interiourly not at all to Tepide persons that neglect to correspond to their Profession For vvho but the industrious vigilant 1. Doe liue more Purely then men doe in the world 2. Or fall more seldome 3. Or rise more speedily 4. Or walke more warily 5. Or rest more securely 6. Or are visited by God more frequently 7. Or dye more consulently 8. Or passe their Purgatory more speedly 9. Or are rewarded in heauen more abundantly On the contrary it is iustly to be feared yea too certaine it is that habitually Tepide negligent soules in Religion are in a far vvorse state more immortified more cold in Deuotion more estranged from God euery day then other considering that in the midst of the greatest aduantages helpes to feruour Purity they vvill continue their negligence therfore they must expect for their obstinate ingratitude for their offending against so great Light that they shall be more seuerely punished by Almighty God then others the like that liue in the vvorld 6. How ridiculous therfore would it be for any to boast and say God be thanked I haue bene so many yeares a Professed Religious Person in an Order that hath produced so many thousand Saints that hath had so many Popes that receiued so many Emperours Kings Queenes Princes that hath so flourished with riches learning Piety As if those good successes to some vvere sufficient security to all so that they should need no more then only to be of such an Order 7. For the vndeceiuing therefore of such as are strangers to a Religious Profession for the admonishing incouraging of those that haue already embraced it to comply vvith the obligations of it that so they may enioy all the incomparable Priuiledges and Perfections then indeed belonging to it I vvill employ the follovving Discourse principally in demonstrating That the principall thing to be intended in a Religious Profession is the incessant Purifying of the Interiour Which is an attēpt the most glorious but vvithall the most difficult and most destructiue to sensuall ease and contentment of all other This ought to be the motiue of those that enter into it the principall yea almost sole employment of those that liue in it Whereto I vvill adde a fevv instructions more specially belonging to Superiours Officers Priuate Religious Nouices respectiuely CHAP. IV. § 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Motiues inducing to Religion to be examined False security of Tepide Religious Persons Of false true motiues § 6. An habituall state of Introuersion Recollectednesse is the principall End of a Religious Life Wherin such Recollectednes consists § 7. 8. Perfection of Prayer is the Perfection of a Religious state § 9. 10. 11. The wonderfull sublimity of Prayer to which the Ancient Hermits c. attained § 12. Aduantages therto enioyed by them beyond these times § 13. 14. 15. 16. That S. Benedict chiefly intended by his Rule to bring his Disciples to purity of Prayer § 17. 18. 19. False Glosses Interpretations of S. Benedicts Rule in these dayes § 20. 21. S. Bernards Excellent declaration of the designe of S. Benedicts Rule § 22. That the only sure way of introducing Reformes into Contemplatiue Orders is by the teaching of true Contemplatiue Prayer not multiplying of externall formes Austerities 1. IT concernes a soule very much to examine vvell the motiues inducing her to enter into a Religious State for if they be not according to God it is to be feared she vvill not find all the Proffit satisfaction that she promises to herselfe For. 1. If such a Profession be vndertaken merely out of vvorldly respects as to gaine a state of subsistence more secure perhaps more plentifull 2. Or to auoyd suits debates or vvordly dāgers c. vnlesse such incommodities haue giuen only occasiō to a Soule to reflect on the vanities and Miseries of the vvorld and from thence to consider and loue Spirituall Celestiall good things vvhich are permanent and vvithout bitternes 3. Or if such a State be vndertaken out of a generall good desire of Sauing ones soule according to the fashion of ordinary good Christians no more but vvithout a Speciall determinate Resolution to labour after Perfection in the Diuine Loue either because such soules knovv nothing of it or if they doe haue not the courage and vvill to attempt it but resolue to content themselues vvith being freed from vvorldly Tentations dangers and vvith a Moderate care to practise the Externall Obseruances of Religion yet vvithout sufficient Purity of Intention or a consideration of the proper End of a Religious Contemplatiue life c. I cānot tell vvhether Persons liuing dying in Religion vvithout further designes of purifying their Soules shall find so great cause to reioyce for the choice they haue made Since their beginning continuing is indeede no better then a Stable course of most dangerous Tepidity 2. Hovveuer as for soules that for externall respects haue embraced a Religious life let them not therfore in a desperate humour conclude that no good can come to them by it so vnvvorthily vndertaken But rather hope that by a Speciall Prouidence of God they vvere euen against their ovvne intentions vvills brought into a course of life to vvhich if hovveuer aftervvard they vvill duly correspond it vvill proue an infinite blessing vnto them For such oftimes haue proued great Saints after that God gaue them light to see their peruerse Intentions and Grace to rectify them By vvhich meanes they beginning in the flesh haue ended in the Spirit 3. And as for the third sort of Tepide persons it much concerns them at least after their solemne Profession to search vvell into their Soules and there rectify vvhat they find amisse taking great heede hovv they relye vpon Externall Obseruances Obediences or Austerities the vvhich though they be necessarily to be performed yet cannot vvithout great danger and harme be rested in but must needs be directed to a further and Nobler End to vvit the Aduancement of the Spirit 4. Neither let them conclude the Security of their Condition and good disposition of soule from a certaine Composednes and quietnes of Nature the vvhich vnlesse it be caused by Internall Mortification and Praier is but mere selfe loue And much lesse let them rely vpon the esteeme and good opinion that others may haue of them Nor likevvise on their ovvne abilities to discourse of Spirituall matters and giue Directions to others since no Naturall light nor acquired learning or study can be sufficient to enable any one to treade in Contemplatiue vvaies vvithout the serious practise of Recollected Prayer A sufficient proofe vvherof vvee see in Thaulerus Who vvas able to make an Excellent Sermon of Perfection but not to direct himselfe in the vvay to it till God sent him a poore ignorant Lay-man for his Instructour 5. What is it therfore that a soule truly called by God to enter into Religion lookes
aspire and attaine to such Internall Perfection vvithout vvhich the Externall Obseruances vvould be of no value but rather being finally rested in vvithout farther application to the Spirit empty Hypocriticall Formalities And more particularly as touching the Conferences of the Fathers written by Cassian and expressely recommended to vs by our Holy Father wee reasonably may and ought to iudge that his intention vvas wee should in a speciall manner make vse of the Instructions and Examples there deliuered by prudent holy and experienced Contemplatiues as a Rule and Patterne to vvhich vvee should conforme our selues principally in our Internall Exercises as being much more vsefull and proper for vs then any Instructions about such matters to be found in the writings of others far more learned Holy Fathers of the Church vvho generally direct their speeches to such as leade common liues in the vvorld 18. This obligation being so manifest and vnquestionable hovv can those new Interpreters of our holy Rule be excused that extend the Profession of a Religious Person no further then to the performance of exteriour Obediences and obseruances litterally expressed in the Rule or signified by the expresse commands of Superiours Surely they forget that it is to God only that vvee make our Vowes and not to man but only as his substitute and as appointed by him to take care of the purifying our soules For the destroying therfore of so vnreasonable an Interpretation yet too likely to be embraced by the tepide Spirits of this Age it vvill suffise only to looke vpon the forme of a Religious Profession instituted by our holy Father in the 58. chapter in these words Suscipiendus autem in Oratorio c. that is Let him that is to be receiued to a Religious Profession promise in the presence of the whole Community assembled in the Church before God and his Saints 1. A constant Stability in that state 2. A conuersion of his Manners 3. and Obedience Now of the three things so solemnely and vvith such affrighting circumstances vovved Conuersion of Manners can signify no other thing but Internall Purity of the soule Obedience indeed seemes to regard the outvvard obseruances of the Rule yet surely vvith an eye to the principall end of all externall duties of all Christians and much more of those that aspire to the Perfection of Diuine Loue. And as for Stability it regards both these adding to them a perseuerance and a cōtinuall progresse in both to the end 19. These things considered if God so earnestly protested to the Iewes saying My soule hates your New Moones your solemne Feasts and Sacrifices vvhich yet vvere obseruances ordeined by himselfe and this because those that practised them vvith all exactnes rested in the outvvard actions and neglected invvard purity of the heart typified by them much more vvill God despise and hate an exact performance of Regular Obseruances commanded by man vvhen the practisers of them doe not referre them to the only true end regarded by the Institutour vvhich vvas by them to dispose and fit soules to Internall solitude aptnes to receiue Diuine light Grace and lastly to the practise of pure Contemplatiue Prayer vvithout vvhich a Religious state vvould be no better then a mere outvvard Occupation on Trade And if only so considered it is perhaps lesse perfect then one exercised in the vvorld by vvhich much good commodity may be deriued to others also 20. Againe vvhen such condescending Interpreters doe further say that all our obligation by vertue of a Religious Profession is to be vnderstood only Secundum Regulam according to the Rule We must knovv that this Phrase Secundum Regulam is to be annexed to the Vow of Obedience only importing that a Religious Superiour hath not a vast vnlimited authority but confined to the Rule vvheras there are no limits prescribed to Conuersion of manners to Christian Holines and Perfection in vvhich vve are obliged daily to make a further progresse To the vvhich Duty as by becoming Religious vvee haue a greater obligation so likevvise haue vvee a greater necessity For though by entring into Religion vvee doe auoyde many occasions and tentations to outvvard enormous sins yet vvee can neuer be freed from our thoughts vvhich vvill pursue vs vvhere euer vvee are and more impetuously and dangerously in solitude then in company being indeed the greatest pleasure of man vvhether they be good or bad For in Solitude the soule hath her vvhole free scope vvithout interruption to pursue her thoughts So that a Religious person that can thinke himselfe not obliged and that actually doth not restreine and order his thoughts by diuerting and fixing them on Heauenly and Diuine obiects Such an one if for vvant of opportunity he guard himselfe from outvvard Scandalous crimes yet he vvill more more deeply plunge himselfe in corrupt nature contracting a greater obscurity incapacity of Diuine Grace daily And such invvard Deordinations vvill become more dangerous and incurable then if he had liued in the vvorld vvhere there are so frequent diuersions Novv a poore and most ineffectuall Remedy against these vvill he find in an exact conformity to any externall obseruances vvhatsoeuer yea perhaps they vvill serue to increase such ill habits of soule by breeding Pride and security in it 21. A much better and more proffitable Interpreter of our holy Rule therfore is Deuout S. Bernard in many passages in his vvorks and particularly in those vvords of his in an Epistle to William an Abbot of the same Order Attendite in Regulam Dei c. that is Be attentiue to the Rule of God The kingdome of God is within you that is it consists not outwardly in the fashion of our cloathes or manner of our corporall Dyet but in the vertues of our inner man But you will say What doest thou so inforce vpon vs spirituall Dutyes as that thou condemnest a care of the externall Obseruāces enioyned by the Rule of S. Benedict No by no meanes But my meaning is That the former Spirituall Duties must necessarily and indispensably be done and yet these laster must not be omitted But otherwise when it shall happen that one of these two must be omitted in such case these are much rather to be omitted then those former For by how much the Spirit is more excellent and noble then the body by so much are spirituall exercises more proffitable then corporall 22. Neither vvill it auaile the forementioned Interpreters to say that their meaning is not to preiudice the obligation of Religious Persons to internall Duties but only to shevv that such obligation is grounded on the Diuine Lavv imposed on them as Christians and not on an Externall Lavv made by man and voluntarily vndergone For in opposition to this Excuse besides vvhat hath bene sayd cōcerning the making of our Vovves to God and the expresse obligation therin to an Internall Cōuersion of Māners vvee are to knovv that by vertue of our Religious Vowes vvee are obliged to a far
shevves That in the midst of the greatest troubles Afflictions Passions distractions a soule may as truly efficaciously dispose of the operations of the Superiour spirit which depends not vpon our corporall organs fixing them vpon God making choyce of him for her finall end and submitting herselfe with resignation loue to him euen for sending her such trial's as she could in her greatest solitude most quiet Introuersion And this is best done vvithout any violence or impetuosity but vvith great tranquillity darting a spirituall regard to God by meanes of vvhich she may be as truly effectually vnited to God though not according to sense in the midst of these troubles as in her greatest sensible vnions 23. A soule that vvill be thus vigilant industrious may assure herselfe that God vvho layes this Office on her doth it not for her harme but for her greater good to giue her occasion of exercising seuerall vertues vvhich othervvise she vvould haue vvanted at least the perfection of them as likevvise for the triall of her fidelity to him amidst vvhatsoeuer encombrances tentations Novv by meanes of these vertues she vvill make a great progresse in spirit at least for as much as concernes solide Charity if not for light of contemplation And retaining a loue to Prayer practising it as vvell as she can she vvill come to be in so good a disposition that vvhen she thall returne to her former vacancy solitude she vvill make a a vvonderfull progresse in the vvayes of Contemplation Thus she may see that as the Office hath perills in it so vvill God proportionably increase his grace assistance 24. For vvant of this care vigilance ouer their interiour it is to be feared there be many in Religious Conuents that fruitlesly spend their liues in Employments in some sort beneficiall to others but of little proffit yea perhaps very preiudiciall to themselues as some that read Lessons of Philosophy or Diuinity yea euen many that passe their vvhole time almost in spirituall Employments as preaching hearing Confessions giuing Spirituall Directions c for these vvorkes being performed not in vertue of Spirituall Praier consequently not proceeding from the Diuine spirit but the spirit of corrupt nature vvhich is the source of all actions performed in a state of Distraction Gods spirit seldome giues a blessing to them CHAP. V. § 1. 2. How Internall liuers ought to behaue themselues in time of Sicknes The benefits of Sicknes to such only § 3. 4. c The great danger of soules vnprouided for sicknes especially of Tepide soules in a Religious state § 9. 10. 11. How Sicknes is to be accepted § 12. 13. Of a certaine great tentation in Sicknes § 14. A sicke person is Gods prisoner § 15. Spirituall exercises by no meanes to be neglected in sicknes § 16. How Mortification is then to be practised in Internall Tentations § 17. 18. Particularly how Feare of death vncertainty of what followes is to be mortified § 19. 20. c. It is for our good to be ignorant of our future state § 26. 27. Of tentations to Infidelity despaire c A Story out of Cardinall Bellarmine § 28. 29. c How Mortification about sensuall pleasures is then to be exercised 34 c Sollicitude about health misbecomes Religious Persons § 37. In sicknes paines wee are best sensible of our Lords suffrings § 38. Aduices to those that attend on the sicke § 39. 40. A sicke Persons cheife care must be not to neglect Internall Prayer § 46. Prayer is the vniuersall remedy against all tentations afflictions c. § 48. A soule shall be iudged according to her state in sicknes 1. THE second state before mentioned that requires a more then ordinary care and prouision as seeming lesse proper for internall exercises is the state of Sicknes The vvhich though it doe exact a greater sollicitude vigilance as being a disposition to a condition ireuersible yet in it selfe it is a more secure state then that of externall Employments In as much as those are such as are apt to dravv our affections from God to sensuall obiects vvheras in Sicknes all things doe rather driue a soule to seeke adhere vnto God since all other comforts doe faile her and all pleasures become distastfull to her Moreouer in Sicknes there are continuall occasions of high Resignations and far lesse sollicitudes about temporall matters for the cheife busines of a sicke Person is forbearing holding of patience In a vvord it is rather a Not-doing then doing 2. Now since it concernes a soule most deeply to be vvell-disposed in sicknes My purpose is to giue some generall Aduices to soules already practised in internall vvayes they shall be such as cheifly haue a reference to Prayer Mortification The vvhich Aduices notvvithstanding our sicke person ought only so far to make vse of as he finds them proper for his spirit case 3. It vvas not vvithout iust reason that an Ancient holy man said that a Religious spirituall life is a continuall meditation of death because the principall end of all our exercises is to prepare our selues against the day of our great account to the end wee may giue it with ioy not with feare 4. If when sicknes is come a soule be to learne hovv she ought to behaue herselfe it vvill goe hard vvith her by reason that then such a soule vvill be in great blindnes of vnderstanding and deadnes of will All her thoughts and care vvill be employed in seeking to auoyd paine to passe away the tedious time and to recouer And if any good thoughts come into her mind it is Feare that principally raises them Hence it is that a serious conuersion is seldome giuen in sicknes vvhen Passions doe svvell immortifications come thick vpon one another And a soule that in health hath neglected God despised the meanes of Conuersion cannot vvith any reason or confidence expect an extraordinary or miraculous Grace to vvorke a sudden cordiall Conuersion If that one 's vvhole life spent in painfull mortifications serious recollections be but euen little enough to conquer the peruersenes of our vvills the glevvynes of our Affections adhering to sensuall obiects vvhat may be expected from a fevv interrupted inefficacious Prayers or purposes in sicknes suggested meerly by feare vpon the approches of death Iudgment vvhilst there still remaines in the heart a secret loue to those sinfull delights that must novv be forsaken Vpon vvhich grounds S. Hierome hath a terrible saying That among those that deferre their Conuersion till their death scarce one of a hundred thousand are saued 5. And I beleiue the case of such a soule in Religion is more perillous because hauing enioyed so great helpes to a holy life she has vvith so vnpardonable an ingratitude neglected them Wheras a secular person being touched in sicknes may resolue to secke those meanes of abstraction of life a
the Exercise of Diuine Loue vvhich is most perfectly performed in Internall Prayer in Attention to and Vnion with God in Spirit What an Expert persvvading Subtile Maister Loue is beyond Study or Consideration vvee see euen in Naturall and Secular businesses One that is immersed in Sensuall Loue to any person has no neede of Instructions or Bookes to teach him the Art of Louing wee see hovv skillfull on the sudden such an one becomes in the vvayes hovv to please the person beloued Hee looses not neither out of ignorance nor negligence the least opportunity to ingratiate himselfe He vnderstands the mind and intention of the other by the least signes The Motion of a hand the cast of an eye is sufficient to informe him and set him on vvorke to attempt any thing or procure any thing that may content the party The like subtilty and perspicacy vvee may see in those Earthy soules vvhich cleaue vvith an earnest affection vnto Riches What subtile vvaies doe they find out to encrease their wealth Such trifling inconsiderable things they make vse of for that purpose as another vvould not take notice of or could not see hovv to make proffit by them They haue almost a Propheticall Spirit to foresee dangers vvhere none are and aduantages probable or possible to happen many yeares after 17. Now how comes it to passe that the Eyes of Loue are so quicke-sighted Surely by this That vvhere Loue to any particular Obiect is predominant it subdues all other Affections to all other Obiects vvhich vvould distract the thoughts and seduce the vvill from contemplating and adhering to the thing so beloued 18. Vpon such grounds therefore as these it is that S. Augustin calls Diuine Loue Luminosissimam Charitatem most full of Light and most enlightning For a soule that truly loues God vvith a Loue worthy of him hauing the Mind cleared from all strange Images and the Will purified from all strange Affections is therby enabled purely to Contemplate God vvithout any distraction at all And being desirous in all things to please him knovves hovv to make aduantage of all occurrences Light and Darknes Consolations and Desolations Paines and Pleasures all these contribute to the aduancing of this Loue. Yea there is nothing so indifferent or in its ovvne nature so inconsiderable but that such a soule can perceiue hovv vse may be made of it to please God thereby 19. Novv since Pure Loue is exercised immediatly to God only in Pure Praier by vvhich alone the Spirit is vnited to him Hence it is that Praier is the only efficacious Instrument to obtaine Supernaturall Light according the saying of Dauid Accedite ad Deum illuminamini Approach vnto God by Praier and yee shall be enlightned And hence also it is that the same Holy Prophet so earnestly and frequently aboue tvventy times in one Psalme 118. praies for such light to vnderstand and discouer the vvonderfull things of Gods Law And vvhat vvere those wonderfull things Surely not to be informed that Murder or Adultery vvere Sins or generally that God vvas to be loued vvith the vvhole soule For much more knovvledge he had then this before he praied But being desirous to giue himselfe vvholly to God and to performe his vvill alone in all things he so oft makes vse of Praier for the obtaining an extraordinary Light to be had no other vvaies but by Praier that he might thereby be enabled to discouer and find out the Diuine Will in all manner of cases and doubtfull circumstances 20. Novv only such Inspirations and such Illuminations as these doe Spirituall Persons pretend to by the meane of Praier and attending to God And if they doe exercise Praier vvith a due feruour and constancy these they shall most certainly enioy and that in such a measure that vvheras the greatest part of ordinary good Christians are so dimme-sighted as to see the Diuine Will only in circumstances vvhere there is a necessary obligation so that they spend the far greatest part of their liues in Actions that doe no vvay aduance them in Diuine Loue being vvrought cheifly in Vertue of the Principle of selfe-Loue and interests of nature Those that are perfectly internall liuers being clovvded by no vaine Images and distracted by no inferiour Affections doe see the Diuine Will clearely in the minutest affaires vvhich they accordingly make aduantage by to improue themselues in the Loue of God And according to the degrees of Loue so proportionably are the degrees of Light And thus I suppose the pretended Inconueniences suspected to flovv from the publishing of this doctrine vvill appeare to be only pretended and causelesly feared 21. But the other Obiection at the first sight seemes more considerable as implying a far greater and more certaine Inconuenience and danger that may ensue vpon the publishing of this Doctrine concerning Diuine Inspirations Illuminations and Calls For thus they argue It is to be feared that the fanatick Sectaries which now swarme in England more then euer will be ready to take aduantage from hence to iustify all their frenzies and disorders all which they impute with all confidence to Diuine Inspirations Illuminations and Impulses For can wee forbid them to practise what wee our selues teach to be a Christian Duty And yet it is apparent what fearfull and execrable effects the practise of this pretended Duty doth produce among them It was by Inspiration say they that their Progenitours did breake out of the Church and by Inspiration they doe still introduce endlessely new Fancies and practises It is by Inspiration that they endanger the ruine of Christianity it selfe by infinite Schismes and pestilent Reformations It is by Inspiration that they employ the Gospell to destroy the Gospell from thence preaching Heresies in Churches and Chambers Sedition in States Rebellion against Princes and Prelates So destroying all Order Vnity and Peace euery where These things considered what can be more reasonable then that wee should take heed how wee furnish them thus with armes to maintaine themselues and to fight against God his Church 22. This is the Obiection Which though it haue a fearfull shevv yet being vvell examined it vvill proue no lesse vveakely grounded then the former For the demonstrating therfore of the inconsequence of it I vvill by vvay of Preparation lay dovvne these follovving vndenyable Principles breifly mentioned before viz. 23. First That Diuine Inspirations are so absolutely necessary in Precepts for the auoiding of sin and in Counsells for the gaining of Perfection that vvithout them no Action of ours can be good or meritorious Yea the Dutyes of Obligation vvhich vvee performe or Counsells of Perfection freely obeyed by vs are only so far acceptable to God as they proceede from his Inspirations and motions of his Holy Spirit This is not only an vndoubted verity but one of the most fundamentall Verities of Christian Religion vvhich attributes all good in vs to the Diuine Grace And what is Grace but the Diuine inspiration of
his vvill is reuealed by Superiours also very securely vvhen in other internall things or vvhich tend to Perfection vvithout the least vvrong yea to the great aduantage of Superiours he doth communicate his Light and Directions to vs So as that saying of the Apostles vvith vvhich they silenced the vvhole Ievvish Sanedrim namely That God is rather to be obeyd then man commanding contrary to God holds only vvhen it can euidently be demostrated as the Apostles then did by Miracles that such a Command did indeed come from God or that the thing commanded by man is certainly vnlavvfull 31. These things considered in all reason vvee ought to be so far from being deterred from publishing such Instructions as these because forsooth the frantick Spirits of this Age doe falsely make pretended Inspirations the cause and ground of all the miseries and mischeifes of late hapning in our Nation c. That for this very reason and motiue euery one ought to publish such vvholesome Doctrines the vvhich are the only possible meanes to vndeceiue them For vvhat other vvaies does there remaine to conuince them of their errours and Seductions dangerous to all mankind but most certainly pernicious to their ovvne soules Shall vvee tell them that there are no Inspirations at all vvee shall in so doing betray Christian Religion Shall vvee say Though there be Inspirations yet they are neuer to be marked neuer obeyed nor complyed vvithall Besides the ridiculous falsenes of the assertion vvhich vvill expose vs to their most iust contempt and hatred they vvill ouervvhelme vs vvith vnansvverable Texts of Scriptures and passages of holy Fathers What other thing then can be done but that acknovvledging both there are Inspirations and that vvee are obliged to correspond vnto them vvee should informe those vnhappy soules hovv to dispose themselues so as to be out of danger of Diabolicall illusions and to be in a capacity of receiuing Inspirations truly Diuine As likevvise vvith vvhat caution and Prudence but vvithall vvhat fidelity they ought to comply vvith them But especially vvee ought to demonstrate and inculcate this fundamentall Verity That the generall and most certaine Precepts of Humility Obedience Vnity and Peace must neuer receiue any preiudice by any pretended Inspirations or Illuminations since those which are truly from God doe establish and encrease all these vertues Yea that the Externall Order Authority and Subordination established by God in his Church by which alone it becomes one body and not a monstrous heape of vnlike vnproportionable members fighting and deuouring one another must be the Rule by which to examine and Iudge to pronounce sentence for or against all manner of Inspirations 32. Therefore insteed of an humane fruitlesse Policy of hiding such Diuine fundamentâ—ll practicall Truthes as these let vs sincerely faithfully and plentifully teach them And though it can neuer be preuented but that the Deuill vvill suggest to proud ambitious couetous or sensuall Spirits to dravv poyson from the most Perfect Doctrines of Catholick Religion yet then at least he and they vvill be the lesse able to seduce vvell-meaning Soules to ioyne vvith them yea by Gods Grace and Benediction vpon his Truth faithfully taught they vvill loose many such already seduced vvhen all their pretended Lights being confronted before the Sun of Diuine Verity and Holines vvill either vanish quite avvay or manifestly discouer themselues to be the Sulphurous gloomy lights of such wandring falling Starres as are mentioned by S. Iude to whom the tempest of darknes is reserued for euer 33. O therefore that it vvere Gods blessed vvill that they vvould be persvvaded to examine themselues their Instincts by such Characters such Signes so manifestly Christian Hoâ—y Perfect and secure as are here contained in this Treatise and accordingly iudge of their and our Inspirations In the first place here the only proper Disposition tovvards the receiuing of Supernaturall Irradiations from Gods holy Spirit is an Abstraction of life a sequestration from all businesses that concerne others and an attendance to God alone in the depth of the Spirit Whereas their Lights come neuer more frequently then vvhen either being alone they yeild to discontented vnquiet Passions and murmurings about the behauiour and Actions of others Or vvhen in close meetings and Conspiracies they vent such Passions by Inuectiues against the Gouernours of the Church or State 2. The Lights here desired and praied for are such as doe expell all Images of Creatures and doe calme all manner of Passions to the end that the Soule being in a vacuity may be more capable of receiuing and entertaining God in the pure fund of the Spirit Whereas their Lights fill them vvith all tumultuous disquieting Images and Phantasmes concerning the supposed miscariages of all others but themselues and not only heighten their Passions but vrge them to most terrible desolating Effects 3. The Prayer here acknowledged to be the most effectuall Instrument to procure Diuine Light is a Pure Recollected intime Prayer of the Spirit Whereas the Prayer that they glory in is only an acquired ability and sleight to talke earnestly to God before others oft thereby to communicate their Passions discontents to their Brethren 4. Here are no new speculatiue Verities or Reuelations of Mysteries pretended no priuate nevv-found-out Interpretations of Scriptures braggd of Wheras amongst them euery day produces a nevv fancy which must gather Nevv CoÌ„pany 5. Here the established Order of Gods Church the Vnity essentiall thereto is not preiudiced Yea the Inspirations expected and obtained by Pure internall Praier doe more firmely and vnalterably fixe soules vnder this Obedience and to this Order and Vnity Insomuch as vvhatsoeuer pretended Lights doe endanger the dissoluing of Vnity or doe crosse lavvfull Authority or shall be reiected by it they are presently suspected and extinguished Wheras those mens Lights teach them nothing so much as to contemne oppose all externall Authority and to dissipate Vnity dispersing the Body of Christianity into innumerable Sects and Conuenticles 6. Our Lights teach vs to attend only to God and our ovvne soules and neuer to interesse our selues in any care or employment about others till euidently Gods Inspirations force vs and externall Authority obliges vs therto Wheras their Lights render them incapable of Solitude and thrust them abroad to be Reformers of others being themselues impatient of all Reformation and Contradiction 7. Our Lights make vs to feare and auoid all Supereminence and Iudicature all sensuall pleasures desires of Wealth Honour c. Wheras their Lights engage them violently deeply in all these carnall and secular vvaies and for the attaining to these in Tumults Sedition Bloushed and Warre In a word in all manner of actions and designes most contrary to the Spirit of Christianity 8. And lastly Our Lights if they should chance sometimes to be mistaken by vs no harme at all vvould accrevv to others and not any eonsiderable preiudice to our selues because as hath bene said the matters
the sight of them is vnacceptable to their Neighbours and acquaintance as if they did silently condemne their liberties For this reason they are apt to raise and disperse euill reports of them calling them Illuminats Pretenders to extraordinary visits and lights Persons that walke in mirabilibus super se 6. Or at least to deride them as silly seduced melancholy spirits that follow vnusuall and dangerous vvaies 18. All these and many other the like persecutions calumnies and contempts a vvell disposed soule that purely seekes God must expect and be armed against And knovving that they doe not come by chance but by the most vvise holy and mercifull Prouidence of God for her good to exercise her courage in the beginning and to giue her an opportunity to testify her true esteeme and loue to God and spirituall things let her from hence not be affrighted but rather pursue Internall vvaies more vigorously as knovving that there can not be a better proofe of the Excellency of them then that they are displeasing to carnall or at least ignorant men vnexperienced in such Diuine vvaies Let her not vvith passion iudge or condemne those that are contrary to her for many of them may haue a good intention and zeale therein though a zeale not directed by knovvledge If therfore she vvill attend to God follovving his Diuine Inspirations c. she vvill see that God vvill giue her light and courage and much invvard security in her vvay 19. But her greatest and more frequent Persecutions vvill be from her ovvne corrupt nature and vitious Habits rooted in the soule the vvhich vvill assault her many times vvith tentations and invvard bitternesses and agonies sharper and stranger then she did expect or could perhaps imagine And no vvonder For her designe and continuall indeauours both in mortification Praier being to raise herselfe out of and aboue nature to contradict nature in all its vaine pleasures and interests she can expect no other but that Nature vvill continually struggle against the spirit especially being inflamed by the Deuill vvho vvill not faile to employ all his Arts all his malice and fury to disturbe a designe so vtterly destructiue to his Infernall Kingdome established in the soules of carnall meÌ„ The vvell minded soule therefore must make a generall strong Resolution to beare all vvith as much quietnes as may be to distrust herselfe intirely to rely only vpon God and to seeke vnto him by Praier and all vvill assuredly be vvell She vvill find that the Yoake of Christ vvhiâ—h at the first vvas burdensome vvill being borne vvith constancy become easy and delightfull Yea though she should neuer be able to subdue the resistance of euill inclinations in her yet as long as there remaines in her a sincere Endeauour after it no such ill Inclinations vvill hinder her happines CAP V. § 1. 2. A 3. motiue to Resolution is the danger of repidity of which the nature and Roote is discouered § 3. 4. 5. The miseries of a Tepide Religious person that is ignorant of Internall waies § 6. 7. Or of one that knowes them but neglects to pursue them § 8. 9. How pestilent such are in a Community § 10. On the otherside an vndiscreete passionate feruour may be as dangerous as negligence 1. A Third yet more pressing Motiue to a couragious ResolutioÌ„ of prosecuting Internall vvaies once begin and a strong proofe of the extreme necessity therof is the consideration of the extreme danger and miseries vnexpressible of a negligent and Tepide life vvhether in Religion or in the vvorld the vvhich not only renders Perfection impossible to be atteined but endangers the very roote of essentiall sanctity and all pretention to Eternall Happines as among other Mystick vvriters Harphius in his tvvelue mortifications earnestly demonstrates 2. Tepidity is a bitter poysonnous Roote fixed in the minds of negligent Christians vvho though out of a seruile feare they absteine from an habituall practise of acknovvledged Mortall Actuall sinnes and therefore groundlesly enough thinke themselues secure from the danger of Hell yet they performe their externall necessary obligations to God and their Brethren sleepily and heartlesly vvithout any true Affection contenting themselues vvith the things hovveuer outvvardly done yea perhaps knovving no Perfection beyond this But in the meane time remaine full of selfe loue invvard Pride sensuall desires auersion from internall conuersation vvith God c. And the ground and cause of this pernicious Tepidity is vvant of affection and esteeme of spirituall things and a voluntary affection to veniall sins not as they are sins but as the obiects of them are casefull or delightfull to nature ioyned vvith a vvillfullnes not to auoyd the occasions of them nor to doe any more in Gods seruice then vvhat themselues iudge to be necessary for the escaping of Hell 3. Such Persons if they liue in Religion must needs passe very vncomfortable and discontented liues hauing excluded themselues from the vaine entertainments and pleasures of the vvorld and yet reteining a strong affection to them in their hearts vvith an incapacity of enioying them They must vndergoe all obligations Austerities and Crosses incideÌ„t to a Religious state vvithout comfort but only in hauing dispatched them vvith very little benefit to their soules and vvith extreme vvearisomenes and vnvvillingnes Novv vvhat a resemblance to Hell hath such a life vvhere there is an impossibility freely to enioy vvhat the soule principally desires and vvhere she is forced continually to doe and suffer such things as are extremely contrary to her inclinations 4. Whereas if soules vvould couragiously at once giue themselues vvholly to God and vvith a discrete feruour combat against corrupt Nature pursuing their Internall Exercises they vvould find that all things vvould cooperate not only to their Eternall good but euen to their present contentment and ioy They vvould find pleasure euen in their greatest mortifications and crosses by considering the loue vvith vvhich God sends them and the great Benefit that their spirit reapes by them What contentment can be greater to any soule then to become a true invvard freind of God chained vnto him vvith a loue the like vvherto neuer vvas betvvene any mortall creatures to know and euen feele that she belongs to God and that God is continually vvatchfull ouer her and carefull of her saluation None of vvhich comforts Tepide soules can hope to tast but on the contrary are not only continually tortured vvith present discontents but much more vvith a feare and horrour considering their doubtfullnes about their future state 5. If such Tepide soules be ignorant of the Internall vvaies of the spirit vvhich vvith out some fault of their ovvne they scarce can be vvhen they come to dye it is not conceiueable vvhat apprehensions and horrours they vvill feele coÌ„sidering that a setled vvillfull affectioÌ„ to veniall sins bring a soule to an imminent danger of a frequent incurring actuall mortall sins the vvhich though they be not of the greater kind
herselfe likevvise as is here taught for the better receiuing discerning of them 3. The practise both of Externall Internall Mortifications I meane those vvhich through the Diuine Prouidence are sent her or doe belong to her present State and Condition of Life And as for voluntary Mortifications she is likevvise to behaue herselfe according to the follovving Directions 4. The Exercise of Internall Praier according to the seuerall Degrees of it In these generall Duties there is litle or no differēce betvvene the obligation of Religious from that of Secular Persons 3. But vvheras in the next place there are in this Booke many Instructions that seeme peculiar to Soules of a Religious Profession Such I meane as are grounded vpon and referr'd vnto a life abstracted from the vvorld confined vnto Solitude and there limited with a strict enclosure of speciall Lawes Constitutions Obseruances c. Euen in these also a Secular Deuout Person tending to Contemplation may thinke himselfe in some proportion degree concerned interested And from them he may reape much benefit applying to his ovvne vse so much of the Spirit of Religion as Discretion vvill shevv to be fruitfull to him Novv for a better application of this Aduice I vvill exemplify in certaine peculiar Duties of a Religious life and therin shevv in vvhat sort a Secular person may doe vvell yea in some proportion is obliged to imitate them 4. First therfore such a soule though she be not obliged really personally to vvithdravv herselfe from vvorldly conuersation to retire herselfe into a solitude as strict as that of Religion Yet so much solitude silence she must needs allovv herselfe dayly as may be necessary for a due practise of Internall Prayer Neither must she engage herselfe in any businesses of sollicitude distraction that doe not necessarily belong to her Vocation And euen those also must she performe vvith as much internall quietnes Recollectednes as may be carefully auoyding all anxiety of mind care of multiplying Riches c. And as for vaine conuersations compliment all visits Feastings c. she must not thinke to permit vnto herselfe such a free scope as others doe as formerly herselfe did But she must set a greater value vpon her precious time as much vvherof as she can borrovv from the necessary employments of her Calling ought to be spent vpon the aduancing of her spirit in the vvay of Contemplation And she indeed vvill find the great inconueniences that doe attend vaine cōuersations as dissipation of thoughts engagements in nevv vnnecssary affaires sensuall friendships c. all vvhich she ought carefully to preuent auoyd 5. Secondly such a soule is by vertue of her nevv Diuine Vocation obliged studiously to imitate especially the Internall solitude belonging to a Religious Person abstracting her spirit as much as may be both from all affection to outvvard things as Riches Pleasures c and like vvise from the Images of Creatures worldly obiects For vvhich purpose she is to performe all the Duties of her externall vocation in order to God in subordination to her principall designe vvhich is the Perfectionating of her spirit in the Diuine Loue. She is therfore not to account herselfe as absolute Mistrisse of the Riches that God hath giuen her but only as his stevvard to manage them so as may be most to his Glory So that in the midst of them she ought to exercise true Pouerty of spirit renouncing all propriety ioyned vvith affection to them so as not to be disquieted if God should take them from her making no more vse of them for her ovvne sensuall contentment or for shevv in the vvorld then shall in true Discretion be necessary This Internall solitude Introuersion nakednesse of spirit she must encrease as much as may be both in her affection to it practise of it so that it may become habituall to her Because vvithout it she vvill neuer be in a fit disposition to attend vnto the Diuine Inspirations or to exercise the Internall duties of Prayer c. belonging to a state tending to Contemplation 6. Thirdly in conformity to Religious Obedience she is to behaue herselfe to all those in the vvorld vvhom God hath set ouer her vvith a most profound submission of spirit obeying them or rather God in them vvith all purity of intention And moreouer she is at the first especially to put herselfe vnder the gouernment of a spirituall Directour if such an one be to be had Who is to teach her hovv she may discerne the exercises of Prayer Mortification proper for her And in the choice of such an one she is to vse the vtmost of her Prudence recommending vvithall an affaire of such importance in her Prayers to God that he vvould prouide her one of sufficient abilities vertue especially one that is experienced in those Internall vvayes much exalted aboue the ordinary exercises of Prayer commonly taught practised And vvhen God has found out such an one for her she is vvith all sincerity humility to obey him Yet vvithout preiudice to the duty vvhich shee principally ovves to her Diuine Internall Master as hath bene taught in the foregoeing Section The Doctrine and Practice vvherof doth as vvell belong to her as to any Religious Person 7. Fourthly although such a soule be not by any vovv or othervvise obliged to any Rule or restreined by any Constitutions or Regular obseruances Notvvthstanding she is to reduce the vvhole course of her Actions behauiour to a certaine order Regularity and vniformity Obseruing in her Retirements Reading Praying as also her Refections sleepe c. an orderly Practise both for times manner according as Prudence her Spirituall Guide shall ordaine This order Vniformity obserued discreetly yet vvithout any nice scrupulosity is very requisite in an Internall course For othervvise a soule being left at large vvill be vnstable vncertaine in her most necessary Duties 8. It vvill not be necessary to exemplify in any more particulars for the same reflections the like applications may a soule make from any other Instructions duties peculiarly designed for Religious Persons Besides if she pursue diligently constantly her Internall Prayer God vvill not be vvanting to afford her sufficient Internall light likevvise strong impulses Spirituall force to follovv such light To the vvhich if she faithfully correspond she vvill find that since God has not giuen her a Vocation to Religion yet he has not depriued her of the means of enioying in the vvorld in a sufficient manner the principall aduantages of a Religious State except the solemne Vovves themselues Yea in this case she may not altogether vnprobably thinke that it vvas for her ovvne particular good that God did not giue her an opportunity to enter into Religion 9. And vvheras it vvas required of such soules that they should quit all sollicitudes about temporall riches let them not feare any great
greater Perfection of Internall Purity then vvee vvere formerly as Christians ansvvereable to the greater helpes and aduantages therto afforded in Religion And particularly vvee haue an obligation to aspire to the Perfection of internall Contemplatiue Praier the practise vvhereof is at least of extreme difficulty in an ordinary distracted sollicitous secular state 23. And from vvhat hath bene sayd may be collected this most true and proffitable Obseruation to witt That vvhosoeuer vvould attempt the restoring of the true Spirit of Religion which is Contemplation miserably decayed in these dayes vvill labour in vaine if he thinke to compasse his holy Designe by multiplying of Ceremonies inlargeing of Offices increasing of Externall Austeritys rigorous regulating of Dyet and Abstinences c. All vvhich things vvill haue little or no effect vnlesse the minds of Religious Persons be truly instructed in the doctrine of Contemplatiue Prayer obligation to attend and follovv the Internall Guidance of Gods Spirit vvhich is rather hindred then aduanced by the excessiue multiplication of outvvard Obseruances And for this reason S. Benedict vvho surely had a most perfect light an equall zeale at least to aduance the Spirit of Contemplation vvas very moderate in these thinges and on the contrary very seuere in requiring the obseruation of Silence Solitude and Abstraction of Life the vvhich doe most directly and efficaciously begett an habituall Introuersion and Recollectednesse of Spirit The ineffectualnesse therfore of these new wayes of Reformation vvee see dayly proofe of by the short continuance of them For minds that are not inlightned nor enabled by the Spirit of Contemplatiue Prayer suitable to their state to make a due vse of such great Austeritys for the increasing of the sayd Spirit become in a short time after that the first zeale much caused by the nouelty and reputation gained in the vvorld is cooled to grovv vveary not finding that invvard satisfaction proffit vvhich they expected And so they returne to their former Tepidity Relaxation CHAP. V. § 1. 2. 3. A Religious Person is not Perfect by his Profession § 4. 5. 6. 7. Whether and how far Ignorance of the true End of Religion will excuse § 8. 9. The danger of those that knowing will not pursue Internall wayes of Recollection which are the true End of a Religious state And much more of those that discountenance it § 10. 11. 12. Vaine pretences of those that discountenance Internall Prayer c. § 13. A description of an Externall and an Internall Monke out of Hesychius 1. OVR obligation therfore to tend to Perfect Internall Purity Simplicity being so great so vndispensable vvhat account thinke vvee vvill some Religious Persons be able to giue to Almighty God for their miserable deficienty in this so essentiall a condition 2. Religion is by all acknowledged for a state of Perfection not that by the mere taking a Religious Profession or Habit a Person is therby more Perfect then he vvas before but because by renouncing those distractiue Impediments vvhich are in the vvorld he puts himselfe into a condition in vvhich he not only may far more easily aspire to the Perfection of Diuine Loue but moreouer by assuming such a state he obliges himselfe to employ all those aduantages vvhich he finds in Religion as meanes to approach nearer to this Perfection dayly more then if he had continued in the vvorld he either could or vvas obliged The vvhich if he doe not he vvill be so far from enioying any Priuiledge in Gods sight by the Perfection of his State as that he will be accountable to God so much the more for his ingratitude and negligence in making vse of such aduantages and Talents giuen him 3. S. Paulinus excellently illustrates this Truth by this similitude He compares the world to a dry scorched and barren vvildernes and Celestiall Happines to a most delicious Paradice diuided from this desart by a deepe and tempestuous riuer vvhich must necessarily be past by swimming The securest way to passe ouer this riuer is by quitting ones cloathes But fevv there are that haue the courage to expose themselues to the iniuries of the weather for a while and therfore aduenture ouer cloathes and all And of them God knovvs a vvorld miscarry by the vvay Some fevv others such are Religious Persons seeing this danger take a good Resolution to deuest themselues of their Cloathes and to make themselues lighter and nimbler by casting avvay all impediments hovv deare soeuer to flesh and blood But yet this being done it remaines that they should labour naked as they are vvith svvimming to passe the Riuer But this they neglect to doe or take so little paines and striue so negligently against the vvaues and streame that all they doe comes to nothing they are in as much danger and as far from Paradice as they vvere before And vvhereas they glorify themselues because they are Naked that vvill rather aggrauate their folly and make their negligence far more culpable in that having so great an advantage they vvould not take a little paines to doe that for vvhich they cast of their Cloathes 4. Novv the Impediments either much delaying or quite hindring many soules that liue in Religion and are naturally apt enough for the Exercises of a Contemplatiue Life from complying vvith this most necessary obligation are partly in the vnderstanding and partly in the will Concerning this latter vvhich is Selfe-Loue a setled Affection to Creatures negligence c. much hath already bene sayd and more vvill hereafter be added But concerning the other impediment seated in the Vnderstanding which is Ignorance of the true way leading to that perfection vvhich is the proper End of a Religious Contemplatiue Life I vvill here take into Consideration Whether and how far such Ignorance may excuse a Religious Person that does not aspire to that Perfection to which his State obliges him 5. For the clearing of this Doubt vvee may obserue that there may in this case be a twofold Ignorance 1. An Ignorance in grosse that there is any such Obligation 2. On supposition that a soule is informed that she hath such an obligation an Ignorance of the meanes and vvayes proper and necessary for the acquiring of this Perfection the vvhich in the present case are Mortification and principally Internall Prayer 6. First therfore for the former sort of Ignorance it is so grosse and euen vvillfull that there can scarce be imagined any Excuse or qualification for it For vvhat other thought can a Soule haue quitting the vvorld and all the pleasures and commodities therin to embrace Pouerty Obedience solitude c but therby to consecrate herselfe entirely to God shevved by the Solemne circumstances of her Admission and Profession the Questions proposed to her and her Answers her Habit Tonsure Representation of a Death and Buriall Solemne Benedictions of her Habit and Prayers of the Community c All that are vvitnesses and Spectatours of such an Action doe no othervvise
vnderstand it And indeed except it vvere so vvhat difference is there betvveene a Secular and Religious state 7. But in the next place touching the second sort of Ignorance to vvit of the vvayes most proper and efficacious to bring a Religious Soule to Perfection It is to be feared that such an Ignorance vvill be but a small Excuse and that but to very fevv For since both Faith and Experience teach vs vvith vvhat great defects vvhat inordinate Affections c. vvee enter into Religion vvith an intention there to abate and mortify them And since euen naturall Reason dayly experience likevvise shevv vs that Perfection of the Soule cannot consist in Externall obseruances vvhich doe not penetrate into the Interiour Yea vvithout Prayer and Purity of intention to be had only by Prayer they doe rather nourish Selfeloue and Selfe esteeme since thirdly the same experience conuinces vs that such vocall Prayers as vvee vse and ioyne to our other Obseruances doe not produce in vs a sufficient Purification of Soule no nor that any other painefull methods of Meditation vnknovvne to the Ancient Contemplatiues doe afford vs sufficient Light and Grace for such a purpose because they peirce not deepe enough into the Spirit vvhat reasonable soule but vvill hence conclude that there must needs be some other efficacious meanes for the acquiring of the end vvhich vvee propose to our selues And since God vvill infallibly giue Light and Grace to all those that haue recourse vnto him in Spirit and Truth It must necessarily follovv that the only culpable ground of such Ignorance must needs be a neglect of such Prayer And the roote of such neglect a sensuall tepide disposition of the will hating to raise it selfe to God And let any one iudge vvhether an Ignorance so grounded can excuse vs Especially considering that our Holy Father requires the practise of such Prayer in all our smallest vndertakings and teaches vs that his Rule is only a preparation to Perfection he referres vs further to the examples of the Ancient Hermites vvhose manner of Prayer if vvee vvould imitate vvee should make some approaches at least to that Perfection to the almost inconceiuable Sublimity and purity vvherof they attained 8. Novv if Ignorance vvill not be a sufficient excuse to any Religious Person for either not endeuouring after Interiour Purity of soule by Prayer in spirit or endeuouring after a vvrong improper manner vvay Hovv much lesse excusable nay hovv deeply culpable before God vvill those be vvho are sufficiently instructed in the only true internall vvayes leading to Contemplation vvithall are furnished vvith all helpes leasure aduantages for that purpose yet out of a setled slothfullnes fixed loue to sensuall obiects haue not the courage or vvill to vvalke in them yea perhaps hauing once comfortably vvalked in them doe most ingratefully perfidiously forsake turne out of them Reaping no other benefit by their knovvledge but perhaps an ability to talke of them to the helpe of others it may be but to the encreasing of their ovvne Pride selfe-loue so that their knovvledge of their obligation end of their Profession helpes to leade them further from it 9. But aboue all most miserable vvill their condition be vvho liuing in Contemplatiue Orders not hauing either sufficient knovvledge or Grace to practise themselues the exercises of true Internall Prayer Abstraction of life shall deterre others therefrom discountenance or perhaps persecute those vvhom God hath inspired to renevv the only proper exercises of Contemplation The decay of vvhich has bene the decay of the true Spirit of Monasticall Religion 10. True it is that to iustify such vndue proceedings to gaine an esteeme to their ovvne inferiour Exercises partiality has suggested to them certaine seeming reasons pretences against the practise of Contemplatiue Prayer if it were dangerous did expose the exercisers of it to illusions or as if it were preiudiciall to Regular obseruances obedience or that perhaps it may diminish the credit vvhich some Religious Orders haue gained in the vvorld by their long solemne Offices laboriously celebrated But as I shall in due place in the last Treatise demonstrate all these accusations made against Contemplatiue Prayer are most vniust and groundlesse On the contrary those that practise such Prayer as they ought are most carefull of conformity to Religious Duties especially the Diuine office appointed by the Church And this out of conscience vvith great purity of intention 11. Indeed true Internall liuers are not very sollicitous for gaining credit esteeme vvith the vvorld much lesse vvould they make that an end of their Religious obseruances On the contrary their cordiall desire is to liue vnknovvn excluded from the vvorld approuing their soules to God only Neither are they forvvard to vsurpe offices abroad not belonging to them as of Preaching Hearing Confessions of seculars c by vvhich the most necessary solitude Recollectednes vvhich by their Profession ought to be prised aboue all things are interrupted oft vtterly destroyed And the more confidently doe they expresse a zeale for these essentiall things as being assured that God vvill not be vvanting to supply them sufficiently vvith all things necessary to their corporall sustenance as long as they preferre the care of Purifying their soules complying vvith the obligations of their Profession before such inferiour things S. Anthony vvas so carefull of preseruing this spirit of solitude disingagement from all treating vvith the vvorld that he forbids his Monkes to enter into Churches frequented by multitudes And much lesse vvould he suffer them to inuite call Seculars into their ovvne Churches And S. Stephen of Grammont vpon experience of vvhat extreme preiudice the spirit of Religion had receiued by neglecting a solitary abstracted life forbids his Disciples in his Rule to haue publick Churches or to admitt into their Oratories the presence of seculars or so much as to let them take Holy-water home with them Or to quit their Desart to preach to others He cōmands them to auoyd Confraternities c And to preuent complaints feares least by so rigorous a sequestration from the vvorld they should be in danger of Penury He most assuredly protests vnto them that it is impossible that God should neglect to prouide for them that for his sake quitt all pretentions to the vvorld 12. But the true cause of bitternes shevved by some against Internall Prayer restored by seuerall most illuminated Glorious Saints in these latter times may be feared to proceed partly from some kind of Pride an vnwillingnesse to acknovvledge any Religious Exercises to be more perfect then those practised so long by themselues or to see that povver vvhich they had gained in the managing of the Consciences of Religious Persons c to be in danger of ceasing 13. To conclude this Point Those that place perfection of a Religious Profession in any thing but in the
to a constant exercise of it 15. Novv this care of Superiours must extend it selfe as vvell to Lay-brethren or Sisters as those of the Quire For they also haue the same obligation to aspire to Contemplation And if the appointed Vocall Prayers of the Diuine Office vvithout the ioyning of dayly Recollections vvill not auaile to procure in these the Spirit of Recollectednes much lesse vvill those short Prayers or Offices to vvhich the others are obliged 16. To conclude this point It concernes most deeply Superiours to take care that their subiects liue according to their Profession and obligation for if it should be by their fault that they faile it vvill be no excuse to the subiects but a great part of the burden and punishment vvill light vpon Superiours And it vvere far better they had neuer come vnder their Direction but stayd in the vvorld vvhere not hauing the like obligation to the Perfection of Christian vertues their guilt vvould haue beene the lesse Hence S. Augustin saith That as he neuer savv better soules then those in Religion so likewise he neuer saw worse And the reason is because it argues a most maliciously ill habit of soule vvhen in the midst of so great Light and such helps to Piety spirituall sloath and Tepidity raignes And vvhere Tepidity is in Religion although carnall open sins may be auoided yet the more dangerous sins of the Spirit Pride Factiousnes Enuy c. doe find occasions of being raised and nourished perhaps more then in the vvorld Adde herunto that irreuerences and profaning of the Sacraments are not so common in the vvorld vvhere the obligations and commodity of participating are not so frequent And lastly vvhich is most considerable those vvho in Religion are sluggish and indeuout doe grovv continually vvorse vvorse being more and more hardned by the daily heartlesse Exercise of Praier and Tepide Communions For vvhere the Sacaments doe not produce the good effects for vvhich God gaue them they doe occasionally encrease hardnes of heart and impenitency Hence saith Thaulerus It were better to take into ones body a million of Deuills then once to take the Body of our Lord being in an vnfitt disposition And so it is a very extraordinary and almost miraculous thing if God giue the Grace of a new conuersion to Soules that in Religion are become habitually Tepide and stained vvith knovvne impurity for they being insensible of their soules good in the midst of all aduantages possible to be had cannot by any change to a better state be amended And therfore it is to be feared such doe generally dye in the state vvherin they liued Wheras in the world an ill liuer may farre more probably meete with helpes of Conuersion by change of state place c. or by sicknes vvherupon S. Bernard professed That he would not doubt to giue a present Absolution to the most enormous sinner liuing in the world if he would promise to enter into a Religious life But vvhat hopes can be of him that after he has left the vvorld so habitually neglects God What change what nevv occasions can be afforded to him for his Conuersion CHAP. IX § 1. Aduices to Nouices § 2. 3. 4. 5. Of the Feruor Nouitius Why God giues it at the Beginning of our Conuersion And what vse is to be made of it § 6. 7. How they are to behaue themselues after their Nouice-ship § 8. Superiours ought not to employ young Religious in Distractiue Employments § 9. How they are to be ordred about their studies 1. THERE vvil be occasion in the follovving Treatises to speake of seuerall speciall Duties of Religious Persons as How they are to behaue themselues in Exteriour Offices in Sicknes Refections c. I vvill therfore content my selfe to adioine here a few Directions and Cautions addressed particularly to Beginners or Nouices in Religion 2. Daily experience confirmes that vvhich Spirituall Writers obserue that God in great Goodnes to soules does vsually vpon their first Conuersion bestovv vpon them a great Feruour in Diuine Religious Duties vvhich therfore our Holy Father calls Feruorem Nouitium Yea euen naturally the inbred liking that our infirme Nature has to all Nouelty and change causes a more then ordinary pleasure diligence earnestnes in any New-begun Employment 3. To this purpose there is in the Annalls of the Franciscans related a passage touching a deuout Brother called Michael Magothi by vvhich vvee may learne the ground and intention of Allmighty God in bestovving such a Feruour The Story is this There vvas one of the Religious Brethren in his Cōuent that obserued of himselfe that ordinarily vvhen he vvas in any Externall Employment of Study Labour c God did preuent his Soule with his blessings of Sweetnes and an affection oftender Sensible Deuotion the vvhich vvhensoeuer he set himselfe purposely to Prayer forsooke him Wherupon he addressed himselfe to this good Brother Michael to demand his Counsell Who ansvvered him thus When you are vvalking at leasure in the Market-place thinking of nothing there meetes you a man vvith a vessell of vvine to sell He inuites you to buy it much commending the excellency of it And the better to persvvade you he offers you gratis a small glasse of it to the end that being delighted vvith the colour and fragrancy of it you may be more tempted to buy the vvhole vessell vvhich you must expect vvill cost you very deare Euen so our Lord Iesus vvhilst your thoughts are vvandring vpon other matters either in reading or hearing a Sermon or vvorking by a secret Inspiration inuites you povverfully instilling a fevv drops of his svveetnes into your heart to tast how delicious he is But this is but transitory being offred not to satiate or inebriate you but only to allure you to his seruice And therfore if you expect any more you must consider it is to be sold and a deare price paid for it For Spirituall Svveetnes can be obtained no other vvay but by corporall affliction nor Rest but by labour 4. Good Soules therfore are often to be exhorted to make good vse of this Feruour and to improue it diligētly yet vvith Discretion therby to produce in their hearts an vnshaken Resolution to proceede in the vvaies of the Diuine loue notvvithstanding any contradiction or paine that may happen They must not expect that this Feruour vvill be lasting for being seated in the inferiour grosser part of the Soule it is not of long continuance since it may easily be altered euen by any change made in the Bodily humours or by Externall occurrents So that if it be not vvell managed and good vse made of it to fixe holy and resolute Desires in the Spirit vvhich are more lasting as not depending on the Body or outvvard things it is iustly to be feared that God will not bestovv the like aftervvard 5. A Nouice-ship is a golden time for the learning and practising matters of the Spirit In that short space therfore
her ovvne selfe in all manner of things to vvhich she naturally beares an affection For the maintaining of this courage therefore it vvill behooue her both to vse much prayer oft to thinke seriously on the blessings accompanying follovving the due practise of it Remembring vvithall that custome vvill make that tolerable euen pleasant vvhich at first seemed in supportable 11. More particularly for as much as coÌ„cernes those that are Beginners in an Internall course they are to consider that in such a state their soules are so full of impurities defects that scarce in any actions of theirs at all they doe intend God purely no not euen in those that they performe vvith most aduice preparation vvith the greatest calmenes of spirit Much lesse in Actions though substantially good in vvhich their Passions are engaged Therfore it is best for them during such state of imperfection in all times occasions as much as lies in them wholly to suppresse all passions not suffring them to rise svvell in them though vvith an intention by them the better more feruently to performe their duties obligation The reason is because such imperfect soules being not as yet Maisters of their passions cannot preuent them from causing a disorder euen in the Superiour rationall faculties also so that though Reason can raise them at pleasure yet it cannot so calme them againe nor hinder them from pursuing those obiects out of motiues of corrupt nature against vvhich they vvere employed at first vpon Superiour spirituall motiues 12. I doe the more earnestly recommend the practise according to this aduice because I find that some good Spirituall Authours doe counsell a quite contrary proceeding as a remedy meanes to subdue passions For they vvould haue soules vvillingly purposely to raise them in sensitiue nature vvhen they are come to a certaine height then by the strength of reason motiues of Religion to quiet pacifie them againe As for example In case of an Iniury receiued they aduise that vvee should call to mind all the circumstances aggrauations that are apt to kindle indignation resentment And as soone as the Passion is inflamed then to suppresse it by considerations of the example of our Lord his precept of charity to enemies Of the dangerous Effects of Reuenge the blessed revvards of Patience c The like they say concerning a sensuall desire to any obiect they vvould haue it represented vvith all its allurements charmes so as to moue a strong inclination in sensitiue Nature And this being done presently to suppresse such inclinations by strong Resolutions by contrary practises Only they forbid this Practise in the passion of sensuall Impurity the vvhich must not be reuiued vpon any pretence vvhatsoeuer 13. To Perfect soules this Aduice may be proper vvho haue an established Dominion ouer their passions But as for the Imperfect if they should conforme themselues to it two great inconueniences could scarce be preuented viz. 1. That they vvould be in danger either to be vnvvilling or vnable to restore Peace vnto their minds once much disquieted 2. By an aduised earnest representation of such obiects as doe raise passions in their minds they doe therby fixe more firmely in the Memory the Images of them by that meanes doe dispose the said images to returne at other times against their vvills vvhen perhaps the reasons motiues to represse them vvill either not be ready or the soule in no disposition to make vse of them or if she should be vvilling it is to be doubted that then such motiues vvill not proue efficacious Therfore Imperfect soules may doe best to deale vvith all passions as they ought vvith those of impurity namely to get the Maistry ouer them by flying from them if they can forgetting them 14. Yet this aduice of preuenting all passions disturbances in sensitiue nature may sometimes cease vvhen iust reason the necessary care of the good of others shall require that some things be done vvith eagernes as it may happen in the case of Superiours correcting their subiects c for then it may be conuenient to giue some discreet vvay to passion vvithout vvhich their reproofes vvould perhaps haue but little effect Yet euen then also care is to be had that they doe not therby preiudice their ovvne Internall Quiet of mind much lesse endanger to diminish true Charity CHAP. IV. § 1. Certaine generall Rules for Mortification sufficient for some § 2. 3. By practise according to these Rules is exercised 1. A continuall Presence of God 2. A continuall thinking on our owne Nothing § 4. 5. 6 7. Mortification is only perfectly exercised in vertue of Internall Prayer And why § 8. The difference betweene the Mortification of Contemplatiues of Actiue liuers § 9. Externall Practises or exercises of vertues not sufficient to cause Mortification § 10. How imperfect soules are to practise Mortification § 11. Gods care in dispensing matters of Mortification proportionable to each ones strength § 12. The effect of each Act of Mortification § 13. 14. It may happen that to an Internall liuer in Religion some Mortifications may be more difficult then if he had liued a common life in the world 1. TO discreete vvell-minded soules these three follovving generall directions may be sufficient to instruct them in the dutyes of mortification Viz 1. To doe or forbeare vvhatsoeuer any law Diuine or Humane shall require of them to doe or forbeare And vvhere order has bene taken by no such lavves there to follovv the supernaturall light motions that God by the meanes of Prayer shall afford them doing or forbearing such things as they find vvill promote or hinder them in their spirituall course vvithout captiuating themselues to any particular examples customes or instructions 2. To suffer vvith the best patience and resignation they can all the crosses contradiction to selfevvill vvhich by Gods Prouidence shall be sent to or vpon them vvhether such crosses regard externall things as iniuries disgraces sicknes losse of freinds or of goods c. or Internall as Aridities obscurities inward distresses inuoluntary rising of passâ—â—ns tentations c. All these things must be quietly suffred vvhether they proceed immediatly from God or from creatures 3. If any thing pleasing to nature be to be done as in Refections Recreations or any thing displeasing to be omitted to doe or omitt such things not because they are agreable to nature but because they are conformable to Gods vvill By a constant carefull obsâ—ruing of these directions a deuout soule may be brought to a good established state of Mortification yet vvithall be left in a conuenient Liberty ease of mind to goe on chearfully in internall vvayes 2. Moreouer if in practise according to these points a vvell-minded soule vvill be carefull to haue at least a vertuall intention to the loue Glory of God that is such an Intention
the mortification of vvhich vvee are novv to treate of is such an one as is incident more particularly to tender Deuout soules especially women that pursue the exercises of a Contemplatiue life the vvhich is vsually called Scrupulosity vvhich is a mixd kind of Passion the most contrary to that peace of mind necessary in a spirituall course of any other as being enuenomed vvith vvhatsoeuer causes anxiety and invvard torments almost in all other Passions It regards Sin and Hell the most abhorred and most terrible obiects of all others and it is composed of all the bitternesses that are found in Feare Despaire ineffectuall Desires vncertainty of Iudgement Iealousy c. And penetrating to the very mind and Spirit obscuring and troubling the Vnde stanâ—ing our only Directour and torturing the Will by plucking it violently contrary vvayes almost at the same time it causes the most pestilent disorders that a vvell-meaning soule is capable of in so much as if it be obstinatly cherished it sometimes ends in direct Frensy or vvhich is vvorse a desperate forsaking of all Duties of vertue and Piety And vvhere it is in a lesse Degree yet it causes Images so distracting so intimely penetrating so closely sticking to the mind and by consequence is so destructiue to Praier with Recollectednes that it deserues all care and Prudence to be vsed for the preuenting or expelling it 4. For vvhich purpose I vvill here according to the best light that God has giuen me afford such tender soules as are vpon this Rack of Scrupulosity the best Aduices I can and such ac if they vvill haue the courage to practise accordingly I doe not doubt but through Gods helpe they vvill be preserued from the dangerous consequences of such a Passion I shall insist vvith more then an ordinary copiousnes vpon this subiect because this so dangerous a Passion is but too ordinary among soules of the best dispositions 5. But in the first place I must make this Protestation that these foll wing Instructions in vvhich a great yet necessary condescendenâ—y is allovved in many cases doe belong vnto application of them only to be made by such tender fearfull soules as desire and intend sincerely to follow Internall Praier and other Duties of a Spirituall life with as much courage diligence as their frailty will permit Such doe indeed too often stand in neede and are vvorthy of all assistance indulgence that Reason and a good conscience can possibly allovv as being persons thrt vvill probably turne all to the glory of God good of their soules and not to the ease or contentment of sensuall nature vvhich they account their greatest Enemie and much lesse to vnlavvfull liberty 6. I doe protest therfore against all extrouerted Liuers or any of different Tempers and Exercises that shall presume to apply or assume vnto themselues any indulgences c. here not belonging to them For they vvill but misleade themselues and reape harme by so doing It seldome falls out that such persons haue a feare of a sin committed or of the mortall heynousnes of it but that it is very likely that it is such an one and has bene committed And therfore for no difficulty of nature nor for the auoyding of trouble of mind ought they to expect any dispensations from due Examinations of their Conscience expresse Confessions c Wheras a thousand to one the forementioned tender soules doe take those for mortall sins vvhich are mere Tentations yea perhaps pure mistakes And therfore to oblige them to such strict Examiâ—ations or Confessions vvould only nourish their most distracting Anguishes of mind furnish them vvith nevv matters of Scrupulosity 7. Novv to encourage such tender vvell-minded soules to make vse of these or any other the like Aduices proper for theÌ„ I desire them to take notice that that very Disposition to vvit a tender fearfullnes of offending God vvhich renders them obnoxious to this so pernicious a Passion is such an one as if they can auoide this inconuenience vvill be the most aduantageous of all others to enable them to make a speedy progresse in Internall waies and to attaine to Purity of heart the immediate disposition to Contemplation aboue all other So that this is the only snare that the Deuill has to hinder them namely by taking aduantage from such Tendernes to fill their minds full of multiplicity and vnquiet Apprehensions With the vvhich snare if they suffer themselues to be entangled they vvill find that Scrupulosity vvill be far from being effectuall to cure any of their Imperfections yea it vvill make Contemplatiue Praier impossible to be attained And God grant that those be the vvorst and most dangerous effects of it 8. Such Tendernes of Conscience that is naturall to many frequently happens to be much encreased immediatly after the entring into an Internall course of life And therfore then especiall care ought to be vsed for for the preuenting of the fearfull Apprehensions vvhich are the vsuall consequences of it And the ground of such encrease of TeÌ„dernes at that time is not so much a conscience of former sins as too seuere a Iudgment of their present Imperfections the vvhich seeme to be multiplied by reason of the continuall opposition that corrupt nature giues to their present Exercises as likevvise because â—y the practise of such Exercises they haue a New light to discouer a vvorld of Defects formerly inuisible to them Hence they become fearfull of their present Condition and knovving as yet no other remedy but Confession they torment themselues vvith anxious preparations therto And their feares yet not ceasing by hauing receiued Absolution and besides the same opposition of sensuality against Internall Prayer continuing they begin to susâ—ect their former Confessions vvhich therfore they renew so that all their thoughts almost are taken vp vvith these suspicions of themselues unsatisfactions in their Confessions c And by giuing vvay to such anxious customary Confessions to vvhich also perhaps they are encouraged by their indiscreete Guides they endanger themselues to contract an incurable Disease of most pernicious Scrupulosity and Seruile Feare from vvhich terrible anguishes deiectednes and heartlesnes in all Spirituall Duties doe follovv vvith danger of rendring the State of Religion or at least of an Internall Life begun a condition lesse fruitfull yea more dangerous then a common Extrouerted life in the vvorld vvould haue bene 9. Deuout foules therfore are earnestly vvished to make timely prouision against these Inconueniencies courageously to resist Scrupulosiâ—y in the beginning according to the Aduices here follovving And aboue all things to vse their best endeauours and Prudence as far as it belongs to them as likevvise their Praiers to God that they fall not into the hands of Directours that vvill feede this Humour to them in such a state most pernicious of frequent iterated Confessions either particular or Generall If such care be had in the beginning there is no disease more easily curable
Scrupâ—losity touching Confession § 2. 3. Indiscreete rigour of Confessours in this Point very harmefull to tender Soules § 4. Seuerall Instructions and Aduices concerning this matter § 5. 6. 7. Absolute and exact Obedience to Spirituall Directours with Praier is the only Remedy § 8. 9. 10. 11. The strange obstinatenesse and subtile peruersenes in some good Soules in finding and iustifying Escapes from Obedience § 12. 13. The great harme proceeding from Scrupulous Examinations and Confessions § 14. 15. A forme of Examination of Conscience proper for many Scrupulous Soules § 16. 17. The Conscience of tender Scrupulous Persons is not properly a doubting Conscience but only fearfull § 18. 19. 20. Constancy in Prayer most efficacious against Scrupulosity § 21. 22. Confession of Veniall Sins is proffitable but yet not vniuersally to all Soules § 23. 24. 25. The chiefe triall of Obedience is at the times of Communicating Aduices therabout § 26. 27. 28. Security in following such Instructions as these § 29. 30. The Roote of Scrupulosity is Tepidity and oft also a corporall distemper 1. VVHATSOEVER the matters or occasions are that cause Scrupulosity in tender Soules the bitternesse therof is felt especially in confessing of them or preparing themselues to such Confession For then it is that all former vnsatisfactions recurre to their memory new Examinations are made and not only all the supposed faults but also the former Examinations and Confessions are againe examined and Confessed For to such Soules partly out of ignorance in the nature degrees and circumstances of Sinnes and partly hauing their mindes darkned by Feare all Sinnes appeare to them to be Mortall or for ought they know they may be Mortall that suspicion or euen possibility is sufficient to pierce them through vvith Greise and Feare 2. The Misery of such selfe afflicting Soules is much increased and rendred almost irremediable by indiscreete Confessours vnwary Writers of Spirituall matters and such as are vnexperienced in Internall waies Who in the practise of Pennance and Confession vse the same Rules and measure towards all Soules indifferently giuing Aduices in generall termes vvhich yet are proper only for the common sort of Soules liuing in the vvorld who commend the repetition of Generall Confessions prescribing nice Rules for Examination who enioine all their Penitents in a case of vncertainty or Doubt vvhether a Sin be mortall or no to chuse that vvhich appeares to their prepossessed iudgments the safer side and therefore to be sure not to omit it in Confession who recommend dayly and almost hovverly Examinations of Conscience who extoll the vertue and Efficacy of Sacraments vvithout sufficient regard to the Dispositions and therefore indifferently encourage Soules to frequent Confessions yea euen vvhen they can find no present matter in such a case aduising them to repeate the mentioning of any one or more sins formerly confessed merely to continue a custome of confessing and to gaine a nevv accesse of Grace by vertue of the Keyes c. Novv such Aduices and Instructions as these may possibly be good for some negligent soules liuing extrouerted liues if that a proportionable care vvere also taken that Penitents should bring due Dispositions to the Sacraments vvithout vvhich the effects vvrought by them vvill be far from their expectation But that vvhich is a cure for ordinary soules may and frequently doth proue poyson to such tender Scrupulous persons as vvvee novv treate of 3. Therfore surely a Confessour or Directour that has any tast of Internall vvaies and any Spirituall prudence and Charity vvhen he is to treat vvith soules that he sees haue truly a feare of God and a sensible horrour of offending him euen in a proportion beyond vvhat Charity and due confidence doe require and that vvere it not that they are deiected by too great an apprehension of their guilt vvould make great progresse in the Diuine Loue Perceiuing likevvise after some experience insight into their liues Exercises and manners of their Confessions that such soules accuse iudge themselues their Actions not by any light of Reason or Knovvledge in the true Nature Degrees of sins but only by their ovwne Passion of Feare vvhich corrupts their IudgmeÌ„t c Such Confessours I say in these the like circuÌ„stances vvill not surely thinke it fit to deale vvith these as vvith the ordinary sort of tepide or negligent Soules in the vvorld that haue neede to be terrifyed to haue their consciences narrovvly searched into to be frequently brought before the spirituall Tribunall The like Prudence is to be exercised also to such tender soules leading internall liues vvho though they are not actually Scrupulous either haue bene formerly or may easily be cast into it by rough or indiscreete vsage 4. Therfore surely these timorous tender Soules are to be told First that the End of their coming into Religion or of consecrating themselues to God in a life of Contemplation vvas not to eniâ—y the Sacraments vvhich they might haue had free vse of in the vvorld but in the Quietnes of Silence and Solitude to seeke God and dayly to tend to him by Internall Exercises of Loue Resignation c. as also by a calming of all manner of Passions And that all Externall Duties are only so far to be made vse of as they contribute to the encrease of this Loue Quietnes of mind and confidence in God 2. That the Sacrament of Pennance and Consession is a Holy Ordinance indeed instituted by our Lord not for the torment but ease of Consciences to the end to bring soules to haue a confidence in him and not a horrour of approaching to him 3. That the administration of this Sacrament is left to our Lords Priests vvho alone are to be Iudges vvhat sins are to be confessed and in vvhat manner 4. That since it is euident that Confession is their cheifest torment causing effects in them so contrary to vvhat our Lord intended that therfore they should either abstaine vvholly from so frequent a custome of confessing or to make their confessions only in the forme that should be prescribed them 5. That such examinations of sins vvill abundantly serue their turne as they vvould thinke fit to be vsed in any ordinary matter of importance and as may be made in a very short space 6. That oft it is far more proffitable for them to exercise rather Vertuall Acts of Contrition and sorrovv for sin by conuerting themselues directly to God vvith Acts of Loue then by reflecting vvith Passion vpon their sins 7. That those common Maximes viz. That it is the signe of a good conscience there to feare a fault vvhere none is And that nothing is to be done against conscience Likewise that in Doubtfull cases the securest side is to be chosen c. These Maximes I say though in grosse true yet if they should be strictly applied to Scrupulous persons vvould vtterly ruine the peace of their minds For they are altogether incapable of iudging vvhat is
Actuation of an Intellectuall soule By vvhich vvords is signified 1. That it is not Prayer vvhich is performed by the lipps only vvithout an invvard Attention Affection of the soule that is That Prayer which is not Mentall is not indeed properly Prayer 2. That whatsoeuer employment the mind or vnderstanding exercises in Prayer by discoursing inuenting motiues c these are only preparations to prayer not prayer it selfe vvhich is only immediately exercised by the vvill or affections adhering to God as shall be shevved hereafter 9. Hence it follovves that The ordinary Diuision of Prayer into Vocall and Mentall is improper Because the parts of the Diuision are coincident For Vocall Prayer as distinguished from much more as opposed to Mentall is indeed no Prayer at all And what euer it is What esteeme God makes of it he shews by his Prophet saying This people honours mee with their Lipps but their heart is far from mee In vaine doe they honour mee c. 10. Yet both a good sence a good vse may be made of that Diuision being explicated after this manner viz. That though all true Prayer be Mentall yet 1. Some Prayers are merely mentall vvithout any sound of vvords yea there may be such Pure blind Eleuations of the will to God that there are not so much as any expresse internall vvords or any explicable Thoughts of the soule it selfe 2. Other Prayers may be vvithall vocally expressed in outvvard vvords the soule attending to the sense of the vvords pronounced or at least intending to doe so And this is properly vocall Prayer CHAP. II. § 1. Of Vocall Prayer § 2. 3. c By Vocall Prayer the Ancients attained to Perfect Contemplation And why this cannot so well be done in these times § 10. How voluntary Vocall Prayers may be made instrument all to Contemplation § 11. That Vocall Prayer of obligation is vpon no pretence to be neglected § 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Of Attention required to Vocall Prayer of the degrees of it 1. THE Designe of this Treatise being to deliuer Instructions concerning Internall Contemplatiue Prayer Therfore little shall be said of vocall Prayer that little also shall be of it considered as it may among others be an instrument or meane to bring a soule to Contemplation 2. It cannot be denied but that in Ancient times many holy soules did attaine to perfect Contemplation by the mere vse of vocall Prayer The vvhich likevvise vvould haue the same effect vpon vs if vvee vvould or could imitate them both in such vvonderfull solitude or Abstraction rigorous Abstinences incredible assiduity in praying But for a supply of such vvants inability to support such vndistracted long attention to God vvee are driuen to helpe our selues by dayly set Exercises of Internall Prayer to procure an habituall constant state of recollectednes by such Exercises repairing making amends for the distractions that vvee liue in all the rest of the Day 3. Notvvithstanding Gods hand is not shortned but that if he please he may novv also call soules to Contemplation by the vvay of Vocall Prayer so as that they are their generall ordinary Exercise The vvhich if he doe it vvill be necessary that such soules should in their course obserue these follovving Conditions 4. The first is that thâ—y must vse a greater measure of Abstraction Mortification then is necessary for those that exercise Mentall Prayer The Reason is because Internall Prayer being far more profound and invvard affords a far greater light grace to discouer cure the inordinate Affections It brings the soule likevvise to a greater simplicity and facility to recollect it selfe c. And therfore Vocall Prayer to make amends had need be accompanied vvith greater Abstraction c. 5. The second Condition is that those vvho vse Vocall Prayer must oblige themselues to spend a greater time at their daily exercises then is necessary for the others to the end therby to supply for the lesse efficacy that is in Vocall Prayer The third is that in case they doe find themselues at any time inuited by God internally to a Pure Inâ—ernall Prayer vvhich is likely to be of the nature of Aspirations they then must yeild to such an Inuitation and for the time interrupt or cease their voâ—untary Vocall exercises for as long time as they find themselues enabled to exercise Internally These Conditions are to be obserued of all those vvho either in Religion or in the world desire to lead spirituall liues and cannot vvithout extreme difficulty be brought to begin a spirituall course vvith any kind of mere Mentall Prayer 7. And indeed if any such soules there be to vvhom Vocall Prayer ioyned vvith the exercise of Vertues is sufficient to promote them to Contemplation Certaine it is that there is no vvay more secure then it none lesse subiect to indiscretion or illusions none lesse perillous to the head or health And in time but it vvill be long first their Vocal Prayers will proue Aspiratiue spirituall contemplatiue by their light vertue illustrating peircing to the very depth of the Spirit 8. But in these dayes this case is very extraordinary indeed vnknown And therfore Contemplatiue Religious Persons ought not vpon any pretence to dispensâ— with themselues for the exercise of Mentall Prayer what euer pretentions or tentations they may haue therto They may perhaps find their Vocall Prayers to be more cleare vndistracted on the contrarâ— their Recollections to be painfull disturbed But yeâ— in time and by constancy in pursuing Internall exeâ—cises they vvill find the contrary perceiue that thâ— ground of the difference vvas either some preseâ—â— corporall indisposition or perhaps a tentation of tâ—â— deuill to moue them to a neglect of exercising in spâ—rit Since certaine it is that little lesse then a miracâ—â— vvill cause Vocall Prayers to imperfect soules to become Contemplatiue or sufficient to produce profound recollection The vvhich effects euen those that haue long practised Internall exercises doe not find in the reciting of the Office Such seeming extraordinary contemplations therfore as seeme to come to soules none knovves from vvhence vvithout any great merit or due disposition on their part are not much to be esteemed but rather to be suspected And hovveuer they deserue not that therfore the solide Exercises of Internall Prayer should be neglected 9. To the like purpose vvee reade that S. Ignatius found extraordinary Illustrations in soule being at his study of humane learning vvhereas at his ordinary mentall Prayers he could find no such effects but on the contrary much difficulty obscurity But this in time he discouered to be the vvorking of the deuill 10. The vse of voluntary vocall Prayer in order to contemplation may in the beginning of a spirituall course be proper 1. for such simple vnlearned persons especially vvomen as are not at all fit for discoursiue Prayer 2. yea euen for the more learned if
and proffitable Recollection And therfore such Elegant and sprighâ—ly expressions as are to be found in many places of S. Augustins Confessions Soliloquies c or in S. Bernard S. Teresas Exclamations c though they be more full of life and more apt to enflame affection being read out of times of Recollection yet they are not so proper to be vsed in the Recollection because the pleasingnes and exquisitenes of the expression giues too much exercise and contentment to the Fancy and by that means distracts and enfeebles the actuation of the Will This I say holds most generally true yet if soules do find their proffit more by the vse of them let them in Gods name make choyce of such 18. The more impetuous that the operations of the vvill are in this exercise Immediate Acts the more still quiet peaceable and profound that they are so there be no vvillfull negligence the more effectuall and proffitable are they and the more efficacious to still Passions as also to compose and settle the Imagination 19. There may come much harme to a soule by cessation from Internall working and from all tendance to God in her Recollections if so be the motiue of such cessation be a desire and expectation to heare God speaking after any vnusuall manner vvithin her and telling her some nevv thing or other For by giuing vvay to such a foolish presumption she vvill deserue and pu herselfe in a disposition to receiue diabolicall suggestions or at least vainely to conceiue and interpret her ovvne Imaginations to be Internall speakings of God And this may proue very perillous if a Soule giue credit to such fancies as probably such soules vvill But they ought to consider that if Gods pleasure be such as to communicate his vvill internally after an extraordinary manner he vvill speake and vvorke vvhether the soule vvill or no and vvhether shee vvill or no shee must heare and suffer And therfore let her abstaine from such indiscreete inuitations or expecting such Diuine Conuersations let her continue quietly her exercises and not cease till God force her to cease them 20. The Custome practised by some spirituall Directours of requiring from all their Disciples an account of their Internall Prayer formerly iudged to be inconuenient as causing Distractions and too frequent Reflections vvith sollicitude vpon their present Actuations to the End they may remember them so be able to relate them The sayd custome I say is moreouer besides this inconuenience vselesnes of extreme difficulty in this exercise The vvhich being simple plaine acted only or cheifly by the vvill cannot well be explicated inasmuch as the Acts leaue scarce any sensible impression in the memory And lastly they are exercised directly to God vvithout any Reflections Now it is by the meanes of Reflections that a soule takes noude of and remembers her Actuations 21. Where there is a good propension in the Interiour to Introuersion an Act produced by the vvill to God is not only much more prompt facile profound but also far more efficacious then any other vvithout such a propension can be though the party be neuer so learned employ neuer so much the faculty of Reasoning Yet doe I not deny but that euen soules of the greatest propensions may sometimes find themselues obliged to make vse of some Meditation But vnlesse their Directour misleade wrong them they vvill not tarry long therin but vvill presently breake forth copiously into good Affections CHAP. II. § 1. 2. 3. c Touching certaine formes of Immediate Acts c adioyned to the End of the Booke how they are to be vsed § 15. 16. c Great variety of Acts there are Some directed to the pure Diuinity some to our Lords Humanity some to Saints some to the soule herselfe c what vse is to be made of them § 24. 25. 26. To what soules one forme of Exercise without variety may be proper § 27. Of exercising vpon the Pater Noster The Excellency thereof § 28. 29. Soules are not to bind themselues to certaine formes § 30. 31. 32. What vse is to be made of the vsuall Reading in Preparation to Recollection § 33. 34. c How soules that cannot make vse of Images are to behaue themselues § 37. 38. What order is to be obserued in the change of Acts. § 41. Soules must not bind themselues to these or any sett formes of Exercises but they must chuse for themselues 1. AT the end of this Booke I haue adioyned a Collection of seuerall Patternes of Exercises by Acts of the will holy Affections for the vse practise of those vvhom either in the vvorld or in Religion God shall call to an Internall life of Contemplation I did not not conceiue any necessity to annexe any Exercises of Meditation Partly because it vvas not my designe to treat of that degree of Prayer but only passingly in order to affectiue Prayer to vvhich it is but a remote preparation And besides there are Patternes of such exercises abundantly obuious to euery one the vvhich may suffise any Internall liuer being practised according to the instructions here formerly giuen And as for the Supreme Degree of affectiue Contemplatiue Praier to vvit perfect Aspirations I haue contented my selfe vvith selecting a few vvhich are added in the conclusion rather to shevv to imperfect soules the forme manner of them then for the vse of Perfect Soules ripe for the exercise of them For such are conducted immediatly entirely by a Diuine Light haue no need of humane prescriptions Neither indeed can they proffitably make vse of any other Affections then only such as Gods Holy Spirit shall suggest to them 2. As touching therfore the foresaid Exercises of forced immediate Acts of the Will affections I haue compiled a sufficient variety of them proper for all states dispositions of soules as Acts of Remorse Feare Contrition c. vvhich belong to the Purgatiue way And likevvise Acts of Adoration Glorification Humiliation Resignation Loue which belong to the Illuminatiue Vnitiue Wayes I haue moreouer made some distinct Exercises of Affections more proper for some soules then are those vvhich I call Acts of the Will Besides I haue set dovvne most copiously Patternes of simple Acts of Resignation as being generally the most vsefull proper for most soules And lastly seuerall Exercises there are mixed interlaced partly vvith Acts partly vvith Affections those not of one but seuerall kinds Because many soules there are that cannot content themselues vvith being tyed to any one kind of determinate exercise And therfore my desire vvas to comply vvith all tempers to the end that euery one might find an Exercise proper proffitable for him or at least might be put in the way hovv to fâ—ame for himselfe such an one 3. A soule that after a sufficient time diligently spent in the practise of Meditation is maturely called conducted by God