not to be done without great fatigue to the Intellect nor does it stand in need of such ratiocinations since these serve only as a means to attain to believing that which it hath already got the possession of 123. The most noble spiritual and proper way for Souls that are Proficients in internal recollection to enter by the Humanity of Christ our Lord and entertain a remembrance of him is the second way eying that Humanity and the Passion thereof by a simple Act of Faith loving and reflecting on the same as the Tabernacle of the Divinity the beginning and end of our Salvation Jesus Christ having been Born Suffered and Died a shameful Death for our sakes 124. This is the way that makes internal Souls profit and this holy pious swift and instantaneous remembrance of the Humanity can be no obstacle to them in the course of internal recollection unless if when the Soul enters into Prayer it finds it self drawn back for then it will be better to continue recollection and mental excess But not finding it self drawn back the simple and swift remembrance of the Humanity of the Divine Word gives no impediment to the highest and most elevated the most abstracted and transformed Soul. 125. This is the way that Santa Teresa recommends to the contemplative rejecting the tumultuary opinions of some School-men This is the streight and safe way free from Dangers which the Lord hath taught to many Souls for attaining to repose and the holy tranquility of Contemplation 126. Let the Soul then when it enters into recollection place it self at the Gate of Divine Mercy which is the amiable and sweet remembrance of the Cross and Passion of the Word that was made Man and Died for Love let it stand there with Humilitie resigned to the Will of God in whatsoever it pleases the Divine Majesty to do with it and if from that holy and sweet remembrance it soon fall into forgetfulness there is no necessity of making a new repetition but to continue silent and quiet in the presence of the Lord. 127. Wonderfully does St. Paul favour this our Doctrine in the Epistle which he wrote to the Colossians wherein he exhorts them and us that whether we Eat Drink or do any thing else we should do it in the Name and for the Sake of Jesus Christ Omne quod cumque farit is in verbo aut in opere omnia in nomine Jesu Christi facite gratias agentes Deo Patri per ipsum God grant that we may all begin by Jesus Christ and that in him and by him alone we may arrive at perfection CHAP. XVII Of Internal and Mystical Silence 128. THere are three kinds of Silence the first is of Words the second of Desires and the third of Thoughts The first is perfect the second more perfect and the third most perfect In the first that is oâ— Words Virtue is acquired in the second to wit of Desires quietness is attained to in the third of Thoughts Internal Recollection is gained By not speaking not desiring and not thinking one arrives at the true and perfect Mystical Silence wherein God speaks with the Soul communicates himself to it and in the Abyss of it's own Depth teaches it the most perfect and exalted Wisdom 129. He calls and guides it to this inward Solitude and mystical Silence when he says That he will speak to it alone in the most secret and hidden part of the Heart Thou art to keep thy self in this mystical Silence if thou wouldest hear the sweet and divine Voice It is not enough for gaining this Treasure to forsake the World nor to renounce thine own Desires and all things created if thou wean not thy self from all Desires and Thoughts Rest in this mystical Silence and open the Door that so God may communicate himself unto thee unite with thee and transform thee into himself 130. The perfection of the Soul consists not in speaking nor in thinking much on God but in loving him sufficiently This Love is attained to by means of perfect Resignation and internal Silence all consists in Works The Love of God has but few Words Thus St. John the Evangelist confirms and inculcates it My little Children Epist 1. Chap. 3. v. 18. let us not Love in Word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth 131. Thou art clearly convinced now that perfect Love consists not in amorous Acts nor tender Ejaculations nor yet in the internal Acts wherein thou tellest God that thou hast an infinite love for him and thou lovest him more than thy self It may be that at that time thou seekest more thy self and the love of thy self than the true Love of God Because Love consists in Works and not in fair Discourses 132. That a rational Creature may understand the secret desire and intention of thy Heart there is a necessity that thou shouldest express it to him in Words But God who searches the Hearts standeth not in need that thou shouldest make profession and assure him of it nor does he rest satisfied as the Evangelist says with Love in Word nor in Tongue but with that which is true and indeed What avails it to tell him with great zeal and fervour that thou tenderly and perfectly lovest him above all things if at one bitter word or slight injury thou doest not resign thy self nor art mortified for the love of him A manifest proof that thy love was a love in Tongue and not in Deed. 133. Strive to be resigned in all things with Silence and in so doing without saying that thou lovest him thou wilt attain to the most perfect quiet effectual and true love St. Peter most affectionately told the Lord that for his sake he was ready willingly to lay down his Life but at the word of a young Damsel he denied him and there was an end of his Zeal Mary Magdalen said not a word and yet the Lord himself taken with her perfect Love became her Panagyrist saying that she had loved much It is internally then that with dumb Silence the most perfect Virtues of Faith Hope and Charity are practised without any necessity of telling God that thou lovest him hopest and believest in him because the Lord knows better than thou do'st what the internal Motions of thy Heart are 134. How well was that pure act of Love understood and practised by that profound and great Mistick the Venerable Gregory Lopez whose whole Life was a continual Prayer and a continued Act of Contemplation and of so pure and spiritual Love of God that it never gave way to Affections and sensible Sentiments 135. Having for the space of three Years continued that Ejaculation Thy Will be done in Time and in Eternity repeating it as often as he breathed God Almighty discovered to him that infinite Treasure of the pure and continued Act of Faith and Love with Silence and Resignation so that he came to say That during the thirty six Years he lived after
difference which is between doing suffering and dying doing is delightful and belongs to beginners suffering with desire belongs to those who are proficients dying always in themselves belongs to those who are accomplished and perfect of which number there are very few in the world 76. How happy wilt thou be if thou hast no other thought but to die in thy self thou wilt then become not only victorious over thine enemies but also over thy self in which victory thou wilt certainly find pure love perfect peace and divine wisdom 77. It is impossible for a man to be able to think and live mystically in a simple understanding of the divine and infused wisdom if he does not first die in himself by the total denying of sense and the reasonable appetite 78. The true lesson of the spiritual man and that which thou oughtest to learn is to leave all things in their place and not meddle with any but what thy office may bind thee to because the Soul which leaves every thing to find God doth then begin to have all in the eternity iâ— seeks 79. Some Souls there are who seek repose others without seeking have the pleasure of it others have a pleasure in pain and others seek it The first do as good as nothing the second are in the way towards it the third run and the last fly 80. The disesteem of delights and the counting of 'em torment is the property of a truly mortified man. 81. Enjoyment and Internal Peace are the Fruits of the Spirit Divine and no man gets 'em into his possession if in the closet of his soul he is not a resigned man. 82. Thou seest that the displeasures of the good pass presently away but for all that endeavour never to have 'em nor to stop in 'em for they damnifie thy health disturb thy reason and disquiet thy spirit 83. Amongst other holy Counsels which thou must observe remember well this that follows Look not upon other mens faults but thine own keep silence with a continued internal conversation mortifie thy self in all things and at all hours and by this means thou wilt get free from many imperfections and make thy self Commander of great Vertues 84. Mortifie thy self in not judging ill of any body at any time because the suspicion of thy neighbour disturbs the purity of heart discomposes it brings the Soul out and takes away its repose 85. Never wilt thou have perfect resignation if thou mind'st humane respects and reflectest upon the little idol of what people say The Soul that goes by the inward way will soon lose it self if once it come to look at reason amongst the creatures and in commerce and conversation with ' em There is no other reason than not to look at reason but to imagine that God permits grievances to fall on us to humble and annihilate us and make us live wholly resigned 86. Behold how God makes greater account of a Soul that lives internally resigned than of another that doth miracles even to the raising of the dead 87. Many Souls there are which though they exercise Prayer yet because they are not mortified are always imperfect and full of self-love 88. Hold it for a true mixim that no body can do a grievance or injury to a Soul despised by it self and one that is nothing in its own account 89. Finally be of hope suffer be silent and patient let nothing affright thee all of it will have a time to end God only is he that is unchangeable patience brings a man in every thing He that hath God hath all things and he that hath him not hath nothing CHAP. IX For the obtaining of Internal Peace 't is necessary for the Soul to know its misery 90. IF the Soul should not fall into some faults it would never come to understand its own misery though it hears men speak and reads spiritual Books nor can it ever obtain precious peace if it do not first know its own miserable weakness because there the remedy is difficult where there is no clear knowledge of the defect God will suffer in thee sometimes one fault sometimes another that by this knowledge of thy self seeing thee so often fallen thou may'st believe that thou art a meer nothing in which knowledge and belief true peace and perfect humility is founded and that thou may'st the better search into thy mystry and see what thou art I will try to undeceive thee in some of thy manifold imperfections 91. Thou art so quick and nice that it may be if thou dost but trip as thou walkest or findest thy way molested thou feelest even Hell it self if thou art denied thy due or thy pleasure opposed thou presently briskest up with a warm resentment of it If thou spiest a fault in thy neighbour instead of pitying him and thinking that thou thy self art liable to the same failing thou indiscreetly reprovest him if thou seest a thing convenient for thee and canst not compass it thou growest sad and full of sorrow if thou receivest a slight injury from thy neighbour thou chidest at him and complainest for it insomuch that for any trifle thou art inwardly and outwardly discomposed and losest thy self 92. Thou would'st be penitent but with another's patience and if the impatience still continues thou layest the fault with much pains upon thy companion without considering that thou art intolerable to thy self and when the rancour is over thou cunningly dost return to make thy self vertuous giving documents and relating spiritual sayings with artifice of wit without mending thy past-faults Although thou willingly dost condemn thy self reproving thy faults before others yet this thou dost more to justifie thy self with him that sees thy faults that thou may'st return again afresh to the former esteem of thy self than through any effect of perfect humility 93. Other times thou dost subtilly alledge that it is not through fault but zeal of justice that thou complainest of thy neighbour Thou believest for the most part that thou art vertuous constant and couragious even to the giving up thy life into the tyrant's hand solely for the sake of divine love yet thou canst scarce hear the least word of anger but presently thou dost afflict and trouble and disquiet thy self These are all industrious engines of self-love and the secret pride of thy soul Know therefore that self-love reigns in thee and that from purchasing this precious peace that is thy greatest hindrance CHAP. X. In which is shewed and discovered what is the false humility and what the true with the effects of ' em 94. THou must know that there are two sorts of humility one false and counterfeit the other true The false one is theirs who like water which must mount upward receive an external fall and artificial submission to rise up again immediately These avoid esteem and honour that so they may be took to be humble they say of themselves that they are very evil that they may be thought good
pray with faith and reverence believing that he is in the divine presence The truth is to take from the Soul the prayer of the senses and of nature is a rigorous martyrdom to it but the Lord rejoyces and is glad in its peace if it be thus quiet and resigned Use not at that time vocal prayer because however it be good and holy in it self yet to use it then is a manifest temptation whereby the enemy pretends that God speaks not to thy heart under pretext that thou hast not sentiments and that thou losest time 78. God hath no regard to the multitude of words but to the purity of the intent His greatest content and glory at that time is to see the Soul in silence desirous humble quiet and resigned Proceed persevere pray and hold thy peace for where thou findest not a sentiment thou 'lt find a door whereby thou mayest enâ—eâ— into thine own nothingness knowing thy seâ—â— to be nothing that thou can'st do nothing nayâ— and that thou hast not so much as a good thought 79. How many have begun this happy practice of Prayer and Internal Recollection and have left it off pretending that they feel noâ— pleasure that they lose time that their thought trouble them and that that Prayer is not for them whil'st they find not any sentiment of God nor any ability to reason or discourse whereas they might have believed been silent and had patience All this is no more but with ingratitude to hunt after sensible pleasures suffering themselves to be transported with self-love seeking themselves and not God because they cannot suffer a little pain and dryness without reflecting on the infinite loss they sustain whereas by the least act of reverence towards God amidst dryness and sterility they receive an eternal reward 80. The Lord told the venerable Mother Francesca Lopez of Valenza and a religious of the third Order of St. Francis three things of great light and consequence in order to internal recollection In the first place that a quarter of an hour of Prayer with recollection of the senses and faculties and with resignation and humility does more good to the Soul than five days of penitential exercises hair cloaths disciplines fastings and sleeping on bare boards because these are only mortifications of the body and with recollection the Soul is purified 81. Secondly that it is more pleasing to the Divine Majesty to have the Soul in quiet and devote Prayer for the space of an hour than to go in great Pilgrimages because that in Prayer it does good to it self and to those for whom it prays gives delight to God and merits a high degree of glory but in pilgrimage commonly the Soul is distracted and the Senses diverted with a debilitation of vertue besides many other dangers 82. Thirdly that constant Prayer was to keep the heart always right towards God and that a Soul to be internal ought rather to act with the affection of the will than the toyl of the intellect All this is to be read in her Life 83. The more the Soul rejoyces in sensible love the less delight God has in it on the contrary the less the Soul rejoyces in this sensible love the more God delights in it And know that to fix the will on God restraining thoughts and temptations with the greatest tranquillity possible is the highest pitch of praying 84. I 'll conclude this Chapter by undeceiving thee of the vulgar errour of those who say that in this internal recollection or prayer of rest the faculties operate not and that the Soul is idle and wholly unactive This is a manifest fallaey of those who have little experience because although it operate not by means of the memory nor by the second operation of the intellect which is the judgment nor by the third which is discourse or ratiocination yet it operates bâ— the first and chief operation of the intellect which is simple apprehension enlightened bâ— holy faith and aided by the divine gifts of thâ— holy spirit And the will is more apt to continue one act than to multiply many so that aâ— well the act of the intellect as that of the wiâ—â— are so simple imperceptible and spiritual thaâ— hardly the Soul knows them and far less reflect upon them CHAP. XIII What the Soul ought to do in Internal Recollection 85. THou oughtest to go to Prayer that thâ—â— mayest deliver thy self wholly up intâ— the hands of God with perfect resignation exerting an act of faith believing that thou aâ— in the divine presence afterwards setling iâ— that holy repose with quietness silence and tranquility and endeavouring for a whole dayâ— a whole year and thy whole life to continue that first act of contemplation by faith and love 86. It is not your businesses to multiply theâ—â— acts nor to repeat sensible affections because they hinder the purity of the spiritual and perfect act of the will whil'st besides that these sweet sentiments are imperfect considering the reflection wherewith they are made the self-content and external consolation wherewith they are sought after the Soul being drawn outwards to the external faculties there is no necessity of renewing them as the mystical Falcon hath excellently expressed it by the following similitude 87. If a Jewel given to a friend were once put into his hands it is not necessary to repeat such a donation already made by daily telling him Sir I give you that Jewel Sir I give you that Jewel but to let him keep it and not take it from him because provided he take it not or design not to take it from him he hath surely given it him 88. In the same manner having once dedicated and lovingly resigned thy self to the will of God there is nothing else for thee to do but to continue the same without repeating new and sensible acts provided thou takest not back the Jewel thou hast once given by committing some notable fault aganist his divine will though thou oughtest still to exercise thy self outwardly in the external works of thy calling and state for in so doing thou do'st the will of God and walkest in continual and virtual oration He always prays said Theophylact who does good works nor does he neglect Prayer but when he leaves off to be just 89. Thou oughtest then to slight all those sensibilities to the end thy Soul may be established and acquire a habit of internal recollection which is so effectual that the resolution only of going to Prayer awakens a lively presence of God which is the preparation to the Prayer that is about to be made or to say better is no other than a more efficacious continuation of continual Prayer wherein the contemplative person ought to be settled 90. O how well did the venerable Mother of Cantal the spiritual daughter of St. Francis of Sales practise this Lesson in whose Life are the following words written to her Master Most dear Father I cannot do any act it seems to
is of small consideration and account True it is that too much familiarity is sometimes the occasion of contempt but of what and to whom The too much familiarity with a vile thing occasions contempt but how can familiar conversation with a thing that is grave good and amiable how can this cause contempt In earthly things familiarity begets contempt because the more one man gets acquainted and intimate with another he discovers his defects by degrees and so values him less than he did at first But with God the thing is quite otherwise because as the creature proceeds in the knowledge of that fountain of true perfection by the same measure the love and esteem of that great Lord grows more If by communicating daily there could be any defect discovered in Jesus Christ certain it is that this frequency and familiarity would breed contempt of him but the more that boundless ocean of perfection is received the more is his goodness known and the greater doth the love the respect and the reverence to him grow And if it were true that too much frequency occasioned contempt it would be necessary to give laws to God himself and take care not to render himself so easie and familiar to the Saints and Angels of Heaven with whom he hath so great and continual an intimacy Who is more familiar with God than the Angels who continually behold his divine countenance and what doth this make 'em leave off honouring reverencing and loving him But they will say it is not good to abuse this familiarity and intimacy with God. What a blindness is this what should the meaning of this be unless they would not have us so united with God and have a mind that we should serve him at a distance and not near and more by name than affection These words arise rather from the little will they have that we should receive this divine Lord than from the respect of not displeasing him if they had true charity and did but heartily love Jesus Christ they would despise all fear and not remove us from the frequency of this divine Sacrament nay they would desire and prompt us on to receive him daily that we might be united unto God. If they know that Christ desires to be united with us why should they be unwilling that we should be united with him our great Lord fearing where no fear is if they see that an infinite God desires our familiarity and friendship what is it that they build upon to hinder us from being his friends do they think that by this continual frequency that will be tedious to us without which every thing else is tedious do they believe that that will make our life uneasie which gives us life that that good will be a trouble to us from which all goodness proceeds and in a word that he who is the pleasure and delight of all Creatures of all the Seraphims of all the Saints and of the whole Court of Heaven will be a tediousness to us true it is that he satiates but never becomes tedious Nor any less ought a Christian to be denied the Communion to mortifie him which is the fourth reason because in Mortification to be without the Communion he only exercises one Vertue and in the Communion he exercises 'em all Would it therefore be well that a Christian for obtaining one Vertue should be deprived of all the rest 'T is great pity to deprive him of the great good he receives in the Communion only for mortification-sake which being well thought of will prove rather a privation of good than the vertue of mortification Besides to be able to say Mass and communicate perfectly it is not the best way to leave off communicating and celebrating but rather 't is the best that can be to say Mass and communicate every day though it be with some imperfections To inable a man to pray perfectly or to obtain some vertue in perfection 't is not a good way to leave off doing acts of that vertue Who will say that to make a perfect Prayer 't is a good way to let it alone some days and that to have patience 't is a good way not do any acts of it rather the best means to obtain patience and to make a perfect Prayer is to exercise those things day by day though there should be some imperfection in ' em If the divine Majesty vouchsafes to be with sinners to lodge in their houses to eat with 'em at the same table for which he bears for his arms and commands to be fixed on the doors of his house an Inscription that says This Lord receives sinners and eats at one table with 'em why is the Minister and Servant of this same Lord so loath to receive a Christian if he be changed and mended by repentance is it therefore reason that the Ministers of this Lord should limit a thing not limited by their Master The Lord invites us and calls us to his banquet and will the servant pretend to give leave to those who are invited when they are introduced to God in his own house Let 'em come in if they have no mortal sin about 'em and if they have 't is washed away in the fountain of repentance Put this on the account of their Lord that will have it so and commands it though it seem inconvenient to the Minister wherefore the Lord may answer him with great reason 'T is well known that the sinner costs thee nothing and that having so narrow a breast as thou hast thou admittest him not to the Communion though he desires it and I invite him to it but I came down from Heaven for him and was made man suffering 33 years incredible torments even to death it self I will have him thus penitent as he is and because I am God I have a heart of infinite extent where all how wicked soever they may have been do come if they turn to me and become reform'd by means of repentance Christ our Lord moves the tongue of Angels to exhort men to frequent Communion and the Prince of darkness moves the tongues of men to perswade 'em the contrary The Angel said to Elijah 1 Kings 19.7 Arise and eat for thou hast a long journey to go So the Angel perswades him to the Communion and not only once but twice he waked the Prophet that was asleep to eat Bread the figure of the Eucharist 'T is the property of Angels to invite to frequent Communion Well did St. Jerom say He is an Angel to thee who puts thee upon the Communion and a Devil that hinders thee from it 'T is plain that the Devil shews himself against this Sacrament more than any other in that he seeks by so many disturbances and ways to hinder it amongst which 't is not the least powerful and effectual which he makes use of by Preachers and Confessors and Ministers themselves because many of 'em with a cloak of zeal disturb it Those
of Friends Relations and spiritual Children because it makes him never remember 'em but when they are speaking to him This is the onely sign to know the Disinterestedness of a Master and therefore such a one doth more good by being Silent than thousands of others that make never so great a noise with their infinite Documents CHAP. IX Shewing how a simple and ready Obedience is the onely means for walking safely in this inward Way and of procuring internal Peace 66. IF thou do'st in good earnest resolve to deny thy Will and do God's Obedience is the necessary means whether it be by the indissoluble knot of thy Vow made in the hands of thy Superiour in thy Religion or the free tying of thy self by the Dedication of thy Will to a spiritual and expert Guide that hath the Qualities shewn before in the precedent Chapters 67. Thou wilt never get up the Mountain of Perfection nor to any high Throne of Peace Internal if thou art onely Govern'd by thy own Will This cruel and fierce Enemy of God and of thy Soul must be conquered thy own Direction thy own Judgment must be subdued and deposed as Rebels and reduced to Ashes by the Fire of Obedience there it will be found as in a Touch-stone whether the Love thou followest be thine own or Divine there in that Holocaust must thine own Judgment and thine own Will be Annihilated and brought to its last Substance 68. An ordinary Life under Obedience is worth more than that which of its own Will doth great Penance because Obedience and Subjection besides that they are free from the Deceits of Satan are the truest Holocaust which can be sacraficed to God on the Altar of our Heart Which made a great Servant of God say That he had rather gather Dung by Obedience than be caught up to the third Heaven of his own Will. 69. You will know that Obedience is a ready way to arrive quickly at Perfection 't is impossible for a Soul to purchase it self true Peace of Heart if it doth not deny and overcome its own Judgment and Rebellion And the means of denying and overcoming ones Judgment is to be willing in every thing to Obey with Resolution him that stands in God's Place because the Heart remains free secure and unburthen'd by all that which goes from the Mouth with true Submission to the Ears of the spiritual Father Effundite coram illo corda vestra Ps 61. The most effectual means therefore to advance in the Way of the Spirit is to imprint this in the Heart that a man's spiritual Director stands in God's Place and whatever he orders and says is said and ordered from the Divine Mouth 70. The Lord often times manifested to that venerable Mother Ann Mary of S. Joseph a Franciscan Nun That she should rather Obey her spiritual Father than Himself History of her Life § 42. To the venerable Sister Catharine Paulucci the Lord also one day said You ought to go to your spiritual Father with pure and sincere Truth as if you came to Me and not enquire whether he be or be not Observant but you ought to think that he is Governed by the Holy Ghost and that he is in My stead Her Life Book 2. Ch. 16. adding When Souls shall Observe this I will not permit that any be Deceived by him O Divine Words worthy to be imprinted in the Hearts of those Souls which desire to advance in Perfection 71. God revealed to Lady Marina of Escobar That if our Lord Christ would have her Communicate after his mind and her spiritual Father should say Nay she was obliged to follow the mind of her spiritual Father And a Saint was lower'd down from Heaven to tell her the reason of it which was That in the first there might be Cheat but in the second none 72. The Holy Ghost advises us all in the Proverbs Ch. 3. that we take Counsel and trust not in our own Wisdom Ne innitaris prudentiae tuae And says by Tobit That to do well thou never oughtest to govern thy self with thine own proper judgment but always must ask others mind and judgment Ch. 4.14 Consilium semper a sapiente perquire Although the spiritual Father Err in giving Counsel you can never Err in taking it and following it because you act wisely Qui judiceo alterius operatur prudenter operatur And God doth not suffer Directors to Err that he may preserve though it should be with Miracles the visible Tribunal of the spiritual Father from whence is known with all Safety what is the Divine Will. 73. Besides that this is the common Doctrine of all the Saints of all the Doctors and Masters of Spirit Christ our Lord gave credit and security to it when he said That the spiritual Fathers should be understood and obeyed just like Himself Qui vos audit me audit St Luke 10. And this even when their Works do not correspond with their Words and Counsels as is manifest by St Matthew Chap. 1. Quaecunque dixerint vobis facite secundum autem opera eorum nolite facere CHAP. X. Pursues the same 74. THE Soul which is observant of holy Obedience is as St. Gregory says 35 Lib. in Job Cap. 13. Possessour of all Vertues It is rewarded by God for its Humility and Obedience illustrating and teaching its own Guide to whose direction it ought as being in God's place to be every way subject discovering freely clearly faithfully and simply all the thoughts all the works inclinations inspirations and temptations that it knows of it self In this manner the Devil cannot deceive it and it becomes secure of giving an account of its actions to God without fear as well those actions which it doth commit as those it doth omit Insomuch that whoever would walk without a Guide if he is not deceived he is very near it because Temptation will seem Inspiration to him 75. Thou oughtest to know that to be perfect it is not enough to obey and honour Superiours but it is also necessary to obey and honour Inferiours 76. Obedience therefore to make it perfect must be voluntary pure ready chearful internal blind and persevering Voluntary without force and fear Pure without worldly interest and respect or self-love but purely for God Ready without reply excuse or delay Chearful without inward affliction and with diligence Internal because it must not only be exterior and apparent but from the mind and heart Blind without ones own judgment but submitting that judgment with the will to his that Commands it without searching into the Intention End or Reason of the Obedience Persevering with firmness and constancy unto Death 77. Obedience according to St. Bonaventure Tract 8. Collationum must be ready without a delay devout without tyring voluntary without contradiction simple without examination persevering without resting orderly without breaking off pleasant without trouble valiant without faint-heartedness and universal without exception Remember O blessed Soul that although thou hast
many occasions they feel Resistance and Temptations yet they become presently Victorious because being already Souls of Proof and indued with Divine Strength the motions of Passions cannot last long upon 'em and although vehement Temptations and troublesome Suggestions of the Enemy may persevere a long time about 'em yet they are all conquer'd with infinite gain God being he that Fights within ' em 4. These Souls have already procured themselves a great Light and a true Knowledge of Christ our Lord both of his Divinity and his Humanity They exercise this infused Knowledge with a quiet Silence in the inward entertainment and the superiour part of their Souls with a Spirit free from Images and external Representations with a Love that is pure and stripped of all Creatures they are raised also from outward Actions to the love of Humanity and Divinity so much as they enjoy they forget and in all of it they find that they love their God with all their Heart and Spirit 5. These blessed and sublimated Souls take no pleasure in any thing of the World but contempt and in being alone and in being forsaken and forgotten by every body They live so disinterested and taken off that though they continually receive many supernatural Graces yet they are not changed no not at those inclinations being just as if they had not received 'em keeping always in the in-most of their Hearts a great lowliness and contempt of themselves always humbled in the depth of their own unworthiness and vileness In the same manner they are always quiet serene and possessed with evenness of mind in Graces and Favours extraordinary as also in the most rigorous and bitter Torments There is no News that chears 'em no Success that makes 'em sad Tribulations never disturb 'em nor the interiour continual and divine Communication make 'em vain and conceited they remain always full of holy and filial Fear in a wonderful Peace Constancy and Serenity CHAP. II. Pursues the same 6. IN the external Way they take care to do continual Acts of all the Vertues one after another to get to the attainment of 'em They pretend to purge Imperfections with Industries proportionable to Destruction they take care to root up Interests one after another with a different and contrary Exercise But though they endeavour never so much they arrive at nothing because we cannot do any thing which is not Imperfection and Misery 7. But in the inward Way and loving Entertainment in the Presence Divine as the Lord is he that Works Vertue is established Interests are rooted up Imperfections are destroyed and Passions removed which makes the Soul free unexpectedly and taken off when occasions are represented without so much as thinking of the good which God of his infinite Mercy prepared for ' em 8. It must be known that these Souls though thus Perfect as they have the true Light of God yet by it they know profoundly their own miseries weaknesses and imperfections and what they yet want to arrive at Perfection towards which they are walking they are afflicted and abhor themselves they exercise themselves in a loving Fear of God and contempt of themselves but with a true Hope in God and Disconfidence in themselves The more they are humbled with true contempt and knowledge of themselves the more they please God and arrive at a singular respect and veneration in his Presence Of all the good Works that they do and of all that they continually suffer as well within as without they make no manner of account before that Divine Presence 9. Their continual Exercise is to enter into themselves in God with quiet and silence because there is his Center Habitation and Delight They make a greater account of this interiour Retirement than of speaking of God they retire into that interiour and secret Center of the Soul to know God and receive his Divine Influence with fear and loving reverence if they go out they go out onely to know and despise themselves 10. But know that few are the Souls which arrive at this happy State because few there are that are willing to embrace Contempt and suffer themselves to be Refined and Purified upon which account although there are many that enter into this interiour Way yet 't is a rare thing for a Soul to go on and not stick upon the entrance The Lord said to a Soul This inward Way is tread by few 't is so high a Grace that none deserves it few walk in it because it is no other than a Death of the Senses and few there be that are willing so to Die and be Annihilated in which disposition this so soveraign a Gift is founded 11. Herewith thou wilt undeceive thy self and perfectly know the great difference which there is between the external and internal Way and how different that Presence of God is which arises from Meditation from that which is Infused and Supernatural arising from the interior and infused Intertainment and from passive Contemplation and lastly you will know the great difference which is between the outward and inward Man. CHAP. III. The means of obtaining Peace Internal is not the Delight of Sense nor Spiritual Consolation but the denying of Self-love 12. IT is the saying of S. Bernard That to serve God is nothing else but to do Good and suffer Evil. He that would go to Perfection by the means of Sweetness and Consolation is mistaken You must desire no other Consolation from God than to end your Life for his sake in the state of true Obedience and Subjection Christ our Lord's way was not that of Sweetness and Softness nor did he invite us to any such either by his Words or Example when he said He that will come after me let him deny himself and let him take up his cross and follow me St Matth. 24.26 The Soul that would be United to Christ must be conformable to him following him in the way of suffering 13. Thou wilt scarce begin to relish the sweetness of Divine Love in Prayer but the Enemy with his deceitful Craftiness will be kindling in thy Heart defires of the Desert and Solitude that thou mayest without any bodies hindrance spread the sails to continual delightful Prayer Open thine eyes and consider that this Counsel and Desire is not conformable to the true Counsel of Christ our Lord who has not invited us to follow the sweetness and comfort of our own Will but the denying of our selves saying Abneget semetipsum As if he should say He that will follow me and come unto Perfection let him part with his own Will wholly and leaving all things let him intirely submit to the Yoke of Obedience and Subjection by means of Self-denyal which is the truest Cross 14. There are many Souls dedicated to God which receive from his Hand great Thoughts Visions and mental Elevations and yet for all that the Lord keeps from 'em the Grace of working Miracles understanding hidden Secrets foretelling future
is easie in the middle and becomes most sweet in the end 54. Thou wilt find thy self far from Perfection if thou dost not find God in every thing 55. Know that pure perfect and essential Love consists in the Cross in self-denial and resignation in perfect humility in poverty of spirit and in a mean opinion of thy self 56. In the time of strong temptation desertion and desolation 't is necessary for thee to get close into thy center that thou may'st only look at and contemplate God who keeps his throne and his abode in the bottom of thy Soul. 57. Thou wilt find impatience and bitterness of heart to grow from the depth of sensible empty and mortified love 58. True love is known with its effects when the Soul is profoundly humbled and desires to be truly mortified and despised 59. Many there be who however they have been dedicated to Prayer yet have no relish of God because in the end of their Prayers they are neither mortified nor attend upon God any longer for obtaining that peaceable and continual attending 't is necessary to get a great purity of mind and heart great peace of soul and an universal resignation 60. To the simple and the mortified the recreation of the senses is a sort of death they never go to it unless compelled by necessity and edification of their neighbours 61. The bottom of our soul you will know is the place of our happiness There the Lord shews us wonders there we ingulf and lose our selves in the immense ocean of his infinite goodness in which we keep fixt and unmoveable There there resides the incomparable fruition of our Soul and that eminent and sweet rest of it An humble and resign'd Soul which is come to this bottom seeks no more than meerly to please God and the holy and loving Spirit teaches it every thing with his sweet and enlivening unction 62. Amongst the Saints there are some gigantick ones who continually suffer with patience indispositions of body of which God takes great care But high and soveraign is their gift who by the strength of the Holy Ghost suffer both internal and external crosses with content and resignation This is that sort of holiness so much the more rare as it is more precious in the sight of God. The spiritual ones which walk this way are rare because there are few in the world who do totally deny themselves to follow Christ crucified with simpleness and bareness of spirit through the loansom and thorny ways of the Cross without making reflexions upon themselves 63. A Life of Self-denial is above all the Miracles of the Saints and it doth not know whether it be alive or dead lost or gained whether it agrees or resists this is the true resigned Life But although it should be a long time before thou comest to this state and thou should'st think not to have made one step towards it yet affright not thy self at this for God uses to bestow upon a Soul that Blessing in one moment which was denied it for many years before 64. He that desires to suffer blindfold without the comfort of God or the creatures is gotten too far onwards to be able to resist unjust accusations which his enemies make against him even in the most dreadful and interior desolation 65. The spiritual man that lives by God and in him is inwardly contented in the midst of his adversities because the Cross and Affliction are his Life and Delight 66. Tribulation is a great treasure wherewith God honours those that be his in this life therefore evil men are necessary for those that are good and so are the Devils themselves which by afflicting us do try to ruine us but instead of doing us harm they do us the greatest good imaginable 67. There must be tribulation to make a man's life acceptable to God without it 't is like the Body without the Soul the Soul without Grace the Earth without the Sun. 68. With the wind of tribulation God separates in the floor of the Soul the Chaff from the Corn. 69. When God crucifies in the inmost part of the Soul no creature is able to comfort it nay comforts are but grievous and bitter crosses to it And if it be well-instructed in the laws and discipline of the ways of pure love in the time of great desolation and inward troubles it ought not to seek abroad among the creatures for comfort nor lament it self with 'em nor will it be able to read Spiritual Books because this is a secret way of getting at a distance from suffering 70. Those Souls are to be pitied who cannot find in their hearts to believe that Tribulation and Suffering is their greatest Blessing They who are perfect ought always to be desirous of dying and suffering being always in a state of death and suffering vain is the man who doth not suffer because he is born to toyl and suffering but much more the Friends and Elect of God. 71. Undeceive thy self and believe that in order to thy Soul 's being totally transformed with God it is necessary for it to be lost and be denied in its life sense knowledge and power and to die living and not living dying and not dying suffering and not suffering resigning up and not resigning up it self without reflecting upon any thing 72. Perfection in its followers receives not its glories but by Fire and Martyrdom Griefs Torments Punishments and Contempt suffered and endured with gallantry and courage and he that would have some place to set his feet on and rest himself and does not go beyond the reason of reason and of sence will never get into the secret cabiner of knowledge though by reading he may chance to get a taste and relish the understanding of it CHAP. VIII Pursues the same Matter 73. YOU must know that the Lord will not manifest himself in thy Soul till it be denied in it self and dead in its senses and powers nor will it ever come to this state till being perfectly resigned it resolves to be with God all alone making an equal account of Gifts and Contempts Light and Darkness Peace and War. In summ that the Soul may arrive at perfect quietness and supreme internal peace it ought first to die in it self and live only in God and for him and the more dead it shall be in it self the more shall it know God but if it doth not mind this continual denying of it self and internal mortification it will never arrive at this state nor preserve God within it and then it will be continually subject to accidents and passions of the mind such as are judging murmuring resenting excusing defending to keep its honour and reputation which are enemies to Perfection Peace and the Spirit 74. Know that the diversity of states amongst those that be spiritual consists only in dying all alike but in the happy which die continually God hath his honour his blessings and delights here below 75. Great is the