their Heads plucked off and the tops of their Hands and Feet cut off were tormented alive in Brazen Pots 2 Machab. 7. And Eleazarus would not dissemble to eat unlawful flesh but said he would rather go down to the grave 2 Machab. 6. He has true Constancy who never ceases from the Divine Praises According to that Psal 33. I will bless the Lord at all times his Praise shall be ever in my mouth c. Nor does he cease from a fervent Desire of profiting For S. Leo Pope testifieth None of us is so perfect and holy but he may be still more perfect and more holy And also Then we begin to be in danger of growing worse when we cease to desire to grow better We ought to be incited to true Constancy by the Constancy of Martyrs and especially of Virgins who in their frail Sex by their Constancy deserved eternal Glory But we ought much more to be moved to Constancy by the Pertinacy of Jews Hereticks and other perverse men in their Wickednesses who for their Perfidiousness and Pertinacy in their Iniquities are grievously tormented in their Consciences here and expect more grievous Torments both in Soul and Body hereafter An Argument of true Constancy is when one neither for loss of Life nor Goods ceases from those things which are pleasing to God So Tobias ceased not to bury the Dead for which thing King Sennacherib had taken away all his Goods and moreover had commanded him to be killed Tob. 1.2 So Daniel did not cease to pray Dan. 6. So the Apostles after the Resurrection of Christ our Lord ceased not from the Manifestation of his Name neither for whipping nor for the Fear of Death Peter and John saying to their Adversaries If it be just in the sight of God to hear You rather than God judge Ye Act. 4. Peter also and the Apostles said unto them Act. 5. We must obey God rather than Man It is an Argument of Inconstancy when any one departs from the way of Justice to obtain the Favour of Men or some temporal Gain as Balaam did who for the Gifts and Friendship of Balack would curse the People of Israel against the Commandment of the Lord Numb 22. Or for fear of parting with temporal Goods as that rich man who went sad away from our Lord Jesus when he counsell'd him Perfection for he had many Possessions and Riches which he loved Matth. 19. Or for fear of corporal Sufferings as the Apostles all fled away from their beloved Lord Jesus Christ Mat. 26. But Mattathias contemning the Honour which was shewn him by the Messengers of King Antiochus and the Gifts that were promised him forsaking all fled into the Mountains that he might keep the Law of his Lord. Also neither the Desire of Favour nor the fear of Temporal Losses withdrew him from the way of Justice 1 Mach. 2. In like manner neither did the fear of corporal Sufferings withdraw St. Stephen from the just way but looking up to Heaven amidst Showers of Stones he remained fixed in Christ Acts 7. In like manner also Paul who said Acts 21. I am ready not only to be bound but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus CHAP. XVII Of Liberality TRUE and perfect Liberality is when any one cheerfully administers temporal Relief to all that are in Need according to his Power yea also being required he willingly communicates spiritual Goods to all those who want them in confessing and preaching in giving Counsel and Instruction nor is he ready only to assist those who desire such things but also even to those who do not desire and care not for his Instruction and Preaching according to the Apostle Opportunely and Importunely 2 Tim. 4. Yea to the unwilling and to those who know nothing of it he communicates Prayers Sighs and Tears before God Nor is the truly Liberal satisfied with this unless he moreover wholly spend himself in Study Meditation and in other holy Works continually for the Salvation of his Neighbours To this Liberality we ought to be induced by a desire of Conformity to God who does so continually impart his gifts temporal and spiritual to all even to those who do not ask them and above all these things communicates the Flesh and Blood of his most beloved Son Jesus Christ Nor does it satisfie him simply to give his Gifts unless also he give himself without Measure in every Gift He commends his Liberality that denies his Gift to none though never so much his Enemy yea very often by Night and by Day he imparts his Gifts to every one tho' he be never so much offended by any one In this he approves his Liberality that whensoever he finds any Opportunity in a Receiver he can by no means contain himself from permitting an immediate Efflux of spiritual gifts from him although by his infinite Wisdom he foreknows that he who receives those Gifts will shortly lose them or immediately defile them or fight against him with those very Gifts It ought to move us hereunto that what we give is not our own but anothers and the Proverb tells us we may cut large Thongs out of another's Hide Whence S. Chrysostom Thou oughtest not to be so sparing even of thine own but when thy Lord's Goods are committed to thee why so tenacious why so close fisted An Argument of true Liberality is when any one cheerfully gives what he has to those who are in Need without any Desert of theirs freely and without hope of Recompence or Return so our Lord Jesus gave both himself and all he had and this is the top of Perfection Nor does it satisfie the truly Liberal to give his Goods in time of Necessity he offers himself even unto Death for the Salvation of his Neighbours as S. John teaches us saying 1 John 3. By this we have known Gods Love because he has laid down his Life for us and we ought to lay down our Lives for our Brethren To this Superiours are more especially obliged This Liberality the Apostle had saying 2 Cor. 12. I will most willingly spend my self and be spent for your Souls The same says also 1 Cor. 15. Brethren I die daily for your Glory That is I suffer Dangers of Death The truly Liberal without hopes of Recompence or Return gives whatsoever he is whatsoever he has and whatsoever he can do to God to the eternal Encrease of his Divine Praise to all Angels and Saints to their perpetual Joy and Exultation to all Sinners to their Conversion to all the Just and Perfect to the Conservation and Confirmation of their Perfection to all in Purgatory to the Mitigation and Abbreviation of their Pains An Argument of false Liberality is when any one gives that he may be praised by others or least he should be worse esteemed others giving or that he may be freed from the Clamors of the Poor and then he loses both his Gift and Merit He also is falsly liberal
unprofitable thoughts but also observes a measure in good Thoughts that they do not longer or oftner take up his Mind than a just time requires because Thoughts of our necessary Affairs although they be profitable yet they are not to be entertained in Time of the Divine Office according to the Saying of St. Bernard The Holy Ghost at that Hour whatsoever thou offerest besides what thou oughtest neglecting what thou oughtest receives it not whose Will we may always do according to his Will he inspiring of us In like manner the truly Temperate moderates his Affections and Passions when he ought to hope or fear any thing or nothing and how much and how long Concerning what he ought somewhat or nothing to rejoyce or grieve and how much and how long concerning what he ought to have or not to have Love or Hatred or Shame and how much and how long In like manner it moderates the understanding that it do not employ it self a longer time than is fitting about the understanding of any thing it moderates likewise the will what and how great it ought to be and the intention what and to what End and how intent it ought to be It poises also our free Will how much it ought to make choice of Good and how much reject Evil. Moreover true Temperance moderates the tongue to wit when we are to speak when to be silent and how long that is in convenient time to whom we are to speak to wit to persons of good repute when to speak and where to wit in time and place convenient how to speak and how much to wit maturely with Weight Number and Measure why we are to speak to wit for Necessity or Profit of what affairs to wit of Soul and Body It moderates also the Works and Manners and the Motion of all the parts of the Body that according to the Apostle All things be done by us decently and according to Order 1 Cor. 14. We ought to be moved to Temperance by the most wise order of God who has disposed all things in Measure Number and Weight Wisdom 11. According to this order all our Actions Manners and Life ought to be measured numbered and weighed that is in the Vertue of the Father to whom Measure in the Vertue of the Son to whom Number in the Vertue of the Holy Ghost to whom Weight is ascribed To the same also the Example of the Apostle ought to move us saying I Cor. 10. Give no offence neither to Jews nor Gentiles nor to the Church of God as I also in all things please all Men not seeking what is prositable to my self but what is profitable to many that they may be saved He was truly temperate who offended none and studied to please all He has an Argument of true Temperance who moderates himself in his Food Rayment Sleep and in every carnal Commodity and temporal Joy admitting in all these no Superfluity nor inordinate Delight but pure Necessity The truly Temperate endeavours to keep a Mean in all things except in the Love and Praise of God and giving of Thanks For great is the Lord and too too praise-worthy and therefore he is to be praised without Mean Measure or End A sign of Intemperance is when one having perverse Manners disturbs and disquiets all that dwell with him He conforms himself to no Body in any thing but that which pleases himself that he approves and strives to have it done He is unsufferable to all others and intolerable to himself whence St. Augustin Thou hast commanded O Lord and so it was done that every inordinate Mind should be a Punishment to it self but how much more to others Such an one was Ismael of whom it is written Gen. 16. His hand was against every one and every ones hand against him CHAP. XII Of Compassion TRue and perfect Compassion towards God is without Intermission to be wounded at Heart with Grief for all the Injuries that have been done to him or are yet to be done to him in himself and in his Friends Whom he who touches touches as it were the Apple of his Eye Zach. 2. For all the Elements had Compassion on Christ our Lord dying upon the Cross A true Compassion to our Neighbour is heartily to condole with him for his Afflictions as well spiritual as corporal after the Example of the Apostle saying 2 Cor. 11. Who is weak and I am not weak Where the Gloss says Who is weak in Faith or other Virtue and I am not weak That is I do not condole with him as with my self Who is scandalized for any Trouble and I do not burn with the Fire of Compassion True Compassion towards our Neighbours in Purgatory is to be greatly afflicted for the Grievousness of the Pains which they endure and chiefly because they are separated in the mean time from the Vision and Fruition of God and God in the mean time is not fully praised by them And in that Affliction and Compassion incessantly and earnestly to beseech God that he would vouchsafe to take them out of so sharp and severe Sufferings The superabundant Compassion of Christ our Lord to us ought to induce us to true Compassion for as St. Augustin testifies He makes such haste to absolve the Sinner from the Torment of his Conscience as if his Compassion of the miserable did more torment him than the Passion of the miserable torments himself nor had he only Compassion on us but he himself moreover endured our Diseases and bore our Griefs Isa 53. The Nature also of Members persuades the same as the Apostle testifies 1 Cor. 12. If one Member suffer any thing all the Members suffer together with it Moreover there is a double Profit in Compassion which ought to allure us thereunto to wit a strengthening of Charity and a reigning together with Christ Of the first it is said in Ecclesiasticus chap. 7. Fail not to comfort those that weep and walk with those that mourn disdain not to visit the Sick for by these things thou shalt be strengthened in Love And of the second the Apostle says 2 Tim. 2. If we suffer we shall together reign with him Rare is the Virtue of Compassion our Lord complaining Psal 68. I expected one who should condole with me but there was none and who should comfort me but I found none An Argument of true Compassion is not only to condole with our Friends but also with our Enemies So Joseph wept over every one of his Brethren who had sold him for thirty Pence Gen. 45. and David greatly lamented the Death of Saul who had often designed to kill him yea he caused the Children of Israel to be taught a Threne of Lamentation over his Death 2 Sam. 1. So Absalon being slain who sought to take away his Kingdom from him with his Head covered he lamented him saying My Son Absalon Absalon my Son who shall give me that I may dye for thee Absalon my Son my Son
the testimony of the Apostles by the Pledge of the Holy Ghost in Baptism which is a Pledg of our Inheritance by an Earnest that is a fore-taste of the Sweetness of God in Devotion by an Hostage who is Christ the only begotten Son of God To this double Joy the Apostle exhorts us saying Phil. 4. Rejoyce ye in our Lord alwaies to wit for the Divine Union Again I say Rejoyce to wit for the Certitude of Eternal Beatitude He has ground and matter of true Joy who is by inward inspiration assured of the remission of all his Sins by which he grievously offended God and every Creature and lost all the Grace he had received and deserved never to have any more bestowed on him This assurance had S. Mary Magdalen to whom our Lord said Luke 7. Her many sins are forgiven her because she loved much And S. Francis of whom it is said that it was revealed to him that even the last farthing of his Sins was remitted him Another Argument and Matter of Joy is an Assurance of Mind that one is the Son of God and Heir of the Kingdom of Heaven This Assurance the Holy Ghost gives as the Apostle saies Rom. 8. For the Spirit it self bears witness to our Spirit that we are the Sons of God But if Sons also Heirs Heirs indeed of God but co-Heirs with Christ This Assurance the Apostle had when he said in the same Chap. I am sure that neither Death nor Life nor any Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God An Argument of false Joy is to be delighted in transitory things whether they be temporal Riches or carnal Friendships or some corporal Commodity or temporal Joy This Joy is the Trap of Sadness For when these things pass away Joy passes and Sadness follows And unless such Sadness depart out of the Heart true Joy shall never enter into it because they cannot be together no more than Fire and Water which mutually expell one another There is also somtimes a natural Joy when a man thinks or speaks or hears another speak or reads of the Perfection of God there is also a natural Joy in the desire of the Kingdom of Heaven For all naturally desire Beatitude This Joy in like manner is Vain and it is hard to discern when it is a free gift of Grace and from God and when natural Happy were he who could say with Esaias Chap. 61. Rejoycing I will Rejoyce in the Lord to wit my Creator and my Soul shall Joy in my God to wit my Redeemer Because he has clothed me with the Garment of Salvation c. CHAP. XXIV Of Sadness TRUE Sadness is a grief of Heart for all the Injuries which the patient God has causelesly endured from his Creatures from the beginning of the World and which he shall endure until the end of it as well from Spiritual as from Worldly men This Grief ought to draw innumerable tears of Blood from the Eyes of all that love God Another part of true Sadness is that a man is oftentimes overcome in Temptations without making any resistance For when he sees or hears any thing in Birds or Beasts which belongs to Impurity instantly the mind is defiled with impure Thoughts or Delights or Affections And when the Soul by any of the five Senses perceives any thing which may move it to Vain-glory Envy Anger Rancor Detraction Avarice Levity Carnal Friendship or any Sin whatsoever forthwith without fighting it falls into some of the fore-mentioned faults doubtful whether ever it shall rise again out of such a Sin or no. And if by the help of God it do rise again it is uncertain if it ever recover the Grace which it had and so great Grace as it had before For man can fall of himself but he cannot of himself rise again Because they are Flesh a Spirit going away and not returning Psal 77. Another part of true Sadness is that manifold Graces flowing out of the Fountain of the Divine goodness come to nothing because they do not return to the Principal from whence they flowed with a manifold increase according to the Design of God This all Creatures can never sufficiently bewail We ought to be induced to true Sadness by the most holy Example of our Lord Jesus whose Soul was Sad from the very beginning of his Life to his very Death Who also acknowledged the Sad to be happy saying Mat. 5. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Because Joys cannot be found but by Sadness as a certain Gloss sayes upon the Canonical Epistle of St. James The profit also which proceeds from Sadness ought to induce us hereunto For true Sadness is more profitable than true Joy according to that Eccles 7. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting For oftentimes one is humbled by Sadness but is lifted up by Joy And which is more lamentable sometimes a Spiritual man after Joy and Devotion of Mind becomes more free that day and less vigilant over his Actions than he would have been if he should have had no Joy Another profit of Sadness is Whereas Prayers and other Good Works anoint and cherish God Tears which are an effect of Sadness compell or prick him according to S. Bernard An Argument of true Sadness is when the Mind is not depressed by Grief but elevated Nor would it be freed from Sadness but still desires more But Sadness by which the mind is deprest and from which it desires instantly to be freed is not Good Such is the Sadness of which it is written Pro. 17. Sadness of Heart dryes up the bones to wit of Virtues and S. James Chap. 1. The Anger of man which proceeds from Sadness does not Work the Justice of God He has an Argument of true Sadness who restrains his Senses from whatsoever delicacies He does not See nor Hear nor Taste nor Smell nor Touch any thing by which his grief may be mitigated He flyes also all Places and all Companies by whose Conversation the grief of his Heart may be diminished For he is certain the most Secure way is to end his Life in true Sadness according to that Eccles. 7. The Heart of the Wise is where there is Sadness The Heart of Fools where there is Joy He has an Argument of false Sadness who considering not the most wise ordination of God is tormented for the loss of temporal Goods or for the affliction or Death of Friends or for the infirmity of his own Body or for his own Correction Such a Sadness confers no Grace but tears the mind in pieces according to that Pro. 25. As a Moth in a garment and a worm in wood so the Sadness of a man hurts his Heart and Chap. 15. By the Sadness of the Heart the Spirit is dejected CHAP. XXV Of Gratitude TRUE and Perfect Gratitude is to magnifie the Exellency of the gifts of God in the Soul with
annihilation of ones self and a due reverence of Heart So David magnified the Gifts of the Commandments of God saying Psal 118. I have loved thy commandements above Gold and Topaz Stones And Solomon extolled the gift of Wisdom saying Pro. 8. Wisdom is better than all the most pretious Riches and every thing that is desirable cannot be compared unto it He has true Gratitude who thinks himself unworthy of all the Gifts of God And by how much he reputes and judges himself more unworthy of the Favors of God by so much the more does the Gratitude of his mind increase For all those things which thou hast given us O Christ thou requirest nothing of us but that we would be saved and thou also giving this very thing as it were thankest the Receivers S. Chrysostom The consideration of the Giver ought to move us to Gratitude who is Omnipotent the most Noble the most Loving the most Faithfull the Best the most Happy and the most Perfect Also the greatness of the Gifts For there is no gift so small eirher corporal or spiritual which comes from God in which the immense God is not included with all his Divine Virtue the affection also of the giver is to be pondered For he does not give himself by halves or with Indignation that he may be freed of us but out of all his Divine Desire out of all his Love and Goodness the profit also of the Gifts is to be considered For he gives every one of them that we may know love and enjoy him and to make us happy We ought to weigh also what it is that compels him to give not the fear of any Evil or hope of any Good nor any Vertue of ours but his own immense and eternal Goodness Our Unworthiness also ought to be reflected on who are not worthy even of our very Life nor have we deserved to be even Worms amongst his other Creatures The profit also of Gratitude ought to move us hereunto for it opens the Fountain of Deity and moves God to pour out himself upon us as Ingratitude dryes up the Founof the Divine Deity the dew of Mercy the streams of Grace The greater Gratitude there is in the Soul the more apt it is to receive Grace and the more the All-bountiful God is compell'd to give it He has an Argument of true Gratitude who having maturely pondered all the above mentioned motives to Gratitude reverently receives the Divine Graces and with all his Heart gives thanks for them all litle and great and having received them from his most Loving Lord with his utmost endeavour strives to keep them undefiled For how was the gift of the Friend gratefull which was not gratefully received and which was so soon Voluntarily defiled and lost Nor do we need Gratitude only for those things which are to our Comfort but also for those which are to our Affliction for God gives both out of the same Goodness and Charity Hence Tobias sayes Ch. 11. I bless thee O Lord God of Israel because thou hast chastized me and thou hast saved me For in order to equal Grace in this Life and Glory in the other God gives Devotion to men and permits Tribulation to happen to them or for their gteater Profit as he permitted to Job who said Chap. 2. If we have received good things from the hand of God why should we not receive Evil As if he should say we ought gratefully to receive both CHAP. XXVI Of Zeal of Souls TRUE and perfect Zeal of Souls is when one by holy Meditations by fervent Desires by Tears Prayers Watchings Fastings by Preachings by Confessions by Counsel by Instruction and by other good Works labours for the Salvation of Souls Now how great this Grace is Venerable Bede thus describes What Grace is more sublime and what Conversation more grateful to God than theirs whose daily Business it is to convert Souls to the favour of their Maker and always to be encreasing the Joy of the celestial Country by their frequent Acquisition of faithful Souls Also St. Gregory says There is no such Sacrifice to the omnipotent God as is the Zeal of Souls And this in regard of the Image of the B. Trinity imprinted upon Souls The Example of Jesus Christ ought to move us to the Zeal of Souls who all his Life long with so great Fervor thirsted after the Conversion of Sinners and the Perfection of those that were good that for the Recovery of lost Souls he offered his particular Members to particular Torments and at last his very Life to a most shameful Death as St. Bernard testifies So great was his Zeal for the Reconciliation of Man that he did not attend his own Stipend so he might gain the lost Sheep O! How great is the Dignity of Souls and how great is the Zeal of God for Souls for whose Redemption the Son of God offered all his precious blood to God his Father when notwithstanding one drop of such precious blood would have sufficed for the Redemption of all mankind as saies S. Ambrose and especially when hereby no happiness could accrew to him nor decrease from him This nobiliy of Souls the Wisdom of God knew which is unknown to us which S. Bernard laments saying Alas how title do we remark the Nobleness of the Soul which being present the Body lives whose absence proves what its presence gave Which God so much esteemed that he gave his only begotten Son for it which the Devil so much prized that he offered the whole world for it He has an Argument of true Fervor who neither regards his own Life nor Body so he may gain Souls to Christ This Zeal David had when he said Who may give me that I may dy for thee O Absalon my Son my Son Absalon 2 Sam. 18. And the Apostle when he saies 2 Cor 12. I most willingly will spend my self and be spent for your Souls 1 Cor. 15. Brethren I dy dayly for your Glory that is I suffer the dangers of Death And S. Dominick when he would have sold himself for a certain Captive detained by the Saracens And again for another who remained amongst Hereticks for want of necessary sustenance Whom notwithstanding the wise God hindred from being sold for the Salvation of many Souls He has an Argument of false Fervor who in his Spiritual Works is more solicitous for gifts than for Souls Such is not the Devil who was figured in the King of the Sodomites who said to Abraham Gen. 14. Give me the Souls take the rest to thy self And he who labours more for the Friendship or Favor of Men than for their Sanctity and Perfection such an one cannot say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. I seek not yours but you But it is to be noted that whensoever two things move to any Work to wit God and somewhat else it is hard to discern which moves most For example the Salvation of the Soul and the hope of Gain or Favor
good of himself as says the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of our selves as of our selves but our Sufficiency is of God This takes away Presumption and that he can do all things through Christ more fully and perfectly than by himself the Apostle being witness I can do all things in him who strengthens me This takes away Despair which two things to wit Presumption and Despair are very noxious to spiritual Persons and often impugne them also ever before God to acknowledge not only how vile he is but also how vile he may be and might have been if God had not prevented and this takes away all swelling Pride And that God will exact an Acconut of all Evil committed and all Good omitted and all Graces neglected both for himself and for the Community this gives just Fear Also to receive all Good as from God giving it and this excludes false Love and infers Gratitude And to receive all Evil as from God graciously permitting it for our Profit and this infers Patience The more any one profits in these the more he tends to a spiritual Life and grows and is confirmed in it He has an Argument of true Spiritual Life whose Spirit absolutely over-rules the Flesh who is as sensible of any spiritual Damage as corporal and as much shuns the Place Time and Persons where and by whom he may be hurt in Spirit as where he may be hurt and incommodated in Body and as speedily takes care to cure his Spirit as his Flesh yea has so much more care of his Spirit as his Spirit is more worthy than his Body He also has an Argument of true spiritual Life who is as much delighted in spiritual Food as in corporal and does as unwillingly neglect at any time his spiritual Food as his corporal and does as orderly take it as his corporal and does as much compel himself to it when he has no Appetite as sick Persons are compelled to corporal Food when they loath it Another Argument of spiritual Life is if a man be as diligent about his Spirit as about his Flesh if he be as ready to obey in all things his spiritual Physician for the health of his Spirit and Soul as the corporal Physician for the Health of his Body if he be as solicitous to get the Grace which he wants in Prosperity and Adversity which he wants towards Friends and towards Enemies which he wants when he is praised and when he is dispraised which he wants alone before God and which he wants amongst Men as he is sollicitous about Flesh and Fish or about Summer and Winter Garments if he labour as much to get multiply conserve and profitably to expend spiritual gifts as a secular Person does concerning temporal goods and is so much more diligent about his Spirit than his Body by how much his Spirit is more worthy than his Body Concerning all these things the Apostle says Rom. 8. They who walk according to the Flesh savour the things of the Flesh But they who walk according to the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit An Argument of a carnal Life is to live according to the Rule of the Flesh St. Augustin He lives according to the Flesh who lives according to himself that is goes whither he will sleeps when he will and as long as he will speaks what he will and to whom he will and when he will eats and drinks when he will and as much as he will laughs and takes filthy Pleasure amongst whom he will and when he will In fine whatsoever is sweet to his Smell he seeks it whatsoever is soft to his sense of touching whatsoever is delightful to his Eyes whatsoever is pleasing to his Body he exercises and follows it as he will and when he will because he carnally wills all things lawful and unlawful He is delighted in fine Cloaths Horses and Arms as he will and when he will And so he lives and is delighted not according to God but carnally and fulfills all the desires of the Flesh as he will and when he will Another Argument of a carnal Life is Liberty of Tongue whence follows a Distraction of Heart according to that James 1. If any man think himself to be religious not bridling his Tongue but seducing his own Heart this mans Religion is vain Therefore it is written Prov 21. He who keeps his Mouth and his Tongue keeps his Soul from Straits chap. 18. Death and Life are in the Power of the Tongue CHAP. XXIX Of Maturity TRUE Maturity is when all the Affections and Forces of the Soul are unanimously gathered up into God Hereby the Mind is restrained from Vanity and the five Senses from their Allurements but when the Soul recedes from that blessed Union forthwith it is entangled with diverse Vanities for all things under Heaven are Vanity as says Ecclesiastes ch 1. The most holy Example of our Lord Jesus ought to induce us to true Maturity concerning whose Seriousness St. Augustin writes thus We read that our Lord Jesus was sad wept was weary from travelling suffered Reproaches and Injuries Spittle Whips the Cross but we never read that he laughed or enjoyed the Prosperity of this Life Hence all the Elect rejoyce in themselves when they begin to be wearied with the Adversities of the World and not to be vainly deceived with any of it's Prosperities knowing that there is another Life to follow Also because the Holy Scripture much dispraises Dissolution and Laughter according to that Eccles 2. I looked upon Laughter as an Error and to Joy I said why art thou in vain deceived And Prov. 14. Laughter shall be mingled with Grief and Joy ends in mourning And the Psalmist speaks thus to the Lord Psal 30. Thou hast hated those who occupy themselves in deceitful Vanities without Profit And especially the Commination of our Lord Jesus Luke 6. Woe unto you who now laugh because ye shall lament and weep Also because it much withdraws any one from the Familiarity of God and obstructs the Perception of Divine Graces He has an Argument of true Maturity who neither by idle Words nor by Deeds nor Signs nor dissolute Gate nor by any other Behaviour provokes others to Levity but always in himself and others from his Heart detests Dissoluteness He avoids all places where are occasions of Levity and all dissolute Company that he may conserve Maturity knowing That he who will touch Pitch shall be defiled thereby Eccles 13. And he who converses with dissolute Persons will not avoid Dissoluteness Such an one was B. Job who was so mature and sober that dissolute Persons avoided his Presence as he himself says chap. 29. The Young men saw me and hid themselves And he had such a custom of Maturity that if the contrary were seen in him no body would believe it whence he says in the same Chapter If at any time I laughed at them they did not believe me and
he reveal his secret to his Servants But he revealed all his Will and all Perfection to his Apostles by his only begotten Son as he says Jo. 15. All things whatsoever which I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you To the end that they might reveal the same to Posterity which also they have faithfully done For their sound went out into all the Earth and their Words unto the ends of the World Psal 18. But amongst the Apostles he revealed and declared his greatest Secrets to S. John the Evangelist and to S. Paul Amongst other things he revealed to them the eight Beatitudes saying Mat. 5. Blessed are the poor in Spirit c. Blessed are the Meek c. which Beatitudes contain in them great Perfection and declare the perfect Will of God There is a difference betwixt Contemplation Meditation and Cogitation for in Cogitation the Mind wanders in Meditation it finds out something in Contemplation it admires Cogitation is without Labour and without Fruit Meditation is with Labour and with Fruit Contemplation is without Labour and with Fruit. We are brought to the Contemplation of God by three Degrees concerning which St. Gregory The first is That the Soul recollect it self to it self The Second is that it see it self what it is thus recollected The Third is That it arise above it self and submit it self attending to the Contemplation of it's invisible Maker But it can by no means recollect it self to it self unless it have first learnt to restrain the Phantasms of terrestrial and celestial Images from the Eye of the Mind unless it have learnt to reject and trample upon whatsoever shall occur to it's Thought from the corporeal Sight Hearing Smelling Tasting or Touching that it may seek it self such within as it is without those for whilst it thinks upon those things it turns over within it self as it were certain shadows of Bodies Therefore all those things are to be driven away from the Eyes of the Mind by the hand of Discretion that the Soul may consider it self such as it is created under God above the Body that being vivificated by the Superior it may vivificated the Inferior which it administers We often will consider the invisible nature of Almighty God but we are not able and the Soul wearied with those difficulties returns to it self and makes to it self of it self degrees of Ascensions that first of all if it be able it may consider it self and then find out that Nature which is above it as far as it is able But if our Mind shall be dispersed in carnal Images it is by no means sufficient to consider it self or the Nature of the Soul because by as many Thoughts as it is lead it is as it were blinded by so many Obstacles The first Degree therefore is that the Soul c. The Motives to Contemplation are the ineffable Sweetness which is there perceived the admirable Perfection which is there learn'd the principal of all Beatitude which is there found for the Fountain of all Beatitude the most High God is there known and what is known that is loved and what is truly loved is desired and laboured for that it may be obtained and what is industriously laboured for that is at length acquired and when at length it shall be acquired it is possessed with endless Delight Of this St. Bernard A Soul which has once learnt of our Lord and has received of him to enter into her self and in her most inward recesses to pant after the presence of God and to seek his Face alwayes for God is a Spirit and they who seek him must walk in the Spirit and not in the Flesh that they may live according to the Flesh Such a Soul I say I know not whether she would count it more horrible and painful to experiment Hell it self for a time than after having tasted the Sweetness of this spiritual Study to go out again to the Allurements or rather to the Troubles of the Flesh and to return to the insatiable Curiosity of the Senses Ecclesiastes saying chap. 2. The Eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the Ear with hearing For hear an experienced man what he says Thou art good says he O Lord to those who hope in thee to the Soul which seeks thee From this Good if any one should have endeavoured to have averted that holy Soul I believe he would hardly have taken it otherwise than if he should have seen himself to have been cast out of Paradise and from the very Entrance of Glory Hear yet another like unto this My Heart says he has said to thee my Face has sought thee thy Face O Lord will I seek Whence he said But it is good for me to adhere to God And also speaking to his Soul he says Be converted O my Soul into thy Rest because the Lord has done well unto thee I say therefore unto you that there is nothing which one who has received this Favour does so much fear as lest being left by the Divine Grace it should be necessary for him to go out again to the Consolations yea the Desolations of the Flesh and again to suffer the Tumults of his carnal Senses In this Contemplation was St. Augustin when he said But it displeased me that I lived in the World and it was a great burden to me my sensual Desires not now inflaming me as they were wont with the hope of Honour and Money to endure that so grievous Servitude For now those things did not delight me by reason of thy sweetness and of the beauty of thy House which I loved He has an Argument of true Contemplation who is weary of living in this miserable World saying with B. Tobias chap. 3. It is better for me to dye than to live And with H. Job chap. 10. My Soul is weary of my Life And with St. Paul Rom. 7. Vnhappy Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death And he who thirsts after the Fountain of Life saying with the Psalmist As the Hart thirsts after Fountains of Water so thirsts my Soul after thee O God Psal 41. Whence St. Gregory A contemplative Life is to retain indeed in the heart the Love of God and our Neighbour but to rest from exterior Action and to inhere only in the desire of the Creator so that nothing is now to be done but all Cares being trampled under Foot the Soul burns with desire to see the Face of it's Creator so that now it knows how to bear with Grief the weight of the corruptible Flesh and with all it's Forces to desire to be present amidst the sweet-singing Quires of Angels and to be mixed with the caelestial Citizens to rejoyce before God for eternal Incorruption He has an Argument of false Contemplation who holds something concerning God or some Perfection of God contrary to the Holy Scriptures which notwithstanding he temerariously defends by Reasons And hence came Heresies of
Satisfaction then our bountiful Lord accepts of any other amends Then for unjust things Fasting suffices If he cannot fast Prayer suffices and if for weakness he cannot pray God is satisfied with a good will Innocent gives an Argument of false Repentance It is a false Repentance when the Penitent leaves not an Office or Employment which he can by no means exercise without Sin or if he bear hatred in his Heart or if he do not satisfie every one whom he has offended or if he do not pardon him who has offended him or if he bear Arms against Justice It is also a false Repentance when one Sin is amended and no care taken of another CHAP. XLII Of Perseverance TRUE Perseverance is a frequent exercise of Good Works a continual study of Perfection a diligent conservation of Spiritual Graces and Vertues unto Death To this our Lord invites us in the Apocalypse 2. Be faithful unto Death and I will give thee a crown of Life This Job had when he said Job 27. Vntil I dye I will not depart from my innocency And Tobias who hid the Bodies of the dead in his house and buried them in the night although the King for this commanded him to be spoiled of his Goods and kill'd Tob. 1. The exceeding great profit of Perseverance ought to induce us thereunto For by this every good Work and every Vertue shall be crowned and our Salvation wholly depends on it according to that of our Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 10. He who shall persevere to the end shall be saved Without this no Vertue or good Work is remunerable Without this all Perfection comes to nothing For what did it profit the Apostle and Traytor Judas that our Lord chose him out of the World what did profit him his long familiarity with Jesus Christ what the holy Sermons which he often heard from him what the Examples Virtues and Miracles which he saw done by him what the Society of the Apostles what the Grace bestowed on him to preach and work Miracles For to him together with the other Apostles he said Math. 10. Go preach saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Cure the sick raise the dead cure the leprous cast out Devils He has an Argument of true Perseverance who neither for the love of Life nor fear of Death nor for threats nor promises departs from Virtue As Susanna fearing not Death said Dan. 13. If I do this that is sin I must dye And Mattathias 1 Macchab. 2. Although all the Nations obey King Antiochus and every one depart from the service of the Law of his Fathers and consent to his commands I and my Sons and my brethren will obey the Law of our Fathers God be propitious unâ—â— us He has an argument of false Perseverance who falsly presumes of his own Sanctity that he cannot fall Hence arises a freedom of Mind hence he has no Watch over himself and so it is impossible for any Man persevere in Sanctity Even the very Apostles if they were in the world and not a watch over 〈◊〉 selves they might fall 〈…〉 Example in David 〈…〉 Murder and Adulteâ—◠〈…〉 was negligent in 〈…〉 Eyes 2 Sam. 1 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 shall one day have all these Virtues more perfectly than Humane Understanding can comprehend I confess to thee O Lord that he is happy at present and shall be more happy hereafter who has these Virtues in that perfection as they are here written although perhaps less may suffice to Salvation I beseech the also O Lord with all the desire of thy Son and Holy Spirit 〈…〉 Creatures that thou wouldest 〈…〉 Discretion betwixt the Virtues 〈…〉 of Nature and Semâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 And whosoever shall 〈…〉 shall hear of it or 〈…〉 â—â—mnipotent God 〈…〉 one true and 〈…〉 â—ertain he who 〈…〉 has 〈…〉 one 〈…〉 deâ—â—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 be