he reveal his secret to his Servants But he revealed all his Will and all Perfection to his Apostles by his only begotten Son as he says Jo. 15. All things whatsoever which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you To the end that they might reveal the same to Posterity which also they have faithfully done For their sound went out into all the Earth and their Words unto the ends of the World Psal 18. But amongst the Apostles he revealed and declared his greatest Secrets to S. John the Evangelist and to S. Paul Amongst other things he revealed to them the eight Beatitudes saying Mat. 5. Blessed are the poor in Spirit c. Blessed are the Meek c. which Beatitudes contain in them great Perfection and declare the perfect Will of God There is a difference betwixt Contemplation Meditation and Cogitation for in Cogitation the Mind wanders in Meditation it finds out something in Contemplation it admires Cogitation is without Labour and without Fruit Meditation is with Labour and with Fruit Contemplation is without Labour and with Fruit. We are brought to the Contemplation of God by three Degrees concerning which St. Gregory The first is That the Soul recollect it self to it self The Second is that it see it self what it is thus recollected The Third is That it arise above it self and submit it self attending to the Contemplation of it's invisible Maker But it can by no means recollect it self to it self unless it have first learnt to restrain the Phantasms of terrestrial and celestial Images from the Eye of the Mind unless it have learnt to reject and trample upon whatsoever shall occur to it's Thought from the corporeal Sight Hearing Smelling Tasting or Touching that it may seek it self such within as it is without those for whilst it thinks upon those things it turns over within it self as it were certain shadows of Bodies Therefore all those things are to be driven away from the Eyes of the Mind by the hand of Discretion that the Soul may consider it self such as it is created under God above the Body that being vivificated by the Superior it may vivificated the Inferior which it administers We often will consider the invisible nature of Almighty God but we are not able and the Soul wearied with those difficulties returns to it self and makes to it self of it self degrees of Ascensions that first of all if it be able it may consider it self and then find out that Nature which is above it as far as it is able But if our Mind shall be dispersed in carnal Images it is by no means sufficient to consider it self or the Nature of the Soul because by as many Thoughts as it is lead it is as it were blinded by so many Obstacles The first Degree therefore is that the Soul c. The Motives to Contemplation are the ineffable Sweetness which is there perceived the admirable Perfection which is there learn'd the principal of all Beatitude which is there found for the Fountain of all Beatitude the most High God is there known and what is known that is loved and what is truly loved is desired and laboured for that it may be obtained and what is industriously laboured for that is at length acquired and when at length it shall be acquired it is possessed with endless Delight Of this St. Bernard A Soul which has once learnt of our Lord and has received of him to enter into her self and in her most inward recesses to pant after the presence of God and to seek his Face alwayes for God is a Spirit and they who seek him must walk in the Spirit and not in the Flesh that they may live according to the Flesh Such a Soul I say I know not whether she would count it more horrible and painful to experiment Hell it self for a time than after having tasted the Sweetness of this spiritual Study to go out again to the Allurements or rather to the Troubles of the Flesh and to return to the insatiable Curiosity of the Senses Ecclesiastes saying chap. 2. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear with hearing For hear an experienced man what he says Thou art good says he O Lord to those who hope in thee to the Soul which seeks thee From this Good if any one should have endeavoured to have averted that holy Soul I believe he would hardly have taken it otherwise than if he should have seen himself to have been cast out of Paradise and from the very Entrance of Glory Hear yet another like unto this My Heart says he has said to thee my Face has sought thee thy Face O Lord will I seek Whence he said But it is good for me to adhere to God And also speaking to his Soul he says Be converted O my Soul into thy Rest because the Lord has done well unto thee I say therefore unto you that there is nothing which one who has received this Favour does so much fear as lest being left by the Divine Grace it should be necessary for him to go out again to the Consolations yea the Desolations of the Flesh and again to suffer the Tumults of his carnal Senses In this Contemplation was St. Augustin when he said But it displeased me that I lived in the World and it was a great burden to me my sensual Desires not now inflaming me as they were wont with the hope of Honour and Money to endure that so grievous Servitude For now those things did not delight me by reason of thy sweetness and of the beauty of thy House which I loved He has an Argument of true Contemplation who is weary of living in this miserable World saying with B. Tobias chap. 3. It is better for me to dye than to live And with H. Job chap. 10. My Soul is weary of my Life And with St. Paul Rom. 7. Vnhappy Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death And he who thirsts after the Fountain of Life saying with the Psalmist As the Hart thirsts after Fountains of Water so thirsts my Soul after thee O God Psal 41. Whence St. Gregory A contemplative Life is to retain indeed in the heart the Love of God and our Neighbour but to rest from exterior Action and to inhere only in the desire of the Creator so that nothing is now to be done but all Cares being trampled under Foot the Soul burns with desire to see the Face of it's Creator so that now it knows how to bear with Grief the weight of the corruptible Flesh and with all it's Forces to desire to be present amidst the sweet-singing Quires of Angels and to be mixed with the caelestial Citizens to rejoyce before God for eternal Incorruption He has an Argument of false Contemplation who holds something concerning God or some Perfection of God contrary to the Holy Scriptures which notwithstanding he temerariously defends by Reasons And hence came Heresies of
old to wit that of Arrius who denied the Son to be coeternal and consubstantial with the Father And that of Sabellius who confounded the Persons in the Trinity putting only a nominal difference whereas they truly differ in their Properties For the Father properly has Innascibility the Son properly Nascibility the Holy Ghost Procession CHAP. XXXIV Of Discretion TRUE Discretion is prudently to judge betwixt the Creator and the Creature what the Creator is and what the Creature Also to discern what is good what better and what the best of all what is bad what worse what the worst of all How much God is to be desired and how much Evil to be detested Also what Reverence one ought to have to his Superior what Clemency and Compassion to his Inferior and what Society to his Equal how he ought to behave himself to the Dead how to the Living how to his Predecessors and how to those that are to succeed him How to his Friends that they be loved in God and how to his Enemies that they be loved for God How secretly before God and how openly before men What refection is to be given to the Flesh and what to the Spirit What Cloths he is to wear When he is to eat when to drink when to abstain and how much and from what meats when to Watch and when to sleep and how much and how long When to pray when to weep and when to do any work How to behave himself to praise and how to reprove When to speak and when to be silent how much for what causes with whom in what place and at what time When to receive when to retain and when to give and how much and to whom and and at what time To order and prudently to discern Concerning all these things is the work of true Discretion This Vertue is the mistress of all Virtues appointing unto them all their Measure and Order But where discretion is not there charity does not observe Order What is to be loved in the first place and what in the last nor measure what is to be loved less and what more S. Augustin testifies where Humility is too much observed the Autority of him that rules is broken There obedience is blind and foolish where one believes he is to obey even in ill things There Liberality is too profuse when one gives without Necessity to Stage-players Where Discretion is not there Fear is dejected into Despair and Hope is turned into Presumtion There Justice shews too great Severity There Patience Mercy Meekness Benignity Goodness dissemble unjust things There Religion is dissolved into Licentiousnes Truth falsified Chastity violated Maturity made light Constancy quite changed This Virtue encreases by the failing of other Virtues For when a man often falls from Humility into Pride or Vain-glory from Charity into Envy from Patience into Anger from Meekness into Rancor from Fervor into Tepidity from Chastity into carnal Concupiscence from love of Poverty into Covetousness from Peace into Disquiet from Union into Discord from Obedience into Rebellion from matutiry into Levity from Religion into Dissolution from Silence into Talkativeness or Detraction from spiritual Love into Carnal from Hope into Presumption from a just Fear into Humane and Servile from Justice into Severity from Mercy into Softness from Constancy into Mutableness from Truth into Falseness then indeed one is made more cautious and more sollicitous and discreet in all things Helps to true Discretion are diligent reading and meditation in the Holy Scriptures continual search into the Examples of Saints frequent Counsel from discreet Persons according to that Tob. 4. Alwayes ask counsel of the wise Whence our Lord to Paul Acts 9. Arise and enter into the City and it shall be told thee what thou art to do In like manner he sent the Lepers Luke 17. Go shew your selves to the Priests Not to one only but to more that if one be less discreet another more discreet may be sought He has an Argument of true Discretion who does all his works with the counsel of the Discreet whom if he cannot always have he discusses all his Works and Affairs in his own Conscience before God with true Discretion and mature Deliberation according to that Eccles 32. Son do nothing without counsel and thou shalt not repent thee afterwards Yet let him not in this neither always believe his own Conscience unless he have the manifest testimony of the Scripture Neither let him by any means wrest the Scripture to his own sense but conform his sense to the Scripture He has an Argument of Indiscretion who above his strength labours in Watchings Fastings Prayers Disciplines and Tears destroying himself in a short time he is made unprofitable in the Service of God for many years But alas there are few in our days guilty of this Excess He has an Argument of false Discretion who being careful not to destroy his Body neglects nothing which makes for its commodity saying to the Lord My Strength I will keep for thee Psal 58. And in the mean time the Spirit faints and pines away for want of spiritual Food which by no means can be had without Labour whence St. Augustin Whilst we fear the weakness of our Flesh we neglect the health of our Soul Because the Flesh if it be daintily fed kills the Spirit As the Moth eats up the Wool and the Fire consumes Wood Hey and Straw so the rebellious and dainty Flesh burns up and consumes the Soul Such an one does not consider that at length his Flesh shall be destroyed although it should enjoy all sorts of Commodities As Secular People giving all pleasure to their Bodies do not serve God the more but are more frequently sick However it is better that the Spirit should live replenished with Grace in a languid Body than that it should be languid or dead in a sound Body CHAP. XXXV Of Congratulation TRUE Congratulation which regards God is to rejoyce with God for all his Beatitude and eternal innate Perfection to wit for his Omnipotency Wisdom Goodness c. and that he wants nothing but is sufficient for himself and all Creatures Also to rejoyce with God for the orderly Disposition of Heaven and Earth and of all things that are in them and for all his Works from the beginning of the World to the end thereof especially for the works of his Incarnation Circumcision Passion Resurrection Ascension and Mission of the Holy Ghost and for all his Judgments manifest and secret about Devils about Souls in Hell Lymbus and Purgatory and about wicked men in the World Also to rejoyce with God for whatsoever Praise and Honour he has from Angels and Saints in Heaven and from Men on Earth True Congratulation to our Neighbours is to rejoyce with all the Angels and Saints for their glory in Heaven to rejoyce with the B. Virgin Mary with the Patriarchs and Prophets with the Apostles and all the Elect with all holy men
same is to be understood of voluntary Vows which have an equal Obligation with Precepts St. Gregory also bears witness to our Lord Return sayes he my dear Brethren inwardly to your selves Ask your selves if indeed you love God Yet let no body believe himself whatsoever his mind shall answer him without the attestation of his Works Let the Tongue Mind and Life be asked concerning the Love of your Creator The Love of God is never idle For if it be it works great things but if it refuse to work it is not Love But this Execution of Works and Observation of God's Commandments must be purified by the Intention and must be done neither for fear of Punishment nor for love of Reward as St. Augustin testifies He loves God not who therefore keeps the Commandments because he is compelled thereunto either by the greatness of Punishment or by the greedy desire of Reward but because that which is commanded is honest and the very best There are also two other signs of a sincere Love to God to wit when a man congratulates with God in all things which please him by whomsoever at whatsoever time and in whatsoever place they are done For a natural Love deserves no praise from God because it alwayes reflects it self upon it self and seeks its own commodity but the gratuitous or free Love only is praise-worthy which always is carried out of it self into another A second sign is when a man condoles with God in all things which displease him by whomsoever at whatsoever time and in whatsoever place they are done Of true Love of our Neighbour True Love to ones Neighbour is to love ones Neighbour as himself Friend and Enemy as St. Augustin says To love ones Neighbour as himself is to love him in God to God and for God Thus every one ought to love his Neighbour as himself As he desires all good to himself and flies all Evil so let him do to his Neighbour Or thus As every one loves his own proper Good in Body and Soul in Goods and good Name and as every one in these four flies and hates his own proper Evil and Dammage so every one ought in these to love all the good and hate all the dammage both of Friend and Enemy Though no body is bound by way of Precept to be moved so much or so ardently to his Neighbour as to himself True Charity cannot be known by our Love of our Friends For even the Publicans love those who love them Matt. 5. But true Charity is understood by our love of our Enemies To love him that loves us is but Nature but to love one who does not love us is the work of Grace But true Charity to our Neighbour is yet more excellently understood in the Gloss upon St. Matthew which says To love one that loves us is Nature but by Favours and Courtesies to draw one to love who loves us not is Perfection And although no body be bound by Precept to love so much and so fervently his Enemy as his Friend yet happy were he and highly Perfect who could love as much yea more and do works of Charity for his Enemy as for his Friend for him that corrects and reproves him as for him that flatters him for him that dispraises him as for him that praises him because as St. Chrysostom says Nothing makes us so like unto God as to be courteous to those who malign and hurt us And it is certain we might get greater Grace out of Persecution than out of Favour if we knew how to use it aright as the Enemies of the Martyrs profited them more to Eternal Glory than did their Friends Nature ought to move us to the love of our Neighbour because every living Creature loves his like and so should every man his Neighbour Eccles 13.19 And because the Image of God is in him and it is commanded us so to do in the Holy Scripture The signs of true Charity to our Neighbour are Truly to condole as well with Enemies as with Friends in all their Adversities Truly and from the heart to rejoyce with them in every thing that happens prosperous unto them The signs of true Hatred to our Neighbour are when we think of him with Regret when we see him with sadness of heart when we speak with him or of him or hear others speak of him with bitterness of mind when we hinder as much as we can all his Good and that which is profitable unto him when we diminish and pervert the good which is in him Our Lord Jesus did not so to his Traytor Judas who in the very time of his Treason fed him with his own Body and Blood together with his other beloved Apostles and in the very place where he betrayed him refusing not to be kiss'd by him most courteously saluted him grieving more for his Evil than for his own incommodity as sayes St. Hierom. But it is wonderful that any one can flatter himself as if he loved his Brother when he has these signs of Hatred in his Heart But to many it seems sufficient if they wish Eternal Happiness to their Neighbours which they can neither give them nor take away from them and which they ought to wish even to Jews and Pagans Nor will they remember that seeing our Lord has laid down his Life for his Enemies we are obliged also not only to love our Christian Brethren but also to part with our Goods and Lives for them in the time of their necessity But Superiours are chiefly obliged hereunto By two things Charity is cherished Our Charity to God by keeping his Commandments according to that John 15. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall remain in my Love as I also have kept my Fathers Commandments and remain in his Love Our Charity to our Neighbour by Compassion according to that of Ecclesiasticus c. 7. Fail not to comfort those that weep and walk with those that mourn refuse not to visit the sick for by these things thou shalt be strengthened in Charity CHAP. II. Of Humility OUR Humility is true and perfect when we do not desire glory should be given us and contemn it when it is given us The humble man always fears lest any glory should be given him and if any be given him he trembles and is heavily sorry for it knowing that Honour and Glory are due only to God The truly humble never glories of any Grace or Glory unless he intend hereby to raise his Hearers to a Confidence in God But if any Grace or any thing that 's glorious be reported of him he hears it with grief of Heart and dejection of himself knowing that what is ascribed to him is God's alone To whom alone all Glory is to be given 1 Tim. 1. The truly humble compares himself neither to his Superior nor to his Inferior nor to his Equal nay indeed he deems no Body inferiour to himself he contemns no Body he heartily despises none
Either forgive them this Fault or if thou doest not blot me out of thy Book which thou hast written Exod. 32. Such Prayers God willingly hears and grants whence those David Christ and Stephen were heard for their Enemies An Argument of Impatience is when one for some Trouble brought upon him by reason of some inward Disturbance voluntarily omitts certain good Works which he might conveniently and ought to have done for then God suffers Injury done him by Man the same inward Motion can hardly hide it self but it will break out either in the Countenance Gesture or Words This is the most dangerous kind of Impatience whose Revenge breaks it self upon the innocent God CHAP. V. Of Poverty TRue and perfect Poverty is voluntarily and freely to leave all things for God to possess nothing but bare Necessaries and to think ones self unworthy of them yea sometimes for God and for the Love of Poverty willingly to want even Necessaries for where there is no need there true Poverty cannot be discerned So our Lord Jesus Christ wanted necessary Food when he could not have Bread for himself and his Disciples rubbing Ears of Corn who in like manner wanted necessary Cloaths when as says St. Bernard he was stripped stark naked before his Cross who also being a thirst upon his Cross could not have a Draught of Water nor a Stone or Board whereon when he was a dying he might lean his crucified Head Alas how often is Superfluity there where true Need is believed to be The truly Poor desires no transitory things yea refuses them when they are offered after the Example of Elizeus who refused the gifts of Naaman 2 Kings 5. and after the Example of Daniel who despised the gifts of King Balthazar He truly loves Poverty who had rather deserve a little Glory in the Kingdom of Heaven through Poverty than a great one through Riches And this to be more conformable to Jesus Christ Three things ought to move us to the love of true Poverty according to St. Bernard Nothing says he is more dear to God nothing more amiable to the Angels nothing more profitable to Men than to end this Life in Poverty and Obedience That Poverty is pleasing to God the same St. Bernard testifies In the left hand of God says he are Riches and Glory in his right hand length of Life Of all these there was an eternal Abundance in Heaven but Poverty was not found there but on Earth it did abound and superabound and Man knew not it's Value wherefore the Son of God being enamoured with it came down that he might make Choice of it for himself and that he might also by his Esteem of it make it precious to us Another motive to true Poverty is the glory of sitting beside our Lord Jesus proceeding hence that the ignoble Poor shall sit by him in Judgment and judge the Noble and Rich. And how laudable is it before God purely to leave all things for him and of ones own Choice to be poor for the Love of God to confide in God above all things because he is so powerful once or twice a day to afford all things necessary for the Body which are the least things before God for he gives them more abundantly to his Enemies than to his Friends as he is powerful to minister to the Spirit Day and Night and every Moment an abundance of spiritual gifts which are the greatest things before God nor does he communicate them to his Enemies but only to the good who are his Friends An Argument of true Poverty is to have no Solicitude for transitory things but simply and securely to commit himself to God who plentifully administers all Necessaries even to Birds and Worms and especially to the young ones of Crows which cry for Hunger in their Nest whom the old black Crow leaves to starve because of their Whiteness as if they were not her own Brood who are fed either by the Bounty of God or by the Dew of the Air until growing black their Damn succour them or else they swallow down Gnats and Flies which stick to the Foam of their Bills they crying uncessantly for Hunger An Argument of false Poverty or Covetousness is willingly to beg Gifts without necessity or willingly and frequently to receive them Such an one sells his Liberty according to that of the Philosopher Publius Mimus to receive Gifts is to sell ones Liberty yea the Scripture says Thou shalt not receive Gifts because they blind the Eyes of the Wise and change the Words of the just Deut. 16. For how is he a Lover of Poverty who will endure no Want and receives unnecessary Gifts willingly and frequently Yea who asks them and by certain subtle Devices extorts them and without Necessity keeps them CHAP. VI. Of Chastity TRue and perfect Chastity is when not only the Body is kept from carnal Pollution but even the Soul is preserved clean from carnal Concupiscence after the Example of Sarah saying Thou knowest O Lord that I have never lusted after man and have kept my Soul clean from all Concupiscence yea and from those things which give occasions of Concupiscence And this is that which follows in the same place I have never kept Company with those that sport neither have I familiarly conversed with those of light behaviour Tob. 3. He truly loves Chastity who if it were possible would chuse rather less Grace in this life and less Glory in the other by Virginal Chastity to be more conformed to Jesus Christ than by paying the Conjugal debt to merit greater Grace and Glory The motives which ought to incite us to the love of Chastity are the Example of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his Blessed Mother and the holy Virgins who have despised Kingdoms and voluntarily lost their Lives to preserve their Chastity as S. Agnes S. Katherin S. Agatha and inumerable others and especially the Chastity of Pagan Women and Virgins of whom S. Hierom writes That they chose Death that they might conserve their Chastity The Cleanness also and Freedom which follow Chastity ought to move and invite us to it as also the glory which our Lord Jesus has promised to Chastity He who shall overcome says he Apoc. 3. to wit the concupiscence of the Flesh I will give him to sit with me in my throne as I also have overcome and have sat with my Father in his Throne for incorruption makes one very near unto God Sap. 6. These things are inductive of Chastity and conserve it a spare Diet plain Attire corporal Incommodity to avoid opportune time and place for Impurity which if Dina the Daughter of Jacob had done she had not been taken when she went to a feast to see the women of the Country Gen. 34. Moreover to shun the Company of suspected persons Now every man ought to be suspected by every woman for hence Thamar the daughter of David was corrupted by her own Brother because she did not suspect
him when she served him alone in his counterfeit Sickness 2 Sam. 13. In like manner every Woman though never so vertuous ought to be suspicious to every Man according to the Counsel of St. Hierom saying If thou wilt preserve thy Chastity if thou happen to see a Woman although of good Conversation love her with thy Mind but not with thy corporal Presence But the chief Preservative of Chastity is to be delighted in the Lord for then all other things become vile Spiritual Delights being once tasted all carnal become insipid St. Bernard Whence St Gregory He who is overcome by the love of Earthly Things is by no means delighted in God for the Soul can never be without all Delight For it is either delighted with the lowest things or with the highest and with how greater Industry it aspires to the highest with so much greater loathing it neglects the lowest And with how much more Heat it is inflamed towards the lowest with so greater damnable Tepidity it grows cold towards the highest for both of them cannot equally and together be loved An Argument of true Chastity is a restraining of the five Senses from the Allurements of the Flesh and a Subtraction of the Heart from vain Thoughts and Delights for from the Delectation of the Sight in seeing of the Tast in tasting of the Smell in smelling of the Feeling in touching of the Feet in walking of the Mouth in laughing and talking are wont to arise carnal desires which effeminate the Soul and make it pliable and inclined to Impurity An Argument or Inductive of Unchastity is Intemperance in Meat and Drink for hence Noah was immodestly uncovered Gen. 9. And Lot committed Incest with his own Daughters Gen. 19. And therefore the Apostle Eph. 5. commands saying Be not drunk with Wine in which is Luxury to wit occasionally Moreover An unchaste Eye is the Messenger of an unchaste Heart as St. Augustin testifies In like manner unchaste Words an unchaste Gate and holding Chat with Women as Ecclesiasticus testifies ch 9. For the Beauty of a Woman many have perished and hereby Concupiscence is inflamed like a Fire In like manner talking with Men inflames Women and a curious eying of the Gate and Beauty of another provokes to Impurity which Ecclesiasticus dissuades saying Do not look upon a Virgin least thou happen to be scandalized in her Comeliness Eccl. 9. The same Care a Woman ought to have towards Men let her not fix her Thoughts or Eyes upon a Man nor a Man in like manner upon a Woman This wholsom Counsel Job followed chap. 31. I have made a Covenant with my Eyes not so much as to think upon a Virgin which is more than simply to decline their Conversation CHAP. VII Of Abstinence TRue and perfect Abstinence is the use of only Necessaries in Food and Rayment and an universal subtraction of Delicacies and Superfluities and of such things as are prepared with great Care and bought with great Cost after the Example of S. John Baptist who eat Locusts and the Leaves of milky Trees which had the Savour of Honey and drank Water and his Rayment was made of Camels hair Matth. 3. Whence the Apostle Having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content 1 Tim. 6. Because the Servant of God ought not to have Cloaths for Ornament or Delight but to cover his Nakedness As says the ordinary Gloss upon St. Matthew concerning the Cloathing of Saint John He observes and loves true Abstinence who does not only willingly abstain from those things which are delightfull which he has not and which are unlawful to him but also freely and purely for the love of God forbears such delightful Things as he has and may have and might use lawfully and meritoriously whether they be dear or vile For if any one should take more Delight in Roots than in Partridges in Water than in Wine Abstinence from Water and Roots would be more acceptable to God than Abstinence from Wine and Partridges For S. Augustin says no Delicacies whatsoever do hurt us if they be taken without desire And course meats eaten with gust or greedily hinder the Virtue of perfect Abstinence for David poured out the Water upon the Ground which he had inordinately desired which he dared not drink because he had vehemently desired it 2 Sam. 23. Elias did eat Flesh not which he desired but which God sent him by a Crow 1 Kings 17. Esau is a Witness of this who sold a Blessing never to be recovered not for a Fowl but for a Mess of Broth. Nor must we only abstain from those things which please the Body but also from those which delight the Soul to wit from Vanities from idle Discourse from temporal Joy and from carnal Friendship This Abstinence is better and also more laudable than the first There are two Motives to true Abstinence The one that we never receive the Gifts of God with due Gratitude and never enjoy them for their right end and according to the divine Order and hereby incurr God's severe Anger The other is that we must give a strict Account of all the Gifts received by us to wit for what end we have received them either for our own Pleasure or for just Necessity or for common Good But he who wholly abstains from them has no account at all to give of them A double Profit follows Abstinence to wit a Knowledge of the divine Secrets and the hearing of our Prayers which are both manifest in Daniel who because he refused the King's Meat and Drink and would live upon Water and Pulse surpassed all the Magicians and Sooth-sayers in the knowledge of Visions and Dreams Secondly because for his Prayers the seven Years which Nebuchodonozor should have lived as a Beast were changed into seven Months when also he had obtained of God to encline the Kings to give the People leave to return to Hierusalem he also obtained for the People when they delayed a Will to return In many Desires and in the understanding of Mysteries he was heard for his Abstinence which himself testifies saying Dan. 10. In those days I Daniel lamented and mourned for three Weeks I eat no pleasant Bread and Flesh and Wine entred not into my Mouth neither was I anointed with Oyntment And therefore an Angel said unto him From the first day on which thou did'st resolve to afflict thy self in the Sight of thy God thy Words were heard A third may be added that Abstinence procures the Mercy of God as appears in the Ninevites who at Jonas's preaching through Abstinence obtained the Mercy of God Jon. 3. We may admire but not imitate the Abstinence of the ancient Priests of whom St. Hierom writes that they always abstained from Flesh and Wine for a weakness of Brain and Giddiness which they suffered from their spare Diet and especially to prevent lustful Concupiscence which is wont to arise from those Meats and from that Drink They seldom eat Bread lest
they should burthen their Stomach and when they did eat any they eat pounded Hysop with it that by the Heat of this Herb they might concoct that grosser Food they used no Oyl but with Herbs and this very sparingly to take away the Offensiveness and Sharpness of their Taste What shall I speak of Fowls when they abstain from Eggs and Milk as Flesh one of which they call liquid Flesh the other Blood only with the Colour changed An Argument of true Abstinence is when one does not only in time of Health reject costly and delicate Viands but also when in Sickness and other Necessity he makes use of them with Grief of Mind also when one does not only abstain from delicate costly and superfluous Meats but also sometimes subtracts from himself even Necessaries that he may impart them to the Needy according to that of St. Hierom What thou wouldest eat if thou did'st not fast give to the Poor that the Fast of thy Body may be the Feast of thy Soul but not the gain of thy Purse c. An Argument of false Abstinence is to forbear costly and delicate Meats only when thou hast them not or for vain-glory to be praised or for Parsimony to prevent Poverty or for Covetousness to grow rich or for Health-sake or to avoid Infamy and Detraction or to procure some Dignity or transitory Emolument and not to obtain Grace in this Life and glory in the other CHAP. VIII Of Prudence TRue and perfect Prudence is always to labour after the knowledge of the divine Nature and the depth of humane Misery which Prudence St. Augustin aspired after saying O God who art always the same may I know my self may I know thee He has true Prudence who labours sollicitously to acknowledge what is the best and embraces it with all his Might and what is the worst and detests it with all his Heart He is truly prudent who frequently ponders what shall be the Lot of the good and what of the bad what Joy it shall be to the good to be eternally united to the supreme Good and what a grief it shall be to the bad to be eternally separated from the same chiefest Good He has true Prudence who eyes with his utmost Endeavour every thing which hinders for a time from the Familiarity of God to wit Venial Sin and which separates for ever from the Fruition of God to wit Mortal Sin In like manner he uses true Prudence who loves all things which make to draw near to God to wit good Works and which eternally unite to God to wit Vertues and the Gifts of the Holy Ghost A Motive to true Prudence is the Example of the Philosophers who laboured so much for Knowledge as St. Hierom writes that they shunned Cities and much Company pleasant Gardens where the ground is watered with delightfull Streams the Birds sweetly sing the Trees are peruqued with Leaves or are other Allurements of the Eyes least by a luxuriant Abundance the Fortitude of the Mind should be effeminated and its Prudence debauched For it is unprofitable often to see those things by which some time or other thou mayst be taken and so commit thy self to the Temptation of such things as thou canst not want but with difficulty In like manner the Pythagoreans were wont to dwell in desart places And we read of some who have put out their Eyes lest by their Sight they should be drawn from the Contemplation of Philosophy But if any one think he may enjoy all Abundance in Meats and Drinks and yet be able to attend to the study of Wisdom that is be in the midst of all delights and not be entangled and held by them he deceives himself for our Mind runs upon that which we see hear smell taste and touch and our appetite is drawn after that with whole pleasure it is taken How much more we who ought to study Divine Wisdom We ought also to be moved hereunto by the Damnation of many for their Imprudence according to that of Esaias Chap. 5. Therefore thy people was led away Captive because they had not knowledge And of Baruch chap. 3. Because they had not Wisdom they perished through their folly The Office of Prudence is to order the Thoughts of the heart that they wander not out of God the Affections of the mind that they be not taken up with creatures our Wills that they be not averted from God our Intentions that they be not mixed but pure our Judgments and Suspicions that they be converted to God In like manner it ought to order all our Words Deeds and Motions that they be done for a due End for the common Good and Amendment of all For as Solomon testifies The wisdom of a man appeareth in his Countenance that is in his exterior Conversation Eccles 8. He who is so ordered has an Argument of true Wisdom Concerning this S. Bernard saies Every day discuss and examine thy Life Advert diligently how much thou hast profited how much thou hast gon backward what thou art in thy Manners what in thy Affections how like and unlike unto God study diligently to know thy self For thou art much better if thou knowest thy self than if being ignorant of thy self thou knowest the Course of the Stars and the Vertues of Herbs An argument of false prudence is to endeavor to know the course of the Stars the Vertues of Herbs the value of Jewels only for gain For such knowledg does not edifie but puff up with Vanity 1 Cor. 8. To be crafty also in secular affairs indicates false Prudence yea it is Foolishness as the Apostle testifieth who says 1 Cor. 3. The Wisdom of this World is folly in the sight of God And such alas there are but too many and therefore our Lord Jesus complains saying Luke 16. The Children of this World are wiser than the Children of Light in their Generation There are also others who are subtil to continue Wickednesses and new Inventions but they are blind to consider the Will of God of such the Prophet Jeremy says They are wise to do evil but they are ignorant how to do well Such as the Apostle sayes saying and believing themselves to be Wise they are become Fools CHAP. VIII Of Fortitude TRue and perfect Fortitude is to have Command over ones own Soul when the Mind is tempted by Pride Envy Anger Luxury Covetousness vain Glory Complacence and carnall Delights and rightly understanding Reason does by no means consent but instantly suppresses such Motions Whence that Pro. 16. Better is he who commands his own Soul than he who conquers Cities This Fortitude the strongest of men Sampson had not although he tore a Lion in Pieces and killed a thousand men with the Jaw-bone of an Ass Because for the lust of a woman he was deprived of all his strength Judges 14.15 16. He has true Fortitude who restraines his Body and senses from all unlawful Things This Fortitude David had not who killed a
without good Works Such Hope is Vain as it is said in the Book of Wisdom Chap. 5. The Hope of the Wicked is as Down which is carried away by the wind and as a thin Froth which is scatter'd by Storms and as Smoke which the Wind disperses and as the memory of a Guest for a day in passing CHAP. XXII Of Fear JUST Fear is a diligent keeping of the Divine Precepts in Faith and Manners Also Just Fear is an Anxiety of Heart withdrawing a man from the unlawful use of the Members of his Body and of his outward Senses and inward Affections lest the Soul should be wholly separated from God or somewhat estranged from familiarity with him Taking heed also lest the Mind take delight in Meat Drink Sleep or in any other the least Creature and so decay in its fervour This Anxiety the Spouse had to her beloved lest she should offend him in any Motion Gesture Word or Deed and thereby incur his disfavor Also lest she should be less gratefull through any the very least fault Just fear makes to abstain not only from grievous Sins but also from Venial For by a custom even of Venials Security of mind and familiarity with God is lost and many Graces neglected The manifold profit of just Fear ought to induce us thereunto For it is the beginning of Wisdom as the Psalmist testifies Psal 110. And the beginning of Justice according to that He who is without fear cannot be justified Eccles 1. It is also the Seal and Conclusion of all Virtues and Graces according to that Eccles 25. The fear of God puts it self above all things Where the fear of the Lord is not all Grace is soon lost and the Conscience is perverted according to that Eccles. 27. If thou dost not diligently keep thy self in the fear of the Lord thy House shall soon be overturned S. Bernard brings another Benefit of the Fear of God I have truly learnt that nothing is so efficacious to obtain to keep and to recover Grace as alwaies to be found before God not to be high-minded but to fear Blessed is the man who alwaies fears Prov. 28. Fear therefore when Grace smiles upon thee fear when it leaves thee fear when it returns again and this is to fear alwayes And a little after When it is present fear lest thou shouldest not work worthily with it And a little after Fear when Grace shall be taken away from thee as one who art instantly about to fall And again Now if Grace is propitiously returned thou oughtest much more to fear lest perchance thou suffer a relapse according to that in the Gospel John 5. Behold thou art cured Go thy ways now and sin no more lest some worse thing befall thee To the same the miserable Fall of the Angels ought to induce us concerning which Job says ch 4. Behold those who serve him are not stable and he has found wickedness in his Angels How much more they who inhabit Houses of Dirt who have an Earthly Foundation shall be consumed as it were with a Moth. Also the Falls of Holy men from the beginning of the World as of Adam Sampson Solomon and of all the Apostles And alas at this very day very Holy men are thrown down according to that Psal 90. Thousands shall fall on thy side that is who ought to have sat by the side of the Judge in Judgment and ten thousands on thy right hand that is who ought to have been placed on the right hand of Christ Whence the Gloss says There are many who think they shall judge others and there are many more who think they shall be placed on the right hand amongst those that are saved but they are deceived For they who presume of themselves and have not their Root fixed on high fail in their imaginations We ought to be moved to the same by the Example of the Saints fearing God as Job says of himself ch 31. I have alwaies feared God as Waves swelling over me Upon that of Job Chap. 17. All that I have shall go down into the deepest Hell and do you think at least there I shall be at rest The Gloss says Consider who of us can be secure of Rest when he is afraid whom the Judge himself commends S. Hierom speaking of himself says as often as I think upon the day of Judgment my whole body trembles What then shall such poor wretches as we do when so great men tremble He has an Argument of Just Fear who is so sollicitous in all things which belong to God that at no time nor place he neglects any thing that is possible unto him Yea according to his power he does all things fervently whence it is said in Ecclesiastes chap. 7. He who fears God neglects nothing And in Ecclesiasticus Chap. 15. He who feares God will do good things He has an Argument of unjust Fear who for the loss of Body or Goods and not for God does do good and omit ill or do ill and omit Good This Fear our Lord prohibits saying Math. 10. Do not fear those who kill the Body And Esaias Chap. 51. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a mortal man To such the Lord saies Deut. 32. Where are their Gods in which they put their Confidence CHAP. XXIII Of Joy TRUE Joy or Gladness is to be comforted in those things which belong to God For the matter of all Joy is in God to wit Power Wisdom Goodness Liberality Beauty Beatitude Mercy Justice Truth Nobility Sanctity Meekness Faithfulness Charity Humility and all such like Excellencies And all these things are immensly and eternally in God He has true Joy who has a sincere Conscience in all his Doings Nor does ever wittingly transgress the Divine Precepts and Vows but alwaies endeavours to grow better and to conform himself to the Example and Divine Manners of Jesus Christ Of this Conscience the Apostle rejoyced and gloryed saying 2 Cor. 1. This is our Glory the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity of Heart and sincerity of God and not in Carnal Wisdom but in the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in this World but more abundantly to you wards It ought to move us to true Joy that the All-good God amongst all Creatures has so far united Humane Nature alone to himself that it may with Truth he said God is Man and Man is God And whatsoever God has by nature Man has by Grace For he did not take the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham as the Apostle says Heb. 2. S. Chrysostom Is it not a great and wonderful thing that our Flesh should sit above and be adored by Angels and Arch-angels Another motive is that God has assured us of Eternal Beatitude by the Promises of the Law and the Prophets and also by Oath according to that Luk. 1. The Oath which he swore to Abraham our Father that he would give us By the four Evangelists by
annihilation of ones self and a due reverence of Heart So David magnified the Gifts of the Commandments of God saying Psal 118. I have loved thy commandements above Gold and Topaz Stones And Solomon extolled the gift of Wisdom saying Pro. 8. Wisdom is better than all the most pretious Riches and every thing that is desirable cannot be compared unto it He has true Gratitude who thinks himself unworthy of all the Gifts of God And by how much he reputes and judges himself more unworthy of the Favors of God by so much the more does the Gratitude of his mind increase For all those things which thou hast given us O Christ thou requirest nothing of us but that we would be saved and thou also giving this very thing as it were thankest the Receivers S. Chrysostom The consideration of the Giver ought to move us to Gratitude who is Omnipotent the most Noble the most Loving the most Faithfull the Best the most Happy and the most Perfect Also the greatness of the Gifts For there is no gift so small eirher corporal or spiritual which comes from God in which the immense God is not included with all his Divine Virtue the affection also of the giver is to be pondered For he does not give himself by halves or with Indignation that he may be freed of us but out of all his Divine Desire out of all his Love and Goodness the profit also of the Gifts is to be considered For he gives every one of them that we may know love and enjoy him and to make us happy We ought to weigh also what it is that compels him to give not the fear of any Evil or hope of any Good nor any Vertue of ours but his own immense and eternal Goodness Our Unworthiness also ought to be reflected on who are not worthy even of our very Life nor have we deserved to be even Worms amongst his other Creatures The profit also of Gratitude ought to move us hereunto for it opens the Fountain of Deity and moves God to pour out himself upon us as Ingratitude dryes up the Founof the Divine Deity the dew of Mercy the streams of Grace The greater Gratitude there is in the Soul the more apt it is to receive Grace and the more the All-bountiful God is compell'd to give it He has an Argument of true Gratitude who having maturely pondered all the above mentioned motives to Gratitude reverently receives the Divine Graces and with all his Heart gives thanks for them all litle and great and having received them from his most Loving Lord with his utmost endeavour strives to keep them undefiled For how was the gift of the Friend gratefull which was not gratefully received and which was so soon Voluntarily defiled and lost Nor do we need Gratitude only for those things which are to our Comfort but also for those which are to our Affliction for God gives both out of the same Goodness and Charity Hence Tobias sayes Ch. 11. I bless thee O Lord God of Israel because thou hast chastized me and thou hast saved me For in order to equal Grace in this Life and Glory in the other God gives Devotion to men and permits Tribulation to happen to them or for their gteater Profit as he permitted to Job who said Chap. 2. If we have received good things from the hand of God why should we not receive Evil As if he should say we ought gratefully to receive both CHAP. XXVI Of Zeal of Souls TRUE and perfect Zeal of Souls is when one by holy Meditations by fervent Desires by Tears Prayers Watchings Fastings by Preachings by Confessions by Counsel by Instruction and by other good Works labours for the Salvation of Souls Now how great this Grace is Venerable Bede thus describes What Grace is more sublime and what Conversation more grateful to God than theirs whose daily Business it is to convert Souls to the favour of their Maker and always to be encreasing the Joy of the celestial Country by their frequent Acquisition of faithful Souls Also St. Gregory says There is no such Sacrifice to the omnipotent God as is the Zeal of Souls And this in regard of the Image of the B. Trinity imprinted upon Souls The Example of Jesus Christ ought to move us to the Zeal of Souls who all his Life long with so great Fervor thirsted after the Conversion of Sinners and the Perfection of those that were good that for the Recovery of lost Souls he offered his particular Members to particular Torments and at last his very Life to a most shameful Death as St. Bernard testifies So great was his Zeal for the Reconciliation of Man that he did not attend his own Stipend so he might gain the lost Sheep O! How great is the Dignity of Souls and how great is the Zeal of God for Souls for whose Redemption the Son of God offered all his precious blood to God his Father when notwithstanding one drop of such precious blood would have sufficed for the Redemption of all mankind as saies S. Ambrose and especially when hereby no happiness could accrew to him nor decrease from him This nobiliy of Souls the Wisdom of God knew which is unknown to us which S. Bernard laments saying Alas how title do we remark the Nobleness of the Soul which being present the Body lives whose absence proves what its presence gave Which God so much esteemed that he gave his only begotten Son for it which the Devil so much prized that he offered the whole world for it He has an Argument of true Fervor who neither regards his own Life nor Body so he may gain Souls to Christ This Zeal David had when he said Who may give me that I may dy for thee O Absalon my Son my Son Absalon 2 Sam. 18. And the Apostle when he saies 2 Cor 12. I most willingly will spend my self and be spent for your Souls 1 Cor. 15. Brethren I dy dayly for your Glory that is I suffer the dangers of Death And S. Dominick when he would have sold himself for a certain Captive detained by the Saracens And again for another who remained amongst Hereticks for want of necessary sustenance Whom notwithstanding the wise God hindred from being sold for the Salvation of many Souls He has an Argument of false Fervor who in his Spiritual Works is more solicitous for gifts than for Souls Such is not the Devil who was figured in the King of the Sodomites who said to Abraham Gen. 14. Give me the Souls take the rest to thy self And he who labours more for the Friendship or Favor of Men than for their Sanctity and Perfection such an one cannot say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. I seek not yours but you But it is to be noted that whensoever two things move to any Work to wit God and somewhat else it is hard to discern which moves most For example the Salvation of the Soul and the hope of Gain or Favor
or desire to Please or Liberty or some other Delight moves one to hear Confessions or to some other Spiritual Work here it is hardly discerned which of these most affects the Mind of him that labours or Works yet it is an evident sign that some of the forementioned Inducements do more move than God and the Salvation of Soul when one hears more willingly the Rich Noble Young and Beautiful than the Poor Ignoble Old and Deformed And when one is Delighted to be oftner and longer with those than with these and perhaps with less Fruit when notwithstanding they have as Holy Consciences as those or more Holy and are as obedient or more to Counsels as they and as much or more study perfection as they and as much or more please God as they Witness S. James Chap. 2. Has not God chosen the Poor in this World rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which God has promised to those who love him but ye have dishonoured the Poor To wit not regarding him in whom notwithstanding Christ is chiefly honoured As it is said in an Homily upon that Honour all men It is evident that in their Works many more seek themselves than God For those Works which have Labour and also some Comfort as are Preaching Confessing Governing and such like although there be great Danger in them yet every one is ready to undertake them But those Works which have only Labour and no Comfort in them as Fasting Watching Disciplines and such like although there be no danger in them yet every one avoids them as much as he can CHAP. XXVII Of Liberty TRUE Liberty is not to be tyed with the Bonds of Sins which do indeed bind us according to that Pro. 5. The transgressions of the Wicked apprehend him and he shall be bound with the cords of his Sins And indeed make him a slave according to that Jo. 8. Every one who commits Sin is a Slave of Sin For to sin is not Liberty nor any part of Liberty as saies S. Anselm but it 's the worst kind of Servitude From this kind of Servitude no Body is freed but by the help of the only Son of God as himself testifies If the Son shall have made you free ye shall be free indeed In the same Chapter He has true Liberty who is not taken with the desire of Temporal Things nor with the Praise nor with the Favour of men nor with self-complacency or displeasure of others nor with Carnal Friendship or servile Fear nor with the delight of Transitory Joy The consideration of the Divine Order which would have man to be Free ought to move us to the love of true Liberty in sign whereof he has given man free Will in this especially making him like to himself that he can be forced by none as neither can God be forced by any one That free Will God bestowed upon man saying in Ecclesiasticus Chap. 15. God made Man from the Beginning and left him in the hand of his own Counsel And a litle after He has set before thee Water and Fire to which thou wilt stretch forth thy hand Before man is Life and Death Good and Evil What he pleases shall be given unto him He is undoubtedly in the way to true Liberty who ties himself by the inviolable observance of the Divine Precepts and counsels his own Vows who refrains his Mind and Senses from pleasure who employs the members of his Body in no unlawfull things who heartily loves the Yoke of Obedience who labours with all his Might how he may please God The more any one applys himself to these things the sooner he obtains true Liberty and is more strongly rooted in it But who in this World freely does his own Will in all things as much as he can he is intangled in divers Snares of the Devil and when he thinks himself most free then is he most strongly and surely held in the Slavery and Captivity of the Devil He has an Argument of true Liberty who desires none of those things which alienate and estrange the Mind from the familiarity of God such are Superiority frequent Employment in exterior things too great Solicitude for the Commodities of the Flesh dissolution of Mind distraction in diversity of Business temerarious discussion of the Life and Conscience of others excusing or diminishing our own Defects Manifestation or Aggravation of the Defects of our Neighbours Another Argument of Liberty is a secure Confidence of Mind concerning the Remission of ones Sins both as to the blame and pain of them proceeding from a fervor of Heart which sometimes burns in the Heart as Fire in a Furnace which makes a Man who was before cold and languid hot and inflamed in Prayer which Fervor consumes all the stain and pain of Sin as Fire burns out the rust of Iron He has an Argument of Servitude and Captivity who detests the Yoke of Obedience who abhors charitable and brotherly Correction who daily contrives Revenge of the Injuries he suffers who is affected with Humane Praise and Favor who knowingly and pertinaciously employs himself in something which is against God and his own Conscience or against the Will of his Superiors who is delighted in the Reception or Collation of certain little Gifts or amicable Letters whence a Wise man says To receive Gifts is to sell ones Liberty And Job chap. 15. Fire shall consume their Tents who willingly receive Gifts That is the Fire of false love and consequently a Band of Servitude follows that Love Concerning him who gives Gifts Solomon says Prov. 22. He shall get Victory and Honor who gives Gifts but he takes away the Soul of the Receiver All these things take away a Mans Liberty from him and reduce him to a miserable Servitude for he cannot in Freedom of Spirit attend to God who is taken up with such things CHAP. XXVIII Of Religion TRUE Religion or Spiritual Life as St. James says ch 1. is To visit the Fatherless and Widdows in their Affliction and to keep ones self undefiled from this World He keeps himself undefiled from this World who absolutely renounces all secular manners and avoids as much as he can both carnal and spiritual Sins The Profit of a truly spiritual Life ought to move us thereunto concerning which the Scripture says Jo. 6. 'T is the Spirit which gives Life the Flesh profits nothing And that of the Apostle Rom. 8. They who are in the Flesh cannot please God Moreover he who would indeed become spiritual ought to fly and hate carnal Commodities that is detest carnal Desires which war against the Soul as says S. Peter 1 Ep. 2. and desire Asperities and carnal Incommodities for these conserve Grace as Thorns defend Herbs in a Garden for Grace flows out through the Mouth Eyes and Ears And as Fire and Water cannot be together so neither can carnal and spiritual Pleasure according to St. Bernard He must also know that a Man can do no
there is not a moderation of the Tongue there will never be Perfection according to that James 3. If any one offend not in his Words he is a perfect man And no other saies the Gloss Where there is a custody of the Tongue there is Happiness according to that Eccles 14. Blessed is the man who has not faln by a word out of his Mouth And Pro. 21. He who keeps his mouth and his Tongue keeps his Soul from straits He has an argument of true Silence who when he may freely and lawfully and without offence speak and whose words would be received with great desire and yet can by no means or very rarely be induced to speak remembring that of S. Gregory If the holy Prophet Ezekiel was sent to speak and yet sat silent and weeping seven days we ought to consider how great a fault it is for him not to be silent whom no necessity compels to speak And that Evangelical word Mat. 12. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment An Argument of false Silence or Loquacity is to speak malapertly and clamorously that he may seem to be some body amongst others Or in an importune time whereas seasonable Speech is the best Against this is that Eccles 20. A wise man will hold his peace until a fit time but the wanton and imprudent will not observe time Or to speak when no body attends or cares to hear Against that is Eccles 32. Where there is no hearing do not poure forth Speech Or when one answers before he hears or be asked Against this Pro. 18. He who answers before he hears shows himself to be a Fool and worthy of confusion Or when he answers for another not being asked Against that is Eccles 32. Young man scarce speak in thy own Cause if thou shalt be asked twice let thy answer have a head An Argument of false Silence is not to be silent out of Virtue but lest he should be confounded before the hearers Or that he may be praised for his Silence Or when he is ashamed to speak knowing not how to speak understandingly or profitably Or that his folly may be covered by his Silence according to that A Fool if he hold his peace shall be acounted a wise man CHAP. XXXII Of Solitude TRUE Solitude is to abstract the Mind from the Solicitude and inordinate employ of exteriour Actions from all delight of Creatures and unanimuosly to direct as much as we can all our Affections Wills and Intentions unto God that we might be made one Spirit with him to this the Prophet Esaias exhorts us Chap. 2. saying Enter into the Rock and hide thy self in the digged earth Enter into the Rock that is into the Divinity of Christ hide thy self in the digged Earth that is in the Wounds of Christ he who is in this Rock is alone he who is out of this Rock is in a Crowd of People In this Solitude of Mind so great Grace and illumination of Mind is received that the Receiver is offensive to others to behold As Moses remaining alone with God in the Mountain forty days and forty Nights was so illuminated that the Light broke forth into his Face and from the shining of his Countenance proceeded as it were Rayes of the Sun which the Children of Israel were not able to behold until he covered his Face with a Veil Exod. 34. The most holy Example of our Lord Jesus Christ ought to move us to the love of Solitude who though he could not by the Conversation of any be hindred from his Spiritual Employ yet notwithstanding he often retired from Company for the love of Solitude and sometimes when he could not go farther off he withdrew himself a Stones cast from his dearest Apostles that he might attend to Prayer as St. Luke writes ch 22. Hereby insinuating unto us that even holy men amidst the Multitude cannot familiarly converse with God or do get little or no efficacious Grace amongst Men. Hence it is that Zacheus could not see our Lord Jesus in the Crowd but afterwards he saw him and heard his Voice when alone he climbed up into a Tree Luke 19. The profit also of Solitude ought to induce us unto it concerning which our Lord says of his Spouse Hosea 2. I will lead her into the Wilderness and speak to her Heart O how happy is he who even once once hears our Lord speaking within him The speaking of the Lord in the Heart is to give Assurance of Mind concerning heard Graces It ought to move us to the same that holy Eremites of old ran into Desarts Mountains Dens and Caves of the Earth that they might continually attend to God and sometimes saw not a Man for forty Years He has an Argument of true Solitude who with pain is in the Company of Men and takes all occasions to withdraw himself from them Behold I have fled a great way off and have remained in Solitude Psal 54. As it was a Pain to S. Mary Magdalen to see Men after she could no longer see her Lord Jesus yea it was painful to her even to see Angels whence when the Angels went about to comfort her concerning the Departure of our Lord out of his Sepulcher she says I seek the Creator and therefore it is grievous to me to see the Creature And therefore she fled into the Desart for the love of our Lord Jesus thirty years wanting all corporal Meat and Drink whom the Angels elevated into the Air at her set hours of Prayer in which Prayer she received the Nutriment of Soul and Body He has an Argument of false Solitude who though he be alone with God corporally yet his Soul is occupied in variety of Businesses in diverse parts of the World These two things Silence and Solitude do efficaciously elevate to Contemplation Whence that of the Lamentations chap. 3. He shall sit alone and be silent because he has elevated himself above himself CHAP. XXXIII Of Contemplation TRUE and perfect Contemplation is a Collection of all the Affections and Forces of the Soul to know with delight and admiration of Mind something of the Divine Nature to wit of the Divine Power Wisdom Goodness Charity Excellency Liberality c. or to know the secret Judgments of God or his most holy Will or some Perfection which tends unto him This Contemplation had the Holy Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles for God revealed his Secrets by his holy Spirit to the Patriarchs and Prophets To Noah he revealed the Flood Gen. 7. To Abraham the Destruction of the Sodomites Gen. 18. To Jeremy the Transmigration and Captivity of the Jews To Joseph the Famine in Aegypt Gen. 47. To Daniel the Tree of Nebuchodonozor Dan. 4. The like of other Patriarchs and Prophets to whom God revealed his Secrets as diverse Visions to Ezekiel chap. 1. whence Amos ch 3. The Lord God will not do a Word unless