A TREATISE Of Mental Prayer. WITH ANOTHER Of the Presence of God. Composed by the R. Fa. ALFONSUS RODRIGVEZ, of the Society of JESUS. AND Translated out of the Spanish, into English. I H S Permissu Superiorum. 1627. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND LADY ABBESS Of the English Religious Dames, of the Order of S. Benet in Gant. MADAM, Since by the instinct of Nature, all things acknowledge the Fountain, whence originally they flow: I should have wronged this Excellent TREATISE, had I directed the same, into any other, than your LADYSHIPS Hands, from whom I first received it; and to whom, by the TRANSLATOURS' Intention, and for many other respects, it is singularly due. And although, this be but a small Part, or one single Tracte only, of the admirable WORKS of the Author; yet hath it been judged fit, to be published alone; to the end the pious Reader may not be deprived of so Excellent a Treasure, until the Whole may come to light. And I doubt not, but that the printing of this, will be no small Motive to the Worthy TRANSLATOR, to go forward with the rest; seeing his former Devout Labours, in furthering of Spiritual Matters, are highly esteemed, & honoured by all pious, and unpartial Readers thereof. In this Treatise (MADAM) may the Devout Contemplant, read without Weariness, & repeat without Tediousness; sucking evermore from hence, most sweet Delights of Divine Comfort; the which do so satiate, as they procure also new Appetite, in those, who addict themselves to the practice of MENTAL PRAYER. For, amongst all the Spiritual BOOKS, now extant, I know not any one, more generally Applauded, or accounted more Necessary, for such, as attend to the devout Exercise of Prayer, than this: The AUTHOR whereof, having been not only trained up, all his life time, in the School of VIRTUE; but also, one of the most expert Masters of SPIRIT, that are known, at this day, in the Christian world. Unto this Tracte of MENTAL PRAYER, have I adjoined another more brief, Of the Presence of God, made by the same AUTHOR. For, as these two pious Exercises, have such dependence one of the other, that they cannot be separated in Practice: So was it thought convenient, to combine them together in one Book; that the same might be more entirely useful, for the arriving unto a true, and perfect Spirit of Devotion, & Union with God. I will not enter into further Discourse, in praise hereof; as well, not to be over-tedious to your LADYSHIP; as not to hinder you from enjoying the sweet Content, which you will (no doubt) receive, by the Perusal. As for the small Pains, I may have taken in the publishing of it, the Benefit which many souls will reap hereby, shallbe my Comfort; and my poor Prayers shall ever be attending You, for the perpetual Increase of your spiritual Happiness: Whereof I humbly beseech You, to make him Partaker, who hath dedicated Himself, to remain ever, Your Lap. devoted Servant. I. W. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS of this Book. Of Mental Prayer. CHAP. I. OF the Value and Excellency of Prayer. Pag. ●. CHAP. II. Of the great Necessity, which we have of Prayer. Pag 6. CHAP. III. That we are much bound to God, for having made that thing so easy to us, which on the one side is so Excellent, and on the other so Necessary. Pag. 16. CHAP. IU. Of two Kind's of Mental Prayer. Pag. 19 CHAP. V How the Holy Scripture doth declare to us, these two Kind's of Prayer. Pag. 28. CHAP. VI In which the same doctrine, is more declared and confirmed. Pag. 41. CHAP. VII. Of the ordinary Kind of Mental Prayer. Pag. 46. CHAP. VIII. Of the necessity of Meditation. Pag. 53. CHAP. IX. Of the great Benefit, and Profit, which we are to draw from Meditation; & how we are to use it, to the end to profit by it. Pag. 61. CHAP. X. Of other benefits, and profits which there are, in the use of Meditation. Pag. 68 CHAP. XI. Of the manner, which we are to hold in Prayer; and of the Fruit we are to gather thence. Pag. 74. CHAP. XII. Of how great importance it is, to detain ourselves, in the acts, and affections of our Will. Pag. 82. CHAP. XIII. Wherein satisfaction is given to their complaints, who say, that they cannot, nor know not how to meditate, nor discourse with their Understanding. Pag. 87. CHAP. XIV. Of two directions which willbe of much help to us, for the procuring to make good Prayer, and to reap much Fruit thereby. Pag. 94. CHAP. XV. How it is to be understood, that in prayer we are to take some one thing to hart, whereof we have greatest need; wherein we must insist till we obtain it. Pag. 104. CHAP. XVI. How we may be able to detain ourselves much in Prayer, about the same thing: and the way and practise of a very profitable Kind of Prayer it set down; and that is, to descend to particular Cases. Pag. 117. CHAP. XVII. That in the consideration of these mysteries, we are to go on, at good leisure, & not to passover them superficially: and of some means which help therein. Pag. 133. CHAP. XVIII. It is showed after a practical manner, how it is in our power, to pray ever well if we will; and to gather Fruit from thence. Pag. 153. CHAP. XIX. Of some easy means, or ways, to have profitable, and good Prayer. Pag. 153. CHAP. XX. That we must content ourselves with this Prayer, whereof we have spoken; & not go with complaint, and grief, for not being able to obtain that other Prayer, which is more high. Pag. 170. CHAP. XXI. Of the causes of Distraction in Prayer, and of the remedies. Pag. 178. CHAP. XXII. Of other remedies, for the making us remain with attention, and reverence, in our Prayer. Pag. 187. CHAP. XXIII. Of a matter of great consolation, for them who are molested, and distracted in Prayer. Pag. 199. CHAP. XXIV. Of the temptation of Sleep, and from whence it comes; and the remedies thereof. Pag. 203. CHAP. XXV. How much it importeth us to take some extraordinary time, for the giving of ourselves to Prayer. Pag. 207. CHAP. XXVI. Of the Fruit which we are to gather when we recollect ourselves, to make the spiritual Exercises. Pag. 222 CHAP. XXVII. Of some directions, which will help us yet more, to profit by these Exercises. Pag. 231. CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Reading of Spiritual Books; and how important it is: and of some means which may help us to do it profitably, and well. Pag. 238. Of the presence of God: CHAP. I. OF the excellency of this Exercise: and the great benefits, which are contained therein. Pag. 261. CHAP. II. Wherein consisteth the Exercise, or Practise of going always, in the Presence of God. Pag. 273. CHAP. III. Of the Acts of the Will, wherein this Exercise doth principally consist; and how we are to employ ourselves therein. Pag. 283. CHAP. IU. The practice of this Exercise is further declared; and here a way is laid down, of going in the Presence of God, very easy, very profitable, and of much Perfection. Pag. 291. CHAP. V Of some differences, and advantages, which there are, in this Exercise, of going in the Presence of God. Pag. 295. CHAP. VI Certain pious Considerations, of God's Immensity, and of his Presence in all places, and in all things. Pag. 300. Of Mental Prayer. CHAP. I. Of the Value, and Excellency of Prayer. THE glorious Apostle, and Evangelist S. john, in the fifth, & eight Chapters of his Apocalyps, doth well declare the value and excellency of Prayer, and saith: That the Angel stood before the Altar and held an Incensary of Gold in his hand; and that a great quantity of Incense was given to him, which were the Prayers of the Saints; to the end, that he might offer them up before the Altar of Gold, which stood before the Throne of God: and that the smoke of that Incense, did ascend, from the hand of that Angel, into the presence of God. S. chrysostom speaking upon this place saith: Chrys. ho. 13. super Matth in opere imperfect. Hereby you may discern how high & precious a thing Prayer is, since it alone, is compared in holy Scripture to Thymiama, which was a confection of Incense, and other things, most odoriferously fragrant. Because, as Thymiama, being well compounded, and framed, did extraordinarily delight men by the odour of it; so that Prayer, which is made, as it ought, is very sweet and and pleasing to Almighty God; and doth delight and recreate the holy Angels, and all the other Citizens of Heaven. Guiller. Paris. in sua Rheto. diui. c. 4. In such sort, as that S. john saith, They have in their hands, as it were so many pomanders of admirable odour, which are the Prayers of the Saints; whereunto they do very often apply their most pure sent, (to speak after the manner of men) that so they may enjoy this most sweet smell: Habentes singuli, Phialas aureas, plenas odoramentorum, quae sunt orationes Sanctorum. Aug. in tract. d● misericor. Tom. 10. S. Augustine speaking of Prayer saith: Quid est oratione clarius? quid vitae nostrae utilius? quid animo dulcius? quid in tota nostra religione sublimius? What thing is there more excellent? What more profitable? what more delightful, and sweet? what more sublyme, and high in all our Christian Religion, than Prayer? S. Gregory of Nice, Greg. Niss●n. de orat. Domin. Ber. ser. 7. super Cant. & Ep. 78. saith the same: Nihil ex his, quae per hanc vitam coluntur & in precio sunt, oratione preastat. S. Bernard saith, That although it be certain, that the Angels do very ordinarily assist the servants of God with their invisible presence, so to deliver them from the frauds & sleights of the Enemy, and to set forward their desires of serving God, with greater fervour: Yet much more assistance do those Angelical spirits give, when we employ ourselves, in making Prayer. And he bringeth to this purpose, many places of Holy Scripture; as that of the Psalmist, In conspectu Angelorum Psallam tibi: I will praise thee, Psal. 137. in the presence of the Angels. Praevenerunt Principes coniuncti psallontibus, Psal. 67. in medio invencularum tympanistriarum; which he also declareth of the Angels, who associate themselves to such as pray. And that also, Tob. 12.12. which the Angel said to Tobias: When thou didst pray with tears, I offered up thy Prayers to God. For when the Prayer issueth out of his mouth who maketh it, just then, do the Angels, who are present, offer it up to God. S. Hilary saith the same thing: Hilar. can. 16. in Mat. Angeli praesunt fidelium orationibus, & eas quotidie Deo offerunt. So that when we be in Prayer, we are environed, and circled in by Angels; & ourselves are also doing the office of Angels; and we are practising, and exercising ourselves in that, which hereafter we are to do continually in Heaven, and that is, to bless & praise our Lord. And for this cause, we are particularly favoured, and beloved by the Angels, as being their Companions now, & being also expected to be so hereafter; filling up those seats, which grew empty, by the fall of their fellows. S. chrysostom, treating of the excellency of Prayer, and being desirous to express the greatness of it, Chrys. lib. 2. de orando Deum. saith: That one of the highest greatnesses which did occur to be expressed by him, was this, That whosoever maketh Prayer, doth confer, and treat with God himself: Considera quanta est tibi concessa faelicitas, quanta gloria attributa, orationibus fabulari cum Deo; cum Christo miscere colloquia; optare quod velis; quod desideras postulare. Consider the dignity, & the glory to which our Lord hath exalted thee, in that he hath given thee power, to treat and converse with him; to have conversation, & speech of intercourse with jesus Christ; to desire what thou wilt, and to ask what thou desirest. There is no tongue (saith he) which can arrive to declare of how great dignity, & height, this treating and conversing is, with Almighty God; and of how great use and profit to us. For if they, who have their ordinary conversation here on earth, with wise and prudent men, do feel much profit in short time; & it grows quickly to be known, that they are much improved in wisdom, & knowledge; & if they, who hold familiarity with virtuous men, do suck of that virtue into themselves, (as the Proverb doth thus express) Converse with good men, & thyself will't grow to be one of them; what shall become of such persons, as converse & treat, in frequent, & familiar manner, with Almighty God? Accedite ad Deum & illuminamini. Psa. 33. What light, & knowledge, what benefits and benedictions, will they receive by such conversation, and communication as this? And so S. chrysostom saith: Chrysos. ho. ●e orat. & super illud Ps 7. Confitebor Domino secundum justitiam eius. That there is nothing, which maketh us so much grow in virtue, as much Prayer, and frequent conversation with Almighty God. For thus the hart of man, grows to be truly generous, and to have the things of this world in great contempt; and to raise himself above them all; and to unite, and transform himself, after a certain manner, into God; and to become, in fine, a spiritual person, and a Saint. CHAP. II. Of the great Necessity, which we have of Prayer. How necessary Prayer is for us, we have enough, & enough experience. I would to God (i● he were so pleased,) that we had not so much. Now, since man is so full of need of God's favour, in respect that he is subject to the taking of so many falls; and that he is inviroved by so many, and so fierce enemies; and laboureth under the want of so many things, which belong aswell to the soul as the body; there remains no other remedy for him, but ever to be resorting to God; beseeching him, with his whole hart, to be favourable to him, and that he will help him out of all his dangers, & necessities, according to that which King josaphat said (when he found himself hemmed in by his enemies: 1. Paral. 10. ●. ) Cùm ignoremus quid agere debeamus, hoc solùm habemus residui, ut oculos nostros dirigamus ad te. Since we are so weak, since we are so poor, and needy, and know not which way to turn ourselves, we have no other remedy, but only to cast up our eyes to God, Celestina. ca 9 contra Pelagium. and with our hearts to beg of him, those things whereof we are in so great need. And so Pope Celestine, in one of his Decretal Epistles, to teach the importance of Prayer, speaketh thus; I know not what better thing to say to you, then that which Zozimus my Predecessor said, Quod est tempus, in quo eius auxilio non indigemus? in omnibus igitur rebus, causis, & negotijs, exorandus est Protector Deus. What time is there; wherein we have not necessity of the help of God? There is no such tyme. If that be so, then are we, at all times, and in all occasions, and in all affairs, to resort to God by Prayer, with desire that he will protect us. Superbun est enim, ut humana natura aliquid de se praesumat. For a great pride it is, that a frail and miserable man, should presume any little upon himself. S. Thomas proves the necessity of Prayer, S. Tho. 2.2. q. 8●. ar. 2. Damase. l. 3. fidei ca 24. Aug. l. 2. deser. Domini cap 7. & ser. 230. de t●mp. Basilius in jul. mart. Chrys. ho. 30. in Ge●. sim. Gre. l. ●. dial. ●. 8. by a very , and substantial reason; and it is the doctrine of the Saints Damascen, Augustine, Basill, chrysostom, and Gregory. These Saints declare, that the things which God, by his divine wisdom and disposition, did determine, from all Eternity, to give to souls; he would impart in time, by means of Prayer; and that by this means, he had resolved upon the redress, the conversion, and the salvation of many souls; and upon the progress, and perfection of many others: in such sort, that as God disposed and determined, that by means of marriage, mankind should be multiplied; and that by ploughing, and sowing, & cultivating the ground otherwise, there should grow abundance of bread, and wine, and other fruits of the earth; and that, by means of Artificers, and materials, houses, and buildings should be erected: So did he also ordain to work great effects in the world, and to communicate many graces & gifts to souls, by this means of Prayer. And so did Christ our Redeemer assure us, in the Gospel: Petite & dabitur vobis, quaerite & invenietis, pulsate & aperietur vobis: Matt. 7. omnis enim qui petit, accipit, & qui quarit, invenit, & pulsanti aperitur. Ask and it shallbe given, seek and you shall find, knock and it shallbe opened unto you: for he who asketh receiveth, he who seeketh findeth, & to him who knocketh, it shallbe opened. So that Prayer, is the means & maister-conduit, whereby our Lord willbe pleased to relieve our necessities, to enrich our poverty; & to replenish us with benedictions and graces. Whereby we see well, the great necessity which we have of frequenting Prayer. And so the Saints do frame, a very fit comparison, when they affirm, that Prayer is as a Chain of Gold, one end whereof is hooked up in heaven, & the other end reacheth down to the earth; and that, by this chain, all celestial graces, are derived, and drawn down to us; and by the same, ourselves ascend, & mount up to God. And we may also say, that this is a kind of jacobs' Ladder, which reacheth from heaven to earth; and whereby the Angels do ascend, Gen. 28.11. Aug ser. 226. and descend. The glorious S. Augustine saith, that Prayer is the Key of Heaven, which is made, to open all the gates thereof; and of all those coffers which are full of the treasures of God, Aug exhort. de salutaribus monitis ad quendam Comitem ca 28. without excepting any one. Oratio iusti, clavis est caeli: ascendit precatio, & descendit Dei miseratio. And else where he saith: That look what bread is to the body, that very thing is Prayer to the soul: Sicut ex carnalibus escis alitur caro, Nilus' ca 95. de orat. ●n bib. SS. PP. 10. ●. ita ex divinis eloquijs & orationibus, interior homo nutritur, & pascitur. And the same is affirmed, by the holy Martyr, & Abbot Nilus. One of the most principal considerations, whereby the Saints declare the value, and estimation which we ought to make of Prayer, on the one side; and on the other, the great necessity which we have thereof; is, because Prayer; is a very principal, and efficacious means, to order and address our life, and to explain, or overcome all those difficultyes, which may offer themselves to us, in the way of virtue. And so they say, that upon it, depends the government of our life; & that when Prayer is well made, the life is well led; and that when Prayer is discomposed, the life groweth also into disorder. Rectè novit vivere, qui rectè novit orare, Aug. ho. 4. ex 150. quae eius nomine circumf. saith S. Augustine. He knoweth how to live well, who knoweth how to pray well. And S. john Climacus saith, that a servant of God delivered a memorable speech to him; and it was this. By the very beginning of the morning, I do already know, what kind of day's work, it will be; Climacus. Giving to understand thereby, that if he complied well with his Prayer, in the morning, all the rest would succeed well; and so, that it would fall contrarily out, if either he did not comply with it at all, or else did it not so well, as he could. And the same rule holds, with all the rest of a man's life. Ourselves do take daily experiment hereof; so that when we make our Prayer well, we go so well in order, so cheerful, & so full of good purposes and desires, that it is to make one wonder; and contrariwise, if we take no care of our Prayer, all the good which we had gotten, is in the way to be lost. S. Bonaventure saith: Sine isto study, omnis religio est arida, Bonaven. de progress. religionis. ca 7. imperfecta, & ad ruinam promptior. By not resorting to Prayer all goes backward, and by and by comes in tepidity; and then by little and little, the soul gins to grow weak and to whither, and to lose that vigour, and breath, which it had before. And then, I know not how, those holy purposes and first thoughts, grow to vanish; and then begin to awake, and revive all our passions. Soon after, will a man find himself, to become much inclined to vain mirth, and to talking and laughing, and passing away time idly, and such other vanities as those; and that which is worse, the appetite of vain glory is revived, and the appetite of ambition, & such other things, as formerly seemed to have been dead. The Abbot Nilus saith, That Prayer is to be the glass of the religious man, Nilus, and in this glass, are we to view and review ourselves daily, & that at leisure, that so we may come to see and know our faults, & to be removing such deformities, as we shall discover in ourselves. And in this glass also, are we to behold and consider, the virtues which shine in Christ our Lord; to the end that we may go adorning, & beautifying our souls, by the contemplation thereof. The glorious S. Francis was wont to say, Gratia orationis, Lib. 1. Confornat p. 1. hist. Mi●●●. c. 7. viro religioso maximè desideranda est: nullus enim sine ea, in Dei seruitio, fructus sperari potest. One of the things, which the religious man were to desire most, is the grace or gift of Prayer: forasmuch as without it, no fruit or profit can be hoped for, and by it we may hope for any thing. S. Tho. ●hift. S. Dominici li. 3. ca 37. S. Thomas of Aquine, amongst many other grave sentences which are related as from his mouth, in the history of his life, was wont to say, That a religious man, without Prayer, was like a soldier, sent unarmed into a battle. That holy Archbishop of Valencia, Thomas de Villanova said, Tho. de Villa nova ca 13. vitae suae. Note. that Prayer was like natural heat in a man's stomach, without which it was impossible for the natural life to preserve itself, or, that meat should do it any good; but with that, any meat is digested & concocted well, and the man is well nourished, and all the parts of the body are supplied with virtue and strength, for the performance of all their operations: So, saith he, without Prayer, the spiritual life of man cannot be conserved, but with Prayer it may. For by Prayer the soul is refreshed, and the spirit gets strength, for all the Actions, and Obediences which it is to perform; and against all troubles, and difficultyes which it is to undergo. By the help of Prayer, all these things grow to be digested, and made pastable, & prove good blood for the soul. Finally, if we make that use of Prayer which we ought, we shall find therein, full remedy of all our infirmities, and means to conserve us in Religion and virtue; for if perhaps you forget yourselves in point of Obedience, & observation of your Rules; if you begin to take certain little libertyes; if that passion which you are most subject to, should resume a little life, & reflourish; by laying hold upon the help of Prayer, all these inconveniences, will with the favour of our Lord, be soon checked, & stayed. And if by chance, you grow negligent, even in the use of Prayer itself, and should consent to some tepidityes therein; yet, by means of the self same Prayer, you are to procure the remedy, and to return into your selves. We are furnished by Prayer, against all kind of inconveniences, yea and even against the defects of Prayer itself. And therefore they do very well compare Prayer, who say, That it is as the hand to the body, Note. which is both an instrument for the whole body, and for itself also. For the hand laboureth, to the end that the whole body, may be sustained, & for all things which are necessary either to the body or the soul; and so it doth also labour for itself. For if the hand be sore, the hand cureth the hand; if the hand be fowl, it washeth it; if it be cold, it warmeth it; in fine, the hand is fit for all things: and just so it is, in the case of Prayer. CHAP. III. That we are much bound to God, for having made that thing so easy to us, which on the one side is so Excellent, and on the other so Necessary. IT is but reason that we consider, & ponder here, the great, and singular favour which our Lord God hath done us, in ordaining, that Prayer, being in itself a thing so excellent, and so high, and being yet so very necessary, forasmuch as concerneth us; he hath yet withal, made it so easy, as to place it in the hand, or power of us all; & we may use it, at all times, and in all places, if we be disposed. Apud me ●ratio, Ps. 41. ●. Deo vitae meae: Prayer is at hand with me; to the end I may make it to my God, who gives me life, saith the Prophet David. Those gates of the mercy of God, are never shut, but they stand open to all; and at all times, we shall ever find him at leisure, and desirous to show us favour, yea and even soliciting us, to ask it of him. It is an excellent consideration, which is usually brought to this purpose. If Almighty God should give leave, for once only in the Month, that all such as would, might enter into his presence to speak with him; and that then, he would give them glad and grateful audience, & would grant their suits: without doubt, it ought to be highly esteemed, since it would be highly esteemed if any temporal King should offer it. But then how much more is it fit, that we value it, as we ought, coming from the hand of God: especially since he offereth it, and inviteth us to it, not only for once in the month, but for every day, yea and many times in the same day. Vespere, & mane, & meridie, narrabo, Psal. 54.18. & annunciabo, & exaudiet vocem meam, saith the Prophet embracing all times, by this speech of his. At night, in the morning, at midday, and in the evening, I will relate, & represent my troubles & my miseries to Almighty God: & I am full of confidence, that wheresoever & whensoever I shall resort to him, he will hear me, & do me favour. God is not weary to have us ask of him, as men use to be: because he grows not poor by giving, as they use to do. For man how much more he giveth to another, so much the less remains to himself, so that he takes from himself, what he gives to them, and he impoverisheth himself, as much as he enricheth them. And from hence it is, that men grow weary and disgusted, when they are pestered with suitors; and if they give twice, or thrice, with a good will, they will yet be weary, against the next time, and either they give no more, or else they do it, in such a fashion, as that it may be the last. But God as the Apostle S. Paul saith, Ad Rom. 10.12. Est diues in omnes qui invocant illum: he is infinitely rich, & since he grows not poor by giving, he is not disgusted & grows not weary in being asked, although all the world in every minute of time should be making suits. For he is rich towards all, & desires to enrich us all, without leaving to be as rich as he was before. And as his riches are infinite, so also his mercy is infinite towards the redress of all the miseries of us all. And he desires, that we should beg often, and that we should ever be resorting to him. It is reason therefore, that we acknowledge, and show all gratitude, for so great a benefit and favour; and that we serve ourselves well, of such a large and profitable leave; procuring to be very assiduous, in the use of Prayer. For, as S. Augustine saith, Ps. 65.20. upon these words, Benedictus Deus qui non amovit orationem meam & misericordiam suam à me: you may hold for certain, that if our Lord do not take the use of Prayer from you, as little will he take from you his Mercy. To the end therefore, that our Lord may not divide his Mercy from us; let us procure that we never leave the use of Prayer, nor divide it from ourselves. CHAP. IU. Of two Kind's of Mental Prayer. LEAVING a part Vocal Prayer, which is an Exercise so holy, & so much frequented by the Church of God, I will now, only treat of that, which is Mental, whereof S. Paul the Apostle speaks, 1. Cor. 14. when he writes to the Corinthians; Orabo spiritu, orabo & ment; psallam spiritu, psallam & ment. I will pray, I will sing, and I will cry out, with my spirit, and with my hart. Two Kind's there are of Mental Prayer. The one is common, and plain; the other is most especial, extraordinary, and of particular privilege, with indeed may be said rather to be received, than to be offered, or made; for so those ancient Saints, who were well versed in Prayer, did use to express themselves. S. Dionysius the Areopagite, Dionys. l. 2. de Diuin. nominib. saith of his Master Hierotheus, Quòd erat patiens divina: Whereby he meant to say, that he did not so much operate, as receive that, which was given him by Almighty God. There is a very great difference, between these two kinds of Prayer. For the former, may be taught, in some sort, by words; but we are not able to teach the later, Apot. 2.17. because words are not able to declare it. Quia nemo scit, nisi qui accipit. It is a kind of hidden Manna, whereof no body knoweth, what it is, but he who tastes it. Yea, and even he, cannot declare how it is, neither doth himself understand, how it grows. Cassian notes very well and brings for this purpose, Cassian. collat. 9 Abbatis Isaac. c. 3. 1● a sentence of S. Antony the Abbot, which he calleth celestial, & divine; Divina, caelestis, & plusquam humana sententia: Non est perfecta oratio, in qua se Monachus, vel hoc ipsum quod orat, intelligit. It is no perfect Prayer (saith this Saint) when one remembreth himself, or understandeth exactly what he prayeth. This high, and sublime, rich Kind of Prayer, doth not permit to him who prays, that he consider then, what he is performing; nor, that he make reflection upon what he is doing, or (to speak more properly) what he is, not so much doing, as suffering. As here below it happeneth many times, that a man willbe so absorbed, Note. & inebriated (as it were) with a business, that he remembers not himself, nor considers, where he is; nor makes reflection upon what he thinks; nor observes, in what sort he thinks it. And just so, in this perfect Kind of Prayer, a man is so taken, and absorbed in God, that he remembers not himself, nor knows not how that is, nor by what way it comes, nor by what way it goes; nor cares he then, for any Inventions, nor Preambles, nor Points; nor considers he whether this, or that, be fit to follow, in high Prayer. This arrived to the foresaid S. Anthony, by the relation of Cassian, who put himself to Prayer in the evening, and continued therein, till the Sun, of the day following, struck his eyes; and he complained of that Sun, for rising so early, and taking from him, that other light, which our Lord, interiorly bestowed upon him. Bern. in ser in Dominie am infra●octa. Epiphan. S. Bernard saith of this Kind of Prayer: Rara hora, & brevis mora. This hour comes but seldom, and when it comes, the time seems short, wherein it lasts. For how long soever it be, it seems to have passed, as soon as a breath of wind would do. S. Augustine feeling this kind of Prayer in himself, saith thus to God: Aug. Confess. lib. ●0. cap. 40. Aliquando intromittis me in affectum, multum inusitatum, introrsus, ad nescio quam dulcedinem, quae si perficiatur in me, nescio quid erit, quod vita ista non erit. Sometimes thou drawest me, into an interior, & most unusual affection of mind; to a sweetness which is beyond all expression; and which, if it might be continued and perfected in me, I know not what that felicity might be, which would not be contained, in such a life as this. In this most special kind of Prayer, and Contemplation, Note. S. Bernard placeth three degrees. The first, he compareth to Eating, the second to Drinking (which is done with more facility & delight then Eating, for there is no trouble in the chewing) and the third, in being Inebriated. And he brings to this purpose, that of the Spouse in the Canticles, Cant. 91. Comedite amici, & bibite, & inebriamini charissimi. He saith first, come Eat; secondly, come and Drink; and thirdly, come and Inebrietate yourselves, with this Love.. This last, is the most perfect; And this, is rather to receive, then to impart. Sometimes the Gardener draws the water, out of the Well, by the strength of this arms; and sometimes, whilst he holds his hands, one by the other, comes a shower from heaven, which sinks into, and softens the earth; & the Gardener hath then no more to do, but to let it come, and to address it to the root of those trees, to th'end that they may bring forth fruit. So it is, with these two Kind's of Prayer. For the one of them, is sought with industry, being yet assisted by God's grace; but the other is ready made to the hand. In the first, thou goest labouring, and begging, and feeding upon that very beggary. But the second, doth furnish thee, with a full table, which God himself, hath prepared for thee, to free thee from all hunger; a table, full of riches and abundance: Introduxit me Rex in cellaria sua, saith the Spouse; Cant. 1.3. And I say the Prophet, saith: Laetisicabo eos, in domo orationis meae: I will recreate and regale them, Isa. 56.7. in the house of my Prayer. This Kind of Prayer, is a most particular gift of God, which he bestoweth upon whom it pleaseth him. Sometimes, in payment of those services, which they have done him; and of the much, which they have mortified themselues, and suffered for his love. And sometimes again, without any relation to any precedent merits of theirs. For, in fine, it is a most free, and liberal grace of his own; and he communicates it, to whom he will, according to that of the Gospel, Matt. 20.15. Non licet mihi quod volo facere? Shall not I perhaps, have power to dispose of my own goods, as I lift? But this Kind of Prayer, is not a thing which we are able to teach. And so there are some Authors who are reprehended, and even prohibited, because they would needs teach, that, which could neither be taught, nor learned; and reduce that to Art, which is above all art; as if they could infallibly place a man in state of Contemplation. Which Gerson doth well reprehend, Gerson. in a book which he wrote against Rusbrokius, in these words: Thou haste plucked of the flower, from the root. For as the flowers plucked from the root, and carried in the hand, do quickly whither, & lose their beauty; so do these things, which God communicateth to the soul, after an internal manner, in this high and rich Kind of Prayer. For in procuring to draw them out of that place, and to declare them, and communicate them to others, they lose their lustre, and their splendour. And this do they, who will needs declare and teach, that which cannot be declared, no nor so much as understood. Those Anagogies, those Transformations of the Soul, that silence & annihilation, that union without medium, that deep bottom of Taulerus; for what doth it serve to speak of these things; for if thou understand them, I do not; nor do I know, what thou wouldst say. Nay, in this case, we are taught, and that very well, that there is this difference, belonging to this divine Science, from others; That before we can attain to other Sciences, we must first understand the Terms; but in this, thou shalt not understand the Terms, till first, thou have attained to the Science. In other Sciences, the Theoric doth precede the Practice; but in this, the Practic must precede the Theoric. Nay I say moreover, that not only this Prayer cannot be taught, or declared by words, but not so much as yourself are to desire to raise, or place yourself in his kind of Prayer, unless God himself, do raise you to it, and place you in it. For this would be a great presumption and pride; & you should so deserve, to lose even that Prayer, which you have already; & so remain void of all. Introduxit me in cellam vinariam, Cant. 2.4. saith the Spouse in the Cauticles. That vocation of God, to draw the soul into his secret retiring-place, to treat so familiarly with it, and the bringing it, into his Cellar of wine, so to satisfy it, and inebriate it with his love, is a most particular safety of God. The Spouse, did not presume to enter; but her fellow Spouse, took her by the hand, and drew her in. That raising of one's self, to the Kiss of his mouth, is not a thing which thou canst, or oughtest pretend, unless he raise thee up; for it would be a great presumption. And so we see, that the Spouse, aspireth not so high. She is more bashful, & humble then so; but she beseecheth her fellow Spouse, that he will vouchsafe to give her such a Kiss. Osculetur me, Cant. 1.1. Bern. ser. 52. ex paruis. osculo oris sui. As if he had said (as S. Bernard speaketh) I cannot by any strength of mine own, arrive to this Love, and to this Union, and to so high Contemplation, if he vouchsafe not to give it. It is he, who by his goodness & most gracious liberality, must sublime us, to this Kiss of his mouth, to this most high Prayer, and contemplation, if he be pleased, that we may have it. This is not any such thing, as that we may presume to teach it, nor wherein we may, or aught to undertake. CHAP. V How the holy Scripture doth declare to us, these two Kind's of Prayer. THESE two Kind's of Prayer, whereof we have spoken, the Holy Ghost doth admirably declare, in the 39 Chap. of Ecclesiasticus. Ecclesiast. 39.6. He saith there, of the Wiseman, which the Church interpreteth by the word Just: Cor suum tradet ad vigilandum, diluculo ad Dominum qui fecit illum, & in conspectu Altissimi deprecabitur. He first placeth ordinary Prayer, by saying that a man riseth early in the morning, which is a time much celebrated in Holy Scripture, as being fit for Prayer. Mane astabo tibi. Praeveni in maturitate, & clamavi. Psa. 5.5. Psa. 118.147.148. Psa. ●2. ●. Praevenerunt oculi mei ad te diluculo, ut meditarer eloquia tua. Ad te de luce vigilo. He saith, ad vigilandum; because he goes to be attentive, and watchful; not to sleep, or to make a kind of a pillow of his Prayer. Cor suum tradet; He delivereth his hart up to Prayer; He is not there, with his body alone, having sent his hart away, about other business, which the Saints do call, Cordis somnolentia. A drowsy & dull hart, is a great impediment to Prayer; for it diminisheth that reverence, which is necessary for him, who treats with God. Now what is that which causeth this reverence, in the just person? Ad Dominum, qui fecit illum, & in conspectu Altissimi deprecabitur. To consider, that I am in the presence of God, and that I go to treat with that sublyme Majesty; this makes me remain in Prayer, with attention and reverence. Let us now observe, what Prayer it is, which he makes. Aperiet os suum in oratione, & pro delictis suis deprecabitur. He will open his mouth in Prayer, and will begin, desiring God to pardon his sins; and with being penitent, and confounded for them. This is that Prayer, which we, for our parts, are to make; To bewail out miseries and sins, and to beg God's mercy, and pardon for them. We must not content ourselves to say, I made a general Confession of my life, at the beginning of my conversion, and then I entertained myself some days, in bewailing and repenting myself of my sins: For no reason will permit, that we should forget our sins, though we have confessed them; but we must still procure to carry them before our eyes, according to that of the Prophet, Et peccatum meum contra me est semper: and my sin is ever before me. Psa. 51.4. S. Bernard, upon these words, Lectulus noster floridus, Bernard ser. 46. super Cant. ●●. 15. saith very well. Your bed, which is your hart, is still offensive, and of ill savour; for you have not yet taken utterly away, the ill smell of those vices, and unmortifyed affections, which you brought from the world. And will you then presume, to invite the Spouse, to repose in it? Note. And dare you treat of other higher exercises of Love, and union with Almighty God, Psa. 6.7. as if you were already perfect? Deal first, in clearing, and washing well your bed with tears; Lavabo per singulos noctes lectum meam, lachrymis meis stratum meum rigabo; And then be diligent, in adorning that bed of yours, with the flowers of virtues, and so you may induce the Spouse to come to it, as the Spouse in the Canticles, invited hers. Deal first about the Kiss of his feet, by humbling yourself, and by much lamenting your sins; and then about a Kiss of his hands, which is, by offering good works to God, and by procuring to receive from his holy hands, all true and virtue. And as for that third Kiss of his mouth, which is that most high Union, leave that for such time, as when our Lord shall vouchsafe to raise you to it. It is related of a very spiritual Father, that he remained twenty years, in the practice, Doctor Arac●. and exercises of the Purgative way; but we do instantly grow weary, & willbe rising up in all haste, to that Kiss of the mouth, & to the Exercises of the Love of God. A body had need of a deep foundation, for the raising of so high a building. And moreover, here is, in the Exercises of the Purgative way (besides many other helps & benefits, whereof we shall speak afterward) this one, of being a great remedy, and a medicine very preservative, Tract. 8. c. 21. & p. 2. Tract. 7. c. 4. against falling into sin. For he who goeth continually in actual detestation of him, and in being wounded & confounded, for having offended Almighty God, in time past; willbe very far, from committing new sins in the present tyme. And on the contrary part, the Saints have observed, and delivered unto us, Note. that the cause why some have fallen, who seemed to have been very spiritual, & men of Prayer, and peradventure were so indeed, hath been for want of this Exercise: and because they gave themselves in such sort, to others, and to certain sweet and gustful considerations, that they forgot the Exercise of the knowledge of themselves, and the consideration of their sins, and so they came to be to secure, & not to be so wary, and timorous, as they ought; and by these degrees, they came to fall. Because they forgot so soon, their own baseness, they fell from that height, where they conceived themselves to be. It will therefore be fit for us, that our Prayer be employed for long time, in the bewailing of our sins, as the Wiseman saith; Luc. 14.10. till our Lord reach us forth his hand, and say to us, Amice, ascend superiùs. Let us now cast an eye, to see what kind of thing, that high, and most excellent Prayer is, which our Lord doth give, when he is pleased. The Wiseman saith presently, Eccl. 39.8. Si enim magnus Dominus voluerit, spiritu intelligentiae replebit illum. If he will (for this is no right of inheritance, but a grace which is merely gracious, & of great liberality) thou shalt be sometimes in Prayer, & it will happen to thee, to have a beam come from heaven, and a flash of lightning, whereby thou art showed the way to understand things truly; & thou dost grow to prise, and value that which before thou didst not understand. This is the gift of Prayer. How often had you passed such, or such a Truth, and never reflected upon it, as than you do. The holy Scripture calls it, a Spirit of Intelligence, because it seemeth to consist, but of one single, and simple apprehension; so quiet, and settled is a man, with such a light as this. It happens to one here, as when he chanceth upon some exquisite, and curious Picture, to be looking upon it long together, without stirring so much as an eye, & without any discourse of mind; but with a guste, with a suspension, and with a great admiration, and the eye is never satisfied with beholding it. Of this sort is this kind of Prayer, and this high sublime Contemplation. Or, to say better, this Contemplation, hath somewhat of the manner of that, which the glorious souls enjoy in heaven, by the vision of God. The felicity of glorious souls, consists in the Vision and Contemplation of God; and in heaven we shallbe all absorbed, and overflowed, by seeing, and loving God, for all eternity, with one simple Vision of that Majesty, enjoying his presence, and his glory without use of discourse, and without being ever weary of beholding him. Nay for ever, that Song of ours, and that divine Manna, will be new unto us; and still we shallbe taken, as it were, with new admiration. In this very manner, is that high and perfect Prayer, which is called Contemplation, when our Lord is pleased to bestow it. For the man is never satisfied with beholding and contemplating God, & without any discourse or weariness, but only with one simple sight. The Scripture saith, Replebit illum, Apoc. 14.3. because this grace is so copious, and superabundant, that it overflows, and cannot be comprehended, in such a small vessel. And it addeth instantly, Note. that which followeth upon this, Et ipse tanquam imbres, mittet eloquia sapientiae suae; & in oratione confitebitur Domino. From hence grow instantly, those Colloquiums will God. This is the proper time, for treating with his divine Majesty, when the soul is moved, and instructed, and sublimed, by that celestial light, and wisdom. And so B. Fa. Ignatius saith, P. N. Ignatius lib. Exercit. spirit. in repetit. 1. &. 2 Exercit. primae ●ebdom●dae. that this is the time, when the Colloquiums are best made, Occurrente nobis spirituali motu, ad Colloquia veniamus. Let that word be well noted. When first we have helped ourselves, by the discourse of the powers of our mind, in Meditation, and consideration of the mystery; and when that Meditation, is grown already to have inflamed our hart; and when we find ourselves throughly moved to it; then is the time of Colloquium, and of familiar treaty with Almighty God, and of our suits, & negotiations with him. For the Prayer which springeth from that hart, which already is touched by Almighty God, is the Prayer which he hears; and which finds a good dispatch, at the hands of his majesty. For as S. Augustine saith, When God moveth a man to ask any thing of him, it is an evident sign, that he means to grant that which is asked. This is that most excellent Prayer, which God giveth to whom he will. Si enim Dominus magnus veluerit, Aug. l▪ de verbis Dom. ser. 5. & 29. spiritu intelligentiae replebit illum. If our Lord, who is great, & powerful, will; we may easily use this high, & advantageous kind of Prayer. But if our Lord will not be pleased, Note. to raise us up to so high Prayer as this, we must not (saith S. Bernard) afflict ourselves, or be dismayed; Bern. ser. 46. super Cant. but we must be well contented to live in the exercise of virtue, and with the happiness of being conserved by our Lord, in his friendship, and grace; and in that he suffer us not, to fall into sin. utinam detur mihi pax, bonitas, gaudium in spiritu Sancto; misereri in hilaritate; tribuere in simplicitate; gaudere cum gaudentibus; flere cum stentibus, & his contentus ero. I would to God, our Lord were pleased to give me peace, goodness, joy in the holy Ghost; mercy, simplicity, and charity with my neighbours, for with this would I content myself. Caetera sanctis Apostolis, virisque Apostolicis derelinquo. Ps. 103.18. Those other high Contemplations, I leave to the Apostles and Apostolical men: Montes excelsi ceruis, petra refugium herinacijs. Those high mountains of contemplation, let them be for such as do, 1. Cor. 10.4. with the swiftness of Hearts and Roes, run at full speed to perfection; I, who am no better than a mere hedgehog, full of faults and sins, will betake myself to the holes, and concavities of that Rock, which is Christ our Lord; to hide myself in his wounds, and to wash away my faults, and sins, with the blood which floweth out from thence; and this shallbe my kind of Prayer. But now, if the glorious S. Bernard content himself with the only exercise of virtue, and with grief & contrition for sin, and do leave this other most excellent Prayer for Apostolical men, & for those great Saints, to whom our Lord is pleased to communicate the same; it willbe agreeable to all reason, that we also be content therewith; and that this be our exercise in Prayer, to be wounded with grief, and confounded with the shame of our sins; and to attend to the mortification of our passions; and to the rooting up of vice, and vicious inclinations; and to overcome all repugnances, & difficultyes, which may offer themselves to us, as impediments in the way of virtue. And as for that other most excellent, and most advantageous kind of Prayer, let us leave it, till such time as our Lord may be pleased to call, and raise us to it. Yea, and also even then, when we conceive ourselves to be called to it, we had need to very cautelous, Note. & well advised; for in this there hath been much abuse, and error. Sometimes a man will think that God doth call him to this Prayer, by, Blosius in speculo spirit. cap. 11. I know not what kind of delight, and sweetness, or facility, which he finds in the exercise of the love of God; whereas indeed, God doth not call him to it; but it is the man himself, who mounts, and will needs intrude himself, because the devil deceives, & blinds him, to the end that he may leave the desire of obtaining that, whereof he hath most need, and so, upon the whole matter, he may do nothing, and neither profit in the one, nor other kind. There is a great master of spirit, who saith thus very well. As a Man would show himself to be of little wisdom, if he, whom the King had commanded to assist and serve him at his table, should presumptuously sit down at the same table, without the commandment, or so much as leave of the King; so doth he very ill, and indiscreetly, who delivereth himself all over, to the sweet & delightful rest of Contemplation, not being evidently called to the same, by God himself. And S. Bonaventure, doth herein give an excellent good advice, and saith: Bonauent. de processu religionis. c. 20. Let a man exercise himself in that which is profitable and secure; which is, in extirpating of vices, and ill dispositions, and in acquiring true and virtue. For this is a very plain and safe way, wherein there can be no deceit; but so much the more, as one shall endeavour to perfect himself in mortification, humiliation, and resignation, so much the more shall he please God, and deserve more in his sight. And as for these other exquisite and extraordinary ways, there are (saith S. Bonaventure) may errors committed, and many illusions of the devil embraced by occasion thereof. For, many times, one thinks, that, to be of God, which is not of God; and that, to be some great matter, which is nothing; and therefore these latter, are to be examined by those former; and not those, by these. This is the general doctrine of the Saints, as shortly we shall see. CHAP. VI In which the same doctrine, is more declared and confirmed. FOR the better declaration, & confirmation of this Doctrine, Greg. li. 7. mor. c. 27. Bern. ser. 46. supra Cant. Isidor. li. 3. ca 15. the Saints, and Masters of spiritual life do here observe, That for the obtaining of this Prayer, and high Contemplation, whereof we have spoken, there is need of great mortification of our passions; and that a man be very well grounded in the mortal virtues; S. Tho. q. 184. art. 3. & Caiet. in Geu. 32.30. and that he exercise himself long in them; & if not, they say it is in vain, for a man to pretend to enter into Contemplation, & to make profession thereof. Oportet (say they) ut priùs sis Iacob luctans, quàm Israel Deum videns, ac dicens, Vidi Deùm facie ad faciam. It will first, be necessary, that thou be a strong, and stout wrestler, and that thou overcome thy passions, and perverse inclinations if thou desire to arrive to that intimate union, with Almighty God. Blosius saith, that he who pretends to atrive to some very eminent degree of divine love, Blosius in tabula spirituali. addie. 1. & yet procureth not, with great diligence, to correct and mortify his vices, and to drive from himself, all inordinate love of creatures, is like a man, who being loaden with lead, & iron, and withal being bound, hand, and foot, will yet needs climb up, to some very high tree. And therefore they advice such as are Masters in matter of spirit, that before they treat of Contemplation with them whom they instruct, they must treat of the way, how to mortify all their passions very well; and how to acquire the habits of Virtue, of Patience, of Humility, of Obedience; and that they exercise themselves much herein. This they call the Active Life, which must go before the Contemplative. And for want of this method, many, who would not walk by these steps, but would needs pervert the order, and climb up easily to Contemplation, do find themselves, after many years of Praeyer, to be very void of virtue, and to be impatient, harsh, and proud; and that if you touch them a little in this Kind, they are ready, through impatience, to break our into passionate words, whereby they well discover their imperfection & immortification. This is very well declared by our Father General, Euerardus Mercurianus, Euerardus Mercurianus. in a letter which he wrote about this subject, in these words: Many who did more wnat discretion, then abound with true desire of proceeding, in the way of spirit, having heard that there is another more high exercise of Prayer, of the love of God, of certain Anagogical Acts, and of I know not what kind of Silence; would needs mount up to the Exercise of the unitive way, before their time; having heard men say, that this Exercise was more heroical and perfect; and that Vice, is better overcome thereby, and Virtue also obtained more easily, and more sweetly. And because they rose to this, before their time, they lost much time; and made no way; and at the end of many years, they found themselves as quick in their passions, and unchanged in their ill affections; & as great friends of delight, and ease, as if they had never entered into any conversation, or communication with almighty God. And they have been as stiff, in pursuit of their own will, and as hardly have been drawn, to submit their judgement, when their Superiors were minded to dispose of them, contrary to their own liking and dictamen, as if it had been the first day. And the reason of this is, because they would needs fly, before they had wings; and they would needs find out certain near ways, and would not walk by the steps which they were to tread. They would not ground themselves first, in mortification, nor in the practice of virtue; and so it is no marvel, if without a foundation, they could not raise a good house. They built upon sand, and so they have failed, when there was most need. To the end that it may appear, how true, and universal this doctrine is, you shall understand, that this which here I have delivered, is usually taught by holy writers, when they speak of three parts, or three kinds of Prayer, according to those three Ways, which they call Purgative, Illuminative, & Vnitive. Which is a doctrine, drawn our of Dionysius the Areopagite; Dionysius Areopagita. Gregory Nazianzen. & from him it was taken by S. Gregory Nazianzen. and by all the rest of them, who have treated of spiritual matters. They say, and they all agree in this, That before there be any treating of this high, and most complete kind of Prayer, which carrieth correspondence with the Vnitive Way, we are ever to handle that, which belongeth to the Purgative, & Illuminative Way. It is necessary for us first, to exercise ourselves in grief, & repentance for our sins; and in rooting up our vices, & ill affections; & in acquiring of true Virtues, by imitating Christ our Lord, in whom they shine. If we should pass forward, without this, we should go on, without a ground, and so at last, we should fail, like him who would needs pass up to the highest Class in learning, without having grounded himself in the lowest; or who would climb as high as the last step of the ladder, without touching upon the first. CHAP. VII. Of the ordinary Kind of Mental Prayer. LAYING aside, that particular, and extraordinary Kind of Prayer, since we cannot teach it, nor declare what it is, nor in what manner it grows, neither is it in our power to compass it; nor doth God command us to attain it; nor shall we yield any account to him, for the want thereof: we will now fall to treat of that ordinary kind of Mental Prayer, which may, in some sort, be taught, and obtained by endeavour, and advice, being first assisted therein, by the grace of our Lord. Amongst other favours, and benefits which our Lord hath done to the Society, this hath been a very great one, that he hath given us, the kind of Prayer, which we are to hold, approved by the Sea Apostolic, in that book of the Spiritual Exercises, Libro de los Exercities espirituales de N. B. P. Ignatio approbado. composed by our B. F. Ignatius, as appears by that Breve, which is placed in the beginning of the said book. Wherein Pope Paul the third (after he had caused them to be examined, with great exactness) doth approve and confirm them; declaring them to be very profitable, and useful; and he much exhorteth all faithful Christians to exercise themselves therein. Our Lord God, did communicate this Kind of Prayer to our B. Father, and he communicated the same to us, who are of the same Order, which our Lord had communicated to him. And so we are, to have great confidence in God, that by this way and means, which he hath found out for us, he will help us, and do us favour; since hereby, he gained our B. Father, and his companions; and since that time, many others. And there, did our Lord communicate, the way and trace of the Society, to our B. Father, as himself said; and we are not to seek out other ways of Prayer, which are extraordinary; but to procure to mould ourselves, according to that form, which we have, from him, like unto his true, and lawful Children. In this Exercise of the three Powers, Note. which is the first of the Exercise; our B. Father doth teach the manner, which is to be held in Prayer, throughout all the rest of the Exercises. And it is, that whatsoever point we shall take in hand, we must go exercising the three powers of our soul, the Memory, the Understanding, and the Will. The memory, is first to place before the eyes of our understanding, that point, or mystery, upon which we mean to pray. Then we enter with our understanding, discoursing, meditating, & considering those things, which may help us most, towards the moving of our Will; & then lastly the affections of the same Will, must follow. Now this third, is the principal thing, whereupon we are to stay. For this, is the end of the Meditation, and the Fruit, which must be drawn, out of all those considerations, and discourses of the Understanding. All I this say must be ordained, to move the Will, to a desire of that which is good, & a detestation of that which is bad. And therefore, is the name of the three Powers, given to this first Exercise, because it is the first, wherein this manner of Prayer is taught; for otherwise, these three Powers of the soul, are to be employed in all the other Exercises following, as well as in this. This kind of Prayer, which here our B. Father teacheth, and which the Society useth, is not subject to any singularity, nor hath it any thing in it, which may carry any proportion to illusions, as some others have. But it is a Kind, which is very plain, and much used by the ancient Fathers; & very conform to man's nature, which is discursive, and rational, and which governs itself by reason; and is persuaded, convinced, and subdued by it; and consequently it is most easy, most fruitful, and most safe. So that we are not to remain in our Prayer, like persons who had given over ourselves; or as if we were extraordinarily illuminated, without doing any thing on our part, for this would be a great error and abuse: But we are to call upon God, by means of the Exercise of our powers, and we are gently, to cooperate with him; because God is pleased, to require the cooperation of his creatures; & this is that, which our B. Father teacheth us, in his book of the spiritual Exercises. Those other kinds of Prayer, which take away all discourse, and which use certain negations, with certain silences, and are taken out of Mystical Theology, are not usually to be taught, no nor so much as to be sought, Cap. 4. & 8. as was said before. And new beginners who have not proceeded far, in the knowledge of their Passions, and in the practice of Virtue, being directed into these particular ways, are made subject to illusions, and deceit's. And when they think they have gained much upon themselves, they find by experience, that all their passions remain entire, which by means of that sweet bait, and guste of Prayer, lay a while, as if they had been asleep, but afterward they awake, with much danger to the owners. Besides, that by these particular, and singular kinds of Prayer, there is created in men, a kind of stiffness, and closnes to their own judgement, which is a great disposition, towards a man's being deceived. And therefore our B. F. Ignatius, did apprehend it much; and he said, that ordinarily, such persons have a touch of this. I say therefore, that the first thing which we are to do in Prayer, in any Point which we shall take in hand, must be to place, before our memory, that point, or mystery, upon which we mean to make our Prayer; then we must enter into Meditation, by discoursing with the Understanding, upon the particularityes of that mystery, & then come in, the affects of the Will. So that the Memory first propounds, & then instantly enters Discourse, and Meditation of the Understanding; for this is the ground, from whence all those acts & Exercises, are to flow, which we produce in Prayer; and in the virtue and strength of this, all the rest is performed. Now the reason of this is clear, in good Philosophy. For our Will is a blind kind of Power, which cannot stir a foot, unless it be guided by the Understanding. Nihil volitum, Note. nisi praecognitum. This is a common maxim of the Philosophers, The Will cannot desire that thing, which hath not already passed by the Understanding; which is as the Page with a torch in his hand, who goes before, to give light to the Will, & guides it, and discovereth to it, what it is to love, or what to hate. And so S. Augustine saith, Inuisa diligi posse, incognita nequaquam. Aug. li. 10. de Tri. c. 1. Greg. ho. 36. super Euangel. And S. Gregory saith: Nemo potest diligere, quod prorsus ignorat. Well may we love the thing we have not seen, but that whereof we have no Knowledge, we cannot love; For the object of our Will, is some Good apprehended, or understood. For therefore, do we like, or love any thing, because we apprehended it as good, & worthy to be loved; and on the other side, we do therefore abhor, and fly from any thing, as judging and apprehending it to be ill, & worthy to be abhorred. And so, when we desire, that any man should change his will, and purpose, we persuade him with reason, and we procure to convince his Understanding, that the thing which he desires, is not convenient, nor good; and that the other thing is better, and more convenient; that so he may forsake the one, and embrace the other. So that the act, & discourse of the Understanding, is the foundation & ground, of those other acts, and Exercises, which we make in Prayer; and therefore is Meditation so necessary. Which point we will declare yet further, in the Chapters following. CHAP. VIII. Of the necessity of Meditation. Hugo de Sancto Vict. troth. de laude orationis. HUGO of S. Victor saith, that Prayer cannot be perfect, if Meditation do not either go before it, or with it. And this is also the doctrine of S. Augustine, who saith, That Prayer without Meditation, is but a tepid kind of thing. This they prove very well; for if a man do not exercise himself in knowing, Augustin. and considering his misery, and weakness, he will go in error, and will not be able to ask in Prayer, that which is fittest for him; & when he asketh, it will not be with such fervour, as were convenient. There are many, who, by reason that they know not themselves, & consider not their faults, do go on, in the wrong way, and do presume of themselves in certain things, which they would not do, if they knew themselves; & so they treat in their Prayer, about certain things, which are very different from those, whereof they have most need. If therefore you will know how to pray, and to beg of God, what is sit for you, see you exercise your selves, in the consideration of your own faults, & frailtyes. And by this means you shall know what to ask; and by understanding, and considering your great necessity, you will ask it with fervour, and as you ought, as poor needy beggars use to do, who well know, and feel their necessity and misery. S. Bernard, Bern. ser. 1. de sancto Andrea. (treating thus, that we are not to go flying, but walking towards perfection, Nemo repentè fit summus; ascendendonon volando, apprehenditur summitas scalae,) saith, That we walking, and rising towards perfection, are to be upon these two feet, Meditation and Prayer. Ascendamus igitur, velut duobus quibusdam pedibus, Meditatione & Oratione; Meditatio siquidem docet, quid desit; Oratio, ne desit, obtinet. For meditation points us to what we want, and Prayer prevails ro obtain it; Illa viam estendit, ista deducit. Meditation shows us the way, and Prayer guides us in it. Meditatione denique, agnoscimus imminentia nobis pericula, oratione evadimus. Finally, by meditation we know the dangers which threaten us, and by Prayer we escape and free ourselves. From hence it is, that S. Augustine saith, Augustin. that Meditation is the beginning of all good. Intellectus cogitabundus, est principium omnis boni. For he who considers how good God is in himself; Note. and how good & merciful he hath been to us; how much he hath loved us; how much he hath done, and how much he hath suffered for us; will quickly enkindle himself, in the love of so good a Lord. And he that considers well, his own faults, & miseries, will soon grow humble, and hold himself, in small account. And he that considers, how ill he hath served God, and how grieously he hath offended him; will esteem himself worthy of the greatest punishment. And thus, by Meditation, we grow to enrich our souls, with all virtue. For this cause, doth the holy Scripture recommend Meditation so much to us. Blessed is the man, who meditates day and night, Psa. 1.3. in the law of our Lord, saith the Prophet David. Et erit tanquam lignum, quod plantatum est secus decursus aquarum, quod fructum suum dabit in tempore suo Such a man as this, is like a tree, planted near to the streams of water, which will give much fruit. Psa. 118.2. Beati qui sorutantur testimonia eius, in toto corde exquirunt eum. These are the men, who seek God with their whole hart; and this is that, which makes them seek him. And this is also that, which the Prophet begged of God, towards the keeping of his law, Da mihi intellectum & scrutabor legem tuam, Psa. 118.34. & custodiam illam in t●to cord more. And on the contrary side, he saith. Psa. 118.92. Nisi quod lex tua meditatio mea est, tunc fortè perijssem in humilitate mea. If it had not been, that my usual meditation was upon the law, perhaps I had perished in my humility; Hierome. that is in my difficulties, as S. Hierome shows. And so one of the greatest praises, which the Saints ascribe to Meditation, and Consideration, or rather the greatest of them all, is this, That it is a great helper on to all virtue. Soror lectionis, nutrix oratio nis, directrix operis, omniumque pariter perfectio, Gerson. & consummatrix existens. By one contrary, a man comes to know the other, best. One of the principal causes, of all those mischiefs which are in the world, is want of Consideration, according to that of the Prophet jeremias, jere. 12.11. Desolatione desolata est omnis terra, quia nullus est qui recogitat cord. The cause why the whole earth is in such spiritual desolation, and that there are in it, so many sins, is because there is scarce any one, who entereth into himself, and maketh it his business to meditate, and revolve the mysteries of God, in his hart. For who is he that would presume to commit a mortal him, if he considered that God died for sin? And that it is so great an evil, as that it was necessary that God, should become man, to the end, that he might satisfy for it, according to the rigour of justice? Who would presume to sin, if he considered that for one mortal sin, God punisheth a man with Hell-fire, and that for ever? If men would put themselves to think, Mat. 25.41 and to ponder well that word, Discedite à me, maledicti, in ignem aeternum, that same Eternity, that forever, without all end; and that as long as God shallbe God, he is to burn in the fire of Hell, what man is that, who in exchange of a momentary delight, would make choice to embrace such eternal torment? S. Thomas of Aquine, was wont to say, In hist. Ordin. S. Dominici. p. 1. li. 3. c. 37. that it was past his understanding, how it was possible, that a man living in mortal sin, could tell how to laugh, or take any contentment. And he had great reason to say so. For that sinner, knows for certain, both that if he should then die, Note. he should go instantly, and for ever remain in Hell; and withal, that he hath not any security of continuing in his life, Damocles apud Cicer. Tusc. 5. one moment. There was one who had entertained himself in banquets, and in choice music, and in all kind of ioylity; but because a naked sword was placed over his head, hanging up, but by a single thread, he grew all into trembling for fear, of when the sword might fall; & nothing could give him guste. What then shall become of him, who is threatened, not only with temporal, but eternal death, which dependeth upon a little-little thread of life? Since a man dies suddenly sometimes, & at an instant; & he goes well to bed, and the first time he awakes, is to see himself in the flames of hell. A good servant of God, was wont to say to this purpose, That in his opinion, there were to be but two kinds of prisons, in any Christian Common wealth. Note. The one of the Inquisition, the other for Madmen. For either a man believes, that there is a Hell, made for such as sin, or no. If he believe not this, let him be carried to the Inquisition, for an Heretic. If he believe it, and yet nevertheless will remain in mortal sin; let him be carried to the house of Madmen; for what greater madness can there be, than this? There is no doubt, but that if seriously men considered this, it would be a strong bridle to restrain them from sin. And for the same reason, doth the devil procure, with so much diligence, to hinder us from this Consideration, and Meditation. The first thing that the Philistines did to Samson, jud. 16.21. when they had taken him, was to pluck out his eyes; and so, this is the first thing which the devil procures to do, to a sinner. Since he cannot take his Faith from him, he procures that he may believe, as if he believed not. videntes non videant, Matt. 13.13. & audientes non audiant, neque intelligant. He procures that a man may not consider that, which he believes, nor reflect upon it, any more than if he believed it not. He binds up his eyes; which comes to the same reckoning for him, as if he were blind. For as it serves to no purpose for a man to open his eyes when he is in the dark, because he shallbe able to see nothing; so (as S. Augustine saith) it will profit thee nothing, to be in the light, Aug. in Psal. 25. prope finem. if thine eyes be shut; for such a one will see as little, as that other. For this it is, that Meditation, and Mental Prayer, is of so much importance, because it opens our eyes. CHAP. IX. Of the great Benefit and Profit, which we are to draw from Meditation; and how we are to use it, to the end to profit by it. IT will be of great profit to us, that in time of Prayer, we exercise ourselves, in the affects and desires of our Will, of which part we shall shortly treat. But it is very needful withal, that these affects and desires, go very well grounded in reason, and in truth; because man is a rational creature, and will be guided by reason, & by the way of Understanding. And therefore, Note. one of the principal things, to which we must ordain, and address Meditation, must be, that we may remain very sound unbeguiled, and fully possessed, with the knowledge of those things, which are really true; and perfectly convinced, and resolved, concerning what is best for us. We use to say, when one is reduced to lead an orderly and good life, that he is unbeguiled. This unbeguiling, is therefore to be one of the principal fruits, which we must procure to gather from Prayer. And this point, must be much noted, because it is of very great importance, in this matter. And especially, in the beginning of a spiritual life, it is necessary that a man exercise himself much in this; to the end that he may go on, well grounded, and possessed, with a firm belief of things, which really are true. To the end, that we may better draw this benefit from Meditation, and that it may be of much profit to us, it willbe necessary that it be not superficially, nor cursorily made; nor yet after a dull, and dead fashion; but with life, and with much attention, and rest of mind. You are to Meditate, & consider at large, and with great quietness, the shortness and frailty of this life; the vanity of the things of this world; & how the arrival of death, makes an end of them all; that so you may despise all worldly things, and place your whole heart, upon that which is to last for ever. You are to consider, and ponder often, what a vain, and idle thing, the estimation and opinion of men is, which maketh such fierce war upon us. For it neither gives any thing to you, nor takes any thing from you, nor can it make you, a whit better, or worse. Grow you thus to despise it, & make no reckoning at all thereof. And the same, is to be done in the rest. And by this means, a man goes Vnbeguiling himself, by little and little; and to be convinced, and resolved upon that which is for his good; & he groweth thus to become a spiritual man. Thren. 3. 2●. Sedebit solitarius, & tacebit; quia levauit se super se. He goeth lifting himself above himself; and is procuring to have a hart truly generous, which despiseth all things of this world; and he grows to say with S. Paul, Propter quem, omnia detrimentum feci, & arbitror ut stercora, ut Christum lucrifaciam. Phil. 3. ●●. That which before I held for gain, I now hold for loss; yea and even for dung, that I may gain Christ our Lord. There is a great deal of difference between Meditating and Meditating, & between knowing and knowing. Note. For the wise man, knoweth a thing after one fashion; and the simple and ignorant man, after another. The wise man knoweth it, as it is indeed; but the simple man knoweth only the exterior, and appearance thereof. If an ignorant person find a precious stone, he likes it for the splendour, and exterior beauty thereof, and for nothing else, because he knoweth not the value of it. But the wise Lapidary, when he meeteth with such aone, he desires it much; not only for the splendour, and exterior beauty, but because he well understandeth the value, and virtue thereof. Now this is the very difference, between him who knows how to Meditate, & consider spiritual things, and divine mysteries; and him who knows it not. For this later kind of man, doth but look upon things superficially, and as it were upon the skin; and although he like them well, for the lustre and splendour, which he discerneth there, yet he is not much taken, with a true desire thereof. Whereas he who knoweth how to Meditate, and ponder those things well, grows unbeguiled, and well resolved. For knowing the true value of the treasure which is hidden, and of this precious pearl, which at the last, he hath found; he despiseth all the rest, in comparison thereof. Abijt, Matt. 13.46. & vendidit omnia, quae habuit, & emit eam. This difference, doth Christ our Lord declare to us, in the holy Gospel, in the history of that woman, who was subject to a bloody flux. The holy Evangelists do relate, Matt. 9.20. how the Redeemer of the world, going to revive, and recover that Daughter of the Prince of the Synagogue, there went so much people, as to make a press about him. Luc. 8.43. A certain woman saw him pass, who had been subject to a bloody flux twelve years, and she had wasted all her goods upon Physicians, and gotten no health, in exchange, but rather grew worse and worse. And with a desire which she had, to recover health, she broke through the midst of that people, & with great confidence, and faith, said within herself; Si tetigero tantùm vestimentum eius, salua ero. If I can but touch the skirt of his garment, I am safe. She approacheth, she toucheth, & instantly that spring of blood was dried up. Christ our Lord, looks back, and saith, Quis me tetigit? Who is that, which hath touched me? S. Peter, and the rest of the disciples, answered; Praeceptor, turbae te comprimunt, & affligunt, & dicis, quis me tetigit? Master the troops press upon you, and do you say, who hath touched me? Tetigit me aliquis, nam & ego novi, virtutem de me exijsse. I mean not so, saith Christ our Lord; but I mean, that some body hath touched me, not after the fashion of other folks, but in a more particular manner; For I find that Virtue is gone out of me. Yea, that indeed was the business; this was indeed, to touch Christ our Lord; and this is that, of which he asked. For as for the other kind of touching by chance, and in that vulgar manner, there is no great account to be made thereof. Hear than consists, all the substance of the matter, in touching Christ our Lord, and his holy mysteries, in such sort, as that we may feel the fruit, and virtue of it, in ourselves. And for this purpose, it importeth much, that we go to our Meditation with attention; and that we ruminate, and take things in sunder, at good leisure. The meat with is not chewed, is neither bitter nor sweet, and therefore the sick man swallows the Pills down whole, to the end that they may not be offensive to him. And for the self samereason, doth not sin, nor death, nor the last judgement, nor the eternal torments of Hell, seem bitter in the mouth of a sinner, because he cheweth not these things; but he swallows them whole, and takes them upon trust, and in gross, as they come. And for the self same reason also, doth the mystery of the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of Christ our Lord, and the rest of the benefits of Almighty God, give to many, little delight, or gust; because they do not chew, nor ruminate, nor ponder these things as they ought. Do you but show, and break this grain of mustard seed, & pepper, and you shall quickly see, how it will bite, and fetch the tears from your eyes. CHAP. X. Of other benefits, and profits which there are, in the use of Meditation. ANOTHER great benefit & profit there is, S. Tho. 2. ● q. 82. art. ●. as S. Thomas saith, in Meditation; and it is, that true Devotion springs from thence; a thing so important in spiritual life, and so much desired by all them who walk that way. Devotion is no other thing, but a Promptitude and readiness of will, towards all that, which is good. And therefore a devout man is he, who is ready and disposed for all goodness. And this is the general doctrine of the Saints. S. Thomas saith moreover, that there are two causes of this Devotion, the one is extrinsecall which is God, & that is the principal. The other is intrinsecall on our part, which is Meditation. For this prompt and ready will, towards the actions of virtue, doth grow from the consideration, and Meditation of the Understanding; and this is that, which next after the grace of God, may be truly said to kindle and blow the fire in our hart. So that true Devotion and fervour of spirit, Note. doth not consist in the sweetness and sensible guste, whereof some have experience, and sense in Prayer; but in having a will, which is prompt and ready pressed, towards all those things which concern the service of Almighty God. And this is the devotion, which continues and lasts, whilst the other comes quickly to an end. For that, doth but consist of certain affects of sensible devotion, which rise from a quick desire, which one hath, of any thing which is desirable, and amiable. And many times it proceedeth from a man's natural complexion, in that he hath a sweet disposition, and a tender hart, which is quickly moved towards softness, and tears; & when this kind of devotion is once dropped down, the good purposes, are as soon dried up. This is but a tender kind of love, which is grounded in gusts, and consolations; and as long as that guste, and devotion lasts, the man willbe very diligent, and punctual; and he willbe a friend of silence, and recolection. But when that devotion is ended, there is an end of all. Whereas they, who are so grounded in Truth by means of Meditation and consideration; and are convinced, & disabused by reason; these are the men, who continue and persevere in virtue: and although those gusts & consolations fail them, yet they are still the same, that they were before: because the same cause and reason lasts, which at the first induced, & moved them to it. This is a masculine, & strong kind of love, and by this Touch of trial, the true servants of God are seen: & not in those gusts, and consolations. They are wont to say, that our passions are like certain little dogs, which stand barking at us; and in the time of spiritual consolation, they have their mouths muzzled up. And make account that God doth cast certain bits of bread, before every one of them, and with that, they are quiet, & crave nothing: but take you away that bread of consolation, and then one of them, will begin to bark, and the other of them willbe as sure to follow, and then is the time to see, how every one doth carry himself. They also compare these gusts, and consolations, to movable goods, & chattels, which are soon spent: but virtues, are as freehold, or land of inheritance, which continues and lasts, & so they are of more price. From hence groweth a Truth, whereof we take experience many times, & it is worthy of consideration. Note. We see some persons, who on the one side, have great comforts in their Prayer; and afterward, in temptations & other occasions of sin, we see them weak, and fallen. And on the contrary part, we see others, who suffer great dryness in Prayer, and know not what belongs to any spiritual consolation, or guste; and yet we find these last, to be strong, when they are tempted, & far from falling. The cause of this, is that, which we were saying before. That the former sort of men, did ground themselves in gusts, and inward feelings; but the latter, laid their foundation upon reason, & were disabused, convinced, and possessed with the real truth of things; and with that, they last, and persevere in those things, which formerly they did resolve. So that one of the means, and that a very good one, which usually we give, to make men persevere, in those good purposes which they conceive in Prayer, Note. and to put them in execution, is; That men must procure to conserve in memory, the motive and reason, which caused that good desire, and purpose in them, formerly; for that which moved them before, to desire it, will help them afterwards to conserve, & put it in execution. Nay there is more in this, than what is said. For when a man goeth thus unbeguiling, & convincing himself, in Prayer, although afterward he remember not particularly the medium, or reason which moved him then, yet in virtue of his having been unbeguiled before, and of the resolution which then he took, being convinced by truth and reason he continueth firm and strong, to resist the temptation afterward, and to persevere in virtue. Therefore doth Gerson, Gerson p. 2. alphab. 34. litera M. & de sollicitudine religiosa. p. 41. alpha. 6.37. lit. A. esteem so much of Meditation. For being consulted about, what exercise might be more useful, or profitable to a Religious man, who liveth recolected in his Cell, either reading, or vocal Prayer, or some work of the hand, or else to attend to Meditation; he answered, that (saving the duty which they own to Obedience) they were best attend to Meditation. And he gives this reason thereof; That although by means of Vocal Prayer, or reading of some spiritual book, a man, for the present, may peradventure find greater profit, and devotion, then by means of Meditation; yet in giving over to pray vocally, or laying the book aside, that devotion may quickly be at an end; whereas Meditation doth profit, and dispose men well, for the future. And therefore he saith, That it is fit, that we accustom ourselves to Meditation; to the end, that although the sound of words, and the sight of books may fail us; yet Meditation may be our book, and so we may not want true devotion. CHAP. XI. Of the manner, which we are to hold in Prayer, and of the Fruit we are to gather thence. CONCALVIT cor meum intra me, Psal. 38.4. & in meditatione mea exardescit ignis. In these words, the Prophet David teacheth us, the manner which we are to hold in Prayer, according to the explication of many Doctors, and Saints, who interpret this place, Hieron. Ambros. Greg. a. 23 mor. c. 5. interlin. & alij. of the fire of Charity, and the love of God, & our neighbour; which was kindled by the Meditation of heavenly things, & did burn in the breast, of the Royal Prophet. My hart saith he, grew into heat, & was all kindled within me. This is the effect of Prayer. But how got he this heat? How did that fire come to kindle itself, in his hart? Will you know how? It was by means of Meditation. Et in meditatione mea exardescit ignis. This is the means, and the instrument, for the kindling of this fire. So that as S. Cyrill of Alexandria saith, Cyrillus Alexandrinus. Meditation is as the steel which gives against the flint, to the end that fire may be produced. By discourse and Meditation of the Understanding, you are to strike upon the hard steel of your hart; till such time as the love of God may be kindled in it; & a desire be produced of humility, of mortification, and the rest of the virtues; & you are not to give over, till you have kindled, and bred this fire. Although Meditation be very good, and necessary, yet the whole time of Prayer, is not to pass away in discourse, and consideration of the Understanding; neither are we to dwell in that; for this would be rather study, than Prayer. But all the Meditations and considerations which we are to have, must be taken, but as a means for the awaking, and kindling these affects, and desires of virtue, in our hart. For the sanctity and perfection of a Christian life, doth not consist only in good thoughts, nor in the intelligence of holy things, but in sound, and virtue; and especially in the acts, and operations thereof; S. Tho. 1.2. q. 3. art. ●. wherein, as S. Thomas saith, the last perfection of virtue doth consist; and so we must principally employ ourselves, and insist upon the procuring of this, in our time of Prayer. This is therefore to be our first principle in this matter. Note. Yea, and even the Philosopher saith (which is alleged by Gerson) Inquirimus quid sit virtus, Gerson super Magnificat. alphab. 86. litera D. non ut sciamus, sed ut boni efficiamur. We go enquiring, and searching after the knowing what virtue is; not to the end that we may be more learned, but that we may become good, and virtuous. Though the needle be necessary to sow withal; yet it is not the needle, which sticheth two things together, but the thread. And so should he be very indiscreet, who would pass the needle in and out, without thread, for this should be, to labour in vain. And yet this very thing they do, who in Prayer, attend only to meditating, and understanding, and little to loving Meditation is to be as the needle, which is to enter first; but it must be, to the end, that the thread of love, and the affection of our will, may follow after; whereby he must join, & unite ourselves, to Almighty God. Our B. F. Ignatius, doth put us in mind hereof, after a very particular manner. After he had placed the Points, which we are to meditate, with some very short considerations upon them. he than saith, these words: And I am to apply all this to myself, to th'end that I may reap some fruit thereby. In this the Fruit of Prayer doth consist, that men may know how to refer, & apply that which they meditate to themselves; every one, according as he hath need. Born. serm. 23. super Cantion. The glorious S. Bernard saith very well, that as the Sun doth not heat every one whom it illuminates; so Knowledge, and Meditation (although it teach that, which is to be done) yet doth it not move all men, nor breed an affection in them, to do that which they are taught. One thing it is, to have notice of great riches, and another to possess them. That which makes men rich, is not the having notice of riches, but the possessing them. So is it (saith he) one thing to know God and another thing to fear and love him; and the knowing many things of God, doth not make us true Saints, and spiritually rich; but the loving and searing of God. He bringeth also another good comparison to this purpose; That as he who is hungry, shall help himself but a little, by placing before himself, a large table full of exquisite and choice meats, if he eat none of them; so he who useth Prayer, shall be little the better for having a sumptuous, and curious table, set before him, full of excellent, and choice considerations; if he do not feed thereupon, by applying them to himself, with his Will. That we may descend a little more to particulars, Note. I say, That the thing which we are to draw out of Meditation, and Prayer, is to be, Holy affections and desires, which are framed first interiorly in the hart, and afterwards are put in practice, in due tyme. The Blessed S. Ambrose saith, Ambros. in Ps. 128. super illud Et meditabar in praeceptis tuis. Ezech. 1.8. That action is the end of Meditation. Meditationis praeceptorum caelestium inten●io, vel finis operatio est. Those holy & Mysterious beasts (which the Prophet Ezechiel saw) amongst other conditions of theirs, had wings, as he saith, and under them, they had the hands of a man. Et manus hominis, sub pennis eorum; to give us to understand, that the flying, and discoursing with the Understanding, must be directed to working. We must therefore fetch from Prayer, affects and desires of humility; despising ourselves, and desiring to be despised by others. Desires of suffering pain, and troubles, for the love of God; and being glad of such, as at the present, lie upon us. Desires of poverty of spirit, wishing that the worst things of the house may be for us; and that something may be wanting to us, even of those which are necessary. Grief, and contrition for sins; and firm purposes, rather to burst, then to sin again. Gratitude for benefits received, and true entire resignation into the hands of God. And finally, a desire to imitate Christ our Lord, and our Master, in all those virtues, which shine so brightly in his life. To this must our Meditation be addressed and ordained; and this is the fruit, which we must draw from thence. Upon this it follows, Note. That since we take Meditation, and the discourse of our Understanding for a means to move our Will to these affections; & that this is the end of this business; we must so far use Meditation, and the discourse of our Understanding, as shall be fit for this end, and no further. For the means are to carry a proportion, and to receive their measure from the end; and so when we find our Will moved, and mollified with some good affection to any virtue, as namely to grief for sins, contempt of the world, love of God, desire to suffer for his sake, or the like, we must presently cut off the thread of the discourse of the Understanding, as a man would draw a Bridge, from before a passenger; and we must detain ourselves, and pause upon that affection, and desire of our Will, till such time as we be satisfied, & till we have drunk it deeply down, into our souls. This is a very important advice; P. N. Ignatius lib. Exercitiorum spiritual. addit. 4. & our B. Father, doth place it in his book of spiritual Exercises, where he saith; That as soon as we have found that devotion, and feeling which we desire, we are then to pause, and to detain ourselves therein, without having anxiety of passing towards any thing else, till we remain fully satisfied. Just so, as the Garduer, Note. when he will water a piece of ground, as soon as the water is entered in upon it, he deteynes the thread of the current, and gives it means to soak, & imbrue itself in the in tralls of that dry soil; & till that be sufficiently done, he suffers not the water to pass away. So when the water of good affections and desires, begins to enter in to the soul, which is as earth without water, according to that of the Prophet, Psa. 142.0. Anima mea sicut terra sive aqua tibi, we are to detain the current of the discourse, and Understanding, and to remay ne, enjoying that motion and affection of our will, as long as we can; till such time, as our hart may be bathed, and imbrued therewith, and so we may remain sully satisfied. The B. Saint john chrysostom, chrysostom. brings another good comparison, to declare this. Hast thou seen (saith he) when the little lamb, goes to seek the breast of his damme? what doth it but stir, and seek, here and there, & now takes the tet, and then leaves it. But when once the stream of milk comes clear, the lamb is presently at a pause, and doth enjoy the milk at ease. So is it in the case of Prayer. For till that dew come from heaven, the man goes discoursing here and there. But when once that heavenly dew descends, we are presently to pause, and to enjoy that delight, and sweetness. CHAP. XII. Of how great importance it is, to detain ourselves, in the acts, & affections of our Will. IT is of great importance, do teteyne ourselves, and to make a stand, in the acts and affections of the Will. And the Saints, and Masters of spiritual life, do esteem of it so much, as to say, that in this consisteth, good and perfect Prayer; yea and that also, which they call Contemplation; when a man no longer is seeking incentives of Prayer, by Meditation, but stands enjoying that love, which he hath sought and found; and doth repose therein, as in the end of his inquisition, and desire: saying with the Spouse in the Canticles, Inueni, quem diligit anima mea; Cant. 3.4. tenui cum, nec dimittam. I have found him whom my soul love's; I have him, and I will hold him fast. And this is also that, Cant. 5.2. which the Spouse saith in the same place, Ego dormio, & cor meum vigilat; I sleep, but my hart is well awake. For in perfect Prayer, the Understanding is laid, as it were to sleep, because discourse, and speculation being left, the Will is both watching, and even melting, with the love of her fellow Spouse. And he, likes this sleep of hers so well, that he commands it to be nourished in her, and that she may not be awaked, tell she will herself. Cant. 3.5. Adiuro vos filiae jerusalem percapreas, ceruosque camporum, ne suscitetis, neque evigilare faciatis dilectam, donec ipsa velit. In such sort, that Meditation, and all those other parts, which they touch of Prayer, be ordained, and addressed to this Contemplation; and are, as it were, August. de seala Paredisi. the ladders, whereby we climb up to it. So saith S. Augustine, in a book, which he calleth the ladder of Paradise: Lectio inquirit, meditatio invenit, oratio postulat, contemplatio degustat. Reading seeks, Meditation finds, Prayer desires, but Contemplation enjoys, and gusts, that which was sought, desired, and found. And he brings that of the Gospel, Matt. 7.7. Quaerite & iwenietis, pulsate & aperietur vobis. Seek by reading, and you shall find by meditating; knock by Prayer, & it shall be opened unto you, by Contemplation. And the Saints observe, and Albertus Magnus doth allege it, Albertus' magnus l. de adherendo I●eo ca 9 that this is the difference between the Contemplation of Faithful catholics, and that of heathen Philosophers; That the Contemplation of the Philosophers was wholly addressed towards the perfecting of the Understanding, Note. by the knowledge of such truths as might be known; and so it did end in the Understanding; for this is the end thereof, to know, and know more, & yet more, than that. But the Contemplation of Catholics and of Saints (whereof now we treat) doth not rest in the Understanding, but passeth on to move, and rectify, and enkindle, & inflame the Will, with the love of God, according to that of the Spouse: Cant. 5. ●. Anima mea liquefacta est, ut locutus est. My soul did even melt, as soon as my beloved begins to speak. And S. Thomas treating of Contemplation, noteth this very well, S. Tho. 2.2. q. 180. art. 7. and saith: That howsoever Contemplation doth essentially consist in the Understanding; yet that the last Perfection thereof, is in Love, and in the affection of the Will; so that the chief intent, and end of our Contemplation, is to be the affect of the Will, and the love of God. In this sort (saith S. Augustine) did Christ our Lord teach us to pray, Aug. lib: de orando D●um ca 10. qu●● est Epistola 121. ad Probum. Matt. 6. when he said in his Gospel, Orantes autem, nolite multùm loqui; when ye pray talk not much. S. Augustine saith also: Aliud est sermo multus, aliud diuturnus affectus; absit ab oratione multa locutio, sed non desit multa precatio▪ One thing it is to speak much, and to discourse, and flourish much with the Understanding; and another thing it is to detain ourselves much in affects of the Will, and in the acts of Love.. That which he mentioneth first, which is to talk much, we are to procure to decline, and avoid in Prayer. Et negotium hoc, plus gemitibus quàm sermonibus agitur; and this business of Prayer (saith the Saint,) is not a business of much talk, nor shall we in Prayer, negotiate so well with Almighty God, by sigures, nor plenty of discourse, not delicacy of conceits, as with tears, and sighs, and groans, and profound desires of the hart, according to that of the prophet jeremias: Neque taceat pupilla oculi tui.; Trens. 2.28. Hieron. in Psa. 50. Let not the apple of thine eye be silent. S. Hierome, upon these words, asks the question, how the Prophet could say, That the apple of the eye must not be silent. Is not the tongue (saith he) that which speaks? how then can speech be used, by the apple of the eye? The Saint answers thus. When we shed tears in the sight of God, it is then rightly said, that the apple of our eye cries out to him: for howsoever we speak not a word with our tongue, with our hart we may cry out to God. So saith S. Paul, Ad Gal. 4.6. Misit Deus spiritum filij sui in corda vestra, clamantem, Abba pater. And in Exodus God said to Moses, Quid clamas ad me? Exodus 14.15. Why dost thou cry out to me? & yet he spoke not a word, but only, in his hart he prayed, with so great fervour & efficacy, that God said to him, why dost thou so cry out, before me? Let us also thus cry out to God, in Prayer, with our eyes (Neque taceat pupilla oculi tui) with tears, with sighs, with groans, and with the deep desire of our hearts. CHAP. XIII. Wherein satisfaction is given to their complaints who say, that they cannot, nor know not how to Meditate, nor discourse with their Understanding. HERBY we shall easily answer, to a very common complaint of some, who afflict themselves with saying, That they know not how to discourse in Prayer because they meet with no considerations which they can dilate; and that they know not how to extend the Points, but that instantly the thread is cut off. There is no cause, why any body should be in pain for this. For (as I have said already) this business of Prayer, consisteth more in the affects, and desires of the Will, then in the discourse, and speculation of the Understanding. Nay the teachers of spiritual life, do advice here, that we must take care, that the Meditation of the Understanding, be not too much; because this useth to give great hindrance to the motion, Note. & affection of the Will, which ought to be the chief. And especially, when one detaineth himself in certain considerations, which are curious and subtle, the Will is hindered so much the more. The reason hereof is natural. For it is clear, that in a fountain, which makes but one channel of water, and hath many pipes, which conduct and carry it several ways; how much more water runs by one of them, so much the less, will run by the other. Now the power of the Soul is bounded, and limited; and how much more water runs by the pipe of the Understanding, so much less will run, by that of the Will. And so we see by experience, that if the soul be in devotion, and tenderness, & that the Understanding will offer then to range abroad, by any curiosity & speculation, the hart doth instantly grow dry, and the devotion decays, because all the water is run into the pipe of the Understanding, and therefore that of the Will remaineth dry. And so saith Gerson, Gerson p. 3. de monte contempl. alph. 73. c. 〈◊〉. & sequent. that it grows from hence, that they who are not so learned, are sometimes, yea and very often, more devout, and more happy in Prayer, than they who are learned; because they leak less, towards their Understanding part; not employing nor distracting themselves in speculations, or curiosities; but instantly procuring with plain and clear considerations, to affect and move the Will. And those humble, and homely reflections do move them more, and work greatet effects upon their minds, then more high and curious conceits do, upon the mind of others. As we see in the the person of that holy Cook, Tract. ●. c. 8. (of whom I spoke else where) who from the material sire which he used so much, took occasion to be still thinking of the eternal sire of hell; & this he did with so great devotion, that he had the gift of tears, in the midst of all his business. And this which follows must be much noted. For, so the affect, and desire, Note. be very high and spiritual, it matters not a whit, though the conceit and consideration, be mean and common. We have expetience enough of this, in holy Scripture; where the Holy Ghost declareth to us very high, and sublime things, by common, & plain considerations, upon these words, Psal. 54.7. Quis dabit mihi pennas sicut columbae, & volabo, & requiescam? Who will give me the wings of a Dove, that I may fly up and rest? Ambr. ser. 70. S. Ambrose asketh why the Prophet, desiring to fly up, and reach to the highest, should desire the wings of a Dove, rather than of some other bird, since there are other birds who are speedier of the wing, than the Dove? And he answereth, that the Prophet did it, because he deemed the wings of a Dove were best for one that meant to fly high, towards perfection, and to obtain the gift of perfect, & high Prayer; that is to say, that harmless, & plain people of hart, were sitter for it, than these sharp and curious Understandings, according to that of the Wiseman, Et cum simplicibus sermocinatio eius. Pro. 31 32. They are humble & plain people of hart, to whom God love's to communicate himself. So that no man is to be troubled, in regard that he is not able to discourse, nor sinde Considerations, nor dilate the points of his Meditation. Nay rather they say, and with much reason, that it is better for them, and that their lot is fallen into fairer and richer ground, to whom Almighty God doth stop the vein of superfluous speculations, and doth open that of the affection; to the end, that with a peaceable and quiet understanding, the will may repose & rest in God alone, employing all her love, and joy, upon that sovereign Good. If our Lord do you so great favour, as by the means of one plain and simple consideration, or with only thinking how God made himself man, Note. and that he was borne in a stable; and laid in no better than a manger, and that he lodged himself upon a Cross, for you; to inflame you in the love of his divine majesty, and in a desire to humble, and mortify your selves for his sake; and if you can employ the whole hour, and many hours in this; much better, and more profitable Prayer it is, then if you had made many discourses, and considerations, which were very curious, & sublyme. For thus you employ, & detain yourselves in the best, and most substantial part of Prayer, and that which is indeed the end and fruit thereof. Whereby the error of some is easily understood, who when they find not out certain considerations, wherein they can detain themselves long, do not think that they make good Prayer, & when they meet with store of matter of that kind, they think it is excellent. In the Chronicles of S. Francis, it is recounted, how the holy man Brother Giles, said thus to S. Bonaventure, who then was the General of his Order: Great mercy did God show to you, learned men, and great means did he give you, wherewith to serve and praise his divine Majesty; but we ignorant and simple people, who have▪ no parts of wit or loarning; what can we do, which may be pleasing to Almighty God? S. Bonaventure answered; If our Lord did no other favour to man, then that he might be enabled to love him; this alone were sufficient to oblige him to do God greater service, than all the rest put togoather. The holy Brother Giles replied thus: And can then, anignorant person love our Lord jesus Christ, aswell a learned man? Yea (saith S. Bonaventure,) a poor old simple woman, may perhaps love our Lord better, than a great Doctor of Divinity. The holy brother Giles rose instantly up, with great fervour, and went into that part of the Garden, which looked towards the Town; and with a strong voice cried out, O thou poor, thou ignorant, and simple old woman, love thy Lord jesus Christ, and perhaps thou shalt grow greater in heaven, than Brother Bonaventure. And he remained rapt in Extasis, as he used to be, without stirring from that place, in three hours. CHAP. XIV. Of two directions which willbe of much help to us, for the procuring to make good Prayer, and to reap much Fruit thereby. TO the end, that we may make our Prayer well, and gather that Fruit thereby, which is fit; it will help us much, Note. if we understand, and go always upon this Ground. That Prayer is not the end, but the means which we are to take for our profit, & perfection: So that we must not enter upon Prayer, as meaning to make that our last design. For the perfection of our souls, doth not consist in having great consolation, and sweetness, and Contemplation; but in obtaining a perfect mortification, and victory over ourselves, and over our passions, and appetites; reducing our souls (as much as possibly we can) to that happy state of Original justice, wherein they were created, when our sense and appetite was wholly subject and conform to reason, and reason to God. Now we are to take Prayer, for the means of attaining to this end. Iron is made soft, between the Anuile and the fire, to the end that they may work it, and double it, and do with it what they list; and just so it is to be in Prayer. To the end that we may not find mortification very difficult and offensive, but that we may be able to break ourselves of our own will, and to be content with trouble, as occasion is offered; we had need come to the anvil of Prayer, and there with the heat and fire of devotion, and by the example of Christ our Lord, out hart goes softening itself, that so we may work, and mould it towards any thing that shallbe fit for the greater service, and glory of God. This is the duty of Prayer, and this is the Fruit, which we must reap from thence. And for this purpose it is, that our Lord is wont to give consolation, and gust in Prayer; not to the end that we may stay there; but that we may fly on, by the way of virtue, towards perfection, with the greater alacrity, and speed. This is that which the holy ghost meant to give us to understand, in that which happened to Moses, Psa. 118.32. when he came down from speaking with Asmighty God. The holy Scripture saith, That he came forth with great splendour in his face; Exodus 34. 2●. and it noteth, that the same splendour appeared, after the manner of horns, in which the strength of beasts doth consist: to give us to understand, that we are to draw strength from Prayer, whereby we may work well. The same Truth, did Christ our Lord teach us, by his example, in the night of his Passion, resorting to the help of Prayer, once, twice, & thrice; to provide himself so, for his combat, which then he found to be at hand. Not that himself had any need thereof, as S. Ambrose note; but to give example to us. Ambrose. Lucae. 6. Luc. 22.43. And the holy Gospel saith, that an Angel appeared, who gave him comfort; and he rose from Prayer, so full of strength, that instantly he said to his disciples, Surgite, eamus, ecce appropinquavit, Mate. 26.46. Isa. 53.7. qui me tradet. Rise up, let us go, and meet our enemies, for behold he approacheth, who will betray me. He maketh offer of himself, and delivereth himself up into their hands: Oblatus est quia ipse voluit. All this serves, but to teach us, that we must take Prayer, as the means to overcome those difficultyes, which present themselves, in the way of virtue. Chrysosteme. Note. S. john chrysostom saith, that Prayer is a kind of tempering, and tuning the Viol of our hart, that so it may make good music, in the ears of Almighty God. Our business therefore in Prayer. must be, to moderate, and tune the cords of our passions, and affections, and of all our actions; to the end that they all, may stand well with reason, and with God. And this is that which we are saying daily; & which we also here others say, in their sermons, and spiritual exhortations, that our Prayer must be Practical: That is, it must be addressed to working, and must help us to make those difficultyes smooth, and those repugnances weak, which object themselves to us, in a spiritual life. And for this reason, the holy Ghost called it Prudence; Scientia Sanctorum Prudentia. Pro. 9.10. For Prudence is addressed to working; to show the difference of this, from the science of learned men, which only consisteth in knowing. And so the Saints affirm, that Prayer is the general, and most efficatious remedy, against all our temptations, and all other necessities, and to all the occasions, which may be offered. And this is one of the chief commendations, which belong to Prayer. Theodoret. Note. Theodoret relates in his religious History, of a holy Monk, who said, that Physicians cure several diseases of the body, every one with a several remedy, nay, that many times for the cure of one disease, they apply many remedies; for in fine remedies fall short, & their virtue is lymitted, and abridged. But Prayer, is a remedy both universal, and full of efficacy, against all necessities, and to resist all temptations, and bad encounters of the enemy, and to obtain all virtue; and to apply unto the soul, an infinite good, which is God. For upon him it takes hold, and in him it rests, and so they call Prayer, Omnipotent. Omnipotens oratio, cùm sit una, omnia potest. And Christ our Redeemer, against all temptations, gave us this remedy of Prayer. Vigilate & orate, ut non intretis in tentationem. Matth. 26.41. Watch, & pray, lest you enter into temptaton. The second advice, which will also serve us much, for the execution of that which hath been said, is, That as when we go to Prayer, we must be provided of the Points, whereupon we mean to meditate; so also we must forethink the Fruit, Chap. ●●. which we desire to drawfrom thence. But some will say, how shall we know what Fruit we are to draw, out of Prayer, Note. before we begin to make it? We desire that you would declare this to us, more at large. Content. Did we not say even now, that we must go to Prayer in search after a remedy of our spiritual necessities, and to obtain the victory of ourselves, & over our passions, & evil inclinations; and that Prayer, is the means which we are to take for our reformation and amendment? Well then; before any man enter into Prayer he is to consider thus with himself, at good leisure. What is the greatest spiritual necessity, that I am subject too: What is that, which hindereth my proceeding most, and maketh most war against my soul. And this is that, which we are to think of before; and to place it before our eyes, & to insist upon it; to fetch the remedy thereof, out of our Prayer. And the providing and preparing of the Points of our Meditation must be addressed to that purpose. I will give you an example. I find in myself, a great inclination to be valued and esteemed, and that men should make much account of me; and that humane respects use to transport me much; and that, when any occasion is offered, whereby myself to be undervalved, I feel it, and I am troubled much, and perhaps sometimes, I make show thereof. This me thinks is that, which makes stiffest war against me, and that which most hindereth my proceeding in spirit, and the peace and quietness of my soul, and makes me fall into the greatest faults. Well, if your greatest necessity consist in this, remedy must stand in overcoming, and rooting up this imperfection. And this is that which you are to carry in your mind, & that which you are to place before your eyes; & to take it to hart, and to insist upon it, that so you may obtain it by Prayer. And so it is an error, for one to go ordinarily to God, in Prayer, as by chance; to take hold of that, which shall there present itself, (like a Woodman who would shoot at the Herd, let the arrow light where it will) leaving that a part, whereof he standeth in greatest need. But the truth is, that we must not go to Prayer, to take that which comes, but to procure that, which is for our purpose. The sick man, when he goes into the Apothecaryes' shop, Note. lays not hold upon the first drug he finds; but upon that whereof he hath need, for his infirmity. There is one man, who is full of pride up to the very eyes, another of impatience, another of stiff judgement, and self conceit, as is daily seen when any occasion is offered, & he takes himself daily in the manner; and yet he goes upon. Prayer, to flourish, and make fine conceits; and he lays hold upon that which first comes in his way, or which gives him most gust; picking here, and there. This is not the way to gather Fruit. A man is always to observe well, what it is which he needeth most, and to procure the remedy, since he goes to Prayer for that end. S. Ephrem brings to this purpose, Ephrem. exhort. ad Relig●osos de arinatura spirituali l. ●. pag. 260. the Example of that blind man in the Gospel, who came calling, and crying out, to Christ our Lord, that he would have mercyon him. Consider (saith he) how Christ demanding of him, what it was that he desired? the blind man did instantly represent his greatest necessity, & that which gave him most pain, which was his want of sight; and of that, he desired to be deliveted: Luc. 18. Dominus ut videam. Doth he perhaps demand any other of those things, Marc. 10.51. whereof yet indeed he might have need? Did he say perhaps, Lord give me some , for I am poor? He asks not that; but, laying aside all other things, he resorts to the thought of his greatest necessity. So are we (saith he) to do in Prayer, considering whereof we have most need, insisting, and persevering in the demand thereof, till we obtain it. To the end that there may be no excuse in this, it is to be noted. That howsoever it be true, that when he who goes to Prayer, and pretends to produce desires of the particular virtues which wanteth most, is ordinarily to procure, that the Points, & matter upon which he will meditate, may carry some conveniency, and proportion thereunto; to the end that the Will may be the more quickly moved (and that with greater constancy and fervour) to the producing of those desires; and so, may the more easily obtain the Fruit, which he expects; yet it is also fit to be understood, that whatsoever Exercise a man makes, & whatsoever Mystery he meditates, he may yet apply it, to that which he needeth most. For Prayer is as the Mana of heaven, which savours to every one, as himself will. If you would have it savour of Humility, or of the Consideration of sin, or death, or of the passion of our Lord, or of benefits received; if you will draw from hence much grief, or Confusion for your Offences, it will savour of any of these things. It will also savour of Patience, if that be the thing, which you would strive to get; & so in the rest. CHAP. XV. How it is to be understood, that in Prayer we are to take some one thing to hart, whereof we have greatest need, wherein we must insist till we obtain it. I Will not say for all this, that we must ever attend to one, & the same thing in Prayer. Because howsoever our greatest particular necessity may be the want of humility, or the like, yet we may well employ ourselves in Prayer, upon the acts and exercises also of other virtues. An occasion presents itself to you of conforming yourselves to the will of God, in all that which he shall dispose, and ordain concerning you; detain yourselves in it, as long as you can; for this will be a very good Prayer, and very well employed, and will no way blunt the lance; wherewith you mean to take Humility, but will rather sharpen the point thereof. It comes to your mind, to make a great act of acknowledgement, and gratitude, Note. for the benefits which you have received from God, aswell in general, as particular; detain yourselves also herein, for it is great reason, that we should daily thank our Lord for the benefits which we have received; & especially, for having drawn us to the state of Religion. It occurs to you to make an act of detestation of your sins, & of much grief for having committed them; & of firm purpose rather to die a thousand times then to offend God any more: detain yourselves herein; for it is one of the best, & most profitable acts, which you are able to exercise in your Prayer. It comes into your mind, to make an act of great love of God, and of zeal, and great desire of the salvation of souls, and to endure any trouble for them; detain yourselves also herein; and here you may also well detain yourselves in desiring favour of Almighty God, not only for your own souls, but for your neighbours, and for the whole Church; For this is one, and that a very principal part of Prayer. In all these things, and in the like to these, we may well detain ourselves, and it willbe a very profitable Prayer. And so we see, that the Psalms, which are a most perfect kind of Prayer, are full of very different affects. For this reason, Cassian, & the Abbot Nilus said, that Prayer was like a field full of plants, or like a garland wrought, Cassianus Col. 9 c. 7. Nilus. Gen. 27.17. and woven with variety of flowers, of different smells: Ecce odor filij mei, sicut odor agri pleni, cui benedixit Dominus. There is yet another benefit belonging to this variety; that it procures our Prayer to be more easily made by us, and consequently that we may continue, and persevere longer in it. For continual repetition of the same thing, useth to make men weary; whereas variety delights, and entertains. But that which I would say is this. Tract. 7. c. 3. & 9 tract. 8. c. 7. Note. It importeth very much, towards our profiting in spirit, that for some time, we take to hart, the procuring of some one virtue, whereof we find ourselves to stand in most necessity; and that principally we insist upon that, in Prayer; beseeching our Lord earnestly, to bestow it upon us; and actuating therein very often, both for days, & months; and that we may ever carry it before our eyes, & even riveted in our hearts, till we obtain it. For after this manner, are the businesses, even of this world, dispatched. And so they use to say, by way of Proverb: Lord deliver me, from having to do with a man, who hath but one business. The glorious S. Thomas saith, S. Tho. 2.2. q. 83. ar. 14. arg. 2. that the Desire useth to be so much stronger, and more efficacious, as it resolveth more earnestly, upon the obtaining of some one thing. And to this purpose, he bringeth that of the Prophet, Vnam petij à domino, Psa. 26.4. hanc requiram. One thing I have begged of our Lord, & the same I will still desire, till I obtain it. He who pretends to acquire any Art, or Science, doth not study one thing to day, and another to morrow, but he prosecutes that one which he desires to learn. And so he, who pretends to acquire any virtue, must principally exercise himself, for some time, therein; applying thereunto his Prayers, and all his other spiritual Exercises till he obtain it. Note S. Tho. 1. ●. q. ●5. ●rt. 1. Especially since (according to the doctrine of S. Thomas) all the moral virtues, have great connection with one another, and they go together, and are interlaced in such sort, that he who possesseth one of them, in perfection, shall have them all. And so, if you obtain true Humiliy, you shall obtain therewith, all the virtues. Pluck Pride wholly out of your hart by the roots, and plant therein a most profound Humility; for if you obtain it, you shall have withal, much Patience, and much Obedience; and you shall complain of nothing; and any trouble will seem small in your sight; and all, willbe thought too honourable and easy for you, in respect of that which you deserved. If you have Humility, you will also have much Charity towards your brethren, esteeming them to be all good, and only yourself, stark naught. You will have much simplicity of hart, and will not lightly pass your judgement upon any other; but will feel your own● miseries, and faults so much, as that you will not think of other folks. And after the same manner, we might go discoursing upon other virtues. For this reason also, Note. it is a very good course, to apply your particular Examen, to that, which you direct your Prayer too, and so to join one, with the other. For in this sort, all our Exercises, being bend one way, at once, much business willbe done. Cassianus. And Cassian proceedeth yet further: For not only in our Examen, and the most retired kind of Prayer, will he have us insist upon that, whereof we have most need; but also that we should many times in the day, lift up our spirit to our Lord, for that purpose, with iaculatory Prayers, and sighs, and groans of our hart; and that we also shall do well, to add other pennances, & mortifications, and particular devotions, to the same end, as I shall show else where, more at large. Tract. 7. ●. 9. For if this be the greatest necessity which I have, if this be the greatest Vice, or evil inclination, which reigns in me, and which makes me fall into the greatest faults; if, upon the rooting up, and overcoming of this vice, and obtaining the contrary virtue, dependeth the overcoming and rooting up of all Vice, & the obtaining of all virtue; all diligence and labour shall be but well employed, in this business. S. chrysostom saith; Chrisost. tract. de oration●. That Prayer is as a fountain, in the midst of an Orchard, or Garden, without which fountain, all is withered and dry; but with it, all is green, and fresh, and flourishing. Our soul must be watered, by this fountain of Prayer. For this is that, which must keep the plants of all virtue, in continual freshness & fertility, as Obedience, Patience, Humility, Mortification, Recollection, and Silence: But as in a Garden, Note. or Orchard, there useth to be some one tree, or dainty flower, which is more esteemed and regarded, & to which the water is conducted with more care, then to the rest; and although water should be wanting to others, it must not be wanting to it; & although there want time for tending the rest, there will not want time for it: just so it must be in the Orchard, and Garden of our soul. It must all be watered, and conserved, by the spring of Prayer; but yet still, you are to have an eye to some one principal thing, whereof you are in greatest need, and to that you must chief resort; and for that, there must never want any tyme. Chap. 11. And as at the going out of your Garden, you lay hold of that flower which contents you most, and you go out with it, in your hand; so also in Prayer, you are to lay hold of that, whereof you have most need, and to gather it, as a Fruit from thence. Hereby sufficient answer is given to that which usually is asked: If it be good for a man to draw that fruit from Prayer, which is agreeable to the Exercise, whereupon he meditates? We have already said, that although a man must ever have a particular eye, upon that whereof he hath most need; yet with all, that it is good for him, to exercise himself, and to actuate in the affects and acts of other virtues, agreeable to the mystery which is meditated. But yet a point of great importance is to be observed here; That those affects, and acts which we shall make and exercise in Prayer, about those virtues, which occur to us, in conformity of that which is meditated, are not to be passed over superficially, or cursorily; but at great leisure, Note. & by making a quiet stand upon them, till such time as we satisfy ourselves; and till we feel, that it sticks, as it were, by the very ribs of our soul; and is, after a sort incorporated thereunto. And this we are to do, although it cost us the whole hour, as was said before. For one of these affects, and acts continued after this sort, is much better, and doth profit us more, then to make many acts of several Virtues, and pass them over, in a posting manner. One of the reasons, why some do not profit so much in Prayer, is because they are faulty in this point, and go leaping and skipping on the acts of several virtues, saying within themselves; here an act of Humility comes well in, and then they make an act of of Humility, & then away; then they think it is to the purpose, if they make an act of Obedience, and then they make an act of Obedience; and shortly after of Patience; & so they go running, like a Cat over the coals; so lightly, that although there were fire, it would do them no hurt. Therefore when they rise from Prayer, all is forgotten and lost, and they remain as tepid, and unmortifyed as before. Auila e● 75. in Audi-filia. Doctor Auila reprehendeth them, who being about one thing in Prayer, as soon as any other thing, doth offer itself, they instantly give over the former. And he saith, that usually this is a fraud of the devil, who by inducing them, like some Pie, to skip from one branch to another, deprives them of the Fruit of their Prayer. I say, it importeth much, that we detain ourselves, Note. in the affects & desires of virtue, till such time as our souls be even imbrued therewith. As if you will actuate about contrition, or grief for sin, you are to stay therein, till you find a great detestation and horror of sin, according to that of the Prophet; Iniquitatem odio habui, Psa. 118.163. & abominatus sum. For this will make us departed from Prayer, with firm purpose, rather to undergo a thousand deaths, Note. then to commit one single mortal sin. And so doth S. Augustine note very well, that to conceive horror against some sins, as Blasphemy, the murdering of a man's father, and the like, is easily done; for men seldom fall upon such crimes: but it is to be endeavoured concerning other more usual offences, whereof the Saint affirmeth, that Consuetudine ipsa viluerunt: By custom men have lost the fear, and horror which is fit; and therefore men easily fall into them. In the same manner, if you will actuate, and exercise yourselves in Humility, you must detain yourselves, in the affect and desire of being meanly esteemed, and despised, till at last your soul may go drinking up, and be imbrued with this affection, and desire; & so all these fumes, and froths of pride, may go diminishing, and decaying. And the same is to be done, in exercising the affects, and acts of other virtues. Hereby it doth easily appear, how much it will help towards our good, that we take to hart, and insist, & persevere in the demand of some one thing, after the fashion which we have declared. For if this affect, and desire of being despised, and held in mean account, or any other like affect, might continue in us, one hour in the morning, and another in the evening, and as much in the day following, and diverse other days after that; it is plain enough, that it would work another manner of effect in our hart; and our souls would receive another manner of impression, and incorporation of that virtue, then if we should pass it, lightly over. chrysostom. S. chrysostom saith, that as no one shower of rain, nor watering by the hand, will suffice for any soil, how fruitful soever it may be, Note. but there willbe need of many showers, and many waterings; so also will it be necessary, that our soul may have many wateringes of much Prayer, to the end that it may be bathed, and imbraed therewith. And he bringeth, to this purpose, that of the Prophet, Septies in die laudem dixi tibi: Psa. 11●. 164. Seven times a day did the Prophet David water his soul, with the stream of Prayer; and he detained himself much, in the same affects, repeating the same, over and over, many times, as is to be seen abundantly in the Psalms. And in one alone, he repeateth the same thing, seven and twenty times, Et in eternum misericordia eius; Psal 135. Psal. 150. proclairing, and exalting the mercy of our Lord. And in five only verses, of another Psalm, he awaketh, and inviteth us, to praise God, an eleven several times. And Christ our Lord, did, by his own example, instruct us in this kind of Prayer; and in persevering about the same thing, as we see in his Prayer of the Garden, Matt. 26.44. for he was not contented to make that Prayer, to his Eternal Father, only once; but he renewed it the second, & the third time, repeating the self same words, Eumdem sermonem dicens. Yea, and the holy Gospel saith, Lucae. 22.43. that at the end, he prayed more at large, than he had done before: To teach us, that we are to insist, and persever in Prayer, about some one, and the same thing; repeating it, and replying more than once. For by this means, and by persevetance therein, we shall come, to attain that virtue, and perfection, which we desire. CHAP. XVI. How we may be able to detain ourselves much in Prayer, about the same thing: and the way and practise of a very profitable kind of Prayer is set down; and that is, to descend to particular Cases. IT remains, that we deliver the manner which we are to hold herein; to the end that we may be able to detain ourselves in Prayer, a long time together, in desire of one, and the same virtue, since it is of so great importance, as hath been said. The plain, and usual means which is wont to be given for this purpose, is to procure to continue the self same act, and affect of will, or to reiterate it, and repeat it again, like one who gives a push to a wheel, that it may not stand; or like one who still is casting fresh wood into the fire; helping ourselves for this purpose, of the same first consideration, which in the beginning, did move us to this affect, and desire when we find that it is apt to cool, and saying with the prophet; Conuertere anima mea in requiem tuam, Psa. 114.7. quia Dominus benefecit tibi. A wake thou, O my soul, and return to thy repose and rest, & consider how much it imports thee, and how great reason it is, that thou shouldest serve our Lord, to whom thou owest so much. When the first consideration doth not serve to move us, we must serve ourselves of some other, or else pass on, to some other Point. And for this purpose, we are ever to carry diverse Points provided; to the end that when one of them is dispatched, & that already it seems to move us no more, we may proceed on to another, and yet another, which may, by refreshing, affect, and move us, to what we desire. And further we must do in this, as in the case of corporal food, which (to avoid that fastidiousness, which is usually caused by continuing long to eat of the same meat) we are wont to dress, Note. and disguise in several manners; and thereby it seemeth new, and giveth us a new kind of guste. Even so, to the end that we may continue a long time in demand of the same thing in Prayer, which is the very food and sustenance of our soul, it is a good way, to dress it, in different manners. This we may do some times, by passing, from one consideration, to another: or from one Point to another, as we said even now. For every time that a man moves himself, and actuates upon the same thing, by a different reason, or consideration, it is like dressing it, after another fashion, & it grows to be like a new dish of meat. Again, Note. although there should be no new reason, or consideration at hand, yet the affect and desire of the same virtue, may, in itself, be dressed several ways. As if one pretend to get Humility, some times he may be detaining his mind, in the knowledge of his own misery & weakness; despising and confounding himself for that. At other times, he may entertain himself in a desire to be disesteemed, and despised by others, not making any account of the opinion, and estimation of men; but holding it all to be mere vanity. At other times, he may be giving himself confusion, and shame, to see the faults, wherein he daily takes himself; and to ask both pardon, and redress of them, at the hands of God. At other times, he may do it, by admiting the goodness of God, which endureth him; whereas yet sometimes, we can hardly endure, even our very selves. At other times by giving him thanks, for not suffering us to fall, into more grievous crimes. And by this variety, & difference of Acts, that fastidiousness (which usually is caused by continuance of the same thing) may be avoided; and it may grow to be of facility, & guste, to continue, and persever in the acts, and affects of the same virtue, by means whereof, it grows to take deeper root, and more entire possession of the hart. For as the File, every time that it passeth upon the Iron, carries somewhat with it; so every time that we produce any act of Humility, or other virtue, some part of the contrary vice, is diminished, and discharged thereby. Besides this, there is another means to make us persevere, in desire of the same thing in Prayer, Note. many days together, which is both very easy, and very profitable; and this is, by descending to particular cases. The teachers of men in the way of Spirit, do note, that we must not content ourselves, to draw from Prayer, a general Purpose to serve God; or only to proceed in virtue, and to be perfect, at large; but that we must descend in particular, to that wherein we know or conceive, that we may most please, and serve our Lord. Neither yet, are we to content ourselves with, conceiving any general desire of any particular virtue, as namely to be humble, to be obedient, to be patiented, or to be mortified, because this kind of desire, or rather velleity of any virtue, is entertained thus in general, even by vicious men. For as virtue is truly beautiful, & honourable, and of great use, not only for the next, but even also for this life; so it is an easy thing to love it, and to desire it, in such a general manner. But we, when we meditate upon that virtue which we desire, must descend to particular cases. As for example; if we pretend to obtain a great Conformity with the will of God, we must descend to conform ourselves, with his will, in particular things; aswell in sickness, as in health; aswell in death, as in life; aswell in tentation, as in consolation. If we pretend to obtain the virtue of Humility, we must also descend to particulars, by imagining such cases, as may be presented, or which use to offer themselves, for our being despised, or disestemed; and so, in the rest of the Virtues. For these are those particulars, which are usually most felt, and wherein the difficulty of the virtue doth most consist; and whereby a man is best discovered, and proved; and these are also the means, whereby virtue, is best obtained. We must also procure to begin to make our first instances, by those things, which are of the lesser sort, & more easy; & we are afterward to rise to the more hard, wherein we think we should have more difficulty, if the occasion were offered; & so to go adding somewhat, & rising up by little, and little, from the less, to the greater. And we must actuate in the particulars, as if we had them present with us; & that, so long, as that nothing which concerns the Virtue to which we pretend, may present itself to us, to which we may not boldly make head, and so the field remain ours. And when any real, and true occasions do occur, we must first employ ourselves in them, disposing ourselves to manage them well, and with profit, every one, according to his state. A good servant of God, did also add this advice, that in Prayer we should propound something in particular, concerning such, or such a Virtue, which we should act that day. So low as this, do they say, that we must descend in Prayer. This is one of the most profitable things, Chap. ●4. which we can exercise in Prayer; for it must be Practical, that is to say, addressed to action, which may help us to work, according to that virtue which we desire to obtain; & to explain the difficultyes, & to overcome the repugnances, which may oppose themselves; and because it importeth much, that we make trial, and take essay, as it were, of ourselves, before, as soldiers use to do, who before they go to the war, use to try themselves in tiltings, and tourneys, & barriers, and encounters, and other such like exercises, that they may be the better disposed, and dextrous towards a true war. Cassianus col. 19 c. 16. And Cassian doth much commend this Exercise, for the vanquishing of Vice, and Passion, and for the obtaining of Virtue. Yea, & Plutarch himself, Plutarch. Epist. ad Pac. de tranquil. animi. Seneca. l. de consolation. ad Heluiam cap. 5. and Seneca also, amongst the Pagans, say, that ignorant men do not understand how much it imports towards the appeasing of trouble, when it arriveth, to employ the thought upon it, before hand. They say it helpeth much, to bestow a man's thoughts in the considerations of difficultyes, and troubles. For that, as he who employs his mind upon soft, and delightful things, makes himself effeminate, and lose, & good for nothing; Note. and upon the approach of any thing which is contrary and offensive to such a one, he receiveth much disgust; and being accustomed to that base kind of delicacy, he turns his back, and seeks a leaning-place for his hart, upon certain agreeable, and delightful objects; so he who doth accustom himself, always to imagine sickness, banishment, imprisonment, and all those other adversities, which may happen, willbe better disposed, and provided for them, when they come; and we shall grow to find, that these are things which give more fear in the beginning, than they bring hurt in the end. S. Gregory delivered this excellently well; Greg. ho● 35. supe● Euang. Minus enim iacula feriunt, quae praevidentur: The blow wounds not so deeply, when you were expecting it, and had half swallowed it before it came, as when it surpriseth you, upon the sudden. The example for this purpose is excellent, which we read of our B. F. Ignatius. When once he was sick, Li. 5. 〈◊〉. 8. vitae P. N. Ignatij. the Physician willed him that he should not give place to sorrow, nor to pensive thoughts. Upon this occasion, he began to think attentively, within himself, what kind of thing might happen to him so unsavoury, & untoward, as to afflict, and trouble the peace, and rest of his soul. And having passed the eyes of his consideration, over many things, one only occurred, which stuck nearer to him then the rest, & it was, If perhaps the Society should come to be dissolved. He proceeded on, to examine himself, how long the affliction, and pain were likely to hold him, in case such a thing as that, should happen. And it seemed to him (so that it should happen, without his fault) that within one quarter of an hour, wherein he might recollect himself, and be in Prayer, he should be delivered of that disquiet, and should return to his accustomed tranquillity, and peace of mind. And he yet added further, that he would hope to hold that quietness and tranquillity, although the Society should be dissolved, and defeated, even as a grain of salt, is, in the water. This is a very good, and a very profitable kind of Prayer. The Apostle S. james, ●●c. 5.13. in his Canonical Epistle saith: Tristatur aliquis vestrum, oret: when you feel yourself in affliction, or discomfort, resort to Prayer, and there you shall find comfort and remedy. And so did the Prophet David; Psa. 76.4. Renuit consolari anima mea; memor fui Dei, & delectatus sum. When he found himself discomforted, he remembered God, and raised up his hart to him; and presently his soul was filled with this joy and consolation; This is the will of God, so he will have it: which is the contentment of all contentments. Now, as after the arrival of the occasion of trouble, it is very good & expedient, to resort to Prayer, for the bearing of it well; so also doth it much import, to take this remedy, by way of prevention, and preservative, to the end that afterward, it seem not new and hard, but gentle, & light. S. chrysostom saith, Chrys. ho. de avaritia. that one of the principal causes why the Holy job, continued so firm, and constant in all his adversities, and troubles, was, because he had provided himself for them, by way of imagination, and premeditation, and actuation upon them; as upon a thing which might happen, according to that which himself relateth, Quia timor quem timebam, evenit mihi; & quod verebar, job. 3.25. accidit. But now if you be not provided for it before hand, & if even in the bare desire, you find difficulty; what will become of you, in the work itself? And if yet, whilst you are in Prayer, & when you are far from the occasion, you find not hart, and courage enough in yourself, to embrace such an action, and occasion, and contempt, and trouble as is on foot; what will become of you, when you are gone from Prayer, and when the difficulty of the occasion & action is at hand? And when you are removed from the meditation & consideration, of the example of Christ our Lord, which gives you breath, and hart? When you are sometimes in Prayer, you are carried to the desire of such occasions as those, and yet when the occasion is offered you fail; what will become of the business, Tho. de Kempis. if even in the time of Prayer, you desire it not? If he who purposeth, do often fail, how sure will that other man be to fail, who late, or never will so much as purpose? By this means, we give a man very copious matter, to continue, & persevere in Prayer, concerning the same thing, and with the same affect or desire, many hours together, & many days. Note. For the particular cases which may occur to us, and to which we may descend, are without number; & to be able to make head to all, will find us work enough, to do. And when you shall arrive to think, that you find strength enough in your mind for all, and that you can perform it with a good will; do not yet conceive, that your business is already brought to an end. You have yet a long way to go. For there is a great deal of difference, between doing, and saying; and between the desire, & the deed. It is clear, that the deed, is fare more difficult, than the desire. For in the deed, or work, the object itself is present; but in the desire, there is nothing present, but the imagination of the deed. And so it happeneth to us many times, that in Prayer, we are full of fervour; and it seems to us, as if nothing were able to stand in our way. And yet afterward, when the occasion is offerred, and that it calls us to put our hand to work, we find ourselves far, from what we thought. It sufficeth not therefore, that you find those good desires in yourselves; but you must procure, that they may prove so full of efficacy, that they may extend, or reach to the very work; for this is the true touch of Virtue. And if you see that your deeds agree not with your desires, but that when an occasion is offered, you discern yourself to be another man, then when you were in Prayer; be confounded with shame, to find that all goes away in bare desires. Or rather confounded yourselves with shame, because those desires, by all probability, were not true ones, but conceits, and imaginations; since so poor, and so weak a thing, can put you afterward into disorder & disgust; & can make you turn back, where you were before. And as the Smith, when his work proves not well, returns yet once again to his Anuile, to redress & accommodate it, that it may come right; so are you to return to this Anuile of Prayer, that so you may beat your desires into a better mould; & give not over, till your desire, and your deed shake, hands together; and so, as that there be no more falling out. Yea and yet, even when you shall arrive to this, Note. that you conceive yourself to bear the occasions which are offered you, with virtue; do not yet make yourself believe, that all the business is brought to an end. For in the self same work, there are many degrees, and steps, whereby to rise, before you can arrive to the perfection of that Virtue. For first you must exercise yourself to carry, with Patience, all the occasions which shallbe presented; for this is the first degree of Virtue. Suffer things at least with Patience, if you cannot do it with Alacrity. And for the performing even of this, there willbe enough to do for some days, and not a few. And when you shall have arrived, to bear all hard encounters with Patience; yet much more way is to be made, for the attaining to the perfection of Virtue. For (as a Philosopher saith) the sign that a man hath obtained the perfection of a virtue, is when he performs the works thereof (promptè, faciliter, & delectabiliter) with promptitude, with facility, and with delight. Well then, consider if you perform the works of virtue, of Humility, of Poverty of spirit, of Patience, and of the other virtues, with promptitude, with facility, and with delight, or gust; and you shall see thereby, if you have obtained that virtue. Consider if you be as glad of dishonour, and contempt, as worldly men are wont to take delight, in honour, and estimation: which is the Rule, that our B. F. Ignatius sets before us, C. 4. exam. 6.4. & reg. 11. Summarij. he having taken it first, out of the Gospel. Consider, if you be as glad, and do take as much gust, in poverty of diet, & clothing, and lodging, and that the very worst of the house be given to you, as the covetous man would be, of full coffers. Consider, if you be as glad of mortification, and suffering, as they of the world, use to be, of repose, and rest. If then, we be to arrive to this perfection, in every virtue, we shall well have enough to do, for many days, and peradventure years, although we did attempt, but some one of them. CHAP. XVII. That in the consideration of these Mysteries, we are to go on, at good leisure, and not to pass over them superficially: and of some means which help therein. IN the consideration of divine mysteries, it doth also much import, to dig and sound towards the same thing, and not to pass cursorily, Note. through them. For one mystery well considered, and pondered, will profit us more, than many, which are looked upon with superficial eyes. Our B. F. Ignatius, in his book of spiritual Exercises, P. N. Ignatius lib● Exercitiorum spiritualium. doth therefore make so much account of repetitions, as that instantly after every Exercise men are to make one Repetition, and sometimes two. For that which a man finds not, the first time, by perseverance, he will find, Matt. 7.8. the second. Quia qui quaerit invenit, & pulsanti aperietur. Num. 10. ●1. Moses' struck with his rod, upon the rock, and drew forth no water upon the first blow; but he drew it forth, upon the second. And Christ our Lord, did not cure, at a clap, one of those blind men in the Gospel, but he went curing him, by little, and little. First he applied spittle to his eyes, and asked him if he saw any thing. The patiented answered, that he saw certain things in gross, but that he distinguished not well, what they were. Mark. 8.24. Video homines, velut arbores ambulantes. The men seemed to him, but walking trees. Our Lord returned to apply his hands to his eyes, and he cured him out right; so that he saw distinctly and clearly. So doth it use to be in Prayer, when turning, & returning to the self same thing, one discovereth more, then at the first. As when a man enters into a dark room, at the first he seethe nothing; if he continue a while, he gins to see. Particularly we must procure to detain ourselves still, in the consideration of things, till such time as we may be very well unbeguiled, and fully possessed of what is true; and well convinced and resolved, upon the doing of what is fit. For this is one of the chief Fruits, which we are to draw out of Prayer: and wherein it concerns us much, to go well grounded, as we said before. Cap. 9 As for the means, which are to help us, to consider and ponder these mysteries in this manner, if our Lord send down, some little beam of his divine light, and open the eyes of the soul, it finds so much to consider, and hath so much, wherein to detain itself, that it can say with the Prophet, Psa. 118.18. Revela oculos meos, & considerabo mirabilia de lege tua. Laetabor ego super eloquia tua, sicut qui invenit spolia multa. The second of these places, declares the first. I will rejoice in the consideration of those misteryes and marvels, which I have found in thy law, as a man would rejoice, after he had won a battle, and met with abundance of rich spoils. With the blessed S. Augustine, and S. Francis, the whole days & nights did pass at ease, in the Consideration of these two, or three words, Noverim te, & noverim me. Let me know myself, and let me know thee. Deus meus, & omnia. My God, and my all things. Which is a kind of Prayer, of great conformity, with that, whereof the Prophet I say saith, that it was used by those Citizens of Heaven, who being suspended in the Contemplation of that divine Majesty, are perpetually singing, and saying, and repeating, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus; Isa. 63. Holy, Holy, Holy. The same, saith S. john, speaking in the Apocalypse, of those Mysterious beasts, Apoc. 48. which stood before the throne of God: Et requiem non habebant die ac nocte, dicentia, Sanctus Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus omnipotens, qui erat, & qui est, & qui venturus est. And they had no rest, neither by day, nor night, from saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Omnipotent, who was, who is, and who is to come. But to the end that we may arrive to this, it is fit (forasmuch as is on our part) that we use to detain our selves, Gerson 3. p. alphab. 76. litera D. & alphab. 77. litera Z. in the consideration of the mysteries, still pondering, and sounding into the particularityes thereof, and exercising ourselves therein. Gerson saith, That one of the principal means which we can set down, and which will help us most, towards the enabling of us to make Prayer well, willbe, the very ordinary, & continual Exercise thereof. It is no business this, which can be taught by Rhetoric, and Figures; nor is to be learned, by only hearing many discourses, nor reading many treatises of Prayer; but by putting the hand to work, and by much practice thereof. When a mother will teach her child to go, she spends not a whole hour in giving him lessons, about the fashion that he is to hold in going; bidding him change the posture of his ●eete, now in this fashion, Note. and then in that; but by putting him upon the exercise of it, she makes him go; & so the child learns, and knows, how he is to go. Now this is the very means, whereby we are to learn this Science of Prayer. And although it be very true, that for the obtaining of the guyft of Prayer, or any other, which is supernatural, no labour of ours is sufficient, but it must come from the gracious, and liberal hand of God; Prou. ●. Quia Dominus dai sapientiam, & ex ore eius prudentia, & scientia; because it is our Lord who giveth wisdom, and prudence, and science proceedeth out of his mouth; Yet his divine Majesty is pleased, that we should exercise ourselves therein, as carefully, as if we were to obtain it only by that means. For he disposeth of all things sweetly; Sap. 8.1. Attingit à fine usque ad finem fortiter, & disponit omnia suaviter. And so he disposeth of the works of Grace, aswell as of the works of Nature. And as other arts & sciences, are obtained by practice, so is also this of Prayer. By playing on the lute, a man learns to play; by going, to go; and by Praying, a man learns to Pray. And so Gerson saith, that the cause, why, at this day, there are so few Contemplatives, is through the want of this practice. We find that anciently in those Monasteryes of Monks, there were so many persons of great Prayer, and Contemplation; and now you shall have difficulty, to find a man of great Prayer; and when you shall speak to men of Contemplation; it seems to them, as if you were talking of Metaphisicks, or Moriscoes, which is not to be understood. The cause hereof is, for that anciently those holy Monks did exercise themselves much in Prayer; and the young men who entered into those Monasteryes, were presently tasked, and instructed therein, and were made to practise it much, as we read in the rule of S. Pacomius, & other Fathers of those Monks. And so Gerson gives this advice, as very important, for Monasteries, That they are to have amongst them, certain persons of spirit, who may be learned, and of great practice in Prayer; and who may instruct young men from their very entrance into Religion, how they are to exercise themselves in Prayer. And our B. Father, 3. p. Constit. c. 1.12. & 4. p. c. 10.7. took this Counsel so much to hart, & did leave it so well recommended in the Constitutions, that not only at the first, in their houses of Nouitiate, there should be some to instruct such as enter newly; but in all the Colleges also, and Professed Houses of the Society, he commands, that there be a Perfect over spiritual things, who may attend to this, and observe how every one proceedeth in Prayer, for the great importance, whereof he took that point to be. Another thing also, is to help us much, towards our continuance in this exercise of Prayer, and to persever in it much; and this is, to have a great love to God, and to spiritual things. And so said the Royal Prophet; Quomodo dilexi legem tuam Domine? tot a die meditatio mea est. Psal. 118.97. How much, O Lord, do I love thy Law? I am not satisfied with thinking on it, all day and night. This is my only entertainment and delight. Et meditabar in mandatis tuis quae dilexi. Psal. 118.47. So that, if we did love God much, we also would be glad to be thinking of him day and night, and we should not want matter whereof to think. Oh with how good a will, doth the mother stand thinking of that Child of her womb, Note. whom she tenderly love's? And how little need hath she of discourses, or considerations, to comfort herself, in the thought of him? If you speak but one word of that Child, her very bowels are instantly in a commotion, and the tears of joy, are streaming down from her eyes, without any more discourses, or considerations. Do but begin to talk to a widow of her husband deceased, whom she most dearly loved, and you shall see, how instantly she will sigh, and weep. Now if these effects can be wrought, by this natural kind of love; (why do I say Natural love?) nay if we see that the furious love of some lost and wretched creature, doth carry him so absorbed, and inebriated upon the person whom he love's, as that he seems unable, even to think of any thing else; how much more should the supernatural Love of that infinite Goodness, and Beauty of our Lord God, be able to produce these effects? For more powerful is grace, than either nature, or vice. If God were all our treasure, our hart would instantly fly up to him: Mat. 6.21. Vbi enim est thesaurus tuus, ibi est & cor tuum. All the world thinks willingly of him, Pro. 31.18. whom it love's; and of that, wherein it takes delight. And therefore, the holy scripture saith, Gustavit, & vidit. Gustate & videte, Psa. 31.9 quoniam suavis est Dominus. The Gust may precede the seeing; but the seeing causeth more guste, and more love. And so S. Thomas speaking of this, S. Tho. 2.2, 9.160.7. ad. 1. saith: That Contemplation is the daughter of Love, because Love is the root thereof. And he also saith, that Love is the end of Contemplation; for by the loving of God, a man is inclined to think, and contemplate upon him; and how much more he contemplates, so much more he love's him. For good things have this property, that when they are seen, they invite to love; & the more we see them, the more we love them; and the more do we joy, in continuing to see, and love them. CHAP. XVIII. It is showed after a practical manner, how it is in our power, to pray ever well if we will; and to gather Fruit from thence. THAT most excellent, and extraordinary Prayer, Cap. 4. & seqq. whereof we spoke before, is a most particular safety of God; which he imparteth, not to all, but only to such as it pleaseth him. But this ordinary, and plain Mental Prayer, whereof now we treat, our Lord denieth to none. And it is the error of some, that because they obtain not that other rich Prayer, and Contemplation, it seems to them, that they cannot pray at all, and that they are not fit, for this holy exercise; whereas yet even this, is a very good, and very profitable kind of Prayer, and with it we may become perfect. And if our Lord be pleased, to impart that other high Prayer unto us, this inferior kind of Prayer is a very good, and a very proper disposition, for the obtaining of it. I will therefore now declare how, with the grace of our Lord, it is in our hand to make this Prayer, ever well, and to gather Fruit from thence, which is a matter of much comfort. By two means we may very well infer thus much, upon that which hath been said. The first is, because the manner of Prayer which our B. Father hath taught us, is to exercise therein the Three powers of our soul; placing, with our Memory, before the eyes of our Understanding, the Point or Mystery, upon which we mean to make our Prayer; and then to enter in, with out Understanding itself, discoursing, meditating, and considering those things which may serve most for the moving of our Will; and then are the affects and desires of the Will itself to follow: and this third, we have already said, to be the chief part, and Fruit, which we are to gather from Prayer. So that Prayer, consisteth not, in that sweetness and sensible guste, which sometimes we feel, and do experiment within ourselves; but in the acts which we make, with the powers of our souls. Now the doing of this, is ever in our power, though we be never so dry, and discomforted. For although I should be more dry than any stick, Note. and more hard than any stone, yet would it be in my power (with the favour of our Lord) to make an act of detestation, and grief for my sins; and an act of the Love of God; and an act of Patience, and an act of Humility; and to desire to be disgraced, and despised, in imitation of Christ our Lord, who would needs be disgraced, and despised, for love of me. It must here be also observed, that the business of making good Prayer, and the Fruit thereof, doth not consist, in that one make so much as these very acts themselves, with guste, or sensible consolation; nor in that he feel much, even of what he is doing; nor doth the goodness and perfection of the acts themselves, nor the merit which follows upon them, consist in this. This I say, is to be noted much. For it useth to be an error, very common to many, who discomfort themselves, as conceiving, that they do no good in Prayer, because they feel not so much actual sorrow for their errors, and sins, or so great affection & desire of virtue, as they would. But these feelings do belong to the Sensitive Appetite; whereas the Will is a spiritual Power, and dependeth not upon the other. And therefore there is no necessity, that a man should feel his own acts, in such a fashion; but it sufficeth that they be produced by the Will. And so the Divines, & Saints who treat of Contrition, and Grief for sin, do thus comfort their pennitents: Who coming to make great account of the greviousnes of mortal sin, are discomforted, for not being able to dissolve themselves in tears; nor to feel in themselves, that sensible grief which they desire. For they could find in their hearts, that even their very bowels, might split in their bodies, for sorrow of their sins. And those Authors say, That True contrition & grief, consisteth not in the sensitive Appetite, but in the Will. Let it trouble you to have sinned, because sin is the offence of God, who is worthy to be loved aboue all things; for this is true Contrition. That other feeling, when our Lord shall impart it, do your receive it with giving of thanks; and when he doth not, be not troubled, for God exacteth not that of you. For it is evident, that he is not to exact that of us, which is not in our power; and that kind of feeling, which you would have, is a guste and sensible devotion, which is not in your power. Therefore God expecteth not that of us, but he expecteth, that which is in our power, which is, the sorrow of our Will, which hath no dependence upon that other. And the same is to be said of the acts of the Love of God. Love you God above all things, with your Will, for this is that strong and appreciative Love, and that which God exacteth of us. That other, is a tender kind of love, which is not in our power. The same is to be said of the acts of other virtues, and of all the good purposes, which we have. This truth is clearly seen by the contrary. For it is most certain, Note. that if a man do, with his will, desire, and consent to a mortal sin, although the same man, have no other feeling nor take no other guste therein, yet he shall sinne mortally, and shall deserve to be condemned for it, to hell. By the same reason, he whose Will consenteth, and desireth that which is good, although he have no other guste of feeling of it, shall please almighty God, and merit heaven. Especially since God is more ready to reward virtue, then to punish vice. Nay, many times, these acts, are more meritorious, and more acceptable to God, when they are done, after that dry manner, without guste, or sensible consolation; because they are more pure, and more durable, & a man placeth in them more of his own stock, and he is at more cost (as a man may say) than when he is carried on, by sensible devotion. And so it is a sign of more Virtue, and of a Will more firm, and faithful, to the service of God. For he, who without those helps of gusts, and spiritual consolations, doth make those acts; what would he do with them? Father Auila saith very well, M. Auila. That God carrieth the other man, in his arms, as if he were a Child; but this later, goes upon his own legs, like a man. Blosius saith, That they are like such as serve some Lord, Blosius in monil. spiritual. c. 3. at their own charge. And it importeth much, that we be accustomed to pray after this manner. For the most usual kind of Prayer with many, is wont to be in dryness; those other, are extraordinary favours. So that, as men, who go by Galleys in deep seas, when the wind comes to fail them, do make their way by the force of Oars; so they who mean to exercise themselves in Prayer, when the prosperous wind of the illustrations, and favours of God, are wanting, must procure to pass on, by the Oars of the Powers of their soul, which still are helped by the favour of the Holy Ghost, though not always so copiously, as at some times. The second way, we may show thus. Cap. 14. Prayer, as hath been said, is not the end, but a means which we take for our spiritual profit, and to obtain victory over our passions, and evil inclinations; that so having smoothed the way, and removed all impediments, we may deliver or selves wholly up, into the hands of God. When those Cataracts were strucken down, from the eyes of S. Paul's soul, by that light of heaven, and that divine voice, which said, Ego sum Iesus quem tu persequeris, Act. 9.9. I am jesus whom thou persecutest; O how did he remain, all changed in hart? how truly convinced, and resolved, and rendered up to the accomplishment of the will of God? Domine quid me vis facere? O Lord, what wilt thou have me do? This is the fruit of good Prayer. And we said before, that we must not content ourselves, Chap. 1●. with drawing certain general desires, and purposes out of Prayer; but we must descend to that particular, whereof we have greatest need; and we must prepare, and provide our selves, to make good use of those occasions, which may, and which use to be offered in that present day, and to proceed in all things, with edification. I say therefore, (applying the discourse to our purpose) that this, Note. by the grace of our Lord, will ever be in our power to do; because we may still be laying hold of those things, whereof we have most need. Let one of you lay hold upon Humility, another upon Patience, another upon Obedience, another upon Mortification and Resignation. And procure to go out of your Prayer, very humble, and very well resigned, and indifferent, and very desirous to mortify, and to conform yourselves, in all things, with the will of God. And especially procure, always to draw this fruit out of Prayer, that you may live well that day, and with edification of others, every one according to his estate. And so you shall have made your Prayer excellently well; yea and better, then if you had shed many tears, and enjoyed much consolation. So that we are not to put ourselves in pain, for not being able to use much discourse, or many considerations, nor to have other feelings and devotions; because Prayer, doth not consist in this, but in the rest. Neither yet are we to make much account of those distractions, and flying thoughts, which use to disquiet us in Prayer, against our will; whereof yet we do ordinarily complain. When you reflect and observe, that you are distracted, lay present hold again, Note. upon your matter, and upon the Fruit, which you are to gather; and thereby you shall supply, and reverse the loss of time, which you have made by that distraction; and you shall revenge yourselves on the Devil, who hath procured to divert you, by impertinent thoughts. This is a very profitable advice for Prayer. And, as when a man, who was travelling with others, laid himself down to sleep, & his Cameradoes passed on; but when he awaked, he made so much haste to overtake them, that in a quarter of an hour, he dispatched that way, which he was to have made in a whole one, if he had not fallen asleep: so when you reflect, and return to your selves, from your distraction, in the last quarter of an hour, you are to carry the matter so well, Chap. 14. as to do therein, all that which you were to have done in the whole hour, if you had continued in attention. Enter presently into account with yourself and say, What did I pretend to negotiate with Almighty God, in this Prayer? what was the Fruit, which I had prepared to gather thence? Humility? Indifferency? Resignation? Conformity with the will of God? Well yet, I will not fail to fetch this Fruit, Note. out of this Prayer, in despite of the Devil. And when perhaps you find, that even the whole Prayer hath gone amiss, and that you have not gathered the Fruit which you desired, you must procure to do it, in the Examen of your Prayer, Chap. 27. whereof we will speak afterward; and thereby you are to supply, for the faults which you have made in the Prayer itself, & so you shall ever gather Fruit thereby. CHAP. XIX. Of some easy means, or ways, whereby we may have profitable, and good Prayer. THERE are also other very easy ways, which will help us much, towards the having of good Prayer; whereby also it will appear, that it is ever, in our power to have good, and profitable Prayer; and that all, are capable of Mental Prayer, and that there is none, who may not use it. As for the first, it is very good to this purpose, which is advised by some Masters of Spirit, who say, That we must not make our Prayer to be a matter of fiction, or art; but we must do in that, as men do in business of importance, who pause to think what they are about; and how their business speeds, and how it may be better done. So the servant of God, is plainly, and without tricks, to deal with himself, Note. in point of Prayer, & to say, How goes the business forward of the spiritual profit, and of the salvation of my soul? For this is our business, and we are not continuing in this life, for any other true reason, but only to negotiate this affair. Let therefore the religious man especially, enter into account with himself, & let him think thus, at great leisure. How goes my soul on in this business? What fruit have I gathered in these ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years, that I have been in Religion? What is that, which I have gained, or acquired in the virtue of Humility, or Mortification? I will see how the accounts do stand; and what I can answer to God, for all those so great meaenes, and helps, which I have had in Religion, wherewith to thrive, and increase the Principal, and Talon, which he gave me. And if hitherto I have ill employed my time, and not known how to serve myself thereof, I will remedy the fault from henceforth; and certainly, my whole life shall not pass hereafter, as a great part thereof, hath done hitherto. In the same manner ought every one in his condition, with great plainness and simplicity, and without all disguise, make a pause to think in particular, how it goes with him, in his place and duty; how he shallbe able to discharge it well, and according to the will of God; how he may carry his business like a good Christian, and govern his house and family, in such sort, as that all of it, may serve God. How he may make right use, & bear those difficulties with patience, which his condition, or office carry with it. In this, he will find enough to lament, and to amend. And this willbe a very good, and a very profitable kind of Prayer. john Gerson telleth of a servant of God, who was wont to say thus, many times. Guliel. Paris. It is now forty year since I have frequented prayer, with all care I could; and I never found a better, nor a more brief, and compendious means, towards the making of good Prayer, then to present myself, in the presence of God, like an infant, or like some poor blind, naked, and abandoned beggar. We see that the Prophet David, did use this kind of Prayer very often, calling himself sometimes a sick man, at other times an orphan, at other times a blindman; and at others, a poor Creature, and a beggar. And of this, the Psalms are full. And we know by experience, that many, who have used, and frequented this kind of Prayer, have come, by this means, to be endued with very high Contemplation. Do you therefore use it; and our Lord willbe pleased, that by this means, you shall obtain, what you desire. The Prayer of the Beggar, Note. is a very good Prayer. Consider, saith Gerson, with how great humility and patience the poor man stands expecting a little alms, Gerson de monte contemplate. at the rich man's door; and with what diligence he goes, where he knows, there is any alms to be given. And as this poor and naked, forsaken creature, stands before the richman, ask him alms, and hoping for the remedy of his necessity, with great humility, and reverence; so are we to place ourselves, before God in Prayer, representing to him our Poverty, our necessity, and our misery; & hoping for some remedy thereof, at the hands of his liberality and bounty. Psa. 112.2. Sicut oculi ancillae in manibus Dominae suae, ita oculi nostri, ad Dominum Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri. As the eyes of the slave, stand hanging upon the hands of her Lord, expecting what he will bestow upon her; so are our eyes to be hanging & depending upon our Lord God, till such time, as we may obtain mercy of him. We find in that story, which is recounted of the Abbot Paphnutius, who lived in the most inward part of the desert, Pratum spiritual. how that having heard of that lose woman Thais, that she was the snare and perdition of many souls, and the cause also of many quarrels, and the death of many; he did with desire to convert her, and draw her to God, take the habit of a secular man, and money, and he went to the City, where she dwelled, and converted her. And he took the occasion, from some words of hers, when (he seeming to desire, that she would allow him some more private place) she said, Thou art safe enough here, from the eyes of men, who cannot see the here; From the eyes of God, indeed, thou canst not hide thyself, how secret soever the place may be. The story is large; but to come to that which makes to our purpose. The woman being converted, he conducted her to the wilderness, and did shut her up into a cell; and made it fast with a seal of lead, leaving only an overture, in a very little window which there was, to the end that daily they might thereby, give her a little bread, and water. And Paphnutius, leaving her, she asked him only, how she was to pray to God. To this, the holy Abbot answered: Thou dost not deserve to take the Name of God into that impure mouth of thine, but the manner of thy Prayer shallbe this: Thou shalt put thyself upon thy knees; and thou shalt turn thyself towards the East; and thou shalt repeal these words many times, Qui plasmasti me, miserere mei; O thou who madest me, have mercy on me. In this manner she continued three years, without ever presuming to take the name of God into her mouth; but always carrying her many grievous sins before her sight, and demanding mercy and pardon for them of our Lord, in those words which the Saint had taught her. And this Prayer, was so acceptable to Almighty God, that the Abbot Paphnutius, demanding of the blessed Saint Anthony, at the end of those three years, if he thought that God had pardoned her sinners; S. Anthony called his Monks about him, and required them, that every one should remain all the next night following by himself, in Watching and Prayer; to the end that our Lord might declare that to some one of them, which was demanded by Paphnutius. Being therefore all, in Prayer, Paul the monk, who was the chief amongst the disciples of S. Anthony, had a vision of a bed in heaven, adorned with most precious furniture; and which was attended by four virgins. As soon as he saw so rich an object, he instantly said within himself: This grace and favour cannot be reserved for any other, then for my father S. Anthony. As he was in these thoughts, a voice descended from heaven, and said, This bed of glory, is not prepared for thy Father Anthony, but for Thais the sinner. And fifteen days after, our Lord was pleased to carry her to enjoy that glory, or celestial bed of state. Do you the while, content your selves, with making this Prayer, & know that you deserve to make no other. And perhaps you may please God more by this, then if you made that other, which you imagine. In a certain spiritual Discourse which is a manuscript, made by a religious Monk of the Carthusians, concerning spiritual Communion, he recounteth a certain passage of our B. F. Ignatius, and his companions, which he affirmeth himself to have understood, from a person worthy to have been believed. How that, whilst they were travelling as they used to do on foot, with their little bags, and such like necessaries, under their arms; and going towards Barcelona, there was a good honest man, travelling also in the same way, who saw them, and took pity of them, & besought them, with great instance, that they would give him their little bags; saying that he was lusty, and strong, and would carry them well. And although they refused to do so, yet at last, being importuned, they were content; and so, went on, their way, all together. When they arrived at their lodging, the Fathers, every one of them, did procure to find out his corner, to recollect, and commend himself to God, in Prayer. That other honest man, seeing them do so, did procure a corner also for himself, and cast himself down upon his knees, like them. And proceeding afterward in their way, they asked him once: Brother, what do you use to do, in that corner of yours? He answered. That which I do, is to say, O Lord these men are saints, and I am but their beast. Look what they do, and that will I also do. And this (saith he) am I offering up to God. And the Story further saith that the good man did profit so much, by means of this Prayer, that he grew to be a very spiritual person, and to be of high Prayer, afterward. Now who is he, that cannot use this form of Prayer, if he will? Myself did know a very ancient Father of the Society of jesus, and a very great Preacher, whose Prayer, for a long time, was to say, with much humility, and simplicity, to Almighty God: O Lord, I am but a beast, and know not how to use Prayer, do thou teach it me, O Lord. With this he profited much, & grew to have most high Prayer; that of the Prophet, Psal. 72.23 being accomplished in him, iumentum factus sum, & ego semper tecum. Do you therefore humble yourselves, & become, in the sight of, God, as if you were but poor beasts, and our Lord willbe with you. It doth much import in the sight of God, that one do humble himself; for great matters are negotiated, and obtained in this manner, at the hands of his divine Majesty. And here the Saints do note a thing of much importance; That as Humility is the means to obtain Prayer, Note. so Prayer must be the means to obtain Humility, and to go increasing in it. And so they say, that when a man hath made good Prayer, he ever goes a way much humbled and confounded. Whereupon it follows, Greg. l. 2. in Ezech. hom. 17. Chrysost. ho. 4. de poens. to. 5. that when a man parteth well contented from his Prayer, with I know not what kind of vain complacence, & a close kind of estimation, and reputation of himself; conceiving, forsooth, that he hath profitted much, and that already he is growing a kind of spiritual man, that Prayer deserves to be suspected. And therefore, if you say that you are not able to draw many considerations out of Prayer, nor to have any high Contemplations, let your course, be to humble yourself, and gather that Fruit from your Prayer, and you can have no excuse, for not doing that; & even that willbe a very good Prayer. It is also a very good means, when a man is not able to enter Prayer, and that he is in conflict with many thoughts, and temptations, to do that which Father Auila doth thus advice, M. Auila l. 1. Epist. in one of his letters: Cast yourselves at the feet of Christ our Lord, and say; O Lord for as much as this distraction, Note. and difficulty in Prayer, proceeds from any fault of mine, I am heartily sorry for it; but forasmuch as is therein, of thy will, and of thy punisment, I have justly deserved it, for my great sins past. And for my great negligence and errors present, I do accept it with a very good will, and I am glad to receive from thy holy hand, this cross, this dryness, this distraction, this discomfort, and this spiritual desolation. This Patience, and this Humility, willbe a very good Prayer, and will please God more, than the Prayer which you desired to have, Tract. 8. cap. 26. as we shall afterwards show more at large. It is written of our Father Franciscus de Boria, P. Fran. de Borgia. how when it seemed to him, that he had not had good Prayer, that day did he procure to mortify himself more, and to go with more care, Note. and diligence in all his works, thereby to supply the fault of his Prayer; and so he Counselleth us to do. This is a very good means to supply the fault of Prayer, yea & it willbe also a good means to make our Prayer good. S. Nilus the Abbot; speaking of Prayer saith, That as when we disorder, and discompose ourselves in the day, it seems that presently we shall feel the punishment of it in our Prayer, for there, God showeth us some hard countenance: so on the other side, when we have mortified, and overcome ourselves, in things of difficulty, we do instantly also find it, in our Prayer; for our Lord is pleased to reward us, with ready payment, Quidquid durum & asperum patienter tolerabis, fructum laboris, tempore orationis reperies. The Saint doth thereupon, give a very good advice, Nilus' de oratione c. 17. & 62. in bibliosanctorum Patrum. come. 3. for the having of good Prayer, and of very good conformity, with that which we have already said. Si orare desideras, nihil facias eorum quae orationi adversantur, ut tibi appropinquet Deus, & tecum ambulet. If you desite to have good Prayer, do nothing which may be contrary to Prayer, and by this means God will communicate himself to you, and do you many favours. And generally, let all men understand, that the principal care which the servant of God ought to have, Note. is to cleanse and mortify his hart, and to keep himself free from all sin, and to be very firm and resolute, not to commit one mortal sin, for the whole world. Herein he is to ground himself well, whilst he is in Prayer and to insist and actuate upon it, very often; for we have need to do so, as long as we are in this miserable life. And upon this foundation, every man may build as much perfection as he will. And therefore he hath no reason to go up and down with complaints, but to be very grateful to God, although he give him no other kind, of higher Prayer. For Sanctity, consisteth not in having to gift of Prayer, but in doing the will of God. Eccl. 12.13. Deum time, & mandata eius obserua: hoc est enim omnis homo. With this saying, Solomon concludeth that high sermon of Ecclesiastes. Note. Fear God and keep his Commandments, for all man is but this. That is to say: In this consists all the felicity of man; and by this he complyeth with all his obligations; and with this, he may be holy, and perfect. I will conclude, with assigning a means for good Prayer, which shallbe of much comfort for all men. When you do not find in your Prayer, that ease, that attention, and devotion, & internal union which you wish, exercise yourselves, in having a great inclination and desire to it, & with this you shall supply that which you conceive to be wanting to you. For our Lord God (as the Saints affirm) is no less content, and satisfied, F. Barth. de los mart yris Arch. Bracharensis in suo compend di● spirituali c. 19 fol. 250. with that good desire, and will of yours, than he would be with your high, and sublyme Prayer, Deus, non minùs voluntate sanctoque desiderio laetatur, quàm sitota anima amore liquefacta, plenè sibi iungeretur. This help, God taught to the holy virgin Gertrude, and it is related by Blosius. He saith, Blosin ●e. 2. de n● onilis spir itual. that the Saint complaining of her wants, and that she could not in in Prayer, raise her hart so high, as she desired, and as she thought she was obliged, she was taught from heaven, that with God it was sufficient, if the man did indeed desire, and wish, that he had a great desire of it, when yet perhaps he feeled very little, or no desire at all. For just so great, is a good desire esteemed to be, in the sight of God, as the man, would fain have it great. And he saith: That in a hart which hath such a desire (that is to say) which hath a desire, and will, to have this desire, God dwelleth with a better will, than a man would be glad to stay, amongst fresh, and odoriferous flowers. God hath no need of your high Prayer, he desires nothing but your hart; to that he looks, and he receives the desires thereof, for deeds. And so, agreably to this, it willbe a very good devotion, and a very profitable consideration, when we find ourselves tepid & dry in Prayer, Note. to consider how many servants of God there are in Prayer over the world, at the very same time perhaps shedding tears, and peradventure blood, and we may imagine ourselves, to be with them; and not only with them, but even with the Angels, & other celestial spirits, loving & praising God. And we may remit ourselves to that which they do; & supply thereby, the want of that which we cannot do ourselves; repeating many times with our harrs, and with our mouths, those words: Cum quibus, & nostras voces, ut admitti iubeas deprecamur, supplici confessione dicentes, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus etc. O Lord that which they say, I say; and that which they do, I would ●aine do; & just as they praise and love, so would I fain bless, and praise, and love thee. And sometimes it willbe also good, that we remit ourselves, even to ourselves, as we were at some former time, when we conceive ourselves to have been in good Prayer, saying: O my Lord, that which I did then, and as than I offered myself wholly to thee; so do I offer myself now: and as than I grieved for my sins, so do I grieve now; and as than I desired Humility, Patience, and Obedience, in the same manner, O Lord, do I crave, and beg it of thee now. But above all, it is a most singular good practice, to unite our works with those of Christ our Lord, and to supply our faults & imperfections by the merits of his most sacred Passion; aswell in that which concerneth our Prayer, as in our other actions; offering to the eternal Father, our Prayers, in union of the love and fervor, wherewith Christ our Lord did pray to him, and praise him here on earth; and our Fasts, in union of those Fasts, which he made, beseeching him that he willbe pleased to supply our Impatience, with the Patience of Christ our Lord; our pride with his Humility; and our Malice, with his Innocency. Blosius c. 9 institue. spiritual. This practice (as Blosius relateth) was revealed by our Lord to some dear servants of his, to the end, that we may so make our works of much worth, and merit, & relieve our poverty, by his means; through the infinite treasure, of the merits of Christ our Lord. CHAP. XX. That we must content ourselves with this Prayer, whereof we have spoken; and not go with complaint, and grief, for not being able to obtain that other Prayer, which is more high. ALBERTUS Magnus saith, that the true humble man, Albertus' magnus de adhaerendo Deo. doth not presume to lift up his hart, to a desire of that high and rich Prayer, and of those extraordinary favours, which our Lord doth use, Note. sometimes, to communicate to his dear servants. For he esteemeth so little of himself, that he holdeth himself unworthy of all favour, and spiritual consolation. And if at any time, without any desire of his, our Lord do visit him, with any comfort; he receiveth it with fear, acknowledging that he deserveth not those visitations; and that he knows not, how to profit by them, as he ought. And if we had true Humility, we would content ourselves, with any of those kinds of Prayer, whereof we spoke. Nay rather, we should hold it for a particular favour of our Lord, that he leads us, by the way of Humility. For thereby, we shall conserve ourselves; and by that other way, we might perhaps, grow lightheaded, and so be lost. S. Bernard saith, Bern. ser. 5. quadrag. that God doth carry himself towards us, as the Fathers of this world do, towards their little children. That when the Child asketh bread, Note. they give it him with a good will; but when the Child asketh for a knife, wherewith to cut his bread, they will not give it him; because they see it is not necessary, and that perhaps, it might do him hurt, by cutting his fingers. But the father takes the knife, and cuts the bread, that so the child may neither be put to any trouble, nor made subject to any danger. in this fort doth our Lord proceed. He gives you the bread, already cut; and will not give you those gusts, and consolations, which are in that most high Prayer; because perhaps, you would cut yourselves; & they would do you hurt, by making you wanton, and giddy, and to hold yourselves for spiritual persons, and to prefer yourselves before others. Our Lord doth you a greater favour, in giving you the bread already cut, then if he gave you the knife, wherewith to cut it. If God, with your Prayer, give you a great resolution, and strength, rather to die, then to commit sin; and if he keep you, through the whole course of your life, without committing a mortal sin, what better Prayer, and what better Fruit can you desire, than this? This is that answer, which the Father of the Prodigal Son gave to his elder brother. Who seeing that the Younger was received with so much feasting and joy, was deeply offended with it, and already was refusing to enter into his Father's house, saying to this effect; So many years are now past, since I serve you, and have ever been subject to your commandments, and obsequious to your person, and you have never bestowed upon me, so much as a Kid, to the end that I might make merry with my friends. And as for that other, who hath dissipated your state, and been disobedient to yourself. you have killed the fat calf, and made him a sumptuous banquet, with great music, and joy. The Father makes this answer. Luc. 15. ●●. Fili, tu semper mecum es. My son, know that I do not this, as loving the other, more than you: You are ever remaining in my house, and with my person. It will also be reason, that you know and esteem worthily, of that which I do for you. Is it perhaps a small grace and favour, which I do you, in continuing you ever, about myself? The same I say in your case. Doth it seem a trifle, for our Lord to keep you ever with himself, and in his house? It is a greater matter, for our Lord to give you the gift of perseverance, and to keep you, from ever parting from him, and falling into sin; then if, after you were fallen, he should lend you his hand, as he did to the Prodigal Son. It is more for him, to keep you, from breaking your head, then if he should heal it, when it were broken. If then our Lord, with this Prayer which you have, do give you this, of what can you complain? If with this Prayer, he give you great promptitude towards all things which concern his service, and great indifferency, with entire resignation towards all the orders of Obedience, what can you desire more? If with this Prayer, God conserve you in Humility, and in his fear, and in walking warily, and in preserving yourselves from occasions, & out of the dangers of sin, what reason have you to sigh for more? This is that Fruit which you were to gather out of Prayer, if it were never so high and sublyme. And when, our Lord were pleased, to give you many gusts and comforts in it, to this end you were to address them all. Now this is that, which God doth work in this plain, and ordinary Prayer. He giveth you the end, and the Fruit, without those extraordinary means of elevations, and gusts, and consolations; as they find by experience, who persevere in it. And therefore we are to give, for this, double thanks to our Lord. For, on the one side, he frees us from the danger of vanity, and pride, which we might be subject to; and on the other side, he gives us that Fruit, and profit of Prayer, which is most complete. The holy Scripture saith, of the holy Patriarch joseph, That he spoke to his brethren, with hard, and sharp words, Gen. 42.7. & 25. and yet withal that he filled their sacks, full of corn; and commanded his Steward, to treat them well. And so doth our Lord carry himself many times towards us. We will never understand, as we ought, wherein Prayer, doth indeed consist. Or to speak more properly, we will never understand, as we ought, wherein our spiritual profit & perfection doth consist, which is the End and Fruit, to which our Prayer is ordained. And so, many times, when it goes ill with us, we think it goes well; and when indeed it goeth well, we are apt to think, that it goeth ill. Draw you, out of Prayer, that which we have said; and especially to proceed well that present day, and with edification, Chap. 15. as was touched before; and you shall have made good Prayer; though whilst you were praying, you were as dry as a stick, and as hard as a stone. And if you gain not this, you have not made good Prayer, though you were streaming down tears, all the while, and although you had been elevated up, to the third heaven. Henceforward therefore, do not complain of Prayer, but turn your complaints against yourselves, and say, It goes ill with me, in point of Mortification. It goes ill with me in point of Humility; Note. in point of Patience; in point of Silence, and Recollection. This indeed, is a just complaint, because it is to complain against yourselves; for you do not that which you ought, and yet it is in your own power. But that other course, of going, in complaint against Prayer, seems to be a kind of complaining against God, because he gives not that kind of way, and quietness, and comfort, which you could desire. This I say, is no good complaint. It is no word, this, which may induce our Lord to mercy, but rather provoke him, to wrath, and indignation, as the holy judith, said to them of Bethulia. Non est iste sermo, judith 8.11. qui misericordiam provocet, sed potius qui iram excitet, & furorent accendat. And it is worth the considering, how contrary we are in this, to reason. For I find not, that we complain of not being willing to mortify, nor humble, nor amend ourselves; Note. which yet is the thing that we have in our power. But we go complaining of that, which is not in our power, but runs upon the account of Almighty God. Endeavour you to mortify, and overcome yourselves, & herein do that, which belongs to you, and trust God with that which belongs to him. For more desire hath he, of our good, than we ourselves. And if we do that which belongs to us, we may rest secure enough, that, for his part, Tract. 8. Ca 24. & seqq. & vide suprà Cap. 5. ad finem ex B●rmardo. he will not be wanting, to give us that which is fit for us. We will speak more largely of this point, when we treat of Conformity with the will of God; where we will procure to give more express satisfaction, to this complaint, and temptation. CHAP. XXI. Of the causes of Distraction in Prayer, and of the Remedies. THIS is wont to be a very ordinary complaint, and therefore the Saints do generally treat thereof, and especially Cassian. Cassianus coslat. ●. 8.7. They say, that distraction in Prayer, may rise from one of three causes. The first, our own carelessness, or negligence; because we go scattered in our own thoughts, Note. and we set little guard upon our hart; and make little recolection of our senses. He who liveth in this manner, hath no reason to wonder, how he comes to be be distracted in Prayer, and why he can make no way in it. For it is clear, that the images, and figures, and representations of those things which he suffers to enter in, are to disquiet and molest him afterwards in Prayer. The Abbot Moses saith well, Collat. 10. That although it is not in the power of a man to keep himself from being surprised with thoughts, yet, that it is in his power, either not to admit them, or else to drive them away. And he addeth further; that it is in great part in our power to correct and mend the quality of those thoughts; and to cause that they may be holy, & good, & that those others which are impertinent, & vain, may grow by little & little to be forgotten. For if he give himself to the spiritual Exercises of Reading, Meditation, and Prayer; if he employ himself upon good and holy works, he willbe sure to have good, and holy thoughts. But if, when he spends the day, he do but feed his senses with vain, and impertinent things; his thoughts will not fail to be of the same quality. To this purpose he bringeth a comparison, and it is also brought by Saint Anselme, and S. Bernard. Collat. 1. cap. 18. These Saints affirm, that the hart of man is like a Millstone, which is ever moving; Note. but it is in the hand of the Miller, who rules it, to choose whether it shall grind wheat, or oats, or any other grain; for that which they cast before it, it will grind. And so the hart of man, cannot be without thinking upon somewhat, which it will grind; but by your industry, and diligence, you may make it grind what corn you will, wheat, or rye, yea or earth itself; for in fine, whatsoever you cast before it, that will it grind. In conformity therefore of this, if you mean to be recolected in Prayer, you must procure, as you converse, to carry you hart recollected, and to keep the gates of your senses close. For our Lord takes pleasure to treat with souls, which are, as Gardens shut. And so, it was a common saying of those ancient Fathers, and it is alleged by Cassian. Cassianus collat 9 Abbatis Isaac. c. 1. ●. Quales orantes volumus inveniri, tales nos, ante orationis tempus, preparare debemus; ex praecedenti enim statu, mens atque animus, in supplicatione formatur. We must go back again, to begin our course, and procure to be, when we are out of Prayer, Note. such as in Prayer we desire to be. For of the same state and temper, which the hart shall have out of Prayer, the same it will also have in Prayer. Qualis liquor vasi infunditur, taliter redolebit; & quales herbas in horto cordis tui plantaveris, Bonauen●▪ de profecta, religiosi li. 〈…〉 58, talia semina germinabunt, saith S. Bonaventure. Such as the liquor is, which you pour into the vessel, such willbe the smell● & such as the herbs shallbe, which you plant in the garden of your hart, such will the fruit, and seed be, which is produced thereby. And because it is an usual, and natural thing, for a man to think much of that, which he love's; if you desire to keep your heart firm, and stable in time of Prayer, and that your thoughts of vain, and impertinent things, may grow into oblivion, and to an end; you must mortify your love thereof, despising all earthly things, & you must lodge your hearts in heaven. And how much the more you shall profit, and increase in this; so much the more shall you increase, and profit in stability, attention, and devotion in Prayer. Secondly, Distraction useth to grow, from the temptations of our enemy the Devil. S. Basil saith, Basil. ser de renunciatione saeculi & spirit. perfect. Cassian l. 10. ca 10. & Nilus 44. & 47. de oratione. That the devil, seeing our Prayer to be the means whereby all good comes to us, procures by all ways possible, to hinder us, and divert us therein; to the end, that, having deprived us of this succour, he may the more easily find entrance into our souls, for his temptations and deceits. He carrieth himself towards us, as the Captain of Holofernes did, for the taking of the City of Bethulia, Note. which defenced itself against him. For he broke the Conduits whereby water was conveyed into the City. And so the devil doth procure, judith 7.6. with all diligence, to disorder, and break in us, this Aqueduct of Prayer, whereby the water of grace, and of all spiritual good is derived into our souls. Climacus gra. 18. And S. john Climacus. saith, that as upon the ringing of the bell, Faithful Christians and Religious men, do visibly assemble themselves to make Prayer, & to praise our Lord; so our enemies who are the devils, do also associate themselves invisibly, to tempt, & hinder us from Prayer. In the Pratum spirituale, De Abbat. Marcell. it is recounted of one of those Fathers of the desert, that rising one night to Prayer, and singing of Psalms, as his custom was, he heard the sound of a trumpet, which was like the sign of giving a battle. And the holy old man being troubled at it, and wondering from whence that noise might come, into so solitary a place, where there was no war, nor no soldiers; the Devil appeared to him, and said, that although he thought that there was no battle towards, yet indeed there was; and that the trumpet shown that the devils were about to begin it, against the servants of God; and that if he desired to be free from it, he should return to take his rest, and if not, that he was to look to himself. But he, confiding in our Lord, did enter into his Prayer, and continued in it. One of the things whereby the excellency, and great importance of Prayer may be particularly well discerned, is the watchful and cursed eye which the devil carrieth towards it; and the continual war, which he makes against it, Nilus' ca 44. & 47. de oratione, & ca 100 & seqq. refer. aliqua Exempla circa hoc in biblio. Sactorum PP. Tom 3. as the holy Abbot Nilus noteth very well. There be other good works, which the devil is better content to pass withal, and to endure. He will permit sometimes, a fast, a discipline, and a hayrecloth, but a time of Prayer he cannot endure; but by all possible means, he procures to hinder it. From hence it grows, that when we are in Prayer, we suffer many times more temptations, then in any other action of ours. It seems that then, the whole troop of thoughts set upon us, and sometimes they are so filthy, Note. and so wicked, as if we went not so much thither to pray to God, as to be molested and vexed, with all kind of temptations by the Devil. For things which before did never present themselves to us, nor never passed by our thoughts, in our whole life, do offer themselves to us in Prayer; as if they kept themselves of purpose for us, against that tyme. And since the Devil knows, that Prayer is the redress of all our miseries, and the beginning, and fountain of all our spiritual good, and an efficacious means for the obtaining of all virtue, it puts him to much pain, and he employeth all the power he hath to hinder it. And so the Saints are wont to call Prayer, Tormentum Daemon●m, & flagelluns Daemonum. The torment, and the scourge of the Devil. This very thing ought to be a cause, and motive to us, to make us more to esteem, and more diligently to frequent the use of Prayer: and so much the more, because the Devil, out of a mere envy which he bears us, seeks to hinder us. S. Thomas of Auila and other grave Authors affirm, Thomas Abulensis. that for this very reason, our Holy Mother the Church who is governed by the Holy Ghost, and knoweth well, that the custom of our enemy, is to tempt, Note. and make all the war he can upon them who are in Prayer; hath ordained, that at the beginning of every one of her Canonical hours, this verse be said: Deus in adiutorium meum intend: Psal. 69.2. Domine ad adiwandum me festina. Where we desire favour of our Lord, that he will enable us to pray as we ought, Note. and defend us from the ambushes, and temptations of our enemies. Thirdly, these vain thoughts, and Distractions, do sometimes grow upon us in Prayer, without any fault of ours, and only out of our very infirmity and weakness. For we are so frail, and miserable, and our na●●re doth remain so totally disordered, & decaye● by sin, and especially our imagination, that we can scarce say a P●ter noster, but diverse thoughts willbe offering at us, according to the complaint of S. Bernard. For this, it willbe a good remedy, that we take for the subject of our Prayer, the consideration of that thing, which makes us suffer, and so to humble ourselves, by the knowledge and sense of our own great misery. For this Humility, & this knowledge of ourselves, willbe a very good Prayer: though yet beside, we will speak of some other remedies, which are given by the Masters of spiritual life, and other holy men. CHAP. XXII. Of other remedies, for the making us remanie with attention, and reverence, in our Prayer. THE blessed S. Basil, Basilius' 〈◊〉 regulis brevioribus 201. & 300. & in constivetionibus ad solitario●. asketh how a man may grow to have a firm, and attentive hart in Prayer; and he answereth, that the most efficacious means for this, is to consider, that he is in the presence of God; & that God is looking how he prays. For if here, a man standing before a Prince, and speaking with him, do carry himself with great respect, & reverence; and do apply great attention to what he doth, and to the manner & fashion which he holds therein; and should esteem it for an act of great ill-manners in himself, to turn his back towards the Prince, yea or yet to use any impertinent discourse with him: what shall that man do, who attentively considereth, that he stands in presence of the Majesty of God; and that he is looking on; and that not only upon the exterior, but upon the most secret, and internal part of his hart. Who (saith he) is that man, that shall presume to divert his eyes, and his hart, from that which he is doing; and shall adventure to turn his back to God, and pass his thoughts, in that place, towards impertinent things? That great Monk jacob, as Theodoret recounts, doth use this following consideration, to show what a great irreverence this would be, Theodoret. in historia Sanctorum Patrum c. 21. August. super Psa. 85. and it is also alleged by S. Augustine. If I (said he) were the servant of a man, who is also of the same nature with myself; and at the time when I were to serve him, should leave to bring him his dinner, through the will which I might have to be talking with some fellow-servant of mine; my Master might reprehend, and punish me, with just reason. And if being before a judge, to complain of some body, who had done me wrong, I should leave him, even as the word were in my mouth; and should turn my back towards him, and stand talking with others who were there; do you not think, that he would take me, to be a rude fellow, and command me to be cast out of the Tribunal, where he were giving sentence? Now this is that which they do, who going to treat with God in Prayer, do yet distract themselves, by thinking of impertinent things. Our B. Father prescribeth also this help, which follows, Ignatius lib. exercitiorum spiritualium in one of the Additions, or Advertisements, which he sets down for Prayer. Where he saith, that immediately before we enter into Prayer, we should, for the space of a Pater noster, lift up our spirit to heaven, and consider that the same God is present with us here; and that he is looking upon us, and that so, we should begin our Prayer, with great humility and reverence. And we are to procure, that this Presence of God, be not lost by us in the whole time of our Meditation, Psa. 18 1●. Chrysost. super illud Psal. 4. Miserere mei, & exaudi orationem meam. according to that of the Prophet: Et meditatio cordis mei, in conspectu tuo semper. S. chrysostom saith: Make account that when you go to Prayer, you are entering into that celestial Court, where the king of glory is seated, in heaven, which is allimbrodered with stars, and that King environed with innumerable angels and Saints, & that they all stand, 1. Cor. 4.9. beholding us, according to that of S. Paul: Spectaculum facti sumus mundo & angelis & hominibus. Bernardus. Climacus in scala spirituali gradu. 4.8.18. S. Bernard counselleth how we are to carry ourselves herein. Veniens ad Ecclesiam, pone manum tuam super os tuum, & dic: Expectate hic cogitationes, malae intentiones, & affectus cordis, & appetitus carnis: tu autem anima mea, intra in gaudium Domini Dei tui, ut videas voluptatem Domini, & visits templum eius. When thou shalt enter into the Church, and recolect thyself towards Prayer, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, & say: Stay you here at the gate, you disordered thoughts, and appetites; & thou O my soul, enter into the joy of thy Lord, that thou mayst see, and do his holy will. S. john Climacus, saith; That he who when he is in Prayer considereth in good earnest, that he is standing in the presence of God, is a firm & constant pillar, which cannot be moved. And he relates, how that seeing, at a certain time, a Religious man, who was more attentive than the rest, in the singing of Psalms, and that especially, at the beginning of the Hymns he seemed, by the manner and countenance which he held, as if he had been speaking with another, he desired him afterward, that he would tell him, what the matter was. The monk made him this answer: At the beginning of the divine Office, I am wont to recollect my hart, and thoughts, with great care; and calling them before me, I use to say; Venite adoremus, & procidamus, & ploremus ante Dominum qui fecit nos, Psa. 94.6. quia ipseest Dominus Deus noster, nos autem populus eius, & oves pascuae eius. Come let us adore and prostrate ourselves, let us weep before our Lord; because he is our Lord, and our God, and we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. All these considerations are very profitable, and good, to make us pray with reverence, and attention. Others give this remedy; to put ourselves before the B. Sacrament, if we be in place where we may do it. Or if not, to be as near the B. Sacrament as we can, and there to lodge our hart. It is also good, to have an eye upon holy Images. Others help themselves by looking up to heaven. It is also very good, to quicken a man, when he is subject to distractions, and dryness, in Mental Prayer, Note. to cast out some jaculatory Prayers, and to speak vocally to God; representing our weakness to him, Isa. 58.14. and thus demanding remedy thereof, Domine vim patior, Mark. 10.47. Luc. 18. ●8. respond pro me. O Lord answer thou for me, for I suffer violence. That Blind man of the Gospel, although Christ our Lord seemed to dissemble the care he had, and did pass wide of him; and although the people bade him hold his peace; yet be never gave over to cry out, but raised his voice, so much the more; and exclaimed saying, jesu filij Dauid miserere mei, JESUS the Son of David, have mercy on me. judi. 13.9. Confirma me Deus in hac hora. Strengthen O Lord, and confirm this hart of mine, in this hour; to the end that it may be able to think of thee, and to be firm, and constant in my Prayer. A holy woman gave this Counsel. S. Angela de Pulgin. ca 58. & 26. If you cannot speak to God with your hart, fail not to speak often to him, with your mouth; for that which is spoken so frequently, doth easily give heat, and fervour to the hart. And this Saint confesseth of herself, that sometimes, through failing to use vocal Prayer, she lost that which was mental, through her being so pressed and hindered, now and then, by sloth, and sleep. This also is our own case. A man now and then, forbears to speak in his Prayer, out of very sloth, and being half a sleep; whereas if he would speak, he might awake, and revive himself, for Prayer. Gerson saith, That it is a good remedy against Distractions, Gerson. to have the Meditation well prepared, and the Points distinguished for Prayer. Note. For thereby, when one is distracted, and reflects upon it, he hath already his Point, which is certain and determined, to his hand, to which he may retire. And if that prove not with him, he may instantly pass to another of those Points, which he had prepared, & returns the more easily, to spin on the thread of his Prayer. And we find by experience, when we examine ourselves, that many times the cause of our being distracted, and that we go wand'ring, up and down to diverse things, is because we have not our Points well provided, and known, upon which we may make our Prayer, and so we want a place, to which we may retire ourselves. Moreover, not only the advice, which now I give, but that also which follows, is very necessary, to the end that we may go well prepared for Prayer. Ignatius l. Exercit. spiritualium notabile 3. hebdomadae. 4. And so our B. Father doth recommend it to us, in very serious words. Magnopere iwabit, ante ingressum Exercitij, tractanda puncta comminisci, & numero certo praefinire. It will greatly help, saith he, if before we go to prayer, we recapitulate the points whereupon we are to meditate, and do appoint a certain number of them. And we read of him, that himself used this method; and that, not only in his beginnings, but afterward also, when he was an old man. Note. And he prepared his Exercise over night, and went to rest, with that care upon him. I relate this, to the end, that no man may think, that this diligence is only to be used by Novices. Yea and although a man do already know the exercise well, as having meditated upon it at other times, nevertheless, it willbe very well done for him, to prepare himself again. For those words whereupon we pray, being usually of the holy scripture, and therefore dictated by the Holy Ghost, the very reading them, with a quiet and reposed mind, will raise a new attention, Bonauent. in informat. novitiorum. p. 1. c. 4. Cùm evigilas, statim omnes cogitationes tuas abijce de corde tuo, & ●ffer Deo primitias cogitationum tuarum. Climacus c. 21. and devotion, to meditate, and profit by them, so much the more. Again, it willbe of much help, if presently when we awake, we give no place to other thoughts, but think of the Exercise which we are to make; preparing ourselves for Prayer, by some consideration, accommodated to that which we are to meditate. Cassian, S. Bonaventure, and S. john Climacus, do hold this, for a very important advice. And they say, that the order of our Prayer, and consequently the disposition of the whole day after, doth much depend heerupon. And S. john Climacus doth observe, that whereas the devil doth well see, that this particular is of much importance; he is therefore very diligent, and solicitous, in watching, when we chance to wake; to the end, that instantly he may take up his lodging with us; and so, gather the first fruits of the whole day. And he saith, that there is amongst those malign spirits, one, whom they call the Precursor, who hath the office to watch, and set upon us by night, at the time when we first awake, out of our sleep, yea and a little before we are fully awake, when a man is scarce returned entirely unto himself; that so he may represent certain deformed filthy things to our mind, or at least, things impertinent; thereby taking the possession for the whole day; for he conceives, that the hart willbe his, who is first possessed thereof. For this reason, it will import us much, that we be full of caution, in giving no place to our enemy, but that instantly, when even we have scarce opened our eyes, the memory of our Lord, may be already planted in our hearts, before any other thought be lodged there. Whereof our B. Father, Ignatius li. exercitiorum spiritualium addit 2. prioris hebdomadae. & addit. 5. secundae hebdomadae. & in 1. modo or●di. doth also advice us: & he addeth moreover, that the same guard, is, after a sort, to be held by us, over ourselves, when we are to make Prayer, at any other hour, by recollecting our selves a little, to think, Whither go I, and before whom do I purpose to appear? and by recapitulating briefly the mystery whereupon you are to meditate, like one who tunes the instrument, before he plays. And our B. Father said, that generally the making of good Prayer, and gathering store of Fruit thereby, did in great part depend upon the observation of these, and the like advices, which he calleth Additions. And ourselves do very ordinarily find the truth of this, by experience; and that when we go well prepared, and take care to follow these directions, our Prayer proves very well; and if not, otherwise. The holy Ghost saith, by the Wiseman; Ante orationem praepara animam tuam, & noliesse quasi homo, qui tentat Deum. Eccl. 18.25. Before Prayer prepare yourselves for it, and be not like the man who tempteth God. S. Tho. 2.2. q. 97. ar. 3. ad 2. Bonauent. in opusculo cui titulus est, Regula novistorun ca 2. S. Thomas & S. Bonaventure, note, upon these words, that to go to Prayer, without preparation, is to tempt God. For to tempt God, say the Divines, is to desire any thing without employing the usual, and necessary means, of obtaining it. As if one should say, I will not eat because God can, and will sustain me, without eating. This should be a tempting of God, and a demanding of a miracle, without necessity. As Christ our Lord said to the devil, Note. when he took him up, to a pinnacle of the Temple, and persuaded him that he should ●ast himself down, and that God would command his Angels to take and carry him, in the palms of their hands; For our Lord answered thus. Matt. 4.7. Non tentabis Dominum Deum tuum. Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord, and thy God, I may go down by a ladder; this other is a tempting of God, and a demand of a miracle without necessity. Since therefore the preparation of ourselves to Prayer, is so principal, & so necessary a means, to the thing itself, that the Wiseman saith, That to resolve to have Prayer, without this preparation is a kind of tempting of God, and a pretending, to have him show miracles with you, our Lord is well pleased that we have good Prayer, and that we perform it with much attention, and reverence; but yet he desireth that we should have it, by the ordinary means, whereof we have spoken. CHAP. XXIII. Of a matter of great consolation, for them who are molested, & distracted in Prayer. FOr the comfort of such as are molested with this temptation, Basil. in constit. monasticis. ca 2. S. Basil notes, that in Prayer, we only then offend God by these distractions, and thoughts, when a man, with his will, and after reflection made upon what he doth, is distracted, & carrieth himself with little reverence, and respect. Note. He who putteth himself to Prayer, and therein doth purposely think of his study, or of his office, or of his business, Chrysost. ho. 17. in varia loca Matt. 10.2. doth well deserve that God should not help, but punish him. And here that comes well in, which S. chrysostom saith, Tu non audis orationem tuam, & Dominum vis audire precem tuam? With what reason canst thou expect, that God should hear thee, when thou dost not so much as hear thyself? But on the other side, when a man doth morally what he can, and yet is distracted, through weakness, & cannot have so much attention, as he desires, but doth as it were forsake his hart, & fly abroad, according to that of the Prophet, Cor meum dereliquit me; then our Lord is not offended with him; Psa. 39.13. but rather is moved to compassion, and mercy, because he well knoweth our infirmity, and weakness. Quomodo miseretur pater siliorum, Psa. 102.13. misertus est Dominus timentibus se; quoniam ipse cognovit sigmentum nostrum. As a Father who hath a Son, sick of a frenzy, suffereth with him, and is much afflicted, when he hears, that for every word that he speaks of sense, he talks idly afterward; so our most merciful, celestial father, doth pity, and hath compassion of us, when he considers that the weakness, and infirmity of our nature is so great, as that when it imports us most to to be speaking, in our wits, we fly out into a thousand absurd thoughts. And so although a man feel no devotion & find no juice in Prayer, but much dryness, and combat of imaginations, and thoughts; and although he continue so, all the time of his Prayer; yet that very Prayer, leaves not to be very grateful to our Lord God, and of great value, & merit, in his divine presence. Nay it useth many times, to be more grateful, & meritorious, then if a man had passed through it, with much devotion, and consolation; in regard that he hath endured, and suffered that difficulty, and trouble in that Prayer, for the love of God. Note. Neither doth the same Prayer, leave to obtain grace & favour, wherewith to serve our Lord better, and to increase more in virtue, and perfection, although he feel it not then. As it happeneth to a sick man, who feeds upon some meat of substance; & although he take no delight, nor feel no taste therein, but pain and torment; yet he getteth strength, and grows thereby towards a recovery. By that which is said, Note. it may be easily seen, how great an error, and how grievous a temptation it is, for a man to give over his Prayer, because he finds it subject to great variety of thoughts and temptations. Only it is needful, to be well advertised, that upon this occasion, & under colour of I can no more, tepidity and sloth do not enter in; and that we be not facile and remiss, Tract. 8. ca ●0. to be carried away with all winds; and to suffer our thoughts to go wandering, and our imagination to be where it lists, as afterward I shall touch more at large; but that we perform, all that which is to be done on our part; procuring with great care, & diligence to have an eye, & to drive away those thoughts, Genes. 15. ●1. as the holy Abraham did the birds, which descended over the Sacrifice. But doing (as is said) that which morally is in our power, there is no cause, why we should trouble ourselves. We read of S. Brigit, Refere Blosius ca 3. movit. spiritual. that when she was tired in her Prayer with many temptations, our Blessed Lady appeared to her, and said: Thus the Devil being envious at the good of men, procures, as much as he may, to give them difficultyes and impediments, when they are in Prayer; but thou O Daughter, with whatsoever temptation, and how wicked soever, thou be molested in that Exercise, & though it seem to thee that thou canst not possibly drive it away; yet procure thou nevertheless, to continue aswell as thou mayst, in that good will of thine, and in those holy desires; and this shallbe a very good, and a very profitable Prayer, and it shallbe of great merit in the sight of God. We have already spoken, else where, of a very good means for the restoring of that which we may seem to have lost, by our distractions. CHAP. XXIV. Of the Temptation of Sleep, and from whence it comes, and the remedies thereof. THE temptation of Sleep, which is another kind of distraction, may sometimes proceed from a natural cause, as by want of sleep, much weariness, ill weather, excess of age, excess of eating, or of drinking, although it should be but of water. Those ancient holy Fathers of the Desert, did relate, how God shown to them in spirit, that there were certain Devils, who did set themselves upon the necks, and heads of Monks, and made them sleep. And others who put certain singers into their mouths, and made them yawn. At other times, this groweth from our sloth, and negligence, when a man is in Prayer, in some such composition of his person, as may give occasion to Sleep. Cap. 22. The chief remedy for this, is that which was said before, concerning attention; and to remember that we are in the presence of Almighty God. And, as a man who is in the presence of some great Prince, will not presume to sleep; so we, who consider that we stand before the majesty of God, and that he is beholding us, aught to be much confounded in ourselves, when we sleep in Prayer. It is also a good remedy to stand on foot, without leaning; and to wash our eyes with cold water; and some use to carry a wet napkin about them, if they be much oppressed with this temptation. Some help themselves, by looking up to heaven; and by making Prayer, where there is much light; or else to pray in presence of the B. Sacrament, in company of others; or to take a discipline before Prayer, whereby they may remain, both awake, & devout. Others, whilst they are Praying, give themselves some kind of little pain, whereby they keep themselves awake; & when they pray alone, they spread their arms, into the form of a Cross. It helpeth also for this, to speak, and say some Vocal Prayers, whereby a man may be stirred up and much revived, as we said before. It is good to serve ourselves of these, Cap. 22. and such other remedies, beseeching our Lord, that he will cure this infirmity of ours. Cesarius, in his dialogues, Caesarius li. 4. dialog. c. 29. doth recount of a Religious man of the Cistercian Order, (who used to sleep many times in Prayer,) that there appeared to him Christ our Lord, being crucified, with his back turned towards him; and then he said, Why art thou so negligent and slothful? Thou dost not deserve to see my face. Of another he recounteth there, Caesarius lib. 4. c. 18. that God did give him a more sharp reproof, because being in the Choir at Prayer, and sleeping as he used, a crucifix came to him from the Altar, and gave him such a blow upon the cheek, that he died of it the third day after. All this, gives us well to understand, how much this negligence and tepidity dipleaseth God. The tepid, and negligent Religious man (as Casarius saith) doth provoke God, Apoc. c. 3. ●6. as if it were to vomit; according to that of the Apocalypse: Because thou art tepid, I will cast thee out of my mouth. Of S. Romualdus the Abbot (who was the founder of the order of Camaldula, Romualdus Abbas. ) it is related by Petrus Damianus (speaking of the Prayer which his Religious men did make) that it was, in the account of that Saint, so great a fault to sleep in Prayer, that he permitted not such a one to say Mass that day; for the little reverence wherewith he had remained, in the presence of our Lord, whom he was to receive. CHAP. XXV. How much it importeth us to take some extraordinary time, for the giving of ourselves to Prayer. AS the men of this world, besides the ordinary, and daily refection of their bodies, have their extraordinary Feasts, and banquets, wherein they exceed their common course; so also is it very sit, that besides our daily Prayer, we should also have our spiritual feasts, and banquets; where our souls may not eat by so strict measure, as at other times; but may be filled by the abundance, and sweetness of the grace of our Lord. Nature itself teacheth this. For we see, that the ground is not content, with the dew which falleth, night by night; but it requires sometimes, that it should rain a whole week, or two, without ceasing; and all is little enough, to the end, that it may remain so well imbrued, with water, as that the succeeding Wind, and Sun may not dry it up. So also it is fit for our souls, that, besides the ordinary dew of every day, they may have some set times, wherein they may procure to fill themselves so well with virtue, and with the very juice of devotion, as that the Sun, or Wind of future business, and temptations, or the other accidents of the world, may not serve to dry them up. And so we read of many Saints, P. Franciscus Arias p. 2. deal approve chamiento espiritual. tract. 5. de la oration. cap. 7. and Prelates of the Church, that leaving their employments, and business, they did often recollect themselues, for some time, in retired places; so to give themselves the more to Prayer, and divine Contemplation. We read of the holy Abbot Arsenius, that he had for a custom, to take some day in the week, for this purpose, which was the Saturday; at which time he continued from the evening thereof, till the next day morning, in Prayer. This is very important, not only for the advancing, Note. and improving ourselves more in virtue, and perfection, but even for the not returning backward. For so great is the weakness & misery of man, and the inclination which we have to ill; that although sometimes we begin our spiritual Exercises with feruout, yet we instantly go decaying, by little and little, and unsaying that, which we professed before. Like water, which how high soever it boil, yet by retiring it from the sire, it doth presently, by little and little, return to the natural coldness. So do we return instantly to our tepidity, and slackness; which we seem to have more rooted in us, and more connatural to us, than water hath to coldness. Sensus enim, & cogitatio humani cordis, in malum prona sunt, Gon. 8.21. ab adolescentia sua, saith the Holy Ghost. Quoniam nequam est natio corum, Sap. 1●. 10. & naturalis malitia ipsorum For as we are nothing, so we are still returning to our nothing. To this may be added, that since we are so full of employments, some of us in studies, others in particular ministeries, others in Offices and exterior business; we have so much the more need, of this particular kind of Recollection. Note. For although our business be good, and holy; yet as the knife is dulled by being daily used, and, from time to time, it is necessary to give it a new edge; so we grow daily dull, and be forgetting our own spiritual profit, whilst we set forward, that of others. Even the Philosophers could tell us, that, Omne agens, agendo repatitur. Every agent, doth even by doing, suffer, and part with somewhat of his own; & every man finds this by experience in himself. It doth therefore import us very much, to recollect ourselves at certain times, and to untie our minds from all other employments; to redress this loss, and to repair that, which is decaying daily in us, and to recover new forces for the future. For we are yet more obliged, to help ourselves then our neighbours, 3. p. tract. c. 4.1.8. and Charity well ordered begins at home. This is also to be done, with great care, since it importeth so much, even for the very End, of helping our neighbours. For a most certain thing it is, Note. that from our own greater spiritual profit, doth also grow the greater spiritual profit of our neighbours. And therefore, that time is not lost to them, which any man takes for himself; but rather they shall grow rich, by it. It is like the letting of land lie fallow for this year, to the end that it may fructify so much the more, the next. Father Auila said, that it was like the moulding of a stone, M. Auila. to the end that it may be made able to grind. And so a man's being to much in business, is so far from being any reason, why he should not recollect himself, as that for the same very cause, and so much the more, as a man is employed, & much embarked in ministeryes, and businesses, in so much the more necessity he is, of resorting to this remedy. They who go sailing far by sea, have need to take Porte many times, to refresh themselves, and take in necessary, & new provisions. And so they, who go embarked in business, & ministeries, and employments with their neighbours, and who are in so many dangers, and occasions of sin; have need many times, to make recourse to to the Port of solitude and recolection, that so they may take in new & necessary provisions; and dress up, & provide themselves, of what is sit. In the holy Gospel, we have an excellent example of this. The Evangelist S. Mark, recounteth how the Apostles went full of business, in the employments which they had, concerning their neighbours; in such sort as that they had scarce time to eat, so great was the number of people which was offered to them. They went to give account, to Christ our Lord, of that which passed heerin; and he said to them, Come a part into the desert, and repose awhile? Recollect yourselves a while, in the solitude of the desert. If then the Apostles had need of repose, and recolection, and that our B. Saviour himself did counsel it to them, how much more need thereof have we? They who treat of Prayer, say very well, that Prayer is that to the soul, which repose and sleep is to the body. And so, the holy scripture calleth it sleep: Cant. 5.2. Ego dormio, & cor meum vigilat. Adiuro vos filiae jerusalem, Cant. 8.4. ne suscitetis, neque evigilare faciatis dilectam, donec ipsa velit. And declaring this more at large, they say, of the body, that when it reposeth by corporal sleep, it resteth and recovereth new force and strength, and so the soul, reposing in the sleep of Prayer, recovereth also fresh breath, and life, wherewith to labour, Note. in the service of Almighty God. And more than this. As a man who feedeth upon good meat, yet if he want repose, and necessary sleep, will prove but weak & sick, yea and also be in danger, to lose his wits; so also he, who shall go greatly employed in exterior businesses (how holy & good soever they may be) yet if he want the necessary repose, & rest of Prayer, he will prove but weak & decayed in spirit, and will run hazard to lose himself. And therefore doth the Spouse require, That they awake not his beloved, till she will, herself. When they wake a man out of sleep, by any noise which they make, it is a thing displeasing to him; but when he waketh of himself, because nature is satisfied, and for that he hath reposed enough, (in regard that the fumes which mounted up to the brain, are now digested,) there is no offence therein. Just so is it with the soul. Our Lord requireth, that no man, nor no thing trouble it, nor hinder the Prayer which she is in; but when that rest is taken which is necessary, she may then awake herself, and return to the employments of the works of Charity, and so they willbe well performed. Although it be of great importance for all men, and upon all just occasions, to recollect themselves in spiritual Exercises, and to give themselves more to Prayer, and so much the more as we shall do it, so much the better it willbe; yet particularly in some occasions and conjunction of reasons, this is necessary. As namely, when a man sees, Note. that he goes declining in the spiritual Exercises of Prayer, of Examen, of spiritual reading, and that now, he gathereth not the fruit, and profit by it, which were fit: When he seethe that he grows negligent, and careless in the observance of his Rules, and that now, he makes no more account of small matters: When he seems to himself, that he is not spiritual, and introverted, but that he is very exterior, and much carried away, by the occasions, and businesses which he treats: When he also observeth, that he doth not overcome, and mortify himself out right, in some one thing; it is very good for him to recollect himself, some days, in these Exercises, that so he may finish the resolution, to conquer himself. For it may be, that in one of these Recollections, he may obtain more grace of our Lord, and more strength wherewith to mortify, and overcome himself, then by the labour of many days. Many times it happeneth, that a man goes limping; he riseth, and he falleth, and in some one of these Exercises, he remaineth unbeguiled of the vanity of the world, and fully possessed of Truth, and resolute to do all that is fit. He changeth his style, & he takes a new manner of life upon him. For in fine, the being so long alone, treating with God, and with himself, is a great disposition, to make our Lord speak to his hart, and to induce his Majesty to do many fa●iours. Sedebit solitarius, & tacebit, Trens. 3.28 quia levauit se super se. A man doth raise himself, above himself, & makes himself, quite another man. And so we have seen very extraordinary changes, wrought in men by this means. Et non est abbreviata manus Domini. We must never disconfide in God, Isa. 50.1. but be ever doing that, which is of our part. How do you know, what God will work in your soul, by means of this disposition? It may be, that our Lord hath resolved to grant the spiritual profit, and perfection of your soul, in one of these Exercises. Again, after the having ended some very long journey, or some business, or employment of extraordinary distraction; this kind of Recollection, seemeth to be as important, as good & dainty treaty, is to a body, after a long disease, to the end that a man may recover himself, & repair the strength which he hath lost. And for the same reason, it is also very good, for a man to prepare himself before hand, by these Exercises, when he finds that he is growing into some such kind of business; to the end that he may do things with more virtue, and less spiritual loss of his own. The Preseruative, is a better kind of Physic, than the Remedy, which comes after the disease. And therefore our B. Father, did recommend to all superiors, that before they began to enter upon their office, they should make the Exercises, for some days. The same is also good, when one is to go into some long Mission. Whereof Christ our Lord gave us an example. Matt. 4.1. For before he began to preach, he retired himself forty days, into Desert. Also in a time of tribulations, and afflictions, whether they be general of the whole Church, or of his own Order, or of his own person, the occasion is very good, for this. For to add more Prayer, and more penance, and mortification, hath ever been a means, much frequented in the Church, for appeasing the wrath of God, and obtaining mercy from him. All these are very good occasions to make a man recollect himself in these Exercises. But indeed we have no need, to stand seeking of occasions. Our own necessity, and interest, must solicit us to desire, and procure this benefit very often. At least, no year ought to pass, without our meeting with these spiritual Vacations. And when we do it, it must be very much in earnest, and with the whole hart. For a thing of so great substance, as this, must in no case be performed with ceremony, nor for compliment, or because it is handsome. Our Lord hath imparted this means to the Society, in a very particular manner, not only for our own profit, but for the help, and profit of our neighbour. And therefore, in the Breves of our Institute, this is placed for one of the Principal means, which the Society hath, for the helping of their neighbours. And this also, is another very particular reason, for which our B. Father will, that we have much use of these Exercises. And he placeth it in his Constitutions, and in the Rules of Priests; in hoc armorum spiritualium genere tractando, quod Dei gratiâ ad ipsius obsequium tantopere conferre cernitur, ●. p. Const. c. 8.5. reg. 7. Sacerdo. dexteritatem habere possit. To the end that they may be very dextrous in the managing of this kind of Arms, which are so profitable for the gaining of others. By this means, our Lord did gain our B. Father Ignatius. By this means he gained his Companions. By this means, so many others have been gained since, aswell within the Society, as without it; and both in the one, and in the other sort of men, we have seen, that our Lord concurreth, with admirable effects. In fine we are to have great confidence, that by this means, which hath been imparted to us, in so particular manner by our Lord, he will help us much, and do us many favours. To that which is already said, I will add another thing, which is very important, and which ought to assist and encourage us much herein, which is the singular favour & grace, which the Sanctity of Paul the fifth, hath granted in this particular, to all Religious men, in that Bull, or Constitution, which he dispatched forth, upon the three and twentith of May, in the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundreth and six, which was the first of his Pontificate; declaring the Indulgences, which Religious men should enjoy thereby. He there granteth a Plenary Indulgence, and remission from all sin, to all Religious persons, of what Order soever they were, who for the space of ten continued days, should make the spiritual Exercises; and that, as often as they should make them, they were to obtain the same Indulgence. Whereby it may well be seen, what estimation his Holiness made of this matter, and thereby, how much ourselves ought to esteem it. ●js v●ro qui de suorum superiorum licentia, à negotijs, por decem dies, alieni in cella commorabuntur, aut ab aliorum conversatione separati; in piorum librorum, & aliarum rerum spiritualium, animos ad devotionem, & spiritum inducentium, lectionibus operam suam dederint; addendo saepe considerationes, & meditationes mysteriorum sidei Catholicae, divinorum beneficiorum, quatuor no vissimorum, Passionis Domini nostri jesis Christi, & aliorum exercitiorum, orationum iaculatoriarum, aut vocalium, saltem per duas horas in diem, & noctem, orationibus mentalibus sese exercendo, faciendo eodeni tempore confessionem generalem, aut annualem, vel ordinariam, sanctissimum Eucharistiae Sacramentum sumpseriut, aut missam celebraverint. Quoties pro quolibe● praedictorum Exercitiorum, plenariam similiter omnium peccatorum suorum indulgentiam & remissionem, misericorditer in Domino concedimus. And also to all them, who with the leau● of their Superiors, (having laid business a side, and being recollected in their Cell, or separated otherwise, from treating and conversing with the rest) shall exercise themselves for the space of ten days, in the reading of pious books, and using other spiritual exercises, which raise the hart to spirit & devotion; accompanying these things many times with the considerations and meditations of the mysteries of the Catholic Faith, and of the benefits of God, and of the Quatuor novissima, and of the passion of jesus-christ our Lord, and other Exercises of iaculatory and vocal Prayers; and making also mental Prayer, at the least for two hours of the day; and making, also within the said time, either their General, or Annual, or Ordinary Confession, and receiving the most B. Sacrament of the Eucharist, or saying Mass; whensoever they shall do the aforesaid Exercises, for every time, that they so shall do them, we do mercifully in our Lord, grant a Plenary Indulgence, and remission of all their sins. CHAP. XXVI. Of the Fruit which we are to gather when we recollect ourselves, to make the spiritual Exercises. WE are principally to cast our eyes, upon three things, which we are to procure by these Exercises. The first is, that we must repair, and renew ourselves, in the ordinary daily actions which we perform, and that we perfect ourselves in them. For all our spiritual profit and perfection, doth consist in doing our ordinary actions well, as we said else where. Let no man think, Tract. 2. cap. 18.2. that the performing of these Exercises, is nothing else, but to continued recolected there, for a week or two, Note. enjoying much time of Prayer. It is not so; but to the end, that he may departed from thence, with ability to make better Prayer, and to keep those Additions, and documents, which are given to that purpose, and to make his Examen well, and to say, & hear Mass, and 〈◊〉 divine office, and to read spiritual books with profit. For this, it is, that a man disimployes himself from other business, during this time, to actuate and exercise his mind in doing those things well; that so he may go forth, all renewed, & accustomed to perform them still, after the same manner. And so our B. Father saith, Ignatius l. Exercit. spiritual. in addis. 5. hebdomad. notabile 4. & in hebdoma. 5. & hebd. 3. notabile 4. post 2. contempl. that during all the time, that the Exercises continue (which when they are made completely, are to last for the space of a month, there must be a particular Examen, carried upon the observation of the Additions; and whether the same spiritual Exercises be made with diligence, and exactness, or no; setting down the errors which he may have committed, concerning either the one, or the other; to the end that a man may be habituated, and accustomed to do these things from that time forward, truly well. This he repeateth many times, as one who well knew, the much good that grows thereby. And not only in the spiritual Exercises themselves, which is the principal, & which must give force, and spirit to all the rest; but for all his other exterior ministeryes, and employments, a man is to go, a very good proficient, out of the Exercises, fetching breath from thence, wherewith to do his duty, and to keep his Rules, better than before. So that the Fruit of his Exercises, is not to be gathered, for that time alone, but principally for the future. And so as that when any man comes forth of the Exercises, another man may see, the profit which he hath made, by the actions which he performeth. The second thing which we are to procure, to draw out of these Exercises, is, to overcome and mortify our selves, in any untowardness, or imperfection, to which he may have been subject. Let every man cast his eyes upon those things, in which he useth to sail most frequently; or to be a cause to make others fail, or be scandalised by the disedification which he giveth them. And let him procure to go out of the Exercises very well, and for that they were principally ordained, & it is their End. And so, the Title which our B. Father gives, to the Exercises, is this in vulgar: Spiritual Meditations, to make a man able to overcome himself; & to direct his desires, and deeds, to the greater service of our Lord God. In such sort, that a man must procure, to go out of the Exercises, converted, and changed into another man. Et mutaberis in alium virum, as Samuel said to Saul. 1. Reg. 10.6. Et in virum perfectum: Into a perfect man (as S. Paul saith,) that a man may see, by the effects, and by the actions, Ephe. 4.13. that such a one, hath made the Exercises. That if before, he loved to be talking, and to lose his time; men may see that now, he is a lover of silence, & recolection. If before, he loved to be kindly, and commodiously used; it may be seen, that now, he is a lover of mortification, and penance. If before, he were a man, who used to mortify others by his tongue; that from that time forward, he speaks no more, any such things, as those. If before, he were negligent, and careless, in the observation of his Rules, and made no great reckoning of small errors; that from thence forth, he be very obedient, and very punctual, and that he maketh much account, even of the least omissions; and that, by the grace of our Lord, he committeth no fault at all, of set purpose. For if a man be still to continue with the same untowardness, and errors, and that he will needs come out of the Exercises, as he went in, for what purpose do they serve? S. Ambrose tells a certain thing, Ambr. l. ●. de poenit. 1.10. of a Young man of his time, which since he relates, we may do so too. He had been a lost man, and had taken the broad way, which had offered itself to him. The time came, that he changed his purpose, and returning afterward to his City, he encountered with his old Cameradoes, but he went wide of them. And they marvelling thereat, and thinking, that he had not known them, came to him, and said: We are they etc. and he answered, Gal, 1.20. But I am not he. For he was changed, and grown another man. After this manner, are we to be converted, and changed, that so we may say with the Apostle; Vivo ego, iam non ego, Hier. super haec verba. vivit vero in me Christus. I live, yet now not I; no longer now liveth he, who lived anciently in the Law, he who persecuted the Church, but Christ is he, who liveth in me. And this saith S. Ambrose; Ambrose which is also the same which was said by Christ our Lord, Math. 16.24. Lucae 9.23. Si quis vult venire post me abneget seipsum; That man (saith he) denies himself, who is changed into another man, and procures already not to be that, which he was wont to be. It is related of our Father Francis de Borgia, Lib. ●. c. 8. vitae P. de Borgia. in his life, that after he had conducted the body of the Empress to Granada (where our Lord gave him great light, and unbeguiled him concerning the vanity of the world, by that spectacle of death, which was present to him) and returning to the Court, Note. he said that it seemed to him, as if he had found it changed, from what it was. But the truth is, that it was himself who was all varied, and changed, by the knowledge, and light, which God had given him. And in this manner, are we to come out of the Exercises, with such new light, and so unbeguiled, as our Lord is wont to make men, in the Exercises. The third thing, Note. upon which we are to look, that we may draw it out of the Exercises, which indeed doth follow, upon that which is already said, is the obtaining of some virtue, or something belonging to perfection; and particularly of that, whereof we have greatest need; for they be ordained for this, To root out Vice, and to plant Virtue. Thomas de Kompis Two things saith the Saint, do help a man much towards God. The one, to divert a man's self, with great courage, from that to which his nature viciously in clynes him, which is that we spoke of before. The other, to labour with fervour, for that virtue, which is most wanting to us. And so the Directory of the Exercises, (speaking of the way, Directorium Exercitio. l. 3. which we are to hold, when we recollect ourselves to them) doth advertise, that all the time is not to be employed, upon the Meditations, of the first week. For them (saith he) two or three days will suffice, to the end that there may be also time, to go to other Meditations, from whence we may draw more perfection. And amongst others things which he placeth there for this purpose, one is, that we must take now and then, some of those principal Rules, in which we may conceive, that all the perfection which we can desire, doth consist. As that (for example,) which saith, Reg. 11. sumarij constie. That as worldly men love and seek honours, fame, & estimation of renown in the world; so we must love, and intensely desire, the very contrary. Take to hart, in some one Exercise, to obtain this perfection, and to arrive to this degree of humility, that you may be as glad of affronts, disgraces, injuries, and false testimonies, as worldly men are glad of honour, & estimation; and thereby you shall grow to be Lord over many impertinences, and debates, which use to present themselues to you, upon the point of being valued, & esteemed; more than one, for his learning; and then another, for his office; and then another, in the Ministeryes of business which he treats; which things are wont to inquiet us, Reg. 17. Summar. and to hinder our spiritual profit, very much. Take to hart, at some other time, that rule which saith: Let all men, in all things, procure to serve, and please the divine goodness, for that goodness sake itself, & for the love of it, and for those singular benefits, wherewith he preventeth us; more than either for the fear of punishment, or the hope of reward Procure you to arrive to this Purity of intention, that you seek not your own interest at all, neither in much, nor little, neither in the temporal nor eternal; but in all things, desire truly, the will, and glory of God and let this be your contentment, having forgotten yourselves, and all your own interest, and commodity. Take to hart, another time, to obtain, A most perfect Conformity, to the will of God, taking all things which shall present themselves, either great or small, in whatsoever manner, or by whatsoever way they come; as being delivered, by the hand of God himself. Upon these points of perfection, and other things like these, we are to cast our eyes, when we enter into the Exercises, and not to give over, till we obtain them. CHAP. XXVII. Of some directions, which will help us yet more, to profit by these Exercises. TO the end that we may profit more by these spiritual Exercises, & fetch that Fruit from them, which hath been said, it is to be advertised, first (according to what we said before) that as when one is going to Prayer, he is not only to have those Points provided, Cap. 14. upon which he will Meditate; but also the Fruit, which he is to draw from thence; so also he, who is to make the Exercises, must, in particular, have that thing ready provided in his mind, which he means to obtain by their means: & it may be done after this manner. Before he retires himself to them, Note. he is to consider, and treat thus with himself, at much leisure, & attention, Which is the greatest spiritual necessity, that I have? What is that, to which my vicious inclination or my passions, or my ill custom, doth incline me most? What is that, which maketh the stissest war against my soul? What is there in me, whereby my brethren may be offended, and disedified? And this is that which I am to carry before mine eyes, to the end that I may obtain it by my Exercises, and may resolve effectually to amend myself. This is a very good preparation, for entering into the Exercises. And it is also to be advertised, that when a man recollects himself, Note. to make the Exercises, he must not propound to himself, the obtaining of very high Prayer; nor to think, by that retiring, and shutting up himself, that he must presently have much quietness, & attention, and familiarity with almighty God; for it may well happen, that he shall be subject to more distractions, unquietness, and temptations, then when he was in the dispatch of his business, and performing his office abroad. But he is to fix his mind, upon fetching that which I have said, out of his Exercises, and to resolve himself upon that, in great earnest. And if he obtain this, he shall have made the Exercises very well, though he had not the devotion, which he desired. Whereas if he obtain not this, although, from the very first hour he have been ever dissolving himself in tears, and devotion, he shall not have made the Exercises well; for in fine, that was not the end thereof, That other advertisement will also help us much, which our B. Father gave, and which he will ever have us observe in Prayer. That afterward, when a man hath ended his hour of Prayer, he shall, Ignatius l. Exercit. spiritual-in addit. 1. hebdomad. addit. 5. for a quarter of an hour, or thereabouts, either sitting or standing, make his Examen, of the same Prayer. And he shall take account of himself, how it hath proved with him. If ill, Note. he shall consider the cause from whence that may have proceeded. He shall consider, if he prepared his Exercise well; if he gave place to any impertinent thoughts; if he suffered himself to be overcome with sleep; if he detained himself too much in the speculation of his Understanding. If his hart were remiss, and faint; and if he did not procure, to exercise the affects of his Will. If he had not an intention, as pure as he ought to have had it; but that he sought his own comfort, more than the accomplishment of the divine will. If he find himself to have sailed, in any of these things, he shall repent himself thereof, and purpose amendment, for the time to come. And if it have proved well, with him, he shall give thanks to our Lord God, procuring to carry himself after the same manner, at his other times of Prayer. This document, is of much importance: First, because by this Examen, & Reflection, which is made, how the Prayer hath proved, experience is taken to avoid the faults, and to prosecute that, which was well done; whereby a man obteynes a certain spiritual discretion and magistery, which groweth from experimental knowledge. For this reason, did our B. Father, esteem greatly of this Examen, and Reflection, for the making of such, as might be Masters, not only in this, but also in other employments, and ministeries of outs. And so, 4. p. Const. c. 8. litera D. in the fourth part of his Constitutions, he saith: That it will greatly help a ghostly Father, towards the doing of his duty well, to make reflection, and to consider if he have made any fault, in the hearing of Confessions. Especially (saith he) let him do it, in his beginnings, so to help himself another time; and to draw amendment out of his errors. For this reason therefore, the Examen of Prayer, is to be made. And this is the first thing which we are do therein. And Prayer is of so great estimation, and it importeth us so much that we be accustomed to make it well, and to go shredding off the faults which we make therein; that our B. Father, did not content himself with the Examen of Conscience, which we use to make every day at noon, & at night; but instantly also, as soon as we have ended our Prayer, his express pleasure is, that we should make a particular Examen thereof. The second thing, (and that a very principal one) is, that a man is to consider the Fruit, which he hath gathered by that Prayer, Note. and to return to actuate again upon it, (as when one repeats his lesson) and draws out the Conclusions, and Truths, which have occurred; and makes as it were, an epilogue of them. And this Examen, is to be held, for a thing of so great importance, that if a man want time to make it after the Prayer is ended, he is to make it in the very Prayer, itself, in the ending thereof. We may add in this place, another point which will also be of good use. That a man set down, that which he hath wrought out of his Prayer; writing the desires which he hath had, and the Purposes which he hath made; but this, must not be done at large, but in a brief manner. And so also, let him set down, such Truths, and Illustrations, or Vubeguiling of the vanity of this world, as our Lord is wont to give in Prayer. Sometimes concerning some Virtue, and at other times, concerning the mysteries themselves, which are in question. And so we read, that our First Fathers used to do, Lib. 9 c. 13 vitae P. Babri. our B. Father Ignatius, and Father Peter Faber; and we have in our hands, some of those things which they wrote hereupon. Xaver. c. 2. & ●. Director. Exercitori● spiritual. And Father Francis Xaverius, did also advice the same, as we read in his life. And in the Directory of the Exercises, we have also the same advice. And our Father General, Claudius Aquaviua, in the book of Industryes, Claudins Aquaviua in industriis ad curandos animae morbos c. 3. which he wrote, doth recommend it unto us, when he speaks of Prayer. For beside, that hereby, we perfect our Purposes, and desires more, and that they grow to be more rooted in our hearts; we find by experience, that a man also profits much in other respects, by reading these things afterward. Because they, having been a man's own, and for that he hath felt them as such; they move him afterward, more than other things; and he easily actuates upon them, again. And when he findeth afterward, that he arriveth not to the spirit, of that he was before; he is confounded, to see, that he is no more the man he was; and that, instead of advancing, he is retired. Whereby he will either animate himself to put on a pace; or else he will supply, by his confusion, that which he shall want of perfection. So that this, useth ever to be of much profit; though especially it be so, in time of the Exercises. Lastly I say, 3. p. tract. 7. that if at all times, it be good to give account of a man's conscience, and of his Prayer, to some spiritual man; in this, it willbe much more fit. And some, because they will not humble themselves so far, do not gather, out of the Exercises, so much Fruit, as they might. CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Reading of spiritual Books; and how important it is; and of some means which may help us to do it profitably, and well. READING, is the Sister, and a great Helper to Prayer. And so the Apostle S. Paul, 1. Tim. 4.23. doth counsel his disciple Timothy, That he should attend to Reading. Attend lectioni. This spiritual Reading is of so great importance, for a man that pretends to serve God, Athanasius. that S. Athanasius, in an exhortation, which he maketh to Religious men, saith thus: Sine legendi study, neminem ad Deum intentum videas. Thou shalt see no body, who indeed pretends to profit in spirit, who is not also given to Reading of spiritual books; & he who leaves it, will quickly show it, by the state which you shall find him in. S. Hierome, Hierome. in an epistle to Eustochium, recommending much to her, that she give herself greatly to this sacred Lection, saith thus: Tenenti codicem somnus obrepat, & cadentem faciem pagina sancta suscipiat. Read, till sleep take thee; and when, being overcome by sleep, thy head is dropping downward, let those holy leaves receive it. All the Saints do greatly recommend this spiritual lection. And experience telleth us, how profitable it is; since we see the stories full of great conversions, which our Lord hath wrought, by this means. This Reading, is a means so principal, & so important, for our spiritual good; that the founders of Religious orders, being rooted in the doctrine of the Apostle, and in the authority, and experience of the Saints, have ordained, That their Religious, should every day, resort to spiritual Reading. Vmbertus in Prologue. Vmbertus saith of holy S. Bennet, that he ordained a set time, for this Reading, every day. And he ordained with all, that during that time, two of the most ancient Monks, should go about the Monastery, to visit, and to see, if any did either forbear it themselves, or hinder others. Whereby it may appear, how much account they made thereof. And, by the way, we may perceive, that these Visits, which now are daily used in Religion, at the time of spiritual Exercises ●re grounded in the doctrine, & experience of the ancient Saints. For the first, and second time, that any failed herein, the Saint ordained, that he should be reproved, after a mild fashion; but if he mended not with that, that then they should correct, & give him such a penance, as whereby the rest might be kept in fear. In the Society we have a Rule, which concerns this spiritual Reading, and it speaketh thus: Let all men, twice in the day, give that time, Regula 1. common. which is ordained, to the Examen of Conscience, and Prayer, and Lection, with all diligence, in our Lord. And the Superior or Perfect of spiritual matters, hath care that every one, may depute some time, to this purpose, every day. And generally, this is a help for all those who pretend to obtain virtue, and perfection; And therefore to the end that they may exercise it with the more Fruit, we will here say something, which may conduce thereunto. S. Ambrose, exhorting us, Ambro. li. 1. officior. cap. 20. to give all the time we can to Prayer, & spiritual Reading, saith: Cur non illa tempora quibus ab Ecclesia vacas, lectioni impendas? Cur non Christum alloquaris? Christum audias? Illum alloquimur cùm oramus: illum audimus cùm divina legimus oracula. Wherefore dost thou not employ that time, which is free from the Choir, upon Reading, and Prayer? Why dost thou not go to visit Christ our Lord? and both speak to him, and hear him? For when we pray, he saith, that we speak to God; and and when we read, he speaks to us. Let this be therefore, the first means to profit by spiritual Reading, that we make account, that God is speaking to us. & that he speaks every thing, which here we Read. S. Augustine doth also speak of this help. August. Epist. 143. ad Demetriad. virginem. Ita Scripturas sanctas lege, ut semper memineris, Dei illa verba ●sse, qui legem suam non solùm sciri, sed etiam impleri inbet. When thou readest, thou art to make account, that God is saying to thee, that which thou readest, not only that thou mayst know it, but also that thou mayst perform, Note. and put it in practice. He addeth another consideration, which is both very good, and very pious. Divinoe scripturae, quasi literae de Patria nostra sunt. August. ser. 36. ad Pra. in eremo. Dost thou know, (saith he) how we are to read the Holy Scriptures? As a man would read some letters, which are come to him out of his Country, himself being then abroad; to see what news there is of Heaven, what they tell us of that Country of ours; where our Fathers, and Brothers, and Friends, and Acquaintance are; and where we would so fain be, and we long, and sigh to be going thither. S. Gregory, Greg. li. 2. mor. c. 1. treating of this point, saith that the holy Scripture (& the same we may understand of any other spiritual Reading) is like the placing of a glass before the eyes of our soul, to the end that we may see, our inward man. For there we come to know, and plainly see, the good and bad, that is in us; Note. and how much we profit; and how far we are from perfection. And sometimes, there are related to us, the admirable deeds of Saints, which may animate us to their imitation; and to the end that by seeing their great victories, & triumphs, we may not be dismayed, at our own temptations, and troubles. At other times, there is relation made, not only of their virtues, but of their fauls, to the end that by the one, we may know what we are to imitate; and by the other, what we are to fear. And so sometimes, there is set before us, a job, who rose up like foam, by means of temptations; at other times, a David, who was drawn down thereby; to the end that the former may animate us, and give us confidence in tribulation; and the later, may make us humble, and timorous, in the midst of prosperityes and consolations; & may make us never trust, or be secure of ourselves, but ever to go on with great caution, and care. And so saith S. Augustine, Optimè uteris lectione divina, August. epist. 143 ad virginem Demetr. si tibicam adhibeas, speculi vice, ut ibi velut ad imaginem suam, anima respiciat; & velfaeda quaeque corrigat, vel pulchra plus ornet. Then you make good use of the Reading, of holy Scriptures when you take it as a glass, wherein to view your soul, procuring to correct, and remove, that deformity and ill, which is reprehended there, and to adorn, and beautify it yet more, by the examples and virtues, which there you find. But descending more in particular, to the way which we are to hold herein, it is to be noted; That to the end that our Reading, may be profitable, it must not be hasty, and cursory, as when a man would read a Story; but it must be attentive, and quiet. For as the sudden and tempestuous rain, doth not bath, and fertilise the earth; but that is done, by the sweet, & quiet shower; so, to the end that our reading may enter, and be steeped more throughly, in the hart, Note● it willbe fit that it be done with pause, and ponderation. And it is good, when we meet with some devout passage, to detain ourselves more therein, Ber●●. epist. seu Tract. ad Fratr. de monte Dei. Hauriendus est saepe lectionis seriae affectus, &. formanda oratio quae lectionem interrumpat, & non tam impediat interrumpendo. quàm puriorem continuo animùm ad intelligentiam lectionis restituat. Et in spec. m●nachor. Neo semper ad oratorium est cun dum, sed in ipsa lectione poterit contemplari & orare. Idem S. Ephrem. serm 7. Chrysost. ho. ●0 super Genes●m. Aug. ser. 38. ad Fra. in eremo. and to make a kind of Station upon it; reflecting upon that which we shall have read; and procuring to move, and effect our will thereby, as we use to do in Meditation. Although in Meditation, this must be done more at large, detaining ourselves more upon those thoughts, and ruminating, and digesting them more. But yet, the same must be done, to some proportion, in this spiritual Reading; & so the Saints do advice. And they say, that spiritual Reading, must be like the drinking of a Hen, which drinks by little, and little, and so lifteth up the head again. Hereby a man may see, what a Sister, & Companion, Reading is to Prayer. It is so, in so great degree, that when we apply any man first to Mental Prayer, and that, we will proceed with him gently (by degrees) to put him into some disposition that way; we advice him to read some spiritual book, & whilst he is Reading, to make some stations & pawses, in such sort as we have said; for by this means, our Lord is wont, many times, to raise men, to the Exercise of Mental Prayer. And so also, when men are not able to enter well upon Prayer, and if they think they shall not be able to go through with it, at that time; we use to counsel them, to take some good book in hand, & to join Prayer, & Reading both together. First, Reading a little, & then Meditating, and Praying upon it; and then to Read another little. For by this means, the understanding being tied up by the words, which are read, a man is much more secured from scattering himself upon diverse imaginations, & thoughts, then when he was free, and lose. So that in Reading, we may also very well, have Prayer. For this it is, Note. that the Saints do so earnestly recommend spiritual Reading, & they deliver in effect, the same praises, & profits as belonging to it, which they ascribe to Priaer. For they say, That it is the spiritual food of the soul; That it makes us strong & stisse against temptations; That it breeds in us, Note. good thoughts, & desires of heaven. That it gives light to our understanding; That it kindles, & inflames our will; That it drives away the sorrows of this world, and causeth a joyfulness in us, which is true and spiritual, & according to God. And such other things as these, they say hereof. Note. The blessed S. Bernard gives us another advertisement, to make us profit by Spiritual Reading. He saith, Bernard. inspeculo Monachoy rum. Si ad legendum accedat, non tam quaerat scientiam, quàm saporem. He who comes to Reading, is not so much to seek knowledge, as a certain savour, & gust of the will. For the single knowledge of the Understanding; is but a dry kind of thing, if it be not applied to the will, in such sort, as that the affect may, by degrees, be taken, and devotion conserved; for this is that which maketh Reading to be full of juice, & profit, and it is the End thereof. This is a very principal advice. For there is a great deal of difference, between Reading to know; & Reading with a design to profit, by it; Between Reading for others, and Reading for a man's self. For the former of these two, is Study, & the later is Spiritual Reading. And therefore, if when you dispose yourself to Read, you only direct your mind, to the Knowing of things, or to draw out conceits, which you may preach, & pour out to others afterward; this should be studying for them, and not Spiritual Reading for your own profit. For that other, there are other times apppointed. Omnia tempus habent: Eccl. 3.1. Every thing hath his tyme. And the time of spiritual Reading, is not for Study, but for that, which we have said. The Saints do also recommend to us, for the same reason, S. Ephren. serm. 7. Dern●episl. ad fratres de mont? Dei. Difficilis e●●am l●ctio scripturae sa●igat, ●on reficit teneriorem animam; frangit intentionem, hebetat sensum vel ingenium. That we must not read too much at once, nor pass many hours together therein, lest a man's spirit be tired with long Reading, instead of being recreated. Which is another advice very good, & very necessary, for some, who seem to place their felicity in Reading much, & passing over many books. But, as much eating is not the thing which susteynes the body, but good digestion of that which is eaten; so neither is the soul sustained by Reading much, but by ruminating, and digesting well, that which is Read. For the same cause, they also say, that spiritual Reading must not be, of things very hard; but they must be plain, & rather of devotion, Note. then difficult. For things of difficulty, are wont to weary the mind, and to dry up devotion. Hugo of S. Victor, bringeth an example of a servant of God, who was admonished by Revelation, Hugo de S. Victore li. 5. erudit. Didascalicae. c. 7. that he should leave the Reading of such things; and should resort to the Lives, and Martyrdoms of Saints, and such other plain & devout writings, whereby he profitted much. S. Bernard saith further. Bernard. Epist. seu tract. ad fratrem de monte Dei. Sed & de quotidiana lectione, aliquid quotidie in ventrem memoriae dimittendum est, quod fideliùs digeratur: & rursus revocatum, crebriùs ruminetur; quod proposito conveniat, quod intentioni proficiat, quod detineat animum ita vi aliena cogitare non libeat. We are always to commit somewhat to our memory of what we read; to the end that we may ruminate, & digest it the better afterward; Note. and especially that, which we see may help us most, and whereof we have most need; to the end that between the hours of the day, we may go thinking upon good and holy things, and not upon such, as are impertinent and vain. Just so, as we must not eat, our corporal food, to the end that we may spend that time in eating; but that, in virtue of the same food, which then we take, we may labour all the day. Now Reading, is the meat, and spiritual food of our soul, because they are the words of God which we Read; and we must not only Read, that we may spend that time well in Reading, but to the end that we may profit by it, Note. all the day after. It will also be very well done, and it will give us great help towards all goodness, that we lift up our hart, to God, and desire grace of him; to the end that it may be profitable to us, and that the things which we Read, may go imbruing, and bathing the very roots of our hart; and that we may remain more tenderly affected to virtue, and more unbeguiled concerning the vanity of the world; & resolved upon those things, which import, us most. Gregorius. And so we read of the blessed S. Gregory, that before he went to Read, he ever prepated himself by Prayer; Psa. 118. 1●5. and used to say this verse, Declinate à me maligni, & scrutabor mandata Dei mei. Depart from me, you malign spirits, for I will consider the law, and Commandments of my God. To the end, that we may more esteem of this kind of Reading, & animate ourselves more thereunto, Note. the Saints go comparing it, with hearing the word of God preached. And they say, that though Reading have not that force, which the living voice hath, yet doth it enjoy other commodities, which Sermons have not. For first, a man cannot always have a Preacher at hand, as he may have a good book. Secondly, the good speech of a Preacher, passeth through mine ears at once, & works not therefore, so great effect in me. But that which is well said, in a good book, I may reflect upon, and revolve it in my mind by Reading it, once, or twice again; and by ruminating, and pondering it, and so it will grow to make a great impression in me. Thirdly, by Reading in a good book, I have a free, and faithful counsellor. And that other Philosopher, said well: Demetrius Phaler. That which, many times, my friend, or my counsellor will not venture to tell me my book tells me plainly, without fear, advertising me of my vices, and defects, and chiding me on the one side, and exhorting me on the other. Fourthly, by this Reading I am conversing with them, who wrote the book. Sometimes you may go, and have a time of conversation with S. Bernard, another with S. Gregory another with S. Basill; and you may stand hearing, & listening to them, as truly, as if you had been their disciple of old tyme. And so they say, and with great reason, That good books, are a kind of public treasure, for the great benefits and riches, which we may draw from thence. To conclude, the profit and advantage which groweth upon this Reading of spiritual books, Hieron. epist. ad Damasum Papam. is so very great, that S. Hierome, treating of that interior inflammation of the soul, doth ask where this inflammation, and fire is? And he answereth, that there is no doubt to be made, but that it is contained in holy Scriptures, the Reading whereof, inflames the soul, towards God, and so it remaineth purged from all vice. And he bringeth, for proof of this, that which the disciples said to one another, when going to the Castle of Emans, Christ our Lord appeared to them, in form of a Pilgrim, and went speaking to them of holy Scripture. Luc. 24.32. Nun cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis, cùm loqueretur in via, & aperiret nobis Scripturas? Was not (say they) our hart all inflamed and in fire, when he went speaking and declaring the holy Scripture to us, upon the way? And he also bringeth those words of the Prophet. Eloquia Domini, eloquia casta, Ps. 11.7. argentum igne examinatum; The words of our Lord, are chaste words, and pure; they are as silver, purified by the fire. And S. Ambrose affirmeth, That this sacred lection, is the life of the soul, Ambros. 15. ser. by the testimony of Christ our Lord himself. Quod autem sacrarum litterarum lectio vita sit, Dominus testatur dicens, joannis sexto, Verba quae ego locutus sum vobis, joan. 6.64. spiritus & vita sunt. The words which I have said to you, are spirit & life. To the end therefore, that we may lead a spiritual life, and that we may walk ever on, in true spirit; & be all kindled, and inflamed with the Love of God, let us give ourselves much to this kind of Sacred Lection; and let us use it in such sort, as hath been said. Now by that, which you have seen, it will follow; That they do very ill, who as soon as they have Read over any good book, do cast it into some corner, and say, I have dispatched that book. A good book is not to be read over, only once. The second time that you read it, will profit you more than the first; and the third, than the second. Yea and it willbe ever new to you, as they find by experience, who desire to profit by Reading. And it is a good custom which some have, who when they meet with any thing in any book which moves them much, and gives them particular satisfaction, do note it, and set it down; to the end that they may always have at hand some of the most substantial things, and wherein they may find the juice of devotion, at more ease; & may have some comfort in store for such occasions, and times as may occur. We might bring many Examples, Note. in confirmation of the great benefit & profit, August. li. 8. confess. c. 6. which groweth from the Reading of Spiritual books; but I will only bring the Example of S. Augustine, which containeth much doctrine. That Saint recounts, how a certain Cavallier, an African, called Potitianus, coming one day to visit him, gave him news of the wonderful things, which the world was saying of S. Anthony. And he added further, that one evening, while the was at Treuers, (employed, upon seeing certain public sports, which were represented there) himself with three other Courtiers, friends of his, went out to take the air. And that two, of the four, did chance upon the Cell of a certain Monk; and finding there a book, wherein the Life of S. Anthony was written, one of them began to read it, and instantly his hart was kindled with a holy kind of love. And being all angry with himself, he said thus to his friend. Tell me I beseech thee, what is that which we pretend to obtain, with all the pains we take? What is that, which we aim at? In the hope of what, do we thus earnestly employ ourselves? Can we perhaps, have a higher ambition in the Court, then to be Favourites of the Emperor? And yet even in that fortune, what is there, which is not top full of danger? And by how many dangers, do we still proceed towards some greater danger? And how long shall we sweat in this pursuit? But to be the friend and savourite of God himself, behold I am made so, if I will, even at this very instant. This he said, and being grown big, and swollen, with the fervent desire of bringing forth a new life, he restored his eyes to the book, and read on, and was inwardly changed, and his mind was wholly dispossessed of worldly cares, as immediately afterwards appeared. For whilst he was Reading, and rolling up and down, those waves of his unquiet hart, he would sometimes groan deeply, and then again pause a while. And resolving at last, upon a better course, he said with a serene countenance, to his friend: Even now have I broken lose, from those hopes whereby hitherto we have been seized. I have firmly resolved, to be the servant of God, and I will set upon it, in this place, and at this very instant. As for thee, if thou canst not be content, to imitate me, at least dissuade me not. But the other answered, that he would gladly join himself to him, as a companion in the prosecuting of so honourable a war, & the obtaining of so noble a pay. And both of them, did build up that Spiritual Tower, with the treasure which is only able to do it, of forsaking all things, and following Christ our Lord. And that which is as strange, they both had Spouses, who, as soon as they knew what these men had resolved, did consecrate themselves to God, by a vow of Chastity. This doth S. Augustine relate; and this Example was of so great efficacy, with himself, that soon after, he thus cried out, with great exclamation, to another friend of his, What is this which we endure? What is this? What have we heard? Surgunt indocti, & caelum rapiunt, & nos cum doctrinis nostris, sine corde ecce ubi volutamur in carne & sanguine: The unlearned men of the world, tear heaven from between our hands, and we, with our great knowledge, and learning, behold how without brains, or courage, we are contented still to wallow, in flesh and blood. But with this alteration, and feeling, the Saint relates, how he entered into a Garden, there adjoining, and did spread himself, at the foot of a certain figtree; and (letting lose the reynes to tears) he began, with great affliction, and sorrow of hart, to cry out thus to God, and say: And thou, O Lord how long? How long, O Lord? Wilt to be angry with us for ever? Remember not Lord▪ our old iniquities. And still he repeated these words▪ How long; How long: shall I say, To morrow? Why not even now? Why, even at this instant, is there not an end of my uncleanness? Whilst he was saying this, in the most bitter feeling of his hart, he heard a voice which said to him. Take up and read, Take up and read. He then rose up (as himself relateth) to take up and read, in that holy book, which lay before him: For he had heard it related of the same S. Anthony, Matt. 19.21. that by once Reading of the Gospel, (which he fell upon) as it were by chance which said, Go and sell all that thou haste, and give it to the poor, and follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; he determined to leave all things, and to follow Christ our Lord▪ And so S. Augustine, being moved much by this Example, & more by the voice, which he had heard, saith, That he take up the book, and read in it. And there did God infuse, so great a light into his soul, that leaving all things of this world, he delivered himself wholly up to the service of our Lord. The end of this Treatise of Mental Prayer. A TREATISE Of the presence of God: Written by the same Author. CHAP. I. Of the excellency of this Exercise: and the great benefits, which are contained therein. QVAERITE Dominum, & confirmamini; quaerite faciem eius semper. Psa. 104, 4. Seek God (saith the Prophet David,) with perseverance, and strength; August. super Psal. 104. be ever seeking his face: the face our Lord, which as S. Augustine saith, is the Presence of our Lord; and so to be ever seeking the face of our Lord, is to be ever going in his Presence, and converting our hearts to him, with desire, and love. Isychius. Bonau to. 2. opusc. li. 2. de profectu Religiosorum. ca 20. Isychius, in his last Century saith, & so doth also S. Bonaventure; That to be always performing this Exercise of the Presence of God, is to begin to be blessed here on earth, as the glorious spirits are in heaven. For the felicity of those Saints, consisteth in seeing God perpetually, without ever once losing the sight of him. But now, since we cannot see God in perfect charity, nor as he is in himself (for this is only proper to those glorious spirits) yet at least, let us imitate them, the best we can, according to the uttermost of our frailty; and let us procure, to be all ways beholding respecting, and loving him. So that, as our Lord God created us, to be eternally in his presence, & to enjoy him in heaven; so was it also his pleasure, that, here on earth, we should have an image, & model of that blessedness, by walking ever in his sight, revearing, and beholding him, 1. Cor. 13.12. though in obscure manner. Videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate, tunc autem, fancy ad faciem. We now behold, and see God, by faith, as in a glass; but afterwards, we shall see him clearly, and face to face. Ista est meri um illa praemium. That clear vision, (as saith Isychius) is the reward; and the glory and blessedness for which we hope; this other obscure sight, is matter of merit to us, whereby we must grow to obtain that other. But yet still, in fine, we must imitate those blessed spirits, to the best of our power; whilst we procure not to lose the sight of God, in the works which we are doing. Just so, as the holy Angels, who are sent down to our succour, for our defence, and help; are, in such sort employed upon those ministeryes, as that yet withal, they never lose the sight of God. As the Angel Raphael said to Toby, Videbar quidem vobiscum manducare, & bibere; Tob. 12.13. Mat. 18.10. sed ego cibo invisibili, & potu, qui hominibus videri non potest, utor. I seemed indeed, to have been eating, and drinking with you; but I, the while, did serve myself of an invisible meat, and of a kind of drink, which cannot be discerned by humane eyes. They are ever sustaining themselves upon God; semper vident faciem patris mei, qui in caelis est. And so also, although we eat and drink, and converse, and negotiate with men; and though it seem, that we entertain, and employ ourselves therein, must yet procure, that, that be not our food, and entertainment; but another food and entertainment, which is invisible, and which men discover not; and this is, That we be ever beholding, and loving God, and accomplishing his most holy will. Great was the account, and practise which the Saints, and the ancient patriarchs made, of going always in the Presence of God Providebam Dominum in conspectu meo semper; Psa. 15.8. quoniam à dextris est mihi, ne commovear. The Royal Prophet did not content himself, with praising God seven times in the day; but withal he procured to have God always present with him. And so continual was this Exercise, with those Saints, that this was also their common phrase of speech, Vivit Dominus, in conspectu cuius sto. 3. Reg. 17. Our Lord liveth, in whose presence I am. The benefits, and profits are great, 4. Reg. 3.14. which flow from our going continually in God's Presence, whilst we consider that he is ever looking on us; and therefore did the Saints labour in it so much. This alone, sufficieth to make, that a man be very well ordered, and composed in all his actions. For tell me, what servant is there, who will not carry himself exactly well, under the eye of his Lord? Who will not do that which he commands? or who will dare to offend him to his teeth? Or what thief will presume to steal, whilst the judge hath an eye upon his hands? Now therefore, since God is so ever looking upon us, Note. and since he is our judge, and since he is Omnipotent, and can command that the earth may open and swallow a man up into Hell; Yea, and since he hath indeed done so sometimes, to such as durst offend him, what is he, that will dare to offend him any more? Aug. sol. 14. And so S. Augustine saith: O Lord when I consider with attention, that thou art ever looking upon me, and that thou art watching over me, night and day; and that, with so great care, as if there were neither in heaven, nor earth, any other creature for thee to govern, but me alone; When I consider well, that all my deeds, desires, and thoughts, lie open and clear before thee, I am all fulfilled with fear, and overwhelmed with shame. Without doubt, we are cast into a very straight obligation, of living with great rectitude, & justice, by the consideration of our doing all things, under the eye of that judge, who seethe all things, and from whom, nothing is able to hide it self. If in this world, the presence of a grave, and qualifyed person, will keep us in order, what will not the Presence of God be able to do? S. Hierome, upon that place, where God said to Jerusalem, Ezech. 28. ●, by the Prophet Ezechiel, Meique oblita es, Thou hast forgotten me, saith thus; Memoria enim Dei, excludit cuncta flagitia. The memory of God dismisseth, and dischargeth all sin. The same also doth S. Ambrose say. And else where S▪ Hierome saith again. Certè quando peccamus, si cogitaremus Deum videre, & esse praesentem, numquam quod ei displiceret faceremus. The memory of God and the watching still in his Presence, is a means of so great efficacy, that if we did but consider that God is present, and doth behold us, we would never adventure to do that thing, which might displease him. This alone, sufficed to make that sinful woman Thais, give over her bad life, and betake herself to a course of penance, in the wilderness. Holy job said thus: Nun ipse considerat vias tuas, job. 31.4. & cunctos gressus meos dinumerat? God stands beholding me, and as a true eyewitness counts the paces which I make; and who then is that man, who will presume to sin, or to do any thing amiss? On the other side, all the disorder, Note. and perdition of the wicked, doth proceed from their not considering, that God is Present, & beholdeth them; according to that which the holy Scripture doth so often repeat, in the person of wicked men: Et dixisti, Isa. 47.10. jerem. 1●. 4. non est qui videat me. Et non videbit novissima nostra. And so did S. Hierome note it, upon the seaventh Chapter of Ezachiel; Hierome. where the Prophet, reprooving jerusalem for the many vices, and sins, which it was subject to, grows to say, That the cause of them all, was for that, that City had forgotten God. And he assigneth also the same cause, when he interpreteth many other places of scripture. For as a horse without a bridle, and a ship without a stern runs upon precipices, and rocks; so if you take this bridle, out of the mouth of man, he rums headlong after his own inordinate appetites, and passions. Non est Deus in conspectu eius, inquinatae sunt viae illius in omni tempore, Psa. 9.26. saith the Prophet David. He carrieth not God before his eyes, he considereth him not, as present before him, and therefore are his ways (which are his works) all defiled still, with sins. The remedy, which the blessed S. Basil gives, in many places of his works, against all temptations, Note. and troubles, and for all the occasions and necessities, which may present themselves, is the Presence of God. And therefore, if thou desire, a ready, and compendious way, for the obtaining of perfection, and which may contain, and lock up, in itself, the force & efficacy of all other means, this is that. And for such, Gen. 17.1. did God give it thus to Abraham; Ambula coram me, & esto perfectus; Walk before me, & thou shalt be perfect. The holy Scripture doth here, (as in many other places) take the Imperatine, for the Future, to express home, the infallibility of the success. It is so certain, that thou shalt be perfect, if always thou wilt go beholding of God, and considering that he is ever beholding thee; that even, from this instant, thou mayst account, that thou shalt be perfect. For just, as the Stars do, from the aspect of the Sun with is present to them, draw light, whereby they are resplendent, both within, and without their own bodies; and do also get other virtues, whereby they make influence upon the earth; so do just, and virtuous men (who are as so many stars in the Church of God) from the sight of God, and by considering him ever present, and by converting their thoughts and desires to him, draw light, whereby in their interior, (which God sees) they shine with real, & virtues; & in their exterior, (which men see) they shine with all innocency, and decency; and they draw strength, and force from thence, for the edification, and profit of others. There is nothing in the whole world, which doth so properly declare the necessity that we have, of continuing ever in the Presence of God, as this which follows. Note. Behold the dependence, which the Moon hath upon the Sun; & the necessity, to which it is subject, of being ever in presence of it. The Moon, of itself, hath no clarity, but receives it all from the Sun, according to the proportion of the aspect, which it hath from thence. And it worketh upon inferior bodies, according to the rate of clarity, which it receives from the Sun; and so do the effects thereof, increase or fail, according to the full, or waning of the same light. And when any thing doth place itself above the Moon, which may deprive it of the sight, & view of the Sun, at that instant, is the lustre and clarity thereof eclipsed; & therewith withal, a great part also fails, of the efficacy, which it had to work, by means of the Sun. Now in the self same manner, doth it pass between the soul, and God, who is the true Sun of the soul. For this cause it is, that the Saints, do so earnestly recommend this Exercise to us. S. Ambrose, and S. Bernard discoursing of the continuance, & perseverance which we are to use herein, say thus; Amb. lib. de dignitat● con. Sicut nullum est momentum quo homo non utatur, vel fruatur Dei bonitate & misericordia; sic nullum debet esse momentum, quo eam praesentem non habeat in memoria. As there is no point, or moment of time, wherein man enjoyeth not the goodness and mercy of God; so ought there not to be any point, or moment of time, wherein he ought not to have God present to him, in his memory. And S. Bernard saith else where. In omni actu, vel cogitatu suo, sibi Deum adesse memoretur; & omne tempus, quo de ipso non cogitat, perdidisse se computet. A Religious man, must procute, in all his thoughts, and in all his deeds, to remember that he hath God present with him; and all that time, wherein he thinketh not of God, he is to hold for lost. God doth never forget us, & it is but reason, that we procure to be never un mindful of him. S. Augustine, upon the 31. Psalm, Firmabo super te oculos meos, Aug. Psa. 31.8. saith: Non à te auferam oculos meos, quia & tu non aufers àme oculos tuos. I will not, O Lord, withdraw mine eyes from thee, because thou dost not withdraw thine eyes from me. Continually, will I lodge them fixed, & firm upon thee, as thy Prophet did, who said: Oculi mei semper ad Dominum; Ps. 14.15. Mine eyes are ever upon our lord S. Gregory Nazianzen saith: Gregor. Naz. in ora. Theologica. Non tam saepe respirare, quàm Dei meminisse debemus; As often ought we to remember God, yea and more often, than we fetch our breath. For as we have need of respiration, for the refreshing of our hearts, and for the tempering of our natural heat; so are we in continual necessity, of resorting to God, by Prayer, for the restraint of that inordinate heat of concupiscence, which is moving and enticing us to sin. CHAP. II. Wherein consisteth the Exercise, or Practise of going always, in the Presence of God. TO the end that we may serve ourselves the better, of this exercise, or practise, it willbe necessary to declare wherein it consists. Note. It consisteth in two Acts; the one is, of the Understanding, the other is of the Will. Tract. 5. cap. 7. The first Act, is of the Understanding. For this is ever ●●quisite and presupposed, for the performing, of any act of the Will, as we are taught by Philosophy. The first thing therefore, is to be, to consider with the Understanding, That God is both here. & every where else, That he filleth the whole world, and that he is all, in all in every part, and in every creature, how small soever it may be. Of this, an Act is to be made, because this is a certain Truth, Act. 17.17. which Faith propoundeth to be believed by us. Non enim longeest ab unoquoque nostrum; in ipso enim vivimus, movemur, & sumus▪ saith the Apostle S. Paul. You are not to imagine, or fancy God, as one who were fare from you; or as if he were without you; for he is within you. S. Augustine confesseth thus, Confess. l. 10. c. 27. I sought that without me, O Lord, which yet was within me. Within you is God; and more present, and more intrinsically, & more intimately is God in me, than myself. In him we live, and move, and have our being. He it is, who giveth Life, to all that which life's; and he, who giveth strength to all which hath any strength; and he who gives being, to all that which is. And if he were not present, sustaining all things, they all would leave to be, and return to their nothing. Consider therefore, that thou art all, full of God; environed & compassed in with God, and as it were swimming in God. Pleni suunt caeli & terra gloria tua, are very good words to this purpose: The heavens, and the earth, are full of thy glory. Some, to help themselves, more in this, Note. do consider all the world to be full of God, as indeed it is; and they imagine themselves, to be in the midst of this infinite sea of God; circled, & hemmed in by him, in such sort, as a sponge, in the midst of the sea might be, all bathed, and full of water, and beside compasted in, and enclosed by water, on all sides. This comparison is not ill, for the rate of our weak understanding. But yet it falleth short, & reacheth not, by a great deal, to declare that, whereof we are speaking. For that Sponge, in the midst of the Sea, if it mount upwards, it is at an end, above; if it descend downward, it finds an end, below; and it meets with a stay, if it go either on the one side, or the other; but in God, thou shalt find nothing, of all this. Si ascendero in caelum, tu illic es; si descendero in insernum ades; si sumpsero pennas meas diliculo, & habitavero in extremis maris, etenim manus tua deducet me, & tenebit me dextera tua. If I mount up to heaven, thou art there O Lord; if I descend down to hell, thou art also there; if I take wings, and pass to the extreme sides of the sea, thither will thy hand carry me, and there thy right hand will hold me. There is no end, or term in God, because he is infinite and immense. Besides, in fine, since the Sponge we spoke of, is a body, it cannot be wholly penetrated, by the water; which is another Body; whereas we, are in all, and through all, penetrated by Almighty God, who is pure spirit. But yet nevertheless, these comparisons, and the like (how short soever they fall, of expressing the thing,) are good, and do give great help, for the understanding in some sort, of the infinite immenseness of God, Epist. 57 ad Dardanum. & l. 7. Confess. cap. 5. and how he is present, & most intimately in us, and in all things. And therefore, S. Augustine bringeth these comparisons. But yet, we are to observe in the performance of this Exercise of the Presence of God, that there is no necessity, to form any conceit, with the imagination, or any representation at all, of God; feigning that he is here, at our side, or in any other determinate place; or that he is in this, or the other form. There are some, who imagine either before themselves, or on the one side that Christ jesus our redeemer, is with them, and that he goes with them, and is ●uer looking upon what they do, and in this manner, they ever go in the Presence of God. Of these, some imagine, that they have Christ crucified before them; others, that he is tied to the Pillar; others, that he is sweeting drops of blood in his Prayer of the Garden; others, in some other part of his Passion; or else in some cheerful mystery of his most holy life; every one, according to his inclination, and devotion. Or else, some one time they imagine him in some one fashion, & at another time, in some other. And although this be very profitable, for such as know how to do it well; yet (ordinarily speaking) it is not that, which is best for us. Note. For all these forms, and imaginations of corporal things, do toil and weary men; and many times, do much trouble their heads. A Saint Bernard, or a Saint Bonaventure, without doubt, knew better how to do this, than we; and they found much facility, and ease in it; and so they would be able to go into those holes, of the wounds of Christ our Lord, and into his holy side; and there, would they find their rest, their refuge, and their safe retrayt; esteeming themselves to hear those words of the spouse in the Canticles, spoken to themselves: Surge amica mea, speciosa mea, & vent; columba mea in foraminibus petrae, in cavernae maceriae. At other times, they would imagine the foot of the Cross, to be fastened and rooted in their hearts, and that they, the while, were receiving by their mouth, with extreme sweetness, those drops of blood, which ran, and streamed from those fountains, of the Saviour of the world. Isa. 12.3. Haurietis aquas in gaudio, de fontibus Saluatoris. Those Saints I say, did very well, in doing thus, and they were happy in it; but if you will be going on, all day, in these considerations, and with this kind of Presence of God; perhaps, that for one day, or month, which you may pass after this fashion, you will lose your Prayer for a whole year. Note. For it may cost you, the breaking of your brains. We may see how great reason there is, why we should be careful, in giving this lesson of caution, since even for making a kind of structure or composition of place, (which is one of the Preambles, or Preludes of Prayer, whereby we are wont to make that matter present to us, whereof we are to meditate, imagyning that the matter doth really pass before us there) they who treat of Prayer, are careful to advertise us, that we do not, with an attention too much bend, fix our imagination upon the figure, or representation of those corporal things, whereof we mean to think, for the danger, which there is to break our brains; and for other inconveniences, of illusions, which grow sometimes out of this root. If therefore, for the making of a Preamble, or Prelude of Prayer, (which useth to be passed over, so very soon, and the man, being at that time, in quietness, and at good leisure, without having any other thing to possess his mind,) there be need of so much circumspection, and caution; what will there be, for one who hath a mind to conserve this kind of composition, for the whole day, and in the midst of all his other business? But now, this other Presence of God, whereof we treat, excludes all these imaginations, & indeed is very far from them all. Note. For now we treat, of a Presence of God, as God. And first, we need not feign to ourselves, that he is here; but we must believe it, for so he is indeed. Christ our Lord, as man, is in heaven, and in the B. Sacrament of the Altar; but he is not every where. And therefore, when we imagine, Christ our Lord, as man, to be present with us, it is an imagination, and a thing which we feign to ourselves. But now, as God, he is present here; and he is within me, and he is in all places, & he fills them all. Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum. We have no cause, ●ap. 2.7. in this case, to feign, that which is not; but to actuate our minds in the firm, & frequent belief, of that which is. Secondly, the humanity of Christ our Lord, may be fancied, and figured by the imagination, because he hath a body, and a figure; but God, as God, cannot be imagined, or figured, as he is, because he hath no body, nor figure, but is a pure spirit. Nay we cannot so much as imagine an Angel, no nor our own soul, as indeed it is, because it is a spirit; and how much less then, shall we be able to imagine, or frame a conceit of, how God is. But how then, are we to consider, that God as God, is still present with us? I say there is no more to be done, but only to produce an act of Faith, supposing already, that God is present there; since our Faith tells us so, without labouring to know how, or in what fashion that is; as S. Paul affirms, that Moses did. Qui invisibilem, tanquam videns, sustinuit. He considered God, who is invisible, and had him present still, as if he had seen him. But yet so, as that he would not strive to know, Note. or imagine, how that was; but, as when a man is speaking with some friend of his, by night, without reflecting how that is, and not considering it; but only rejoicing, and delighting in the conversation and presence of his friend, who he knows is present, with him there. In this sort, are we to consider God present with us. It is enough that we know, our friend is there, that we may enjoy him. Do not dwell upon thinking, how that is. You will not light upon it; for it is yet, by night, for us. Do but stay till it be light, and when the morning of the other life appears; he will then be discovered, and we shallbe able to see him clearly, as he is. Cùm apparaverit, similes ei crimus, quoniam videbimus eum sicutiest. For this, did God appear to Moses, in obscurity, and in a cloud; that you may not look to see him, but only believe him to be present. All this which we have said, belongs to the first act of Understanding, which must be presupposed. But it must be considered also here, that the chief part of this Exercise, doth not consist in this. For not only is the Understanding to employ itself, in beholding God present; but a man must also employ the Will; by aspiring to God, and by loving him, and by uniting himself to him. And in these acts of the Will, this Exercise doth principally consist, whereof we shall treat, in the next Chapter. CHAP. III. Of the acts of the Will, wherein this Exercise doth principally consist; and how we are to employ ourselves therein. SAINT Bonaventure, in his Mystical Theology saith, that the Acts of the Will, wherewith we must lift up ourselves to God, in this holy Exercise, are certain ardent desires of the hart, whereby the soul doth thirst, to be united with God, in perfect love. Certain inflamed affections, they are; certain sighs, which break out of the very bowels of the soul, wherewith it calls upon God. Certain pious, and amorous springings of the will, wherewith, Note. as with certain spiritual wings, she reacheth, & stretcheth herself upward; and goes approaching, and uniting herself, more and more, with God. These desires, these vehement, and inflamed affections of the hart, the Saints do call Aspirations. Because by them, the soul raiseth herself up to God, which signifieth the same, with aspiring towards him. S. Bonaventure also saith, they are therefore called Aspirations, because, as by respiring we do, without deliberation, draw our breath, & that interior air of our body; so do we also with great agility, and sometimes without any deliberation at all, (or in effect without any) draw out these inflamed desires, from the most internal part of our soul. These Aspirations, and desires, a man declares by certain Prayers, which are short, and frequent, and they are called iaculatory, Raptim iaculatas, saith S. Augustine. Because they are as arrows, or fiery darts, which spring from the hart, and at an instant, they are shot of, and sent up to God. Those old Monks, according to the relation of Cassian, did much use these Prayers. Breves quidem, sed creberrimae. And they esteemed, and made great account thereof: Partly, because they were short, and did not weary the brain; and partly, because they were made with fervour, and with an erected spirit, and at an instant they are sent into the high Presence of Almighty God, in such sort, as that the devil hath no time to trouble him, Aug. ep. ad Proba. Chris. hom. 79. Abbas Isaac. collat. 10. cup. 10. that makes them; nor to cast any impediment into his hart. S. Augustine delivereth certain words which are worthy of Consideration, with such, as are in Exercise of Prayer. Ne illa vigllans, & erecta intentio, quae tamen necessaria est oranti, per productiores moras hebetetur. Lest that vigilant, and sharp attention, (which yet is needful for him that means to pray, with due respect, and reverence) go not lessing, or losing itself, as it happeneth sometimes, in long prayer. With these iaculatory Prayers therefore, did those holy Monks, go ever on in this exercise; lifting up their hearts, very frequently to God, and treating, and conversing with him. This way, of going in the Presence of God, is (generally speaking) more sit for us, more easy, and more profitable. It will therefore be necessary, to proceed in declaring the use, and practise of this Exercise. Cassian placeth it, in this verse, which the Church repeateth at every hour, of her Divine Office. Deus in adiutorium meum intend: Cass. collat. 10. cap. 10. Domine ad adinuandum me festina. Art thou entering in to any business, wherein there may be difficulty, or danger? Desire thus of God, that he will help thee well out of it, O Lord be careful to secure me: O Lord be not slack to give me help. We are in need of the favour of God, for all things; and so are we, ever to be desiring his assistance. And Cassian saith, that this verse, is excellent, and highly to the purpose; for declaring all the affects of our mind, Note. in whatsoever state, and in whatsoever occasion, or accident, we may find ourselves. Because hereby we invoke the aid of God; Hereby we humble ourselves, and we acknowledge our necessity and misery; Hereby we raise ourselves, and we confide to be heard, and favoured by Almighty God. Hereby we kindle ourselves, in the love of our Lord, who is our protection and refuge. Against all the combats, and temptations, which may present themselves, you have here, a most strong buckler, an impenetrable coat-armour, and an inexpugnable wall. And therefore you are still to be carrying it, both in your mouth, and in your hart; and this is to be your constant, & continual Prayer; and your way of going still, in the Presence of God. S. Basil, placeth the practice of this Exercise, in that, at all times, we take occasion to remember God. Art thou eating? give thankes to God. Dost thou clothe thyself? give thanks to God. Art thou going to take the air, or into thy Garden? bless thou God, Note. who made it. Dost thou look up to heaven? dost thou look towards the Sun? then do thou praise the Creator of all things. When thou goest to sleep, and whensoever thou dost wake, lift up thy hart to God. Now forasmuch, as in spiritual life, there are three ways, The Purgative way, which belongeth to beginners; the Illuminative way, which belongeth to such as are Proficient; & the Vnitive way, which belongeth to such as are in some degree of perfection; there are spiritual directours, who assign three kinds of Aspirations, or jaculatory Prayers. Some, which are addressed towards the obtaining of pardon for sin, and towards the purging of the soul from vice, and terrene affections, which belong to the Purgative way. Others, which are addressed towards the obtaining of virtues, and overcoming temptations, and undertaking of difficultyes, and troubles, for the exercise of piety; which belong to the Illuminative way. And others, which address us, Note. towards the obtaining of an Union of the soul with God, by the bond of perfect love; and these, belong to the Vnitive way. And this they ordain, to the end that every one, may employ himself in that exercise, which is most agreeable, and fit for his own disposition, and state. But yet know this the while; that how perfect soever a man be, he may safely exercise himself in sorrow for his sins, and in desiring pardon of God for them, and begging grace that he may never offend him, and this willbe a very good Exercise of his mind, and very acceptable to God. And both he, and that other man, who is still procuring but to purge his soul from vice, and inordinate affections; & he also, who laboureth to obtain Virtue, may also exercise himself in acts of the Love of God, to make that other exercise, which he is chief about, more easy and sweet. Therefore all men may employ themselves, sometimes, in this purgative exercise, by making such Acts as these: O Lord, that I had never offended thee. Do not permit, O my Lord, thus ever I may offend thee any more. Let me dye as much as thou wilt, but never let me sin against thee. Let is please thy divine majesty, that I may rather die a thousand deaths, them ever commit one mortal sin. At other times, one may raise his hart to God, by giving him thankes for all his benefits, both general and particular, which he hath received; or else by begging the gift of some virtue; sometimes profound humility; at other times perfect Obedience; at other times, Patience; at others, Charity. Again, at other times, a man may raise his mind to God, by acts of love, and conformity to his most holy will, saying this, or the like. Cant. ●. 141 Luc. 22. 4●. Psa. 72.29. Dilectus meus mihi, & ego illi. Non mea voluntas, sed tua fiat. Quid enim mihi est in caelo, & à te quid volui super terram? These, and such others, are very good aspirations, and iaculatory Prayers; whereby a man may go always, in this exercise of the Presence of God. Note. And they use to be the best, and most efficacious, which the hart, being moved by Almighty God, doth conceive within itself; although it be not done, in words, so well composed and ordered, as those which we have here set down. And there is also, no necessity at all, that these iaculatoryes, should be many, in number. For one alone, being very often repeated, and with great ardour of mind, may suffice a man for the going in this exercise may days, yea and even all his life. Note. If you find yourself well, with always saying those words of the Apostle, O Lord what wilt thou have me do? Or those other of the Spouse, My beloved to me, and I to him: Or else those words of the Prophet, What have I to desire O Lord, in heaven, or in earth, but only thee? you have need of no more; detain yourself here, and entertain yourself herein; and let this be your continual Exercise, and your going in the Presence of God. CHAP. IU. The practice of this Exercise is further declared, and here a way is laid down, of going in the Presence of God, very easy, very profitable, and of much Perfection. AMONGST other Aspirations, and jaculatory Prayers, which we may use; that one, is a very principal one, and very much to purpose, for the practice of this Exercise, 1. Cor. 10● 31. which is taught us, by the Apostle Saint Paul, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians. Sive manducatis, sive bibitis, sive aliud quid facitis, omnia ad gloriam Dei facite. Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, let all be done to God's glory. Procure, Note. in all things that you do, or at least the most frequently that you can, to lift up your hart to God, saying; For thee O Lord, do I this. To content thee, and to please thee. Because thou wilt have it so; Thy will, O my Lord, is mine; Thy contentment is mine; I have no other will, nor no other not-will, but that only, which thou wilt, and that which thou wilt not. This is all my delight, all my contentment, all my joy, the accomplishment of thy will, to please thee; and there is no other thing but this, for which I care; nor which I can desire; nor which is worth, so much, as the looking on, either in heaven, or in earth. This is a good way, of going always in the Presence of God, and very easy, and very profitable, and of much perfection. For it is to go, in a continual exercise of the love of God. And because I have treated hereof else where, Tract. 3. cap. 8. & Tract. 8. cap. 4. I will only add in this place, that this is one of the best, and most profitable ways of going ever in Prayer, of all the ways that can be thought. For it seems, that there wanted no other thing, to extol and canonize this Exercise, but only to say, that by it, we shall be in that continual prayer, which Christ our Lord demands of us, in the holy Gospel. Oportet semper orare & non deficere. Luc. 18.1. For what better Prayer, can there be, then that one should be ever desiring, the greatest honour, and glory of God, and to be ever conforming himself, to Gods will Not having any other, either will, or not-will, but that which God will, and willeth not; and that all his contentment, and joy, is the contentment, and good pleasure, of our Lord God. Therefore saith a learned Doctor, Dionis. Richel. l 1. de contempla. cap. 25. and with great reason, that he who shall persevere with care, in those affects, and interior desires, shall reap so abundant fruit thereby, that in short time, he will feel his hart, all converted, and changed; and will find therein, a particular aversion from the world; and a singular affection to Almighty God. This is to begin already, to be a kind of Citizen of heaven, and a standing servant, in the house of God. Eph. 2.9. jam non estis hospites, & advenae, sed estis ci●es Sanctorum, & domestici Dei. These are those Courtiers, whom S. john saw in the Apocalypse, who carried the name of God, written in their foreheads, which is the continual memory, and Presence of God. Et videbunt faciem eius, Apoc. 11.4. Phi●ip. 3.2. Cor. 4.18. & nomen eius in frontibus eorum. For their conversation, and discourse, is not now, on earth, but in heaven. Nostra autem conversatio in caelis est. Non contemplantibus nobis, ea quae videntur, sed ea quae non videntur: quae enim videntur temporalia sunt, quae autem non videntur, aeterna. It is further to be considered in this Exercise, Note. that when we produce these Acts saying: For thee O Lord, do I this; For thy love; Because thou wilt have it so, & the like; we are to do them, and say them, as one who speaks to God, already present; and not as one, who raiseth his hart, or his thought, to send it far off, or without himself. This advice is of great importance in this Exercise. For this is properly, to go in the Presence of God, and this is that, which makes this Exercise, easy, and sweet, and which makes it move, and profit more. Yea, even in our other Prayers, when we meditate of Christ upon the Cross, or at the Pillar; they who treat of Prayer, give counsel, that we should not imagine, that to be at jerusalem, and that it passed, a thousand, and so many hundred years ago; for this wearies more, and moves less: But we are to imagine it, as present, where we are; & that it passeth there before us; and that we hear the strokes of the scourges, & the knocks of the hammers. And if we meditate the Exercise of death; they say that we are to imagine, that we are already upon the point to dye, and given over by the Physicians; and with the holy candle in our hand. How much more reason then, shall it be, that in this Exercise of the Presence of God, we perform those acts, which we have named, not as men, who speak with an absent person, and that far off from us; but as men who speak with God present; since the very Exercise itself, requires it, and in reality of Truth, he is Present. CHAP. V Of some differences, and advantages, which there are, in this Exercise, of going in the Presence of God. TO the end that we may the better see the perfection, and profit of this Exercise, and way of going in the Presence of God which we have showed; and to the end that it may be the more declared, Note. we will touch some differences, and advantages, which there are therein. The first is this. In the other Exercises of the Presence of God, which some use to propound; all seems to be but an act of the Understanding, and all seems to end in this, that they imagine the Presence of God. But this Exercise, presupposeth, this Act of the understanding, & of faith, That God is present, and then it goes further on, and maketh Acts of the Love of God; and in these, it doth principally consist. And this doth evidently appear, to be better, and more profitable than the former. Just so, as we said in the Treatise of Prayer, Tract. 5. c. 14. that we are not to dwell in the acts of the Understanding, which is the Meditation, and Consideration of things; but in the acts of the Will, that is, in the affects and desires of virtue, and the imitation of Christ our Lord; and this is to be of the fruit of Prayer. And so here, the chief and best, and most profitable part of this Exercise, consists in the acts of the will; and this is that, whereupon we must insist most. The second benefit which follows upon this Exercise, Note. is that it is more sweet, and facile, than the rest. For to those others, is necessary discourse, and labour of the understanding, and imagination, to represent forms before it; which is the thing, that useth to weary, and to break the brains, and therefore it cannot last so long. Whereas towards this Exercise, there is no need of discourse, but of affects, and acts of the will, which are produced without difficulty. For although it be true, that there is some act of the Understanding, even there; yet that, is presupposed by Faith, without wearying us thereby. And as when we adore the B. Sacrament, we presuppose by Faith, that Christ our Lord is present there; and all our attention, and employment is, in adoring, revering, loving, and begging favours of that Lord, whom we know to be present; so it is in this Exercise. And from hence also it is, that the same, being more facile, one may continue, and persevere in it, longer tyme. For even to sick persons, who are not capable of any other Prayer, we are wont to advice, that they are often to lift up their hearts to God, with some affects & acts of the Will, because they may be produced with facility. And therefore, although there were no other advantage belonging to this Exercise, but only, that one may continue, and persevere in it, longer time, then in the rest; we should have reason, to esteem it much, and therefore how much more, are we to do it, having so many advantages beside. The third, and principal thing, & that which we are to observe very well, is: That the Presence of God is not only considered, to the end, that we may dwell in that; but to the end, that it may serve us, for a means to do those other things well, which we are to perform. For if we should content ourselves, with having an attention to the presence of God, and thereby did neglect our works themselves, and did perform them with faults; this would be no good devotion, but an illusion. We are always to make account, that although we carry one of our eyes towards his divine Majesty, we must place the other, upon the work itself; that we may perform it well, for the love of him. And our seeing, that we stand in the Presence of God, must be the means, to make us do all that, which we are to do, the better, and with the more perfection. And this, is much better done by this Exercise, then by others. For in the performing of others, the Understanding is much employed, about those corporal sigures, which a man hath a mind to set before himself, or about those conceits which he will draw out of that, which he hath present to him; and whilst he will needs draw this, or that good consideration from thence, many times he marks not well, what he is doing, and so he falls out to do it ill. But this Exercise, since it busieth not the Understanding, doth not hinder, any way, the good performance of the works; but rather it doth greatly help, that they may be exactly done. For he is doing them, for the love of God; and in the Presence of God, who looks upon him. And so he procures to do them, in such sort, and so well, as that they may be fit to appear before the eyes of that divine Majesty; and that there may be nothing therein, which is unworthy of his Presence. Concerning which, Tract. c. 3. we spoke else where, of another point, which showeth another way of going in the Presence of God, which is very good and profitable, and recommended by the Saints; and therefore we will forbear to repeat it here. CHAP. VI Certain pious Considerations, of God's Immensity, and of his Presence in all places, and in all things. 1. TO consider that God is so immense and great, as he filleth all his creatures with his infinite Greatness, and is more inwardly present in all things, than they be in their own Essence. And notwithstanding all this, he is not imprisoned here in the world: and though there were many millions of worlds more, yet should he be still infinitely greater than they. in so much as it is impossible to fly from him, sith he is by his Essence, Presence, and power in all places; and all creatures be filled with his greatness. This consideration should make us more present to ourselves in all our actions, both private, and public, by representing to ourselves, that God's eyes be upon us; and making unto ourselves an Oratory in all places, sith he is everywhere. We must excite in ourselves affections of joy, and of admiration, at so wonderful a greatness. 2. We must consider ourselves▪ as living, and doing our actions in God, who environeth us round, as doth the water of the Ocean compass in the fish that swim, and live therein. And this consideration, should keep us from going and wand'ring out of ourselves; seeing we have God present within us, as though we were his house; or by considering ourselves environed without, & penetrated within by God, as though he were our own, and belonging unto us. 3. To consider, how God showeth himself in heaven to his Elect with unuealed, and open face, working in them most glorious things: and he giveth in some places on earth particular signs of his presence, as jacob saw him on that mystical ladder, whereof the Scriptures make mention. God also hath his abode particularly in the Churches, and Oratories; and in a more excellent manner in the just, with whom he abideth by his grace, and worketh strange and wonderful things in them. But above all, he is with some great friends of his in this life, producing spiritually within them miraculous effects, as illustrations, discourses of the soul, revelations of divine mysteries, which be all signs, and testimonies of his particular presence. All this aught to make us the more attentive, and present to God, and ourselves; and more composed both within, and without. THE COLLOQVY. O my soul, thou hast within thee all good things, how dost thou not enjoy them? Within thee is thy sovereign friend, and Father; rejoice to have him with thee: join thee jointly with him, and give unto him thy whole hart. If thou art poor, thou hast God with thee, who is rich in mercy, run unto him, that he may impart unto thee of his riches. If thou art weak, and pusillanimous, thou hast God with thee, who is fortitude itself; and united with him, thou mayst do all things in virtue of him: wherefore then dost thou seek without thee, with anxiety, help of the creatures, having within thee, the omnipotency of the Creator? O my Creator, my God, and my all things, perfect in me this straight conjunction which thou hast with me, uniting thyself also with me, by the perfect union of grace, that I also may conjoin myself with thee, by the perfect union of charity. Amen. FINIS.