Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	abate_v	act_n	action_n	20	3	7.0234	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29583	Sancta Sophia, or, Directions for the prayer of contemplation &c. extracted out of more then (sic) XL treatises / written by the late Ven. Father F. Augustin 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 ...; Sancta Sophia	Baker, Augustine, 1575-1641.	1657 (1657)	Wing B480; ESTC R16263	412,832	848

in troublesome disquieting Imaginations and Resueries far more distracting then any Conuersations Therfore they or rather their Superiours ought to take a speciall care that such a dangerous humour be not nourished by discontented Retirements at the times vvhen others are conuersing together and that at all other times they should be busied in such kind of employments as should not be apt to nourish sollicitude Such dispositions if Prudently managed may proue proper for contemplation because their thoughts being not easily dissipated they are disposed for Recollection Wheras on the contrary the same Dispositions being neglected and sufferd to follovv the bent of their Natures they vvill be in danger to fall into terrible Extrauagancies 20. S. Teresa in her Foundations hath a particular Discourse containing excellent Aduices hovv Melancholick Spirits are to be managed Saying that they ought not to be dispenced from Mortifications or employments from which they are auerse notwithstanding this frowardnes of their humour Yet withall that the Superiour in his Cariage towards them ought to make it appeare that all that he imposes so on them proceeds from pure charity and not any crossenes or auersion c. CHAP. VIII § 1. 2. 3. Of the Fourth kind of Generall Mortifications viz. Tranquillity of mind § 4. 5. It may be in the Superiour Soule during the time that there is disquiet in the Sensitiue § 6. 7. 8. How Peace and Tranquillity of soule may be procured § 9. 10. Of a State of Perfect Peace which is the End of a Contemplatiue Life 1. THe Fourth Generall Mortification is a Constant Peacefullnes and Tranquillity of mind maintaining it selfe against all disquieting Passions of Greife Feare Despaire c Of vvhich I shall in this place speake breifly and only in a generall manner being shortly in the follovving Section to treate largely of the cheife Enemy therof vvhich is Feare and Scrupulosity vvhere I shall take notice of the Speciall Motiues or Instruments of procuring such Peace of mind and of restoring it vvhen it is lost 2. Without a reasonable proportion of such Tranquillity obtained a soule vvill be quite disabled from Internall Prayer Therfore she is to vse all care to preserue it and vvhen it is disturbed or lost she must endeauour as soone and after the best manner she can to regaine it till she be able to say None shall take my Peace from me And to vse the vvords of the Psalmist Anima mea in manibus meis semper My soule is alwayes in my hands and disposition and not captiuated by the corrupt Passions of Nature 3. The subiect of this Peace is the Soule according to all its Faculties both knovving and affecting and both in the superiour and Spirituall as also in the inferiour and ●ensitiue portion For not only the Affections of the vvill and Passions of sensuality but also the Reason and Imagination may be disturbed And therfore a Composednes and calmenes is to be procured through all But yet the vvayes and meanes herto necessary are not the same neither does it follovv that vvhen the Inferiour Faculties are in disorder that the same disorder should be communicated to the Superiour also It does not alvvayes lye in our power vvholly to suppresse the instability and obstinacy of the Imagination nor the vnrulines of sensuality vvhich oft times doe resist our Superiour Reas●n But vvee are alvvayes enabled by the ordinary Grace of God to keepe in repose our Superiour soule that is to hinder it from attending to the suggestions of the Imagination vvhich vvee may reiect or to deny consent or approba●ion to the motions of sensuality and this a● least it must be our great Care to doe 4. Neither ought a vvell-minded soule to be discouraged or deiected at the contradiction that she finds in sensuality But resisting it the best she can she must be resigned and Patient vvith herselfe as she vvould be at the refractory humours of another till that by Gods blessing a longer exercise of Prayer and Mortification doe produce a greater subiection of sensuall Nature to Reason and Grace In the meane time she may comfort herselfe vvith this assurance That all merit and Demerit lyes in the Superiour will and not at all in sensuality considered in it selfe and as diuided from the Will 5. During the Conflict betvveene Reason and sence or Appetite there may be a reall Tranquillity in the Superiour Region of the soule although the Person be not able to discerne that there is any such Quietnes yea on the contrary to fearfull Natures it vvill seeme that vvhensoeuer the sensitiue part is disturbed the spirituall Portion doth also partake of its disorders And this vncertainty mistake and feare that a fault has bene committed is the ground of much scrupulosity and by meanes therof of great vnquietnes indeeed euen in the superiour soule to Persons that are not vvell instructed in the Nature and subordination of the Faculties and Operations of the soule 6. Hovveuer a vvell-minded soule may conclude that there is a calmnes in the Reason and in the vvill a refusall to consent to the suggestions of sensuality euen in the midst of the greatest disorders thereof vvhilst that the combat does not cease and as long as the outward members directed by Reason and moued by the Superiour vvill doe behaue themselues othervvise then the vnruly appetite vvould moue them For example vvhen a person being moued to Anger though he find an vnquiet representation in the Imrgination and a violent heate and motions about the Heart as likewise an auersion in sensitiue nature against the person that hath giuen the prouocation yet if notvvithstanding he refraines himselfe from breaking forth into vvords of Impatience to vvhich his Passion vvould vrge him vvithall contradicts designes of Reuenge suggested by Passion such an one practising Internall Prayer and Mortification is to esteeme himselfe not to haue consented to the motions of corrupt nature although besides the invvard motion of the Appetite he could not hinder markes of his Passion from appearing in his Eyes and the colour of his countenance 7. When vvee seeke to retaaine such Quietnes in the midst of vnquietnes vvee doe it by exercising an Act of Mortification proper to the occasion Euery Act vvherof doth in some degree abate impetuous Nature disposing us for better and more quiet Recollections vvhich vvill procure us a clearer light and more efficacious Grace to resist sensuality aftervvards As on the contrary each Act of immortification doth increase in us Selfe-loue the cause and Roote of all vnquietnes and causes a greater obscurity in the soule indisposing it likevvise to Prayer 8. To the end to procure an Habituall Peacefullnes of mind vvee must be carefull not to doe any of our Actions I meane euen our Actions of Duty vvith impetuousnes and an invvard hastines but vvith a composed calmenes For all acts of impetuosity and violence are so far but effects of Selfe-loue and proceed not from the Diuine Spirit vvhich is

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

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 Operatiōs 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 Humili●y c that the vvill entertaines these good Affections ●●a● 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 Puri●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