or desiring nothing but by true love to be faithful to him. O Prayer, prayer, able to obtain all things! O how cometh it to pass my Lord, that this Omnipotent thing ●as some of thy dear seruants term it) prayer should be so unknown, yea and even to them whom thou termest the Salt of the earth contemned, (I mean Mental prayer) at least for the practice of poor simple women, for whom they hold it above all things most dangerous, even to my own knowledge, as I have known affirmed by Superiors of several Orders! 
☞  O misery to be truly lamented by all that have or may have taste i● prayer, and by the effect thereof know how sweet a thing it is to attend only, and wholly to the praise, and love of Go●. Surely the want of the wisdom, 
☞  which by prayer the Saints did gain, is the cause why cústome and opinion do take place for the most part in this world of true reason. Surely never was the world reform of its sins and errors; but it must be by the wisdom which cometh from God, and is far different From that which is accounted Wisdom by the world, which as S. Paul saith; 
1. Cor. 3.19.  is folly before God.   

CERTAIN OTHER DEVOtions of the same devot Soul D. Gertrude More, which she left written in her Breviary.  
In the fore part of her Breviary she had framed and written the ensuing prayer for her due performance of the divine Office, viz:  
All you that bless our Lord, exalt him all you can; for he is greater than all your praises.   

OMNIS SPIRITVS LAUDET Dominum. Let every spirit praise the Lord.  
AND I ●hy poor creature, who am not worthy to name thee (my Lord my God, and all my good) do here in the pre●sence of all thy Celestial Court desire 〈◊〉 perform this my Office with all diligen●● and with an amorous affections towards thee my ●o●, who hast imposed this sweet and most to be desired obligation upon me sinner, who doth not deserve any such honour, or comfort from thee as to be admitted to join my cold and frozen praises with all those who praise thee either on earth or in heaven where all to my comfort do without ceasing continually praise thee. And for what is wanting in me for the performance thereof, as I should and ought to do, supply it out of the superaboundance of th● merits and merc●; I desire to say it with all my hart according to the intention of our holy Mother the Catholic Church; of which I desire through thy grace to live, and die a true member; be th●u according to her desire, Adored, Blessed, Magnified, and supremely Superexalted by ●t; Let it be to the honour of thy all Immaculate Mother the Lady and Queen of Angels, and Saints, to these in a particular manner; ● viz) to my good Angel, our most holy Father S. Benet, S. Scholastica, S joseph, S. Peter and S. Paul, S. john Enangelist, S. john Baptist, S. Thomas, and my dear S. Augustin, S. Mary Magdalen, S. Gertrude; and in fine, all that are in Heaven have by it to them exhibited by thee what thou, willest and desirest should be; I beseech thee also that I may by it pray to thee! or all afflicted, pained, tempted, and troubled, that they may please and praise thee in those their miseries and overcome them to their comfort and thy glory; I also offer to thy sweet Mercy all those souls who by deadly sin are enemies to thee, which is indeed the misery of miseries; O lét them return to thee who art our beginning and the true Centre of our souls, from whom to be separated by sin ●s a most grievous hell, and to whom to be united by grace is a most sweet Heaven; Convert therefore and recall those souls to thee for whom ●hou spa●edst not ●hy most precious Blood, shedding it to the very last drop for us finners; I offer thee also my Parents, who have placed me here in thy house, where here I may even hear and see how to serve thee, and where I may night, and day attend to thee and praise thee my amiable and most to be desired beloved, whom to serve and to be obliged to love, is the only happiness in this world, and to whom to be tied by vows, and other obligations of Religion is a most sweet servitude and yo●e, and so sweet that no liberty is to it to be compared; I offer thee also our holy Congregation● and all that ever, or shall desire my poor unworthy prayers; and above all I offer thee all those in earth, or Purgatory which thy divine Majesty would have me pray for to thee, beseeching thee that t●y Divine will, and pleasure may be perfectly accomplished in all creatures, and last of all though not with the least affection, I offer to thee this thy Convent, whereof though very unworthy of such a favour as to live in such a happy company I am a poor imperfect member, 
The Benedictin Nouns at Cambray.  beseeching thee for thy ow●e sake, and by the love thou bearest to all such as truly seek to please thee alone, that thou wil● mercifully enrich their souls with the most abundant gifts of thy grace, so that their whole study may be to please, praise, and worship thee in spirit and truth, and especially I offer thee tho●e therein, that have done, do or shall hereafter, by their patience in supporting the defects of their Sisters, 
☞  and helping them by that means to bear their burden, and by their giving good example in Humility, Obedience, and other virtues, be a mean or help to the maintaining of Peace in this thy house; towards which thou hast showed so much Providence, that if we cast not our whole care both for body and soul upon thee, we shall not deserve the favours thou hast showed to us. We are thy little flock; keep thou ever possession of us; let us be of one mind, and of one hart, and let us all and every one with one consent according to thy grace given us simply intend, and regard ●hee in all we do, t●ink, speak, or desire: thou hast called us and gathered us together, send us a good life, and a happy death, to thy Praise, Honour and Glory, who art God of all things, and to whom now and for ever be given all Laud and Praise by all creatures. Amen. Amen.  
Delicta iwentutis meae, & ignorantias meas ne memineris Domine.  
Ab o●cultis meis munda me Domine, & ab alienis parce seruo tuo.  
O Domine Spes mea; delicta quis entelligit?  
O my God, my dear delight and all my happiness: Thou know'st I groan in spirit against myself, to think that I made no more haste to conclude an everlasting league and peace with thee my God  
O teach me to love, or let me not live, thou only canst do all things, and I, as t●ou well know'st, can do nothing. Behold I desi●e to leave all to find thee, and to die to all created things, to the end I may live only in, and to thee. I desire only thee, and to re●urn to thee the beginning of all creatures and the supreme beloved of all chaste souls?  
O how powerful is thy true love in a pure soul? O purify my hart and soul, so that nothing but thy love may live in me!  
O when shall I see my soul united to thee?  
O when by true love shall my soul languish for thee?  
O when shall I be wholly turned into the love of thee?  
O that I might do in all things that which is pleasing to thee?  
O when shall my soul by transcending all created things become capable by Charity of embracing thee in the bottom of my poor soul?  
O love, love, lo●e; what wonderful effects dost t●ou work in a soul? Thy love, my God doth sweeten all miseries, a●d maketh light all burdens, and labours.  
Verily nothing in the w●rld is so delight●ful to them that love it, and have as much of it as they can desire, and enjoy all the pleasures and contents thereof, as it is to a loving soul, that sincerely seeketh thee, to suffer for thy love.  
O my God, what do we lose even in this life, when we wish for, love, or desire any thing besides thee. It is only love that draweth thee down to us, and elevateth us up to thee!  
O who would not suffer any thing to obtain this love.  
Nothing can comfort or satisfy my soul but to love thee.  
When wilt thou replenish my hart with thy pure love, that resteth in thee above thy gifts, that my soul may truly adore thee in spirit and truth?  
Thou know'st that no grass doth so wither for want of water, as doth my poor sinful soul for want of ●hy love.  
O that without ceasing I could praise thee!  
As the s●ag, or hart beiug tired with pursuit doth thirst and pant after a sweet Spring, so doth my soul after thee, it having been much more tired with streying from thee then the poor hart can be by being chased by his enemy's, by as much more as it is more grievous to be hurt by ones self, then to have it done by others.  
O w●en shall I in all things do thy will, that my actions may be just, and pleasing to thee?  
O when shall I so humble myself ●hat I may be worthy in some sort to praise thee whom now for my pride I am not fit to name?  
jesus Son of David have mercy on me, and of thy great pity, and Charity remember me among the Whelps that expect and beg under thy table for one crumb of grace from thee.  
Where but under the shadow of thy wings shall I repose from the heat of all inordinate pa●●ions and desires, and from that midday Sun that parcheth and withereth away the new sprigs, or leaves of my new sown desire of loving, praising, and pleasing thee alone, my Lord and my God? Who but thyself by thy sweet grace can preserve m● from f●lling into my old sins, and sorrows? Thou therefore art my only Ref●ge in this day of my tribulation, and amidst the storms of this world, to thee I reveal my cause, be thou my strength and my Glory, that I may at last laying down the burden of this mortal flesh, be admitted into that place, where I may Praise thee for ever and ever. Amen.  
O my God, when shall that time come, that I shall never more offend thee? This is the misery wherein I languish, and which maketh this world tedious to me: This only is truly to be termed an affliction and misery, and nothing is truly to be accounted misery, but to displease thy divine Majesty, jesus Son of David have mercy on my sinful soul.  
O how happy are those that love thee? O love, love, love of my God, how far is my sinful soul from the happiness of enjoying thee, as my soul desireth?  
Nothing is sweet to a hart that desireth to love her God, but to sigh, long, and pant after him.  
O who will give me the wings of a Dove, that I may fly into the open wounds of my beloved?  
O my God, my o●ly desire, how long shall I thus be estranged from thee the God of my hart, and my portion for ever?  
O the most dearly beloved of my soul, how long, shall I by inordinately adhering to created things b● so far from loving thee, as I ought to do? O thou who only deserveth our love, my God and my all!  
Lord my God who alone art good and just, shall I any longer love vanity, and seek after a lie? How long shall thy dispositions and most righteous ordinances be displeasing to thy poor servant? How long shall I resist thy divine will?  
Verily my God, in this my misery I sigh unto thee, who art my hope from my youth, and am displeased with myself for having been so ungrateful to thy sweet mercy, acknowledging before Heaven a●d earth, that nothing is just, but that which thou disposest, and nothing is well done, save so far as it is done by thee, so much as any thing I do or say is only of mine own will and desire, so far it justly deserveth punishment, to thee be all gl●ry.  
In nothing is true Peace, but in seeking after God a●one, and in resting ●n him above all his gifts.  
O my God, when shall I be able to say: Quis me separabit à Charitate Dei? Who shall separate me, from the Charity of God? O when shall I by true love become united to thee the only desire of my hart and soul? Vsquequo Domine oblivisceris me in finem? Vsquequo avertis faciem tuam à me? How long wilt thou forget me unto the end? H●w long doth thou turn away thy face from me? wilt thou for ever be angry with thy poor servant? Behold thou know'st I desire no other comfort upon earth, then to be able without offending thee to live without all comfort human, or divine.  
O how little to be esteemed is all the solaces this world can afford: The wicked have been telling me of their delights, but they are not like those of thy Law. What comfort can any creature l●uing afford a soul that sigheth, and longeth after thee alone my God, and is banished from the beloned of her soul?  
Verily my God, it is only thy-self that can rejoice and comfort such a soul, thou only art sweet, and all things compared to thee are as nothing, and less than nothing.  
O my Lord, and my God, tell me, is there any thing in Heaven or on Earth that can satisfy my soul besides thee? No certainly. Why then dost thou permit me thus to wander from thee, who art only worthy to be desired and beloved by my soul?  
O my most dear God, who can comprehend the misery that soul suffereth, that taketh comfort or desireth any comfort from any creature?  
O how long shall I be subject to this misery of inordinately loving thy creatures, so that it is an impediment to the loving of thee my Creator, who art the supreme Good? To thee alone is all love due, and we do steal from thee, when our affection is willingly carried to any thing else whatsoever.  
O my God, my Mercy, let us love thee as thy divine Majesty, who art Lord of all things & in whose power all things do stand, let me (I say) love thee as thou wouldst be beloved by me.  
O my Lord, aslong as the peace of my soul dependeth of men, I can never repose in thee, or ●ind thee in the bottom of my soul!  
What came I into Religion ●or, but to love and praise my God, my Lord, and all my good?  
O when shall I as I desire, love thee and please thee my God and all my desire?  
O my God, how cometh it to pass that thou whose mercies are super omnia opera eius, Above all his works, shouldst be now termed to be terrible, and hard to be pleased? Verily I am a sinner and the greatest of all sinners, and yet I have found thee so good and easily pleased, that nothing is more pleasant then to serve thee for love and to bear thy yoke from our youth: The yoke of sin is heavy, but thine is sweet above a the contentments, and pleasures of this world.  
Let those that seek not thee, and that desire any thing willingly but thee, fear, and return to the●, but let the hearts of them that love thee rejoice, O Lord. But can I say I love? Verily not I But shall I for this feare● No my God, at least not so as to loose confidence, which hath in it a great remuneration, For seeing by thy grace I desire to love, and to leave all for love, I will hop● in thy Merc●, let it assist my extreme frailty an● poverty: Of myself I am nothing, but in thy power I shall be able to do all things.  
Thou know'st that I desire to leave all for thy sake, and that if I knew any thing that I loved to the impediment ●of my truly serving thee, it would be so gre●t a grief to my soul, that nothing in Heaven or earth could comfort me till I see myself freed from that miserable bondage, by thy assisting Grace● which I implore from the bottom of my soul: Set me free, I mos● humbly beseech thee by the multitude o● thy Mercies from the sins into which I daily fall through my frailty, remove all impediments between my soul and thee, for I am frail above all measure; Let me live to thee, dying to all other things whatsoever. Let me find and possess thee in the bottom of my soul: 
☜  Let all creatures be silent that thou alone mayst be heard by me: And I will not trouble myself with them without, who are puffing and blowing, and thereby raising up the dust of multiplicity, into their own and others eyes.  
Let me enter into the most retired place of my soul, and sing love songs to thee, my Al and only Good, regarding thee with the simple eye of my soul, and sighing out certain unspeakabe groans in this pilgrimage of mine into the ears o● the only beloved of my hart and soul: woe is me, that ever I offended such a God Be propitious, O Lord unto my sin, for it is great! O Mercy, which hath neither end, nor measure, have pity on me, and forgive me my sins. Amen.  
God Let thy Truth, and not the blindness of my own ignorance, speak to me: Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth, or at least desireth to hear thee.  
Behold I set open the ears of my soul, that I mny hear my beloved speak justice and Peace to my hart. For thy voice is sweet and thy face comely, and there is none like unto th●e in Beauty and wisdom.  
Thou my God, the repose of my labour, the joy of my soul, and the comfort of my hart: Be to me all in all, and above all, which can be enjoyed or desired: Let me, O let me, rest in thee and in no created thing whatsoever!  
Simplify my soul that it may be able to adhere to thee my God, transcending all created things. O when shall my soul forget all, and only be mindful of thee, the most pure spirit, resting in thee above all thy Graces and Gifts!  
O when shall I be by profound Humility reduced to the nothing, 
☞  which only makes a a soul capable of thee, who art all good things, who art that simple good, in which nothing is wanting?  
How long shall I glory in any created thing, and seek myself to the dishonour of him, with out whom I could neither have life nor being, much lesse● to be able without him to do any thing meriting grace and Salvation?  
O my God, when wilt thou set me free, that I may glory in thee alone, and not by pride exalt dust and ashes, which is blown aw●y with every wind, and hath no stability in it, but so far as it is holpen by thy mere Mercy. What flesh dareth glory in itself, or presume it is able to do any good? Verily my God, if I had most courageously vndergon all the temptations, miseries, and afflictions that have been, or ever shall be by all thy servants together, I ought not to think myself able to suffer the least that can be imagined as of myself, but justly aught to fear mine own frailty. Let them that glory therefore glory in thee, and not in themselves.  
O that some little spark of that true light, which true Humility causeth, would enter into my soul, and never depart out of it, till I were wholly trasformed into that love which giveth thee all, and it-self nothing, saving its own defectuousnes. Thou only art Just, thou only Holy, and I the most vile and contemptible of all thy creatutes in thine eyes, who discerneth most clearly how it stands with me for my pride and other my abominable sins. Wash me in thy Blood, and I shall yet become whiter than snow.  
What would it avail me, if I were never so great in the eyes of men, yea even as great as I most unworthy am in mine own? Could they save me, or justify me in thy sight? Is it not affirmed by the Spirit of all Truth, Vanitas omnis homo vivens. All living man is vanity, without any exception of persons? Verily my God, we are indeed but as we are in thy sight, who judgest according to the Humility of our hart which is hidden from the sense of man. Man may judge that to be Humility which indeed is pride, and there is no pride so great as that which clotheth it-self under he colour of Humility, but thou canst not be deceived by any. O happy soul that only desireth thee to be a witness of her desires, endeavours, and intentions!  
Happy they that are approved by thee my God, though he●r they be despised, neglected, and contemned by the whole world.  
With what face can my soul tell my God, I desire to love him, if I do it not more willingly, than I do, undergo the hard censures of men? Shall I desire that which I do or say may be well thought of by others since my God himself, was thought to do all he did in the power of Beelzebub. Shall she who hath done nothing that is good, be in esteem, when as her beloved who is goodness and justice it-self, was despised and contemned? O my God, far be this disloyalty from my hart. Let me suffer for my sins, that I may become pleasing in thy sight, which is all my soul desireth.  
O my God, when shall I find and possess thee in the bottom of my soul? When shall the eyes of my body be so closed from beholding all vanity, that the eyes of my soul may be cleared by thee to the discerning of truth? Truly thou art a hidden God and none can walk in thy light, but the peaceful Humble, patient, and clean of hart.  
O if we did but once see in thy light of truth how little we are able to do, or suffer of ourselves, we would tremble to think we were able to do any thing that were good, or to attribute any thing to our own endeavours, 
Psal. 126.  Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum, in vanum laboraverunt qui aedificant eam: Nisi Dominus custodierit civitaetem fru●tra vigilat qui custodit eam. Unless God build the house in vain do they la●our who build it. Unless God guard the City in vain do they watch who guard it. It is in vain for you to rise before light!  
O light shine in my soul, and let not the darkness of mine own ignorance overwhelm me, any longer!  
Let my soul love, that it may live in and to thee alone my Lord God.  
When wilt thou give me the gra●e of true Humility, which is so much spoken of, and so hard to be known what it is indeed?  
O we can never while we l●ue in this world, be secure from falling into the cursed sin of pride which maketh souls more odious to thee, than any o●her sin whatsoever. O my God help me out of this snare, which layeth open the way to all other sins.  
O who dare though he had been rapt into the third Heavens with S. Paul, attribute any gift, or grace to his own desert? What have we that we have not received? and if we have ●eceaued it, whereof should we glory? O how soon do we lose the the labour of many years in one moment by pride? God protecteth us and directeth us if we remain humble; but in our pride he leaveth us to ourselves, till we see, and feel to our cost our own weakness and misery.  
O how plain doth it appear to those who are now secure for all eternity in thy Heavenly Kingdom, that if thou hadst with drawn thy grace from them while they lived here, their case would have been most miserable? O how far are they from attributing any thing to their own metits, save so far as they were merely enabled thereto by thy grace? And how far short do they esteem their deserts to be of the Glory, and Honour they receive from thy Merciful and bountiful hand? What pains, what labours, what suffering of disgraces can deserve to enjoy thee, and see thee●ace ●ace to face ●or ever and ever? Certainly those who enjoy this happiness, have received it by the merits of thy most bitter death and Passion, which (God grant) may bring me wretch also to Salvation. Amen.  
O Love, love, love, when shall nothing else live in me but thy true love my God? how long shall I remain divided from thee? When shall I by pure and perfect love be united to my God, all impediments being removed?  
When shall no created thing be able to divert my soul from attending to my Lord God? When shall I be able to suffer without offending my God, or being weary thereof.  
O how little true peace doth that soul enjoy who careth for the praises of men, or feareth their dispraises; Nothing more slippery, nothing more unconstant, nothing more uncertain than the favour, or friendship of man, who to day will be thy friend and extol thee to the skies; to morrow none will have thee less in esteem than he; and what a misery than is it to place happiness or security in the favour of man? And this o my soul, thy God permits thee to see, to the end thou shouldst adhere to him alone, and not to that which is subject to fail. Desire the friendship of God alone, and then his friends both in Heaven and earth shall be ready to serve thee for thy advancement in his love and service. What can any man diminish of thy good by his speaking, or thinking il of thee? Or what can he add to thee indeed by highly esteeming of thee?  
Remember that all Praise is due unto God, but to thee confusion of face for thy abominable sins. Give all Glory unto him, with out whom thou couldst not so much ashave a being. My God, be thou Adored and Exalted by all, who art Blessed for ever and ever. Amen.  
Thou, O sweet jesus, hast pronounced with thine own blessed mouth, these words? Consueor tibi Pater Domine Caeli & terrae, quia abscondisti haec à sapientibus & prudentibus, & re●elas̄ti ●ae par●ulis; Ita Paeter, quoniam sic placitum fuit ante te. I confess to thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these from the wise and prudent and revealod them to little ones. Yea Father for so it well pleased thee. These are the souls to whom thy yoke is sweet and thy burden light these observe and see in the light of thy truth that all thou dost, or ordainest is just and true, and that it is our sin and ignorance only that perverteth the order of thy justice.. O let us cry out to thee, and prepare our souls that in thy light we may see light. For it is not human wisdom, or knowledge that will serve our turn to find out thee in the bottom of our soul, for which we were created, and for which our soul hath such a capacity, that the very Angels are amazed to see so great an honour and favour to be offered and bestowed upon so poor and frail a creature, and yet that we should turn a deaf ear to our beloved, who sayeth, his delight is to be with the children of men. O how pitifully doth this most sweet and merciful God of ours lament our loss 
☜  and misery of losing that happiness of enjoying him in our souls in an extraordinary manner, yea even in this life● if we did not cast away our love and affect on upon created things, neglecting and forgetting the noble capacity wherewith the hath most bountifully endued our souls: Hear therefore what he sayeth by his Prophet; 
jer. 2. 13.  Be ye astonished, O Heavens upon this, and the gates thereof, be ye extremely desolate upon it; for two evils hath my people done, (viz.) They have left and forsaken me the Fountain of living water, and have digged for themselves cisterns: Cesterns that are broken, that are not able to hold waters. O woe is me my God, that I should thus have forsaken thee; Wha● meaneth this thy great Mercy? I should have lamented m●ne own misery (of not only neglecting to seek after thee alone, but also of most miserably offending thee infinite wa●es) and thou bemoanedst my case as if some prejudice were thereby to come to thee! O what wouldst or couldst thou lose by my not being so happy as truly to seek after thy love? truly nothing, seeing thy Glory cannot be added to or diminished by my misery. But thy infinite Charity which brought ●hee into the world to suffer and die for me, is the reason of thy mer●fful calling upon my poor soul, to which thou hast said; I will not the the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live. In the hope of this promise I fly to thee: Thou who art able to do all th●ngs, help me that can do nothing: Thou know'st I have placed all my hope and comfort in thee alone, and that I de●est all that is in me which is displeasing in thine eyes. Far be it from me to have any other intention in any thing I do or omit, but simply to please thee. I renounce all inordinate affection to all created things whatsoever, and whatsoever I do that is not done sincerely for thy love and honour, I most willingly submit myself to any punishment thy just and Merciful justice shall lay upon me. Give what ●hou commandest, and then exact what thou pleasest. O my God is it much I serve thee whom all the world is bound to serve? 
☞  O what is more sweet then to serve thee for love, without any pretence of our own commodity for time, or eternity? Truly in this lieth hidden the greatest comfort that a soul banished from thee is capable of receiving: To ●hee who art the supreme and only true Good, by all creatures be all Praise eternally given. Amen.   

This which next of all followeth she there writ, as taken out of S. Augustin, (viz.) I was not acquainted with that true interior justice, which judgeth not by custom but by the righteous Law of Almighty God.  
O My God, ap●d te est fons vi●ae, & in lumine tuo videbimus lumen; Qui sequitur me, non ambulat in tenebris. With thee is the fountain of life, in thy light we shall see light, who followeth me walketh not in darkness, and they that walk not in thy light can never judge of things according to thy justice, but judge according to custom, or their own sense. This true light is thy gift, and Grace, which thou only impartest in abundance to t●e meek and humble of hart, and to those who endeavour to regard and seek thee alone in all their actions in simplicity, and sincerity of hart, and who intent thee only in all they do or omit.   

(Underneath the picture there annexed of saint William Duke of Aquitain, she had written as followeth, viz.  
O my God through the merit's and intercession of this most glorious Saint, be merciful to me sinner, and give me grace to love, and praise thee with all my soul and strength, and neither for time, or eternity to seek or desire any thing, but only thy-self alone simply, and purely by sincere and perfect love, resting in thee my God above all gifts and creatures, and Adoring thee who art God Blessed for ever and ever. Amen. Amen.  
Man's life on earth is a continual warfar, and living but a short time, he is replenished with many miseries. Watch therefore and pray that you enter not into temptation. By Humility and Prayer we shall be able to pass through any difficulties.  
(To the image of death there annexed together with other ensei●nes of death, she added these following words, viz.)  
O how little to be esteemed, or desired is all that passeth away with time.  
(Thus far of her Devotions written by her in her Breviary within ihe year before she died.]    

HERE FOLLOW SOME other Devotions of the same pious soul D. Gertrude More.  

A short Oblation of this small work by the writer gatherer thereof to our most sweet and Merciful God.  

MT GOD to thee I dedicate  
This simple work of mine,  
And also with it hart and soul;  
To be for ever thine.  
No other motive will I have,  
Then by it thee to praise.  
And stir up my poor frozen soul  
By love it-self to raise.  
O I desir neither tongue, nor pen  
But to extol God's praise,  
In which excess ●le melt away  
Ten thousand thousand ways●  
And as one that is sick with love  
Engraves on every Tree  
The Name and Praise of him she loves  
So shall it be with me.   
IF the glorious light of thy Church Saint Augustin, whose hart was so inflamed with love, that the whole world was a witness thereof (and ever will be to thine honour from whom proceedeth all good.) If he (I say) stood need of gathering out of thy Soly Scriptures and the writings of holy Saints, somewhat that might elevate his mind to thee, when he grew more cold by reason of human frailty (as he professeth before his Manuel) whose words I will hereafter bring in as being most sweet to me) wha● need then hath my poor soul to gather together certain devout and amou●rous words, who scarcely in the reading thereof can lift up my hart to thee; but my hope is in thy Metcy, whi●h is above all thy works, and out of whi●h thou hast said by thy Prophet, 
Psal. 35.  Men and beasts thou wilt save. To this Mercy I fly, in this Mercy is all my comfort and consolation, I cast myself into the arms of this thy Mercy and Pity, I have nothing wherein I can trust. Some have suffered for thee in their body, others in their mind, others in both; Some for thee have taken great pains, and vndergon great labours and austerities, others by couradgiously supporting disgraces and miseries, have become thereby most dear to thee, others while they were afflicted and persecuted, prayed to thee for their enemies, and thereby procured pardon for their own sins. But ala● my God, as for me, when I cast back mine eyes upon my life past, I can find nothing done or suffered by me wherein I can hope, wherein I can trust. All those things which I behold others daily to practise, are, far fromme, I have lived in this house, (of whom I may truly say; 
Psal. 23.  Haec est generatio quaerentium faciem Dei jacob. This is the generation of those that seek the face of the God of jacob) unmindful and ungrateful to the God of jacob; yea my whole life hath been full of sin and iniquity, and without end or measure have my offences been against thee; yea justly mayst thou condemn me to the bottomless pity of hell. But yet I will hope in thee. I am sorry from the very bottom of my hart that ever I offended thee, or strayed from thee. Behold I now consecrate my-selfa new body and soul to thee, take away from my soul what therein displeaseth thee. Al thy Angels, and Saints be intercessors for me, especially thy dear Mother, the faithful helper and Advocate of us sinners.   

TO OUR BLESSED LADY the Advocate of sinners.  

ALL hail, O Virgin, crowned with stars,  
and M one under thy feet,  
Obtain us pardon of our sins  
of Christ our Saviour sweet.  
For though thou art Mother of my God,  
yet thy Humility  
Disdaineth not this simple wretch,  
that flies for help to thee.  
Thou know'st thou art more dear to me,  
●hen any can expres●e,  
And th●t I do congratulate  
with joy thy happiness;  
Who art the Queen of Heaven and earth,  
thy helping hand me lend,  
That I may love and praise my God,  
and have a happy end.  
And though my sins me terrify,  
yet hoping still in ●hee  
I find my soul refreshed much  
when I unto thee fly.  
For thou most willingly to God  
petitions dost present,  
And dost obtain much grace for us  
in this our ba●nishment.  
The honour and the glorious praise  
by all be given ●o thee,  
Which I●sus t●y beloved Son  
ordained eternally  
For thee, whom he exalts in heaven  
above the Ange●s all,  
And whom we find a Patroness,  
when unto thee we c●l.  
Amen.  
O Mater Dei,  
●e ●ento mei. Amen.   
As also my good Angel, S. joseph. Saint john Evangelist, S. Martin, S. Augustin, S. Thomas of Aquin, and thou my most holy Father S. Benet.   

To our most Holy Father Saint BENEDICT.  

MOst glorious Father in whose School,  
I live and hope to die,  
God grant I may observe thy Rule,  
for in that all doth lie.  
For no perfection can be named,  
which us it doth not teach.  
O happy she, who in her soul,  
the sense thereof doth reach!  
But many praise Obedience`  
and thy humility,  
And yet conceive not as they should,  
what either of them be.  
The simple humble loving souls  
only the sense find out  
Of any discreet obedient Rule,  
and these are void of doubt.  
Yea under shadow of thy wings  
they up to heaven's fly,  
And taste here in this veil of tears  
what perfect peace doth lie,  
Hid in performance of thy Rule  
that leadeth unto heaven;  
O happy souls who it perform,  
the ways so sweet and even!  
By Prayer and Patience its fulfilled,  
Charity, Obedience,  
By seeking after God alone,  
and giving none offence.  
The more I look upon thy Rule,  
the more in it I find,  
O do to me the sense unfold,  
For letter makes us blind!  
And blessed, yea a thousand times,  
Be thou who it hast writ,  
And thy sweet blessing give to them,  
who truly perform it.  
For those are they which will conserve  
this house in perfect peace,  
Without which all we do, is lost,  
and all that's good will cease.  
And praised be our glorious God,  
who gave to thee such grace,  
Not only him thy-self to seek,  
but also out to trace  
A way so easy and secure,  
if we will but thee hear,  
To have relation to our God,  
who is to us so near,  
For at this thou dost chiefly aim,  
that God our souls do teach.  
O if we did truly obey,  
he would by all things preach  
His will to us by every thing  
that did to us befall;  
And then as thou desirest it should  
he would be all in all-  
O pray dear Father that he ever be,  
our only love and all eternally. Amen.   
Saint Scholastica, S. Gertrude, and in fine all in heaven, or on earth that are pleasing to thee, be pleased to make me partaker of their merits and prayers; and above all wash me in thy precious Blood, one drop whereof had been sufficient to have redeemed a thousand worlds. In this is my hope and confidence, by this I hope to be enriched with all that is wanting in me: For, in that thou art and possessest, I more rejoice and exult, then if I had whatsoever in earth, or in heaven I could desire at my command. In this joy I cry out withal my hart, with all my soul, and with all my strength: O how much good, and happiness do I possess, seeing my God, (who is more myself than I myself am) doth possess so infinite Glory, Majesty, and so infinite good things: for indeed I have, and hold him more mine own, than any thing that ever I had, or held heretofore. This is the comfort of my poverty and the repose of my labour. This my most delightful, most amiable, most bright and beautiful, and most Glorious God, is always present with me, to hear my praises and receive my petitions. In him I am rich, though in my self I am poor and contemptible. To him my most loving God, be given now and ever all Laud and Praise, and Glory, by all in heaven and earth for ever and ever. Amen.  
These Collections once more I offer to thee my God, and those that in perusing thereof are moved thereby to love and praise thee, be they my (Go●) mindful of me in their holy prayers, which are most pleasing to thee. And I also desire that some will out of their Charity read these things to me which hereafter follow, when sick to death's shall be becompassed with those fears and terrors which ordinarily accompany that dreadful hour; at which time, as all o●her, be thou my helper and Protector● and in the Bowels of thy Mercy Good Father, remember me poor beggar, and from heaven send me now and at my departure thy Grace which may bring me to thee where I may with all thy Elect, Praise● Adore and worship thee for ever and ever.   

An act of Contrition, partly taken ou● of the words of blessed S. Augustin.  
1. O LORD I confess I have sinned above the sands of the Sea in number, yet such is the grief which I take thereat, that I will not refuse to suffer any kind of punishment for th● same. O jesus, whatsoever thy will shall be that I should do, I desire to perform it according to thy holy wil I have nothing to offer unto thee, but a hart willing to do whatsoever thou●ouldst ●ouldst have me.  
2. H●er I offer myself bound both hand, and foot, and I lie prostrate at thy feet craving pardon for my abominable sins and offences.  
3. I fly not away, I appeal not from thy sentence, otherwise then from thy justice to thy Mercy which we sinners do daily experience to be above all thy works.  
4. I do not plead to be released of any punishment, but rather that thou mayst judge me according to thine own Blessed will, only let me not be separated from thee.  

O thou thy-self dost say to us:  
Thou wilt not sinners death,  
But that we do convert and live  
even while our souls have breath,  
And no more than to cease to be  
canst thou (O God) refuse  
To pardon humble penitents  
that do themselves accuse,  
Being no accepter of persons  
all having cost thee dear,  
Yea even thy very life; it-self  
how can I therefore fear?  
If ever yet he did disdain  
sinners that fled to him,  
Then had I little cause of hope,  
but this was never seen.  
Fo● if they do return to thee,  
thy hart thou wilt not close,  
As witness can my wretched soul,  
who was so like to lose  
All grace and goodness (if thou hadst  
not me with help prevented)  
By sins that would with bloody tears,  
be while I live lamented,  
If I as grateful were to thee,  
as thou deservest I should,  
Or as another in my case  
vuto thy mercy would.  
But thou whiles that thou livedst here,  
by token's plain didst show,  
That none should be refused by thee,  
who dost in mercy flow.  
And that my wicked hart did prove,  
who after ●ins so many  
Hath found much favour in thine eyes,  
without deserving any.  
O blessed ever be my God,  
for this preventing grace,  
Which I unworthy have received  
in this most happy place.  
I fled from thee by many sins,  
and thou didst follow me,  
As if my ruin would have caused  
some detriment to thee.  
How can this choose but wound my hart,  
when I remember it,  
And ever serve to humble me,  
while at thy feet I sit?  
From whence my Lord, my God, and all,  
permit me not to rise,  
till I do love thee as thou wouldst,  
the which doth all comprise.   
5. I know thou wilt not the death of a sinner, but rather that I be converted and live.  
6. Be pacified therefore I beseech thee for thine own sa●e, and receive me into thy favour, look upon thine own wounds, and let them plead my pardon; do not for ever blot me out of ●he book of life, but rather give me grace, faithfully hereafter to serve and please thee.  
7. I know it is reason, that one who hath been so ungrateful to thy Supreme Majesty, as I have been should humbled, despise and willingly abase himself even at the feet of all creatures, which thy sweet Goodness grant me to do, that I may hereafter find savour in thine eyes, who be blessed and praised by all for ever. Amen.  
O sweet jesus to whom nothing is impossible but not to be merciful to the miserable; forgive me mine offence; I am sorry from the bottom of my hart that ever I offended thee, or contradicted thy holy will; but I know thou canst forgive more than I can offend, which maketh me confident of being received into thy favour, though thy most abundant Mercy; to whom my God be given all Laud. Honour, and Praise, by all creatures in heaven and in earth for ever and euer● Amen.  
O amiable jesus behold all thy creatures do invite and exhort me to yield th●e praises for all thy benefits, which have been (I must ackowledg) without end or measure towards me thy unworthy creature. Every creature doth in their kind sing and set forth thy great Goodness, inviting me to love only thee; and yet behold how cold and dull I am in Loving, Praising, and Exalting thee! O what shall I say? but cry out to thee, who art my hope, my help, my Love, my life and All; yea my Father, my Spouse, and my God, to grant thy Grace may not be void in me after so many infinite benefits! O be thou hereafter the only desire and joy of my soul. Let me look after nothing but thee, love nothing but thee, let me night and day sigh and long after thee my beloved. Let it suffice me to have my inteutions and proceedings only approved by thee. O let me honour, and respect all for thy sake, howsoever they treat me; for my ingratitude hath been so great to thee, that all creatures as well go●d as bad, may justly despise me, and do thee great honour thereby. I offer thee therefore thine own merits seeing I have none of mine own, for those that shall any way revenge thy quarrel by afflicting her, who deserveth nothing but hell for having so often offended thee.   

After something which she had collected out of the following of Christ concerning Prayer. she writ as followeth.  
O MY Lord God, how much do thy Saint's praise and commend the holy Exercise of Prayer. O how happy are ●hose that have no other study, or care, then how to extol, and praise thy Divine Majesty, and in Humility of hart to make their necessities known unto thee, who art the Father of Mercies, & Dius totius consolationis, qui consolatur nos in omni tribulatione nostra. And the God of all consolation, who comforts us in all our tribulation. To whom should we sinners fly, but to thee my God? who didst thou ever reject that lamented and w●s sorry for their sins? Nay did not publicans, and harlots find thee more willing to forgive, then they could be to ask for pardon? Thou who forgavest S. Peter, S. Mary Magdalen, S. Augustin and infinite others their sins and offences, be merciful to me, who groaneth in spirit against myself, to see, and remember that I have made no more haste to conclude an everlasting peace and league with thee, O my God!  
To thee now all the powers of my scattered, defiled, and deformed soul, doth aspire.  
Behold I do extol now thy dear service to the sky; professing and protesting that there is no liberty so sweet, as to be bound and obliged by vows to serve thee for love.  
Thou true and most blessed God, how didst thou with a most sweet and severe kind of Mercy, receive, check, and convince me, straying, and flying from thee, by shamefully seeking that in thy creatures, which is only to be found in thee, to wit, comfort, and peace?  
O Lord, I am thy servant; say unto my soul, I am thy Salvation, and all that is within me shall say; Quis similis tibi, Deus meus. Who is like unto thee my Lord God.  
Behold, I have had an aversion from all that which thou lovest, and an inclination to all which thou hatest: But thou hast broken my bands, and I will offer thee a Sacrifice of Praise, submitting henceforth my stifneck to thine easy yoke, and my shoulders to thy light but then.   

Underneath a picture of B. john de Cruse, she writ as followeth, viz.  
O Blessed and pure Saint, pray for me sinful wretch, who am not worthy to call upon thee, yet coafiding in thine inflamed charity, I commit and commend myself to thy sweet protection now and at the dreadful hour of my death, remember me I beseech thee. Amen.   

(To some Collections which she drew out of S. Augustins' Confessions, she added as followeth.)  
Good God be merciful to mine iniquities for this dear Saints sake of thine, whose Humility doth so astonish me, that I cannot choose but cry with a loud voice in my hart, O how admirable art thou in thy Saints? What are his whole Books of Confessions, but a profound acknowledgement of his sins, which he doth not only confess to thee, but to all the world, to the end that all may perpetually praise thy Mercy? But O my God for this Humility of his, thou hast highly exalted him: for which be thou eternally magnified and praised by all creatures. He was one of those sinners for whose conversation, There was more joy in Heaven, then upon ninty nine Just; and not without great cause, seeing he was to be a chief pillar in thy Church, and one who might and did draw infinite sinners by his words and writings out of the mire and dregs of sin, and taught them to submit themselves to thive easy yoke, and to se●ue thee for love, and to glory in nothing but thee. Yea what is wanting in his words, that may invite our souls to love thee with all our hearts, with all our strengths, and our neighbour as ourselves? Who can spea●e in the words of thine own Oracles more comfortably to sinners than he hath done? ●n fine h●s words are so amorously sweet in thy Praises, that even my frozen soul had been melted there● by into thy praise. He for thy sake be an Advocate and Intercessor to thee for me, the most sinful, and contemptible of all th● servants, he I say, to whom many sins w●re forgiven, because he loved much, whom I desire together with all the Celestial Court, to Adore, and Praise thee for me, who am not worthy to name thee who be ever blessed. Amen.   

In a Collection which she was making out of the Book of Psalms, she added to some verses as followeth.  

Psal. 23. vers. 6.  
THis is the generation of them that seek h●m: of them that seek the face of the God of jacob (I pray God it may prove so with us to his Honour and Glory)   

●s●l. 31. ve●s. ●0.  
I will give thee understanding: and will instruct thee in the way t●at thou shalt go, I w●l fasten mine eyes upon thee. (who is not wholly inflamed with a desire to seek after God alone, to hear such a promise from his own mellifluous mouth.)   

Psal. 35. vers. 10.  
Because with thee is the fountain of life: and in thy light we shall see light. (I beseech all those devout souls that shall peruse this book, to labour carefully for that light which the Prophet here speaketh of; which proceedeth from love, 
☜  and not from human wisdom. This light, (by which we shall discern truth from falsehood) is gotten by conuer●ing with Almighty God, and humbling ourselves under his mighty hand. This light hath taught many their way to God, that could neither write nor read. Sweet jesus make us of the number of these little ones to whom this light is revealed which is hidden from the wise and prudent; which is bestowed upon those that faithfully adhere to God, and not on those that glory rather in themselves them in him. He be Blessed and Praised by all, for ever and ever. Amen.   

Psal. 86. vers. 5.  
Reveal thy way to our Lord and hope in him: and he will do it. (A comfortable saying for those that God permits still to remain (do wh●t they can) in their imperfections.  
v. 7. Have no emulation in him that appeareth in his way: v. 6. Be subject to our Lord and pray him. (Note this well.)  
v. 11. The meek shall inherit the land: and shall be delighted in multitude of peace. (If we truly labour for his peace, (which is in much Patience) the God of Peace will be amongst us.)  
v. 25. When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, because our Lord putteth his hand under. (O what an incouradgment is this to a poor frail soul; Let us notwithstanding our imperfections, confidently, and amorously when we fail, hope in his Mercy, and then He will heal and help us, who makes us so many sweet promises. Who be blessed by all creatutes for ever and ever. Amen.  
v. 26. I have been young (for I am old) and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread. (Why do we distrust then, who have dedicated ourselves wholly to God, fearing ro depend only of his divine Providence, 
☜  which is the greatest happiness in this world, and so much to be desired if we had so much love, and couradge as we should.   

Psal. 38 v. 8.  
Doubtless all things are vanity every man living. O my poor soul, take good notice of this verse; Adhere to our Lord whose years never fail, and whose help is always at hand Give that to God that is Gods, and that to Caesar that is Caesar's: mark what the Prophet faith in the same Psalm, viz. And now what is my Expectation, is it not our Lord? and my substance is with thee.   

Psal. 39 vers. 15.  
But thou O Lord make not thy considerations far from me: thy Mercy and thy truth have always received me. (O be thou ever blessed for it by all creatures, my God and Al. Amen.   

Psal. 40. vers. 1.  
Blessed is the man that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: in the evil day our Lord will deliver him. (O my poor soul, though thou hast not where with to relieve the poor in th● i● hunger & thirst; yet despair not to gain this blessing that our Lord will protect thee in the evil day, which thou standest so much need off. For, to pray for those that afflict thee, and render good for evil to those that molest thee, and being a comfort in all thou canst imagine, to those that are afflicted either in body or in m●nd without exception of persons, is included in the gaining of that most to be desired promise. 
☞  Remember with joy, and imitate the best thou art able, the happy example of the late blessed Bishop of Geneva, of whom it is reported, that one in his diocese exce●dinly molesting, afflicting, and persecuting this holy Saint, yét he used him with all love, gentleness, and respect; yea more than any other person. At which patient proceeding of his one of his subjects wondr●ng at, and speaking to him of it, asked him how he could use that man so mildly, who never requited him with other then il turns for all the grace he showed him, being as it were top full of bitterness against him To which the Saint humbly answ●ered, O ●a●th he, if he should put out one of mine eyes I will smile upon him w●h the other. I beseech thee my God for thy own sake, grant thy unworthiest servant grace to imitate this example; though to speak truly, none can do her an injury, who deserveth so much in punishment for her sins.   

Psal. 41. verse 6. and 7.  
Wby art thou sorrowful my soul? and why dost thou trouble me? Hope in God; because yet I will confess to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God. (O my soul, hope in thy God, who can do all things! O blessed Hope and Confidence, which is able to obtain all things, and overcome all things.  
v. 11. In the day our Lord hath commanded his Merey: and in the night a song of him. Dost thou not hear my soul, t●y Lord doth require of thee? Mercy towards thy even Christian, for that he showeth to thee. And that night and day thou w●lt sing his Praise. But Lord thou know'st that thy Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner. What then shall I do? O, hope in thy Mercy!    

Certain comfortable sayings, taken out of the holy Scripture; for the encouradgment of those that desire with all their hearts to Love and please our most merciful God, and first out of the Prophet isaiah.  

Chap. the first.  

Verse 16.  WASH you, be clean: take away the evil of your cogitations from mine eyes: Cease to do perversely.  
17. Learn to do good: Seek judgement, secure the oppressed, judge for pupil, defend the widow. And come, and accuse me, saith our Lord.  
18. If your sins shall be as scarlet, they shall be made as whit as snow: and if they be as red as vermilion, they shall be whit as wool.  
19 If you be willing: and will hear me, you shall eat the good things of the earth.  
22. Thy silver is turned into dross: thy wine is mingled with water. (But hear what followeth, O my soul, and therefore be not discomforted though all thou dost and sufferest be very imperfect; yet behold what he promiseth who can do all things. If he will, he can make thee clean. If he command, the wind and sea will be still, and there will e●sue a calm. Commit thy ●elf to him, and he will help thee when he thinketh fit. O God, thy will be done therefore in me for ever and ever. Amen.  
25. I will turn my hand to thee. and boil out thy dr●ss●●il it be pure: and will take away all thy tin●e.  
26. A●ter these things thou shalt be called the Just, a faithful City.  
(Shall I fear to be forsaken by thee my God, after all these sweet promises? No, I will hope in the multitude of thy Mercies. Though I have hitherto sinued against Heaven and before thee, so that I am not worthy to be called thy child; yet let me eat of the crumbs which fall from my Master's table, that I may grow stronger hereafter in resisting that which maketh me displeasing in thy pure eyes. Hear, my Lord the voice of a sinner, which would feign love t●ee, and with her hart and soul as greatly please the as ever she bathe offended thee. Let me either love, or not li●e. I know thy Merci●s are so great, that t●ou hast admitted those to eat of the bread of Angels, which heretofore fed of Husks like swine; yea S. Gertrude saith, that the more base, vile, and contemptible the creature is to whom thou showest mercy, the more extolled art t●ou by all thine Angels, and Saints in Heaven. I will therefore hope in thee, and beseech all t●y Saints to pray for me, and praise t●ee for taking pity of me, who am not worthy to cast up`mine eyes to Heaven much les to think upon, or praise t●ee. To thee O my God and all my desire be given perpetual Praise and Adoration for all eternity by all creatures! Amen.   

CHAP. II.  

Verse 3.  COme let us go up to the Mount of our Lord, and to the house of the G●d of jacob: and he will teach us his ways a●d we shall walk in his ●athes.  
5. Hou●e of jacob come ye: and let us walk in the light of our Lord. (O my God, happy are they that walk in this light. In this light none walk but the Humble and clean of hart, and those that serve thee for love, whose joy thou thy-self art, and who sing with the Prophet: Rennit consolari anima mea. My soul refused to be comforted. These do in some sort more or less as thou pleasest, find how sweet and happy a thing it is to seek, and sigh after thee alone. Return, my soul, to thy beloved; return, seek for no consolation, but put thy hope in God. Commit thy-self unto God, and let him do with thee what pleaseth him. Never seek thine own glory; never desire thy will may be done: but in all things intent, love, and prefer the Glory and will of God. If any come unto him, he shall not return empty, because he willngly giveth water to the thirsty. In the bowels of thy Mercy my God, remember me poor beggar, born and living in blindness. Grant me that I may see and walk in ●hy light, that my soul may become truly pleasing to thee, O my Lord God, whom only I desire to love, serve and praise, make me in all things conformable to thy holy will, who be blessed for ever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen●  
Scio cui credidi, & certus sum● I know whom I ha●e trusted and am secure, saith S. Paul. O glorious S. Augustin my dear Patron, whom from my infancy (in my poor maver) I have honoured in a particular manner, and who hast been always ready to assist me in calling upon thee, I beseech thee for the love of him, by whose love thy hart was so inflamed, to assist me at the hour of my death, and obtain for me of our Lord, that living and dying I may be wholly conformable to his Blessed will; neither desiring for time, or eternity any other thing, then that his divine pleasure be perfectly accomplished in me, his unworthy, & ungrateful creature. And in that dreadful hour of my death, obtain for me wretched sinner, confidence in his Mercies which are (as thou know'st) above all his works. I am not worthy to love: but he is worthy of all love and Adoration. I cannot without great joy remember these following words of the Prophet I say; hoping his Goodness will for his own sake give me leave to apply them to me poor and sinful soul, though I deserve nothing of myself; never having done him any faithful service in all my life.  
Chap 43. v. 1. And now thus saith our Lord that created thee and form thee: Fear not, because I have redeemed thee, and called thee by thy name, Thou art mine.  
2. When thou shalt pass through the waters I will be with thee, and the floods shall not cover thee: when thou shalt walk in fire, thou shalt not be ●u●ned, and the flame shall not ●urn in● thee. (O blessed Saint make intercession for me, that I may be confident in him, who thus aboundeth with Mercy. Amen.)  
3. Because I am the Lord thy God the Holy one of Israel thy Saviour.  
4. Since thou becamest honourable in mine eyes and glorious I have loved thee.  
5. Fear not, because I am with thee.  
6. And every one that invocateth my name for my glory I have created him, form him, and made him.  
8. Bring forth the blind people, and having eyes, the deaf and he that ●ath ears:  
9 Let them give their witness & be justified.  
10. In very deed you are my witness saith our Lord, and my servants whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I myself am.  
11. I am, I am the Lord, and there is no Saviour beside me, and there is not that can deliver out of my hand.  
16. Thou saith our Lord that gave away in the Sea, and a pa●h in the v●h●men● waters.  
18. Remember not former things, and look not on things of old. I am he that takes clean away thine iniquities for mine own sake, and I will not remember thy sins.  
26. Bring me into remembrance, and let us be judged together. Tell me if thou ●aue any thing that mayest be justified.  
Hethertho the words of the Prophet I say.  
S. john 2. v. 12. I writ to you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name. And now my children abide in him, that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be confounded of him in his coming. My dearest believe not every spirit; and every spirit that dissolveth jesus is not of God.  
Fear is not Charity, but perfect Charity casteth out fear. Let us therefore love God: because God loved us. This is the Charity of God that we keep his Commandments: and his Commandments are not beauty.  
O infinite Goodness, who art Charity it-self, pour thy Grace abundantly into my poor foul. I invoke thee my God, by the merits, and intercession of all thy Saints in Heaven, and servants on earth; to have mercy on me now in this my last extremity. Al I desire is, that in life and death I may be disposed of according to the multitude of t●y most abundant Mercies a fountain never drawn dry● All my joy is in that thou art, my God, and that I am at thy disposing. Though I am poor in all vertnes, yet I am confident to be partaker of thy Merits, o sweet jesus which thou liberally bestowest, according to thy will and pleasure! O be thou blessed in all thou disposest! O my God, who art all I desire. Into thy hands I commend my spirit, who art blessed for ever. Amen.  
The most learned of D. S. Augustin saith.  

Ai● eruditissimus Doctorum Augustinus.  
O eternal Truth, and true Charity, and  
O aeterna veritas & vera Charitas,  
Dear Eternity. Thou art my God to thee  
& chara Eteruitas. Tu es Deus meus,  
I suspire day and night! This is that sublive  
Tibi suspiro die ac nocte. Hic est sublimis ille.  
Contemplative Augustine.  
Contemplator Augustinus.   
Cuius cor Charitas Christi vulnerauera●: whose hart the Charity of Christ had wounded. O my dear Sa●nt, whose great Humility, I can never to much praise and admire: pray for her to whom thou hast been in her greatest afflictions and miseries even as a Father and Mother; for which be exhibited honowr to thee by the most sweet hart of JESUS our Saviour, the Son of the living God: by which and from which doth most abundant sweetness flow to all the elect. In the power that he gave thee, being one by whom he bound, and loosed sinners, give an abundant benediction to thy poor servant, and beg of my God that I may never seek or intend any thing for time or eternity, but his honour and Glory and that I may so humble and subject myself under his mighty hand, tha● for his love I may willingly submit myself in what manner he pleases to all creatures. Let me commit, and commend myself to thy protection, who art a careful receiver of all my petitions, and who art one who in a most particular manner God● hath given me confidence in, in all ●he necessities wherein my soul doth stand need of an Advocate and friend. O happy change to leave all friends on earth to find the more certaiu & assured friends and Intercessors in Heaven, who are never absent, never uncertain, nor ever do they fail as those in this world are subject to do! Be therefore mindful of me I beseech thee, in my life & also in my last extremity; and remember, that when affrighted with the multitude and greivoushes of my sins and imperfections, I durst scarcely cast up mine eyes to Heaven, or call upon God and his Blessed Mother, who might justly disdain so ungrateful and contemptible a creature; Yet by thy means, and being incouradged by thy example, and reading thy life and books so full of Con●idence and sweetness I found my hart lightened, and my spirit refreshed, and my soul exceedingly comforted, finding in thee and by thee expressed, what a good God we have, and that as his Mercies are above all his works, so he is able to forgive more than we can offend. Thou knowest, thy very name, when I am sad and afflicted, doth refresh me to behold it, and seemeth to smile upon me in my miseries, assuring me of ●hy help in all my soul standeth need of thee, in this my pilgrimage and ban shment from my God, who is my only love, life, desire, and all my happiness. T● whom for ever be all Glory, Honour, an● Adoration, by all as well on earth, as in Heaven's and whom, by his sweet Mercy and thy intercession, I desire and hope to love, and s●rue for ever and ever, Amen.  
Omnes qui habebant infir●os ducebant illes ad jesum, & sanaba●●ur. 
Luk 4.40.  All that had diseased brought th●m to jesus, and they were cured● To whom therefore should I fly in my manifold infirmities, but to thee my jesus, my Go●, and my Saviour? Who is worthy o● our loves, our thoughts, our hearts, and our souls, but thy own self my Lord, who made us for this alone, that by true sincere affection we should adhere to thee, the chief and supreme Good? O woe is me, i● for any intention, or for any creatures sake whatsoever; I should do any thing with other intention willingly, then to please and become inwardly in the bottom of my sou● united to thee, here by grace, and in Heaven for all eternity. All things and creatures fail, only t●y-self art constant, thou art always present, always willing to help thy poor servants, & ever ready ●o cure our wounds● which through human frailty by sin we daily cause in our souls.  
Let us who have been grievous sinners, and do so abundantly experience thy Mercy, give great and continual praise to thee our God, who hath sweetly redeemed us to thy-self in the Blood of jesus thy Son the immaculate Lamb, giving us thereby hope of remission of our innumerable sins. Great art thou O Lord, and exceeding worthy of all Praise. O let all things Adore and Exalt my God, with all their soul, and strength. What other study, what other endeavours or what other desire, shall possess my soul willingly day, or night; but that I may in all, and above all things, praise, and love my God. As nothing is superior to a soul but thyself, so nothing but thou can satisfy and satiat our souls in Heaue● o● earth; nothing I say but thy-self, to whom only let my hart ●ende, and only in all things intent. Thou being the only true and proper Centre of our hart and soul, what can make this miserable banishment (where to my grief I daily offend thee) tolerable to me, but only to aspire to thee by sighs, desires, and unspeakable groans, in my hart and soul? O let true love unite me to thee, who art by all Adored and Praised for all eternity in thy Heavenly country. Amen.    

Some speeches of heathen Consuls and Philosophers, which show Christians their duty & also their happiness in knowing how to make good use of their knowledge to their Salvation, in which those Heathens perished, because they did not believe and acknowledge our Lord God; but vanish away in their own cogitations, by seeking only fame, honour, and applause of the people, etc. which yet in their wisdom they saw to be but an uncertain vanity.  
AND first. The answer of one of the greatest and wi●est of them; when he wa● offered power, and honour, and sacrifice, according to their custom of using such as for wisdom nobility, and couradg deserved it in their eyes.  
The more (saith he) I consider with myself of things done bo●h in old and later times, the more the uncertainties and vanities of fortune in all moral affairs occurse to my rememhrance, and the more plainly doth their vanity appear unto me. (O my God, what a definition is here of a heathen, which did not so much as know thee, or for what end this uncertainty was in them permitted by thee. What a shame is it, if we who are not only Christians but religious should esteem or seek after any thing but thee, in whom alone is stability to be found and enjoyed? One hang is necessary. 
☞  Let chance, fortune, & power (where it is given by thee) d●spose of all things as they will, as for me, I w●l sing in all occurrences; It is good for me to adhere to my Lord God, th● only desire and beloved of my soul and hart. I will hau● no care or study, but how I may in all chances spend my whole force's and strength in his Praise, who be Adored prostrate by all creatures for ever and ever, Amen. Amen.   

ANOTHER SAID.  
Such as stand in fear, are irresolute in all their determinations. (He spoke it of those who out of fear to displease, and desire to please for human respects, became ●hereby a slave to every one's humour, and kept not their freedom and liberty, which was got by suppressing of natural passions.  
Another speaking in a controversy where one was to be judge of two accusing on another, 
☜  and defending themselves before the Senate, saith, The truth or thing believed, and wrested to the worst, are easily to be discerned by one judge if he be vice, upright, and just, and not interested in nei●her side.  
Also another said. That the disloyal are odious even to those whose instruments they are: Of a little beginning, comes often great inconvenience, which might be prevented by doing as one of the Heathens d●d, who excelled most of his time in Nobility, wisdom and all moral virtues, who had so great temper over his affections and passions, that neither for honour (as being offered to be made a King) nor for gain, 
☜  would he be false to his P●i●ce, who yet favoured him ●o little by reason he was so much honoured by all the common wealth● that he gave way to have him poisoned at thirty years of age, he being also his own father that was Caesar. He was so just, that in mat●ers of the greatest controversy he always did true justice, and his enemy whom he knew sought his death, he honoured as his Partner, being yet in nobility much his inferior, but boar rule with him at Caesar's command. This enemy being once at a banquet with him where most of the Nobility were present, he uttered s●ch disgraceful words and speeches of him to his face, that all were amazed to see him not so much as change his countenance at him. And after this, hearing he was in distress at Sea, he sent his own Convoy to deliver him from drowning, though he knew his journey was to accuse him to Caesar and the Senate, and also to plot his death, which indeed heat last achieved, being both at one Bancquet not long af●er: which example showeth us how amiable virtue is even in the very Heathens, in whom it was but moral, ●how much ought we to practise it, in whom by Charity it becometh Divine? O how truly glorious are they my God, who indeed possess thy love, which so worthily by holy Scripture is termed, most Honourable wisdom? But alas to human frailty it is hard to put up injuries, much more to do good for evil, at least nature suggesteth to us, that it is unpleasant, and therefore urgeth us, 
☞  not to put up this, or that, lest those who are contrary to us do add difficulty upon difficulty, seeing we put it up so quietly. But this pretence of nature is so falls, and oft, even in human respects, so inconvenient, whilst we by disputing, resisting or in the like manner requiting, do draw grater inconveniences upon ourselves, where as quietly ●erting it pass, it would soon come to nothing. Nayfarther I will speak & add this to the honour of my Lord God, whose way of virtue and the Cross is so sweet in comparison of the way of sin, and yielding to our passions● that if he had never intended other reward for those that Humbly practise virtue, and go the way of Resignation, but that they receive in this life; he could not have been taxed of too slightly rewarding their labour. For certainly the peace that followeth doing good● for evil, and yielding sweet, (for bitter, and passing all difficulties humbly and patiently over, is much more pleasant, then by having full power to do upon such occasions the quite contrary. Such is the very nature of all his exactions and ordinations, that even the very effect of them, maketh them worthy to be loved desired, and practised. For who can consider of all virtues, 
☜  ●ad not see how great a happiness lieth hid in the true practice of them even in this life? As for example, justice, Patience, Benignity, Longanimity, Charity, and true Discretion accompanied with unfeigned humility, who doth not see that these & the like virtues, make us pleasing to Go●, and man, & that the not practising them doth make us troublesome to others, and above all to ou● selves? Give us, O my God, all those virtues' which make souls so pleasing in thy divine eyes! Let not the very Infidels & Heathen, be our accusers, who practised that out of the light of nature which we omit in this happy time of Grace. Shall they contemn the world, and shall we desire the base pleasures and contentments thereof? Shall they fly into dens, & caves to get wisdom & learning, & shall nor we be contented to be forgotten by all the world? Shall they do good for evil, & we do evil for good, and put up nothing for love of thee? Shall they subdue their passions and affections to become masters of their souls, and shall not we do it● who by it may come to have the freer access to thee in our souls? O no, far be it from us, my Lord & my God● but rather let our souls draw no brea●● but to aspire to thee by true love. Let us adhere to thee, and to no created thing whatsoever, that we may for ever & ever be united to thee, who created us for that end, for which be thou Blessed and Praised eternally. Amen.  
Thus wrote our pious soul D. C●rtrude More, upon these sayings and doings of those Heathen Philosophers.   
FINIS. LAUS DEO.