conquer thy enemy with his owne weapons which he prepared for thy destruction 8. When therefore thy sins are And never to distrust his mercy suggested to thy memory conceive a perfect hatred of them as of things detestable to the divine goodnesse yet be sure to have an hopefull confidence in thy Saviours passion And I tell thee yet more shouldest thou seem to heare God saying unto thee Away thou art none of the number of my sheep yet thou art not to lose thy confidence in his mercy but humbly to reply Thou hast just reason ô my Soveraigne Lord God to shake me off for my sins sake But I have greatest reason to be confident of thy goodnesse and mercy and to beleeve that thou wilt pardon me therefore I humbly beg salvation for this thy wretched creature damn'd indeed by it's owne malice but redeem'd by the And the merits of his passion dear ransome of thy Sonnes most pretious blood and passion Thou wilt save me ô my Redeemer for thine owne glories sake and I resigne my selfe freely into thy hands upon the assurance of thy infinite mercy Doe with me and dispose of me as thou best pleasest for thou art my onely Lord and if thou killest me yet I will place my whole hope in thy heavenly goodnesse Of the assault of Vain glory 9. The third assault is that of The third assault is of vain-glory Vain-glory and presumption Here thou art to be â—quall wary of the other extreme and never to admit of the least conceit or complacency in thy selfe or thy actions but to referre all goodnesse that seemes to be in thee purely to Gods great mercy and the merits of Christs pâ—ssion Imbase thy selfe in thy heart whilst there is the least remainder of breath in thy body and acknowledge thy Which is conquerd by distrust of thy self and trust in God God as the true fountain of all thy goodnesse Look not at all upon thine owne merits but rely totally upon his mercy Distrust thy selfe and trust in thy Saviour and think what poore provisions thou hast laid up in store for this passage of death and thy journey to eternity and how vain and uselesse all thine owne indeavours will prove unlesse God will be pleased to put his helping hand and gather thee under the sacred wings of his divine protection Of illusions and false aprearances which are usually presented at the hour of death 10. If thy obstinate enmy who is The fourth assault is by false illusions ever studying to supplant thee should at this time set upon thee with false appearances and transfigurations of himselfe into an Angel of light thy best way is to recurre to the certain knowledge of thine own nothing and boldly to answer him Depart ô thou accursed devill into Against which have recourse to the confession of thy owne nothing And admit them not though they seem to come from heaven thy own darknesse I neither deserve nor desire any visions I need no other thing than the mercy of my Jesus the prayers of the Virgin Mary and the assistauce of the Saints Yea though thou hast reason to guesse by some evident signes that these things are from heaven yet still deny them all accesse unto thee and drive them far from thee nor needest thou fear lest any such resistance grounded upon thine own indignity should displease God for if the visions come from him he knowes well how to make them manifest notwithstanding thy opposition and art secure to be thereby no loser since he who gives his grace to the humble cannot be angry with him who practiseth such high acts of that vertue 11. These are the common and After these generall temptations follow others in particular ordinary engines which our enemy makes use of in this last passage After which follow his other trained bands of temptations according to each ones particular inclination and disposition Stand therefore timely to thy arms my beloved before this great day of battail steal upon thee and fight now valiantly and generously against thy violent passions and imperfections that thou mayst be prepared at that time which takes from thee all other time and power to perform it CHAP. XX. That we must never flatttr our selves as having subdued our enemies but must often return to our wonted exercises as if we were yet Novices in this Spirituall Conflict I have yet one thing O beloved Never perswade thy selfe thou hast gotten a full victory to tell thee of which is that thou never perswade thy selfe to have gotten a full victory over any one of thy passions though perchance thou hast for a long time together felt no motions thereof But that thou often renew thy accustomed But often renew thy exercises spirituall exercises as if thou wert yet a young beginner and a fresh-water souldier now entring the list 2. For if we behold and desire to follow the perfection whereunto God hath called us wee shall find it to be so high and so copious that For perfection is very high and hard to be obtained after our best spent endeavours wee shall scarcely presume to say that we have learnt the first principles thereof And besides this That which seemes to us a vertue may indeed sometimes be a vice our judgement being deceived by some secret pride CHAP. XXI Of Holy Prayer WE have hitherto ô beloved The fourth weapon is Holy prayer through the divine assistance heard and learned what concerns Diffidence in our selves Confidence in our God and continuall Exercise which are the three necessary meanes to get the victory of our passions and to conquer the disordered motions of our Sensuality Now follows the fourth which is Holy Prayer and this is the best and most efficacious means to obtain all good things from Gods gracious and bountifull hand EXPLICATION FOr Prayer is the food the comfort A furthet description of prayer and the support of the soule during its pilgrimage upon earth It is a secure bridge for it to passe over the severall seas of adversities and prosperities It is a wall of defence against vices and temptations a key opening into the cabinet of celestiall treasures the dore of holy thoughts and finally an invincible Citadel and sure retreating place from the violent assaults of all our enemies By prayer if thou knowest how to apply it to its true use thou puttest a sword into thy Lords powerfull hands wherewith he will fight thy battails for thee and vanquish all enemies which oppose thee in thy way of perfection 2. But to make thy prayer grateful Text. Which must have these properties usefull and acceptable it must be accompanied with these conditions and properties First That an ardent desire to 1. A desire to serve God serve thy Lord God in such a manner as may best pleasure his divine Majesty doe continually inflame thy heart EXPLICATION TO obtain this inflamed desire How to obtain
I abhor and detest whatsoever I have done said thought or desired contrary to thy holy will O my Lord and my love I renounce all company and occasions which may induce me to offend thee 7. I cast my self at thy sacred feet to be thy slave for ever with a firm resolution to bear thy Cross till death and to do penance and satisfaction for my past pride and pleasure desiring nothing but to live at thy feet like the penitent Magdalen in solitude silence submission O good Jesu Out of thy infinit mercy merits and meekness suffer not me thy poor creature to be damned and separated from thee eternally O amiable eternity O eternall amitie of God! Shall I leave and lose thee for filthy pleasures frail creatures fond friendships fading honours No dear Lord No Lâ—â— it please thee rather to take my soul out of my body than thy love out of my soul let me rather dy miserably then sin mortally Let me pass on the rest of my pilgrimage in thy grace and fear that I may end my dayes in thy friendship and favour which I beseech thee to grant me O most powerfull and mercifull Savior by the love of thy sweet heart by the merits of thy bitter death and passion by the intercession of thy Blessed Mother and by the suffrages of all holy happy and devout souls Upon all which relying as upon so many sure anchors of my hope I commit and resigne my self to thy disposition and providence for time and eternity O my Lord my love and my All fully trusting that thou wilt mercifully pardon my sins carefully assist me in my wants and weaknesses and in the end happily bring me to eternall bliss by such means as thy divine wisdom knows most convenient for me FOR THVRSDAY Of Subduing Sensuality to Reason The Fourth Exercise 1. MY Spirit is willing O most glorious and gracious Lord God to serve thee love thee honour thee and follow thee but my flesh is weak frail and refractory I do not what I desire O my God and what thou demandest but I act that which I hate and what thou forbiddest I feel O my Lord a law of sensuality contradicting the law of my mind captivating my reason clouding my judgement and continually striving to cast me down headlong into sin and perdition Unhappy man that I am Who will free me from this body of death Ah my brutish body ah my burdensom flesh Thou art my dangerous and deadly enemy 'T is thy weight that depresseth my soul thy earth that clogâ— and corrupts my ayr thy contagion and perversity which infects and debaseth my better part and heavenly portion thy sensuality which draws on endangers and almost destroys my reason 2. Ah Sensuality the source of all my misery how justly do I now hate thee and how willingly would I leave thee At my first acquaintance with thee thou defiledst me with original sin In my infancy thou mad'st a beast of me And now in my riper years thou still pursuest me proclaimest open war with me blindest my Understanding with darknes ignorance and errours mak'st my Will refractory to good and ready to all evil distractest my Memory with vain and vile fancies and perpetually tossest me to and fro between love and hatred joy and grief hope and fear and the rest of thy numerous and enormous irascible and concupiscible powers and passions Ay me how sad is my state how deplorable my condition Oh! how long Lord must I dwel with these devils how long must I endure the violence of these passions O my Lord my strength and my salvation break these fetters for me Command a calm O thou only Ruler of Sea and winds and appease the surges of these my unmortified appetites Oh! restore me to my self again reduce reason to her lost dominion in my soul and bring back me thy poor creature to thee my powerfull Creator O let not this passenger perish amidst these boysterous billows nor suffer utter shipwarck in these fearfull tempests I suffer violence O my Lord answer for me the companion which thou hast given me hath deceived me Sense hath corrupted and conquered my Judgment Oh! how I am dragg'd up and down by my al-mastering appetites commanded by my servants and fettered by my slaves O tyranny O indignity Ah my soul O noble spirit fair as the angels formed to thy Creators lovely resemblance stampt with his divine character and heir apparent to his glorious kingdom To be thus subject to the base and brutall desires of flesh and blood O intollerable bondage O unworthy servitude 3. O Father of mercies and only Physician of my soul Thou art almighty and al-al-mercy and I am all weakness and all misery There is no part left sincere in my whole body and soul from the contagious poyson of passion from the infectious leprosy of sin and sensuality All is out of order O my Lord I acknowledge it to my own shame and confusion each sense is gone astray each member of my body is corrupted each power of my soul is perverted My Understanding is obscured with self-love my Memory distâ—acted with sensual â—bâ—ects my Will posses'd with peevish inclinâ—tions My affections are vain my passions violent my dispositions vitious My body is burdensome my imagination troublesome my life irksome These are my wounds O my heavenly Surgeon O put to thy helping hand I beseech thee see fear and search them before the gangren enter and the grief grow incurable My soul is sick even to death if thou wilt O my Lord thou canst both cleanse and cure me To this end thou descendedst from Jerusalem to Jerico O pious Samaritan from heaven to earth O compassionate Saviour where thou findest me in this pitifull plight sore beaten wounded half dead and utterly despoiled of all natural and spiritual riches by theeves and robbers which are the senses of my body and the faculties of my soul O pass not by me sweet Jesu but mercifully bind up my bleeding wounds with the swathing bands of thy death and passion powre upon them the wine of thy pretious blood and supple them with the oyl of thy heavenly grace 4. I intend ô my Lord strengthen me in this hour I intend O sweet Saviour a total reformation of life and manners an intire mortification of my corporeal senses and spiritual faculties an absolute change in my whole man O grant me I beseech thee my loving Lord the powerful assistance of thy special grace for the performance of this great and good purpose Teach me now ô my blessed Master to live inwardly piously spiritually as I lov'd formerly to live outwardly vainly sensually O let me henceforth yield to thy divine motion obey thy call imitate thy example and follow thy will O let me never more act or omit any thing be it never so little for my own liking but purely and perfectly for thy love 5. Grant ô good Jesu that at each word of my mouth at each glance
have Angels Saints and God himselfe for thy companions and comforters Finally reflect upon the conflict which thou hast undertaken and considering how much thou hast to doe thou wilt find litle leasure to spend in idle talk CHAP. XIV Of the order to be observed in fighting against our enemies IN thy spirituall combat against thy disordered affections and passions follow this method First enter into the cabinet of thy Mark which are thy greatest enemies heart and let thy inquisitive thoughts search and examine with exact diligence which be the affections that there beare the greatest sway and with what thoughts and motions thou art most frequently tempted and troubled Secondly And having found thy And single out the fiercest to fight with foes turne thy weapons against that single enemy which then actually molests thee most nearly endangers thee and is now ready to graple with thee oppresse thee and ruine thee Thirdly But in time of peace with But when they appeare not seek them thy passions when no enemy appears in field to provoke thee to battalle begin thou with them and make thy strongest onset upon those which have chiefly indomaged thee most frequently foiled thee and wrought thy greatest confusion before thy Lord God CHAP. XV. What course he must take who is conquered and grievously wounded by his enemies IF thou chance to fall into some vice either through frailty and weaknesse or through wickednesse and wilfull malice Turne thee with When thou art faln rise with all speed all speed to God and first reflect upon thine own basenesse heartily hate thy self Then recollecting thy spirits and converting thy self againe to thy Creatour confesse to him thy ingratitude and say with an inflamed heart O my Lord he hold I have done Pray with fervour like my selfe For what better could be expected from me than basenesse fallings and sinfulnesse I am sorry O my God with my whole heart and I confesse I should have done farre worse and fallen more grievously had not the hand of thy goodnesse kept me stayed me and upheld me for which I render thee most humble thanks And now O my loving Lord doe thou like thy selfe according to the treasures of thy mercies and let me not live out of thy grace nor ever offend againe thy most sacred Majesty 2. Having thus sincerely poured Be not over-solicitous or fearefull forth thy heart in the presence of God be not solicitous and thoughtfull whether he hath forgiven this thy sin or no for such a curiosity savours of pride endangers thee to fall into the snare of Satan renders thee unquiet and consumes time to little purpose Therefore cast thy selfe purely into the paternall bosome of thy mercifull Lord resume thy wonted exercises and take up thy weapons again as though thou hadst not fallen Yea shouldest thou chance to fall many times a day and receive many grievous wounds from thy enemies yet never despaire never grow faint-hearted or over-fearfull of thy selfe but still stand upon thy accustomed guards against all new assaults and doe the same things with no lesse confidence the second third fourth time and as often as thy need shall require as thou didst at the first 3. This kind of exercitation by so much the more displeaseth the Devill by how much he well knowes it is highly pleasing to God and for this reason he moves all his engines to make us tepid and slack in frequenting it Doe thou therefore use But be diligent and use violence to thine own Inclination violence to thy selfe and the more difficulty thou findest by so much more redouble thy diligence in doing it and esteeme it not a thing over-irksome to renew it divers times in one and the same fall And if after the first next and third relapse thou feelest a grievous trouble confusion and diffidence in thy self yet still endeavour by all meanes to recover the inward quiet of thy soul Recovering the quiet of thy soule and reconciliation to thy Soveraigne and then reconcile thy selfe to thy loving Lord For that disquietnesse of conscience remaining after the sinne committed is not any signe of thy sorrow for having offended thy Saviour but rather of fear for thy owne private dammages which thou hast thereby deserved 4. Now the way to recover this The way to get this quiet is to forget thy fault quiet of mind may be this Having truly turned thy selfe to thy God and humbly craved pardon for thy sinne thinke no more of it but forget it totally for the future and fix thy thoughts onely upon thy Lords infinite love by which he earnestly desines to unite thee to himselfe and make thee partaker of his eternall beatitude And when by this or the like considerations thou hast setled thy mind and stated thy heart in tranquillity turne thy thoughts againe to contemplate thy fall and doe as thou wert directed in the beginning of this Chapter And when thou goest to confession as thou shouldst frequently do recall all thy fallings and defects into thy memory discovering them faithfully and confessing them simply to thy Ghostly Father CHAP. XVI That we should keepe our Hearts ever quiet and joyfull in our Lord. EXPLICATION AS when wee have lost the quiet of our Heart we are to use all possible endeavours to recover it as is aforesaid So thou must know No accident can justly deprive us of quiet that no accident whatsoever can with any just reason deprive us of the same For 't is most true and thou hast beene often told it that wee must be angry with our selves for our sinnes yet our griefe must bee govern'd with discretion and accompained with tranquillity and our sorrow must produce acts and resolutions of amendment of our lives not of disquiet and anxiety in our selves As for other painfull and unpleasing accidents as the sicknesse death yea and eternall damnation of our deare friends or the scourges of Plague Famine Warre Saccagings Burnings and other evils falling upon our selves though as they are things contrary to our For thoug◠wee must needs abhor things contrary to nature Yet wee may love them as coming from Gods permissiō And so conforme our selves to his holy will nature we must needs reject them yet we may by the efficacious working of Gods Grace not onely desire them but even be delighted with them as being the just punishments of the wicked and exercises of vertue to the good for which ends out loving Lord permits them to befall us Thus conforming our selves to Gods holy Will wee may quietly and peaceably passe through the midst of all this lives bitternesses and contrarieties And take this for a truth that all Disquiet of mind is displeasing to our deare Lord because it is never without some imperfection and evermore proceeds from some perverse root of self-love 1. To obtaine therefore this quiet of Text. Thou art to appoint a sentinell Heart in thy Spirituall Conflict thou
abstraction introversion annihilation This is to begin your heaven upon earth and to fortast that endless felicity in which your faith shall be turn'd into clear vision your hope changed into full possession and your charity knit to her beloved centre and perfection where you shall praise God incessantly love him intirely and enjoy him eternally The Table of the Maxims 1. That our end is Perfection and divine Union and that Prayer is the way to it 2. That Beginners may profitably make use of the following Exercise of mentall Prayer and Introversion until they obtain greater light and more experience in the way of the Spirit 3. That of all internal Prayer the affective is most noble necessary and profitable 4. That Meditation is a seeking Contemplation a seeing of God 5. That continual Recollection is the Exercise of Exercises and the immediate way to bring us to perfection and divine Vnion The practice of this Exercise is declared in ten canons 1. That all places are proper for Recollection but the more quiet the more proper 2. That to pray on our knees is a posture most pleasing to God 3. That we must especially at first prefix to our selves certain and set times of Recollection 4. That we must frame an act of pure Intention at our entrance iâ—to Recollection 5. That we must briefly examine our Consciences and produce acts of Contrition self-confusion humility and resolutions of amendment 6. That we must also make an Act of perfect Resignation before we fall upon this Exercise 7. That we must bring with us some theam subject or groundwork of our Prayer and Recollection 8. That we must look on God by Faith and leave off all discourses 9. That we must carry God with us from our Prayer 10. That we must put on Christ and imitate his example in all our actions 6. That for this pure perfect and Transcendent prayer no certain Rules can be prescribed 7. That the Contemplative must be very observant of the divine visits lights and calls 8. That the only way to get true peace of mind is to be totally resigned to God 9. That a Contemplative soul must lay a solid groundwork to serve her in time of desolation 10. That in this high Exercise of Recollection the three Theological vertues Faith Hope and Charity must perfect and possess the three powers of our souls Vnderstanding Memory and Will 11. That our Vnderstandings must be setled in pure Faith 12. That our Memories must be setled in pure Hope 13. That our Wills must be setled in pure Charity 14. That this Exercise of Recollection and Annihilation is the short secure way to divine Vnion 15. That all sorts of people may safely addict themselves to this holy exercise of Recollection 16. That outward Observances are helps in the practice of this Exercise 17. That Prayer for others is best practised by a general intention 18. That all vertues are best practised by addicting our selves to Contemplation or this internal Exercise of Recollection Some examples for the practice of this divine way of Prayer Some further Advices for the same practice of this pure prayer 19. That corporal austerities must be alwayes subject to obedience 20. That Contemplatives must alwayes have the seven verities which concern the divine nature whereupon all Contâ—mplation is grounded either habitually or formally in their memories 21. That Jâ—culâ—tory Prayers are the nearest dispositions to Contemplation 22. That the Presence of God is the great exâ—rcisâ— of Contemplatives and the shortest way to divine Vnion A more sublime way to practise the presâ—nce of God 23. That Humiliation is a relique of Gods love 24. That Humility is the solid groundwork of all spirituality 25. That Silence and Solitude are our heaven upon earth 26. That the perfect love of God and hatred of our selves must be our constant and continuall employment 27. That Confidence in Gods goodness is the main support of our Spiritual Edifice 28. That the measure of our progress in Perfection is the Conformity of our will to the divine will 29. That Vnquietness of mind is the bane of Devotion and curse of Contemplation 30. That Crosses are to be suffer'd not sought to be taken not made to be conceal'd not complain'd of 31. That Temptations cannot hurt us if we cast our whole care upon God 32. That Desolations derelictions afflictions distractions are to be transcended by generous Resolutions 33. That Perfection consists in putting off all propriety and putting on pure and naked charity 34. That Zeal and eagerness must be temper'd with Moderation and discretion 35. That we must never rely upon our own naturall judgement experience and knowledge 36. That we must seek no comfort in any creature 37. That we must walk and persever in these our Spiritual Exercises with the two feet of Faith and Obedience Vnder this Maxim are solved many materiall doubts arising in our dayly progress to Perfection The first doubt If we fear that God will forsake us by reason of our Ingratitude and disloyalty 2. If our sins trouble us in respect of Confession and satisfaction 3. If we can neither pray with fervour nor suffer with patience neither feel God present nor be content in his absence 4. If we are doubtfull that God is angry with us that we want grace that we only seek our selves that we yield to all temptations c. 5. If our consciences are unquiet and our souls fearfull by reason of our proness to sin c. 6. If we are full of fears and apprehensions of our estate by reason we feel in our souls such slender effects of Gods grace and love and have little devotion no inward peace c. 7. If some extream cross calamity or affliction hath seiz'd our hearts c. 8. If we desire to conquer the Devil and overcome all temptations whatsoever 9. If we want comfort in long and dangerous temptations and troubles 10. If we wonder that God will have us suffer temptation sithence our frailty is subject to yield and so offend his divine Majesty 11. If we are solicited by our enemy to unchastness 12. If we are in extraordinary desolation and darkness 13. If we are tempted to despair of Gods mercy by reason of our frequent falls and relapses into sin 14. If we are perplexed with great sadness c. Other remedies against Sadness Another antidote against melancholy and pusillanimity 15. If we suspect that our Sadness and temptations proceed from our own fault or negligence or some secret sin or our want of correspondency with Gods grace c. 16. If we doubt that God is displeased with our Prayers that our afflictions befall us through our own occasion and cannot satisfie our selves to think we have done what God requires 17. If nature hath shew'd her self a Stâ—p-mother unto us in giving us a hard and harsh disposition whence proceeds a reluctancy to works of vertue and mortification of vice So that we distrust of ever overcoming
our selves 18. If on the contrary Our nature is so facil and flexible that we scarcely find difficulty in any thing We wonder to hear mention of rebellions contradictions desolations c. From all which we are secure and quiet And therefore we fear our actions proceed rather from a natural promptitude than solid vertue 19. If we so addict our selves to Recollection that we look upon works of Obedience and the external practices of our duty as impediments to Perfection 20. If we find such a calm in our passions imperfections and temptations that we hope the worst is past 21. If scrupulosity overwhelms us 1. We must obey our Spiritual Directour 2. We must do our best endeavour But here arise two difficulties 1. If our Directours knowledge be small his experience less c. 2. If we cannot satisfy our selves that we have done our best c. 22. If we fear we detest not sin sufficiently because we feel not so great sorrow for the offence of God as we do somtimes for a temporall loss 23. If we cannot ground our selves in a firm hope of mercy for that we are so frail and inconstant we sin dayly and amend not our lives we repay unto God evil for good we promise fidelity and practise nothing less 24. If we go not on with alacrity because we know not that our sins are forgiven that our Confessions are good and that we are in the state of grace 25. Though we cannot in this life assure our selves infallibly to be in good state yet if we could comfort our selves with most probable tokens of grace whereby we might feel the pulses of our hearts and somwhat ease our anguish 26. If we are troubled because we know not well when we give consent to sinfull thoughts 27. If we cannot well distinguish between Venial and Mortal sin 28. If these sayings of Divines terrifie us They sin who do against their doubt And In doubtfull things the securer part is to be followed 29. If finally we are apprehensive and fearfull lest we should grow weary in the way of vertu and not persevere constantly in our Spiritual Exercises Maxims of Mystical Divinity The first Maxim That our end is perfection and Divine Vnion and That Prayer is the way to it IT is not sufficient for us who are resolv'd upon a spiritual course to lead an ordinary good life which consists in the avoiding of sin and scandal and in the punctual performance of our external duty to God and our neighbour But our end and aym must be to attain the perfection of Gods holy love and a happy Vnion of our souls with their first beginning by living in abstraction recollection and perpetuall Contemplation as far forth as Gods holy Spirit shall enable us and our frailty can correspond The chief means to attain this our end is Prayer without which all Religion is but a shadow without a body or a body without a soul and all outward observances will prove but a superficial not a real devotion For it is the constant doctrine of Divines that what God S. Augustine S. Basil S. Chrysostom S. Thomas 2 2. q. 83. a. 2. in his eternal disposition hath determined to bestow upon us he gives us in time by the intervention of Prayer tying as it were to this instrument the conversion of sinners the advancement of souls the perfection of Saints c. So that as his divine decree is that we must till the earth if we will reap the fruits thereof and provide mateâ—â—als if we will raise up buildings and the like so his absolute order is that we must pray if we will have spiritual benefits to be powred into our souls and supernatural gifts and graces to be granted unto us Let us therefore in the first place resolve to prosecute Prayer couragiously constantly and perseverantly at set times if we intend to make speedy progress in sincere vertue and lay a sure groundwork of solid spirituality and let nothing upon any pretext whatsoever hinder or divert us from it as far as obedience and discretion will give us leave Lord heal my wounds supply my wants satisfie my wishes The second Maxim That Beginuers may profitably make use of this following exercise of mental Prayer and Introversion until they obtain greater light and more experience in the way of the Spirit THis divine Exercise consists of three parts in general and Nine points in particular 1. Preparation of 3. acts 1. An affective lively apprehensioÌ„ of Gods presence 2. A cordial and profound act of humility 3. A pure intention to please and praise God only 2. Consideration of 1. My wounds both internal and external 2. My wants which are many in every degree 3. My wishes and humble desires 3. Conclusion also of 3. acts 1. Contrition for my sins 2. Resignation in my wants 3. Complacence in God and Confidence in his goodness A more ample and practical description of this Exercise The first part is Preparation of three Acts. 1. A lively apprehension of Gods Presence not only in all places and all creatures by his power and essence but in our souls by his mercy love care and providence O my Soul Where are we 1. Part. 1 Preseâ—ce of God who seeth us What is he that is with us and within us by whose light we see by whose fire we burn and by whose love we live Live my most glorious and gracious Lord in whose presence I kneel in whose arms I rest and after whose love I breathe O that thou wert as dear to my soul as thou art near it Alas why doth she not care as much for her God as he doth for her good Why do I not love thy presence ô my amiable Lord since thou art present by love Thou art my Father my Physician and my food hear me heal me help me I am wounded I am wicked I am wretched Out of thee there is no rest without thee there is no hope remain with me reign within me Let me be thine all thine ever thine 2. Profound and cordial humility acknowledging unfeignedly before God and his Angels our wickedness weakness and wretchedness what we are and what we deserve and so resting quiet in our Centre of nothing O my Soul What have we 2 Profound humility been What are we What have we what can we do What do we deserve What do we desire What hath our loving Father and liberal Lord that he hath not given us What have we proud and prodigal children that we have not received meerly from his mercifull hand and heart What have we received that we have not abused by self-love or self-delight O sweet Jesu Give tears to my eyes words to my tongue sighs to my heart and love to my spirit for I need them all to deplore my misery and implore thy mercy to admire thy beauty and adore thy bounty to sigh after thee and suffer for thee What I have been it grieves me to
most certain that whosoever leaves Recollection to look after earthly consolation enjoys neither God nor the world whereas a soul which retires her self from the world to possess God enjoys truly both God and the world together The 37. and last Maxim That we must walk and persever in these our Spiritual Exercises with the two feet of Faith and Obedience To perform this we must 1. Leave all for one All others for God Our selves for God God himself wheÌ„ he withdraws himself By recollection By abnegation By resignation 2. Leave one for all 3. Leave one and all The practice of this Maxim consists in these five points 1. TO have an ardent desire affection The practice and intention to love see please and enjoy God 2. To curb our senses from all curiosity vanity apprehensions c. which may either defile our souls or disturb our minds or distract our spirits Either seduce us from the right way or affright us when wee are in it 3. Then we must take Jesus by the right hand by faith and confidence abandoning our selves totally to his mercy and resting in his providence with a filiall indifferency 4. We must take our spirituall guide by the left hand by punctuall obedience 5. In our way wee must have these or the like thoughts recollections and devotions Well I am going to heaven to my Father and Creator to my eternall rest and Center to see love and praise my God for evermore There only is true life true love true light and true liberty O Jesu how long O Jerusalem when Jesus is with me and for me him I will follow after him I will sigh and for him I will suffer come what can If I erre let my guide look to it for I am obedient If I stumble Jesus will not let me fall for I am faithfull If I cannot have the fruit of Penance I will keep that of Obedience What I cannot get by Recollection I will procure by Resignation What I want by Indifferency I will supply by Confidence though my Deserts fail my Desires shall prevail What hath an end is nothing Live Eternity Sometimes let us hearken to Jesus speaking O my child my servant my spouse What are all things to thee follow thou me Let all pass I am here All is one and One is all trouble not thy self with multiplicity Be silent and I will answer for thee be content I am thy sufficiency Be indifferent all is my will be confident all is wel I forgive thee all thou demandest I will give thee all thou desirest I will never desert thee nor withdraw my eys hand heart from thee therefore goe on quietly couragiously confidently Other times let us answer him meekly and faithfully O good Jesu save me for I am thine O sweet Saviour support me for I am weak O loving guide direct me for I am blind c. Thus boldly let us keep on our way 1. Letting passe all by insensibility 2. Out-passing all by fervour 3. Passing under all by humility 4. Passing over all by generosity and elevation of spirit Under this Maxim are solv'd many materiall doubts arising in our daily progress to perfection The first Doubt If we fear that God will forsake us by reason of our Ingratitude and disloyalty 'T Is true we have been are still and ever shall be ungratefull tepid and defective in our correspondencies to the divine love and light and God may in justice forsake us and yet be a good God but wee must be confident in his mercy that he will not do it for Jesus sake in fury and rigour though hee may sometimes withdraw the feelings of his presence to try our loyalty His holy will be done Let us never say God will forsake us but say We will never forsake God Let us first say Doth God love us who can doubt it And doe we love him If we will we doe Let us never say We shall never amend all is lost But let us often say We are sinners wicked wretched weak none more than we but it truly grieves us to be so we will endeavour to remedy all sure we are our God is Almighty all-all-mercy all-meekness him we will serve and in him we will trust in despite of nature and maugre the devill and for him all desolation and death it self is most welcome unto us The 2. Doubt If our sins trouble us in respect of Confession and Satisfaction LEt us cast off servil fear and be confident that what is past is pardoned by Gods mercy and our humble confession what is to come may be prevented by Gods grace and our dilligence and endeavours The 3. Doubt If wee can neither Pray with fervour nor Suffer with patience neither feel God present nor be content in his absence LEt us have recourse to these four things which will supply our defects and satisfy for our faults 1. Obedience 2. Resignation 3. Confidence 4. Good desires Therefore in all our fears crosses and troubles let us make use of these four points in this or The practice the like manner O my Lord God who deservest from me all love and honour and whom I desire to serve with all my soul behold I come out of confidence in thy mercy having no other end but only to please and praise thee wherefore I resign my self to thy will beseeching thee to turn all to thy glory and my good The 4. Doubt If we are doubtfull that God is angry with us that we want grace that we only seek our selves that we yield to all temptations c. LEt us build upon these three foundations Humility in acknowledging our own deformity Sincerity in confessing it and Confidence of pardon for it and so persevering constantly and couragiously in a course of Prayer according to direction and obedience we shall soon find ease rest and peace The 5. Doubt If our Consciences are unquiet and our souls fearfull by reason of our proness to sin c. LEt us Apply these following plasters and put these tents into our spiritual wounds as deep as we can every day for a time till the cure be perfected 1. Let us be assured that we are Plasters for a troubled conscience now at this present in the state of grace supposing we have already or are now resolv'd to do what is necessary for the expiation of our past sins and the avoiding all sins for the future 2. That having a will to please God and perform our duties our Prayers are profitable to us and acceptable to God and we may without presumption take courage and comfort though we are yet full of passions and â—mperfections 3. That the feeling of troubles fears temptations c. are neither sins in us nor signs of Gods anger against us 4. That we are not bound to reflect continually whether we have consented to sin or not nor to judge whether this or that consent he mortall or veniall Nor to meddle with the sins of our
seriously such Remedies as are proper for the preservation of this Jewell Amongst which the chiefest is Mortification of our rebellious flesh by Austerities hence S. Thomas cals Chastity from chastising S. Thomas of Aquin. It is better our Stomakes pain us than our Consciences and that we lose health of body than purity of soul and salvation of both This remedy of Mortification is absolutely necessary when carnall motions arise first in the body and thence redound into the Imagination but if from the Fancie they descend to the body we are to apply these following remedies 1. Let us avoid idlenesse 2. Let us Amor otiosorum negotium change our Employments if we are assaulted in company let us seek solitude if in solitude let us hasten into company c. 3. Silence temperance S. Ephrem and custody of senses are three powerfull preservers of Chastity 4. Let us make great account of little things and shake off the first Motions of this nature as wee would a burning coale from off our new garment 5. Ler us humbly but modestly and discreetly lay open their nature and manner to our spirituall guide 6. Let us carefully avoid all suspected company familiarity meetings c. though our intention be never so spirituall 7. Let us strive rather to slight scorn and neglect these temptations than formally to resist them 5. In vehement temptation 1. Make the sign of the cross upon your heart 2. Use some brief and burning aspirations as Lord deliver me I suffer violence O my God answer for me I am thine O Jesu body and soul help me 3. Defy the Devill with St. Antony Fy Isay 38. 14. S. Antony beast thou wert an Angell I who am now a beast will aym to be an Angell and get thy lost place be gone the lodging is already taken up Iesus is here who is my Lord and love I am preingag'd in a former and purer affection 6. Let us prepare before-hand certain places of refuge for our shelter and succour till the storm be pass'd over 1. The presence of God and his Angels saying How is it possible God sees me and shall I sin in his sight 2. Death and eternity The delight is momentary the punishment is eternâ—lâ— death is at my dore and shall I adventure 3. Christs sacred wounds let us there hide and secure our selves and say My God hangs on the Cross and shall I think of taking my pleasure 4. The love of God O Iesu my love and my life I will either love thee or love nothing at all Let me rather lose my life than thy love 5. Humility Thou art just O my Lord God thy will be done My Pride is cause of this villany which I feel c. And take We must be humble or we shall not be long chast this for an infallible truth wee must be humble or we shall not be long chast Let us be obedient to our Superiors or let us not look to have our flesh obedient to our spirits 6. Devotion to Saints excelling in this vertue especially to the chastest Virgin Mary 7. The last Remedy is to make use of these antidotes timely orderly and discreetly without which no rules documents or directions will ought avail us The 12. Doubt If we are in extraordinary Desolation and darkness WE must live by Faith in this case and know that a sensible choice of God and goodness is not now necessary but a Rationall adhering to him is sufficient Our fidelity to God is shew'd in the performance of our duties now as at other times without losing either our Confidence in him or seeking Comfort in our sufferings but aspiring if not sweetly yet sincerely in this or the like manner Lord I choose thee and accept of thy divine pleasure and providence in all things I reject whatsoever may possess that place and dominion in my soul which is due to thee alone Dispose of me and mine as shall be most for thy honour and glory Let me be either all thine or nothing at all The 13. Doubt If wee are tempted to despair of Gods mercy by reason of our frequent falls and relapses into sin THis grievous Malady springs from three causes or errors For they who are troubled in this point doe not truly weigh 1. What God is 2. What sin is 3. What contrition and sorrow of heart is 1. Almighty God is a boundless 1. What God is and bottomless Sea of mercy he is natural bounty it self he is ever ready to receive revive and relieve a penitent soul though she alone had committed a thousand times a day the sins of the whole world He considers not what she hath been but what she desires and resolves now to be and who so denys his power or Will to pardon sinners as often as there are moments in time goes about to deprive him of his honor and divinity it self for he could not be God if he were not good and faithfull in his promise O loving Lord God who art not only ready to receive a penitents petition but even wooest him to present it Who can truly consider what thou art and despair of thy mercy 2. Sin 2. What sin is a voluntaâ—y and deliberate Aversion from God and Conversion to creatures 3. Contrition is of that efficacy that it delivers from all sin 3. What Contrition giving confidence of pardon for the past and courage to avoid it for the future Let us apply this to our comfort The 14. Doubt If we are perplexed with great sadness THis Passion is a great hindrance to devotion and perfection it is the bait of the Devil the bane of our spirits the root mother and nursery of infinite miseries and mischiefs The chief causes of Sadness The causes of sadness 1. Nature are these 1. Nature when Melancholy over-sways the sanguin humour this can neither merit nor demerit but the Devil takes thereby occasion to fill our spirits with unquietness These have need aswell of corporal as spiritual Physick 2. A tenderness of heart and 2. Self-love passionate love of our selves we cannot brook the least contradâ—ction c. but we sigh and sob as if all the world were interessed in our misfortune and should bear a part in our dolefull ditty The Remedy were to bid such weep on for their penance or use some coporall austerity 3. An immortification of our Passions which when we seek in 3. Passions good earnest to root out assault us so strongly that it seems impossible to cure them and hence we grow sad The Remedy is to conquer this bad nature by counsell courage and diligence c. Let us pray heartily suffer willingly stoop humbly 'T is for heaven we fight and suffer 4. A secret root of pride vain 4. Secret Pride esteem and false opinion we have of our selves when things fall not out according to our liking expectation or importunate desire whereupon we grow sad and troubled
chief how can we but hope that he will be our Jesus Let us think thus God loves us and we desire with all our hearts to love him we trust in his love and for it we wil both sigh and suffer pray and obey deny our selves and dy to all creatures This sauce will disgest all our bitterness The 15. Doubt If we suspect that our Sadâ—ess and temptations proceed from our own fault or negligence or some secret sin or our want of correspondency with Gods grace c. 1. IF it be so must we therefore complain and not rather the more conform our selves to Gods Will We have often deserved hell Our past sins and present negligences merit eternal punishments and is it not a special favour to be punish'd in this life with smal troubles and temptations This is not Hell nor Eternity of discomfort nor what we deservâ— Why then are we not both Content and Gratefull 2. In this fatherly chastisement there is both Mercy and Justice Justice because we have often shut the doors of our hearts against God giving a deaf ear to his calls and therefore it is just that we should now call and knock at the gate of his mercy and not be heard Mercy because our sufferings are small in comparison of our deservings If this be most true why lament we our mis-fortune Is there any proportion between time and eternity betwixt this desolation and the never-ending lamentations of the damned in hell 3. Let us then receive and kiss his paternal rod with a filial reverence crying out with S. Augustin O S. Augustin Lord spare us not here so thou spare us hereafter We have merited Hel and dare we ask Sweetness in prayer O pride and presumption 'T is sufficient Lord that thou admittest us into thy presence and permittest us to open our unworthy mouths unto thee and lament our misery before thy Divine Majesty And shall we have hearts to Murmure or tongues to complain of any Vsage The 16. Doubt If we doubt that God is displeased with our Prayers that our Afflictions befall us through our own occasion and cannot satisfy our selves to think we have done what God requireth 1. WE must firmly believe that besides our own fault which deserves it our chastisement is a disposition of the most high and holy Providence of God whose wisdom imparts his blessings as he knows best for his servants If all receive not spiritual gust and joy in Prayer let them say with S. Bernard Give me O Lord Simplicity S. Bernard Humility and Charity but for higher favours as I am unworthy of them so I am uncapable to make use of them I leave them therefore for thy special friends and favourites 2. Let us therefore conceive these afflâ—ctions to be sent us from God 1. To humble us for should he visit us with great lights and elevate us in Contemplation we should presently take complacency in our imaginary devotion and prefer our selves before others 2. To try our Fidelity and perseverance in his love for the chief end of Prayer is to obey and please God and offer him all that we are and have but to receive relief and comfort is only the secondary end 3. Let us further consider that this very internal Trouble and anguish may and ought to comfort us as being a token of Gods love for Love is the first wheel of our natural and spiritual clock setting all the other passions a work if therefore we grieve that we serve God so tepidly c. this Grief proceeds of love and is an evident sign of a good will to serve him 4. Let us ground our selves in that often repeated Maxim That al things do not only befal us by Gods permission but also that he sends them for our good And therefore let us say with confident and couragious Judith Take heart for our Jud. 8. 27. God hath sent us these Afflictions to amend us and not to destroy us The 17. Doubt If Nature hath shew'd her-self a Step-mother unto us in giving us a hard and harsh disposition whence proceeds a reluctancy to works of Vertue and mortification of Vice So that we distrust of ever overcoming our selves LEt us take courage The violent Mat. 11. 12 get the Kingdom of heaven And let us lay hold on these two Truths 1. That Gods will is all should Two verities 1. Gods will is that all should be sav'd be saved and therefore gives every one sufficient Grace and means to that end if then we have the worst Nature in the world and do but correspond diligently with that Grace which God gives us we have no reason at all to fear Let us fight valiantly under Christ our good Captain with the Armor of Prayer and Mortification and not cease to be his Souldiers as long as any blood and breath remains in our bodies Let us learn to discover and then as others do to detest our own peevish and perverse disposition Let us not flatter our selves but lay the ax to the root not to the branches to wit Resolve to humble our proud hearts in all occasions with courage constancy confidence for one year and we shall find more peace and quiet than we can imagin If we sweat drops of blood it is for Eternity where not one drop shal be lost nor one wound uncounted nor one souldier uncrowned 2. That to have bad natures and 2. Bad natures are no sins c. to feel motions against grace reason c. is neither Sin nor Imperfection so long as we yield not our consent to their leading c. The 18. Doubt If on the contrary our Nature is so facil and flexible that we scareely find difficulty in any thing we wonder to hear mention of Rebellions Contradictions Desolations c. from all which we are secure and quiet And therefore we fear our actions are rather of a naturall promptitude than solid Vertue 'T Is true that Devotion and Perfection consist not in this external quiet and ease but in the Victory over our selves in habits of solid Vertues in pure Charity and Indifferency We are therefore in A dangerous peace this case to Humble our selves and to conceive we know not what Mortification and Abnegation mean What marvail if a soul which is seldom Introverted is rarely distracted if they who have no care of their Senses nor custody of their Hearts are not troubled with their Evagations If where there is no sap of solid Devotion there is no sense of Dryness and desolation O dangerous and unquiet Peace The 19. Doubt If we so addict our selves to Recollection that we look upon works of Obedience and Charity and the externall practices of our duty as impediments to Perfection SUch know not by what Spirit they Luke 12. 25. are led Let us not vainly adhere to our imaginary Devotions so as to neglect the least work of Obligation Without Charity and Obedience all our prayers are
wherein we judge amiss and whereupon wee ground our particular fears for that is the easiest way to remove them 8. Let us weigh the vertue of the Physick The vertue of the Physick which must cure us which must cure our Disease to wit First the infinit goodness of God and Christs merits And what Soul can fear having so gracious a God and so great a Ransome 2. The Credit and Compassion of the Blessed Virgin and the Prayers and Patronage of Saints and Angels who being secure for themselves are solicitous for us 3. The testimony and sweet promises of holy Scriptures For how often hath God told us I am prone to pitty I am ready to receive sinners I will help them who doe their endeavours If therefore he denys not his mercy to them that seek it and they seek it who doe what lys in them let us bee confident he will not deny us his mercy He also frequently calls on us Turn to me and I will turn to you Now he cannot but say truth aad fulfill his promise and doth not that soul convert her self to God who doth her best to get his grace and be reconciled unto him Who then can choose but be of good Comfort if he be of good Will By this Doctrine and these prescribed Remedâ—es it appears that the only way to overcome Scruples is 1. To obey our Spirituall Director 2. To doe our best endeavour But here arise two difficulties in this easy lesson The first is If our Directoâ—â— The first difficulty knowledge be small his experience lesse and his conscience not very good how dare we trust our souls upon his Warrant Gerson answers Thou wiâ—e Gerson's answer Judger I say thou errest and aâ—â— deceived for thou hast not committed thy self and thy soul to a man because of his discretion and learning but to God himself and for his love thou obeyest man because he is by him ordained thy Prelat and Superior Therefore our obedience wil be oftentimes so much more pleasing to God and profitable to our souls by how much more infirm and unworthy he is whom we refuse not to obey for Gods sake The other difficulty is If wee The second difficulty cannot satisfy our selves that wee doe our best Endeavours nor know that we have performed our duty S. Thomas answers We must St. Thomas answer first remove that which hinders grace to wit Sin 2. We must convert our hearts from creatures to our Creator In a word we must detest Sin and choose God and follow his ordinary means appointed in his Church for our direction and this is the Summary of our duty The 22. Doubt If we fear we detest not Sin sufficiently because we feel not so great sorrow for the offence of God as we doe sometimes for a temporall losse LEt us assure our selves First We can never have so much sorrow for our Sins as Gods justice in rigour requires 2. God doth not exact it of us because it is not in our power 3. True sorrow consists not in feeling but in Reason and Freewill 4. It is better to have sorrow sometimes only in desire than feeling 5. It is not necessary this corporall or sensible grief be so great for spirituall as for temporall loss but it sufficeth to use humane and morall diligence with firm purpose of a voiding Sin 6. It ls dangerous to make such comparisons and reflexions for weak and fearfull Consciences as If such a thing should happen what should I doe Should I rather chuse death than such a Sin and the like I say there is no obligation to make such acts The 23. Doubt If we cannot ground our selves in a firm Hope of mercy for that we are so frail and inconstant We sin daily and amend not our lives We receive Gods blessings and repay ill for good Wee promise protest and vow fidelity and practise nothing lesse TEll me afflicted Souls Should you see Christ dye daily for your daily sins would you despair of mercy Even so efficacious is his former death If you fall hourely rise again couragiously and purpose to stand more constantly and fear nothing but draw Humility out of your Frailty saying Whereof am I proud now Where are my strong Resolutions Why doe I judge others Who is so feeble sickle frail as I am O Lord this is the Worm that is so proud Then cast â—ll into Christs sacred wounds and leaving all there go on with as much quiet and Confidence as if you had not sinned The 24. Doubt If we go not on w th alacrity because we know not that our Sins are forgiven that our Confessions are good and that we are in state of Grace WE must take notice that in seeking these assurances we may oftentimes directly lose them 1. In seeking them too eagerly and unquietly 2. In being self-lovers and unwilling to be troubled 3. In being ignorant of what we are bound to know for it seems we conceive those works nothing worth which are performed without gust content satisfaction to our selves and quiet The way then is briefly this 1. To seek true peace 2. In God 3. From his mercy not our own industry 4. To be resigned to want peace if he please 5. To omit nothing we would or should do by reason of the trouble we feel The 25. Doubt Though we cannot in this life assure our selves infallibly to be in good estate yet if we could comfort our selves with most probable tokens of grace whereby we might feel the pulses of our hearts and somewhat ease our anguish SAint Thomas and S. Bernard assigne 4. Signs of a good conscience out of S. Tho. and Bernard these four signes of a good conscience 1. To feel a ready Willingness in our hearts to hear Gods word and to learn the means to love and serve him 2. To feel a Forwardness to do good Works 3. To feel a hearty Sorrow for the offence of God 4. To feel a firm Purpose to avoid all Sin Gerson adds a fifth Who so can A â— out of Gerson To pronounce these three verities pronounce heartily and sincerely these three Verities though he had committed all sins and should be prevented with sodain death let him secure himself he is in state of Grace The first Verity O Lord If in Oh! that we would often recite these three truths especially when we feel our consciences burthened What infinite profit and comfort would redound to our souls this or that I have sinned against thy goodness it truly displeases and grieves me and I am ready to do penance for it because I have offended thee who art worthy of all honor and have transgressed thy Law and Will which is most holy just and reasonable The second Verity O Lord I have a good purpose and desire by thy grace to take heed I fall not into sin again and to avoid to my power the occasions thereof and to mortify my passions and bad
inclinations The third Verity O Lord I have a good Will and purpose to Confess my sins entirely in due time and place according to thy Ordinance and that of thy holy Church We may ad to these the devout frequentation Three other signs of the Sacraments which give life and justifying grace The warrant of a skilful guide And a lively confidence in the Divine bounty The 26. Doubt If we are troubled because we know not well when we give consent to sinful Thoughts 1. IF when the Thought is represented Rules to know when we consent to sin we presently fly to the crucifix expell it disdain it dislike it it is not Sin but Merit 2. But if we carelesly linger in it when well perceived it is Venial 3. And if we consent to the Thought and desire the Action our sin is equall to the act if it were committed 4. But if we intend not the Act but linger delightfully in the Thought and the thing it self be Mortall and deliberately entertained it is also Mortal The 27. Doubt If we cannot well distinguish between Venial and Mortal sin 1. WHat need we determine let us Confess it as it is committed 2. Mortall sin cannot be committed without great corruption of Him who commits it or great hurt to his Neighbor or great contempt and neglect of God says Richardas a S. Victore And S. Thomas Rich. à S. Victore S. Thomas says He sins Mortally whose total intention of mind is withdrawn from God who is our last end 3. Let us conclude with S. Augustin S. August Gerson and Gerson That it is dangerous even in Prelats and Confessors to define what is mortall sin or give Rules therein The 28. Doubt If that saying of Divines terrifies Faciens contra dubium incidit in peccatum In dubiis securior pars est eligenda us He that does against his doubt sins And In things which are doubtfull the securer part is to be chosen WE may in things which are Doubtfull securely follow a Probable opinion Now Scruples are not Doubts but false apprehensions and therefore on all sides we may and somtimes must go against our own erroneous consciences especially when Obedience commands it Let us therefore with S. Augustin S. Augustin Tene certum dimitte incertum lay hold of that which is certain and let go the uncertain And what way is more sure and secure than Obedience The 29. And last Doubt If finally we are apprehensive and fearfull lest we should grow weary in the way of Vertue and not Persever constantly in our Spiritual Exercises LEt us excite our Tepidity by the frequent perusall of this following discourse and practise accordingly The Patriarch Jacob in hope of obtaining the beautifull Rachel serv'd Laban seven years with diligence and patience But being cousened by that disloyal worldling with il favoured Lia what doth he He neither loseth Courage nor Confidence but with new constancy begins his other seven years service with such admirable alacrity and a heart so fix'd upon his desired reward that the time seem'd Gen. 29. but a week to him O my soul thou seekest and sighest after eternal Beatitude consisting essentially in the blessed vision and fruition of God signified by Rachel according to S. Bernard For S. Bernard this thou hast bound thy self to serve God But alas The world the flesh and the Devil do so often beguile blind thee that thou takest blear-ey'd Lia for beautiful Rachel the world for heaven the flesh for the Spirit and diabolical Illusions for Divine inspirations But what Lose not courage nor confidence Renew thy protestation of loyal service Serve God one other seven years Suffer another slavery to get heaven to dy in finall grace and to be eternally joyned to that blessed beauty thou lovest Follow Jesus to mount Calvary to consummatum est to thy last gasp If thou stumblest fall not If thou fallest up again and march Stand not but go forward for he only that persevers till the end shall be saved Let neither frequent temptations nor fearfull imaginations nor strong passions nor bad inclinations nor often fallings nor ordinary frailty daunt or dismay thee God is good and gracious meek and mercifull Thy reward is infinite and eternall Thy friends are moe in heaven than on earth persever then and go forward if thou canst not run at least go fair and softly and securely after Christ thy Captain crying Draw me unto thee ô most dear Lord for I desire to follow thee and no other but I am weak and lame and therefore I make use of two crutches A strong resolution never to forsake thy love and a lively confidence in thy grace goodness and mercy O holy and happy O pretious and highly to be prized Perseverance O finall grace the patrimony only of the elect and portion of the predestinate Fight manfully ô my soul get good habits timely resist sin valiantly fast watch pray sigh and suffer perseverantly heaven is worth thy pains Persever O my soul Persever Persever that done all is done that wanting all is undone This O Satan thou knowest full well and therefore little car'st to see me zealous for a Lent for a year for a time so in the end thou may'st make me tire tepide and careless of my progress and Pâ—rseverance 't is my Perseverance S. Bernard which thou only enviest at because that only conquers thee and crowns me eternally I discover thy two main snares ô subtill enemy into which thou wouldst allure my unwary soul and thy first design failing which was to delay my eonversion to Gods service thou pursuest thy Second which is to weary me in my well-begun enterprise To shift off my Conversion thou urgedst youth long life time enough thy dayly and dangerous deceits by which more Christians perish than by any other thy guiles and stratagems Thou knowest the peril of delay in a matter so important as is our conversion perfection salvation Thou art not ignorant how one sin draws on another how he that to day is unfit will be less to morrow how custom grows into nature breeds blindness hardness of heart and insensibility how old diseases are hardly and rarely cured how God withdraws his grace when 't is abused refused neglected how much his justice by delay is exasperated and that we heap coales on our own heads by our negligence Thou art well skill'd in the uncertainty of our frail life know'st the dangers chances changes and accidents which may speedily overwhelm us therfore thou whisperest stay a little deferr yet for a time till God in whose hands are the moments of all time takes from us all time who have so long abused the opportunity of time and sends us into pains eternal without time But seeing me resolutely and violently breaking all thy chains running and crying with S. Augustin S. Augustin Why shall I longer say to morrow why not now even at this instant thou now