passions and defects as also a sorrow and compassion for the paine and sufferance of our Sauiour Christ her Confessor told her that all this was good but yet on without much vertue might be liuely toucht with tendernes and compassion of the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ like as we see the naturall loue and affection which one beares an other doth make him haue a deepe resentment of his friends misery and aduersity The Virgin then demaunded of him whether the daily deploring of our sinnes were a true deuotion or no he answered it was good but not the perfectest seeing that euill naturally brings with it a hatred of it againe she asked him whether it were a true deuotion to thinke often on the paines of hell and the glory of the Blessed he answered t' was likewise good but as farre from being the best as the former was seeing that nature its selfe by a certaine instinct doth commonly abhorre and fly from all paine and torment and loues and seekes after that which may bring vs to content and glory as when you see but the picture of some faire pleasant Citty you desire presently to inhabit it This did exceedingly grieue the holy Vigin and left her much disconsolate and sad in that shee knew not which way she might best apply her exercise of prayers to be most pleasing to Almighty God Not long after there appeared to her an Infant of exquisit beauty to whom when shee had related the cause of her sadnes adding withall it was so great that none could comfort her The Child did tell her she should forbeare to say so since he himselfe both could and would comfort her therfore go said he vnto your Ghostly Father and declare vnto him that true and solid deuotion doth consist in the abnegation and contemning of ones selfe as also in an intire resignation into the hands of God aswell in aduersity as prosperity in being straictly vnited by loue to God in euery thing The Virgin with â—oyfull cheer went presently vnto her Ghostly Father to informe him of all this who no sooner heard her but he answered this this is that indeed to which you are to apply your prayer seing that heerein consists the true charity and loue of God and consequently our profit and perfection It is recounted of an other Virgin that our Lord tought her to insist long time together vpon these words Refert Bloâ— ca. 11. mon spirit O Lord your will be done one earth as it is in heauen and we read of S. Gertrude that inspired by God Almighty shee repeated without any intermission those words of our Sauiour Lucae 22 42. Not my will ô Lord be done but thyne three hundred sixty fiue times together and she vnderstood that it was a deuotion most gratfull to Almighty God Let vs then imitate these examples and directing all our prayers vnto this end go forward couragiously in this exercise Now that we may the better and with greater profit doe it we are to presuppose two things The first is that this exercise is of greatest necessity in time of aduersity and wheÌ„ we haue any difficulty to ouercome vnto the conquest whereof is required a conflict against flesh and blood for in these occurrances there is greatest need of vertue and in such times as those the loue which we beare vnto God Almighty doth more manifestly appeare Euen as a King in time of peace by obliging his soldiers by his liberality doth shew the affection which he beares to them and they in the time of warre in fighting dying for him do shew the loue and loyall respect which they haue to him So in the time of spirituall ioy and consolation the King of heauen giues vs to vnderstand how dearly 〈◊〉 tenders vs and we in the time of desolation aduersity do more shew forth our affection vnto his seruice then we are able to do whilst we are in comfort and prosperity M. Auila to 2. ep fol. 20. Master Auila says exâ—ellent well that to render thanke to God in time of consolation is common vnto all but to blesse and praise him when we are oppressed with tribulation and aduersity is only proper to the good and perfect and a most harmonious musicke to the eares of God And he adds that in the midst of aduersity only to say I render you thanks ô Lord blessed be God or the like is of more worth merit then thousands of thanks and benedictions in time of prosperity and in this sense the holy Scripture compares the iust vnto the carbuncle Eccl 32.7 Gemmula carbunculâ— in ornamento auri because that this pretious stone giues greater lustre by night then in the shining day so in like manner the faithfull and true seruant of God Almighty shines and shewes forth more clearly what he is in the cloudy night of tribulation then in the bright sunne shine of prosperity And therfore the holy Scripture praiseth holy Toby so much Tob. 2.14 for that he although God permitted him to fall into sundry calamities and lastly had depriued him of his sight yet neuer proceeded in his sadnes against Almighty God nor remitted any thing of his former fidelity and obedieÌ„ce to his Diuine Maiestie but he remained alwaies immoueable rendring equall thanks to God his whole life long aswell for his blindnes as for the faculty of sight Iob 1.21 as holy Iob in his affections had done before This saith S. Augustin is that which we are to indeauour to imitate vt in cunctis idem sis Aug ad fratres in HereÌ„ ser 4. tam in prosperis quam in aduersis that as well in prosperity as aduersity we remaine alwaies the same Siâ—ut manus quae eadem est cum in palmam extenditur cum in pugnum constringitur Like as the hand is alwaies the same as well when we span it out as when we clutch our fist so likewise the seruant of Almighty God ought alwaies to be at quiet in the interior of his soule how euer he may seeme to the exterior shew to be perplext and sorrowfull And if it be true which is reported of Socrates Socrates refert Cicero lib. 13. Tuscula questio that in the greatest diuersity of fortune he was alwaies one and that he was neuer obserued to exceed a moderation in his mirth or sorrow Nec hilariorem quisquam nec tristem Socratem vidit aequalis fuit in tanta inaequalitau fortunae vsque ad extremum vitae what extraordinary thing were it in vs who are both Christians and Religious men to indeauour to aspire to a perfection vnto which a Heathen had arriued before vs. Secondly we are to know that it is not sufficient to haue this conformity with the will of God in Generall seeing it will be no hard matter to attaine it so for who is there that will not say he desires that the Diuine will be performed in euery thing
and hinder me from passing to an eternall one after which time the Abbot forbare to weape and prayed no more for him and so the Religious being assembled all together the B. Saint prouided of all the requisit Sacraments after he had tenderly embraced them all went sweetly to our Lord. S. Ambrose saith how the Inhabitants of Thrace Amb. de fide resur do vse to lament when Children are borne into the world and make great feast and ioy when as they dy and they deplore their births and solemnize their funeralls for this reason saith S. Ambrose and it is an excellent one because their case deserueth to be pittyed lamented who come into this miserable world so full of woe and camality and on the contrary they haue good reason to reioyce for them when they were freed from this banishment and deliuered from so many miseries and afflictions Now if they who were Heathens and were iguorant of that glory which we hope for could do thus much with how much more reason ought we to be glad to dy we I say who haue the light of faith and knowledge of those felicities which they go to enioy who dy in our Lord therfore the wiseman said with farre more reason that the day of death is better then the day of our Natiuity Ecel 7.1 Melior est dies mortis die Natiuitatis S. Hierom saith that our Sauiour when he would depart out of this world vnto his heauenly Father Hier. ep ad Ther. said to his disciples who were sorrowfull for it Ioan. 11.35 Si diligeritis me gauderetis vtique quia vado ad patrem you know not what you do for if you loued me you would certainly reioyce because I am going to my Father and on the contrary when he was about to raise Lazarus from death againe he wept he wept not saith S. Hierom because he was dead seing he was presently to be reuiued againe but he wept because he was to returne againe vnto this disasterous life he wept because one whom he so dearely loued was to haue his part againe of the woes of this miserable banishment THE XXII CHAPTER Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God in all afflictions and calamities in generall which he sends vnto vs. WE are not only to conforme our selues with the will of God in those afflictions and particular accidents which do happeÌ„ vnto vs but also in those generall calamities and desolations which are occasioned by famine warre sicknes death plagues and other the like which God sends vnto his Church To compreheÌ„d this the better we must suppose that although on the one side we resent the miseries and afflictions and sorrow for our neighbours misfortunes and harmes as it is reasonable we should neuertheles on the other side considering them as they are the will of God and so ordained by his iust iudgments to be the seeds of that good and profit which he knoweth resulting to his greater glory in these I say we may coÌ„forme our selues vnto his holy will in like manner as we see a Iudge coÌ„demne a malefactor vnto death who although on the one side he is not without feeling and sorrow that the man must dy out of that naturall compassion which he beareth him or perhaps because he is acquainted with him neuertheles he omits not to pronounce sentence of death against him and comaunds that it be executed because it is so necessary and conuenient for the good and welfare of the Commonwealth and although it be true that God doth not oblige vs to conforme our selues in all these things vnto his will in such manner as positiuely to desire and loue them neither requireth any more of vs then to suffer them with patience without contradicting or resisting his diuine Iustice S. Bona. sent d. 48. q. 2. alij or murmuring against the decrees therof notwithstanding the diuines and holy Saints do say that it should be a worke of farre more merit perfection and a resignation more entire and compleate for a man not only to accept and endure these things patiently but also to loue and desire them for as much as they are effects of the good pleasure and will of God so ordeined by his diuine Iustice and conferring vnto his greater glory Imitating therin the blessed Saints in heauen who conforme themselues in all accidents vnto the will of God as S. Thomas and S. Anselmus declare by this comparison S. Tho. 2.2 q. 19. ar 10. ad 1. Ansel 1. similitu c. â—3 learning vs that in heauen our will and the will of God shall in as perfect manner agree as the two eyes of a body one of which cannot looke on any thing but the other likewise fixeth its fight vpon it whence it is that although the eyes which see the thing be two notwithstanding the thing which is seene doth seem no more then one Euen so the Saints in heauen accommodat theÌ„selues vnto the will of God in euery thing as seing cleerly in all things the decrees of his Iustice and the end of his greaterglory to which they are all directed so also would it be a great perfection in vs to imitate in this particular the B. Saints in heauen by desiring that the will of God be done on earth as it is in heauen To will that which God Almighty wills for the same end and reason for which he wills it cannot choose but be precisely good Possidonius reports of S. Augusâ— Augustin in his life that he during the siege of the Citty of Bonna where he made his residence being besieged seing so great desolation slaughter which the Vandals made comforted himselfe with this sentence of the wiseman Non erit magnus magnum putans quod cadunt ligna lapides moriuntur mortales he shall neuer be great who accounts it a great wonder to see wood and stones fall and mortalls dy Now we with greater reason may comfort our selues in considering all these things proceeding from the hand of God and how euer the cause why he sends these miseries and calamities be vnknowne vnto vs yet it is not possible but they should be iust The IudgmeÌ„ts of God are profound and a bottomles abisle as the Prophet saith Psal 3.57 iudicia tua abyssus multa neither are we with our shallow and scanty vnderstandings to vndertake to sound or diue into them which would be great presumption in vs quis enim cognouit sâ—nsum Domini Ad RoÌ„ 11.34 Isa 40.30 aut quis consiliarius eius fuit who hath known the meaning of God or who hath been his counsailer It belongs only to vs to receaue them with humility and to belieue that nothing either can or doth proceed from a knowledge so infinit which is not wisely and holily designed and so designed as to haue for its end our greater good and profit On this foundation we are to
in the world in whom was to be found two things so passing opposit as was in him first to fall so often into imperfections and continue so ingratfull to Almighty God and on the other side to receaue so great and continuall fauours from his Almighty hand Blosius writeth of a certaine great seruant of God Almighty Blos c. 10. mon. spirit vpon whom our blessed Lord had bestowed many graces fauours giuing him great illustrations and communicating to him in praier high admirable things this holy soule out of his profound humility did begge of God if so it might stand with his better will and pleasure to take from him that his abouÌ„dant grace and our Lord at his petition for fiue yeares together left him without all consolation in greeuous tentations in great anxieties and afflictions and when once whilst he bitterly wept two Angells presented themselues to coÌ„fort him he told them that he requested no consolation of them but he should be aboundantly satisfied if the most acceptable will of God might be effected in him The same Blosius relateth how our Sauiour once said vnto S. Brigit why my deare daughter are thou so troubled and solicitous vnto whom shee answered Ibid. c. 4. because I am afflicted with diuers vaine and euill cogitations of which I can by no meanes rid my selfe and the feare of thy Iudgment doth much disturbe my soule this is exact iustice answered our blessed Lord that as thou hast been formerly delighted on the vanities of the world against my will so now against thy will thou shouldest be troubled with as many various and wicked thoughts therof Neuertheles feare my iudgment with moderation and discretion firmely euer confiding in me who am thy God for thou art to hold it for most certaine true that such euill cogitations which the mind striueth against and doth abhorre both purify and crowne the afflicted soule if thou canst not auoid them beare them patieÌ„tly and keepe thy will resoluedly bent against them And although thou dost not consent vnto them notwithstanding feare least thou become proud therof and so come to fall for whosoeuer stands is supported with the only force of God Taulerus saith and Blosius recouÌ„teth it in his CoÌ„solation of the Pusilanimous that there are diuers who wheÌ„ they are vexed with any tribulation do vse to say vnto me Tauler Father I am much afflicted all goeth very ill with me for I am greatly pestered and perturbed with many afflictions and much griefe and sorrow and I tell them that it goeâ—â— well with them then they will reply ô Sir but my fault is only the cause of it to whoÌ„ I answere againe whither your fault be cause of it or no beleeue neuertheles that it is a crosse of affliction imposed by God vpon you rendring thanks vnto him suffer it patiently and resigne your selfe vnto him Then will they tell me oh but I euen internally pine away with that great aridity and spirituall obscurity in which I liue vnto whom I finally reply beare it patiently my deare child and it will be more for your soules good then if you were in neuer so much and great sensible feeling of deuotion We read of a great seruant of God Almighty who said it is fourty yeares since first I serued our Lord and haue been conuersant in prayer and yet I haue neuer knowne what sensible feeling or consolation was but only this I haue found that daie when I haue duely made my prayer I am much streÌ„gthned enabled to go thorough with the exercises of vertue wheras if I euer omit it or performe it tepidly I am so infeebled that I cannot raise my selfe on wing to do any thing which is good and vertuous THE XXX CHAPTER Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God for as much as concerneth the distribution of others vertues and supernaturall gifts LIke as we conforme our selues vnto the will of God in what manner so euer he shall dispose of vs in prayer so also are we to do in all other vertues gifts of God and in all spirituall fauours and prerogatiues it is good to haue all vertues in desire to aspire vnto them and indeauour to attaine them but we are in such manner to desire to become better and to go forwards and increase in vertue as not to be disquieted if we obteine not that which we desire and to conforme our selues vnto the will of God and place our whole contentment and delight therin If God be not pleased to bestow vpon you an Angelicall purity but would haue you suffer in that kind violent tentations it is farre better for you to haue patience in it and to accommodate your selfe vnto the will of God in this tentation and extremity then to disquiet and trouble your selfe with bootlesly lamenting of your case that you cannot attaine vnto that purity and candour of the blessed soules in heauen if God be not pleased to bestow vpon you so profound a humility as S. Francis had neither a mildnes answerable to that of Moyses or of Dauid nor in fine so great a patience as that of holy Iob but letteth you experience the contrary motions appetits your best course were to humble your selfe and to embrace the shame which may giue you occasion of hauing your selfe in a more vile esteeme which will not be effected if you remaine troubled with it and spend your selfe in silly complaints and lamentations because God hath not indowed you with an equall patience vnto holy Iob or such a humility as S. Francis had We must conforme our selues vnto the will of God euen in such things as these or els we shall neuer enioy true quietnes M. Auila saith excellent well Auila c. 23. Audi filia I do not belieue saith he that there hath euer been Saint in the world who desired not to become better then he was but that notwithstanding did not hinder quiet of mind since they desired it not out of any cupidity of their owne for that is insatiable neuer cryeth enough but only for God with whose distribution they should haue been content although he had giuen them lesser then they had esteeming it the part of on who loueth loially and truly indeed to content himselfe with that which is giuen him rather then to desire more how euer selfe loue may preteÌ„d that it is to be able to serue Almighty God the better But some will say that our speech seemeth to tend to this that we should not be very forwards and feruent in desiring to be more perfect and vertuous then we are but that we ought to remit ourselues wholly vnto God as well in matter of soule as of our body and from thence they may imagine that we may giue occasion to some of becoming more tepide and negligent and neuer to striue to become perfect or make progresse in vertue This point is well to be heeded seing it
is not of little importance this obiection and reply is so forcible that there is nothing more in this treatise to be feared There is no doctrine how sound or good so euer it be which may not be abused by those who know not how to apply it as they ought of this number are as well those things which appertaine to prayer as those which concerne all other vertues and spirituall gifts and therfore it is needfull that this be well declared and vnderstood I do not say that we are not to desire euery day to be better holyer then other and to be alwaies imitating those who are more perfect with the greatest diligence and feruour as we can for we are come into Religion only vnto this end and if we do not this we are no good Religious men but that which I say is that we are to carry our selues in this point as we do in exteriour things where a man must be diligent to procure them but not anxious nor too couetous as the holy Doctors say and our Sauiour prohibiteth it in the Euangell Dico vobis ne soliciti sit is animae vestrae quid manducetis Math. 6.25 nec corpori vestro quod induamini where that which he reprehends is a care and anxiety too inordinate and an appetit of those things too immoderate but he forbideth not a moderat care and requisit diligence but rather comaunds it and hath by way of pennance imposed it on vs Gen. 3.19 In sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo It is requisit that men should vse labour diligence to liue or els it were a tempting of Almighty God In this manner we are to behaue our selues in spirituall things and in the obteining of vertues and the gifts of God wherin we haue need to be very diligent and vigilant yet so as not to bereaue our selues of our minds peace and conformity with the will of God You are to do all which possibly you can and if with all you do you cannot arriue vnto that high perfectioÌ„ to which you do ptetend you are not to be transported with impatience for that were worse then the faults which hinder you yea although it should seeme to you that it were occasioned through your owne lukewarmnes which â—s a thing that vsually afflicteth many 〈…〉 to procure to vse all diligence 〈…〉 to the compassing of it when 〈…〉 your selfe defectiue and salâ—e into any faults you are not to be distraited or to loose courage for it is 〈◊〉 common 〈…〉 vs all you are a man and not an 〈…〉 and not yet 〈…〉 of ouâ— misery and infirmity Psal 102.14 quontam ipse cognouit figmentum nostrum and would not haue vs discouraged therfore 2. p. tra 6. c. 3. but that we should repent and humble our selues and presently rise againe beg new forces of him indeauouring both in the interiour and exteriour to liue more contentedly for it is farre better that you should presently with cheerfulnes enterprise a new which would redouble your courage to serue God better for the time to come then in tormenting your selfe for you offences which whilst you thinke to do for the loue of God you displease the same God in your ill seruing him with a tepid heart and a deiected mind and other the like branches of imperfection which vse to sprout from such a corrupted root There is nothing els to be feared here then the daunger wherof we haue formerly spoken which is least our tepidity do increase and we omit of our parts to do what lieth in vs vnder the pretext of saying it is God who is to bestow this on me all is to proceed from his hand for my part I can do nothing more and we are likewise to take the same heed in that which we haue said in matter oâ— prayer c. 26 seq least slouth also deceaue vs there vnder the same pretense Hauing then stopt and made good this breach and done truly on our parts that which we ought to do God will be more pleased with our patience and humility in these weaknesses of ours and spirituall wants then with the melancholly and excessiue discontent of those who thinke their progresse in vertue and perfection no waies answerable to their desire their prayer not to succeed so well as otherwise it might if they were not in fault For this arte of prayer and perfecting our selues is not required by being sad or lesse satisfied with our selues or by violence or force of armes but it is God who doth instruct vs in it and doth bestow it vpon whom he pleases and also when he pleases and it is most certaine that euen among those who are to be blessed in heauen there is inequality of glory and therfore we are not to be discouraged if we are not of the best yea perhaps not of the middle sort but we are in euery thing to conforme ourselues vnto the will of God and render infinit thanks vnto our gratious Lord that he hath giuen vs hope by his great mercy to be saued at last and if so be that we cannot hold our selues from falling into faults in this mortall life of ours let vs thanke God at least for this that he hath giuen vs the knowledge of those faults of ours And if we cannot obteine heauen by the sublimity of our vertues as some others do let vs be content to make our selues a way thither by the knowledge and sorrow of our sinnes as do the greater part Hier. in prolog galeat S. Hierom saith that others offer in the Temple of God according to their ability one gold an other siluer and pretious stones others silke purple scarlat and cloth of gold for me it suffices to make my offering in his holy Temple with goats haire and the skines of beasts and so let others present their vertues to God their excellent and heroicke actions their high and eleuated contemplations it is enough for me to sute my offering to my base condition and to acknowledge and confesse my selfe before the face of God a sinner imperfect present my selfe before his omnipotent Maiestie as a poore needy wretch And euen in this I am to reioyce and to thanke and praise Almighty God that he hath not depriued vs of those gifts whatsoeuer they be which he hath bestowed vpon vs considering our offences and vile ingratitude S. Bonauenture Bonau opuse de profectu Relig li. 1. c 33 Gert tra de moÌ„te conteÌ„pl F. Barth de mart Archiep Brachar in suo coÌ„pend p. 2. c. 15. Gerson diuer others do add vnto this an other point by which that which we haue said is better confirmed which is that diuers persons do serue God better without this great vertue and recollection so that on their parts their desire and industry be not wanting then if it were graunted them seing that by this meanes they are preserued in humility and they
procâ—â—â— with care and diligence procuring withall earnestnes their farther progresse in spirit hâ—uing for that end frequent recourse to God whereas if they should once become familiar with vertue perhaps they would be proud and negligent and goe slowly forwards in the seruice of God imagining that they had already attained that heigth of perfection which was necessary for them would neuer put theÌ„selues to the paines of endeauouring to become more perfect theÌ„ they were All this which we haue said ought to be an incitement vnto vs to do on our parts precisely all we can and to proceed alwaies with all care and diligence to the purchasing of vertue and perfection and then to hould our selues content with whatsoeuer our Lord shall please to bestow vpon vs and not to be deiected nor disquieted for that vnto which we cannot attaine and which is aboue our reach Auila to 2 epist fol. 32. for this as M. Auila very well obserueth were no other then to afflict our selues because we haue not wings to fly in the ayre THE XXXI CHAPTER Of the conformity which we are to haue with the will of God in that which concerneth felicity and glory WE are not to conforme ourselues oÌ„ly vnto the will of God in those things which concerne grace but also in point of heauenly glory in which a true seruant of Almighty God ought to be so farre estranged from all interest of his owne as he is no farther to reioyce in it then that he seeth the holy will of God accomplished and not for any commodity 〈…〉 owne It is a high perfection saith deuout Thomas a Kempis not to seeke our owne ends neither in little nor much neither in things temporall nor eternall and giueth the reason of it in these words because your will ô Lord and the loue of your honour ought to be transcendent vnto all and it becomes vs to be more content and comforted therewith then with all the benefits which either we haue or may possibly receaue This is the content and ioy of the Blessed in heauen Tract 3. c. 14. where the Saints esteeme their happines greater in the accomplishment of the will of God then in the excessiuenesse of their owne glory they being so straictly vnited to his will that they desire not so much the glory which they possesse neither the beatitude which they enioy for any profit resulting to theÌ„ from thence neither for the content which they receaue therin but only because God is well pleased therwith and it is his will for to bestow it on them And hence it proceedeth that euery one is soe well content with that degree of beatitude which he hath as he affecteth no other neither is displeased that any one is aduanced aboue himselfe because whosoeuer enioyeth the vision of Almighty God becomes so transformed into him that he wholly leaueth of all proper will and beginneth expresly to haue the same will with God he taketh all his coÌ„teÌ„tment and delight therin in considering that it is the will pleasure of God that it should be so And we see how illustrous this vertue hath been in diuers great Saints as in Moyses and S. Paul who for the saluation of soules and the greater glory of God seemed so wholly to haue forgot themselues as they were not so much as mindfull of their owne glory Exod. 32 32. Aut demitte eïs hanc noxam aut si non facis dele me de libro tuo quem scripsisti either ô Lord forgiue these people said Moyses this fault of theirs or if thou wilt not blott my name out of thy booke of life and S. Paul Ad RoÌ„ 9.3 obtabam ego ipse anathema esse à Christo pro fratribus meis I my selfe wished to be excommunicated from Christ for my brothers sakes And S. Martin who together with many other Saints did follow the doctrine of so excellent Masters said in the article of dying Si adhuâ— sum necessarius populo tuo non recuso laborem O my God if yet it be needfull for thy people that I liue I do not refuse the labour They neglected willingly their owne repose and vnfainedly renounced all right which they had to glory when they were euen vpon the point of enioying it offering themselues afresh to more paine and labour for Gods greater seruice This is truly to do the will of God in earth as it is in heauen to cast wholly into forgetfulnes our owne commodity and repose all our content in the accomplishing of the will of God esteeming the contentment of his diuine Mâ—iestie more then all our owne profit or the possession both of heauen and earth And from hence may be clearly percâ—aued how great perfection is requisit to the exercise of our conformity to the will of God for if we must haue no regard of any interest of our owne of any spirituall good no not eternall nor what is more of blessednes its selfe to kâ—â—pe our sight more obseruant of Gods good will and pleasure how much lesse are we to care for humane respects and all these temporall things Whence also we may perceaue how far short they come of this perfection who find repugnance to conforme themselues vnto the will of God in such things as we haue treated of in the beginning as in residing here or there in liuing in this Colledge or in that in being employed in one or the other office in enioying perfect health or being infirme in being much or little esteemed by others for as we now affirme we are more to esteeme the good pleasure and will of God then all the prerogatiues which we may redound vnto vs either from our spirituall or eternall good wheras you are still insisting on these things which in â—â—parison of the other are but drosse and bâ—senes itselfe he who had but such atardent desire to please God and to accomplish his holy will as to disdaine willingly his owne glory to be contented with the meanest place not out of any â—esse desire of doing heroicall acts to coÌ„mend his seruices and labour to the highest place but only because he hath in chiefest esteemation the pleasure of Almighty God he I say shall find no difficulty in any other thing seing he hath renounced for the loue of God the highest degree of excellency to which he could arriue and this is the chiefest thing which we can depart with and leaue for to conforme our selues vnto the will of God If it be Gods pleasure that I should die instaÌ„tly and haue lesse glory I had rather do so then liue twenty or thirty yeares more although I were to merit a higher degree of glory and on the contrary although I were assured of the glory of heauen if I died at this present yet if God should please to retaine me yet longer for diuers yeares in this prison and banishment of mine in suffering many labours and miseries I should rather do it then
other Saints and it would be a good and laudable deuotion vpon their particular feasts to spend some part of our prayer in this exercise seing it is the most especiall seruice and honour which we can exhibit to them as declaring the greatest loue that we can beare them which is to wish them all the good which they can possibly haue and reioyce and congratulat their great excellent glory Which exercise the holy Church proposeth to our deuotions on the feast of the euer glorious Virgin Hodie Maria virgo caelos ascendit gaudete quia cum Christo regnat in aeternū to day the virgin Mary ascendeth vp to heauen reioyce therfore because shee raigneth eternally with God And the office of the holy Masse both in this solemnity and diuers others doth inuite vs to this holy exercise and incite vs by the example of Angells in this office imployed Gaudeamus omnes in Domino diem festum celebrantes sub honore beatae Mariae Virginis de cuius Assumptioue gaudent Augeli collaudāt filium Dei let vs euery on reioyce in our Lord in celebrating this feast day in honour of the B. Virgin Mary for whose Assumption the Angells reioyce and praise the sonne of God There is moreouer an other great good and profit resulting from this deuotion vnto the Saints and particularly vnto the sacred humanity of Christ our Lord which is that from hence we come by little and little to raise our selues vnto a higher light of the diuinity Ioan. 10.7 Ioā 14.6 seing as Christ our Sauiour saieth this is the way gate which leadeth vs vnto the eternall Father This exercise of considering God so far-forth as he is God hath likewise its degrees and we may render it more familiar vnto vs by descending vnto the consideration of worldly things for although it is most certaine that God in himselfe can receaue no increase seing he is euery waies infinit and therfore there is no good falling within the compasse of our wish which he hath not already neuertheles he may accidentally in his creatures become greater and increase when he is better knowne more loued serued by them and therfore there is place for vs to employ our selues in this act of loue in wishing to God the addition of this exteriour good And so the deuout soule by considering in prayer how most worthy God Almighty is to be loued honoured and serued of his creatures is to wish and earnestly desire that all the soules which are or euer shall be may know him loue him praise him and glorify him in euery thing and out of the depth of its deare affection say ô Lord who shall conuert all the Infidells and sinners of the world so as there may not be left any to offend you more but that all may be obedient to you and employ themselues wholly vnto your seruice both now and for euer more Marc. 6.9 Psal 65.4 Sanctificetur nomen tuum Omnis terra adoret te psallat tibi psalmum dicat nomini tuo And here we may insist and imagine with our selues a thousand waies wherby creatures may come to serue Almighty God and wish them all particularly put in practise From hence is each on to descend vnto a desire of performing the will of God procuring his greater glory in euery thing which belongeth to them to do euer endeauouring to do whatsoeuer we may know to be the will of God redounding to his greater glory Conformable to that which our Sauiour saieth of himselfe in the Euangell Ioan. ◠29 quia ego quae placita sunt ei facio semper I do alwaies that which is pleasing to my Father For as S. Iohn the Euangelist saieth Ioan. 2.4 qui dicit se nosse Deum mandata cius non custodit mendax esi in hoc veritas non est he who affirmeth that he knoweth God and doth not keepe his cōmaundements is a lyer and there is no truth in him Qui autem seruat verbum eius verè in hoc charitas Dei perfecta est but he who obserueth his word hath the charity of God perfectly indeed within him So that to loue God and to haue an entire conformity with his will it is not sufficient that a man conceaueth a great ioy and delectation for the felicity which God enioyeth or desireth that all creatures may loue and glorify him but it is requisit that he resigne himselfe wholly to the accomplishmēt of the will of God for how can one say with any colour of truth that he desireth the greater glory of God when euen in those things which lie in him to do he procureth it not And this is that loue which a soule actuateth when in prayer it conceiueth good purposes and true desires of performing the will of God in this or that or any particular thing which may present its selfe with which exercise we commonly entertaine our selues in praver Thus haue we laid open a large field to exercise our selues for long time together in prayer and declared the great profit and rare perfection which is comprehended in this exercise wherfore there only remaineth that we set our hand to worke and begin be times on earth to take essay of that which we are euer after to practise in so excellent a manner in heauen Isai 31.9 Cuius ignis est in Sion caminus eius in Hierusalem here we are to enkindle in our selues that fier of loue but the flame therof must shine and spread it selfe and its height and sublime perfection appeare in the celestiall Hierusalem which is our lasting glory THE TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS THE I. CHAPTER IN which there are laid two principall foundations pag. 1. Chap. 2. Wherein the second foundation is more amply declared pag. 11. Chap. 3. Of the great good and prosit which is included in this Conformity with the will of God pag. 20. Chap. 4. That this perfect conformity with the will of God is a blessednes and a kind of heauen in earth pag. 29. Chap. 5. That contentment is only in God and whosoeuer seeketh it in any thing els shall neuer find it pag. 38. Chap. 6. Wherin is in an other manner declared how the only way to arriue to true contentment is to conforme our selues with the will of God pag. 49. Chap. 7. Of diuers other felicities and profits which are to be found in this conformity with the will of God pag. 60. Chap. 8. Wherin is confirmed by some examples how gratefull vnto God this exercise is of the conformity of our wills with his and of the great perfection which is conteined in it p. 68. Chap. 9. Of some other considerations which may render this exercise of conformity with the will of God both easy and pleasant to vs. pag. 74. Chap. 10. Of Gods fatherly and particular prouidence of vs and of the filiall confidence which we ought to haue in him pag. 82. Chap. 11. Of
A SHORT AND SVRE WAY TO HEAVEN and present Happines TAVGHT IN A TREATISE OF OVR CONFORMITY WITH THE WILL OF GOD. Written by the Reuerend Father ALFONSVS RODRIGVEZ of the Society of Iesus in his worke intituled The exercise of perfection and Christian vertue Translated out of Spanish Ira in indignatione eius vita in voluntate eius Psal 29.6 Wrath in his indignation and life in his will Permissu Superiorum 1630. TO THE REVEREND AND RELIGIOVS MOTHER ANNA OF THE ASCENTION PRIORESSE OF THE ENGLISH Teresians in Antwerpe REuerend Religious Mother Many excelleÌ„t Treatises haue seene light by the happy peÌ„ne of F. Alfonso Roderigues that great Master of spirit But this alone may worthily seeme to carry the nature of a Centure wherein all the lines of perfection drawne through his other workes come iointly to meete The highest ayme of vertue both in time and eternity is to set an exact conformity betweene our soule and God the best wayes of spirit such as leade to this toppe What store of excellent precepts solid helpes and most effectuall meanes our Author hath heere collected to so noble an end diligent perusal wil discouer To which purpose as I chanced vpon the worke apparelled in English so my singular affection and respect to your selfe yours would not permit me to staÌ„d long in deliberatioÌ„ whether I should first addresse it after it had receiued life from the print For to whom can a treatise of diuine conformity be more due euen in rigour of claime challeÌ„ge then to a family of that illustrious Order the FouÌ„dresse wherof reflected vpoÌ„ the world admirable light of exaÌ„ple in this kinde hauing bene trained in spirit as herselfe testifieth vnder the conduct of three most eminent men of the Authors Profession as of B. Father Borgia Duke of Gandia and third Generall of the Society Beatified by the holy Church Father Baltazar Aluarez whoÌ„ by diuine reuelation she vnderstood to haue bene the greatest Saint then liuing in this world and Father Francis Ribera whose rare vertue was accoÌ„panied with equal learning And who more worthy of the first view then a Superiour of the same family by whose discreet and pious gouernment the whole coÌ„pany maintaines in flower vigour the primitiue spirit of their Foundresse especially in this high point of true Conformity Accept therfore Reuerend Mother of this little preseÌ„t rather as a pledge of coÌ„gratulation then a spurre of new incitemeÌ„t with my best wishes that your house may euer prosper grow vp florish as it doth to the glory of our Lord the honour of your FouÌ„dresse the CoÌ„fort of your soules and the good of our whole Nation Your R. euer humble seruant in Christ Iâ—sus I. C. A TREATISE OF OVR CONFORMITY VVITH THE will of God Ian. 2â— THE I. CHAPTER In which there are laid two princicipall foundations NOn sicut ego volo sed sicut ut Matt. 26.39 not as I will but as thou wilt O Lord. The Holy Fathers assigne two reasons why the sonne of God would descend downe from heauen and become perfect man by vesting himselfe with our humanity the one was to redeeme vs with his pretious blood the other to shew vs by his example and teach vs by his doctrine the right way to heauen For as it would haue auailed vs nothing to haue knowne the way if we had been still detained in prison Ber. ser 2. in Circumcis Dom. so likewise saith S. Bernard it would haue little profited vs to haue been deliuered out of prison if we had not knowne the way and seeing God was inuisible it was necessary vnto the end we might see him and by seeing imitate him that he should become visible and cloath himselfe in our humanity as shepheards goe apparelled in the skins of sheep that their flocke may be allured to follow them by seeing in them their owne resemblance And so that holy Pope S. Leo sais Nisi enim esset verus Deus Leo Papa 1. ser 1. de Natiui Do. noÌ„ adferret remedium nisi esset verus homo non praeberet exemplum Vnles he had been true God he could not haue brought vs remedy and vnles he had been true man he could not haue afforded vs an exaÌ„ple But he hath done both the one and the other most aboundantly out of that excesse of loue which he bare to man and therfore as our redemption hath been most amply great copiosa apud eum redemptio Psal 129 7. so also hath his doctrine been since he hath not deliuered it vnto vs alone in words but much more by the example of his works caepit Iesus facere docere saith the Euangelist S. Luke Act. 1. 〈◊〉 Iesus first begun with the practise and execution and that for the most part of his Blessed life and afterwards began to preach in the last three yeares or two yeares and a halfe before dyed Now among many other things which our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs one of the principall is an entire conformity with the will of God in all occurrences and occasions the which he teacheth vs not only in words when setting downe vnto vs a forme of prayer he tells vs that one of those things which we are to beseech and begge of our heauenly Father is Mat. 6.10 fiat voluntas tuasicut in coelo in terra thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen but he much more confirmes this doctrine by his blessed exaÌ„ple seeing he professeth to haue descended from heauen vnto no other end descendi de coelo non vt faciam voluntatâ—â— meam sed voluntatem eius qui misit me I haue descended from heauen not to do mine owne will but the will of him who sent me And on that sacred day when hauing instituted his holy supper and almost ended the worke of our redemption in that prayer of his in the Garden although his flesh and blood and sensitiue powers had a naturall horrour and auersion from death by which he witnessed that he was perfect man Mat. 26.39 saying Pater miâ—si possibile est transeat à me calix iste Father if it be possible let this chalice passe from me notwithstanding his will was alwaies prompt desirous to drinke of that chalice which his Father sent him and therefore he presently adds neuerthelesse be it not as I will but as thou wilt ô Lord. But vnto the end that we may descend vnto the very depth to ground our selues very well in this conformely we must first lay two briefe but substantiall foundations vpon which as vpon two hinges our whole matter must be sustained The first is that all our profit in vertue and perfection consists in this conformity with the will of God which according as this shall be more full and perfect shall likewise be more excellent and great This foundation is easy to comprehend since it must be graunted that perfection essentially
shall please then the which there is nothing in which he can more shew his loue vnto him seeing he freely giues and offers vp vnto his Diuine Maiestie what so euer he hath as also what so euer he can haue or may desire and that with a mind so liberally disposed as could he or had he more with the same willingnes he would depart with it THE IV. CHAPTER That this perfect conformity with the wil of God is a blessednes and a kind of heauen in earth WHosoeuer shall be arriued to this entire conformity with the will of God receauing euery thing which may happen to him as proceeding from the hand of God and conforming himselfe in all vnto his most diuine and holy will shall haue obteined here on earth a rare felicity and beatitude and enioy a wondrous great tranquility and peace with a perpetuall ioy and iubily of mind Which is that blessednes and felicity which God Almighties great and faithfull seruaÌ„ts enioy in this mortall life for as the Apostle says the Kingdom of God and the beatitude of this life is not meate and drinke nor any other sensuall delight and pleasure but Iustice peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost Ad RoÌ„ 17.14 this is the kingdom of heauen on earth and that Paradice of all delights which we may enioy in this life and which with good reason is called a beatitude since it resembles vs in a certaine proportion vnto the blessed in heauen for as in heauen aboue there is no change nor alteration but the blessed perseuer alwaies in one being in the eternall fruition of Almighty God so also they who are once arriued to this intire and perfect conformity to that place all their contentment in the contentment and the will of God are neuer troubled nor disquieted with any mutation or contrary accident of this present life in that their harts and wils are so sweetly vnited and conformed vnto the will of God that the consideration how all is proceeding from him and how his good will and pleasure is fulfilled in all makes that pleasing and delightfull to them which otherwise would be grieuous and sorrowfull and that because they desire and loue more the will of their beloued then their owne WheÌ„ce it comes that nothing is able to disturbe their peace for they reioyce and are particularly glad when they are afflicted grieued and despised as knowing it proceeding from the hand of God and there is nothing els which can disquiet them or bereaue them of the peace and tranquility of their minds And this was the cause of that perpetuall cheerfulnes and peace which those holy Saints whom we admire in story S. Anthony Dominicke Francis Lib. 5. c. 5. vitae P. N â—gnatij and others enioyed as also of that which we read of our B. Father Ignatius and ordinarily see in other great seruants of Almighty God For do we thinke that these holy Saints had no aduersity that they had not tentations and infirmities like vs that they were neuer crossed with the successe of thinges without doubt they were and that farre more then we for as much as God vses most frequently to try his Saintes and exercise them in the like accidents whence therefore comes it that they remained euer in one state of mind without any chaunge of countenance but with a ioy and serenity both in the interior and exterior so great as if they had kept perpetuall feast and iubily The cause was no other then that which we haue already declared because they were arriued to that degree of perfection to haue intire conformity with the will of God and had placed all their delight in the accomplishment thereof and so the successe of euery thing was their felicity Diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum Ad RoÌ„ 8.28 Mach. 12 21. non contristabit iustum quicquid ei acciderit all labours tentations mortifications were conuerted into a delight to them since they acknowledged in them the blessed will of God which was all there ioy and contentment They had already attained vnto the greatest height of felicity beatitude which any on could arriue to in this mortall life and so proceeded in all their actions as if they had been in possessioÌ„ of the glory of heauen Sancta Cathari de Sien en ses dialogos Herupon S. Catherine of Siena said excellently wel that the iust in this world are like our Sauiour Christ who neuer wanted the beatitude of his soule how euer great his paines and afflictions were So likewise the iust doe neuer loose that their felicity which consists in the conformity with the will of God with how many aduersities so euer they be opprest Seing that there remaines with them still that ioy contentment which they take in the will of God which is accomplisht in them This is a perfection so sublime and of so high prerogatiue as the Apostle auouches it to passe all vnderstanding Ad Philip 4.7 Et pax Dei quae exsapâ—rat omnem sâ—nsum custodiat corda vestra intelligentias vestras in Christo Iesu he calls it a peace surpassing all vnderstanding for as much as it is a gift of God so high and supernaturall that no humaine vnderstanding by it selfe can comprehend how it is possible for a hart of flesh and blood to remaine quiet at peace and comforted in the middle of those stormes and tempests raised by the miseries and tentations of this life This was notwithstanding to be be found in that wondrous bushe which Moyses saw all burning in a flame Exod. 3â— 2. and yet not consumed as also in that Miracle of the Children who at Babylon throwne into the fiery furnace remained vntoucht in the midst of such a mighty fier singing praises vnto God This is that which holy Iob mentioned in speaking vnto God mirabiliter me crucies Iob. 1â— 16. O Lord thou dost torment me after a wonderous manner signifying the great paine and torment which on the one side he suffred and on the other the vnspeakable contentment and ioy which he receaued in the sustaining them seing that such was the good will and pleasure of his Diuine Maiesty Cassian writs of a certaine venerable man who at Alexandria was incompast and hemd in by a sort of lewd Infidells who reuiled him with all the iniurious speeches as they could deuise in the meane time he remained in the middle of them like a silly lambe sustaining all and answering not a word they all made their sport with him striking and shouing him doing him a thousand other iniuries among the rest one demaunded of him in mockery what miracles his Christ had done vnto whom he answered the miracles which he hath done are that I in suffering all these iniuries and as many more as you can all inuent do take all patiently and am neither moued to anger against you nor stired vp to passion in my selfe This doubtles
and both the good and bad say in there Pater noster euery day your will be done on earth as it is in heauen but it is necessary that we consider it in preciser manner and descend vnto those particulars which might cost vs most paine and difficulty should they arriue vnto vs and not to rest vntill we had facilitated euery one of them We are not to remaine as they say carrying our launce at â—andome without putting it in our rest Trac â—5 cap. 16. and alwaies in daunger of being cast from our conformity with the will of God as soone as any vnexpected difficulty comes and bids vs battaile but we are to make head against them of our owne accord Neither are we to content our selues with this but we are to inforce our selues to passe onward still vntill we come to find tast and cordiall delight that the wil of God is accomplished in vs although it be in matter of paine sorrow disesteem which is the third degree of this conformity for this is like wise deuided into sundry degrees the one more sublime and perfect then the other although chiefly they may be reduc't to three in the same manner as the Saints haue distributed the vertue of patience The first is when a man doth neither accept of nor desire those things which go aceompanied with paine but rather shuns them yet so as he had rather vndergoe them then to commit any sinne to be deliuered from them this is the lowest degree and of coÌ„mauÌ„dment in so much as although a man in his mishaps be sensible of paine griefe and discontent although he sigh and grone whilst he is sicke and cries out through the vehemency of his griefe and bewailes the losse and death of friends yet with all these he may still haue conformity with the will of God The second degree is when a man although he doe not desire that any harme should chaunce vnto him neither makes choice of it notwithstanding when it is once hapned to him doth willingly imbrace and suffer it because it is the good pleasure and will of God and this second degree surpasseth the first in that a man in some sort hath a liking and affection to suffer discommodity and paine for the loue of God and proceeds so farre as to desire it because it is Gods pleasure it should be so The first degree supports these things with patience the second implies besides the suffering them promptly and with willingnes The third is when the seruant of Almighty God out of the great loue he beares our B. Lord doth not only accept of and suffer most willingly whatsoeuer paine and affliction which he shall send him but also is longing for them and reioyceth in them because he knows them to be the will of God And so S. Luke writs of the Apostles Act. 5.41 Iâ—ant gaudentes a conspectu concily quoniam digni habiti sunt pro nomine Iesu contumeliam pati aftet they were most ignominiously whipt they went reioycing out of the presence of the councell for hauing been esteemed worthy to suffer coÌ„tumely for the name of Christ and the Apostle S. Paul says Ad Coâ— 7.4 Repletus sum consolatione superabundo gaudio in omni tribulatione nostrâ I am filled full with consolation and do abound with ioy in alour tribulation chaynes and aduersity and for this reason he prayseth the Hebrews writing vnto them Ad Hâ—be 20.34 Et rapinam bonorum vestrorum cum gaudio suscepistis cognoscentes vos habere meliorem manentem substantiam you haue receaued ioyfully the losse of your temporall goods as knowing your selues to haue better and more lasting riches Vnto this must we indeauour with the grace of God to arriue to beare with ioy and gladnes all tribulations and aduersities which may happen to vs as S. Iames counsels vs in his Canonicall Epistle Omne gaudium existimate fratres mei Iaco. 1.1 cum in tentationes varias incideritis esteem it deare brothers for the completest ioy of all when you shall fall into sundry tentations The will and contentment of God ought to be vnto vs a thing so pretious and sweet that it should be sufficient to conserue and sugar all bitter chaunces which may happen to vs all the miseries and disgusts of the world should become sweeâ— and delicious vnto vs only because it is the good pleasure the will of God Greg. li. 7. mor. c. 7. and this is it which S. Gregory says si mens in Deum forti intentione dirigatur quidquid tibi in hac vità amarum sit dulce aestimat omne quod afflâ—git requiem putat transire per mortem apetit vt obtinâ—re plenius vuam possit if our mind were once directed to God with a strong intention it would esteeme all that were bitter in this life for sweet all that were afflicting vs it would account for rest yea it would euen long to passe by death it selfe for to obteine a more full and perfect life S. Catherine of Siena in a certaine Dialogue which shee hath left written of the consummat perfection of a Christian S. Catha de Sena says that among other things which her deare spouse our Blessed Lord had tought her one was that shee should build vp her selfe a chamber of repose which should be round about vaulted with the will of God and that there she should inclose herselfe and make perpetuall abode neuer going out or stiring foot or hand or casting a looke out from thence but alwaies remaine recollected in herselfe as the bee in the hiue or the pearle in its shell and although that in the beginning perhaps this habitation might seeme too narrow and retired notwithstanding shee should soone find it of a wonderfull extent in so much as without going out of it shee might recreate her selfe among the eternall mansions of the Blessed and make greater profit in a few daies there then shee could do without in a long space of time Let vs likewise doe the same and make this our continuall exercise Dilectus meus mihi ego illi my beloued to me Cant. 1.16 and I to him in these two words we haue inough to entertaine our selues for our whole liues and therfore we ought to haue them alwaies in our mouths and hearts THE XIII CHAPTER Of the indifferency and conformity with the will of God which Religious men ought to haue in going and remaining in any part of the world where they may be disposed of by Obedience TO the end that we may make more profit out of this exercise of the coÌ„formity with the will of God and put in practise that which we haue said we will go declaring in particular some principall points in which we ought to exercise our selues and afterwards descend to certaine other Generall heads which appertaine to all And now we will begin with those particular things which are conteined in our constitutions since it
euen the heauen seemes to them to be made of Iron and the earth of brasse seing that not a dropp of water raineth downe on them to soften these hearts and produce that fruite which should maintaine their spirituall liues but they remaine in a perpetuall sterility and drouth neither is it this aridity which only tormenteth them but there rusheth vpon them sometimes such variety of thoughts and wild distractions and they perhaps so filthy vilanous as they seeme to haue come vnto prayer vnto no other end then to be troubled vext and assaulted with all sorts of tentations If you tell them there best way is then to haue their thoughts on death or on our Sauiour crucifie◠which is an excellent remedy indeed they answere you that they haue tryed it but found no fruite in it for could they do that what should they desire for more Sometimes one shall be so ill disposed and dry in his prayer that he cannot so much as thinke vpon it or if with much force difficulty he hale his thoughts vnto it it is in such a manner as he is neuer moued with it nor rendred any whit the more recollected or attent but they passe it ouer without leauing any impression in the soule and this is that which we call properly spirituall desolation aridity or drines and defection of mind and herein it is necessary that we conforme our selues vnto the will of God This is a point of greatest consequence it being on of the commonest complaints and wherwith they are most contristated who giue themselues to the exercise of prayer for they sigh and weep when they find themselues in this manner whilst on the one side they heare so much said in the praise of prayer and of the good therof and how according as that passes so the daies and liues of spirituall men do passe whilst they likewise vnderstād that it is one of the principalst meanes as we haue as well for our owne particular profit as that of our neighbour and on the other side see themselues so farre in their opinion from making any good prayer this this grieueth this afflicts them much this maks thē thinke that God hath forsaken thē thinks no more vpon thē this maks thē feare they haue wholly lost his fauour and are falne into his displeasure and disgrace seing it seemes to them that he cuts them of from all refuge all recourse vnto him And this tentation is farther augmented when they see the great progresse which others make in prayer in a few daies exercise almost without any paine at all whilst they although they labour more then their force can beare are nothing profitted From whence are begotten other tentations yet worse then these as to make their complaint sometimes of our Lord himselfe for dealing with them in such a rigorous manner and they begin to thinke of leauing of their exercise of prayer imagining it a thing vnfit for them seing it succeeds in no better manner with them And all this is made farre more and worse by the diuels vexing them with that vnquiet thought that themselues alone are in the cause of all that for their owne fault God deales so harshly with them and therfore some do liue in great discomfort comming out of their praier as from some racke or torment sade melancholy and both intollerable to themselues and to all those with whom they do conuerse Wherfore we will now by the assistance of the grace of God both answer and satisfy this tentation and complaint THE XXV CHAPTER An answer vnto the complaint of those who are troubled with aridity and desolation in prayer FIrst I do not say that we are not to reioyce when we are visited and comforted by God for it is manifest that there is none so stupid but would be glad and delighted with the presence of his beloued neither do I say that we are to haue no recentment of his absence from vs when he punisheth vs with aridity and tentations for I see it is impossible to do otherwise Our Sauiour Christ had feeling himselfe to be abandoned by his heauenly Father when hanging on the crosse he vttered these mournefull words Math. 27 46. Deus meus Deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me my God my God why hast thou forsaken me but that which is intended and desired is that we should know how to make our profit of this distresse and experiment by which God commonly doth try his elect and with a vigour of mind put our selues vnder the protection of the will of God in saying Math. 26 39. Veruntamen non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu ô Lord be it not as I will but as thou wilt seing especially that sanctity and perfection consists not in consolations neither in hauing of high and excellent manner of prayer and that our profit and perfection is not measured therby but by a perfect loue of God which is not comprised in any of these things but in a conformity and entire vnion with the diuine will as well in bitternes as in deliciousnes aswell in aduersity as prosperity and therfore we ought with the same equality of mind to receaue from the hand of God aswell the crosse and to be spiritually forsaken as any ioy or cōsolation giuing him thākes for the one and the other alike If you will haue me in darknes be you blessed if you will haue me in light be you also blessed if you will comfort me be you blessed if you will afflict me be you likewise blessed And so S. Paul doth counsell vs In omnibus gratias agite Thomas a Kēpis hae◠est enim voluntas Dei in Christo Iesu in omnibus vobis rēder thanks for euery thing 1. ad Thes 5.17 for such is the will of God in Christ Iesus in all of you If then this be the will of God what can we desire more my life is giuen me to no other end then to please God with it if then he please to direct the whole course of it by these darke troublesome and vneasy waies why should I seeke wish for paths more lightsome pleasant God would haue such an one go forwards in that way which he seeth which he receaues gust in and loues and leads me through this gloomy wildernesse I will not chaunge my barrennes for his fertility neither my frights for his security this is the language of those who haue their eyes open to see the truth and with this they maintaine themselues in cōfort M Auila audi filia c. 26. Master Auila saith excellent well If God would but vnuaile our eyes we should behould more cleerly thē the day that all things in earth and heauen are to little and base to be desired or possessed by vs if you but seperat them from the will of God and that there is nothing how little or bitter so euer it be which would not be of great value
of Sienna Blos c. 4. monil spirit that she was for the space of many daies destitute of all spirituall consolation and had no feeling left of the feruour of her wonted deuotion being moreouer vexed with most wicked and filthy thoughts from which by no meanes shee could deliuer herselfe and yet notwithstanding shee neuer omitted her prayer but perseuered in it as well as shee could and with as much circumspection and care as was possible speaking vnto her selfe in this manner O thou most vile and wreched sinner thou dost deserue no consolation for what ought it not to suffice thee although thou wert to suffer these afflictions spirituall nights thy whole life long if finally thou mightest not be damned as thou deseruest assuredly thou madest choice to serue God on no such condition as to receaue consolations from him here but that thou might enioy him in heauen for all eternity Arise therfore and prosecute thy wonted exercises and continue faithfull to so good a Lord. Let vs then imitate these examples conforme our comfort vnto this saying of that holy man Tho. de Kempis O my Lord I esteeme this my consolation to be well content to want all humaÌ„ne comfort and if comfort from thee do fraile me thy will and righteous probation of me shall serue me for the best of all contentments If we be but once arriued to this height of perfection to esteeme the good will and pleasure of God to be all our ioy and delight so as euen to take pleasure to be depriued of all comfort in considering it to be his blessed will and pleasure then we shall be in possession of true content indeed and such as nothing in the world can bereaue vs of THE XXIX CHAPTER Wherin that which hath been said is confirmed by some examples IT is recounted in the Chronicles of the Order of S. Dominiâ—â—â— B. FraÌ„cis de Castillo 1. p. lib. 1. c. 6. hist Ord. Prâ— how on of the Principall Religious of that Order liued many yeares in that holy Order a singular patterne of exemplar life and of an excellent purity of mind without euer enioying any consolation or finding any tast or delight in the performance of his Religious exercises neither in meditating prayer or spirituall reading This Religious man hearing on the otherside frequent mention made of those great fauours high graces and spirituall feelings which God did vsually communicate to others became halfe desperate and one night in a deepe discontent he burst out in his prayer before a Crucifix into these much vnaduised words which were accompanied with many a bitter â—care O Lord I heare it commonly reported of you that in goodnes and sweetnes you surpasse all your creatures behold me here who haue serued you many yeares and suffered for your sake much tribulation hauing made a willing sacrifice of my selfe to your only seruice had I serued any TyraÌ„t but a quarter of this time without doubt he would haue long since some waies declared himselfe well pleased with me either by a good word had I desired so much or a gratefull looke or some pleasant smile or other but you ô God you haue not done me the least good or fauour or shewed me any of those graces which you do to others but you you who are sweetnes it selfe haue handled me more cruelly then a hundred tyrants oh God what is the meaning of this miserable as I am why do you ordeine it so he had no sooner vttred these fearfull words but he heard so mighty and horrible a cracke as if the whole Church had been shattering downe and on the roufe was such a hideous noise as if a thousand rauenous hounds had been tearing vp the planchers with their teeth wherupon being astonished all trembling through feare he cast vp his head for to serch out the cause he perceaued ouer his shouldiers standing the most horrible and vglie sight as euer man had seen a diuell weldeing a huge barre of yroÌ„ with which he gaue him so mighty a blow vpon the body as he stroke him flat to ground without being able to lift vp himselfe againe neuertheles he inforced himselfe so much as to crawle to the protection of an Altar not farre from him where he found himselfe so pittifully bruzed that he could not stire a limbe all his body remaining as if it had been broken and disioynted with the force of blowes In the morning when the Religious came into the Church to Prime they found him all streched at length lying vpon the ground without any motion as if he had been dead and without being able to gesse the cause of such a sodaine and dolefull accident they caried him into the infirmary where he remained for three weeks together in most miserable torment breathing from him a stench so filthy horrible that the Religious could not approch vnto him to bring him any remedy or reliefe without first stopping their noses and preparing themselues before with certaine preseruatiues at the end of this time he began a little to recouer strength and as soone as he perceaued himselfe able to go vpon his legges he to cure his foolish presumption pride and seeke remedy at that place where through his fault he had receaued his wound went into the Church and with a profound humility seasoned in many teares he made a prayer far different from the former confessing his fault and acknowledging himselfe vnworthy of any spirituall fauour but on the contrary meriting the greatest punishments Wherupon our Lord did comfort him with a voice from heauen saying vnto him if thou desirest to enioy spirituall gust and consolation thou must be humble and acknowledge thine owne basenes and vility knowing thy selfe to be more contemptible then durt and of lesse value then the very wormes which thou dost crush to earth vnder thy feet herwith he toke so faire a warning that therupon he became a perfect Religious man We read an other example far different from this of our B. F. S. Ignatius Lib. 5. c. 1. vitae S. P. Ignat. who as it is recorded in his life reflecting vpon his faults and deeply sorrowing for them was wont to say that he desired in punishment of them that our Lord would sometimes depriue him of the deliciousnesse of his consolations vnto the eÌ„d that feeling the curbe therof he might be put in mind to carry himselfe with more care and circumspection in God Almighties seruice But the mercy of out good God was so great towards him and the multitude of his sweetnes and suauity of his grace so aboundaÌ„tly great that the oftener he fell and the more earnestly he desired to feele the punishment in some such rigourous manner the more gratious our Lord did shew himself vnto him and in the greater aboundance did he shower downe vpon him the treasures of his infinit liberality And so he vsed to say that he did verely beleeue there was not a man
great 1. Cor. 2.9 as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor any heart hath comprehended it This is that deepe and mighty riuer which S. Iohn saw in his reuelations Apoc 22.1 Psal 45.5 flowing forth from the Throne of God and from the Lambe reioycing the Citty of Almighty God of whose waters the blessed in heauen do drinke and being incbriat with this holy loue chaunt out perpetually that Alleluia of which S. Iohn doth speake together blessing and glorifying God Apo. 19.6 7. Alleluia quoniam regnauit Dominus Deus noster omnipotens gaudeamus exultemus demus glorianeâ— there they reioyce and are delighted with the greatnes of God Almighties glory congratulating with him and rendring him a thousand benedictions for the same with an incredible ioy and iubilation Apoc. 7. â—â— Benedâ—câ—io claritas sapientia gratiarum actio honor virtus fortitudo Deo nostro in saecula saeculâ—rum Amen This is the loue which the Saints do beare to Almighty God in heauen this is their vnity conformity with his blessed will speaking in proportion to our meane capacity and this is that which according to our small ability we are to indeauour to imitate on earth that the wilâ— of God may be done on earth as it is in heauen Exod. 25.40 Inspice fac secundum exemplar quod tibi in monte monstratum est marke well and do according to that patterne which hath been shewed you in the mount said our Lord vnto Moyses when he commaunded him to erect him a Tabernacle M. Auâ—a to 1. cp P. Fran. Arias p. 2. profect spir tra 5. c. 3. 4. P Lud. de PueÌ„t 2. to mc. dit p. 6. and so ought we to do all things here conformable to that modell and sampler which is proposed vnto vs to worke after on that high mountaine of glory and so are we to loue and desire that which the blessed in heauen loue desire as also that which God himselfe both willeth and liketh which is his glory and his being soueraignly perfect and glorious Now vnto the end that each one may the better bestow himselfe vpon this holy exercise we will in briefe declare the practise of it When you are in prayer consider with your vnderstanding the infinit being of God his eternity his omnipotence his infinit wisdome beauty glory and blessednes and then exercise the affections of ioy and pleasure with your will making it your only delight and comfort that God is what he is that he is God that he hath his being and endles goodnes only depeÌ„dant on himselfe without standing in need of any one wheras all besides do stand in need of him in that he is omnipotent supreamly good exceeding glorious and all with in himselfe In the like manner are we to consider all the other perfections and infinit good which is in Almighty God â— Tho. 2â— q. 28. art 5 ad 3. ar 1 This as S. Thomas saieth and with him the diuins in generall is the greatest and perfectest acte of the loue of God and so likewise is it the most supreme and excellent exercise of conformity with the will of God seing there is no greater nor perfecter loue of God theÌ„ that which God doth beare vnto himselfe which is the loue of his owne glory and being towit souerainly perfect and glorious neither can any one haue a better will then this Therfore the more excellent and perfect your loue shall be the greater resemblance it shall haue vnto the loue which God doth beare himselfe and the more great and perfect likewise shall be our vnion and conformity with his omnipotent will Moreouer the Philosophers do teach Aristoâ— Rhet. lâ— 2. c. 4. that amare est velle alicui bonum cius causaâ— non sui ipsius to loue is to wish good vnto an other not for his owne sake but his only whom he loueth whence it followeth that the more good we wish an other the more loue we beare him Now the greatest good which we can wish Almighty God is that which he hath already as his infinit being his goodnes wisdome omnipotence and endles glory When we beare affection to any creature we are not only delighted with the good which he is owner of but haue also scope to wish him some good beyond that which he hath already seing the goodnes of all creatures may receaue addition but we cannot wish any good to God which already he is not possessed of seing he 〈◊〉 euery way infinit and so can haue no more power no more glory no more wisedome nor more goodnes then he hath And for this cause the greatest good which we can wish to him and consequently the greatest loue which we can beare him is to be glad and reioyce and to take all our pleasure contentment that God hath so much good as he hath that he is so good as he is so rich so powerfull so infinit and glorious Hence it is that as the Saints which are in heauen and the most sacred humanity of Christ our Sauiour together with his glorious virgin Mother all the Quires of Angels do reioyce to see God so beautiful superabounding with euery good which ioy and delight of theirs cannot conteine it selfe from bursting forth into loud praises of such an excellent Lord neither can they be satisfied with blessing and praising of him without end And as the holy Prophet singeth Psal 83.5 Beati qui habitant in domo tua Domine in saecula saeculorum laudabunt te euen so ought we to vnite our hearts and raise our voyces to that high pitch of theirs as we are taught by our holy Mother the Church cum quibus nostras voces vt admitti iubeas deprecamur supplici coÌ„fessione dicentes Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth plenisâ—nt caeli terra gloriatua We ought perpetually or with the greatest frequency as we can to praise and glorify God in reioycing and delighting our selues with that glory and soueranity which he hath blessing him and congratulating with him for the same wherby we shall resemble in our imperfect manner the blessed in heauen and Almighty God himselfe exercising tho highest act of loue and the most perfect conformity with the will of God as can possibly be imagined THE XXXIII CHAPTER How much this exercise is commended vnto vs and inculcated in holy scripture WE may yet better comprehend the value and excellency of this exercise and conceiue how acceptable it is to God in that it is so much recommended and often iterated in the holy scripture whence also we may lay hold on the occasion to exercise it more and insist vpon it longer The Royall Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes doth almost in euery verse inuite vs to this holy exercise Psal 31.21 Psal 32.1 Psal 36.4 Laetamini in Domino exultate iusti gloriamini omnes recti corde