thou be not able through the confusion of thy mind to helpe thy selfe with thy vnderstanding to pray supplie with a good will and with iaculatorie prayers and lifting vppe thy minde oft to God and aboue al suffer the burden of thy Aridity thy drinesse with patience and humble resignation for this aboue all others is praier most acceptable to God Thus if thou wilt doe thou shalt bee truly deuout true deuotion being a readinesse of will to follow Christ with thy crosse on thy shoulder by which way soeuer hee inuiteth and calleth vs vnto him and to will God for God and sometimes to leaue God for God And if by this many spirituall persons and especially women would measure their profite and not by sensible deuotion they would not grieue so vnprofitably also vngratefully at this good turne which our Sauiour doth sometimes vnto them and they would attend with more feruor to follow his diuine will which wholy woorketh to our benefit And in this also they much deceiue themselues but particularly women that when they are molested with feareful thoughts they are confoun ded and discoraged beleeuing that they are wholy forsaken of god not vnderstāding that in a mind full of such thoghts his diuine spirit can dwell and they remaine much deiected and almost become desperat easily leauing off all good exercise whereby they shew themselues little gratefull to GOD who permitteth this temptation in them to bring them to a more cleare knowledge of themselues and that they like distressed persons might draw neare vnto him That which thou oughtest to do in such a case is this that thou enter into a deep consideration of thy wicked inclination the which God would haue thee to know to be so rea dy to all euill that without his helpe thou woulst fall down headlong Afterward begin to receiue hope and confidence seeing that thy God by this danger which he doth shew thee would draw thee more neare him with prayer and with recourse to him for which thou art bounde to render him humble thankes And vnderstand that such thoughts are better driuen away with a skilfull and patient sufferance then with an anxious resistance How the most Blessed Sacrament is a most potent means to ouercome our passions Chap. 29 THe most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist is receiued for diuers ends but if thou wilt particularly receiue it for aid to destroy thy euil inclinations thou shalt dispose thy selfe in this manner Before thy receiuing hauing conuenient time begin ouernight to consider the desire the sonne of God hath that thou receiue him in the holy Sacrament of the Alter thereby to vnite himself vnto thee to the end thou maiest ouercome euery vitious passion This desire in God is so great that it cannot be comprehended of any vnderstanding created But that thou in som sort maist perceiue it consider two things First how much that great God delighteth to bee with vs sith he calleth this his delights and requires againe of vs that we giue him also in like sort our heart Secondly consider that he hateth sinne aboue all measure as an impediment to his vnion with vs as altogether contrary to his infinite perfections for hee beeing the chiefe good pure light and all beautie cannot but hate and haue in great abhomination sinne which is no other thing but darknesse defect and the blot of our foules And the better to imprint in thy mind this inflamed desire of thy Sauiour turne thy thoughts to the workes of the olde and new Testament and particularly to that of his death and passion for all this was wholly performed to deliuer vs wretches from our sinnes and from euery will of ours that is contrary to him Whereupon the illummated seruants of God do affirm that our blessed Lord to annihilate in vs anye little passion whatsoeuer and self-wil wold againe if it were needfull expose himselfe to a thousand deaths By the which considerations knowing the desire thy Sauiour hath to enter into thy soule thou shalt stirre vppe in thy selfe a feruent will to receiue him with these or such like iaculatory prayers Ah come my Sauiour succour this thy miserable creature against his aduersaries when will that houre be that I may receiue thee when will the time come that I comforted by thee the bread of life shal ouercome my owne proper will Afterward being strengthned with the hope of the com ming of thy Sauior call often times to battell that passion with the which thou dooest fight and enforce thy selfe to represse it with redoubled and disdainefull wils and to bring foorth afterward actes of desires of the vertue contrary to the same passion And thus thou shalt continue the euening as I haue saide and the morning after thou shalt be awaked When the time of receiuing comes a litle before thou shalt briefely consider thy defects and vnfaithfulnes which thou hast vsed towards thy Sauior from the time of thy last recei uing the Blessed Sacrament and with shamefastnesse and with a holy feare thou shalt be confounded for thy ingratitude and vnworthinesse But thinking afterward vpon the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God who although thou hast bin rebellious vnto him yet notwithstanding he willeth that thou receiue him thou shalt goe confidently to that sacred banquet After thou hast receiued withdraw thy selfe as soone as thou canst into the closet of thy heart and lay open to thy Sauior thy defects and wants saying thus in thy mind thou seest my Sauior how easily I offend thee and how much I want how strong this passion oppresseth me and that it is not possible that by my selfe I can be deliuered Therefore this battaile is thine and from thee onely I hope for victorie afterwards turne thy selfe to the father and offer vp to him for the same effect his most blessed Sonne whom now thou hast within thee and with faith expect his diuine succor the which wil not faile thee althogh thou shouldst not presently feele his helpe How by this same Sacrament we may stirre vppe in vs the affections of Loue. Chap. 30. TO the ende thou mayest stirre vp in thee with this most holy sacrament the loue which destroyeth and consumeth all selfe-will thou shalt turne thy thoughts to the loue of God towardes thee meditating in the night before how that great and omnipotent Lord not contented to haue created thee to his owne image and likenesse and to haue sent downe to the earth his onely begotten Sonne to serue thee three and thirtie yeares in thy iniquities suffering so great trauailes and the most painefull death of the crosse to redeeme thee he would further leaue him vnto thee in the Sacrament of the Eucharist for thy foode for thy needs in the which most precious gift to inflame thee wholy into his loue consider first the giuer who is God himself that power wisdome and increated goodnes which hath no end whose highnesse and perfection infinitely exceede the reach of
that he shed al his pretious bloud finally lost his life Now when this same sheepe followeth him calleth vpon him and prayeth vnto him hee wil not turne his eies of life vnto it and heare it and lay it vppon his diuine shoulders reioycing thereof with his neighbors and Angelles in heauen And who can euer be leeue that God who standeth continuallye knocking at the heart of man desiring to enter in and to suppe with him and communicate his guiftes vnto him when man openeth his heart and inuiteth him will then notwithstanding in good earnest turn a deafe eare vnto him and refuse to enter The third meane to obtain this holy confidence trust is to call to minde the veritie of the holy scriptures which in so many places do teach vs that he which trusted in God was neuer confounded There maye bee added to these aforesaid another meane to obtain at one time both the distrust of our selues and the confidence in God and it is this When thou takest anie thing in hand before thou determine it and resolue to do it consider thy owne debility and the power and goodnesse of God and then determine to beginne thy worke And if thou obserue not this order although it seeme to thee that thou dost all thy actions virtually in the confidence of God yet thou shalt finde thy selfe very farr deceiued for man of himselfe being very apt to presumption the right way to woorke with the distrust of our selues and with confidence in God is that the consideration of our owne nothing and of Gods omnipotencie goe alway before our worke And it is also to be obserued that it shall oftentimes seeme vnto thee that thou hast obtaind this distrust of thy selfe and confidence in God and yet it is not so and the effect which will proceed of thy often fallinges shall make this manifest vnto thee If therfore when by chance thou fallest thou be vnquiet deiected and perceiue thy self to bee brought to a kinde of despaire of beeing able to goe forward and to doe well it is an euident sign that thou diddest trust in thy selfe and not in God and if thy sadnes and distrust be great great was thy confidence in thy selfe litle was thy trust in God For hee that altogether distrusteth himselfe and trusteth in God when he falles he woondereth not at it he is not deiected or discouraged acknowledging that this doth happen throgh his owne weakenes neyther doth diminish his confidence in God but hating aboue all things the sinne which he is fallen into with a quiet and a peaceable sorrowe for the offence of his diuine maiestie with lesse trust in himself and greater confidence in God with greater corage thā before folows his enterprise and pursues his enemies euen to death Would to God that these things were wel considered of certaine persons that pretend to be spiritual who when they fall into any defect can not nor wil not be in quiet som times by reason of this anxiety rather then for anye other respect wil needes out of hand go seek their gostly father vnto whome they ought to haue recourse principally to wash themselues from sin and also to get strength against the same by the most holy Sacrament of the aultar Of Exercise and first of the Understanding which we ought to keepe free from curiositie and ignoraunce Chap. 4. IF we haue but onely the distrust of our selues and confidence in God we shall neuer be able to get the victorie of our selues but rather shall runne headlong into all kind of euill And therefore besides these Exercise the third thing mentioned before is necessarie This Exercise must bee practised principally with the Vnderstanding and Will The Vnderstanding must bee kept from twoo things from ignorance and from curiositie From ignorance that it may bee bright and cleare to know that which is necessary for the ouercomming of our vitious passions which light may be obtained two maner of waies The first and principall is praier praying vnto the holy ghost that he will vouchsafe to infuse the same into our hearts The other a continuall exercise of a profound consideration of things as they are in themselues and not as they appeare to be for thus exercising our selues we come to know the truth of those things which are truely good and the falsehood and vanitie of the other which neuer performe that which they promise in shew take away the peace of our heart Now deare daughter be attentiue to that which I shal say vnto thee for it is of great importance that thou mayst well know the nature and qualitie of those things which by sundrie occasions present themselues before thee it behoueth thee to haue a speciall care to haue thy will purged and free from all loue and affection that is not God or a meane to bring thee to God For that the vnderstanding may discerne well and rightly it is necessary that it do behold and consider the obiect set before it before that the will do fasten the affection vppon it for at that time the vnderstanding is free and cleare and wel able to discerne but if the will haue once placed thaffection the vnderstanding then doth not discouer the thing as it is For so much as that affection which is placed in the midst darkneth in such sort the vnderstanding that it esteemeth better of the same then it is in effect and for such sheweth it vnto the will which by that is brought to loue it more ardently By which increase of loue the Vnderstanding is yet more blinded and thus blinded it maketh the thing to seem vnto the will farre more louelie and good then before wherby it comes to passe that these two powers miserably continue euer to walke as in a circle from darknesse into more obscurity and from error into greater errors and therefore thou must bee very diligent and vigilant in this point neuer to set thy affection vppon any thing whatsoeuer if it bee not first knowne and well examined by the light of vnderstanding but especially by the light of grace and prayer the which I exhort thee to do not onely in all other things but euen in them also which are holy and good for although they be so in themselues yet it may happen that for circumstance of time of place and of measure or in respect of obedience they be not so for thee and therfore many persons in very commendable and holy exercises haue indaungered themselues Also wee must keepe our vnderstanding with great warinesse from curiositie that it know not any thing that may let or hinder our victorie for which cause thou must pursue to the death all curiositie of earthly things not necessarie although they be lawfull restrain euer thy vnderstanding what thou canst and loue to make it foolish newes or alterations of the world be they great or little let them be to thee as though they were not at all And
forciblye then at the first And besides this also thou must mortifie and break some times the wils of lawful things so they be not necessarie for by this means thou shalt make thy self more ready to mortifie thy selfe in the other and thou shalt do a thing most gratefull to thy Lord and Maister Deare daughter I tell thee plainely that if thou holde on in these exercises within short time by the helpe of GOD thou shalt profit much in spirite But if thou proceede in any other sort and with other exercises although they seeme excellent vnto thee and of so great taste that they hold thee alwaies as it were in a sweete conference with Christ crucified yet do not perswade thy selfe that thou shalt euer obtaine to be truly spirituall And thou must vnderstand that as the vitious habites are caused by many and often actions of the superior wil whilest it giues place to the sensual appetites so on the contrary part the habites of the Euangelical vertues are gotten with conforming our selues more and more often to the motions of the diuine will And as our will can neuer be vertuous and diuine althogh it be earnestly called vppon and asit were fought withal by inspirations and grace from God whilst it dooth not consent vnto it So shall it neuer be vitious and earthly althogh it be much assayled by the inferiour part vntill it giue place and incline to the same What wee ought to doe when the superior Will seemeth to be ouercome and wholy suffocated Chap. 8. ANd if sometimes it seeme vnto thee that the superior wil is not able to preuaile against the inferior because thou dost not feele in thy self a certaine effectual will notwithstanding stand fast and giue not ouer the fight for thou must account thy selfe superior till manifestly thou dost see thy selfe to haue yeelded For our superior will hauing no need of the concourse of the inferior wills although in these it findeth al maner of resistance yet may it notwithstanding will what thing soeuer and as often and for what end it seemeth best howsoeuer nature in the meane time doth kicke and resist howsoeuer the world doth murmur and the diuell rage And if these ennemies at sometimes should assaile thee and as it were hold thee fast with so great violence that thy will as it were suffocated or choaked that I may so say should seeme to want breath and haue no power to bring forth any act of contrary wils in this case help thy selfe with thy tongue and defend thee saying I yeeld not vnto thee I will none of thee after the maner of him that hauing his enemie vpon his backe holding him downe not being able to thrust at him with the point doth smite him with the pummell of his sword And as a man in this case will assay to leape backeward that he may bee able to giue him the thrust so thou being retired into the knowledge of thy self that thou art nothing and can do nothing and with confidence in God that can doe all things giue a blow to this ene mie thy passion with saying helpe me O Lord helpe mee my God help me sweet Iesu and blessed Mary Thou maiest also when thy enemy giueth thee any time helpe the weakenesse of thy will with recourse vnto thy vnderstanding considering diuers poynts by consideration whereof it commeth to passe that thy will may take breath and force against her enemies As for example if thou be in any persecution or trauell so assailed by impatience that thy will may seeme not to be able or at least is not willing to beare it thou shalt then helpe thy selfe with consideration of these poynts following or some other First thou shalt consider whether thou haue not deserued this persecution or trauel and if thou deseruedst it hauing euen occasion vnto the same then all equitie and iustice requires that thou beare the blow which thy own proper hand hath giuen Secondly but if thou find thy self not to be faulty in that particular matter then turne thy thoghts to thy other sins for the which God hath not as yet chasticed thee nor thou thy selfe as thou oughtest hast punished them And seeing that his mercy hath chaunged the punishment of them that should haue bin eternall or at the least temporall but that of purgatory with a little present affliction it is thy part to receiue it willingly and wyth thankesgiuing Thirdly and if perhappes thou shouldest seeme to thy selfe to haue doone great pennance already and to haue little offended the maiestie of God which thing notwithstanding thou neuer oughtest to beleeue thou must consider that into the kingdome of God none doe enter but by the gate of denying themselues and of patience for by this way also the Sonne of God did enter and all his other members Forthly if thou couldst enter by any other way yet for the lawe of loue thou oughtest not to desire it seeing that the Sonne of God himselfe wyth all his followers are entred by the waye of thornes and crosses Lastly remember that the greatest and principall consideration whiche thou art to vse not onely in this but in euerye other occasion to giue force vnto thy will is this that thou turne thy thoughtes to the delight and contentmēt which almightie God for the loue he beareth thee is to receiue by euery acte of vertue and by the mortification of any sensuall appetite which he shall perceiue thee to labour in like a noble warriour in the battle which thou hast vndertaken for his sake That we ought not to flie the occasions of Combate Chap. 9. BEsides all this that I haue saide vnto thee whiche thou must doe to cloath thy self with the habites of vertue I put thee in mind that it is not conuenient that thou flye from the occasions of combat which offer themselues vnto thee and that if thou wilt get the habites of any vertue as for example of pacience it is not good that thou shouldst withdraw thy selfe from those persons actions or thoughts that moue thee to impatience wherefore thou oughtest not to shunne but rather to hold as deare the conuersation of any person that may be grieuous vnto thee and conuersing with him thou oughtest to keepe thy mind readie and prepared to suffer any troublesome or displeasing thing whatsoeuer which may happen by him for doing otherwise thou shalt neuer accustome thy selfe to pacience So also in like maner if any worke be noysome and irkesome to thee either by it selfe or for the person that hath imposed it vpon thee or because thou wouldst doe some other thing that doth better content thee leaue not for all that to take it in hand and to continue the same troublesome actions although in doing of it thou shouldst finde thy selfe vnquiet and leauing it thou shouldst be in rest for thus thou shouldst neuer learne to suffer neither that should be any true quiet thy mind not being purged from passion The same thing
if they be offered vnto thee oppose thy selfe against them In the desire of knowing heauenly things be sober and humble not willing to know any other thing but Christ crucified and his life death abandō all other things for so thou shalt greatly please God who accompteth them his deare frends that only desire of him that which is sufficient to loue his goodnes and to hate them selues euery other thing which men desire and seeke after is all but selfe loue and spirituall pride If thou do thus thou shalt escape many deceipts for the Deuill seeing that in them which attend to spirituall life the will is coragious and strong assaieth to batter the vnderstanding that by this waie he may be Maister both of the one the other wherfore sometimes to these men he geueth deepe and curious conceits especially to those that haue sharpe and great wittes to the intent that being occupied in the same wherin they falsly perswade themselues to enioye GOD they may forgett to purge their heart and to attend to their owne mortification and the knowledge of them selues Thus they fall into the snare of pride and make to them selues an Idole of their vnderstanding wher vpon it ensueth that by little and little at vn awares they beginne to be perswaded that they need not the counsell and direction of others A thing very dangerous and very hard to be cured the pride of the vnderstanding being more dangerous then that of the will for hee that is prowd of wil wil sometimes obay because he houldeth an other mans opinion to be better But he that doth assuredlie beleeue his owne opinion to be best by whom can he be cured how wil he submitte himself to another mans iudgment when he taketh it not to be so good as his owne If the eie of the soule which is the vnderstanding wherwith it ought to see heale the pride therof be blind and full of the same pride who can cure it if the light become darknes and the rule be croked what wil become of the rest Therfore see that thou in time oppose thy selfe to such a dangerous pride before it pearce the marrowe of thy bones Blunt the sharpnes of thy vnderstanding submit easilie thy indgment to an other mans become foolish for the loue of God and thou shalt bee wiser then Salomon Of the Will and of the ende whereuuto wee must direct all our actions Chap. 5. To become one spirit with God it is not enough to haue good desires and to bee prompt and ready to good workes if we doe not all as moued by him and to the end only to please him In this we shal haue a great conflict with nature for nature beeing drawen and moued by some particular commoditie or delight many times more subtillie and sweetly doth fasten feed it selfe in spiritual thinges than in other things wher vpon when any thing hapeneth proposed and willed by God sodainly it doth will and desire it not as moued by the will of God nor to the ende only he may haue the same will with him but for some good or contentment which it deriueth from willing the thinges willed by God To auoyd this snare which will hinder thee in the way of perfection and to accustome thee to will and worke euery thing both as moued by god and with pure intention to please him only who wil be only the beginning and finall ende of all our actions and thoghts thou shalt obserue this maner when any thing willed by God shall offer it selfe vnto thee doe not incline thy will vnto it before thou hast first lifted thy vnder standing into God to see that it is his will that thou desire it both because his wil is such and also to please him onely And by this will thy wil being moued and drawne let it afterwards bend it selfe to will it as a thing willed by God and for his good plesure only and glorie And in like manner when thou wouldest refuse the things not willed by God refuse thou not vntill firste thou haste fixed the eye of thy minde on his diuine will in such maner as we haue said And consider that many times it shall seeme vnto thee that thou hast this motiue and yet it is not so for nature doth secretly seeke itself wherefore it oftentimes happeneth that that which is willed or is refused meerely or principally for our owne interest doth seeme to vs to bee willed or not willed to please or not to displease God Therefore in the beginning of euery action spoyle thy selfe as much as thou canst of all mixture whereby thou maiest intermeddle any of thine owne interest and determine not to worke or refuse any thing till first thou feele thy selfe moued and drawen vnto it by the onely and pure will of God If in those actions which quickely passe thou canst not alwayes actually feele this motion content thy selfe with a virtuall intention to please in euery thing thy Lord God alone but in the others it is expedient to feele it actually in the beginning as I haue saide and when the long continuance of the saide actions bring daunger to make this exercise forgotten take heede that thou renew it often and keepe it waking euen to the last to auoyde the deceits of nature which is euer ready to turn to it selfe and therfore very often in processe of time altereth the obiects and chaungeth the endes of our workes The seruant of God which is not circumspect in this many times beginneth a woorke with a motion for to please his Lorde onely but after by little and little not taking heede to himselfe holdeth on in such sort delighting in the same that hee forgetteth the diuine pleasure and doth so conuert him selfe to this delight or some profite or honour that may happen vnto him that if the same God doe hinder him by infirmitie or other accident or by the meanes of anye of his creatures hee remayneth wholly troubled disquieted and malecontente and wyth greate difficultie is hee drawen to will so much as his Lorde would haue of him Wherefore recollect thy selfe well and keepe alway this holie motiue quicke and liuelye in all thy workes The which is of so great force and vertue as a manne woulde hardly beleeue so that a thing lette it bee base and little as thou wilt doone with this intent to please God onely and for his onely glory is infinitely more woorth than many other thinges of moste greate price and valew which are doone without this motiue Of two Wills which are in man and of the Battell between them Chap. 6. THou must vnderstand O daughter that in vs the rare two Wills the one of reason and therefore called reasonable and superior the other of sence which is called sensuall and inferiour the which is also vsually signified by these names of sence appetite flesh and passion And although both these may be called Will yet neuerthelesse because reason it
fastned vpon the same again how he was nailed vpon the crosse how hanging 〈◊〉 the hard wood he was lifted vp on high with extreâ—me griefe of all his most sacred wounds and of all his most holy body and other points to which points first of al thou shalt apply thy sences to feele the pain which in euery part and in the whole togither our Lord did feele From hence thou shalt passe to his most sacred soule penetrating as much as thou canst the patience and meekenes with the which he suffred so great afflictions neuer satisfied for all that in his great desire of suffering for the honor of his father and our benefit greater and more cruell torments Behold him afterwards how he is inflamed with a feruent desire that thou resolue willingly to suffer thy present trauaile and how he turneth to his father and prayeth for thee that he will vouchsafe to giue thee grace to suffer patiently the crosse that then thou doost sustaine and what other thing whatsoeuer Afterwards bending thy will many times to resolue to suffer turne thy mind to God the Father and demaund of him the vertue of patience by the same praier of his deare Sonne for thee Of another maner of Prayer by way of Meditation Chap. 24 THou mayst also pray and meditate in any other maner and that is this when thou shalt haue considered attentiuely the passions and the trauailes which thy Sauiour did suffer and hauing applied thy sences to feele them and with thy thought penetrated the promptnes of mind wherwith he did suffer from the greatnesse of his sorrow and of his patience thou shalt proceed to two other considerations th one of the merit of the same Sauior thother of the coÌ„tentment of the eternall Father that he took in the perfect obedience of his Sonne The which twoo things represented to the same Father in their vertue thou shalt demand the grace that thou desirest And this like demaund thou mayst make not only in euery mystery but also in euery particular internall or externall action which the same our Lord at any time performed Of Meditation Of another manner of prayer by meanes of the B. Virgine Chap. 25. BEsides the aforesaid there is another way to meditate pray by means of the most holy mother of our Lord turning first thy mind to the Father afterwards to the Sonne and last of all to the saide glorious Virgine Touching the Father consider two things present them before him that is the delights which from the beginning hee of himselfe did take in her euen before shee had her being in this worlde and in hir vertues and actions after shee was brought foorth into the world About the delightes thou shalt thus meditate lift vp thy selfe on high with thy thoght aboue al time and aboue euery creature and being entred into the verye eternitie and minde of God consider the delights and ioy that himselfe did take in the virgin Mary her perfections and finding God amidst these delights by the vertue of them securely demaund grace and force to destroy thy enemies and particularly that ennemie which doth then assaile thee Proceeding afterwardes to the considerations of her so great and singular vertues and actions sometimes present vnto the sight of the eternall Father some of them particularly sometimes al of them together And for these in like manner craue of this diuine goodnes that which thou desirest And concerning the Sonne thou shalt offer to his sight that virginall wombe which did beare him nine mo neths the reuerence with the which the tender Virgin after his birth adored him and did acknowledge him true man and true God her sonne and creator the pitifull eyes wherwith she beheld him so poore the armes which embraced him the kisses she gaue him the milke wherwith she nourished him the great trauelles and sorrowes that in his life and at his death she sustained for him By vertue of which things thou shalt vse a sweete violence to her beloued sonne that he may heare thee Turne thy selfe afterwardes to the B. Virgine and put her in mind how that by the eternall wisedome and goodnesse of God she was chosen for mother of grace and of pittie and our aduocate wherefore we haue not next vnto hir blessed son more potent recourse than vnto her And moreouer bring into her minde that veritie which of her is both knowne and written that neuer anye hath faithfully called vpon hir to whom she hath not pitifully answered Finally thou shalt laye before her the trauels of her only sonne beseeching her that to the glorye and content of him they may take that effect in thee for which they were sustained How to meditate by meane of the Angells and of al the B. Saints Chap. 26. The Aungelles and all the Saints in heauen may be another potent means the which will serue thee two manner of wayes The one is that thou turne thy selfe to the eternall father and present vnto him the loue and praises wherwith he is exalted by all the celestiall court and the labours and trauells which the Saints haue sustained for him in earth and in the vertue of al these things craue thou his diuine aid The other is that thou haue recourse to those glorious sprits as to them that do not only desire thy perfection but also that thou mayest be placed in a most high roume amongest them demaund their succour in thy combate against vice sometimes also their defence at the houre of thy death Thou shalt also nowe and then purposely considder the many and singular graces they haue receiued of the highest Creator stirring vp in thy self a liuely feeling of loue and ioy that they posses so great gifts as if the same were thine own yea and more also thou shalt reioyce that they not thou had them sith that the will of God was so And that thou mayest doe this exercise with the better order and more facilitie thou shalt diuide the quiers of that blessed company by dayes of the weeke in this manner The Sunday thou shalt take the nine quiers of Angels Monday S. Iohn Baptist. Tuesday the Patriarks and Prophets Wednesday the Apostles Thurseday the Martires Friday the Bishopps with the other Confessors Saturday the Virgins with the other holy women But omitte not anye day to haue recourse to the glorious Virgine to thy Angells guardian to S. Michael the Archangel and to som other Saint to whom thou must haue par ticular deuotion Of meditation of Christ crucified to stirre vp our affections Chap. 27. HItherto I haue treated of Prayer and of Meditation of Christ crucified by way of prayer now I wil treate of the same meditation to shew thee how thou mayest gather out certaine affections whereof I will here set downe some Thou dost purpose to meditate for example the coronation of our Sauiour in this these points may be taken How our Sauior in scorne was clad with purple How his
any vnderstanding created Secondly cōsider the gift which is his onely Sonne of maiesty and of greatnesse equall with his father and of the same substance and nature with him Now if a little and vile thing that comes from the hand of an earthly King be so much esteemed and accounted of in respect of the giuer what account shal be made of this celestiall gift and the same of incōprehensible excellency being indeede the very true Son of God true God and giuen vs by God himself Moreouer lift vp thy selfe to thinke of the eternitie of this Loue by the which before all times it was decreed in his most high wisdome to giue thee himselfe being an infinite good reioycing from the bottome of thy hart reason thus with thy self and is it euen so that euen in that endlesse eternitie my misery was so greatly loued and esteemed that my God did think vppon me and desired with an ardent will to giue me himself for food Finally turne thy thought to the puritie of the loue that so great a Lord hath shewed vnto thee weigh ing wel that it is not as wordly loues are mingled with some interest of his or desert of thine because onely through his owne bountie and charity he hath wholy giuen him selfe to thee Thus sweetely pondering with thy selfe thou mayest say in thy heart Ah my Lorde wherefore louest thou mee so much thy vnworthy creature what wouldest thou with me O King of Glory that am but a little dust I perceiue well O Lord in the fire of thy charity that thou hast one onely dissignement which sheweth me thy diuine loue to be the purer sith that thou giuest mee thy loue for no other end but that I may giue thee mine and wholy thou giuest thee to me that I may wholy giue my self to thee and this not for anie need that thou hast of me but because that I liuing in thee may by the vnion of loue bee vnited vnto thee and that the vilenesse of my earthly heart may be made one diuine heart with thee The which thing considered thou shalt offer thy selfe to the good pleasure of God with the greatest affectiō that possibly thou canst being ready with an inflamed desire alwayes to followe his most blessed will And when thou shalt feele this desire wel kindled in thee thou shalt see with thy mind a great will and desire that hee hath that the next day following thou doe open thy heart vnto him that hee may enter and abide with thee and suppe with thee and delight himselfe together with thee Whereupon thou shalt stirre vp in thy selfe a desire to receiue him with these iaculatory prayers Ah heauenly and diuine Manna when shall that houre come that I may receiue thee to thy contentment When shall I be vnited vnto thee by true loue When for thee O life of my soule shall I forsake all mine owne will and all my imperfections And with these and other like iaculatory prayers and with consideration of the pointes aforesaide both the euening and the morning thou shalte kindle this desire in thee to receiue him to bee vnited vnto him and to please him And see that being collected into thy selfe thou keepe the powers of thy soule voyd and free from all curiositie vaine thoughts and earthlie affection and the senses of thy body as it were fasting from the delight of their seueral obiects And after thou hast receiued him shut vp thy selfe in the closet of thy heart and in this or such like maner talk with thy Sauiour O King of kings what hath brought thee vnto me that am wretched miserable poore blind and naked and he will answer thee Loue O loue vncreated O sweet loue what desirest thou of me No other thing saieth hee but loue no other fire would I haue to burne in the earth of thy heart but the fire of my loue that it may consume all other loue and burne vp all thy selfe-will this I demaund because I desire to be wholly thine and that thou mayest be wholly mine The which cā neuer be whilst thou not making a full resignation of thy selfe which so much delighteth mee still doost remaine fastened to the loue of thy selfe and to thine owne iudgement and conceits to euery little will of thine and to the reputation of thy selfe I demand of thee the hatred of thy self for to giue thee my loue I demand thy heart that it may enter and vnite it selfe with mine for this was the cause why mine was opened vppon the crosse I desire of thee O my louing soule that thou will nothing thinke nothing vnderstand nothing see nothing out of me so that I also may will vnderstand think and see all things in thee in such manner that thy nothing may be swallowed vp in the depth of my infinite goodnes and be conuerted into it And thus thou shalt be in me most happie and I content in thee In the end after this thou shalt offer to God the father his sonne for thy selfe for the whole world and for the souls departed with the memorie and vnion of that oblation which then he made of himselfe when he hanged bloudy vppon the crosse And thou maist in this maner offer vp al the sacrifices wich are offered vp that day in the holy Church Of spirituall Receiuing Chap. 31. ALthough thou canst not receiue thy Sauior more then once a day sacramentally notwithstanding thou maiest receiue him spiritually euery houre and moment And this cannot be taken from any creature but by their owne negligence or other voluntary fault And sometimes it may proue that this spiritual receiuing shall be more profitable to our selues and acceptable to God then many other Sacramentall receiuings in respect of the wants and defects of them that receiue Therefore how oft soeuer thou shalt dispose and prepare thy selfe to this spiritual receiuing thou shalt find the Sonne of God ready with his owne proper hands to feede thee spiritually with himself And thou maist prepare thy selfe in this manner Turne thy selfe to him for this end and briefely consider thy defects be sorie that thou hast offended him and with a louing affection craue of him that he wil vouchsafe to come into thy poore soule to feede it with himself or otherwise when thou goest about to vse violence to thy selfe or to mortifie any passion in thee or to exercise any act of vertue do it to this end and turne thee to thy Sauior and cal vpon him with a feruent desire in the secret of thy soule Or again finally calling to mind the last time that thou didst receiue before say with an inflamed desire when my god shall I receiue thee another time in the Scrament of the alter ah why comest thou not now with the same vertue spiritually vnto me Of Thankesgiuing Chap. 32. BEcause all the good we do is of God and from God we are bound to render vnto him alone humble thanks for euery good action of ours and