makes a Reconcilation and doth other good Works He hinders the Incorporating the Barnabites the Somasques and the Theatines with the Society He condemns the Conduct of Miron and Gonzales He reprehends Laynez and how Laynez receives the Reprimand He keeps up Regular Discipline in the Colledge of Naples Troubles in the Province of Portugal and the General 's Conduct in quieting them The General overcomes great Oppositions He sends a Visitor into Portugal He gives Advice to the Provincial He moderates the Fervor of the Portuguez The Epistle of Obedience Two Missioners accus'd and justifi'd A new Persecution in Spain A Testimony in favor of the Exercises of Father Ignatius The King of Portugal demands of Father Ignatius a Patriarch and Bishop for Aethiopia The Fathers propos'd by the General oppose their Promotion The General engageth the three Fathers to submit The Geneal's Letter to the King of the Abyssins How the General treats Rodriguez He makes a Regulation for the Visits of Women He caus'd Rules of Behaviour to be publish'd The Pope incens'd against the Society The General appeases the Pope The Affection of Popes for the Society He hinders Laynez's being made a Cardinal The Confidence of Father Ignatius in the Providence of God The Society Persecuted in France The Decree of the Faculty of Divinity at Paris against the Jesuits The General will have no Answer made to the Decree He Confers with some Doctors of the Sorbon His Care for the Advancement of Learning in the Roman Colledge His Infirmities oblige him to give over Business He reserves to himself the Care of the Sick He Institutes the Prayers of Forty hours during the three last days of Carnivall He disposes himself to die The Contents of the Sixth Book Page 347. THe Effect which his Death produced The Judgment of the first Fathers of the Society concerning St. Ignatius He is honor'd as a Saint in Rome A Miracle wrought upon the Day of his Interment The Place where his Body lies and his Epitaph Testimonies of several Persons in Praise of St. Ignatius He is Reverenc'd by the People as a Saint The Prediction and the Apparition of St. Ignatius A miraculous Cure The Saint Religiously Reverenc'd by Cardinal Baronius The Pope orders Informations to be taken of Ignatius's Life His Gift of Prayer His Love towards God His Charity towards his Neighbor His Humility His Disengagement from the World His Command over his Passions His Reserv'dness in Speaking and how weighty hir Words His Constancy in what he undertook for God and his Greatness of Soul His Confidence in God His Prudence in Spiritual Matters His Beatification His Cononization THE LIFE OF St. IGNATIVS The First BOOK THE providence of God never appear'd more visibly in the preservation of his Church then in the last Century so fatal to Germany to England and to France by the Apostacy of Luther by the Schism of Henry the Eighth and by the pretended Reformation of Calvin As the manners of Men generally grow corrupt by the same degrees that they loose their Faith so were these new Heresies followed by a general licentiousness The People after they had revolted from the common Pastor of the Faithful Rebelled also against their Lawful Princes and having shaken off the Yoke of Ecclesiastical Obedience and of Allegiance to their Soveraigns they abandoned themselves to all those disorders which Men are capable of when they are govern'd by the Spirit of Lying Thus did Impiety ravage the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and in those places where Religion had been most flourishing Altars were prophan'd the use of Sacraments abolish'd the Evangelical Councils contemn'd and all Laws both Humane and Divine trampl'd under foot Then it was that Heaven rais'd up Ignatius of Loyola to serve and relieve the pressing necessities of the Christian World and it looks as if the Divine wisdom had intended specially to declare that very purpose by a concourse of Accidents then happening which could not be the product of meer chance For in the same year that Luther publickly maintain'd his Apostacy in the Dyet of Worms and retiring himself into his solitude of Alstat wrote a Book against Monastical Vows which made an infinity of Apostates Did Ignatius consecrate himself to God in the Church of Montserrat and in his retreat of Manreze write his spiritual Exercises which serv'd to form and model his own and to re-people all other Religious Orders At the very time that Calvin began to Dogmatize and gather Disciples in Paris Ignatius who was come thither to Study did in like manner assemble his company to declare War against the Enemies of the Catholick Faith And Lastly When Henry the Eighth first assum'd the Title of Head of the Church and Commanded all his Subjects under pain of Death to raze out the Name of the Pope from all their Papers and Books Did our new Patriark whose life I now write lay the Foundation of a Society devoted to the service of the Holy See Ignatius was born in the year 1491. in the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella and in that part of the Spanish Biscay which reacheth towards the Pyreneans and is at this day called Guipuscoa Don Bertram his Father Lord of Ognez and Loyola was of the Ancient Nobility in that Country and Head of a Family which had always enjoy'd the first charges and had produc'd many eminent Persons His Mother Marina Saez de Balde was of no less Illustrious an Extraction He was the last born of three Daughters and Eight Sons well shap'd of a temper inclining to choller his Aire and his Genius lofty and above all he had an ardent passion for Glory Tho he seemed outwardly something violent and haughty he was nevertheless in his conversation affable and obliging He was naturally Wise and in his first years a certain discretion was observ'd in him which had nothing of Childishness His Father who judged him proper for the Court sent him thither betimes and made him Page to the Catholick King Ferdinand took pleasure to see a Child so lively and rational and upon occasions gave him Marks of his good liking But young Ignatius was not of a humor to lead so unactive a life the Love of Glory and the Example of his Brothers who had signaliz'd themselves in the Army of Naples soon gave him a disgust of the Court and put thoughts of War in his head at an Age in which others only mind the plays of Children He declar'd his intentions to the Duke of Naiare Don Antonio Manrique Grandee of Spain his Kinsman and a particular friend to his Family The Duke who had a Martial Soul and was esteem'd one of the most accomplish'd Gentlemen of his time did not oppose the design of Ignatius He took care to have him well taught his Exercises and delighted himself in forming and instructing him in them Ignatius under so good a Master became in a short time capable of serving his Prince He pas'd through all the
and the pains of his Stomack still continued He spoke in publick of the things of Heaven and to be better heard by the people which came about him he got up upon a Stone which is at this day expos'd to view before the Antient Hospital of St. Lucy His mortified Countenance his modest Aire his words animated with the Spirit of Truth inspired into his Auditors the love of Vertue and a horror of Vice But his private entertainments produc'd wonderful effects He converted the most obstinate sinners by laying before them the Maxims and Duties of Christianity and by causing them to meditate upon them in retirement Some were so toucht that they renounced the World and changed at the same time both manners and state The many reflections which Ignatius made upon the force and power of these Evangelical Maxims and the many tryals of their Operation both in himself and others mov'd him to write a Book of Spiritual Exercises for the good of their Souls that live in the World This Book has so great a part in the life which I now write and is so little known in the World that it will not be unprofitable in this place to give an accompt of it The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius are something more then a bare collection of Meditations and of Christian considerations if they were that and no more there would be nothing in them particular and new St. Ignatius is not the first who has taught us the way of raising our minds to God and of looking down into our own infirmities by the means of mental Prayer Before him were known the several heads of Meditation concerning the end for which we were Created the Enormity of Sin the Pains of Hell the Life and Death of our Saviour but this we may say that before him there was not a certain and prefix'd method for the reformation of manners To him we owe this method and he it was who enlightned by God after a manner altogether new in a methodical way reduc'd as it were into a holy Art the conversion of a sinner Knowing of one side the perverse inclinations of the Heart of Man and on the other the power and vertue which such particular truths of Christianity duly appli'd have to rectifie them he has set down a way by which Man with the succour of grace may recover out of his sin and climb to the highest degree of perfection In effect if we look near into the matter there is as much difference between the common Meditations and these Exercises as between the knowledge only of simples and the entire Art of Physick which has its principles and aphorisms for the cure of Diseases according to the constitution of Bodies the nature of the Distempers and the quality of the Remedies But to the end the reality of what I say may appear I will here set down the whole Order and Scheme of St. Ignatius his Spiritual Exercises They begin by a very important Meditation which is the ground work on which the whole Frame is built and therefore is called the Beginning or Foundation of the Exercises The scope of this Fundamental Meditation is to weigh and duly consider the end for which we are born and plac'd here upon Earth Whether it be to enjoy the pleasure of our Senses to grow Rich to acquire Glory learn unprofitable Sciences or whether it be to Serve and Obey our Lord and God whose Creatures we are And when our understanding is fully possest of this Truth that our Eternal Salvation wholly and solely depends upon loving and serving him we must then draw this consequence That the things of this World are no otherwise to be sought or enjoy'd then as they conduce to the honoring and serving God Moreover whereas such things as are only means to some end are to be considered and valued not by their own intrinsick worth but for their fitness and tendency to such End It necessarily follows that we ought to judge of Riches and Poverty of a High and a Low Condition of Health and Sickness not according to the Good or Evil which they bring us in this present Life but according to the Advantages or Hindrances we receive from them in order to Eternity Hence again it will follow That we ought to be perfectly indifferent in reference to these things so that we are not to desire Health more then Sickness to prefer Riches above Poverty Honour above Contempt nor a long Life above a short one And in the Last place we are to conclude That if we must determine our Choice on the one side more then on the other we must choose that which most directly leads to our End It is hardly credible how much this grand verity well weigh'd and comprehended doth enlighten and stir up the Soul of a sinner be he never so blind and obstinate For provided he be a little remov'd out of the noise and hurry of company and business it makes him look upon the World with other Eyes then he did and shews him the fatal mistake of Worldlings who place their happiness in Creatures and thereby throughly awakes him out of his former Lethargy Being possest and convinc'd of this Essential Principle we are next to consider what it is that puts us out of the way to our End In order to this St. Ignatius proposeth to us Meditations upon sin And first of the fall of the Angels who were cast down from Heaven into the bottom of Hell for one sin of Pride next of the Transgression of the first Man who was banish'd out of Paradice He and his Posterity condemn'd to so many Evils for his Disobedience and Lastly of so many Millions that are Eternally lost and doom'd to the Torments of Hell for sins less Enormous then our own But in regard our main business is to remedy our own disorders it is necessary for us to have a sufficient knowledge of them Wherefore the Saint leads us from the general consideration of sin to a particular Discussion and Examination of our own Conscience To the End that looking throughly into the state of our whole Life we may find out all our enormities and deviations which have set us at distance and at enmity with God but further because the knowledge of our Trangressions would have no great effect upon us if we did not rightly apprehend how shameful and criminal they are St. Ignatius directs that in the Second Meditation of Sins we should consider how ugly and infamous in their own Nature they are and would be altho they were not forbid And to the end this consideration may have its full force to shew us how infinitly Heinous they are He bids us set before our Eyes the Immense distance between the Greatness and Glory of God and our Wretchedness and Lowness These past Considerations tho Powerful and Weighty are not yet sufficient to inspire into a worldly Soul all the Compunction that is necessary There must
the Head how he is to be qualifi'd the Form of his Election his Authority and all that which appertains to him Lastly the Tenth sets down several Means for the Preservation and Growth of the Society He wrote all his Constitutions in Spanish and Father John Plancus his Secretary Translated them into Latin They are fill'd with the Spiritual Unction of Grace which an attentive Reader may easily feel and an Apostolical Zeal is every where so diffus'd in them that in every Page and almost in every Line these following Words are found For the Good of Souls For the Service of our Neighbour For the Honor of His Divine Majesty For the greater Glory of God Whereas Laws do not always descend to Successors with Explanations but that they have often need to be interpreted the Saint adds to his in Form of a Gloss Chapter by Chapter certain Declarations which have the same Authority with the Constitutions and have also the same Spirit Tho' before he wrote them he had read the Rules and Histories of other Religious Orders yet at the time of Writing them he never had in his Chamber any other Book but the New Testament and Thomas a Kempis During that time there was often seen a Flame over his Head not much unlike that which appear'd in Tongues of Fire over the Apostles when the Holy Ghost descended from Heaven And his Hours were spent in Tears of Devotion in holy Ardors in Raptures and in Celestial Apparitions as we read in a paper-Paper-Book written with his own Hand which Providence hinder'd from being burnt with many other Papers of the same nature which he caus'd to be cast into the Fire some few days before his Death THE LIFE OF St. IGNATIVS The Fourth BOOK WHile Father Ignatius was thus Employ'd at Rome in doing good Works and in Writing the Constitutions of his Order many Towns of Italy Spain Germany and of the Low Countries sent to him for Workmen of his own Training and offer'd him Colledges for the Forming of more They follow'd in this the Example of John thee Third King of Portugal who having sent Father Xaverius to the Indies and intending to send from time to time fresh Succors to Second him in his Apostolical Labours Founded the First Colledge of the Society in the University of Conimbria to be a Nursery of Preachers and of Apostles for the new World Alcala Valentia Gandia Collen Lovain and Padua were the first Cities which desir'd to have the Children of Ignatius In a little time they were sought for by all Catholick Countries excepting France where the Society tho' in that Place it had its Birth made the least progress whether it were that the Hereticks who were then spread about in the Kingdom made it their Business to render it odious or that the War being renew'd between Charles the Fifth and Francis the First they did not love a Society whose Head and principal Members were Natives of Spain So that far from being desir'd by the Towns of France those of the Society who Studied at Paris and were not Frenchmen were oblig'd to leave the Kingdom in Obedience to an Edict which banish'd thence all Subjects of the Emperor At the same time many Learned Men of all Nations and even French embraced the Institute of Ignatius they came to Rome to put themselves under the Direction of the Saint and to learn of him the Science of Salvation One of the most eminent was William Postel born at Barenton in Normandy and Professor Royal in the University of Paris He had in point of Learning the greatest Wit of his Age vivacious penetrating and joyn'd with a prodigious Memory an universal Genius which was ignorant of nothing and which excell'd particularly in the knowledge of Tongues Besides the Latin the Greek the Hebrew the Chaldaic and the Syriack he so perfectly knew all those that are now spoken and are the living Languages that he has been heard to say he could go the whole Round of the Earth without an Interpreter Francis the First a Lover of Learning and the Queen of Navarr his Sister not unskill'd in Literature look'd upon Postel as the Miracle of the Age. The greatest Persons and among the rest the Cardinals of Tournon of Lorain and of Armagnac were greedy of his Company and in a manner made their Court to him The most Learned admir'd him and in speaking of him it was a common Saying That there came out of his Mouth as many Oracles as Words The Reputation of the Society of Jesus all Europe over rais'd a Curiosity in Postel to see the Founder of this new Order which made profession of Learning Being come to Rome on this account and having seen Father Ignatius more then once he was so charm'd with his way of Proceeding his Maxims and with the Character of his Institute that Visiting the Seven Churches he made a Vow to enter into his Society And afterwards with so much instance he press'd his Admission and express'd so much zeal for the Conversion of Jews and Idolaters that Father Ignatius who well knew the Abilities of Postel could not refuse to receive him But the Saint soon perceiv'd that a fair out-side had dazled his Eyes whereas he knew that Science breeds Pride and that without profound Humility the greatest Wits are the least proper to do great things in the Service of God he himself took the charge of the Conduct of Postel This Novice who was about Forty years old and who before his Voyage into Italy with much Reading of Rabbins and Contemplating the Stars had rais'd Visions in his Brain concerning a new Coming of Jesus Christ could not so well contain himself but that sometimes these Extravagancies would come from him The Father who found at first that Rabbinism and Judicial Astrology had a little turn'd his Brain us'd all possible means for Two years together to set him right in his Wits After having try'd charitable Remonstrances and severe Reprehensions he put him into the hands of Laynez and Salmeron who endeavor'd to undeceive him with solid Reasons and advis'd him to read only St. Thomas He moreover Address'd him to the Pope's Vicar a Man Learned Prudent and every way Accomplish'd for the curing a distemper'd Wit But seeing that all these Remedies were unprofitable and that Postel became every day more and more Visionary to the degree of playing the Prophet he Expell'd him from his Order and forbad all those of the Society to have any Commerce with him The Event did justifie the Conduct of Ignatius As soon as Postel was Dismiss'd he set himself to Dogmatize in Rome saying for a colour of his leaving the Order That it was not to be wonder'd at if he could not agree with the holy Man Ignatius since even St. Paul and St. Barnabas were not of the same mind Afterwards retiring to Venice where he thought he should be more in safety He was so infatuated concerning a certain Religious Woman call'd Mother
the Pope to bestow upon him a Cardinal's Cap for which his Holiness needed no great Solicitation for he had seen Father Francis the Year before and was so edified with his Vertue that even then he had it in his thoughts to make him a Cardinal So that now he resolv'd to comply with the Emperor and the Matter was resolv'd with the general Approbation of the sacred Colledge Father Ignatius being inform'd of the Pope's Resolution thought himself oblig'd to oppose it for the Interest of the Society and for the Honor of Father Francis whom the World would not fail to reproach with having resign'd his Dukedom of Gandia to his Son in prospect of a Cardinal's Cap. But the better to find out the Will of Heaven in a Matter so nice and so important he shut himself up three days together and communicated only with God in Prayer The first day he found himself altogether indifferent without inclining more on one side then on the other The second day he felt a propension in himself rather to break the Design then to let it go on But the third day he was so convinc'd that it was not the Will of God to have Father Francis made a Cardinal that he said to an intimate Friend If all the World should throw themselves at my Feet to beg of me not to oppose the Promotion of Father Francis I would not desist In effect notwithstanding all the Intreaties of the Emperor's Ministers and of those who pretended Zeal for the Honor of the House of Borgia he would not relent He began his Solicitation by interessing those Cardinals in the Matter who were best instructed in the Nature of his Institute but finding that they more consider'd the Honor of the Sacred Colledge then the Advantage of the Society and the Reputation of Father Francis he apply'd himself immediately to the Pope and ply'd him with so many strong Arguments that his Holiness was forc'd to yield The truth is that he found an Expedient to content the Court of Rome and the Court of Spain and also to do Honor to Father Francis without doing wrong to the Society which was That the Pope should offer him the Cap but that if the Father did refuse it his Holiness should not compel him to take it The thing was Executed as Ignatius had laid it And the Cap of which the Offer was sent to Father Francis in his Solitude at Ogniate no otherwise pleas'd him then in giving him an occasion of Sacrificing to God the Dignities of the Church after his having made a Sacrifice to him of the Grandeurs of the World The Conduct of Father Ignatius and the Example of Father Francis caus'd a Resolution in Don Antonio de Cordoua to enter into the Society He was the Son of Laurence Suarez de Figueroa Conde de Feria and of Catherine Fernandez de Cordoua Being young and very well accomplish'd he made himself a Churchman only upon the Motives of Piety Philip Prince of Spain who particularly lov'd him desir'd the Emperor to procure for him a Cardinal's Cap. Charles the Fifth did what the Prince desir'd but Don Antonio resolving wholly to leave the World by the Example of his Cousin Borgia thought the surest way to avoid the Honor which was prepar'd for him would be to shelter himself in the Society of Jesus as in a Sanctuary He writ a long Letter to Father Ignatius upon this Subject in which after having laid open the Motives of his Vocation Father he said to him since God has placed you in his Church to be the Refuge of those who are out of their way I desire you to receive me into the number of your Children The young Lord was receiv'd and in time became one of the greatest Men of the Society THE LIFE OF St. IGNATIVS The Fifth BOOK WHereas Father Ignatius secluded his Order from Ecclesiastical Dignities upon the only Motive of better Serving the Church accordingly his thoughts were always watchful to observe and relieve the Necessities of Christianity and his Care extended it self even to the remotest Parts of the World But his principal Consideration was of the Northern Countries desolated by Heresie The greatest part of Germany had in a manner quite lost their ancient Piety the Books of Hereticks were every where scatter'd and every where read with Impunity And the younger sort out of those poyson'd Fountains drew their first Principles of Religion The greatest part of the Catholicks could not endure the Name of Papist given them by the Protestants and grew almost asham'd of their Profession The Priests and the Religious were in great disorder and notwithstanding the Zeal of many Bishops for the Reformation of their Diocesses they could hardly find sufficient Curates to whom they might confide the Care and Government of Souls Father Ignatius Discoursing one day upon this Subject with Cardinal Moron they were both of Opinion that the only way to remedy so many Evils was to place in all Churches Pastors found in their Doctrine and unstain'd in their Life which should be of the German Nation but that it was necessary in the first place to have them well Form'd and Train'd which could not be done without Founding a Colledge where the young Men of the Country might be Educated in Learning and Piety That Germany being generally perverted there could be no Security there for the Establishing such a Colledge and that a properer Place could not be chosen then Rome where not to speak of the holiness of the Place which would inspire Catholick Sentiments the Presence and the Liberality of Popes would much conduce to the rise and support of so good a Work The Pope to whom Cardinal Moron and Cardinal Santa Croce first open'd this Matter very much approv'd this Design which he himself had formerly conceiv'd in his thoughts and gave a beginning to it by assigning a Fund for the Maintenance of the Colledge After which he order'd Father Ignatius not only to seek out and chuse young Students out of Germany but also to Govern and to Instruct them The Father immediately gather'd together Four and twenty out of several Provinces of Germany all of good Capacity and Education He afterwards by the Pope's Order drew up Rules and Statutes for their Government He appointed Fathers out of the Casa Professa and the Roman Colledge to be their Directors and Masters but with the management of their Revenue he would have nothing to do He said that such Administrations besides the fatigue and trouble of them often give occasion of suspicions and murmurings The principal Revenue of the German Colledge failing upon the death of Julius the Third Father Ignatius was in some apprehension lest the Colledge should break by reason of the Dearth then at Rome and of the Disturbances in Italy under the Pontificate of Paul the Fourth He therefore distributed a part of these young Strangers into several Colledges of the Society abroad and the rest he
austere Life which he was resolv'd to lead The good Father who was himself a very mortifi'd Person confirm'd Ignatius in his Design and withal gave him Rules for his conduct discovering to him those snares which the evil Spirit might possibly lay for him in his first Fervours The Sentiments of Pennance which Ignatius then had went farther then bare Sighs and Tears In the Evening he went forth to find out a poor Man to whom stripping himself to his Shirt he privately gave all his Clothes then putting on his long Weed and girt with a Cord which he had bought by the way he return'd back to the Church of the Monastery Entring in there came into his thoughts what he had formerly read in Amadis and such other Books of Chivalry that those Knights before they were receiv'd into the Order did watch a whole Night in their Arms. He to convert into a holy usage this profane Ceremony in like manner made his Vigil before the Altar of our Lady sometimes standing sometimes kneeling but always praying and devoting himself to Jesus and Mary in quality of their Knight according to those Warlike Idea's which were still in him and by which he represented to himself the things of God He hung up his Sword upon a Pillar near the Altar in testimony of his renouncing secular Warfare Very early in the Morning he Receiv'd the Communion and then departed from Montserrat fearing lest he should be discover'd by some of those persons who came from Biscay and Navarr For that Day happen'd to be the Feast of the Annunciation which is Celebrated in that holy Place with much Solemnity and great concourse of Pilgrims from all Spain He left his Horse to the Monastery and carry'd away nothing with him but some penitential Instruments which at his request were bestow'd upon him by his Ghostly Father He march'd with his Staff in his Hand his Scrip by his Side bare-headed one Foot bare for the other which had still a weakness since his hurt and swell'd every Night he thought necessary to be shod but he march'd with such vigor and speed as well shew'd what Spirit mov'd him mightily comforted in having cast off the Liveries of the World and put on those of Jesus Christ He was scarce advanc'd a League when he heard the noise of a Horseman riding with full speed after him He was an Officer of the Justice belonging to Montserrat Is it true says he being come up to him that you have bestow'd rich Clothes upon a Beggar Notwithstanding the poor Man's protesting the contrary he is not believ'd he is suspected of theft and clapt in Prison At these words Ignatius was sensibly griev'd and could not refrain tears To deliver the innocent he confess'd the truth but would not declare tho press'd to it neither his Quality nor his Name He pursu'd his Journey with some trouble of mind for the Misfortune of the poor Man which he reckon'd his own in that he could not assist his Neighbour without bringing him into trouble With these thoughts he went on towards Manreze where he resolv'd to conceal himself and to wait till the Plague did cease at Barcelona and till the Port was open that he might proceed in his Journey to the Holy Land Manreze is a little Town three Leagues distant from Montserrat a Place famous at this day for the exemplary Pennance of the Saint whose History I write and for Devotion of the People who resort thither in Pilgrimage from all Parts but at that time hardly taken notice of having nothing in it considerable but a Monastery of Dominicans and an Hospital for Pilgrims and sick Persons Ignatius went straight to the Hospital which stood without the Walls of the Town and was call'd the Hospital of St. Lucius He took great content to see himself in the number of the Poor and in a condition of doing Pennance witout being known Which he began by Fasting the whole Week with Bread and Water excepting the Sunday when he eat a few boil'd Herbs but sprinkled over with Ashes he girded his Reins with an iron Chain under his course Habit he wore a Hair Shirt thrice a day he Disciplin'd himself slept little and lay upon the Ground In this ill treatment of himself he had at first no other aim but to imitate those holy Penitents whose Lives he had read and to expiate the Disorders of his Life past Afterwards he conceiv'd an ardent desire of pursuing the Glory of God in all his Actions and this desire render'd the Motive of his Pennance more pure and noble The truth is he had always his sins before his eyes and always he had a horror of them But after some time his own concern did not touch him and in those rigours which he us'd upon his Person instead of minding to satisfie for the pains which his sins deserv'd he only thought of revenging the injury and repairing the Honor of the Divine Majesty He was every day present at the whole Service of the Church and spent seven hours in Prayer upon his Knees and tho he had not as yet the Rules of Mental Prayer yet he was so recollected that he many times continued several hours together without any motion He often visited the Church of our Lady at Villa Dordis which is but half a League from Manreze and when he perform'd these little Pilgrimages he commonly added to his Hair Shirt and his Chain a Girdle of certain Herbs full of little Thorns and Prickles Reflecting upon his own conduct he rightly judg'd that the macerations of the Flesh would little advance him in the ways of Heaven if he did not make it his business to stifle in himself all motions of pride and self-love To this end he begg'd his Bread from Door to Door endeavouring to appear a real Beggar and lest any should guess at his Quality either by his Countenance or by his Behaviour he affected clownishness in his Carriage so to liken himself to the meanest sort of People And the better to disguise himself he entirely neglected his Person and studied how to deform himself he who formerly made it his chief happiness to appear graceful and comely in the eyes of the World His Face all cover'd with Dirt his Hair clodded and uncomb'd his Beard and his Nails grown out to a fearful length made such a Figure of him as seem'd at once both frightful and ridiculous so that whenever he appear'd in the Town of Manreze the Children pointed at him threw Stones at him and follow'd him in the Streets with shouts and outcries Most part of the People of whom he ask'd Alms instead of giving him any thing laught at him and one there was more brutal then the rest who not content to abuse him only when he met him in the Street would often go on purpose to the Hospital to revile him and to insult over him Ignatius suffer'd all these outrages and scorns without saying a word as if
Souls but more especially by what he himself has seen of the good done by them at Barcelona and at Gandia Whereupon he has made his Supplication to us to have them Examin'd and to Approve them if we shall find them worthy of Approbation and Commendation to the end that the good Effects of them may be made more universal and that the Faithful with greater Encouragement might make use of them We have accordingly caus'd them to be Examin'd and upon the Testimony which has been given us by our dear Son John of the Title of St. Clement Priest Cardinal Bishop of Burgos and Inquisitor of the Faith by our Venerable Brother Philip Bishop of Saluzzo our Vicar General in Spirituals within Rome and by our dear Son Giles Foscarini Master of the Sacred Palace We have found these Exercises to be fill'd with the Spirit of God and to be very useful for the Edification and the spiritual Profit of the Faithful Having also regard as we ought to have to the great good which Ignatius and the Society by him Founded cease not to do in the Church among all sorts of Nations and considering on the other side how instrumental this Book of Exercises is thereunto we of our own certain knowledge Approve by these Presents Commend and Ratifie with our Apostolical Authority all that is contain'd in that Book We moreover exhort all the Faithful of both Sexes in what Place of the World soever they be devoutly to practise such Christian Exercises and we give leave that the Book be Printed by any such Bookseller as shall best like the Author Provided nevertheless that after the first Edition neither the Bookseller whom he shall first chuse nor any other shall presume to Print the same the second time without the Consent of Ignatius or of his Successors c. Given at Rome in the Palace of St. Mark under the Seal of the Fisher the last Day of July in the Year of our Lord 1548 and the Fourteenth of our Pontificate The Approbation and the Printing of the Book of the Exercises which was Translated out of Spanish into Latin very much added to the Reputation of the Founder of the Society Since the Establishment of his Order he always made his Abode in Rome following therein his own Institution that the General ought to have a fix'd Habitation nevertheless he went forth for a short time upon a Charitable Account and his Journey had a happy Success The Inhabitants of St. Angelo and those of Tivoli their Neighbors having a mortal Feud one with the other even to a kind of open War Father Ignatius at the Pope's Desire went over to the Places themselves Having first Treated with Margaret of Austria Wife to Octavius Duke of Parma who was Lord of St. Angelo and next with the Magistrates of Tivoli he brought those two Towns to this Agreement That the Cardinal De la Cueva should be the Arbitrator of their Differences and that in the mean time they should lay down their Arms. It was upon this Occasion that Signior Lewis Mendoza who Lodg'd the Father at Tivoli made the Offer to him of a commodious House with very good Gardens and a Chappel of our Lady's which had been built out of the Walls near the stately Ruines of Moecenas's Villa This new Establishment Father Ignatius compleated upon the Nativity of our Lady which nevertheless came far short of those which about this time were made in Sicily Don John de Vega Viceroy of Sicily who had great Communication with the General of the Society when he was Ambassador from Charles the Fifth at Rome and who did nothing of Importance without consulting him according to the Order which he had receiv'd was no sooner at Messina but he took the Resolution of Erecting there a Colledge for the Society Palermo immediately follow'd the Example of Messina And these two Colledges whither the General sent Persons of great Vertue and Ability were the first after that of Gandia where Schools were open'd At the departure of these excellent Workmen of which the principal were Peter Canisius a German Andrew Frusis a Frenchman and Jerome Nadal a Spaniard he told them what he usually said when he sent forth Missions Go Brethren inflame spread about that Fire which Jesus Christ came to kindle on the Earth Before they went away he would have those who were design'd to Teach Schools make an Essay before him of their Method and their Ability He also would have them all take leave of the Pope to whom he himself conducted them The Pope receiv'd them with kindness and exhorted them in the first place to be very watchful against new Heresies But Father Ignatius before he cull'd out the twelve which he sent into Sicily gave himself the satisfaction of sounding the bottom of their Souls and of trying the Temper and the Obedience of his Subjects in Rome by ordering every one of them to tell him in Writing after three days of Prayer First Whether they were indifferent to go into Sicily and whether that which the General should determine who to them is in the place of God would be most welcom to them Secondly Whether in case they were sent into Sicily they should be ready either to Teach and perform such other Functions as require Learning and Ability or to be employ'd in Domestical Offices Thirdly If it should so happen that they were appointed for Study and Regency whether they would be dispos'd to Study what Science and to Teach what School it should please the Superior Lastly Whether they did believe that what ever Obedience should prescribe to them was most proper for them and most conducible to their eternal good They every one brought in their Writing upon the Day assign'd and there was not one of them in their whole number of Thirty six who did not sincerely declare That he was ready to go not only into Sicily but into the Indies and that he would willingly employ his whole Life in the meanest Offices whenever their good Father and their honor'd Master in Jesus Christ should give them the least intimation of his Will It was not enough for a Man who design'd to do good to the whole Earth to labor in Europe and in Asia for the gaining of Souls John Nugnes and Lewis Gonzales were sent almost at the same time into the Kingdoms of Fez and Morocco at the Instance of the King of Portugal who concern'd at the Captivity of a great number of Christians demanded some Fathers of the Society to Negotiate the delivery of the Slaves and to confirm them in their Faith A little time after the Viceroy of Sicily having Orders from Charles the Fifth to pass over into Africa with a good Army to make War upon Dragut a famous Pirate who was possess'd of a strong Place on the Coast of Barbary from whence he made his Excursions as far as Naples Father Ignatius was desirous that Laynez should leave Sicily where
himself whom Manar had preacquainted with the Matter and so Michel left a Paper of the Propositions in their hands that they might Examine them at leisure But instead of Examining them they carry'd the Papers to Father Ignatius whereupon the Father doubting no longer neither of the Doctrine nor of the Intentions of Michel inform'd the Grand Inquisitor John Peter Caraffa who was afterwards Pope of the whole Matter and at the same time Expell'd the Impostor The Inquisitor caus'd him to be Arrested and after he had been kept some Months in close Prison which oblig'd him tho' unwillingly to confess the truth he was condemn'd to the Galleys This Artifice not having succeeded with the Protestants they had recourse to another which was to send to the Fathers at Rome two great Chests of Books of which the greatest part were very proper to poison Youth Oliver Manar who open'd the Chests found that those at the top were Catholick Books and all the rest Heretical he presently advertis'd Father Ignatius of it The Father at the very first divin'd whence such an Alms should come and order'd that all the Books should be burnt and their Ashes to be thrown into the Wind as if he were afraid they should infect the House nor could he according to his own Maxims otherwise do being perswaded that all that comes from Hereticks ought to be suspected and not permitting that any of their Books should be read in the Society how good soever they might be For said he when we read a good Book writ by a bad Man after having taken pleasure in the Book we grow insensibly affected to the Author even sometimes to believe that all that such an Author writes is reasonable This he particularly apply'd to Erasmus and to such like Authors a great while before their Works were condemn'd And he grounded his Opinion upon the Authority of S. Basil who says in express terms That a Religious Person ought not only to have in horror the Doctrine of Hereticks but also not to read any Books but such as come from an Orthodox Pen and are approv'd by the Church because the Words of the Impious according to the Sentiment of the Apostle are like a Gangrene which taints and corrupts by degrees all that is sound But Father Ignatius had yet more troublesom Rencounters even with Catholicks and with a principal Prelate of the Church The Archbishop of Toledo newly declar'd himself again against the Society notwithstanding the Bulls which Approv'd the Institute and Exercises His pretence was that the Jesuits whom they call'd Theatines did intrench upon the Rights of Episcopacy by the liberty which they took of Administring the Sacraments in all Places under colour of their pretended Priviledges There was but one Colledge of the Fathers in his Diocess which was that of Alcala He one day Interdicted them all and thunder'd out a Sentence of Excommunication against all Persons that should Confess to them He commanded at the same time all the Religious and Curates within his Diocess not to suffer any of the Society either to Preach or to say Mass in their Churches and that which exceeds Imagination he suspended all the Priests in Toledo from hearing Confessions who had made the Spiritual Exercise The General far from being afflicted at this violent Persecution did in some manner rejoyce at it This new Tempest said he to Ribadeneyra is a good Omen If I am not mistaken it is an evident sign that God will be serv'd by us in Toledo For Experience has taught us that to our Society Contradictions and Persecutions always prepare the way and that the more it is oppos'd in any Place the more fruit it there produceth In the mean time he writ into Spain that all Endeavors should be us'd to satisfie the Archbishop Villanova who was Rector of the Colledge of Alcala a moderate and prudent Man made to him all manner of Submission but the Archbishop grew more inflexible by how much the Rector was more submiss All means were us'd to mollifie and appease him The Friends of the Society and especially Cardinal Francisco Menâ—za who design'd to Erect a Colledge in the Town of Burgos of which he was Bishop left no means untry'd to procure their Peace When Father Ignatius understood that nothing could prevail with the Archbishop he at last inform'd Julius the Third with what had pass'd at Toledo and also order'd the Fathers of Alcala to â—â—â—sake their Complaints to the Privy-Council of Spain The Pope caus'd a Letter to be writ to the Archbishop by Cardinal Matheo Secretary of State which imported That it was much wonder'd at in Rome that the Society of Jesus should be so ill treated at Toledo since it was in so good Esteem and so well receiv'd in all other Parts of the World On the other side the King's Council having examin'd the Bulls and the Priviledges of the order and judging that the Conduct of the Archbishop did directly oppose the Holy See they made a Declaration in favour of the Fathers The â—â—â—ter from Rome and the Declaration of the Counâ—â— brought the Prelate to reason He presently annull'd his former Acts and re-establish'd the Jesuits in all their Rights As soon as Father Ignatius had news of it he sent him his most humble thanks in a Letter full of Acknowledgment and submission and the more to gain him he promis'd that the Fathers of Alcala should make no use of their Priviledges nor receive any Person among them without his Approbation At this time the Society had two great Losses Claude le Jay dy'd at Vienna in Austria and Francis Xaverius in the Island of Sancian near China They were also in danger the same year of losing Father Francis de Borgia but after another manner and they would certainly have lost him if Father Ignatius had not preserv'd him by such means as I shall now relate Borgia upon his return out of Italy retir'd himself into Biscay and made choice of the Colledge of Ogniate to consummate his Sacrifice by renouncing the Dutchy of Gandia and all the remainders of his Greatness He chose that Place in regard of its Neighborhood to Loyola whether his Devotion led him before he came to Ogniate And it is said that entring into the Chamber where Father Ignatius was born he fell down upon his Knees and kiss'd the Ground with a Religious respect and after having given thanks to the Divine Goodness for having brought such a Man into the World he made it his Prayer that since he had taken Ignatius for his Guide and his Master he might have the Grace exactly to follow his Counsels and his Example He departed from Loyola animated with a new Spirit and he liv'd so holily that all admir'd to see in him at his very entrance into Religion consummated Sanctity When the Emperor Charles the Fifth understood that Don Francisco de Borgia of a Grandee of Spain was thus transform'd into a Jesuit he sent to
easily believ'd false Reports He himself was newly again accus'd in Spain for teaching Heretical Doctrine in his Book of Spiritual Exercises and his Accuser was an Ecclesiastick instigated by Melchior Cano who still had rancor in his Heart against the Society but hid himself behind the Curtain fearing the Displeasure of the Court of Spain where the Jesuits had Credit Tho' the Book of Exercises which was Printed with the Bull of Paul the Third ought to have been protected from Calumny by the Bull it self yet there were those who put it into the hands of the Inquisitors and labour'd to get it Censur'd Good Men thought this Proceeding neither Equitable nor Catholick The Doctors of Salamanca who were consulted upon it unanimously took upon them the Defence of the Holy See and of Father Ignatius and among the rest Bartholomew Torrez so famous for his Learning and Vertue He it was who writ a very Learned Book upon the Mystery of the Trinity and who was made Bishop of Canary after his Return out of England whither Philip Prince of Spain going to Espouse Queen Mary carry'd him with other Divines solidly to Establish among the English the Catholick Faith Torrez writ several Papers upon this Subject of the Exercises the principal of which you have here Translated God is my Witness that nothing could be asked of me more to my satisfaction then to tell my Opinion concerning the Spiritual Exercises of the Society of Jesus For I desire that all the World should know what I think of them in the sincerity of my Heart and in the Presence of God And in the first place lest any body should imagine that Interest makes me speak I declare that I am no Jesuit tho' I ought to have been of this Society or of some other Holy Order if I had a true zeal for the good of my Soul Next I declare that altho' I may be perhaps the least capable of all the Doctors yet I have knowledge enough to answer the Question propos'd to me For besides that I have formerly Entertain'd Ignatius in Salamanca I have since familiarly been acquainted with his Disciples Moreover I have attentively Examin'd the Tendency and the Spirit of this Order continually observing their manner of Life and judging of their Institute by their Actions which cannot long deceive I say therefore that from the time I first knew the Society of Jesus to this day I never have perceiv'd any Error or Crime truly such in any one Person among them I farther say that for the Spiritual Exercises no body can make a true Estimate of them who has not himself made them For whereas their Design is to establish Vertue in the Soul and to purge it of Vices they are not to be sensibly understood but by the Practice and Experience of them I have my self seen Learned Men who could not comprehend them tho' the Matter contain'd in them be clear and Orthodox and Extracted out of the Scriptures and holy Fathers and yet all those who have try'd them understand them without difficulty So that there is great difference between the Sciences learnt in Schools and the Science of the Saints which besides acquir'd Knowledge requires the Exercise of Prayer and of interior Vertues I declare that I have made these Exercises at Alcala and I speak it in the Presence of God that in the space of thirty years all which time I have spent in the Study of Divine Sciences and a good part of it in teaching Divinity I never profited so much in true Knowledge as I did in the few days of that Retirement If this shall seem strange to any Learned person who is not of my Opinion I only desire him to make Experience of it himself Let him but do what I have done and he will think what I think The Reason is clear for what I say of my self I Studyed Divinity that I might be able to teach others but I made the Exercises that I might live well my self Now there is a great deal of difference between knowing how to explicate a Question and how to practice a Vertue Moreover I have known many persons that have made these Exercises and I have ingag'd many of my Scholars both Religious and Secular to make them and I never knew one that did not reap great Spiritual advantages from them and who did not openly declare that they infinitely valu'd that little Book Might it please God that such a Treasure were esteem'd by men as it deserves for in fine whereas Prayer and Meditation are of so high a price we may in a short time advance more in them by the Method which these Exercises prescribe then we can in many years and with great Labour by any other way Now if any one desires to know precisely what these Exercises are they consist in Attentively and Sedately considering the verities of Faith the Benefits and Commandments of God the Life and Death of Jesus Christ and also in making an exact review of our Life past and in well regulating our Conscience for the future It is not to be wonder'd after all this if the Enemy of Mankind doth his utmost endeavour to abolish so holy a practice and we may judge by all these Contradictions that the work it self is Divine I also declare that the Holy See having approv'd the Exercises and his Holiness having by his Bull Exhorted the Faithful to make them no wise Man no good Christian can averr that they contain Errors And I doubt not but that if the Society which suffers contumely with Joy for the love of Jesus Christ should bring their Enemies before the Tribunal of the Inquisition that Court would severely punish them For my own part I declare that it is not lawful for any person to charge a Book with Heresie which is Printed with Approbation and Authority from the Holy See nor to prosecute the Censure or condemnation of it Such as shall find in it any thing that is difficult and obscure to them ought to content themselves with asking to have it explain'd and made clear to them But for the Doctrine contain'd in it I averr it to be Sound and Orthodox and that such Propositions as are contrary to those laid down in the Book are so many Errors The Testimony of Torrez was of great weight and gave a check to the Prosecution but the indirect proceeding of Cano finally concluded it This Enemy once so declar'd and now conceal'd seeing that the Doctors of Salamanca oppos'd his designs endeavor'd to ingage Mancio on his side one of the most famous Persons of his Order who taught Divinity in the University of Alcala That he might securely gain the suffrage of this Divine against the Exercises of the Society he put a Copy of them in Manuscript into his hands where something was thrust in which was not in the Printed Books The Divine perus'd the written Copy very exactly and declar'd that he found nothing in
Inheritance for Israel But in ending the Life of this glorious Patriarch if I were worthy to offer any thing in his Praise I should apply to him what St. Jerome writes of St. Augustine Catholicks Reverence and Admire you as the restorer of the Antient Faith and what seems yet more Honorable all Hereticks Hate and Persecute you FINIS The Letter of Lewis the Thirteenth King of France and of Navarre to Pope Gregory the Fifteenth Most Holy Father SInce there is no better beginning then by an Action tending to the Glory of God it must needs be acceptable to your Holiness that my first demand upon your entring into the Government of the Church should be for a thing which will no less shew your Paternal Piety then increase the Devout sentiments which God has been pleas'd to bestow upon me The first Instructions which I receiv'd in Faith and Manners were from the Fathers of the Society They have had to this present day the direction of my Conscience very much to my satisfaction which makes me desirous that their whole Order may experience the effects of my goodwill Hereupon being inform'd that the process of Canonization of Blessed Ignatius Founder of the said Order was so far finish'd that there wanted nothing but the good pleasure of your Holiness to perfect so good a Work I have thought good to entreat you as I do with great affection that you will be pleas'd to declare and place him in the number of the Saints Reverenc'd and Honor'd by our Holy Mother the Church The Favors how great soever which I may for the future receive from your Holiness all of them put together cannot give me greater satisfaction then this alone which besides the Benedictions I hope to reap for my self will also heap Prosperities upon your Government The Divine Providence which inspires Hearts and governs their motions has not permitted that this Devotion for many Years imprest in my Heart should be sooner manifested Reserving thereby to your Holiness the performance of an Action so praise worthy and to me the happiness of making a request so well becoming the Eldest Son of the Church This Title no less engrav'd in my Soul then deservedly enjoy'd by my Predecessors gives me a strong emulation for the advancement of our Holy Religion and makes me more Zealous for the said Canonization upon the hopes I have that the Intercession of this blessed Man will powerfully aid me to do that for which God sent him into the World and wherein this Order is so profitably imploy'd My Kingdom has been formerly blest with the presence of this Servant of God He studied at Paris he there Assembled his first Companions and Founded his Society in the Church of Montmartyr I now expect new Benedictions if your Holiness at my request shall consent to his Canonization As it is my first Prayer so I desire it may have a place amongst those Holy and Good Actions which are expected from your Pontificat which I beseech our Creator that it may succeed to his Honor and Glory to the Edification of his Church and to the good of all Christendom From Paris the 14th of February 1621. Sign'd Louis A Catalogue of Books Printed for Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel 1686. REflections upon the Answer to the Papist Misrepresented c. Directed to the Answerer Quarto Kalendarium Catholicum for the Year 1686 Octavo Papists Protesting against Protestant-Popery In Answer to a Discourse Entituled A Papist not Mis-represented by Protestants Being a Vindication of the Papist Mis-represented and Represented and the Reflections upon the Answer Quarto Copies of Two Papers Written by the late King Charles II. Together with a Paper Written by the late Dutchess of York Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Folio The Spirit of Christianity Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Twelves The First Sermon Preach'd before their Majesties in English at Windsor on the first Sunday of October 1685. By the Reverend Father Dom. Ph. Ellis Monk of the Holy Order of St. Benedict and of the English Congregation Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Quarto Second Sermond Preach'd before the King and Queen and Queen Dowager at their Majesties Chappel at St. James's November 1. 1685. By the Reverend Father Dom. Ph. Ellis Monk of the Holy Order of St. Benedict and of the English Congregation Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Quarto The Third Sermon Preach'd before the King and Queen in the Majesty's Chappel at St. James's on the third Sunday in Advent December 13. 1685. By the Reverend Father Dom. Ph. Ellis Monk of the Holy Order of St. Benedict and of the English Congregation Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Quarto The Fourth Sermon Preach'd before the King and Queen in their Majesties Chappel at St. Jame's on Newyears-day 1685-86 By the Reverend Father Dom. Ph. Ellis Monk of the Holy Order of St. Benedict and of the English Congregation Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty Quarto Sixth Sermon Preach'd before the King and Queen in their Majesties Chappel at St. James's upon the first Wednesday in Lent Febr. 24. 1685. By the Reverend Father Dom. Ph. Ellis Monk of the Holy Order of St. Benedict and of the English Congregation Publish'd by his Majesties Command Quarto An Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholic Church in Matters of Controversie By the Right Reverend James Benigne Bossuet Counsellor to the King Bishop of Meaux formerly of Condom and Preceptor to the Dauphin First Almoner to the Dauphiness Done into English with all the former Approbations and others newly Publish'd in the Ninth and Last Editions of the French Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Quarto A Sermon Preach'd before the King and Queen in their Majesties Chappel at St. James's upon the Annunciation of our Blessed Lady March 25. 1686. By Jo. Betham Doctor of Sorbon Publish'd by his Majesty's Command Quarto An Abstract of the Douay Catechism for the Use of Children and Ignorant People Now Revis'd and much Amended Publish'd with Allowance Twentyfours A Letter from the Lord Bishop of Meaâ—â—x to the New Catholics of his Diocess Exhorting them to keep their Easter and giving them Necessary Advertisements against the False Pastoral Letters of their Ministers With Reflections upon the Pretended Persecution Publish'd with Allowance Quarto The Answer of the New Converts of France to a Pastoral Letter from a Protestant Minister Done out of French and Publish'd with Allowance Quarto All which Books are to be sold next Door to his House in Blackfryers by Richard Cheese His Birth and his Natural parts His Life in the World He is wounded at the Siege of Pampelona His Conversion He goes to Montserrat He goes to Manreze His penitential Life He retires into a Cave He is tempted and resists the temptation He is afflicted with interior pains and above all with Scruples He is comforted and enlightned from above He trusts not his