as they can find relish in it And so doing they shall be sure not to omit any thing that a soule can or ought to pray for And this Aduice is suitable to the teaching of an Ancient holy Hermite vvhose vvords recorded by Cassianus 9. Conf. c. 25. are these Haec oratio licet omnem videatur Perfectionis plenitudinem continere vtpote c that is This Prayer of our Lord although it may seeme to containe in it the fullnes of all perfection as being either begun or established by our Lords owne Authority yet it doth promote those that are familiarly exercised in it to that far more sublime state which wee mentioned before conducting them to that inflamed Prayer that far more supereminent actuation of soule known or experienced by very few yea to speake more properly altogether inexpressible The which transcending all humane sense or knowledge is not distinguished by any sound of speech or motion of the tongue nor any pronunciation of words But it is a degree of sublime Braier which the Spirit illustrated by an Infusion of heauenly Light doth not designe or expresse by humane language but hauing all the senses faculties vnited conglobated it doth plentifully gush it forth but of the heart as water out of a copious fountaine ineffably powreth it out vnto our Lord in that one short moment of time sending forth so many so great desires as the soule herselfe making a reflexion on her owne operations is not able to declare nor euen conceiue 28. But it is not ordinary to find soules so composed in their imaginations resolute in their vvills as to content themselues vvith one only exercise And for this reason I haue made a Collection of seuerall kinds vvith sufficient variety mixture These I haue gathered out of seuerall Bookes vsing mine owne liberty and iudgment in altering them so as to make them more proper for those that prosecute internall affectiue Prayer for that purpose oftimes leauing out many discourses considerations intermingled vvith them in the bookes out of vvhich they haue bene extracted 29. Novv I doe not pretend nor desire that soules practising Affectiue prayer should oblige themselues to these particular Exercises or to the order obserued in them They may if they conceiue it for their purpose frame other exercises for their ovvne vse Either by selecting here there out of these or out of any other bookes such acts or Affections as they shall find agreeing to their spirit But hauing framed such a collection I vvould seriously aduise them to practise according to the aduices here set downe especially in this Chapter 30. The reading of some pious Discourse before Recollections vsually practised in Communities is a good proffitable practise but especially proper for soules that are not aduanced beyond Meditation vvho may doe vvell to attend to the Mystery read that after they may make it the matter of their prayer Yet better it vvere they should haue the matter of their Meditation prepared before-hand because it is to be feared that by once Reading ouer the poynts of a Mystery they vvill not be sufficiently imprinted in the memory so as to be made vse of 31. But as for soules that are in the practise of immediate Acts of the will I should not require of them the like attention But rather that they vvould employ that time in chasing away distracting Images in placing themselues in the diuine presence in begging Gods assistance directing their follovving Recollection to his glory And if in their priuate Recollections they shall premise some competent Reading I conceiue that S. Augustins Confessions Soliloquies The Imitation of Christ such other bookes affectuously vvritten vvill be most commodious for them or aboue all certaine passages of the holy Gospells containing some vvords spoken by our Lord himselfe will likely be a most proffitable effectuall Preparation But no certaine Rules can be prescribed for these things Euery one therfore is to chuse that Booke subiect that he finds most proper for him 32. When the preparation by Reading is past let the person applying himselfe to his recollection looke vpon the matter of the Act or Affection that he intends to employ his Praier vpon And after this vvithdrawing his eyes from the booke let him thinke awhile vpon it framing a spirituall image or conception of it And vvhen that is done let him forthvvith produce an Act or Affection to God answerable to the matter resting thereon as long as the vertue thereof lasteth And so proceede to the follovving Acts in like manner 33. Some soules there are that through a secret naturall Quality in their Internall senses cannot so worke vvith the imagination as to produce an Image that may become a matter of Prayer to them Such persons consequently are not fit for the exercise of immediate acts of the vvill much lesse for meditation They are therfore to apply themselues to the exercise of pious desires or Amorous Affections But generally soules are so disposed as to be rather enabled for Acts of the vvill then affections yet so that sometimes also they vvill find Affections more flovving then Acts And therfore accordingly they are to giue vvay to them 34. It may happen sometimes to deuout soules that they may find themselues disabled to either of them In such case I vvould aduise them to vse a discreet violence on themselues to exercise some good Acts most relishing to them for vvhere force is to be vsed there Acts to be exercised by the superiour vvill are rather to be chosen then Affections But if after triall they find that they are not able to continue in so constrained an Exercise so are at a stand likely to spend the time appoynted in an vnproffitable Idlenes let them try if a more imperfect exercise vvill fit them either speaking to God in the third person as if he vvere absent or vvould not heare them Or addressing themselues to Angells Saints or to their owne soules c. And if they cannot performe euen this mentally that is neither vvith attention nor gust let them doe it at least vocally vvithall exercising as much patience stillnes quietnes as may be And doing thus let them assure themselues that therby they vvill afford vnto their spirits a good vvholesome proffitable though tastles repast 35. But if after all this it should happen vvhich vvould be very strange that they should find all these vvayes insupportable to them so that they can doe nothing at oll both the vndestanding vvill failing them Then since no Actiue vvorking Externall or internall vvill helpe them they may conceiue it to be the case of an extraordinary desolation desertion So that their only recourse must be to pure suffring with patience Resignation exercising these the best they can in such circumstances The vvhich if they vvill doe then vvill this afflicting desolation really prooue more proffitable then a state Prayer
permit thy selfe to be detained avvhile in the Entry For perhaps a short delay here vvill make thy progresse aftervvard both more speedy and proffitable 2. This is to acquaint thee that the immaculate Doctrine contained in this Booke though it neuer met vvith any that opposed or so much as questioned the Verities thereof speculatiuely considered yet there haue not vvanted some that haue iudged them not fit to be thus freely exposed to thy vievv much doubting thou vvouldst proue such an one as vvould make an ill vse and peruerse aduantage from them 3. Now the principall yea onely Point that giues some this Iealousy is that vvhich thou vvilt find in the Second Section of the First Treatise vvhere is treated touching Diuine Illuminations Inspirations Impulses and other Secret Operations of Gods Holy Spirit in the Hearts of Internall Liuers Concerning vvhich the constant Teaching of our Venerable Authour in breife is this viz. That the Diuine Spirit by vertue of the sayd Operations is to be acknovvledged our onely secure Guide and Maister in these Secret Pathes of Diuine Loue discouered in some measure in the following Treatises And consequently that the most essentiall Vniuersall Duty to be aspired vnto by euery one that pretends a desire or intention to walke in the same Pathes is to giue vp his Soule and all its Faculties to Gods Internall Guidance and Direction only relinquishing and renouncing all other Instructours and Instructions as far as they are not subordinately cooperating vvith this our Diuine Maister For the receiuing of vvhose Celestiall Influences the humble and devout Scholler is obliged to prepare and dispose himselfe by Prayer Abstraction of Life c in Solitude hearkning to his Voyce Call and learning how to distinguish it clearely from the Voyce Sollicitatiōs of Humane Reason or Corrupt Nature till that by long familiarity conuersation with God Diuine Loue alone will so cleare his spirituall sight that he shall see at last no other Light nor receiue Motion from any other but God only this in all Actions Omissions and suffrings though in themselues of the smallest importance 4. This is our Venerable Authours Doctrine every vvhere in all his Treatises vvhat euer the Subiect be inculcated and euen to the vvearying of the Readers continually repeated and asserted Indeed a Doctrine it is so fundamentall to all his other Instructions concerning Prayer and Mortification c that the least vveakning of its authority renders all the rest vnproffitable 5. But little reason there is to feare that a Doctrine vvhich is the very Soule of Christianity can be shaken by humane opposition or disparaged by jealousy True it is notvvithstanding that though this Fundamentall Verity receiues testimony abundantly both from Scriptures and Vniuersall Tradition though it be constantly asserted in the Schooles and sprinckled euery vvhere in almost all Mystick Writers yet scarce hath any one since the Ancient Fathers times especially S. Augustin so purposely largely and earnestly recommended it to Practise And therfore no great vvonder it is if such a vvay of deliuering it haue seemed a Nouelty euen to those that speculatiuely and in Theft acknovvledge it to be the established Doctrine of the Church and vvhilst they vvillingly and vvith applause heare it asserted daily in the Schooles yet meeting vvith it thus popularly spread they are offended vvith it I meane vvith the communicating it to the vse and practise of the Vnlearned 6. Now vvhat is vvas that troubled them vvill appeare from the only Obiection in the Authours life-time made against it vvhich vvas indeed a mere Iealousy least this doctrine so deliuered should preiudice the Authority of Superiours The vvhich Obiection He ansvvered to the full satisfaction of all that vvere interessed in the matter The Summe of vvhich Answer followes in the Ninth Chapter of the second Section of the first Treatise and needs not be here repeated 7. But since his Death and especially after that by a generall vnanimous agreement of all Superiours among vs it had bene ordained that the summe of the Authours spirituall Doctrine should for the good of Soules aspiring to Contemplation be published both the same Obiection hath bene renevved and others moreouer added therto and all of them haue risen from the like ground of Iealousy not so much acknovvledged to be rationall by the Obiectours themselues vvho readily subscribe to the Doctrine as Catholickly true and Holy as feared from others to vvit partly from ordinary not learned Catholicks vvho it is suspected vvill be suspicious of a Doctrine that vvill seeme nevv and hovveuer vnproper to them but principally from strangers Enemies to the Church especially the frantick Enthusiasts of this age vvho as is feared vvill conceiue their frenzies and disorders iustified here 8. These things considered both zeale to Truth Duty to Superiours and Charity to thee beloued Reader obliged me before all other things to beseech thee to abstaine from reading the Booke vnlesse it can be demonstrated before-hand that it vvas fitt to come into thy hands that the suspected inconueniences and suspicions are euidently groundlesse that it vvould be a greater frenzy in the Enthusiasts of these day or in any seduced or seducing Spirits to claime any right in this Doctrine then that vvhich all ready possesses them and in a vvord that no obiections either against the Doctrine or publishing of it either haue or as wee suppose can rationally be deuised to make vs repent the Printing or thee the reading of the follovving Booke 9. Among the sayd Obiections this one is scarce vvorthy to find place vvhich yet by some hath bene vrged in generall against the publishing to all Christians view Instructions about Prayer and Mysticall Practises proper to a few Contemplatiue Persons for vvhom alone the Authour intended them vvithout the least thought of hauing them communicated exposed so generally Especially considering that this Treatise discourses of Sublime Mystick Matters aboue the reach of vulgar capacities and also that vvheras to such tender vvell-minded Soules as those vvere for vvhom the sayd Treatises vvere meant iust liberty condescendence vvas allovved in many cases not to be permitted to others that either in the vvorld or else in a Religious life doe vvalke in other vvaies these notvvithstanding vvill be apt to their ovvne preiudice to make vse of such liberty 10. But surely as it vvould be most vnreasonable to forbid a Physition to publish a Booke of Remedies against some speciall Diseases for feare that some that are vntouched of those Diseases or perhaps sick of the Contrary should hurt themselues vvith making vse of Medecines improper for them Or Molina the Carthusian to publish his Excellent Instructions for Preists least Lay-persons should assume the Priuiledges belonging to that Sublime Calling Or Aluarez de Paz to print his Volumes about the Duties Exercises of Religious persons because they are improper for Seculars So neither vpon such grounds ought these Instructions be hindred from being publick Neither
difficulties yea that there were many waies that seemed and promised to leade thither but the dangers of them were too great Neuerthelesse one way he knew which if he would diligently pursue according to the Directions markes that he would giue him though said he I cannot promise thee a security from many frights beatings other ill vsage tentations of all kinds but if thou canst haue courage patience enough to suffer them without quarrelling or resisting or troubling thy selfe so passe on hauing this only in thy mund sometimes on thy tongue I HAVE NOVGHT I AM NOVGHT I DESIRE NOVGHT BVT TO BE AT IERVSALEM my life for thine thou wilt scape safe with thy life in a competent time arriue thither 3. The Pilgrime ouerioyed with these newes answered so I may haue my life safe may at last come to the place that I aboue all things only desire I care not what miseries I suffer in the way Therfore let me know only what course I am to take God willing I will not faile to obserue carefully your directions The guide replied Since thou hast so good a will though I my selfe neuer was so happy to be in Ierusalem notwithstanding be confident that by the instructions that I shall giue thee if thou wilt follow them thou shalt come safe to thy iourneyes end 4. Now the Aduice that I am to giue thee in breife is this Before thou set the first step into the high way that leades thither thou must be firmely grounded in the true Catholicke faith moreouer whatsoeuer sins thou findest in thy conscience thou must seeke to purge them away by hearty pennance absolution according to the lavves of the church This being done begin thy iourney in Gods name but be sure to goe furnish6d vvith two necessary instruments Humility Charity both vvhich are conteined in the forementioned speech vvhich must alvvaies be ready in thy mind I AM NOVGHT I HAVE NOVGHT I DESIRE BVT ONLY ONE THING AND THAT IS OVR LORD IESVS AND TO BE WITH HIM IN PEACE AT IERVSALEM The meaning vertue of these vvords therfore thou must haue continually at least in thy thoughts either expressely or vertually Humility sayes I AM NOVGHT I HAVE NOVGHT loue sayes I DESIRE NOVGHT BVT IESVS These tvvo companions thou must neuer part from neither vvill they vvillingly be separated from one another for they accord very louingly together And the deeper thou groundest thy selfe in Humility the higher thou raisest thy selfe in Charity for the more thou seest feelest thy selfe to be nothing vvith the more feruent loue vvilt thou desire Iesus that by him vvho is all thou maist become something 5. Novv this same Humility is to be exercised not so much in considering thine ovvne selfe thy sinfullnes misery though to doe thus at the first be very good proffitable but rather in a quiet louing sight of the infinite endlesse being goodnesse of Iesus The vvhich beholding of Iesus must be either through grace in a sauourous feeling knowledge of him or at least in a full firme faith in him And such a beholding vvhen thou shalt atteine to it vvill vvorke in thy mind a far more pure spirituall solide perfect humility then the former vvay of beholding thy selfe the vvhich produces an humility more grosse boystrous vnquiet By that thou vvilt see feele thy selfe not only to be the most vvretched filthy creature in the vvorld but also in the very substance of thy soule setting aside the foulenes of sin to be a mere nothing for truely in of thy selfe in regard of Iesus vvho really in truth is all thou art a mere nothing and till thou hast the loue of Iesus yea feelest that thou hast his loue although thou hast done to thy seeming neuer so many good deeds both outvvard invvard yet in truth thou hast nothing at all for nothing vvill abide in thy soule fill it but the loue of Iesus Therfore cast all other things behind thee forget them that thou maist haue that vvhich is best of all And thus doing thou vvilt become a true Pilgrime that leaues behind him houses vvife children freinds goods makes himselfe poore bare of all things that he may goe on his iourney lightly merrily vvithout hindrance 6. VVell novv thou art in thy vvay trauelling tovvards Ierusalem The vvhich trauelling consists in vvorking invvardly vvhen neede is outvvardly too such vvorkes as are suitable to thy condition and state and such as vvill helpe increase in thee this gracious desire that thou hast to loue Iesus only Let thy vvorkes be vvhat they vvill thinking or reading or preaching or labouring c if thou findest that they dravv thy mind from vvorldly vanity confirme thy heart vvill more to the loue of Iesus it is good proffitable for thee to vse them And if thou findest that findest that through coustome such vvorkes doe in time loose their sauour vertue to increase this loue that it seemes to thee that thou feelest more grace spirituall proffit in some other take these other leaue those for though the inclination desire of thy heart to Iesus must euer be vnchangeable nevertheles thy spirituall vvorkes that thou shalt vse in thy manner of praying Reading c. to the end to feed strengthen this desire may well be changed according as thou feelest thy selfe by grace disposed in the applying of thy heart Bind not thy selfe therfore vnchangeably to voluntary customes for that will hinder the freedome of thy heart to loue Iesus if grace would visit thee specially 7. Before thou hast made many stepps in the way thou must expect a world of enemies of seuerall kinds that will besett the round about all of them will endeauour busily to hinder thee from going forward yea if they can by any meanes they will either by perswasions flatteries or violence force thee to returne home againe to those vanities that thou hast forsaken For there is nothing greeues them so much as to see a resolute desire in thy heart to loue Iesus to trauaile to find him Therfore they will all conspire to put out of thy heart that good desire loue in which all vertues are comprised 8. Thy first enemies that will assault thee will be fleshly desires vaine feares of thy corrupt heart And with these there will ioyne vncleane spirits that with sâ—eights tentations will seeke to allure thy heart to them to withdraw it from Iesus But whatsoeuer they say bebeiue them not but betake thy selfe to thy old only secure remedy answering euer thus I AM NOVGHT I HAVE NAVGHT AND I DESIRE NOVGHT BVT ONLY THE LOVE OF IESVS so hold forth on thy way desiring Iesus only 9 If they indeauour to put dreads scruples into thy mind would make thee beleiue that thou hast not yet done Pennance enough
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
the Exercise of Diuine Loue vvhich is most perfectly performed in Internall Prayer in Attention to and Vnion with God in Spirit What an Expert persvvading Subtile Maister Loue is beyond Study or Consideration vvee see euen in Naturall and Secular businesses One that is immersed in Sensuall Loue to any person has no neede of Instructions or Bookes to teach him the Art of Louing wee see hovv skillfull on the sudden such an one becomes in the vvayes hovv to please the person beloued Hee looses not neither out of ignorance nor negligence the least opportunity to ingratiate himselfe He vnderstands the mind and intention of the other by the least signes The Motion of a hand the cast of an eye is sufficient to informe him and set him on vvorke to attempt any thing or procure any thing that may content the party The like subtilty and perspicacy vvee may see in those Earthy soules vvhich cleaue vvith an earnest affection vnto Riches What subtile vvaies doe they find out to encrease their wealth Such trifling inconsiderable things they make vse of for that purpose as another vvould not take notice of or could not see hovv to make proffit by them They haue almost a Propheticall Spirit to foresee dangers vvhere none are and aduantages probable or possible to happen many yeares after 17. Now how comes it to passe that the Eyes of Loue are so quicke-sighted Surely by this That vvhere Loue to any particular Obiect is predominant it subdues all other Affections to all other Obiects vvhich vvould distract the thoughts and seduce the vvill from contemplating and adhering to the thing so beloued 18. Vpon such grounds therefore as these it is that S. Augustin calls Diuine Loue Luminosissimam Charitatem most full of Light and most enlightning For a soule that truly loues God vvith a Loue worthy of him hauing the Mind cleared from all strange Images and the Will purified from all strange Affections is therby enabled purely to Contemplate God vvithout any distraction at all And being desirous in all things to please him knovves hovv to make aduantage of all occurrences Light and Darknes Consolations and Desolations Paines and Pleasures all these contribute to the aduancing of this Loue. Yea there is nothing so indifferent or in its ovvne nature so inconsiderable but that such a soule can perceiue hovv vse may be made of it to please God thereby 19. Novv since Pure Loue is exercised immediatly to God only in Pure Praier by vvhich alone the Spirit is vnited to him Hence it is that Praier is the only efficacious Instrument to obtaine Supernaturall Light according the saying of Dauid Accedite ad Deum illuminamini Approach vnto God by Praier and yee shall be enlightned And hence also it is that the same Holy Prophet so earnestly and frequently aboue tvventy times in one Psalme 118. praies for such light to vnderstand and discouer the vvonderfull things of Gods Law And vvhat vvere those wonderfull things Surely not to be informed that Murder or Adultery vvere Sins or generally that God vvas to be loued vvith the vvhole soule For much more knovvledge he had then this before he praied But being desirous to giue himselfe vvholly to God and to performe his vvill alone in all things he so oft makes vse of Praier for the obtaining an extraordinary Light to be had no other vvaies but by Praier that he might thereby be enabled to discouer and find out the Diuine Will in all manner of cases and doubtfull circumstances 20. Novv only such Inspirations and such Illuminations as these doe Spirituall Persons pretend to by the meane of Praier and attending to God And if they doe exercise Praier vvith a due feruour and constancy these they shall most certainly enioy and that in such a measure that vvheras the greatest part of ordinary good Christians are so dimme-sighted as to see the Diuine Will only in circumstances vvhere there is a necessary obligation so that they spend the far greatest part of their liues in Actions that doe no vvay aduance them in Diuine Loue being vvrought cheifly in Vertue of the Principle of selfe-Loue and interests of nature Those that are perfectly internall liuers being clovvded by no vaine Images and distracted by no inferiour Affections doe see the Diuine Will clearely in the minutest affaires vvhich they accordingly make aduantage by to improue themselues in the Loue of God And according to the degrees of Loue so proportionably are the degrees of Light And thus I suppose the pretended Inconueniences suspected to flovv from the publishing of this doctrine vvill appeare to be only pretended and causelesly feared 21. But the other Obiection at the first sight seemes more considerable as implying a far greater and more certaine Inconuenience and danger that may ensue vpon the publishing of this Doctrine concerning Diuine Inspirations Illuminations and Calls For thus they argue It is to be feared that the fanatick Sectaries which now swarme in England more then euer will be ready to take aduantage from hence to iustify all their frenzies and disorders all which they impute with all confidence to Diuine Inspirations Illuminations and Impulses For can wee forbid them to practise what wee our selues teach to be a Christian Duty And yet it is apparent what fearfull and execrable effects the practise of this pretended Duty doth produce among them It was by Inspiration say they that their Progenitours did breake out of the Church and by Inspiration they doe still introduce endlessely new Fancies and practises It is by Inspiration that they endanger the ruine of Christianity it selfe by infinite Schismes and pestilent Reformations It is by Inspiration that they employ the Gospell to destroy the Gospell from thence preaching Heresies in Churches and Chambers Sedition in States Rebellion against Princes and Prelates So destroying all Order Vnity and Peace euery where These things considered what can be more reasonable then that wee should take heed how wee furnish them thus with armes to maintaine themselues and to fight against God his Church 22. This is the Obiection Which though it haue a fearfull shevv yet being vvell examined it vvill proue no lesse vveakely grounded then the former For the demonstrating therfore of the inconsequence of it I vvill by vvay of Preparation lay dovvne these follovving vndenyable Principles breifly mentioned before viz. 23. First That Diuine Inspirations are so absolutely necessary in Precepts for the auoiding of sin and in Counsells for the gaining of Perfection that vvithout them no Action of ours can be good or meritorious Yea the Dutyes of Obligation vvhich vvee performe or Counsells of Perfection freely obeyed by vs are only so far acceptable to God as they proceede from his Inspirations and motions of his Holy Spirit This is not only an vndoubted verity but one of the most fundamentall Verities of Christian Religion vvhich attributes all good in vs to the Diuine Grace And what is Grace but the Diuine inspiration of
Loue speread abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost as S. Augustin saith To this Verity giue euident vvitnes those Expressions of the Church in her Publick Deuotions Da Domine famulis tuis vt quae à te iussa agnonimus implere Caelesti Inspiratione valeamus that is Grant O Lord vnto thy Seruants that those things which wee acknowledge to haue been commanded by thee wee may by thy heauenly Inspiration accomplish And againe Auge populi tui vota placatus quia in nullo fidelium nisi ex tua inspiratione proueniunt quarumlibet incrementa virtutum That is Encrease in mercy O Lord the Desires of thy Seruants For not the least progresse in any Vertues can be made by any of thy Faithfull seruants by any other meanes but only by thy Diuine Inspiration 24. The Second Ground is consequent on the former viz. That since such absolute Necessity there is of Diuine Inspirations the Necessity obliging vs to correspond vnto them is and must needs be equall For from no other Roote but the neglect of this obligation doth or can proceede all our mischeife The guilt of such neglect is so much the greater inasmuch as the Gift of Gods Holy Spirit imprinted in the Hearts of his seruants is of such an actiue nature that vvere it not that the Spirit of corrupt nature cherished by vs doth deafen its Call and vveaken its Efficacy it vvould continually being vvakned by euery occasion incite vs to Loue God only and to raise vp our Soules to him Novv by such neglect vvee are said in Holy Scriptures to Contristate the Holy Ghost and by oft contristating him vvee shall in the end come to quench him And the iust indignation of God against such negligent Despisers of his holy Inspirations and Calls is povverfully expressed in those vvords of his Prouerb 1.24 Quia vocaui◠renuistis c. Because I haue called and yee refused I stretched forth my hand and there was none that regarded I also will laugh at your destruction And I will mock when that which yee did feare shall happen vnto you c. Then shall they call on mee and I will not heare they shall rise early and they shall not find◠me Novv though it be not indeed a mortall sin to resist the Motions of the Diuine Spirit inciting vs to Actions vvhich are not of essentiall obligation Yet so doing vvee doe contristate Gods Spirit and more indispose our selues aftervvards to obserue and follovv its Directions And Mortall sins are seldome rushed into vpon the sudden they begin vvith lesser resistances by vvhich the mind is more obscured and lesse capable to obey it in greater matters But as for Perfect soules they are in continuall attendance and obedience thereto being in continuall Prayer or in good Workes and Exercises begun and performed in Vertue of Prayer and also accompanied by Prayer 25. The third Preparatory Ground follovves vvhich is this That since these so necessary Internall Inspirations must necessarily be hearkned to and corresponded vvith And since there may be false Suggestions either of the Deuill or our corrupt Nature vvhich may counterfeit and subtilly pretend to a Diuine Originall Therfore it is necessary that some possible yea satisfactory Meanes should be afforded hovv to distinguish betvveene true and false Inspirations For othervvise vvee shall haue an impossible obligation to obey vvee knovv not vvhom nor vvhat vvee shall be in as much danger to be actuated by the Deuill and vsed as Instruments of his Illusions as of the sauing Influxes of Gods Holy Spirit and consequently shall not be able to distinguish the vvay betvveene Heauen Hell 26. Neither vvill it suffise to say That vvee doe sufficiently performe Gods vvill vvhen vvee performe the Commands of God expressed clearly in Scriptures likevvise the Precepts of the Church and of all our lavvfull Superiours For neither vvill the doing of these things vvithout an interiour insluxe of Grace auaile vs since the Deuill can be content yea vvill suggest the Exercise of the greatest Vertues to Hearts that he knovvs vvill intend only the satisfaction of naturall Pride or the interests of selfe-loue in them And besides neither can any of these externall Rules extend to all our Actions so as to regulate them in order to Contemplation and Perfection 27. The fourth and last Ground to be premised is this That since it is necessary to be enabled to distinguish the true Inspirations of God from the false suggestions of our Enemy The only meanes imaginable that can be proper naturall and efficacious to obtaine such a supernaturall Light to discerne Gods vvill in all things is Pure spirituall Praier exercised by a soule liuing an Abstracted internall Recollected Life spent in a continuall attendance on God c. 28. This is a Way suitable to Reason conformable to Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers deliuered both by Ancient and Moderne Mysticke Authours as might copiously be demonstrrted if there were any cause to thinke that to Pray perfectly and by Praier to obtaine Diuine Grace vvere suspicious Exercises to any In a vvord this is a vvay the vvhich practised according to the Instructions here deliuered all manner of good and no possible inconuenience can flovv from it 29. Here is no pretending to novv or strange Reuelations no walking in Mirabilibus super se no zealous seditious Reformations nor the least preiudice done or intended to Peace Vnity Humility Obedience or any other Diuine Vertue yea on the contrary all these Heauenly Graces are hereby not only fortified and encreased but by no other meanes can be perfectly obtained 30. And indeed since in a vvorld of passages in Holy Scriptures vvee find our selues obliged to a double Duty the one vvhereof perhaps in popular iudgments seemes to entrench vpon the other and yet neither of them are in due place and circumstances to be omitted namely Obedience both to Gods Holy Spirit invvardly directing and also to Superiours outwardly commanding By vvhat other vvay can vvee reconcile such seemingly different and as it may fall out contrary Precepts but by ioyning this Doctrine to that concerning outvvard Obedience Which is here done done vvithout the least preiudice to either yea manifestly to the aduantage of both in their due circūstances If then for any outvvard carnall Respects vvee shall conceale or discountenance this most necessary Duty of follovving the Inspirations of God vvee shall efface the proper Character of God seruants vvho are said to be such as are lead by the Spirit of God and that by the Vnction are taught in all things Againe if on pretence of following Inspirations and internall Lights vvhich cannot be so absolutely certaine vvee shall transgresse the most euident cercaine Commands of lavvfull Superiours vvhich are therefore Gods also there vvould quickly follovv an end of all Order Peace and Gouernment What other meane therefore is left to comply vvith both these but to obey God both vvaies that is commanding most certainly vvhen
especially for the discouering of the seuerall degrees of praier proper for that state reason requires that since in all Doctrines vvhich tend to practice the end is principally to be regarded as being that vvhich if it can be approued vvorthy the taking paines for vvill giue life and courage in the vse of the meanes conducing therto vvee should treate more precisely of the proper end of a Contemplatiue life The vvhich indeed is of so supreme an excellence and diuine profection aboue any thing that can be designd or sought after in any other Doctrine or Profession that those vvho haue eyes to see it and palates capable of a Spirituall tasting of it vvill thinke no difficulties no tediousnesses no bitternesses or labours too great a price to purchase it 4. It vvas said before that the generall end of mans creation and vvhich ought to be aspired vnto by all christians and much more those vvhose more Speciall professioÌ„ is to tend Perfection vvhether in an actiue or a Contemplatiue state is a perfect constant vnion in spirit to God by loue vvhich is vninterrupted perfect praier But the same end is differently sought attained by actiue and by Contemplatiue spirits For in an actiue life the vnion is not so immediate stable sublime intime of the supreme portion of the spirit vvith God as it is in a Contemplatiue state But as the exercises of the actiue liuers are much in the imaginatiue diâ—coursiue faculties of the soule so is likevvise their vnion The effects indeede of it are more perceptible and therefore more apt to cause admiration in others but vvith all being much in sence it is not so cleare nor so peacefull and by consequenâ—e not so stable nor immediate as is that of Contemplatiues The Charity of actiues is strong and vigorous and the outvvard effects of it dazeling the eyes of the beholders and thereby causing great edification they are vvith all frequently multiplied for strong loue is a Passion that takes pleasure in labours Wheras the deedes of Contemplatiue soules except vvhen God by an extraordinary inspiration calls them to exteriour employments are but fevv and in appearance but small litle regarded or esteemed by others Yet those meane actions of theirs in Gods esteeme may be preferred incomparably before the others as being in a far more perfect degree Supernaturall and Diuine as proceeding from an immediate and most certeine impulse of Gods holy Spirit vvhose conduct light vertue such soules doe far more clearly perceiue and more faithfully constantly follovv euen in their daily and ordinary practises then actiue liuers doe or can in their actions of highest importance Lastly the charity of Contemplatiues though it be lesse stirring buisy yet is far more profoundly rooted in the center of the spirit causing an vnion much more Spirituall Diuine 5. S. Bernard perfectly experienced in the Internall vvaies of a Contemplatiue life vvriting to certein Religious Fathers of the Carthusian Order Professing the same excellently expresses this vnion in these vvords Aliorum est Deo seruire vestrum adhaerere Aliorum est Deo credere scire amare reuereri vestrum est sapere intelligere cognoscere frui that is It is the duty of others that liue actiue liues either in the vvorld or ReligioÌ„ â—o serue God but it is yours to adhere inseparably vnto him It belongs to others to beleiue to knowe to loue to adore God but to you to tast to vnderstand to be familiarly acquainted with and to enioy him 6. Consonantly to this expression of S. Bernard Mystick vvriters doe teach that the proper end of a Contemplatiue life is the atteining vnto an Habituall almost vninterrupted perfect vnion vvith God in the Supreme Point of the spirit and such an vnion as giues the soule a fruitiue possession of him a reall experimentall perception of his Diuine Presence in the depth center of the spirit vvhich is fully possessed and filled vvith him alone not onâ—y all deliberate affections to creatures being excluded but in a manner all Images of them also at least so far as they may be distractiue to the soule 7. The effects of this blessed perceptible Presence of God in perfect soules are vnspeakable diuine For he is in them both as a Principle of all their actions Internall Externall being the life of their life and spirit of their spirits and also as the End of them directing both the actions persons to himselfe only He is all in all things vnto them A light to direct securely all their steps and to order all their vvorkings euen those also vvhich seeme the most indifferent the vvhich by the guidance of Gods holy spirit doe cause a farther aduancement of them to a yet more immediate vnion He is a sheild to protect them in all tentations and dangers an internall force and vigour vvithin them to make them doe suffer all things vvhatsoeuer his pleasure is they should doe or suffer They not only beleiue knovv but euen feele tast him to be the vniuersall Infinite Good By meanes of a continuall conuersation vvith him they are reduced to a blessed state of a perfect denudation of spirit to an absolute internall solitude a Transcendency forgetfullnes of all created things and especially of them selues to an heauenly-mindednes fixed Attention to God only and this euen in the midst of employments to others neuer so distractiue and finally to a gustfull knovvledge of all his infinite perfections and a strict application of their spirits by loue aboue knovvledge ioyn'd vvith a fruition repose in him vvith the vvhole extent of their vvills so that they become after an inexpressible manner Partakers of the Diuine nature yea one spirit one Will one loue vvith him being in a sort deified enioying as much of heauen hereas mortality is capable of 8. To this purpose saih the same S. Bern Amor Dei vel Amor Deus Spiritus Sanctus Amori Hominis se infundens afficit eum sibi amans semetipsum de Homine Deus secum vnum efficit spiritum eius Amorem eius that is the loue of God or loue vvhich is God to vvit the Holy Ghost povvring himselfe into the loue of man inclineth applieth mâ—n by loue vnto himselfe and thus God louing himselfe by man maketh both his spirit loue one vvith himselfe 9. A most blessed state this is certainly being the Portion chosen by Mary vvhich our Lord himselfe calls optimam partem the very best of all diuine graces vvhich God can bestovv in this life and vvhervvith he enriche two in a singular mnaner those his most highly fauoured most tenderly loued freinds S. Iohn the Euangelist and S. Mary Magdalen but in a yet more supereminent degree his ovvne most heauenly Virgin-mother 10. Happy therefore are those soules vpon vvhich God bestovves a desire ambition so glorious as seriously effectually to tend aspire and endeauour
the compassing a designe so heauenly qualifying them not only vvith good naturall propensions to those Internall vvaies of loue leading to this End but also calling them to a state of life abstracted from the vvorld the vanities sollioitudes of it and vvithall supernaturall light to direct them in the secret pathes of this loue and lastly strong resolutions and perseuerance vvith courage to breake through all discouragements difficulties persecutions Aridities vvhatsoeuer oppositions shall be made against them either from concupiscence vvithin or the vvorld vvithout or the deuill ioyning vvith both against a designe of all others most hurtfull to him most destructiue to his pretentions 11. And for a yet further and greater encouragement vnto them to embrace prosecute so glorious a designe they may take notice that besides this hitherto described happy vnion of a Contemplatiue soule vvith God by perfect Charity in the vvhich the soule herselfe actiuely concurrs not only as to the fruition but also in the disposing herselfe immediatly thereto There are other vnions entirely Supernaturall not at all procured or so much as intended by the soule her selfe but graciously freely conferred by God vpon some soules in the vvhich he after a vvonderfull and inconceiueable manner affords them interiour illuminations and touches yet far more efficacious and Diuine in all vvhich the soule is a mere Patient and only suffers God to worke his Diuine pleasure in her being neither able to further nor hinder it The vvhich vnions though they last but euen as it vvere a moment of time yet doe more illuminate and purify the soule then many yeares spent in actiue exercises of Spirituall praier or mortification could doe CAP. IV. § 1. 2. 3. 4. A Strong Resolution necessary in the Beginning § 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Considering first the length and tediousnes of the way to perfection in mortification § 10. 11. And also many degrees of praier to be passed § 12. Therefore it is seldome atteined not till a declining Age. § 13. Except by Gods extraordinary favour to a few § 14. Yet old young ought to enter into the way § 15. A motiue to resolution are the difficulties in the way § 16. And those both from with out and within 1. THe end of a Contemplatiue life therfore being so supereminently noble and Diuine that beatified soules doe prosecute the same and no other in heauen vvith this only difference that the same beatifying obiect vvhich is novv obscurely seene by faith and imperfectly embraced by loue shall herafter be seene clearly and perfectly enioyed The primary and most generall Duty required in soules vvhich by Gods vocation doe vvalke in the vvaies of the spirit is to admire loue and long after this vnion and to fixe an immoueable resolution through Gods grace assistance to attempt and perseuere in the prosecution of so glorious a designe indespight of all opposition through light darknes through consolations desolations c. as esteeming it to be cheaply purchased though with the losse of all comforts that Nature can find or expect in Creatures 2. The fixing of such a couragious Resolution is of so maine importance necessity that if it should happen to faile or yeild to any though the feircest tentations that may occurre and are to be expected so as not to be reassumed the whole designe will be ruined And therefore deuout soules are oftentimes to renew such a resolution and especially when any difficulty presents it selfe and for that purpose they will oft be put in mind thereof in these following instructions 3. It is not to be esteemed loftines presumption or pride to tend to so sublime an end but it is a good and laudable ambition and most acceptable to God Yea the Roote of it is true solide humility ioynd with the loue of God For it proceedes from a vile esteeme and some degrees of a holy hatred of our selues from whom vve desire to fly and a iust esteeme obedience and loue of God to vvhom only vve desire to adhere be inseparably vnited 4. Happy therefore is the soule that finds in herselfe an habituall thirst longing after this vnion if she vvill seeke to assvvage it by continuall approaches to this Fountaine of liuing vvaters labouring therto vvith daily Externall Internall vvorkings The very tendance to this vnion in vvhich our vvhole Essentiall happines consists has in it some degrees of happines and is an imperfect vnion disposing to a perfect one For by such internall tendance aspiring vve gett by little little out of Nature into God And that vvith out such an interiour tendance desire no exteriour suffrances or obseruances vvill imprint any true vertue in the soule or bring her neerer to God vvee see in the example of Suso vvho for the first fiue yeares of a Religious Profession found no satisfaction in soule at all notvvthstanding all his care exactnes in exteriour Regular Obseruances and mortifications he perceiued plainly that still he vvanted some thing but vvhat that vvas he could not tell till God vvas pleased to discouer it to him and put him in the vvay to atteine to his desire vvhich vvas in spirit to tend continually to this vnion vvith out vvhich all his austerities and Obseruances serued little or nothing as proceeding principally from selfe loue selfe-iudgment the satisfying of Nature euen by crossing it 4. Let nothing therfore deterre a vvelminded soule from perseuering vvith feruour in this firme resolution No not the sight of her daily defects imperfections or sins or remorses for them but rather let her increase in courage euen from her falls and from the experience of her ovvne impotency let her be incited to runne more earnestly adhere more firmly vnto God by vvhom she vvill be enabled to doe all things and conquer all resistances 5. Novv to the End that all sincerity may be vsed in the deliuery of these instructions and that all vaine complyance flattery may be auoided the Deuout soule is to be informed that the vvay to perfection is 1. both a very long teadious vvay and 2. vvithall there are to be expected in it many greiuous painfull bitter tentations and crosses to corrupt nature as being a vvay that vvholly and vniuersally contradicts destroyes all the vaine cases contentments interests and designes of Nature teaching a soule to dye vnto selfe-loue selfe-iudgment and all propriety and to raise her selfe out of Nature seeking to liue in a Region exalted aboue Nature to vvit the Region of the spirit into vvhich being once come she vvill find nothing but light and peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost The vvhich difficulties considered instead of being discouraged she vvill if she be truly touched vvith Gods spirit rather encrease her feruour courage to pursue a designe so Noble Diuine for vvhich alone she vvas created especially 3. considering the infinite danger of a negligent tepide and spiritually slouthfull life
the sight of them is vnacceptable to their Neighbours and acquaintance as if they did silently condemne their liberties For this reason they are apt to raise and disperse euill reports of them calling them Illuminats Pretenders to extraordinary visits and lights Persons that walke in mirabilibus super se 6. Or at least to deride them as silly seduced melancholy spirits that follow vnusuall and dangerous vvaies 18. All these and many other the like persecutions calumnies and contempts a vvell disposed soule that purely seekes God must expect and be armed against And knovving that they doe not come by chance but by the most vvise holy and mercifull Prouidence of God for her good to exercise her courage in the beginning and to giue her an opportunity to testify her true esteeme and loue to God and spirituall things let her from hence not be affrighted but rather pursue Internall vvaies more vigorously as knovving that there can not be a better proofe of the Excellency of them then that they are displeasing to carnall or at least ignorant men vnexperienced in such Diuine vvaies Let her not vvith passion iudge or condemne those that are contrary to her for many of them may haue a good intention and zeale therein though a zeale not directed by knovvledge If therfore she vvill attend to God follovving his Diuine Inspirations c. she vvill see that God vvill giue her light and courage and much invvard security in her vvay 19. But her greatest and more frequent Persecutions vvill be from her ovvne corrupt nature and vitious Habits rooted in the soule the vvhich vvill assault her many times vvith tentations and invvard bitternesses and agonies sharper and stranger then she did expect or could perhaps imagine And no vvonder For her designe and continuall indeauours both in mortification Praier being to raise herselfe out of and aboue nature to contradict nature in all its vaine pleasures and interests she can expect no other but that Nature vvill continually struggle against the spirit especially being inflamed by the Deuill vvho vvill not faile to employ all his Arts all his malice and fury to disturbe a designe so vtterly destructiue to his Infernall Kingdome established in the soules of carnall meÌ„ The vvell minded soule therefore must make a generall strong Resolution to beare all vvith as much quietnes as may be to distrust herselfe intirely to rely only vpon God and to seeke vnto him by Praier and all vvill assuredly be vvell She vvill find that the Yoake of Christ vvhiâ—h at the first vvas burdensome vvill being borne vvith constancy become easy and delightfull Yea though she should neuer be able to subdue the resistance of euill inclinations in her yet as long as there remaines in her a sincere Endeauour after it no such ill Inclinations vvill hinder her happines CAP V. § 1. 2. A 3. motiue to Resolution is the danger of repidity of which the nature and Roote is discouered § 3. 4. 5. The miseries of a Tepide Religious person that is ignorant of Internall waies § 6. 7. Or of one that knowes them but neglects to pursue them § 8. 9. How pestilent such are in a Community § 10. On the otherside an vndiscreete passionate feruour may be as dangerous as negligence 1. A Third yet more pressing Motiue to a couragious ResolutioÌ„ of prosecuting Internall vvaies once begin and a strong proofe of the extreme necessity therof is the consideration of the extreme danger and miseries vnexpressible of a negligent and Tepide life vvhether in Religion or in the vvorld the vvhich not only renders Perfection impossible to be atteined but endangers the very roote of essentiall sanctity and all pretention to Eternall Happines as among other Mystick vvriters Harphius in his tvvelue mortifications earnestly demonstrates 2. Tepidity is a bitter poysonnous Roote fixed in the minds of negligent Christians vvho though out of a seruile feare they absteine from an habituall practise of acknovvledged Mortall Actuall sinnes and therefore groundlesly enough thinke themselues secure from the danger of Hell yet they performe their externall necessary obligations to God and their Brethren sleepily and heartlesly vvithout any true Affection contenting themselues vvith the things hovveuer outvvardly done yea perhaps knovving no Perfection beyond this But in the meane time remaine full of selfe loue invvard Pride sensuall desires auersion from internall conuersation vvith God c. And the ground and cause of this pernicious Tepidity is vvant of affection and esteeme of spirituall things and a voluntary affection to veniall sins not as they are sins but as the obiects of them are casefull or delightfull to nature ioyned vvith a vvillfullnes not to auoyd the occasions of them nor to doe any more in Gods seruice then vvhat themselues iudge to be necessary for the escaping of Hell 3. Such Persons if they liue in Religion must needs passe very vncomfortable and discontented liues hauing excluded themselues from the vaine entertainments and pleasures of the vvorld and yet reteining a strong affection to them in their hearts vvith an incapacity of enioying them They must vndergoe all obligations Austerities and Crosses incideÌ„t to a Religious state vvithout comfort but only in hauing dispatched them vvith very little benefit to their soules and vvith extreme vvearisomenes and vnvvillingnes Novv vvhat a resemblance to Hell hath such a life vvhere there is an impossibility freely to enioy vvhat the soule principally desires and vvhere she is forced continually to doe and suffer such things as are extremely contrary to her inclinations 4. Whereas if soules vvould couragiously at once giue themselues vvholly to God and vvith a discrete feruour combat against corrupt Nature pursuing their Internall Exercises they vvould find that all things vvould cooperate not only to their Eternall good but euen to their present contentment and ioy They vvould find pleasure euen in their greatest mortifications and crosses by considering the loue vvith vvhich God sends them and the great Benefit that their spirit reapes by them What contentment can be greater to any soule then to become a true invvard freind of God chained vnto him vvith a loue the like vvherto neuer vvas betvvene any mortall creatures to know and euen feele that she belongs to God and that God is continually vvatchfull ouer her and carefull of her saluation None of vvhich comforts Tepide soules can hope to tast but on the contrary are not only continually tortured vvith present discontents but much more vvith a feare and horrour considering their doubtfullnes about their future state 5. If such Tepide soules be ignorant of the Internall vvaies of the spirit vvhich vvith out some fault of their ovvne they scarce can be vvhen they come to dye it is not conceiueable vvhat apprehensions and horrours they vvill feele coÌ„sidering that a setled vvillfull affectioÌ„ to veniall sins bring a soule to an imminent danger of a frequent incurring actuall mortall sins the vvhich though they be not of the greater kind
of enormous sins yet they may be no lesse dangerous because lesse corrigible such as are those spirituall sins of Pride Murmuring Factiousnes Enuy Ambition c Besids vvhich hovv is it possible for them to giue an account of sins of Omission of the vvant of perfecting their soules by prayer of the auoyding of vvhich they neuer tooke any care although their Profession and Vovves obliged them therto 6. Againe if Tepidity though not in so high a degree be found in soules that are acquainted speculatiuely vvith the Internall vvaies of the spirit and their obligation to pursue them in order to Perfection but either for vvant of courage dare not apply themselues seriously to them or doe it very faintly coldly or vvith frequent interruptions and only are not resolued to relinquish and abiure such vvaies such as though they haue not a vvillfull affection to veniall sins yet are for the most part vvillfully negligent in resisting them Such soules ought to consider that their case in all respects approaches neare to the miserable condition of the former And they vvill haue guilt enough to take avvay all comfort almost in a Religious state and to giue them iust apprehensions for the future life of vvhich they haue no security 7. For vvhen such soules approach neare vnto Death they vvill then too late consider that for vvant of diligeÌ„t Praier there may be yea assuredly are in them a vvorld of inordinations impurities and defects vndiscouered by them and therfore can neither be acknovvledged nor bevvayled so that they can not haue any assurance of the state and inclinations of their soules Besids they know themselues to haue bene guilty of a life spent in an vninterrupted ingratitude to God vvho gaue them light to see the vvaies to Perfection and vvhich their Profession obliged them to vvalke in and yet vvillfully they neglected to make vse of such light or to make progresse in those vvaies c. and this is an aggrauation of guilt beyond the former They are conscious likevvise of an vnexcusable and long continued vnfaithfullnes neuer almost complying vvith the Diuine inspirations vvhich daily vrged them to put themselues resolutely into that only secure vvay of an Internall life nor euer vigorously resisting the sins and imperfections vvhich they did discouer in themselues c. Such sad thoughts as these pressing as vsually they doe one vpon another neare the approaches of Death vvhat greiuous apprehensions vvhat terrible vncerteinties must they needs cause in Tepide soules then most sensible of dangers and feares so that their liues vvill be full of anguish and continuall remorse and their Deathes very vncomfortable 8. Lastly to all these miseries of a Tepide life this also may be added as an encrease of the guilt and consequently an aggrauation of the dangerous state of soules infected vvith that poyson vvhich is that they doe not only themselues most vngratefully vvithdravv their ovvne affections from God and Diuine things but by their ill example by mispending the time in vaine Extrouerted conuersations by discountenancing those that are fâ—ruourous in Internall vvaies c. they infect their companions and so treacherously defraud Almighty God of the affections of others also So that a Tepide Religious person though giuen to no enormous excesses is oft more harm-full in a Community then an open scandalous liuer because none that hath any care of himselfe but vvill bevvare of such an one as this latter is Whereas a Tepide soule vnperceiueably instills into others the poysonous infection vvhervvith herselfe is tainted 9. From the grounds and considerations here mencioned it doth appeare hovv necessary it is for a deuout soule both in the beginning and pursuance of a Contemplatiue life to excite and fortify her couragious resolution not to be daunted by discouragements either from vvithin or vvithout but at vvhat price soeuer and vvith vvhat labours and suffrings soeuer vvith feruour to perseuere in the exercises and Duties belonging therto accounting Tepidity and spirituall sloath as the very bane of heâ— vvhole Designe the vvhich if it be yeilded vnto though but a little it vvill gather more force and at last grovv irresistible 10. But vvithall she is to be aduised that such her courage and feruour must be exercised not impetuously out of passion or such impulses as a fitt of sensible Deuotion vvill some-times produce in her but this feruour and resolution must cheifly be seated in the Superiour vvill and regulated by spirituall Discretion according to her present forces both naturall and supernaturall and the measure of Grace bestovved on her and no further For there may be as much harme by out running Grace as by nâ—glecting to correspond vnto it Hence it oft comes to passe that many vvellminded soules being either pushed fovvard by an indiscrete passionate Zeale or aduised by vnexperienced Directours to vndertake vnnecessarily and voluntarily either rigorous mortifications or excessiue taskes of Deuotions and vvanting strength to continue them haue become able to doe nothing at all so that affecting too hastily to atteine vnto perfection sooner then God did enable them therto they so ouer burden themselues that they are forced to giue ouer quite all tendance to it Therefore vvee must be contented to proceede in such a pace as may be lasting and that vvill suffise CAP. VI. § 2. c. A confirmation of what hath bene sayd particularly of the necessity of a strong Resolution and courage to perseuere shwed by the Parable of a Pilgrime trauelling to Ierusalem out of SCALA PERFECTIONIS 1. NOW for a further confirmation and more effectuall recommendation of vvhat hath hitherto bene deliuered touching the Nature of a Contemplatiue life in generall the supereminent Noblenes of its end the great difficulties to be expected in it and the absolute necessity of a firme courage to perseuere and continually to make progresse in it vvhatsoeuer it costs vs vvith out vvhich Resolution it is in vaine to sett one step forvvard in these vvaies I vvill here annexe a passage extracted out of that excellent Treatise called Scala perfectionis vvritten by that eminent Contemplatiue D. Walter Hilton a Carthusian Monke In vvhich vnder the Parable of a deuout Pilgrime desirous to trauell to Ierusalem vvhich he interprets the Vision of Peace or Contemplation he deliuers Instructions very proper and efficacious touching the behauiour requisite in a deuout soule for such a iourney the true sense of vvhich Aduises I vvill take liberty so to deliuer breifly as notvvithstanding not to omit any important matter there more largely and according to the old fashion expressed Scala Perfect par 2. cap. 21.22.23 2. There was a man sayth he that had a great desire to goe to Ierusalem And because he knew not the right way he addressed himselfe for aduice to one that he hoped was not vnskillfull in it and asked him whether there was any way passable thither The other answered that the way thither was both long and full of very great
is that this is the very cause why not only the spirit of Contemplation but euen the knowledge almost of it is againe lost in many CoÌ„templatiue Orders notvvithstanding so fevv yeares are past since it vvas reuiued by those eminent lights S. Teresa B. Iohn de Cruce Barbanzon c. 9. I may truly say that neither naturall Indgment learning nor experience all together are absolutly sufficient to qualify a person for the employment of guiding soules in all cases in the Internall vvaies of the spirit but very oft an actuall supernaturall illumination vvill moreouer be requisite necessary though true it is that experienced Persons haue great aduantages beyond vvhat vvitt or learning can afford And such for matters beyond their experience no doubt vvill often remit soules to God their ovvne obseruation The vvhich is a quality office not to be expected from persons that bring no better endovvments vvith them to the managing of Contemplatiue soules but only subtilty of vvit learning or experience in a quite different much inferiour exercise of Prayer such experience being as I said rather a disaduantage for such vvill resolue all cases though the Directions they giue must needs be improper yet they vvill be very absolute in requiring obedience Wheras a person experienced in the same Internall vvayes being humble vvithall for else saith Auila he also vvill probably be faulty too though he be not in all cases able to giue a resolute Iudgment yet finding his ovvne Deficiency he vvill make a doubt of the matter therpon out of humility vvill not scorne but rather be desirous to consult take aduise from others more able to resolue 10. Herpon it is that S. Teresa as it is recorded in her Life much coÌ„plaines of the hurt that such resolute in sufficieÌ„t teachers did to her vvill doe to others And Thaulerus vvorthily stiled an illuminate Doctour professeth of himselfe in a certaine SermoÌ„ that vnles he were specially illuminated by God for the solution of a doubt proposed to him he would remit the party to God himselfe to be instructed in prayer what to doe And let not such an one doubt saith he but that God will be his faithfull counseller Moreouer he finds great fault vvith those arrogant persons that reprehend soules for suffring themselues to be guided by the Instincts internall lights motions proceeding from Gods spirit for their calling such by the titles of New spirits or pretenders to extraordinary illuminations whereas saith he those that take all their instructions from persons bookes will with very small successe pursue the waies of the spirit 11. It is a miserable thing to see hovv this Employment of directing soules vvhich aboue all other is most difficult exceedeth euen the ability of an Angell yet out of an ambitious humour is inuaded by persons wholly vnfitted for it that vvithout any vocation from God voluntarily vndertake it So that no meruaile it is if so little good come from such Intruders Not one of a thousand saith Auila is capable of so sublime a taske Nay saith the holy Bishop of Geneua not one often thousand And most certeine it is that those vvho so freely offer themselues to so Diuine an employment doe therby shevv themselues to vvant the most necessary qualifications to vvit Humility a true knovvledge of its difficulty therfore their directions are most to be suspected 12. Herevpon Thaulerus saith that a soule intending perfection ought to seeke out an experienced seruant of God though it cost her a iourney of many German miles But saith he if such a freind cannot be found then vvill a simple Confessarius serue though neuer so ignorant For euen by such men doth the Holy Ghost speake by reason of their office so that they may securely be submitted to obeyed euen in things vvhich they doe not vvell vnderstand 13. If a soule that is fearfull scrupulous be to chuse a Directour she ought to auoyd one of the like temper for passion vvhich blinds the seeker vvill also blind the Directour so the Blind will leade the blind 14. It is not necessary that the Persons consulted vvith about Difficulties concerning Internall Prayer should be learned or in Holy Orders except Doubts concerning matters of Faith of Cases of Conscâ—ence interuene For though Lay-persons vvoemen be not allovved by the Church to preach publickly yet are they not forbidden to giue priuate Instructions in matters of that nature to any that shall haue recourse to them And of the good successe of such Instructours vve haue diuers examples as in the Lay man that conuerted Thâ—ulerus a learned Doctour a Religious man and likevvise in S. Catherine of Siena S. Teresa c And in a vvell gouerned Monastery of vvoemen vvhere a good course of Internall prayer approved by Superiours and Learned Divines is once vvell setled it is very expedient that Instructions concerning it should rather come from Superiours vvithin Because otherwise by reason of the frequent change of Directours perhaps of contrary spirits many of them little practised in such Prayer soules will be gouerned vncertainly be in danger to be put out of their vvay 15. Though it seeme euidently more reasonable more proportionable to the spirits of persons professing a Religious state to be conducted by others of the s ne Profession Caeteris paribus then by such as are strangers therto Yet scarse any Directours can be found more improper for such supposing that they tend to Contemplation then are Religious Guides of Actiue spirits that knovv no further of prayer then Meditation that shevv more Zeale for an exact obseruance of Ceremonies or a multiplying of externall voluntary Austerities the vvhich of themselues vnlesse they be guided by Gods Spirit haue no speciall influence on the spirit but only serue either for an outvvard shevv of rigour or for keeping soules from mispending the time then for the more essentiall internall Duties of prayer solitude of spirit Interiour Mortification c Much more proffitable to such soules vvould be a Directour though not of any Religious Profession that vvould impose on soules only such Austerities as are essentially necessary to an Internall life such as are perfect Abstraction silence solitude conuenient abstinence c And for other matters not much necessary nor much effectuall leauing them in a due moderate Liberty of spirit especially such as vvill not impose on them any formes of Mentall Prayer hovveuer liked or practised by themselues but for such matters rathet leauing them to the conduct of Gods holy spirit that vvill not torture them vvith painfull iterated coustumary Confessions c 16. And vvhereas it vvill be perhaps obiected that probably such Directours being strangers as to the speciall distinctiue spirit of such an Order or Community may endanger in their disciples a losse of the said spirit I must professe that I vnderstand not vvhat is meant by
that so much talked of spirit of an Order nor hovv seuerall Orders though neuer so much distinguished by habits or certaine externall practises if their profession be to tend to Contemplation can haue any more then one spirit vvhich directs them to make their principall designe to be the seeking of God in his Internall vvayes of Diuine loue for that only end besides conformable Prayer to practise such obseruances mortifications as vvill best promote this designe And surely this good spirit of Religion contemplation a good Directour of vvhat Profession soeuer vvill very studiously endeauour to aduance yea moreouer vvill no doubt oblige his Disciples to be very Regular zealous in the obseruance of all good ordinances of the Community principally of the Rule according to their professioÌ„ made Instructing them vvithall hovv they may vse such things for the aduancing of their spirit the seruice of God although in the meane time perhaps he be not cunning in all the particular Obseruances that belong to them and little or nothing at all to him 17. All soules that liue in Contemplatiue Orders are nor naturally fitted for Contemplatiue vvayes nor the seeking of God in spirit Those therfore that haue not indeed are not capable of much light in their Interiour and so are not so fit to be guided by Diuine Inspirations doe the more need to haue certeine Rules from vvithout at least for the exteriour And for such it is Gods vvill and direction that they should more depend on Externall Guides 18. He that takes vpon him the office of a spirituall Directour saith Thauâ—erus ought for some reasonable space of time to conuerse vvith his Disciples especially at the beginning for a fevv transitory Conferences vvill not suffise to giue him light concerning their propensions dispositions that he may fit them vvith a degree of Prayer proper for them both for the present future And his principall care must be to set them in such a way as that they may not need to haue much recourse vnto him aftervvard the vvhich is done by giuing them generall Directions about their prayer especially how therby to dispose themselues to receiue light from God whose InspiratioÌ„s ought for the future to â—e their principall Rule especially for the Interiour And for the practising in particular according to the generall Directions giuen the Disciples must vse their ovvne iudgment for a helpe they may also make vse of such Instructions as they may find in bookes so far as they shall be proper for their spirit But in cases when neither their owne Iudgment nor bookes will helpe them if the difficulty be of greater moment they may againe haue recourse vnto their Directour 19. And in this sort are writers that speake much of the necessity of an Externall Directour to be vnderstood For if such necessity were to last alwaies good soules should be obliged to spend their whole liues in conferring with Directours from whence vvould follovv continuall sollicitudes scrupulosities dangerous distractions c. most contrary to an Internall spirituall life vvhich ought to be a state of much repose cessation introuersion a continuall attendance vnto vvhat God speakes vvithin vnto a soule who if soules vvill humbly faithfully depend on him vvill cleare resolue difficulties vvhich Externall maisters vvill neuer be able to penetrate into But it is too generall an humour in Directours novv adaies to make themselues seeme necessary vnto their disciples vvhom hey endeauour to keepe in a continuall dependance to the great preiudice of their progres in spirit besides many other inconueniences not needfull to be mentioned particularly 20. A soule thar has recourse to an Instructour prouided by God for her or that vsing her best aduice she hath made choyce of must deale freely plainly candidly vvith him conceiling nothing necessary to be knovvne by him his Directions she must follovv in all things assuring herselfe that if she doe so in the simplicity of her heart as in obedience to God himselfe God vvill enlighten him so that she shall not be mislead 21. The gift of discerning spirits is so necessary to a spirituall Guide that except therby he be able to fit a soule vvith a sort degree of prayer suitable to her naturall disposition not tying all soules to begin according to any generall methods for none such can be perscribed but vvill be preiudiciall to some vnlesse he teach her hovv she may become illuminated vvithout him by God alone by the meanes of Prayer abstraction of life vvhervvith the mists of Images passions being dispelled a light vvill spring forth in the soule far more cleare certeine then any that can come from humane instructions not all the Instructions of men Angells ioyned vvith all mortifications imaginable vvill be able to bring a soule to Contemplation For seldome or neuer doth God vvorke contrary to our naturall complexions And till soules come to exercises in spirit prayer infused by God alone they are far from Contemplation 22. Novv at the first it is very hard for any Directour to knovv exactly the secret Inclinations of imperfect soules vvhich are so infinitly various And therfore for the most part their Instructions about prayer attendaÌ„ce to Diuine Inspirations must be generall the vvhich the disciples themselues must make a particular vse of by obseruing their ovvne abilities inclinations by marking vvhat more particular formes of Prayer c. suite best vvith them doe them most good And this if they be not able in a reasonable manner to doe or if they haue not the courage to abide in a vvay in vvhich they are put it vvill be in vaine for them to proceede in those secret Internall vvayes 23. If the vvay vvherein a soule is put hath made a reasonable progres be indeed proper for her there vvill be little need of frequent recourse vnto her Directour Neither ought he to examine her about her Internall Exercises of vvhich he may iudge vvell enough by her externall comportment for it is impossible for a soule to be in a vvrong vvay interiourly but of it selfe it vvill breake out exteriourly especially to the eyes of those vvho themselues are in a right vvay as the Spirituall Directour is supposed to be And there is scarce any more certeine signe that a soule is not interiourly in a good vvay then is her being forvvard to trouble her Directour vvith multiplicity of Questions doubts her readines to discouer her Interiour to others vvhom she has heard or does beleiue to be skilfull in Spirituality 24. The Images internall Distractions raised by impertinent consultations about the Interiour are of all other most pernicious For distractions from vvithout are but superficiall vvhereas those being hatched bred vvithin the soule from some secret ill qualities as feare scrupulosity curiosity c. they are more profound destructiue to true Recollection
25. The generall remedies against almost all difficulties are these tvvo 1. Riddance 2. Patience The former consists in affording to the soule some ease latitude as far as a good conscience vvill permit in such things as are apt to perplexe vvel-minded tender soules as Confession Saying of the Office obligation to the ordinances of the church some kind of tentations In all vvhich things such soules are to be taught to neglect transcend scrupulous nicity they are likevvise to be prudently freed from the practise of Coustumes not obligatory And this remedy is proper against scrupulosity disintangling the soule from many snares vvhich othervvise vvould proue a great hindrance to her The other remedy of patience abiding is reasonable in case of Aridities Desolations other such discouragements in an Internall life In vvhich cases the deuout soule is to be exhorted to behaue herselfe as vvell as she can to be quietly resigned for vvhat vvith all her industry she cannot helpe Aboue all things she is to be heartned to pursue couragiously her appoynted Recollections in despight of all such oppositions raised by the deuill or corrupt nature permitted by God for her good The vvhich if she doe she vvill either disperse these tentations or obteine a Diuine light to perceiue that the vvay both most proper most secure by vvhich God purposes to leade her to Perfection is the way of Aridities obscurities as B Iohn de Cruce teaches in his Treatise called Mount Carmel And vvhen she once perceiues this then they vvill not only be supportable but euen acceptable to her Hovveuer if a soule did knovv or could be persvvaded hovv much better it vvere for her to suffer a little bitternes arising from such difficulties or perplexities then to hasten for a remedy by seeking helpe from others or by turning herselfe to vnnecessary solaces in creatures And also vvith vvhat confidence she might expect satisfaction from her Internall Maister if she vvould seriously by Prayer seeke to him she vvould saue both herselfe her Directour much trouble inconuenience 26. The instructour must vse great vvarines that he doe not raise doubts scruples in his Schollers minds by mouing needles indiscreet Questions or by impertinent discourses concerning spirituall matters for therby he may come to raise such doubts as himselfe shall not be able to resolue to put them so far out of their way as perhaps they vvill neuer be able to find it againe Therfore in ordinary conuersations it is more fit that the subiect of discourse should be some externall indifferent matters vvherein the parties are not much concerned then such as regard the Interiour Experience shevves hovv much inconuenience doth come to soules by the conuersations of such as are great pretenders to skill in Spirituality therfore out of vanity or a mistaken charity are apt vvhen there is no need to be offring Instructions about spirituall matters 27. Some soules doe see their vvay before them far better then others therfore doe moue fevvuer Questions The Instructour therefore is to behaue himselfe tovvards them all according to the quality need of each spirit allvvaies remembring that his office is not to teach his owne way nor indeed any determinate way of prayer c but to instruct his disciples how they may themselues find out the way proper for them by obseruing themselues what doth good what causeth harme to their spirits In a word that he is only Gods Vsher must lead soules in Gods way not his owne 28. Of all other spirituall persons it concernes woemen especially to be very sparing in consultations vvhen necessity requires to be breife in deliuering their difficulties for othervvise many inconueniences vvill follovv as 1. losse of time both to the disciple Instructour 2. Distractions far more hurtfull then if they vvere busied about the most encombring Employments of the Community 3. danger of multiplying nevv perplexities by fearing that they haue not giuen a full a right account of themselues c Besides one difficulty vvill be apt to beget a nevv one so that instead of seeking peace by disburdening of the conscience by their indiscretions they may come both to trouble the peace of their Instructours to plunge themselues in incurable perplexities obscurities of mind 4. great cause there is to feare that there may vpon such occasion of vnnecessary consultations ensue dangerous familiarities freindships vvith such as may proue very vnfit counsellours Thervpon S. Francis Xauerius saith that seldome was there so much good to be expected from the frequent treaties betweene Persons of different sexes as there was perill in them to both 29. This may suffise concerning the qualities office of an externall Directour As for more speciall Duties belonging to him in more particular cases as scrupulosities mortifications c. it shall be treated vvhen vve come to speake of such particular subiects As likevvise of the obligation of Superiours about the promoting the spirituall good of their subiects soules although they be not consulted vvith in the nature of spirituall Guides somevvhat shall be said in the follovving Discourse concerning the state of a Religious profession CAP. III. § 1. Of Reading which is next to Prayer § 2. Some bookes may be read for Diuersion § 3. But spirituall bookes only for the soules proffit § 4. 5. Bookes proper for Contemplatiues c. § 6. Not to stop in obscure places § 7. Not to practise Directions but such as are suitable to the spirit § 9. 10. Extraordinary practises of Saints in mortifications not to be imitated without great caution § 11 Why Mystick Authours seeme to write diuersely § 12. Some Authours indiscreetly require Perfection at first § 13. Reading must giue way to Prayer § 14 how mortification is to be practised in Reading § 15. 16. Diuine inspirations to be obserued in applying Instructions And particularly of those in this booke § 17. A soule following God may without bookes or Instructours be lead to perfect Contemplation 1. A Second meane by vvhich the Diuine spirit teacheth deuout soules is the reading of Pious bookes And this exercise I esteeme for vvorth spirituall proffit to be next vnto Prayer 2. As for ordinarly bookes as Ecclesiasticall story c it may be permitted to soules euen in Religion to read them for an innocent Diuersion Recreation so that be not the principall end but that the Intention further be by such diuersion to dispose a vveary soule the better aftervvards to pursue her internall Exercises And this Permission novv is the more reasonable since that in Religious communities of men bodily labour is allmost out of date in place thereof reading study hath succeeded as novv the principall dayly Employment of Keligious persons vvho liuing much lesse Abstracted from the vvorld are almost forced to comply vvith the customes of the present times in vvhich learning is so valevved so
had no other employment during their rigorous solitude silence but to attend to their Internall Teacher put in execution his Inspirations in all their actions both internall externall To this purpose saith a holy Hermite in Cassian That as it vvas by Gods inspiration that vve begin vvhen vve enter into Religion so likevvise Magisterio illuminatione Dei ad perfectionem peruenimus by the discipline Instruction Illumination of God vve atteine to perfection Another sayes That a soule can doe no good at all vnles she be quotidianâ Domini illuminatione illustrata inlightned by a daily illumination from God These are Expressions that our holy Father himselfe vses it seemes borrovved them from the same Authours And for this Reason it is that in his Rule he contents himselfe vvith ordeining Prescriptions for the exteriour only because he knevv that the Interiour could only be directed by God But vvithall his ordinations are such as vve may see his Intention and only designe vvas by them to dispose soules to be capable of obseruing follovving the inspirations invvard instructions of Gods holy Spirit vvithout vvhich all exteriour Obseruances vvould neuer bring vs to perfection such vvere very Rigorous solitude abstraction from all entercourse either vvith the busines or nevves of the vvorld almost continuall silence but vvhen vvee speake to God c. And vvithall in seuerall places of his Rule he signifies by the vvay that the Reformation of the Spirit ought to be the principall aime of a Religious Soule So that in the conclusion of the Rule hauing regard to the Externall Obseruances expressely commanded therin as a preparation to the Perfection to be learnt out of the Liues and Conferences of the Fathers he professeth with great humility but vvith great truth also that his intentiō therby vvas that those vvhich obserued it be enabled to declare in some sort honestatem morum aut initium conuersationis eos habere that they had atteined to a laudable exteriour cariage the beginning of a holy Religious conuersation But saith he whosoeuer shall tend to perfection Sunt doctrinae Sanctorum Patrum as if he had sayd He must according to the teachings of the Holy Fathers attend vnto the Diuine Maister by exercising according to his instructions that pure sublime Prayer c. vvhich they practised discouered And suitable herto S. Francis likevvise in his Rule aduises his Disciples thus Attendant fratres quod super omnia desiderare debent habere spiritum Domini sanctam eius operationem that is The Religious brethren must attentiuely marke that aboue all other things they ought to desire to haue the spirit of our lord his holy operation in their soules 7. To conclude either it must be granted that Perfection may be atteined merely by auoyding Mortall sins doing such action of vertue as are absolutly necessary to all Christians vvhich to say vvere manifestly foolish false And likevvise that Actions more indifferent not so vniuersally obliging such as are certeine more proffitable manners of Prayer externall Religious Obseruances Refection conuersation vvith our brethren c. cannot be rendred capable of a holy Intention of aduancing vs in the Diuine loue vvhich is against experience And moreouer that vvithout Internall Grace actually operating vvhich is nothing else but Diuine Illuminations impulses these ordinary Inferiour Actions may be exalted to produce that effect vvhich the greatest necessary vertues could not produce vvhich to say vvere impiety Or it must be granted that the teaching of Gods Holy Spirit is the only principall necessary cause by vvhose vertue vve are informed enabled to improoue make vse of these Actions for the atteining of so sublime an end as Perfection in Contemplation is vvithout which it is impossible to be atteined And indeed so impossible to be brought vnder externall Rules so secret vndiscouerable are the Internall Dispositions of soules their operations that they cannot be clearly perceiued nor consequently ordered but by him to vvhom alone our figmentum our hearts all the secret inclinations motions of them are naked transparent CAP. V. § 1. All Internall liuers obliged to attend to Gods Inspirations § 2. Therfore the Impediments to this duty are to be remoued which are two first distracting Images which are expelled by Abstraction of life § 3. The 2 Impediment is vnruly Passions which are calmed by Mortification Peace of mind § 4. 5. The end why a Religious state especially of S. Benedicts Institution is vndertaken is the remouall of these inpediments § 6. 7. 8. 9. A third more speciall impediment to wit want of due Liberty of spirit to follow Gods Directions caused by voluntary burdens coustumes assumed Seuerall such are exemplified in 1. THE Necessity of a Diuine Internall Teacher being established there follovves from thence an Equall necessity for all those vvhose profession obliges them to vvalke in those vvayes tovvards the sublime end proposed to attend vnto obey this only most necessary Maister And because each one hath in his heart a false teacher that alvvaies vrgeth vs to hearken to his peruerse teachings to neglect the diuine Teacher Therfore the vvay to become a diligent obedient Disciple to Gods holy Spirit vvill be 1. To neglect contradict as much as lies in vs to silence the teachings suggestions of corrupt nature 2. And secondly to be attentiue to the voyce of Gods spirit in our soules 2. For the first there are tvvo generall Impediments that nature layes in our vvay to hinder vs from attending to God The first is distracting Images the Second vnquiet Passions Novv the Remedy against the former is Abstraction of life a not engaging our selues in businesses that belong not vnto vs the mortifying of the curiosity of knovving or hearing strange or nevv things not pertinent to our Profession the tempring of our tongues from vaine vnproffitable conuersations the reducing our thoughts as much as may be from multiplicity to vnity by fixing them continually on the diuine loue vvhich is that vnum necessarium c 3. Againe the only proper Remedies against the other impediment to vvit vnquiet Passions are first Mortification of all inordinate Affection to creatures of all vaine encombring freindships all factious Partialities all thoughtfull prouision for the contenting of our sensuall Desires But especially of that most dangerous because most in time spirituall thirst of knowledge vnnecessary of all ambition to get victory or glory by disputing vvriting c as likevvise of all Anger Impatience melancholy feare scrupulosity c And secondly a studious care to preserue our soules in all the peace tranquillity cheerfullnes possible not suffring any passions to be raised in our minds during our imperfect state no not although they should be directed vpon good holy obiects because they vvill obscure disorder our spirits And therfore vve must auoyd all violence impetuous
hastines in performing our best most necessary Duties the vvhich are discharged most efficaciously purely vvhen they are done vvith the greatest stillnes calmenes clearnes of mind resignation It is sufficient in this place only to touch passingly vpon these Impediments because in the follovving Treatise vve shall haue occasion to treate more largely purposely of them 4. Now to vvhat End did vve come into Religion but only to auoyd all these Impediments in the vvorld vvhich vvithdravv vs from attending to God following his Diuine Guidance In this very point lies the difference betvveene a Secular a Religious state that a Secular Person secularly minded by reason of the noyse tumults vnauoydable Distra ions sollicitudes tentations vvhich are in the vvorld cannot vvithout much adoe find leasure to attend vnto God the gaining of his loue euen for a fevv minutes euery day or little oftner then the lavves of the church necessarily oblige him And all the directions that he is capable of in Gods seruice must come from vvithout for by reason that his soule is so filled vvith Images vaine or sinfull so agitated vvith impetuous Affectiōs designes he cānot recollect himselfe to heare God speaking in him Whereas a Religious person professes his only busines to be attending to Gods Internall voyce for vvhich purpose he renounceth all these Impediments distractions 5. And surely in a speciall manner the Disciples of S. Benedict if they vvill cast a serious eye vpon the frame of their Rule they vvill find that as it is very moderate prudently condescending in all matters of outvvard corporall Austerities afflicting to nature but not immediatly helpfull to the Spirit so on the contrary it is very rigorous in the exacting of silence solitude a renouncing all proprietary sollicitude for corporall necessities all other mortifications vvhich vvill hinder the dissipating of our spirits thoughts indispose the soule to recollection attention to God But specially Prayer vvhich he calls Opus Dei to vvhich all other vvorkes obseruances are to giue place is most seriously incessantly enioyned By the practise vvhereof vve doe aboue all other exercises transcend grosser sensible Images in the vnderstanding subdue vnruly Passions in the heart So that it is euident that our Holy Fathers principall care in all the obseruances enioyned by him vvas to free his Disciples from these tvvo generall most povverfull hindrances to introuersion a continuall attention to conuersation vvhich God The vvhich may most properly be called The Spirit of S. Benedicts Rule 6. There is moreouer one speciall impediment to the obseruing obeying of Diuine Inspirations vvhich is not to be omitted the rather because it is lesse taken notice of in ordinary spirituall Writers This Impediment consists in this that many soules doe indiscreetly preiudice yea oft take avvay quite that indifference liberty of Spirit vvhich is necessary to all that vvill seriously follovv the Diuine Guidance in all the vvayes that they then are lead by it For it vvere foolish to prescribe vnto God the vvayes in vvhich vve vvould haue him to lead vs This vvere to oblige God to follovv our vvayes to doe our vvills not vve to performe his And this is done by those vvho obstinatly adhere to preconceiu d opinions fore-practised coustumes whatsoeuer they be For though such coustumes in themselues and to other soules may be neuer so good proffitable yea though formerly euen to those persons themselues they haue bene neuer so proper beneficiall yet this vvas only vvhilst they vvere in such a state degree of Spirituality the vvhich state altering as in progresse it needs must then that vvhich vvas formerly proper conformable to the Diuine vvill inspiration vvill become improper inconuenient contrary to the present Internall Guidance of God 7. This impediment must necessarily be remoued deuout soules must continually keepe themselues in a free indifferency supplenes of Spirit for othervvise they vvill become in many cases circumstances indisposed to beleiue incapable to execute that vvhich Gods holy spirit shall dictate vnto them yea they vvill oft contristate endanger to extinguish the said spirit in them by an obstinate doing of the contrary to what it moues vnto 8. The reasonablenes necessity of this aduice may be shewed by this example It may haue beene good proffitable for a soule vvhen she entred into an Internall life to appoynt vnto herselfe certaine voluntary Deuotions vocall Prayers c or aftervvards to select certaine peculiar subiects of meditation as the Quatuor Nouissima the Mystery of the Passion c or to prescribe vnto herselfe certaine times for some good externall or internall Practises or to make frequent Examinations of conscience Confessions c All these things are good whilst the soule finds proffit by them so long they are to be continued But if God shall call her to an higher exercise to a more pure efficacious Prayer so that she begins to loose all gust in her former exercises the which doe not only abridge her of the time necessary for her more perfect Recollections but likewise dull the spirit indispose it for such Prayer other more beneficiall practises to which she is by a new clearer Diuine light directed or inuited by Diuine grace enabled In this case pertinaciously to adhere to former coustumes because she finds them cōmended in bookes c or because she did formerly reape proffit by them this is to intangle fetter captiuate the spirit to renounce the Diuine guidance to obstruct all vvayes of aduācement in the paths of Contemplation The soule therfore in such or the like cases must necessarily vse some violence vpon herselfe to recouer a true most needfull Indifferency liberty of spirit that so she may freely follovv God vvhithersoeuer he shall by his Inspirations inuite her being assured that she shall neuer by him be persvvaded or tempted to doe any thing contrary or preiudiciall to her duty obedience to lavvfull Authority or any other necessary obligations 9. This Instruction reaches very far yea so far that euen Learned men yea some that passe for spirituall if they be vnexperienced in the true Internall vvayes of Gods Spirit leading to Contemplation vvould perhaps mislike the freedome vvhich in many cases must hath bene allovved by the best most sublime Mystick Authours to soules of some peculiar dispositions in certaine circumstances And as for vnlearned Persons they vvould be in danger almost to be scandalised 10. The speciall Points therfore by vvhich Liberty of Spirit is in many soules much abridged to their great hindrance are these vvhich follovv viz. 1. Confession of certaine veniall sins 2. Coustumary sollicitous Examinations of conscience 3. In complyance vvith coustume to confesse both oftner likevvise such Imperfections as it vvere better for the soule not to mention
in Confession 4. Renewing of generall Confessions 5. The Forcing Acts of sensible Contrition 6. Not contenting ones selfe many times vvith vertuall Examinations of conscience 7. Vsing certaine vocall Prayers voluntarily 8. The obliging ones selfe to coustumes ceremonies not of obligation 9. Cōtinuing voluntary Mortifications vvhen the soule finds no benefit by them but rather becomes disheartned deiected 10. Practising vvhat is found in bookes though improper for the spirit 11. Imitating vnvvarily the good practises of others 12. Obliging ones selfe not to quitt the meditating on the Passion 13. Doing things merely for edification 14. Tying ones selfe to nice methods orders a determinate number of succeeding Acts or Affections in Recollection 15. Exercising corporall labours Austerities vvithout due Consideration necessity 16 Adhering to any kind of Internall Exercise vvhen perhaps the soule is inuited enabled to an higher 17. The troubling ones selfe to inquire after or to procure Sermons 18. The obliging ones selfe to a determinate posture in Prayer 19. The voluntary hearing of such a number of Masses 20. Set deuotions or exercises to Saints or Prayers for the dead or liuing 21. Sollicitous or distracting cares to gaine Indulgences by going to such or such Churches 22. Adioyning ones selfe to Confraternities and the seuerall duties belonging to them 23. Iterating the Office in case any thing through inaduertence hath bene omitted 24. Generally fettring ones selfe vvith any practises vvhich are not of obligation 25. And vvhich is vvorst of all intangling the soule by hasty vndiscreete promises vowes made during some fitt of sensible Deuotion or in a Passion of remorse feare c. By these other such practises as these vvhich are supposed not to be of obligation many soules in desire tending to Perfection doe so ouerburden intangle themselues that they either cannot obserue the operations of the Diuine Spirit in them or haue not the liberty to follovv vvhither it vvould dravv them therby remaine in their imperfect state vvithout hope of making any progresse vnlesse they vvill renounce their ovvne preconceiued iudgment preassumed selfe-imposed obligations 11 Hitherto it may suffise to haue spoken of the impediments by vvhich soules are hindred from attending to obeying their Internall Diuine Teacher vvho only knowes what is best for euery one in all circumstances vvill not faile to direct for the very best euery soule that with humility and Resignation hath recourse to him 12. Now such is the nature of the Reasonable soule which is all Actiuity will be continually thinking on louing somewhat that if these impediments caused by impertinent Images of Creatures inordinate affections to them by a voluntary shackling the soule with assumed opinions coustumes vvere once remoued she vvould see clearly vvhat she ought to follovv loue vvhich is God only for creatures being remoued forgotten nothing remaines but God no other light for our vnderstanding nor other obiect for our vvills affections but he only 13. And the generall of all others most efficacious Meane to remoue all these impediments is by Abstractiō Prayer in Spirit to aspire vnto an habituall state of Recollection introuersion For such Prayer besides the vertue of impetration by vvhich God vvill be moued according to his so frequent expresse promises to be a light to the meeke humble It hath also a direct vertue to procure this illumination in as much as therin our soules see him nothing else so that they haue no other Guide to follovv but him And especially in as much as by Prayer in spirit Diuine Charity is most firmly rooted in our hearts vvhich makes thē insensible to all other things that vvould diuert our Attention or Affection And vve see by experience thar Loue of vvhat obiect soeuer it be doth more cleare the mind conferrs in a moment as it vvere more skill to find out the meanes by vvhich the obiect beloued may be obteined then neuer so much study or meditation CAP. VI. § 1. 2. The Gift of the holy Spirit is the Principle of all good Actions in vs. § 3. 4. 5. 6. It doth not worke of it selfe vnlesse excited by Actuall grace our indeauours § 7. By the vsing employment of this Gift there is raised in vs a supernaturall light of Discretion as Prudence is increased by the practise of vertue § 8. How the exercise of loue causes Illumination § 9. 10. Supernaturall light is 1. Actuall 2. Permanent § 11. The effects of supernaturall Discretion § 12. 13. 14. 15. Contemplatiues Actiue liuers both guided by a supernaturall light but differently § 16. How imperfect soules may doe their ordinary dayly actions in light 1. THE third Point before proposed for our consideration in this matter of Internall Inspirations is the manner hovv God communicates his light grace to our vnderstanding vvills for our instruction Directions in the Mystick vvayes of Contemplation 2. Novv for a clearer explication of this poynt vve are to consider that that fundamentall grace vvhich in Scriptures is called Donum spiritus sancti The Gift of the Holy Ghost which is conferred on all in Baptisme being aftervvard by actuall sins smothered or extinguished is renevved by Pennance Prayer c cherished or increased by the vvorthy vse of the holy Eucharist other vertuous practises of a Christian life This Grace I say vvhat euer it be Physically in its ovvne nature if it vvere examined Scholastically vvhich is not my intent is a certaine Diuine Principle or Faculty partaking somevvhat of the nature of a permanent habit infused into the spirit of man by vvhich he is enabled vvhensoeuer the free vvill concurreth actually both for knovving beleiuing practising to doe the vvill of God in all things For the vertue thereof extends it selfe through all the faculties of the soule curing the distempers vvants deordinations that sin had caused in them 3. This nevv Diuine faculty therfore vvhich seemes to be expressed by the Prophet Dauid vvhen he saith signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui Domine That is The light of thy countenance O lord is like a seale stamped on our soules doth not neither is it sufficient of it selfe alone actually to produce any sauing effects As vve see that a Musician or a Poet though neuer so skillfull doe not therfore euer actually sing or vvrite verses vntill some certaine occasions or circumstances doe actually determine them therto as gaine or requests of others or praise or a mind to please themselues c For the Actuall employment exercise of such Grace there is moreouer necessary an actuall ayde from God vvho by a speciall Diuine Prouidence doth often administer occasions hints enablements exciting the vvill to vvaken this Grace in the soule vvhich othervvise vvould lye vacant vnusefull 4. And proofes of this dayly experience shevves vs both in our selues others hovv a sermon or
interiourly not at all to Tepide persons that neglect to correspond to their Profession For vvho but the industrious vigilant 1. Doe liue more Purely then men doe in the world 2. Or fall more seldome 3. Or rise more speedily 4. Or walke more warily 5. Or rest more securely 6. Or are visited by God more frequently 7. Or dye more consulently 8. Or passe their Purgatory more speedly 9. Or are rewarded in heauen more abundantly On the contrary it is iustly to be feared yea too certaine it is that habitually Tepide negligent soules in Religion are in a far vvorse state more immortified more cold in Deuotion more estranged from God euery day then other considering that in the midst of the greatest aduantages helpes to feruour Purity they vvill continue their negligence therfore they must expect for their obstinate ingratitude for their offending against so great Light that they shall be more seuerely punished by Almighty God then others the like that liue in the vvorld 6. How ridiculous therfore would it be for any to boast and say God be thanked I haue bene so many yeares a Professed Religious Person in an Order that hath produced so many thousand Saints that hath had so many Popes that receiued so many Emperours Kings Queenes Princes that hath so flourished with riches learning Piety As if those good successes to some vvere sufficient security to all so that they should need no more then only to be of such an Order 7. For the vndeceiuing therefore of such as are strangers to a Religious Profession for the admonishing incouraging of those that haue already embraced it to comply vvith the obligations of it that so they may enioy all the incomparable Priuiledges and Perfections then indeed belonging to it I vvill employ the follovving Discourse principally in demonstrating That the principall thing to be intended in a Religious Profession is the incessant Purifying of the Interiour Which is an attēpt the most glorious but vvithall the most difficult and most destructiue to sensuall ease and contentment of all other This ought to be the motiue of those that enter into it the principall yea almost sole employment of those that liue in it Whereto I vvill adde a fevv instructions more specially belonging to Superiours Officers Priuate Religious Nouices respectiuely CHAP. IV. § 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Motiues inducing to Religion to be examined False security of Tepide Religious Persons Of false true motiues § 6. An habituall state of Introuersion Recollectednesse is the principall End of a Religious Life Wherin such Recollectednes consists § 7. 8. Perfection of Prayer is the Perfection of a Religious state § 9. 10. 11. The wonderfull sublimity of Prayer to which the Ancient Hermits c. attained § 12. Aduantages therto enioyed by them beyond these times § 13. 14. 15. 16. That S. Benedict chiefly intended by his Rule to bring his Disciples to purity of Prayer § 17. 18. 19. False Glosses Interpretations of S. Benedicts Rule in these dayes § 20. 21. S. Bernards Excellent declaration of the designe of S. Benedicts Rule § 22. That the only sure way of introducing Reformes into Contemplatiue Orders is by the teaching of true Contemplatiue Prayer not multiplying of externall formes Austerities 1. IT concernes a soule very much to examine vvell the motiues inducing her to enter into a Religious State for if they be not according to God it is to be feared she vvill not find all the Proffit satisfaction that she promises to herselfe For. 1. If such a Profession be vndertaken merely out of vvorldly respects as to gaine a state of subsistence more secure perhaps more plentifull 2. Or to auoyd suits debates or vvordly dāgers c. vnlesse such incommodities haue giuen only occasiō to a Soule to reflect on the vanities and Miseries of the vvorld and from thence to consider and loue Spirituall Celestiall good things vvhich are permanent and vvithout bitternes 3. Or if such a State be vndertaken out of a generall good desire of Sauing ones soule according to the fashion of ordinary good Christians no more but vvithout a Speciall determinate Resolution to labour after Perfection in the Diuine Loue either because such soules knovv nothing of it or if they doe haue not the courage and vvill to attempt it but resolue to content themselues vvith being freed from vvorldly Tentations dangers and vvith a Moderate care to practise the Externall Obseruances of Religion yet vvithout sufficient Purity of Intention or a consideration of the proper End of a Religious Contemplatiue life c. I cānot tell vvhether Persons liuing dying in Religion vvithout further designes of purifying their Soules shall find so great cause to reioyce for the choice they haue made Since their beginning continuing is indeede no better then a Stable course of most dangerous Tepidity 2. Hovveuer as for soules that for externall respects haue embraced a Religious life let them not therfore in a desperate humour conclude that no good can come to them by it so vnvvorthily vndertaken But rather hope that by a Speciall Prouidence of God they vvere euen against their ovvne intentions vvills brought into a course of life to vvhich if hovveuer aftervvard they vvill duly correspond it vvill proue an infinite blessing vnto them For such oftimes haue proued great Saints after that God gaue them light to see their peruerse Intentions and Grace to rectify them By vvhich meanes they beginning in the flesh haue ended in the Spirit 3. And as for the third sort of Tepide persons it much concerns them at least after their solemne Profession to search vvell into their Soules and there rectify vvhat they find amisse taking great heede hovv they relye vpon Externall Obseruances Obediences or Austerities the vvhich though they be necessarily to be performed yet cannot vvithout great danger and harme be rested in but must needs be directed to a further and Nobler End to vvit the Aduancement of the Spirit 4. Neither let them conclude the Security of their Condition and good disposition of soule from a certaine Composednes and quietnes of Nature the vvhich vnlesse it be caused by Internall Mortification and Praier is but mere selfe loue And much lesse let them rely vpon the esteeme and good opinion that others may haue of them Nor likevvise on their ovvne abilities to discourse of Spirituall matters and giue Directions to others since no Naturall light nor acquired learning or study can be sufficient to enable any one to treade in Contemplatiue vvaies vvithout the serious practise of Recollected Prayer A sufficient proofe vvherof vvee see in Thaulerus Who vvas able to make an Excellent Sermon of Perfection but not to direct himselfe in the vvay to it till God sent him a poore ignorant Lay-man for his Instructour 5. What is it therfore that a soule truly called by God to enter into Religion lookes
vvas God himselfe vvho by the ministry of an Angell taught S. Anthony this art most secure method of aspiring to Contemplation vvhen being vnable to keepe his mind continually bent in actuall Prayer he grevv vveary of solitude in a nere disposition to quitt it At vvhich time an Angelâ— appearing to him busily employed in making Baskets of the rindes of Palmes signified to him that it vvas Gods vvill that he should after the same manner intermit his deuotions so spending the time that he could not employ in Prayer 10. Such vvere the Externall daily employments of the ancient Contemplatiues so great vertue did they find in them for the aduancement of their spirit By vvhich meanes so many of them attained to so sublime a degree of Contemplation yea generally most of them arriued to very great simplicity of spirit almost continuall recollectednes 11. But vvhen aftervvards by the most plentifully-flowing Charity of deuout Christians there vvas not only taken from Religious all necessity of sustaining themselues by Corporall labours but they vvere moreouer richly furnished and enabled to supply the vvants of many others Wee may vvell iudge that it vvould become a hard matter to persvvade a continuance of much Manuall labour purely and only for the greater good of the Spirit vvhen othervvise it vvas both needles and afflicting to the Body Hence it came to passe that since necessarily some Employment besides Prayer must be found out for the entertaining of those Solitary liuers Learning as the most noble of all other vvas made choice of yet so that for many Ages corporall labours vvere not vvholly excluded 12. Yet â—his vvas not the sole nor I suppose the principall GrouÌ„ds of so great and almost vniuersall a Change as aftervvard follovved in the manners and fashion of a Coenobiticall life But vvee may reasonably impute the said Exchange of labours for Studies in a principall manner to the good Prouidence of God ouer his Church that stood in such extreme neede of another sort of labourers in Gods vineyard and consequently to the Charity of Religious men themselues vvho during that most horrible ignorance and deprauation reigning ouer all the vvorld almost besides thought themselues obliged to repay the vvonderfull Charity of good Christians by extending a greater Charity in communicating to them Spirituall and Heauenly things for their temporall Hence came a necessity of engaging themselues in the Cure of soules and Gouernment of the Church the vvhich indeede for seuerall Ages vvas in a sort vvholly sustained by them yea moreouer by their zeale labours and wisedome the light of Diuine Truth vvas spread abroad among Heathens also and many Prouinces and Kingdomes adioyned to the Church These things considered no vvonder is there if the introducing of Reading and studies in the place of Manuall labours vvas vnauoydably necessary 13. But perhaps some there may be not so vvell affected or pleased vvith the present reputation or commodidities enioyed by Religious Persons that assenting to vvhat hath bene here sayd vvill notvvithstanding inferre That since Learning is novv become so much dilated in the vvorld by the zeale and Charity of Ancient Monasticall Religious there is no longer any the like necessity of their interessing themselues in Ecclesiasticall affaires and therfore that they ought to returne to their old Corporall Employments and labours 14. Herto it may be replied that euen still there is much neede of theÌ„ considering the far greater frequentation of Sacraments in these dayes aboue the Ancient times But moreouer if in these times vvherin learning and knovvledge is so exposed to all sorts of men Religious persons should quitt studies returning to their ancient employment of Manuall labours from vvhich as hath bene sayd God himselfe did doubtles vvithdravv them Besides that their Ignorance vvould render them the vniuersall obiects of contempt through the vvhole Church it vvould likevvise expose them as for their states as a Prey to all that either enuyed or coueted the scarse subsisteÌ„ce left them and as to their soules they vvould be obnoxious to be turned hither and thither by the variety of Directours that vvould vndertake to guide them And by these meanes all men vvould be deterred from adioyning themselues vnto them for continuing a Succession 15. Novv though as hath bene sayd such a change hath bene after this manner made in the externall Employments of Religious persons Yet still the same essentiall indispensable obligation of aspiring to Contemplation remaines For the attaining to vvhich although studies ioyned vvith Prayer seeme in some regards to be lesse aduantageous then anciently such labours as the Aegyptian Monkes c. vndertooke were Yet it hath pleased God in goodnes to his seruaÌ„ts in a good measure to recompence that disaduantage by raising vp seuerall Holy persons to teach more accurately then formerly the knovvledge and practise of pure Internall Contemplatiue Prayer For since it cannot be denyed that to persons far more distracted by studies then anciently they vvere by labours vvhich did not hinder a moderate quiet attention to God Vocall Prayer though neuer so much prolonged has not ordinarily speaking sufficient force to recollect the mind habitually or to suppresse and cure the many inordinate Affections of corrupt nature Hence it is that the vse of appointed daily Recollections hath seemed to be of absolute necessity vvithout vvhich the Spirit of Contemplation vvould be quite lost So that to such Prayer vvee may most principally impute the great lights and helpes for Contemplation afforded by some later Saints in Religious Orders and in the vvorld also to the great benefit of Gods Church That sole Exercise in a good measure making amends for all other Defects in vvhich vvee seeme to come short of the Ancients CHAP. VII § 1. Of speciall Duties of Religious Persons § 2. A Religious Person ought to desire to be alwaies vnder Obedience § 3. 4. Qualities necessary in a Religious Superiour § 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. That Actiue Spirits are very improper to gouerne such as are Contemplatiue The grounds of the difference § 10. A fearfull Example in Bernardinus Othinus Shewing how dangerous the neglect of Internall Prayer is in a Religious Superiour 1. HAVING thus largely set dovvne the proper and only End of a Religious Profession to vvit Purity and Simplicity of soule to be obtained by Recollected Contemplatiue Praier alone I vvill further adde some more speciall Duties belonging to Religious Persons according to their seuerall Relations and qualities as Superiours or other subordinate Officers Subiects c. For as for the proper vertues of a Religious state as Obedience Poverty Humility c. the handling of them is reserued to the follovving Treatise 2. Novv vvith vvhat mind a Deuout soule ought to embrace a Religious Profession is signified to vs in that notable Passage in our Holy Fathers Rule vvhere he sayth In Coenobio degens desiderat sibi Abbatem praeesse that is Whosoeuer liues in a Religious Community is desirous that
an Abbot should be set ouer him From vvhence vvee ought to inferre that the Intention of a Religious Person ought euer to be to liue in subiection to the vvill of another and in such a mind to continue all his life And therfore those that readily accept much more those that ambitiously seeke Gouernment and Prelature may reasonably be iudged to be lead by a Spirit directly opposite to the Spirit of Religion And surely he that shall seriously consider of vvhat difficul y and of vvhat extreme danger the Office of a Superiour is vvhat terrible threatnings our Holy Father so oft denounces from God against a negligent partiall and vnfaithfull discharge of such an Office vvill thinke it far fitter to be the obiect of his feare and Auersion then of his Desire Therfore that Superiour that does not find himselfe more vvilling to giue vp his place then to retaine it ought to suspect that he is scarce in a good state 3. Novv to the end that both subiects may be informed vvhat qualities they are to regard in the Electing of Superiours and also Superiours be put in mind vvhat is expected from them in the discharge of such an Office duly imposed on them I vvill from S. Bernard set downe three necessary conditions or Endovvments by vvhich Superiours are to direct their Subiects the vvhich are 1. Verbum 2. Exemplum 3. Oratio that is Exhortation good Example and Prayer Adding moreouer Maior autem horum est Oratio Nam et si vocis virtus sit operis Et operi tamen voci gratiam efficaciamque promeretur Oratio That is Of those three necessary qualities the greatest and most necessary is Praier For although there be much vertue in Exhortation and Example yet Prayer is that which procures efficacy and successe to both the other 4. From vvhich testimony and authority yea euen from the light of Naturall Reason vvee may firmely conclude that the Spirit of Praier is so absolutely necessary to a Religious Superiour that vvithout it he cannot exercise his charge proffitably either to himselfe or his subiects And consequently that to a Superiour in an Order vvhose spirit is Contemplation it is necessary that he haue attained to a good established Habit of Contemplatiue Praier For as hath bene said in the foregoing Discourse concerning Spirituall Guides hovv can such a Superiour vvithout knovvledge gained by experience inculcate the so necessary Duties of Recollection and Praier Nay rather vvill he not be more likely to discountenance those Exercises in vvhich he is not skilled and from vvhich perhaps he has an auersion 5. Therfore that too ordinarily maintained Position of some That Actiue Spirits are more fitt for Superiorities and Externall Emploiments then Contemplatiue which are to be left to the Solitude and Sequestration to which their Spirits incline them is indeed most vnreasonable groundles 6. On the contrary no doubt there is but that the decay of Religion hath principally proceeded from this preposterous disorder viz. that in most Religious Communities Actiue Spirits haue gott the aduantage to possesse themselues of Prelatures and Spirituall Pastourships ouer the Contemplatiue though the state of Religion vvas instituted only for Contemplation And this has happened euen since Contemplatiue Praier has bene restored by Persons extraordinarily raised by God as Rusbrochius Thaulerus S. Teresa c. so that Religious Communities haue bene ordered euen in the point of Spirituallity by Spirits of a quite different contrary temper to that for vvhich they vvere intended 7. Indeed it is not to be vvondred at that Actiue Spirits should so preuaile considering that those vvho are truly of a Contemplatiue disposition and designe knowing well the difficulty and Danger of Superiority how full of Extrouersion Distraction and Sollicitude it is and vvhat occasions and Tentations there are in it to raise nourish and satisfy sensuall Affections Pride c. to the perill of extinguishing the Spirit of Praier except in soules far aduanced in Praier and Mortification such I say are therfore iustly afraid of and doe vse all lawfull meanes to auoide the Care and Gouernment of others Whereas Actiue Spirits that liue in Religion not being capable of such Praier as will raise them much out of nature haue not the like apprehensions of such Employments But on the contrary being lead by naturall Desires of Preeminence and loue of liberty and beleiuing that those who are true Internall Liuers will not submit themselues to all the vvaies Policies vsed for the increasing the temporall Good of their Communities doe not feare to offer themselues yea and ambitiously to seeke Dominion ouer others falsely in the meane time persvvading themselues that their only Motiue is Charity and a Desire to promote the Glory of God and the aduancement both temporall and Spirituall of their Conuents or Congregations But vvhat the effect is experience shevves 8. True it is that it cannot be auoyded but that many vnfit spirits vvill oft be admitted into Religious Orders very different from the dispositions requisite though it belongs to Superiours to prouide as vvell as may be against such an abuse But such being admitted of Actiue Dispositions the best vvere to employ them in Actiue Exercises Externall matters as in the Offices of Procuration Dispense Building and the like But as for Prelacies the Charge of Instructing Nouices or other Offices pertaining to the directing of soules it is the destruction of the spirit of Contemplation to employ Actiue Dispositions in such For hovv can they vvithout light or Experience direct soules in vvaies vnknovven to themselues yea vvhich through ignorance or mistake they perhaps disapproue 9. Besides vpon exact consideration it vvill be found that in the point of Gouernment Contemplatiue Spirits that haue made a good progresse in Internall Praier haue great aduantages aboue the Actiue For such being carefull themselues to vse all due Abstraction vvill lesse molest themselues and others vvith impertinent businesses Not prying too narrowly into all passages as if they sought occasion of shewing their authority and ability in making vnnecessary reprehensions to the disquieting of Communities but for Peace sake they vvill sometimes euen silere a bonis passing ouer many things vvhich doe seeme a litle amisse vvherin they shevv great Prudence and also cause much proffit to subiects 2. Such being diligent about their ovvne Recollections doe out of a loue to silence Patience Peace forbeare the doing or imposing of a multitude of vnnecessary Taskes vpon others 3. By meanes of Praier they obtaine light to order all things to the benefit of their subiects soules And in case they haue erred or bene defectiue in any thing they discouer and amend it in their next Recollection 4. In the manner and fashion of their vvhole comportment a certaine Diuine Grace shines forth vvhich is of great efficacy to vvinne their subiects Heartes to Obedience and Diuine Loue. 5. Yea if by Corporall Infirmity they be disabled to attend
to many Externall Obseruances yet a vievv of the Patience quietnes and Resignation shevved by them is more edifying to soules vnder their Care then all the most exact externall Regularities and Seuerity of Actiue Spirits 6. Yea euen in regard of Temporall Benefit to Communities Contemplatiue Spirits are more aduantageous then Actiue Because they not putting any confidence in their ovvne Industry Prudence and Actiuity but only in the Diuine Prouidence vvhich is neuer vvanting to those that for temporall regards vvill not doe any thing vnseemely or misbecoming their Abstracted state doe enioy the effects and blessings of God far more plentifully vvhilst they preferre his loue and seruice before any humane distracting sollicitudes for outward things Memorable Examples of great Blessings attending such a Confidence in God vvee find abundantly in the Life of our holy Father and of the Ancient Monkes and more lately in the life of Suso Ioannes de Cruce c. Novv the vvant of such Confidence in Actiue Spirits proceedes merely from Defect in Diuine Loue and that from the vvant of Internall Praier And hence proceede hurtfull vnseemely compliances vvith the vvorld a regard rather to vvealth then good vvills to serue God in the soules that enter into Religion c. 10. A fearfull Example of the mischeife follovving the neglect of Internall Praier in a Superiour vvee find in Bernardinus Ochinus a Superiour in a most strict Order vvho vvas a famous Zealous Preacher and as might be iudged by outvvard appearance of more then ordinary Sanctity yet vvithall to comply vvith those outvvard Employments a great neglecter of Internall Conuentuall Recollections And vvhen he vvas sometimes charitably admonished of such his Tepidity his ordinary ansvver vvas Doe you not know that he who is alwaies in a good Action is alwaies in Praier Which Saying of his had bene true if such good actions had bene performed in vertue of Praier and by Grace obtained therby For then they had bene vertually Praiers Wheras Actions though in themselues neuer so good if they vvant that Purity of Intention vvhich is only to be had by Pure Praier are in Gods esteeme of litle or no valevv The principall motiues of them being no other then such as corrupt nature is likely to suggest Ochinus therfore continuing in the same neglect vvas by one of his Brethren prophetically vvarned that he must expect some terrible issue therof in these vvordes Caue ne te Ordo euâ—mat that is Take heede that our Order be not herafter constreiued to vomit thee out of it The vvhich vnhappily fell out For notvvithstanding all his other specious qualities and endovvments he first forsaking God vvas aftervvard forsaken by him and became a vvretched Antitrinitarian Apostate And it is very probable that the greatest part of the Apostates of these times such I meane as haue formerly liued in Religious Orders doe ovve their Apostacy and Perdition to no other cause so much as to such neglect and Apostacy first from Praier The which holy Exercise if they had continued they vvould neuer haue bene weary of their habit first and aftervvard of their Faith CHAP. VIII § 1. Superiours ought carefully to examine the dispositions of those that they admitt to Religion § 2. 3. Great danger to Communities from Loose Spirits § 4. 5. Other ill Qualities to be auoyded § 6. 7. 8. 9. Of a good Nature What is and how to be prised § 10. 11. Inconueniences by admitting Actiue Spirits into Contemplatiue Religions § 12. 13. 14. 15. Sufficient time for Recollection is to be allowed to all Religious § 16. Superiours will be accountable for disorders in their flock 1. NOw one of the principall Points of a Superiours Care for the vvellfare of his Community consists in prouiding or admitting into it only such Spirits and dispositions as are likely to promote the good of it by liuing according to the Spirit of it And in this all such Officers and Counsellours are concerned to vvhom the lavves haue referred the Examination and tryall of such as offer themselues to a Regular life and are aftervvard vpon their Approbation to be Professed And a greater consideration of this Point is more necessary in these daies then ancieÌ„tly it was For it is not now as in our holy Fathers time vvheÌ„ incorrigible Persons might be expelled the Congregation 2. It is not I suppose needfull to aduise such as are in those Offices to take care hovv they admitt loose Spirits into Religion among them vvho vvill not so much as intend God or his seruice All vvhose Actions haue no other Motiue but either feare of Pennance or hope of gaining Reputation Preferments c Whose bodies are Prisoners in Religion but their Minds and Desires vvandring in the vvorld Who must enioy all Priuiledges and corporall helpes equally vvith the best yea and generally vse them most vvastfully vvithout consideration of others Who finding no tast or contentment in Spirituall matters are euen forced to seeke satisfaction in sensuall pleasures and for the passing of the time to frame Designes to raise and maintaine factions and this especially against those that they see doe most intend God on vvhom they vvill cast from of themselues all the Burdens of a Regular life Who vvill thinke themselues excused from all Duties for the least corporall Incommodity Who vvill desire and endeauour to make others like themselues that their party and povver may be greater Lastly vvho reape so litle good to their ovvne soules and are likely to doe so much preiudice to others that probably it had bene much better for them to haue continued in the vvorld the state of Religion only seruing to encrease their guilt and misery 3. Such loose Spirits are vvorse in a Community vvhere the knovvledge of true Spirituality is common then in other places Because there they are vvillfully naught and doe resist amendment If by the seuerity of lavves and Constitutions they may come to be kept in some tolerable order yet this reaches only to the Exteriour lasts no longer then the Superiours eyes are vpon them And indeed the Superiours themselues vvill in all probability feele the greatest smart from such vndue Admissions being likely to find dayly great bitternes from their obstinacy Such loose Spirits are the cause of such a burdensome multiplicity of Lawes all vvhich notvvithstanding are litle auayleable for their amendment and yet doe abridge the due Liberty of Spirit necessary to deuout vvellminded Soules nourishing Scrupulosity c. in them 4. Let the best care that is possible be vsed notvvithstanding some vnfit persons vvill through easines partiall affection or other respects in the Examiners slip in If therfore those vvho are apparently bad be receiued vvhat a Community vvill there be prouided Many that seeme good vvill proue bad but seldome or neuer vvill those that appeare bad become good God indeed can change the vvorst But yet an vncertaine hope in extraordinary Grace is not to be relyed vpon especially vvhere
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
any alteration at all in their Essentiall Designe most secure and profitable to their ovvne Soules vvhich is the leading a Solitary Deuout and abstracted Life and therin aspiring to Contemplation This only must they aime at and to this must they order all their thoughts and Actions as if they vvere all their liues long to be imprisoned in their Cloysters Therfore neither entring nor aftervvards must they entertaine any Thoughts or designes about any thing that is out of the limits of their Conuents in vvhich for as much as concernes themselues their desire and intention must be to liue and dye Particularly they ought to banish out of their minds all meditations and inclinations to goe in Mission into England Yea if they vvill indeed comply vvith their Essentiall Profession they must resolue as much as lyes in them and vvithout offence to God or disobedience to their Superiours to preuent such an Employment of vvhich they cannot vvithout Pride thinke themselues worthy or able to encounter all the Tentations and dangers accompanying it simply and sincerely confining all their Thoughts and affections to that Life of Solitude Abstraction and Prayer vvhich they haue vowed and in vvhich their Soules vvill find truest comfort and Security 4. Consequently neither must they vvith an intention to approue vnto their Superiours their fitnes for that Charge therby as it vvere inuiting them to make vse of them for it apply themselues after such a manner to the Studies proper for such an Employment as in any measure therby to hinder or interrupt the reading of such Bookes as are most beneficiall to their Soules and much lesse to hinder their dayly serious Recollections In case their Superiours vvho are only concerned in that busines shall require of them to apply themselues diligently to such Studies as may fit them for the Mission they are obliged therin to submit themselues to Obedience Yet euen in that case if they find that much time cannot be spent in them without hurt to their Spirit and a neglect or preiudice to their appointed Recollections they ought to acquaint their Superiours vvith their Case vvho no doubt will preferre the good and aduancement of their Soules by Solitude Purity of Spirit and Internall Prayer before any other Considerations whatsoeuer Yea they vvill iudge Prayer to be a better disposition and to procure a greater enablement euen for such a Calling then Study And vvill take heed hovv they send any abroad that for their Studies neglect their Prayer For what Blessing from God can such hope vpon any Endeauours of theirs Is it not more likely that themselues vvill be peruerted then others by them conuerted 5. It cannot easily be imagined hovv mischeiuous to many Soules the neglect of such Aduices may be Some vvill perhaps haue a mind to take the Habit for that End intent principally of going aftervvard into England What miserable Distractions vvould such a Resolution cause during all the time of their abode in their Conuent For all their thoughts almost all their Affections hopes and Designes vvill be caryed abroad into another Countrey so that the place of their Profession vvill be esteemed a place of Exile to them And so far vvill they be from procuring a Diuine Light and Grace to enable them for so terrible an Employment by the meanes of Prayer that Prayer and Solitude vvill be distastfull to them Regular Obseruances will be a burden and any thing that may delay their Intention vvhich they say is of Conuerting Soules but alas perhaps with the losse or at least imminent danger of their ovvne 6. Nay some that at the Beginning haue simply and vvith a good Intention taken the Habit yeilding aftervvard to the spirit of Tepidity the vvhich turnes their happy Solitude into a Prison vvill looke vpon the Mission as a meanes to free themselues from their Profession and therfore vvill not feare to vse all meanes by friends and sollicitations of their Superiours that they may be suffred to quit it and to goe in Mission God only knovves into vvhat dangers and Tentations they vvillfully thrust themselues being vtterly vnprouided of Light or Grace to resist them And vvhat other issue can be expected but that God should giue them vp to suâ—h Tentations vnto vvhich out of a sensuall Affection to the vvorld Pride and a vvearines of Prayer they haue exposed themselues vvithout any Call from him yea contrary to his vvill 7. Novv it is not only particular Religious but much more Superiours that ought to thinke themselues concerned most deeply in these matters For in case such vnvvary rash Soules shall come thus to destroy themselues they annot but knovv that those Soules shall be required at their hands They ought therfore to roote out of the hearâ—s of their Subiects all such pernicious Designes by shevving that they esteeme them least worthy that are most forward to offer themselues And great care and vvarines ought they to vse hovv they send or permitt any to goe abroad before they be sufficiently furnished not so much vvith Learning as vvith the Spirit of Mortification and Prayer and vvith zeale proceeding from an established Charity that so they may not by vndertaking and executing Actiue employments preiudice and perhaps ruine their Contemplatiue state 8. Our Examples ought to be our first Hoâ—y Conuerters of England vvho did not vndertake such a Charge till they vvere grovvne old in the Exercices of Solitude and Contemplation And not then till an absolute command vvas imposed on them by the Supreme Pastâ—ur And in the Execution of their Charge they neuer suffred their Labours and Sollicitudes to dispence vvith them for the continuing of their accustomed Austerities and the Exercise of Prayer but borrovved from their Employments as much time as could possibly be allovved to spend in Abstraction Solitude and Contemplation Yea though they conuersed only vvith Pagans and Barbarous Soules yet so zealous vvere they of their Monasticall Life and Profession that they vvould not so much as quit the Habit And vvhen they vvere consecrated and exalted to the Episcopall function yet still they retained both the Exercises and fashions of Monasticall Contemplatiue Persons as S. Bede declareth 9. Moreouer in latter times Experience hath vvitnessed that some humble and deuout though not so learned Missioners haue prospered better in Conuerting Soules then the most acute and cunning Controuertists And haue by their Humility Modesty and edifying Conuersation but especially by the practise and teaching of Internall Prayer gained to Catholicke Vnity those Soules that many other most skillfull in Disputes and vvithall enabled vvith Experience haue for long time in vaine attempted 10. Notvvithstanding all this I doe not deny but that to a Religious foule an Impulse and interiour inuitation may come from God to goe into the Mission This is possible but most certaine it is that such an Inuitation vvill very rarely if euer come but to Soules established in a Spirituall Life And in this case it vvill be
on the other side Voluntary Mortifications are such as on our ovvne heads vvithout the Aduice iudgment of those that are acquainted vvith our Interiour vvee voluntarily assume or impose on our selues either because vvee haue seene or read of others that haue done the like thervpon vvithout further due consideration of our ovvne state or abilities vvee vvill hope they vvill aduance vs as much in the vvay of perfection such are Voluntary corporall fasts beyond vvhat the Church or Regular obseruance doe require Wearing of hairecloth chaines c obstinate silence during the times that the orders of the community doe appoint conuersations c. To these may be abded an assuming the taske of saying so many Vocall Prayers Rosaries c. 4. This Distinction being premised the deuout Reader is to take notice that vvhatsoeuer hitherto hath or shall be spoken of the vse end benefits of Mortification is to be vnderstood applied only to mortifications of necessity and not to such as are voluntary And moreouer that all these Instructions Directions are intended only for such soules vvhether Religious or others as are entred or desirous to enter into an Internall course tending to Contemplation 5. As touching therefore the former sort of Necessary mortifications according to the vvhole latitude before expressed a deuout soule is to be exhorted as being her duty obligation vvith all courage feruour to accept chearfully vndergoe them considering that besides the foremencioned inestimable Benefits attending them they are of great security free from all perill of errour indiscretion or pride 6. But as for Voluntary mortifications those I meane vvhich are properly such vvee haue nothing to doe vvith them yea moreouer I should neuer persvvade a spirituall Disciple to assume any considerable mortifications besides such as attend his present state of life till he can assure himselfe that he has a good Call to them that is till after that hauing spent a considerable time in Internall prayer he haue receiued light to iudge of their fitnes for him Grace or spirituall strength to vndertake pursue them chearfully vvithall has the approbation of his Superiour or spirituall Directour Yea though he had a body as strong as Samson vvithall a very good inclination to Internall vvaies I should hardly be the first proposer mouer inciter of him to such extraordinary mortifications vnlesse some speciall occasion required them for a remedy against any speciall tentations then assalting him In vvhich case they are not indeed to be esteemed extraordinary and voluntary although supernumerary but considering the present state ordinary necessary Yea if such an one should aske my counsell about the vse of such mortifications vpon examination I should find it to be doubtfull vvhether it vvas vpon a Diuine Inspiration that he vvas moued to desire them I should take the surer course that is to dissvvade him from the vndertaking of them 7. It is true vvee find in reading the liues of Saints that most of them haue practised them many euen from their infancy But this shevves that spirits fit for extraordinary mortifications are rarely to be found being only such as God himselfe leades after an extraordinary manner to make them Examples of the povver of his Grace to the Edification of many vsing them for his Instruments in great vvorkes As for vs vvee are not to suppose that God esteemes vs fit or intends vs for such extraordinary matters Therfore it may suffise vs to vndergoe such mortifications as God himselfe has prouided for vs beleiuing him to knovv vvhat is best for vs most proportionable 8. In all our holy Rule there is no prouision nor order made for such extraordinary or supernumerary mortifications but only in the 49. Cap. about diet in the time of Lent c. And then it is forbidden to vndertake such vvithout the Approbation of the Superiour the neglect of vvhich Approbation is imputed to rashnes For our holy Father as he knevv the inestimable benefit of mortifications vvhich come from God therfore he is exact in requiring conformity to the Austerities commanded in the Rule so on the other side vvas he not ignorant of the great inconueniences that probably attend the vndertaking such extraordinary ones by imperfect soules vvhich are commonly induced thereto merely out of a fancy humour or sudden passion for such are seldome attended vvith any blessing from God vvho neither is obliged nor ordinarily vvill bestovv his grace Spirituall strength for the vndergoing of any morcifications but such as are sent by him or euidently ordained by his inspiration And experience vvitnesses this because vvee seldome see soules to perseuere in those vvhich they assume by their ovvne free election And vvhiles they performe them it is vvith little or no purity of Intention herevpon it is that our holy Father expressly declares that the Diuine Inspiration grace is to be acknovvledged the roote of all religious voluntary Austerities by those vvords of his Cap. 40. Quibus donat Deus tolerantiam Abstinentiae That is To whom God hath giuen the courage or strength to suffer extraordinary abstinence Adding vvithall that such voluntary Abstinences must be offred to God cum gaudio Sancti Spiritus with ioy of the holy Ghost 9. Great caution therfore is to be vsed in the reading making vse of Instructions examples found especially concerning this point in spirituall Bookes Because othervvise a soule vvill be in danger to plunge herselfe into great inconueniences difficulties for vvhilst she does imitate such extraordinary practises it is to be feared being yet imperfect she vvill entertaine a proud conceipt of herselfe not receiuing Grace to perseuere she vvill be apt to dravv from thence matter of scrupulosity deiection so far as perhaps to become disheartned from further tendance in the vvay of the spirit Yea such a soule vvill be lyable to contract therby an obscurity in her vnderstanding especially if she be vnlearned by vvhich she vvill become disabled to distinguish Necessary Mortifications from voluntary 10. It is a very hard to many soules vvould proue a dangerous Aduice vvhich some Spirituall Authours giue viz. That a Spirituall Disciple should in euery thing that is of it selfe indifferent in case that seuerall obiect be offred to choyce take that vvhich is most contrary to his naturall Inclination As if many seuerall dishes vvere set before vs to eate only that vvhich vvee least like thus to liue in a continuall contradiction crossing of nature 11. Surely no soules but such as are in a good measure perfect are capable of making good vse of such aduises for only such can vvith facility discretion proffit practise them As for the lesse perfect if they practise them vvith any vvillingnes it is to be feared that the true ground is because therby they doe couertly comply vvith nature some orher vvay nourishing selfe-esteeme contempt of others not so courageous
vvell as others vvho ought to be very far from fauouring this perniciously officious and vncharitable humour of accusing or informing in any of their Religious Much lesse ought they to esteeme that their Authoriâ—y can extend to the preiudice of Brotherly Charity so far as to exâ—use or howeuer to oblige any one to be an accuser or informer against his brethren A pretence of doing good to their subiects soules vvill be alledged by such Superiours as are of a curious inquisitive Disposition and are continually searching into the behaviour of their Religious but little good Reformation vvill ever be vvrought by such an humour of Iealous Curiosity On the contrary the effects of it are the breeding of discontents generally in all and the greatest mischeife to the soules of private vncharitable Informers 10. It is more secure for one that is apt to offend in his Tongue to be in company of many then of one or two whom he affects Therfore particular Intimacy and private correspondences betvvene Religious is much to be avoyded both for the Peace of Communities and the good of each priuate Religious Person 11. No vvords are to be spoken nor Action done merely vpon the motiue of edifying others And indeed vvhere recreatiue conuersations are allovved the most commodious subiects of Discourse are purely indifferent things and such as are neither apt to moue Passions nor to leaue distracting Images in the Hearers minds 12. Vpon this occasion I conceiue it necessary to adde some Aduices touching Religious Recreations The vvhich are not to be concluded fit to be prohibited because vvee sayd that the Duty of Mortification extends it selfe vniuersally to the whole soule and that it is to be continued to the end of ones Life On the contrary not only Reason but the Examples of the most Perfect among the Ancient Saints famous for Contemplation shew that it is proffitable yea at due times necessary To this purpose seemes the story of S. Iohn the Euangelist the first Doctour and Example of Contemplation whose custome vvas to recreate himselfe vvith a tame Doue For vvhich being censured by a Hunter that passed by as for an Action that vvas beneath his grauity and not beseeming one that professed a continuall conuersation vvith God He defended himselfe to the conuiction of the reprouer by shevving that as a Bow if it be alvvayes bent would loose its force so the mind likevvise vvould become vtterly vncapable of Diuine Thoughts if no relaxation vvere allovved to it considering the infirmity of the Body that cannot alvvays supply fit Spirits to Actions especially to such as are so contrary to its inclinations 13. True it is that in our Holy Rule there are extant no Orders about Conuentuall Recreations which argues that none vvere practised in those dayes Yea our Holy Father takes a particular care hovv euery hower of the day should be employed in common Notvvithstanding after Refection he enioyned the Religious to retire each one into his Cell permitting them a conuenient time to refresh themselues alone either with Sleepe as the custome vvas in that vvarme Climate or othervvise as they found themselues disposed if they had no inclination to Sleepe for no certaine employment is then appointed 14. But because in these latter dayes our complexions are not supposed able to support so great solitude and Attention to the Spirit as hath bene sayd Therfore haue Superiours allovved and ordeined daily certaine times for Recreatiue Conferences almost obliging each particular Religious Person to be present at them And besides at certaine seasons monthly or as the custome is they haue afforded an addition to the Diet. 15. Neither doth this preiudice the Duty of continuall Mortification vvhich is not to be interpreted in extreme rigour because then nature euen in the ablest complexions vvould be destroyed And besides Recreations are appointed that Mortification may be better more feruently exercised aftervvard Adde herunto that euen in Recreation it selfe Mortification may and ought in some reasonable degree to be discreetly exercised so as that the mind is not to povvre it selfe forth vpon that vvhich is pleasant to nature but to keepe a moderate vvatchfullnesse ouer it selfe and to referre the contentment found therin to the good of the Spirit 16. To speake a little therefore particularly touching such Conferences Decency is in grosse to be obserued But it vvill be diâ—ficult to prescribe any sett order or manner for the Talke as not to speake vnasked not to exceede such a limitation of vvords c. to omit many particular cautions which at other times are to be observed Here some more freedome must be allovved so it goe not too far 17. Among Women there can scarce be any Recreation if the Tongue be too much stinted Neither is it to be expected that their Talke should be of Spirituall matters Both because such Talke is far from being recreatiue as likevvise because none but expert Persons ought to discourse of such subiects Indeed to make such the subiect of ordinary Discourse euen betvvene the most able experienced persons either Men or vvomen is not conuenient at all Except some speciall occasion makes it expedient For it vsually proceeds from Pride or a vvillingnes to interest ones selfe in the guiding of the Consciences of others and may produce inconuenient Effects in both 18. The matter and conditions of Recreatiue Discourse therfore may be 1. That the matter doe not particularly referre to the Interiour of any of the parties But if it regard a Religious State that it be about lesse considerable externall matters as Ceremonies Customes c. 2. That it may be some thing that may be apt to cause chearfullnes though not laughter vvhich our Holy Father vvould haue banished from his Communities Novv Discourses about such matters are not to be reputed Idle words 3. It were better to talke of the ocurrences of former times then of the present because our Holy Father forbids the inquiring or telling of newes in the vvorld for feare least the Hearers being interessed may become distracted vvith sollicitudes 4. It must not therfore be of any thing that probably vvill leaue in the minds any hurtfull Images 5. The Hearer is not to suffer the subiect of the Discourses to enter so deepe into his mind as that it should raise any Passions there 6. It must by no meanes be of any thing â—y vvhich any one present or absent may be preiudiced or contristated nor indeed aftervvards distracted c. 19. As touching those that are naturally of Melancholick Dispositions they ought to be exceedingly vvatchfull ouer themselues that they giue not vvay to so pestilent an humour Nature vvill incline them to auoyd all Recreations and diuersions and being very subtle it vvill suggest pretences to iustify a froward Lonelines an humour not able to support innocent conuersation as if this vvere done out of a Loue to a Religious Solitude and Recollection But in all likelyhood such a peruerse Solitude is employed
the mortification of vvhich vvee are novv to treate of is such an one as is incident more particularly to tender Deuout soules especially women that pursue the exercises of a Contemplatiue life the vvhich is vsually called Scrupulosity vvhich is a mixd kind of Passion the most contrary to that peace of mind necessary in a spirituall course of any other as being enuenomed vvith vvhatsoeuer causes anxiety and invvard torments almost in all other Passions It regards Sin and Hell the most abhorred and most terrible obiects of all others and it is composed of all the bitternesses that are found in Feare Despaire ineffectuall Desires vncertainty of Iudgement Iealousy c. And penetrating to the very mind and Spirit obscuring and troubling the Vnde stanâ—ing our only Directour and torturing the Will by plucking it violently contrary vvayes almost at the same time it causes the most pestilent disorders that a vvell-meaning soule is capable of in so much as if it be obstinatly cherished it sometimes ends in direct Frensy or vvhich is vvorse a desperate forsaking of all Duties of vertue and Piety And vvhere it is in a lesse Degree yet it causes Images so distracting so intimely penetrating so closely sticking to the mind and by consequence is so destructiue to Praier with Recollectednes that it deserues all care and Prudence to be vsed for the preuenting or expelling it 4. For vvhich purpose I vvill here according to the best light that God has giuen me afford such tender soules as are vpon this Rack of Scrupulosity the best Aduices I can and such ac if they vvill haue the courage to practise accordingly I doe not doubt but through Gods helpe they vvill be preserued from the dangerous consequences of such a Passion I shall insist vvith more then an ordinary copiousnes vpon this subiect because this so dangerous a Passion is but too ordinary among soules of the best dispositions 5. But in the first place I must make this Protestation that these foll wing Instructions in vvhich a great yet necessary condescendenâ—y is allovved in many cases doe belong vnto application of them only to be made by such tender fearfull soules as desire and intend sincerely to follow Internall Praier and other Duties of a Spirituall life with as much courage diligence as their frailty will permit Such doe indeed too often stand in neede and are vvorthy of all assistance indulgence that Reason and a good conscience can possibly allovv as being persons thrt vvill probably turne all to the glory of God good of their soules and not to the ease or contentment of sensuall nature vvhich they account their greatest Enemie and much lesse to vnlavvfull liberty 6. I doe protest therfore against all extrouerted Liuers or any of different Tempers and Exercises that shall presume to apply or assume vnto themselues any indulgences c. here not belonging to them For they vvill but misleade themselues and reape harme by so doing It seldome falls out that such persons haue a feare of a sin committed or of the mortall heynousnes of it but that it is very likely that it is such an one and has bene committed And therfore for no difficulty of nature nor for the auoyding of trouble of mind ought they to expect any dispensations from due Examinations of their Conscience expresse Confessions c Wheras a thousand to one the forementioned tender soules doe take those for mortall sins vvhich are mere Tentations yea perhaps pure mistakes And therfore to oblige them to such strict Examiâ—ations or Confessions vvould only nourish their most distracting Anguishes of mind furnish them vvith nevv matters of Scrupulosity 7. Novv to encourage such tender vvell-minded soules to make vse of these or any other the like Aduices proper for theÌ„ I desire them to take notice that that very Disposition to vvit a tender fearfullnes of offending God vvhich renders them obnoxious to this so pernicious a Passion is such an one as if they can auoide this inconuenience vvill be the most aduantageous of all others to enable them to make a speedy progresse in Internall waies and to attaine to Purity of heart the immediate disposition to Contemplation aboue all other So that this is the only snare that the Deuill has to hinder them namely by taking aduantage from such Tendernes to fill their minds full of multiplicity and vnquiet Apprehensions With the vvhich snare if they suffer themselues to be entangled they vvill find that Scrupulosity vvill be far from being effectuall to cure any of their Imperfections yea it vvill make Contemplatiue Praier impossible to be attained And God grant that those be the vvorst and most dangerous effects of it 8. Such Tendernes of Conscience that is naturall to many frequently happens to be much encreased immediatly after the entring into an Internall course of life And therfore then especiall care ought to be vsed for for the preuenting of the fearfull Apprehensions vvhich are the vsuall consequences of it And the ground of such encrease of TeÌ„dernes at that time is not so much a conscience of former sins as too seuere a Iudgment of their present Imperfections the vvhich seeme to be multiplied by reason of the continuall opposition that corrupt nature giues to their present Exercises as likevvise because â—y the practise of such Exercises they haue a New light to discouer a vvorld of Defects formerly inuisible to them Hence they become fearfull of their present Condition and knovving as yet no other remedy but Confession they torment themselues vvith anxious preparations therto And their feares yet not ceasing by hauing receiued Absolution and besides the same opposition of sensuality against Internall Prayer continuing they begin to susâ—ect their former Confessions vvhich therfore they renew so that all their thoughts almost are taken vp vvith these suspicions of themselues unsatisfactions in their Confessions c And by giuing vvay to such anxious customary Confessions to vvhich also perhaps they are encouraged by their indiscreete Guides they endanger themselues to contract an incurable Disease of most pernicious Scrupulosity and Seruile Feare from vvhich terrible anguishes deiectednes and heartlesnes in all Spirituall Duties doe follovv vvith danger of rendring the State of Religion or at least of an Internall Life begun a condition lesse fruitfull yea more dangerous then a common Extrouerted life in the vvorld vvould haue bene 9. Deuout foules therfore are earnestly vvished to make timely prouision against these Inconueniencies courageously to resist Scrupulosiâ—y in the beginning according to the Aduices here follovving And aboue all things to vse their best endeauours and Prudence as far as it belongs to them as likevvise their Praiers to God that they fall not into the hands of Directours that vvill feede this Humour to them in such a state most pernicious of frequent iterated Confessions either particular or Generall If such care be had in the beginning there is no disease more easily curable
Perfection vvee are arriued 6. Fourthly All increase of sanctifying Grace by vvhatsoeuer instruments it be produced as by Regular Austerities Temperance Exercises of Mortification is performed according to the good Internall dispositions and Actuations of soule accompanying the vse of them Yea the same may also in a certaine proportion be affirmed euen of the Sacraments themselues in adultis The vvhich although by their ovvne intrinsecall Vertue and as the Councell of Trent sess 7. can 8. expresses it ex opere operato they doe conserre a peculiar Grace and ayde and this Quantum est parte Dei at all times and on all Persons that duly receiue them see sess 7. cap. 6. 7. Yet vvithall the quantity and Measure of the sayd Grace is in the same Councell sess 6. cap. 7. sayd to be Secundam propriam cuiusque dispositionem cooperationem according to the peculiar disposition and cooperation of each Person respectiuely That is Those that come vvith more or lesse perfect intense continued and multiplied Internall Acts of Faith Hope Charity Deuotion c doe accordingly receiue a more or lesse plentifull measure of Sacramentall Grace Novv vvhat are all these dispositions and Preparations but the Exercising of Internall Prayer Whence appeares hovv vvonderfull an Influence Internall Prayer both by vvay of Merit or impetration and likevvise by a direct Efficiency hath in the producing and encrease of Diuine vertues in the Soule 7. Fifthly if a soule out of the times of Prayer shall in occasions for example of contradictions persecutions c neglect to exercise Patience she must necessarily exercise impatience by consequence vvill make little or no progresse by her Prayer Yet if then she shall vse any reasonable care diligence or vvatchfullnes ouer herselfe though not for the getting of much yet not to loose much out of Prayer God vvill by meanes of her Prayer seriously prosecuted infuse such a measure of Grace as vvill cause a progresse notvvithstanding frequent failings through frailty or inaduertence c. But it vvill be late ere the effects of such infusion vvill appeare 8. Sixthly increase in vertue doth purely depend on the free Grace good pleasure of God conferring the said grace in prayer c. in a measure as himselfe pleaseth also by his holy Prouidence administring occasions seuerally of exercising seuerall vertues The vvhich occasions ordinarily are not at all in our ovvne povver or disposall 9. Seauenthly according to our progresse in vertues so is our progresse in Prayer till the soule be in a very high degree purified from selfe-loue she is incapable of that perfect degree of Prayer vvhich is called Contemplation According to that saving of our Sauiour Math. 5. Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt That is Blessed are the Pure in heart for they shall see God And the reason is euident because vntill the internall Eye of the soule be cleansed from the mists of Passions inordinate Affections it neither vvill nor can fixe it selfe vpon so pure diuine an obiect True it is that in euery the most imperfect degree of Prayer by vvhich the soule is proportionally purified God is in some qualified sence contemplated But vvee doe not apply the terme of Contemplation except only to the most sublime degree of prayer The vvhich yet is neuer so perfectly absolute in this life but that it may vvithout limitation increase Because the soule is neuer so perfectly freed from the bitter fruits of originall sin Ignorance Concupiscence but there vvill ouer remaine matter exercise for further mortification or purification 10. Eighthly Vertues are in no other state of life so perfectly established in the depth center of the Spirit as in a Contemplatiue state Because all the exercises therof doe principally directly regard the exaltation spiritualising purification of the Spirit by a continuall application adhesion vnion of it to God the fountaine of light Purity 11. Lastâ—y by the meanes of Contemplatiue Prayer in an Internall Life Vertues are most easily obteined most securely possessed and most perfectly practised In an Actiue life a Person that aspires to Perfection therin stands in neede of many things to enable him for the practise of the Duties disposing therto For the Exercise of Externall vvorks of Charity there are needfull Riches or freinds c And for Spirituall Almes-giuing there is required Learning study Disputation c. And if by the helpe of these there be acquired an establiâ—hed Habit of Solide Charity it is not very securely possessed in the midst of so many distractions follicitudes and Tentations But a Contemplatiue life as S. Thomas 22. q. 182. a. 1. c. obserues euen from Aristotle himselfe stands in neede of very few things being to it selfe susficient Such a Person alone vvithout needing either assistance or fauour from abroad can both purchase and exercise all vertues yea and liberally dispence all kinds of Charity to others also For by Prayer alone exercised in Solitude he can employ and engage Gods Omnipotence Wisedome and all the treasures of his riches for the supplying all the necessities Externall and Internall of his Church The light that is gotten by Prayer vvill be more then equivalent to long and laborious study not sanctified vvith Prayer for the enabling him to discharge efficaciously a Pastorall charge ouer soules vvhen they shall be committed to him Though no doubt Prayer vvill also incite to sufficient study And in the meane time though he vvere depriued of all conuersations and Bookes yea fettred and buried in the obscurity of a dungeon Prayer alone vvould be a sufficient entertainment to him There he vvould find God and his Holy Spirit as present and as bountifull to him as euer Yea the greater Solitude there is at the more freedome is the soule to run speedily and lightly in the course of Vertues For nothing doth indeede fetter her but selfeloue Propriety And lastly Vertues once gotten are euideÌ„tly most securely possessed in Solitude from vvhence all distraction and almost all Tentations are excluded THE END OF THE SECOND TREATISE OF MORTIFICATION SANCTA SOPHIA OR DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRAYER OF CONTEMPLATION c. Extracted out of more then XL. Treatises written by the late Ven. Father F. AVGVSTIN BAKER A Monke of the English Congregation of the Holy Order of S. BENEDICT And Methodically digested by the R. F. SERENVS CRESSY Of the same Order and Congregation And printed at the Charges of his Conuent of S. GREGORIES IN DOWAY VOL. II. AT DOWAY By IOHN PATTE ' and THOMAS FIEVET ANNO D. M.DC.LVII TO THE VENERABLE AND R. LADY D. CATHERINE GASCOIGNE The Lady Abbesse of the Religious Dames of the Holy Order of S. BENEDICT in Cambray And to all the RR. Dames c. of the same Conuent MADAME If I had not any pressing obligation as I haue many to take all occasions to acknowledge both my worthy esteeme and resentment also for your many fauours Yet without iniustice
it be vsed as a meanes to raise better their attention to God yet so that it must allvvaies giue place to Internall prayer vvhen they find themselues disposed for it 11. But as for that Vocall Prayer either in Publick or Priuate vvhich is by the lawes of the Church of obligation no manner of pretences of finding more proffit by internall exercises ought to be esteemed a sufficient ground for any to neglect or disparage it for though some soules of the best dispositions might perhaps more aduance themselues tovvards Perfection by internall exercises alone yet since generally euen in Religion soules are so tepide negligent that if they vvere left to their owne voluntary Deuotions they vvould scarce euer exercise either vocall or mentall Prayer therefore in as much as a manifest distinction cannot be made betvveene the particular dispositions of persons it vvas requisite necessary that all should be obliged to a Publick externall performance of diuine Seruice praysing God vvith the tongues also vvhich vvere for that end giuen vs That so an order Decorum might be obserued in Gods Church to the end it might imitate the employment of Angells glorified Saints in a solemne vnited ioyning of hearts tongues to glorify God This vvas necessary also for the edification inuitation of those vvho are not obliged to the Office vvho perhaps vvould neuer thinke of God vvere they not encouraged therto by seeing good soules spend the greatest part of their time in such solemne almost hourely praying to praysing God 12. Novv vvhereas to all manner of prayer as hath bene said there is necessarily required an Attention of the mind vvithout vvhich it is not prayer Wee must knovv that there are seuerall kinds degrees of attention All of them good but yet one more perfect proffitable then another For. 1. There is an Attention or expresse reflexion on the vvords sense of the sentence pronounced by the tongue or reuolued in the mind Now this Attention being in vocall prayer necessarily to vary change according as sentences in the Psalmes c doe succeede one another cannot so povverfully efficaciously fixe the mind or affections on God because they are presently to be recalled to nevv considerations or succeding affections This is the lovvest most imperfect degree of Attention Of vvhich all soules are in some measure capable the more imperfect they are the lesse difficulty there is in yeilding it for soules that haue good established affections to God can hardly quitt a good Affection by vvhich they are vnited to God vvhich they find gustfull proffitable for them to exchange it for a nevv one succeeding in the Office And if they should it vvould be to their preiudiâ—e 13. The second degree is that of soules indifferently vvell practised in Internall Prayer vvho coming to the reciting of the Office either bringing vvith them or by occasion of such reciting raising in themselues an efficacious Affection to God doe desire vvithout variation to continue it vvith as profound a Recollectednes as they may not at all heeding vvhether it be suitable to the sense of the present passage vvhich they pronounce This is an Attention to God though not to the words and is far more beneficiall then the former And therfore to oblige any soules to quit such an Attention for the former would be both preiudiciall vnreasonable For since all Vocall Prayers in Scripâ—ure or othervvise vvere ordained only to this end to supplâ— furnish the soule that needs vvith good matter of affection by vvhich it may be vnited to God a soule that hath allready attained to that end vvhich is vnion as long as it lasts ought not to be separated therefrom be obliged to seeke a nevv meanes till the vertue of the former be spent 14. A third most Sublime Degree of Attention to the Diuine Office is that vvherby Vocall Prayers doe become mentall that is vvherby soules most profoundly vvith a perfect simplicity vnited to God can yet vvithout any preiudice to such vnion attend also to the sence spirit of each passage that they pronounce yea thereby find their affection adhesion vnion increased more simplified This Attention comes not till a soule be arriued to perfect Contemplation by meanes of vvhich the spirit is so habitually vnited to God besides the imagination so subdued to the spirit that it cannot rest vpon any thing that vvill distract it 15. Happy are those soules of vvhich God knovves the number is very small that haue attained to this third Degree the vvhich must be ascended to by a carefull practise of the two former in their order especirlly of the second Degre And therfore in reciting of the Office euen the more imperfect soules may doe vvell vvhensoeuer they find themselues in a good measure recollected to continue so as long as they vvell can preseruing as much stability in their imagination as may be 16. And the best meanes to beget increase such a recollected vvay of saying the Diuine Office is the practise of Internall Prayer either in meditation or immediate Acts of the vvill the only aime and end vvherof is the procuring an immoueable Attention adhesion of the Spirit to God And this as to our present purpose may suffise concerning Vocall Prayer CHAP. III. § 1. Of Internall Prayer in generall And principally of Internall Affectiue Prayer § 2. 3. 4. 5. The excellency necessity of Affectiue Praier And that it was practised by the Antients not discoursiue Prayer or Meditation § 6. The great necessity of it in these dayes § 7. 8. The Testimony of Cardinall Bellarmine to shew that Vocall Prayer c. suffiseth not § 9. 10. 11. c. Fiue admirable Vertues of Internall Affectiue Prayer § 16. 17. An exhortation to constancy courage in pursuing the exercise of it 1. INTERNALL or Mentall Prayer vvhich is simply and merely such and vvhich vvee made the second member in the Diuision of Prayer in generall if indeed it be a distinct kind and of vvhich only vvee shall treate hereafter is either 1. Imperfect and acquired 2. Or Perfect that which is called properly Infused Prayer The former is only a Preparation Inferiour Disposition by vvhich the soule is fitted made capable of the Infusion of the other to vvit the Prayer of Contemplation vvhich is the end of all our Spirituall Religious Exercises I shall therfore in order treate of them both of their seuerall speciall degreeâ— beginning with the lovvest thence ascending orderly till vvee come to the highest the vvhich vvill bring a soule to the state of Perfection 2. But before I come to deliuer the speciall Instructions pertinent to the exercise of the seuerall Degrees of Internall Prayer It vvill be very requisite by vvay of Preparation encouragement to set dovvne the necessity excellency of Internall Prayer in generall I meane especially of
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
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
in those for whom it is proper is not vsually much assalted with such Aridities except it be sometimes tovvards the end of such Prayer vvhen soules vvould endeauour to dravv good affections from a precedent Motiue considered by the vnderstanding for then the heart may sometimes proue barren or auerse from such affections But hovveuer they that practise Meditation may find some remedy by surceasing the producing of affections may either betake themselues to exercise mere Acts of the vvill vvhich are not so affectiue or retire themselues to their internall discourse 23. The paine anguish that good soules suffer from these aridities is very greiuous being a kind of continuall martyrdome And therfore the merit of constancy in Prayer notvvithstanding such discouragments in nature is the greater And soules to vvhom God shall giue such constancy vvill find their exercise◠both much more secure howeuer disgustfull they be yea much more proffitable then if they had flowed vvith sensible affections For all manner of good is gotten by Prayer of Aridity courageously prosecuted all vertues are exercised in it it is both Prayer and most efficacious Mortification too 24. And indeed the only generall effectuall Remedy against any inconueniences that may be caused by such aridities is this generosity of resolution not to seeke contentment in Nature by Internall Exercises nor to quit them for any dullnes coldnes or auersion vvhatsoeuer Let but soules doe the best they can or knovv they vvill find that their spirituall progresse in the true solide only meritorious Loue of God vvill not at all be hindred but rather aduanced by such frovvard indispositions of corrupt nature 25. And such courage effectuall Resolution may vvell enough consist vvith these discouragements for the spirit vvhose operations doe not much depend on the corporall disposition may in the midst of all sensible aridities obscurities performe its functions vvith great efficacy The intellectiue faculty is at all times capable of illumination the vvill of receiuing Grace strength from God And the light grace vvhich vvee receiue at such times are far more pure Diuine then vvhen corporall affections doe abound For then they are communicated purely to the spirit And consequently the operations performed in vertue of such light grace are more noble and meritorious because it is apparent that nature neither does nor can mingle her ovvne interests in them so that they may confidently be adiudged to be supernaturall Diuine The essentiall proffit of a soule consists in the light loue of the spirit Such light loue therfore vvhich are got vvith so much difficulty in such strugling of nature is far more pure generous vvithall more solidely rooted in the soule then that vvhich is got by the exercise of sensible affections because all the vvhile there is a continuall combat against selfe-loue all the most secret subtile deepely hidden snares of it So that all Vertues becoming thus rooted in the depth of the spirit hauing bene produced by the meanes in the midst of the sharpest Tentations there is lesse feare that they vvill be extinguished by other follovving Tryalls 26. Novv at the first to the end to attaine vnto this most necessary courageousnes of mind such soules may doe vvell to helpe themselues during their aridities vvith the best motiues most efficacious Affections that they can furnish themselues vvithall either out of their ovvne Inuention or by collection out of bookes as likevvise frequently to vrge euen force themselues to the loue of God by such eiaculatory Prayers desires as these O my God when shall I loue thee as thou deseruest When shall I loue as I am loued by thee O that I were freed from my selfe that I may only loue thee Excita potentiam tuam veni Veni Domine noli tardare Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici eius c 27. Such Affections as these let a deuout soule exercise in her recollections likevvise the best she can in case she cannot see hovv other vvayes to doe better although vvithout any gust or sensible contentment And God vvill not faile to accept plentifully revvard her good vvill therby promote her in such manner as he best knovves She may be sure that since he has giuen her the generous courage to serue him vvithout present vvages he vvill at least in the next life multiply revvards vpon her infinitely aboue her expectation And she ought to account it a proofe of his speciall loue esteeme of her that he has selected her to be a Martyr of loue a souldier to vvhose courage he commits the most difficult hazardous Employments 28. In Case that internall distresses in Prayer be so violent that the soule to her seeming can only keepe herselfe in an outvvard posture of prayer all that she thinkes or does appearing to her so vtterly voyd of all spirit of deuotion loue Reuerence to God that she may rather suspect it to be iniurious to him let her be patient abstaine from disquieting her mind vvith murmuring complaints by all meanes let her be sure not to betake herselfe to consolation in creatures or recreatiue diuersions in times appoynted for Recollection then all vvill be very vvell God vvill require no more of her then she is vvell able to doe he knovves that it is not in her povver alvvayes to subdue nature yet she may must allvvaies vvithdravv her consent from its sinfull suggestions doing so there vvill be no danger Therfore for vvhat she cannot doe let her be humbled resigned And such humble Resignation will proue a very efficacious Prayer 29. Novv it is not to be supposed that Internall Prayer exercised by imperfect soules during Aridities through the aduantage of a naturall propension is a truly Pure spirituall Prayer Because as yet their exercise is indeed in sense yet it is in the nobler supremer part of sensuality tending much tovvard the spirit vvhereby they in that case doe enioy an Internall light more cleare pure then vvhilst they exercise vvith flovving affections in so much as their operations are then abstracted from grosser sensuality And the more strong that their propension to introuersion is the more easily quickly doe they raise themselues to that cleare superiour region of light And the reason is because such a propension aptitude to internall vvayes dravves the persons endovved vvith it more more deepely tovvard the spirit in the perfect operations vvherof consists the consūmation of an Internall life CHAP. VI. § 1. 2. A second discouragement in prayer opposite to Perseuerance to wit Distractions § 3. Distractions are a necessary effect of Originall sin c. § 4. 5. Distractions about obiects to which wee heare an inordinate Affection are most harmfull § 6. A remedy against them § 7. 8. 9. Remedies against all inconueniences that may come from Distractions § 10. Difference
they accepted as a certaine proofe that it came from God that it was beneficiall to soules and therfore odious to the Deuill for so haue all such things bene euer at the first entertained 2. But among all the late Maisters of pure spirituall Contemplatiue Prayer there is none deserues more out esteeme nor is more proper to be produced in this place then the late R. F. Baltazar Aluarez of the Society of IESVS vvell knovvn vnto and most highly esteemed by S. Teresa vvho was much assisted comforted by him during her troubles difficulties The speciall Benefit that may be reaped from his story is that by occasion of his Tryall and Examination about his Prayer all the suspicions and allegations against it are vvell cleared and the vvhole substance of this Treatise vvorthily confirmed and asserted 3. This Venerable Person after he had vvith great diligence spent aboue fifteene yeares in Meditation and the Spirituall Exercises peculiar to his Order and yet receiued but little proffit to his spirit by them being on the contrary tormented vvith extreme doubtfullnes vnsatisfaction vvas at the last guided povverfully by Gods holy Spirit to quit Meditation and to betake himselfe to a serious Practise of Prayer immediately in the will To the vvhich Diuine motion he corresponding presently receiued abundance of light and a perfect remedy against all his anguishes and perplexities 4. But his Internall troubles ceasing outward difficulties began for others of his Brethren Companions perceiuing that he walked in wayes vnknovvn to them earnestly required an Examination of this Nevv Spirit Insomuch as that out of Spaine these complaints came to the eares of their then Generall the most R. F. Euerardus Mercurialis resident at Rome By order from vvhom his study vvas sealed vp aftervvards searched by learned Fathers therto appoynted all his Papers examined Tho vvhich affording no matter of iust accusation at all but on the contrary of great edification A second command comes from the Generall to him to giue a full Account of the order manner of his Prayer 5. This command obliged him to make a free ingenuous Apology for himselfe the vvhich because it is most pertinent conformable to the spirit of these Instructions besides is not common in many mens hands I vvill here set dovvne the substance of it as it is related vvith most commendable candour ingenuity by F. Ludouicus de Puente of the same Society his scholler vvho vvrote his life 6. Now in his said Apology he freely huÌ„bly declares That neere sixteene yeares he had laboured like one that tills the ground without reaping any fruit That his heart was much streitned with greife obseruing that he wanted the talents for which he saw others esteemed particularly that he was much troubled that be had not space enough allowed him for Prayer 〈◊〉 this tentation he ouercame resoluing to employ no more time in Prayer then bâ—y Obedience permitted reiecting that foolish ambition of excelling therein or of pretending to diuine Fauours which others better deseruing enioyed Notwithstanding he still found his defects to multiply rather to disquiet then humble him yea they made him in an incapacity to comply with the Internall counsells inuitations of God Moreouer that by reason of this vnquietnes the defects of others also vnder his gouernment did much increase his distemper so that he iudged it a point of right gouernment to make his Subiects performe all things like himselfe with a melancholick deiectednes of mind 7. That at the end of fourteene yeares he found himselfe in a practise of Prayer by which he placed himselfe in Gods presence as a beggar saying little but only expecting an almes But by reason that he could not keepe his mind fixed on God but did ouermuch reflect vpon himselfe his troubles deiection vtter despaire of approaching to Perfection encreased since God had shewed hiw no markes of his fauour which it seemes he expected but as he confesses very foolishly since his coming to God with such an expectation was a greater fault then his former deserting him yea herby he was brought to that extreme Confusion that for mere shame be durst not for a good space in Prayer say any thing to God at all but only that he would punish forgiue assist him 8. But when sixteene yeares were passed he found his heare on the sudden vnexpectedly quite changed dilated all his disquietnes vanished his soule freed from all created things being filled with an astonishing Ioy like that of those which say LORD WHEN WEE SEE THEE WEE HAVE SEENE ALL GOOD AND ARE ENTIRELY SATIATED Here he found himselfe in a congregation of persons destined to Beatitude the way whereto seemed plaine easy Now he receiued a spirituall discretion to seuer betweene the precious the vile New notions and intelligence of verities were giuen him which fedd his soule wich ioy peace Yet such illuminations at the first were somewhat rare but at the time of the writing of this Apology they were become much more frequent 9. Instead of that anxie y that he had formerly because his ambitious desire of being eminent was not satisfied now he was content to liue vnder the Crosse Now he did so humble himselfe vnder all that he was in confusion to appeare before any Notwithstanding though he honoured all men yet he found that they were not at all needfull to him as formerly they seemed to be but that it was both better and easier for him to conuerse with God only 10. Thence forward he perceiued that God had giuen him an Internall light for the ordering both of himselfe others vnder him euen in the smallest matters And wheras sollicitudes in gouernment c did formerly disquiet opprese his spirit now he found that businesses were far better discharged by casting his care on God putting them out of his thoughts till the time came that he was to execute his duty so that in the midst of a throng of cares he liued without care Now he was not as formerly troubled for that he had not time sufficient for Prayer because he found that God giues more in one houre to mortified resigned soules then to others in many dayes And he found more proffit to his spirit by a faithfull discharge of Employments imposed by God then in vacancy reading spirituall Bookes of his owne election 11. A sight of his defects now does him good by humbling him making him distrustfull of himselfe confident in God knowing that no defects nor knowingly deliberately persisted in doe hinder Gods counsells and designes for our Perfection And as for the defects of those vnder his gouernment he found it a great folly for him to disquiet himselfe about them And that his former desire of making them sad melancholick was an effect of his owne impatience 12. His Prayer now was to place himselfe in Gods presence both inwardly and
able to heaue vp herselfe vnto God in darknes and vacancy of Images And being likevvise a Spirituall faculty is exempted from the Deuills influences vvho has great dominion ouer our corporeall Povvers to suggest representations c. For these reasons it is good to make the Discoursing part of Meditation as short as may be So as that if the mere reflexion on a Mystery vvill suffise to produce a good affection the person is to restraine the Imagination 11. To conclude the great and inexplicable variety that is to be found in the dispositions of Soules being considered and likewise the great inconuenience that necessarily follovvs a misapplication of Spirits to Exercises improper for them the sad condition of those good Soules cannot sufficiently be bevvayled vvho by their Profession being as it vvere emprisoned in a Solitary Religious Life and being naturally vnapt for Discourse are yet kepd all their liues in Meditation repeating ouer and ouer againe the same toylesome Methods vvithout any progresse in Spirit to their great anguish and disquietnes And this misery is much greater in Religious Women vvho hauing no diuersions of Studies or employments cannot possibly find exercise for their Imagination and therfore seeing great Defects and vnsatisfactions in themselues and not knovving the only cure of them vvhich is by ascending to the Internall Exercises of the vvill their Imperfections increase and their anguishes proportionably vvithout any knovvn meanes to amend them CHAP. III. § 11. How a Soule is to Exercise Meditation § 2. 3. 4. c. What inconuenient Practises Methods therein are to be auoided § 9. 10. c. What Orders are positiuely to be obserued § 15. The grounds of those Aduices § 16. 17. c. Further speciall Instructions to the same purpose § 23. A particular way of Meditation in Blosius 1. INTENDING novv to set dovvne more particular Instructions and Aduices hovv and in vvhat manner a Soule by her choice or Profession aspiring to Contemplation ought in order therto to practise the lovvest most imperfect degree of Internall Prayer vvhich is Meditation I will first shew such a Beginner vvhat he is not to doe that is vvhat practises and orders he is to auoyde 2. And nex how he is to behaue himselfe in the Exercise thereof 2. As to the former therfore I should be so far from commending that I vvould scarce permit Soules liuing a Contemplatiue life as all inclosed Religious Women doe c. to be strictly obliged to a prescribed Methode in Meditation or to those many and nice Rules vvhich are ordained by some Moderne Authours as 1. That a Soule should put herselfe in the Diuine Presence 2. That she should make Acts of Contrition 3. That she should select Points of Meditation 4. That she should consider them in such an order vvith such framing of representations of the Persons times places postures c. 5. That thence she should dravv motiues of good Affections 6. That thereupon she should dravv Petitions 7. That aftervvards she should make Purposes 8. That thereto she should adioyne Thanksgiuing 9. Moreuoer that she should haue a list of Imperfections or faults committed the day c before and make expunctions of faults amended 10. That in conclusion she should make an Examen how her Meditation hath bene performed to the end she may giue an Account thereof to her Spirituall Directour c. 3. It is far from my Intention to speake against the vse of such Methods and Orders among those vvhere they were first inuented are still practised for they may vvell enough agree vvith their Institute vvhich is farre more Actiue then Contemplatiue But among Solitary Contemplatiue Spirits such Orders are indeed a disorder and a nice obseruance of such ceremonious Methods vvould be more distractiue and painfull then the simple Exercise it selfe And particularly the expectation that an Account is to be giueÌ„ of ones Thoughts during Meditation vvould afford more busines to a Soule then the Mystery on vvhich she meditates So that she vvould be more sollicitous to giue satisfaction to her Directour then to performe her Duty to God And therfore S. Theresa vvith iust reason complaines against those Directours vvhich fetter and encomber their Disciples mindes vvith Orders and Rules vvhich require more attention then the matter of the Praier it selfe 4. Hovv to meditate proffitably though not curiously is quickly and vvithout much difficulty learnt by such as are fit for it But to obserue all the said prescripts is both difficult incombring and vnproffitable being indeed little better then a mispending of the time I meane for soules tending to Contemplation 5. Moreouer in Meditation I vvould not tye the Will that it should not goe beside or beyond the Vnderstanding On the contrary my Aduice and request is that the vvill so it be caried tovvards God should be suffred to goe as far as it can and that scope should be giuen to any good Affection Not caring vvhether such Affections be pertinent to the present Subiect to be considered on at that time vpon condition that the Soule find that she bestovves herselfe more efficaciously on God by such Affections then by those vvhich vvould properly flovv from the present Motiues considered 6. Neither vvould I that vvhen a Soule has chosen one point or Mystery to meditate on she should strictly oblige herselfe to proceede on vvith it but that if vvithout a voluntary rouing and seeking any other should offer it selfe to the mind more gratefull and more gustfull to the Soule she should entertaine the latter holding herselfe to it as long as the vâ—rtue of it vvell lasteth And it ceasing then lâ—t her returne to the first proposed Subiect And the like liberty I recommend in the follovving Exercises of Immediate Acts vvhensoeuer any Act or good Affection is suggested to the mind besides those vvhich the Soule finds in her Paper proposed for the present Recollection 7. Notvvithstanding in case that the nevv matter or Affections occurring be such as that it doth feed some ouer-abounding humour or passion in the Soule as Feare euen of God himselfe Tendernesse shedding of Teares scrupulosiâ—y or deiectednes of spirit c. I would by no meanes permit a soule to entertaine her mind vvith such matter Because she vvill therby only plunge herselfe more deeply into nature and immortification and not at all purify her inordinate Affections Such soules euen in the beginning ought not to chuse such matters for their Praiers and much lesse ought they to be permitted to quit other good matter for that This Aduice extends likevvise to the Exercise of immediate Acts of the Will for as much as concernes the matter of them 8. Novv such freedome of Spirit and permission to change the present matter or Affections is to be supposed to be allovved only vvhen the said change proceeds not out of sloath inconstancy a vaine pleasing of the fancy or Affection but out of a iudicious Election or from an interiour inuitation the
the Will to loue him and by loue to be vnited to him And this Vnion by exercise may be obtained in Perfection by soules that are not at all capable of Discourse and that haue no more knovvledge of God then vvhat is afforded from a beleife of the Fundamentall verities of Christian Faith So that it is euident that the End of all Meditation c is the producing Acts of the Will Therfore let no man neglect or scorne the Exercise proper for him out of a conceit that it is too meane but let him first try the proffit of it and not till then make a iudgment 6. Others there are that doe indeed persvvade soules in due time to quit the Exercises of the vnderstanding for those of the Will But yet alvvaies vvith one Exception and reseruation to vvit of the Meditation on the Passion of our Lord This say they is neuer to be sayd aside but vvill be a subiect fit for the ConteÌ„plation of the most Perfect What an ingratitude vvould it be to God say they vvhat a neglect of our Soules good purposely to forbeare a frequent Meditation of this Mystery the ground of all our Happines the Roote of all Merit the Supremest testimony of Diuine Loue towards vs the most inuiting and vvinning obiect of loue from vs to God the terrour of all our Spirituall Enemies c This is the Position of many Spirituall Authours and particularly of F. Benet Canfield 7. Nottvvithstanding I cannot ioyne vvith these Authours in this Position nor agree that a due Liberty of Spirit should be abridged for any pretext vvhatsoeuer The ground of vvhich Liberty is this That a Soule is to make the Experience and proofe of her owne Spirituall proffit to be the Rule and measure of all her Spirituall Exercises and vpon no colours or conceits of Perfection in any Subiect or Exercise to oblige herselfe therto further then she finds it helpfull and gustfull to her spirit 8. As for the Mystery of the Passion it does doubtles deserue all the Titles giuen vnto it But yet Soules are not to be discouraged if they find in themselues a disability to meditate on it Whether this disability proceede from some naturall temper of the Internall senses or from abundance of affections in the Heart that cannot expect because they doe not need curiously to search Motiues from the vndestanding and Discourse Neither is it to be supposed that such Persons exercising Immediate Acts of the Will towards God vvithout discoursing on the Passion are therfore beâ—eaued of the true yea only true Exercise of our Lords Passion On the contrary in such Exercise of the will is conteined the Vertue of all precedent Meditations Neither are the persons driuen to the paines expence of time in finding out Reasons and Motiues to raise their affections to our Lord but immediatly and vvithout more a doe suffer the Affections to flow And they doe far more truly efficaciously and proffitably exercise and as it were exemplify the Passion it selfe and this in tvvo manners viz. 1. In their Internall Prayer vvherin they produce the same Affections and Acts of Loue Humility and Patience of vvhich our Lord gaue them a Patterne in his Passion 2. In their Externall Doings really on occasions practising the same Vertues vvhich are proper to the Passion vvith far more Perfection in Vertue of such Prayer then they could by Meditation And so doe shew themselues to be more true Disciples of his 9. This Diuine obiect therfore is far from being lost or forgotten by such proceeding in Prayer yea it is in a far more noble manner both commemorated and imitated And surely to tye the Soule generally in all Recollections to a particular curious reflexion on the Circumstances belonging to our Lords Passion vvould be as if one vvould oblige a person that can reade perfectly and vvith one glance of his eye ioyne a vvhole sentence together to make an expresse and distinct Reflexion on each letter syllable and vvord Such a framing and multiplying of Images vvould only serue to obscure the mind and coole the Affections Well may such Deuout Soules out of time of Prayer in Reading or discoursing admit such Images and receiue benefit by them in future Recollections But vvhen they actually pray then to be forced to stop and restraine the vvill from melting into Diuine Loue or from sacrificing herselfe to God by Perfect Resignation c till she haue passed through her former imperfect Method of Imaginatiue Meditation is all one as to forbid Soules to vnite themselues in Spirit to the Diuinity 10. Notvvithstanding vvhen Soules come to be Perfect they vvill be in such a state as that the expresse consideration of this or any other good sensible Obiect will be no impediment at all to their higher Exercises yea it vvill very efficaciously aduance the soule in them And this is after that Perfect Contemplation is attained to For then the Imagination is so rectified and so perfectly subiected to the Superiour Soule that it will not only not obscure or distract but on the contrary will vvith great readines helpe to make Contemplation more pure and cleare Then a vievv of the Humanity of our Lord will driue the Soule more deeply into the Diuinity As vvee see that the glorified Saints vvithout the least distraction to their Vision of God yea surely vvith an addition to the Perfection of it doe in their Thanks-giuings reflect on the Humanity and Passion of our Sauiour saying Dignus est Agnus qui occisus est c. 11. Till that soules therfore doe attaine to such Contemplation let them being in the Exercise of immediate Acts c. content themselues to exercise the Mystery of the Passion vertually though not expressely Remembring the saying of a Spirituall Authour That in God nothing is neglected all faith and all loue is exercised in the Contemplation and Vnion of the Spirit by Loue to the Diuinity All particular Deuotions are both sufficiently and perfectly performed vvhen wee performe our principall Duty most perfectly In doing this vvee doe honour the Saints after a manner most acceptable to them Wee doe most perfectly discharge our Vocall Praiers vvhich are not of obligation And vvee most efficaciously expresse our Charity both to our freinds liuing and dead so that there vvill be no need for such ends to interrupt or distract our Recollections by obliging our selues voluntarily to multiply the repeating of Offices c. And lastly so far is this from being any disparagement to our Gratitude vnto our Lord for his suffrings that vvee therby acknovvledge that all the good Thoughts that vvee entertaine and all the good Actions that vvee doe are produced in Vertue of his Passion adhered to by faith and Loue although no expresse internall Discourse on it be exercised 12. Novv vvhat hath here bene deliuered concerning the disobliging of Soules that practise internall Prayer from tying themselues to Imaginatiue Exercises about sensible Obiects is not only
these and the like reasons she vvill be apprehensiue and vnwilling to aduenture vpon the new one 23. Fourthly during these vncertainties and irresolutions her Disgust in her present Exercise rather increasing then diminishing And God still interiouâ—ly though not grossely and sensibly inclining her to the new proposed vvay she at length as it vvere forced therto aduentures vpon it yet vvith some feare at the first whether this Change vvill proue for her good or no. 24. Fifthly as soone as she is vvell entred into this nevv Exercise presently she vvill find it gustfull delightfull vnto her and vvithall much more proffitable then vvas the other formerly practised Wherevpon she vvill thenceforvvard vvith courage and ioy perseuere in it 25. By such steps and Degrees doth a soule that is purely vnder the Guidance of Gods Holy Spirit passe from one degree of Prayer to another formerly vnknovven vnto her till at last she come to Contemplation And she vvill clearly perceiue that it vvas not herselfe but God only that did as it vvere lead her by the hand and dravv her forvvard into the nevv Exercise Teaching her likevvise hovv to hehaue herselfe in the Beginning Wheras in the pursuance of it she aftervvards proceedes as it vvere by her ovvne habituall skill though really God is in euery thing her secret Maister and Helper And he deales vvith an humble soule as a writing Maister vvith his Scholler vvho at first moues and directs his hand to forme ioyne letters but aftervvard directs him only vvith his Eye and Tongue Or as a Father that caries his child ouer a Ditch or Stile but le ts him goe alone in the euen plaine way 26. And as for a Soule that by Reading or Teaching is informed in the Nature and Degrees of Internall Prayer her proceeding and Transition is much after the same manner Excepting only that the Next Degree to vvhich she is to ascend does not seeme so strange to her But the signes by vvhich a necessity of change doth appeare are as formerly a constant disgust in her present Exercise of Meditation c. and a kind of disability to continue it vvith any proffit to her spirit By vvhich meanes it comes to passe that in her Recollections the Meditating or Discoursing part diminishes dayly and the Affectiue part encreases the Will by little and little getting ground of the Vnderstanding till at last the Prayer becomes entirely of the will And thus she passes almost vnavvares into the next Degree her Prayer becoming by little and little more and more purifyed Into the vvhich Degree vvhen she is in such a manner and order entred then indeed she is not for any Aridities or obscurities to quit it and to returne to Meditation But to vse a discreete violence vpon the will to make it to produce good Affections and Acts although nature take little comfor or satisfaction in the Exercise For by so doing she vvill much benefit herselfe both by mortifying Nature and fixing Diuine Loue more profoundly in the Spirituall Region of the soule 27. To conclude this Point A Spirituall life is subiect to many and vvonderfull Changes Interiour as vvell as Exteriour And all are according to the mere vvill and good pleasure of God vvho is tyed to no Methods or Rules Therfore follovving him in all Simplicity and Resignation let vs vvonder at nothing let vs neither oblige selues too rigorously to any Exercise nor refuse any to vvhich he shall inuite vs seeme it neuer so strange or to Naturall Reason euen senselesse For in his Guidance there can be no danger of Errour but on the contrary there is all security And this may and ought to be a great Comfort and encouragement to a vvell-minded resolute Soule THE THIRD SECTION OF THE THIRD TREATISE TO WIT Of the Exercises of immediate forced Acts of the VVill Being the second Degree of Internall Prayer CHAP. I. § 1. 2. 3. Of Exercises of the vvill to wit forced immediate Acts or affections Aspirations § 4. 5. c Difference betweene Acts of the will affections § 8. 9. How the Prayer of sensible Affections is to be exercised § 10. Of sublime pure affections of the spirit § 11. 12. c Of the Prayer of Immediate Acts of the Will compared with Meditation § 17. 18. Conditions of Acts. § 19. Mere cessation of Prayer to be auoyded § 20. An account not to be required touching the behauiour of soules in affectiue Prayer § 21. Acts proceeding from a good naturall propension are most efficacious 1. A Soule that by a Diuine Call as being in a state of maturity for it relinquisheth Meditation to the end to betake herselfe to a more sublime exercise vvhich is that of Immediate Acts or affections of the will then only begins to enter into the vvayes of Contemplation For the exercises of the vvill are the sublimest that any soule can practise And all the difference that hereafter follovves is only either in regard of the greater or lesser promptitude or in regard of the degrees of Purity vvherevvith a soule produces such Acts. 2. So that the whole latitude of Internall Prayer of the will vvhich is Contemplatiue Prayer may be compreâ—ended vnder these two distinct Exercises to vvit 1. The Exercise of forced Acts or Affections of the will produced either immediatly according to the persons present disposition vvithout a distinct or expresse motiue represented by the vnderstanding or else suitable to such â— motiue yet vvithout any formall discourse of the vnderstanding These are called forced Acts because after â—hat a Soule is become indisposed to prosecute the Exâ—rcise of Meditation it vvill be long before that good affections doe as it vvere naturally flovv from her so that she vvill neede to vse some force vpon herselfe for the producing of the said Acts of the vvill vvhich are imperfect Contemplation 2. The Exercises of Aspirations the vvhich though they be in substance little differing from the former yet by reason of the facility vvherevvith they are produced vvithout force foresight or election purely flovving from an Internall impulse of the Diuine Spirit vvee therfore giue theÌ„ another name call them not Acts but Aspirations The constant Exercise of vvhich is proper perfect Contemplation 3. Of these two Exercises I shall consequently treate beginning vvith the more imperfect vvhich is that of forced Immediate Acts or Affections of the will 4. In the vvhich Exercise I make some difference betvveene Acts affections of the will The former oâ— vvhich are made in and by the Superiour Will onely vvithout any concurrence of sensitiue nature such are Acts of Humiliation Resignation c the producing of vvhich doe not cause any gust in inferiouâ— nature Whereas affections of Loue Ioy Hope Desirâ— c being exercised by imperfect soules are mucâ— immersed in sense And they begin at the first almoâ—â— vvholly in inferiour nature but yet by practise theâ— become more and more pure being raised to the toâ—
to the Exercise of immediate Acts may indeed ought at the first to take for the subiect of her Recollections those Acts vvhich belong to the Vnitiue Way to vvit Acts of Diuine Loue Resignation c. But the case is othervvise vvith a soule that is found vtterly vnfit for Meditation and consequently must necessarily begin a spirituall course vvith the Prayer of Immediate Acts. For for such a soule ordinarily speaking it vvill be expedient that at the beginning she take for the matter of her Acts such as are proper for the Purgatiue Way as Acts of Contrition Feare of Iudgment Hell c. And this Aduice is conformable to the Directions of Blosius in the X. XI Chapters of his Institutions 4. Novv for the vse of the said Exercises of Immediate Acts Affections I vvould aduise a soule that is vvell disposed resolued to practise them that at the first she vvould rather vse them Mentally Because it is lesse distractiue more Recollectiue Vnlesse by experience she find that the vsing them Vocally doth most relish vvith her spirit and as in some dispositions it may cause a more intime and perfect Recollection 5. Wheras euery Exercise consists of about ten clauses of Acts or Affections let her not tye her selfe preâ—isely to that number in any Recollection But if one Exercise vvill not serue let her borrovv from the next follovving And againe if one be too much for one time let her vse as many of those Acts in order as they lye as vvill suffise for the time no more and in the next Recollection let her begin vvhere she last ended 6. A deuout soule vvill find that by diligent practise in progresse of time the number of Acts or Affections to be exercised in each Recollection vvill come to diminish so that vvheras at the beginning perhaps ten Acts vvould scare suffise for one Recollection aftervvards fiue or three yea it may be one vvill oftimes be sufficient 7. Let her generally obserue the Order and sequele of the sayd Acts contained in the exercises proper for her beginning and prosecuting them as they lye For othervvise she vvill spend the precious time allotted for Prayer in looking here and there for somevvhat that may be pleasing to her fancy or humour yet in the end perhaps not content herselfe Or at the least the satisfaction that she may come to find vvill scarce counteruaile the distraction incurred and time lost And againe it is an ill custome of some to take at randome the Acts or affections on vvhich they vvould exercise themselues opening the booke and at aduenture making vse of vvhat their eyes first light on 8. Yet let her not tye herselfe so rigorously superstitiously to any of the sayd Acts but that if vvithout searching there should be offred to her any other kind of Act or Affection be it Resignation Loue or Aspirations vvhich may be gustfull to her let her entertayne it therein abide as long as the relish of it lasteth And that ceasing let her returne to prosecute the Acts of the present Exercise 9. Yet one speciall case there is in vvhich a soule ought by no meanes to oblige herselfe to any Order prescribed in the said Exercises And that is vvhen she finds that Feare or Scrupulosity doe ouer much abound in her causing vnquietnes Deiection and vvant of Confidence in God In vvhich caâ—â— let her by all meanes omitt such Exercises or Acts as are apt to rayse or feede such Passions in her And instead of them let her apply herselfe to Exercises of Hope loue and Ioy in God vvhich ought to be cherished in her 10. Yea soules that are of such a disposition ought euen in the beginning after their first Conuersion not to dvvell long vpon the Exercises that concerne Remorse for sin or other matters of Feare as Death Iudgment and Hell but rather to fixe vpon Affections contrary to their present disposition And in case of nevv faults committed let their Contrition or Detestation of sin be rather exercised in a generality or Vertually in Acts of Conuersion to God then particularly directly and expressely And let them not be scrupulous herein out of an opinion that at such times God expects painefull Remorses froÌ„ them or earnest expressions of detestation of their sins For such detestation is sufficiently inuolued in an Act of direct loue to God vvhich conteines much perfection besides Such Acts therfore being more beneficiall to her are consequently more acceptable to God 11. A soule hauing pitched vpon any Act or Affection contained in the sayd Exercises let her tarry as long vpon each of them vvithout passing to an other as her Gust vnto such an affection lasteth and as she findes proffit to her spirit by it 12. Whensoeuer in any Clause there is contained matter of seuerall desires or Affections let her in her mind and Exercising separate them and rest vpon each of them seuerally For by this meanes the sayd Exercises vvill last longer and yeild more proffit 13. After that all the Exercises appointed for her haue bene passed ouer let her repeate and pursue them againe and againe Vnlesse she doe find herselfe dravven by God to some other Exercise more perfect as is that of Aspirations And indeed vvhensoeuer in her Exercise during her Recollection shee does find her selfe moued to perfect Aspirations Eleuations of the Will c or else to produce some other Acts as of Resignation c vpon occasion of some present Crosse to be sustained let her not faile to correspond to such an inuitation 14. Those that can find no proffit or relish by any of these prescribed Exercises or the like may conclude that they are not as yet ripe for them and that therfore they are to continue in Discoursiue Prayer till it looses its relish and that they begin to find Gust in Affections 15. The Acts and Affections in the follovving Exercises are for the most part directed to God himselfe or the pure Diuinity as if they vvere internall conuersations vvith God The vvhich are perfect introuersions and of all actiue assumed Exercises are the most proffitable 16. But vvithall such Actuations are oftimes very painefull by reason that such Introuersions are exercised vvithout the helpe of grosser Images the vvhich haue some kind of recreating diuersion in them and vvhen such Images doe offer themselues the soule tending to the naked Diuinity taries not in them but transcends or reiects them And if her mind finding no Gust in an Obiect so perfectly spirituall becomes vvilling to ease it selfe by fastning vpon some other good but inferiour Obiect she is by some Writers taught to vvithdravv her attention from any thing but God the vvhich violence and selfe contradiction cannot be vvithout much paine in so much that soules become therby sometimes so tired vvith such Introuersions and find so great difficulty in seeking the Diuine Presence so aboue the course of nature that they loose all comfort
and proffit in their exercises yea and come to such a passe that they find an impossibility to introuert themselues by reason that to their seeming they find not God so present as at other times 17. Therfore in such cases it not only may be permitted but ought to be enioyned vnto a soule to giue ease vnto herselfe by quitting for a time such painfull introuersions and addresses to the Pure Diuinity and instead therof exercise herselfe in producing other Acts lesse painfull because lesse introuerting as Acts or Affections to the Humanity of our Lord to Angells Saints c yea she may sometimes addresse her Internall speech to her owne soule or to some persons or creatures absent yet all with reference to God for othervvise it vvould not be an Act of Religion nor proffitable to the soule 18. The truth is that for the attaining to Contemplation it is not necessary speaking of precise and absolute necessity that the Acts vvhereof the Exercises consist should immediatly be directed to the Pure Diuinity Though it cannot be denied but that such are the most Perfect and most efficacious because the most introuerting And therfore a soule must giue ouer all other addresses either to the Humanity of our Lord or to any Angell or Saint c vvhensoeuer she is interiourly moued or enabled to actuate immediatly tovvards God himselfe vvho is likevvise the end vltimate obiect of all other speakings and Actuaâ—â—ons 19. To the end therfore to comply with the seuerall Dispositions of soules I haue in many places in the follovving Exercises intermixed seuerall other Acts for the most part addressed to our Lords most sacred Humanity likevvise to our Blessed Lady c and sometimes soliloquies to the soule herselfe 20. And such Acts and Affections as these are frequent in the Psalmes and other Scriptures so Dauid speakes to his ovvne soule Nonne Deo subiecta eris anima mea O my soule wilt thou not be subiect and resigned to God And againe Quare tristis es anima mea c. O my soule why art thou sad and why dost thou so disquiet thy selfe in mee Hope still in God for c. Againe sometimes he speaks to Persons absent Venite narrabo quanta fecic Deus animae meae Come hither and I will tell you hâ—w great things God hath done for my soule Sometimes in Scripture the soule imagins that she heares God speaking to her as Veni electa mea ponam in re thronum meum O my Chosen beloued soule Come and I will place my throne in thee S. Augustins soliloquies and Thomas à Nempis are full of such kind of Acts by any such change the soule vvill receiue some refreshment be enabled to produce some good affections to God 21. Novv as I said that the forme of the act is not of absolute necessity so neither is the nature or matter of it as vvhether it be of Contrition Humiliation Adoration Resignation c performed to God or of Congratulation to the Saints Veneration of them or imploring their intercession so that such Acts be vltimately terminated in God for it is perseuerance in any exercises of Religious Acts vvhich is the principall if not only meanes to attaine to Contemplation 22. The truth is vvhatsouer kind of Acts or Deuotions a soule vseth if they be constantly practised they will all end in God so that euen the most ignorant among those that God calls to CoÌ„templation Praier though they knovv no other practise of deuotion but the Rosary cannot begin their Recollections any other vvay then by turning their thoughts tovvards the blessed Virgin vvhose protection intercession they craue yet being by that meanes become profoundly introuerted they quickly leaue all direct expresse addresses to her are lead vnavvares perhaps to themselues to the vnknown obscure Obiect of the Diuinity in vvhich they plunge loose themselues For perfect Introuersion cannot consist vvith a continuation of direct expresse Internall Acts made to any creature 23. The generall Rule Aduice therfore in this matter is that accordingly as soules vpon experience obseruation doe find themselues disposed to any kinds of Acts or affections vvhether of one kind only or seuerall kinds mixed together so they must order their exercises recollections preferring the sauour proffit that their soules find in them before any Rules methods or authority of Examples 24. Some fevv soules there are to vvhom one only Exercise vvithout any change or variety may suffise for their vvhole life till they arriue to perfect Contemplation So that their aduancement vvill consist only in the degrees of Purity recollection vvith vvhich they performe the said exercise Novv these are such soules as 1. are fitted naturally for Acts of the will not for meditation Because in discoursiue Prayer change of matter vvill be necessary in as much as the same motiue vnuaried vvill not haue the efficacy to produce sensible affections And againe soules vvill be apt to be cloyed to haue an auersion from an affection or desire after they haue fed vpon it for some reasonable time 2. such as vvithall haue a very strong vrgent Call from God to seeke him in his internall vvayes ioyned vvith naturall aptnes to an internall life The vvhich aptnes consists in a stability of the imagination a quietnes of Passions 25. For such soules as these it vvill be best that they should be confined to one exercise such an one as that is vvhich Blosius in his Institutions hath framed professeth that by a diligent prosecution thereof together vvith mortification a soule may attaine to Perfection mystick Vnion A patterne of such an Exercise conformable to the direction of Blosius vvho seemes to haue practised it himselfe I vvill set dovvn among the follovving Formes of Exercises 26. And indeed one singular Benefit that such soules vvill reape by being constant to one exercise is this that they will neuer be to seeke for it nor stand in need of bookes because after a little practise they vvill haue it in their hearts memories Only good care must be had to fit the exercise to the soule giuing a scope atitude sufficient to it that it may comprehend in it Acts suitable to seuerall states of the soule that is both Acts of Contrition likevvise of the exercise of the principall Vertues among all vvhich the most efficacious proffitable lasting are the Acts of Resignation In the Exercise of vvhich it vvill be good for the soule to abide till she be fitted called by God to Pure Aspirations for then all manner of prescribed Exercises must cease because then a soule doth not pray by her ovvne Election but by an Internall impulse of the Diuine Spirit 27. Some Spirituall Writers for this purpose recommend our Lords Prayer for a constant Exercise in dayly Recollections aduising such soules to exercise separately euery Petition as a seuerall Act dvvelling on each as long
shevves That in the midst of the greatest troubles Afflictions Passions distractions a soule may as truly efficaciously dispose of the operations of the Superiour spirit which depends not vpon our corporall organs fixing them vpon God making choyce of him for her finall end and submitting herselfe with resignation loue to him euen for sending her such trial's as she could in her greatest solitude most quiet Introuersion And this is best done vvithout any violence or impetuosity but vvith great tranquillity darting a spirituall regard to God by meanes of vvhich she may be as truly effectually vnited to God though not according to sense in the midst of these troubles as in her greatest sensible vnions 23. A soule that vvill be thus vigilant industrious may assure herselfe that God vvho layes this Office on her doth it not for her harme but for her greater good to giue her occasion of exercising seuerall vertues vvhich othervvise she vvould haue vvanted at least the perfection of them as likevvise for the triall of her fidelity to him amidst vvhatsoeuer encombrances tentations Novv by meanes of these vertues she vvill make a great progresse in spirit at least for as much as concernes solide Charity if not for light of contemplation And retaining a loue to Prayer practising it as vvell as she can she vvill come to be in so good a disposition that vvhen she thall returne to her former vacancy solitude she vvill make a a vvonderfull progresse in the vvayes of Contemplation Thus she may see that as the Office hath perills in it so vvill God proportionably increase his grace assistance 24. For vvant of this care vigilance ouer their interiour it is to be feared there be many in Religious Conuents that fruitlesly spend their liues in Employments in some sort beneficiall to others but of little proffit yea perhaps very preiudiciall to themselues as some that read Lessons of Philosophy or Diuinity yea euen many that passe their vvhole time almost in spirituall Employments as preaching hearing Confessions giuing Spirituall Directions c for these vvorkes being performed not in vertue of Spirituall Praier consequently not proceeding from the Diuine spirit but the spirit of corrupt nature vvhich is the source of all actions performed in a state of Distraction Gods spirit seldome giues a blessing to them CHAP. V. § 1. 2. How Internall liuers ought to behaue themselues in time of Sicknes The benefits of Sicknes to such only § 3. 4. c The great danger of soules vnprouided for sicknes especially of Tepide soules in a Religious state § 9. 10. 11. How Sicknes is to be accepted § 12. 13. Of a certaine great tentation in Sicknes § 14. A sicke person is Gods prisoner § 15. Spirituall exercises by no meanes to be neglected in sicknes § 16. How Mortification is then to be practised in Internall Tentations § 17. 18. Particularly how Feare of death vncertainty of what followes is to be mortified § 19. 20. c. It is for our good to be ignorant of our future state § 26. 27. Of tentations to Infidelity despaire c A Story out of Cardinall Bellarmine § 28. 29. c How Mortification about sensuall pleasures is then to be exercised 34 c Sollicitude about health misbecomes Religious Persons § 37. In sicknes paines wee are best sensible of our Lords suffrings § 38. Aduices to those that attend on the sicke § 39. 40. A sicke Persons cheife care must be not to neglect Internall Prayer § 46. Prayer is the vniuersall remedy against all tentations afflictions c. § 48. A soule shall be iudged according to her state in sicknes 1. THE second state before mentioned that requires a more then ordinary care and prouision as seeming lesse proper for internall exercises is the state of Sicknes The vvhich though it doe exact a greater sollicitude vigilance as being a disposition to a condition ireuersible yet in it selfe it is a more secure state then that of externall Employments In as much as those are such as are apt to dravv our affections from God to sensuall obiects vvheras in Sicknes all things doe rather driue a soule to seeke adhere vnto God since all other comforts doe faile her and all pleasures become distastfull to her Moreouer in Sicknes there are continuall occasions of high Resignations and far lesse sollicitudes about temporall matters for the cheife busines of a sicke Person is forbearing holding of patience In a vvord it is rather a Not-doing then doing 2. Now since it concernes a soule most deeply to be vvell-disposed in sicknes My purpose is to giue some generall Aduices to soules already practised in internall vvayes they shall be such as cheifly haue a reference to Prayer Mortification The vvhich Aduices notvvithstanding our sicke person ought only so far to make vse of as he finds them proper for his spirit case 3. It vvas not vvithout iust reason that an Ancient holy man said that a Religious spirituall life is a continuall meditation of death because the principall end of all our exercises is to prepare our selues against the day of our great account to the end wee may giue it with ioy not with feare 4. If when sicknes is come a soule be to learne hovv she ought to behaue herselfe it vvill goe hard vvith her by reason that then such a soule vvill be in great blindnes of vnderstanding and deadnes of will All her thoughts and care vvill be employed in seeking to auoyd paine to passe away the tedious time and to recouer And if any good thoughts come into her mind it is Feare that principally raises them Hence it is that a serious conuersion is seldome giuen in sicknes vvhen Passions doe svvell immortifications come thick vpon one another And a soule that in health hath neglected God despised the meanes of Conuersion cannot vvith any reason or confidence expect an extraordinary or miraculous Grace to vvorke a sudden cordiall Conuersion If that one 's vvhole life spent in painfull mortifications serious recollections be but euen little enough to conquer the peruersenes of our vvills the glevvynes of our Affections adhering to sensuall obiects vvhat may be expected from a fevv interrupted inefficacious Prayers or purposes in sicknes suggested meerly by feare vpon the approches of death Iudgment vvhilst there still remaines in the heart a secret loue to those sinfull delights that must novv be forsaken Vpon vvhich grounds S. Hierome hath a terrible saying That among those that deferre their Conuersion till their death scarce one of a hundred thousand are saued 5. And I beleiue the case of such a soule in Religion is more perillous because hauing enioyed so great helpes to a holy life she has vvith so vnpardonable an ingratitude neglected them Wheras a secular person being touched in sicknes may resolue to secke those meanes of abstraction of life a
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
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
vpon her diuert her attention frō God vvhich can scarce be vvhilst she is vigilant to expell all images vvhatsoeuer that may cause her to breake her internall silence she can easily recouer the said Silent attention by renevving if need be a short expresse Act of Faith of the Diuine Presence c. 8. In this Attention to God she is far from expecting any extraordinary Illuminations fauours or Visits of vvhich she accounts herselfe vtterly vnvvorthy 9. Lastly she has no suspicion or feare least such a respectfull Silence should be meere Idlenes or cessation for she knovves it to be the effect of loue and respect And since an intellectuall soule is all Actiuity so that it cannot continue a moment wi hout some desires the soule then reiecting all desires tovvards created Obiects she cannot chuse but tend inwardly in her affections to God for vvhich end only she put herselfe in such a posture of Prayer Her tendance then being much like that of the mounting of an Eagle after a precedent vigorous springing motion and extension of her vvings the vvhich ceasing in vertue thereof the flight is continued for a good space vvith a great svviftnes but vvithall vvith great stillnes quietnes ease vvithout any vvauing of the vvings at all or the least force vsed in any member being in as much ease stillnes as if she vvere reposing in her nest 10. This seemes to mee to be in summe the fashion of that Internall Prayer of Silence recommended by Roias The vvhich vvithout any variation he would haue exercised daily morning euening allowing to each recollection about an houre 11. Now the aduantages that he not vvithout grounds of reason attributes to it are 1. That it causes far more profound Recollections then any other kind of sett internall Prayer Because a soule hauing either by a short Discourse or exercise of Faith oblation c. found him vvho is the center of her repose she then leaues all the roomes and appartements of sense both externall and internall voyd empty passes forvvard to those of the Spirit vvhich are pure cleare and secure 2. It doth extremely abate the Actiuity both of th imagination passions neither of which doth it suffer to stir at all 3. God is most perfectly contemplated in it being apprehended simply and truly by Faith in the Superiour spirit For as long as there are discourses in the vnderstanding images permitted to rest in the Fancy sensible motions of tendernes in the heart there God is not perfectly entirely the obiect of such operations In Spiritu non in commotione Dominus saith the Prophet Elias God is not in the rushing wind he is not in the stirrings of Passions or of the imagination But in sibilo aurae tenuis he is in the silent whisper of a soft ayre And saith Dauid Factus est in pace locus eius His place of abode is in the cleare peacefull Regions of the Spirit 4. Moreouer by this exercise wee come to the most perfect operation of selfe-annihilation by vvhich both our selues and all creatures are so transcended and forgotten as if they vvere not at all Neither can the deuill find vvhere to fasten a tentation Wee present to God the temple of our soules empty to the end he alone may possesse it vvhich he vvill not faile to doe and vvithall most richly adorne it making it fit for such a Guest 12. To these benefits may be added this vvhich is a great one and fruitfull in many blessings to vvit that in this Exercise all Diuine Vertues are in a very sublime manner exercised viz. 1. Faith by vvhich the soule quitting all discourse and doubting beleiues euen perceiues the diuine presence by vvhich she conquers the world exalting herselfe so much aboue all created things that they are out of her sight 2. Hope because the soule placing herselfe before God in the posture of a beggar confidently expects that he vvill impart to her both the knowledge of his vvill and ability to fullfill it 3. Loue because the soule resolutely affects nothing but correspondence to the diuine Loue. 4. Resignation since the soule forgets all priuate interests has nothing at all to aske neither repose nor busines but only vvhatsoeuer God would haue her to enioy doe or suffer 5. Patience because herein the soule must expect to suffer many Aridities Desolations Obscurities encombrances of thoughts tentations and other internall Afflictions vvhence it is that Thaulerus giues vnto an exercise much resembling this the name of the afflicting exercise 6. Purity For the soule is hereby separated from all adhesion to creatures being vnited to God only 7. Mortification of which here is the very Quintessence for when the soule acts in Spirit only them the flesh becomes insipide without tast saith S. Gregory The flesh vvith all its desires is here slaine as it vvere and buried out of the vvay The eyes see nothing pleasing to sense the eares heare nothing the tongue is silent a curtaine is drawne before all images representations in the Memory The will is separated from all created things neither vvilling nor nilling any of them but permitting God to vvill for her 8. Obedience for the vnderstanding contracts and abases the vvings of all discourses and disputes against any thing that God commands 9. Humility in the most perfect Degree because the soule therein and therby is euen reduced to nothing 10. In a word here is Adoration Sacrifice Deuotion all graces vnited together where creatures are excluded God vvith all his Perfections is alone exposed to all the faculties of the soule to be contemplated by the mind embraced by the vvill and to be the sole obiect of all her operations Here is Abstraction in Perfection And as Phaulerus saith all vertues are learnt in learning Abstraction 13. This is an Exercise fit for all sorts almost all dispositions of soules Learning is but a small furtherance neither needs it be any hindrance to it It excludes no other kind of Prayer exercise or deuotion for any kind of Prayer may be vsed as a preparation to find God in the spirit And that being once done the soule is to chase avvay all obiects that are not God that she may be vnited to him alone Knowing him most perfectly by ignorance approching to him by resting and forbearing all motion and conuersing with him most comfortably and proffitably by Silence By this holy Idlenes in pure Recollectiue Prayer the soule attaines to a cleare and most comfortable Experience of that vvhich is obscurely apprehended by faith cannot be knovvn by discourse This is that Mors Angelorum death of Angells that S. Bernard desired by vertue of vvhich they regard not neither liue in themselues as the Apostate Angells did but in God only God in them There is no other Act of the vnderstanding exercised in this but that only vvhich is the most perfect to vvit simple intelligence vvhich is
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
depressions an extraordinary consolation is vsually attended by succeeding anguish Desertion So aboue all other times this so supereminent so comfortable a Diuine Visitation is commonly follovved by a most terrible vnexpected Desolation A Desolation so vnsupportable to soules vnprouided or vnaware of it that many not enabled or not vvell instructed how to behaue themselues in it haue lost all heart to prosecute Internall vvayes so bereauing themselues of the benefit of all their former exercises Diuine Passiue Inactions haue returned to a Common extrouerted life 2. The vvhich truly is a misery so great and so deplorable that to preuent the like in others I conceiue requisite to giue warning of it and by a breife description of the nature and manner of such a Desolation together vvith the good ends for vvhich God permits yea in a sort conducts soules into it to encourage them to beare themselues in it vvith Patience Resignation tranquillity of mind I shall be breife in this Point remitting the Readers for a farther Explication of it to Barbançon as likewise to that excellent Treatise called Interiour Abnegation 3. From the foresaid sublime familiarities therfore and communications betwene God his chosen soules he conducts them vsually especially after the first Passiue Vnion to another far different state of pure suffrance But this is not a happy suffring as formerly from God but a vvofull suffring from the soule herselfe For God for some time retiring himselfe from her permits her to feele her naturall infirmity And this he does by degrees least if the extremity and bitternes of this state did at once seise vpon her she should be vtterly oppressed by the Tentation Therfore vvhen by many inferiour Trialls of her Patience and Resignation he sees her strong courageously resolued to follovv him vvhithersoeuer he shall leade her then he puts her to this last of all other greatest Triall 4. For first he not onely vvithdravves all comfortable obseruable infusions of Light Grace but also depriues her of a povver to Exercise any perceptible operations of her Superiour Spirit of all comfortable reflexions vpon his loue plunging her into the depth of her Inferiour Powers Here consequently her former calmenes of Passions is quite lost neither can she interouert herselfe sinfull motions suggestions doe violently assault her she finds as great difficulty if not greater to surmount them then at the beginning of a spirituall Course The feeling of all this is intolerable to her and thervpon she begins to suspect that by some great vnknovvn sin she has procured all this or hovveuer that her resistance is now so feeble and inefficacious that she deserues that God should quite cast herof She finds the corrupt inclinations of her nature so strong in her that she thinks she is nothing but Nature the rebelliousnes vvhereof its rage against God is vnexpressible She is novv as full of Images of Vanities as euer she had bene formerly and it seemes to her that she has far lesse povver to expell them then vvhen she liued in the vvorld If she vvould eleuate her Spirit she sees nothing but Clovvds darknesse She seekes God and cannot find the least markes or footsteps of his Presence Something there is that hinders her from executing the sinfull suggestions vvithin her but vvhat that is she knovves not for to her thinking she has no Spirit at all And indeed she is now in a Region of all other most distant from Spirit and spirituall operations I meane such as are perceptible Her Prayers recollections are most greiuous vnto her because infinitely difficult by reason that sense and nature vvhich most abhorrs them is novv almost only Actiue and operatiue in her And the Recollections vvhich she endeauours to make are not only insipide but as it seemes to her vtterly inefficacious so that she oft suspects that it vvere better perhaps if she vvere quite extrouerted Yet for all that she dares not altogether quitt her endeauours to practise Recollections but yet she knovvs not vvhy 5. Now if all these disorders continued only for some short time she might vvithout extreme difficulty practise Patience as she did in her former Aridities and desolations But alas this most afflicting Martyrdome oftentimes continues many monthes yea in some persons seuerall yeares not alvvaies in extremity but vvith some intercisions so that the soule comes in a manner to loose all Patience She often complaines in her Prayers to God for deserting her that vvould faine not desert him yet vvhen she makes such Prayers to her seeming her Spirit vvill not ioyne If she had nothing to doe but meerly to suffer it vvere not so much But she knovves it is her duty to vvorke and to raise herselfe vp by Prayer and this she cannot doe She stands in need novv of as grosse operations to cause an Introuersion as euer and yet those grosse operations haue not so good an effect as in her former imperfect state 6. Moreouer the Tentations vvhich she novv suffers are both so violent and her resistance so feeble They are vvithall so vnexpected so secret and subtile that notvvithstanding any information that she formerly had by Reading or othervvayes touching such a condition of suffring to be expected yet vvhen it comes she vvill scarce be persvvaded that this can be possibly a vvay to Perfection or conducing to her good All her former light and instructions vvill scarce at all diminish her resentment of her deplorable condition She looses nothing of her former Light for soules arriued to this state are not to seeke or to learne how and in vvhat manner they are to exercise themselues interiourly they study no more for that then one vvould doe hovv he may see vvith his eyes or heare vvith his eares hauing the Perfect vse of his senses But vvhen she is to practise according to this light she has no satisfaction at all If she haue any difficulties or obscurities it is hovv she is to comport herselfe in externall matters euen this obscurity is but very small But hovveuer she thinks that all the light she has serues to little purpose finding that notvvithstanding it she vvorkes as if she had no light at all In a vvord she novv sees her ovvne naturall misery so perfectly yea and can see nothing but it that she cannot see hovv God can comfort her if he vvould 7. All this shevves that notvvithstanding all her precedent Exercises yea that during the foregoing Diuine Inactions yet many dreggs of corrupt nature did remaine in her they vvere only hid but not extinguished This therfore vvas the onely forcible Expedient left to destroy in a manner all the sinfull inclinations of nature in her Indeed to naturall reason this seemes a strange and most improper Remedy to destroy nature by suspending the Influences and operations of Grace and by suffring nature to breake forth violently vvithout any controule and restraint all sensible light in the
vnderstanding and feruour in the vvill being in a manner extinguished Yet out of this darkenes God produces Light and strength from this Infirmity 8. For the truth is that in this case of Desolation the soule doth by her Free Will or rather in the center of the Spirit beyond all her faculties remaine in a constant Vnion adhesion to God although no such Vnion doe appeare vnto her yea though it seemes to her that she is not only estranged but euen auerted from God And by vertue of that most secret but firme adhesion she makes election of God as her only Good The vvhich may to any but herselfe sufficiently appeare by her cariage during that State For she breakes not out into any murmurings she seekes not to comfort herselfe by admitting any inordinate Externall solaces not doth any thing deliberately by vvhich to rid herselfe from such an afflicting Estate sooner or othervvise then God vvould haue her to doe She practises Tranquillity of mind in the midst of a tempest of passions in sensitiue nature She exercises Resignation without the least contentment to herselfe therin she learnes Patiēce in the midst of impatiēce Resignatiō in the midst of irresignatiō In a vvord she yeilds herselfe as a prey vnto Almighty God to be cast into this most sharpe Purgatory of Loue. The vvhich is an immediate Dispoition to an established State of Perfection 9. More particularly the Fruits Benefits flovving from this most sad estate supported vvith Patience Tranquillity of spirit are vvonderfull 1. For first hereby the deuout soule obtaines a nevv Light to penetrate into the Mystery of our Lords desertion in the Garden on the Crosse from this light a most enflamed loue to him Now she ceases to vvander vvhy he should deprecate a cupp so mortally bitter as this that it should vvorke such strange effects on him or that he should cry out Eli Eli lammasabacthani by this Desertion of his vvhich lasted till the very last moment of his life she hopes to haue an end put to hers 2. Now she learnes by experience to make a Diuision betvvene the supreme Portion of the Spirit and inferiour Nature yea betvvene the Summity of the Spirit and the faculties of the same For that Portion of her by vvhich she cleaues to God seemes to be an other third person distinct from her selfe that suffers complaines and desires For she chuses God and at the same time feares that her Will chuses and consents to sin she is mightily supported by God and yet she thinkes him vtterly estranged and separated from her Thus at last she perceiues that she can operate vvithout any perceptible vse of her Faculties 3. Hereby she learnes a perfect disappropriation and Transcendence euen of the highest Gifts and Graces of God and a contentation to be depriued of the greatest Blessings that God has to bestovv on her except only Himselfe 4. The sight of the vnexpressible vveakenesse and peruersnesse of nature left to it selfe vvithout any sensible Influences of Grace vpon the inferiour faculties produces in her a most profound Humility and Hatred of herselfe 5. Lastly by this most sharpe Purgatory of Loue she enters into a state of most Perfect Confidence in God of Tranquillity of mind and Security of Gods vnchangeable Loue to her not to be disturbed by any possible future Affliction For vvhat has a soule left to feare that can vvith a peaceable mind support yea and make her benefit of the Absence of God himselfe CHAP. VI. § 1. 2. 3. Of the End of all the precedent Exercises and of all the changes in a Spirituall Life to wit a Stable State of Perfection and Prayer § 4. 5. Wherein that State consists the testimony of Suso § 6. 7. The wonderfull Purity and sublimity of the soules operations in this State out of Barbanson c. § 9. 10. Of the VNION OF NOTHING VVITH NOTHING c. § 11. The sublimity of Angelicall loue in perfect Soules § 12. A conclusion of the whole Booke 1. IT remaines only for a conclusion of the vvhole Booke that something be sayd of the End of all these Exercises of Mortification and Prayer in vvhich there is so great variety of Degrees and changes 2. And surely that End must needs be supereminently excellent for the attaining vvhereof such incredible labour both interiour and exteriour must be vndertaken and vvhereto such vvonderfull Diuine Graces and Visits are only instrumentall Dispositions Suso writing from his ovvne Experience concerning the foresayd Passiue Vnion by vvhich a soule hath a distinct Vievv of of God her Originall sayes That though the sayd Contemplation continued but as it vvere a moment it so replenished his Heart vvith ioy that he vvondred it did not cleaue asunder On the other side vpon the subsequent most contrary Visitation by a spirituall Desertion the Heart becomes so replenished vvith bitternesse and Anguish as if all Gilead had not Balme enough to assvvage it 3. And for vvhat End all this Surely not that a man should rest finally in the Ioy conceiued by such a fruition nor meerly to torture the soule by such a bitter Desolation Our supreme Happines is not Receiuing but Louing All these fauours therfore and all these suffrings doe end in this namely the accomplishing of this Loue in our soules So that all our Perfection consists in a state of Loue and an entire Conformity with the Diuine Will 4. There are therfore in a Spirituall Life no strange Nouelties or wonders pretended to Diuine Loue is all It begins with Loue and Resignation and there it ends likevvise All the Difference is in the Degrees luster of it Loue euen in its most imperfect State is most diuinely Beautifull the vvhich Beauty is vvonderfully encreased by Exercise But vvhen by such fiery Tryalls and Purifications as also by so neare approaches as are made to the Fountaine of Beauty and Light in Passiue Vnions this loue is exalted to its Perfection Hovv nevv hovv admirable and incomprehensible to vs imperfect soules is the manner of the Exercising of it vvee must content our selues to heare those speake of it that haue had some experience in it And if vvhat they say be incomprehensible to vs vvee ought not to vvonder at it 5. That vvhich the forementioned Suso in his Ninth Rocke vvrites of the nature of this Loue in grosse is not so abstruse O how small sayes he is the number of those Perfect soules And yet as few as they are God sets them as Pillars to support his Chruch So that if it were not for them it would be in danger to be dissipated The Prayer of one such soule is of more efficacy then of all Christians besides They approach very neere to God their Originall and yet such is the vile esteeme that they haue of themselues they themselues are not assured of this Yet by fits a certaine Clarity or Glimpse of their Prime Principle is Communicated to them by which
and that in consequence thereto the late Venerable Authour had as breifly with great sincerity and clearenâ—sse presented his sence in that matter the VV. RR. FF in Chapter did presently absolue the V. Authour causing withall his Opponent to subscribe to a Writing conceiued in a manner Verbatim out of the Account giuen by the Authour But on that occasion they imposed on the two foresayd VV. RR. Approuers once more diligently to peruse the seuerall Treatises composed by the V. Authour who most freely humbly submitted them to their Censure So that on that occasion they renewed their former Testimonies and Approbations From hence Beloued Reader thou wilt perceiue and canst not but giue thy Testimony and Approbation also to the Prudent care expressed by our H. Congregation not to permit any Bookes of this Nature euen to the priuate Reading and vse of their Religious Subiects till all possâ—ble circumspection diligence had first bene vsed that nothing should therin be contained that might produce the least danger preiudice or inconuenience And after all this way was not giuen to a publishing the sayd Bookes till twenty yeares were passed When in a Generall Chapter assembled in A. D. 1653. at Paris the VV. RR. FF perceiuing the many blessed fruits proceeding from the sayd VVritings to the aduancement of all Regular Duties of Solitude Obedience Humility and Deuotion especially in the Conuent of our RR. Dames of Cambray and elsewhere And moreouer finding that many among the Secular Clergy in England yea that seuerall deuout persons of the Layty both Men and Women did to the wonderfull proffit of their soules make vse of some of the sayd Treatises And not any one appearing that did make any opposition at all to any part of the Doctrine On these and the like grounds by vnanimous agreement Nemine contradicente it was ordred That a Methodicall Abridgment of the Spirituall Instructions dispersed through the numerous Treatises of the late Venerable F. Augustin Baker should for the good and benefit of soules be exposed to the Publick To the sayd Approbations I will adioyne a short Discourse written for the satisfaction and encouragement of the Religious Dames of Cambray by the foresayd most R. Father Leander à S. Martino and by him called a Memoriall in which he breifly explaines the principall Aduices deliuered by our Venerable Authour as likewise a Scheme of the Doctrine of Diuine Calls and Inspirations at one glance representing to the Reader the summe of the sayd Doctrine acknowledged by our Authour to be perfectly comformable to his sence of it THE APPROBATIONS FOLLOW The first Bookes written by our Ven. Authour were certaine Collections out of seuerall Spirituall Writers which He entitled with the letters A. B. C. After which he composed himselfe seuerall Treatises the which he entitled with the following Letters D. F. G. H. c. Now the first of these viz. D. consisting of about 300. Aphorismes in which is contained the summe of Spirituall Doctrine or Directions for Contemplation has these Approbations Legi approbaui hunc Libellum pro vsu Monialium nostrarum Ego Fr. Leander S. Th. Doctor Prior S. Gregorij huius Monasterij B. Mariae de Consolatione Ordinarius indignus Augusti 17. 1629. Againe in the Re-examination Allovved Br. Leander Br. Rosendo Againe Lectus est hic libellus admissus approbatus a me Fr. Leandro de S. Martino pro vsu Monalium nostrarum F. Leander de S. Martino Ordinarius To the Booke F. being the second part of Directions for Contemplation and treating of certaine erroneous Opinions frequent in these dayes Also of matters of Confession in a Spirituall Life Together with a Caetalogue of choice spirituall Bookes c. THE APPROBATIONS THis second Part of Directions for Contemplation is not onely lavvfull to be read but necessary to be knovvn of such as be not instructed in a Spirituall Life to the end they may learne something here and knovv vvhere to learne more and to performe their obligations vvithout trouble of mind and losse of time to themselues and others F. Leander de S. Martino Priour S. Gregories eiusd Ord. Congreg Ordinarius Monalium B. Rosendo Barlovv President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Bennet The the Booke G. the 3. part of varieties of Contemplations c. THE APPROBATIONS I Haue read ouer diligently this Booke and find it in all points vvorthy of allovvance full of very vvholesome doctrine and fit for our spirit and Calling And therefore I doe allovv of it for the vse of our Nunnes and commend much vnto them the practise thereof according to the Rules herein contained 27. Aug. 1629. Fr. Leander de S. Mâ—rtino Priour of S. Gregories and Ordinary of the Monastery of our Ladies of Comfort in Cambray This Booke called Directions for Contemplation the 3. part is a breife summe of vvhat is largely handled by the best Mystick Authours that vvrite of this subiect and therfore vvorthy to be read and read againe Duaci 24. Dec. 1629. Br. Rosendo Barlovv President of the English Congregation of the Holy Order of S. Bennet To the Booke H. treating of Purity of Intention Custodia Cordis of Meditation on the Passion THE APPROBATIONS THis 4. Part of Directions for Contemplation is replenished vvith passing good Documents very fine explications of the Nature and effects of Prayer and therfore most seruiceable to such as seriously seeke a perfect course of Life Doway 24. Dec. 1629. F. Leander de S. Martino Priour of S. Gregories eiusd Ord. Congregationis B. Rosendo Barlow President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Bennet To the first part of Doubts and Calls are THESE APPROBATIONS I Haue carefully read ouer these 3. Bookes of Doubts and Calls and find them to containe nothing against Faith or good order but rather very many necessary secure Instructions and rules for the Direction of internall Prayer all conformable to the teaching of the best Mâ—â—isters of Spirit that haue vvritten of these matters May. 12. 1630. F. Leander de S. Mâ—rtino Priour of the English Benedictins of S. Gregories in Doway Againe Item probatus a me F. Leandro Praeside Congregationis 1634. Aprilis 4. To the 2. Part of Doubts and Calls are THESE APPROBATIONS THis Booke called The second part of Doubts Calls may lavvfully be read It containeth nothing but that vvhich is true and proffitable to the Reader 4. Ian. 1630. B. Rosendo Barlovv President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Bennet Scene allovved as containing very proffitable and necessary Doctrine according to the Spirit and 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 Item approbaui F. Leander de S. Martino Praeses Cong 1634. Apr. 4. To the 3. Part of Doubts and Calls are THESE APPROBATIONS SEene and allovved as containing very proffitable and vvholesome
in vvhich they direct vs are in their Nature indifferent and are ordered only tovvards a more perfect louing of God and vvithdravving vs from Creatures Wheras all the miseries and almost all the disorders and enormous vices of the Nation are the effects of their misleading Lights 34. Thus stands the case betvveene Catholick Inspirations and the pretended Inspirations of Sectaries Such is that Spirit of Charity and Peace and so diuine are the effects of it directing the minds of good humble Obedient deuout Catholicks And such is the Spirit of Disorder Reuenge Wrath Rebellion c. and so dismall are the effects of that Spirit vvherevvith selfe-opinionated presumptuous frantick Sectaries are agitated What resemblance what agreement can there be betvveene these two This euill Spirit though it sacrilegiously vsurpes the name yet it doth not so much as counterfeit the operaâ—ions of the good one Or if vvith the Name it doe sometimes seeme to counterfeit some outvvard resemblances and to some persons shevv demure Lookes c yet the Aequiuocation and Hypocrisy is so grosse and palpable that they must put out their eyes that perceiue it not 35. Shall vvee then extinguish and in a sort Exorcise the Good Diuine Spirit for feare it should raise vp the Euill one vvith it Or rather shall vvee not confidently assure our selues that vpon the appearing of the Good one the Euill one vvill either vanish or the hideousnes of it vvill affright all from hearkning to it Shall vvee forbid the Sun to rise because in some vncleane rotten Maâ—ishes some foggs vvill arise vvith it Wee may as vvell annull the Sacraments forbid Prayer extinguish the Scriptures c for from all these the Deuill has maliciously taken aduantage to peruert and damne thousands of Soules 36. No doubt it is but that among those Seduced and seducing People great numbers there are that if they vvere charitably instructed in such vvayes of Discerning Spirits they vvould be susprised and start to see to vvhat kind of Directours and Guides they haue vnvvarily committed their Soules If such as these could perswaded and I beseech God they may euen vvhilst they are yet out of the Church for a vvhile to suspend the pursuance of their busy Designes and Reforming of others and retiring themselues into Solitude allovv themselues the leasure to turne their eyes inward into their ovvne Spirits and as vvell as they can to practise the humble selfe-renouncing resigned vvay of Spirituall Prayer taught in this Booke thereby to procure from God such Lights as then may be trusted to Nor they nor vvee should euer repent that the publishing of such Doctrines as these gaue them an happy occasion to doe so 37. And vvhat greater satisfaction can Catholicks haue in their vvaies And vvhat greater aduantage can they haue ouer all those that are out of the Church then this Proofe made good by vniuersall Experience viz. That whosoeuer sincerely and constantly giues himselfe to the practise of such Perfect Prayer as is here taught if he be already a Catholick he will most certainly euer remaine so and if he be not yet in the Church he will become affraid of remaining his owâ—e Pastour and Guide For neuer any Catholick that exercised Spirituall Prayer ceased to be a Catholick till he first ceased so to pray And the Spirit of such Prayer in any Perfection neuer rested vpon any soule that was out of the Catholick Church 38. And this I suppose may suffise not only to iustify the Truth and Innocency of this our Doctrine concerning Diuine Inspirations but also the lawfullnes yea conueniency yea euen the necessiâ—y of publishing it to the vvorld and this for those very Reasons vvherevvith others vvould deterre vs. For the Obiectours are afraid of the Publication of it least franctick Sectaries should thinke themselues iustified in their pretences And on the Contrary I conceiue the Publication necessary least they should thinke themselues iustified in their pretences vvhich till they see how vnlike to true Diuine Lights and Inspirations theirs are they may haue some shevv for I doe not intend vvhen I call it our Doctrine to appropriate it to any Person or Community for it is the very same that hath in all Ages bene taught by all Saints experienced in Internall wayes as vvill be demonstrated by infinite Testimonies Ancient and Moderne if God shall engage vs to such a labour by the opposition of any one True it is that the Pious and sublime Authour of the Treatises here abridged hath doubtles by the Guidance and assistance of a Supernaturall Light spent more thoughts about this subiect and taken more paines in encouragng vvell-minded soules to fitt themselues for the receiuing of such Light in distinguishing it from false Lights and in shevving the blessed Effects of it c. then perhaps any other Authour formerly did And that is all For the Doctrine in substance is all old as Christianity it selfe And cannot shevv strange or nevv but only to such to vvhom in these dayes Antiquity does seeme the greatest Nouelty 39. Hauing thus by declaring the insufficiency of these Obiections against the publishing of the follovving Instructions opened the Barriers to giue this Booke a free scape to range abroad at liberty And my only intention being for Gods Glory to benefit thy soule deare Reader For as for the meane or sinister ends of gaining credit or esteeme vvith others therby the ambition is so vnvvorthy my Profession and vvithall so poore and vnreasonable considering that I can appropriate nothing to my selfe but a little paines in transcribing digesting another mans Labours that I cannot thinke my selfe lyable to any suspicion vvith thee in that regard Therfore to the end I may according to my vtmost ability facilitate thy receiuing good to thy Spirit hereby though I haue no more Obiections to ansvver yet by conuersing vith certaine pious and learned Persons to vvhose perusall and Iudgment this Booke vvas presented hauing found that some fevv passages in it vvere not so very clearly expressed but that euen an vninteressed and vnpassionate Reader might perhaps stop a little at them I thought expedient to let thee Good Reader be acquainted vvhat Satisfaction I gaue to them 40. One Point that seemed to require an explication is that in the 1. Treat 2. Section 2. Chap. where is treated of what care a spirituall Disciple ought to take in the choice of a sit Directour For to leaue a matter of such importance to the Election of an vnexperienced perhaps young ignorant soule seemed to them neither conuenient nor prudent Besides that in Religious Communities such a permission vvould be an infringing of all due Order and Submission to Superiours But hereto vvas replied 1. That Religious Persons vvere expressely excepted in the Booke 2. And as for others this very same Aduice vvas long since giuen by the Bishop of Geneua Auila c. True it is notvvithstanding that there may oft be found in the vvorld many good deuout soules
that yet are not very capable of making a good choice Hovveuer euen such as far as is allovved ought to vse their best endeauours hoping that God vvill blesse such their care for the aduancement of their Spirits Notvvithstanding such ought vvithall to take heed that from too nice a curiosity in chusing there doe not follovv any disquiet in the families vvhere they liue if seuerall Persons should be zealous each for a particular Directour as S. Hierome chides a Mother and a Daughter that vpon such an occasion separated from one another Therfore in such a case a good soule that vvill preferre peace before the contenting her mind may of all others rely vpon God assuring her selfe that He vvill in a speciall manner assist and conduct her supplying all other vvants And particularly such an extraordinary Diuine assistance may be most confidently expected by vvell-disposed soules in Religious Communities vvhere such freedome of chusing is not permitted For as Rusbrochius sayth God will rather send an Angell from heauen then that such humble obedient and sincere soules relying vpon him shall want due helpes Therfore such as forbeare a sollicitous searching after a Directour either for the preuenting inconueniences or out of an humble sincere apprehension of the danger of erring in the Choice or a Religious regard to the preiudice it might cause in a Community to peace and good order c such may vvell hope that God vvill not permit them to be loosers thereby Yea moreouer such as in the forenamed Cases thinke they haue a true occasion and that they may iustly doe it for the quietting of their Consciences resoluing of their doubts c had neede be very vvary that they proceede sincerely and that they really seeke their spirituall proffit and not naturall contentment For as our Venerable F. Baker in a certaine place aduiseth It is not sufficient to any Soules that it is permitted by the Lavves of the Church at certaine times to require a Speciall Directour vpon a consideration of the expedience and necessity that some soules in some circumstances may haue But they are to consider vvhether their case haue these circumstances and vvhether they doe truly make vse of the said Permission for the right end 41. A second Point in the same chapter supposed to deserue explication vvas that Assertion That a Deuout Soule once set in a good and proper way of Prayer after she has made some progresse in it ought not to haue recourse ordinarily to a Directour but that she should practise the following of Gods Directions c. On the Contrary it vvas supposed that till a soule haue made some considerable progresse in the Prayer of the Will she vvould not be subiect to Illusions and therfore had thence forvvard most neede of Aduice from a prudent Guide But this difficulty is cleared tovvard the latter end of the third Treatise vvhere is taught That in the case and perill of Illusion vpon an opinion of some extraordinary Illuminations c it is necessary that Soules though neuer so much aduanced should distrust their ovvne iudgment and neuer presume to adde beleife vnto and must lesse put in execution any thing suggested by any Illuminations true or pretended vvithout the aduice and consent of Superiours and Directours But as for the ordinary practises of an Internall Life as Prayer and Mortification c is is very requisite that soules should be taught as soone as may be to quit an assiduous dependāce on Externall Guides from vvhence vvould follovv nothing but sollicitudes distractions c. There is a parallell Aduice though in somevvhat a different Case in 3. Treat 4. Sect. 3. Chap. § 36. 37. vvhere in a Discourse concerning Rapts and the like extraordinary Fauours it is said of Perfect Soules that they may iudge of those matters by their owne supernaturall Light c. that they are not so absolutely obliged to resigne their iudgments and Wills to others as vtterly to neglect their owne proper Call receiued from God c. By vvhich vvords is not meant that any Soules though neuer so Perfect should be exempted from the obligation of submission to Superiours iudging or ordaining concerning any such Diuine Fauours But only that such Perfect Soules neede not so oft to haue recourse for Aduice about such matters but may proceede by that Diuine Light communicated to them Whereas the imperfect ought neither to yeild beleife nor execution further then they haue Aduice and Order for Now vvho vvould find fault vvith S. Teresa S. Catherine of Sienna c if they should forbeare consultations after euery Rapt or Reuelation hauing formerly bene sufficiently vvarranted by Superiours c 42. In consequence to the story of V. R. F. Balthazar Aluarez his Account giuen of his Prayer to his Generall mentioned in the 3. Treat 1. Sect. 7. Chap. at the latter End vvhere a relation is made of the Generalls Orders requiring all Superiours to direct and assist the younger Religious among them so as that they might high y esteeme and in their practise follow the manner of Prayer most suitable to their Institute prescribed in their Exercises I thinke my selfe obliged to acquaint thee deare Reader that by two Bookes published of late by two RR. FF of the Society and perused by mee since the vvriting and printing of that passage I doe find that the sayd Orders of the Generall are not at least of late so rigidely interpreted as formerly they vvere 43. The Authours of sayd Bookes vvritten in French are R. F. Ant. Ciuoré and R. F. Andr. Baiole In vvhich the vvhole Doctrine of this Booke especially concerning the Excellency of Affectiue Praier beyond Discoursiue is most copiously and strongly asserted yea and moreouer the Instructions concerning the necessity of attending to and following Diuine Inspirations as likevvise waies prescribed to distinguish them from false suggestions of the Deuill or corrupt Nature are so largely clearely and euen in the very Phrases of this Booke deliuered by the former of the tvvo in his Booke called Les Secrets de la Science des Saincts Tr. III. cap. IX from p. 402. to p. 486. that it not being credible that he had seene our V. F. A. Bakers Writings vvee may rationally in ferre that vvhat he vvrites vvith such extraordinary exactnes proceeded from a deepe and experimentall knovvledge of these Internall and secret pathes of Contemplation 44. So that no doubt there are many Deuout Persons in the Society vvhich not being engaged in many externall Employments and enioying consequently both a Solitude and Liberty of Spirit greater perhaps then vvill be afforded in many Communities by Profession purely Contemplatiue doe permit themselues to the Diuine Conduct make vvonderfull progresse in these Diuine Wayes 45. True indeede it is that the other Authour F. Ant. Baiole seemes to maintaine that the Spirituall Exercises according to the intention of S. Ignatius vvill by practise become a Praier of Contemplation and Mystick Vnion An Assertion in