in his Passion to redeeme Man from the tyranny of sin satan What greater argument of Love could God give to Miserable Man then this then when the Jews sought to destroy him all mankind had abandond him even then to bestow on us not fading honours riches or pleasures but himselfe who is the Maker of the whole world that as a Ransom to discharge us from our Captivity as a Physitian to cure our Spirituall diseases as a Father to protect us as an Espouse to comfort us as the Earnest of his eternall glory what greater bounty then this If the Jews with so great Reverence assisted at offred up their Sacrifices of beasts surely We should with far greater Veneration piety approach to our Altars whereon the living God in our Nature is offred up a Propitiatiō for the sins of the World a Reconciliation between God Man a Source of all blessings of grace glory No sooner does the Priest pronounce those words whereby that Mystery is wrought but the substance of the bread wine is changed into the body bloud of JESUS CHRIST the sensible elements thereof only remaining there he is whole in every part in all places where he is consecrated without division or multiplication in him selfe or departing from the right hand of the Father Certainly Philothea This guift that bounty these wonders wrought for our reparation from our sinfull state should strongly engage our hearts in Loue Duty to God AFFECTION I adore Thee my soveraign Lord hidden in this Divine Mystery acknowledge Thee to be there really present God Man my Redeemer Sanctifyer Glorifyer Alas My God all my Good how little have I hitherto thought on this thy inestimable love bounty to me whereby to releiue me from the slavery of sensuality satan to heale the deep wounds of my sinfull soul fill it with enlivning sanctifying graces what have I returned to God for all these favours bestowed upon me I will approach to Gods Altar with a repentant heart eate there the bread of salvation will call on the Name of God RESOLUTION I will ever have a lively faith towards this Mystery of the Holy Eucharist confirmed to me by CHRISTS own words the authority of Apostles Fathers the consent of all ancient modern Christians united under one supream head CHRISTS Vicar on Earth I will lay open all my wants weaknessesse before my Soveraign Lord here really present confiding in his comforting helps for the freeing my Mind from distractions Will from sinfull affections that I may profitably approach to him eate of that living bread sacrifize my soul to him by abnegation of my will my body by Obedience to Christian Duties SECOND POINT Fruits of the Holie Sacrament CONSIDERATION COnsider That approaching to Gods holy Altar there eating of that repayring fruit of the Tree of life We become like the Sacred Virgin conceiving him in her womb therefor should study to imitate her Humilitie Obedience Faith Charity whereby she was fitted to that great work raised to familiar conferences with JESUS CHRIST which we specially aime at in our holy Retyrement We become also Temples of God therefor our hearts should be Altars whereon to offer up our enflamed thoughts desires admitting no negotiation there but what may tend to the cleansing our souls from evill affections adorning them with divine vertues whereby it may be fitted to entertayn this heavenly Guest Had JESUS CHRIST when on Earth vouchsafed to make his aboade with us as in Bethania with Mary Martha with what solicitude would we have prepared all things befitting his sacred presence that nothing might appear in us undecent or wanting where with to give him a ioyfull welcome The like care should now be had My Philothea especially since he comes here to us in his glorifyed body environed with Angels invisibly present with hands full of blessings to bestow upon us In JESUS CHRIST abides the fulnesse of the Divinity therefor He giving him selfe to us in this heavenlie Manna containing all sweetnesse he gives withall the whole treasury of his heavenly guifts graces whereby the soul is cleansed from veniall sins mortall inculpably forgotten in confession Reason receives cleerer lights of spirituall truths the Will is enflamed to Christiā Duties the Conscience eased Inclinations to evil are weakned our Love to heavenly things strengthned encreased O living food of Angels be thou my Dayly bread fill my soul with thy divine sweetnesse that my conversation may be in heaven by the Imitation of the life of those blessed spirits by hopes of feeding for ever on that bread in the kingdom of thy Father AFFECTION Oh that I might conceive JESUS in my heart by Love bring him forth by performance of his Will then should I truly feed on this bread of Angels But alas too often have I approached Gods Altar with a Spirit full of earthly desires too frequently have I entertaind the great Lord of the world in a soul defiled with sinfull affections tepid in divine Exercises distracted with worldly sollicitudes therefor I still remain dry barren to good actions insensible to the comforting presence of JESUS within me Oh that Gods holy Spirit would overshadow my soul cleanse it from all imperfections enflame it with heavenly loue replenish it with his gracious blessings that it may be a fitt Sanctuary for the Saviour of Men Angels RESOLUTION I will banish forth of my heart whatever may displease my Divine Espouse adorning it with Vertues holy desires whereby it may be prepared to entertain him experiēce the sweetnesse of his comforting presence And I will endeavour that my outward decency in behaviour conversation may testify the inward tranquillity alacrity of my spirit an earnest longing to be One with him Live Thou O JESUS in my soul that I may live by the heat of thy divine flames walk by the light of thy inspirations from Vertue to Vertue till I see Thee my God in thy holy Sion THE THIRD POINT Intention in Communion CONSIDERATION COnsider That if in all actions of this life we study to have a due upright intention this ought then especially to be when we approach to the Holy Sacrament that great proofe of Gods Love to mankind that efficacious means of confirming us in our spirituall life a most assured pledg of our future blessed life above We may not then venture hither of meer custome or for companie sake nor to purchase a vain esteem of holinesse or an encrease of temporall blessings or some spirituall gust or sweetnesse in that great Act of Christian worship No Philothea we must goe to God for God himselfe that our loue to him may be greater our devotions quicker our Spirits stronger in performing the will of our Soveraign Lord and
Heralds to proclaime the coming of the Espouse to invite thee to this gracious Supper being thē decently prepared accompanied with thy choicest freinds of heaven approach humbly devoutly to Gods Altar saying in thy spirit Whence is it that my Dearest Lord vouchsafeth to come to me abide within me O Philothea if thy soul be not quite frozen thou wilt here feele the heat of this heavenly fire returne hence full of enflamed affections panting swelling through an aboundance of divine Love If ever there be hopes of a spirituall advancement any zeale of Christian duties or constant resignation amidst temptations it will now appeare while this great Giver of all good things lodges in thy bosome as the soul of thy spirit Manifest then to him thy wants wishes say Thou thalt not depart hence unlesse thou doest blesse me with the blessings of Peace Mercy COLLOQUIE Ah my soul canst thou be hungry hauing eaten of the bread of Angels Or a thirst hauing tasted of the fountain of living water Or cold having been at this divine fire Alas my Soveraign Lord my carelesness in attending to thy presence in this sacred banquet my frequent relapses into my old vices ungratitude for thy many wonderfull favours has even deaded my heart rendred it insensible to the gracious influences of this heavenly food Enliven my spirit O my God with thy grace fortify it with this bread of Angels in the strength thereof I will walk to thy holie Mountain the Mountain where God delights to abide where he liveth for ever Amen FIFTH DAYES VOYAGE Mortification of Sensualitie THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Mortification of the Senses CONSIDERATION COnsider that the soul being now cleansed from all stayns of sin by Repentance strengthned in its Spirituall life by that divine bread which is JESSUS CHRIST we must use all endeavours to reforme such evill habits inclinations as may slacken our pious resolutions purchase those helps of Vertue which may most efficaciouslie advance us in our Pilgrimage to perfection We must therefor Philothea withdraw our outward senses frō all those objects which are apt to seduce our hearts from Gods Law engage them in sinfull affections so contrary to the perfectiō of our designe This is done both by a carefull custody of our senses from viewing feeding on such sensible objects as may allure us to take complacence in them by a moderate castigation of the body by acts of pennance that it rebells not against the dictates of reason grace All Christians have a strickt obligation to endeavour this custody castigation of the senses For being Children of the earthly Adam through whose sin all are borne enemies to God Rebells against his holy Law we all find both body soul alienated from their due Obedience to reason Gospell which cannot be repayred but by withdrawing our senses even from lawfull objects undergoing hard painfull duties Being also in holy Baptisme happily spoused to JESUS CHRIST by a solemn Vow then made in our Name to renounce Satan all his works to apply our selves to the observance of all CHRISTS Precepts we ought seriously to study the imitation of the life of Our Soveraign Lord fullfill our promises made to him by mortifying our concupiscences performance of his Will But this must be especially done during our spirituall retreat that crucifying our sensualitie by prayer fasts watchings such like austerities we may the more freely harkē to the whisperings of the Spirit thereby become wholly spirituall according to our designe And therefor those great Examples of solitary perfection whose lives fill us with admiration no sooner withdrew themselves from the noyse of worldly solicitudes but they applyed themselves to corporall austerities therby to quell the inordinate suggestions of corrupted sensualitie raise up their hearts in the contemplation of heavenly permanent comforts AFFECTION O painfull pilgrimage of this mortall Life how miserable how fraile how bitter art thou And yet have I thus long loved thee feeding my senses on perishing objects filling my heart with vain emptie desires of sensuall pleasures thereby forgetting that great ransom my Saviour payd to redeem me from the tyranny of Satan which the disorders of sensuality brought upon me neglecting that glorious inheritance he by his bitter Passion purchased for me Oh I will rather suffer a thousand deaths then abandon my selfe to these unclean deceitfull delights I renounce you for ever O Impure suggestions doe defie any concupiscence which may bring the wrath of God upon the children of distrust RESOLUTION I will make a covenant with my senses not to admitt of any unlawfull or vain object will place a guard over them that they seek not after what may be pleasing to flesh bloud I will mortify them by a prudent descreet use of corporall austerities denying to my selfe all superfluities which may delight my sensuall inclinations in conformitie to the counsells of holy Gospell by assuming particular acts of Mortification sutable to my calling as far as Obedience will permit And I will say with the Royall Prophet For thy love O Lord I have mortifyed my selfe all the day long SECOND POINT Mortification of the Passions CONSIDERATION COnsider That it sufficeth not to mortify the outward senses unlesse we reforme also the inward Man by ordering and deading our inward passiōs What availes it to weare a haire cloath on the back in the bosome to beare a rancorous proud heart or what profit will it be to our spirit to fast much to pray often to watch long speak seldome if Envie Impatience Pride or some other hidden affections poyson the soul within destroy that delicious harmony which should be between the Will of God our own It is a great mistake Philothea of some souls otherwise wel-willing devout that heeding the mortification of the outward man they neglect to prune their hearts of vicious affections so contrary to the spirit of JESUS CHRIST thereby misse of that tranquillitie perfection they seek after in their Retyrement Wherefor My Philothoa make a carefull survay of all thy sensuall inclinations what passions lay lurking in thy heart how ready thou art to beare Crosses forbeare carnall satisfactions sett a watch over every one that they stirr not but by the order of Reason direction of Grace AFFECTION Alas my Soul it is the Way but not the end of perfection to mortify thy poore body if thou beest thy selfe the cause of all disorders there Be thou humble thy body will not be proud be thou chast thy body will not be lascivious be thou temperate thy body will not be gluttonous Oh that the powerfull hand of my God would quell the tumults of my inordinate passions putt bounds to the rowlings of my affections I have strayed from Thee O my
God as a sheep that is lost seek thou thy servant I will not be unmindfull of thy commandements RESOLUTION I will not only henceforth mortify the senses of my body but the passions of my mind also that with my heart as well as lips I may honour glorifie my Saviour And I will stricktly examine every motion of my sensuall appetite that I may discover its maladies order its affections prevent those disquiets which my Passions have hitherto raised in Me That My beloved may say to Me Thou art a Garden of delights inclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed THIRD POINT Mortification the property of a Christian CONSIDERATION COnsider That by means of this Mortification of our senses passions we are placed in a degree of perfection above beasts who being voyd of reason seek their content happinesse in sensuall delights therefor those carnall hearts which still wallow in the puddle of earthly pleasures following the allurements of sensible objects the disorders of their own passions degenerate into beasts Wheras Mortification is the speciall badg property of a true Christian Man who living according to reason grace crucifies the flesh with its concupiscences thereby belongeth to Christ But especially this perfect mortification of our sensuall appetites is the proper Companion true signet of the solitarie soul who retyring from worldly conversation obliges her selfe to imitate JESUS CHRIST in his sufferings to follow the stepps of the most zealous Christians of all Ages by resisting the irregular desires of sensualitie that the flesh may obey the spirit our spirit the Will of God for the Sanctification of the whole Man If therefor Philothea Thy senses passions have hitherto been loosly kept strayed after inordinate satisfactions now thou must have a watchfull care over them fasten them to the Crosse of Mortification promptly joyfully frequently perseverently universally that as all have been Ministers of vncleanesse they may also be promoters of pyety thy Eies in contemplating thy Crucifyed Redeemer reading holy bookes thy Eares in harkning to devout sermōs thy Tongue in prayer pious discourses thy Hands in performing good works thy Feet in visiting holy places thy whole body in bearing patiētly the miseries of this mortall Life undergoing acts of pennance for satisfaction of past prevention of new sins so contrary to thy Christian profession the great design now in hand AFFECTION I acknowledg my Dearest Lord that through thy precious bloud I am regenerated from my sinfull state sanctifyed to Christian holy duties strongly fortifyed agaynst the corrupted inclinations of my own sensualitie outward charms of earthly delights yet Alas how oft how vilely have I transgressed thy commands my own promises to be one of thy flock to become a mortified Christian to abandon all worldly contents suffer whatever austerities tribulations rather then to loose any part in Thee thy blessed Kingdome prepared for Me But thou O Lord art sweet mild aboundest with Mercies Have Mercy upon me O God have mercy upon me for my soul hath trusted in Thee RESOLUTION I will take a speciall View of all abuses committed through immortification of my senses passions consider all my evill Inclinations where at what time towards what Objects I am aptest to comply with them I will waryly watch over all my waies prevent dangers undertake such Mortifications as may keep my heart closse to my God stedfast in the observance of his Holy Commandements strengthen me O Lord with thy grace My Appetite shall be subject to Me I shall have power over it THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Dammages incurrd by Immortification AS the Love of God ioyned with selfe Contempt builds up the Citty of God in us so selfe Love reaching to the contempt of Gods holy Commandements that of Satan This self-Selfe-love is the First Mover in the sphear of the unmortifyed soul of all the passions of our sensualitie whence proceed all those calamities of sinfull desires the following disorders which restlesly warr agaynst Gods spirit in Us heavyly presse Us down even agaynst our Wills to those Miseries we now groan under long to be freed from Our first Parents complying with an Immoderate Appetite of the fruit of one forbiddē Tree amongst so many thousand excellent Ones allowed by Almighty God for their Use pleasure notwithstanding Gods severe prohibition under payn of his high dispeasure a tedious life forrowfull death all those penalties which daily draw so many teares from our Eies sighs from our hearts has brought Gods heavy wrath upon themselves us all those Rebellions of sensualitie Errours in understanding difficulties in obeying that torrent of cares sorrows which continually afflict our spirits yet We still add to our Miseries by an over-ready sideing with these our unruly passions Appetites What grater mishapp can befal a Soveraign Prince then to be deposed his Throne spoyled of his royall Prerogatives dignity to be banisht forth his own Dominiōs Thus it is with us now Each one of us had a peacefull kingdom within himselfe was Supream Lord therein in his Originall state No sooner did selfe Love creep in to our hearts seduce the powers of the soul to prefer sensualitie to reason Justice but God permits our Passions to overrun us tyrannize within us whence arise those varieties of Concupiscences boylings roulings of our affections Love Hatred Hopes Feares those numberlesse disquiets which torture our unmortifyed spirits He takes from us the safeguard of Justice Innocency whereby we are become unable to governe our hearts in the flight of evill pursuance of approved Good And we are banisht forth that Paradice which was the seat of our Earthly happinesse the Image of the heavenly are here condemn'd through sweats sighs Innumerable sorrows to weare out an anxious painfull Life These be the Miseries we have incurr'd Philothea through Immortification of our senses passions are still increased in us by giving reynes to our heady disorderly sēsualitie as we dayly experience in the misgovernment of our lives actions which certainly none can seriously consider without an extream horrour confusion Thou must therefor earnestly endeavour to suppresse all inordinate suggestions desires of flesh bloud through consideration of the great humiliation bitter sorrows the eating one forbidden Aple cost the Son of God The severe prohibitions God has made against unlawfall concupiscences his cōmands that we mortify our carnall appetites crucify our flesh chastise our bodies hate deny our selves The Examples of all the Saints Lovers of solitude the great dammages we have already still may incurr by consenting to our vicious affections Then by examining what passions abound most in Thee how thou maist timely prevent dangers of raising
up to this Great glorious God speaking to Thee by simple or unmixt bodyes such as are the Elements heavens behold how the Earth hangs ballanced in the midst of the World by its own weight enriched within with mines of Gold precious stones seeds of all sorts without garnished with flowers fruits many kinds of living creatures how the Water cleaves sphearally to the Earth runs through about it in Seas Rivers Springs of different Vertues How the Aire is perspicuous dissolves into showres to moisten the Earth abounds with all sorts of birds for our profit pleasure How Fire has its light heat flames how Heaven is adorned with stars moves without cease by its influences conserves things beneath in their Being due temper Then ascend to Mixt Bodyes voyd of life contemplate the Variety Vertues of sulphurs mettals stones gummes consider then the perfection multitude of Vegitable creatures as seeds plants herbs leaves blossoms flowers fruits Lastly take a View of Sensible Creatures voyd of Reason such as be the severall sorts of Beasts of the Earth fish in the sea fowles of the Aire God speaks to us Philothea by all these Visible creatures their Being growth properties declare his Power whereby they are created their Order Varietie number discovers his Wisdom their usefulnesse both to preserve our bodyes raise up our souls speaks his admirable Love Bounty to us AFFECTION How full is the World of the Majesty Glory of God! how carelesse hast thou been my soul in these Visible things to admire the Invisible Power Wisdom Bounty of the Maker Governour Lord of All Thy own kingdom above O God where all obey thy Will is surely very glorious since Thou hast furnished this our earthly habitation for sinners those who rebell agaynst thy holy Commandements with such Excellent admirable Creatures Who would not in all these love adore the God of all Let the Heavens speak forth thy Glory the firmament thy wonders for thou art Great Wonderfull thy Wisdom is without End RESOLUTION I will attentively read over the Book of Creatures that I may therein learn how full of Majesty Wisdom Goodnesse God is who has communicated such Perfection Order profitablenesse to Visible Creatures I will admire Him in All using them as steps wherby to clime up to him therefor I will be carefull not to abuse them contrary to the End God has ordained placing my felicity in his helps to it least hereafter they become my chastisers whē all Creatures shall fight Gods war agaynst Sinners How wonderfull are thy works O Lord Thou hast created all things in Wisdom Thou hast rejoyced me in them I will delight in the works of thy hands THIRD POINT God speaks by Man CONSIDERATION COnsider That all Creatures beneath Man are only the Footsteps of God representing some one or other perfection of that infinite Abysse but Man himselfe is the true Image Likenesse of God As a Little world he contayneth within himselfe the Excellencies dispersed through the Greater expresseth in some degree those in God the Fountain Authour of both therefor in the beginning of the Creatiō he is establish't Soveraign Lord of all the earth with its ornaments is his pavement meadows and garden Waters his baths fishponds Vallies his cellars storehouses Hills his Walls pillars Heaven the roofe that covers all the stars are the windowes wherby he has a glimpse of Gods glory which shines upon him enlightens the world discovers the beauty of this our earthly habitation Looke over the whole fabrik of Man behold Philothea how the Immortall mind is linked to mortall flesh In the body what comelinesse of limmes proportion of Members variety order use of senses without Entrails within what aptnesse of organs for life action motion what capacity of the spiritualizing Endowments of Agility Clarity Impassibility Subtility wherby it putts on the very likenesse of the glorifyed Angells In the Soul how Excellent the prerogatives of being an Immortall Invisible spirit The memory how vast for objects time circumstances of both the Understanding how active boundlesse reaching as high as God above diving into the Abysse of Nothing The Will how free to good evill What variety of subordinate powers passions operations What capacity of sciences Arts Vertues Morall Divine also of the Sight eternall Possession of God in himselfe All which with a loud voice speak how glorious God is in his own Being happinesse how wonderfull his providence is in our creation conduct to our supreme End should stirr us up to a serious attention admiration love of him strongly engage us to apply all these outward inward Guifts according to the intent of our Wise Creatour And although Mans disobedience to God wrought sin darknesse in his soul wherby she became unable to contemplate or move towards him yet being repayred by the Mercies of JESUS CHRIST the Light of our spirituall World we are agayn establisht in a spirituall Life capacity to supernaturall gracious actions By divine Faith we see heare what God reveales of himselfe the way that leads towards him by Hope we Savour the sweetnesse of Heaven Vertue by Charity we have a foretast of the ioyes of the Saints already touch embrace God with the armes of an Extaticall love begin to sing Salomons Song of Songs which by the sensible pleasantnesse of creatures abroad leads the now Purged Illuminated Perfect soul to an intellectuall Light Harmony Odour Savour Embracement of her heavenly Espous Who seated in the midst of the heart as on an Imperiall Throne environed with a Mysticall Quire of Angelicall Spirits Seraphins by Love Cherubins by knowledge Throns by Justice Mercy Dominations by Majesty Principalities by Government Powers by Salvatiō Vertues by helping Graces Archangels by speciall revelations Angels by continuall presence to us by himselfe inspires a divine life directs the powers passions of the soul inclines to heavenly thoughts actions by his Holy Spirit sent into all parts of this our lesser World produces those wonderfull workings of Love feelings of Gods Intimacy to us tranquillity of the whole Man We experience in our Pilgrimage to perfection performance of the duties thereof wherby we become Images of the heavenly Hierusalem where God lives eternally in his glorious Saints AFFECTION Thou wert within Mee O most amiable God I have sought Thee abroad defiled my heart by Cleaving to these outward Beauties whilst Thou O Soveraign Beauty of all Creatures abidest in the sanctifyed soul as in thy proper kingdom What hopes may I have to contemplate thy glorious face who livest in an unaccessible light or to approach unto thy presence who art an ever flaming
fire since I am ignorant of thy wonders wrought in my own Spirit so nigh intimate to Me I have too late considered thee O Ancient beauty shining in all creatures I have too slowly given Eare to Thee who speakest to me by all creatures by thy Guifts dost incessantly call upon Me to admire love Thee the Giver of all Thou hast engraven the light of thy face upon Me O Lord thereby given gladnesse in my heart RESOLUTION I will hence forth preserve Gods sacred Image by him self Imprinted in my soul frō being soyled or blasted by sinfull affections that therin as in a cleer Myrrour I may contemplate his Majesty beauty amiablenesse admire him in all the perfections of my body mind order all the powers endowments of both to the execution of his Will aspire to an endlesse conjunction with that divine Exemplar wherby so many rich beautifull Coppies have been drawn Therefor all thy Works in me shall confesse unto thee they shall tell the glory of thy kingdom shall speak the greatnesse of thy power THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE God speaks by his Son Incarnate GOd formerly spoke to Man by his Prophets in figures riddles now in his own Son by whom as God he in the beginning made all things now as Visible in our Mortall flesh discovers the breadth length height depth of all divine Mysteries of grace glory that we may comprehend with all the Saints his exceeding great Love towards us may be replenished with the fulnesse thereof If God descends to us taking our Nature we should by contemplation of the Incarnate Word ascend to God drown our selves in the Sea of his Essence therefor JESUS CHRIST by his gracious Doctrine and efficacious examples is the Way we must walke in our Pilgrimage to heavenly Perfection his sacred life Crosse was the book of all the Saints unlesse we bath our hearts in the bleeding wounds of this Lamb slayn for our sins we may have no part in the Tree of Life planted in the paradice of God This Union of God Man in One Person shows gods Infinite Power Mans Redemption through CHRISTS sorrows suffrings speak him an Abysse of Wisedom the Guift of his only Son in our Weak nature to dignify save sanctify it declares his Wonderfull Bounty Thus Philothea we have accesse to the Divinity of God by the Humanity of JESUS CHRIST in whom he has reveal'd the treasures of all divine knowledg Love Now therefor clime up Mount Calvary there contemplate this Man of sorrows fastned to the Tree of shame See who 't is that suffers The Creator of all things the Saviour of Men Angels the Rewarder of all good evill deeds What his condition Gods only Son an Innocent Man one that loves us dearly To what end to free us from the tyranny of satan to sanctify our sinfull hearts to restore us to our lost seats in Gods glorious kingdō What were his torments Much sorrow in the Garden many stripes in Hierusalem a shamefull death upon the Crosse And what profit thence Therby is declared the detestablenesse of sin expiated by this bloudy sacrifice the dreadfulnesse of hell fire extinguisht by that precious bloud the obstinacy of sinners still crucifying in them selves the son of God by their ungratitude the Amiablenesse of Vertue recommended to us with so many sighs teares drops of bloud the Ioyes of Heaven recover'd at so deer a rate our Duty to God through Mercy giving his only Son to us through Justice sacrifyzing that Son for us through Wisdom exalting him from the Crosse to an equallity of glory att his Right hand where we shall hereafter find him if we now follow him COLLOQUIE Thy words are living full of force O Lord more peircing then a two edged sword Oh that thou wouldst awake my slumbring soul deep wound my spirit with admiration of thy boundlesse Love in the humble Incarnation gracious Doctrine moving Examples bitter passion of thy beloved Son My habitation rest shall henceforth be in thy sacred Wounds O Saviour of the World by them I will find entrance to thy bowells of Mercy there discover the overflowings of thy Love-swelling heart towards sinners thy hidden Divinity for by these we have plentifull redemption strong helpes fulnesse of hopes Oh stretch forth thy arms once streached on the Crosse for me embrace my soul languishing to be with Thee Then will I live dy in thy wounded heart by that Gate enter into the citty of my God find whom my soul loveth SECOND DISCOURSE God reveales himselfe HAving now passed by all Creatures who are the Guards of our Earthly Citty in the search of thy Beloved clime up Philothea the mountain of Visions approach Gods Flaming Bush of reuealed Mysteries harken what he there speakes to Thee of the Majesty of his own Essence the Beauty of his heavenly Kingdom the Glory of his blessed Attendants wherby to enflame thy amorous heart with new desires of Communion in happinesse with the already glorifyed Saints Angels Divine Scripture as Gods book discovers those Excellencies of God which reason reaches not he only inspires who invites the humble to ascend higher Hence as from the fountain of Paradice stream forth four sacred delicious Rivers not to be waded through without Divine Helps History describes Gods Wonders to his chosē people wherby to draw their hearts sweetly from things of this world Allegories teach what we must beleive of God Tropes inform us of what must be done or omitted in order to the joyes of Heaven but the pleasant streames of Anagogies which are greatest deepest doe wonderfull enlighten heat raise our spirits up towards God there fix our thoughts loves where our hopes are already placed This Mysticall river empties it selfe in the vast Sea of the Divinity where God One in Essence Three in Persons within himselfe Infinite in Being Happinesse all perfections receives no addition of Good from our best Endeavours nor any detriment by overflowing to us communicating his greatest Guifts amongst us He without change or labour knows produces governs all things in all times places leading each by their speciall wayes to their last Ends. In his glorious Kingdom he is environed with many millions of immortall blessed Spirits who divided into nine Quires make up the Heavenly Hierarchy of Saints Angels happy in the Vision possessiō of God are distinguished by their proper Excellencies of nature grace glory wherin there is no temptation sin or misery feared nor fulnesse of happinesse joy or peace wanting to them all enjoying God in him possessing what soever may compleat the delightfulnesse of that glorious blessed state which Neither Eie has seen nor tongue can rehearse nor can the heart of Man conceive COLLOQUIE Oh how
Oh! how happy are they O Lord who eate drink at thy divine table where they see Thee cleerly love Thee ardently praise Thee incessantly possesse Thee with a fulnesse of ioy Exultation whilst I here perish with hunger thirst in this sacred Mist of thy Divine Essence am not permitted to behold the cleere Light of thy glorious face My soul O God thirsteth to behold Thee as thou art enjoy Thee fully yet thou hidest thy selfe from Me. Reveale thy face to Me O my most amiable God for my soul hath languished after my Beloved Oh when shall I come appeare in the presence of my God RESOLUTION I will night day mourne for the absence of my Beloved oft send missivs of Love holy desires unto him earnestly requesting Him to shew his face to Me therefor I will ever study to render my soul amiable to Him that Nothing may be found in me displeasing to him or which may make him hide his face from Me I will seek out all means whereby I may allure him to exhibite his gracious glorious presence to Me in his own pure Essence therby alleviate the painfulnesse of this my earthly pilgrimage for Thou O Lord hast promised If we aske we shall receive if we seek we shall find if we knock it shall be opened unto us our Ioy shall be full none shall take it from us THIRD POINT The souls repose in God CONSIDERATION COnsider That the sweet Repose of the soul in God is attained sometimes by the naturall Industry of the Affective part thereof aided by certain passing flashes of divine Lights graces whereby making Enquirie through Creatures or contemplating God by what he has revealed of himselfe she discovers him to be very Glorious Amiable then by Anagogicall Motions she sweetly powres herselfe into God by Acts of Admiration Love Adoration Thanksgiving thus takes her Repose in him But this delicious Repose is more efficaciously permanently obtain'd by means of divine Irradiations wherby our bountifull Espous compassionating the languors of the soul fainting in the search of him dissipates the Mist wherin we hitherto sought Him opens the treasures of his Majesty shews his amiable face more plainly to her infusing into her an attractive sweetnesse by his more cleer gracious presence whence still arise new Illustrations of the soul discoveries without end of Gods Intensive extensive Perfections most delicious streamings of the heart towards her Beloved by sublime acts of Love Adoration Whence proceed a hearty compunction for the sins committed by the World against so gracious glorious a Father of pure Lights restlesse strivings to be inseparably united with God transformed into him by likenesse in the powers operations of the spirit at length has a most amorous slumber in God For although the heart still watcheth in contemplation of the Beauty of her Beloved yet she sweetly sleepes in his Embracements wherby she is oft so abstracted from herselfe all feeling of sensible Creatures that she seems wholly out of herselfe through excesse of admiration Love causing an unexpressible sweetnesse Tranquillity Joy in all the Regions of the Soul This is a most sublime degree of Happynesse Philothea nor may it be attained but by a permanent Contemplation most ardent Love of God in himselfe by extraordinary Illustrations heats of divine Grace Wherefor let it not suffice Thee to have sued oft to be admitted unto a tast of these delicious Wines of thy Beloved no Philothea Thou must be importune with God for it closing up thy heart to all earthly cōforts imaginable powring it forth night day by sighs earnest Entreaties ere God will come to Thee by an open discovery of his amiablenesse make his aboad with Thee by stronger friendshipps lead thee forth to the pleasant Orchards of his divine Love admitt thee to a sweet Repose in himself AFFECTION How happy wouldst thou be My soul were there an universall silēce in al the Regions of the soul no Clouds of distractions a cleernesse freedom in contemplating embracing our Most Glorious God! O that this Orient Sun would arise in my heart dissipate the Mist wherein I now labour sigh after my Beloved then may I discover how beautifull how amiable how desirable he is Nor shall I then care for any earthly comforts but shall ever rejoyce in the fulnesse of content ioy of my heavenly Espous be filled with his sweetnesse O Incomprehensible O Ineffable Sweetnesse above Honey honey-comb the odour of sweetest spices RESOLUTION I will for ever abandon all desires of earthly consolations only thirsting after comforts from God the Fountain Abysse of all sweetnesse And therefor I wil ever keep my Mind fixt on God earnestly craving to be admitted unto his amiable presence delicious Embracements opening my heart to entertain work with all his Irradiations of himselfe into Me Attraction of Me unto himselfe to take my Repose in him For Thy lipps O most Lovely above Men Angels are as a Honey combe distilling honey milk are under thy tongue the odour of thy garments as the odour of Frankincense THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Loves Ascents NO sooner is the Soul entred the Paradice of her God there admitted to the delicious Embracements of her heavenly Espous but he opens the spring of his speciall graces powres into her heart pure plentifull streames of Divine Love gentlely flowing in her with an excesse of sweetnesse consolation On the pleasant banks of this sacred River God plants two living Trees one of Light to cleer the Understanding the other of fire to enflame the Will each bearing twelve most delicious Fruits which are the Effects of the Unitive Life of the soul transformed in to God by Love Oh Philothea how happy wilt thou be maist be admitted to set by these Chrystall streams repose under the shade of this Tree of Life tast its fruit First God Awakes the soul fainting through long Enquirie frequēt sighs after her Beloved during her aboad search of Him in the divine Mist then he powres into her a most delicious Savour feeling of his more immediate cleer presence which so seizeth on the heart that it presently fills it with an Over-swelling Ioy which makes the Eyes overflow with Teares of love the tongue by Spirituall Cantiques witnesse the inward Jubily of the spirit Whence often proceeds a Spirituall inebriation which renders the soul unable to discern where she is or what she doth sometimes causeth faintings swoundings of the body in which state the heart feeles a wonderfull Opening or dilatation to welcome the caresses of her divine Espous wherby she is Wounded deep with Love Languishes with new desires of she knows not what it is or how to expresse it thus she falls
into a most heavenly Slumber whereby freed from all noyse of Creatures even in her Imaginative part she enjoyes a perfect tranquillity of spirit peace in her whole soul Which is sometimes accompanied with Extasie wherby the lower Regiō of the soul becomes Insēsible to what passes through the outward senses being wholly absorpt by the intense workings of the superior portion thereof which fixed on God through Vehemency of Admiration love sweetnesse becomes Familiar with him views all the treasures of his Glory receives plenty of guifts blessings converses with him face to face These are the delicious fruits Philothea growing on the Tree of Life which is planted by the River of Divine Grace ever flowing in the Soul which God admitts to his amiable presence Embracements That Soul needs no other Light to walk by God himselfe being the Sun that gives light to her nor any other fire to heat her the Holy Ghost being diffused through all her powers purging whatever is fraile mortall transforming her into a supernaturall Being wherby she is raised to the highest Happinesse Imaginable the Experience of whatever God has promised unto her COLLOQUIE O Divine Tree how pleasant is it to repose under thy delicious shades whence such fragrant smells sweet tranquillity are diffused through the amorous soul O chrystall streames of overflowing Grace how delightfull is it to walk upon thy fruitfull banks in thee to contemplate the overflowings of Love in our breasts O heavenly fruit how sweet confortable art thou to the thirsty languishing soul since what ever knowledg love ioy tranquillity pleasantnesse or Repose may be imagined proceed thence Oh! who will give Me that I may for ever rest under the shade of this Living Tree to walk upon those pleasant banks to eate my fill of that heavenly fruit Let the Spirit say Come my soul shall melt within Me because my Beloved bath spoken unto Mee SECOND DISCOURSE Loves Descents GOds unsearcheable Counsells Decrees are that Perfection ever move on two poles extremly opposite which S. Paul calls Height Depth S. Francis What is God What am I Although God invites Us Philothea to clime the Tree of Life tast its fruits repose under the shadow thereof in his Contemplation Love yet must we still descend into our selves by Consideration of our present state the Obligations thereof which must ever be complyed with Descend then Philothea in regard of thy selfe For the Exercise of Divine Contemplation raising us to an eminent knowledg love Union with God unlesse we descend by humble acts seat our selves with holy Magdalene at the feet of our Beloved Espous there may be danger of falling into presumption of our own perfection loosing his favour trust then in the Mercies of God yet feare his Justice Power amidst the delights of thy Illuminations spirituall Caresses have ever a filiall Feare say Not to Me but to Thee O Lord be all honour glory Then see how oft thou hast had a complacence in thy sweet contemplations the amorous Embracements of thy Beloved assure thy selfe if thou hast at any time faln into drynesse of spirit that proceeded from thy not humbling thy selfe while exalted to those singular favours By these humble acts thy inward Vertue will also become conspicuous in thy outward Conversation to the Example Edification of others For our earthly conversation is sociable our actions are subject to many Censures if then our outward lives expresse not that piety we harbour in our bosoms we may be accounted singular or guilty of hypocrisy Wherefor let not any contemplation or familiarity with God withdraw thee from a friendly conversation with those thou livest cause an affectation of thy own opinion ways or breed a harshnesse towards thy lesse yet possibly more perfect Neighbour but towards all be humble modest cheerfull courteous But especially the Contēplative Soul must oft apply her selfe to the exercises of the Active Life therby to shun Idlenesse the Nurse of all sin source of Temptations For seing t is hardly possible in this Life to be permanent in our heavenly Contemplations affections towards God we must accustome our selves to some bodily exercises Especially if we have some singular Talent wherby we may benefit others At least if Obedience requires that service from us And the work be of that nature that it rather adds then diminishes of our Zeale to Perfection But be thou ever carefull Philothea that thou perform it with an upright Intention promptly in due time place fervently cheerfully humbly Thus thy labours undertaken for God will be gratefull to him cherish our Love towards heavenly things Thou must also descend in regard of thy Neighbour whither Superior Subject or Equall for although nothing can be more pleasant to us then sweetly to repose in the bosom of our heavenly Espous to dive into the Abysse of his Goodnesse yet must we quitt all these overflowings of Love when our Neighbour needs our help so that whither thou bewaylest thy sins Philothea with Magdalene at the foot of the Crosse or with S. Paul art rapt to the third heaven or in thy private closett conversest familiarly with thy Beloved as S. Anthony of Padua without delay abandon all descend to comfort those who expect that duty of thee Art thou a Prince or Governour of a family by thy office duty thou art bound to have as much care of thy subjects as of thy selfe especially if by their own free choyce guided by divine Inspirations they be under thy custody direction not as slaves but as tender Children for whom thou art to render an account unto the Great Just Judge who expects of every one to his own extrem perill that he be faithfull in his charge Wherefor if thou beest cald to any such trust with feare trembling accept of it comply with its duties but if thou art not called thither have a care thou never covet a place of so much danger Art thou a subject The Vow of Obedience under which thou art born or by which thou hast freely sacrifized thy Will to God his Vicegerents doth then oblige thee to leave God for God that is to quitt thy highest contemplations comply with the Will of God revealed to thee by the lips of thy Overseer Governour Since the Word of the Eternall Father equall to himselfe in some manner quitts the bosom of his Father in heaven to obey his Will even to a most painfull shamefull death we may for his Love submit our Judgements Wills to that of our Superior ruling in his stead promptly entirely perseverantly to our dying day Art thou equall to him Thou must then endeavour when Charity requires it to releive his wants unto thy power either corporally or spiritually by Visiting for example helping the needy weak sick by counselling
25. § 8. A Method of Meditation p. 28. § 9. Choyce of a Guide p. 34. § 10. Exercises in Solitude p. 39. § 11. Distribution of time p. 42. A Practise of ten Daies Solitude J. Daies Voyage Inducements to Solitude The Morning Exercise 1. Point Dignitie of Solitude p. 49. 2. point Innocency of Solitude p. 53. 3. point Necessitie of Solitude p. 56. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Gods Favours to us p. 60. 2. Discourse Our Returns to God p. 64. II. Daies Voyage Entertaynments in Solitude The Morning Exercise 1. Point Humility Austerity p. 68. 2. point Patience Obedience p. 72. 3. point Charity Perfection p. 76. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Love of Solitary places p. 80. 2. Discourse Exercises in Solitude p. 84. III. Daies Voyage Man in his sinfull State The Morning Exercise 1. Point Vileness of the body by Nature p. 90. 2. point Wretchedness of the Soul by sin p. 94. 3. point Ignorance of our future state p. 98. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Our weakness to Good p. 102. 2. Discourse Our proneness to Evill p. 106. IV. Daies Voyage Man repaired by Iesus Christ The Morning Exercise 1. Point Institution of the Holy Sacrament p. 111. 2. point Fruits of the H. Sacrament p. 116. 3. point Intention in Communion p. 119. An Oblation before Cōmunion p. 122. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Preparation to the Holy Sacrament p. 122. Advises for a generall Confession p. 124. Philotheas Covenant with God p. 125. 2. Discourse Behaviour in receiving the Holy Sacrament p. 126. V. Daies Voyage Mortification of Sensuality The Morning Exercise 1. Point Mortification of the Senses p. 130. 2. point Mortificatiō of the Passions p. 134. 3. point Mortification the property of a Christian p. 136. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Dammages incur'd by Immortification p. 140. 2. Discourse Necessity Use of Mortification p. 144. VI. Daies Voyage Flight of the Soul to God The Morning Exercise 1. Point Flight from Creatures p. 150. 2. point Flight from our selves p. 153. 3. point Flight from spirituall Comforts p. 156. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Vanity of Creatures p. 158. 2. Discourse Spirituall Indifferency p. 161. VII Daies Voyage Tranquillity of Spirit The Morning Exercise 1. Point Life of the Spirit p. 165. 2. point Mentall Recollection p. 168. 3. point Union of the Spirit with God p. 172 The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Loves Tryall p. 176. 2. Discourse Loves Entertainments p. 179. VIII Daies Voyage God Speaking to the Soul The Morning Exercise 1. Point Harken to God p. 184. 2. point God speaks by Visible Creatures p. 188. 3. point God speaks by Man p. 192. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse God speaks by his Son Incarnate p. 197. 2. Discourse God reveals himselfe p. 201. IX Daies Voyage Repose of the Soul in God The Morning Exercise 1. Point The Soul hidden in God p. 204. 2. point Search of God in God p. 208. 3. point The Souls repose in God p. 212. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Loves Ascents p. 216. 2. Discourse Loves Descents p. 219. X. Daies Voyage Highest Christian Perfection The Morning Exercise 1. Point Union with Christ suffring p. 226. 2. point Expropriation of Friends p. 233. 3. point Selfe-Denyall p. 239. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Spirituall Desolation p. 244. 2. Discourse Philotheas Choyce p. 248. Meditations upō the Passion for every day of the weeke p. 252. PHILOTHEA INVITED TO BEGIN HER PILGRIMAGE TAke Leave Philothea bid thy Friends depart Let nothing earthly now come neer thy heart Whilst thou retyrest sighing all alone Recounting all the ills which thou hast done This is Gods way to heare his Voyce in Thee And search thy heart in inward privacie Which fil'd with thoughts of heav'n-aspiring joyes And lodg'd in shades exempt from vulgar noise Winged with chast desires sacred vows Upwards doth mount to meet her heav'nly Spous And heare Loves whispers charming up above To fix her self i th' center of her Love From whose Embraces may she not depart But grasp that heav'nly armefull neer her heart No Gemme no hidden treasure like to this 'T is Heav'ns delight alone Mans Crown Bliss O blessed dayes O purely sweet content Whil'st thus in Paradise thy time is spent Oh may such thoughts thy spirit alway move Thus mayst thou ever live to be in love 'T is Heav'n on Earth thus sweetly to discover Heavn'ns joyes on Earth have thy God thy Lover RICH BVLSTRODE Interior Templ Lond Armig. PHILOTHEA'S PILGRIMAGE TO PERFECTION The Preface to PHILOTHEA Contayning Instructions for Solitude §. 1. Excellency of Holy Solitude SInce thou art in good earnest resolved MY PHILOTHEA to begin thy Pilgrimage to Perfection by entring holy Solitude therein for a while to conferr with the beloved of thy soul touching the present future state thereof how thou standest affected to Piety how thou maist better thy selfe in thy progresse towards heaven by cleansing thy heart intirely from those stains blemishes which are incident to corrupt fraile Nature by strengthning it with pious considerations enflamed affections efficacious resolutions to the redeeming of lost time reforming such errours evill inclinations as are insensibly crept into thy soule I cannot more fittly addresse my selfe to thee then with the hearty well-wishes of holy Tobie to his Sonne Walke well God be in thy way his holy Angell accompany Thee Nor may we doubt but that the same Divine Clemency which hath inspired Thee with a will to undertake this Holy Voyage will inable Thee with his blessings make Thee so to prosper profitt thy selfe in the pursuance of this blessed designe that it will be unto the eternall honour of the Divine Majestie an ample increase of Piety spirituall comfort in thy own soule If any employment be heavenly upō Earth doth consequently belong to the duty of a good upright Christian it is the serious practise of retired solitude by which the soule doth unspeakably promote her selfe towards the end of her creation which is to know God to love him above all things created In Solitude we ransack our hearts we discover our secret enemies there lurking in our breasts strongly armed grapple with them expel them prevent their reentrance into our soules By it we dissable ill customes settle our selves to an eager use of means to doe well fitt our minds to all good duties against all crosse events By it we descry our naturall weaknes to vertue obtain redresse prevent temptations cheere up our hearts feeble tyred out with temptatiōs adversities temper our use of creatures gaine more light to our knowledge more heate to our affections more life to our devotions more vigour courage in our callings therby wee become strangers to the earth by a just estimate of earthly things which are transitory vaine enter into a sweet fruition of invisible comforts Wee therein contemplate JESUS CHRIST
disapoint thee if thou faile not in thy pursuance persist then thou wilt prevaile that which was begun with lāguishing remisseness difficulty shall end in joy comfort One dayes meale however large liberall strengthens not for to morrow The body languisheth if there be not a supply of food Thou must therefore feed thy soule by daily Meditation The most serious affections are extinguisht by intermission by disuse doe perish Lett not therefore any one day passe without a competent time spent therein break through all letts except those of obedience Charity when these shall have hindred thee repay thy selfe afterwards the time borrowed recompence thy losse with a doubled labour for be assured that too much neglect breeds unaptnesse to good Thus much for thy daily Recollection for the time chosen or appointed thee of which hereafter I shall prescribe á fitt Methode But as for the Ten dayes exercise which I intend specially to recommend unto Thee I advise the use of it only once a yeere no lesse no more Our Nature is so feeble to good so propense to evill that unlesse we once a yeere sett a speciall time a part wherein to looke into our selves after a more serious manner prune ill Customes inclinations budding in us these will grow so strong that they will in time choake kill our little plants of piety The best clock will be out of order unlesse taken in peices cleansed once a yeer There is not any so good a Nature but may be corrupted by irregular affections insensibly creeping upon us which if not timely rectifyed by a carefull industry will gaine the upper hand become a second Nature Yet however necessary a yeerly more serious inspection survay of our lives conversations may be to doe it too oft in one yeere would render a Mind perplext anxiously scrupulous which are distempers incopatible with comfortable Solitude that requires a generous freedome of the soule Wherefore let thy dayly Meditation suffice the rest of the yeere for the correction of errours misdemeanours that creep upon us in this fraile course of mortall life As for the time of the yeere when this speciall Exercice is to be performed 't is hard to prescribe one generall Rule for all Neither can a whole family or community together lay aside at any one prescribed season all their other duties but while Mary meditates Martha must look to household affaires Could it be had there is no time fitter then Lent and Easter whē the weather is temperate the body refreshed anew by the Suns approach Mysteries then represented doe strongly call upon us for amendment of life if we doe intend thē to partake in the benefitts of Christs Passion Resurrection It is a signe of a dead frozen soule not to have an impulse to Vertue a horrour of sin when God him selfe becomes à Propitiation for us by shedding his most precious Bloud upō the Altar of the Crosse for our Redemption That is generally speaking the best time when we desire to be best disposed to piety for thus have all Christians ever had some particular devotiō on one or other particular solemnity which suited best with their mind And some are very devout on the day of their Patron another on that day which had been blest with some speciall good accidēt to themselves or others as their Regeneration to Christ by holy Baptisme their Initiation in Orders their Professiō in Religion or Delivery by Gods providence from some great evill The memory of former good sentiments are apt at the recours of the season to renew them reiteration breeds stronger Inclinatiōs to the like again Choose then Ten dayes before that select time therein to entertain thy selfe in thy happy solitude so behave thy selse therein that that day may be a day of peace Jubily of spirit to thee that thou maist issue thence as a sun forth a Cloud with a cheerfull alacrity livelynesse witnessing the inward harmony of thy soule It will then appear that thy retreat was through a religious zeal of Perfection not of a pensive scruple or dull custome such a good Day will be a forceing motive to thy selfe to blesse thy soveraigne Creatour for that foretast of the joyes of Paradise amidst the cumbersome cares which are incident to Mortality to which every one more or lesse stands subject edify others also to the like felicity Yet neither are these Ten Dayes of speciall solitude so to be spent that the spirit should unchangably be bent upon Contemplation even for that space Our soule must be refreshed with some variety it wil otherwise grow weary our thoughts remisse affections feeble the time thereby seeming long to us the object tedious but these divertisements must be short tending at least a far of to the great designe of piety in hand One time of the day cannot be prescribed to all no more then one time of the yeere for neither is Gods grace showred down at particular times nor doe the various contrary dispositions of all persons agree in the choyce of opportunities The Royall Prophet sayes that In the evening morning midday he spoake to God to redeem his soule in peace in my judgment six ten five would be fitt hours for secular persons Religious who rise at midnight must observe an other Distribution whereof in its due place so David sayes that He meditated upon God at the time of Mattins all things being then still the soule by the obscurity of night being recollected from the fancy of other objects the body some what released from the wearinesse of the past dayes cares the mind will then easilyer grow into a likeing love of heavenly things Neither is the morning lesse fit for this heavenly service for then the body newly raised is fully calmed with its late rest nor has the soule as yet had any motiues of distractiōs frō outward Creatures wherefore the holy Prophet sayd that his soule thirsted after God from the morning watch Neither is Isaacs time unfitt for this work in the Evening he went forth to meditate in the feild when the fumes of the middayes refection being dispersed the soule might easily fasten upon divine objects if thou intendest to reape a grounded permanent benefitt from thy holy retreat be sure that first thou make choyce of the fittest hours for that purpose then carefully sett those hours a part from all other employments for change breeds unsetlednesse this an unreasonable doubt what time should be aptest whē thy thoughts should be fixed on higher objects § 6. Posture of Body THou must also Philothea observe a due Gesture of thy body for although God be a spirit therefore needs not so much the posture of the body as of the soule so it be reverent respectfull yet doth the due composition of the body much advantage the mind in
Exercise reflecting seriously on every Instructiō how thou mayest reduce thē to practice The other houres till Seven admit of no sett rules for distribution of them by reason of the different times of evening prayers refection according to the customes of severall families However one houre is to be spent in praying vocally making Aspirations review of that dayes task for confirmatiō of good purposes another in saying Evensong the last in taking thy evening repast thanksgiving for benefits praying for benefactours living dead From Seven take some easy divertisement whereby to release thy thoughts by walking or using some moderate corporall Exercice for the space of halfe an houre then seriously examine thy Conscience how thou hast employed that day beg pardon for defects make thy Crosses read over the First point of thy next dayes Exercise going to bed say with the Royall Prophet In peace I will sleep rest because thou O Lord hast singularly setled me in hope This is all Philothea I have to advise thee Complayn not of my over-longnesse The labour is mine my ayme thy benefit I have according to my ability prescribed thee a Method of practising holy Solitude according to the knowledge gaind from skilfull Masters in that Art what use experience hath taught me to be most profitable when custome experience shall shew thee a better forme feare not to use it in Gods name for divers paths lead to the same place though the spirit of God be but One yet ther is diversitie of graces Use this way till thou meet with a better and pray for thy well willer Farwell Philothea's Pilgrimage to Perfection Described in a Practise of Ten dayes Solitude FIRST DAYES VOYAGE Inducements to Solitude THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Dignitie of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider That no other earthlie condition can equall the happinesse which may be attained by means of retyrement T is a Heaven upon earth seperating us from the rest of the world contented with it's own tranquillitie delights such it will be to us if we can alienate our hearts from worldly cares creatures walk innocently with our blessed God in the observance of his commandements the performance of solitarie duties T is the Schole of all Christian knowledg vertues wherein we may learn that our body is composed of disagreeing elements ever tending to a dissolution that our dearest friends may be taken frō us by untimely death therefor no lasting hopes to be placed in them That our nature is easly ledd away with the allurements of visible objects whereas God only can fill the longings of our soul In a word that all those things wherein poore man is so miserably turmoild are a meere Vexation Vanitie hinder us from listning to those delicious whispers which our Beloved desires to impart to our affectionate souls It is also a Sanctuarie of the ever blessed Deitie for although our Immense God fils all places by an infinite diffusion of his Essence yet he is specially in those which are segregated to his contemplation worship where he opens the rich treasuries of his love bountie reveals his will to his servants in silent secret conferences with them Since therfore Philothea thy Beloved hath drawn Thee hither here to parlie with thy heart to disclose the hidden pathes of his ayding comforting graces to take up his lodging in thy soul see that nothing remain therein offensive to his will which may blūt the edg of thy conceived affections to pietie or darken thy spirituall Eie from beholding his all-sufficing beauty For onlie the clean of heart may see God rejoyce in the plentie of his holy house AFFECTION Oh how beloved are the Tabernacles of my God! better is one day there then thousands in the Courts of Sinners who love not to think on their Creatour O Hierusalem O sweet vision of Peace O happy desart O sacred Mansion of heaven aspiring Souls be thou ever the begining of my joyes I know acknowledg O my God My onlie refuge comfort that there is no pleasant peace no saving knowledg no true Repose but in Thee that all things are Vanity beneath Thee but even that Vanity cannot I despise without Thee therfore Thou O God how long RESOLUTION Hence forth My Solitude shall be my Beatitude My Eden my Heaven the world shall keep what ever it calls its own with all the perills discontents miseries that belong to it if my soul be at any time in distresse I will stay my sorrows with the hopes of those true consolations which my Divine Lord hath promised to those whom he leads thither And since I may there understand all divine truth obtain all helping Vertues Graces I will turne my heart from creatures that I may under the conduct of Gods divine Spirit learn the wayes of Perfection And I will carefully cleanse my soul from all sinns affections to forbidden contents whereby it hath hitherto been hindred to walk to with God to discover the depth of his greatness goodness to me Nor will I loos the precious time which God hath alowed me wherein to work my Salvation converse with him in holy Solitude To Thee O Lord will I reveale the secrets of my heart in Thee will I trust I shall not be ashamed because Thou art A strong helper SECOND POINT Innocencie of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider That Solitude is more Innocent Holie then that course of life that spends it's selfe in conversing with creatures Being exempt from manyfold occasiōs of offending or being offended by others from snares scandals irksome turmoiles which are apt to shake our strongest Resolutions to pietie destroy the evennesse of our hearts in the performance of our usuall Christian duties Again our conversation with worldly persons oft engages our hearts in irregular affections solicitudes we being naturally over-prone to adheare to sensible satisfactions too feeble weake in resisting their flattering alurements therfor are therby putt in hazard of loosing our best hopes whereas Solitude withdrawing our thoughts from such occasiōs of sin give us means of purchasing that blessednesse here which abroad we endanger wherfor the now glorious Saints whose lives should be our paterns arrived to the joys they are possest of by withdrawing from worldly conversation confining themselves to Innocent Solitude And hence it is that abandoning superfluous conversation with earthlie Creatures we begin to be conversant with God in some degree approach to imitate the Innocent peacefull life of the already glorifyed Angells in heaven Their life conversation must needs be heavenlie who disdayning earthlie blessings thirst after those of the Saints by knowing loving enjoying him who alone can make them happy What greater happiness My Philothea then being sequestred from vaine tyresome Creatures even amidst the toyls of our unhappy Mortality to enjoy
helps to our wants what he requires of us My Soul is prepared O God My Soul is prepared to sing praise thee Imitate the Patience Obedience of my Saviour JESUS THIRD POINT Charitie Perfection CONSIDERATION COnsider That as without Charitie there is no true Vertue or meritorious action so no hopes to advance in Solitarie perfection it being the aime accomplishment of Gods Law therfor must be one of our cheife Entertainments in our spirituall retreat first in order to God whom we ought to love above all things created as infinitely lovely in himselfe our supream Good then in oder to others as Images of God companions in our claim to heaven but especially if our Solitude be claustrall or Religious consequently permanent in the societie of many persons joined in the same intention profession who are to be all united one with the other in doing suffring Such a Societie represents that blessed Communion of the Saints in heaven as well in God the Center of their Loves as between themselvs by a mutuall congratulation at each others Combatts with sensualitie Victories over sin Satan speciall favours from their blessed Redeemer And indeed without Charitie the highest state of Perfection is imperfect ruinous by reason of our naturall frailties crosse accidents which through Gods permission oft try our constancy in good purposes Have a care then Philothea that a sweet complyance with the Inclinatiōs of others a pleasant bearing with their Imperfections an inviolable tie of love be so deep rooted in thy Soul that it never fade or faile whatever difference of dispositions qualities or other Motive of dislike may arise And of this be sure to make a strickt Examine Where How With whom and how oft thou hast herein beē defective And whether thou beest able to complie with the duties of this Queen of Vertues Without which no socretie no place no employment can be pleasant propounding likewise efficacious Motives means when how to practise it And that nothing may be wanting to compleat the happiness of our solitarie Entertainments we must practise Perfection that is all vertuous holie actions which may give a perfect Integritie to the whole Christian Man This is not gained by meer solitariness but by living in Solitude with the traine of all good Vertues for want wherof the Angels were banisht the heavenlie Adam the earthlie Paradice though both places of exceeding Perfection So that it is not the place wherin thou livest nor the attire thou wearest nor the purposes or Vows thou maist make will make thee perfectly vertuous but an entire Integritie of thy life in that thou doest now profess Wherfor if it be a sin to live ill t' is a sacriledg to be wicked in holie solitude Make here Philothea a generall survay of all thy Imperfections faults together with a generous resolution of fullfilling all Justice in Perfection AFFECTION Oh deep fountain of divine Love flow sweetlie into my Soul wash thence the blotts of my Iniquities coole the heats of my inordinate passions Oh heavenlie fire consume the drosse of my sinfull actions warm my heart with holy desires That I may serve Thee My glorious God with a clean heart love all Creatures in Thee for Thee compassionating their frailties comforting them in their Combats treating with all as fellow servants of the great Lord of the world my future partners in his heavenly joys blessings RESOLUTION I will enter Covenant with my God to acknowledg him the fapream Lord of my life actions to sacrifice to him the first fruits of my heart to love him in himselfe all his Creatures to beare with them compassionate releive them to prevent each one in the spirit of lenitie mildness alwaies to study an integritie uprightness of of life conversation before God Man that I may resist the evill Daie stand perfect in all things THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Love of solitarie places THe world being full of sin afflictions of spirit t' is expedient we should fly to the Mountains of holie Solitude there to secure our selvs from its dangers to bewaile the perilous condition of worldlings rejoyce in the Sanctuarie of our Blessed God To this we must dispose our selvs by the love of solitarie retired places wherin our heavenlie Espouse delights to dwell T is there O Philothea that the beloved of thy soul will give Thee the sweet caresses of inward joy tranquillitie which the world may promise but can never bestow Beware then that whilst here retyred thou suffrest not to be in Thee any desire of conversing with Creatures howsoever deare unto Thee for that will disorder the sweet serenitie of thy retreat Say therfore with the Royall Prophet Dilate my heart O Lord I will run the way of thy Commandements for the words of thy lips I will keep hard waies We must also wish well even to a permanent state of solitude a constant perseverance therin if God should call us to it for thus have many happy Religious Souls been in all Ages of the Church inclosed in Monasteries so that no accesse may be had to them or so much as discourse with them but by speciall licence on some urgent occasiō that breifely at their Grates And in that their Retreat they enjoyed a content with God not to be exprest even by them that feele it It is hard indeed at first to abandon Parents all our antient freinds acquaintance heartily to renounce the charms of worldly pleasures yet no sooner is the foote sett into holie Solitude but there follows some feeling content even at the first entrance which makes them say with Saint Peter Oh how delightfull is it to abide here And with holie David This shall be my rest for ever ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it They discern perfectly that their Solitude is a Sanctuarie a Tower of defence against the assaults of spirituall Enimies O unspeakable Happiness to have not only a safeguard against the temptations of the world but the very invisible attempts of the devill The feet O Philothea of a Solitarie Soul are already standing in the immortall Courts of the heavenlie Hierusalem As soon therfore as thou art crept into thy private Cell or Closett check presently all inclinations to outward things resolue henceforth to withdraw thy selfe by degrees from all such divertisements which will prove at last to be empty vain comforts COLLOQUIE Oh how heavie tyresome are the chains of mortall cares compliances yet how unwilling are we to shake them off as if we loved liked well our own miseries dangers far better O my God far better is one houre with Thee in holie Contemplation then Millions of years in the fading delights of this world yet with a heavy heart
feelest in thy Soul during thy holy Retyrement or at other time some delicious whispers of thy beloved Espouse yet art thou wholly ignorant what will befall thee the next moment how long or short thy life will be whē where by what disease or misfortune Death will seize upon Thee in what condition of grace or sin it will summon Thee before Gods barr therto heare the sentence then to passe over Thee consequently that as long as thou art in this life thou art never certainly assured of thy Eternall Salvation This ought to be a strong motive of humiliation vnto Thee Almighty God hath from all Eternity chosen some to be heires of his glory permitting others yet doth not any one know to what ranck he belongs when or by what means he shall come thither till it pleaseth God to cite us forth this world assume us to his heavenly Paradice which evidently layeth open our great Ignorance proves our unchangable dependance on the hidden disposition of the Divine Will Is not this enough to humble the haughtiest spirit in the world Wherefor in whatsoever degree of contemplation vertue or spirituall greatnesse thou art thou must hūbly acknowledg thy universall dependance on Gods gracious inspirations help And that therefor thou oughtest not to judge any one whom through Gods permission thou maist see fall into some abominable sin being thou art not thy selfe assured how long thou shalt stand in thy duty to God or how soon that person may arise again through Gods Grace aiding to a timely profitable Repentance Have a care therefor Philothea thou standest fast in the waies of God working thy Salvation with a filiall humble feare reflecting continually on thy own Nothing the streight dependance thou hast on the grace Mercies of JESUS CHRIST who having redeemed Thee from the tyranny of Satā made Thee capable of life everlasting with himselfe will not be wanting to the compleating that great work of thy Eternall Salvation if thou dost humbly trust in him say then with a lively faith In Thee O Lord have I hoped I am not confounded I have put my trust in Thee have found help AFFECTION Ah my Soul wherein canst thou now glorie Art thou placed in the family of Gods servāts Hast many good Notions Divine Motions in thy breast Dost thou through some strong helps of heavenly Grace delightfully performe hard painfull duties All this is very good but alas thou knowst not how long this will endure whether for a yeer or a day or even the next Moment Whether thou beest confirmed in grace listed amongst the number of the Elect or worthy of Love or hatred Thou knowest nothing of all this Even so it is for thou O my God art a most glorious pure Father of spirits wilt still be worshipped in feare trembling However although thou shouldest persecute me till Death I will trust in Thee even at the gates of Hell I will not abandon my hopes in thy Mercy RESOLUTION I will cast my selfe into the sea of Gods aboundant Mercies therein fix the Auchor of my hopes relying firmely on his undeceiving promises saving helps of Grace therefor I will annihilate my selfe in the consideration of his holy decrees living in perpetuall feare of his judgments concerning me Nor will I onely become humble in the sight of God who knows the vilenesse of my body wretchednesse of my Soul with whatever shal befall either for time Eternity but I will also willingly become contemptible in the Eies of all Creatures contenting my selfe with the lowest place meanest fare vilest Employments accounting my self the unworthyest of all will ever say with the Holy Prophet I am a worme not a Man the Outcast of Men the Offcast of the Vulgar THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Our Weaknesse to good IF thou desirest Philothea to enter the depth of thy own Nothing thou must make yet a further search into the motives of humbling thy selfe before God Wherefor having now waded through the vast Seas of thy vilenesse in body wretchednesse in Soul wonderfull ignorance of thy future state of life happinesse discourse further on thy Naturall weaknesse to performe good vpright actions Ever since through our disobedience to Gods holy Commandements we departed from his Temple sanctifyed Citty of Hierusalē fell into the hands of spirituall murderers we have had many deep wounds and deadly soares in our Souls whereof though some have beē oft cured by CHRISTS healing Sacraments yet doe they often break out fester through the disorders of our Sinfull lives others remaining for ever uncurable during this mortall life whereby we are wholly unable without the perpetuall help of our charitable Samaritan JESUS CHRIST either to discerne the way that leads back to God or securely to walk towards him in this our Pilgrimage to heavenly Perfection Our manifold doubts mistakes errours in the knowledge of Divine even Morall truths Actions our passionate affections to present sensible delights the variety distractions of our fading slippery life the Excellēcy of Gods waies those thoughts works whereby we walk in them purchase a blessednesse which he alone can bestow on us shew evidently that God liveth in an Unaccessible Light not to be viewed with an Eie not yet cleansed by divine Faith nor to be aspired unto without that Hope which He only can inspire into us nor in the least degree to be purchased or pretended to without the speciall guifts of inherent sanctity other supernaturall helps of cleering Lights cooperating Graces bestowed bountifully on us so that we can neither doe any thing worthy his acceptation or think on him according to his Majesty or even say one word of him as we ought in order to our Everlasting happinesse without his speciall inspirations conduct assistance Wherefore as thou art by Nature a meer Nothing by sin worse then Nothing so without the liberall guift of Gods aiding Grace thou canst doe nothing If then thou perhaps art sometimes raised up in the Contemplation of God his glory those allureing traces whereby he leads his servants to the love of eternall good things yet maist thou not take complacence therein without an humble submission to Gods vnknown will towards thee or esteeme thy selfe by them to be in a setled condition of Holinesse for if thou wer't as easily thou maist be deprived of those Lights of Graces thou now hast thy Soul would become as dark thy actions as imperfect as any others These Divine helps so necessary to us and so much above our reach ought profoundly to humble us in the presence of God whom we must ever worship as a liberall free Giver as oft as we receive any favour from him still remembring that the Apostate Angels our First Parents lost themselves by a Complacence in their own naturall
perfections Gods Guifts without due reference to him COLLOQUIE I know acknowledg My Dearest Lord that of our selves we cannot either think or say or doe any thing worthy of thee therfore I will confesse to Thee the only Light strength of my Soul that without Thee I am nothing but Vanity blindnesse Misery unlesse thou do'st prevent me with thy blessings moisten my heart with the dew of thy heavenly Graces I shall be unto Thee like a barren Earth which is without water produce nothing but sin death confusion Alas my Soul flatter not thy selfe for even so it is yet how often hast thou relyed on thy own judgment force abilities for which God hath permitted thee to fall It were much better to acknowledg thy inward weaknesse to Vertue extoll Gods power Mercies in thy poverty that his greatnesse may be exalted in the vilenesse of thy Nothing Grant me O ever blessed Redeemer thy holy Grace but give me also true humility of heart that I may ever think on my own Nothing without Thee so shall the poore needy praise thy Name SECOND DICOURSSE Our Pronenesse to Evill SInce by help only of Gods grace we doe good 't is by our own bad Nature we incline to Evill Had man stood in his originall Innocency his Soul had ever been breathing forth the delicious odours of Morall Divine Vertues wherewith he was then full no sooner doth he withdraw himselfe frō his due Obedience to God but all those Vertues forsake him his Soul all her powers are smutted with sin We loose our right to our heavenly inheritance as a raging Sea having broken its banks we swell with evill inclinations break down all letts of Gods precepts prohibitions run over to all sorts of evill actions however contrary to our Allegiance vnto God Our Reason adorned with Prudence could discerne the Excellency of Vertue dictate all due circumstances of good laudable actions but now by sin it is become dull blind nor can it without new helps above our reach perswade from evill or direct in good Our Will formerly hedgd in with holy Lawes beautifyed with inclinations to Iustice strēgthned by heavenly lights graces was prompt to hearken to obey Gods Call but having lost the safeguard of Justice is weak in resisting sensual allurements ready to comply with every disorderly suggestion of lawlesse passions Our Concupiscence which guarded with Temperance stirrd up our inward Man to follow the prescripts of Reason seeke sweetnesse in laudable vertuous actions rebells against the spirit drawes towards earthly delights leads us captive in the bonds of unlawfull desires And the Irascible power of our Soul which armed with Fortitude helpt us to trample down all obstacles of piety runs now stiffe-neckt against God casts of the yoke of Obedience contemns all threts of his Justice against Violaters of their Divine Covenant These be those heavy shackles Philothea which keep us in the servitude of sin still presse our hearts down to the crimes we loath yet shun not Ah! How oft hast thou felt in thy selfe the weight of thy corrupted Nature How oft plunged in some greivous sin How dull thy spiritt then How black thy thoughts What remorses in thy mind and as one hanging at a small string over a deep lake full of toads serpents how full of terrours feares and yet not in the least sort able to help thy selfe How oft thus through pronenesse to sin Alas neither Rich by their treasures nor the Mighty by their power not the Beautifull by their loving charms can free themselves from this load of sin sinfull desires Nay even all Creatures are become so many snares whereby to entrapp enthrall our hearts whilst Satan by inward temptatiōs presseth us forward to covet them outwardly masketh them with apparent sweenesse to seduce us work our ruine plunging us in sin after sin till we forget there 's a God that sees all That marks all our stepps who will one day call us to an account for all COLLOQUIE O bitter servitude of sin which tyrannizeth in my fleshly members resisting the laws of the immortall Mind holding me captive in the fetters of my concupiscences Ah who will free me from the woefull slavery of my corrupted passions which heavely press me down to sensuall sinfull Desires Only Thou My bountifull Saviour shouldst Thou leave me to my selfe there 's not any sin so enormous into which I might not fall It is thy Mercy O Abysse of Mercies which prevents my stubborn will quells the rage of temptations graciously diverts those occasions which might intice me to offend Thee Oh that thou wouldst break the chaynes which fetter my spirit wouldst fasten my footsteps that I slip not in the way of thy holy Commandements Then will I sacrifize to thee a Sacrifice of praise and rejoyce exult in God my Saviour because he who is powerfull hath done great things for me Amen FOVRTH DAYES VOYAGE Man Repayred by Iesus Christ MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Institution of the Holy Sacrement CONSIDERATION COnsider That having descended into thy selfe there discovered What thou art in thy sinfull state thy Body how Vile thy soul how wretched thy ignorance how great how weake thou art to good how prone to Evill and that now Thou findest thy selfe Philothea faln into the deep lake mentiōed last night full of filth Venom where thou neither seest the light of heavē nor enjoyest comfort frō any freind or quiet in thy mind nor canst hope for releife from any Creature that therein thou art like to sink deeper stick faster abide for ever if Almighty God harkens not clemently to thy woefull cryes and take pitty on thy weaknesse pouerty miserable state God could send an Angel to free thee thence or by his only word set thee at liberty but his love bounty is so great to thee that he sends his own only Son equall to himselfe in Majesty Wisedom Power cloathed in thy Mortality to release thee frō that loathsome Dungeō to wash Thee in his precious bloud to give thee an easy gracious Law to walk by to encourage thee to piety by doctrine Examples to establish Sacramēts for healing thy spirituall soares ulcers at lēgth that he may bestow his whole selfe on Thee in the Holy Eucharist as a Pledg of love whereby to sanctify bind thy heart to him as a Light to guid thee as a Staffe to support thee as a Viaticum to strengthen comfort thee in thy holie Pilgrimage to Perfection In this divine Sacrament is really substantially contained IESUS CHRIST God Man his Divinity which is the fountain of grace good workes glory his Soul full of Wisedome Holinesse his Body conceived of the Holie Ghost in the womb of the Immaculate Virgin his Bloud shed
Master JESUS CHRIST offers him selfe on the Altar of his Crosse to his heavenly Father a Sacrifice of Prayse Impetration Suffrage with the same intention ought we to entertain JESUS in our hearts by thankfulnesse for his manifold favours imploring grace mercy for our selves Spirituall releife for all distressed souls ever mindfull of his bitter Passion that the fruits thereof may be liberally applyed to us we may become suffring members with our Divine Head encreasing in all perfection freedom with God in our Contemplations being entirely transformed into Him on whom our Spirits here feed that we may have no life knowledge affection or motion in us but what proceeds from ends in him AFFECTION Alas my Deerest Lord I have been too carelesse in my adresses to Thee How often have I frequented thy holy Altars with vain weak desires not loving Thee there for Thy selfe but receiving Thee of dull custome or for some present gust in Thee Not solicitous to cherish the good desires conceived by thee or a willingnesse to beare Crosses for thee thus am I become unworthy that thou entrest the house of my soul live there but if thou Say'st the word my Spirit shall be healed RESOLUTION I will hence forth set some speciall time a part wherein to discusse rectifye my intention before I approach to eate of this living bread that God may be glorifyed all Christian souls may reap spirituall profit by the use of this great Mystery will say AN OBLATION BEFORE COMMVNION O Blessed JESUS in union of that love wherewith thou did'st offer thy selfe a Sacrifice to thy Father on the Altar of the Crosse and in conformity to that intention thou then hadst I this day offer up to thee my Communion as a Sacrifice of Praise Impetration Suffrage for my selfe all others to whom I am obleiged by Obedience Iustice or Charitie in that degree I am obleiged which I beseech thee through the merits of thy bitter Passion may be acceptable to Thee Amen THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Preparation to the Holie Sacrament NOne will undertake any great work without carefull preparation of all things necessary for its due performance If we use a cautious providence in all our humane actions ordinary conversation this should rather be observed when we intend to enter the Holie of Holies there feed on the Bread of Angels our powerfull Creator mercifull Redeemer Just Judge The Paschall Lamb was but a dark barren figure of this gracious Sacrifice yet the Jews eat not thereof without much cleanesse circumspection alacrity of Spirit Saint John Baptist esteems not himselfe worthy to unloose CHRISTS shoes Saint Peter to fayle in the same Boat with him the devout Centurion to entertain him under his roofe nor should we presume to appear before him in the Holy Eucharist or there receive him within our breast without great feeling of Love Veneration If JESUS CHRIST be a Mirrour without spot no stain of sin should then be seen in our soul within or undecency in the outward habit of our body if he be there a God of Love Peace to us we may not touch or feed on him unlesse reconciled to Heaven Earth in Imitation of the Primitive Christians who meeting at this great Mystery were of one heart one spirit ADVISES FOR A GENERALL CONFESSION Now therefore My Philothea thy heavenly Espouse having led thee some steps down towards his Cellar of rich Gracious wines there disclosed to Thee part of his spirituall treasures hidden pathes of divine Love to the end thou maist duly prepare thy selfe to eate also of this Bread of life find no impediment in thy progresse to perfection I advise thee to dispose thy selfe towards a Generall Confession in case Thy spirituall Guid iudg that expedient profitable for Thee Although perhaps thou art not conscious of any grevious sin not formerly discovered yet since even of a forgiven sin we may not be without feare we cannot be too solicitous in cleansing our hearts removing all obstacles of divine Lights Graces Wherefor Philothea doe this now once for ever but doe it simply plainly without feare or anxiousness unto a person chosen amongst a thousand by whose advice thou maist be wholly directed for the manner of it how thou art afterwards to behave thy selfe should scruples arise Which ended blesse God for his mercies towards Thee prostrate in spirit before thy Crucifix pronounce the following Covenant PHILOTHEA'S COVENANT WITH GOD. I N. Placed in the presence of Almighty God the whole Court of heaven having considered the aboundant Love wherewith God hath created me sanctifyed me in holy Baptisme sustained me in my manifold sins transgressions at length called me to this state of life wherein I now am preserving me there from many dangers of offending him inspiring sorrow for my failings a desire to love obey him Doe with my whole soul abhor all the sins of my life past renew my promises to be his loyall obedient servant doe firmely purpose all the dayes of my life to shun all dangers of sin to apply my selfe to the observance of his holie Commandments my own Resolutions And if at any time I break this my Covenant I will as soon as I perceive my errour returne again to God by a hearty repentance confession of all my sins ingratitude Accept O my God this my Protestation made before Thee grant me grace to observe it to the end of my life that I may alwaies abide in thy holy feare die in thy sweet peace with ioy at the last day arise to a blessed Communion of the Saints in thy never ending glory Amen SECOND DISCOURSE Behaviour in receiving the Holie Sacrament BEing thus prepared to entertain JESVS CHRIST in thy heart our endeavours must be by amorous sighs aspirations full of ioy for the approach of our blessed Lord to expresse the longing desire we have of his coming into us The happy Issue of an Important affaire or purchase of some speciall temporall blessings usually takes up the best thoughts most serious wishes of earthlie minds But if our minds be heavenly we will ever think on thirst after this delicious visit of our Divine Espouse Anciently Christians frequented often this heavenlie banquet thence gayned that Sanctity fervour we admire in the Martyrs Hermits holie Virgins of that Age Though worldly ties the manifold distractions whereto our mortality is subject permits not daily Cōmunion yet could we dayly eate this divine Bread our hearts would be accustomed to pious affections strengthned against occurring temptations weaned from those sensuall liberties we now so unwillingly abandon That morning thou intendest Philothea to receive the holie Eucharist think how earnestlie JESUS CHRIST longeth to take up his lodging within thee therefor he sends his
Creatures lay lurking within thee in thy bosom with what chaines thy heart is linked to them by what means they may be slackned by what degrees broken a sunder Are they Riches Beauty Cloaths some deare Friend all must be cast forth thy heart that the God of purity peace may enter therein abide with Thee No prophane Altar may stand in Gods temple nor can we together serve God Mammon If God be able to fill thy heart make it happy let not any creature presume to challenge any corner thereof AFFECTION Oh that my God would break asunder all those chains which so strongly bind me to creatures then will I fly to him with the wings of an ardent Love abandonning all for him My heart has been too long fill'd possest of Vanity O that I had a new a disinterested an unspotted heart that would be a fitt Temple wherein to entertayn so glorious a Guest Give me then a clean heart a heart of Love O Soveraign Lord of Hearts thou shalt for ever command therein I will ever abide with Thee by contemplation of thy selfe RESOLUTION I will no longer delay my flight from Creatures to God or only stand to file off the fetters that fasten me to them but will presently break them in peices cast them from Me that I may freely entirely possesse my God Nothing that is agaynst him nothing without him nothing as my felicity besides him shall enjoy any part in Me. Adieu therefor all yee Creatures that may hinder my society with God Honours wealth pleasures parents friends I abandon all that may possesse my heart unjustly hinder it from being the pure Temple of my eternall God My heart O God I give to Thee both because Thou lookest for it lovest it saying My Child give me thy heart because Thou only dost deserve it without thee it is never at rest SECOND POINT Flight from our selves CONSIDERATION COnsider That as our first Flight towards God is made by a withdrawing our affections from creatures forth of our selves that we may the more freely unite our selves to God so the second Flight must be by abstracting our affections even from the outward man that is part of our selves by reason of its great neernesse intimacy with us may the more easily doe us harme This is a dangerous Enemy indeed because most neer most dear most importune evermore worketh against our spirituall progresse however Philothea if thou dost trust in God use strong endeavours thou wilt sooÌ„ make a considerable advance in this Victory over thy selfe When therefor selfe Love prompts thee to seek after any sensuall satisfaction take no notice at all of it If it growes more petulant importune reproach it with its own corruption blindnesse But if it persevers becomes insolent then Kill slay it by the sword of Austeritie rigorous Mortification so wilt thou Philothea by degrees triumph over thy selfe be able to doe beare or forbeare what ever thy spirit will with little repugnance or repining of thy sensuall appetite Thus thou feest how strict a guard our Solitary pilgrim must have over her selfe in her advance to Perfection since to purchase true happinesse 't is not enough to quitt affections to outward Creatures unlesse we also by a perfect abrenunciation of selfe Love private interest overcome that which is part of our very selves AFFECTION Oh that I could truly say My heart now â—â—â—th but it is not my heart which liveth but CHRIST who liveth in Me Live then sweet JESU in my heart as the heart the life the soul of my heart possesse it wholly permit no love to harbour therin which hath not its beginning from thee or at least is not consistent with Thee then will I sing My God is a strong warrier has overthrown my enemies RESOLUTION I renounce defie Thee O treacherous selfe Love which hast so often sought still intendest the ruin of my better selfe I will henceforth only esteem that selfe Love which will preserve my spirit safe in the last day and will therefor warily watch over all the motions of my heart examining all its designs projects ordering it according to the Will of my Soveraign Lord Master THIRD POINT Flight from Spiritall Comforts CONSIDERATION COnsider That to accomplish our Flight to God in himselfe wee must be willing even to be abandoned of God himselfe when he so wils it that is to say Out of our sincere love to him willingly to want those graces comforts whereby he uses to sustain his servants in their combatts advances in the way of Perfection This is that sublime state of perfection whereunto the holy Espouse was arrived when she cryed out Fly from me O my Beloved A state wherein the soul seeks not after any sensible feeling of the sweetnesse of divine Inspirations but is contented to be wholly abandoned of all inward consolations of the spirit the savory gusts of the gracious presence of Almighty God to be exposed to inward anxieties spirituall conflicts as if she were actually in the state of sin really deprived of Gods Love his Sanctifying graces This is an admirable Flight indeed Philothea yet very necessary if we ayme at the height of solitary Perfection whereby the heart must be prepared to whatever condition God alots it Examine then whither thou hast a sincere Resolution to quitt all things beneath God to love him although thou should'st not reap thence any sensible fruit or consolation during this present life AFFECTION Oh infinite beauty of my wholly amiable Creatour who would not love Thee even for thy own sake since thou art nothing but Goodnesse O you Cittizens of the heavenly Hierusalem I adjure you when you meet my Beloved that you tell him I languish with Love because he is wholly desirable chosen of thousands RESOLUTION I will Love my God for his own sake because he is wholly lovely not for any spirituall gust or comfort which may arise from the presence of his graces those good thoughts affectioÌ„s it pleaseth him to work in me I will so love Thee My only Soveraign Lord that if I were God not Thou I would cease to be God that Thou alone mightest be the God of my soul My God all THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Vanity of Creatures ALl creatures are either things abroad or wee our selves both are full of Vanity hinder the solitary soul from flying unto God We must therfor speedily goe forth the Sodom of this world seperate our selves from outward creatures For how can The heart enjoy the sweetnesse of solitary perfection if it wanders abroad after sensible contentments feeds upon the trash of earthly pleasures Say then Philothea Vanity of Vanities all is Vanity empty unconstant which is not my God Why then shall I permitt my affections to be
live in Heaven by contemplating loveing delighting in God what appertains to his their own blessed Life Although our soul confined now to this corruptible body depends theron for action motion in this our sinfull state has ever a naturall inclination to abide with it therefor with pain departs from it yet being she receives not her own life from the body but is Life its selfe gives life action to the body she may live within her selfe having no regard to the inclinations motions of the body This she may soon perceive in her selfe if she treads not the paths of sensuality which lead to earthly contents but those of the spirit which tend to holy divine actions in Imitation of the Angelicall spirits whose workings are to be ever fix't in the Contemplation of God the execution of his commands Imagin therefor That thou kneelest upon some high Mountain before thy Crucifix thence dost behold all earthly Creatures in their severall degrees employments each one busied in the search of happinesse in that they love most that all these thinges suddenly fade away thy selfe fallest also into a trance dyest so dost abide till JESUS descending from his Crosse enters into thee now againe thou livest yet not thou but JESUS CHRIST in Thee Being thus dead to the World only living by the spirit of JESUS how spirituall divine should thy life actions bee AFFECTION How happy woulds't thou be My soul if wholly dead to flesh bloud independent on all earthly creatures thou couldst live the life of an Angell wholly drowned in God relying upon the lights Graces comforts which proceed from him Oh what ioy what happinesse to be dead to this World all the Vanities thereof to live worke only by the enlivening Spirit of JESUS How holy would thy thoughts how heavenly thy desires how enflamed would thy affections then be towards spirituall divine things RESOLUTION I will hence forth lead a spirituall life having my mind still bent upon God his holy Will even in all my ordinary duties endeavouring to lead an Angellical life as if already seperated from this heavy burthen of Mortality without need of earthly supportations And I will be so watchfull over my actions as if I only lived by the Spirit of JESUS had no life or motion but what proceeded from him Then freed from the law of death which abounded in Me through my sinfull passions I shall serve God in the newnesse of my spirit heare what Gods Spirit speaketh to the Church SECOND POINT Mentall Recollection CONSIDERATION COnsider That to improve the soul in her inward Tranquillity she must endeavour to be Recollected within her selfe in all places at all times with all persons amidst whatsoever employments we are by our present state of Life obleiged unto This inward Recollection of the Spirit is easie very delightfull for although the soul be now lodged in the body as her prison the varieties of occasions which run through the cours of this mortall life much solicite her abroad to seek means how to make her prison more tolerable thereby hinders her in the free use of her spirituall faculties distract her thoughts from God heavenly things yet is she not a slave to any passion of the body especially being now healed repaired by JESUS CHRIST therefore she may by means of a mentall retreat into her selfe purchase a continuall Recollection amidst the greatest tumults distractions which may befall her Build up therefor Philothea an Hermitage within thy heart erect an Altar place thereon JESUS CHRIST in the most amiable posture Imaginable whatsoever employment distraction or spirituall distresse presses it selfe upon Thee depart not thence but there lay open thy wants weaknesse confer with him of thy progresse impediments to Perfection harkening carefully what he sayes to Thee if some violent disquiet compells thy thoughts abroad endeavour to re-enter speedily into this thy Hermitage bewaile thy inconstancy renew thy purposes of Mentall Recollection AFFECTION Ah my soul upon how slight occasions has thy thoughts been distracted thy mind lost its frequently resolved Tranquillity in the performance of thy usuall duties How O my God am I so suddenly carryed away with these outward objects employments Surely were I truly Spirituall I should without pain or distraction even in the midst of the Varieties of this life convers with God Oh that thou wouldest build up the ruins of Israël sanctify my heart a tabernacle to thy name then may I seek my beloved within Me receive from him A Kisse of peace RESOLUTION I will not only love the solitude of the body but of the Mind also will build up in my heart a holy Hermitage befitting the presence of my JESUS thither will I stil retyre my selfe ever conferring with him of his loves to me my slownesse of returning love to him discovering all my wants his helps to become perfect in a spirituall Way that I may thereby enjoy the tranquillity of my spirit what ever occasions of Obedience Charity or complyance with my own necessities call me forth this corporall Retirement O Who will give me that I may ever sett by this fountain of living waters in the solitude of my own heart there will I sigh mourn while I think of the heavenly Sion THIRD POINT Union of the Spirit with God CONSIDERATION COnsider That as God only is the supream Good happinesse of the Immortall soul so cannot she experience any true compleat Tranquillity within herselfe unlesse being inwardly united to him she becomes One spirit with him be as it were transformed into a supernaturall Divine BEEING by a reciprocation of Love conformity of Will communication in all those guifts graces spirituall blessings whereby in this her Pilgrimage she may be cloathed with a likenesse to God enjoy that cleerenesse of Understanding alacrity of Will calmnesse of passions universall purity sweetnesse ioy in the whole spirit which God usually imparts only to his most speciall favorites This Deifying Union Philothea of the soul with God will wonderfully work in Thee a cleer knowledge of the emptinesse vanity nakednesse of all Creatures breed in Thee a Loathing towards the best of them cause in thy heart a restlesse Desire to see possesse embrace God in the simplicity purity of his own Essence without mixture of any thing beneath himselfe for his sake thou wilt Stripp thy selfe willingly of all Creatures in ward inclinations of Will Passions welcome whatever calamities miseries may befall Thee For what is there in the whole World which that soul will not readily want doe or suffer to whom God is All-in-all surely in this delicious Union Espousall Transformation by Love the soul must needs experience God a rich
bountifull most comfortable Giver If therefor either the delighfull or profitable things of this life has yet any power over thy affections or the tribulations thereof doe still presse down thy spirit to any greife or disquiet Thou art not as yet strongly united to God enamour'd on his ravishing Beauty or arrived to the delicious harbour of spirituall peace Tranquillity Wherefor Thou maist imagin thy self to be a Reed floating to fro in the Sea of the Divinity now tossed above now under water hither and thither as thou art driven by the force of those Divine Waves so that in what ever condition thou art whatsoever happens to Thee thou maist attribute all to Gods Spirit moving upon these divine Waters in by which thou now livest movest Thus no comforts will puff up or humiliation beat down thy spirit but thou wilt ever have a generous courage pleasant evennesse of thy whole selfe amidst all the chances of this thy mortall state how ever violent they be AFFECTION Ah my soul why hast thou not hitherto aspired after this Divine BEEING to live love move to God only in the fullnesse of his own Essence O Abysse of all comfont swallow up my heart in thy delicious depths let me perish to all things but Thee never repine at any thing being so nigh to Thee O my JESU O fathomlesse fountain of Love Oh who will give Thee unto me My Brother sucking the breasts of my Mother that I may find Thee embrace Thee then none shall despise me RESOLUTION I will for ever fix my heart earnest desires only on my God thirsting to be united wholly to him for his sake I will abandon whatsoever is not consistent with him or may separate my heart from him therefor My whole study henceforth shall be to discover the poverty of Creatures to loath all earthly comforts to empty my heart of all affections to them amidst all accidents of this life to carry an even calme heart Then shall I tast see how sweet God is to those who love the Peace of his holy Citty THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Loves Tryall GOds Spirit settles not but upon an humble meek heart which having had a relish how sweet God is earnestly sues to be admitted into the ioyes of her heavenly Lord enjoy a perfect Tranquillity peace in her whole selfe yet willingly resignes her selfe to his Will for the manner thereof contentedly expecting the happy time of his delicious Visitation and the fruits theirof To this Visitation she must prepare her selfe by an Inward Retirement of her selfe within her selfe whereby weaned wholly from all love towards creatures she feels such a passionate languishing desire to be One with God that she has an extream pain irksomnesse when forced to use outward helps of meat sleep divertisements such like necessary supports of decaying nature desirous rather if so it may please God to be ever employed in mentall Elevations to entertain her selfe in contemplating conferring caressing her beloved Espous then to enjoy any earthly satisfaction however necessary to her Neither may this heaven-thirsting foul only content her selfe with this inward Retreat of the spirit into its selfe by loathing all Creatures abroad but she must also aspire to a Nakednesse of her selfe in her selfe whereby raised even to the highest degree of Contemplation Love Union with God she is willing to be deprived of all sweetnesse which usually flowes thence And although in this state she looks on God as her only treasure haveing right to Him grounded on his own promises To spouse himselfe to her in Justice kindnesse mercies for ever yet is she contented still to lay at the Gate of happinesse there patiently humbly begging some few crumms from Gods heavenly table to be admitted to tast of his delicious Wines neverthelesse resigning her selfe to be denyed that favour as long as it so pleases him ever esteeming either her selfe unworthy thereof or Gods time not to be as yet come COLLOQUIE How happy wert thou My soul hadst thou no other employment on Earth then to contemplate the beauty of God love him glorify his Name O my God that I were wholly exempt from the use of perishing Creatures needing no other food then Thee the only true Life of my Spirit but yet far happier should I be if loathing all Creatures drown'd in the Sea of the Divinity I could be resigned to the losse of all sweetnesse which may arise from the greatest Illuminations Extasies of Love in Thee patiently expecting my gracious admittance unto thy comfortable presence Then shall I be my Beloveds he will turne his face towards Me. SECOND DISCOURSE Loves Entertainments THe soul being thus resigned to the want of all Eartly comforts sweetnesse of divine Love Gods delicious presence with her may humby soare up to heaven endeavour an Union with God a fruition of him in Himselfe by such helps as he shall graciously inspire which we must readily entertain carefully comply with for our spirituall advance towards Perfection Wherefor Philothea thou must accustome thy selfe to spirituall Introversions of the Mind into its selfe therin quietly contemplating God in thy own Beeing often sallying forth by Jaculatory Aspirations amorous sighs towards heavenly things as What art thou O my God what am I My God my All Oh that I could love Thee as I ought which must be leisurely made attentively consider'd that they may work a feeling love in thy heart whereby it may by degrees be enflamed melt into affections of hope desire joy or such like whence thou wilt find an admirable sweetnesse calme to arise in thy spirit Thou must also endeavour to have a strong apprehension of Gods presence with Thee which may be had either by an efficacious beleife that God is substatially present in all places of the World as our soul is in all parts of the body without any separation from its selfe or by Imagining him to be especially in the Center of thy heart as the soul heart life thereof animating quickning it by his presence Whence we shall find our spirits stird up to a cordiall reverence towards the Majesty of God so nigh unto us a readinesse to referr all our thoughts words actions to God seated in the Center of the heart as the Judge of their Worth last happy End of all its Motions And by this means without recourse to Creatures only by a simple apprehension of Gods presence in Thee a reference of thy whole life to Him as thy Mysticall life thou wilt have an easinesse in abandoning creatures a great quietnesse in thy whole soul Having gained these Lights wherby to discern Gods greatnesse in himselfe presence to thee Cast thy selfe into the immense Sea of his Essence admitting no other motion in Thee but of Admiration
Adoration Thanksgiving to God Annihilation of thy selfe now so wholly swallowed up in God become one spirit with him whereby thou maist say Possesse Me O Lord for I am thine and hence forth Nothing shall seperate me from the Charity of JESUS CHRIST And froÌ„ hence will flow such an aboundant sweetnesse of peace tranquillity into all the powers of the soul that she will feele her selfe to be in a manner transformed into a Divine Being For having a lively Apprehension Philothea that God is in Thee as the Life of thy heart has so united thy heart to himselfe that thou livest breathest movest only by influences received from him Thou wilt soon Imagine that He is as much in Thee as carefull of thy Beeing actions as if He where no where but in Thee nor cared for any creature besides Thee Whence will arise so delightfull a serenity in thy Conscience so admirable a Tranquillity in thy whole spirit that Thou wilt think thy selfe beginning actually to Possesse God gloriously And wilt therefor fly from all creatures least they disturb thy conferences with thy heavenly Espous the chast Embracements he then gives Thee Abandoning thy selfe wholly to his Providence as if Nothing were in the world but only God Thy selfe COLLOQUIE Alas My God! how far am I from feeling these delicious Motions of thy all-comforting Spirit within Me Thou fillest all Creatures giving life motion to all dost wonderfully lead them all to their proper Ends yet have I not yeilded my selfe up to Thee to be guided by Thee the fountain of all Goodnesse unto thy selfe My only Happinesse O that thou woulds't powre into my heart a torreÌ„t of Love wherby I may be violently carried towards Thee drowned in Thee O Infinite Sea ever overflowing with sweetnesse Mercy Then shall I abandon all thinges for Thee then nothing shall relish to me but Thee nor will I then care how thou disposest of me Draw Me O Lord I will run after Thee in the odour of thy oyntments I will rejoyce be glad in Thee mindfull of thy breasts above Wine the righteous shall then Love Thee Amen EIGTH DAYES VOYAGE God Speaking to the Soul THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Hearken to God CONSIDERATION COnsider That although by our Flight from Creatures the frequent Sallies our heart makes towards God we may arrive to some degree of spirituall Tranquillity yet this will not be compleat or permanent unlesse we grow dumb to all Creatures oft enter into conference with God have our Eares open only to harken what the Holy Ghost speaks in us whereby to confirme our hearts in the search of rest joy in Him as our substantiall happinesse We must therefor Philothea observe a strict Silence as a most necessary preparation of our hearts to appeare in Gods presence conferr with him for he reveales not himselfe to a soul busied in harkning to conferring with Creatures Nor can we profitably apply our minds to the practice of a recollected spirituall Life if our Eares be open to wordly tumults or tongues loosened to discourse on the varieties thereof No noyse was heard in the building of Salomons Temple nor may any disturbance be found in Us while Gods Holy Spirit builds up our Heart into a Temple of grace Holynesse If thy heart be not warmed burn within thee with the vehemency of divine Love while JESUS confers with thee in thy way to perfection 't is because thou hast not been attentive to his Inspirations Be thou silent therefor Philothea at all times but particularly when wher it is required by the constitutions of that state thou hast chosen least thy heart being opened the balsom of Gods Grace evaporate loose its Vertue or be poysoned with the stenches which may proceed from sinfull conversation Be silent too when injur'd or reprehended in conformity to JESUS CHRIST when arraigned for his life a sharp word provokes wrath excuses deprive patience of its due merit But especially thou must be silent during this thy spirituall Retirement for the Holy Ghost will not make thy heart its Sanctuary or deliver his Oracles therin unlesse thou banish thence all danger of casting forth baits of sin to others by thy tongue or sucking in the Venom of evill thoughts into thy own heart by thy Eares unles thou dost seriously apply thy selfe to harken unto what he reveales of himselfe to Thee for thy encouragement to persever in thy blessed choyce the encrease of spitual comfort in thee AFFECTION Ah my soul wilt thou abandon thy Creator for Creatures or deprive thy selfe of the delicious conferences embracements of thy Heavenly Espous for the vain sinfull conversation of Worldlings O my God I perceive I am yet far off from the perfection of holy solitude having hitherto lavisht away so much precious time in unprofitable sinfull discourses O that I could recall those many houres dayes yeeres of my life now past gone whereof I must one day render a severe account Alas my God did st observe all moments of Time allowed us to serve Thee to sue for pardon of sins encrease of Vertue freedom in holy conferences with Thee who could sustain the bitternâ—sse of thy iust wrath Speak now O Lord thy servant will give eare unto thee RESOLUTION I will hence forth place a strict guard upon my lips eares observing a religious silence at all times places conformably to my calling the example of my Saviour JESUS amidst his false accusers but particularly during my Retirement to the end I may heare the Voice of my Beloved speaking the language of peace comfort within me that I may improve my spirit by his heavenly Colloquies encrease my Love duty to him And therefor I will make a daily Examin of my selfe how I spend my time that no moment of my life may passe without some advance in piety nor any of Gods Inspirations be uncomplyed with Call therefor upon me now O Lord I will give eare unto Thee thou thalt blesse the works of my hands SECOND POINT Gods Speaks by Visible Creatures CONSIDERATION COnsider That Our Glorious God created all the Visible Things in this Great World not only to preserve us by their use in this mortall Life but especially that in them he might shaddow out unto us his own Majesty the good things prepared for us in Heaven with Himselfe Their perfection order usefullnesse declare the greatnesse of his Glory Wisdom Bounty they are stepps whereby we may clime up to God in them discover how admirable how amiable how adorable he is in Himselfe they are so many Tongues without cease speaking to us the Infinite Excellencies of their Creatour inviting us to admire love adore that Divine Essence wherin all are contain'd from whence they all had still continue their Being Clime therefor
comforting them in their desolations for by these things we doe homage to our Lord JESUS in his distressed Little Ones deserve our selves to be releived in the like case according to the promises of our Lord that What ever we doe to One of his Little ones we doe to him nor shall a cup of cold water be unrewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven COLLOQUIE Alas My God! how barren has my Soul hitherto been in complying with the precepts of true solid Vertue How many precious houres of my life have idly passed without care of advancing my selfe as well in humble charitable deeds as in searching into thy hidden Excellencies Whereas thy Law is That each one shall reap according as he sowes My solitude shall not be henceforth idle but sometimes I will soare up as an Eagle by the wings of Contemplation love sometimes will I with the laborious Bee exercise my self in outward works of charity humility as well to please God the supream End crown of all good works as to releive my distressed neighbour to edify all by my outward Conversation for That which is momentany in this life worketh exceedingly in us an eternall weight of Glory Amen TENTH DAYES VOYAGE Highest Christian Perfection THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Union with Christ suffring CONSIDERATION COnsider that how ever high happy we be in our Divine Contemplation Unitive Life with God or Low by a prompt performance of the humble charitable Duties of our present State wee cannot hope succesfully to finish our holy Pilgrimage to the sublime State of Perfection we aime at in our Retyrement unlesse we be united to JESUS CHRIST in his fuffrings As each one by cordiall friendshipp is transformed into his Friend by an excess of heavenly Love into our glorious God so by our joy alacrity amidst the tribulations crosses of this life we are transformed into become One with our Crucified Saviour whom we then put on when his Spirit Counsells Grace Mortifications shine in our Soul actions The title of a good Christian Philothea should besides the name import a conformity in Life with CHRIST that Character of the Crosse whereby in the laver of our Spirituall Regeneration we are registred souldiers under the conduct of our Crucified Captain should ever mind us of our profession then made oft since renewed now so eagerly pursued that as our Divine Lord Master with joy marched up towards Hierusalem the place of his Passion encounters his raging persecutours voluntarily offers his body to be beaten on as an anvill his bloud to be powred forth himselfe to become a saving Sacrifice on the Altar of the Crosse so also we should with joy entertain patiently beare all losses crosses desolations which may befall us in our Christian Warfar This was S. Pauls Glory the Perfect joy of S. Francis the Delight of the renowned Martyrs who kissing their chains scourges embracing their Racks singing amidst swords whips flames purchased a coheritance with their glorified JESUS whose partners they were in his bitter sorrows suffrings It is the dignity of a Christian to be thus United to CHRIST nor doth any condition of this life render us more unhappy then want of tribulation Much Felicity makes us forget we are pilgrims to an endless endangers our falling into presumption while relying on present comforts we arm not our selves for ensuing combats by long peace leave our hearts unguarded against assaults of watchfull Enemies whereas the bloud of Martyrs has ever been the encrease of the Church Crosses the preservation strength of Christian Vertues though Summer be the sweetest season yet without cold winters earth would become unhabitable nor can our Souls long savour the sweetnes of piety unless seasoned with contradictiōs which wee neither may nor can escape only can sweeten while with joy courage wee welcom them when sent by Heaven to try our Vertues unite us unto CHRIST Though Expectation diverts not yet it diminishes the sharpness of tribulation which when sudden finds the mind unprovided unable to beare its weight for want of Resolution Lenitive Medicines What if a disease should bereave thee of health rest What if Poverty as an armed Enimie should rush upon Thee What if calumnies should defame degrade or cast thee into prison or banishmēt thou shouldst Philothea now prepare to welcome encounter these crosses with joy that their violence may not overwhelme Thee make thee loose thy Vertue in what thou maist not avoyd As Gods wise providence in governing us leads us to fastens us unto the Crosse so his fatherly Love will ever temper its severity render it easy delightfull Savage beasts will be smitten by their keepers 't is God that strikes thee it were rebellion to murmur or fly he has appointed their weight to the last dram for ends known to himfelfe none cā add or take thence onely our constancy love can make them light pleasant Although God be in himselfe immutable yet for our tryall he doth not always visit us after the same manner if He comes as a Iudge condemns us to suffer 't is much less then our sins deserve that a moments sorrow may expiate the enormous sins of an Age that thou maist become like him upon his Cross nigh him in his glory if as a tender Father t is to chastise us now that we perish not for ever if as an Espous of Bloud with a Cross in one hand the other pointing to his wounded heart 't is to show thy heart must be peirced too with the sword of tribulation if as a Friend suspending the influences of his comforting graces t is to try if thy heart be sound not loveing his crowns more then his crosses or his comforts more then himselfe Tribulations too are the cures of our sick minds though the body be sound the Soul may be distempred with pride incontinency envy idleness or the like 't is a rare spirit that has no disease no physick like an adversity If thy heavenly Physitian sends this to humble thy heart to make the continent meek or diligent in thy duty make him welcome be cheerfull in that sad state having thy Eie fixt on thy Exemplar the great weight of merit glory which it will work in the patient resigned heart Every bird can sing in a cleer heavē but that is most cōmendable which is merryest in a shower to stand silent before Herod or be joyfull in desolation is the property of a true Christian Study therefor Philothea ever to have a cleare spirit amidst tribulations thy righteousness will comfort Thee Gods glory will attend thee after this minute of pain an eternity of joy will crown thee AFFECTION O God how high yet how low is the State of Christian Perfection as Thou My Crucified Lord art God
Man so must my contemplation Union be with Thee a Glorious God a suffring Man by partaking the joys of One sorrows of the other I will therefor ever aspire to be with Thee in the glory of thy Father yet will joyfully cast my self into the Sea of Love thy bleeding heart that through it I may swim to the haven of thy hidden Divinity Come then all torments of heaven Earth presse heavy upon Me I shall never sink as long as supported by the saving Grace of my Victorious Redeemer Oh that I were grown'd by the teeth of wild beasts torn by racks scorched with burning flames so I may enjoy CHRIST Rather here O Lord rather here then where thy wrath never ceases for thou wilt lead me forth this prison shew me all thy Glory I shall confess unto thy Name RESOLUTION I will for ever make my habitation in the wounded heart of my Crucified Lord therein read over the vast book of Love Suffring that by it I may govern my life actions not contenting my selfe with an empty Name void of the substance perfection of a Christian Therefor I will joyfully welcome all tribulations as speciall Guifts of God tokens of his love given to cure the soares of my sinfull Soul exercise Vertue preserve to life everlasting for who ever lives holyly shall suffer persecution nor may the Crown of endless Glory be purchased at an easy rate I will therefor cheerfully take up my Cross rank my selfe amongst thy zealous servants follow thee my suffring Lord for Blessed is he who suffers for thee because when he is tryed he shall receive a Crown of life Immortality SECOND POINT Expropriation of Friends CONSIDERATION COnsider that to attain to this high state of Christian Perfection Union with CHRIST suffring we must willingly abandon all earthlie contents embrace all tribulations with joy in Imitation of JESUS CHRIST it being much harder consequently a greater perfection to beare great crosses with patience then perform heroick acts of Vertue without difficultie for our Vertue is not then firm when not shaken but when not shaken though most assayled by adversity therefor our perfection grows with proportion to our suffrings in the society of our suffring Saviour whose Pilgrimage from the cribb to the Cross began in tears ended in bloud since therefor Philothea thou art by profession à Christian by speciall Resolution a seeker of highest Perfection CHRISTS sorrows suffrings cross must be unto thee a Rule of life the Center of all thy motions the more conformable thou art to him in these the greater will thy perfectiō now be happiness hereafter Behold then with a stedfast Eie the Saviour of the World hanging on the Cross as in his Passiō so in his death abandoned by his Apostles Disciples al his usuall train of applauding attendāts He who in his glory was guarded with millions of Angels to whom all knees bowe who is the Image Splendour of the glory of his eternal Father is now forsaken by All. Love made him our Brother by assuming our Nature compassion our Physitian by his healing doctrine sacraments Mercy our Ransom by his own bitter death discharging our debts now alas he is abandon'd of all He descended from the noblest Princes Preists Prophets of Israël by his temporall birth he healed lame blind dumb lepers all diseases by his Divine power All men Angels for ever glorious with God are happy through the Efficacy of his peace-speaking bloud they have now alas all deserted him This is the paterne which we must Imitate Philothea e're we can attain the perfection we aime at We must be entirely resigned to abandon be abandoned by all even our dearest most obliged friends This may seem hard indeed it is so For Friendship is a Vertue Charity is yet a greater it is hard therefor to perswade from actiōs arising from so sublime a cause yet is it mainly necessary if we will become perfect when the pruning time is come superfluous shoots must be cutt off else few small fruit All earthlie friendships are superfluous in order to inward perfection therefor should be lopt off that the sap of grace may quietly fructify in us to life everlasting under the conduct of our Divine Guide Example Tell me Philothea canst thou like well a treason in thy bosom friend Surely thou canst not If David had been cursed by his enemies he could have borne it but to be hurt by a friend by one that had prayd with him in Gods holy House that was an unsupportable Cross And what 's more frequent even with those who abandoning the world should abandon its weakness mutability yet through variety of opiniōs dispositions oft break betray a friends confidence If then for the love of thy heavenly Espous thou hast forsaken parents kindred all worldly friends for the same love enter not now or at least break off any singularity of affectiō even towards thy companions in the study of perfection not onely because singularity is ever prejudiciall in professours of a Cōmon Life whence propriety of affections as well as of temporall goods must be banisht as nurses of suspitions jealousies many private feudes but especially because they hazard the loss of our inward tranquillity in case our friend to whom we have imprudently disclosed the secrets of our heart betrays his trust using our freedom to our confusion Wherefor be cautious in trusting thy heart strings to any but as the Wise Heathen sayd Ever converse with thy friend as one who may prove thy Enemy For as it is the nature of fire to burne so of sinners to be weak selfe interested take a View of they past life experience will teach Thee most friendships of thy bosom-friends to have been grounded on self-profit therefor have ended in discontents enmities Besides the superfluity treachery of friendships they are great impediments of Vertue while many thoughts are spent in them to the breach of in ward peace loss of precious time neglect of heavenly conferences with our Divine Espous I doubt not Philothea but thou hast had many speciall deare friends much delighted to abide conferr with them what profit thence Alas much Vanity time lost languishings of heart or sin Even now then knock off these troublesome slackles whereby thou art fettred to Creatures however deare to Thee least thou present God with a broken divided heart whereas he gave demands A whole sound that thou owest to him hadst thou many thousands AFFECTION Ah! how hard is it to be abandon'd by all friends who may comfort us in our desolations But I know will adore the power that works this happy separation perhaps thou hadst for ever perished O my Soul hadst not not thus lost thy friend or abandond him for God Alas
separate the One from the Other As God caused the brightness of Christs tranfigur'd body on Mount Thabor which signifies the cleerness cheerfulness of our Spirit in holy actions so also he caused that darkness which o'respred the earth whilst CHRISTS body was disfigur'd on Mount Calvarie whereby is represented the droughts of a Soul in this state of spirituall desolation Wherefor behave thy felfe very cautiously in the pursuance of Christian perfection so that whither thou hast a feeling of piety or whither God for reasons known to himselfe deprives Thee thereof keep the same Evenness of heart constancy in thy duties during both States still multiplying acts of Love renewing thy purposes resigning thy selfe to Gods decrees concerning Thee following the direction of his Holy Spirit under whose conduct thou art now become conformable to thy sufferring Espous Imagine therefor that JESUS CHRIST has nayled Thee to this Cross through the great Love he has towards Thee to the end thou flyest not from him abandon the charge he has taken of thee or quitt thy customary duties that he may behold thy conflicts harken to thy mournfull sights supplications may more readily infuse spirituall helps wherefor humbly open thy heart to him disclosing all thy wants weakness advise also with some prudent person whom thou hast chosen for thy Guid follow his counsells punctually ever closeing with an entire Resignation to his sacred Will who thus Visits Thee COLLOQUIE What hast thou done My Innocent Lord that thou art thus severely treated Thy body is covered with wounds thy bloud streams forth from every part thy hands feet are nailed to the Cross thy head is crowned with thorns thy heart is peirced with a speare thy Soul fild to the brim with desolation when thou cryedst My God My God why hast thou forsaken Me Oh what Love what Mercy is here I have sinned the Son of God is smitten Oh rather let me fuffer who have provoked thy wrath Whither I feel the sweetness of thy comfortable presence or thou dost permit Anxieties to oppresse my spirit I will equally love Thee obey thy will And I will blesse God at all times his prayses shall ever be in my lips because he will be my Salvation in the day of sorrow SECOND DISCOURSE Phìlotheas Choyce HAving thus prosperously Philothea though with much difficulty in thy ten daies Voyage to Perfection passed through thy holy Solitude arrived to Mount Calvarie there found thy Crucifyed Lord the Author Exemplar Finisher of all Perfection repose thy selfe with joy under the shade of the Crosse offring up thy heart to him to be united with his by Love made conformable to his Will in all thy affections actions saying Behold I have gone far flying from the World its Vanities made my habitation in the Wilderness Under his shadow whom my Soul desireth will I sett This is my Resting place for ever ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it O blessed Flight O pleasant Repose O Divine Choyce whereby thy Soul will become a stranger to the Earth where she lives freely converse with God whom she loves Then make a breife review of thy ten daies Retirement See whither thou hast that value of Solitude its Entertainments which the perfectiō thereof deserveth And what inclinations thou hast to persever therein whither thou hast a cordiall apprehension of thy Sinfull State the Means God has established for thy salvation Whither thy Passions be any thing abated thy heart unchayned from Creatures that it may joyfully Fly to God Whither thou hast a perfect Calme in thy Soul canst Give eare to the whisperings of thy heavenly Espous beest every way fitted to take thy Repose in God And lastly whither thou hast a hearty resentement of the suffrings of thy Crucifyed Lord a willingness to Imitate him in his bitter seperations a desire to be wholly united to him in that sad ignominious state for unless thy heart be now united ūto that of JESUS suffring thou maist not hope hereafter to be united unto thy JESUS triumphing Fix thy Eie therefor steadily upon thy soveraign Lord bleeding dying upon the Cross thereby draw a Coppy in thy own heart by his wounded feet order thy affections by his peirced hands rectify thy actions by his crowned head purify thy thoughts by his opened side regulate thy Love by his sorrowfull Soul draw in thine the picture of Compassion imitation That for ever after the life of JESUS may be made manifest in Thee COLLOQUIE Behold here O Victorious Saviour of Men Angels my languishing sighing heart earnestly sueing to become One with Thee transformed into the likeness of thy love-wounded heart dying to all things but Thee that henceforth Thou onely maist live in me I for ever in Thee without being seperated from Thee O Amiable Union O delicious Transformation O Divine Life Oh that thou wouldest deep engrave in my heart the Image of thy Cross all thy suffrings thereon that as a bundle of myrrhe they may ever lay in my bosom by a perpetuall Memory of thy Love therein towards Me. To Thee therefor doe I now for ever sacrifize my whole heart to be wounded with the darts of thy ever flaming love that all my Affections Actions Thoughts Desires Ioyes may be ordred by Thee begin from Thee end in Thee O Endless End and Abysse of all Happiness Amen FINIS MEDITATIONS UPON THE PASSION For every day of the week SVNDAY Washing of the Feet CONS 1. Who washeth God thy Creatour Redeemer giver of all good things 2. Whose feet he washeth of ignoble persōs great sinners his own betrayer 3. Why he washeth to give example of meekness teach us to cleanse our Soul ere we approach his Altar Affect Oh my JESU that I could love thee all creatures as I ought thou desirest Resolve To practise the Vertue of Charitie shun Envie in occasions best known to thy self MVNDAY Prayer in the garden CONS 1. How CHRIST prayeth kneeling prostrate with instancy thou how tipid 2. What 's his prayer That his Chalice may passe yet with resignation to obey his Fathers will doe thou pray thus 3. How he sweats bloud in great drops in great sorrows wilt thou rely on thy own strength Affect Oh my JESU that I could hūble my self to Thee all creatures for thee Resolve To practise Humilitie shun Pride c. TWESDAY Mocking before Herod CONS 1. How JESUS betrayed apprehended manicled is led to Annas Caiphas Pilate Herod Follow him in this sorrowfull Pilgrimage 2. How He is every where falsly accused yet is silent be silent too when injur'd 3. How before Herod he is cloathed mocked as a Foole if thou beest a Christian imitate CHRISTS self-denyall Affect Oh my JESU that I could contemn my own will for thy sake Resolve To practise Self-denyall shun self-love c. WEDNESDAY Whipping at the Pillar CONS 1. How JESUS led back to Pilate is there accused as a Blasphemer Seducer Traitor Barabbas though a Murderer is perfer'd before him canst repine when vilifyed 2. How that Innocent Body unclothed bound to the Pillar is whipt for thy sins I sin Thow suffrest 3. How barbarously those Soldiers treat thy JESUS Oh cruelly this he suffers for the Bath thy heart in his saving bloud Affect Oh my JESU that I could bear all Crosses from all persons for the love of Thee Resolve To practise Patience shun Anger c. THVRSDAY Crowning with Thorns CONS 1. How JESUS thus bleeding is crownd with sharp Thorns this Crown is instead of a Crown of Glory 2. How they cloath him in scarlet put a reed in his hand for a Scepter then kneeling deride Him Thou art a King indeed reign for ever in my heart 3. How JESUS thus adorned is led forth by Pilate shown to the Jewes with Behold á Man O sad Spectacle Yet still they cry Crucify Him Oh the heavy weight of my sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could obey Thee even to loss of life Resolve To practise Obedience shun Sloath c. FRYDAY Carrying the Cross CONS 1. How JESUS thus derided whipped crowned goes forth carrying the Cross whereon he is to be sacrifized for thy Sins 2. What shouts of joy the Jewes make after Him through the streets of Jerusalem thus is Innocency despised 3. How the devout woemen meet bewaile Him thy hard heart sheds not one Teare amidst these sorrows or for thy sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could abandon all sensuall satisfactions for the Love of Thee Resolve To practise Temperance shū Gluttony c. SATVRDAY Crucifying of Iesus CONS 1. How JESUS with much pain shame arrived to Mount Calvary is again uncloath'd thus all his soares are renewed My Sins not blotted out by Repentance shall one day be disclosed to the whole World 2. How they streatch thy JESUS upon the Cross fastnīg him with nayles therunto thē raise him up where he hangs betweē two theeves Oh what ignominy 3. How He there hangs for the space of three houres reviled by Jews Gentiles forsaken by his Disciples drenched with gall vineger peirced to the heart with a speare yet He prays for his Enemies Enter make thy aboade in that love-wounded-Heart Affect Oh my JESU that I could imitate Thee in the purity of thy Life Doctrine Resolve To practise Modesty shun All contrary Therunto c. FINIS