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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07608	A treatise of mental prayer· In vvhich is briefly declared the manner how to exercise the inward actes of vertues by Fr. Ant. de Molina Carthusian. Whereunto is adioyned a very profitable treatise of exhortation to spirituall profit. VVritten by F. Francis Arias of the Society of Iesus. Togeather with a dialogue of contrition and attrition. All translated out of Spanish into English by a Father of the Society of Iesus.; Exercicios espirituales. English	Molina, Antonio de, d. 1619?; Sweetnam, John, 1581-1622.; Everard, Thomas, 1560-1633.; Arias, Francisco. aut; Haller, Richard. Breve apuntamiento acerca de la contricion. English. aut; Wilson, John, ca. 1575-ca. 1645?	1617 (1617)	STC 18000; ESTC S112795	94,576	370

be hard become easy those that be bitter become sweet and the heauy become very light Let them consider that in the Church of Christ there haue byn alwayes and there be at this present innumerable men and women of all states who haue profited much in the seruice of God and be of perfect vertue who time was did feele the same difficulties that they do feele but hauing begun this course of spirituall profit hoping in Christ and helping themselue with his grace and fauour they found it very plaine pleasant to walke in 5. And let ech one in particuler consider that which God hath wrought with him and how in some things he hath chaūged him and made him another man from that he was before in time past he loued that which was ill now he doth abhorre it in time past he could not say as much as one prayer with repose and quietnes of mind nor heare one masse nor sermon with contentment now he taketh pleasure to pray with good will and to be present at the diuine seruice and sermons Out of this then that God hath done with him without any merit of his he must reape this knowledge and trust that seeing God hath chaunged him from quid to good he being so farrt off from the same and hauing so contrary desites because he did giue consent to his diuine inspirations he will like wise change him from good to better if he wil vse the gifts of his diuine grace 6. This temptation of discouragement had S. Augustine in the beginning of his conuersion and with these cōsiderations did he ouercome the same It seemed vnto him that it was a very hard thing to keep the purity of the Law Euangelicall and particulerly to liue in perpetuall continency and much mistrusted that euer he could bring to effect so glorious an enterprise and being in these feares dismayes he began to consider with attention that in the Church of Christ there were not only graue and strong men of a most penitent life who had attained to perfect vertue and did obserue perpetuall chastity as S. Anthony and other his followers but that also there were many companies of young men and virgins and auncient widdowes youthes and maids of tender age who kept perpetuall continency and went in the way of Euangelicall perfection 7. Thou maist also with the help of God be able to do that which these did consider that they did not these things relying vpon their forces but vpon the power and grace of our Lord cast thy selfe then into his hands with security and feare not that he will withdraw himselfe to make thee fall but be assured that with mercy he will receaue thee in his armes and saue thee He did likewise consider the changes that Christ had made and did daily make in his Church turning great sinners into most holy men and this thought did consume his coldnes and driue away the discouragment he had and gaue him a great hart to go forward in vertue hoping that God would do the like with him So doth he confesse talking with God in these words The examples of thy seruants whome thou of blacke hast made white and of dead liuing gathered into the bosome of my thought did burne and consume the heauy drowsines that I fell not downe and did wonderfully inflame my hart These be the fruites which men of good vnderstanding do reap of the doctrine that teacheth and perswadeth the going forwards in vertue 8. Those to whome God hath imparted liuely desires of their going forward who are those that haue great need of this doctrine and of whome there be still many in the Church of God do reape of this to know with certainty and cleerenes wherin doth consist the going forward and perfection of euery vertue the meanes by which they must obtaine it and courage and resolution to practise it and they reape great comfort considering the wonderfull good that is in euery vertue and they reape remedies against temptations of negligence or coldnes and weapons to resist all the contrarietyes of vertues and their perfections and light to know and eschew all the deceites and fraudes with which the Diuell goeth about to hinder the going forward of the faithfull in the seruice of God 9. Those that haue neither courage nor desire to profit in vertue doe gather reape out of this doctrine humility and confusion of themselues as we haue said which fruite is so excellent and so greata disposition to all goodnes that by the meanes of it God will giue them liuely desires of their going forward which yet they want And to the end that by the reading of this booke they may gather fruites like vnto these we demaund of the Christian Reader that setting aside all curiosity he read the same with desire to gather some profit for his soule because this booke is compounded of Sentences of holy Scripture and of holy Doctours of the Church and that which of our part we haue added is to put them togeather in order and to accommodate them with more perspicuity to the capacity of the Readers And for so much as our Lord hath so great desire of our spirituall profit there is very great reason to grow and hope well in his goodnes that by such meanes as these are he wil awake in the harts of those that with vpright intention shall read them a desire and care to go forward in his diuine seruice to the greater honour and glory of his diuine Maiesty FINIS THE KEY OF PARADISE OR A DIALOGVE CONCERNING Contrition Attrition Wherin are briefly declared the Reasons why we must labour to excercise the Acts of Contrition and Examen of our Conscience Very profitable for all sorts of Persons Translated out of Spanish into English Demaund I HAVE heard much speach of Cōtrition as of a thing very greatly importing the sauing of the soule tell me I pray you how necessary it is for I haue a great desire to know Answere Contrition is a matter of so great regard and moment as whosoeuer hath it truly and indeed though he shall haue cōmitted the greatest sinnes in the world he shall haue pardon of them and be reconciled againe to the grace fauour and amity of God and if he should dye on a sodaine without conféssion for want of the meanes to do it or without the receyuing of any other Sacrament he must not make any doubt of his saluation Againe if any haue his soule burdened with any mortal sinne whatsoeuer if he should come to dye therin though he haue Attrition in case he receyueth not some Sacrament he shall questionles be dammend for euer Demaund What difference is there betwene Contrition and Attrition for I cannot yet distinguish the one from the other and yet your answere giueth me inough to vnderstand that there is a very great difference betwene them Answere You shall neuer vnderstand this difference vnles you know first what Contrition is

A TREATISE OF MENTAL PRAYER IN VVHICH Is briefly declared the manner how to exercise the inward Actes of Vertues By Fr. Ant. de Molina Carthusian WHEREVNTO Is adioyned a very profitable Treatise of Exhortation to Spirituall Profit VVritten by F. Francis Arias of the Society of IESVS Togeather with a Dialogue of CONTRITION and ATTRITION All translated out of Spanish into English by a Father of the Society of IESVS Permissu Superiorum M.DC.XVII TO THE REVEREND AND RELIGIOVS MOTHER MARY WISEMAN Prioresse of the English Monastery of the Order of S. Augustine in Louayne And to the rest of the Vertuous Deuout Sisters in that Couent REVEREND MOTHER AND RESPECTED SISTERS Amongst the Religious Families of our Nation I do not make the least accompt of yours though I salute you not with the first hauing stil expected a fitt occasion Which being now offered it may please you to accept in good part this small Present that I send you in testimony of my aboundant affection and reuerence to your Person and holy Family Two things I cōmend heerin to your prudent Consideration to wit CONTEMPLATION or Mentall Prayer which is the life and soule of Religion and SPIRITVAL PROFIT the high way to Perfectiō Wherfore I haue ioyned them in one little Volume that you may haue the vse of both togeather for the one greatly helpeth the other Touching the Authors the former Fr. Antony de Molina yet liueth a most Deuout and Religious Carthusian in Spaine The second F. Francis Arias now deceased of the Society of ●ESVS is a man so well knowne to the world for his singular learning Sanctity of life as ● shal need to say nothing seeing his workes are extant printed in many Languages which make my testimony and praise vnneedfull I haue added also to these two litle Treatises a Dialogue of CONTRITION and ATTRITION which is so fit a Remedy against Temptations and so easy sure and ready a way to keep friendship with God as I doubt not but you will receyue particuler comfort and reap great benefit by the frequent exercise therof I will not be tedious with a longer Epistle only I desire that my good will and zeale of your seruice may be remembred in the practise of these holy Documēts And so crauing pardon with due Respect I humbly take my leaue resting Your euer deuoted Seruant I. VV. S. Omers 25 Ian. 1617. THE PREFACE OF THE AVTHOR to the Reader MANY years be now past that some Religious of this holy house especially Lay-brothers whose exteriour occupations affoard them lesse tyme to bestow in reading bookes requested m● to write for them some cōpendious Treatise to guide them in their spirituall deuotions Charity and desire to serue and help my Brethren bound me though I knew well my owne insufficiency and experience in spiritual affaires to do my best to satisfy their importunity Being therfore to begin I thought it needlesse to treate of Prayer or of the Partes Preparations Conditions and Directions that concerne the same so many Treatises some at large some more briefe both very sufficient hauing beene written of this Argument Notwithstanding I haue thought good to declare one point which I had a longe time wished I might see handled cleerly and distinctly and the same I knew to be the desire also of many persons that are deuoutly giuen to mentall prayer to wit VVhat meditation is how the Powers of the Soule are to be vsed and the acts of the Vnderstanding and the will directed to consider thinges with fruite and to exercise affections internall acts of Vertue The which is a most excellent kind of Prayer and of very great profit principally for beginners setting aside supernatural kind of Prayer wherof we are not to speake at this time This point I intend to handle and shall endeauour to do it with as much perspicuity distinction and breuity as I may making v●e of what I haue read of this matter in Saints works and Authors of auncient and moderne tymes and of what our Lord hath specially giuen me to feel my selfe yet with such plainnesse of stile as the quality of the persons for whome it was written requireth For I neuer imagined that the Treatise it selfe should get out of the gates of our Monastery As it was written with my owne hand I imparted it to my Brethren and seing them much comforted and content therwith I cōmunicated the same to other deuout and spirituall persons By this meanes the Treatise was deliuered from hand to hand many co●ies therof being spread abroad and as it commonly falleth out with the multitude of copies many errors and corruptions increased For which reason as also for that very many spirituall and intelligent persons iudged it might be profitable because it declareth briefly and clearly the aforesaid argument so necessary and important I permitted the same to be printed that such as would might make benefit therof without the labour of copying it out Neither haue I added or changed any thing but let it passe as it was first diuulged in writing with so great content and profit of the Readers nor do I pretend any other thing but only to assist those who vse the exercise of Prayer to the end that some part of their deuotions may be deriued to my selfe and the whole directed to the greater honour and glory of God Amen Fr. Ant. de Molina A BRIEFE TREATISE OF MENTALL PRAYER What Meditation is and what partes it conteyneth CHAP. 1. MEDITATION is nothing else but a discourse made by the vnderstāding in which it cōsidereth something or other frō that draweth other different thoughts conceites or considerations gathering one thing from another In the same manner as when one is alone plotting some thing which he is to do considering that he must do it in this or that manner for this reason or for that and that he must procure this thing and take heed of the other for such and such reasons many other like things which the Vnderstanding frameth all directed to attayne to the end which he pretends In this very manner is meditation of spirituall things that the Vnderstanding considering one of the mysteries of our Faith maketh discourses vpon it and conceites of what it behooueth vs to loue and what to hate of what we must seeke to procure and what to fly and take heed of and the like And this is properly meditation 2. But we must note that when this meditation stayes only in the Vnderstanding and in the knowledge of the things alone it is not Prayer but study or speculation which pertayneth to such as seeke for knowledg only or to teach others And therfore that it may be perfect Prayer it is necessary that togeather with the discourses and considerations of the Vnderstanding the actes of the will do accompanie and follow which must draw forth affectes and actes of vertues and this is that which heere we desire to declare 3. For

in the meditation of the mysteries of Christ our Sauiour principally in those of his Passion this forme may be kept supposing the preparation reading of the mysterie in those who haue need and the rest of the documēts which are taught by those who haue written of this matter for we pretend not heere to handle all these things but only of the manner how to meditate 4. The Meditation may be deuided into three points The first is to consider the story of the mysterie whereof we are to meditate The second is to ponder the circumstances which concurre in it And the third is to draw the fruite and actes of vertues which may be gathered out of them But it is to be noted that although here we put these three pointes distinct and in their order it must not be vnderstood that in the meditation they go by this order and distinction euery one by it selfe but that they may be mingled and ioyned one with another As for example we beginning to cōsider the story of one mystery if there it happen that we consider any circumstance therof or any vertuous or deuout motion shall offer it self therin must we detayne our selues and afterward passe to another thing And if in the first word there occurre consideratiōs and do moue affects for the time prefixed for prayer it is not necessary to go any further but to spend all the time in that And the same I say if one circumstance suffice or one affect to spend all the time of prayer be sufficient then it is not necessary to discourse of the rest But these things are set down heere distinctly by themselues euery one that they may be vnderstood the better and to giue sufficient matter of meditation 5. The first point is to consider the story of the mystery literally and plainly as it happened according as the holy Ghospell sayth or according to what may be read of that mistery in good approued and deuout bookes or according to that which piously may be considered with good discretion or lastly according to that which was wont to happen in such like cases As for example if you consider how our Sauiour was whipped at the pillar you must imagine your selfe present in a Court or Auditory where the President or Iudge is set in his Chayre or Tribunall seate and with him many principall men of authority iudging one poore man a very Saint and Innocent and yet accused of grieuous offenses and great crymes and the Iudge although he knoweth the accused to be guiltles yet to condescend to the importunity of the accusers and to content them he commandeth him to be whipped And presently some shamelesse wretches and cruell ministers of Iustice take and carry him away with great speed gladnes command him to be stripped and they to hasten him the more help him forward but very discourteously and in the meane tyme others prepare most cruell whipps and scourges with which they are to whippe him and being naked they speake many shamefull and discourteous wordes vnto him and they tye him very hard vnto a pillar of that Court and begin to whippe him most furiously with all the force they had all his body ouer without any kind of pittie and some souldiers being wearied there come others with a fresh supply with other kind of whippes for the first were now halfe broken or worne out and perhaps they vntie him and turne his other side from the pillar that no whole place may be found in all his body and these also whippe him vntill they be weary and for feare of not killing him for they had no order for that they leaue off and vnbind him and how he with very great patience and fortitude suffereth such terrible griefes and tormentes which all this while he felt and then with great humility and mildnes gathereth vp his garments on the ground and resteth himselfe agayne without once opening his sacred mouth to complaine And so in like manner you must consider any other mistery as piously we may belieue it fell out 6. The second point is to ponder with attention the circūstances which are concerning that mystery how it passed as we haue said of the Pillar to ponder who is that President which is there with such authority that he is but a poore miserable man a sinner an Idolatour without knowledge of God that to morrow he may die and his body shal be conuerted into wormes meate and his soule shall go to suffer eternall torments in Hell with the Diuells And who is he that is accused who is he that is so tyed with so great humility and dispect that he is Iesus Christ God Man according to his Diuinity he is Creatour of al things whom all creatures serue and adore and according to his Humanity he is a person of so great authority amongst the people who wrought so many miracles and made so many Sermons that euery one thought himselfe happy that could touch his garment What would he thinke to see himselfe so abused against Iustice to see himselfe deliuered into the hands of such vile and cruell ministers And when such a person so venerable and chast should be stripped before so many people how great the griefe would be which he felt in so delicate a body being whipped so vnreasonably by such cruell and vnmerciful slaues And many other such like circumstances which heere passed as in all the rest you must proceed pondering of them with particuler consideration Of the generall circumstances which may be considered in the mysteries of Christ our Sauiour CHAP. II. THE circumstances which generally may be considered in the mysteries of our Sauiour Iesus Christ especially in his holy Passion are these VVho VVhat For whome For what Of whome How and the declaration is that which followeth §. I. VVHO 2. The first circumstance is to consider attentiuely VVho is the person that doth that worke or suffer that payne that it is Iesus Christ God and man who being God from all Eternity without any beginning of his Being for the saluation of the world came downe from heauen and was made man in the wombe of the sacred Virgin Mary 3. And in as much as he is God he is the Word of his eternall Father second Person of the Blessed Trinity and as eternall as great as God as powerfull as the Father and the holy Ghost and finally one and the same God one and the same Essence with the Father and the Holy Ghost who created all thinges and doth conserue and gouerne them and whome all they serue and praise and the praise which they giue to him and those which all creaturers can giue do not come neere by an infinite distance to that which he deserueth in praise seruice and loue And al creaturs togeather in his comparison are not an Ant before him nor so much as a sand of the sea in whose presence the highest Seraphims tremble and feare as also all

for this I say as if God had wholy forgotten al the other seruants he had in that people being offended with Salomou and with them and desirous to punish them for the great enormit yes they had committed he said to Salomon Scindam Regnum tuum dabo illud seruo tuo c. I will rent thy Kingdome and will giue it to thy seruant notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not do it because of Dauid thy father Out of thy sonnes hand will I rent it nor will I take away all the Kingdome but one Tribe I will giue to thy sonne because of Dauid my seruant 13. And to King Ezechias who was sicke and looking to die he sent to tell by the Prophet Isay as followeth Ecce sanauite c. Behold I haue healed thee the third day thou thalt go vp to the Temple of our Lord. And I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene years also out of the hand of the King of Assyria will I deliuer thee and this Citty and will defend this Citty for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake Who is able to declare worthily that which is discouered in these heauenly testimonies concerning this point how much God doth esteeme a man eminent in vertue who doth greatly abhorre all sinne whatsoeuer and much loue all works of iustice is very humble and patient in iniuries very diligent in deeds of charity and wonderfull zealous of the glory of God seeing that he taketh himselfe to be so much honoured by one of these that he giueth him his Name calling him his God and not to displease him leaueth the execution of his iustice against a whole Kingdome and is pacified with his prayer and in a certaine manner doth make subiect vnto him the very lawes of nature to do with his creatures that which pleaseth him and doth for him alone that he doth not for many iust men that doe serue him vnperfectly and he being infinite and eternall Maiesty and man but a creature made of nothing by his only will he doth vouchsafe in a certaine māner to make him equall to himselfe saying I will defend this Citty for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake How much they doe import and help the Church who do serue God and profit in vertue CHAP. III. ALBEIT all iust men and seruants of God who liue in his grace do help the mysticall body of the Church because with their good works and prayers they obtayne spirituall fauours and gifts by which sinners are conuerted and iust men are maintained yet men that haue gone forward and be perfect in vertue are in this respect of singular profit and vtility For although all iust men be liuing members of the Church children of light neuertheles those other be as the eyes in a mans body and as in this world the greater starres of the firmament and the sunne moone that be as the eyes light of this corporall world 2. So doth holy Scripture call them in sundry places S. Paul to the Philippians sayth In the middest of a crooked peruerse generation among whome you shine as lights in the world And our Lord Iesus Christ declared vnto S. Iohn that the starres which he held in his hand were the Prelats and holy Doctors whome there he doth call Angells of the Churches for that these men of excellent vertue with their learning and principally with their example doe awaken and wonderfully animate all others to the loue of vertue In so much that only one of these is able to conuert a whole Citty and Kingdome keep the same in the feare of God which the example of those who be neither hoate nor could neuer doth for although on the one side they eschew all mortall sinnes yet on the other if a man see them commit of purpose such things as are euidently sinnes but not mortall and that they be carelesse to do works of pennance and charity they moue him very little to the loue of vertue Wherfore to raise vp those who are fallen into mortall sinne there is necessary for the most part an example of great power and efficacy and to inflame those that be cold is necessary an example that hath great aduātage ouer them And because this example is found in those men who haue profited in vertue hence it is that they do so much moue their neighbours and that God doth vse them as fit instruments for so great works 3. So doth S. Gregory say that the examples of holy Fathers do help vs excedingly to the renouation of spirit because by viewing and considering the workes of holy men we be inflamed to the loue of vertue and our hart doth cast of her luke warmnesse prouoked thereunto by the imitation of Saints An excellent testimony of this truth is that which holy Scripture doth recount in the Booke of Iudges It is there set downe how the children of Israel did for long time after the death of Moyses keep themselues in the seruice of God but at length did forsake and depart from the same and the cause of this is said to be for that whilest there were amongst the people auncient and graue men zealous of the glory of God who had seene the meruails that God had wrought with the people they were with the learning and example of these men kept in the feare of his diuine Maiesty but these being once dead the people forth with forsooke God because they wanted men renowned in vertue who with their words and examples might maintaine and prescrue them 4. Besides this a worthy restimony of the same truth is that which holy Scripture doth set before vs in the fourth booke of Kings to wit that when Ioas raigned in Hierusalem forty yeares in the beginning therof he was a good King and did walke vprightly in the sight of God and all the people remained in the seruice of the true God and it is said that the cause of this their good was that there liued in Hierusalem a holy-Priest named Ioiada who in his life time held with his doctrine and example both the King people in the scruice of God but as soone as he was dead departed the King swarued from the truth the people forsooke their God 5. This is then that profit so admirable that Gods good seruants do in the cōmon wealth and in the vniuersall Church of the faithful All iust persons who liue in Gods grace although they haue but little vertue are liuing stones of the Church of Christ and do help the building of this house and spirituall Temple of God and the conseruation of the same as S. Peter telleth vs but good men that goe forward in vertue are the pillars of this building which next after God they do beare vp and maintaine and keep the same vnited with the corner stone and head of all the building which is Christ the Captaine Prince of the whole Church and so doth holy Scripture