cariage tovvards them forth of the times of Praier vvill in time abstract the soule from inferiour passions that inordinate selfe-loue vvhich is the roote of hatred to such enemies And Diuine Loue encreasing it vvill proportionally subdue all other affections to it selfe euen compell vs to loue our enemies for God according to the most perfect example of our Sauiour And he that thinks to get this necessary loue to Enemies or indeed any other Christian vertue in any considerable perfection vvithout spirituall Praier vvill find that he vvill loose his labour 24. The Degrees of our loue to supposed enemies are such as follovv 1. The first and lowest degree is not to reuenge our selues on them nor to render euill for euill by vvord or deede in their presence or absence priuily or publickly c Indeede vvee ought to behaue our selues vvith-much vvarines tovvards those that in nature vvee find an auersenes from so as that it vvee cannot as yet conquer the resentments of nature vvee vvere best to eschevv medling in matters that concerne them 2. Not to be angry or offended for any ill offices that they may seeme to haue done us 3. To forgiue them vvhensoeuer they craue pardon 4. To forgiue them before they acknowledge their fault or seeke to make amends 5. Not to be contristated at their Prosperity nor deny any offices of Charity to them but to Pray for them to speake vvell of them to doe kindnesses to them to congratulate for any good successes of theirs be cordially sorry for their misfortunes c 6. To seeke occasions of doing them some speciall good yea for the procuring such good to vndergoe some discommodity losse or preiudice 7. To take part in their prosperities or aduersities as if they vvere our ovvne 8. After the example of our Lord to hazzard euen lay dovvne our liues for their soules good 9. To conquer all resentment euē in inferiour Nature And in Simplicity of soule to iudge all their ill offices to be effects of their Charity not auersenes Yet I doubt vvhether euen in the most perfect the loue to enemies can come to be transfused into inferiour nature from the superiour soule as our loue immediatly to God sometimes may be 10. To doe all this purely for the loue of God These things vvee ought to doe the best vvee can God vvill accept of our good vvill though our actions be not so perfect as vvee vvould vvish they vvere 25. By such Christian Charitable behauiour tovvards our Enemies such a Diuine vertue vvill proceede frō our actions that vvee shall come to gaine thē perhaps to be our best freinds yea vvhich is far more considerable vvee shall probably gaine them to God if before they vvee estranged from him 26. To conclude this vvhole discourse Wee are to knovv that there is a peculiar species of Charity vvhich S. Peter makes the next step to Perfection vvhich he calls Philadelphiam or loue of the Fraternity Being a certaine spirituall affection to all Gods children the vvhich subdues all other inferiour regards of nature makes our vnion vvith them to be purely in God transcending all other kinds of obligations And the offices of this vertue are such as cannot be extended to any but such as vvee knovv to be truly the seruants of God such as are an inward communion in holy Duties of Prayer c a communication of certain charitable offices vvhich out of an ardent loue to God vvee desire to expresse to him by a choyce that vvee make of his speciall freinds as it vvere in them endeauouring to oblige him after a more then ordinary manner CHAP. VI. § 1. Of the mortification of sensuall loue to meats c by Temperance in Refection § 23. This is a lasting continuall Tentation euen to the most perfect And therfore to be especially regarded § 4. Defects in Refection which are to be auoyded § 5. Of Disaffection to sensuall pleasures to be aspired to § 6. Feasting to be auoyded § 7. 8. 9. Inconueniences inseparably attending Refection Yet are wee not therfore to abridge our selues of a necessary measure of sustenance § 10. 11. Aduices touching care to be had in Refection § 12. The body to be esteemed an enemie § 13. In what case how wee may seeke more delicate meates c. § 14. Certaine benefits to the soule by Refection § 15. The subtilty of tentations in Refection § 16. Perfect soules haue an auersion from necessary pleasures Refections § 17. 18. A sublime kind of mortification exercised by certaine Holy persons § 19. Of Attention to Reading at Refections § 20. Of Physick § 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Aduices touching Sleepe 1. THE Loue of God is a sufficient most efficacious vniuersall Remedy against all other inordinate affections And therfore I should haue contented my selfe vvith that one generall Mortification of the Passion of sensuall loue vvere it not that the matter of corporall Refection pleasure felt in meates drinks has something in it very considerable in aspirituall life therfore requires particular Aduices about it 1. Because it is a Tentation vvhich vnauoydably accompanies vs through our vvhole life for as much as the occasion of it to vvit Foode is absolutely necessary 2. There i◠scarce any tentation more subtile For it doth so cloake it selfe vnder the title of necessity that euen the most perfect soules vvhich haue abandonned all other occasions yet being imprisoned in bodies that neede dayly Refection are continually exposed to this oft surprised in some measure ouercome by it not being able to distinguish excesse from necessi y Hence S. Augustin in his Confessions lib. 10. c. 13. most elegantly yet passionatly complains of it describing the subtlenesse and importunatenes of this Tentation Which Passage being commonly knowne obuious it is not necessary to set dovvne in this place 2. The naturall Appetite desires foode merely for the sustaining of nature The sensuall merely for pleasure not considering benefit either to soule or body nor regarding the seasonablenes of the time nor any other due circomstance But the Rationall appetite or Will directed by Grace though it cannot hinder sensuality from taking pleasure in food yet desires receiues it out of a necessary care of supporting the body for the good of the soule according to the vvill pleasure of God this in such order measure c. as reason iudgeth fit not as Sensuality vvould haue it So that if the Rationall part giue vvay to the inordinate desires of sensuality so far there is a fault committed the vvhich is not to be imputed to Sensuality but to the Superiour soule vvhose office it is to restraine bridle Sence 3. This tentation as it is the last that is perfectly ouercome so it is the first that is to be combatted against For there is no vertue had saith Cassian till a soule come to haue some degree of maistry ouer
herselfe in the point of Gluttony And the maine mischeife of the tentation is preuented vvhen vvee are come to cast of the habituall affection to eating drinking especially to feasting the vvhich brings many inconueniences to an Internall liuer as 1. losse of time 2. Perill of intemperance other misbehauiour 3. Hurtfull distractions 4. Indisposition to Prayer 5. Intemperance likevvise in another vse of the tongue to vvit talking c. 4. Imperfecter soules therfore must make it their care in Refections to auoyd these speciall defects To vvit Eating or Drinking 1. Too much 2. With too great earnestnes 3. Too hastily preuenting the due times 4. Delicatly 5. With a precedent studiousnes to prouide pleasing meates c. In respect of the two first qualities or defects such soules may happen to offend vvho yet in a good measure haue attayned to a spirituall disesteeme neglect of those things that please sensuality For they on occasions may be tempted to eate vvith some excesse and ardour But rarely doe such offend in the follovving qualities 5. Now the Markes by vvhich a soule may discerne vvhether she haue in her a disaffection to sensuall pleasures are 1. If her chiefe delight esteeme be in Exercises of the Spirit that she diligently pursues them 2. If she seekes not after nor willingly admits extraordinary feastings 3. If being alone she does not entertaine herselfe vvith the thought of such things nor talks of them vvith gust 4. If when she is forced to take Refections she takes them as of necessity duty 5. If she could be content so that Gods vvill vvere such to be depriued of all things that might please tast c. 6. In case that necessary Ciuility shall oblige a spirituall person to be present at a feast he may doe vvell to be vvatchfull ouer himselfe at the beginning And this he may the more easily doe because then others being more eager to their meate vvill lesse marke him And to entertayne the time vvhich is ordinarily long let him chuse such meats as are the lightest of the easiest digestion For so doing he may both seeme to auoyd singularity in abstaining more then others yet in effect eate far lesse In a vvord let him goe thither vvith a mind affection to abstinence retaine such affection 7. This one vnauoydable misery there is in eating drinking hovv temperatly soeuer That a soule for such a time for some space aftervvards is forced to descend from that height of Spirit that she had attayned to by vertue of her precedent Recollection So that if before she had a sight experimentall perception that God was all herselfe nothing she vvill aftervvards haue no other sight of this but her ordinary sight of Faith by reason that her Spirits are more actiue her internall senses filled vvith Images vapours 8. Yet a soule is not to abridge herselfe of a necessary quantity in Refection for her Prayers sake or other Internall Exercises for that vvould for a long time after doe more harme to the spirit by too much enfeebling the body Neither is she to iudge that she has offended by excesse because she finds a heauines and perhaps some indigestion for some space after Refection For this may proceed from that debility of complexion vvhich ordinarily attends a spirituall life since as S. Hildegardis saith The loue of God doth not vsually dwell in robustious bodies 9. It is not our petty failings through frailty or ignorance and much losse our supposed failings iudged so by our scrupulosity that can cause God to be auerted from vs or that vvill hinder our vnion vvith him For for such defects vvee shall be attoaned vvith God in our next Recollections or it may be sooner But those are indeed preiudiciall defects vvhich proceede from a setled affection to sensuall obiects 10. To correct the vice of Eagernes in eating Abbot Isacius aduised his Monks that when they stretched forth their hands for the receiuing of their meate or drinke they should doe it with a certaine mentall vnwillingnes 11. Let euery one content himselfe vvith vvhat God by Superiours prouides for him accounting that hovv meane or course soeuer to be the very best for him not that vvhich cannot be procured vvithout sollicitude impatience Neither ought any to iustify or excuse his impatience out of an opinion of obligation that euery one has to take care of the body for the seruice of the spirit For the spirit is far more endammaged by such impatience sollicitude then any thing they can desire for the body can doe it good 12. Wee haue small reason to loue the body for it is that vvhich one way or other is the cause of almost all the sins vvhich the soule commits To cherish therfore satisfy its inordinate desires is to make prouision for sin as if our naturall corruption did not sufficiently incline vs therto 13. The infirmity of our body may sometimes require not only healthy but also well tasting meats not for the satisfying of our sensuality but the vpholding of our strength as S. Augustin saith In vvhich case meats of good rellish euen as such may be sought for yea ought to be so this for the recreating and comforting of nature And such corporall consolation may also haue a good effect vpon the Spirit But vvhere no such necessity is to seeke for such meates is against the Rules of Religious temperance And euen during such necessity to seeke them either vvith sollicitude or so as may be preiudiciall to the Community is contrary to Religious Pouerty Resignation 14. As many defects hindrances to spirituall progres doe flovv by occasions of Refection so on the contrary to vvell-minded soules it may be the occasion of some aduantages for their progresse in Spirit For 1. It obliges a soule to vvatch pray that she be not ouercome by the Tentation 2. It may giue occasion for the exercise of Patience in case of the vvant of things contentfull to nature as likevvise of temperance in the vse of them 3. The experience of our frequent excesses beyond true necessity may afford great matter for the Exercise of Humility 4. By the means of Resection there is giuen to soules certaine pausings diuersions from spirituall workings necessary to enable them making good vse therof to worke aftervvards more vigorously intensely 15. Vix perfectus discernit c. sâ—ith S. Gregory A perfect soule doth scarce discerne the secret Tentations subtle subreption of sensuality vrging soules to take more then necessity or obedience require the only light necessary for such discerning comes from internall Praier And moreouer till the soule by Praier be raysed aboue sensuality she cannot haue strength enough to resist all the inordinate desires therof vvhich she doth discerne And vvhen soules are arriued to Perfect Praier of Contemplation they oppose such desires rather by neglecting forgetting the body then by
direct combats against the appetits of it And only from the decay ignorance of such Praier hath it proceeded that spirituall Directours haue bene forced to multiply such so many nice obseruances about diet and other duties of our Rule All vvhich notvvithstanding vvithout Prayer haue but small effect to produce solide vertues in the soule 16. A soule perfectly spiritualized if she might haue her vvish vvould vvillingly be freed not only from all pleasures taken in Refections considering the dayly tentations to excesse but euen from the necessity of them being forced to cry out vvith Dauid De necessitatibus meis erue me Domine O Lord free mee from these my corporall necessities for vvere it not for them she might alvvaies like an Angell be in continuall Contemplation enioy a neuer-fayling internall light the vvhich is obscured by the fumes raysed euen by the most temperate Refections by vvhich also passions are in some degree quickned Such soules may indeed properly be said to haue a disaffection to Refection And the best vvay besides out of Prayer to beget such disaffection to preuent the harmes that may come from any corporall necessities vvill be not only to practise the mortifying of sensuall contentment in going to the Refectory but vpon serious consideration of the Tentations there to be found to goe vvith a kind of vnvvillingnes feare 17. A most noble kind of Mortification in Refection is that mencioned by Harphius of a certaine Holy Brother of the Order of S. Francis called Rogerius vvho by meanes of eleuating the povvers of his soule suspending them in God during Refection lost all perception of tast in eating vvhen he found himselfe vnable so to eleuate his soule he vvould for so long forbeare to eate of any thing that might afford any gust But this practise belongs only to the Perfect it may proue preiudiciall dangerous to the ordinary sort of lesse perfect soules or any that haue not an especiall certaine Inspiration to imitate it 18. The like may be sayd of the manner of Mortification practised by some of the Ancient Hermits vvho vsed to mixe a fevv droppes of oyle esteemed by them a great delicacy vvith their vinegar to the end therby to prouoke the appetite to desire more the vvhich they denied to it Or of another vvho hauing receiued a bunch of grapes ravenously deuoured them partly to make the gustfull pleasure so much the shorter partly as he said to cousen the deuill to vvhom he desired to appeare a glutton 19. A soule that practises Internall Prayer may content herselfe vvith a moderate Attention to vvhat is read during Refection And the like may be sayd of that part of the Office vvhich in some Communities is sayd immediatly after Dinner Because too earnest an Attention and Recollectednes at such times vvould preiudice the Head and Stomack A Soule therfore may esteeme this to be as a time of Desolation as indeed there is some resemblance 20. Concerning the vse of Physick cautions to be vsed about it some Instructions shall be giuen in the last Treatise vvhere vvee come to speake hovv a soule is to behaue herselfe in regard of her Prayer during Sicknes 21. Lastly the matter of Sleepe is not vvnvvorthy the eare of a Spirituall Person For certaine it is that a full repast doth not so much plunge a soule in sensuality nor so indispose her for Spirituall Exercises as a long profound Sleepe From vvhence euen a perfect soule vvill not be able to raise herselfe into Exercises of the Spirit vvithout much difficulty long striuing 22. And on these grounds doubtlesse it vvas that the Miâ—night Office vvas appointed to the end to interrupt Sâ—eepe Yea anciently the three Nocturnes vvere therfore diuided namely to preuent the immersing of soules in sensuall Nature 23. For imperfect soules it may be very preiudiciall for them to be depriued of a conuenient measure of Sleepe Yet it is 〈◊〉 â—eing it should be interrupted It is liâ—evvise good for them to goe to bed vvith an affection desire so be early vp for such an affection vvill cause their Sleepe to be mixed vvith a litle Sollicitude the vvhich vvill dispose them both to vvake sooner and to rise vvith lesse vnvvillingnes 24. In case that one being in Bed cannot sleepe it is vâ—ry dangerous to continue in a State of mere negligence Idlenes because then not only vaine but veâ—y hurtfull pernicious thoughts vvill be apt to presse into the mind For a preuention or remedy against vvhich I should by no meanes aduise one to betake himselfe to any seriously Recollected thoughts or exercises of Deuotion for that vvould quite hinder Sleepe for the future and spoile the next Daies Recollections The like I say of the time immediatly going before Bed-time But in case they be simply Vaine Thoughts that then vvander vnsetledly in his mind let him not vvillingly pursue them but rather neglect them Wheras if they be sinfull Imaginations set him as vvell as he can diuert quietly his mind from them and novv then vvithout much force lift vp his mind vnto God or vse some familiar Praiers or say the Beades vvithout much forced Attention yet more Attention is required against Sinfull then vaine thoughts 25. As for Perfect soules their Praier in such a Case vvill lesse hinder Sleepe by reason it is both so pure so facile that it is become almost as Naturall as breathing performed vvithout any agitation of the Spirits or reuoluing of Images in the Internall senses CHAP. VII § 1. Of the Mortification of Anger by Patience § 2. 3. 4. 5. Here is treated of Smaller Impatiences cheifly scarce obseruable but by Recollected liuers § 6. Patience to be exercised at all times Euen in Ioy Prosperity § 7. 8. 9. Wee ought to aspire to an Indifference § 10. Patience towards God afflicting vs is easier then towards Man § 11. 12. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Seauen Degrees of Patience § 19. Examples of seemingly Extrauagant kinds of Patience c. § 20. Praier the only Efficacious Instrument to get Patience § 21. All Actions except actuall Praier are in some degree defectuous 1. THE next Passion to be mortified is Anger the vvhich vvhosoeuer vvillingly suffers to arise increase or that deliberatly yeilds to trouble of mind for any matter that concernes the Body Health Fortunes Life c yea or pretended soules good such an one really makes more esteeme of them then of the solide good of his Soule For as far as Anger gets a Maistery ouer him so far he looses that Dominion that his Soule ought to haue ouer all other things puts Reason out of its Throne Herupon our Sauiour sayth In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras That is By Patience yee shall keepe the Possession of your Soules as implying that by Impatience vvee loose that possession And vvhat greater losse can vvee haue Hence it is also that
vvhereas by progresse it gathers such Strength disordering the Imagination disquieting the Passions and corrupting euen the Iudgment also that it is scarce possible to find a Remedy 10. Novv to the end that the follovving Aduices may be more cleare and distinct vvee vvill sort them according to the seuerall Grounds from vvhich vsually Scrupulosity doth proceede The vvhich are 1. Either Intervall Tentations by suspected sinfull Thoughts and Imaginations 2. Or certaine Defects or supposed Defects incurred about Externall Obligations as Sâ—yâ—ng the Office Fasting c. In both vvhiâ—h Cases there is a strong Suspicion of sin incurred and an vncertainty of vvhat heynousnes that sin in from vvhenâ—e follovv vnquiet Examinations Scrupulous Confessions often repeated c First therfore vvee vviâ—l treate of Feare Scrupulosity arising from Inward Tentations by ill Imaginations or Thoughts And aftervvard of the other CHAP. IX § 1. Of Scrupulosity arising from certaine Inward Tentations § 2. 3. Tentations are not in themselues ill But rather a Marke of Gods loue Yet they are not to be sought § 4. Internall Tentations very purifying § 5. 6. 7. 8. Of Inward Tentations resting only in the mind And Aduices against them § 9. Likewise touching those that cause also Effects and motions in corporall nature § 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Prayer is by no meanes to be omitted for Tentations As being the best and securest Remedy In as much as all Tentations are most efficaciously and perfectly resisted by conuersion of the soule with Loue to God 1. THE Speciall kinds of Inward Tentations vvhich doe ordinarily afford matter of Feare Scrupulosity to vvell-minded tender soules are First either such ill Imaginations or Thoughts as rest in the mind alone without any other outvvard Effect such are Thoughts 1. Of Infidelity 2. Of Blasphemy 3. Of Despaire c. Or Secondly such as withall haue or may cause an alteration in the Body such are Thoughts of Impurity Anger c. 2. Now concerning Tentations in generall the Deuout Soule is to consider That it is no sin to haue them yea being sent vs by God they are meant for our good and to giue vs occasion to merit by them And those vvhich God sends vs are the most proper for vs. For if they vvere in our ovvne choice vvee should chuse least and last of all those that are most fit to humble vs and to vvithdraw our Affections from our selues and Creatures so that the more displeasing to vs and afflicting that any Tentations are the more proffitable are they Let none therfore be dismayed at the approach of Tentations but since Selfe-Loue cannot be cured but by application of things contrary therto let vs accept of them as a speciall gift of God assuring our selues that it vvould be perillous to be long without them And if vvee cannot clearly see hovv our present Tentations can turne to our proffit vvee ought to content our selues that God sees it othervvise he vvho is Infinite vvisedome and Goodnes vvould neuer haue permitted them to befall vs Therfore let Faith supply knowledge or curiosity 3. Neuerthelesse wee must not voluntarily seeke Tentations for qui amat periculum peribit in eo He that loues danger shall perish therein sayth the Wiseman God vvill not deny spirituall strength to resist make good vse of Tentations that by his Prouidence befall vs yea although it vvas by some precedent fault negligence of ours that they befell vs But he has made no promise to secure vs in a Danger into vvhich vvee voluntarily runne 4. More particularly Internall Tentations are more beneficiall and purifying and they doe more profoundly humble vs then doe outward paines or Persecutions 1. Because they discouer vnto vs not the malice of others but our ovvne sinfull natures prone of themselues to all abominations 2. And by them vvee come to be deliuered not from other creatures but from our selues in vvhich separation our cheifest last conquered difficulty consists 3. They send vs for remedy to none but God For vvhat effect can any assistance medicines or other helpes of Creatures haue against our ovvne Thoughts 5. And as for the Speciall forenamed Tentations a vvell-minded soule ought to consider That the simple passing of such thoughts or Imaginations in the mind is no sin at all though they should rest there neuer so long vvithout aduertence but only the giuing a deliberate consent vnto them Neither is it in the povver of a Soule either to preuent or banish them at pleasure Because the Imagination is not so subiect to Reason as that it can be commanded to entertaine no Images but such as Reason vvill allovv But it is distempered according to the disposition of the Humours and Spirits in the Body and sometimes the Deuill also is permitted to iniect or raise Images to the disquieting of tender soules But he can force none to consent to the suggestions proceeding from them 6. There is lesse danger of consenting vnto Tentations merely spirituall such as are Thoughts of Blasphemy Despaire c And consequently lesse likelyhood of Scrupulâ—siâ—y from a suspicion of such consent Though sometimes they may be so violent and so obstinatly adhering that the fancy vvill become extreamly disordered and the soule vvill thinke herselfe to be in a kind of Hell vvhere there is nothing but blaspheming and hating of God 7. Her best Remedy is quietly to turne her thoughts some other vvay and rather neglect then force herselfe to combat them vvith contrary thoughts For by neglecting of them the impression that they make in the Imagination vvill be diminished She may doe vvell also by words or outvvard gestures to signify her renouncing and detestation of them As in a Tentation of Blasphemy let her pronounce vvords and expresse postures of Adoration of God Praise Loue c Let her be also the more diligent in frequenting the Quire continuing more carefully in Postures of Humility before him And doing thus let her banish all suspicions of hauing consented as being morally impossible 8. Certaine it is that hovv troublesome horrible soeuer such Tentations may seeme to be yet they being quietly resisted or rather neglected doe vvonderfully purify the soule establishing Diuine loue most firmely and deeply in the spirit More-ouer by occasion of them the Superiour Soule is enabled to transcend all the disorders and tumults in Inferiour Nature adhering to God during the greatest coÌ„tradictions of sensuality 9. As for the other sort of Interiour Tentations vvhich are more grosse causing oft disorderly motions and effects in Corporall Nature It vvill be more difficult to persvvade timerous soules that they haue not consented Both by reason that such Imaginations are more pertinacious and sticking to the corporall Humours and spirits and also because inferiour Nature is povverfully inclined to a liking of them in somuch as that reall effects alterations may be vvrought in the body before that Reason be fully avvake to resist them Yea and after the resistance made
22. This most Heroycall Humility can only be exercised in the Act of Contemplation for then only it is that a soule feeles her owne nothing vvithout intending to reflect vpon it At all other times she in some degree feeles the false supposed being of herselfe creatures Because it is only in Actuall Pure prayer that the images of them are expelled vvith the Images the Affections to them also 23. Notvvithstanding a great measure proportion of the vertue of such prayer remaines is operatiue also aftervvards out of prayer for if the soule doe see creatures she neuer sees them as in themselues but only in relation to God so in them humbles herselfe to God loues God in them And if she reflect vpon herselfe turne her eyes invvard into her spirit desiring to find God there there vvill not be any considerable imperfection obscurity or staine that will darken her view of God but she will discouer it and most perfectly hate it 24. As for sins or imperfections in others though neuer so heynous they are no hindrance to her seeing of God because either she transcends marks them not or is by their meanes vrged to a nearer more feruent loue of him for his patience to a greater Zeale for his honour impaired by the sins of men to a greater compassion towards sinners 25. But the least imperfection in herselfe being really a hindrance to her immediate vnion vvith God perfect sight of him is in so great a light as she then enioyes perfectly seene perfectly abhorred by her Yea such faults as to her naturall vnderstanding formerly appeared no bigger then moates doo in vertue of this supernaturall light seeme as mountaines And defects which she before neuer dreamed or imagined to be in herselfe she now sees not only to be but to abound beare great sway in her To this purpose saith S. Gregory l. 22. Moral c. 1. Sancti Viri quo altiùs apud Deum proficiunt eò subtiliùs indignos se deprehendunt quia dum proximi luci fiunt quidquid in illis latebat inueniunt That is Holy men the higher that they raise themselues approaching to God the more clearly doe they perceiue their owne vnworthines Because being incompassed with a purer light they discouer in themselues those defects which before they could not see 26. Hence it appeares that there is a great difference betweene the knowledge of our owne Nothing the feeling or perception of it The former may be got by a little meditation or by reading of Schoole Diuinity vvhich teaches demonstrates how that of our selues wee are nothing but mere dependences on the only true Being of God Wheras the Feeling of our owne nothing vvill neuer be attained by study or meditation alone but by the raising purifying of our soules by Prayer The Deuill hath the knowledge of the nothingnes of creatures in a far greater perfection then any man yet he hath nothing at all of the feeling Novv it is only the feeling of our not-being that is true perfect Humility as on the contrary the feeling of our being is Pride 27. Novv this Feeling of our not-being has two degrees 1. The first is in regard of the corporall or sensitiue faculties to vvit vvhen the soule is so raised aboue the body all desires concerning it that it hath lost all care sollicitude about it hauing mortified in a great measure all inferiour Passions This is a high degree of Humility but not yet perfect as may appeare plainly by this That after a soule hath attained herto by a Passiue Vnion there ordinarily follovves the great Priuation or desolation in vvhich she finds herselfe to be yet full of her selfe her ovvne being combatted vvith may risings repugnances 2. The second degree follovves after that the said Priuation ceases in vvhich the soule exercises herselfe after a far more sublime manner begins then to haue a more perfect feeling of her not-being consisting in an Abstraction from the soule herselfe all her faculties operations all vvhich are so lost annihilated in God that in her exercises of most pure Prayer she cannot perceyue distinctly any vvorking either in the vnderstanding or Will not being able to vnderstand or giue an account of vvhat she does vvhen she Prayes 28. The Authour of Secrets sentiers saith that soules vvhich are arriued to this state of perfect vnion are yet ordinarily permitted by God to descend oft from their high Abstractions into their inferiour nature euen as they vvere during their state of entrance into a spirituall course So that according to his doctrine during such a descent they must needs be full of the feeling of their ovvne being But the◠saith he they from this Descent doe by little little through their internall exercises ascend higher ther◠they vvere euer before And such Ascents Descents interchangeably continue all their liues Thus saith Barbanzon perhaps out of experience of vvhat passed in his ovvne soule But vvhether from thence he had sufficient warrant to apply this obseruation so generally I leaue to the determination of the Perfect who only can iudge of such matters 29. But alas these Contemplations consequently the said blessed fruites of them are very rare not at all in our ovvne povver to come to at pleasure in as much as a soule does not arriue to the perfection of Prayer till after a Passiue vnion or Contemplation vvherto vvell may vvee dispose our selues according to our povver but it is in the free vvill pleasure of God to conferre it on vvhom vvhen in vvhat manner it pleaseth him 30. But hovveuer let not Beginners nor Proficients in spirituality be discouraged for that as yet they cannot find in themselues or at least very imperfectly a perception of their not-being not hauing as yet a supernaturall Intellectuall species euidently euen palpably representing to their minds Gods Totality their owne Nothing the vvhich species it is not the nature of Actiue exercises to produce It is a great blessing of God to them that he has giuen them the courage to aspire thervnto And perseuering in the vvaies leading thither they vvill certainly arriue to the partaking of the substance of this sublime humility in vertue of vvhich alone all other vertues vvill be perfectly exercised by them in as much as by it they vvill come to knovv both God themselues aright be in an immediate Disposition as our holy Father sayes to that perfect charity which expells all feare for vvhich reason he only treates particularly largely of this vertue of Obedience vvhich is a branch of it 31. Wee ought therfore neuer to cease praying that God vvould reueyle vnto vs our ovvne nothing his all-being for Prayer is the only effectuall meanes to attaine vnto it As for exteriour Acts expressions of Humility if they flovv from prayer they may be proffitable acceptable to God
renouncing of the vvorld Prayer c the vvant of vvhich vvas the principall cause it may be of his deordinations Vpon vvhich grounds alone S. Bernard saith that he would giue absolution presently to the greatest sinner in sicknes if he would promise vpon supposition of recouery to quit the world and embrace a Penitentiall life in Religion Because it is not possible to promise or performe a greater satisfaction But I doubt vvhether he vvould be so indulgent to an vnconuerted Religious person that can promise no higher state then he is in allready vvith so little good effect to his soule 6. Yet God forbid that from hence any should aduisedly giue vvay to despaire or deliberately refuse to humble themselues to mortify their inordinate affections or to pray the best they can Good purposes actions performed meerly out of feare vvill produce some good effect Gods goodnes vvhich is incomprehensible may change feare into loue hovv imperfect soeuer 7. Novv though the case of tepide liuers be not altogether so miserable yet it is infinitely perillous the issue extremely to be suspected For though they cannot be charged vvith many great sins of Commission yet their vvhole life has bene a continuall omission of duties to vvhich their Profession did in a speciall manner oblige them And novv vvhat other new motiue can they haue to relinquish their negligence but only feare also Or vvhat Prayers are they likely to make vvhen their necessity is so great the helpes to Prayer so small 8. The only secure vvay therfore to preuent the incurring this hazardous state in sicknes is during health to combat against Tepidity and by diligent Prayer to prouide ones selfe of Internall strength Grace For such soules by a prosecution of their accustomed Duties of mortification Prayer make good vse of their sicknes gaine extremely by it They are not forvvard to promise great matters as tepide soules vsually doe though they performe but little They haue forethought of sicknes the tentations accompanying it novv call to mind execute former resolutions made to improoue for their soules aduancement all states conditions by occasion of their present corporall Infirmity or paines to fortify in their minds the vertue of Patience Resignation contempt of the world adhesion to God Thus Sicknes proues to them a greater blessing then health And if they doe recouer they doe yet more seriously feruorously performe their former exercises 9. When Sicknes is actually come a soule is to accept embrace it as a speciall gift of God yea though such sicknes hapned through the persons ovvne intemperance or other fault As a Malefactour is obliged vvith resignation to accept of death deserued for some crime He ought indeed to be penitent sorry for the faults vvhich vvere the cause of such an harmfull effect but the effect it selfe he ought to consider as proceeding from the Diuine Will and Prouidence Yea in such cases a soule may euen reioyce that God is so mercifull as to bring on her the smart and punishment of her sins in this vvorld giuing her withall a proffitable occasion to exercise her resignation from vvhence she may inferre a hope that he vvill therfore spare her after this life 10. A soule must not forbeare this willing acceptation of Sicknes c. because perhaps she finds great resistance therto in sensuality yea she ought therfore the rather to accept it as knowing that it is the Superiour vvill not the vvill of sensuality that meriteth or demeriteth And so doing the repugnance of sensuality vvill as vvell as the sicknes turne to the merit aduancement of the soule 11. Novv a soule must not content herselfe for once or tvvice to accept sicknes but she must practise this almost continually and especially vvhen any extraordinary paine or irkesomenes does afflict her And such acceptation must be not only for the present but vvith a mind vvillingly to submit to the Diuine vvill if his pleasure vvere that such paines should continue neuer so long 12. She must particularly take heed of one notable tentation vvhich often befalls good but imperfect soules by meanes of vvhich they yeild too freely to impatience in Sicknes Which is this Nature being soone vveary of suffring vvill suggest vnto the soule to iustify impatience among other incommodities of sicknes this one that thereby she is put in an incapacity to pray or othervvise to serue God or her neighbour vpon vvhich she vvill be apt to desire health vvith impatience falsely iustifying herselfe for such impatience as if she did not so for the satisfaction of nature but to the end she may performe spirituall duties more perfectly But this is a meere delusion For that is the true perfect way of seruing God which is suitable to the present Condition wherein God hath placed a soule an imperfect interrupted Prayer made vvith resignation in the midst of paines or troubles sent by God is perhaps more efficacious to procure the good of the soule then the highest eleuations exercised othervvise 13. It is no great matter though the soule herselfe doe not distinctly clearely see hovv her present suffrings externall or Internall may be proffitable to her she is to referre all things to the infinite Wisedome goodnes of God who can bring light out of darkenes And therfore she must be contented if such be his vvill to be blind-folded humbly to remaine in her simplicity in a reuerentiall avve admiration of the inscrutable vvaies of the Diuine Prouidence 14. A sicke person is to account himselfe after an especiall manner in Gods hands as his Prisoner chained as it vvere by his ovvne vveakenes disabled from the ordinary solaces of conuersation vvalking c debarred from eating vvhat pleases the Palate become proffitable to none troublesome chargeable to many exposed oftimes to bitter paines sharper remedies of such paines c A greiuous indeed but yet a happy prison this is to a soule that vvill make a good vse of it For vnlesse the internall tast of the soule also be depraued she may by this occasion infinitely increase in spirituall liberty health strength by accepting vvith indifference these incommodities mortifying her naturall exorbitant desire of remedies not desiring to escape but vvhen after vvhat manner God shall ordaine 15. But to speake more particularly touching the Duties of a soule during sicknes She is to assure herselfe of this one thing That if she thinke that her Sicknes may iustify her neglect of her spirituall Exercises of mortification Prayer the essentiall Duties of an Internall life if these be not continued as vvell in sicknes as health the soule herselfe vvill become the more sicke of the tvvo exposed to greater danger then the body For most certainly if sicknes doe not produce good effects of patience resignation c in the soule it vvill produce the quite contrary And such effects
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
spirituall Authours intending to recommend certeine Duties necessary to be practised for as much as concernes the substance of the Duties as an entire selfe-abnegation Purity of intention c. they doe vrge the said duties in the greatest perfection vniuersally vpoÌ„ all vvith such phrases of absolute necessity as if vpon any defect in practising that vertue so by them extended to the full to the end to preuent all the most secret vvayes shifts in vvhich nature is apt to seeke her ovvne satisfaction all the vvhole designe of an Internall life vvere ruined they doe by this ouermuch exactnes care instead of exciting the courage of their Readers to the serious practise of so necessary a Duty quite dishearten them yea perhaps they make them suspect the state of their soules vvho being conscious of their present infirmity imperfections loose all heart to aduenture vpon an attempt so vnproportionable to their vveake abilities Wheras if Instructions had bene tempered vvith regard to the capacity of each practiser they vvould haue gone on vvith courage good successe 13. Voluntary Reading must giue place to Prayer vvhensoeuer the soule finds herselfe inuited therto 14. The vertue of Mortification may sometimes ought to be practised in Reading in this manner When any booke or subiect is very gustfull to a soule she must be vvatchfull ouer herselfe not to povvre herselfe vvholly vpon it vvith an intemperate greedines nor to let curiosity or delight too much possesse her but let her novv then stop the pursuit of reading lifting vp her mind by interruptions to God afterwards continue at least in a vertuall attention to him so mortifying qualifying the impetuosity of nature And by no meanes let her giue way to an vnwillingnes to quitt Reading for performing her appoynted Recollections or other exercises of obligation 15. To conclude whosoeuer in Reading c. doth not cheifly obserue his owne spirit Diuine Call makes not the bookes sayings examples of others to serue the said spirit Call but on the contrary makes the diuine Inspirations subiect to bookes c it were better for him neuer to read such bookes or receiue humane Instructions but that he should cleaue only to God who in case of necessity vvill most assuredly supply all other wants defects 16. And the same Liberty that I haue recommended to soules in the Reading of other bookes I aduise them to vse in these instructions also that is to apply to their owne practise only such Directions as their spirituall Instructour and their owne experience reason enlightned by Grace shall shevv them to be proper for them Indeed in all this booke I knovv scarse any one Aduice vvhich I can confidently say to be properly belonging to all soules that leade an Internall life generally except this That they who aspire to perfection in Contemplation must not content themselues nor rest finally in any inferiour degree of Prayer but following the Diuine light inuitation without obliging themselues to any formes or methods they must from the lowest degree of Internall Prayer which is ordinarily Meditation proceed to a more sublime Prayer of immediate Affections Acts of the will from thence ascend to the Infused Prayer of Aspirations 17. Yea I dare vvith all confidence pronounce That if all spirituall bookes in the world were lost there were no externall Directours at all yet if a soule sufficiently instructed in the essentiall grounds of Catholick Faith that has a naturall aptnes though otherwise neuer so simple vnlearned being only thus farre well instructed at first will prosecute Prayer Abstraction of life will resignedly vndergoe such necessary Mortifications as God shall prouide for her obseruing God his Call exteriourly interiourly so forsake herselfe propose Almighty God his will Loue honour for her finall Intention the which she wiâ—l certeinly doe if she attend vnto his Inspirations Such a soule would walke clearly in perfect light with all possible security would not faile in due time to arriue at Perfect Contemplation These are the tvvo externall meanes by vvhich God teaches soules discouering to them his vvill to vvit Instructours and Bookes And to these vve might adde another to vvit Lawes precepts of Superiours for God teaches vs also this vvay neuer commands contrarily But of these vve shall speake herafter CAP. IV. § 1. Of the 3. most principall way by which God teaches internall liuers viz. Immediate Diuine Inspirations The Order of particular considerations followingt â—ouching them § 2. First of the necessity of them the ground of such necessity § 3. 4. 5. 6. The said necessity proued by the testimony of S. Benedict in his Rule c. as also by his example § 7. A further demonstration of the said necessity 1. THE third forementioned of all other the most principall Meane by vvhich God instructs directs Internall liuers in the secret Paths of his diuine loue vpon vvhich doe depend the tvvo former are Interiour Illuminations inspirations of Gods holy Spirit vvho is to be acknovvledged the only supreme Maister concerning vvhich Inspirations it hath already bene shevved in generall vvhat they are hovv distinguished from the lights motions of common Grace vvhat are the obiects about vvhich principally they are exercised c. I vvill novv treate more particularly of them in this follovving Order viz. 1. There shall be further shevved the necessiâ—y of them 2. That soules are obliged to dispose themselues for the receiuing of them hovv this is to be done to vvit by remouing the impediments 3. Hovv God communicates to the soule his light grace for her instru ion direction 4. That it is not hard to discerne them very secure to rely vpon them 5. That by the vse of them no preiudice at all comes to Ecclesiasticall or Religious Obedience 2. Touching the first Point to vvit the necessity of them in an Internall Contemplatiue life There is none that vvill deny or doubt but that Diuine Inspirations are necessary for as much as concernes the proper essentiall Actions of Christian vertues the vvhich receiue all their meritoriousnes from the said Inspirations But some there are that vvill not allovv the same necessity of expecting Inspirations Calls for Actions or omissions of themselues indifferent or of lesse moment But surely since it is generally agreed vpon by Diuines following S. Augustin S. Thomas c. that there are no actions done in particular circumstances vvhich are simply to be esteemed indifferent but since they must haue some end if the end be good they are to be esteemd good if euill they are euill hovveuer vniuersally considered they are in their ovvne nature indifferent because according to the intention end vvhervvith they are done they may be good or euill Againe since there are no actions so inconsiderable but may yea ought to be performed
Diuine light If Charity be but vvarme and imperfect our light in Particulars is obscure and can shevv vs only such things as are necessarily to be practised vnder the penalty of being separated from God the Obiect of Charity but if Charity be inflamed hovv great is the light vvhich that heauenly Fire casts not a step vvee sett forvvard but vvee see the vvay perfectly before vs and can auoide all the vneauen rough miry or crooked steps in it and so runne apace vvithout stumbling delaying or declining so approaching daily nearer and nearer to the end of our heauenly Race 9. Moreouer this Diuine light is either an habituall permanent light or Actuall and traÌ„sitory The Permanent light is the vertue of spirituall discretion vvithout vvhich the Actions that to the vvorld giue the greatest luster are of little or no proffit Such as are great voluntary austerities performing of solemne Offices almes-giuing c. all vvhich vnlesse they come from the Principle of true Charity and are designed for the increasing and deeper rooting therof in the Spirit are so far from being of any vvorth that they doe rather preiudice and diminish that vertue Both these Conditions are requisite to make an Action perfect and acceptable to God it must both proceed from him and also be directed to him He must not only be the End but the Principle also It is not therfore sufficient to a soule especially if she seriously tend to Perfection in Contemplation that the Action vvhich she does novv is in it selfe good and directed to a good end vnlesse her Diuine light informe her that in the present circumstances it is Gods vvill that she should performe that determinate Action rather then another perhaps in it selfe and in other Circumstances better then it For as Thaulerus sayes God will reward no Actions but his owne that is Such as he gaue order and commission for 10. This being a most certaine Truth vvhat a vvorld of Actions in themselues of no ill aspect are there done by imperfect extrouerted soules vvhich hauing no other fountayne Principle or light from vvhich they are at first deriued but the light of humane reason they vvill find at Gods hands no acceptance at all such soules loose all benefitt by all their doings but those vvhich are of absolute necessity and by many of those likevvise Nay hovv many are there vvhich being driuen to some Actions by a violent vnlavvfull Passion for or against some Person yet because before the Action is ended they can cousen themselues vvith proposing some good end doe therfore thinke themselues excused vvhereas such a proposing of a good end to an Action beginning only from corrupt nature rather aggrauates the fault by adding Hypocrisy to it The vvhich themselues might easily discouer if they vvould at the same time consider that such Actions vvould haue beene forborne the contrary done if the obiects and Persons had bene changed Hovv small a Proportion of this Spirituall light haue such soules 11. This Permanent light of Supernaturall Discretion informes the soule generally in all things efficacious to her aduancement tovvards Contemplation It teaches her in Religious obseruances culpably to neglect none and to performe them vvith a pure intention for her Spirituall good In Mortifications to support the necessary ones vvillingly and proffitably and assume only such voluntary ones as God directs her to therin considering the infirmity of the body as vvell as the feruour of the vvill least by ouerburdening nature vnnecessarily she be rendred vnable to beare euen those vvhich are of obligation In Prayer it teaches the soule vvhat degreâ— is proper for her and hovv long she is to continue in it vvithout change till God inuite her to a higher and then readily to accept of his Inuitation Likevvise vvhat proportion of time is requisite to be spent in praier so as to make a discreete and sufficient progresse therin It teaches her to suspect sensible deuotion and not to glutt herselfe vvith the honey of it nor to follovv it too fast to designes of seeming perfection extraordinary taskes vvhich vvhen such Deuotion ends vvould be burdensome and harmefull In a vvord it teaches the soule that duâ—â— moderation in all things vvhich makes them laudable and meritorious 12. Novv vvheras I haue called this a Permanent and habituall light it is to be obserued that as it is habituall only it does not direct because vnlesse it be in action it is as it vvere veiled ouer vntill that God by some occasion administred doe moue the soule to reflect and consult him and hervpon the light is vnveiled and shines forth giuing direction in the present action or necessity So that it is God or the gift of his holy spirit very praedominant in such soules that is their actuall Directour 13. There is none that hath a good vvill and seekes God in sincerity of heart but is capable of such a guidance by the light communicated to soules by the holy Spirit so that the duty of attending to and obeying it has place not only in a Contemplatiue but also in the exercises of a deuout Actiue life For doubtles such likevvise haue a supernaturall light answerable to their state by vvhich they are enabled to performe their actions with much Purity of intention 14. Notvvithstanding in respect of the degrees of Purity of intention the doings of Contemplatiue soules doe much excell those of Actiue liuers by reason of the deeper entry that they make into their interiour in their more profound pure and imageles Recollections by vvhich they discouer the depth of their most secret intentions and accordingly purify them from vvhatsoeuer is amisse in them Besides they according to their state dealing in fevver exteriour distractiue employments doe both keepe themselues in a better disposition to attend to the voice of their Internall Teacher also contract fevver blemishes And those that they doe contract they doe more easily discerne and rectify lastly being exercised for the most part in internall operatioÌ„s their continuall taske is to cleanse the very fountaine vvhich is the Spirit it selfe the seate of Diuine light and grace 15. In a Contemplatiue life likevvise according to the degrees of proficiency so is the attendance vnto and the performance of the Diuine inspirations For to perfect soules the Diuine voice and light is in a manner a continuall guide and they haue a continuall correspondence vvith it euen in their most ordinary smallest actions Wheras the imperfecter receiue it seldome for as much as concernes the purifying and supernaturalizing their ordinary actions except in their Recollections yea perhaps only vvhen they are in the height of their exercise And the like may be said of deuout soules in an Actiue life And they doe at other times put in execution the directions receiued in prayer by vertue of the light remaining in their minds But as for other actions for vvhich they haue receiued no light at all in Prayer those they performe vvith
in all the good actiōs vvee doe or good thoughts vvee enterteine vvee so doe thinke in vertue only of a precedent concomitant illumination of our vnderstanding inclining of our will both vvhich are immediatly caused by God Reason likevvise experience tell vs that vvhilst vaine or sinfull distracting images or inordinate Passions clovvd the mind Gods illuminations are either vnperceiued or neglected by vs his motions ineffectuall If euer therfore the soule be in a fit disposition to receiue those blessed effects of Gods holy spirit if euer God vvill make good his so serious frequent promises it is then vvhen by a profound Recollection an humble soule vvithdravves all her affections from herselfe all other creatures yea endeuours to expell all the images of them transcending all created things raising herselfe according to her power to a strict vnion vvith him and withall powres forth her desire to be informed in his vvill only intending therby his Glory the encrease of his Diuine Loue. 3. Novv though imperfect soules not being able as yet to driue avvay distracting images to still all vnruly Passions are forced to content themselues vvith their naturall light in many matters of lesse importance so that a great part of their ordinary Actions doe not at all contribute to their aduancemēt in spirit Yet perfecter soules walke almost continually in a supernaturall light perceiuing resisting the subtle insinuations of selfe loue not suffring themselues hastily to be pushed forvvards to Actions before they haue consulted their Internall Guide much lesse contrary to his directions 4. Most securely therfore may vvee yea vvith all confidence ought vvee to yeild ourselues to be disposed of by God to follovv him in any vvaies that he vvill leade vs both for the exteriour interiour through light Darknesse through bitter svveet And vvhat doubt can there be of erring hauing such a Guide vvhich allvvaies leads the soule through the Paths of Mortification renunciation of selfe vvill although sometimes some speciall vvaies may to our or others naturall iudgements seeme strange perhaps impertinent 5. The grounds of vvhich duty the security attending it are these 1. Because vvee through the ignorance of our interiour complexion temper of soule as likevvise of our present vvants incomprehensible to humane knovvledge gott by sence can neither knovv the speciall vvayes either of Prayer or Mortification proper to vs nor can vvee be assured that others doe sufficiētly knovv them Wheras of Gods Omniscience and equally infinite Goodnesse none can doubt 2. Because the end vvherto vvee aspire being supernaturall consequently the vvayes leading therunto the light directing in those vvayes must likevvise be supernaturall 3. Because if vve knevv the most proper most direct vvayes leading to Contemplation Diuine Vnion yet they being most contrary to our naturall inclinations vvithout a Diuine impulse vvee vvould not chuse the fittest that is those vvhich are the most opposite to our nature 6. Yet vvee are to consider that there are degrees of security according to the seuerall manners by vvhich God cōmunicates vnto vs his inspirations For 1. Though in Sensible deuotion the good thoughts affections giuen vs are in themselues according to their substance the effects of Gods Spirit ought vvith all security to be complyed vvithall yet vvith discretion so as that out of a gluttonous pleasure conceiued by thē vvee doe not yeild vnto them so far as therby to vveaken our heads or preiudice our healths notvvithstanding the Resolutions of vndertaking any practises for the future groūded on such sensible Deuotion are to be mistrusted as hauing in them more of nature selfe-loue vvanting sincerity of Resignation Besides that the senses being principall vvorkers the reason is rather obscured then illuminated therby yea by Gods permission the deuill may haue some influence in such Deuotion subsequent resolutions 2. Of the like vncertaine nature may the seeming Inspirations or lights be vvhich are gotten by the vvorking of the Imagination discourse vpon the matter eyther in Prayer or our of it the person therupon concluding this or that side to be more likely to be Gods vvill 3. But if vvithout such vvorking of the Imagination or if after it the soule in Recollected Prayer made vvith Resignation submission of her naturall iudgment renouncing all Interests of nature comes as it vvere vnexpectedly to haue one part of the Question presented to her mind as truth as Gods vvill God then giuing a Clarity to the reason to see that vvhich it savv not before or othervvise then it savv it or if the soule do finde a blind reasonles motion in the vvill to one side of the matter In such cases the soule may most securely confidently iudge it to be a Diuine Inspiration motion being vvrought vvithout any trouble in the exercise of the Imagination senses or Passions 7. Let not a soule therfore be discouraged from committing herselfe to Gods Internall direction though it should happen that those vvho passe for the most spirituall persons that are most forvvard to vsurpe the conducting of soules to Perfection vvhilst themselues know no further then the exercises of the Imagination should declame against it out of an apprehension that it vvould be a disparagement to them if God should be acknovvledged the principall Guide they should accuse the doctrine here deliuered as phantasticall vnsafe pretending to Enthusiasmes No vvonder it is if such being strangers to the Contemplatiue vvayes of the spirit should be ignorant of these secret Paths by vvhich God leads soules to Perfection in the vvhich none can tread or at least make any considerable progresse till quitting a seruile dependance on externall teachers they rely only vpon the Diuine Guidance And for this propose deuout soules are seriously oft to be exhorted to keepe themselues in a disposition of as much Abstraction both externall internall as may be to the end they may be enabled to heare discerne the Diuine Voyce to the directions of vvhich if they vvill in practise faithfully correspond God vvill be vvanting to them in nothing 8. And for a further security that there can scarse happen any considerable danger to a soule proceeding this vvay for knovving the Diuine Will though shee should sometimes mistake in the thing it selfe Both shee also the Opposers of this Doctrine are to consider that as hath formerly bene sayd the only matters that are here supposed to be proposed for a Resolution are must be of the nature of those things which of themselues and in the generall are indifferent but yet vvhich being vvell chosen may vvill aduance the soule for in no other things but such can there be any doubt And surely if vve be capable of knovving Gods vvill in such things as vvho can question it certainly the proceeding thus vvith indifference Resignation vvithout
for Surely not Corporall labours Not the vse of the Sacraments Not hearing of Sermons c. For all these she might haue enioyed perhaps more plentifully in the vvorld It is therfore Only the vnion of the Spirit with God by Recollected Constant Praier to the attaining vvhich Diuine End all things practised in Religion doe dispose and to vvhich alone so great impediments are found in the vvorld 6. The best generall proofe therfore of a good Call to Religion is a Loue to prayer either vocall or Mentall For if at first it be only to vocall Praier by reason that the soule is ignorant of the efficacy and Excellency of Internall Contemplatiue Prayer or perhaps has receiued some preiudices against it Yet if she obserue Solitude carefully and vvith attention and feruour practise Vocall Praier she vvill in time either by a Diuine Light perceiue the necessity of ioyning Mentall Praier to her vocall or be enabled to practise her vocall Prayer mentally vvhich is a sublime Perfection 7. It is a state therfore of Recollectednes Introuersion that euery one entring into Religion is to aspire vnto The vvhich consists in an habituall Disposition of soule vvherby she transcends all creatures their Images the vvhich therby come to haue litle or no Dominion ouer her so that she remaines apt for immediate Cooperation vvith God receiuing his Inspirations and by a returne and as it vvere a refluxe tending to him and Operating to his Glory It is called Recollectednes because the Soule in such a State gathers her thoughts naturally dispersed fixed vvith multiplicity on Creatures and vnites them vpon God And it is called Introuersion both because the Spirit those things which concerne it being the only obiect that a deuout Soule considers values she turnes all her Sollicitudes inwards to obserue defects wants or inordinations there to the end she may remedy supply correct them And likevvise because the proper Seate the Throne Kingdome vvhere God by his Holy Spirit dvvells and reignes is the purest Summity of Mans Spirit There it is that the soule most perfectly enioyes and contemplates God though euery vvhere as in regard of himselfe equally present yet in regard of the communication of his Perfections present there after a far more Noble manner then in any part of the vvorld besides inasmuch as he communicates to the Spirit of Man as much of his Infinite Perfections as any Creature is capable of being not only simple Being as he is to inanimate Bodies or Life as to liuing Creatures or Perception as to sensitiue or knowledge as to other ordinary Rationall Soules But vvith and besides all these he is a Diuine Light Purity happines by communicating the supernaturall Graces of his Holy Spirit to the Spirits of his seruants Hence it is that our Sauiour sayes Regnum Dei intra vos est The Kingdome of God is within you And therfore it is that Religious Solitary abstracted Soules doe endeauour to turne all their thoughts invvard raising them to Apicem Spiritus the pure top of the Spirit far aboue all sensible Phantasmes or imaginatiue discoursings or grosser Affections vvhere God is most perfectly seene and most comfortably enioyed 7. Novv the actuall practise of this Introuersion consists principally if not only in the Exercise of Pure Internall spirituall Prayer the Perfection of vvhich therfore ought to be the Cheife ayme to vvhich a Religious Contemplatiue Soule is obliged to aspire So that surely it is a great mistake to thinke that the Spirit of S. Benedicts Order Rule consists in a Publick Orderly protracted solemne singing of the Diuine Office the vvhich may be full as vvell yea and for the Externall is vvith more aduantage performed by Secular Ecclesiasticks in Cathedrall Churches A Motiue to the introducing of vvhich pompous solemnity might be that it is full of Edification to others to see heare a conspiring of many Singers Voyces and it is to be supposed of hearts too to the praising of God But it is not for Edification of others that a Monasticall State vvas instituted or ought to be vndertaken Religious Soules truly Monasticall flye the sight of the vvorld entring into Desarts and solitudes to spend their liues alone in Pennance and Recollection and to purify their ovvne Soules not to giue Example or Instruction to others Such Solitudes are or ought to be sought by them therby to dispose themselues for another far more proffitable Internall solitude in vvhich Creatures being banished the only Conuersation is betvveene God and the Soule her selfe in the depth of the Spirit as if besides them tvvo no other thing vvere existent 8. To gaine this happy state a deuout Soule enters into Religion vvhere all imaginable aduantages are to be found for this End At least anciently they vvere so and still ought to be But yet though all Religious persons ought to aspire to the Perfection of this State it is really gained by very fevv in these times For some through ignorance or misinstruction by Teachers that knovv no deeper not a more perfect introuersion then into the Internall senses or imagination And others through negligence or else by reason of a voluntary povvring forth their Affections thoughts vpon vanities vselesse Studies or other sensuall Enterteinments are neuer able perfectly to enter into their Spirits and to find God there 9. But it is vvonderfull to reade of that depth of Recollectednes most profound Introuersion to vvhich some Ancient Solitary Religious Persons by long exercise of spirituall Prayer haue come In so much as they haue bene so absorpt euen drovvned in a deepe Contemplation of God that they haue not seene vvhat their eyes looked on nor felt vvhat othervvise vvould greiuously hurt them Yea to so habituall a State of attending only to God in their Spirit did some of them attaine that they could not though they had a mind therto oftimes fixe their thoughts vpon any other obieâ—t but God their Internall senses according as themselues haue described it hauing bene in an vnexpressible manner drawen into their Spirit and therein so svvallovved vp as to loose in a sort all other vse A most happy state in vvhich the Deuill cannot so much as fixe a seducing tentation or Image in their minds to distract them from God but on the contrary if he should attempt it that vvould be an occasion to plunge them deeper more intimely into God 10. And this vvas the effect of Pure Spirituall Contemplatiue Prayer The vvhich vvas not only practised by the Holy Ancient Hermites c. in most sublime Perfection But the exercise therof vvas their Chiefe most proper almost continuall Employment in so much as the Perfection therof vvas by them accounted the perfection of their State A larger proofe vvherof shall be reserued till vvee come to speake of Prayer For the present therfore I vvill content my selfe vvith a testimony or tvvo related by Cassian out of the mouthes
publick good is concerned 5. Generally there is great feruour in Soules at their first entrance into Religion Therfore if any one shevv vnrulines Obstinacy and Indeuotion during their Nouiceship small good is to be expected from them 6. A litle Deuoutnes vvill not serue to counteruaile ill inclinations to lying dissembling factiousnes an humour of calummating c For a great and scarse to be hoped for measure of Grace vvill be requisite to subdue such pernicious Qualities On the contrary a good Nature euen vvhere there is not so much Deuotion yet vvill beare vp a Soule and make her a tolerable member of a Community It is likevvise a great Disposition for Grace vvhich it may vvell be hoped vvill one day follovv and that such an one vvill become Deuout Especially this may be hoped for in those that haue naturally a good sound Iudgment vvhich is much to be considered 7. Novv by a good Nature I meane not such an one as is generally in the vvorld stiled so to vvit a facility and easines to grant a request or to comply vvith others On the contrary for as much as regards a Coenobiticall life I account such to be an ill nature being easily seduced and peruerted By a good Nature therefore in this place I meane such an one as is indued vvith Modesty Gentlenes Quietnes Humility Patience loue of Truth and other such Morally good Qualities vvhich are good Dispositions for Christian Perfection Novv a person of an ill Nature that vvill make a good shevv out of hope to steale a Profession ought the rather for his dissimulation to be reiected 8. And indeed Subtile Natures are much to be taken heede of Some Nouices vvill behaue themselues so cunningly as at the end of their Probation none can be able to produce any speciall accusation against them yet they may in their conscience beleiue them to be vnfitt In this case euery one is to follovv their ovvne iudgement And especiall heede is to be taken of the iudgement of the Master or Mistrisse of the Nouices who are most to be credited as hauing the opportunity meanes to espy and penetrate more deeply into their Interiour Dispositions 9. This Goodnes or vertuousnes of Nature is an Essentiall Point and farre more to be regarded then those Accidentall ones as strength of Bodily complexion Acutenes of Wit Gracefullnes of Behauiour skill in Singing Nobility Portion c. And particularly for this last hovv far Religious Soules ought to be from regarding riches or gaine in matters of this Nature or for such carnall Ends to admit those that are vnfit or vvhom God hath not sent The Generall Decree of the Church in the first Oecumenicall Councell of Lateran can 64. vvill shevv besides the practise of Antiquity as vvee may reade in an Epistle of S. Augustin Surely the only vvay of founding Conuents securely euen in regard of Temporalities is by making choice only of those to vvhom God hath giuen fitting dispositions vvherby vvee may engage his Omnipotence in their preseruation 10. Those therfore vpon vvhose Suffrages the Admission and Profession of New-comers doe depend are to consider that they are intrusted by the vvhole Congregation vvith a matter of such consequence as not only the present but future vvellfare or ruine of Conuents is interessed in their proceedings all vvhich trust they shall betray if any vndue consideration of friendship kindred gaine c. or a zeale of multiplying Conuents vvhich is but carnall shall corrupt their iudgments 11. Surely therfore in all reason none should be admitted into Communities professing the aspiring to Contemplation but only such as are disposed therto and that are vvilling yea desirous to spend their vvhole Liues in Solitude Praier Regular Obseruances without any designes or thoughts of euer being employed abroad yet alvvayes vvith an entire submission to the Ordinances of Superiours 12. And indeed as vvas said before concerning Superiours that Actiue Spirits being to direct the Contemplatiue doe endanger the extinguishing of the Spirit of Contemplation so likevvise if such be vvithout choice admitted the same mischeife vvill follovv Yea I am persvvaded that many Actiue Spirits though of a Good seemly outvvard cariage are no lesse harmfull to a Community then a lesser number of loose Spirits And the reason is because by their good Exteriour shevv they vvill seeme vvorthy of Superiority to vvhich also their Activity vvill incline them And those are they indeed saith Thaulerus that are Persecutours of Contemplation for hauing a good opinion of themselues and their ovvne vvayes vvhich loose Spirits haue not they thinke themselues euen obliged to depresse those other good soules that doe not iudge those externall exercises and fashions suitable to their Profession And for this reason they vvill by faction seeke to encrease their number yea and to strengthen their ovvne party they vvill not spare to ioyne vvith loose Spirits for their ovvne Interests yeilding to their disorders Neither vvhen they haue compassed their Ends by the ruine of the Spirit of Contemplation vvill Vnquietnes cease For in a Community vvholly consisting of Actiue Spirits factions and partialities for seuerall Ends and designes will neuer be wāting 13. Novv the same care that Superiours ought to haue about the choice and Admission of vertuous and fitt soules into Communities must be continued in the managing and directing of them being admitted Great care therfore is to be taken that the misbehauiour of Nouices doe not proceed from vvant of knovvledge Instruction in matters of the Spirit That so it may appeare that if they doe not vvell it is for vvāt of good vvill and not of Light Now it is not to be expected that Nouices should be perfect it vvill suffise that they seriously tend to it by a constant pursuance of Internall Praier and Abstraction of Life 14. Aboue all things therfore Superiours ought to allovv to their subiects a competent time dayly for their Recollections vvhich is the foode of the soule and to deny vvhich vvould be a greater Tyrāny then to refuse corporall foode to slaues after their trauaile He deserues not the name of a Religious man saith Caietan No not of a Christian saith Thaulerus that doth not euery day spend some reasonable space in his Interiour S. Bernard vvould not excuse euen Pope Eugenius himselfe in the midst of those continually most distractiue vveighty affaires of the Popedome from this duty The vvant vvherof is more harmfull to the Soule then that of corporall foode is to the Body For he that fasts one day besides the present paine he finds vvill the next haue a better and more eager appetite But a soule that through neglect is depriued of her dayly foode of Praier vvill the next day haue a lesse stomack and disposition to it and so in time vvill come vvillingly and euen vvith pleasure to starue in Spirit And to such neglect and loathing of Prayer she vvill come if Superiours doe hinder or indeed not encourage her
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
freely admitted doe hinder from obseruing the snares suggestions of the deuill or of our Corrupt nature doe vvithall disturbe the tranquillity of the soule 5. In these tvvo Duties therefore of Mortification Prayer all good is comprehended For by the exercise of Mortification those tvvo generall most deadly enemies of our soules selfe loue Pride are combatted subdued to vvit by the meanes of those tvvo fandamentall Christian vertues of Diuine Charity Humility And Prayer exercised in vertue of these tvvo vvill of both by way impetration obtaine also vvith a direct Efficiency ingraft a nevv Diuine Principle nature in vs vvhich is the Diuine Spirit the vvhich vvill become a new life vnto vs the very soule of our soules by degrees raising vs higher higher out of our corrupt nature till at last vvee be made one with God by an vnion as perfect constant immediate as in this fraile life an intellectiue soule is capable of 6. And both these duties of mortification Prayer are so absolutely necessary that they must neither of them euer cease but continually encrease in perfection vertue to the end of our liues For though selfe-loue pride may by mortification be subdued yet as long as vvee are imprisoned in mortall bodies of flesh blood they vvill neuer be totally rooted out of vs but that euen the most perfect soules vvill find in themselues matter enough for further mortification And againe our vnion with God by Prayer can neuer either be so constant but that it vvill be interrupted so as that the soule vvill fall from her height back some degrees into nature againe nor is there any degree of it so perfect pure spirituall but that it may by exercise vvill become yet more more pure vvithout all limits 7. The diligent Exercise of each of these doth much aduance the practise of the other For as Mortification is a good disposition to prayer yea so necessary that a sensuall immortified soule cannot raise herselfe vp so much as to looke to God vvith any cordiall desire to please him or to loue be resigned to him much lesse to be perfectly vnited to him so likevvise by Prayer the soule obtaines light to discouer vvhatsoeuer inordinate affections in her are to be mortified also strength of spirituall grace actually effectually to subdue them 8. Hence it may easily appeare that of these tvvo Prayer is much the more valuable noble Exercise 1. Because in prayer of Contemplation consists the essentiall happines both of this life that vvhich is to come So that Mortification regards Prayer as the meanes disposing to an end for therfore a deuout soule is obliged to mortify her inordinate Affections to the end she may therby be disposed to an vnion vvith God 2. Because Mortifications are neuer duly proffitably vndergone but only in vertue of prayer Whereas possible it may be that Prayer alone may be considerably aduanced vvithout any other notable mortifications in case that God haue prouided none for the soule 3. Because Prayer is vvithall in it selfe the most excellent effectuall mortification for in by it the most secret risings of inordinate passions are contradicted yea the mind superiour vvill are vvholly abstracted eleuated aboue nature so that for the time all passions are quieted all creatures especially our selues transcended forgotten in a sort annihilated 9. Notvvithstanding in case that God as he seldome failes doe prouide for vs occasions of mortification out of Prayer If vvee be negligent in making good vse of them to the promoting of our selues in spirit vvee shall decrease both in grace Prayer As on the contrary by a good vse of them vvee shall both certainly speedily be aduanced in the vvaies of the spirit So that neither of them alone is to be relied on Mortification without Prayer vvill be but superficiall or it is to be feared hypocriticall And Prayer with a neglect of mortification will be heartles distracted of small vertue 10. The subiect therfore of this the follovving Treatise being a recommendation of these two most necessary most excellent Instruments of Contemplation reason requires that of the two Mortification should in the first place be treated of in as much as it is not only the lesse perfect but because also the proper vse of it is to dispose and make euen and plaine the vvay to the other by leauelling the mountaines of Pride raising the valleys of sloth and smoothing the roughnes and inequalities of our Passions but especially by remouing out of the vvay that generall impediment vvhich is Propriety of our naturall carnall wills CHAP. II. § ◠The mortifications here treated of in particular are not of such sinfull deordinations of passions as are acknowledged to be sins either mortall or veniall § 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. But of such deordinations as are commonly called Imperfections which may occasion sins § 9. That sin consists in the Enioyng of creatures instead of Vsing them § 10. 11. 12. All veniall sins cannot be auoyded But affection to them must § 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Wherin such affection consists how it is inconsistent with Perfection 1. NOvv intending to treate of Mortification first in generall aftervvard of the speciall kinds of it at least such as more peculiar to Internall liuers my designe is not to discourse in particular of such deordinations as are generally acknovvledged to be in themselues sinfull either mortally or in a grosser manner venially that is such as that the actions or omissions to vvhich they adhere can in no circumstances be lawfull or permitted although the end or intention pretended of them vvere neuer so good Such as are officious lies smaller reuenges or calumniations c. For it is supposed that the soules for vvhose benefit these Instructions vvere intended are not in a state to stand in need of aduices concerning such matters But are supposed to be entred into a vvay of Perfection being desirous yea through Gods grace resolued to abandon all things to cast avvay all adhesions affections vvhatsoeuer that are inordinate not only such as vvill endanger to kill the soule but also such as vvould make it sickly infirme or staine the Luster brightnes of it 2. The obiects therfore of Mortification vvhich I shall cheifly handle are such defects as though indeed in thēselues they be sinfull yet are not acknovvledged by all to be so but are called only imperfections being such sins as considering the frailty of our nature can hardly be auoyded neuer totally rooted out being conuersant about obiects vvhich vvee may lavvfully must necessarily vse but the fault is that vvee doe vvith some deordination either adhere to or are auerted from such obiects In a vvord such sins they are that except vvhen they are more grosse it vvould be an endlesse vnproffitable labour to make thē the matters
be made of Prosperity § 8. 9. The great Benefits of Mortification § 10. A great courage is necessary to the due practise of Mortification § 11. 12. 13. 14. The aduice of some writers to raise Passions to the end afterward to represse them is dangerous 1. NATVRALLY wee loue seeke nothing but our selues in all things vvhatsoeuer vvee loue seeke Wee are our owne last end referring all things euen supernaturall yea God himselfe to our ovvne Interest commodity Wee seeke things pleasing only to our senses outvvard or invvard as if the felicity of our soules persons consisted in sensuall pleasures opinion of honour proffit or curiosity of knowledge c Therfore there can be no merit in nature or Actions proceeding from nature 2. Yea they vvho naturally haue much interiour composednes stillnes of passions seeme not much to be troubled vvith rebellion in sensuality that moreouer haue in them a kind of naturall deuotion yet euen these vvhatsoeuer they appeare outvvardly in shevv are full of selfe loue vvhich is the principle of all their Actions If they loue Quietnes it is because nature takes a contentment in it And their selfe-love is more abstruse more deeply seated in the roote of the spirit it selfe And therfore oftimes it is hard to be cured because not so easily discouered Neither indeed is there any hope of remedy till by prayer they get a light to discouer the said secret selfe loue and grace by mortification to subdue it 3. It is true such good Naturall dispositions may be beneficiall to soules in two respects especially First in that by meanes thereof they fall into fevver sins then more passionate Impetuous natures doe consequently doe not put so many impediments to grace But yet it is to be feared vnlesse they practise Prayer mortification they vvill increase in Spirituall pride for certaine it is that nature not restrained vvill one vvay or other grovv more more inordinate 2. A second Benefit is that such dispositions are better fitted for internall Prayer yea to the perfectest kind of it vvhich is Prayer of Aspirations so that they may with lesse labour get out of Nature eleuating thēselues to God 4. An absolute necessity therfore there is for all soules to mortify nature especially to rectify this generall deprauednes of Propriety by vvhich vvee are to our selues our last end The vvhich is done by the Infusion of Diuine Charity by vvhich our selues are directed to God as our last end And a necessary disposition therto is the Mortification of selfe loue And thus far all Christians are obliged to mortify themselues namely to cure the mortally sinfull disorders of their soules A necessity likevvise there is vpon supposition of aspiring to Perfection to mortify all deliberate affections to any the least veniall defects and deordinations of our soules The which Duty of Mortification requires of vs that deliberately and customarily vvee neither admit into our minds internally vaine thoughts nor outwardly speake or exercise Acts of vaine loue vaine hope vaine feare or vaine sorrovv all is vaine that is not referred to God or is not done for him 5. Mortificatiō tends to subiect the body to the spirit and the Spirit to God And this it does by crossing the inclinatiōs of sence which are quite cōtrary to those of the diuine spirit vvhich ought to be our cheife only Principle For by such crossing afflicting of the body Selfe-loue Selfevvill the poyson of our spirits are abated in time in a sort destroyed instead of thē there entreth into the soule the diuine loue diuine will take possession therof And therin consists our Perfection happines 6. For this reason the soule is in a far more secure state vvhen crosses afflictions doe exceed vvordly contentment sensuall ease For wonderfull seldome it happens that a soule makes any progresse in a Spirituall course by meanes of outward prosperity Some Perfect soules may perhaps keepe the station in vvhich they are not vvithstanding an casefull contented abounding condition in the vvorld But it is almost miraculous if they therby aduance themselues in spirit so naturally almost necessarily doth case of nature nourish selfe-loue Pride security a spirituall sloth a distast of spirituall things 7. Indeed the only possible vvay for a soule to make Prosperity an occasion of improuement to her is by a voluntary crossing diminishing of it that is by taking aduantage euen from thence to mortify nature As for example in case of Riches honours by carying our selues both exteriourly interiourly to God man vvith more humility modesty as if vvee were not at all in such plenty eminency also by suppressing vaine ioy complacency in such things by acknowledging that vvee are not Lords proprietaires but only stewards dispensers of such things from vvhom a seuere account shall be required for the talents entrusted to vs for others sakes not our ovvne So that it is most true That all the security solidity fullnes of our soules good consists in a right vse of those things vvhich are contrary afflicting to our nature 8. In generall Mortification includes the exercise of all vertues for in euery Act of vertue vvee mortify some inordinate passion inclination of nature or other so that to attaine to perfect Mortification is to be possessed of all vertues 9. The benefits blessings that come to our soules by exercising of Mortification are many most precious As 1. There is therby auoyded that sin vvhich othervvise vvould haue bene committed 2. It causes a degree of purity to the soule 3. It procures greater grace spirituall strength 4. One act of Mortification enableth to another As on the contrary by yeilding any time to our corrupt nature vvee are enfeebled lesse able to resist another time 5. It diminisheth our suffring in Purgatory because so much of suffring is past a little paine for the present vvill counteruaile preuent sharpe long paines for the future 6. It procures internall light by dispelling calming the vnrulines of passions 7. It produces great Peace to the soule the vvhich is disturbed only by vnquiet Passions 8. It helpeth the soule much in her aduancement in spirituall Prayer Contemplation the end of all our Religious spirituall exercises 9. It is of great edification to our Brethren neighbours 10. It increaseth all these vvayes our future happines glory 10. The duty of Mortification being so absolutely necessary so infinitely beneficiall moreouer so largely extended as that it reaches to all manner of naturall Inclinations in so much as nothing does an imperfect soule any good further then it is crosse mortifying to some inordination in her naturall inclinations It followes from hence that a soule that intends to vvalke in these vvayes of Contemplation had need haue a great courage since her designe must be to combat
vnexpressible mortifications most subtile Tentations Priuations Desolations the vvhich being vvorthily vndergone doe vvonderfully purify the spirit The former Mortifications S. Paul expresses thus There hath no Tentation taken you but such as is according to ordinary humane nature c But the latter thus Our wrestling is not against flesh blood the vsuall tentations of Gods imperfect children but against Principalities Powers against the Gouernours of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses in high places or things 12. Euery Act of Mortification performed by vertue of Internall Prayer doth increase in vs the grace of God dispose vs to a more perfect future Prayer As on the contrary euery act of immortification doth increase in vs selfe-loue doth make vs more indisposed for future Internall Prayer Againe Prayer enables vs for future Mortifications teaching vs hovv to vndertake support them So that these Duties must neuer be separated These containe all that an Internall liuer is obliged to 13. I will conclude this Discourse concerning mortification in grosse vvith one Obseruation vvhich may serue for a caution to a vvell-minded soule that liues an Internall life to preuent an inconuenience which othervvise might perhaps surprise her It is this That it may happen that Religious or spirituall Persons vvill find a greater difficulty in mortifying renouncing some sensuall contentments after they haue entred into a spirituall course then they formerly found vvhilst they lead an extrouerted secular life in the world Novv this hapning to them may perhaps suggest either scrupulous or at least disquieting thoughts as if the change that they haue made were not for the better or as if some thing they vvell knovv not vvhat vvere amisse vvith them But if they vvill vvell consider of the matter they vvill find that this is no strange thing nor deseruing that they should much trouble themselues about it 14. For the Reasons hereof are 1. Because if such an one had not pursued an Internall life he vvould haue perhaps enabled himselfe to quit one pleasure by diuerting himselfe from thence to some other vvhich vvould haue recompenced satisfied for that losse taking avvay the present difficulty Whereas in a Spirituall life a soule hauing in Resolution abandoned all sensuall pleasures as such that can be abandonned she cannot recompence the bitternes found in mortifying one by a deliberate yeilding to another the pleasure felt in enioying vvhereof might make her lesse sensible of the losse of the other 2. Againe an Imperfect soule vvill iudge it necessary for the sustaining of corporall infirmity to preuent an vnchearfull discontented habit of mind to allovv vnto her selfe some contentments recreatiue to sense And therfore vvhen such are denied her she vvill be apt to be impatient or if she endeauour to contradict resist such impatience of nature she vvill doe it more feebly faintly 3. Because it is impossible that a soule can liue not take pleasure in something or other that assords contentment either to the sense or the spirit Novv a spirituall person being yet in an imperfect state has but little present sensible pleasure in the exercises proper to his vvay except God novv then visit him vvith sensible deuotion for the cheife pleasure that spirituality affords is in hope only that vvithout any regard to the body it regards the Spirit alone Novv hope is not so attractiue as present sensuall contentment is 4. besides all this such a soule not hauing yet chased out of the Superiour faculties all affection to sensuall pleasure finding for the present little or nothing but paine in all her exercises both of mortification Prayer No maruell if vvhen pleasure sometimes comes in her vvay that she finds difficulty in reiecting it Indeed the greatest Paine comes not from the particular obiects of Mortification but rather from tediousnes irkesomenes in being continually in a condition of suffring vvhich she iudges must last to her liues end This is very painfull to an imperfect soule But yet by a constant practise of mortification Prayer she vvill find daily an abatement of this tediousnes in the end the renouncing of all contentments of sense nature for themselues vvill become easy pleasurable to her 5. â—astly such a soule is to consider that it is a proofe of Gods goodnes to her to suffer her to feele so much difficulty now not experienced before to the end to humble her to teach her not at all to relye vpon herselfe nor to promise herselfe the least good from her ovvne forces CHAP. V. § 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Mortifications diuided into 1. Necessary 2. And Voluntary And what each of these are § 6. 7. 8. 9. Extraordinary or supernumerary Mortifications are not to be assumed without great aduice They are seldome allowed in the Rule of S. Benedict § 10. 11. The Aduice of some That wee should alwaies in euery thing be crossing our naturall inclinations dangerous § 12. 13. The inconueniences of Extraordinary Mortifications vnaduisedly assumed § 14. 15. What extraordinary ones are least dangerous § 16. Signes by which to discerne when such are proper beneficiall § 17. Generally speaking there is little need that Extraordinary Mortifications should be assumed 1. HAVING spoken in generall of Mortification come vvee novv to the Diuision kinds of it And the most generall diuision of mortification is into those vvhich are 1. Necessary 2. Voluntary This is a Diuision of vvhich vvee shall haue great vse through this vvhole Treatise therfore it deserues to be explained more distinctly accurately 2. First therfore vvithin the notion of necessary Mortifications are comprehended 1. Not only such crosses afflictions to nature as vvee cannot though vvee would auoyd vvhether they be externall or Internall as sicknes want disgraces losse of freinds tentations desolations c. The vvhich indeed are the most proper beneficiall mortifications of all other as being sent or suffred to come vpon vs by the most Wise Good Prouidence of God for our good 2. but those also that vvee doe or suffer by vertue of our assumed state of life either by occasion of any Law or humane Constitution or by obedience subiection to our Superiours Conuersation vvith our equalls inferiours c. 3. Those also that wee vndertake by the direction of our Confessarius or spirituall Guide to vvhom notvvithstanding our obedience is but voluntary being to last only as long as vvee thinke good 4. Those workes that true discretion requires of vs vvhich to leaue vndone or to doe contrary vvould be against Prudence 5. Likewise vvhatsoeuer it befalls vs to suffer from any creature vvhatsoeuer not excepting the deuill himselfe yea though it vvere by our ovvne fault that such things hapned to vs or vvere brought vpon vs. 6. Lastly those things that vvee accept willingly of by vertue of an Interiour Diuine Impulse vvith the Approbation of our spirituall Father 3. Secondly
by Reason yet such Images continuing in the Fancy and such motions in the body the mind vvill be stupified and the resistance of Reason vvill oftimes be so feeble as that in the opinion of the Person it vvill passe for no resistance at all Yea rather the soule vvill be persvvaded that she has deliberatly consented considering the continuance of them after that she vvas fully avvake and had reflected on them 10. Notvvithstanding vnlesse in such soules the Reason doe not only reflect vpon the sinfullnes of such impure thoughts if consented to but likevvise in the very same instant that she makes such a Reflection the Will be deliberately moued to the approuing of them they may be assured that there has passed no culpable consent to them Againe if the generall disposition of such soules be such as that seldome or neuer either Speeches or deliberate Actions doe proceede from them conformable to such impure Imaginations they may confidently iudge that there is no danger of hauing incurred a mortall sin 11. Aboue all things the Deuout soule is to be carefull that she be not disheartned by occasion of such Tentations from pursuing constantly her appointed Recollections the best she can notvvithstanding that then aboue all other times such Thoughts vvill throng into her mind so that she vvill thinke it almost vnlavvfull to appeare before God being full of such impure Images But she is to consider that novv is the proper time to shevv her Fidelity to God No thanks to her if she adhere to God vvhen nature makes no opposition but rather finds a gust in it But if amidst these tempests of corrupt nature she vvill firmely adhere to God vvhen such adhesion becomes so extremely painefull to her this is thankevvorthy then she vvill shevv herselfe a Valiant Soldier of our Lord vvorthy of that testimony that he giues of her vvho has iudged her fit and capable of encountring such furious Enemies 11. A great blessing and happines it is that in all internall Confusions Obscurities c. vvee can allvvaies make an Election of God vvith the Superiour vvill The vvhich being effectually done vvhatsoeuer disorders are in the Imagination or in inferiour nature they doe rather encrease then preiudice our Merit 12. Indeed this is that great most Efficacious and Vniuersall Remedy against all Tentations to vvit an actuall Conuersion of the Soule to God in Prayer For thereby the soule being vnited to God either she vvill loose the Image and Memory of the Tentation for the present Or hovveuer she doth vvith farre more efficacy oppose and vvorke contrary to such Tentations then if she had fixed her Eyes vvith a direct renouncing and detestation of them For in an Actuall Vnion vvith God is included a vertuall detestation of all things contrary to him both for present and future and also therby the soule adheres to her only Good vvith vvhom they are absolutly inconsistent 13. This Remedy therfore vvhich containes in it all the vertue of all other particular Remedies is often and seriously to be recommended to Internall Contemplatiue liuers for indeed none but such as liue abstracted liues can vvithout great force and difficulty be in a disposition at pleasure to introuert and recollect shemselues Hovveuer let euery soule that is capable therof vse it It is the plainest easiest securest and most infallible Cure of all others 14. Those that are throughly practised in Prayer cannot only be vnited in Wâ—ll to God but perceiue themselues to be so vnited vvhilst in the meane time both the representation of those Tentations remaines in the Imagination and vnderstanding and much trouble likevvise in inferiour Nature All vvhich notvvithstanding are not any hindrance or preiudice to such Vnion Yea by occasion of these things a more perfect and intense Vnion may be caused 15. The light obtained by Prayer for the discouering of the Causes Grounds and Remedies of such Tentations and the Grace to resist them is vvonderfull and incredible to those that doe not practise Prayer By neglect of vvhich many liue in the midst of Tentations and yet doe not knovv them to be such Or knovving them yet haue no strength nor vvill to resist them But most certaine it is that a Soule vvhich duely prosecutes Internall Prayer according to her present abilities can scarce possibly be so ouercome vvith a Tentation as habitually to yeild to it or hovveuer to dye in it Indeed there is no security that a Soule ordinarily is capable of in this life but by the meanes of Prayer CHAP. X. § 1. Of Scrupulosities about Externall Duties as the Office Fasting c. § 2. Tender Soules ought to seeke full Information touching such Obligations which is not out of politick ends to be denyed them § 3. 4. 5. 6. Seuerall cases of Indulgence about the Office § 7. 8. 9. 10. Some learned Doctours doe free particular Religious persons not in holy Orders from a necessary Obligation of saying the Office in priuate § 11. An Aduice touching the same 1. IN the next place the speciall Externall Duties about vvhich tender Soules are apt to admit Scrupulosities are many Yea some are so inordinatly timorous that they can give vvay to vnsatisfaction in almost euery thing that they doe or say But the principall and most common especially in Religion are these 1. The obligation of Religious Persons to Pouerty Obedience Regular Fasting Saying of the Office in publick or priuate c. 2. The Duty of Examination of the Conscience in Order to Confession and Confession in selfe with Communicating afterward 2. The generall proper Remedy against Scrupulosity arising vpon occasion of any of these matters is a true information of the Extent of the said Obligations And surely Spirituall Directours are obliged to allovve as much latitude to vvellminded timerous Soules in all these things as Reason vvill possibly admitt considering that such are apt to make a good vse of the greatest condescendency Therfore it vvould be a fault inexcusable before God if Confessours out of a vaine Policy to the end to keepe tender Soules in a continuall dependence and captiuity vnder them should conceale from them any Relaxations allovved by Doctours or iust Reason And timerous Soules vvhen they haue receiued information from Persons capable of knovving and vnlikely to deceiue them they ought to beleiue and rest vpon them and to account all risings of feare or suspicion to the contrary to be vnlavvfull 3. More particularly for as much as concernes the Diuine Office since all that vnderstand Latin may acquaint themselues vvith all the Dispensations and largest allovvances afforded by Doctours I conceiue it most requisite that such ignoraÌ„t tender Soules especially Women as may come to see or reade these InstructioÌ„s should not be left in an ignorance or vncertainty hereabout For vvhy should any additionall burdens of a Religious life lye more heauy on those that are least able to beare them and such as vvill be far from being lesse carefull in
aliue in them should mixe its ovvne Interests euen in the most holy Actions Or rather is this possible to be vvholly auoyded vnlesse vvee vvere Perfect in an instant If there vvere any vndue or vnlavvfull Externall Motiues that induced them in the beginning to betake themselues to such a state Since it novv pleases God to shevv vnto them that such a state is so secure and so happy a Condition for their soules surely they ought rather to employ their Tongues and thoughts to blesse him vvho dealt vvith them mercifully and graciously beyond their deserts rather then to trouble and disquiet themselues Are they afflicted because God made them happy against their vvills Or that by his speciall most mercifull Prouidence he discouraged them from abiding in the Tentations Snares of the vvorld Or that he tooke aduantage from their Imperfections to bring them into the vvay of Petfection Or that he changed their neglect into a desire of seeking him though vvith many defects 9. They ought therfore to consider that in the present State they novv are nothing can so much harme them as such vnreasonable and vnquiet apprehensions If they vvere novv in a Capacity to begin to make a free Choice they vvould vvith an vndoubted good and right Intention renounce the vvorld hauing often times freely confirmed their first Profession And surely this ought to satisfy them For God lookes vpon all his seruants according as their present Condition is so that if they novv seeke him in truth vvhatsoeuer the Motiues vvere that brought them to their present state they shall be no preiudice to them If they vvere Impure they are forgiuen and shall neuer be considered If good they shall be considered for their good only If they still haue imperfections it is no vvonder Who does not complaine and iustly of Imperfections When they are more perfect they vvill haue lesser defects but they vvill see many more and be more humbled though lesse disquieted for them Hovveuer certaine it is that Scrupulosity Feare is their far greatest and most harmfull imperfection for this alone vvill make Perfection in the Diuine vnion impossible to be obtained as long as the soule acts according to its inclination And the vvay to cure it is not to dispute or contest vvith the cause of it but to neglect transcend vvorke quite contrary to it And doing so though the paine continue in sensitiue nature yet such paine vvill proue a very purifying Mortification CHAP. XIII § 1. Of the mortification of the affections of the Will to wit Pride c. § 2. Of Humility what it is § 3. 4. That God is the only obiect thereof mediate or immediate § 5. 9. 7. 8. Of Humility expressed towards creatures with respect to God Which requires that wee preferre all others before our selues according to the seauenth Degree in our holy Rule § 9. 10. This doth not offend against truth § 11. 12. 13. The which is proued by the grounds of true Christian Humility And that the most sublime perfect creatures are the most humble § 14. The knowledge perception or feeling of our owne Not-being Gods Totality or absolute Being is the principall ground of Humility § 15. Of other meanes conducing therto § 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. By what considerations a perfect soule may truly iudge herselfe inferiour to all others § 21. 22. Of Humility exercised immediately to God either with reflexion on our selues or without it § 23. 24. An imperfect soule may know but not feele her owne Nothing which is done only in perfect Prayer § 25. 26. Deliberate imperfections in our selues are an hindrance to this feeling § 27. 28. 29. Of the degrees of this feeling § 30. 31. Exhortation to aspire therto 1. HAVING thus largely treated of the Mortification of the principall Passions in Sensitiue nature vvee are consequently to speake of the Mortifications of the Will or Appetite of the Superiour soule the generall inordination vvhereof is Pride the roote of all other vices vvhich of all other is the last cured as being fixed in the inmost center of the Spirit Novv Pride doth generally expresse it selfe one of these three wayes 1. In curiosity of knowledge or seeking to enrich the vnderstanding vvith sciences not proffitable sought only out of an Ambition of excelling This is mortified by a namelesse vertue vvhich S. Paul describes by this circumlocution vvhen he exhorts vs that vvee vvould sapere ad sobrietatem be soberly wise concerning vvhich Duty vvee haue treated sufficiently where vvee spoke of the regulating of our Reading studies 2. In a loue desire of selfe esteeme the vvhich is mortified by that most diuine fundamentall vertue of Humility 3. In a loue of liberty or independency a desire of Prelature or Authority ouer others The vvhich is mortified by the Religious Vertue of Obedience It remaines therfore that vvee conclude this Treatise of Mortification vvith Instructions touching these tvvo eminent vertues of Humility Obedience 2. Humility may be defined to be a vertue by vvhich vvee acknowledging the Infinite greatnes Maiesty of God his incomprehensible Perfections the absolute Power that he hath ouer vs all creatures vvhich are as nothing before him doe vvholly subiect our selues both soules bodies vvith all their povvers faculties all things that pertaine to either to his holy vvill in all things for his sake to all creatures according to his vvill 3. Properly speaking Humility is only exercised towards God not to creatures Because all creatures are in themselues nothing as vvell as vvee and so deserue as vvell to be despised And on these grounds the Heathens vvere incapable of this vertue because they did not nor could intend God vvho vvas vnknowne vnto them Yea it vvas not vvithout ground that they disgraced condemned this vertue by vvhich men compared themselues vvith others preferring all before themselues as a hindrance to other Perfections Because the vnderualuing ones selfe compared vvith others vvas in their opinion a meanes to deiect mens spirits hinder any Heroycall attempts of raising ones selfe aboue others and also because if the person comparing had indeed an aduantage in Perfections it vvould be both vnreasonable vniust not to preferre himselfe But vvhat an inconsequent vvay of arguing this is I shall hereafter shevv 4. In this vertue of Humility God towards vvhom it is exercised may be considered 1. as absolutely abstractly in himselfe 2. as compared with creatures 3. as in his creatures in seuerall degrees participated by them 5. In this latter regard vvee for God shevv Humility towards men preferring others before our selues contenting our selues vvith the meanest things in dyet cloaths bookes c yea vvith the meanest parts endovvments of nature flying all honour authority or esteeme c. 6. If Humility vvere thus practised by Religious persons c all other duties also vvould be chearfully readily practised for if vvee did indeed esteeme
hovveuer for the perill of Pride vvhich vvill insinuate mingle it selfe euen in humility also vvee should not be too forvvard to exercise voluntary outvvard actions of humility out of a pretence of giuing edification to others And vvhen vvee doe such as are commanded in the Rule conformable to our state vvee ought in them as vvell as vvee can to purify our intention CHAP. XIV § 1. 2. Of the mortification of our naturall Inclination to liberty or Independency by the vertue of Obedience § 3. 4. Obedience likewise regards God either mediately or immediately And that it is easier to obey God then man § 5. 6. 7. 8. The obligation laid by our holy Rule on Subiects to discouer their internall Defects to Superiours is now much out of vse And how this is come to passe § 9. Obedience earnestly pressed by S. Benedict § 10. It ought to proceede from the soule § 11. 12. Of the doctrine of Casuists limiting or dispensing with Regular Obedience And what vse is to be made of it § 13. 14. Speciall aduices thereabouts to scrupulous soules § 15. Truly perfect Obedience has no limits § 16. 17. 18. Seuerall defects in Obedience § 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. How a soule is to behaue herselfe in obediences in things preiudiciall And in such as are pleasing to nature § 24. An example of perfect simplicity in Obedience § 25. Of obedience to Brethren required in our Rule § 26. Prayer a necessary meane to beget Obedience 1. THE second deprauation of the will vvhich is to be mortified is a naturall loue of Liberty Independence as also an Ambition to dispose Rule others And the proper vertue vvherby this is mortified is Religious Obedience The vvhich is a branch of Humility as the foresaid deprauation is of Pride 2. Obedience therfore as vvell as Humility doth principally regard God euen vvhen it is performed to man And indeed vnlesse our Obedience to creatures doe flow from our Obedience due to God it vvill neuer aduance or perfectionate the soule but rather nourish all depraued affections in it as hauing its roote in selfe-loue seruile feare yea oft in Pride it selfe Wheras if it be grounded on our duty to God the soule therby vvill become so humble supple and pliable that it vvill not refuse to subiect it selfe to the meanest creatures it will chearfully suffer all crosses contradictions pressures both externall and internall 3. Obedience is performed either 1. Immediatly to God alone 2. Or immediatly to man but for Gods sake Wee will in this place only treate of this latter for as for the other it comprehends all the duties of Piety Deuotion whether externall or internall and therfore needs not be spoken of particularly 4. To submit ones selfe to man for Gods sake or out of loue to God is much harder then to doe it immediately to God consequently it is in that regard more meritorious vvill most efficaciously and speedily bring a soule to perfection The reasons of the greater diâ—ficulty in our obedience to man are 1. Because though vvee acknovvledge our Superiour to be Gods substitute yet vvee are not alvvaies conuinced that his particular Commands proceede from him as such but rather from passion naturall interests auersion c so that vvee cannot see his commands to be so reasonable as Gods are acknovvledged to be not that Obedience to them vvill produce so much good to the soule 2. Because wee knovv our Superiour cannot see nor iudge the heart but may erre be mistaken so that it is not easy to submit the mind to one that has no right ouer it nor povver to see his commands perfectly executed 5. For this reason it is that our Holy Father knovving the vvonderfull vertue efficacy of Obedience proceeding from the heart requires in his holy Rule that Subiects should in a sort communicate to their superiours that proper Attribute of God vvho calls himselfe a seer searcher of the heart vvith humility simplicity discouering vnto them all their considerable imperfections in thoughts And this he does not only out of an eye to the benefit that may come by the Sacrament of Pennance for this vvas to be done though the Superiour were no Preist as anciently oft they vvere not But the ends of this obligation vvas 1. for the more perfect humiliation of the subiect a mortification of that naturall auersion that vvee haue from the discouering submitting to the censures of others our secret defects 2. To the end that the Superiour might be enabled to gouerne his subiects for their spirituall aduancement 6. Wee may reasonably impute to the disuse of this obligation the great decay of Religious discipline perfection in the vvorld Because novv generally speaking Superiours knovv no more of their subiects but vvhat they chance to obserue in their outvvard behauiour For as for Internall matters vvhich are the principall they all passe betvveene each Religious person a priuate chosen Confessarius 7. But vvithall the disuse of the said obligation vvee are to impute 1. Partly to the tepidity of subiects their vvant of care to be gouerned by a vvay absolutely the best for themselues hovveuer very heauy to corrupt nature 2. but principally to the Incapacity Insufficiency of Superiours in regard of vvhich such a change of the said custome vvas esteemed euen necessary 8. Surely this most excellent practise had neuer bene brought into disuse or vvould againe be restored if Superiours according as our holy Rule requires as in the Primitiue times they vvere had continued or generally novv vvere 1. Themselues practised in a spirituall course of Prayer contemplation vvould consider that their Duty is to direct their subiects soules in the same vvay 2. If they had the spirit of Discretion light to discerne the seuerall dispositions capacities of their subiects soules in order to their principall end 3. If in whatsoeuer impositions they lay on them beyond the obseruances of the Rule they vvould regard vvhether therby their subiects considering their seuerall tempers are likely to be aduanced or hindred in their spirituall course not esteeme that it is a sufficient Iustification for them that the things in themselues are not ill their end therin is to mortify their subiects vvills Passions For such mortifications there may be as vvill endanger to extinguish the light that is in their subiects soules by dravving them to multiplicity c so that no other Impositions or mortifications are excusable but such as right reason enlightned by Grace vvould iudge nocessary such as God himselfe vvould ordaine for them 4. Especialâ—y if they vvould abstaine from laying such encombrances on their subiects as are lasting regard not only the exteriour but Interiour also distracting the memory confounding the vnderstanding breeding perplexity in their minds or in a vvord that are preiudiciall to Internall Prayer For indeed Impositions are to be accounted only so
far to be encombrances 5. Lastly if they did require obedience from their subiects not to shevv their ovvne Authority but only to benefit their subiects soules therby vvithout vvhich intentioÌ„ their office becomes merely secular c If I say Superiours had remained thus qualified there vvould neuer haue bene any sufficient occasion to dispense vvith such an order prescribed by our holy Father touching the subiects reueyling to the Superiour their most secret Imperfections euen in thoughts 9. But hovveuer matters standing as they novv doe obedience being diuided as it vvere betvveene a Regular a spirituall Directour the Subiect is to performe to each the obedience vvhich is due yet vvith this difference that he is to consider that the obligation of Obedience to a spirituall directour voluntarily chosen by the subiect changeable at pleasure is far lesse strict then to a Superiour who has Gods Authority communicated to him confirmed by the Church ratified by a solemne Vow by vertue of which vvee haue giuen vp our vvills vvholly to the vvills of our Superiours In so much as that our holy Father in the 5. Chap. of the Rule requires a performance of this duty on no meaner motiues then the hope of heauen the feare of hell vvhich is the most perfect of all other the loue of God for saith he Obedience with out delay is proper to them who esteeme nothing dearer to themselues then Christ 10. Now since the only principall end vvhy a Religious Person has engaged himselfe in a life of Obedience is the good aduancement of his soule not any temporall conuenience as in secular gouernments Therfore notvvithstanding the common Saying That our soules are exempted from humane Iurisdiction And notwithstanding that in these dayes as hath beene said Superiours are not alvvaies the directours of their subiects consciences Yet vnlesse their commands be obeyed in Purity of heart as for Gods sake vvith submission not only of the outvvard but invvard man also that is both the vvill iudgment such Obedience is not at all meritorious nor conformable to the generall designe of a Religious life to their Vow of Profession For if all Christians as S. Paul teacheth be obliged to obey secular Superiours seruants their masters Not for feare of wrath or puniâ—hment but for conscience sake in order to God vvho hath inuested them vvith Authority intending principally the good of their soules in all manner of exteriour obligations Surely this doth much more strictly hold in Religious Obedience vvhich vvas ordained hath bene vndertaken only for the benefit of the soule 11. Therfore vvhereas later Doctours Casuists haue found out Exemptions in many cases abridging the Authority of Superiours disobliging Subiects from Obedience A religious subiect that seriously aspires to Perfection according to his Profession vvill be very vvary hovv he makes vse of the aduantages dispensations afforded him considering that although by such disobedience he may perhaps escape the punishment of externall lavves yet he vvill not esteeme himselfe quit from his obligation to obey vnlesse the things vnduly coÌ„manded be such as are incoÌ„sistent with his duty to God manifestly preiudiciall to his soule 12. Moreouer a truly humble Internall liuer vvill very rarely not vvithout extreme necessity make vse of that iust liberty of appealing from an immediate Superiour allovved by the lawes of the Church And this he vvill neuer doe for the case of nature or the satisfying of any Passion but purely for the good of the soule Indeed I doe scarce know any case in which an Appeale may be fit to be vsed by such soules except perhaps vvhen they find that their immediate Superiour either out of ignorance or a disaffection to spirituall Prayer shall abridge their subiects of time meanes necessary for the exercise of it either by ouer burdning them vvith distractiue sollicitous Employments or as it vvere purposely this frequently customarily imposing on them obediences at the times appoynted proper for Prayer Yet surely the case must needs be extraordinary if a soule cannot by vsing her dexterity prudence recouer each day tvvo halfe-hovvers for Recollection 13. Notvvithstanding some good vse may be made of the opinion of Doctours touching the limits bounds prescribed to the Authority of Superiours the degrees of obligation to such Authority for the necessary ease of deuout tender scrupulous soules Not that such are to be encouraged to dispense vvith themselues in the duties required therby but least they out of tendernes in suspecting oft a Mortall sin to haue bene committed by disobedience vvhere perhaps there vvas scarce any fault at all should be disquieted perplexed hindred from reaping any benefit by Prayer or any other duties And indeed little danger is there that soules so disposed should from any larger interpretations make aduantage to the ease of nature or the satisfaction of an inordinate Passion 14. Such soules therefore may knovv 1. That the Authority of Superiours is not illimited but confined to certaine conditions as that it must be iuxta Regulam neither besides nor aboue the Rule and that their commands must be ad aedificationem and not ad destructionem c. 2. That Disobedience to their commands vvhich are according to the Rule is not a mortall offence vnlesse the matters commanded be in themselues of more then ordinary importance that a command be expressely giuen vvith signification that their intention is that it should so oblige that the subiect has not ground to iudge that if the Superiour vvere present he vvould not haue vrged such an obedience so strictly 3. That in matters of lesser moment a Disobedience mortally sinfull is not committed vnlesse it be done with manifest Contempt That is as S. Bernard lib. de Praecept Dispens interprets it When the subiect will neither obey nor submit to correction for disobedience So that all faults that are committed by one that really has a meane or a contemptuous opinion of his Superiour vvhich vvithout such a precedent vnfit opinion vvould not haue bene committed are not to be called in this sence sins out of Contempt vnlesse the Subiect renounce correction A fault that such tender soules are incapable of committing c. 15. Perfect Obedience saith the same S. Bernard knowes no ends or limits it extends it selfe to all lavvfull things pertaining either to body or soule to all actions both externall Internall as far as these last are voluntarily submitted to him Insomuch as that our holy father to cut of all pretences of disobedience does not except euen things impossible so that if such things as not only in the faint-hearted opinion of the Subiect are esteemed such but really are impossible should be seriously considerately imposed by a discreete Superiour for triall the Subiect is obliged to doe his endeauour tovvard the effecting of them so they be lavvfull not destructiue to the subiects
Prayer either Vocall or discoursiuely Mentall The vvhich vertues are indeed admirable inestimable deseruing to be purchased vvith all the cares endeauours of our vvhole liues 10. The first Excellency of Internall Affectiue Prayer aboue all other is that only by such Prayer our Vnion in spirit vvith God in vvhich our Essentiall Happines consists is perfectly obtained For therin the will vvith all the povvers affections of the soule are applied and fixed to the louing adoring glorifying this only beatifying Obiect Wheras in Vocall Prayer there is a continuall variety succession of Images of creatures suggested the vvhich doe distract the soules of the imperfect from such an application And Meditation in vvhich discourse is employed is so far little more then a Philosophicall Contemplation of God delaying this fixing of the heart and affections on God the vvhich are only acceptable to him 11. The second vertue is this That by this Prayer of the Will the soule entring far more profoundly into God the fountaine of lights partakes of the beames of his diuine light far more plentifully by vvhich she both discouers Gods perfections more clearly also sees the vvay vvherein she is to vvalke more perfectly then by any other Prayer And the Reason is because vvhen the soule endeauours to apply all her affections entirely on God then only it is that being profoundly introuerted a vvorld of impurities of intention inordinate affections lurking in her doe discouer themselues the obscure mists of them are dispelled the soule then finding by a reall perception feeling hovv preiudiciall they are to her present vnion in vvill vvith God Wheras vvhen the vnderstanding alone or principally is busied in the consideration of God or of the soule herselfe the Imagination vvhich is very Actiue subtile vvill not represent to the soule either God or herselfe so liquidly sincerely but being blinded seduced by naturall selfe-loue vvill inuent a hundred excuses pretexts to deceiue the soule to make her beleiue that many things are intended done purely for God vvhich proceeded principally if not totally from the Roote of Concupiscence selfe-loue 12. A third aâ—mirable Perfection of Internall affectiue Prayer is this That not only Diuine light but also grace spirituall strength to put in practise all things to vvhich supernaturall light directs is obtained principally by this Internall Prayer of the heart And this by a double causality vertue to vvit 1. By way of impetration grounded on the rich precious promises made by God to Prayer aboue all other good Actions 2. By a direct proper efficiency For since all the vertue merit of our externall Actions does depend vpon and flovv from the internall disposition operations of the soule exercising Charity Purity of intention in them conquering the resistance of nature And since all Internall exercises of all vertues vvhatsoeuer are truly in propriety of speech direct Prayer of the Spirit hence is followes that as all habits are gotten by frequency constancy of exercise therfore by the perseuering in the exercise of internall Prayer the soule is enabled vvith facility to practise perfectly all vertues 13. To this may be added that such Prayer is vniuersall Mortification a Mortification the most profound intime perfect that a soule can possibly performe entirely destructiue to sensuall satisfaction For therein the will forces inferiour nature all the povvers of the soule to auert themselues from all other obiects pleasing to them and to concurre to her internall Actuations tovvards God this oftimes in the midst of distractions by vaine Images during a torpide dullnes of the heart yea a violent contradiction of sensuality vvhen there is according to any sensible perception a totall disgust in the soule to such an exercise yea vvhen the spirit it selfe is in obscurity cannot by any reflexed Act reape any consolation from such an exercise Such an Exilium cordis such a desertion internall Desolation is a mortification to the purpose yet as of extreme bitternes so of vnexpressible efficacy to the purifying vniuersall Perfecting of the soule spirit Therfore S. Chrysostome Tract de Oratione had good reason to say It is impossible againe I say it is vtterly impossible that a soule which with a due care assiduity prayes vnto God should euer sin 17. A fourth Excellence of Internall Affectiue Prayer is That it is the only Action that cannot possibly want Purity of Intention Soules may from an impulse of nature and its satirfaction exactly obserue Fasts performe Obediences keepe the Quire approach to Sacraments yea exercise themselues in curious speculations during Meditation or in the exercise of sensible deuotion they may comply vvith selfe-loue c. And indeed they haue no farther any Purity of intention in any of these duties then as they doe proceede from Internall Affectiue Prayer that is the vvill fixed by Charity on God Wheras if any oblique intention should endeauour to insinuate it selfe into Internall Prayer of the vvill it vvould presently be obserued vnlesse it vvere contradicted expelled there could be no progresse in such Prayer So that it is not possible to find an exercise either more secure or more proffitable since it is by the vertue of it alone that all other exercises haue any concurrence towards the perfectionating of the soule 15. Lastly Affectiue Prayer of the will is that alone which makes all other sorts of Prayer to deserue the name of Prayer For vvere that excluded Meditation is but an vseles speculation and curiosity of the vnderstanding and Vocall Prayer but an empty sound of vvords For God only desires our hearts or Affections vvithout vvhich our tongues or Braines are of no esteeme at all Yea there is not so much as any proffitable Attention in any Prayer further then the heart concurres For if the Attention be only of the mind that vvill not constitute Prayer for then study or disputation about Diuine things might be called Prayer Hence sayth an Ancient holy Hermite Nunquam verè orat quisquis etiam flexis genibus euagatione cordis etiam qualicumque distrahitur That is That man does neuer truly pray who though he be vpon his knes is distracted with any wandring or vnattention of his heart And likewise the learned Soto to the same purpose conclusiuely affirmes Orationi mentali deesse non potest attentio cum ipsa attentio c That is Attention cannot possibly be wanting to Mentall Prayer of the heart since the Attention it selfe is the very Prayer And therfore it is a contradiction to say that one prayes mentally is not attentiue as is of it selfe manifest For as soone as euer the mind begins to wander it ceases to Pray Therfore Vocall Prayer is only that Prayer which may want attention namely when the thoughts diuerting themselues to other obiects the tongue without the concurrence of the mind giues an vncertaine
sound And vvee may adde That the attention of the mind vvhich cannot be separated from Discoursiue Prayer is little valuable except it be accompanied vvith or performed in order to the causing an attention as vvee may call it of the heart or affections 16. These inestimable Benefits to vvhich more may be added as shall be shevved vvhich flovv from Internall Prayer of the will being considered a vvell-minded soule vvill thinke no paines too much that may auaile to purchase so vnualuable a Ievvell And Religious Superiours vvill esteeme that nothing does so essentially belong to their duty as to Instruct further their subiects in the practise of it According to the Counsell of S. Bernard Docendus est Incipiens spiritualiter orare a corporibus vel corporum imaginibus cum Deum cogitat quantum potest recedere That is Whosoeuer begins a Religious course of life must be taught Spirituall Prayer and in eleuating his mind to God to transcend all Bodies bodily images And vvith iust reason did the holy Grecian Abbot Nilus a disciple of S. Iohn Chrysostome say Beata mens quae dum orat c Happy is the soule that when she Prayes empties herselfe entirely of all Images formes Happy is the soule that Prayes feruorously without distraction Such a soule encreases continually in the desire loue of God Happy is the soule that when she Prayes does altogether quit the vse exercise of all her senses Happy is the soule that during the time of Prayer looses the possession interest in all manner of things but God 17. And indeed a soule must expect to passe through a vvorld of difficulties before she attaine to such a purity in Prayer for as the same Authour saith Vniuersum belluÌ„ quod internos doemones conflaetur non est de alia re quà m de oratione That is All the warre coÌ„trouersy that is betwene vs the Deuill is about no other thing but Prayer as being most necessary to vs most destructiue to all his designes And hereupon a certaine holy Father being asked vvhat duty in a Religious life vvas the most difficult Ansvvered To Pray well The reason is because Prayer can neuer be perfectly exercised till the soule be cleansed from all manner of impurities yea not only from the Affections but all Images also of creatures CHAP. IV. § 1. 2. Conditions required to Affectiue Prayer Of which the first is That it ought to be Continuall by our Lords precept § 3. The shamefull neglect of this Precept both in practise teaching in these times § 4. Of the ancient Heretickes called Euchites that misunderstanding this Precept neglected all other duties besides Prayer § 5. 6. 7. In what sense the said Precept obliges vs to Pray continually § 8. All other vertues are to be measured by the Degrees of Prayer § 9. How the neglect of Actuall Prayer may be a mortall sin § 10. Our Religions Profession Rule obliges vs to aspire to vninterrupted Prayer § 11. 12. Neither vocall Prayer nor Meditation can become vninterrupted But only Internall Affectiue Prayer § 13. 4. 15. 16. Whether the habit of continuall Prayer may be attained hy prolonged Vocall offices § 17 18. That the sure meanes to attaine to it is a constant Practise of dayâ—y Recollections § 19. 20. Who they are that shall be accounted by our Lord to haue satisfied the obligation of this precept 1. HAVING shevved the necessity excellency of Affectiue Prayâ—r I vvill novv rreate of certaine qualities conditions requisite therto of which I vvill at the present insist only on three to vvit 1. The first regarding the extension of it 2. The second the intension or feruour of it 3. The third the cause or Principle from vvhich it must proceede to vvit the Diuine Spirit 2. As touching the first point to wit the extension of Prayer it is our Lords command that vvee should neuer omitt this duty of Prayer Oportet semper orare non deficere Wee ought alwaies to pray not to cease or faint in it And S. Paul exhorts indifferently all Christians sine intermissione orate Pray vvithout intermission Now in this Precept of our Lord there is an obligation so expresse so vniuersall so confirmed repeated both affirmatiuely negatiuely that all exception derogation seemes to be excluded that it binds both semper ad semper In all the Ghospell vvee can scarce find a Precept so fast-binding so vnquestionable 3. This being euident hovv can any one vvithout greife indignation reade the strange dispensations escapes inuented allovved by some late Writers to defeate this so necessary a duty Because perhaps no man can positiuely say that hîc nunc Actuall Prayer is necessary obliging vnder Mortall sin therfore they conclude that except two or three moments of our life it is not at all necessary to pray that is in the first moment that a child comes to the vse of Reason in the last moment vvhen a soule is ready to expire for then indeed some of them not all acknovvledge that vvithout mortall sin a soule cannot deliberately willfully neglect to lift vp it selfe to God As for the Diuine Office those to vvhom the reciting of it is of obligation such say they are only bound vnder Mortall sin to the externall pronunciation of the vvords as for the mentality of it that is only a matter of Counsell of Perfection 4. In the Ancient times there vvas a certaine Sect of Hereticks that vvandred as far vvide the conâ—râ—ry vvay vvho vpon a mistaken interpretation of this precept of our Sauiour neglected yea condemned all other things besides Prayer despising the Sacraments omitting the necessary duties of their vocation refusing to doe any externall Acts of Charity c. And from this frenzy they vvere called Euchitae that is Persons that did nothing but pray 5. But the trueth lyes betwene these two extremes for most manifest it is that vvee are obliged to aspire vnto vninterrupted Prayer And yet most certaine also it is that besides simple Prayer there are many other Duties required of vs. The sence therfore and importance of our Lords precept of Praying continually without failing may be cleared by tvvo passages of S. Paul The first is this 1. Tim. 4. Cibos creauit Deus ad percipiendum c. That is God hath created meates to be receiued with giuing of thanks by his faithfull seruants those which haue knowne the trueth For euery creature of God is good nothing to be reiected which is receiued with giuing of thanks for it is sanctified by the word of God by Prayer The second is 1. Cor. 10. Siue ergo manducatis siue c. That is Therfore whether you eate or drinke or what other thing soeuer you doe doe all to the glory of God From vvhich Texts it appeares 1. That all creatures are in their vse vnsanctified vnto vs that is
vvhich is to be vnited in vvill affection to God only 5. These therfore being tvvo qualities requisite in Prayer 1. Earnestnes or feruour 2. perseuerance both vvhich are likevvise included in the tearme Instantissima giuen to Prayer by our holy Father Imperfect soules vvill be apt to suspect oftimes that their Prayers are vnefficacious as being depriued of these conditions 1. The former vvhen they doe not perceiue a tendernes melting Deuotion in sensitiue Nature 2. And the later they vvill feare is vvanting vvhâ—nsoeuer they find themselues though vnvvillingly distracted Therfore to the end to preuent mistakes that a right iudgment may be made of these two to vvit sensible Deuotion Distractions I vvill treate of them both shevving vvhat good or ill effects may proceede from the former And vvhat remedies may be applied to hinder any inconueniences from the latter 6. There is a twofold sensible Deuotion 1. The first is that vvhich vvee novv speake of vvhich is found in good but imperfect soules it begins in sensitiue nature causing great tendernesses there froÌ„ theÌ„ce it mounts vp to the spirit producing good melting affections to God especially in discoursiue Prayer to the Humanity suffrings of our Lord 2. Another sensible Deuotion there is of perfect soules the which begins in the spirit abounding there ouer-flovves by communication descends into Inferiour sensitiue nature causing like effects to the former Now there is little neede to giue cautions of Instructions concerning the vse of this Because Perfect soules walking in a cleare light being established in a generous Loue of the Superiour vvill tovvards God are not in danger to be transported vvith the pleasing effects vvhich it is apt to produce in Inferiour nature nor to fall into spirituall Gluttony by vvhich their affections may be vvithdravvn from God fixed on such meane Gifts of his as these are That therfore vvhich I shall here speake concerning Sensible Deuotion is to be applied vnto that vvhich is fouÌ„d in soules lesse perfect for for such only all these Instructions vvere meant 7. Suâ—h soules then are to be informed That though sensible Deuotion be indeed at the first a good gift of God intended by him for their encouragement aduancement in his pure loue As it is therfore not to be neglected so neither is it ouer highly to be prised For as very good effects may flovv from it being vvell discreetely vsed so on the contrary vvithout such discretion it may proue very pernicious endangering to plunge them more deeply in selfe-loue corrupt nature in vvhich it is much immersed And so it vvould produce an effect directly contrary to that for which Prayer was ordained A soule therfore is to separate that which is good proffitable in such Deuotion from that which is imperfect dangerous renouncing mortifying this latter with discretion giuing way making her proffit of the other 8. The speciall signes effects of such sensible Deuotion are oftimes very conspicuous in the Alteration caused by it in corporall nature dravving teares from the eyes procuring heate and reddnes in the face springing motions in the heart like to the leaping of a fiâ—h in the waters saith Harphius And in some it causes so perceiueable an opening and shutting in the heart saith he that it may be heard And from such vnusuall Motions agitations about the heart a windy vapour will now then mount vp to the head causing a pricking paine there the which if the head be not strong may continue a good space yea if good care be not taken to interrupt such impetuosities of the spirits the blood vvill first boyle aftervvards vvill grovv thicke and â—â—ngealed incapable of motion And this once hapâ—â—â—ng the invvard sweetnesses formerly felt vvill be turned into sadnes deiection and stupidity thence vvill follovv complaints that the soule is forsaken of God yea she vvill be in danger desperately to renounce all further seeking of God And the more that she shall endeauour to recouer her former sensible affections the farther vvill she be from it impatience for this vvill render her still more indisposed more darkened in the vnderstanding more stupified in her affections 9. Novv all these inconueniences proceede from selfe-loue a too gluttonous delectation in sensible sweetnesses The vvhich if they be accompanied vvith any extraordinary Visits there vvill follovv it is to be feared yet far more dangerous effects in vnprepared soules the vvhich vvill probably take occasion from thence to nourish Pride in themselues a contempt of others 10. To abate the too high esteeme that vnwary soules may haue of this sensible feruour deuotion it may be obserued that it is not allvvaies a signe of a good disposition or holines in the soule for vvee reade of seuerall impious persons that haue enioyed it so History makes mention of a certaine vvicked Tyrant called William Prince of Iuliers hovv at his deuotions in the midnight of our Lords Natuity he twice or thrice felt so great an internall svveetnes in diuine visitations that he professed aftervvard that he vvould be content to purchase vvith the losse of halfe his dominion such another consolation Yet after his death it vvas reueiled to a certaine Holy person that he vvas in hell condemned to torments equall to those that that vvicked persecuting Imperour Maxentius suffred 11. The roote of such sensible svveetnesses is oftentimes a mere naturall temper of body Yea by Gods permission the Deuill also vvill be forvvard enough to raise increase it in immortified selfe-vvilled soules knovving that they vvill make ill vse of it either to the augmenting of their pride or to a presumptuous vndertaking of mortifications aboue their strength by vvhich in a short time their spirits vvill be so exhausted their forces enfeebled that they vvill become vnable any more to correspond vvith diuine Grace euen in duties necessarily belonging to their Profession And vvhen this happens then all sweetnes of Deuotion ceases in place therof succeede Anguishes scrupulosities pusillanimity perhaps euen desperation Therfore vvell-minded soules are to take speciall care of preuenting these effects of sensible deuotion the vvhich vvithout great vigilance they are in danger to incurre And thereupon Harphius aduises earnestly such to moderate vvith discretion the violent impulses of their internall desires to God for saith he if they shall allvvaies to the vtmost extent of their ability pursue them they vvill find themselues in a short time quite exhausted disabled to performe euen easyer and more necessary obligations 12. The true vse benefit therfore that imperfect soules ought to make of sensible Deuotion vvhen God sends it is this That without resting much on it or forcing themselues to continue it they should make it an instrument to fortify establish the solide true loue esteeme of God in the superiour soule to coÌ„firme an vnshaken resolution in themselues neuer
to desist from seeking him by the internall vvayes of the spirit euen in times of desertion aridity 13. And if they vvill make this vse of it then from vvhat cause soeuer it proceedes yea though the deuill himselfe helping or changing the body should haue caused it no harme can come vnto them thereby For a soule is most secure vvhiles she neglects disesteemes the effects of sensible deuotion as far as they are pleasing to sensitiue nature transcending it shall endeauour to exercise herselfe tovvards God quietly yet resolutely in the Superiour vvill And by the like practise may a soule obtaine the like security in all extraordinary doubtfull Cases of visions Exâ—asies c 14. More particularly for as much as concernes Teares vvhich are vsuall effects of sensible Deuotion a soule must be vvary that she giue not free scope vnto them vvhat euer the obiect or cause be vvhether it be compassion to our Lords suffrings or contrition for her ovvne sins c In all cases it is best to suppresse them rather then to giue them a free liberty to flovv For othervvise besides the harme that may outvvardly happen to the body by empairing the health or vveakening the head they vvill keepe her still belovv in sensitiue nature immortification vvith little or no aduancement tovvards the true Loue of God On the contrary they doe hinder the eleuation of the spirit by obscuring the mind that it cannot discouer her secret defects nor vvhat vvould best keepe her in her vvay Let her therfore exercise these Acts in the Superiour soule Will from vvhence all merit comes and by vvhich they are performed vvith quietnes stillnes yet vvithall more efficaciously then in sensitiue nature 15. The case is othervvise in Perfect soules vvhen God by an extraordinary Grace bestovves on them the Gift of teares as to S. Arsenius vvho is said to haue flovved almost continually vvith them For in this case they doe begin from the Spirit vvhose operations Inferiour Nature doth not at all hinder but rather promote in them And such teares flovv tanquam pluuia in vellus like a shower of raine into a fleece of wooll vvithout the least disturbance bitternes in inferiour nature vvhich is a Grace very rarely if at all granted to imperfect soules And therfore those vpon vvhom it is bestovved may no doubt vvill vvithout any danger comply vvith it since it can flovv from no other cause but God only the effect of it vvill not be to depresse the spirit but rather to draw sensitiue nature vpward into the spirit causing it likewise to concurre in the exercise of Diuine Loue so as that the soule may say vvith Dauid Cor meum caro mea exult auerunt in Deum viuum sensitiue nature not only ioyning vvith the spirit in seruing louing of God but likevvise finding its contentment therein vvithout the least preiudice to the spirit And the vvay to attaine to this solide secure sensible Feruour is by a discreet vnderualuing repressing of that vvhich is originally merely sensible 16. Novv it vvill not be impertinent on this occasion to take notice of another sort of temper in Prayer of a quite contrary nature in the which the inferiour soule seemes to haue no part at all in the actuations of the spirit towards God yea is not only vnactiue but very repugnant vnto them finding a great deale of vneasines paine in them so that the vvhole Prayer seemes to be made by the Spirit the heart or sensitiue appetite in the meane time finding much bitternes in it and the Imagination in a sort refusing to suggest necessary Images therto any further then as the Superiour Soule by vertue of the dominion it hath ouer it doth euen by mere force constraine it 17. There are scarce any soules that giue themselues to internall Prayer but some time or other doe find themselues in great indisposition therto hauing great obscurities in the mind great insensibility in the affections So that if imperfect soules be not vvell instructed prepared they vvill be in danger in case that such contradictions in inferiour nature continue long to be deiected yea and perhaps deterred from pursuing Prayer For they vvill be apt to thinke that their Recollections are to no purpose at all since for as much as seemes to them vvhatsoeuer they thinke or actuate tovvards God is mere losse of time and of no vvorth at all therfore that it vvould be more proffitable for them to employ their time some other vvay 18. Yea some soules there are conducted by Allmighty God by no other vvay but only by such Prayer of Aridity finding no sensible contentment in any Recollections but on the contrary continuall paine contradiction And yet by a priuy Grace courage imprinted deepely in the spirit cease not for all that but resolutely breake through all difficulties and continue the best they can their internall Exercises to the great aduancement of their spirit 19. It vvill indeed be very hard and morally impossible for any soules but such as haue naturally a good propension to introuersion to continue constant to their Recollections vvhen Aridities Obscurities and Desolations continue a long time For it is this propension alone asâ—isted by Diuine Grace that holds them to their Recollections that enables them to beare themselues vp in all their difficulties and tentations 20. The causes of this Aridity and indisposition to Prayer ordinarily speaking for sometimes God for the triall of his seruants may oft doth send or permit such tentations to fall on them are principally a certaine particular naturall complexion of some especially of those vvho by their corporall temper are most fitted for the exercise of sensible affections for of all others such are most obnoxious to these aridities and obscurities because the humours and spirits of the body together vvith the change of vveather c haue a far greater influence vpon these sensible Affections then vpon the mere operations either of the vnderstanding or vvill vvhich doe not so much depend vpon the body And therfore vvhensoeuer the said corporall disposition comes by any accident to be altered such affectionate soules are apt to fall into these internall distresses being in such an afflicting disconsolate condition they are not able to helpe themselues by any discourse to vvhich ordinarily they are indisposed From this ground it is that deuout Women vvho naturally doe more abound vvith sensible affections then men are more subiect to be afflicted persecuted vvith these aridities 21. Such Discouragements doe least appeare in Vocall Prayer the vvhich befits all kinds of spirits all sorts of tempers vvhether they discourse internally or not and whether they can produce internall Acts of the vvill vpon conceiued Images or not for all these at all times and hovvsoeuer they are corporally disposed may make their proffit more or lesse of Vocall Prayers 22. The Prayer of Meditation likewise
betweene the distractions of Perfect Imperfect soules § 11. 12. 13. A third condition necessary to true Internall Affectiue Prayer viz. That it must proceede from Diuine Inspirations § 14. An Exhortation to constancy in Prayer 1. THE Second discouraging Tentation opposite to the second Quality requisite in Prayer to vvit Perseuerance by vvhich vvell minded soules are oft much afflicted in their Recollections also exposed to greiuous scrupulosities is Distraction in Prayer caused by Images vvhich oft against their wills presse into their imaginations the vvhich dravv the mind from contemplating God consequently the Affections from embracing him by loue at such times vvhen the soule desires intends to contemplate loue him 2. I doe not therfore here vnder the terme of Distractions comprehend all manner of interruptions from a direct actuall tendance to God for such sometimes considering the Infirmity of our nature may be necessary to the end that by a discreet relaxation the head being refreshed vvee may be enabled aftervvards to produce more efficacious Affections And therfore those Authours are too indiscreetly rigorous vvho oblige soules not yet perfect to a continuall recollected Attention to the Diuine presence not considering the corporall infirmity incapacity of their disciples spirits especially in these dayes The Distractions therfore here intended to be treated of are such as are involuntary vvhich happen at times vvhen soules doe apply themselues either to vocall or mentall Prayer 3. Novv it is an effect of Originall sin much increased also by Actuall that soules are generally some more some lesse subiect to this deordination Because by sin that due subordination of the sensitiue faculties the Imagination memory appetite to the Superiour soule is empaired so that the reason has not that absolute Dominion ouer them that it had in Innocence But they often vvander tovvards obiects not prescribed by reason yea sometimes seduce euen compell reason it selfe to comply vvith their disorders Adde hereunto that the body being grosse lumpish cannot long endure that the soule its companion should remaine in its proper exercise by vvhich it becomes as it vvere a stranger to the body contradicting its motions desires And therfore till the soule by practise of spirituall operations be enabled at pleasure to command the inferiour faculties or to abstract it selfe from the Images suggested by them the said faculties doe striue to depresse the spirit and to call it dovvne to attend to the necessities desires of sensitiue nature Yea euen in the most Perfect the soule vvill not be able to continue long in the height of its Eleuation 4. As for these Distractions vvhich generally speaking are hurtfull to be auoyded among vvhich notvvithstanding I need not reckon in this place such as are simply sinfull being about vnlavvfull Obiects the most harmfull to our spirituall progresse are those vvhich are about obiects to which wee cleaue with affection Because by such distracting thoughts not only the mind is diuerted from God but the heart also inordinately carried to creatures 5. For as for thoughts merely about vaine obiects to vvhich wee haue little or no affection vvhich proceed wholly from the instability of the Imagination Imperfect soules ought not to be discouraged vvith them although they should be neuer so importunate during their recollections since the most abstracted liuer must be content novv then to suffer them 6. And the most powerfull Remedy to preuent them is vvith as much prudence dexterity as one can to cut of the occasions of entertaining such images as doe most frequently pertinaciously recurre to the mind in Prayer And more particularly for those images to vvhose obiects the soule cleaues by inordinate Affection the practise of abstraction and voluntary disengagement from vnnecessary businesses is requisite a restraining of our affections from wandring abroad and fixing themselues vpon any externall Obiects For certaine it is that if by the exercise of Mortification and Prayer vvee could restraine our affections from creatures fixe them on God only vvee should scarce euer haue cause to complaine of Distractions for vvee see that vvee can easily and constantly fixe our thoughts on such obiects as vvee loue So that Perseuerance in Prayer and Mortification being the most assured Instruments to encrease Diuine Loue and diminish inordinate loue to our selues creatures consequently they are the most sure remedies against Distractions 7. But if after all due care had they doe still persist the most effectuall expedients to hinder any considerable inconueâ—â—iences from such Distractions is 1. Sometimes so vse a discreete reasonable industry in contradicting and expelling them yet forbearing an ouer-violent anxious resistance of them out of an opinion that by such violence they may be extinguished vvheras on the contrary such an eagernes of contending vvith them by the imflaming of the spirits makes those images more actiue full of motion rather multiplies then diminishes them and hovveuer it imprints them deeper in the imagination Let a well minded soule rather endeauour according to the expression of the Authour of the Clowd to looke ouer their shoulders as if she looked after some other obiect that stood beyond them aboue theÌ„ vvhich is God 2. Let her as hath beene said fixe in her mind Superiour vvill a strong Resolution notvvithstanding the said Distractions yea in the midst presse of them not to relinquish Prayer but to perseuere in it to the best of her povver skill 3. Let the well minded soule execute this Resolution vvith all possible Quietnes stillnes Patience not troubling herselfe vvith any feares or scrupulosity as if they came from her ovvne fault vvhereas ordinarily they are increased at least by the distemper of the body or the naturall instability of the imagâ—nation 4. Sometimes it may be requisite for her not being able to her ovvne satisfaction to pursue her appoynted exercise to change it into Acts of Patience quiet Resignation to suffer vvithout murmuring such an Affliction visitation from Gods hands And so doing she vvill perhaps more aduance herselfe in pure spirituall Prayer then if she had no such distractions at all for besides that such Prayer being made vvith an actuall contradiction to the Inclinations of nature has in it the vertue of a most purifying mortification also A perseuerance in this practise vvill bring her to that pure Prayer of the vvill vvithout any perceiuable helpe or concurrence of the vnderstanding in vvhich the vvill is firmely vnited to God vvhilst the vnderstanding is in no such vnion yea vvhen both it and the imagination are neuer so extrauagant vvandring 8. And surely a matter of great comfort it is to a soule and ought so to be esteemed that in her Will vvhich is her principall faculty indeed all in all she may be vnited to God in the midst of all distractions tentations desolations c And that being so vnited she vvill
be so far from receiuing any harme by them that she vvill by their meanes increase in grace so that though she doe not receiue any extraordinary Illuminations nor any satisfaction to her naturall vvill by such distracted Prayers yet doth she get that for vvhich such illuminations gusts are giuen to vvit a priuy but effectuall grace to adhere vnto God to resigne herselfe to him in all his prouidences permissions concerning her And grace gotten by such an afflicting vvay of Abnegation is far more secure merits more at Gods hands then if it had come by lightsome pleasing consolations Since this is a vvay by vvhich corrupt nature is transcended selfe-loue contradicted subdued euen vvhen it assaults the soule most subtilly dangerously to vvit by pretending that all sollicitudes anxious discouragements caused by distractions doe flovv from diuine loue from a care of the soules progresse in spirituality Lastly this is a vvay by vvhich Charity all diuine vertues are deepely rooted in the spirit being produced established there by the same meanes that the deuill vses to hinder the production of them in negligent tepide soules or to destroy them vvhen they haue bene in some measure produced 9. As for more particular Aduices Expedients sleights to be made vse of in speciall cases circumstances none can teach but God only vvho by meanes of experience perseuerance in prayer vvill vndoubtedly giue vnto a soule light grace sufficient 10. To conclude therfore this point This difference may be obserued betwene distractions in perfect soules from the same in the imperfect viz. That in perfect soules Distractions proceede only from some vnvvilling distemper in the cognoscitiue faculties but in the imperfect they are rather froÌ„ some degree of inordinate AffectioÌ„ to the obiects of the Distractions And therfore a well-aduanced soule hath little difficulty in putting them avvay as soone as she reflects vpon them for vvithout coÌ„â—ending vvith theÌ„ she can preseÌ„tly vnite herselfe vvith her superiour vvill to God euen vvhilst her knovving powers are busy about impertinent obiects vvhereas Imperfect soules in the inferiour degrees of Prayer hauing as yet an expresse perceptible vse of the vnderstanding imagination cannot but receiue some preiudice by distractions in as much as those faculties cannot at the same time be employed vpon different obiects that haue no subordination or relation to one another 11. There remaines a third condition or quality vvhich I said vvas necessary to true Internall affectiue Prayer to vvit the diuine Inspiration from vvhich if it doe not proceede it is of little efficacy or merit Novv though in the generall diuision of Internall Prayer I seemed to appropriate the title of Infused Prayer to the Prayer of perfect Contemplation the meaning therof vvas that such Prayer is merely infused the soule by any deliberate preparation or election not disposing herselfe therto Wheras in the inferiour degrees there is necesâ—ary both a precedent and concomitant industry in the soule to make choyce of matter for Praier to force herselfe to produce affections correspondent to the said matter by reason that as yet Gods holy Spirit is not so abounding operatiue in the soule as to impell her to pray or rather breathing forâ—h Prayers in and by her But in all cases that is most true vvhiâ—h S. Bernard saith Tepida est oratio quam non praeuenit Inspiratio that is That Prayer is a repide prayer which is not preuented by diuine Inspiration And S. Augustin Bene orare Deum gratia spiritalls est That is It is a speciall grace of Gods holy Spirit to be able to pray aright 12. Novv the ground of the necessity of a Diuine Inspiration herto is expressed in that saying of S. Paul Quid oremus sicut oportet nescimus c. Wee know not how to pray as wee ought And therfore the Spirit of God helpes our infirmity yea saith he The spirit it selfe makes requests in vs for vs this oft with grones which cannot be expressed vvhich the soule it selfe cannot conceiue It is this Inspiration only vvhich giues a supernaturality to our Praiers makes them fit to be heard granted by God 13. But of this subiect much hath already bene said more vvill follow when wee treate of the seuerall Degrees of Prayer especially the perfect Prayer of Aspirations vvhere vvee shall shevv hovv these Inspirations are attempred according to the naturall good Propensions of soules so that those vvhich are naturally inclined to Introuersion are vsually moued by God to seeke him by pure spirituall operations vvithout images or motiues yet this by degrees according to the state of the soule Where also I vvill shevv hovv necessary Liberty of Spirit a freedome from nice methods Rules of Prayer is to dispose the soule for these Diuine Inspirations And therfore I vvill forbeare any further enlarging of my selfe on this point in this place 14. Novv a due consideration of these Excellencies most heauenly Effects of internall Affectiue Prayer ought to giue vs a suitable Esteeme valevv of it aboue any other Employments vvhatsoeuer An experience hereof it vvas that made an Ancient Hermite called Iacob in Theodoret. de vit PP resolutely to persist in refusing to interrupt his appoynted Prayer or to delay the time of it for any other busines on ciuilities in visits vvhatsoeuer he commanded all to depart vvhen the houre vvas come saying I came not to this solitude to benefit other mens soules but to purifie mine owne by Prayer CHAP. VII § 1. Internall Affectiue Prayer of Contemplation hath allwaies bene entertained at first with iealousy and rigour § 2. 3. 4. An Illustrious Example in the person of the late R. Fa Baltazar Aluarez of the Society of IESVS § 5. 6. 7. An Account required giuen by him to his Generall touching his Prayer of Contemplation The order manner of Gods guidance of him therto therein And the excellency of that Prayer declared § 16. 17. c. The substance of a Discourse written by him in answer to seauen Obiections made against Internall Prayer of Contemplation § 30. The successe of this tempest 1. IT is so far from being a iust Preiudice against this most excellent of Gods Gifts Internall Prayer of the vvill that it is rather a proofe of the more then ordinary Eminency of it that it has alwaies found some euen among the learned and oftimes among such as haue bene the most strict seuere about Religious Obseruances that haue doe oppose it God forbid that this should alwaies be imputed either to malice enuy c but rather to want of experience in the Mysterious wayes by vvhich the Spirit of God oftimes conducts his speciall seruants It is vvell knowne what calumnies persecutions Suso S. Teresa B. Iohn de Cruce c. found vvhen God enlightned theÌ„ moued them to coÌ„municate to the world this heauenly light All vvhich
others or force herselfe to continue Meditation she vvould make no progresse at all Yea on the contrary the extreme painefullnes of inuenting Motiues novv vnnecessary and tying herselfe to Methods and prescribed formes vvould be to her so distractiue so void of all tast and comfort and so insupportable that not being suffred to follovv Gods inuitation calling to an Exercise of the will she will be in danger to giue quite ouer all Internall Prayer Whereas by pursuing Gods Call she vvill euery day get light to discouer more and more her secret invvard Defects and Grace to mortify and amend them And such her Mortification is exercised rather by trāscending forgetting the obiects of her inordinate Affections then a direct combatting against them And this state of Praier doth properly ansvver to that which is commonly called the Illuminatiue vvay because i◠it the soule vvith little reflexion on her selfe or he◠ovvne Obscurity by reason of sin c tends directly and immediatly to God by vvhom she is enlightne◠and adorned vvith all Vertues and Graces 12. In the third place a soule after a long Exercise in forced Affections of the will to God represented to the Vnderstanding by Images far more subtile and spirituall then formerly yea endeauouring to contemplate him in the darknes and obscurity of a blind and naked Faith void of all distinct and expresse Images will by little and little grow so well disposed to him that she vvill haue lesse need of forcing herselfe to produce good Affections to him or of prescribing to herselfe determinate formes of Acts or Affections On the contrary Diuine Loue vvill become so firmely established in the soule so wholly and only filling and possessing it that it vvill become as it vvere a New Soule vnto the Soule as constantly breathing forth feruorous Acts of Loue and as naturally almost as the Lungs doe send forth breath 13. And here begins the State of pure Contemplation the end of all Exercises of an Internall Life In this blessed State the Actuations and Aspirations are so Pure Spirituall that the soule herselfe often times is not able to giue an account vvhat she does And no vvonder since they doe not proceede from any forethought or Election of her ovvne but are suggested to her by the Diuine Spirit entirely possessing her And although in these most sublime and blind Eleuations of the will the Imagination and vnderstanding vvith their Images are not absolutely excluded yet so unperceptible are their Operations that it is no vvonder if many Mysticall Writers speaking according to vvhat they felt and experienced in themselues haue said That in Pure Contemplation the Will without the vnderstanding was only operatiue As for the Mortifications proper to this state they are as vnexpressible as the Prayer Indeed Prayer and Mortification seeme to be now become the same thing For the light in vvhich the Soule vvalkes is so cleare and vvonderfull that the smallest Imperfections are clearely discouered and by Prayer alone mortified Prayer is the vvhole Busines of the life interrupted by sleepe only and not allvvayes then neither True it is that by other Necessities of corporall Nature Refections Study Conuersation or busines it may be depressed a litle from the height in vvhich it is vvhen the Soule sets it selfe to attend to God only but still it continues vvith efficacy in the midst of all those auocations And this is truly and properly that vvhich Mysticks doe stile the Vnitiue way because herein the Soule is in a continuall Vnion in Spirit vvith God hauing transcended all Creatures and herselfe too the vvhich are become as it vvere amnihilated God is all in all 14. There is no state of Spirituality beyond this But yet this state may infinitly increase in degrees of Purity the operations of the Soule grovving more and more Spirituall intime and Diuine vvithout all limitation In this State it is that the Soule is prepared for Diuine Inaction Passiue Vnions and Graces most admirable and most efficacious to purify her as perfectly as in the condition of this life she is capable Novv it is that God prouides for Soules dearely beloued by him Tryalls and Desolations incomprehensible to the vnexperienced leading them from Light to darknes and from thence to Light againe In all vvhich changes the Soule keepes herselfe in the same Equality and tranquillity as knovving that by them all she approaches nearer and nearer to God plunging herselfe more and more profoundly in him A Soule that is come to this State is aboue all Instructours and Instructions a Diuine Light being her Guide in all manner of things In a vvord it is not she that novv liues but Christ and his holy Spirit that liues raignes and operates in her 15. These are the three States of a Spirituall Contemplatiue life distinguished according to the three states or Degrees of Internall Prayer As for Vocall Prayer it is not to be esteemed a peculiar Degree of Prayer but it may and doth accompany all these states vvithout any change in the substance of the Prayer though vvith very great variety in the Actuation of the Soule during its Exercise For vvhilst the soule is in the imperfect Degree of Meditation she performes her Vocall Prayer vvith the vse of grosser Images and much distractednes But being arriued to the Exercises of the will she recites them vvith lesse multiplicity and some good measure of Recollection And being in the Exercise of Aspirations her Vocall Prayers become likevvise Aspiratiue and Vnitiue not at all distracting her but rather driuing her more profoundly and intimely into God 16. Novv God being both the Principle and Obiect of all our Internall Exercises is after seuerall vvaies represented to the mind in them For 1. in Meditation the soule as yet much immersed in sense is forced to make vse of a distinct grosser Image by vvhich to apprehend him as the Humanity of our Lord and the Mysteries belonging thereto and sometimes such Attributes of the Diuinity as are most obuious and easy to be conceiued and vvhich doe produce more sensible motions in our imperfect Soules as his Iustice Mercy Power c. 2. But in the practise of the Acts of the will the vnderstanding endeauours to apprehend God in the obscure Notion of Faith And vvhen she is sometimes forced to make vse of more particular sensible Images the mind after a short reflexion on them giues place to the recollected Actuations of the vvill alone 3. But being arriued to Aspirations vvhich is Actiue Contemplatian the Soule makes vse of no particular expresse Images at all but contents herselfe vvith the only generall obscure Notion of God vvhich Faith teaches her 17. Novv though it may seeme that the most Perfect haue no great aduantage in this regard ouer the more imperfect Since all that are indued vvith ordinary knovvledge doe sufficiently beleiue and are assured that God being infinite and incomprehensible cannot be truly represented by any particular Images and
perills doth totall Resignation cut of And this not only for Meum tuum or vvorldly propriety in a secular state for the regulating vvhereof there are such endles volumes of vseles perplexed Cases dispersed euery vvhere But also in externall matters in a religious life either vvith regard to Superiours or among Religious Persons themselues or tovvards Externes Yea for matters of doubts merely Internall being such as are in question betvveene God fearfull or scrupulous Soules All these I say are cut of by a totall Resignation the vvhich doth tend to simplicity peace the possession of that one thing vvhich our Sauiour saith is only to be counted necessary to vvit the Diuine will vvhich is God himselfe so doth reiect all other things that may hinder or delay the soule from attaining to that one only necessary good 5. Hence it follovves that that soule vvhich is resigned both for externall internall matters is not only freed from perills that may come from tentations or contradictions but in a manner from all doubts questions and debates Whereas the vnresigned soule is in a state vvherein nothing can satisfy or secure her conscience 6. A soule that is in the practise of the Prayer of Resignation ought not to interrupt or omit the producing of Acts conformable thereto notvvithstanding any failings or transgressings against good Resolutions formerly made if so be such failings proceede out of frailty or sudden Passions being then oftimes more in sensuality then in the superiour vvill so haue lesse fault in them For notvvithstanding such failings Resignations heartily made vvill not proue in vaine but in time vvill come to good issue 7. In consideration of the eminent Excellencie of this duty of Resignation I haue adioyned seuerall Exercises of the Acts of that vertue exemplifying in all kinds of difficulties regarding either externall or Internall obiects touching outvvard goods freinds ctc as likewise all accidents that may befall the body as sicknes Paines want of conueniences or necessaries c. And lastly touching the soule as Aridities Tentations c for the practising of vvhich exercises besides the Aduices giuen in the last Chapter vvhich ought to be applied to this present purpose I thought expedient to adde certaine more peculiar instructions here follovving 8. When the Exercise of Resignation in Prayer comes to be the ordinary daily exercise of a soule then she is established in the Vnitiue way properly so called And vvell-minded quiet soules vvill soone be ready and ripe for the practise both externall internall of this heauenly Vertue 9. Concerning the matter or obiects of resignation the vvhich are generally matters of difficulty contradiction to nature either they are 1. Such difficulties as are sure to happen 2. Or only probably of vvhich probably there may be seuerall degrees 3. Or very vnlikely but yet possible 4. or lastly altogether impossible Novv in all these Resignation may be proffitably exercised But the better the more likely that the things are to happen And the best most necessary Resignation of all is in things sure to be fall vs vvhich belong to our state especially such against vvhich our nature finds the greatest difficulty 10. Novv since these last doe most frequently occurre to our minds in our Recollections therfore vvee must be the more industrious courageous to ouercome them by framing Internall Acts of our iudgment will to entertaine the said difficulties that so vvee may be prepared against the time that they doe really befall vs. 11. Novv hauing made efficacious preualent Acts of Internall Resignation if vvhen the said difficulties doe de facto happen vvee doe truly really accept embrace them vvith our superiour vvill vvhatsoeuer repugnance vvee find in our sensitiue nature this vvill much more aduance the soule in diuine loue increase the good habit of Resignation then many bare Internall Acts vvould doe by vvhich the soule doth only represent a difficulty in the imagination resoluing vvith the vvill to accept it 12. In performing these Acts internally a soule must be very carefull to exercise them with most profound humility a distrust of her ovvne ability to resist any tentation or contradiction And vvith an entire trust and dependance on Gods grace vvith a firme faith in him that he vvill assist her at all times vvhensoeuer he shall bring such tryalls vpon her 13. For this reason I haue frequently expressed the Acts of Resignation either by vvay of Oblation deliuery of the soule into Gods hands to be entirely disposed of by him Or of petition that in all such occurrences not our ovvne vvill but Gods vvill should be performed As for the Acts vvhich are made by way of Resolution or purpose though they seeme to argue some confidence in our ovvne strength yet the deuout exerciser ought in his mind to exclude all such confidence 14. The most perfect vvay of producing Acts of Resignation as likevvise all other Acts is by intending pureâ—y the loue of God seeking his glory renouncing all inferiour vnvvorthy Interests of our ovvne And therfore Alphonsus in his Method of seruing God in his excellent Chapter of Prayer exhorts all deuout soules either expressely or vertually to exercise Prayer vvith this intention But as for the exercise of Aspirations an expresse direct intention of Gods glory vvill scarce consist vvith it because that sublime Exercise vvill not admit any reflected Act to be mixed Though implicitely vertually they containe as much or more 15. A soule needs not allvvaies to oblige herselfe in her recollections in order to goe through the follovving Patternes formes of Resignation according to all the examples giuen as she vvas aduised to doe in other immediate Acts. But she may alter interrupt omitt or adde others as she shall see cause or according to her present need or as they shall be interiourly suggested to her by God or her ovvne thoughts 16. In the beginning of the exercising this degree of Prayer I conceiue it vvill be the best course for a soule to single out and make choyce of such Acts of Resignation as doe regard such daily occurring difficulties to vvhich nature hath lesse auersion to resigne herselfe And from these to ascend aftervvards by degrees to matters of more difficulty till at last by Gods grace she be enabled to accept euen those things from vvhich nature doth most abhorre For if she should suddenly aduenture vpon Acts aboue her present strength forces of mind she vvill be in danger to be deiected finding that she vvants internall courage to vndertake or submit to such difficulties represented to her mind 17. And indeed according to this method God himselfe in his most vvise and blessed Prouidence deales vvith vs proportioning our trialls and afflictions to our present strength and to the measure of grace vvhich he giues vs sending to imperfect soules only ordinary tentations as S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. and reseruing the greater
cannot be produced but only by the exercise of mortification prayer 16. First therfore for Mortification this is indeed the proper time vvherein it is most seasonable necessary Store of matter for that vertue is almost incessantly afforded Paines weakenes c in the body greife feare other disquieting passions in the mind vvhich are oft more insupportable then outvvard torments all these tentations the soule must be armed against 17. Now among all Internall tentations the greatest most painfull is Feare of death especially of the consequents of it Iudgment hell without vvhich death to a faithfull Christian could not rationally be the Obiect of feare as he that knovves it to be the vniuersall inheritance of mankind to Christians the Dore of eternall happines In case therfore that such feare of death doe remaine in Inferiour nature the Superiour Reason ought to contradict it vse it as a subiect of a very healthfull Mortification 18. But as for the other far more considerable more invvard painfull subiect of feare vvhich is the Vncertainty of a future Eternall condition after death the vvhich doth vsually much afflict deiect imperfect soules that are conscious of their manifold defects small satisfaction paid for them great vveaknes of Diuine loue a proofe vvhereof is this verie feare vvhich vvould be expelled if Charity vvere perfect It is a hard matter to encourage such soules against it or to persvvade them to mortify it and resigne themselues vvillingly to support it it being indeed very proffitable healthfull to the soule On the contrary they thinke Resignation in this case to be scarce a fitting or lavvfull thing though most certainly it is so 19. I doe not say that such soules ought to bring themselues to an Indifference vvhat vvay they shall be disposed of after death But the Point of Resignation lies in this that a soule ought to content herselfe not to knovv hovv in what manner God vvill dispose of her after death Her Anchor is hope vvhich she ought to cherish and fortify all she can And the best way for soules to fortify that is to make as few reflexions on themselues as may be and to employ all their thoughts and affections directly vpon God It is Diuine loue alone that is at least the principall vertue that brings soules to Beatitude and therfore fearfull soules though they vvere in as dangerous a state as they suspect must needs rationally argue thus That the way to procure strengthen loue is by fixing their minds vpon the Mercies Goodnes Perfections of God to contradict or forget all arguments or motiues of seruile Feare the greatest enemy of Loue. What folly is it because they are imperfect therfore vvillfully to continue in their imperfections by nourishing feare Surely at the close of our liues vvee ought to practise after the best manner vvee can the best Actions and most acceptable to God vvhich is to relinquish our selues and to contemplate trust rely role our selues vpon him 20. Let the afflicted soule therfore herein as in all other matters not only vvith Patience support such an ignorance but vvith an amorous Resignation congratulate vvith God his eternall most secret purposes and Decrees concerning her both for time and eternity freely consenting agreeing to the vvill of God that such secrets should be reserued to his ovvne breast hidden from our knovvledge Therein acknovvledging his Diuine Wisedome and Goodnes vvhich moued him doubtles for our good to conceale from vs those things the knovvledge of vvhich vvould haue bred security negligence and perhaps pride in our corrupt hearts Let her desire be to knovv nothing to haue nothing but vvhat vvhen in vvhat manner it doth please Almighty God 21. Such behauiour of hers tovvards her Creatour and Redeemer to vvhom she belongs both for her being and manner of it as it is most iust reasonable so it vvill make her most acceptable to God in conclusion most assuredly bring her to happines Wheras to be deiected disquieted because God will not reueale his secret purposes to her is most vnreasonable and can proceede from no other ground but naturall Pride selfe loue And to giue a deliberate scope to vnquietnes so grounded is both dishonourable to God and vtterly vselesse to the soule herselfe for assuredly God vvill not to satisfy the inordinate desires of nature alter the course of his Diuine Prouidence 22. It did not hinder or abate the tranquillity of Adams state in Innocence that he vvas vncertaine of Perseuerance yea though he knevv that one sin committed vvould exclude him vtterly from his present happines Whereas in our present state after thousands of sins one Act of true Conuersion to God amorous Resignation to his vvill is able to restore vs. 23. Let the soule vvithall consider that he vvhich hath denyed vnto her an assurance forbidden her to presume hath yet commanded her to hope to comfort herselfe in that hope Let her therfore frequently seriously exercise Acts of hope hovv little gust soeuer sensuality finds in them for the greater repugnance there is in Inferiour nature the more generous are such acts more acceptable to God The vvhich Acts are to be grounded not vpon any conceits of our ovvne Innocency or vvorth for if the soule vvere neuer so perfect yet a conceit of her ovvne innocency vvould be but a rotten foundation of hope vvhich should regard only the free Mercies of God the merits of his Son c. 24. Moreouer let her exercise these Acts not as Acts of her ovvne vvill but far more perfectly diuinely as Acts of Gods ovvne vvill vvho hath commanded vs thus to hope She may vvithall if need be make vse of considerations motiues in the vnderstanding by reading or hearing comfortable Promises in Scripture c to incline the vvill to conforme it selfe to the diuine vvill To vvhich conformity vvhen a soule shall once perfectly be brought there remaines to her no Hell nor Purgatory no more then to God himselfe for vvhere there is no propriety of vvill there is nothing but the diuine vvill vvhich is God himselfe And according to the measure of this conformity such vvill be the measure of our happines 25. As for other Internall Paines anguishes arising from other grounds as scrupulosities about Confessions c. The Instructions formerly deliuered in the second Treatise are to be made vse of especially those of submitting absolutely to the Aduice of a spirituall Directour of transcending all imaginations all risings in Inferiour nature And surely novv aboue all other times the soule is to be carefull not to yeild to the suggestions of feare vvhich is the only tentation left by vvhich the deuill can disquiet tender soules to vvhom novv pleasures ambition c haue lost all tast so dravv them from God resignation to him from confidence in his mercies c. for vvhich vertues this
of all other is the most proper season 26. And as concerning Tentations to Infidelity despaire c besides vvhat has beene already said I vvill only adde these two Aduices 1. That the soule be sure to auoyde all inuenting of Reasons or disputes to oppose the tentations 2. To turne the mind neglectingly from the said tentations to fixe it vvith Resignation confidence on God These indeed are the only proper Remedies for soules especially those that vvalke in Internall vvayes For these require no study nor subtilty of vvit to encounter the Enemy vvho is able to entangle euen the most learned that in confidence of their abilities dare contest vvith him And yet these Remedies are sufficient to quench euen his most fiery darts And moreouer this one Expedient of turning the mind from all Obiects but God and adhering to him is an vniuersall Remedy alvvaies ready at hand being the vsuall Exercise of those soules for whom these Instructions vvere principally vvritten 27. To this purpose Cardinall Bellarmine in his Booke De arte bene moriendi from Barocius Biâ—hop of Padua relates a sad Story of tvvo Doctours in that Vniuersity famous for Scholasticke Controuersy The one vvherof after his death did according to a mutuall agreement formerly made appeare to his freind after a most affrighting manner all burning in flames giuing this account of the causes that brought him to that vvofull condition A little before my expiring said he the deuill suggested to mee Doubts Arguments against the Diuinity of our Lord the which I out of a confidence in my owne abilities vndertaking to resolue found my selfe so pressed with new replies that in the end being quite ouercome I renounced the Catholicke Doctrine of the Church assented to the Arian heresy And in that state a iust Iudgment for my Pride I expired so receiuing this reward of Heresy The liuing Companion astonished vvith this relation reuealed the case to some Pious freinds from vvhom he receiued Aduices directly conformable to these here before deliuered And therevpon spending the remainder of his time more in Prayer Pennance then Study not long after approaching to his end the same Tentation assaulted him for the deuill requiring of him an account of his faith could get no other ansvver from him but this I beleiue what the Church teacheth And being therevpon asked What the Church taught He ansvvered The Church teacheth that which I beleiue The vvhich words he often repeated in the hearing of those that assisted him By vvhich meanes he eluded the subtilty of the enemyâ— and as aftervvards appearing to some of those his good Counsellers in a glorious manner he manifested he passed to heauen 28. In the next place as touching Mortification to be practised about Externall things it is a duty so necessary in all states that it belongs as well to the Infirmary as the Refectory For in all manner of things occurrents in this life there lies a snare to be auoyded an enemy to be combatted so that vvhosoeuer out of slothfullnes shall forbeare to continue the practise of Mortification vvill the next day be more auerted from it nature getting strength against the spirit 29. In as much therfore as Sicknes is a tentation a snare it is by consequence vvell vsed an occasion of victory against impatience selfe-loue of aduancement in spirituall Perfection 30. More particularly the Exercises of Mortification proper in the time of sicknes are 1. not to be drawne by the paines incoÌ„modities of it to impatience 2. not to yeild to an immoderate satisfaction of nature vvhen it suggests a desire either of seeking improper or vnlavvfull remedies or vvhen pleasing nourishment refreshments c. are offred to vs. 3. To take heed of spirituall sloth neglect of our deuotion to God of vvhich wee vvill speake vvhen vve etreate of the duty of Prayer 31. As concerning the Mortification of impatience by restraining the Tongue from breaking out into Complaints or murmurings the mind from yeilding to melancholy discontent enough hath bene said in the second Treatise the vvhich may easily be applyed to the present subiect of Sicknes I vvill therfore only adde these two Aduices 1. That the infirme person would consider that impatience in sicknes is not only harmfull to the soule but likewise to the body too As on the contrary Patience peacefullnes of mind and a mortifying temperance vvhich are heauenly ornaments of the soule are vvithall very efficacious meanes to restore health in as much as thereby neither vvill the patient out of immortification refuse bitter things vvhich are aduantageous to health nor greedily seeke pleasing things vvhich are harmfull 2. That patience ought to be preserued at least in the Superiour soule although violence of paine should force the patient to grone or it may be to cry out The vvhich if they afford ease are not wholly to be condemned 32. Next touching the Mortification and moderation of the sensuall appetite to be practised in Sicknes In the first place it cannot be denied but that it is lavvfull fitting for a sicke Person to desire seeke remedies proper in that case Yet this is to be done vvithout too much sollicitude disquietnes of mind And in case such Remedies cannot be had a contented submission of mind in the vvant or refusall of them is of admirable vertue to aduance the soule since necessity declares such a vvant to be the vvill of God and this for the soules greater good A most perfect Example hereof wee haue in our Lord vvho among the other insupportable torments of the crosse vvas most greiuously afflicted vvith Thirst in vvhich case he demanded refreshment But all assvvagement being denied him yea Gall being presented to him to inflame his Thirst he complained not at all 33. In the second place it is to be considered that though the same maner of exercising temperance by repressing sensuality in the interiour Disposition of the soule be alike to be practised in health sicknes yet there is a difference as in regard of the matters about vvhich such temperance is to be exercised for those meates and Solaces vvhich vvould misbecome a spirituall person in health may be very allowable and expedient in Sicknes Only care ought to be had that the yeilding to some reasonable pleasure and recreation of the senses may be by the direction of the Spirit according to spirituall discretion for the good of the spirit so as not to hinder internall Exercises of the soule and because such is Gods vvill and not that an vndue liberty should be allovved vpon the pretence of sicknes to giue the reines to sensuall appetite so as to make the state of sicknes more easy and pleasurable perhaps then that of health It is nothing considerable as in it selfe vvhether the body haue ease or no All the matter is hovv it fares vvith the spirit If bodily ease may indeed be an helpe to the spirit it
is to be admitted for that purpose for as S. Bernard sayes As man was not made for the woman but the woman for man so spirituall Exercises were not made for corporaâ—l but Corporall for spirituall 34. Notvvithstanding there is beyond this a perfection to be recommended to the Imitation of such internall liuers vvhose grace feruour haue rendred them in a capacity of aspiring to it the vvhich the same S. Bernard hath both by his Instructions admirable Example deliuered Hippocrates saith he doth teach to saue liues in this world but Christ his Apostles doe teach to loose liues he that will saue his life shall loose it Now which of these two Maisters doâ— yee chuse to follow Truly that religious man plainly shewes whom he chuses for his Maister who saith This meate is ill for the eyes that for the head the other for the stomacke c Novv such nicenes as this the holy Father so earnestly protests against as allmost to deny the vse of Physicke to be lavvfull The only proper medicinall remedy for Religious Persons being Abstinence Yea it is obserued that he purposely made choyce of vnvvholesome places to build his Monasteries in as being desirous that his Religious should rather be infirme then robustious 35. Hovveuer in the choyce vse of diet or Phisick euery one must follovv that Diuine light of discretion vvhich God giues them allvvaies auoyding superfluities sometimes contenting themselues vvith the vvant euen of necessaries They must account themselues obliged to continue the practise of the same Internall duties though after another manner increasing the mortification of the vvill vvhich is a mortification far more pure perfect though they be forced to allovv a little more to the body their minds are to be set vpon the benefits vvhich sicknes brings vvith it to vse all endeauours to possesse themselues of them Considering 1. That they haue a continuall occasion of exercising Patience resignation the greatest blessings that a soule is capable of 2. That they haue opportunity for more free pure lesse distracted Recollections so that their Prayer mortifications doe inseparably attend one another 3. In a vvord they are now in such a state by vvhich the greatest Saints haue more surely more speedily aduanced themselues to perfection then by many yeares voluntary externall corporall labours austerities 36. Thaulerus hath a saying That the condition of the dearest most perfect seruants of God is to haue their soules full of the Diuine loue their bodies full of paines And that when they feele no paines nor other afflictions they greatly apprehend least God haue forgotten them but their comfort returnes when God visits ihem with any corporall or worldly affliction Then they euen feele that it stands well with them for then they are in a state that of all other doth best dispose for the Diuine vnion 37. The suffrings of our Lord are neuer is perfectly vnderstood by reading or meditating as vvhen deuout soules themselues tast of the like then they see and comfortably tast his loue to them If their paines be supportable they doe inuite them to vnite themselues to God by expresse Acts of Resignation But if they be so excessiue that they become incapable of making expresse formall Prayers then the very suffring of those paines vvith patience peace of mind is a most sublime and efficacious Prayer Then is the proper season for those Gemitus inenarrabiles those grones which cannot be vttered vvhich as S. Paul saith the holy Spirit suggests to suffring humble deuout soules 38. And here by the vvay I vvould recommend to those Charitable persons that doe attend on the sicke a care to behaue themselues as becomes them in those mortifications that attend such an Office that they vvould beare vvith the passionate humours of their Patients not iudge them for small excesses That they would freely charitably administer vvhat shall be requisite to their present state being assured that God vvill neuer be vvaÌ„ting to those that haue left all for him novv depend only vpon him he vvill rather enrich them more for their charity then suffer them to be endammaged by it It may be it is for the sicke Patients sake that the healthfull enioy a comfortable subsistence Let them herein imitate the tendernes of our holy Father to the sicke his care likevvise to admonish their Attendants of their duty in the 36. chapter of his Rule 39. But aboue all things a deuout soule ought to iudge that God hath sent her the most proffitable triall of sicknes not to the end to discharge her of her dayly Recollections but rather that she may pursue them after a more efficacious manner Probably she vvill not be able to obserue exactly her former appoynted times of Prayer as also through disturbance of humours spirits she vvill find great Distractions yet if lifting vp her spirit as vvell as she can she offer both her paines distractions to God vvithall if in times out of Prayer she be vvatchfull ouer herselfe not to giue vvay either to the inordinate Appetites or impatiences of nature but to be in a continuall state of Resignation she vvill haue little reason to complaine of the imperfections of her Prayer 40. A soule can haue no excuse for neglecting this most necessary duty of Prayer the times of vvhich may more securely be obserued in sicknes then in health For vvho vvould trouble or interrupt such an one against his vvill or vvho vvould not permit him to be alone or to rest vvhensoeuer he has no mind to continue Conuersation Hovveuer if the deuout soule should stand in need she may ought to vse all lavvfull foresight industry excuses sleights that may be to preuent the being hindred or interrupted 41. Novv because Pâ—ysicke inwardly taken does much encomber the stomacke indispose for Prayer Therfore I vvould aduise the sicke Person 1. Not to be forward to seeke or accept of all Receipts that freinds visitants are apt to prescribe 2. When he is to take Physicke vvhether in the morning or euening so to order his times as not to take it till he haue performed his appoynted Recollection 3. Not to receiue Physick no nor repasts ofter or more then shall be necessary not too much neglecting the body but yet being carefull rather to attend to the necessities of the spirit Let our Patient therfore stoutly resist the inuitations tendernesses of freinds that are apt to vrge him to eate more or oftner then shall be needfull And vvhatsoeuer he shall receiue let him take it in the name of God for his sake neither vvith auidity if it be pleasing to nature nor vvith murmuring if displeasing 42 It vvill be exceeding difficult during paine or any great Infirmity to vse Discoursiue Meditation The exercise of Acts of the will much more of Aspirations is a far more proper Prayer in such a case Therfore
it is good euen for those vvho are not yet fully ripe for the exercise of Acts so as to make them their constant Exercise yet to vse them sometimes in time of health to the end that if they be ouertaken vvith sicknes they may not be to seeke for their exercise 43. Among Expresse voluntary Acts the exercise of totall Resignation is the most perfect generally the most proffitable yet a soule in Sicknes if she find herselfe indisposed for such acts may content herselfe vvith Acts of an Inferiour nature yea vvith deuotions to any particular Saints to her Angell Guardian specially to our Blessed Lady 44. Those that are only infirme languishing are for as muâ—h as concernes the nature of their Prayer in a case little different from that they vvere in during health Those vvhose suffrings are from outvvard paine meerely vvithout sicknes may happen to haue their Prayer altered to the better by meanes of such Paines the vvhich themselues may proue a very proffitable Prayer if the patient vvith quietnes submission to the Diuine vvill doe offer such paines continually to God 45. But as for Sicknesses more inward they doe more indispose the patient to Prayer Besides the great distractions that come from Physick blood-letting dyet c So that none can prescribe any certaine Aduices The vvell-meaning soule therfore must vvith a moderate Attention may herselfe obserue all circumstances accordingly for the manner practise both mortification Prayer She vvill easily discerne at vvhat times hovv long in vvhat manner she ought to pray as likevvise vvherein she is to mortify herselfe how far she may yeild to the desires necessities of nature The truth is the cases not only of seuerall persons in seuerall sicknesses but euen of the same person in the same sicknes are so vvoÌ„derfully various that it is impossible to fit Aduices for all All that an Instructour can say to the purpose is That prayer mortification are absolutely necessary to a soule as well in sicknes as health But for the speciall manner matter her ovvne iudgment discretion but especially the Spirit of God must teach her doubtles vvill if she attend to his holy Inspirations 46. I said before that the vniuersall Remedy against all inward Tentations vvas Actuall Prayer conuersion of the soule to God The vvhich remedy is good for all soules in vvhat state soeuer But more proper for such as practise Internall Contemplatiue exercises vvho are not novv in a disposition to inuent motiues arguments to contradict such tentations but most necessary for the fearfull scrupulous Notvvithstanding I vvould not oblige all imperfecter soules vpon euery thought of a tentation to recurre allvvayes to their prayer but only vvhen necessity a iust feare of being ouercome shall require it Othervvise being in no such feare they may content themselues vvith some intermitted Eleuations of their minds to God deferring their prayer till their next appoynted Recollection For it vvould be too great a burthen imposed on such soules as vvithout some difficulty cannot enter into serious introuersion to bind them hereto vpon euery assault of an Invvard tentation vvhen a moderate care not to yeild to the tentation vvill suffise 47. God seldome sends great sicknesses to spirituall Persons in the beginning of their course before they haue gotten a reasonable habitude of Prayer to make good vse thereof least thereby they should become disabled to pray But after such an habitude gotten if sicknes come it vvill aduance their Prayer as their bodily strength decayes their Prayer proportionably vvill grow more easy profound spirituall But it is to be doubted that the Prayer of Meditation vvill be little bettered by sicknes 48. I vvill conclude this Point of Sicknes vvith proposing one speciall consideration vvhich ought to induce soules to be carefull that they doe not deliberately turne Sicknes into a liberty of sense or spirit by omitting or neglecting Prayer mortification it is this In all sicknes there is at least some degree of perill of being taken out of this life The vvhich euent if it should happen to a soule whilst she continues in such a tepide negligent state God vvill assuredly iudge her according to her present state in vvhich death finds her Yea she vvill be in danger to loose the fruit that she might expect from all her former good purposes Resolutions or at least to suspect that such purposes vvere not sincere cordiall since now the proper time of putting them in execution being come they are ineffectuâ—l And aboue all other the case of Scrupulous soules vvould be miserable if they should neglect to combat their scrupulosities by a simple obedience transcending of their feares On the contrary it is certaine that a soule cannot possibly hâ—ue a firmer ground of assurance of eternall happines then a sanctified vse of sicknes CHAP. VI. § 1. Internall Exercises weaken the body yet oft prolong life § 2. 3. 4. The body ought to suffer for the good of the spirit not the spirit for the body § 5. Yet with Discretion that the body be not vnnecessarily preiudiced § 6. 7. c. In the first place Discretion is to be vsed about mortification both by Superiours others § 13. 14. c Secondly discretion is to be vsed in sensible deuotion § 17. Thirdly in Meditation § 18. 19. 20. Fourthly in the exercise of Immediate Acts. § 21. 22. Fifthly euen in Aspirations § 23. Of languishing Loue mentioned by Harphius 1. INTERNALL Prayer seriously prosecuted as it deserues to be being contrary to our naturall inclinations cannot chuse but cause some trouble vneasines to nature abate the vigorousnes of the body quenching those spirits drayning those humours vvhich are superfluous afford matter of tentations Yet on the other side it makes amends euen to nature it selfe in contributing much to the prolonging of life by meanes of moderation of Dyet a composednes of Passions contentation of mind c vvhich it causeth Proofes vvhereof vvee haue in the Ancient holy Fathers of the desert more lately in S. Romualdus vvho liued till he vvas a hundred tvventy yeares old S. Dauid of Wales till a hundred forty c 2. Hovveuer if it vvere othervvise the soule is not to serue the body but the body the soule so that if one of them must for the benefit of the other be a looser it is most iust that the losse should lye on the bodies side And surely since there is scarce any study or exercise of mind vvhich does not abridge life or debilitate the functions of it vvithout making any amends to the soule for the future life yet for all that men neither are discouraged nor doe thinke it fit for such considerations to forbeare such studies much lesse certainly ought spirituall Diuine exercises be laid aside vpon such pretences 3. Notvvithstanding iust it is that some
due regard be had to the body that it be not too much preiudiced by the exercises of the spirit performed vvith ouermuch violence impetuosity And this not so much for the bodies sake as the spirits the vvhich since in this life it cannot worke vvithout the body by too violent vvorkings it may so weaken the body as that it vvill not be enabled for continuance so those little short gaines vvhich are gott by a few impetuous Exercises vvill be dearly bought by an incapacity of coÌ„tinuing them contracted in both soule body Wee must neither stretch our vnderstandings to high seekings least vvee be plunged thereby in Internall darkenes from vvhich vvould proceede intolerable perplexities Neither must vvee force the affectioÌ„s euen to good obiects too much nor suffer them to flovv vvith too violent a streame nor lastly must vvee exhaust bodily strength by vnnecessary externall Austerities 4. As for the painfullnes troubles vneasines to nature that vvithout too much debility doth accompany spirituall exercises those may vvell enough be digested considering the vnspeakable benefits seruice that they produce vnto the soule And yet for our comfort this vneasines vvill by custome constancy continually diminish for as Harphius obserues a soule after long practise of Eleuations of spirit vvill come to such a facility in them that they vvilll become as it vvere naturall to her And herein vvee may obserue the vvonderfull vvisedome goodnes of the diuine Prouidence ouer soules hovv he tempers the exercises of the spirit to the Exigence of the body For vvhile the body being vigorous is able to endure more he giues her ruder more laborious exercises But vvhen by long-continued vvorkings it is become so feeble that any violent Intention of the spirit or rude externall mortifications of vvhich there is no need vvould ouer-vvhelme it then the exercises are most easy peaceable silent serene yet infinitely more full of vertue then formerly 5. Novv the peculiar vertue by vvhich all harmfull inconueniences either to the body or spirit may be auoyded is that supernaturall Discretion by vvhich a soule is enabled to hold a Meane auoyde the vicious Extremes in the practising of all spirituall duties It is iustly called a supernaturall vertue because God only can bestovv it for all the vvitt Philosophy in the vvorld are but meere folly blindnes in these matters And this he does principally by the meanes of Prayer vvith the vse of requisite Abstraction attendance to his diuine Inspirations vvhereby vvee shall receiue a Celestiall habituall light to direct vs in all things suitably to our ovvne particular dispositions abilities for no one man can in all matters be a Rule vnto another 6. Novv as touching a particular application of this supernaturall Discretion to the exercises of an Internall life much hath already bene set dovvne dispersedly in these Treatises I vvill therfore only point at some fevv considerations vvhich in the practise of the seuerall Duties of a Contemplatiue life doe regard this Mistresse of all vertues Discretion vvhich surely deserues aboue all other to be purposely by it selfe treated of in as much as vvithout it all other Vertues are imprudent that is not vertues at all 7. First therfore in regard of the duty of Mortification I speake now only of necessary Mortifications of vvhich kind all are to be esteemed that come from God either immediately or by meanes of others especially Superiours a soule is to esteeme those Mortifications vvhich a Superiour beyond the Rule shall voluntarily impose vpon the subiect to be to the subiect himselfe necessary hovveuer voluntary to the Superiour 8. Novv Superiours ought rarely to impose such kind of Mortifications on their subiects because so many circumstaÌ„ces are required to make them vvell imposed that a great measure of illumination from God is requisite for those that practise the imposing of them For 1. The Superiour must euidently see that the subiect in probability vvill make good vse of them 2. And that though they may doe the subiect good some one vvay yet they vvill not harme him more another 3. He must take heed that others be not scandalised thereby 9. The like circumstances are to be obserued by a particular person that vvould voluntarily assume mortifications For vvant of vvhich point of Discretion Harphius saith That such kind of strange odde and uncouth mortifications as are imposed practised in some Communities ought not to be voluntarily assumed as if with a designe therefore to be despised by another 10. The Authour of the Abridgment of Perfection iustly imputes Indiscretion to those who will neuer giue rest to nature but will alâ—wayes haue some crosse or other Exteriour or Interiour by which to mortify Nature For saith he the highest Perfection is not to desire to be allwaies suffring but to be content to suffer all that by Gods Prouidence shall befall vs. The vvhich contentment is taken avvay by that continuall anxiety vvhich those must suffer that vvill needs be allvvaies vpon the rack 11. In like manner Harphius taxes those that thinke â—hemselues ready for afflictions complaine that they â—vant occasions to exercise their Resignation For â—ives he to such an one thou deceiuest thy selfe by â—ide God does see that as yet thou art not indeed ready strong enough for extraordinary trialls for if he did he would not faile to furnish thee with occasions He will send an Angell from heauen on purpose to exercise a soule rather then she would want Mortifications for her good Therefore let soules neuer be sollicitous nor set themselues to deuise or procure mortifications as if they thought that God had forgotten them Notable examples of this Prouidence of God may be seene in the life of Thaulerus vvhere likevvise vvee read hovv God reprehended the Lay-man that conuerted Thaulerus in his sleepe for certaine assumed voluntary corporall Austerities To this purpose there is a memorable passage in the life of Suso coÌ„cerning a spirituall daughter of his vvho of herselfe vvas disposed to haue vndertaken some great corporall mortifications but vvas disswaded by Suso although himselfe by a speciall Call from God did vse very violent sharpe ones In the vvhich Discourse there are many excellent Documents very vvell deseruing to be perused by the deuout Reader 12. Let a soule therfore seriously practise that Mortification of Mortifications vvhich is pure Internall Prayer vvith it ioyne a diligent good vse of those Mortifications attending her state of life or sent her othervvise from God not omitting those most efficacious Internall mortifications by Acts of humiliation Annihilation of herselfe so doing she vvill haue little reason to complaine of vvant of exercise of this vertue For Corporall Austerities doe not by the excesse of them but by the fitnes proportion to the soules present disposition perfectionate an Internall liver So that some in firme but sincerely affected persons doe aduance themselues more by ordinary trifling
Mortifications then others that consume their strength spirits vvith intolerable fastings chaines disciplines c For as Cassian saies in the Preface to his Institutions Si rationabilis possibilium mensura seruetur eadem obseruantiae perfectio est etiam in impari facultate That is If a reasonable discreete measure of Austerities that ordinarily are not aboue our power be obserued there will be the same Perfection of obseruance where the externall abilities are vnequall 13. In the next place there is great vse of Discretion in sensible Deuotion by which saith Harphius some soules are so far carried away so besotted with selfe-loue selfe-will in the vse of it that no aduice from the most experienced will auayle to moderate them till it be too late to amend till they find themselues vnable to support any serious application to Exercises of the spirit Neuerthelesse saith he hauing thus by their indiscretion brought on themselues this inconuenience they may for all that merit much if with humility Patience resignation they will accept of such their infirmity 14. Wee ought therfore much rather to mortify such sensible Feruour then vse force to increase it applying hereto that Saying of the Wiseman Prouerb 25. Hast thou found honey eate of it what may be sufficient for thee least thou be filled vomit it vp 15. All the Merit that is in sensible Deuotion consists in the concurrence of the superiour vvill to those Acts vvithout vvhich it vvill not helpe to raise the soule out of her naturall state Yea the more she is visited euen bathed in such sensible consolations except she vse mortification about them be vvary not to rest in them but turne them to the producing of more efficacious Acts in the superiour vvill the more strong vvill she grovv in selfe-loue more defiled vvith a kind of spirituall lust Vnlesse soules therfore doe grovv more humble thereby it is a signe of danger to be peruerted by it and quite to loose the end for vvhich God gaue it 16. Yet soules during their imperfect state are not violently to straine themselues to worke purely in spirit but moderately to vse sensible deuotion vvhen God sends it as a meanes to aduance them in spirit Neither ought they on the other side to be so carried avvay vvith a liking gluttonous affection to it vvhich indeed affords delicacies more agreable to nature then any sensible satisfactions as for it to omitt other duties belonging to their state vvhich God vvould haue them to doe 17. Thirdâ—y as touching the Exercise of Meditation hovv far Discretion is to be vsed in it hath hene sufficiently declared vvhen vvee treated of it Indeed soules during that Exercise are to be directed rather by the Discretion of others then their ovvne this both in iudging vvhether they be fit for it hovv long they are to continue in it the Rule vvhereof must not be custome but experience of proffit vvhat proportion of time they are to allovv vnto the vnderstanding vvill to operate in it for that Exercise doth not afford supernaturall light enough to enable a soule to be her ovvne Guide 18. Fourthly for as much as concernes the Exercise of immediate Acts of the will a soule that out of ripenesse gott by sufficient practise of Meditation is arriued thereto vvill haue light Discretion sufficient to iudge vvhat Acts are most proper for her vvhat time is to be spent in each recollections vvhen vvhat pauses shall be necessary vvhen she is to change it for a higher 19. A principall Point of Discretion in this Exercise is not to be caried avvay vvith the examples of some Saints in former times vvho could remaine almost continually in some Mentall actuation to God vvithout giuing vvay to an extrauagant thought by vvhich meanes they vvere almost continually in Internall combattings An indiscreete imitation of such examples as likevvise a too violent producing of Acts vpon one another vvould so oppresse ordinary spirits that it vvould put them into an incapacity of euer being able to pray for the future 20. They vvho doe not vse sett Recollections may ought frequently to force themselues to Interiour Acts tovvards God Yea as oft as they please Not much regarding the season of the day as vvhether it be after Refection or before sleepe And when they haue done all their progresse vvill be but small for vvant of more prolonged and continued Exercises 21. Lastly Discretion and Mortification likevvise is to be vsed also euen in those Exercises to vvhich vvee are inuited and enabled by God himselfe such are the Exercises of Aspirations and Eleuations of the spirit The vsuall times therefore of sett Recollections are to be expected for they doe so vveaken and consume corporall nature that if soules should giue vvay vnto them as oft as they thinke themselues enabled vvhich is indeed almost continually so perfectly are they disposed to God they vvould vtterly disable themselues to doe any seruice to God for the future 22. To this purpose Harphius relates an account that one brother Rogerius a deuout Franciscan gaue of himselfe saying That a hundred times in a Mattins he vvas in spirit dravvne vpvvard to a more high knovvledge of diuine Secrets All vvhich tracts he forcibly resisted being assured that if he had giuen his soule free scope to fixe the eye of the vnderstanding vpon those Obiects so represented to him he should haue bene so plunged in the Abysse of the Diuine incomprehensibility and so vvholly driuen out of himselfe that he should neuer haue bene able to haue retired himselfe aliue from such a Contemplation But there is little perill of Indiscretion in soules so highly eleuated and so wholly in Gods hands vvho may doe vvith soules and bodies vvhat he pleaseth 23. The same Harphius describes the state of some other soules not so sublimely eleuated vvho yet are so languishing in their loue to God and in such an impatient ardour thirst after him that it makes the body to faint and quite vvither avvay And therfore he calls them Martyrs of Loue. Novv by this lâ—nguishing Loue I conceiue is vnderstood a Loue much in sensuality though the obiect thereof be God and it is exercised about the heart much after the same manner that a violent but chast loue is oft exercised betvveene absent persons of different sexes so that I take it to be the highest degree of sensible Deuotion Novv though Harphius sayes that such Martyrs of Loue dying corporally through the extremity of Passion doe immediately passe into heauen hauing bene already purified in the Purgatory fire of Loue Notvvitstanding although no doubt such soules dye in a most secure estate yet it may be they vvill not scape some degree of Purgatory for their indiscreete yeilding to the impulses of nature in the exercising of this loue vvhich though truely diuine is yet far lesse perfect then that pure loue vvhich in perfect Contemplation is exercised in
imagine but an inexhaustible Ocean of vniuersall Being Good infinitly exceeding our comprehension The vvhich Being Good vvhatsoeuer it is in it selfe vvee loue vvith the vvhole possible extension of our vvills embracing God beyond the proportion of our knovving him But yet euen such a Contemplation loue in this life by reason of our bodily weakenes necessities cannot be vvithout many descents and interruptions 9. This Mysticke Contemplation or vnion is of two sorts 1. Actiue and ordinary being indeed an habituall state of perfect soules by vvhich they are enabled vvhensoeuer fit occasion shall be to vnite themselues actiuely and actually to God by efficacious feruent amorous and constant yet vvithall silent quiet Eleuations of the Spirit 2. Passiue extraordinary the vvhich is not a state but an actuall Grace fauour from God by vvhich he is pleased at certaine times according to his free Good pleasure to communicate a glimpse of his Maiesty to the spirits of his seruants after a secret wonderfull manner And it is called Passiue not but that therin the soule doth actiuely Contemplate God but she can neither vvhen she pleases dispose herselfe thereto nor yet refuse it when that God thinks good to operate after such a manner in the soule to represent himselfe vnto her by a Diuine particular Image not at all framed by the soule but supernaturally infused into her The vvhich Grace is seldome if euer afforded but to soules that haue attained to the former state of Perfect Actiue Vnion Concerning this Passiue Vnion and the seuerall kinds of it vvee shall speake more hereafter 10. As for the former sort vvhich is Actiue Contemplation of vvhich vvee haue already treated in grosse in this Chapter vvee reade in Mystick Authours Thaulerus Harphius c That he that vvould become spirituall ought to practise the dravving of his externall senses invvardly into his Internall there loosing as it vvere annihilating them Hauing done this he must then dravv his Internall senses into the Superiour povvers of the soule there annihilate them likevvise And those powers of the Intellectuall soule he must dravv into that vvhich is called their Vnity vvhich is the principle Fountaine from vvhence those Povvers doe flow in vvhich they are vnited And lastly that Vnity vvhich alone is capable of perfect vnion vvith God must be applied and firmely fixed on God And herein say they consists the perfect Diuine Contemplation vnion of an Intellectuall soule vvith God 11. Novv vvhether such Expressions as these vvill abide the strict examination of Philosophy or no I vvill not take on mee to determine Certaine it is that by a frequent constant Exercise of Internall Prayer of the vvill ioyned vvith Mortification the soule comes to operate more more abstracted from sense more eleuated aboue the corporall organs faculties so dravving nearer to the resemblance of the operations of an Angell or separated spirit 12. Yet this Abstraction Eleuation perhaps is not be vnderstood as if the soule in these pure operations had no vse at all of the Internall senses or sensible Images for the Schooles resolue that cannot consist vvith the state of a soule ioyned to a mortall body But surely her Operations in this pure Degree of Prayer are so subtile intime the Images that she makes vse of so exquisitly pure immateriall that she cannot perceiue at all that she vvorkes by Images So that spirituall Writers are not much to be condemned by persons vtterly vnexperienced in these Mystick affaires if deliuering things as they perceiued by their ovvne Experience they haue expressed them othervvise then vvill be admitted in the Schooles 13. Novv to this kind of purely Intellectuall operations doth a soule begin to arriue after a sufficient Exercise of Immediate Acts of the vvill And hauing attained thereto they doe grovv more more spirituall sublime by the Exercise of Aspirations blind Eleuations vvithout all limitt 14. I call them pure Intellectuall operations in opposition to actuations Imaginatiue produced by meane of grosse sensible Images not as if the said operations were in the intellect or vnderstanding for on the contrary they are exercised in a manner vvholly by the Will For in proper Aspirations the soule hath no other vse of the vnderstanding but only antecedently to propose an obiect vvhich is no other but only a generall obscure confused notion of God as Faith darkly teaches this rather vertually then directly expressely the maine busines being to Eleuate the vvill and vnite it to God so presented 15. In vvhich Vnion aboue all particular Images there is neither time nor place but all is Vacuity emptines as if nothing vvere existent but God the soule Yea so far is the soule from reflecting on her ovvne existence that it seemes to her that God she are not distinct but one only thing This is called by some Mystick Authours the State of Nothingnes by others the State of Totality because therin God is all in all the container of all things And the Prayer proper to this state is thus described by a holy Hermite in Cassian collat x. c. 11. Ita ad illam Orationis incorruptionem mens nostra perueniat c. that is So vvill the mind ascend to that pure simplicity of Prayer the which is freed from all intuition of Images vndistinguished with any prosecution of words or senses but vttered internally by an inflamed intention of the mind by an vnutterable excesse of affoction and inconceiuable quicknes and alacrity of spirit The which Prayer the spirit being abstracted from all senses sensible Obiects doth powre forth vnto God by sighes and grones that cannot be expressed 16. It is an errour therfore of vnexperienced persons vvho thinke and say that all the Exercises and thoughts of Contemplatiues are actually in Heauen in interiour Conuersation vvith Angells and Saints tasting of the Ioyes of Paradice or vvholly employed in sublime speculations about Diuine Mysteries of the Trinity Incarnation c True it is that in a passiue Vnion God may after a cleare and distinct but vvonderfull manner represent any or all these things by a supernaturall species imprinted in the soule But as for the proper Exercise of Actiue Contemplation it consists not at all in speculation but in blind Eleuations of the Will and ingulfing it more and more profoundly in God vvith no other sight or knovvledge of him but of an obscure Faith only 17. This happy state of Actiue Contemplation is for substance the most perfect that a soule is capable of in this life Being almost an entire reparation restitution of the soule to the State of Primitiue Innocence for as long as it lasts because then the soule is freed from all sinfully distracting Images and affections that vvould separate her from God Herevpon a Holy Hermite in Cassian sayes That except in the very actuall exercise of Contemplation a soule is not
Secondly in those immediate Acts and Affections in vvhich there are no images of Creatures inuolued but vvhich respect God immediatly He is represented by some distinct Image or expresse notion in the mind as by some speciall Attribute Perfection Name Similitude c. But a soule after a long practise of Internall Abstraction renouncing of all representations of God contents herselfe vvith such a confused notion of him as may be apprehended by an Obscure generall Faith That is to say not simply absolutely vvith no kind of Image at all for that is supposed inconsistent vvith the Operations of the soule vvhilst it is in a mortall body but not vvith a distinct formall chosen particular Image for all such offring themselues are reiected by perfect soules So that if they were to giue an account of vvhat they conceiue in their minds vvhen they intend to thinke of God all that they could say vvould be God is nothing of all that I can say or thinke but a Being infinitly beyond it absolutely incomprehensible by a created Vnderstanding He is what he is and what himselfe only perfectly knows and so I beleiue him to be as such I adore and loue him only I renounce all pretending to a distinct knowing of him and content my selfe with such a blind beleiuing Novv though imperfect soules also especially such as are learned doe acknowledge this negatiue apprehension of God to be only truly proper perfect yet by reason that grosse images are not yet chased out of their minds they cannot in their Internall operations proceede constantly according to such an acknovvledgmeÌ„t Such an obscure negatiue Obiect vvill not ordinarily moue their Affections Whereas no other but such an obiect vvill moue the Affections of Perfect soules 7. Thirdly Proper Aspirations in Perfect soules haue no precedent Discourse at all as Acts haue at least vertually Neither doth the Will in Aspirations intend to employ or make vse of the vnderstanding for they are sudden eleuations of the Will vvithout any preuious motiue or Consideration 8. Fourthly immediate Acts are not only produced vvith deliberation and choyce but ordinarily vvith some degree of force vsed vpon the vvill But Aspirations proceede from an interiour impulse indeliberatly and as it vvere naturally flowing from the soule And therby they shevv that there is in the Interiour a secret supernaturall directing Principle to wit Gods Holy Spirit alone teaching and mouing the soule to breath forth these Aspirations not only in sett Recollections but almost continually Novv this doth not inferre that the Holy Spirit is not also the Principle of all other good Acts affections of the Will for none of them haue any true good in them further then they proceede from this Diuine Principle But in them the Will doth preuiously and forcibly rayse vp it selfe to the producing them in which likewise much of nature is mixed And so the Holy Spirit is not so completely and perfectly the fountayne of them as he is of Aspirations 9. Fifthly in case that a soule vvhose constant exercise as yet is but immediate Acts or Meditation doe sometimes merely by an Internall Impulse produce such indeliberate Aspirations yet they are neither so pure subtile Neither vvill they continue any considerable time but the present inu◠〈…〉 â—g passed the soule must be content to returne to her Inferiour exercises or if she vvill needs force herselfe to continue them her Recollections vvill become drye insipide and vvithout any proffit at all 10. Lastly Aspirations vvhen they are a soules vsuall Exercise doe proceede from a more habitually Perfect Ground and therfore are far more efficacious noble then Immediate Acts And moreouer there being no violence at all vsed in them they are much more frequently continuedly produced and consequently doe procure more new Graces and Merits and doe far more increase the Habit of Charity 11. No man can limitt the time hovv long soules are to continue in inferiour Exercises before they will be enabled and made ripe for so Sublime a Prayer And therfore there is no relying vpon the Instructions Practise or Examples of any All depends 1. Vpon the industry or diligence of soules in Prayer and Mortification 2. Some what vpon their speciall temper and Disposition 3. Likewise vpon the aduantage that they may haue from Solitude and Abstraction of life 4. But principally vpon the free Grace and good pleasure of God Who may and does by ordinary or extraordinary meanes call and enable soules to Aspirations some sooner and some later 12. In passing from the Exercise of Acts to Aspirations there is as to the manner of the Cessation of forced Acts great variety in soules For some vvill haue their Morning Recollections to be suddenly and entirely changed from forced Acts to Aspirations and also the ability for a longer continuance encreased Whereas the Euening Recollections vvill be little altered In other soules and this is most ordinary their Exercising of Acts vvill grovv by degrees more and more Aspiratiue And this vvill happen sometimes in the beginning sometimes in the middle and sometimes in the Conclusion of their Recollections And thus they in their Recollections vvill get more and more ground vpon Acts diminishing both the frequency and constraint or difficulty of them and encreasing Aspirations till in progresse they become vvholy Aspiratiue 13. Some soules vvhose Exercise is Acts mixed with Aspirations at their first coming to their Recollections yea till they haue for some reasonable space exercised themselues may happen to find themselues in perfect Distraction In vvhich case if they be called avvay by occasion of businesses of no great sollicitude they may find much proffit by such interruptions be disposed thereby to returne vvith much eagernesse to their Recollections and vvith an enablement to exercise Aspirations Yea sometimes they vvill find themselues enabled to exercise them during such Employments their spirits being refreshed by meanes of such pauses and distances caused by the sayd Interruptions And Experience vvill teach them that it vvill be needfull sometimes to breake of the course of their present Internall Prayer for some little space after vvhich they vvill find themselues better disposed for more frequent and Efficacious Aspirations 14. But as for imperfect Soules this must be no Rule for them for they must not by reason of Distractions interrupt their Mentall Prayer or at least very seldome but must vvith discreet violence force themselues to begin vvith a serious Recollection by that meanes driuing avvay or at least abating their present Distractions 15. When the Exercise is become wholly Aspirations all the change that vvill happen aftervvard vvill not be in the substance of the Exercise but only in the Degrees of Purity subtilty and spirituallnesse of those Aspirations for there is no Actiue Exercise more sublime 16. A soule may come to that state that she may constantly breath forth Aspirations yet sufficiently to the discharge of her obligation either
Worke Reade hearken to a lesson recited say or heare Masse Communicate c neither is there any negligence or irreuerence committed by so doing For by no operation so much as by Aspirations doth a soule enioy a sublime and perfect Vnion in Spirit vvith God vvhich is the end of all Exercises and duties And this is the meaning of that saying of Mysticks In God nothing is neglected Yea some of them doe affirme that there may be soules so Perfect that euen amidst the noyses and disorders of a Campe they may vvithout neglecting their present duty there most efficaciously exercise themselues in Aspirations to God 17. Novv the reason vvhy Aspirations are lesse hindred by externall businesses then are Meditation or Immediate Acts is because in Aspirations the vnderstanding is scarce at all employed therfore may vvell enough attend to other businesses And moreouer the Will abounding euen ouerflovving vvith Diuine Loue vvill not find herselfe interressed in Affection consequently not distracted by such employments 18. There is great variety in the manner of producing Aspirations For first some are purely mentall being certaine indeliberate quick Eleuations and springings vp of the spirit to God-vvard as sparkles of fire flying from a burning coale vvhich is the expression of the Authour of the Clowd of vnknowing And of these some are more grosse Imaginatiue especially in beginners therfore not difficult to be expressed Others in more perfect soules that are come to a higher degree of spirituall Abstraction grovv more subtile Intellectuall in so much as oftimes the person himselfe cannot expresse vvhat passed in his spirit vvhich vvas indeed nothing but a blind almost imperceptible Eleuation of the Will exercised in the summity of the Spirit as it happens oftimes in the Great Desolation Novv this grovvth of Immateriality in Aspirations is not easily perceptible though it be reall certaine as vvee knovv that Corne growes though vvee cannot perceiue its grovving And indeed it is no great matter vvhether vvee obserue such degrees or no Yea the Examination thereof vvere better neglected 19. Againe others Aspirations are moreouer externally expressed by the tongue And in such expressions sometimes there is a proper sense and meaning as Deus meus omnia vvhich was S. Francis his Aspiration or Nouerim te nouerim me vvhich vvas S. Augustins And in these sometimes a soule doth abide a good space iterating againe and againe the same Aspiration sometimes she doth vary Alwayes proceding according to her interiour impulse from Gods Holy Spirit Other Aspirations haue no sense at all as vvere those practised by Br. Massaeus a Disciple of S. Francis vvho vvhen he vvas full of interiour affection could vsually cry out nothing but V.V.V. Such vnusuall Aspirations as these doe shew a great Excesse of interiour feruour vvhich bursting out forces the soule not able to containe it selfe nor yet to find out vvords by vvhich to expresse her Affection to povvre forth it selfe after such an vnsignificant manner 20. Moreouer Aspirations forcible Eleuations of the Will there are vvhich are signified not by the tongue but by some extraordinary Action of the Body as Clapping of hands leaping c To this purpose vvee haue an Example of another Disciple of S. Francis called Br. Bernard vvho out of an invvard boyling feruour vvas forced to runne ouer mountaines rocky places being agitated vvith a kind of holy frenzy In such cases as these teares are very rare Gods holy spirit not vsually mouing thereto because they vvould then flovv vnmeasurably to the great preiudice of corporall health 21. Novv such actions motions though they may be yeilded to sometimes vvhen one is alone yet in company they are to be suppressed To vvhich purpose Blosius giues this good instruction out of Thaulerus That albeit these things be good as flovving from a Diuine principle yet they are not the things principally to be commended For these vnions of the spirit vvith God to which corporall nature concurres are not to be equalled to that most Perfect vnion vvhich some soules doe experience in pure spirit And therfore it is obseruable that such violent agitations doe chiefly befall such soules as haue had their Exercise much in sensible Deuotion as women deuout ignorant men And on the same grounds such are more disposed to Rapts Extasies c. 22. Lastly to these seuerall Expressions of Aspirations may be added that of saying the Diuine Office or other Vocall Prayers aspiratiuely vvhich is a far greater proofe of sublime Contemplation then any of these vnusuall motions c This vvas the Contemplation of many of the Ancient Hermits is no doubt of some in these dayes As a certaine spirituall Writer sayes of himselfe that being in the constant Exercise of Aspirations vsing dayly two Recollections consisting of them on a time he found himselfe inuited to produce them vocally And thereupon he tooke in hand the saying of our Ladies Office chusing that because he could say it perfectly vvithout-Booke He repeated it nine or ten times a day vvith a perfect attention of spirit The vvhich mentall attention or operation vvas in effect but Aspirations taking the vvord as here vvee doe in a large sense And so for a fevv dayes as long as that inuitation and Enablement lasted he vsed no other internall Exercise finding great benefit by this But that inuitation ceasing he found himselfe againe obliged to returne to mere Mentall Aspirations 23. I vvill conclude this Point vvith setting down some of the great and inestimable Benefits that accrew to soules by this sublime Exercise As first in regard of the interiour senses and sensitiue faculties the Dominion that the Superiour soule has ouer them is novv become very great For in as much as it is God that helpeth moueth and directeth soules in their operations during this Exercise of Aspirations the Heart also being estranged from the loue of creatures and replenished vvith Diuine Loue distractiue thoughts Images of creatures either doe not presse into the mind or if they doe yet they passe no farther then into the Imagination Or if the Vnderstanding doe sometimes busy it selfe vvith them yet they doe scarce or not at all touch or affect the Will the vvhich is not by such extrauagant Thoughts interrupted or diuerted in her pursuit of Aspirations and blind Eleuations Wheras in immediate forced Acts greater force is to be vsed against such distractions vvhich doe not only busy the Vnderstanding but likewise more or lesse vvithdravv the Will from God 24. Secondly in regard of sensible Deuotion though the deuill may haue great influence vpon it in Meditation or euen sometimes in immediate affections and Acts seeking therby to seduce soules to Extrauagances and a Spirituall gluttony It is othervvise in the Exercise of Aspirations vvhich are so much eleuated aboue the Imagination and sensitiue nature that here he has no aduantage giuen him for such Deceits And if during that sensible Deuotion
splendour seene in the eyes and Countenances of Gods Saints betokening an invvard Purity likevvise Eleuation of the body ability to walke on the water or to passe through dores whilst they are shut and other such like resembling the qualities of Glorified Bodies Novv though the deuill can counterfeit these yet they are seldome giuen by God but he vvithall giues an assurance that they are from him 5. A second sort of sensible Graces more sublime then the former are such as are by God commucated to the Internall senses especially the Imagination in fusing supernaturall Images into it by vvhich God sometimes makes knovvn his vvill either immediately or by the disposition of Angells so as the persons vvill perceiue vvords imaginatiuely spoken or thinke they see an Angell or Saints as if such vvords had indeed bene spoken and those obiects represented really to the outvvard senses For such is the nature of the Imagination that it can after its manner exercise all the functions of the outvvard senses 6. Of such supernaturall Inactions of God vpon the soule by meanes of the internall Senses the most notable effects are Rapts or Extasies likevvise internall Visions and Apparitions the vvhich goe together sometimes and sometimes are separated 7. Novv a Rapture or Extasie is an Eleuation of the soule caused by God by vvhich the person is bereaued of the vse of the outvvard senses by reason that the soule in her Internall OperatioÌ„s cleaues vvholly to supernaturall things the Imagination is enuironned vvith lights visions c. And all this is done to the end that the person may internally knovv see vvhat is Gods pleasure to reueile vnto him for the good either of himselfe or any other 8. My purpose is not to treate nicely of these matters for vvhich the Reader is referd to Ioannes a Iesu-Maria a Discalced Carmelite vvho treats of them vvith great exactnes I vvill content my selfe vvith insisting 1. On the wayes of discerning true Visions Raptures c from false 2. And affording Instructions hovv a soule ought to behaue herselfe about them 9. Novv for a preparation to the follovving Rules of discerning I vvill lay these Grounds 1. That the Deuill cannot immediately operate either on the vnderstanding or vvill but only by imprinting nevv or disposing the Images already in the fancy or by mouing the sensitiue Appetite 2. By consequence if the lights imprinted in the vnderstanding by meanes of Rapts Visions c. doe direct to reall good as to the Loue of God Humiliâ—y c that the vvill entertaines these good Affections â—â—aâ— soule may prudently and rationally ascribe the cause to God 10. The Rules of discerning deliuered by both antient and moderne holy Authours are these vvhich follovv The First When the vvill is moued vvithout the ordinary precedent Action of the vnderstanding or Imagination and also in the same instant a certaine nevv light is communicated to the mind a Soule may be confident that it comes from the Diuine Spirit 11. The second Rule Good obseruation is to be made vvhether the Persons be Christianly disposed not much svvayed by Curiosity or Pride not addicted to Melancholy c Whether by such Fauours they be not inuited to say or doe some thing contrary to Catholick Truth Peace Obedience Honesty Puriâ—y Humility c And accordingly Soules are to iudge from vvhat principles they flovv 12. The third Rule Diuine Spirituall Vnions Visions c. are ordinarily of short continuance 13. The fourth Rule Apparitions of good Spirits although in the beginning they cause a trembling and amazement yet in the end the soule receiues courage and comfort finds herselfe illuminated inflamed vvith Deuotion and in great Peace Wheras vvhen the Deuill grovvs familiar vvith any though he appeare in neuer so fearfull and horrible shapes the Persons are not affrighted and he leaues them as he found them 14. The fifth Rule It is ordinarily the marke of a good Spirit 1. When he effectually shevvs that his Povver accompanies his Will as vvhen vpon his saying Feare not the Person presently becomes quiet 2. When his vvords are cleare intelligible and so delighfull that the soule doth diligently obserue and remember the pronunciation of euery vvord and syllable 3. When the Person thinks himselfe obliged to attend to vvhat is said 4. When the soule conceiues much more by those holy and Diuine vvords then in themselues they signify 5. When there remaines in the Soule an assurance that what is said shall certainly be effected c. All these are signes of a good Spirit saith S. Teresa 15. The sixth Rule The receiuing of any extraordinary outvvard fauours or Gifts as Roses Rings Iewells c. is much to be suspected vnlesse such things happen to soules of a long continued Sanctity and that they be rather miraculously reueyled after their Death then diuulged during their life The like iudgment is to be made of outvvard Characters imprinted on Bodies as the Name of IESVS Marks of our Lords Wounds c. 16. The seauenth Rule When Soules after the practise of long and seuere Austerities come to enioy much Peace and contentment both externall and internall especially if such Fauours be ouer-much in sense and not greatly relishing of the Spirit or if they be neuer so little vndecent c It is much to be feared that the deuill has a great influence vpon such a change And therfore such Persons ought to perseuere in feare and Pennance not trusting vpon their good vvorkes past but humbly beseeching God to preserue them from the Enemies Illusions 17. The eighth Rule Extasies that doe not produce considerable proffit either to the persons themselues or others deserue to be suspected and vvhen any marks of their approaching are perceiued the persons ought to diuert their minds some other way 18. The ninth Rule The appearance of obiects hovv beautifull and Celestiall soeuer ought not suddenly to be vvell-com'd nor affection to be placed vpon them For the Deuill hath bene permitted to take on him the shape euen of our Blessed Lord himselfe And if in such Visitations the persons feele any impure motions or fall into vndecent postures c. vvhatsoeuer reluctance they make against them they ought to iudge that they proceede from an ill Principle Yet if a soule being surprised vvith any seemingly glorious false apparition should either afford veneration or vnfitting Affection therto she ought not to be much deiected for vvhat is past since the Errour committed vvas only materiall 19. The tenth Rule It is very suspicious to see a Soule that is very young in a spirituall Course or that is not of extraordinary Purity to fall into Rapts c. For great Mortification vvith Prayer is requisite to make a soule ripe for the Diuine inaction 20. The eleauenth Rule It is no proofe at all of the vvant of Grace and Charity in Persons to be troubled vvith Diabolicall Apparitions c if therby there be vvrought in them no other ill effects besides
Molestation and Affliction Yea in that case it may reasonably be iudged that they are strongly assisted vvith Gods Holq Spirit since they ouercome so great tentations of the Euill Spirit 21. The twelfth and last Rule It cannot proceede from a Good Spirit vvhen Soules visited vvith Reuelations c shall obstinatly beleiue them to be of God after they haue bene condemned by experienced Superiours and Directours Vnlesse the persons be able to yeild most conuincing Proofes therof and moreouer shall seriously professe that God together vvith the secrets reueyled hath imprinted in their Soules this assurance and beleife also Certaine it is that Obedience is a most secure Remedy against all possible inconueniences and can doe no harme in no cases This is that that S. Teresa seriously enioynes and most constantly practised herselfe and this in very strange circumstances vvhen the Confessarius condemning her vvas both vnlearned impertinent c. But vvithall Spirituall Directours ought not to be rash in their proceedings nor to iudge till after a long experience and knovvledge of the invvard dispositions of the Persons and a due vveighing of the nature of the Reuelations discouered to them It is likevvise requisite that those that take vpon them to iudge of these things be themselues deuout exercised in Prayer and in good state towards God to the end they may from him receiue Light to direct others 22. In the next place as touching the manner hovv a Soule after the receiuing of such Supernaturall fauours is to behaue herselfe The principall care that she ought to haue is that she doe not beare a deliberate and fixed loue to such things vvhich is due to God only And consequently that she doe not either expressly or implicitely pray to God to haue such Visions Reuelations c. Or in case that God vvithout her Prayers hath sent them that she doe not vsually vvithout necessity talke of such matters or loue to heare others talke of them for these are signes of an vndue affection to them 23. B. Iohn de Cruce saith that vvhen God doth after an extraordinary manner make known vnto humble soules his vvill that they should take in hand some great Employment by meanes vvhereof they may likely gaine a great Esteeme of Excellency and probably vvill be in danger to conceiue some extraordinary vvorth to be in themselues for vvhich they are so highly fauoured by God vvhich conceit the Deuill vvill not fayle to cherish and encrease He doth ofentimes rather encrease then diminish the feare and repugnance that they had formerly to such things causing in them a desire and readines much rather to the vndergoing of some vile or base Offices Thus he dealt vvith Moyses vvhen he sent him to Pharao and thus vvith Ieremy c. But it happens quite contrary vvhen the bidding is from the Deuill counterfeyting priuily a Diuine Mission for he vvith his Commissions causeth a forvvardnes in soules to take vpon them Employments of Excellency or othervvise gratefull to Nature as also a great auersion from those that either suspect or vvould dissvvade them from such vndertakings 24. A Soule therfore is by serious consideration to raise and encrease in herselfe an apprehension and auersion from such matters saying vvith S. Peter Exi a me c. Goe from mee O Lord for I am a sinfull man And by exercising so proffitable a mortification she vvill secure herselfe from all perills and render herselfe very acceptable to God Serious Instructions to a disappropriation and mortifying our loue to such things are to be found in Scala Perfectionis Angela de Fulginio and particularly in the Booke called Interiour Abnegaâ—ion there is this passage To God it belongeth to giue rare and Excellent Gifts and to the Soule it belongeth to refuse them It is suitable to the Diuine Goodnes to approach vnto a Soule and the Soules duty is in humility to draw back as S. Peter did It belongs to God to eleuate the Soule and her duty is to humble and abase herselfe For as our Nature in euery thing and vpon euery occasion desireth a proper Excellency and Sublimity yea euen in things holy and appertaining to God so our Spirit illuminated by Grace which is Superiour to our Nature ought incessantly in all things and occasions to seeke to be depriued of all Excellency except in Essentiall vertues and to embrace all pouerty and lownes euen in Sacred things that so she be not lesse carefull and resolute to ouercome herselfe then Nature is to seeke herselfe Thus there must be a continuall contestation betwene God and the humble Soule c. And especially those Soules that are most inclind forward to embrace these high and gratefull things must necessarily make such resistance not yeilding till pure necessity forces them and till God take from them all power to withdraw themselues and to refuse the Excellences of that Grace whereunto he at the same time so continually and powerfully vrgeth and draweth them Instructions to the same purpose vvee find in Auilas Epistles 25. This vvas the practise of the holy Virgin Coleta vvho vvhen God offred to reueyle vnto her diuers Secrets ansvvered Lord God it suffiseth mee only to know thee and the sins in which I haue offended thee and to obtaine thy pardon for them But most notable in this regard is the Example of Suso vvhen God commanded him to publish to all Estates in the vvorld the Pope Bishops Abbots c. their vices and Enormities represented to him in the Vision of the Nine Rocks He out of that habituall feare and humility that vvas in him did so resist the executing such a Charge that till he vvas adiured and commanded in the Name of the Holy Trinity and and so forced to it euen against his vvill he had neuer yeilded And then also he submitted himselfe vvith much bevvayling his misery expressing his feare of the danger of Pride and therefore humbly begging that his Name might be conceiled from the vvorld and lastly protesting his Desire and loue to be directed to nothing but only to God himselfe His resistance indeed vvas so obstinate that God told him that if he had not knovvn that it proceeded from true but indiscreet Humility he vvould presently haue cast him into Hell for it 26. Those therfore that are fauoured vvith extraordinary Graces if they did duly consider their state and danger vvould find little ground to exalt themselues or to despise others that are in a more lovv but vvithall far more secure vvay 27. Novv for the preuenting and auoyding the great danger of ill vsing such Fauours and Diuine Graces to the feeding of selfe loue and Pride Spirituall Authours doe seriously enioyne such Persons so visited by God not to trust their ovvne Iudgments or to determine vvhether they come from God or not and much lesse to put in practise any thing of consequence vpon such Reuelations but to refer themselues to the Iudgment and Aduice of others 28. And herein great
they easily inferre that there is some other thing within them from whence those splendours doe issue But they are so purely simply and nakedly resigned to God in Catholick beleife that whensoeuer they receiue any ioyfull consolation from him they are more apprehensiue then when they find themselues depriued of it For their only desire is simply to imitate the Example of our Lord Iesus in simple Faith They adhere so purely and simply to the Catholick Faith that they neither desire nor endeauour to know any thing else There is in them so profound an Humility that they esteeme themselues vnworthy of any of those secret and Comforting Graces of God and therfore dare not aske them They desire no other thing but this that God may be perfectly Glorified They are so absolutely resigned to the Diuine will that whatsoeuer befalls them and all other Creatures is most acceptable to them Therfore if God giue them any thing they are contented with it If he depriue them of it they are as well pleased Thus they Challenge nothing they appropriate nothing Yet if it were left to them they would chuse rather to auoyd pleasing then bitter things For the Crosse is their soueraigne delight They feare neither Life nor Death Purgatory nor Hell nor all the Deuills in it For all seruile feare is vtterly extinguished in them And the only Feare remaining is this that they doe not as yet imitate the Example of our Lord as they ought desire Thâ—y are so humble that they despise themselues and all the workes that euer they performed Yea they abase themselues below all Creatures not daring to compare themselues with any They loue all men alike in God and euery one that loues God they loue him likewise Thâ—y are totally dead to the world and it to them And all the intellectuall Exercises and operations which formerly they pursued with propriety are altogether dead in them Thâ—y doe neither by intention nor loue seeke themselues nor any proper Honour nor proffit in time or Eternity They haue vtterly lost themselues all creatures both for time eternity And they liue in a certaine learned Ignorance not desiring to know any thing They resent no Tentations nor Afflictions It is their Ioy to follow our Lord bearing his Crosse To the last gaspe they desire to walke in no other way but this And although they be vnknown vnto the world yet the world is well known vnto them These are truly Men indeed True Adorers of God that Adore him in Spirit and Truth Thus Suso 6. But as for the Internall Actuations in the soules of the Perfect they are so inexplicably subtile and pure that Experience it selfe doth not sufficiently enable them to giue an intelligible account of them What soule can imagine how diuinely Spirituall Angelicall must needs haue bene the Internall Exercises of Diuine Loue in S. Romualdus after almost a hundred yeares spent in solitude during all vvhich time they continually grew more and more pure and Diuine 7. In the Actiue Vnions vvhich soules during a lesse Perfect state haue with God God is in them as an Obiect distinct from them and so Contemplated by them But in the state of Perfection he is not only the Obiect and End but the only perceiueable Principle also of all their Operations Yea saith Barbanson cap. 12. He is the Fund the entire state the stable Foundation of the soule by vertue of which the Being Life and Respiration of the Spirit is become as much exalted as the operations Contemplations thereof For this vnion is not now only a Gift and operation of God that is of a short continuance Nor only simple Actuall Infusions by which the soule may at some times be actually informed and no more But the very Foundation State and Disposition of the Soule is Changed Reuersed and reformed by Diuine Grace The which being a participation of the Diuine Being and consequently making vs partakers of the Diuine Nature confers on vs a stable and permanent state in regard of our Interiour to liue according to the Diuine and supernaturall Life Conformable whereto are the consequents and effects of it to wit Light Knowledge Experience and Inclination to Diuine things Yea saith the same Authour in another place although the Diuine Actuall and Speciall touches be not aâ—ways really present so as by meanes of their preuention to produce actuall Operations the soule notwithstanding can maintaine it selfe yea and perceiue it selfe to persist in a state of Life according to the Spirit of God a Life of Peace serenity and Repose in which the Spirit is continually attentiue to what God will vouchsafe to speake in her 8. By reason of this Habitation and absolute Dominion of the Holy Spirit in the soules of the Perfect vvho haue vvholly neglected forgotten and lost themselues to the End that God alone may liue in them vvhom they Contemplate in the absolute Obscurity of Faith hence it is that some Mysticke writers doe call this Perfect Vnion THE VNION OF NOTHING WITH NOTHING That is the Vnion of the soule vvhich is no vvhere corporally that hath no Images nor Affections to Creatures in her yea that hath lost the free disposall of her ovvne faculties actuating by a portion of the Spirit aboue all the faculties and according to the Actuall Touches of the Diuine Spirit and apprehending God vvith an exclusion of all conceptions and apprehensions Thus it is that the soule being no vvhere corporally or sensibly is euery vvhere spiritually and immediatly vnited to God this Infinite Nothing 9. The soule novv is so eleuated in Spirit that she seemes to be all Spirit and as it vvere separated from the body Here she comes to a feeling indeed of her not-being by consequence of the not-being of Creatures The vvhich is indeed a reall Truth Not as if the soule or other Creatures either did cease according to their naturall Being or as if a naturall Being vvere indeed no reall Being as Father Benet Canfield doth seeme to determine but because all sinfull adhesion by affection to Creatures being annihilated then they remaine as to the soule only in that true Being which they haue in God by dependance on him and relation to him so that He is all in all Whereas vvhilst vvee sinfully adhere vnto them by staying in them with Loue vvee cary our selues tovvards them as if vvee thought them to haue a Being or subsistence of in themselues not of God only that they might be loued for themselues vvithout reference to God vvhich is the fundamentall Errour and roote of all sin 10. All sensible operations formerly exercised yea all expresse and deliberate Intellectuall Operations bring the soule some whither and to some determinate thing But in this Perfect state the soules desire is to be no-where and she seekes nothing that either sence or vnderstanding can fixe vpon Such soules can tast and comprehend vvhat S. Denys meant in his Instructions to Timothy
Doctrine fit and agreable to the vocation of our Rule 7. Sept. 1629. F. Leander de S. Martino Priour of S. Gregories and Ordinary of the Monastery of our Ladies of Comfort in Cambray Againe This Treatise of Doubts and Calls is a very good one 1630. B. Rosendo Barlow President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Ben. To the Booke of Confession the Originall vvherof is lost but a Perfect transcript remaining is THIS APPROBATION I haue read this Booke and haue found nothing in it against Faith or Good manners For although the Authour dispute much against the urging of Confession of Veniall sins as vnnecessary to Spirituall proffit yet he doth not in any sort condemne the discreete vse of frequent Confession of Veniall sins but onely the needlesse renumeration of them and of dayly defects vvhich cannot be vsed vvithout great losse of time and anxiety of mind In testimony of this I subscribe my Name at Cambray 17. Sept. 1629. Br. Rudisind Barlow President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Bennet Besides these many more Approbations might be added annexed by the same VV. RR. FF to other Bookes as to that of Discretion of Sicknes Directions for the Ideots Deuotions contained in 16. seuerall Bookes Remedies The Stay of the Soule in Tentations in two volumes A Booke called The fiue Treatises The Alphabet and Abstract c. But I made choice only of the forementioned because they treated of Subiects more likely to meete with contradiction Supposing therfore that these vvill suffise vvhich are taken from the Originalls extant at Cambray in the Approuers ovvne hand-vvriting I vvill here adioyne the forementioned Memoriall containing both an Approbation and Explication of the generall Doctrine of our V. Venerable Authour A Memoriall vvritten by the late V. R. F. Leander â— S. Marcino and placed in the Booke of Collections I haue read ouer carefully the Booke A. B. C. and the Alphabet Abstract as also the 3. Parts of Doubts Calls besides diuers other Treatises of the same Authour in all vvhich are to be seene my Approbation allovvance in the beginning of them They doe all containe very sound vvholesome doctrine for the Direction of deuout Soules fit agreable to our Calling Rule and especially for the vse of our Dames the Spirit of our holy Rule consisting principally in a spirituall Vnion of our soule vvith God in affectiue Praier exercise of the vvill immediatly vpon God rather then Intellectuall discoursiue Praier busying the vnderstanding as appeareth plainly by our Rule and the dayly vse of our Quire Office vvhich for the most part consisteth of Aspirations and affects and hath very few discourses Yet because the Authour referreth the Dames his Schollers to his larger explication by vvord of Mouth in many places and to his practise in vvhich he setled them both vvhich can not be knovvne but by those vvho knevv the Authour and this Mysticke vvay though most plaine most secure and most compendious to perfection containeth many hard delicate points vvhich vvill seeme strange to such as haue been only accustomed to intellectuall Meditation and litle to affectiue Praier by reason of the great abstraction vvhich it requires from all things that are not God Least the ensuing Confessours and Directours should mistake the meaning of the Authour and therevpon alter the course of Praier begunne and setled in the house as vvee hope to the Glory of God Spirituall proffit of Soules in Perfection proper to our Calling I haue thought conuenient to note these fevv points follovving First of all that the reader of these Bookes Collections haue allvvaies before his Eyes that they are vvritten precisely only for such Soules as by Gods holy Grace doe effectually constantly dedicate themselues to as pure an Abstraction from creatures as may vvith discretion be practised in the Community and consequently for such as abstaine from all manner of leuity losse of time notable and knovvn defects vaine talke needlesse familiarity in a vvord doe take as much care as they can to auoide all veniall sins occasions of them and all things vvhich they shâ—ll perceiue or be vvarned of to be impediments to the Diuine Vnion of their Soules vvith God Secondly let him consider that it is supposed as a ground in all those Collections Obseruations that the Office of Quire Actions of Obedience Conuentuall Acts and all other things prescribed by Rule Statute are most exactly to be kept obserued yea preferred before all other priuate Exercises vvhatsoeuer So that all these Instructions are to be vnderstood allvvaies vvith reseruation of the Conuentuall Discipline publick Obseruance prescribed by Obedience Particularly let the Reader obserue a Note vvhich is giuen in one of these bookes found but in fevv Spirituall vvriters yet necessary for those Religious that are addicted to the Quire viz That although the Authour commendeth so highly mentall Prayer yet that Prayer vvhich is perfectly mentall vocall too is far more excellent then that vvhich is mentall only as vvill be the exercise of the Saints in heauen after the day of Iudgment vvhen in body soule they â—hall praise contemplate Allmighty God Whereupon it follovveth that allthough in this Life our fraile vveake body hindreth our soule that our Prayer cannot be so perfectly mentall vocall as it shall be in heauen yet must our mentall Prayer be so practised that by the grace of God ioy all perseuerance in vnion vvith him our Vocall Prayer inquire may be conuerted into mentall that is that our vocall saying singing may be so liuely animated as it vvere informed vvith affect of the soule as if it vvere altogether spirituall Prayer And so shall vvee fullfill the vvords of our Rule Nihil praeponatur operi Dei Nothing preferred before the Office of the quire Whereas in diuers places the Authour saith that all bodily exercises euen frequenting the Sacraments vvithout mentall Prayer abstraction mortification doe not aduance a soule one â—ot in spirit although it be plaine enough to them that knovv the necessity of these 3. Instruments of spirituall perfection yet least any should mistake his meaning as if these former exercises did not proffit a soule at all vvithout these Instruments practised by fevv out of the former aduices the reader must vnderstand that by Aduancement in spirit is meant here not the bare auoyding of grosser sins some perfection too in Actiue Life vvhich is gotten by these bodily exercises but a cleare experimentall knovvledge of the vvill of God a spiritualizing of the soule by adhering to God transcending all creatures vvhatsoeuer for this doe the Mystick Doctours call aduancement in spirit this cannot be attained vnto but by the three aboue named instruments continually practised employed by Gods grace Which notvvithstanding the Authour denieth not but that a soule vvithout the foresaid exercises
call to mind vvhat suffiseth for her ordinary Confession vvithout this examen 2. Too much particularizing of our defects vvhich is likevvise distractiue it being sufficient to examine the performance of our duty obligatory actions or if any notable defect haue carelessely crept vpon vs All other defects being more proffitably vvrapped vp in a generality so cast into our Sauiours passion then particularly stirred vp vvhich vvould in a manner but raise a new dust in the soule 3. The anxious looking vpon the defects in themselues in their peculiar matter or obiect vvhereas it is better safer to turne the eye of our soule from the matter in particular vnto God Allmighty humbling our selues before him vvith louing reuerence or auing pardon of him A 4 defect is to imagine that it it is a sin in carefull soules to omitt this Examen vvhereas indeed it is none at all though in soules that be carelesse of their actions it be ordinarily a defectiue negligence vvorthy to be reprehended In a vvord a set Examen may be vsed proffitably by all soules vvith those Caueats aboue mentioned is to be couÌ„selled to all Beginners in the vvay of Perfection to all that be not so vvary in their Actions But if the Directour perceiue a soule to be so vvary that she is perpetually carefull of progresse in Spirit neuer deferreth correction amendment of her defects but out of hand redresseth vvhat she discouereth to be amisse to such a soule may the Directour permit insteed of a set Examen to vse her ordinary eleuation of heart to God by vertuall contrition or actuall as God moueth her included in the exercise of loue deface all the defects of her life Let none likevvise be scandalised at that vvhich is said that there be higher exercises then Meditation of the Passion that it is not allvvaies the proffitablest vvay to busy our soule in that obiect For since our Religious heare ordinarily 2. Masses or at least one dayly in that they doe actually celebrate the memory of our Sauiours Passion at diuers other times they haue leasure to thinke louingly therevpon that they need not in all their Recollections take that only obiect especially since their manner of prayer is more by Act of vvill then by consideration of the vnderstanding as is very vvell declared in one place all their recollections actions that haue any other speciall obiect are vertually intended in honour of our Sauiours Passion What is said about passiue Contemplation that it is rather receiued into the soule then produced or vvrought by our ovvne action or endeauour is most true supposing allvvaies that this reception of it in our soule is a vitall operation vvhich vvhether it be called an action of the soule or a mere passion is a Schoole question nothing to our purpose Certaine it is that by all our ovvne power vvee could not produce it therefore it is called the Inaction of God in our soule by many Mysticks to vvhich vvee only concurre by vitall receiuing it by a vvilling consent to let God vvorke his vvill in vs. What is said about the immediate operation of God in the very essence substance of our soule not in the powers thereof nor by mediation of the powers allthough it be against the generall doctrine of the Philosophers Schoole men yet is it a probable opinion grounded vpon experience of deuout men that vvere also great Schollers therefore may securely be follovved As also that vvhich is there sayed that God can moue the will to loue without the operation of the vnderstanding though many deny it yet is it most probable befitting the Allmighty povver of God held by Gerson S. Bonauenture vvhich vvere no small Schoole Diuines Lastly the vehement vrging that great heed be taken in the choyce of a Confessour Directour in these mysticke wayes of God is necessary not intended to the dispraise of any nor to the disabling of such as perhaps haue not all the qualities required but it seemes especially for two ends the one for an aduertisement to the directours Confessours that they presume not to iudge or proccede rashly in direction of our Religious but according to these Caueats instructions especially if they themselues haue not beene accustomed to this affectiue prayer of the vvill And vvee doe conâ—â—re them in behâ—lfe of our Sauiour Christ to cherish this vvay to set it forvvard as the peculiar exercise belonging to our Spirit calling yet so as intellectuall prayer be not alltogether neglected in the occasions vvhich in these bookes are sufficiently assigned The other end is to cut of a dangerous curiosity that Women vse to haue of desiring to conferre their Interiour vvith euery learned or deuout man they heare of Which is a very great defect by those vehement persvvasions of our Authour very deseruedly vvarily preuented And although S. Teresa did giue vvay to this vniuersall communication of interiour to diuers learned men commended it to her daughters Yet vvee are credibly informed that in her later dayes vvith teares she hath said That by it occasioÌ„ vvas giuen to discontented minds to vent forth their disgusts vvith harme to themselues Community Therefore out of this poynt let the Religious resolue to communicate their interiours only to their lavvfull Superiours directours by them appoynted vvho vvill haue care that the spirit of prayer be not extinguished or hindred in them by any vnskillfull or heedles Guides Thus much vvee thought conuenient to note vnder our hands in commendation of â—hese holy instructions for a Caueat vvarning to the future Confessours spirituall Directours F. Leander de S. Martino Priour of S. Gregory in Dovvay Ordinary of the Cloyster of the dames of our Lady of Comfort in Cambray of the holy order of S. Benedict In the last place I will adioyne a scheme clearly and at once representing the summe of the Ven. Authours Doctrine of Diuine Calls composed by the same V. R. F. Leander de S. Martino Whatsoeuer action or omission occurres vnto vs in all our Life vvhat occasion soeuer of doing forbearing suffring or receiuing from God or any creature is of that condition that either 1. It hath some exteriour Rule commanding it or forbiding it vvhich is to be esteemed vndoubtedly as the Call of God and in all such occurrences 1. The exteriour Rule is to be faithfully kept and practised in the performing or omitting the action occurring 2. The interiour Call is likevvise as carefully to be kept and practised in the manner of omittance or performance that it may be done or omitted vvith the true Spirit and Life of Grace by the exercise of the Will 2. It hath no exteriour Rule allotted the occurence at that time and is othervvise against no exteriour Rule of lawfull Authority as certainely an infinity of such things happen and occurre in time of silence and rest in our cells being alone in our labour recreation refection c. and in such cases 1. If it be extraordinary in matter as long fasting much vvatching c. Or in manner as if it be extaticall or in some strange manner of Illumination or inspiration vnaccustomed or vnvvonted to the soule it is not to be practised till it be examined and allovved by the ordinary exteriour Rule yet in no sort to be neglected but remembred and noted for vse and direction vvhen occasion occurreth in our selues or others 2. If it be ordinary in matter and manner neither implying any inconuenience nor notable singularity then is the inward Call in a spirituall and true minded soule a sufficient and secure Guide and ought to be carefully obserued and obeyed least othervvise the soule vngratefully take Gods Graces in vaine and so be vvorthily depriued of them F. Leander de S. Martino President 18. Martij 1634. After the aboue written paper there followes this in Father Bakers owne hand The Doctrine of Diuine Calls here aboue expressed by our Reuerend Father Father Leander de S. Martino being at the present our vvorthy President I doe professe to be the selfesame in substance and by my intention vvhich more largely but lesse sufficiently I haue expressed and deliuered in diuers bookes and Treatises that are of my penning concerning that subiect B. Augustin Baker the 20. of March 1634. Stilo Romano FINIS