Religious man much wondering and desiring to be instructed in the mystery that blessed soule deceast told him that the first whō he had seen bearing their crosses vpon their shoulders were such as entred Religion when they were well in yeares the second sort who bare them in their hāds were such as came into Religion in the flower of their youth the last who went so cheerfully and so lightly on whilest their crosses were borne in the handes of Angels were such as had entred Religion in their tender yeares and had sooner forsaken left the world thē knowne it FINIS Ad maiorem Dei gloriam THE THIRD TREATISE OF THE RIGHT AND PVRE INTENTION WITH WHICH we ought to doe our Actions Composed in Spanish by the R. F. ALFONSVS RODRIGVEZ of the Society of IESVS Translated into English Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XXX THE THIRD TREATISE OF THE RIGHT AND PVRE INTENTION With which we ought to do our Actions That we ought principally to shune all vaine glory in our Actions CHAP. I. THERE is nothing in our Rules Constitutions so oftē repeated or more recommended to vs then that we should endeauour to haue a right Intention in all our actions therfore almost in euery leafe and rule are these words repeated To the greater glory of God Or these other in effect the same hauing always regard vnto Gods greater seruice Our Blessed Father Saint Ignatius had this desire of the greater honour and glory of God so deeply rooted in his heart and was so accustomed to direct all his actions vnto this end that he repeated these words for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh most frequently on all occasions Math. 12.34 Luc 6.45 This hath beene euer as the Deuice the soule life of all his actions as is amply declared in the History of his life and therefore with good reason are these wordes Lib. 1. c. 3. vita P. Ignatij Ad maiorem Dei gloriam subscribed vnto his picture This is his Armes this his Deuice and Motto in this short sentence is his whole life and all his actions in such manner comprehended as we cannot entitle him to more prayse and honour then these few wordes make him inheritour of This must likewise be our Scutchion Motto and Deuice to the end that like dutifull and legitimate children we may be in all things like vnto our Father Neither is it without cause that he commends this so much vnto vs Tract 2. cap. 1. seeing that all our progresse perfection cōsists in those works which we are to do for according as they shall be good and perfect so likewise shall we be better perfecter the more right and pure our intentions are the more sublime and perfect shal be their end for this is that which giues soule and being to our aactions according to that of our Sauiour in the Ghospell Math. 6.22 23. The lampe of your body is your eye if that your eye be pure simple your whole body shall be inlightned but if your eye be naught your whole body shall be obscure Greg. l. 38 Moral c. 3 The Holy Doctours commōly vnderstand in this place by the eye the intentton as that which before hand markes considers what it is to do by the Body the operation which presently followes the intention as the whole body followes the direction of the eyes Moreouer Christ our Lord sayes that our works and operations receaue all their light luster from the intention which we haue in doing them that the worke is good or bad according as the intention is good or bad with which we do it so likewise sublime perfect as the end shall be sublime perfect for which it is done Which the Apostle S. Paul giues to vnderstand where he sayes Rom. 11.16 Si radix sancta rami The tree its fruit take well or ill according to the roote for what els can we expect from a tree which hath an ill root but wormeaten and vnpleasant fruit Whereas on the contrary if its root be good and sound both the tree shall be good and the fruit proceeding from it S. Gregory writing on these words of Iob Iob. 38.6 Greg. l. 18. Moral c. 28. Super quo bases illius solidatae sunt sayth that like as the edifice of some substantiall building vseth to be sustained by rewes of Pillars and that those pillers are supported by their basses and foundations so also our spirituall life is sustained by vertues and these vertues depend vpon a right and good intention But that we may proceed heerein with order we will first treate of that vitious end which we are to auoid fly from in our actions that they may not be done out of vaine glory or any other humane respect and after proceed to set downe that good perfect end and intention with which we ought to doe and to performe them for first we must fly euill and then do good according to that of the Prophet Diuerte à malo fac bonum Psal 33.15 All the holy Doctours doe principally aduise vs to take heed of vaine glory for that it is according to their saying a sly and crafty thiefe which sets vpon vs at vnawars and spoiles or to speake more properly robbs vs of our good works and penetrates so secretly and insensibly into our soules that it oftentimes hath ransackt and bereaued vs of all before we tooke any heed or notice of it Saint Gregory sayes Greg. cap. vlt. mora l. 9. c. 13. that it is like a thiefe disguised who puts its selfe into our cōpany as we trauaile making shew as if it went the same way with vs vntill at length when we are least aware of it it sets vpon vs bereaues vs both of life and goodes togeather I confesse sayth that holy Pope that it seemed to me when I first examined my intention in the writing of this worke that I had no other in the vndertaking of it but only to please Almighty God and neuerthelesse in the processe of it I haue discouered a certaine desire of delighting men and a kind of vaine complacence so subtlely crept in that although I know not how nor in what māner it got entrāce yet this I find that the further I go in it the lesse free it is from the drosse of vanity he sayth moreouer that it happeneth with this as it doth with eating for we begin most commonly to eate out of pure hunger necessity but afterwardes there creepes in Gluttony and complacence so subtilly withal that we proceed to do that out of meere delight and gust which we begun out of necessity to satisfy our nature sustaine our life Euen in this manner we begin well oftentimes our spirituall functions of preaching and the like with intention only to apply them to the help of soules but by little little
old and new Testament Quia tu reddes vnicuique iuxta opera sua Psal 61.13 And the Apostle Paul sayth that which a man hath sowed in this life he shall reap in the other Rom. 2.6 Quae seminauerit homo haec metet But let vs now descend further vnto particulars and see what workes they are in which doth consist all our good our progresse and perfection which are no other then those which we doe ordinarily euery day to wit to make our daily prayer well our Examen of conscience to heare Masse and celebrate it with all decency to say our houres and prayers with reuerence and attention to be in perpetual exercise of pennance mortification to performe our office well and that charge which obedience doth impose vpon vs in these consists our profit perfection if we do these actions with perfection we shall be likewise perfect and if imperfectly imperfect And this is all and only that which makes such mighty differeÌ„ce betwixt a good perfect Religious man and on who is imperfect and negligent For the difference doth not consist in that the one doth more or els such thinges which the other doth not do but that the one doth those things which they are to do better and with more perfection then the other and hence it is that this is a good Religious man because he doth his ordinary actioÌ„s wel the other on the contrary an imperfect one because he doth them with tepidity negligence And in conformity to this which hath beene sayd the more perfectly or imperfectly one doth do his workes the more perfect or imperfect he is In the Parable of the Sower who went out to sow his seedes the sacred text of the Ghospel says Math. 13.8 That euen the good seed it self that which was sowne in good ground did in some places bring forth a hundred fold in others sixty and but thirty in others In which place the holy Doctours say are disciphred three sortes of people who serue God Almighty The Beginners the ProficieÌ„t and the Perfect all of vs of the same Religious institute sow but on kind of seed since that the workes we do are al the same the rule the same which we obserue we haue all one time of prayer examen the same holy obedience froÌ„ morning vnto night doth employ vs all and yet for al this Homini homo quid prestat How much how farre doth one man excell an other What difference is there bewixt one Religious man an other The Actions which the one sowes euery day bringes forth an hundred fold because they do their Actions with spirit and perfection and these are the perfect others grow vp likewise with increase though not so great as bringing only sixty fold and these are the Proficient in an other quarter the seed which is sowne brings forth only thirty fold and these are they who yet are but beginning to serue God Almighty And now let euery one of vs coÌ„sider with himself of which of these three sorts he is whether he be not only of those who barely bring forth thirty fold and God graunt that there be none such among vs as the Apostle speake of 1. Cor. 3.12 who on the foundation of their faith doe rayse vp buildinges of wood haye and stubble to serue for fewell in that general day looke that you doe not your Actions out of vayne glory for humaine respects to please and delight men to be esteemed by them since this is no other then to build with wood and haye and stubble to make the fyer at least in Purgatory but indeauour to performe all your Actions with perfection which is to build with gold siluer and pretious stones That all our profit and perfection doth consist herein may be vnderstood by this reason all our profit and perfection consists in two thinges to do that which God would haue vs do to do it in such manner as he would haue vs do it and more then this I do not see what can be expected from vs. Now touching the first which is to do that which God would haue vs do we haue by the grace of God performed it already who liue in Religion do that which is assigned vs by our institute which is one of the greatest goods and perfectest consolations which we haue who liue vnder obedience to wit that we are assured that al which we doe and in which we imploy our selues by order from obedience is that only which God would haue vs do this is in a manner the first principall in Religion drawne forth of the Ghospell and the doctrine of the Holy Father as we will proue when we come to treat of Obedience Qui vos audit me audit Luc. 10.16 in obeying our Superiours we obey God and accomplish his diuine will which is no other then that we should do these thinges in which we are then imployed We read in the Chronicles of the Cistercians that as the Religious were one morning at Mattins S. Bernard with his Monkes saw diuers Angels noting and writing downe the actions of the Religious in the quiâ—e and their manner of behauiour there they obserued that they writ downe the coÌ„portments of some in golden letters of others in siluer of some with inke others only with watter conformable to the spirit attention deuotioÌ„ with which each one of them did pray and sing of others they writ downe nothing at all they being such as although they were personally present were yet in hart farre froÌ„ thence traÌ„sported by distraction and extrauagant thoughts And in particular whilst Te Deum was sung they obserued the Angels with great deligence going vp downe among them to incite them be sing it with deuotion in so much as from the mouthes of these who began to sing their deuout words came out of their inkindled breastes like flames of fire Let vs consider with our selues whether in like manner whilest we pray our harts do seÌ„d vp such fiery words vnto our mouths or rather whether we do not languish in deuotion and yawne againe through lazines tepidity Marke whether you be there in body only whilest in spirit you are in your studyes in your offices in deep consideration of your affayrs or with your thoughts bestowed one any such impertinent thing How it ought greatly to incourage vs to the attaining of perfection that God hath constituted it in the performance of easy things CHAP. II. R. F. Hierome Natalis a man of happy memory in our Society for his eminent vertue learning in his visite of the Prouinces of Spayne did in a most particular maÌ„ner among many other things coÌ„mend and often inculcate this verity that all their profit perfection did consist in the wel doing of those particular ordinary imployments in which they were daily exercised seing that our spirituall progresse and amendment of life
not hurt by it your selfe but also are the death of it so sayth he vayne glory hurts none but the negligent and blind who set themselues forth for to be seene of it and neuer marke before what a vaine abiect vgly thing it is wheras if you would but preuent it by looking on it first it could not hurt you but you on the contrary would be the death and ruine of it by conuerting al its threats flames into contempt smoke This is theÌ„ the first remedy against vayne glory to wit that we indeauour to preuent this Basiliske by looking on it first attentiuely examining and considering that the opinioÌ„ the esteeme of men is but a little wind and vanity by which we neyther winne or loose the prayses opinions of men making vs not better neyther their slaunders nor persecutions worse which Saint Chrysostome excellently declares vpoÌ„ these words of the fiftenth Psalme Psal 5.13 For thou shalt blesse the Iust saying that these words of the Psalme are of great comfort vnto righteous men when they are persecuted and iniured incouraging them to the neglect of it for you saith he you o Lord are he who blesses the iust which being so what harme can al the contempt scorne of men do him who hath the King of Angells for to blesse and praise him And on the other side if God reiect him and do cast him off all the esteeme prayse of men will nothing help him Which he confirmes with the example of holy Iob who whilst he sat on the dunghill full of loathsome soares and vlcers crawling with wormes afflicted and reuiled by his foes and friends what is yet more grieuous by his owne wife was yet more happy then them all because that God did blesse him Iob. 2.3 and howsoeuer men did iniure him yet God was well pleased with him which he confirmed by this great testimony of him that he was simple and vpright one fearing God declining euill and yet remayning in his innocence and this was it which made him a great man indeed the scorne of men and the worlds disesteeme making him in nothing lesser then before And from hence this Holy Saint concludes that we ought only to bend all our indeauours to render our selues gratefull and pleasing vnto God alone seing the prayses and esteeme of men can neither hinder vs nor further vs Cor. 4.3 therefore is to be neglected To me it is a thinge of least account to be iudged of you or of mans day that is by men I do not study to please men but God who is the Iudge of me qui autem iudicat me Dominus est Bonauen opusc de in format nouicioruÌ„ S. Bonauenture adds heereunto an other point saying be not offended with those who speake euil of you seing that which they say is either true or false if it be true it is no maruaile they do dare to say that which you haue dar'd to do If false it cannot hurt you And although you should be moued to some impatience by it yet sustayne it couragiously like those who indure the cautering Iron and as that red hoat Iron cures the wound so shall you be deliuered by this calumny from some secret pride which perhaps lay in your heart you neuer knew of The second means which will help vs much heerein Basil ser de exercit monast is that which is so much recoÌ„mended to vs by the Saints Basil Gregory Bernard and generally all which is to abstayne from vttering any word which may tend vnto our owne comendations esteeme Bern. in formul honesta vitae Neuer speake any thing of your selfe saith S. Bernard which may import your praise how euer familiar he may be with whom you speake Yea be more carefull to conceale your vertues then your vices It is reported of Mr. Auila that he was very carefull circumspect in this in so much that when vpon any occasion for the profit edification of others he thought fit to speake of any spirituall thing which he himselfe had experienced he would by speaking in the third person so hide his owne praises FerdinaÌ„d Epis 4. that none could perceaue it was himselfe he spâ—ke of And a certaine Prelate in Spaine who had formerly knowne our B. Father at Paris was wont to recount vnto vs that he once was discoursing of prayer and teaching the vse of it Being demanded how his prayer succeeded with him answered they should pardon him for he would not tell them that but as much concerning prayer as should be necessary for them to know Charity and the needs of others obliging him to this last wheras to speake of the other were but vanity We read also that Saint Francis was so reseru'd in this that he was not only afraid to make knowne to others those great fauours and graces which God was pleased to bestow vpon him but also when he rose from prayer he caryed himselfe so couertly with so much moderation in his words his exteriour that none could ghesse by his outward comportement at any thing which passed in his heart Thirdly we are not to thinke it sufficient not to say any thing which may tend vnto our praise but we must passe yet further procure as much as may be to keep those good works secret which we do According to this admonition of our B. Sauiour in the Euangell Mat. 6.6 when you pray enter into your chamber shutting the dore pray vnto your Father in secret and your Father who in secret sees you will reward you And as you giue almes do it so as your left hand may not know of that your right haÌ„d doth which is as much as to say that if it were possible your selfe should not know thereof And when you fast Math. 6.17 annoint your head and wash your face that you may not seeme to men to fast That is cary your selfe as if it were a time of feasting for in the prouince of Palestine where our Sauiour was when he spoke these words it was the manner as S. Hierome writs to annoint and perfume their heads on Festiuall dayes and because the subtilty of this vice is so great therfore hath our Sauiour Christ giuen vs the greater charge for to take heed of it and fly it by doing our good works in secret that we may not loose them and that this thiefe vayne glory may not steale them from vs. For so saith S. Gregory do trauaillers hide their money least if they should let it be seene it would intice theeues to take it from theÌ„ And on this occasion he tells what happened to King Ezechias who by shewing the treasure of his pallace to the Embassadours 4. Reg. 20.17 of the King of Babylon was the cause that it was all taken from him and transported to Babylon They bring likewise that common example of the henne who looseth its egge by
kakleing when it lays it to shew that it is iust so with those who desire that others should see their good works when they do them and perhaps rather then faile do tell of them themselues Greg. lib. 22. mor c 9. But a faithfull seruant of God Almighty saith Saint Gregory is so farre from this that he is not content to tarry there do nothing els but that which may come for to be seene of others for so he esteemes himselfe in a manner to haue receaued reward for them but he labours further to ad an ouerplus of such other Heroicall acts as may neuer come vnto the knowledge of men S. Hierome writes of S. Hilarion that he seing such a world of people following him all men honouring him for the multitude and greatnes of his miracles was very sad and did nothing els but weep and when his Disciples demaunded of him the reason of his teares that vnwoonted sadnes he answered it seemes to me Deere brothers that God is rewarding in this life those slender seruices which I haue done him since he permits me so to be honoured of men this is another reason a very fit one which we may make vse of against vaine glory Looke that you haue no desire to be esteemed of men for feare least God pay you in this mony for your good works if perhaps you haue done any and after this life answere you with the rich Glutton Remember sonne how you haue receaued good in your life tyme. Luc. 16.25 This is one of the reasons why the Saints counsaile vs to shunne al extreames singularities since those actions which are aboue the ordinary straine vse to be obserued weighed spoken of by others Qui facit quod nemo mirantur omnes Gerson Guiel Parisâ—ens and commonly serue vnto no other end then to beget in vs a spirit of Pride and vaine Glory from whence proceedeth our contempt of others But seeing that it is not alwayes in our powers to hide our good workes whose vocatioÌ„ it is to help our neighbours by them the fift remedy is to rectify our intentions eleuating our hartes to God and offring and directing vnto him all our thoughtes our wordes actions as we shall presently declare and then if perchance vaine Glory shall seeke for entrance Magister Auila tom 2. epist. f. 59. we may say with Maister Auila You come too late I haue offred vp all my workes already to God Almighty or answeare it very profitably In vita S Bern. as S. Bernard did who when his thoughts once suggested to him as he preached Oh how well you say answered I neyther begun for your sake neither for your sake will I make an end We ought also to be very wary that we leaue not off our workes begun out of feare of vayne glory for that were too too palpable a folly but we must stop our eares and passe ouer the prayses of men as if we heard theÌ„ not In which S. Chrisostome saith Chrys l. 5. de Sacerd. that we are to carry our selues with the world as Fathers to their little children who if the child prayse him doth not much esteeme it if he disprayse him doth but laugh at him since he considers him as a child that knowes no reason for the one or the other And so must we be haue vs with the world consider it both when it speaketh the best or worst of vs but as a child which knows not what it saies P. Xauer lib. 6. cap. 15. S. Francis Xauerius that great Apostle of the East Indyes sayes yet more that if we would but seriously consider our sinnes and imperfections and what we are truly in the eyes of God we should belieue that men in praysing vs did no other then deride and mocke vs and take their commendations for our iniuryes The last meanes with which we will coÌ„clude this chapter is the knowledge of our selues which is the only counterpoise to all vayne Glory for should we but throughly search and diue into that which in truth we are we should vnderstand what smal fouÌ„dation we haue for to build Prid vpoÌ„ and how much cause to humble our selues and be ashamed of so many sinnes and imperfections And that not only by coÌ„sidering that which is ill in vs but euen by attentiuely marking those works of ours which seeme to vs the best and perfectest wherin we should find so much amisse as it were sufficient for to humble vs which S. Gregory saies and repeates often Lpeg lib. 9. moral cap. 11. All humayne Iustice saith he if it be strictly weighed is conuinced to be iniustice and if setting aside Gods goodnes we should be examined we should find those works of ours worthy of punishment for which we awayted to reyceaue reward And S. Iob testifies that he therefore feared in al the works he did knowing the multitude of those defects which vse to mixe themselues with their actions who haue not a wary eye vpon themselues Iob. 9.28 verebar omnia opera mea Which being so what cause or reason haue we to be prowd When if we examine our selues but with attention and call but to compt at night the Actions of the day we shall find nothing but a multitude of miseryes sinnes imperfections crept into all our thoughts and words and deeds we shall perceaue nothing but many good workes omitted and lastly if with Gods assistance we haue don any good we shall commonly see it so deformed with pride vaine glory negligence and many other defects which we do know and far more which we may presume are vnknowne vnto vs that we may haue iust cause to be ashamed of it let vs therefore enter into our selues haue recourse vnto the knowledge of our being nothing let vs I say looke vpon our feet which is the fowlnes and deformity of our workes and it will presently make vs let fall the feathers of that vanity pride which was lifted vp within our harts Of the good end intention which we ought to haue in all our Actions CHAP. VII VVE haue hitherto shewed how we are to fly vayne glory and humayne respects in doing of our workes now will we treate of the end and intention which we ought to haue in them which is Gods greater honour and glory S. Ambrose to this purpose brings that exaÌ„ple of the Eagle who for to try Ambr. l. 5. Hexam cap. 18 lib. de Salom cap. 2 whither her youÌ„g ones are truly bread or no bears them in her Talents vp into the ayre and there exposing them to the full shine of the sunne if shee perceaues that they winke and are not able to abide its beames she lets them fal and houlds them for none of hers but if with their eyes fixed they can abide its brightnes she beares them backe vnto the eyery againe and cherishes them with al tendernes In the
is in her a mixt action of seruice and of loue shee louing the seruice shee doth them and seruing them for loue Oh that we could but do our actions in this manner that we could but find the hidden myne of this treasure in the field one the one side so apparant and manifest Tract 6. cap. 4. tract 8.14 on the other so hidden and concealed Oh how rich should we be in spirit and recollection Behould here the true Alchimy which chaungeth brasse and Iron into gould for howsoeuer ignominious the worke be in its selfe yet by this it is made honourable and of great esteeme let vs therefore hereafter inforce our selues so to do al our actions as they may become pure gould by our performance of them this is in our power to do and easely 3 Reg. 6.19.22 In the Sancta Sanctorum Salomons Temple all was pure gould or conuered ouer with gould so likewise all that we do ought to be the loue of God or for the Loue of God performed and done How we are not so much to lay the fault of those distractions and spirituall hinderances which we find in our selues somtimes on our exterior occupations as on our not performing them as we ought CHAP. IX ONe may wel conceyue from that which we haue now said that the cause of that small progresse and troublesome distractiō which we sōtimes find in our selues when we are busyed about externall things ought not to be attributed vnto those occupatiōs but vnto our selues who know not how to make our profit of them neyther to performe thē as we ought and therefore no man is to lay the fault on his affaires but on his owne want of knowledge to make his benefit of them Cracke the nut it is not the shell but the kernell which must be eaten If you only insist vpon the exteriour action and this same outward rind and shell of things you shall but breake your forces and loose spirit the nut and inward kernell that it with which is no other then the wil of God must be that which we must feed vpō cracke therefore with the teeth of your consideration this outward shell and without regarding it passe forwards to the kernell and the pith like Ezechiels great Egle Ezech. 17 3. which Flew to Labāus and toke away the inward pith of the Cedar without tarying at the outward barck Holocausta medullata offerā tibi Psal 62.15 this is that vpon which you must insist this is that which you must present to God and so your deuotion wil increase and profit you Martha and Mary are sisters the one is not to be hinderance to the other but to maintayne mutuall assistance prayer helps to performe our actions well and our good workes do maynly assist our prayers and if at any time you find your selfe troubled disquiteed in your actions it is because that Mary which is contemplation helps you not Martha Luc. 10.40.41 Martha solicita es turbaris erga plurima Martha was disquieted because shee was not accompanyed with her sister Mary Dic ergo illi vt me adiuuet Do but procure that Mary may assist you and you shal presently see all this trouble will be appeased Those Holy mistical beasts which Ezechiel writes of held their hand vnder their winges Ezech. 1.8 to signify that spirituall persons apply their handes to worke but vnder the winges of contemplation not separating the one from the other but whilst they worke they contemplate and cōtemplating they worke And this is that which Cassian recounts of his Monks in Egypt who although they laboured with their hāds yet seased they not withal to meditate and whilest their hands were doing Marthaes offices their hearts were busyed in Maryes exercises which S. Bernard excellently in these words declares Those who make profession of spirituall exercises Bern. serm ad solit must haue a speciall care that they so imploy themselues in exteriour things as they do not extinguish the spirit of deuotion and so although externally through the exercises of good works they are wearyed in their bodyes internally neuertheles in their soules they are recreated and refreshed Whence it comes that the externall occupatiōs do so little hinder the internall deuotion and recollection that they rather further it for they no wayes hinder the vnderstanding but leaue it at liberty and free to thinke on God Almighty Wherefore Father Hierome Natalis one of our first Fathers and a very spirituall man was wont to say that he enuyed two sorts of people in Religiō the one was Nouices who studyed nothing els but their spirituall progresse in vertue the other the lay Brothers who had alwayes their vnderstādings free and left vnto themselues to entertayne them al day in prayer and deuotion S. Iohn Clymachus tels of a certayne Cook in the Monastery where he was Clym cap. 44. who hauing much busynes by reason the number of Religious was very great amounting o two hundred and thirty besides the strangers and ghests which dayly came was notwithstanding in the middle of so many affaires highly recollected within himselfe and vnited with Almighty God hauing moreouer the plentious guift of teares at which S. Iohn Clymachus being much astonished was very importune with him to know how he came to obtaine so high perfection among so great and continuall a presse of businesses The Brother in the end ouercome with his importunity answeared him I neuer imagined that I serued men but God I haue alwayes thought my selfe vnworthy of any rest or quiet the sight of this materiall fire makes me weep through a liuely apprehēsion of the intollerable paines of the eternall fire It is also related of S. Catherine of Sienna in her life In vita S. Catharinae Senens that her parents did greatly persecute her exceedingly importun her to mary yea they proceeded so far as to forbid her all priuacy and the comodity of any place where she might retyre her selfe to pray and not contēt with this they imployed her in the drudgeries of the house taking a seruant which they had from the Kitchin that she might supply her place to the end that by this meanes they might leaue her no commodity nor tyme to pray or attend vnto her other spirituall exercises But she as the History of her life sayes instructed by the holy Ghost did build vnto her self in her deare hart a spirituall and most retired Cell with intention neuer to go out of it which she performed afterwardes in such māner that whereas she was inforced sometymes in her other retirements for to come abroad out of this spirituall Cell of hers she neuer went her parents could depriue her of the first but she was so surely possessed of this other that no liuing creature could driue her out of it And by imagining with her selfe that her Father was Iesus Christ her mother our B. Lady and her