Cisnâ—rius ch 29. that shee therefore loseth her faith in this life for this Mysticall experience takes not away our faith but fortifies comforts anâ— clears it So when it is usually said bâ— these spirituall writers That sucâ— a degree of Contemplation of vertue or of pure love is the very tâ— of perfection It is not meant thaâ— a soul which is ascended thither can climb no higher in this heâ— exile for that highest degree oâ— perfection hath a latitude of many degrees of grace whereby a soul may still encrease in sanctity and ascend each moment to a nearer vicinity with her Creator When likewise we meet with this doctrine A soul arrived at Union and Transformation carries her self passively she acts not but suffers God doth all within her c. We are to understand that such a soul doth very little or nothing in comparison of what she did in her former discoursive exercises because she here in this state finds all done in an instant and therefore leaves those painfull employments to repose sweetly in a kind of holy idlenesse of Contemplation and Union with God which pacifies all her senses silences all discourses and lulls all her powers asleep with his charning love and ravishing presence All which notwithstanding she remains still here actually loving and looking on her Lord and consequently is not totally idle but is in cooperation with his grace In this sense St. Denys said The S. Denys Ch. 7. de div nom Soul of Blessed Hierotheus was heightned to such a Union with God that it sufferd more than it acted because in this passive contemplation the soul follows not her accustomed operations as wee see our Understanding works not so much when it receives its aliment from a higher knowledge as when it gets it by constrained and laborious discourse nor our Will in like sort which commonly follows the motives proposed by the Understanding to which it is united The 3. advice of the practice of â—aith Hope and Charity 3. That which is most important in this exercise of Recollection is the practice of Faith Hopâ— and Charity For by the Act of Faith all our knowledge is annihilated by the act of Hope all ouâ— worth is evacuated in denying ouâ— own forces and relying meerly oâ— Gods assistance by the act of Charity all our wills and affections which are not God in God for God are abandoned So that by these three Acts the whole maâ— is drowned suppressed stifled and consequently our enemy the Devil finds nothing at all to lay hold on nor any way open for his entrance into our annihilated hearts but is constrained to return alwaies foiled and ashamed of his ineffectuall efforts 4. Beginners in this exercise The fourth advice For Beginners must vigorously apply themselves unto it for some time till use and experience fashion them into a habit of recollection they must therefore in the first place carefully cleanse their interiour from all objects whatsoever and then lock up themselves wiâ—h God in this inward retreat for as in vain wee shut our dores and windows if the thief bee already hid in our house so the closing of our senses from exteriour objects furthers little or nothing if in our interiour there lurks any thing which is not God 5. In all our vocall and mentall The fifth advice of our attention to God devotions our chief aym must be Attention to God There are three sorts of attentions 1. To the words which is good 2. To the sense which is better 3. To God who is the only end of all our prayer which is best of all Let our S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 83. a. 13. thoughts therefore abstract from all created objects though never so good and fix stedfastly upon the increated and essentiall goodness This is the main thing wee must aspire to during the whole course of our life not only in our prayers but in all our practices To bee more attentive to our Lord and love than to the action we have in hand This is the Philosophy of perfect lovers to live more truly where they love than where they breath 6. It is not here intended by The sixt advice the precedent doctrine that a soul should not at all meditate upon the That from Meditation we must rise to Contemplation subject or theame of her prayer nor chew it first by attentively considering it No this is not disswaded but counselled Only we add thâ— assoon as affections are sufficientâ— kindled and that our elevated souâ— can procure to put themselves upon the aforesaid abstraction recollection and contemplation they presently embrace it and leave off all discourses which are proper for Schools Sermons not for Prayer and Contemplation It sufficeth us therefore to remember the mystery apprehend it throughly imprint it deeply in our hearts and then to observe the prescribed order For when one hath sufficiently heard and understood what can be said for his good he needs neither hear nor speak more of it but presently fall to practise In this case to hearken after new things seems more tending to satisfy curiosity than to the increase of inward vertue as he that eats before he hath disgested his former meals nourisheth bad humours but nothing betters his own bodily strength 7. When therefore any distinct The 7. advice That we must stay upon no objects or images notions forms or images intrude themselves into our memories let us not stay in them but return amorously to our Lord present within us think no more of all those varieties than is absolutely necessary for the knowledge and performance of our duties The best way therefore to increase our inward strength of spirit is to work couragiously and suffer patiently in silence and solitude forgetting all creatures unkowing all objects transcending all humane events and accidents What though the whole world perished though the frame of heaven and earth were dissolved What is that to tâ—ee follow thou thy Lord and love For indeed he that hath his mind diverted and The 8. advice How God is to be proposed to our understanding in an eminent and Negatâ—ve way distracted with such fancies in prayer is little attentive to Gods presence 8. As concerning our Vnderstanding and Will We are to take notice that when the Vnderstanding proposeth God to the Will as just wise powerfull or under anâ— particular attribute the Will is elevated by that sight alone and so that act of love is limited lock'â— up and less perfect than if God were proposed under a most eminent way and as the supream being surpassing infinitly all that can fall within the verge of humane conceptions in this life Though therefore the Vnderstanding may and can propose some positive and particular conception of God to the Will yet it is far better and of higher perfection to do it in common confusedly and negatively for our truest knowledge of God S. Greg. the great l. 5. moral
thine my merits are thy mercies my goods thy graces yet I neither have been thankfull for receiving them nor faithfull in using them O! when did I trust in my own strength and was not foiled and confounded Grant therefore O my Lord ô my only hope and help O my sole safety and security that I may totally trust to thee and distrust my self truly acknowledge thee and deny my self entirely love thee and hate my self 6. I confess ô my Lord that I am the poorest ungratefullest unprofitablest and unworthyest worm of the earth a thing altogether useless to the world and only active to offend thee and to do wickedly in thy sight and is it possible that I can harbor any thought of self-love or self-I king O God of infinite glory greatness and majesty before whom the powers of heaven do tremble what are all creatures in thy sight and what am I the meanest of them all O what proportion is there great God between me and thee between thy All and my Nothing And yet have I infring'd thy laws disobey'd thy commands contemned thy Counsels resisted thy callings and contradicted thy will to prefer my own O monstrous impiety and ingratitude And shall I not willingly submit to all pain punishment contradiction and contempt which thou ô my highly offended creatour shalt suffer thy creatures to inflict upon me Behold O my Lord I debase humble and annihilate my self under all things that have a being I will henceforth utterly hate distrust and detest my self and wholly love thee and relie upon thy mercy O holy self-knowledge O sacred humility thou art the key of all perfection the door of all solid vertue piety and devotion 7. I now cleerly see by the light of thy divine goodness O gracious Lord God what hath hitherto been the cause of my â—on-proficiency in the way of the Spirit and why the path of vertue seemed and so unpleasant thornie tedious and troublesome to my deceived soul It was because I had not learned to leave loath deny and distrust myself and to rely wholly on thee O my only comfort and support I will therefore henceforth faithfully practise what I perceive so necessary I will profoundly humble my soul both inwardly in thy presence O my Lord and outwardly to the whole world I will joyfully and voluntarily embrace all injury indignity contempt correction and confusion which can befall me with as much pleasure as I have formerly any cherishings and kindness I will utterly destroy ruine and root out all self-love self-liking self-seeking self-praise and self-complacencie I will cast my self under the feet of the vilest creatures take pleasure in the meanest employments and obey them most willingly whom my nature most distasts and dislikes I will walk before thee O my Creator as thy needy naked desolate and destitute vassal acknowledging my self void of all vertue and attributing to my self nothing but sin ingratitude defects failings imperfections I will fully perswade my self that no one can contemn confound persecute and punish me as I deserve I will not regard whether I am honored or hated but imagine my self as a thing dead forgotten or as that which never had a being and is now truly nothing I will be contented to be accounted an hypocrite in my sincerest actions and to be thought full of inward impatience secret grudgings and desires of revenge against them who shall any way mortify or misuse me though my heart be never so free from it Finally I will have these and the like thoughts and words alwayes in my heart and mouth I am nothing I have nothing I do no good I am an unprofitable servant I utterly hate and distrust my self and totally rely upon thee O my Lord my love and my All. FOR WEDNESDAY To obtain Remission of our Sins The Third Exercise 1. WHo will give water to my head and fountains of tears to my eyes And I will weep day and night for my sins which cover me all over like an incurable ulcer from the soal of the foot to the crown of the head Where art thou O my wretched and wicked soul In what labyrinths dost thou walk In what sinks of sin and puddles of uncleaness dost thou wallow Awake arise lament repent how long wilt thou sleep why wilt thou dy when wilt thou shake off thy fetters Ah return silly sheep to thy good Pastour return poor prodigal to thy pious Father whose goodness so lovingly invites thee whose mercy hath so long expected thee O great and glorious God the mighty Monarch of heaven and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords behold a poor and penitent Publican who is ashamed to lift up his eyes to heaven and unworthy to take thy sacred name into his sinfull mouth humbly knocking at thy gate of mercy clipping thy holy feet and craving thy accustomed pity and compassion O merciful Lord hide not thy self from me shut not the door against me Oh! one crum of comfort one dram of devotion to my sad and sick soul to my dry and desolate spirit 2. I am conscious of my ingratitude against thee O supream majesty and my sin is always before me and confounding me But whither should I retire my self from thee To whom should I have recourse but unto thee Art not thou my Father my Father of mercies which have neither limits nor measure Art not thou my Maker my preserver my governor my deliverer my King my Pastor my Physician my Priest and my Sacrifice If thou art not all this and more to me and if I am nothing to thee refuse me reject me and relinquish me a prey to be swallowed up by thy enemies But it is time O my Lord that heaven and earth take notice of what thou art to me and what I am to thee It is time thou enter into thy right And I must now either give my self to thee or thou must take me unto thee Not that I aspire to those excellent prerogatives of thy dearest servants No my Lord it sufficeth me to be in the out-rank of thy meanest slaves to be only stamp'd with thy mark and link'd fast in thy chains that I may never more have the power to fly from thee O grant me this favour most merciful Father which thy dear Son hath purchased for me by the price of his death and passion I am fall'n without thee by my own frailty but can never hope to rise but by thy mercy O my Lord and only support I am sick without thee but cannot be cured without thee my heavenly Physician I am dead without thee but can never be revived but by thee ô life of my soul So true it is that to make me come to thee thou ô most gracious Lord God must first come to me O the admirable goodness of my loving Lord Even this little I am doing is rather thine own work than mine Thou O my Lord puttest repentance into my soul desires into my heart sighs into my brest
hearts into which we may securely and sweetly retire in the midst of all worldly varieties This is to walk with God as Enoch did and to be in continuall conversation with the Divinity A more sublime way to practise Gods presence is To look alwaies upon him without any discourse by a simple act of lively Faith not to question how or in what manner he is present nor to A hâ—gher way to practâ—se Gods presence fix our eys upon his inaccessible splendours because it is yet nighâ— for us we are but travellers and we must expect untill the bright day of eternity shine upon us and shew him unto us as he is in himself we must not think here to behold him but be content to beleeve him present with us and within us and that we live move and have our being in and by him In this manner of practising God's presence it is not needfull to form any conception or representation of God as that he is here by us or in any designed place or in such a form or figure for wee speak here of the presence of God as he is God which excludes all these imaginations And therefore it sufficeth to behold him only by Faith simply beleeving that he is here and in all places that he fils the whole universe and each corner and creature therein contained S. Augusâ— and that he is more inward to us than we are to our selves The 23. Maxim That Humiliation is a relique of Gods love WHen any occasion is offered us of humiliation abjection or mortification let us not examine how whence or from whom it comes but joyfully accept it embrace it and kiss it as a rich relique and royall token of God's great love and favour towards us Let us force our sensuality to swallow it down and disgest it for though it be bitter it will purge and perfect our spirits The 24. Maxim That Humility is the solid ground-work of all Spirituality WE are to grave this necessary lesson not only upon our Oratory and in all our books but upon the very dores of our hearts and in the depth of our souls Learn of me who am meek and humble-hearted Christ's lesson is humility Mat. 11. 29. and you shall find rest for your souls O sweet Saviour O meek and mercifull lamb of God! teach me this lesson which I stand in such need of Oh that I could perfectly practise it How purely and peaceably should I both live and dye Meek and humble spirits converse together like mourning turtles like innocent lambs and like corporall Angels turning the blessed family where they live into an earthly Paradise c. In the externall practice of this vertue wee are to observe chiefly these three degrees First to forbear forgoe deny Three points for the externall pactise of humility and submit our own judgements heartily humbly and really not only to our Superiours but also to all others casting our selves at their feet yea and under their feet to be troden on as dust and dirt And this as near as may bee for Gods sake Secondly not to care what others say or think of us which point which that other Of not medling with what concerns â—â— not will soon bring us unspeakablâ— peace and purity thinking alwaies with our selves What is that to thee follow thou thy Saviour Thirdly to get a habit of patience condescendence yielding and being silent in all occurrences and contradictions In the internall practice of humility we are also to observe these three degrees First to confess and acknowledge Three points for the internall practice our selves more wretched and wicked impure and imperfect ungratefull and unworthy of all grace and favour than any soul created Secondly to be glad that others treat us for such as we really take our selves to be and repute us forlorn and forsaken creatures unworthy of all company and comfort Thirdly to dye utterly to our selves and be totally mortified in our appetiteâ— and desires renouncing absolutely all propriety and self-seeking These short words contain infinit perfection And to move us powerfully to the prosecution of this vertue we may thus question our selves 1. Doe not all things humble Motives to humility themselves to serve me both in heaven and earth The Saints to pity me the Angels to protect me the Mother of God to remember me thâ— Son of God to redeem me and God himself to remain with me reign within me comfort me in my prayers feed me in Communion releeve me in tribulation 2. O strange Humility of my Saviour Not only to descend unto but into a wicked worm not only to eat with a sinner but to be eaten by a sinner O strange pride in me to see the Lord of heaven and earth so humbled in his Incarnation Passion Communion and yet to see a begger so proud a sinner so lofty minded and dust and ashes have such difficulty to stoop 3. Upon earth Doe not all things serve me for body or soul some to nourish me some to cloath me others to cure me others to correct me others to comfort and instruct me Even my betters superiors and confessors must humble themselves to me because my pride will not bend to them All creatures must be subject to me and I will not be subject to my Creator Alas what mean I when shall I begin O secure and sweet Humility when shall I practice thee 4. Doth not all the world all that I am and have my body my soul my actions my sufferings my sins furnish me with sufficient arguments of Humility What was I from eternity What am I what shall I be What have I that I have not received what have I received that I have not abused c. 5. Upon whom doth the Holy Esay 66. 2. Ghost promise to rest but on humble and quiet souls Stoop O dust and ashes O amiable Humility how necessary art thou for me how pleasing to God and men With what comfort and quiet dost thou enrich thy possessour O heaven upon earth What doe I not get by Humility what doe I lose by Pride and presumption c. The 25. Maxim That Silence and Solitude are our heaven upon earth THese are the proper instruments S. Tho. 2. 2. q. 188. a. 8. Lam. 3. 28 of Contemplation where our souls sit silently and solitarily lifted up above themselves by transcending all things created and uniting themselves to their Creatour Wee must observe them diligently Read Cisnerius ch 39. discreetly and devoutly not out of a sullen or melancholy humour or in a disdainfull and disgustfull manner or out of pride and singularity or to wave matter of mortification or to avoid the company of such as we brook not and have a version from but with an internall cheerfulness to converse with God in spirituall joy and fervour And the ordinary practice of them may be reduced to these four points First To retire our selves and 4. Points
and conversation enter into his secret cabinet eat at his table repose on his breast be his minion become all one with him O honour most admirable O holyness most amiable O happiness most Angelical O life O love The 27. Maxim That Confidence in Gods goodness is the main support of our Spiritual Edifice WE must be confident that our Loving Lord will First pardon our sins Secondly strengthen us in all necessities Thirdly bring us finally to eternall happiness And to strengthen this Confidence we must deeply ingrave these two Maxims 2. Maxims in our souls and then we shall easily be content to leave our selves in the arms of his paternall providence and lose our selves in the abyss of his piety First That what ever befalls us comes immediately Rusbrochius Read the Conflict c. 10. n. 3. 4 either from his will or his permission Secondly That he will turn all even our frailties and failings to our spirituall good We may further weigh what wonderfull cause Motives to put our Confidence in God First in heaven we have 1. Viscera misericordiae 2. Vulnera misericordiae of confidence and comfort we have First In heaven where we have 1. Bowels of mercy in God the Father we cry dayly to him as his Son taught us Our Father which art in heaven Will not a good father forgive the fault and forget the folly of his returning and â—epenting childe 2. Wounds of mercy in God the Son the least of which was sufficient to redeem a thousand worlds whereby we being reconcil'd and made his friends will he deny us any thing that is necessary Is not each drop of his dear blood a motive of loving confidence and able to melt us into a filiall dependency on him 3. Promises 3. Promissâ— misericordiae of mercy in God the Holy Ghost who hath assured us of his continued comforts till the worlds consummation 4. Words of mercy 4. Verba misericordiae when he said O why will you perish you of the house of Israel As I live I desire not the death of a sinner but that he turn to me and live What hard heart would not be touch'd with tenderness and say reciprocally As I live ô my Lord God I detest all sin and convert my self totally to thee that I may live with thee and love thee eternally O holy Conversion O happy contract 5. Brests of mercy in the 5. Vbera misericordiae Mother of Jesus O Jesu be to us a Jesus O Mother of Jesus be to us a Mother of mercies Let the care of thy honour be ever in our hearts and the care of our welfare always in thine 6. Castles of mercy in the Angels who are before and behind 6. Castra misericordiae us to watch over and protect us 7. Oracles of mercy the prayers and suffrages of all the Saints pitying 7. Oracula misericordiae our misery and purchasing pardon for us If we put all this together we shall find all heaven for us What matter then if hell be against us O thou of little faith whereof canst thou be doubtfull or fearfull c. Secondly On Earth in the Church Secondly On Earth militant what is not for us Sacraments Scriptures Examples Prayers If we go not to heaven where is the fault What could God do that he hath not done and what could we have more than we have for our consolation and salvation Who can choose but take courage comfort and confidence Thirdly Look upon Christ Jesus Thirdly In Christ 1. Why came he into this world 2. How did he carry himself in it towards sinners both in his life and death 3. Why was he called Jesus and tearmed a friend of Publicans and sinners 4. Why did he â—â—y That he came to call sinners and not the Just and to do mercy and not justice 5. What access and comfort gave he to all sinners 6. What was his last will and testament c 7. What his last words Father forgive c. Fourthly Ponder Gods Perfectious Fourthly Look on Gods perfections 1. He is our maker we the work of his hands Doth not each Artist love his own handy-work Hath not every one a naturall proneness to protect improve profit and perfect his own Even so our loving Lord takes care of us he hides and harbors us as the Hen her Chickens under her wings he defends us as the apple of his eye If a mother can forget the fruit of her womb yet will I never forget you say's our Lord because I have graven you in my hands and heart 2. He is All-mighty All-wisdom All-goodness Put these together I have a Father and Maker that loves me exceedingly he knows my necessities and what is best for me he is rich enough to provide for me Will he let me perish will he reject me Then reason thus further with your-self In whom shall I confide if not in God In my self or others We are all inconstant all ignorant of what is best all impotent and want means to help O how much better is it to trust in God than men Fiftly Reflect upon your own Fiftly our own experience Experience 1. Whom did God ever deceive in his promises 2. Who ever called heartily on him and was refused 3. Hath he not hitherto merveilously protected and preserved you and disposed all for your good Why then should you doubt or distrust his providence for the time to come No Lord Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee Heaven and earth may perish but no tittle of my hope in thee my Dear and only Saviour This shall be my Anchor and stay If he kill me I will trust in him I will rest Secure in his Divine providence and endeavour to get an habituall and stable trust in his paternall protection without any care or fear as doth a child in his fathers bâ—som This is the ready way to become unmoveable and immutable quiet and content Is he God Is he good Is he my God my Father my Jesus Jesus crucified Is his goodness infinit Doth he want power wisdom or Will to pardon protect and perfect me I must surely have little faith less hope and no love If I will not take thy words O Lord thy works thy wounds thy life and thy love for secure pledges of thy care towards me and sufficient motives to place my whole confidence in thee The 28. Maxim That the measure of our progress in Perfectionâ— is the Conformity of our Wiâ—â— with the divine will 1. FOr our perfection consists in love and the greatest signe of love is to have one and the same Will with the beloved So that look how much we have of our own Will so much less have we of Gods will and love and consequently are so much the further from the Union of our spirit with him 1. In this exercise of conformity consists all perfection O what holiness and happiness what privilege and
THE CHRISTIAN PILGRIME IN HIS Spirituall CONFLICT And CONQVEST AT PARIS M.DC.LII APPROBATIO UTI finis Praecepti it a Consilii Charitas de corde puro Conscientia bona et Fide non ficta Ad quam cum facilitate assequendam securius retinendam compendiosam Regiam viam sternunt Documenta quae in hoc libro cujus Titulus est The Christian Pilgrim in his spirituall Conflict and Conquest continentur quia in illo nil Fidei Catholicae repugnans aut bonis moribus contradicens invenitur sed Doctrina pia sana solida ad quam legendam sequendam omnes qui repleri consolatione superabundare gaudio fervere spiritu crebro suspicere in Caelum puras manus in oratione levare suas solicite observare conscientias Sanctorum sequi Vestigia cupiunt sunt invitandi Datum Duaci Januarii 17. anno 1652. Stilo Novo Fra RUDESINDUS BARLO Sacrae Theologiae Doctor Professor in Collegio Vedastino Duaceno The same Approbation Englished THE End of the Counsell as well as of the Commandement is Charitie out of a pure Heart of a good Conscience of Faith unfeigned Which to obtain with facility and retain with security the Documents contained in this book intituled The Christian Pilgrim in his Spiritual Conflict and Conquest Shew a plain and compendious way For therein nothing is found dissonant to our Catholique Faith or repugnant to Piety but a holy sound and solid Doctrine To the perusall and practise whereof all they are invited who desire to be replenished with comfort to overflow with joy to be fervent in Spirit to aspire frequently towards Heaven to lift up pure hands in prayer to preserve their Conscâ—ences unspotted and to follow the steps of the holy Saints Given at Doway January the seventeenth 1652. Stilo novo Br RUDESIND BARLO Doctor and Professor of Divinity in the Vedastin College Doway 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lion walkes about seekâ—ng whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in Faith THE SPIRITVAL CONFLICT OR The ARRAIGNMENT of the Spirit of Selfe-love and Sensuality at the Barre of Truth and Reason First published in Spanish by the Reverend Father John Castaâ—iza a Benedictin Monk of ON A Afterwards put into the Latine Italian German French and now lastly into the English Tongue according to the Originall Copy With many profitable Additions and Explications The Second Edition Job 7. 1. Mans Life is a Warfare upon Earth AT PARIS M.DC.LII Ephesians 6. 10 11. MY brethren be strong in our Lord and in the power of his might Put on the Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devill James 4. 7. Be subject to God resist the Devill and he will flee from you Matth. 26. 41. Mark 13. 38. Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation 1. Cor. 16. 13. Stand fast in Faith quit you like men be strong c. Hee shall not be crowned who fights not valiantly 2. Tim. 2. 5. A Lively pourtraict of the Spirituall Conflict To the right Reverend Fathers Religious Dames and devout Brothers and Sisters of the holy Order of Saint BENNET THIS little book is presented unto You not because the Translator follows the epidemick custome which enforceth the complement of a Dedication or expects any return of temporal profit from you or stoops you to so low a Patronage as to become Gossipps to this adopted child which are the vulgar ends of almost all presents of this nature wherby the Receivers are rather engaged than gratified But meerly as an humble oblation of Filial duty and respect For he pretends not to cast in his mite or bring a gift to your spirituall treasury but only to pay a little parcell of his larger debt and to give you an account of some houres of his time which he acknowledgeth should be all employed in your service Besides he but restores unto you what was your own before by another and a nearer title of Confraternity and only new cloath's a Spanish Monk of St. Bennet's holy Order with your English habit a thing both usuall and hitherto very succesfull unto you hoping thereby to make him the better welcome and not doubting but he will speedily easily and efficaciously insinuate himself into your affections whose dayly practices have so great sympathy with his divine doctrine For what are or surely should be the continuall endeavours of a true Benedictin Monk and indeed of all devout Christians but to quell and conquer the world the flesh and the Devill according to the Principles of Truth to subdue sense to reason to make his very passions by taming them usefull and his affections by fixing them upon the right object instrumentall to the attaining of perfection and to study self-knowledg practice self-hatred and persevere in self deniall that God may be the sole possessor of his heart the only mover of his affections and the all ruler in his whole man having now no self-will left to hinder his holy operation And this is the only drift of this devout Treatise which may therefore fully serve you and all pious Pilgrims travelling to their heavenly home for a clear glass wherein you may see your own souls without flattery discover your spirituall blemishes without partiality learn the rare secret of rooting out vices implanting vertues improving all accidents to your best profit and trimming up your interiours to your highest advantage for the sweet entertainment of your beloved Spouse without overmuch pains or prolixity You are I say to look upon this small book as upon a Compendious summary of Christian perfection or as a little store-house well fraught with the Originall seeds and simples of all spirituality from whence other devout druggists cunning in compositions have since furnish'd their larger shops and extracted many ample and indeed some excellent volumes But because Art is long Life short and this life is lent us to learn the Art of living well what pity is it that our lives should be more spent in reading than profiting that men should take more delight in writing than instructing and that we must be forc'd to seek a few precepts in many sheets which may be plainly set down in a few pages Yet such is the strange itch of writers now a days that the number of books which are extant upon all subjects seems to exceed that of the readers whose arms may be as well tired in turning over the vast multitude of volumes as their brains confounded in studying them So that it were to be heartily wished that that grave * S. Thomas of Aquin who being asked which was the speediest and best way to become learned Answered To read only one Book Doctors advice were now revived and followed by spirituall persons which is That they would only or at least chiefly betake themselves to the serious perusall of some one good Authour for their Guide Governor and
the errour and idlenesse of them who out of sloathfulnesse think upon nothing but to make a speedy end of what they have enterprised litle caring to doe it well but onely striving to dispatch it quickly that they may the sooner enjoy their over much-desired quiet and repose 2. And because there is no better Text. remedy to recall one fallen into this sluggish vice than thus to settle him to some good work though the sloathfull man loaths all such employments having more thought upon the labour which he must undergoe The fruit of good works must be discovered than the fruit which follows it Therefore this good must be discovered and made apparent unto him and he must be given to understand that one hearty elevation of the mind to God or one onely bending of the knee humbly to the earth for his honour is more worth than all worldly wealth and treasures EXPLICATION ANd that as often as we make a diligent hast to speed a good work by using a certaine force and violence to our selves so often the holy Angels bring crowns of glorious victory from heaven to adorne our soules and that God by litle and litle takes away from the tepid and negligent those graces which he had formerly given them encreasing them to his faithfull friends and followers And as for the paine which is to Text. be taken in the prosecution of vertuous practices it must be so dexterously And the pains disguised hid and disguised from him that it may seeme lesse and lighter than it is As If thou shouldest perchance employ thy selfe in the exercise of pious meditation for the space of one whole houre and that seemes too long to thy lazy disposition use a pious fraude and perswade thy sensuâ—lity that after half a quarters time well spent in prayer thou wilt presently leave of And againe when this short space is past get thy body to have patience a litle longer before thou ceasest thy devotions and thus continuâ—ng from space to space the whole howre will soone be overpassed and thy sloath easily shaken of 4. But if indeed thou findest a reall Unlesse there be a reall disability disability of body to beare such labours thou maist lawfully leave it off for a time till by degrees it becomes accustomed to performe these practices of piety with more fervour and alacrity EXPLICATION THis I tell thee as condescending to thy sloath and weaknesse But if thou wouldest habituate thy selfe to make all labour light and all paines pleasant the best though the But the best way to get a custome of induring is to expect crosses continually most difficult way is to get before it expect it cheerefully embrace it at the first incounter whence thou wilt find that all tediousness in the performance thereof wil be turned into perfect quiet content since what thou dost thou dost voluntarily and willingly whereas if on the contrary thou seekest to shun labour it will And not to seek how to shun them not onely seeme irksome when it comes to be performed but formidable before-hand to thy apprehension so that thy very quiâ—t will be subject to trouble and the feare of this surprisall will continually alarme thy fancy thou wilt abhor all pains-taking as a thing loathsome and still dread the occurrence of such occasions persons or objects as are like to impose it upon thee 6. Marvaile not that I so much presse this point and inveigh against Negligence is highly prejudiciall to perfection this vice of Negligence I doe it for that it is seldome perceived and yet highly prejudiciall because it persecutes and pursues us most secretly and subtilly it falls upon us not by force but flattery it gnaws the very root of all spirituality and insensibly gangrens the marrow of our piety and devotion And our enemy hath no better or more alluring bait to And the most alluring bait of our enemy entice any one into his treacherous ambushes especially them who aime at spirituality Be thou therefore vigilant ô my dearly beloved pray heartily performe good works diligently and delay not the spinning of the wooll for thy nuptiall robe untill the marriage day be come when thou shouldest be ready and arrayed to goe before thy deare Spouse Reflect that thy God who Therefore take timely care to prevent it gave thee the morning doth not promise thee an evening therefore improve each moment to thy profit and remember the strict account which will be exacted thereof I And account that day loâ—â— in which thou hast done no goodaction conclude and counsell thee to give that day for lost though thou hast dispatcht never so many affaires wherein thou hast gotten no victory over thy enemies nor thanked God for his benefits CHAP. XIII How to governe our Sensuality THy Sensuality ô dearly beloved is the ordinary gate whereby the Devill enters into thee Let it be therefore thy chief care so to keep and curb it that it may rather be a doore alwayes open to let in thy Lord God to thy Soule Therefore in all thy commerce with earthly creatures be sure to have thy heart Keep thy heart disingaged from earthly creatures free and disingaged from them and often elevating the eye of thy affection to thy God looke upon him hidden in that creature as in his own work and then reflâ—ct that thy same Lord and love is within thee also and thou maist begin to confer with him in this sort O my mercifull maker and eternall Lord God thou art ever present with mee Thou art more within me than I am in my selfe and I ungratefull and forgetfull wretch remember thee not love thee not honour thee not 2. At other times elevate thy And contemplate thy creatours greatnesse thoughts to the contemplation of Gods incomprehensible perfections and rejoyce in those his goods greatnesses and glories more than if they were all thine owne And be more glad that he is incomprehensible in his Majesty than if he were within the reach of thy understanding and capacity 3. And when thou remarkest any And reduce all â—reated â—erfection to him the fountaine main perfection either of Grace or Nâ—ture in any man or woman as wisdome understanding piety justice and the like lift up thy selfe to him who is the bountifull bestower and consider them not as they are in that creature but reducing them to thy Lord God say Behold these ô my God are rivulets flowing out of thee the true living eternall and increate fountaine these are the rewards of thy servants issuing out of the immense Ocean of thy ineffable bounty 4. But when the beauty of any And all earthly beauty to heavenly glory creature allures thee to any delight and complacency passe presently from earthly beauty to the thought of supernall glory and therein onely taking pleasure say O my God when will the happy day come that I shall take in thee onely
is the foundation of all vertues the deeper thou layest this ground-work the higher will be thy spirituall building yet never thinke thou canst digge it deepe enough but rather imagine that if an infinity could befall a creature thy unworthinesse would be infinite This point to wit selfe-acknowledgement being well practised gives thee the possession And without which thou art lesse than nothing of all that is good and without it thou art lesse than nothing though thy actions are more perfect than those of the greatest Saints and thy heart be in continuall recollection with thy Creatour O blessed knowledge which makes us happy on Earth and glorious in Heaven O true light shining out of our darknesse O great nothing which rendrest us masters and monarchs of all things No my dearly beloved I will never give over the pressing of this Point which thou art ever to practise 13. If therefore thou desirest to praise God accuse thy selfe if thou wilt exalt his Divine Majesty dive into thine own misery If thou wilt find him climb not up to Heaven for hee will fly from thee but rather descend into the abysse of thine own nothing and hee will thither come to And it is the onely way to praise find and please God thee and there embrace thee Yes hee will court and cherish thee by so much the more dearly deliciously and tenderly by how much thou seemest abject and vild in thine own eyes and art well pleased to have all others slight and scorn thy company as a meere out cast an object of derision and a thing abominable 14. Know furthermore and consider Therefore thou art bound to him for permitting thee to be scorned thy selfe most unworthy of so high a favour from thy Lord God as to bee neglected and scorned by all and faile not to render him most hearty and humble thanks Finally thou art to be gratefull and sensible of thy great obligation to them who have administred the occasion of this thy spirituall improvement and to acknowledge And to them who do it thy selfe most bound to them who have most master'd and mortified thee 15. But if notwithstanding all these true and weighty considerations the subtilty of the Devil thy own ignorance or an evill inclination should have yet the power over thee so as to disquiet and And be ever wary of the devil and thine own inclination trouble thy minde with fancies of selfe-praise and make some impressions in thy heart of thine owne merits and deserts 'T is then thou art chiefly and couragiously to beat downe and humble thy selfe since thou findest by experience how poorly thou hast profited in the way of the Spirit and knowledge of thy selfe and what deepe roots thy pride and vanity have taken in thy entralls And this is the way to suck hony out of poyson and to draw health from wounds Of Rash Judgement 1. From this vice of selfe-esteem springeth up another no lesse dangerous which is Rash-Judgement Rash-judgemen springs from Self esteeme concerning our neighbouts and this is commonly followed with contempt of their persons and detraction from their good name This vice as it hath its beginning from a pâ—evish and proud inclination so likewise And from Pride it is nourished and fomented by no other food for Pride and Rash Judgement increase together comply with each other and doe both joyntly covertly and insensibly concurre to deceive us For wee presume to exalt our selves by iudging meanly of others and we thinke our selves free from those imperfections which we are fully perswaded are in our Brothers 2. Now our wylie enemy the Devill no sooner discovers this perverse disposition in us but hee is busy in keeping our senses open to â—he Devil â—trives to â—eepe open our senses upon our Neighbours actions see heare examine controll and heighten the faults of our Neighbours hee is diligent to imprint this imperfection or that indiscretion of such or such a person in our spirits If therefore my dearly beloved thy foe is so forward and watchfull to intrap thee be thou equally carefull and vigilant to avoid his plots But wee must be as vigilant to shun as he is to lay his plotts and rescue thy soule out of his dangerous snares and in the first place when anothers defects are presented before thee presently withdraw thy thoughts but if thou art solicited to give sentence let it bee a flat First by denying to give any sentence deniall and short answer that thou hast no such power given thee and if thou hadst any such privilege thou couldst hardly forme a right and sound judgement being invironed and prevented with such a number of passions inclining to thinke more amisse than there is just cause 3. Then make use of this second and singular remedy Let the consideration Secondly by looking homewards upon our own selves of thine owne wants and interiour necessities so take up thy whole time and thoughts that seeing how convenient it is to looke homeward and how much thou art concerned to take order in thy owne bleeding affaires thou mayst recall thy mind from roming abroad and have no leasure left to lend away to others superfluously who hast scarcely time enough to looke after thy selfe in things of absolute necessity And this serious search into thine owne wants will cleare the inward eye of thy soule from those ill humours which ingender this pestiferous imperfection of Rash judgement For know that when thou conceivest amisse of thy Neighbour Where we shall finde some root of the same fault wee blame in them there is some root of the same evill in thine own heart which is apt to take the impression of that object which is like it selfe When therefore thou feelest this itching desire to censure anothers fault fall into passion at thy selfe as if thou wert equally culpable and enter into these terms with thine owne Soule Is it possible that I who am so miserable not onely because I wallow in the same mire but am also full of greater faults and inperfections shall notwithstanding be so proud and presumptuous as to take upon me to judge another Thus the weapons which first pointed at thy neighbour but have thus pricked thine owne heart will prove a perfect cure of thy wounds and a true comfort to thy soule 4. But when the fault which is If the fauâ—t be manifest put a charitable construction upon it committed is become manifest then excuse it with a charitable construction and piously conclude that thy brother hath many hidden vertues and perfections for the custody whereof he is thus permitted to fall or that it is to humble him for a time to make him see his owne nothing and so from this contempt of others raise him afterwards to higher perfection in the sight of the divine Majesty whereby his gaine may prove greater than his losse But if the sinne be not onely manifest but even monstrous and proceeds
conquer thy enemy with his owne weapons which he prepared for thy destruction 8. When therefore thy sins are And never to distrust his mercy suggested to thy memory conceive a perfect hatred of them as of things detestable to the divine goodnesse yet be sure to have an hopefull confidence in thy Saviours passion And I tell thee yet more shouldest thou seem to heare God saying unto thee Away thou art none of the number of my sheep yet thou art not to lose thy confidence in his mercy but humbly to reply Thou hast just reason ô my Soveraigne Lord God to shake me off for my sins sake But I have greatest reason to be confident of thy goodnesse and mercy and to beleeve that thou wilt pardon me therefore I humbly beg salvation for this thy wretched creature damn'd indeed by it's owne malice but redeem'd by the And the merits of his passion dear ransome of thy Sonnes most pretious blood and passion Thou wilt save me ô my Redeemer for thine owne glories sake and I resigne my selfe freely into thy hands upon the assurance of thy infinite mercy Doe with me and dispose of me as thou best pleasest for thou art my onely Lord and if thou killest me yet I will place my whole hope in thy heavenly goodnesse Of the assault of Vain glory 9. The third assault is that of The third assault is of vain-glory Vain-glory and presumption Here thou art to be â—quall wary of the other extreme and never to admit of the least conceit or complacency in thy selfe or thy actions but to referre all goodnesse that seemes to be in thee purely to Gods great mercy and the merits of Christs pâ—ssion Imbase thy selfe in thy heart whilst there is the least remainder of breath in thy body and acknowledge thy Which is conquerd by distrust of thy self and trust in God God as the true fountain of all thy goodnesse Look not at all upon thine owne merits but rely totally upon his mercy Distrust thy selfe and trust in thy Saviour and think what poore provisions thou hast laid up in store for this passage of death and thy journey to eternity and how vain and uselesse all thine owne indeavours will prove unlesse God will be pleased to put his helping hand and gather thee under the sacred wings of his divine protection Of illusions and false aprearances which are usually presented at the hour of death 10. If thy obstinate enmy who is The fourth assault is by false illusions ever studying to supplant thee should at this time set upon thee with false appearances and transfigurations of himselfe into an Angel of light thy best way is to recurre to the certain knowledge of thine own nothing and boldly to answer him Depart ô thou accursed devill into Against which have recourse to the confession of thy owne nothing And admit them not though they seem to come from heaven thy own darknesse I neither deserve nor desire any visions I need no other thing than the mercy of my Jesus the prayers of the Virgin Mary and the assistauce of the Saints Yea though thou hast reason to guesse by some evident signes that these things are from heaven yet still deny them all accesse unto thee and drive them far from thee nor needest thou fear lest any such resistance grounded upon thine own indignity should displease God for if the visions come from him he knowes well how to make them manifest notwithstanding thy opposition and art secure to be thereby no loser since he who gives his grace to the humble cannot be angry with him who practiseth such high acts of that vertue 11. These are the common and After these generall temptations follow others in particular ordinary engines which our enemy makes use of in this last passage After which follow his other trained bands of temptations according to each ones particular inclination and disposition Stand therefore timely to thy arms my beloved before this great day of battail steal upon thee and fight now valiantly and generously against thy violent passions and imperfections that thou mayst be prepared at that time which takes from thee all other time and power to perform it CHAP. XX. That we must never flatttr our selves as having subdued our enemies but must often return to our wonted exercises as if we were yet Novices in this Spirituall Conflict I have yet one thing O beloved Never perswade thy selfe thou hast gotten a full victory to tell thee of which is that thou never perswade thy selfe to have gotten a full victory over any one of thy passions though perchance thou hast for a long time together felt no motions thereof But that thou often renew thy accustomed But often renew thy exercises spirituall exercises as if thou wert yet a young beginner and a fresh-water souldier now entring the list 2. For if we behold and desire to follow the perfection whereunto God hath called us wee shall find it to be so high and so copious that For perfection is very high and hard to be obtained after our best spent endeavours wee shall scarcely presume to say that we have learnt the first principles thereof And besides this That which seemes to us a vertue may indeed sometimes be a vice our judgement being deceived by some secret pride CHAP. XXI Of Holy Prayer WE have hitherto ô beloved The fourth weapon is Holy prayer through the divine assistance heard and learned what concerns Diffidence in our selves Confidence in our God and continuall Exercise which are the three necessary meanes to get the victory of our passions and to conquer the disordered motions of our Sensuality Now follows the fourth which is Holy Prayer and this is the best and most efficacious means to obtain all good things from Gods gracious and bountifull hand EXPLICATION FOr Prayer is the food the comfort A furthet description of prayer and the support of the soule during its pilgrimage upon earth It is a secure bridge for it to passe over the severall seas of adversities and prosperities It is a wall of defence against vices and temptations a key opening into the cabinet of celestiall treasures the dore of holy thoughts and finally an invincible Citadel and sure retreating place from the violent assaults of all our enemies By prayer if thou knowest how to apply it to its true use thou puttest a sword into thy Lords powerfull hands wherewith he will fight thy battails for thee and vanquish all enemies which oppose thee in thy way of perfection 2. But to make thy prayer grateful Text. Which must have these properties usefull and acceptable it must be accompanied with these conditions and properties First That an ardent desire to 1. A desire to serve God serve thy Lord God in such a manner as may best pleasure his divine Majesty doe continually inflame thy heart EXPLICATION TO obtain this inflamed desire How to obtain
of for your own satisfaction And look down with your other eye upon your bottomless nothing see there your own base indignity and brutish ingratitude your great impurity and gross impiety and be ashamed to desire any temporal esteem who so truly deserve eternal damnation 6. Other knots of the same To self-love appertain also all the passions of our inferiour nature love hatred c. snare are all those passions which have their residence in our inferiour nature love hatred joy grief hope and fear with their severall attendants these raise up broiles to disturb our inward tranquillity to discompose our Reason and interpose their earthy exhalations between our superiour will and the grace of God Peace of heart is the secure refuge To which we must oppose Peace of heart against all these peevish Passions do but cast your whole care upon your Creator and call away your inordinate affection from creatures and what then can punish or perplex you Remit and refer all accidents whether adverse or prosperous sweet or sowre good or bad to Gods high power and holy providence comfort your selves in his mercy content your selves in his all-sufficiency and quiet your selves in his love Ah! how poor how vain how vile how unregardable Read the 4. ch num 3. of the conflict are the best of worldly blessings how is it possible that things in themselves so contemptible can have the least entrance or admittance into a soul setled in Gods pure love and presence O let the children of this world who place their final felicity in such fading fooleries who have their souls buried in this earth and swallowed up in sensuality be solicitous to seek them glut and burst themselves in the enjoying of them and be dejected to be deprived of them but we O souls aspiring to perfection whose master is God whose aym is vertue whose reward is heaven what have we to do with these inferiour passions Away with these Mammons My heart is signed with the signet of Gods love my hatred is only bent against sin and my self my joy is in God my Saviour my grief is that I am not all his my fear is to offend him and my hope is to enjoy him 7. Lastly all adhering to our proper will and judgment appertains to this ambush of our enemy The adhering to our own wills and preferring of our own judgments are also points of self-love Read the 5. ch of the Conflict This draws us off by degrees from doing our duty diverts us from following divine motions and superiours commands daunts us from relying entirely on Gods providence and fulfilling perfectly his holy pleasure we dare not disobey this master nor will we venture to destroy this Idol of our hearts 't is death to be cross'd in our conceits or contradicted in our exercises which we have chosen according to our private fancy accustomed with self-complacency and keep with unpardonable propriety Perfect obedience breaks through Which must be cured by obedience submission and resignation this snare and a totall resignation to Gods good will pleasure is the secure refuge against this deceit How can a soul be disquieted to receive or refuse act or omit that which she truly conceives to proceed both in substance and circumstance from the divine providence and permission How can that person go astray who is perfectly obedient to God and his superiour gives up himself wholly to the guidance of Gods holy Spirit and the government of a discreet directour observes each beck of the divine call first examined and approved by them who are incharged with their souls and waits upon the divine will as the shadow on the body 8. Where you are to take notice Note a triple obediencâ— 1. Of vow of a triple obedience One is of vow another of conformity and a third of union The first concerns all religious people and imports an external exact and necessary performance of that which is commanded The Second concerns all spiritual 2. of Conformity souls and consists in their inward promptitude and readiness to execute Gods will manifested by faith and their ghostly guide purely for himself and precisely for his own sake without the least touch of proper interest or self-seeking The Third concerns all perfect 3. Of Vnion persons and consists in so entire a connexion of their wills to the will of their Lord God that they seem both one hence it is that they embrace all that happens to themselves or others good or bad life or death for time or eternity as immediatly proceeding from his divine goodness and as the very best that could happen Here the soul elevated above it self and all things into God and stedfastly fixed in divine contemplation patiently expects and obediently attends to what he speaks wills and acts within her remaining ever ready and really resigned to suffer outward pains or inward pressures to receive comforts or endure crosses as the supream providence best knows permits and pleases being fully content with all and faithfully constant in all The Second Ambush Immoderate affection to creatures 1. THis infects distracts disquiets and diverts our minds from their pure and perfect tendance to our Creator Ah! what have we whose inheritance is heaven to do This affection to creatures distracts us from our Creator with the poor and perishable commodities of this world yet our subtil enemy strives to make us serious in searching after them solicitous to keep them and impatient to part with them Against this we must provide true poverty of spirit which consists Again which must prâ—vide Poverty or spirit in a perfect denudation of our souls from all propriety of love to any corruptible creature whatsoever we must use them only and not rest in them we may enjoy them but take no joy in them if Superiours command them from us we must cheerfully part with them if any accident bereave us of them we must willingly let go our hold saying Our Lord gave them our Lord Read the 13. ch of the Conflict hath retaken them his name be ever praised his will always performed Farewel uncertain and unsatisfying profits wellcome sweet and secure poverty We must throw away couragiously all such cloggs as retard our soul's flight to perfection Away with superfluities Oh! that we could live with the only love of our naked and crucified Jesus That we could support our feeble Nature without the supplies of any creatures that so our souls disingaged from the depressing necessities of flesh and blood might soar aloft and sweetly repose in the bosom of divine love 2. Nor is the overmuch tenderness of affection to any person Affection to persons corrupts our judgements whomsoever under what pertext soever any other thing than a meer ambush of our enemy for it corrupts our purest actions and vitiates our most pious intentions it is the bane of Gods love the poyson of our hearts and the venome of
worldly imaginations and to apply her self to God by recollection let her content her-self in breathing forth heartily these or the like short words O my Lord when shall I love you When shall I embrace you Let her repeat them affectionatly and perseverantly and she shall sooner be inflamed with divine love than by the subtle consideration of the greatest secrets of heaven for 't is the Will which unites us to God not the Vnderstanding These acts of the Will are the spiritual wings of the soul to lift her up unite her to her beloved obiect they are short sharp and swift darts and desires shot by our burning hearts and reaching heaven in an instant Our forefathers the Saints frequently Read the 10. collation of John Cassian c 10. used them and most highly prised them for being short they trouble not the memory being fervent they rowse our dulness and dryness to affection and devotion being frequent they still renew our attendance to Gods presence and put us perpetually in mind of our duties The practice of this exercise is Read the Spiritual Confl ch 13. n. 12. to take occasion from all objects actions and accidents to pray and praise God Do we eat let us give God thanks Do we walk abroad Let us praise him who produced all things which we behold from the abyss of nothing Do we look up to heavens beauty Let us admire the Creator in his creatures c. Have we sinned or are we tempted Let us lift up our hearts to God and say O Lord permit me not to fall and offend thee To dy alas I am content when thou disposest but to sin O prâ—serve me from this disaster Other times let us burst forth into aspirations of love as My beloved for me and I for him Of Resignation as Not my will ô Lord but thine be done What do I desire in heaven or earth but thee ô my God Of pure intention as 'T is for you ô my God that I fast 't is for your sake that I obey my Superiour 't is to please you that I study work pray c. Your will ô Lord is mine your content is mine I have no other I or No but as you will or will not all my pleasure is only to please you c. This rule is to be observed that An observation though all jaculatory prayers are good yet those are best most profitable and powerfull which our hearts moved by God conceive of themselves though they be expressed in words never so plain and simple Nor is there any need of much variety of aspirations for one onlâ— word being often and amorouslâ— repeated may serve for many days when our souls find therein guâ— and profit and speak unto him whom they look upon as presenâ— with their eys of Faith This exercise is most easy and most efficacious and they who shall piously persever in it shaâ—l soon find their hearts inflamed with God's love and changed from all worldly affections The 22. Maxim That the Presence of God is the great exercise of Contemplatives and the shortest way to divine Vnion THis exercise is called great because Why call'd the great exeâ—câ—se God himself taught it in the worlds infancy to his faithfull servant Abraham I am thy God saith hee and thy protectour walk in my presence and thou shalt be perfect It is called the shortest way to And shortest way to union divine Union because it is a summary of all the exercises of prayer and which alone will conduct our souls to the hidden treasure of perction and replenish them with those celestiall riches which our loving Lord is wont to communicate to his dearest friends in this life God is present in severall manners How God is present in divers manners according to our understanding 1. He is every where present by his essence which being infinit cannot bee contained within the limits of any place 2. He is every where present by his power He moves the heavenly orbs fixes the earth governs all his creatures c. 3. He is particularly present in heaven by the demonstrations of his glory 4. He is specially present in holy places by grace benediction and readiness to hear their Petitions bless their persons and accept their sacrifices of praise who shall there unanimously meet to present them 5. He is especially present in the hearts of his holy people by the inhabitation of his holy Spirit 6. He is especially present in the consciences of all men where he sits as witnesse and judge of all their actions good and bad For the practice of this exercise Seven similitudes for the practice of Gods presence of Gods presence we may help our thoughts with these seven similitudes stirring up in our souls an ardent desire to feel the like effects of his Al-present Majesty 1. How the soul is in the body all in the whole and all in every part of it moving animating informing all giving it life beauty c. 2. How the meat we eat is disgested and changed into our substance c. 3. How a little worm lying in the warm Sun-shine is environed about with the beams made bright hot and as it were burned and inflamed c. 4. How a black coale amidst a great fire is ignified all on fire and well nigh all fire 5. How a little piece of paper is pearced through with oyl falling on it which by degrees dilates it self all over that the whole seems rather oyl than paper 6. How a small quantity of water in a vessell of wine is swallowed up lost changed annihilated and turned into wine 7. How a sponge in the midst of the Ocean is all compassed within and without absorpt imbued possessed and as it were inebriated with water c. O that we could alwaies have S. Augustin de verbis Domini c. 3. this actuall faith and thought that God stands a present witnesse and judge of all our doings that if we goe forth he spies us if we goe in he sees us if we light the candle he observes us when wee put it out he also marks us should wee not behave our selves as becoms so holy a presence should we not be very impious and impudent to give up the reigns to sin and sensuality O that wee would alwaits ruminate and remember this reall verity That God is the great eye of the world watching over our actions an ever-open ear to hear all our words and an unwearied arm to crush sinneâ—s into ruin how speedily would sin cease amongst us how soon should we obtain an habituall fear and reverence of God What greater ingagement can wee have to walk unblameably than to consider wee act before that judge who is infallible in his sentence Boetius l. 5. de consola all-knowing in his information severe in his wrath and powerfull to inflict punishment This perpetuall eying of God is properly a building to him a Chapell in our