INward or mentall prayer Is an 1. Mentall prayer includes aswayes elevation of the mind to God and it alwayes includes either to an actuall or virtuall petition of something 2. Virtuall petition is when the minde is lifted up to God to obtaine Either a virtuall Petition â— some thing some grace from him shewing him our necessities simply and briefly without any discourse or consideration of any other things As when I elevate my mind to God and confesse before him my weaknesse both to do well and to defend my selfe from doing evill This sort of prayer is properly tearmed Virtuall because when I thus briefly lay my minde open to God hee well knowes what is there wanting and how much I stand in neede of his helpe EXPLICATION ANd this virtually implies an humble supplication to his Divine Majesty that hee will vouchsafe to supply my necessities And by how much the more this confession of thine own want and weaknesse is reall and manifest and thy desire efficacious and thy confidence lively by so much also thy demand shall be of more force and value 3. There is also another kinde of inward virtuall Prayer which consists in a simple beholding or contemplation of God in our minds And this Prayer is When we silently desire and as it were put our Lord in remembrance of that grace wee formerly demanded 4. Learne O my beloved this way of Prayer and make it familiar unto thee by the frequent use of it For experience will give thee to understand that it is the best armour of proof against all enemies adversities and dangers Have it therefore always in readinesse that where and whensoever need requires thou mayst make use thereof 5. Actuall petition or actuall inward Prayer is when grace is asked Or an actuall asking by words expressed in the mind by words expressed in the mind In this or the like manner Give me O my Lord God this grace this benefit for the honour of thy most sacred name Or thus I steadfastly beleeve O my God that it is thy holy will I should begg of thee this grace which I stand in need of Do thou therefore O my God accomplish thine own pleasure in me 6. Thus also thou maist present before Gods Divine Majesty thine enemy which annoyes thee or thy sinnes which afflict thee joyning therewith thine owne weaknesse to resist them and say O Lord looke upon thine owne creature made by thy holy hands and redeemed by thy pretious blood behold also thine enemy and mine outragiously reaching at mee and striving to take mee from thee and teare mee in peeces O my God to thee I onely fly In thee onely I trust Consider my weaknesse and mine enemies strength who will infallibly subject mee to his tyranny if I am left destitute of thy powerfull protection CHAP. XXIII How wee may joyne Contemplation to this inward Prayer 1. IF sometimes thou art willing to settle thy selfe to mentall Prayer for a certaine space of time as an houre or more thou mayst joyn Take some points of Christs Death or Passion to this way of Prayer certaine Meditations upon the Life and Death of our Saviour Christ applying alwayes his Actions to that vertue thou then demandest and so meditating upon them both together 2. For example Patience is the vertue thou art now in quest of choose therefore for the subject of And apply his actions to the vertue thou demandest thy Meditation some mystery of Christs Crucifixion As how cruelly hee was despoiled of his garments which were barbarously rent from his Body carrying away part of his sacred Flesh which cleaved fast unto them With what ourcries and As for example to Patience curses they crowne and uncrowne him with Thornes iterating againe and againe that terrible torment How this most innocent Lamb was fastened with Nayles to the wood of the Crosse and lifted up into the Ayre with unspeakable griefe of his Wounds and new anguish of his whole Body And so of other the like points 3. And in these considerations first apply thy senses to feele see c. the paine which thy deare Saviour endured in these passages in all the Members of his sacred Humanity Then elevating thy heart to his holy Soule penetrate into his Pâ—tience and Meeknesse and see how pleasantly hee passeth over these so great and grievous afflictions and how ready hee is for his Fathers satisfaction and our salvation to suffer much more and farre greater torments After this behold him hanging Mark how meekly hee suffered and learne thereby to suffer patiently thy smaller adversities on his Crosse and compleating his sufferings by his Death stand thou close to him and contemplate him and thinke with what an ardent desire hee did all this for thee that thou by his example might'st learne to endure with patience thy smaller adversities for his honour And as hee turned himselfe to his Heavenly Father and prayed for thee so thou shouldst implore his Grace to beare and overcome this Crosse thou now groanest under and all other thy Of Resolution grievances with quiet of minde and constancy of resolution 4. And Lastly compell thy will to consent to these sufferings And And compell thy will to take up thy Crosse quietly speake to it to take up this Crosse quietly and cary it on constantly Then turne thee to God thy Heavenly Father and humbly beg of him the vertue of Patience and that he will be pleased to hear the perfect Prayer of his own dear Son powred out on the Crosse for thee CHAP. XXIV Of another certaine manner of Prayer by way of Meditation 1. THere is yet another manner of Praying and Meditating together As thus Having attentively and seriously considered upon thy To pray and meditate together Saviours bitter Passion sustained for thy sake and to save thy soule apply thine own senses as aforesaid and endeavour to feel as it were the like dolours in thy selfe and let thy thoughts pierce into the promptitude of mind wherewith Christ thy Saviour suffered all this 2. And having weighed his exceeding pains and his exact patience proceed to these two following considerations By considering Christ Merits the content his Heavenly Father took in his obedience First of the treasure of Christs Merits and Secondly of the high content and good liking which his heavenly Father took in his deare Sons perfect obedience Then 3. Having fill'd thy minde with these pious points of Meditation produce them and present them to And presenting them both to God thy Lord God and beg by vertue of these that grace which thou standest in greatest need of And thus thou mayst put up thy Petitions not only in meditating upon any mystery of Christs passion but also upon any internall or externall action of his CHAP. XXV Of a way of praying by the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin 1. THere is yet besides these foregoing methods of Prayer and Meditation another way
by the means of the most glorious and ever-blessed Virgin and Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ Wâ—ich thou mayst thus easily practise First fix thy mind and meditation upon God the Eternall Father then upon Jesus Christ his deare Son and our sweet Saviour and lastly upon Mary the First fix thy minde and meditation upth ' eternall Father ever-blessed Virgin-Mother 2. In thy meditation of the Eternall Father take these two points for thy subject and offer them up to his Divine Majesty First the great liking and content hee had in himselfe from all eternity concerning this perfect creature the Virgin before she had a being Secondly the wonders hee wrought in her and the content he took in her when she was borne into the World 3. And as for the first of these considerations Soare aloft and Considering the content he had in himselfe concerning her from all eternity exalt thy thoughts beyond all time and above each thing created penetrating the very eternity of the Deity and then consider what celebrity of joy and delight the Divine Majesty had within himselfe concerning this sacred Virgin and her high perfections And there finding thy Lord amidst these joyes and delights lay hold of the opportunity and addresse thy Petition unto him with full hope and confidence that for this his great joys sake hee will impart bountifully some Grace Strength and Courage unto thee whereby thou mayst be enabled to encounter and conquer thine enemies especially this vice which now chiefly tempts and troubles thee 4. Hence proceede to the consideration of those admirable vertues great gifts and singular graces conferr'd upon this most glorious Virgin And the wonders he wrought in her when shee had a being and sometimes present the whole bulke of them to the view of the eternall Father other-times choose out some particular perfection to lay open before him imploring and intreating for his owne boundlesse goodnesse sake and in respect of these vertues and merits of this his dearly beloved Spouse that hee will graciously heare and mercifully grant what thou so greatly needest 5. Then turne thy thoughts towards the Sonne of God our Lord Secondly upon God the Son Jesus and represent before him the sacred wombe of his Virgin-Mother which enclosed and carried him for nine moneths space as also the singular reverence wherewith shee received him from her wombe into her bosome when he first appeared in the World assisting him and acknowledging him true man and adoring him as eternall God as her own poore child and as her powerfull Creatour Put him further in minde of her eyes of compassion towards his poverty of her sacred Armes which so often embraced him her Kisses wherewith shee cherish'd him her Milk wherewith shee nourish'd him her labours suffered for him all his life time and her dolours at his Death by which and the like relations from the deare Mother thou shalt use as it were a certaine violence to her beloved Son to grant thy Petition 6. Lastly come to the sacred Virgin Lastly come to the sacred Virgin her selfe lay open before her her owne privileges prerogatives and perfections how shee onely amongst all Virgins and Women was especially elected by the eternall Power Prudence and Goodnesse of God to be a Mother of Gâ—ace and of pitty to be an assistant and advocate of all mankinde and that next to her dearly beloved Sons humanity wee can apply our selves to none but her for better supplies of our necessities or truer solace in our sorrowes or greater hopes of happinesse Tell her also of that true and tryed saying that no one did ever faithfully call upon her who received not a mercifull answer and present assistance by her holy Prayer and Patronage Lastly put before her eyes all her Sons sorrowes and sufferings upon Earth and beg of her for his sweet sake for his onely honour and for his glory that thou mayst impetrate by her pious intercession the effect of this thy Petition which that thou mightst obtaine he patiently underwent his so bitter Death and Passion CHAP. XXVI How to pray and meditate by means of the holy Angels and Heavenly Citizens 1. ANother powerfull meanes to obtaine thy Petition is by the Angels and blessed Saints in Heaven which is also practised two manner of ways First apply thy thoughts First addresse thy selfe to the eternall Father to the Eternall Father and present before him the Love Honour and Praise wherewith his Heavenly Court worshâ—ps and exalts him and withall lay open all the miseries labours and molestations which his Saints suffered and by his grace surmounted here upon Earth 2. The other way is by applying thy selfe to these glorious spirits as Next unto the glorious Angels and Saints themselves to them who not onely remember us amidst their joys but earnestly desire our perfection beg therefore their faithfull assistance in thy fight against vices and sometimes implore their ayd and assistance at the houre of thy Death against thy dreadfull enemies 3. Other times reflect upon those excellent gifts and graces wherewith their Lord God indued them exciting in thy soule a lively feeling of love and joy that they possesse these high perfections as much yea more than if they were thine owne since such was the good will and pleasure of the Divine Majesty 4. And that thou mayst more Dividing them into Quires according to the days of the weeke easily and orderly performe and practise this pious exercise divide the Quires of this blessed company according to the week-days in some such manner as followeth Upon Sunday meditate upon the nine Quires of Angels Upon Monday of the holy Apostles Upon Tuesday of the glorious Martyrs Upon Wednesday of the blessed Bishops Upon Thursday of the holy Doctors Upon Friday of the holy Confessours Upon Saturday of the sacred Virgins 5. But let no day passe without But every day praying to the B. Virgin To thy particular Patron some speciall devotion to the most glorious Virgin Mary to thy Proper-Angel and to that particular Saint and Patron to whom thou owest singular duty and Veneration EXPLICATION AMongst which I perswade thee to place S. Joseph the deare Spouse of the sacred Virgin who as experience and contemplative persons testify will assist thee by And to S. Joseph his holy Prayers in all thy temporall and spirituall necessities and particularly advance and direct thy Soul in its spirituall Exercises of Prayer and Contemplation And surely if our loving Lord so highly esteemes his other Saints because they yielded him his due honour and obedience upon earth how much more doth hee value this most humble and happy Saint and how prevalent are his prayers like to be with that Divine Sonne who honoured served and obey'd him upon Earth as his Father CHAP. XXVII How to meditate upon the holy Crosse and Christ our Saviour hanging thereon to excite and move our affections 1. I Have before shewed thee O my
sincere affection When shall I O onely life of my soul relinquish all self-will and vanquish all my passions and imperfections 8. In these and the like devotions thou maist spend the evening and morning to excite cherish and encrease thy desire to receive thy deare Saviour that so thou maist perfectly please him and be most happily united unto him And in thy pious practices of these things take this Caveat Be sure to keep each power and faculty of thy soule pure and But take heed of vanity and curiosity free from all curiosity of worldly things and from all idle and vaine thoughts Take also the like care of thy outward senses lest thy heart steale out by them and so thou lose all thy devotion EXPLICATION THe time of the sacred Communion At the time near the Communion drawing nigh think thou art to receive the Lord who created this great Universe and thee to his owne likenesse the Sonne of God who died for thee nâ—ked on the 1. Think what thou art going to doe Crosse that increased goodnesse which hath so often freed thee from danger death and damnation which thy sinnes deserved Thanke him with most profound Thank humility and adore him uniting Adore Implore all thy spirits and forces of body and soule togeather as true God and true man Beg also his pardon for thy faults and that the same love which moves him to grant thee this great gift may also induce him to purge thy soule from the staines of all sinne and uncleannesse thereby disposing it to a more pure and perfect union with his divine Majesty When the Priest pronounceth those sacred words Domine non When Domine non sum dignus is sayd sum dignus O Lord I am not worthy accompany him with these following and speak to thy Lord and love from the bottome of thy heart I am not worthy to receive thee ô my great Lord before whose Majesty the Angels of heaven tremblingly confesse their owne nothing I am not worthy ô my Lord that thou shouldest enter into my heart who am one of the meanest weakest and ungratefullest creatures upon earth I am not worthy ô my Lord that thou shouldest lodge with me because I love thee not and I remember thee not though these are prime reasons of thy instituting and remaining in this most blessed Sacrament Thus humble confound and abisme Humble and Confound thy selfe thy selfe at the serious consideration of thy sinnes malice and misery but then raising up thy heart with hope by the following words Sed But still raising up thy heart with hope tantum dic verbo sanabitur anima mea Doe thou onely speak the word ô my Lord and my soule will be saved Enter ô my love into this unworthy harbour and make use of thine infinite power and goodnesse in pardoning my sinnes supplying my defects and protecting me from my enemies 9. And after thou hast received Text. Having communicated entertaine thy guest with amorous expressions this divine Sacrament betake thee presently to the innermost closet of thy heart and there enter into communication with thy holy guest using these or the like loving and respectfull expressions What hath moved thee O great King of Kings to enter in to me who am nothing but a miserable despicable vild blind and naked creature And he will answer thee Love for thou art my dove my friend my sister my spouse and my dearely beloved Then thou maist reply O increated love ô sweetest dilection ô friendly and faithfull charity what wouldest thou have me doe what demandest thou what desirest thou I ask nothing saith he but love I would have nothing burne in the harth of thy heart but the fire of my love that it may devour all forraine love within thee and destroy all self-wil and seeking This this is my desire because I would be truly thine and would have thee likewise be totally mine Which can never be compassed untill thou freely deliverest up thy selfe to my will and pleasure For without this entire resignation thy fancy will be alwaies fastned to the loving and liking of thy selfe and thine owne actions be they never so meane I desire therefore that thou shouldest hate thy selfe that thou maist have the love of me I demand thy heart for my habitation that I may joyne and unite it unto mine for to this end was my heart opened to thee upon the altar of my Crosse My will is I say ô my dearly beloved spouse that thou desire nothing think nothing understand nothing see nothing feel nothing but my selfe onely that so I onely may be in thâ—e and thou totally turned into me and that thou maist possesse in me perfect quiet and I in thee pleasant context 10. Lastly thou shalt offer the holy And Lastly offer up the divine Sonne to his heavenly Father Sonne to his heavenly Father for thy selfe for the whole world and for the soules departed in memory and union of that divine oblation which he offered upon the holy Crosse presenting in like manner all the unbloody sacrifices to the divine Majesty which are that day offered up in his universall Church CHAP. XXXI Of Spirituall Communion ALthough my beloved thou canst receive thy sweeet Saviour 1. Thou maist thus often Communicate sacramentally onely once a day yet thou maist receive him spiritually every houre and moment For nothing can hinder thee from this but onely thine owne fault and negligence And this spirituall Communion may sometimes prove more profitable to thy soule and pleasing to thy Saviour than the sacramentall especially if there be a defect in thy due and diligent preparation 2. For as often as thou desirest By frequent desires to receive thy loving Lord God thus spiritually into thy soule thou shalt find him ever ready to feast thee with his owne sacred hands and thou mayest thus easily dispose thy selfe unto it Turning thy selfe to thy Saviour to this end reflect upon thine owne frailty and frequent failings and conceive an inward sorrow and detestation of thy defects then make thy supplication with a loving affection that he will not disdaine to enter thy poor cottage and feast thee with his owne true body and blood 3. So also when thou art moved And it is an excellent exercise against passions with a pious zeal against any perverse Passion and desirest efficaciously to mortify it or to plant some vertue in thy soule make use of this spirituall communion by converting thy thoughts towards thy Lord God and invoking his aid with ardent prayers beseech him to enter and possesse the secret part of thy soule Or calling to mind thy last sacramentall communion speak to him with an inflamed desire When ô my good God shall I againe welcome thee into the closet of my heart Come now O my Saviour and comfort me spiritually with the like strength and vertue EXPLICATION IF thou wilt practice this pious How to make
great use of this exercise for thy spirituall profit exercise of spirituall Communion with more reverence and profit frame thy intention over-night to apply all the mortifications of thy vicious passions all the acts of vertue and whatsoever good thou shalt any way performe for the obtaining of this happy effect and that thou maist worthily open the gate of thy heart to give due entertainement to so divine a guest And in the morning settle thy thoughts upon the serious consideration of the great happinesse of that sweet soule which worthily receives this most holy Sacrament whereby sins breaches are repaired lost vertues are restored languishing forces are recruted and each good returnes to its first beauty by the communication of the fruits of Christs merits and passion Then force and excite thy heart to an ardent desire of these comforts by thy Lords comming and turning towards him say O my Lord and my love I am not worthy to receive thee sacramentally but doe thou ô increated goodnesse and unlimited power pardon all my imperfections and make me worthy to receive thee spiritually to the honour of thy holy name and the true comfort of my poor soule CHAP. XXXII Of Thanks-giving ALL our good actions are of All goodnesse is from God God and from God and therefore a thankfull gratitude is due to him for all our well performed exercises for each victory obtained against our enemies and for all and singular his blessings and benefits 2. And that thou maist not be defective To whom therefore all gratitude must be shewed in this point of duty Remember that the chiefe motive why our omnipotent creatour conferres his mercies upon his creatures is that they should correspond to him in pious perpetuall and worthy thanksgiving And because our Lord God in bestowing his benefits intends principally his owne honour and secondly our profit doe thou likewise First therefore acknowledge his goodnesse in receiving them acknowledge in the first place his power wisdome and goodnesse which most gloriously shine in each one of them 3. And in the next place reflect upon And then thine own unworthynesse thine own unworthinesse of so great favours who art nothing else but ingratitude misery and basenesse And Lastly submit thy selfe to obey his divine will and pleasure and study to performe what thy Lord in lieu of these benefits expects from thee which is to love him chiefly to serve him carefully and to offer and dedicate thy selfe to him freely and totally as I shall now teach thee CHAP. XXXIII Of the perfect oblation of thy selfe to thy Lord God AFter thanks-giving for received favours the soule presently breaks forth into that delicious affection of the Royall Prophet What shall I render to my Lord for all the good things he hath given me That therefore thou maist doe something seeming like satisfaction by offering up to his Majesty all that thou art hast and canst and that entirely absolutely voluntarily and by an efficacious act of thy inward man 2. Consider first with a serious attention First consider Gods greatnesse and glory the greatnesse and glory of thy Lord God for upon this depends the perfect oblation of thy selfe and thou wilt find that there is a reverence and feare due to this his greatnesse and glory that there is a love due to his goodnesse that there is a hope confidence due to his mercy and so of his other attributes and perfections And thou shalt congratulate and rejoice with thy Lord God that he is what he is to wit the best greatest most wise most holy most happy most powerfull most infinite and that he hath all the perfections which he possesseth Thus multiplying many such amorous acts of complacence in thy heart 3. Then bow down the knees of soul and body with most profound 2. Adore and acknowledg him c. reverence before thy Lord and maker adoting his divine Majesty and acknowledging him to be the supream governour of all his creatures And particularly that whatsoever good thou hast by nature and by grace is his proper gift since he alone confer'd it upon thee and he alone conserves it in thee for thus thou must needs confesse thy self to be his debtor though thy offering be never so great because thou canst present him with nothing which is not already his owne and first proceeding from his liberality and bounty neither doth he lose his dominion thereof by conferring it upon thee 4. In the next place passe on to the 3. Offer up all thy interest in any thing oblation it selfe and deliver up all thine owne interest in whatsoever thou hast or canst into the holy hands of thy heavenly creatour with all possible cheerfulnesse and integrity that is offer up unto him all that he hath given thee and so restore thy whole selfe to thy God in perpetuall bondage to dispose of thee both in time in eternity as he best pleaseth Neither shall it suffice thee to make this oblation generally by presenting unto him the root and beginning of all thy thoughts words and works but thou shalt doe it peculiarly by presenting even those also which by reason of thy state thou art obliged to exercise to the honour glory of his sacred name 5. Lastly thou shalt unite this entire oblation of thy selfe and all that And unite all to the merits of Christ belongs to thee unto the merits of Jesus Christ the sweet spouse of thy soul that from thence it may have that value and esteeme which from it selfe thou canst not hope or expect And thus thou shalt end thy exercise by presenting the eternall Father with thy whole selfe and the Preâ—â—â—â—ing both together to the eternall Father holy merits of his onely Son joyned together with all his actions and sufferings from the crib unto the Crosse for all these are thy treasures which he at his death bequeathed by his last will and testament unto thee whom he left entitled to all his merits But remember that thou makest not this oblation for thy selfe alone but also for the universall Church and her members for thus it will be far more acceptable to God being sweetned with the incense of perfect charity 6. In like manner when thou wilt offer up thy fastings prayers or other So Likewise in offering thy works of piety pious works to thy Lord God consider that his holy Sonne thy sweet Saviour hath already presented them together with his owne to his eternall Father and so hath conjoyned and united them both together doe thou therefore offer up the same in the same manner by which thou shalt know that thy oblations proceed from a sincere heart And if thou practisest this in time of adversity thou wilt easily master all misery anguish pain and perils whatsoever duly fulfil Gods holy pleasure 7. If furthermore thou desirest to make an oblation of Christs actions for thine own offences he have thy How to offer
Conductor in the way of the Spirit if they mean speedily and securely to arrive at their desired port of perfection All other Books should serve as certain solaces of their appetites some changes of diet or holy divertisements in devotion but this which they have advisedly made choyce of should be their Souls Dayly bread and the ordinary familiar and naturall food and sustenance which it should strive to chew and digest This I say should be their School of Defence where they are to learn the right use of their spirituall weapons how to Train Muster and Order the Army of their unruly passions and affections how to stand upon their guard when an Alarm is given or an assault made by their enemies how to apply fit salvs to their sores when they are worsted and wounded in the skirmish and finally how to behave themselvs in all emergent occasions of troubles and temptations or other accidents whatsoever And though I presume not to propose unto you this Brother of yours as a more absolute master in this Art than your famous and renowned Abbots Gersen Cisnerius Blosius and many other excellent and experienc'd Champions of your Order with whom he will not enter into the least competition Yet I may In the 40. chap. of this Book with him safely promise that whosoever shall faithfully and perseverantly practise what he here prescribes shall find this Book though very little in bulk yet large enough in vertue and substance to conduct him to the happy end he ayms at to his soul 's unspeakable comfort and content Neither is he to be disesteemed for the plainness of his expressions for his intent being to touch the heart rather than to tickle the Ears he delivers solid sense in undisguised words And the Interpreter being to present a true draught of his Originall and not to take upon him the privilege of a Paraphrast could not shape the quaint language of these profane times to the divine notions of his Authour without evident danger of sacrilege and therefore purposely avoids all curiosity of speech which oftentimes in these high matters rather puzzles than edifies and more amuzes the devout Readers understanding with niceties than moves his affectioÌ„ to true piety or makes him resolute in the performance of his duty which ought to be the only end and aym of all spirituall writers and he is most happily and sufficiently eloquent who hits this mark and workes this holy effect as no doubt but this Religious Author will do in their zealous souls who make the right use of his doctrin in order to their spirituall advancement and unioÌ„ with God whom holy S. Denys styles the Father of unions and who by thesweet bands of love draws his intelligent creatures to himself the essentiall and eternall Unity To the which lead and conduct us ô God one in Trinity and Trine in Unity Father Son and holy Ghost Amen An advertisement To the devout Reader YOu may justly seem to mervail why this golden Tract is now said to be taught the English tongue which was â—â—ove fifty years since transplanted into this Printed at Lovain in the year 1598. Island out of the gardens of certain Italian manuscripts But if you will take the pains to confront both the Copies and compare them with their Originall Spanish or else with the Printed at Doway in the year 1612. and reprinted at Witezburg 1641. Latin pattern you will easily perceive this though not the better yet to be the far truer Translation For besides very many and materiall differences the 33. Chapter is in that edition altogether forreign to this Authors work and the whole six last Chapters which are most excellent and usefull branches of this little tree are absolutely lopp'd off and as it seems purposely skipp'd over the Conclusion being in each of them one and the same The reason of which omission as it is obvious to every understanding which considers that to be directed to Religious women and some of these left-out Chapters Dedicated to the Nuns of S. Andrew 's in Venice by Hierome Count of Portia to concern chiefly the Priestly function so it seemes to carry with it sufficient grounds where upon to build an excuse for the so doing because women are uncapable to make use of that kind of devotion But if a Translators duty be well look'd into whose chiefest praise consists in faithfulness and sincerity we shall no where find that any such privilege of defalkation from his Author's Text or of addition to the same doth at all belong to him Neither do I hereby glance at the least thought of accusation against that first pious Interpreter of this Treatise in our Mother-tongue who without all doubt deliver'd it to us as it was given him But only render an account of my own fidelity in Copying out my Author 's Originall and withall desire such pious women who shall peruse these excellent Devotions that The 37. Chapter How to offer up devoutly the Sacrifice of the Mass they will rather patiently admit one Chapter which concerns them not to be inserted into their books than uncharitably to desire the razing out of the least tittle which may be profitable to any one And you are to be furthermore advertised that this Spirituall Conflict hath been very often printed in the French language Into which it was also translated by the Religious men called Fulians and this These Fulians are reformed Monks following S. Bernard as their Patron St. Bennet as their Patriark law-giver men of great esteem for their sanctiâ—y of life eminency of learning and exercises of charity Edition of theirs was as it truly deserved receiv'd with the highest applause and liking of all those worthy and illuminated divines of that age and namely of that famous and blessed Bishop of Geneva Francis de Sales the mirrour of his time and most skilfull conductor of souls in the way of the Spirit who usually recommended the reading and practice thereof to his dearest Disciples tending to Perfection One of which a man of no mean rank and quality undertook another Translation of the same Treatise out of an Italian Copy which he dedicates to the same holy Bishop of Geneva augmented as he saith with 27 Chapters though they are indeed either bare subdivisions of some one Chapter of our Author into divers as for example Our third chapter is there divided into three severall ones Or else they are more ample explications of that Doctrin which is concisely delivered in the Text and so may with more propriety be termed These Theatins are so called from â—heir Institutor John Peter Garaff who was first Bishop of Theate in the Kingdome of Naples afterwards Pope Paul the fourth men also renowned for their sanctity Commentaries than added Chapters and written by the Reverend Fathers commonly call'd Theatins And because the endeavours of these pious men serve much to the elucidation of this Subject and savour
And not only acknowledge thine owne basenesse but use thy selfe accordingly 7. And stick to this amidst all praise or applause of others 8. And let not the memory of thy good deeds puff thee up with vanity 9. For thou wilt find the best of them very imperfect 10. And that thou hast no colour to glory in them but to accuse thy want of duty 11. Learn therefore Humility which is the foundation of all vertues and without which thou art lesse than nothing 12. It being the onely way to find praise and please God 13. To whom thou art bound for permitting thee to be scorned as also to them that doe it 14. Be ever wary of the Devill and of thine owne inclination 15. Of Rash-Judgement which springs from Self-esteem and Pride 1. The Devill strives to keep open our senses upon our neighbours actions but we must be as diligent to shun as he is to lay his plots First by denying to give any sentence 2. Secondly by looking homewards upon our selves where we shall find some root of the same fault we blame in them 3. If the fault be manifest put a charitable construction upon it If monstrous have recourse to Gods secret judgements and tremble at the proceedings of his Providence 4. And know that all Charity proceeds from Gods good spirit and all Bitternesse from the Devill 5. Of the means to shield our selves against the attempts of our enemies at the time of Death The way to be then conquerours is to fall upon our enemies before hand 1. And to make timely preparation by studying now the answers of the foure challenges our enemies wil then sendus 2. The first is against Faith and the remedy is to retreat from thine Understanding to thy Will 4. And to give no answer to thy enemies questions 5. But to fix thy thoughts upon Christ crucified 6. The second assault is of Despaire where thou art to observe this certaine rule c. And to have a perfect hope and humble confidence in God 7. And never to distrust his mercy and the merits of his Passion 8. The Third is of Vain-glory which is conquer'd by distrust of thy selfe and trust in God 9. The Fourth is by Fâ—lâ—â— Illusions against which have recourse to the confession of thine owne nothing and admit of no apparences though they seeme to come from heaven 10. After these generall temptations follow others in particular 11. Chap. XX. That we must never flatter our selves as having subdued our enemies But ofteâ— renew our exercises for perfection is very high and hard to be obtained 1. 2. Chap. XXI Of Holy Prayer The Fourth maine Weapon in this spirituall warfare 1. Which must have these properties First a Desire to serve God Secondly Perfect Faith Thirdly Conformity to Gods will because thine own will is subject to error but the divine will is infallibly right Fourthly A connexion with practice Fifthly Thanksgiving for received favours Sixthly A reflexion upon Gods goodnesse and promise and upon Christs Passion Seventhly Perseverance Prayer must also be strengthned with hope And though God seems to reject thy prayer yet persevere knocking and alwayes gratefully thanking him as well when he deny's as grants thy request Chap. XXII What Mentall Prayer is and what Contemplation Mentall Prayer includes alwaies either a virtuall petition of something 1. 2. 3. 4. Or an actuall asking of it by words expressed in the mind 5. 6. Chap. XXIII How to joyne Contemplation to this inward Prayer By taking some points of Christs death or passion 1. And applying his actions to the vertue thou demandest As for example to Patience 2. Marking how meekly he suffered and learning thereby to suffer patiently thy smaller adversities 3. And compelling thy will to take up thy Crosse quietly 4. Chap. XXIV Of another certaine manner of Prayer by way of praying and meditating together 1. Considering Christs merits and the content his heavenly Father took in his obedience 2. And presenting them both to God 3. Chap. XXV Of a way of praying by the Intercession of the B. Virgin 1. First fix thy mind upon th' eternall Father 2. Considering the content he had in him selfe concerning her from all eternity 3. And the wonders he wrought in her when she had a being 4. Secondly upon God the Sonne 5. Lastly upon the sacred Virgin 6. Chap. XXVI How to pray and meditate by meanes of the Holy Angels and heavenly Citizens First addresse thy selfe to the eternall Father 1. Next unto the glorious Angels and Saints themselves 2. Dividing them into quires according to the dayes of the week 4. But every day praying to the Blessed Virgin to thy particular Partron and to S. Joseph Chap. XXVII How to meditate upon Christs Passion and to enkindle holy affections 1. By reflexion upon his love and goodnesse 2. How to get constant hope 3. And a spirituall joy 4. As also affections of sorrow and compassion 5. And contrition for thy Sinnes 7. With a perfect hatred of them 8. And to admire Gods bounty by considering First Who sufers Secondly For whom Thirdly By whom Fourthly What Fifthly How Sixthly When and where 9. A further Declaration of the profit which may be drawne from the Meditation upon Christ's Passion and particularly of the imitation of His Vertues The first profit is a Confusion at the sight of our imperfections The second a desire and demand of pardon with a resolution of amendment The third a persecution of our passions The fourth an imitation of Christs Vertues Another way to Meditate on the Passion By considering First how Christs Soule carries it selfe towards the Heavenly Father Secondly how the Father to-towards Christs Soule Thirdly how the Soule towards it selfe and it's sacred body Fourthly how thy Saviour carries Himselfe towards thee Fifthly how thou shouldst cary thy selfe towards thy Saviour Christ Crucified is the best Booke to reade in and wherein to learne all vertues if thou makest fit application to thy particular practice Chap. XXVIII Of sensible Devotion and Spirituall Drynesse Devotion is best knowne by the effects it produceth 1. How to make profit of all spirituall sweetnesse in Devotion 2. Three causes of Spirituall Drynesse The Devill Our selves and God 3. Search out the true cause thereof 4. And keepe on thy accustomed practices of piety without seeking outward comforts 5. Nor pray to have comfort in thy Crosse 7. Because to suffer for God is the best Prayer and makes thee truly devout 8. And not the feeling of sensible Devotion 9. Wherein many are deceived 10. What thou art to do in time of distresse and dereliction 11. Chap. XXIX That the worthy frequenting of the most Blessed Sacrament is an efficacious meanes to conquer our Passions 1. Meditate the Day before thy Communion of thy Saviours desire c. to come to thee 2. Who affirmes that his delights are to be with us 3. And moove thy Soule to a reciprocall desire and affection towards him 5. Then provoke thy passions to battail
without any foregoing meditation or precedent search into divine mysteries draws up forthwith the lovers affection to his beloved Lord which is more and more stretched intended and inlarged by these ardent ejaculations of the soul thus familiarly conferring communing treating and talking with her Creator and raising up her self to him by acts of love and desires of conjunction And we may fitly say that the solid foundation of invvard perfection is contained in such acts motions and tendances of our Souls towards God their neighbours and themselves as the outvvard consists in the practical performance of our duties in relation to the same three objects Make use therefore O dear souls of these affective Devotions daily diligently and perseverantly and you shall soon perceive a happy and heavenly change in your souls you shall feel your faith strengthned your devotion actuated your good desires prepared and put in real performances your pious intentions ripened for executions and your well-made purposes and resolutions forwarded to leap into the punctual and particular observation of each part of your duty towards God the world and your selves The Seven Exercises The 1. Exercise For Monday Of the Knowledge of God and Confidence in him The 2. Exercise For Tuesday Of the Knowledge and Diffidence in our selves The 3. Exercise For Wednesday Of obtaining Remission of our sins The 4. Exercise For Thursday Of subduing Sensuality to Reason The 5. Exercise For Friday Of Mortification and perfect Abnegation The 6. Exercise For Saturday Of Conformity to Christ Crucifyed The 7. Exercise For Sunday Of perfect Vnion with God FOR MONDAY Of the Knowledge of God and Confidence in him The First Exercise 1. TO know thee O divine fountain of goodness is to be truly happy and yet none can know thee O boundless and bottomless Sea of all perfections but through thine own manifestation and mercy Vouchsafe therefore I beseech thee ô most loving and liberal Lord to enter this poor empty heart of thy meanest servant to inform my ignorant soul with a glimpse of this necessary science and to inflame my cold affection with a small spark of thy holy love O omnipotent Creator of heaven and earth both which thou fillest with thy greatness and glory O God of infinite power excellent wisdom unmeasurable goodness and incomprehensible love my soul thirsts after thee the essential source of all felicity my heart seeks thee the proper place of it's repose it sighs to thee the natural centre of all it's hope and happiness IN thy blessed mind ô my God it first rested in it's eternall possibility and similitude thither it must again return and there it must either rest eternally or perish for evermore O let it now find thee that it may ever love thee 2. O Lord most good glorious and gracious most blessed and bountiful most high and holy most excellent and ineffable What words or thoughts can express thy purity and perfection Let me know thee O thou life of my soul Let me see thee O true light of my eyes Let me seek thee O thou only solace of my spirit Let me find thee O thou desired of my heart Let me embrace thee O my heavenly Spouse Let me possess thee O thou soveraign sweetnes and full satiety of all my inward and outward senses O that my heart could alwayes think on thee my will ever love thee my mind still remember thee my understanding continually conceive thee my reason perpetually adhere to thee and my whole man incessantly praise thee O hide not thy face from me my joy my light and my life If I may not see thee and live O let me dy that I may see thee I desire to dy here and be dissolved that I may see thee know thee come to thee live with thee and love thee eternally O ever blessed and glorious divinity O Father who of thine own substance bringest forth an ineffable goodness coequal consubstantial and coeternal with thy self which is thy Some O Father and Son who loving each other with infinite charity and content are united together in one Holy Ghost equally and unspeakably proceeding from you both I admire thee adore thee and worship thee with all the powers of my body and soul 3. O sacred Deity O Tri-Unity and Vni-Trinity O Father Sâ—n and Holy Ghost Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts who wert art and shalt be for ever almighty I thy poor creature prostrate before the Throne of thy Divine Majesty from the abyss of my own nothing invoke adore and acknowledge thee the abyss of all perfection I present thee with al thine own gifts goods and graces which thou hast plentifully powred out upon all thy creatures I offer up to thy praise the affections of Angels and men the properties of the elements the beauty and motion of the whole universe and the essence of all being O that my soul were capable to comprise unitedly all their severall affections and perfections how joyfully would it employ them in thy praise how sweetly would it melt away in thy presence Behold O my God I make an intire oblation of them all I acknowledge and adore thee with them all and desire to do it as frequently as I breathe and as often as there are minutes in time stars in the firmament sands in the Ocean and numbers in all nature O my Lord whose love is the life of my soul increase my knowledge of thee that I may enlarge my love to thee Alas I love thee not ô amiable Lord God because I know thee not I know thee not because darkness and sin hath covered and incompassed my understanding Wherefore ô bright light who illuminatest all things expell this darkness from my soul drive off these clouds from my understanding draw the curtain from off the face of the abyss of my mind that I may see and know thee and then I shall not choose but love thee O my dear Jesu shew me thy divine Father dart a beam of thy heavenly splendour into my dull heart that I may have some degree of that holy science which may help me in thy love make me obedient to thy will and resolute in thy service To know all things of this world ô Jesu and not to know thee is but ignorance and folly let me therefore know thy eternal Father and thee whom he sent for my salvation and it sufficeth me O give me this knowledge that I may give thee my love and I ask no more Let me be unknowing ignorant and a fool in all other things so I may wisely know thee only ô my God and my all 4. O King of glory I acknowledge thy perfections to be above all knowledge but that of thy own divine understanding I confess that thy height is unreachable thy goodness unchangable thy greatness incomprehensible thy light inaccessible And all other thy divine attributes and perfections are so mighty and so many so good and so glorious so excellent and so admirable
occasion which was also touched briefly in the foregoing Text is that we ordinarily purpose 1. The relying upon our strength to do a good action or to avoid the doing of evil more trusting to our strength than to Gods assistance And this pride whence this deceit proceeds so hudwinkes the eyes of our Soule that wee see it not at all and are therefore justly permitted to fall and faile of our expectation that wee may thereby truly come to the knowledge of our own nothing and learn to ground all our good designs upon the Divine Goodnesse Grace and Power and not at all in our owne strength or indeavours 7. Another occasion is that when 2. The want of force to go through with them our will enters upon a designe it wants force and efficacy to goe through with it although it seemes otherwise to us because our designe eyes the beauty of that vertue which wee aym at rather than the difficulty which intervenes in the getting it So that it is no great mervail that such ill-grounded designes fall downe to the ground and melt away into nothing upon the first sight of the vertue 8. The third occasion is That we 3. The noâ— levelling at the right end addresse not our designes to their true and proper end to wit the pure Service and Honour of God For wee make them oftentimes in our afflictions or in time of distresse and desolution rather to find thereby some solace in such contrarieties than onely to please our Lord God who therefore lets us fall afterwards that wee may discerne this deceit and learn to our cost to aym at nothing else in all our actions than his holy Will and Pleasure CHAP. XVIII How the Devil strives to withdraw us from the way of vertue MOreover the Devil makes 1. Another deceit of the Devil use of an other subtilty to draw us from the path of vertues into the precipice of vices As thus A certaine person fals into a sicknesse which hee desires to support Exemplified in a sick person with patience The Devil seeing that if hee thus persevere hee must needs get the habit of patience suggests unto him divers motions and desires to do this or that good Worke if hee could once have health restored and that hee could serve God better advance his owne perfection more effectually and assist others more charitably if hee were sound than hee can doe being sick And these conceits en-kindle more and more in the breast of the sick person till they make him weary and impatient of his sufferings as being thereby hindred from doing such heroique actions And by this deceit the Devil casts down a Soule from the practice of Patience in Falling into impatience upon pious pretences which it first exercised it selfe into open Impatience against this infirmity yet not as a thing which is in it selfe displeasing but as it is a hindrance retarding her from the Execution of those good Works which shee unquietly desires to performe 2. Nor doth the enemy rest here but having brought the sick person to this proceeds on in his plot and And over-earnestly desirous of health takes away from him the aforesaid suggestions of such good Workes as hee could bring about if hee enjoyed his health when the sick person perceives it not leaving in him onely an ardent desire to recover his health and if this follows not as hee would hee falls into grievous sadnesse and great impatience 3. The best remedy of this is that The remedy is to admit of no purposes which thou canst not presently practice when sicknesse or other adversity hath seized on thee thou take care to admit no motion or desire into thy minde which thou canst not forthwith put in execution otherwise it will make thee solicitous and leave thee in unquietnesse EXPLICATION ANd thou â—rt in this case to Because perchance they would not have their effect perswade thy selfe with all patience humility and resignation that perchance thy now-made inâ—entions would not have the effect thou imaginest because thou art far weaker than thou thinkest Or that God Or that God would not receive them by his secret judgements unknown to thee by reason of thy demerits will not receive this good from thee but rather that thou humble thy self under the sweet and powerfull hand of his holy will So likewise shouldst thou be hindred by thy ghostly Father or any other occasion whatsoever from following thine Therefore trouble not thy selfe when thou canst not performe thy desires own fancy in thy accustomed devotions and particularly in receiving the sacred Communion trouble not thy self with over-earnest desires but truly devested of all self-will cloath and content thy self with Gods good pleasure Saying sweetly If the all-seeing eye of divine providence found not in me so great ingratitude and so many defects I should not be now deprived of so great a blessing as is the receiving of my sweet Saviour in the blessed Sacrament but humbly acknowledging that my loving Lord doth thus discover unto me mine owne unworthinesse his holy name be ever blessed and praised O my God I place my whole confidence in thy divine goodnesse and hoping thou wilt accept of my will which I force and conforme to thy disposition I here open to thee my heart ready to obey thy holy command disposed to doe what thou inspirest enter into it I beseech thee and endow it with Spirituall comfort and courage against its enemies and then doe with it O my Creatour and Redeemer that which is most agreeable to thy divine Majesty and let thy sacred will be now and alwayes my onely food and nourishment since I desire nothing more ô sweet spouse of my soule but that purged and freed from all things whatsoever displeasing to thee I may be ready adorned and prepared for thy comming and willing to follow thy blessed disposition in all things whatsoever But rest secure that thy good will is acceptable to God If thou punctually performest these precepts rest secure my dearly beloved that all thy good desires to doe well which neverthelesse thou canst not compasse either by reason of thine own nature or the craft of thy enemy or God himselfe not permitting it to prove thy resignation to his holy will will always minister some occasion of satisfying thy duty to thy Lord God in what manner hee best pleaseth And this is the truest service thou canst performe and the most acceptable sacrifice thou canst offer to his divine Majesty But I think it very convenient to Another dangerous snare give thee here another caveat of a most dangerous and subtile snare into which many blinded with selfe-love fall unawares and this it is They so palliate and excuse their defects that themselves doe scarcely perceive them 4. And mark this diligently that Text. oftentimes when a man falls into impatience he imputes it not to the pain which he endures but
dearly beloved the manner of meditating and praying upon our Saviours Passion now I will instruct thee how thou mayst thereby stirre up good motions and enkindle holy affections in thy soule When therefore thou hast taken some Article of Meditation upon Christs Crosse and Passion as for example Of his How to enkindle holy affections in meditating on the Passion Crowne of Thornes thinke thus with thy selfe How thy most innocent and amiable Lord Jesus was with greatest derision and scorne cloathed in a purple coat crowned with sharp Thorns cudgelled with a hard Cane besmeared with filthy spittle How this King of eternall glory whom millions of Angels adore in Heaven was by the worst and wickedest sort of men mocked upon Earth as a counterfeit King with scoffing Adoration and Reverence 2. Now when by these and such other points of Meditation thou desirest to raise in thy soule the true feelings and affections of Love By reflection upon Christs Love and goodnesse elevate thy heart often-times whilst thou art meditating to acknowledge the boundlesse goodnesse of thy Lord God and his love towards thee which thou mayst easily gather from the multitude and the bitternesse of his sufferings for thee By this acknowledgement of his Goodnesse thy love will be more and more inflamed and a true contrition for thy sinnes will bee more easily obtained especially if thou considerest that thou hast againe and againe offended this thy most bountifull and loving Lord God who was thus cruelly slâ—ine formerly for the Ransome of thine iniquity 3. To raise also a constant hope in How to get a constant hope thy soule looke upon thy Lord Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords reduced into the extremity of misery to free thee from the slavery of Sinne and snares of Satan to reconcile thee to his Heavenly Father and to give thee confidence to come to him cheerfully in all thy necessities 4. And if furthermore thou wouldst by these Meditations on thy Saviours passion move thy selfe to spirituall joy warn thy thoughts from And a spirituall joy remaining any longer upon his pains and passe to the profits fruits and effects of his sufferings There thou wilt finde thy selfe and the whole World absolved from thy sinnes by them the Divine wrath appeased the Devill defeated Death conquered the lost sheep reduced the Angels seats supplied Joyne to all this the Joy of the sacred Trinity and of the whole Church both triumphant and militant who all rejoyce in the profit issuing from Christs cruell Death and As aâ—so affections of sorrow and compassion Passion 5. But to raise affections of sorrow and compassion towards thy suffering Saviour thou maist weigh not onely the many wounds of his sacred body but the multitude of anguishes griefs sadnesses of his most holy foul For he well knowing the eminent and infinite dignity of his heavenly Father whom he so highly loved must needs be grieved above measure to see this benigne and bountiful Creatour of all things after so many and so great benefits to be so rashly so maliciously and so frequently offended and deluded by his owne creatures 6. And this sadnesse of thy Saviours soule was much augmented by the foresight he had of that vast multitude of men who by their owne sinne and sloath were to be damned eternally The same grief was further aggravated by seeing the immense dolours of his deare and worthily beloved mother and the same sword spared not his which pierced her heart with sorrow Moreover Christs sacred foule which was all-knowing by reason of the divine union suffered in all the Martyrs and tender Virgins torments sustained for his faith and affection 7. In these and the like meditations And acts of contrition for thy sinnes upon thy Lord and Saviours passion thou must often reflect that thou by thy grievous sins and defects wert the cause and occasion of these his afflictions and from hence conceive acts of true sorrow for thy shamefull ingratitude and humble thy selfe at the feet of his Majesty And know that to be the best pleasing and most acceptable compassion when thou persecutest thine owne disordered affections and strivest to ruine those enemies and root them out of thy heart which were the cause of thy Lords so cruel pains and passion 8. And to move thee to a perfect With a perfect hatred of them hatred of thy sinne think seriously in running over all these points of thy dear Saviours passion as if all these his sufferings were for no other cause than to stir thee up to detest all sinne and destroy thy unruly passions and affections them especially which most endommage defile and distract thy selfe and most displease thy Saviour 9. Lastly That by these meditations upon Christs death and passion thou maist be moved to the admiration And to admire Gods goodnesse by considering 6 circumstances 1. Who suffereth 2. For whom of his goodnesse Consider attentively First Who he is that suffereth these things Surely the onely Sonne of the Almighty God who to save thee came from heaven and became man Secondly For whom he suffered Surely for us poor worms the works of his owne hands and who always are prone to offend him Thirdly By whom he suffered Surely By the vild and 3. By whom vulgar crew and the very refuse of all nations Fourthly What he suffered 4. What Surely disgraces contumelies contempts wounds and torments more than can be named or imagiâ—ed Fifthly How he suffered all 5. How this Surely with a most patient meek and willing mind neither shewing any signe of distast nor speaking any word of reproch against his most ungratefull and malicious persecutors but like an innocent lamb led on to the slaughter he complained not of their violence and his owne sufferings but laid down his life his heart remaining full of sweetnesse Sixthly 6. When where When and where he suffered Surely at the time of their Paschall solemnity and in their prime and sacred City and in the presence of his dearest mother and finally in the view as it were of the whole world EXPLICATION A further Declaration of the profit which may be drawn from the meditation upon Christs Passion and particularly of the imitation of his vertues AMongst the infinity of profits The first profit is a confusion at the sight of our imperfections which may be drawn from this holy exercise One is that thou must needs conceive not onely a sorrow for thy sins past but feel also a shame and confusion in thy soule to see that those unruly passions which put Christ Jesus to death upon the Crosse doe yet lurk and live within thy heart The other main profit which flowes The second a desire and demand of pardon from the former is that being truly sensible of thy sinnes and ashamed of thine Ingratitude thou wilt heartily desire and humbly demand pardon for what is past and grace to amend for the
future And for an acknowledgment of thy extraordinary obligation for thy Saviours sufferings undergone for thy sake with a resolution of amendment thou wilt resolve to serve him love him and suffer for him hereafter The third profit is that thou wilt fall out with thy perverse inclinations The third a persecution of our passions The fourth an imitation of Christs vertues and passions and persecute them to death be they never so little The fourth is that thou wilt force thy selfe to the utmost of thy power to imitate the virtues of thy deare Saviour who endured all this not onely to save thee and satisfy for thy Sinnes but also to give thee an example to follow his sacred steps Another way to meditate on the Passion And now my beloved I will here declare unto thee another method of meditating upon Christs passion which thou maist make use of as thy devotion and occasion shall suggest unto thee If thou desirest for example to obtain patience in imitation of thy Redeemer consider these points following First What the afflicted soule of thy Saviour doth towards his heavenly Father By considering Secondly What the Father doth towards this soule of his Sonne Thirdly What this soule doth towards it selfe and its sacred body Fourthly What doth thy Saviour towards thee Fifthly What shouldst thou doe towards thy Saviour First therefore Consider how the soule of Jesus Christ being totally First how Christs soule carries it selfe towards his heavenly Father intentive upon God Is amazed to behold this infinite and incomprehensible Majesty in respect whereof all things created are as a pure nothing submitted though immutable in his glory to the sufferance of such unworthy usages upon earth for man from whom he never received any thing but disloyalty and injuries And how it afterwards adores thanks and offers up it self intirely to the disposition of the divinity Secondly how the Father towards him Secondly Consider how God willeth and exciteth the soule of thy Saviour to suffer for thy sake all those blowes buffets scourges spittles blasphemies thorns and death upon the Crosse giving him to know how well it pleaseth him to see him thus replenished with all sorts of affronts and afflictions Thirdly passing on to the soule of thy Saviour Christ Consider how with his understanding which is all Thirdly how the soule towards it selfe and its sacred body light knowing how highly his passion pleased God and with his will which is al fire loving the divine Majesty beyond measure which thus invited him to suffer for thee he disposeth himself readily joyfully contentedly to obey his sacred will and pleasure And who can dive into the depths of those desires which this pure and loving soule of thy Saviour had to suffer for thy sake It found it selfe as it were in a Labyrinth of troubles casting about to encounter new wayes of sufferings and therefore freely gave up it selfe and it 's innocent body as a prey to the pleasure and cruelty of the most lewd and worst sort of villains Fourthly Consider in the next Fourthly how thy Saviour carryes himselfe towards thee place thy sweet Saviour amidst his bitter torments fixing his eyes full of teares and tendernesse upon thee and conceive thou hearest him thus expostulating with thee Behold my Child whither thy immoderate desires and unmortified affections have brought me because thou wouldest not use a little violence to thy selfe See and consider how much and how willingly I suffer for thy love and to give thee a pattern of perfect patience I beg of thee ô my deare child and I conjure thee by all these my sufferings and sorrows that thou wilt willingly embrace and cheerfully carry this Crosse and any other which I shall think fit to lay upon thy shoulders and that thou abandon thy selfe intirely into such hands as I shall permit to persecute thee in body or fame how vile contemptible and cruel soever they be O didst thou but conceive the greatnesse of the comfort I should receive in this thy patience and courage But thou mayst read it in these my wounds wherein my love to thee is written in bloudy characters and which I willingly receive as so many precious pearles to enrich thy poore soule with all sorts of vertues and perfections because I love it above all things created And if I thy Lord and Creatour am reduc'd to this extremity for thy love why ô my deare Spouse wilt thou not consent to endure a little to satisfie my hearts desire to supple my wounds and to mitigate these my pains caused by thy impatience which more afflicts my soule than these grievous torments doe my body Fiftly Consider well who he is Fiftly how thou shouldst carry thy selfe towards thy Saviour that speakes thus unto thee and thou wilt find that he is the King of glory Iesus Christ true God and true Man Mark also the greatnesse of his grief the variety of his torments and the manner and indignity of his disgraces too bad for the worst of men or most infamous malefactor in the world Yet thou seest thy Saviour amidst all these affronts and afflictions not onely unmoveable mild and patient but even joyfull and content as if hee now kept his marriage-banquet And as a little water rather strengthens than extinguishes a full kindled fire so by the increase of his torments which were small in respect of his excessive love his content and desire of suffering farre greater was more and more enkindled and augmented Consider further that he endured all this by no externall violence nor for any self-interest but as he told thee for thy love and that thou mightst imitate him and exercise thy selfe in the vertue of patience And then penetrating into that which he desires thou shouldest doe and into the content thou shouldest afford him by this thy practice of patience produce acts of a passionate will to beare not onely this Crosse patiently and joyfully but any greater that so thou maist imitate him more perfectly and content him more abundantly And imprinting in thy mind a lively image of these his sufferings and of his constancy therein be ashamed to thinke thy patience so much as a shadow of his or that thy affections are really any at all being compared with his and tremble that the least thought of not enduring for the love of thy Lord should remaine in thy heart Thy Crucified Jesus my beloved is the best book thou canst read in Christ crucified is the best book to read in and the liveliest image thou canst look upon to draw the perfect pourtrait of all vertue For it being the book of life it not onely informs thy understanding by words but also inflames thy will by example The world is full of books yet all of them together cannot so speedily and perfectly teach the true means of obtaining all vertues as doth the right contemplation of Christ upon his Crosse But they And to learne all
vertues who imploy much time in deploring their Saviours passion and admiring his patience and apply it not at all to their particular practice when occasions If thou makest fit applications to thy particular practise are offered doe like unto those Souldiers who before the skirmish talk of great matters and speak high words in their tents but at the first sight of the appearing enemy they take a fright quit their colours cast down their armes and utterly forsake the field And indeed what thing can be more silly cowardly and unworthy than to contemplate as in a most cleare glasse the vertues of our Lord and Saviour loving them and admiring them and presently to forget them and disesteeme them as soone as any occasion is presented wherein to exercise our selves in their imitation CHAP. XXVIII Of sensible devotion as also of spirituall drinesse and dereliction SEnsible devotion proceeds sometimes from a naturall inclination sometimes from the Devil and sometimes from Gods grace And by Devotion is best known by the effects it produceth the fruits of it thou maist best judge from which of these springs it issueth For if thence thou art no whit moved to amendment of life thou maist justly feare it comes either from thy enemy or from thy owne nature and the more sweetnesse thou feelest the more shouldst thou be suspicious whence it floweth 2. When therefore thy soule is replenished How to make profit of all spirituall sweetnesse in devotion with spirituall sweetnesse question not whence it commeth nor adhere much unto it but still stick stedfastly to the acknowledgement of thine owne basenesse abstracting thy heart from all other delights or desires than onely that which it takes in God and his good pleasure Thus will these short sweetnesses whether they spring from thy owne nature or thine enemies suggestion be truly turned to thy comfort and profit 3. Drynesse in like manner or desolation Three causes of spirituall drynesse of the soule may proceed either out of our owne naturall defect or from the Devil or from God From the Devil who thereby The Devill strives to render the soule tepid and tedious in her spirituall exercises and so to draw her by degrees to leave them and looke after earthly solaces From our selves Either because Our selves we stand in feare of our selves by reason of our sinnes or because we are negligent in the practice of our devotions From God who therefore permits God this drynesse to excite us to more diligence and abstract us from all other cares and curiosities but them onely which concern our Creatour or have some relation unto his honour or our own perfection Or finally to teach us not to trust or rest in spirituall joyes but to depend wholly on his holy will and pleasure As that resigned soule did which said Our Lord gave our Lord hath Job 1. 21. taken away as it hath pleased him so it is done 4. When therefore thou feelest this drynesse of devotion enter into thy selfe and search out the cause thereof Search out the true cause thereof and having found it fight against it not to recover that sensible sweetnesse of grace but to expell farre from thee whatsoever is displeasing to the divine Majesty 5. And let it be thy continuall And keep on thy accustomed practices of piety care to keepe on thy accustomed practices of piety notwithstanding this drynesse in thy soule yea though thou seemest to labour in vaine yet prosecute them with greater diligence and drinke of that bitter potion of desolation with a prompt and peaceable resolution and if it be so mingled with the thick dreggs of a troubled minde that thou knowest not how to swallow it nor which way to turne thee yet persevere with alacrity and sit And seek no outward comforts solitarily thus deferted under the shadow of the holy Crosse seeking no outward solace though the whole world should offer it or any creature afford it thee 6. For thou arr to conceale this Nor pray to have it mitigated Crosse of thine from all persons except thy ghostly Father to whom thou art faithfully to discover it not to have comfort from him but counsell how to carry thy selfe during this drynesse conformable to the divine pleasure and good liking 7. Nor art thou to make use of the holy Communion Prayer or any other spirituall exercise with intention to have the least mitigation of thy adversities but only that thy good God will give thee strength of spirit to support thy Crosse with patience And if through trouble and distraction thou canst hardly make use of thine understanding in thy meditations keepe onely a willing minde to doe it and supply it with jaculatory prayers and frequent elevations of thy mind to thy Lord God EXPLICATION IN this case thou maist make use of these or the like sacred sentences My heart is troubled within me my strength hath forsaken me and Ps 37. 11. the light of my eyes is not with me Lord I suffer violence answer for Esay 38. 24. me Return return ô my beloved let me Cant. 6. heare thy voice How long shall I consider in my self Psal 13. 3. and have griefe in my heart all the day Why ô Lord art thou gone farre Psal 10. 1. off and despisest in opportunities in tribulation Pardon me that I may have some Psal 38. 14 refreshing before I goe hence and shall be no more O my God my God why hast thou Psal 22. 9. left me Or thou maist say O my Lord ô my love where where dost thou leave thy poore servant thus all alone who hath no comfort in himselfe and desires none from any creature O what shall he doe if he findes it not in thee Whither wilt thou goe poore stray'd sheep if thou hearest not the voice of thy divine shepheard O living fountaine ô source of all sweetnesse shall I never more become worthy to tast one onely dropp of thy delights To whom shall I have recourse if thou my God and onely refuge keepest aloof from me O unlimited bounty when shall I have a lively feeling of thy effects How is it possible for my dry soule to subsist in this desert earth being deprived ô my God of thy heavenly dewes When thou findest thy selfe thus In thy desolation remembâ—r how thy Saviour was left comfortlesse on the Crosse abandoned remember how thy deare Saviour was also left comfortlesse by the same heavenly Father in the Garden upon the Crosse and in his greatest afflictions Therefore pronounce with him oftentimes those hard words Fiat voluutas tua Thy holy will be done which proceeding from the depth of thy heart will sweetly wound the heart of thy Lord God and move him to compassionate thy misery either by sending thee comfort or giving thee courage constancy and resignation to endure it 8. For know assuredly that to doe Text. or suffer for Gods
wants and thy weaknesse saying in thy mind Thou seest ô my sweet Saviour how I am possessed with this passion and pestred with this perverse affection Thou also well knowest ô my Lord my weaknesse to resist it and that â—â— is not possible for me by my owne diligence to be delivered Therefore this battail is thine I resigne this my quarrell against these enemies into thy powerfull hands and from thee alone I look for the victory 9. After thou hast thus silently And constantly hope for the divine helpe prayed turn thy selfe to the eternall Father and piously present his deare Sonne Jesus unto him for the same effect for which thou now receivedst him into thy soul And expect with constant hope his divine helpe which although thou presently perceivest not yet thou shalt infallibly and plentifully receive when it shall be most expedient for thee CHAP. XXX How to excite in us the affections of love by the sacred Communion IF thou desirest to stirre up in thy soule by meanes of this most holy Sacrament that fervent love of thy Lord God which destroyes and consumes all self-will and selfe love within thee Settle thy selfe in the evening which precedes thy communion to meditate upon thy Lords immense love and liberality towards Consider Gods love and liberality thee unworthy wretch the worke of his owne hands how not content to have formed thee of nothing to his image and likenesse and to have sent his onely Sonne from heaven to inhabit our earth and to serve thee for the space of three and thirty yeares in continuall labours and travails and lastly to undergoe his most bitter passion and ignominious death for thy redemption He would further bequeathe this his Son unto thee in the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist for the perpetuall food and refreshing of thy soul 2. And that by the due consideration Especially shewed in the sacred Communion of this speciall benefit of sacred Communion thou maist become all fire and love thou shalt thus order thy devout exercise Consider in the first place Who it Weighing first who it is that comes thus unto thee is that conferres on thee this so large and liberall gift Surely it is thy Lord God himselfe the divine and increated wisedom and goodnesse whose worth and perfection infinitly exceeds the reach of all created capacity 3. Then looke upon the gift it self 2. What he gives thee which is the true and onely Sonne of God of equall height nature and substance with the heavenly Father and holy Ghost Now if a small gift proceeding from a King hath its high value in respect of the giver how highly is this gift to be valued by us which is God and given by God himselfe as a token of his true love and a perpetuall memoriall of his tender affection towards us 4. Again reflect upon the eternity 3. The eternity of his love of this love by which it was decreed by his most divine most hidden and most holy wisdome that he would thus give thee himselfe for thy food and refection and hence begin with joy and jubily of heart to sing and say within thy selfe O infinite goodnesse of my God! and is it even so that thou lovedst me in thy endlesse eternity didst thou ô my Lord and my God so much value me thy poor and unworthy creature that thou remembredst mee in thy blessed eternity and hadst an ardent affection and desire to give me thy self for the food of my soul 5. And finally looke into the purity 4. The purity of his love of this love which so great a Lord shewes unto so mean a worm How different is it from all earthly affection how free from the least mixture of profit and selfe-interest How farre is it above thy merits and how purely is it a worke of his onely mercy and bounty 6. Having thus seriously and sweetly with affection and admiration meditated of the divine goodnesse Thy heart may breake forth Hence break forth into admiration into these raptures Whence is it O my Lord that thou so lovest me an abject creature Why O King of glory wilt thou so nearly joyne me to thy selfe who am but a litle dust and ashes I well conceive thy designe O my deare Lord this thy excessive love towards me It is to win me reciprocally to thy love O the purity of divine love Thou lovest me ô my God and givest thy whole selfe unto me for no other end but that I may in gratitude give thee my love life and all entirely and this for no need thou hast of me but meerly for thy mercies sake and for my advancement and profit that by this sweete tye and happy union of love my earthly heart may be raised up to become one with thy divine heart ô my Lord and my God EXPLICATION HEre all ravisht with joy to see And ravishment to see thy self so highly prized thy selfe so highly prized and beloved of thy Lord God withdraw into the secretest part of thine owne heart and there acknowledging that all this powerfull love is to intice thy poore and inconsiderate selfe unto his divine Majesty make so And make an intire oblation of thy self to him absolute an oblation of thy selfe unto him that thy memory may scarcely thinke of any thing but thy God thy affection may abhor all content which comes any way without him and thy Vnderstanding may admit of no other object for its continuall entertainment than him who is the onely satiety and satisfaction of all thy inward faculties and outward senses And since there is no action amongst And this being the chief act of Religion all them which concern our Religion and loyalty to God which can compare with this of receiving him worthily in the most holy Sacrament either in appeasing Strive to perform it most perfectly his anger or uniting us to his love Force thy selfe to the utmost of thy power to prepare purifie and open thy heart unto him and to shut it against all things created 7. Then offer and dedicate thy self humbly and wholly with heart and Text. affection to the divine pleasure Dedicating thy self wholly â—o him and retaine an ever ready and inflamed desire to please God and follow his blessed will And when this holy desire and affection shall be throughly enkindled in thy soul thou wilt see me to move thy Lord God also to be so much enamoured with thee that he desires thou shouldest freely open thy heart to him that he may the next morning enter And freely open thy heart to him in unto thee feast with thee and take his full delight in thee Then doe thou also declare thy mutuall desire to receive him with these kind of Jaculatory prayers O heavenly and divine manna when will that wished houre come that I shall to thine owne content receive thee into my soul Ah when shall I be surely united unto thee by
6. Beeing neare the time of Communion thou art to feare thy selfe but to have confidence in thy Saviour 7. After Communion lay open thy wants 8. And constantly hope for the Divine helpe 9. Chap. XXX How to excite in us affections of love by the Sacred Communion Consider Gods Liberality 1. especially shewed in the holy Communion 2. Weighing First who it is that comes thus to thee Secondly what hee gives thee Thirdly the eternity of his Love Fourthly the Purity of his Love Hence breake forth into admiration and ravishment to see thy selfe so highly prized and make an entire oblation of thy selfe to him And this beeing the chief act of Religion strive to performe it most perfectly 6. Then dedicate thy selfe to his Service and freely open to him thy heart 7. But beware of vanity and curiosity At the time of Communion Thinke what thou art going to do Thanke Adore Implore When Domine non sum dignus is sayd c. humble and confound thy selfe yet still raising up thy heart with hope 8. Having communicated entertaine thy guest with amorous expressions 9. And lastly offer up the holy Son to his heavenly Father 10. Chap. XXXI Of spirituall Communion Thou mayst thus often communicate 1. By frequent desires 2. And it is an excellent exercise against passions 3. If thou makest this right use thereof here prescribed Chap. XXXII Of Thanks-giving All goodnesse is from God 1. To whom therefore all gratitude is due 2. First therefore acknowledge his goodnesse and then thine owne unworthinesse 3. Chap. XXXIII Of the perfect oblation of thy selfe to God First consider Gods greatnesse and glory Secondly adore and acknowledge him c. Thirdly Offer up all thy interest in any thing Fourthly unite all to the Merits of Christ presenting both together to the eternall Father 5. So likewise in offering thy works of piety 6. How to offer up Christs Actions for our offences 7. Another manner of perfect Oblation Christ here on Earth offered not onely himselfe but also all us to his Father make thou the same Oblation How to know the sincerity of thy Oblation Chap. XXXIV How to Petition for Divine Grace First Encourage thy selfe with confidence in Gods Goodnesse Secondly Joyne humility with this confidence Thirdly Presse thy Petition with fervent desires the want whereof hinders the effects of our demands Fourthly Let not thy Petition want Charity Perseverance or Resignation Chap. XXXV Some short observations concerning Meditation First Read over-night the matter of thy Meditation Secondly reflect upon it in the morning Thirdly Weigh his Majesty with whom thou art to conferre Fourthly Begin with Oblation and Petition Fifthly Apply thy senses to the mystery Sixthly Beg what thou intendest to obtaine Seventhly after this begin with thy first point 8. and beware of fancying high mysteries 9. Or leaving off before the time alotted for Prayer be expired 10. In the end reflect how thou hast behav'd thy selfe 11. And be sure to order well the matter of thy Meditation Chap. XXXVI An exercise before the sacred Communion 1. The conformation of the place 2. Beg of thy Savinor to fit up thy poor house 3. Think what guest is to lodge in it 4. Why he comes 5. and to whom And lastly present thy Petition Chap. XXXVII How wee may devoutly offer up the Sacrifice of the Masse 1. Free thy fancy from all outward Objects 2. In vesting thy selfe marke each mystery 3. Let thy outward deportment bee decent 4. and thy inward composition correspondent 5. In thy first Memento To Christs holy Head To his right hand To his left-Hand To his sacred Heart To his right-Foot To his left-Foot 6. In thy second Memento Unite thy affection unto Jesus Christ now present in the Sacrament Chap. XXXVIII An exercise after holy Communion 1. Representation of the place 2. Imploration of Gods Grace 3. Consideration of him whom thou hast within thee and of thine owne unworthinesse 4. Petition Chap. XXXIX A Dayly Examen 1. Every Morning thou art to make three acts of Thanksgiving 2. Of Oblation 3. Of Resolution Secondly at night thou art to examine thy selfe beginning with a generall acknowledgment of Gods Favoâ—â—â— Then begging his Light and Grace next descending to particulars 6. And indeavour to get a true sorrow for thy sins 7. And lastly implore pardon for the past and protection for the future 8. Another Method of Examitation By questioning thy self First wherein thou hast offended Secondly what occasion'd it Thirdly how thou hast practised vertue XL. Being a Conclusion of the whole Book This little Book well practised with perseverance is sufficient Supposing thou fightest manfully without being terrified at thy enemies power though the victory seemes to come on never so slowly FINIS Hold thy hand O Death whilst Tymes Conflict begets an Eternall Conquest Will Marshall sculpsit A Lively pourtraict of the Spirituall Conquest Love Seraphicall Divine of stepps Sacred They have disposed Ascension in their hearts The Law-giver will give a blessing and they shall ascend from vertue to vertue by steps and degrees even to Heaven Psalm 83. v 6. 7. 8. THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST IN Five TREATISES Enabling all Christian Warriers to conquer themselves and come to a vicinity with GOD. Habacuc 3. 19. God our Lord is my strength he will make my feet as of the Harts And upon my high places he the conqueror will lead me singing in psalms AT PARIS M.DC.LI The five Treatises Of the Spiritual Conquest The First Of the discovery of our enemies Ambuscado's The Second Of the use and practise of our Spiritual weapons The Third Of the steps and degrees of Perfection The Fourth Of the steps and degrees of divine Seraphical Love The Fifth and last Of the choycest Maxim's of Mystical Divinity TO THE truly vertuous and our most honoured PATRONS Two in one Right Worthy and most Honoured Patrons AMongst the numberless vanities of this life our thoughts have more than once glaunced not without a certain indignation upon that exceeding folly of almost all Dedicatory Epistles the writers whereof as if hir'd tomake Encomiums and present the world with Panegericks run over each common place of Rhetorick in the recital of their Patrons rare parts and qualities leave no tittle of honour untouch'd no action of their lives unadmir'd no prerogative of pedigree unextoll'd no gift of nature or grace unsumm'd up and having drain'd their whole stock of invention in this scrupulous inquest after all sorts of praises conclude finally that al these and more lines of perfection than either their modesty dares relate or their capacity can reach do directly concentrate in the unparalell'd brests of them whom they thus resolve to celebrate canonize and Deify A proceeding so far from pleasing all generous heroick and discerning spirits that it rather puts them to the blush to see themselves more abus'd than adorned with such plain and palpable flatteries We therefore most worthy Patrons who build upon other principles and follow a Rule and
thine my merits are thy mercies my goods thy graces yet I neither have been thankfull for receiving them nor faithfull in using them O! when did I trust in my own strength and was not foiled and confounded Grant therefore O my Lord ô my only hope and help O my sole safety and security that I may totally trust to thee and distrust my self truly acknowledge thee and deny my self entirely love thee and hate my self 6. I confess ô my Lord that I am the poorest ungratefullest unprofitablest and unworthyest worm of the earth a thing altogether useless to the world and only active to offend thee and to do wickedly in thy sight and is it possible that I can harbor any thought of self-love or self-I king O God of infinite glory greatness and majesty before whom the powers of heaven do tremble what are all creatures in thy sight and what am I the meanest of them all O what proportion is there great God between me and thee between thy All and my Nothing And yet have I infring'd thy laws disobey'd thy commands contemned thy Counsels resisted thy callings and contradicted thy will to prefer my own O monstrous impiety and ingratitude And shall I not willingly submit to all pain punishment contradiction and contempt which thou ô my highly offended creatour shalt suffer thy creatures to inflict upon me Behold O my Lord I debase humble and annihilate my self under all things that have a being I will henceforth utterly hate distrust and detest my self and wholly love thee and relie upon thy mercy O holy self-knowledge O sacred humility thou art the key of all perfection the door of all solid vertue piety and devotion 7. I now cleerly see by the light of thy divine goodness O gracious Lord God what hath hitherto been the cause of my â—on-proficiency in the way of the Spirit and why the path of vertue seemed and so unpleasant thornie tedious and troublesome to my deceived soul It was because I had not learned to leave loath deny and distrust myself and to rely wholly on thee O my only comfort and support I will therefore henceforth faithfully practise what I perceive so necessary I will profoundly humble my soul both inwardly in thy presence O my Lord and outwardly to the whole world I will joyfully and voluntarily embrace all injury indignity contempt correction and confusion which can befall me with as much pleasure as I have formerly any cherishings and kindness I will utterly destroy ruine and root out all self-love self-liking self-seeking self-praise and self-complacencie I will cast my self under the feet of the vilest creatures take pleasure in the meanest employments and obey them most willingly whom my nature most distasts and dislikes I will walk before thee O my Creator as thy needy naked desolate and destitute vassal acknowledging my self void of all vertue and attributing to my self nothing but sin ingratitude defects failings imperfections I will fully perswade my self that no one can contemn confound persecute and punish me as I deserve I will not regard whether I am honored or hated but imagine my self as a thing dead forgotten or as that which never had a being and is now truly nothing I will be contented to be accounted an hypocrite in my sincerest actions and to be thought full of inward impatience secret grudgings and desires of revenge against them who shall any way mortify or misuse me though my heart be never so free from it Finally I will have these and the like thoughts and words alwayes in my heart and mouth I am nothing I have nothing I do no good I am an unprofitable servant I utterly hate and distrust my self and totally rely upon thee O my Lord my love and my All. FOR WEDNESDAY To obtain Remission of our Sins The Third Exercise 1. WHo will give water to my head and fountains of tears to my eyes And I will weep day and night for my sins which cover me all over like an incurable ulcer from the soal of the foot to the crown of the head Where art thou O my wretched and wicked soul In what labyrinths dost thou walk In what sinks of sin and puddles of uncleaness dost thou wallow Awake arise lament repent how long wilt thou sleep why wilt thou dy when wilt thou shake off thy fetters Ah return silly sheep to thy good Pastour return poor prodigal to thy pious Father whose goodness so lovingly invites thee whose mercy hath so long expected thee O great and glorious God the mighty Monarch of heaven and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords behold a poor and penitent Publican who is ashamed to lift up his eyes to heaven and unworthy to take thy sacred name into his sinfull mouth humbly knocking at thy gate of mercy clipping thy holy feet and craving thy accustomed pity and compassion O merciful Lord hide not thy self from me shut not the door against me Oh! one crum of comfort one dram of devotion to my sad and sick soul to my dry and desolate spirit 2. I am conscious of my ingratitude against thee O supream majesty and my sin is always before me and confounding me But whither should I retire my self from thee To whom should I have recourse but unto thee Art not thou my Father my Father of mercies which have neither limits nor measure Art not thou my Maker my preserver my governor my deliverer my King my Pastor my Physician my Priest and my Sacrifice If thou art not all this and more to me and if I am nothing to thee refuse me reject me and relinquish me a prey to be swallowed up by thy enemies But it is time O my Lord that heaven and earth take notice of what thou art to me and what I am to thee It is time thou enter into thy right And I must now either give my self to thee or thou must take me unto thee Not that I aspire to those excellent prerogatives of thy dearest servants No my Lord it sufficeth me to be in the out-rank of thy meanest slaves to be only stamp'd with thy mark and link'd fast in thy chains that I may never more have the power to fly from thee O grant me this favour most merciful Father which thy dear Son hath purchased for me by the price of his death and passion I am fall'n without thee by my own frailty but can never hope to rise but by thy mercy O my Lord and only support I am sick without thee but cannot be cured without thee my heavenly Physician I am dead without thee but can never be revived but by thee ô life of my soul So true it is that to make me come to thee thou ô most gracious Lord God must first come to me O the admirable goodness of my loving Lord Even this little I am doing is rather thine own work than mine Thou O my Lord puttest repentance into my soul desires into my heart sighs into my brest
and conversation enter into his secret cabinet eat at his table repose on his breast be his minion become all one with him O honour most admirable O holyness most amiable O happiness most Angelical O life O love The 27. Maxim That Confidence in Gods goodness is the main support of our Spiritual Edifice WE must be confident that our Loving Lord will First pardon our sins Secondly strengthen us in all necessities Thirdly bring us finally to eternall happiness And to strengthen this Confidence we must deeply ingrave these two Maxims 2. Maxims in our souls and then we shall easily be content to leave our selves in the arms of his paternall providence and lose our selves in the abyss of his piety First That what ever befalls us comes immediately Rusbrochius Read the Conflict c. 10. n. 3. 4 either from his will or his permission Secondly That he will turn all even our frailties and failings to our spirituall good We may further weigh what wonderfull cause Motives to put our Confidence in God First in heaven we have 1. Viscera misericordiae 2. Vulnera misericordiae of confidence and comfort we have First In heaven where we have 1. Bowels of mercy in God the Father we cry dayly to him as his Son taught us Our Father which art in heaven Will not a good father forgive the fault and forget the folly of his returning and â—epenting childe 2. Wounds of mercy in God the Son the least of which was sufficient to redeem a thousand worlds whereby we being reconcil'd and made his friends will he deny us any thing that is necessary Is not each drop of his dear blood a motive of loving confidence and able to melt us into a filiall dependency on him 3. Promises 3. Promissâ— misericordiae of mercy in God the Holy Ghost who hath assured us of his continued comforts till the worlds consummation 4. Words of mercy 4. Verba misericordiae when he said O why will you perish you of the house of Israel As I live I desire not the death of a sinner but that he turn to me and live What hard heart would not be touch'd with tenderness and say reciprocally As I live ô my Lord God I detest all sin and convert my self totally to thee that I may live with thee and love thee eternally O holy Conversion O happy contract 5. Brests of mercy in the 5. Vbera misericordiae Mother of Jesus O Jesu be to us a Jesus O Mother of Jesus be to us a Mother of mercies Let the care of thy honour be ever in our hearts and the care of our welfare always in thine 6. Castles of mercy in the Angels who are before and behind 6. Castra misericordiae us to watch over and protect us 7. Oracles of mercy the prayers and suffrages of all the Saints pitying 7. Oracula misericordiae our misery and purchasing pardon for us If we put all this together we shall find all heaven for us What matter then if hell be against us O thou of little faith whereof canst thou be doubtfull or fearfull c. Secondly On Earth in the Church Secondly On Earth militant what is not for us Sacraments Scriptures Examples Prayers If we go not to heaven where is the fault What could God do that he hath not done and what could we have more than we have for our consolation and salvation Who can choose but take courage comfort and confidence Thirdly Look upon Christ Jesus Thirdly In Christ 1. Why came he into this world 2. How did he carry himself in it towards sinners both in his life and death 3. Why was he called Jesus and tearmed a friend of Publicans and sinners 4. Why did he â—â—y That he came to call sinners and not the Just and to do mercy and not justice 5. What access and comfort gave he to all sinners 6. What was his last will and testament c 7. What his last words Father forgive c. Fourthly Ponder Gods Perfectious Fourthly Look on Gods perfections 1. He is our maker we the work of his hands Doth not each Artist love his own handy-work Hath not every one a naturall proneness to protect improve profit and perfect his own Even so our loving Lord takes care of us he hides and harbors us as the Hen her Chickens under her wings he defends us as the apple of his eye If a mother can forget the fruit of her womb yet will I never forget you say's our Lord because I have graven you in my hands and heart 2. He is All-mighty All-wisdom All-goodness Put these together I have a Father and Maker that loves me exceedingly he knows my necessities and what is best for me he is rich enough to provide for me Will he let me perish will he reject me Then reason thus further with your-self In whom shall I confide if not in God In my self or others We are all inconstant all ignorant of what is best all impotent and want means to help O how much better is it to trust in God than men Fiftly Reflect upon your own Fiftly our own experience Experience 1. Whom did God ever deceive in his promises 2. Who ever called heartily on him and was refused 3. Hath he not hitherto merveilously protected and preserved you and disposed all for your good Why then should you doubt or distrust his providence for the time to come No Lord Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee Heaven and earth may perish but no tittle of my hope in thee my Dear and only Saviour This shall be my Anchor and stay If he kill me I will trust in him I will rest Secure in his Divine providence and endeavour to get an habituall and stable trust in his paternall protection without any care or fear as doth a child in his fathers bâ—som This is the ready way to become unmoveable and immutable quiet and content Is he God Is he good Is he my God my Father my Jesus Jesus crucified Is his goodness infinit Doth he want power wisdom or Will to pardon protect and perfect me I must surely have little faith less hope and no love If I will not take thy words O Lord thy works thy wounds thy life and thy love for secure pledges of thy care towards me and sufficient motives to place my whole confidence in thee The 28. Maxim That the measure of our progress in Perfectionâ— is the Conformity of our Wiâ—â— with the divine will 1. FOr our perfection consists in love and the greatest signe of love is to have one and the same Will with the beloved So that look how much we have of our own Will so much less have we of Gods will and love and consequently are so much the further from the Union of our spirit with him 1. In this exercise of conformity consists all perfection O what holiness and happiness what privilege and
Surely the proud have no true Isay 48. 2â— rest there is no peace to the wicked Let us Remedy it therfore by learning of Christ true humility and meekness out of which there is no hope of quiet 5. An indiscreet Zeal and 5. Indiscreet zeal over-greediness of perfection which makes us eat more than we can disgest and so cast it up again with great pain undertaking austerities exercises introversion c. beyond our capacities without counsel and so we remain afflicted being unable to go forward and ashamed to go backward Let us Remedy this by humble obedience to a discreet guide 6. Want of fervor in our vocation 6. Instability of heart instability of heart and inconstancy in our exercises leaving changing interrupting them through laziness or lightness This leaves a worm gnawing upon our conscience with continual disquiet and sadness Let us Remedy this with S. Bernards counsel Wilt thou never S. Bernard be sad live well A good man is alwayes merry and a good conscience is a continuall feast 7. Disordinate love and affections 7. Love to creatures to creatures Let us love all only for God and we shall be content and quiet in the loss of the most lovely and beloved creature in the world God alone will supply all other loves and losses 8. A jealous and envious eye 8. An enviâ—us eye This is a dangerous and lamentable cross For all the Perfections of oâ—hers are ours when we love them â—n others but when we hate them they are nails in our eys and thorns in our hearts which do extreamly torment us O madness Have we Parum tibi est si ipse sis foelix nisi alter sit infoelix not sufficient miseries at home in our selves but we must suck poyson like Spiders out of others Hony and what is their crown must be our cross What greater wickedness than to pine away with grief at others good The Remedy of this is by endeavouring to get true Charity the property whereof is to weep with the weepers rejoyce with the joyfull to love others good as our own Let us avoid Curiosity if we wil eschew Envy for a Curious eye is the fewel of an Envious heart let us remain like Bees in our hive of Introversion there make provision for the Winter of Death Eternity c. 9. Frequent failings in good 9. Frequent relapses purposes and relapses into sin We question whether our sins past are pardoned and are uncertain that our present Confessions are good This is of one evil to make two foâ— we have done amiss and now by losing Courage and confidence we make our selves unfit to do better Let us Remedy it by acknowledging our fault using violence to our selves and following direction Other Remedies against Sadness Orher Remedies against sadness Jam. 5. 13. 1. Prayer 1. Prayer is a soveraign Remedy Is any one sad amongst you Let him pray God is our only joy and comfort Let us lift up our hearts to him and lay open our wants and desires before him with Resignation who both can and will abundantly comfort us Ah! my poor soul why art thou sad and whence comes it that thou thus troublest me Is not our God good and gracious who hears thy sighs and sees thy sorrow what wantest thou which he cannot or will not give thee when he sees it most expedient for thee 2. Somtimes let us sing spiritual 2. Singing Songs which greatly confound the Devil 3. Other times we may fitly divert 3. Recreâ—tion our thoughts by some external Recreations or imployments 4. Let us endeavour to make 4. Fervent acts external and internal Acts with fervour though without gust as embracing and kissing a Crucifix and speaking reverently and lovingly unto it c. 5. A discreet taking of a Discipline 5. A discipline obtains wonderful comfort for the soul is called from the inward troublesom pensiveness to the outward pain and the Devil flyes away seeing his companion the Flesh so hardly handled 6. Frequent Communinn is an 6. Communion excellent cordiall strengthning our hearts and rejoycing our spirits 7. Let us discover the effects 7. Discovery of it and manner of our sadness to our spiritual guide and take his advice simply and humbly This is the remedy of remedies 8. Let us take heed of making 8. Indifferency use of these Remedies only that we may be at ease and avoid affliction but for the prevention of danger which may ensue and for the rest remain perfectly indifferent and resigned 9. If we will be free from Sadness 9. Few desires we must labour to keep far from us unquietness of mind if we wâ—ll have our minds quiet we must have few desires and those few only to love and please God 10. Finally let us beware of 10. Plain-dealing three things 1. Of following our Sensuality in meat drink talk ease c. 2. Of vain Complacence and self-opinion c. 3. And above all of Hypocondriacy Hypocrisy double dealing sleights with our guide for no mervail if he starves and pines away who lâ—es to the holy Ghost If we are simple as children our loving Father will give us sweet-meats Wo be to Hypocrites for it Mat. 23. 13. wil go il with them in the latter day Another Antidote against Melancholy and Pusillanimity The reason of our being so often Pufillanimity proceeâ—s from want troubled and shaken is because our spiritual edifice is not supported by these solid props 1. Faith For if we captivate 1. of Faith our Understandings to believe what God himself hath told us what his Church hath taught us and what our ghostly guides still preach unto us how can we chose but be comforted and satisfied 2. Abnegation For if we have 2. Of Abnegation made good Confessions have endeavoured to satisfy God and our guide and have a will to obey them in all things we may rest secure Let us not say What shall become of us Shall we persever for the desire to know this argues our hearts of secret pride and propriety Let us therefore deny our selves saying Gods holy will be done in and with us for all time and eternity and what ever becomes of us we will serve him till death because his love deserves it What need we seek a further security of Gods friendship towards us in this life than to find in our souls these two things First for the time past we have done penance consisting in Confession Contrition and Satisfaction Secondly for the time to come we give our selves totally tâ— God to serve and please him the residue of our life in the best manner possible Let us put our souls in this estate and go on with courage and never more trouble our selves 3. Solid Confidence For if we 3. of Confidence know God is mercifull and Jesus hath suffered enough for all sinners whereof we are the