diuine light by which their vnderstandings had bene illustrated that Diuine loue by which their wills affections adhered continually to God they were rendred incapable either of contemplating God except onlie as a seuere Iudge auenger or consequently of affording him any degree of loue On the contrary both their minds and affections were only emploied on themselues or on creatures for their owne naturall carnall interests or pleasure this with such a violent obstinacy firmenes that it was impossible for them by any force left in corrupt nature to raise their loue tovvards God being once so impetuously precipitated from him tovvards themselues 5. All these miserable deprauations hauing bene caused in all the povvers and faculties of their soules by the forbidden fruit the which vtterly irreparably disordered that most healthfull exact temper of their bodily constitutions insomuch as the spirits humours c. which before did nothing at all hinder their exercisings operations tovvards God but did much promote them now did wholly dispose them to loue seeke themselues only with an vtter auersion from God the accomplishing of his diuine will all circumstant creatures instead of being stepps to raise them tovvards God on the contrary more and more seduced their affections from him raised all other inordinate passions displeasing to him Hereby in lieu of that peaceable and happie condition which they before enioyed in this world by a continuall vnion vvith God the vvhich vvas to be perfected eternally in the vvorld to come they became disquieted distracted and euen torne asunder vvith a multitude of passions and designes oft contrarie to one another but all of them much more opposite to God so that by falling from vnity to a miserable multiplicity and from peace to an endles warre they were therein captiued by the deuill readily yeilding to all his suggestions hatefull to hating God so contracted not only an vnauoydable necessity of a corporall death but also the guilt right to an eternall separation from God after death in that lake of fire brimstone burning for euer prepared for the deuill his Angells 6. Now the vvhole stocke of humane nature being thus totally vniuersally depraued in our first Parents it could not by any possible naturall meanes be auoyded but that all their Posterity should be equally infected poysoned with all these disorders all which were increased dayly heightned by ill education actuall Transgressions And consequently the same guilt both of temporall erernall death was with all transfused vpon them 7. But Allmighty God the father of mercies pittying his owne creatures thus ingulfed in vtter misery by the fault of Adam seduced by his our common Enemy did in his most vnspeakeable mercy freely vnasked prouide ordeine his owne coeternall Son to be a Sauiour vnto mankind who by his most bitter suffrings death redeemed vs from the guilt of eternall death by his glorious life resurrection hauing obteined a power of sending the holie ghost communicated to vs in his word sacraments c he hath rectified all these disorders shedding forth a new heauenly light to cure the blindnes of our vnderstandings diuine Charity in our hearts the which abateth that mordinate selfe-loue formerly reigning in vs herby he reinstates vs cooperating with his diuine grace perseuering therein to a new right vnto eternall happines perhaps more sublime then man in innocency was destind to 8. Notwhichstanding it was not the good will pleasure of God by this Reparation to restore vs to the same state of perfect holines wherein Adam liued in Paradice And this we ought to ascribe to his infinite wisedome also to his vnspeakable goodnes towards vs for certainly if we had bene once more left as Adam was in the free power of our owne wills that is in so casuall an estate as Adam was assisted fortified with no stronger an Ayde then the primitiue grace we should againe haue irreparably forfeyted all our happines plunged our selues far more deepely in endles misery 9. Therefore Allmightie God thought fit for our humiliation to keepe vs in continuall vigilance feare as also thereby dayly to refresh the memory of our primitiue guilt our thank fullnes for his inestimable goodnes to leaue vs in a necessitie of incurring temporall death which we are not now to looke on as a punishment of sin so much as a freedome from sin a Gate entrance to Eternall Glory Moreouer though by his grace he hath abolished the guilt of originall sin yet he hath suffred still to remaine in vs many bitter Effects of it the which shall neuer in this life be so wholly extinguished by grace or our holy endeauours but that some degrees of ignorance inclinations to that pernicious loue of our selues will remaine in vs. By which meanes we are preserued from our greatest enemie Pride also forced to a continuall watchfullnes combat against our selues our spirituall enemies allwaies distrusting our selues relying vpon the medicinall omnipotent regenerating grace of Christ far more helpfull to vs then the grace of innocency was in that it not only more powerfully inclines our wills conquers the actuall resistance of them by making them freely cooperate with it whensoever they doe cooperate for it takes not away our liberty to resist but like wise after it hath bene weakened by veniall sins extinguished by mortall it is againe againe renewed by the meanes of the sacraments prayer c 10. Our duty therefore in our present state the employment of our whole liues must be constantly feruently to cooperate with diuine grace thereby indeauouring not only to get victory ouer Selfe-loue Pride sensuality c by humility diuine loue all other vertues but also not to content our selues with any limited degrees of Piety holines but dayly to aspire according to our abilities assisted vvith grace by the same vvaies to the same Perfection for vvhich vve vvere first created vvhich vvas practised by Adam in Innocence to vvit an vtter extinguishing of Selfe-loue all affection to creatures except in order to God as they may be instrumentall to beget increase diuine loue in vs a continuall vninterrupted vnion in spirit vvith God by Faith contemplating him by Loue euer adhering to him 11. This I say is the duty indispensable obligation of all Christians of vvhat condition soeuer not only seriously to aspire to the diuine loue but also to the perfectiō thereof suitably to their seuerall states vocations for it is morally impossible for a soule to loue God as he ought to be loued that is as the only obiect of her loue as the only vniuersal End of her being life for the procuring of an inseparable vnion vvith whom for no other reason the use comfort of creatures was permitted giuen
as thou oughtest for thy sins but that some old sins remaine in thy heart not yet confessed or not suficiently confessed absolued that therefore thou must needs returne home doe pennance better before thou haue the boldnes to goe to Iesus Doe not beleiue a word of all that they say for thou art sufficiently acquitted of thy sins there is no need at all that thou shouldst stay to ransack thy conscience for this will now but doe thee harme either put thee quiâ—e out of thy way or at least vnproffitably delay thy trauailing in it 10. If they shall tell thee that thou art not worthy to haue the loue of Iesus or to see Iesus And therfore that thou oughtest not be so presumptuous to desire and seeke after it Beleiue them not but goe on say It is not because I am worthy but because I am vnworthy that I therfore desire to haue the loue of Iesus for if once I had it it would make mee worthy I will therfore neuer cease desiring it till I haue obteined it For for it only was I created therfore say doe what you will I will desire it continually I will neuer cease to pray for it so doing I hope to obteine it 11. If thou meetest with any that seeme freinds vnto thee that in kindnes would stop thy progresse by enterteining thee seeking to draw thee to sensuall mirth by vaine Discourses carnall solaces wherby thou wilt be in danger to forget thy Pilgrimage giue a deafe eare to them answer them not thinke only on this THAT THOV WOVLDEST FAINE BE AT IERVSALEM And if they proffer thee gifts preferments heed them not but thinke euer on Ierusalem 12. And if men despise thee or lay any false calumnies to thy charge giuing the ill names if they goe about to defraud thee or robbe thee yea if they beate thee vse thee despightfully cruelly for thy life contend not vvith them striue not against them nor be angry with them But content thy selfe with the harme receiued goe on quietly as nought were done that thou take no further harme thinke only on this That to be at Ierusalem deserues to be purchased with all this ill vsage or more that there thou shalt be sufficiently repaired for all thy losses recompenced for all hard vsages by the way 13 If thine enemies see that thou growest courageous bold that thou wilt neither be seduced by flatteries nor disheartned with the paines troubles of thy iourney but rather well contented with them then they will begin to be affraid of thee yet for all that they will neuer cease pursuing thee They will follow thee all aloÌ„g the way watching all aduantages against thee And euer anon they will set vpon thee seekeing either with flatteries or frights to stop thee driue thee backe if they can but feare them not hold on thy way haue nothing in thy mind but Ierusalem Iesus whom thou wilt find there 14. If thy desire of Iesus still continues growes more strong so that it makes thee goe on thy waies couragiously they will then tell thee That it may very well happen that thou wilt fall into Corporall sicknes perhaps such a sicknes as will bring strange fancies into thy mind melancholicke apprehensions Or perhaps thou wilt fall into great want no man vvill offer to helpe thee By occasion of vvhich misfortunes thou vvilt be greiuously tempted by thy ghostly enemies the vvhich vvill theÌ„ insult ouer thee tell thee that thy folly provvd presumption haue brought thee to this miserable passe that thou canst neither helpe thy selfe nor vvill any man helpe thee but rather hinder these that vvould And all this they vvill doe to the end to increase thy melancholie vnquiet apprehensions or to prouoke thee to Anger or malice against thy Christian Brethren or to murmure against Iesus vvho perhaps for thy triall seemes to hide his face from thee But still neglect all these suggestions as though thou heardst them not Be angry vvith no body but thy selfe And as for all thy diseases poverty vvhatsoeuer other suffrings for vvho can reckon all that may befall thee take Iesus in thy mind thinke on the lesson that thou art taught say I AM NOVGHT I HAVE NOVGHT I CARE FOR NOVGHT IN THIS WORLD AND I DESIRE NOVGHT BVT THE LOVE OF IESVS THAT I MAY SEE HIM IN PEACE AT IERVSALEM 15. But if it shall happen sometimes as likely it will that through some of these tentations thine owne frailty thou stumble perhaps fall downe get some harme therby or that thou for some time be turned a little out of the right way As soone as possibly may be come againe to thy selfe get vp againe returne into the right way vsing such remedies for thy hurt as the Church ordeines And doe not trouble thy selfe ouer much or ouer long with thinking vnquietly on thy past misfortune paine Abide not in such thoughts for that will doe thee more harme giue aduantage to thine enemies Therfore make hast to goe on in thy trauaile working againe as if nothing had happened Keepe but IESVS in thy mind a desire to gaine his LOVE nothing shall be able to hurt thee 16. At last when thine enemies perceiue that thy will to Iesus is so strong that thou wilt not spare neither for pouerty nor mischeife for sicknes nor fancies for doubts nor feares for life nor death no nor for sins neither but euer forth thou wilt goe on with that one thing of seeking the loue of Iesus with nothing else that thou despisest scarse markest any thing that they say to the contrary but holdest on in thy praying other spirituall workes yet allwaies with discretion submission then they grow euen enraged will spare no manner of most cruell vsage They will come closer to thee then euer before betake themselues to their last most dangerous assault that is to bring into the sight of thy mind all thy good deeds vertues shewing thee that all men praise thee loue thee beare thee great veneratioÌ„ for thy sanctity c. And all this they doe to the end to raise vaine Ioy pride in thy heart But if thou tendrest thy life thou vvilt hold all this flattery falshood to be a deadly poyson to thy soule mingled vvith honey therfore away with it cast it from thee saying Thou vvilt haue none of it but thou vvouldest be at Ierusalem 17. And to the end to put selfe out of the danger reach of all such tentations suffer not thy thoughts willingly to run about the world but draw them all inwards fixing them vpon one only thing which is IESVS set thy selfe to thinke only on him to know him to loue him And after thou hast for a good time brought thy selfe to doe thus then
Soule powerfully and immediatly directed and moued by the holy Spirit Novv this third Degree to vvhich the Praier belonging is indeed truly the Praier of Contemplation beyond vvhich there is no State of Praier may very conueniâ—ntly include all the fower Degrees mentioned by Barbanson so nicely distinguished by him rather out of a particular Experience of the Effects passing in his ovvne Soule the vvhich perhaps are not the same in all for God vvorks according to his ovvne good pleasure in the Soules of his perfect Seruants and not according to any Methods that Man can conceiue or expresse 6. These therfore being the three Degrees of internall Praier the vvhich doe most properly ansvver to the commonly assigned vvaies of spirituality the Purgatiue Illuminatiue and Vnitiue Of them the first is a Praier consisting much of Discourse of the Vndestanding The other two are Praiers of the Will but most principally and purely the last Of these three I shall treate in Order in the follovving Discourse to vvit 1. In pursuit of this Second Section of the most imperfect Degree to vvit Meditation 2. In the follovving Section of the Praier of immediate Acts of the Will 3. And in the last Section of the Praier of Aspirations or Contemplation But before I come to treat of each in particular I conceiue it requisite first to shew the grounds vpon vvhich the propriety and Reasonablenesse of this Diuision of the succeeding Degrees of Praier is built and may be euidently and conuincingly demonstrated so far that according to the ordinary dispensation of Diuine Grace to soules that tend to Perfection it may be affirmed that they are conducted by these Degrees in this Order and no other way And this experience vvill make good euen in soules that neuer heard of any Degrees of Praier but vvithout learning reading or Instructions are immediatly guided by Gods holy Spirit in his Internall Waies The reason hereof vvill appeare by that vvhich follows 7. First therfore it is apparent and acknovvledged that generall speaking a Soule from a state of Negligence secularity first entring into a spirituall Course though she be supposed by Vertue of that Grace by vvhich she is moued to make so great and happy a Change to be really in the state of Iustification yet there still remaines in her a great measure of Feare conceiued from the guilt of her former sins And vvithall strong inclinations to sin and vicious habits doe yet abide and vvill doe so till by long practice of Vertue and Piety they be abated and expelled Moreouer a vvorld of vaine and sinfull Images doe possesse the Soule vvhich distract her vvhensoeuer she sets her mind on God calling her to attend to her formerly-pleasing obiects vvhich tooke vp all her Affections and vvhich doe still oftimes insinuate themselues into her Memory vvith too much contentment to inferiour nature The vvhich contentment though she vpon reflection doe resist and renoune vvith her Superiour Soule yet this resistance is oftimes so feeble that frequently she is really intangled and seduced more oft does find ground to doubt that she has giuen consent therto 8. Such being ordinarily the disordered condition of a Soule at her first Conuersion The Remedy acknovvledged to be proper and necessary for her is Prayer And the highest degree of Praier that for the present she is capable of is either a much distracted Vocall Praier or Discoursiue Meditation in vvhich the Vnderstanding and imagination are cheifly employed And the reason is because although God hath imprinted true Charity in such a soule yet seducing Images so abounding and vicious Affections being as yet so predominant in sensitiue nature there is a necessity for the fortifying it to chase avvay the said Images and subdue such Affections by storing the Imagination vvith contrary good Images and setting on vvorke Affections contrary to these and this is done by inuenting arguments and motiues especially of Feare So that the exercises proper to a soule in this first imperfect state are those of sensible Contrition and Remorse for sin c. caused by the consideration of the foulenes of it of the misery that attends it the certainty and vncertainty of Death the terrours of Gods Iudgment the Horrour of Hell c. as likevvise a consideration that no lesse a price vvould serue for the reparation of a soule from sin then the ibloudy Passion of the Son of God c. Such matters as these are novv the seasonable subiects of Meditation And the actions of Mortification fit to attend such Prayer are more sensible grosse and exteriour proper to represse her grosser defects 9. Novv vvhen by meanes of such Exercises the Soule is become vvell eased from Remorse and beginns to be moued to the resistance and hatred of sin by the Loue of God rather then Feare of his Iudgments Her Discoursiue Prayer for all that does not cease but there is a change made only in the Obiects of it Because instead of the consideration of Iudgment Hell c. the Soule finds herselfe more inclined to resist sin by the Motiues of Loue or a consideration of the Charity Patience and Suffrings of our Lord as likevvise out of a comfortable Meditation of the future Ioyes promised and prepared for her Although Charity be much encreased yet not yet to such a Point but that she stands in neede of Motiues and considerations to set it on vvorke as likevvise of good holy and efficacious Images of Diuine things to allure her to forget or neglect the vaine Images that yet doe much distract her The Obiect of her thoughts novv are the infinite Ioyes of Heauen the sublime Mysteries of Faith the Blessed Humanity of our Lord the glorious Attributes of the Divinity c. And the Mortifications ansvverable to the present state doe grovv more internall being much exercised about invvard defects vvhich by Praier are discouered to her and corrected Novv a soule whilst she continues in this sort of Praier and Mortification standing in neede of a much and frequent consideration of Motiues is properly said to be in the Purgatiue vvay though tovvards the latter End there be a mixture of the Illuminatiue 10. In the Second place vvhen a Soule by Perseueâ—ance in such Discoursiue Prayer comes to find as in â—â—me she vvill that she stands in lesse neede of inuenâ—â—ng Motiues to induce her to exercise loue to God â—ecause good Affections by Exercise abounding and â—ovving ripe doe vvith facility moue themselues so â—â—at the mere presenting of a good Obiect to the Soule suffises to make her produce a good Affection Thenceforvvard by little and little the Soule in Prayer quits Discoursing and the will immediatly stirres it selfe tovvards God And here Meditation ending the second and more perfect Degree or State of Internall Prayer begins to witt the Prayer of Immediate Acts of the will 11. Novv a Soule liuing a Solitary or abstracted Life and being arriued to this Prayer if she should be obliged by
vvhich most probably is from the Spirit of God Hereto therefore may be applyed that saying of S. Bernard Modus diligendi Deum est diligere sine modo that is The measure and manner of louing of God is to loue him vnmeasurably and freely vvithout a prescribed manner 9. In the next place hauing shevved what encombrances a Soule is to auoide in her exercise of Meditation I vvill proceede to declare positiuely and directly hovv I vvould aduise her to behaue herselfe therein 10. Let a soule that begins Mentall Praier vvith the Exercise of Meditation make choice of some good Bookes of that subiect as Fuluius Androtius Granatensis or the Abridgment of Puentes Meditations vvhich I vvould especially recommend 11. Let her begin vvith the matter of the Purgatiue way as concerning Sin Death the Finall Iudgment Hell or the like And let her abide in the Exercises of that vvay till she finds in her selfe an auersion from Sin that much of the Feare and remorse that vvere formerly in her are deposed so that she is come to haue some good measure of Confidence in God When she finds these Effects in her let her vvithout regarding vvhether she hath run ouer all the Exercises and matters in her Booke belonging to the Purgatiue vvay passe to the Exercises of Meditation which respects the Illuminatiue way as they call it that is to such vvhose matter or argument is some Mystery of Faith touching our Lords Life Passion c. and vvhich are apt to beget and encrease Humility Patience and other Vertues in her 12. Being entred into the Illuminatiue way let her in like manner abide in the Exercises therof till she find her selfe apt for Resignation Loue and other Affections of the Vnitiue way to the Exercise of vvhich let her thervpon apply herselfe 13. It may happen that a Soule that is duly in right order come into the Illuminatiue Vnitiue way as those vvaies are distinguished by the Maisters of Meditation after some time spent in the Exercises proper to those vvaies may aftervvard find herselfe called backe to the Purgatiue As after the committing of some fault extraordinary or during some vnusuall tentation c. In vvhich cases she is to yeild therto abide in those inferiour Exercises as long as she finds them proper proffitable for her vvhich is not like to be very long 14. In like manner vvhilst she is in the Purgatiue vvay if Acts of Resignation Loue c. and much more if Aspirations shall offer themselues to her as some times they may let her by all meanes correspond vnto them as long as they are relishing to her neglecting forbearing in the meane time to consider Motiues or to produce inferiour Acts of Contrition Feare c. belonging to the Purgatiue vvay 15. The grounds of the reasonablenes necessity of these Aduices is this Because the Matter manner of Praier are to be prescribed ordered according to the temper disposition of Soules not the Methods of Bookes And therfore soules are to be applyed to such a manner of Praier as God calls them to is likely to subdue inordinate Affections in them Therfore scrupulous fearefull soules euen in the beginning ate to be forbidden the Exercises of Terrour c. vvhich belong to the Purgatiue vvay and they are to be applyed to such exercises as are apt to produce Loue Confidence in God c. 16. For some short space before a Soule begins her Exercise of Meditation let her looke vpon the Booke and therin peruse the Points that she intends to meditate on Or rather indeede those Points are to be thought vpon and prouided before hand that is Ouer-night for the Morning-Meditation and after dinner for the Euening So doing she will be lesse to seeke about thē better employ the time appointed for her exercise 17. Let her not trust her Memory for the Points that she is to meditate on but haue the Booke ready that she may looke on it as she shall haue need And let her take one point after another as they lye in the Booke or as she shall haue determined before vvhen she prepared for the succeeding Recollection 18. In her meditating on each Point let her behaue herselfe after this manner 1. With her Memory and vnderstanding let her thinke on the matter of that point 2. Out of which let her dravv a Reason or motiue by vvhich the vvill may be inclined some vvay or other tovvards God 3. And thervpon let her produce an Act of the Will as of humiliation Adoration Resignation Contrition c. abiding in such application of the soule to God as long as the Will hath life and actiuity for it or as long as she shall be able to doe it 4. The which fayling and grovving to be disgustfull let her proceede to the next Point therin behauing herselfe likevvise after the same manner so proceeding in order to the others follovving till she haue spent a competent time in her Recollection 19. Novv I conceiue a competent time for one Recollection spent in Meditation to be an Houre or very little lesse Wheras for the Exercise of immediate Acts of the will a lesser space will suffise And the Reason of the difference is 1. Because in this latter Exercise more Acts of the Will vvherin all good doth consist are produced then in Meditation 2. And besides the exercise of Acts is more drie and vvearisome except in some fevv that abound in sensible Affections then is Meditation to soules fit for it 20. During Meditation let the soule neglecting the too common Practise in vvhich Meditation is made rather a study and speculation then an exercise of the spirit spend no more time in inuenting Motiues and in internall discoursings then shall be necessary to moue the vvill to good Affections But as for such Affections let her abide in them as long as she can for therin consists all the proffit And if vpon one consideration or Motiue she can produce many Acts of the vvill let her not faile to doe so and to continue in each Act as long as she finds that she is enabled It is no matter though in the meane time the Vnderstanding should lye quiet as it vvere a sleepe and vvithout Exercise 21. Indeede in Soules which haue an effectuall Call to an Internall Life their Meditations vvill haue little study or speculation in them For after a short and quick reflection on the matter Mystery or Motiue they vvill forthvvith produce Acts of the vvill And their consideration of the matter is not so much by vvay of reasoning or inferring as a simple calling to mind or thinking on a subiect out of vvhich the Will may produce some act or other ansvverable to the Point reflected on by the vnderstanding And this sort of Meditating is proper for many ignorant Persons especially vvomen vvhich haue not the Gift of Internall Discoursing 22. A soule that practises Meditation vvill find
to the Exercise of immediate Acts may indeed ought at the first to take for the subiect of her Recollections those Acts vvhich belong to the Vnitiue Way to vvit Acts of Diuine Loue Resignation c. But the case is othervvise vvith a soule that is found vtterly vnfit for Meditation and consequently must necessarily begin a spirituall course vvith the Prayer of Immediate Acts. For for such a soule ordinarily speaking it vvill be expedient that at the beginning she take for the matter of her Acts such as are proper for the Purgatiue Way as Acts of Contrition Feare of Iudgment Hell c. And this Aduice is conformable to the Directions of Blosius in the X. XI Chapters of his Institutions 4. Novv for the vse of the said Exercises of Immediate Acts Affections I vvould aduise a soule that is vvell disposed resolued to practise them that at the first she vvould rather vse them Mentally Because it is lesse distractiue more Recollectiue Vnlesse by experience she find that the vsing them Vocally doth most relish vvith her spirit and as in some dispositions it may cause a more intime and perfect Recollection 5. Wheras euery Exercise consists of about ten clauses of Acts or Affections let her not tye her selfe preâ—isely to that number in any Recollection But if one Exercise vvill not serue let her borrovv from the next follovving And againe if one be too much for one time let her vse as many of those Acts in order as they lye as vvill suffise for the time no more and in the next Recollection let her begin vvhere she last ended 6. A deuout soule vvill find that by diligent practise in progresse of time the number of Acts or Affections to be exercised in each Recollection vvill come to diminish so that vvheras at the beginning perhaps ten Acts vvould scare suffise for one Recollection aftervvards fiue or three yea it may be one vvill oftimes be sufficient 7. Let her generally obserue the Order and sequele of the sayd Acts contained in the exercises proper for her beginning and prosecuting them as they lye For othervvise she vvill spend the precious time allotted for Prayer in looking here and there for somevvhat that may be pleasing to her fancy or humour yet in the end perhaps not content herselfe Or at the least the satisfaction that she may come to find vvill scarce counteruaile the distraction incurred and time lost And againe it is an ill custome of some to take at randome the Acts or affections on vvhich they vvould exercise themselues opening the booke and at aduenture making vse of vvhat their eyes first light on 8. Yet let her not tye herselfe so rigorously superstitiously to any of the sayd Acts but that if vvithout searching there should be offred to her any other kind of Act or Affection be it Resignation Loue or Aspirations vvhich may be gustfull to her let her entertayne it therein abide as long as the relish of it lasteth And that ceasing let her returne to prosecute the Acts of the present Exercise 9. Yet one speciall case there is in vvhich a soule ought by no meanes to oblige herselfe to any Order prescribed in the said Exercises And that is vvhen she finds that Feare or Scrupulosity doe ouer much abound in her causing vnquietnes Deiection and vvant of Confidence in God In vvhich caâ—â— let her by all meanes omitt such Exercises or Acts as are apt to rayse or feede such Passions in her And instead of them let her apply herselfe to Exercises of Hope loue and Ioy in God vvhich ought to be cherished in her 10. Yea soules that are of such a disposition ought euen in the beginning after their first Conuersion not to dvvell long vpon the Exercises that concerne Remorse for sin or other matters of Feare as Death Iudgment and Hell but rather to fixe vpon Affections contrary to their present disposition And in case of nevv faults committed let their Contrition or Detestation of sin be rather exercised in a generality or Vertually in Acts of Conuersion to God then particularly directly and expressely And let them not be scrupulous herein out of an opinion that at such times God expects painefull Remorses froÌ„ them or earnest expressions of detestation of their sins For such detestation is sufficiently inuolued in an Act of direct loue to God vvhich conteines much perfection besides Such Acts therfore being more beneficiall to her are consequently more acceptable to God 11. A soule hauing pitched vpon any Act or Affection contained in the sayd Exercises let her tarry as long vpon each of them vvithout passing to an other as her Gust vnto such an affection lasteth and as she findes proffit to her spirit by it 12. Whensoeuer in any Clause there is contained matter of seuerall desires or Affections let her in her mind and Exercising separate them and rest vpon each of them seuerally For by this meanes the sayd Exercises vvill last longer and yeild more proffit 13. After that all the Exercises appointed for her haue bene passed ouer let her repeate and pursue them againe and againe Vnlesse she doe find herselfe dravven by God to some other Exercise more perfect as is that of Aspirations And indeed vvhensoeuer in her Exercise during her Recollection shee does find her selfe moued to perfect Aspirations Eleuations of the Will c or else to produce some other Acts as of Resignation c vpon occasion of some present Crosse to be sustained let her not faile to correspond to such an inuitation 14. Those that can find no proffit or relish by any of these prescribed Exercises or the like may conclude that they are not as yet ripe for them and that therfore they are to continue in Discoursiue Prayer till it looses its relish and that they begin to find Gust in Affections 15. The Acts and Affections in the follovving Exercises are for the most part directed to God himselfe or the pure Diuinity as if they vvere internall conuersations vvith God The vvhich are perfect introuersions and of all actiue assumed Exercises are the most proffitable 16. But vvithall such Actuations are oftimes very painefull by reason that such Introuersions are exercised vvithout the helpe of grosser Images the vvhich haue some kind of recreating diuersion in them and vvhen such Images doe offer themselues the soule tending to the naked Diuinity taries not in them but transcends or reiects them And if her mind finding no Gust in an Obiect so perfectly spirituall becomes vvilling to ease it selfe by fastning vpon some other good but inferiour Obiect she is by some Writers taught to vvithdravv her attention from any thing but God the vvhich violence and selfe contradiction cannot be vvithout much paine in so much that soules become therby sometimes so tired vvith such Introuersions and find so great difficulty in seeking the Diuine Presence so aboue the course of nature that they loose all comfort