helps to our wants what he requires of us My Soul is prepared O God My Soul is prepared to sing praise thee Imitate the Patience Obedience of my Saviour JESUS THIRD POINT Charitie Perfection CONSIDERATION COnsider That as without Charitie there is no true Vertue or meritorious action so no hopes to advance in Solitarie perfection it being the aime accomplishment of Gods Law therfor must be one of our cheife Entertainments in our spirituall retreat first in order to God whom we ought to love above all things created as infinitely lovely in himselfe our supream Good then in oder to others as Images of God companions in our claim to heaven but especially if our Solitude be claustrall or Religious consequently permanent in the societie of many persons joined in the same intention profession who are to be all united one with the other in doing suffring Such a Societie represents that blessed Communion of the Saints in heaven as well in God the Center of their Loves as between themselvs by a mutuall congratulation at each others Combatts with sensualitie Victories over sin Satan speciall favours from their blessed Redeemer And indeed without Charitie the highest state of Perfection is imperfect ruinous by reason of our naturall frailties crosse accidents which through Gods permission oft try our constancy in good purposes Have a care then Philothea that a sweet complyance with the Inclinatiōs of others a pleasant bearing with their Imperfections an inviolable tie of love be so deep rooted in thy Soul that it never fade or faile whatever difference of dispositions qualities or other Motive of dislike may arise And of this be sure to make a strickt Examine Where How With whom and how oft thou hast herein beē defective And whether thou beest able to complie with the duties of this Queen of Vertues Without which no socretie no place no employment can be pleasant propounding likewise efficacious Motives means when how to practise it And that nothing may be wanting to compleat the happiness of our solitarie Entertainments we must practise Perfection that is all vertuous holie actions which may give a perfect Integritie to the whole Christian Man This is not gained by meer solitariness but by living in Solitude with the traine of all good Vertues for want wherof the Angels were banisht the heavenlie Adam the earthlie Paradice though both places of exceeding Perfection So that it is not the place wherin thou livest nor the attire thou wearest nor the purposes or Vows thou maist make will make thee perfectly vertuous but an entire Integritie of thy life in that thou doest now profess Wherfor if it be a sin to live ill t' is a sacriledg to be wicked in holie solitude Make here Philothea a generall survay of all thy Imperfections faults together with a generous resolution of fullfilling all Justice in Perfection AFFECTION Oh deep fountain of divine Love flow sweetlie into my Soul wash thence the blotts of my Iniquities coole the heats of my inordinate passions Oh heavenlie fire consume the drosse of my sinfull actions warm my heart with holy desires That I may serve Thee My glorious God with a clean heart love all Creatures in Thee for Thee compassionating their frailties comforting them in their Combats treating with all as fellow servants of the great Lord of the world my future partners in his heavenly joys blessings RESOLUTION I will enter Covenant with my God to acknowledg him the fapream Lord of my life actions to sacrifice to him the first fruits of my heart to love him in himselfe all his Creatures to beare with them compassionate releive them to prevent each one in the spirit of lenitie mildness alwaies to study an integritie uprightness of of life conversation before God Man that I may resist the evill Daie stand perfect in all things THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Love of solitarie places THe world being full of sin afflictions of spirit t' is expedient we should fly to the Mountains of holie Solitude there to secure our selvs from its dangers to bewaile the perilous condition of worldlings rejoyce in the Sanctuarie of our Blessed God To this we must dispose our selvs by the love of solitarie retired places wherin our heavenlie Espouse delights to dwell T is there O Philothea that the beloved of thy soul will give Thee the sweet caresses of inward joy tranquillitie which the world may promise but can never bestow Beware then that whilst here retyred thou suffrest not to be in Thee any desire of conversing with Creatures howsoever deare unto Thee for that will disorder the sweet serenitie of thy retreat Say therfore with the Royall Prophet Dilate my heart O Lord I will run the way of thy Commandements for the words of thy lips I will keep hard waies We must also wish well even to a permanent state of solitude a constant perseverance therin if God should call us to it for thus have many happy Religious Souls been in all Ages of the Church inclosed in Monasteries so that no accesse may be had to them or so much as discourse with them but by speciall licence on some urgent occasiō that breifely at their Grates And in that their Retreat they enjoyed a content with God not to be exprest even by them that feele it It is hard indeed at first to abandon Parents all our antient freinds acquaintance heartily to renounce the charms of worldly pleasures yet no sooner is the foote sett into holie Solitude but there follows some feeling content even at the first entrance which makes them say with Saint Peter Oh how delightfull is it to abide here And with holie David This shall be my rest for ever ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it They discern perfectly that their Solitude is a Sanctuarie a Tower of defence against the assaults of spirituall Enimies O unspeakable Happiness to have not only a safeguard against the temptations of the world but the very invisible attempts of the devill The feet O Philothea of a Solitarie Soul are already standing in the immortall Courts of the heavenlie Hierusalem As soon therfore as thou art crept into thy private Cell or Closett check presently all inclinations to outward things resolue henceforth to withdraw thy selfe by degrees from all such divertisements which will prove at last to be empty vain comforts COLLOQUIE Oh how heavie tyresome are the chains of mortall cares compliances yet how unwilling are we to shake them off as if we loved liked well our own miseries dangers far better O my God far better is one houre with Thee in holie Contemplation then Millions of years in the fading delights of this world yet with a heavy heart
a sweet tranquillitie in our spirits a readiness to Christian Duties to lead for a time the life of an Angell AFFECTION Oh Innocent Solitude how happens it that I have been so long a stranger to Thee Alas by conversing with worldly Creatures I have too long wearyed my selfe in vain sullied the bright garment of my baptismall puritie ocntracted a multitude of evill inclinations which now press heavelie upon my conscience O how deplorable is the condition of wretched worldlings who busyed on creatures are exposed to infinite dangers of sin scarce ever think of coming forth of them even for a season to promote their happiness for ever I blesse Thee my bountifull Lord that thou hast inspired me to abandon them now to consider love Innocent Solitude Oh Innocent Solitude My soul hath thristed after Thee as a Hart after the fountain of living waters I will not rest night or day till I enter into the joys of my Lord. RESOLUTION I will hereafter embrace all occasions of Retiremēt from amongst Creatures preferring the Innocent entertaynmēts of Solitude to all other earthly conditions that I may therby purchase a pure quiet spirit being out of the reach of the allurements of sensible transitorie things may with the greater freedome study the will of my divine Master become neerer to him by Innocency of heart tranquillitie of passions a readiness to all heavenly divine actions THIRD POINT Necessity of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider that a Voluntarie withdrawing thy selfe from thy usuall cōmerce with Creatures for a time is highlie necessarie In order to that dutie thou owest to God He being the supreame End of our whole selvs actions this our mortall Pilgrimage being exposed to manifold distractions some time must needs be sett a part for a more serious reflection on that our blessed End the usefullest means wherby to attain to it that therby we may renew in us the knowledg of our Christian speciall Duties to God encrease in us a willingnesse to comply with them This cannot be done more substantially then in our Retyrement where our Minds freed from the tumults of ourward cares are aptest to receive more cleare lights from heaven stronger flames of love to spirituall eternall good things Also in order to that state of life wherin we already are or by Gods providence may one day be for by means of that state God intends to bring Thee home to himselfe in our Retyrement we may learne what love we owe to that our state of life as the only way by which God means to lead us to the possession of life everlasting that therfor we must beare with the frailties of those weak mortalls with whom we therein live labour joyntly to gain heaven the Imperfections of some few not at all derogating from the sanctitie of that state in its selfe if we love it that wil ever appeare in our Obedience to the Laws Customes therin required in the execution of their commands whom God hath placed over us must be accountable for us Likewise in regard of our selus That by help of this our Solitude we may understand how our hearts stand affected to good evill in what dangers of sin we now are or by ill habits or conversation may be what rules of pietie may best help to settle us in the constāt practise of Vertue That discovering our faults wants we may the more readily give eare to the inward Calls of our heavenly Espouse suspect all motions of our own wills strengthen decayed fervour by strōger Resolutiōs that nothing may stop us in our Pilgrimage to that comfortable Perfection which Crowns all What are thy intentions Philothea hast thou a reall desire to learn the art of well-living to follow Gods call to honour thy present state of life to make a discovery of thy faylings work with those lights graces God bestows on thee for that end AFFECTION O how vile is Earth when I lift up my Eies to Heaven O Ancient O Eternall Beautie why am I so long ignorant of Thee Thou hast mercifully drawn me forth the tabernacles of sinners inspired me to follow Thee in the companie of those who seek thy face alwaies walk the way that leads to Thee O true light O onlie life of my soul say thou unto me I am thy Salvation strong helper I shall be able to keep my Covenant made with thee reforming all disorders of my life past in all things seeking a conformitie to thy will RESOLUTION Farwell all yee vain seducing Creatures sith my God has made me for him selfe my heart shall be restless till it rests in him I will therefore henceforth place all my happiness in studying to know obey my spirituall Lord Master in loving complying with the duties of my present state as he hath commanded me in having a strickt guard over all my thoughts words actions at all times in all places with all persons that they may be agreeable to his holie will Make me Thou O my God to know my End that I may also know what is wanting to me THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Gods Favours to us THer 's none but loves what is good therefor should love that most which is best when a Prince opens his Treasurie proclaimes a largess every one is ready to run reach forth his hand open his bosome to receive part of his bountie covets what he values most Philothea we should be ever like our selus Our divine Espouse inviting us to a spirituall conference in holie Solitude with him offers many rich presents to us lights of revealed truths to shew the secret paths that lead to him helps of grace to support encourage us that we may walk steadilie in them not faint before we come to our journeys end harken then to his divine call lay all things else aside run to him streach forth thy hand open thy heart to entertain those precious guifts he is so desirous to bestow on thee Every guift grows according to the proportion of miserie from which it frees us the hapiness that it brings with it the greater our crimes the heavier our chains the more noysome the dungeon wherin we lay the greater also would be our pardon freedom ransom thence but if we be moreover raised to the highest friendship tranquillitie of spirit libertie of mind desirable no guift can be greater then that Thus t' is with thee My Philothea in thy holie Retyrement Worldly Conversation is full of dangers of sin admitts of few helps to pietie causeth great tepiditie remissness in Christian Duties being either without God or working contrary to his Commandements but in our heavenlie solitude there be ever great calms of passions strong helps of pietie an earnest zeale of Gods honour our own duties to him our
we abandon them even for true joys that abide for ever Wellcome then dearest Solitude earthlie Paradice Temple of God haven of Eternall Bliss I have propounded Thee in the begin̄ing of my Joys thither will I retreat there will I take up my rest offer up the desires of my heart a morning evening Sacrifice in the odour of divine sweetness SECOND DISCOURSE Exercises in Solitude IDleness is the mother of sin our spirituall enimies taking that time to suggest evill desires Therfore we must at all times be well employd but especially in our Solitude whither it be permanent or for some selected daies This employment consists not only in Meditation wherby the Soul is elevated to the bosome of the Divinitie by the workings of Love but in a due performance also of such Exercises as shall be enjoyned for our profit especially for the Exaltation of our Unitive life with God Mentall Contemplations being awhile intermitted by corporall labours return upon the spirit with a greater force feeling of delight One great Exercise in our Solitude is Masse Divine Office The work of the Angels of God who cease not night or daie to sing forth the praises of the Almightie O heavenlie divine Exercise wherin the glorious Angels accompanie us offer up for us our prayers to our great God! How much better is it to be employed in the praises of our Creatour then with the wicked of the world to be buisyed in dācing diceing riotting perhaps blaspheming our Redeemer Here examine thy readiness to frequēt the Church at due times whether thou abidest there as present in mind as body resolve henceforth to assist with more attention greater diligence in this heavenlie Worke. Another Exercise of the solitarie Soul is Mentall Prayer wherby the heart raised above earthlie things confers with God is as it were transformed into a Divine Beeing To this Thou must Philothea apply thy selfe with speciall diligence according to the Rules prescribed Thee in Thy Preface For it is the Dew of Heavē wherby the spirit is cherished in the knowledg love of heavenlie things It is the celestiall Man̄a to sustayn us during our earthlie aboad in the wilderness of this world It is the holie Mountain of divine Visions where we enter into familiar conference with God Who there shews us all good A third Dutie is Reading spirituall Bookes by which I understand holie Ghospells such other devout books as treat of Vertue the Reformation of our Manners This is to be performed duely thrice a daie at our uprising down-laying once between both that not at rādom or hap-hazard sometimes in one another time in another book for that is an effect of curiositie rather breeds confusion then devotion Let thy daily Lecture therfore be constantlie in one good book recōmended to Thee by thy own Experience or some Judicious person therin read till thou hast not left one line unpractised for till then thou canst not say thou hast been a Reader but rather an Overseer of the points therin handled Truely of all bookes I have read I know none more universally profitable for all persons of whatsoever condition then the divine work called An Introduction to a Devout Life composed by that Illuminated Man great servāt of God Saint Francis of Sales One who even from his Cradle was singularly devoted to Seraphicall Saint Francis as being born in a Chamber dedicated to his name devotion And that thou maist see I recommend not this Book to Thee upon slight grounds take the advice of Alexander the seventh the late Pape Soveraign Head of the Catholique Church on Earth in a letter dated 1642. to his Nephew where He sayes That he had already used that work for the space of twenty years read it over a hundred times that he could never read it without discovering some excellent document not before marked which thy own Experience will assuredly confirm Vocall Prayer Aspirations being also joyned with spirituall reading much conduce to a greater thirst benefit therin for our reading must be ever intermixed with Consideration Jaculatorie Prayers Application to use therefore it matters not how much we read but how well in order to our spirituall advancement The last is Manuall labour which cōmōly should be only such as may divertise rather then weaken our spirit of devotion Care being taken with all heed that the Soul tyres not herselfe by too Intense permanent Applying its selfe unto Contemplation And these works are to be persorm'd with as great prōptitude eagernesse as any other Christian or Solitarie Observance being strong Fortifyers against Idleness the bane of the spirituall devout life which are cheifly aimed at in our Retreat from worldly cares COLLOQUIE Thou O My God supream Lord of my life strength hast bestowd many gracious talents on me wherwith to traffique for the Kingdom of heaven till Thou comest to take the generall Accounts of the world to render each one according to their deserts Alas I have vainly employed the powers of my Soul the senses members of my body contrarie to thy holie Decrees idelly lavishing away thy guifts of Grace the precious time allowed me for thy service my own everlasting profitt not reflecting on the shortness of my life thy severity that daie the length of happiness that crowns good works It greives me for my neglects henceforth I will employ all my forces in loving serving Thee doing good things whilst time is Give Thou O God what Thou commandest command what Thou wilt Perfect my steps in the paths of thy Commandements they shall not be moved for ever Amen THIRD DAYES VOYAGE Man in his Sinfull State THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Vilenesse of the body by Nature CONSIDERATION COnsider that now being entred holy Solitude there fitted with due Entertainmēts for thy happy Advance in thy designed Pilgrimage to Perfection Thou must Philothea descend into thy selfe discover What thou art that pretendest to so high happy a state That laying a strong foundation in the acknowledgment of thy own Nothing thy spirituall Edifice may the more prosperously goe forward with the blessings of peace mercy JESUS CHRIST is the true Modell of all Sanctity therefor we must in this our Retyrement especially study his Imitation If he for our sake hides the glory of his God-head under the weaknesse of our Mortalitie our highest contemplations of God aimes to perfection should begin from the consideration of our own Vilenesse that re-ascending to God with the greater eagernesse we may drown our Weaknesse in the Vastnesse of his Divine Being What then art Thou Philothea according to the Body from the Womb to the Tomb From all Eternity Thou wert a meer Nothing so hadst for ever remained had not Gods Wisedome Power drawn Thee thēce giving Thee that Beeing thou now hast In thy
Adoration Thanksgiving to God Annihilation of thy selfe now so wholly swallowed up in God become one spirit with him whereby thou maist say Possesse Me O Lord for I am thine and hence forth Nothing shall seperate me from the Charity of JESUS CHRIST And froÌ„ hence will flow such an aboundant sweetnesse of peace tranquillity into all the powers of the soul that she will feele her selfe to be in a manner transformed into a Divine Being For having a lively Apprehension Philothea that God is in Thee as the Life of thy heart has so united thy heart to himselfe that thou livest breathest movest only by influences received from him Thou wilt soon Imagine that He is as much in Thee as carefull of thy Beeing actions as if He where no where but in Thee nor cared for any creature besides Thee Whence will arise so delightfull a serenity in thy Conscience so admirable a Tranquillity in thy whole spirit that Thou wilt think thy selfe beginning actually to Possesse God gloriously And wilt therefor fly from all creatures least they disturb thy conferences with thy heavenly Espous the chast Embracements he then gives Thee Abandoning thy selfe wholly to his Providence as if Nothing were in the world but only God Thy selfe COLLOQUIE Alas My God! how far am I from feeling these delicious Motions of thy all-comforting Spirit within Me Thou fillest all Creatures giving life motion to all dost wonderfully lead them all to their proper Ends yet have I not yeilded my selfe up to Thee to be guided by Thee the fountain of all Goodnesse unto thy selfe My only Happinesse O that thou woulds't powre into my heart a torreÌ„t of Love wherby I may be violently carried towards Thee drowned in Thee O Infinite Sea ever overflowing with sweetnesse Mercy Then shall I abandon all thinges for Thee then nothing shall relish to me but Thee nor will I then care how thou disposest of me Draw Me O Lord I will run after Thee in the odour of thy oyntments I will rejoyce be glad in Thee mindfull of thy breasts above Wine the righteous shall then Love Thee Amen EIGTH DAYES VOYAGE God Speaking to the Soul THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Hearken to God CONSIDERATION COnsider That although by our Flight from Creatures the frequent Sallies our heart makes towards God we may arrive to some degree of spirituall Tranquillity yet this will not be compleat or permanent unlesse we grow dumb to all Creatures oft enter into conference with God have our Eares open only to harken what the Holy Ghost speaks in us whereby to confirme our hearts in the search of rest joy in Him as our substantiall happinesse We must therefor Philothea observe a strict Silence as a most necessary preparation of our hearts to appeare in Gods presence conferr with him for he reveales not himselfe to a soul busied in harkning to conferring with Creatures Nor can we profitably apply our minds to the practice of a recollected spirituall Life if our Eares be open to wordly tumults or tongues loosened to discourse on the varieties thereof No noyse was heard in the building of Salomons Temple nor may any disturbance be found in Us while Gods Holy Spirit builds up our Heart into a Temple of grace Holynesse If thy heart be not warmed burn within thee with the vehemency of divine Love while JESUS confers with thee in thy way to perfection 't is because thou hast not been attentive to his Inspirations Be thou silent therefor Philothea at all times but particularly when wher it is required by the constitutions of that state thou hast chosen least thy heart being opened the balsom of Gods Grace evaporate loose its Vertue or be poysoned with the stenches which may proceed from sinfull conversation Be silent too when injur'd or reprehended in conformity to JESUS CHRIST when arraigned for his life a sharp word provokes wrath excuses deprive patience of its due merit But especially thou must be silent during this thy spirituall Retirement for the Holy Ghost will not make thy heart its Sanctuary or deliver his Oracles therin unlesse thou banish thence all danger of casting forth baits of sin to others by thy tongue or sucking in the Venom of evill thoughts into thy own heart by thy Eares unles thou dost seriously apply thy selfe to harken unto what he reveales of himselfe to Thee for thy encouragement to persever in thy blessed choyce the encrease of spitual comfort in thee AFFECTION Ah my soul wilt thou abandon thy Creator for Creatures or deprive thy selfe of the delicious conferences embracements of thy Heavenly Espous for the vain sinfull conversation of Worldlings O my God I perceive I am yet far off from the perfection of holy solitude having hitherto lavisht away so much precious time in unprofitable sinfull discourses O that I could recall those many houres dayes yeeres of my life now past gone whereof I must one day render a severe account Alas my God did st observe all moments of Time allowed us to serve Thee to sue for pardon of sins encrease of Vertue freedom in holy conferences with Thee who could sustain the bitternâ—sse of thy iust wrath Speak now O Lord thy servant will give eare unto thee RESOLUTION I will hence forth place a strict guard upon my lips eares observing a religious silence at all times places conformably to my calling the example of my Saviour JESUS amidst his false accusers but particularly during my Retirement to the end I may heare the Voice of my Beloved speaking the language of peace comfort within me that I may improve my spirit by his heavenly Colloquies encrease my Love duty to him And therefor I will make a daily Examin of my selfe how I spend my time that no moment of my life may passe without some advance in piety nor any of Gods Inspirations be uncomplyed with Call therefor upon me now O Lord I will give eare unto Thee thou thalt blesse the works of my hands SECOND POINT Gods Speaks by Visible Creatures CONSIDERATION COnsider That Our Glorious God created all the Visible Things in this Great World not only to preserve us by their use in this mortall Life but especially that in them he might shaddow out unto us his own Majesty the good things prepared for us in Heaven with Himselfe Their perfection order usefullnesse declare the greatnesse of his Glory Wisdom Bounty they are stepps whereby we may clime up to God in them discover how admirable how amiable how adorable he is in Himselfe they are so many Tongues without cease speaking to us the Infinite Excellencies of their Creatour inviting us to admire love adore that Divine Essence wherin all are contain'd from whence they all had still continue their Being Clime therefor
how superfluous how treacherous how dangerous has singularity of frienships hitherto proved unto Me Adieu all friends henceforth my only trust shall be in God who hath loved me with a perpetuall charity hath engraven me in his hands that he may be ever mindfull of me forsake me not O Lord I will be always with Thee become as a Pilgrim to the children of my Mother RESOLUTION I will couragiously quitt all ties even to my dearest friends when my spirituall concernment requires it whither they love me therefor or hate me wish me well or persecute me I will equally prepare my heart to be loved or persecuted praised or condemned by them behaving my selfe as a Pilgrime to all earthlie Creatures a Cittizen of Heaven I have chosen my solitude with my abādoned Lord Master nor shall any false allurements or harsh dealings change my Resolutions He hath given me a glorious example as he hath done I will endeavour to doe also THIRD POINT Selfe-Denyall CONSIDERATION COnsider That JESUS CHRIST hanging on the Cross is the true patern of selfe-Denyall this was his Doctrin while he lived this his practise in his Passion Death therefor his prayer to his eternall Father was Not mine but thy will be done Behold then how he looseth his bloud in his Agony his Esteem by revilings blasphemies his strength by whipps thorns his comeliness by stripes wounds the joy of the lower Region of his Soul by excess of sorrows his life by a most bitter ignominious Death Thus the most beautifull amongst the children of Men is become as One stricken of God covered with leprosy a man of sorrows If thou desirest Philothea to become perfect thou must also endeavour this selfe-Denyall seperation of thy selfe from thy selfe by abandoning thy own will a readinesse to sacrifize unto God thy tears bloud body soul all the calamities afflictions Gods providence may inflict on thee willingly suffring what ever crosses may befall Thee in conformity to his holy Will the coūsells practise of thy suffring Lord Master There is none of what condition soever but must more or less take up CHRISTS Cross follow him by self-Denyall bearing some tribulation for his sake their own profit Through sin the flesh spirit are at odds sensuality rebells against God no wonder then if wee feele contradictions within our own heart suffrings from the inordinate passions desires or malice of others neither Saint nor Sinner nor any mortall creature is exempt from the Law of the Cross of what Majesty Wisdom Power or Holiness soever he be nor is any of these happy unless resigned to beare all Thou sufferest not alone Philothea All must willingly or against their will suffer with thee which should encourage Thee to an unbroken patience amidst the heaviest press of tribulations which may happen to Thee especially since thy JESUS thy Espous the Giver of all good suffreth so many so long so grievous torments with Thee Nor may we hope to enjoy the consolations of this the other Life we must forgoe one or the other either suffer here or else where which wilt thou choose Is it not much better to undergoe a momentany tribulatiō then an eternall Only worldly pleasures can destroy thee therefor fly frō Them The Cross only whereby the whole world was saved can save Thee Seek it then with it thou shalt find life salvation thy crown of thorns shall be changed into a Crown of never fading Glory if thou hast drunk of the torrent of tribulation with thy crucified Redeemer thou shalt also tast the delicacies of his heavenly Happiness in his Glorious Kingdom AFFECTION If JESUS must suffer ere he enters his glory canst thou O my Soul hope to purchase heaven at an easyer rate No my Dearest Lord since love moved Thee to transfigure thy selfe into a Man of sorrows for my sake love also shall compell me to be conformable to Thee my Holy Espous Let me but enjoy Thee then let what ever tribulations thou pleasest fall upon Me Here cutt here burn so thou sparest me for eternity O Eternity who can live with thy everlasting torments Come therfor O delicious crosses O amiable tribulations by which I may purchase an Eternity of joys RESOLUTION I will prepare my selfe to this spirituall Combat not only endure the tribulations which my sensuality disorderly passions may raise against Me but what ever Crosses the malice of Satan or the sweet providence of my heavenly Father shall inflict upon Me hūbly casting my selfe at the foot of the Cross I will say Behold here O Divine Lord behold here My whole self my Body my Soul my All ready to abandon all contents to suffer all sorrows for Thee Thy will be done Pleasures or pains thorns or diadems life or death all shall be indifferently welcome Only be thou with Me O strong helper none shall prevaile against Me. EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Spirituall Desolation ALthough our Lord JESUS wer the Beloved of the Eternall Father equall to him in Essence Wisedom Power yet for Us he would become an Outcast deserted by Him Harken Philothea to that lamentable Complaint he makes to his Father upon the Cross My God! My God! why hast thou forsaken Me Though his humane Nature lost not its Union with the Godhead nor the Grace or friendship of God yet the Influence of his Divinity on the inferiour Portion of his Soul was then suspended he left to struggle with the bitterest torments pangs of a most cruel ignominious Death Our Solitary Pilgrim to Perfection must be prepared to welcome this sublime state of Spirituall Desolation if she aspires to an Union Conformity with her heavenly Espous she must not only contentedly abandon all friends beare what ever Crosses but must also willingly be deprived of all those delights which usually accompany a devout Life undergoe Aridities of the spirit loose the savory influences of Gods gracious favours instead of pleasant Illustrations of the Understanding Enflamings of the will flowings of Joy in the heart to have the spirit loaden with dulness barrenness insensibility to heavenly thoughts actions If God thus tryes thy Constancy assure thy selfe Philothea he is even then present with Thee watching in the Center of thy heart over Thee causing aversions from Sin desires to perform the duties of thy state longings to be with God though in that distress a darkness be spredd over thy Soul thou beest deprived of thy usuall cheerfulness alacrity The cause of this our desolation oft is in our selves either a too eager desire of or delight in spirituall consolations or a neglect of timely entertainīg offred inspirations or else too much proneness to seek accept of sensuall satisfactions But the cheife Cause thereof is God only whose property it is to create Light Darkness
at the right hand of the Father with Saint Steven we discourse with Almighty God in his glory with Holy Moses with the Great Saint Paul ravisht into the heavenly Paradice we heare see what we are loath to leave cannot utter Lastly holy Solitude is the securest Remedy against wordly desires it is the pastime of Saints the ladder of heaven the best means to perfect a good Christiā soule without which it cannot experience true joy rest during her aboad in this smoaky Cottage of her Mortality Although all vertuous Exercises which occurr in the course of our tedious lives doe aime at the profit of our soules in order to the purchasing of life eternall yet none comes neerer to this happy purpose then the diligent use of holy Solitude whereby our spirit is strōgly weaned from the love of perishing transitory things soareth up to the contemplatiō love of her Almighty Creatour before whom in silence hope she humbly discovers her wants earnest desires embraceth him with the arms of an innocent reverentiall love in a manner entreth into the possession of the sweets of a never ending felicity amidst the heavy presse of worldy trialls If therefore my Philothea thou doest earnestly thirst after the delights of a spirituall Retreat thou must seriously apply thy selfe to the use of it For howsoever strong thou findest thy selfe in resisting temptations in the practise of vertues without a retyrement of thy spirit yet will the greatest fervour soon slacken become faint without the supply of Recollection by reason that our enemies are many powerful restlesse vertue how ever pleasant in the possession is hard in the purchase our strongest resolutions not supported both by frequent reflection upon our soules those impediments that doe often occurre in our pursuit of Pietie by renovation of purposes unto that our happy end will by insensible degrees become weak tepid But before thou undertakest this work of ten dayes Solitude unto which I advise study to direct Thee read attentively these few Rules which I here insert collected out of several great Contemplatives whose experience in the schole of holy Solitude may give them authority for thy instruction And indeed without them a soule may miscarry which would be great pitty even in this holy excelling work suffer illusions where it endeavours to shun decline them §. 2. Preparation for Solitude WHerefore in the first place be sure that entring into this holy Exercise Gods honour be thy cheife Ayme the next a reformation of thy owne life by a serious deliberate reflection on thy past present state what may happen for the future that thou maist thereby prepare thy selfe to live well dye happily that Death when it comes may not find Thee unprovided Nor doe thou much heed what the world may think of thy retyrement Thou undertakest the employment of an Angell desirest to have a foretast of that blessednesse which JESUS CHRIST hath purchased for us by the effusion of his precious bloud Blush not then that thou beginnest now to be what thou shouldst be alwayes but rather that thou hast hitherto neglected a work wherein much of thy life ought to be employed And because this Mountaine of Solitude ought not to be climed with a profane ungodly foote but as in the delivery of the Law so here no beast may touch Gods Hill least he dyes the sight of God being only promised to the pure of heart the soule must therefore be well cleansed by hūble Confession from the dreggs of sin before shee may profitably approach to this exercise which beholds only objects that are pure spirituall Thus the Royall Prophet would first wash his hands in innocency then compasse the Altar Make then a strickt examine of thy conscience what sin may have been cōmitted by thee what grace forfeited what punishment deserved after this in the evening before thou entrest thy Solitude make an hūble cordiall Confession of what thou findest thy selfe faulty since thy last examine For since thy understanding is not yet enough cleered nor thy affections sufficiently enflamed for a Generall Confession I should advise Thee to deferr it till the Fourth Day where I shall say more of the profit thereof how it is to be performed This done trouble not thy selfe if thou finds't in thy soule some ill inclinations yet liveing there this exercise requireth not absolute perfection but is a means to attaine to it Were wee all Saints there would be no need to use the Solitude I speak of Content thy selfe that thou art not conscious of any mortall offense which thou hast not disclosed with an humble repentance for what is past a firme purpose to amēd endeavouring still an honest sinceritie uprightnes of heart towards God Who finds him selfe in this dispositiō let him not think that either weakness to Vertue or pronesse to vice may be a lawfull barr to Recollection whereby our viciousnesse is weakned Vertue revived in us no man will starve him selfe with hunger because he eates not with a strong appetite §. 3. Abstraction from usuall cares IN the next place Philothea thou must disintangle thy selfe from worldly affaires If thou wilt approach to Gods flaming bush upon the Mountain of Visions thou must putt of thy shoes where our thoughts are glued to the world the soule will be unable to soare up with wings so limed intangled unto a contemplation of heavenly things For this Elizeus left his oxen S. Peter his boat netts freinds too The hill of Divine Meditation is high steepe not to be ascended with a heart loaden with worldly cares sollicitudes Nor yet needest thou what ever thy charge be publick or private secular or religious cast it wholly off lay it by a while during thy spirituall retreat in some other hand whilst thou drawest there more force strength for the mannagement thereof If thou lettest those cares enter in with thee they will become troublesome companions ever anon distracting thy mind from her cheife buisnesse And in this point solitude admitts no smalnesse of matter if thou givest place to one thought which is not to thy purpose hundreds will throng in with it each will prove an impediment to the other all of them will trouble divert the soule which entertaines them in this her Divine work Wherefore be scrupulous in the observance of this advice Experience will teach Thee that distractions goe not single admit one in a moment thou wilt forget where thou art what thou art about And as thou must discharge thy selfe of thy ordinary employmēts whē thou attemptest this great work withdrawing not thy hands only but even thy thoughts from them so also must thou observe a more strickt profound silence not entring into a conference more then the Rules of obedience well groūded charity will
Exercise reflecting seriously on every Instructiō how thou mayest reduce thē to practice The other houres till Seven admit of no sett rules for distribution of them by reason of the different times of evening prayers refection according to the customes of severall families However one houre is to be spent in praying vocally making Aspirations review of that dayes task for confirmatiō of good purposes another in saying Evensong the last in taking thy evening repast thanksgiving for benefits praying for benefactours living dead From Seven take some easy divertisement whereby to release thy thoughts by walking or using some moderate corporall Exercice for the space of halfe an houre then seriously examine thy Conscience how thou hast employed that day beg pardon for defects make thy Crosses read over the First point of thy next dayes Exercise going to bed say with the Royall Prophet In peace I will sleep rest because thou O Lord hast singularly setled me in hope This is all Philothea I have to advise thee Complayn not of my over-longnesse The labour is mine my ayme thy benefit I have according to my ability prescribed thee a Method of practising holy Solitude according to the knowledge gaind from skilfull Masters in that Art what use experience hath taught me to be most profitable when custome experience shall shew thee a better forme feare not to use it in Gods name for divers paths lead to the same place though the spirit of God be but One yet ther is diversitie of graces Use this way till thou meet with a better and pray for thy well willer Farwell Philothea's Pilgrimage to Perfection Described in a Practise of Ten dayes Solitude FIRST DAYES VOYAGE Inducements to Solitude THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Dignitie of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider That no other earthlie condition can equall the happinesse which may be attained by means of retyrement T is a Heaven upon earth seperating us from the rest of the world contented with it's own tranquillitie delights such it will be to us if we can alienate our hearts from worldly cares creatures walk innocently with our blessed God in the observance of his commandements the performance of solitarie duties T is the Schole of all Christian knowledg vertues wherein we may learn that our body is composed of disagreeing elements ever tending to a dissolution that our dearest friends may be taken frō us by untimely death therefor no lasting hopes to be placed in them That our nature is easly ledd away with the allurements of visible objects whereas God only can fill the longings of our soul In a word that all those things wherein poore man is so miserably turmoild are a meere Vexation Vanitie hinder us from listning to those delicious whispers which our Beloved desires to impart to our affectionate souls It is also a Sanctuarie of the ever blessed Deitie for although our Immense God fils all places by an infinite diffusion of his Essence yet he is specially in those which are segregated to his contemplation worship where he opens the rich treasuries of his love bountie reveals his will to his servants in silent secret conferences with them Since therfore Philothea thy Beloved hath drawn Thee hither here to parlie with thy heart to disclose the hidden pathes of his ayding comforting graces to take up his lodging in thy soul see that nothing remain therein offensive to his will which may blūt the edg of thy conceived affections to pietie or darken thy spirituall Eie from beholding his all-sufficing beauty For onlie the clean of heart may see God rejoyce in the plentie of his holy house AFFECTION Oh how beloved are the Tabernacles of my God! better is one day there then thousands in the Courts of Sinners who love not to think on their Creatour O Hierusalem O sweet vision of Peace O happy desart O sacred Mansion of heaven aspiring Souls be thou ever the begining of my joyes I know acknowledg O my God My onlie refuge comfort that there is no pleasant peace no saving knowledg no true Repose but in Thee that all things are Vanity beneath Thee but even that Vanity cannot I despise without Thee therfore Thou O God how long RESOLUTION Hence forth My Solitude shall be my Beatitude My Eden my Heaven the world shall keep what ever it calls its own with all the perills discontents miseries that belong to it if my soul be at any time in distresse I will stay my sorrows with the hopes of those true consolations which my Divine Lord hath promised to those whom he leads thither And since I may there understand all divine truth obtain all helping Vertues Graces I will turne my heart from creatures that I may under the conduct of Gods divine Spirit learn the wayes of Perfection And I will carefully cleanse my soul from all sinns affections to forbidden contents whereby it hath hitherto been hindred to walk to with God to discover the depth of his greatness goodness to me Nor will I loos the precious time which God hath alowed me wherein to work my Salvation converse with him in holy Solitude To Thee O Lord will I reveale the secrets of my heart in Thee will I trust I shall not be ashamed because Thou art A strong helper SECOND POINT Innocencie of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider That Solitude is more Innocent Holie then that course of life that spends it's selfe in conversing with creatures Being exempt from manyfold occasiōs of offending or being offended by others from snares scandals irksome turmoiles which are apt to shake our strongest Resolutions to pietie destroy the evennesse of our hearts in the performance of our usuall Christian duties Again our conversation with worldly persons oft engages our hearts in irregular affections solicitudes we being naturally over-prone to adheare to sensible satisfactions too feeble weake in resisting their flattering alurements therfor are therby putt in hazard of loosing our best hopes whereas Solitude withdrawing our thoughts from such occasiōs of sin give us means of purchasing that blessednesse here which abroad we endanger wherfor the now glorious Saints whose lives should be our paterns arrived to the joys they are possest of by withdrawing from worldly conversation confining themselves to Innocent Solitude And hence it is that abandoning superfluous conversation with earthlie Creatures we begin to be conversant with God in some degree approach to imitate the Innocent peacefull life of the already glorifyed Angells in heaven Their life conversation must needs be heavenlie who disdayning earthlie blessings thirst after those of the Saints by knowing loving enjoying him who alone can make them happy What greater happiness My Philothea then being sequestred from vaine tyresome Creatures even amidst the toyls of our unhappy Mortality to enjoy
Origin thou art but a little matter of corruption The Greatest the Wisest the Beautifullest amongst us is of no better mould In our birth we enter the world with many greivous gripings groans of our Parents naked blind poore unable to help our-selves ignorant how we come hither how whither to depart In our lives we are exposed to innumerable calamities of sicknesse povertie wars calumnies with much pain must conserve our lives health with fruits of the Earth flesh of beasts And at last in our Deaths dissolved into lāguors sighs teares are hurried forth from the eies thoughts of our dearest friends layd under groūd there to rott into our Originall dust ashes This is the pedigree of the best of us as to our out-ward Man so that we may justly cry out What is Man O God that thou art mindfull of him If God be mindfull of our Nothing surely we should have a continuall remembrance of it least the sweetnesse of Divine Solitude the pleasing Entertainments we may therin experience between our Souls God puff us up with affections of Vain Glory AFFECTION Unhappy Man that I am who will deliver me from this body of Death I am born poore miserable live amidst crosses sorrows must dye with groans gasps shall rott into my mother Earth Ah my Soul since the one halfe of Man is so vile be thou still humble Lucifers pride had some plea if he were proud he was immortall also but Man can find nothing in himselfe but filth weaknesse corruption Shall I then presume to speak to God who am but dust ashes Alas should I say I am better the graves carcasses of the Monarchs beauties of the World would beare witnesse against me RESOLUTION In what ever degree of comtemplation or condition of life I am I will ever be mindfull of my Originall Nothing the miserable progresse I must make through wants diseases tribulations of all sorts from the Womb to the Tōb I will with holie Job say to Rottennesse thou art my Father my Mother Sister to the Wormes This is my kindred my Companions are a multitude of too well known Infirmities Therefor Gods Greatnesse my own Vilenesse shall be the ballances of my thoughts I will hope that the Mercy of God will one day raise the needy from the dust of the Earth lift the poore from the dung place them amongst the Princes of his people SECOND POINT Wretchnesse of the Soul by Sin CONSIDERATION COnsider That if thou beest nothing but corruption rottennesse in thy body thy Soul defiled by Sin renders thee worse then nothing for by sin we become the unhappy vessells of Gods heavy wrath he spared not the Angels in their sins but deprived them of all their originall endowments of nature grace banishes them for ever from his blissfull presence confines them to the dreadfull prison tormēts of Hell nor will he spare us but if we be partners in their crimes he will also make us Companions in their bitter suffrings Evident in our first Parents whom for one sin he deprives of the innocent state of their originall Creation expells them the Earthly Paradice condemns them us to mourn out this wretched life amidst labours sweats innumerable miseries as chastisers of our guilt We also through Sin incurr an insufferable servitude under the Tyranny of Satan He covets not either honours wealth or pleasures but as to our Lord JESUS in the wildernesse so to us still offers all these if we will doe homage adore him which we no sooner doe but we become Slaves to him he continually assaulting us with manifold greivous temptations using all Creatures even our own flesh bloud passions of sensuality to work our overthrow still plying us with seducing suggestiōs giving no respit from his snares deceipts filling our hearts with distrust of Mercy for past sins despaire of delayd helps from heaven doubts of a finall perseverance in our duties under so heavy a weight of tribulations he raiseth against us Likewise thereby we loose Gods gracious presence fatherly providence over us our right part in the merits of CHRISTS bitter saving Passion the friēdship familiarity of Gods comforting spirit All graces guifts fruits blessings of the holie Ghost the peace security of our Consciences our Communion in the Sacrifices prayers good deeds of the faithfull our claym to our heavenly inheritance And more over we defile in our Souls the beautifull Image of God are razed forth the book of life are deprived of the protection safeguard of the blessed Angels contract greivous remorses of conscience pronesse to greater sins a guilt of hell fire unlesse with a repentant heart we by Confession confusibly discover our sins known to God our Souls only by corporall afflictiōs endeavour to appease Gods just indignation against us for them This is enough to humble the best of us if we have any feeling of our sinfull State AFFECTION Ah my God who can hide from thy all-seeing Eie the abysse of wretchednesse wherein my Sins have already sunck me Alas I am become the unhappy object of thy just wrath the woefull servant of rebellious Satan deprived of thy healing graces exposed to innumerable Miseries Hold thy hand O my Almighty Lord rebuke me not in thy fury for shouldst thou observe iniquities who could sustain the heavinesse of thy displeasure I will therefor confesse unto Thee my unworthinesse to appear before thee to enjoy even the cōmon blessings of heaven earth which I have so oft vainly abused to satisfy my sinfull passions that I ought not to hope for any part in thy blessings of glorie But thou O God hast mercy on thousands wilt comfort the weak afflicted if thou doest humble us it is that we may thereby learn that from thee are our Justifications RESOLUTION I purpose henceforth to have ever before my Eies my sinfull condition whereby I have rendred my selfe thus vile abominable in the sight of God his holy Angels subject to the insolencies of Satan my disorderly passions branded with the infamous mark of one banisht from the face of God I will also acknowledg my selfe guilty of the innocent death of my Saviour JESUS not to deserve from him the least favour either of his justifying grace or all-comforting Glory but that I have rather incurd a just debt of everlasting ignominy confusion And therefor however it shall please God to reveale himselfe to me in this my Solitude I will accept of it as his most gracious guift And the more he exalts me the more will I humble my selfe through the consideratiō of my sinfull State whereby I have provoked his wrath against Mee THIRD POINT Ignorance of our future State CONSIDERATION COnsider That although perhaps thou oft
perfections Gods Guifts without due reference to him COLLOQUIE I know acknowledg My Dearest Lord that of our selves we cannot either think or say or doe any thing worthy of thee therfore I will confesse to Thee the only Light strength of my Soul that without Thee I am nothing but Vanity blindnesse Misery unlesse thou do'st prevent me with thy blessings moisten my heart with the dew of thy heavenly Graces I shall be unto Thee like a barren Earth which is without water produce nothing but sin death confusion Alas my Soul flatter not thy selfe for even so it is yet how often hast thou relyed on thy own judgment force abilities for which God hath permitted thee to fall It were much better to acknowledg thy inward weaknesse to Vertue extoll Gods power Mercies in thy poverty that his greatnesse may be exalted in the vilenesse of thy Nothing Grant me O ever blessed Redeemer thy holy Grace but give me also true humility of heart that I may ever think on my own Nothing without Thee so shall the poore needy praise thy Name SECOND DICOURSSE Our Pronenesse to Evill SInce by help only of Gods grace we doe good 't is by our own bad Nature we incline to Evill Had man stood in his originall Innocency his Soul had ever been breathing forth the delicious odours of Morall Divine Vertues wherewith he was then full no sooner doth he withdraw himselfe frō his due Obedience to God but all those Vertues forsake him his Soul all her powers are smutted with sin We loose our right to our heavenly inheritance as a raging Sea having broken its banks we swell with evill inclinations break down all letts of Gods precepts prohibitions run over to all sorts of evill actions however contrary to our Allegiance vnto God Our Reason adorned with Prudence could discerne the Excellency of Vertue dictate all due circumstances of good laudable actions but now by sin it is become dull blind nor can it without new helps above our reach perswade from evill or direct in good Our Will formerly hedgd in with holy Lawes beautifyed with inclinations to Iustice strēgthned by heavenly lights graces was prompt to hearken to obey Gods Call but having lost the safeguard of Justice is weak in resisting sensual allurements ready to comply with every disorderly suggestion of lawlesse passions Our Concupiscence which guarded with Temperance stirrd up our inward Man to follow the prescripts of Reason seeke sweetnesse in laudable vertuous actions rebells against the spirit drawes towards earthly delights leads us captive in the bonds of unlawfull desires And the Irascible power of our Soul which armed with Fortitude helpt us to trample down all obstacles of piety runs now stiffe-neckt against God casts of the yoke of Obedience contemns all threts of his Justice against Violaters of their Divine Covenant These be those heavy shackles Philothea which keep us in the servitude of sin still presse our hearts down to the crimes we loath yet shun not Ah! How oft hast thou felt in thy selfe the weight of thy corrupted Nature How oft plunged in some greivous sin How dull thy spiritt then How black thy thoughts What remorses in thy mind and as one hanging at a small string over a deep lake full of toads serpents how full of terrours feares and yet not in the least sort able to help thy selfe How oft thus through pronenesse to sin Alas neither Rich by their treasures nor the Mighty by their power not the Beautifull by their loving charms can free themselves from this load of sin sinfull desires Nay even all Creatures are become so many snares whereby to entrapp enthrall our hearts whilst Satan by inward temptatiōs presseth us forward to covet them outwardly masketh them with apparent sweenesse to seduce us work our ruine plunging us in sin after sin till we forget there 's a God that sees all That marks all our stepps who will one day call us to an account for all COLLOQUIE O bitter servitude of sin which tyrannizeth in my fleshly members resisting the laws of the immortall Mind holding me captive in the fetters of my concupiscences Ah who will free me from the woefull slavery of my corrupted passions which heavely press me down to sensuall sinfull Desires Only Thou My bountifull Saviour shouldst Thou leave me to my selfe there 's not any sin so enormous into which I might not fall It is thy Mercy O Abysse of Mercies which prevents my stubborn will quells the rage of temptations graciously diverts those occasions which might intice me to offend Thee Oh that thou wouldst break the chaynes which fetter my spirit wouldst fasten my footsteps that I slip not in the way of thy holy Commandements Then will I sacrifize to thee a Sacrifice of praise and rejoyce exult in God my Saviour because he who is powerfull hath done great things for me Amen FOVRTH DAYES VOYAGE Man Repayred by Iesus Christ MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Institution of the Holy Sacrement CONSIDERATION COnsider That having descended into thy selfe there discovered What thou art in thy sinfull state thy Body how Vile thy soul how wretched thy ignorance how great how weake thou art to good how prone to Evill and that now Thou findest thy selfe Philothea faln into the deep lake mentiōed last night full of filth Venom where thou neither seest the light of heavē nor enjoyest comfort frō any freind or quiet in thy mind nor canst hope for releife from any Creature that therein thou art like to sink deeper stick faster abide for ever if Almighty God harkens not clemently to thy woefull cryes and take pitty on thy weaknesse pouerty miserable state God could send an Angel to free thee thence or by his only word set thee at liberty but his love bounty is so great to thee that he sends his own only Son equall to himselfe in Majesty Wisedom Power cloathed in thy Mortality to release thee frō that loathsome Dungeō to wash Thee in his precious bloud to give thee an easy gracious Law to walk by to encourage thee to piety by doctrine Examples to establish Sacramēts for healing thy spirituall soares ulcers at lēgth that he may bestow his whole selfe on Thee in the Holy Eucharist as a Pledg of love whereby to sanctify bind thy heart to him as a Light to guid thee as a Staffe to support thee as a Viaticum to strengthen comfort thee in thy holie Pilgrimage to Perfection In this divine Sacrament is really substantially contained IESUS CHRIST God Man his Divinity which is the fountain of grace good workes glory his Soul full of Wisedome Holinesse his Body conceived of the Holie Ghost in the womb of the Immaculate Virgin his Bloud shed
bountifull most comfortable Giver If therefor either the delighfull or profitable things of this life has yet any power over thy affections or the tribulations thereof doe still presse down thy spirit to any greife or disquiet Thou art not as yet strongly united to God enamour'd on his ravishing Beauty or arrived to the delicious harbour of spirituall peace Tranquillity Wherefor Thou maist imagin thy self to be a Reed floating to fro in the Sea of the Divinity now tossed above now under water hither and thither as thou art driven by the force of those Divine Waves so that in what ever condition thou art whatsoever happens to Thee thou maist attribute all to Gods Spirit moving upon these divine Waters in by which thou now livest movest Thus no comforts will puff up or humiliation beat down thy spirit but thou wilt ever have a generous courage pleasant evennesse of thy whole selfe amidst all the chances of this thy mortall state how ever violent they be AFFECTION Ah my soul why hast thou not hitherto aspired after this Divine BEEING to live love move to God only in the fullnesse of his own Essence O Abysse of all comfont swallow up my heart in thy delicious depths let me perish to all things but Thee never repine at any thing being so nigh to Thee O my JESU O fathomlesse fountain of Love Oh who will give Thee unto me My Brother sucking the breasts of my Mother that I may find Thee embrace Thee then none shall despise me RESOLUTION I will for ever fix my heart earnest desires only on my God thirsting to be united wholly to him for his sake I will abandon whatsoever is not consistent with him or may separate my heart from him therefor My whole study henceforth shall be to discover the poverty of Creatures to loath all earthly comforts to empty my heart of all affections to them amidst all accidents of this life to carry an even calme heart Then shall I tast see how sweet God is to those who love the Peace of his holy Citty THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Loves Tryall GOds Spirit settles not but upon an humble meek heart which having had a relish how sweet God is earnestly sues to be admitted into the ioyes of her heavenly Lord enjoy a perfect Tranquillity peace in her whole selfe yet willingly resignes her selfe to his Will for the manner thereof contentedly expecting the happy time of his delicious Visitation and the fruits theirof To this Visitation she must prepare her selfe by an Inward Retirement of her selfe within her selfe whereby weaned wholly from all love towards creatures she feels such a passionate languishing desire to be One with God that she has an extream pain irksomnesse when forced to use outward helps of meat sleep divertisements such like necessary supports of decaying nature desirous rather if so it may please God to be ever employed in mentall Elevations to entertain her selfe in contemplating conferring caressing her beloved Espous then to enjoy any earthly satisfaction however necessary to her Neither may this heaven-thirsting foul only content her selfe with this inward Retreat of the spirit into its selfe by loathing all Creatures abroad but she must also aspire to a Nakednesse of her selfe in her selfe whereby raised even to the highest degree of Contemplation Love Union with God she is willing to be deprived of all sweetnesse which usually flowes thence And although in this state she looks on God as her only treasure haveing right to Him grounded on his own promises To spouse himselfe to her in Justice kindnesse mercies for ever yet is she contented still to lay at the Gate of happinesse there patiently humbly begging some few crumms from Gods heavenly table to be admitted to tast of his delicious Wines neverthelesse resigning her selfe to be denyed that favour as long as it so pleases him ever esteeming either her selfe unworthy thereof or Gods time not to be as yet come COLLOQUIE How happy wert thou My soul hadst thou no other employment on Earth then to contemplate the beauty of God love him glorify his Name O my God that I were wholly exempt from the use of perishing Creatures needing no other food then Thee the only true Life of my Spirit but yet far happier should I be if loathing all Creatures drown'd in the Sea of the Divinity I could be resigned to the losse of all sweetnesse which may arise from the greatest Illuminations Extasies of Love in Thee patiently expecting my gracious admittance unto thy comfortable presence Then shall I be my Beloveds he will turne his face towards Me. SECOND DISCOURSE Loves Entertainments THe soul being thus resigned to the want of all Eartly comforts sweetnesse of divine Love Gods delicious presence with her may humby soare up to heaven endeavour an Union with God a fruition of him in Himselfe by such helps as he shall graciously inspire which we must readily entertain carefully comply with for our spirituall advance towards Perfection Wherefor Philothea thou must accustome thy selfe to spirituall Introversions of the Mind into its selfe therin quietly contemplating God in thy own Beeing often sallying forth by Jaculatory Aspirations amorous sighs towards heavenly things as What art thou O my God what am I My God my All Oh that I could love Thee as I ought which must be leisurely made attentively consider'd that they may work a feeling love in thy heart whereby it may by degrees be enflamed melt into affections of hope desire joy or such like whence thou wilt find an admirable sweetnesse calme to arise in thy spirit Thou must also endeavour to have a strong apprehension of Gods presence with Thee which may be had either by an efficacious beleife that God is substatially present in all places of the World as our soul is in all parts of the body without any separation from its selfe or by Imagining him to be especially in the Center of thy heart as the soul heart life thereof animating quickning it by his presence Whence we shall find our spirits stird up to a cordiall reverence towards the Majesty of God so nigh unto us a readinesse to referr all our thoughts words actions to God seated in the Center of the heart as the Judge of their Worth last happy End of all its Motions And by this means without recourse to Creatures only by a simple apprehension of Gods presence in Thee a reference of thy whole life to Him as thy Mysticall life thou wilt have an easinesse in abandoning creatures a great quietnesse in thy whole soul Having gained these Lights wherby to discern Gods greatnesse in himselfe presence to thee Cast thy selfe into the immense Sea of his Essence admitting no other motion in Thee but of Admiration
fire since I am ignorant of thy wonders wrought in my own Spirit so nigh intimate to Me I have too late considered thee O Ancient beauty shining in all creatures I have too slowly given Eare to Thee who speakest to me by all creatures by thy Guifts dost incessantly call upon Me to admire love Thee the Giver of all Thou hast engraven the light of thy face upon Me O Lord thereby given gladnesse in my heart RESOLUTION I will hence forth preserve Gods sacred Image by him self Imprinted in my soul frō being soyled or blasted by sinfull affections that therin as in a cleer Myrrour I may contemplate his Majesty beauty amiablenesse admire him in all the perfections of my body mind order all the powers endowments of both to the execution of his Will aspire to an endlesse conjunction with that divine Exemplar wherby so many rich beautifull Coppies have been drawn Therefor all thy Works in me shall confesse unto thee they shall tell the glory of thy kingdom shall speak the greatnesse of thy power THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE God speaks by his Son Incarnate GOd formerly spoke to Man by his Prophets in figures riddles now in his own Son by whom as God he in the beginning made all things now as Visible in our Mortall flesh discovers the breadth length height depth of all divine Mysteries of grace glory that we may comprehend with all the Saints his exceeding great Love towards us may be replenished with the fulnesse thereof If God descends to us taking our Nature we should by contemplation of the Incarnate Word ascend to God drown our selves in the Sea of his Essence therefor JESUS CHRIST by his gracious Doctrine and efficacious examples is the Way we must walke in our Pilgrimage to heavenly Perfection his sacred life Crosse was the book of all the Saints unlesse we bath our hearts in the bleeding wounds of this Lamb slayn for our sins we may have no part in the Tree of Life planted in the paradice of God This Union of God Man in One Person shows gods Infinite Power Mans Redemption through CHRISTS sorrows suffrings speak him an Abysse of Wisedom the Guift of his only Son in our Weak nature to dignify save sanctify it declares his Wonderfull Bounty Thus Philothea we have accesse to the Divinity of God by the Humanity of JESUS CHRIST in whom he has reveal'd the treasures of all divine knowledg Love Now therefor clime up Mount Calvary there contemplate this Man of sorrows fastned to the Tree of shame See who 't is that suffers The Creator of all things the Saviour of Men Angels the Rewarder of all good evill deeds What his condition Gods only Son an Innocent Man one that loves us dearly To what end to free us from the tyranny of satan to sanctify our sinfull hearts to restore us to our lost seats in Gods glorious kingdō What were his torments Much sorrow in the Garden many stripes in Hierusalem a shamefull death upon the Crosse And what profit thence Therby is declared the detestablenesse of sin expiated by this bloudy sacrifice the dreadfulnesse of hell fire extinguisht by that precious bloud the obstinacy of sinners still crucifying in them selves the son of God by their ungratitude the Amiablenesse of Vertue recommended to us with so many sighs teares drops of bloud the Ioyes of Heaven recover'd at so deer a rate our Duty to God through Mercy giving his only Son to us through Justice sacrifyzing that Son for us through Wisdom exalting him from the Crosse to an equallity of glory att his Right hand where we shall hereafter find him if we now follow him COLLOQUIE Thy words are living full of force O Lord more peircing then a two edged sword Oh that thou wouldst awake my slumbring soul deep wound my spirit with admiration of thy boundlesse Love in the humble Incarnation gracious Doctrine moving Examples bitter passion of thy beloved Son My habitation rest shall henceforth be in thy sacred Wounds O Saviour of the World by them I will find entrance to thy bowells of Mercy there discover the overflowings of thy Love-swelling heart towards sinners thy hidden Divinity for by these we have plentifull redemption strong helpes fulnesse of hopes Oh stretch forth thy arms once streached on the Crosse for me embrace my soul languishing to be with Thee Then will I live dy in thy wounded heart by that Gate enter into the citty of my God find whom my soul loveth SECOND DISCOURSE God reveales himselfe HAving now passed by all Creatures who are the Guards of our Earthly Citty in the search of thy Beloved clime up Philothea the mountain of Visions approach Gods Flaming Bush of reuealed Mysteries harken what he there speakes to Thee of the Majesty of his own Essence the Beauty of his heavenly Kingdom the Glory of his blessed Attendants wherby to enflame thy amorous heart with new desires of Communion in happinesse with the already glorifyed Saints Angels Divine Scripture as Gods book discovers those Excellencies of God which reason reaches not he only inspires who invites the humble to ascend higher Hence as from the fountain of Paradice stream forth four sacred delicious Rivers not to be waded through without Divine Helps History describes Gods Wonders to his chosē people wherby to draw their hearts sweetly from things of this world Allegories teach what we must beleive of God Tropes inform us of what must be done or omitted in order to the joyes of Heaven but the pleasant streames of Anagogies which are greatest deepest doe wonderfull enlighten heat raise our spirits up towards God there fix our thoughts loves where our hopes are already placed This Mysticall river empties it selfe in the vast Sea of the Divinity where God One in Essence Three in Persons within himselfe Infinite in Being Happinesse all perfections receives no addition of Good from our best Endeavours nor any detriment by overflowing to us communicating his greatest Guifts amongst us He without change or labour knows produces governs all things in all times places leading each by their speciall wayes to their last Ends. In his glorious Kingdom he is environed with many millions of immortall blessed Spirits who divided into nine Quires make up the Heavenly Hierarchy of Saints Angels happy in the Vision possessiō of God are distinguished by their proper Excellencies of nature grace glory wherin there is no temptation sin or misery feared nor fulnesse of happinesse joy or peace wanting to them all enjoying God in him possessing what soever may compleat the delightfulnesse of that glorious blessed state which Neither Eie has seen nor tongue can rehearse nor can the heart of Man conceive COLLOQUIE Oh how
glorious how pleasant how delightfull is the Kingdom of the Saints where Thou O God happy in thy selfe art the happinesse of thy glorifyed servants No greife all content is there where thou dost abide through a fulnes of their Love ever flowing towards thee Oh that thou would'st transport me forth of this kingdō of darknesse misery that I may with a fixed Eie ever behold Thee the Light which no darknesse comprehends possesse Thee the Peace that surpasses all Imagination then will the rowlings longings of my faynting heart have an End it will appear in me that I have been in a Region of Light Peace am full of both I in Iustice shall appear in thy sight shall be satiated when thy Glory appears Amen NINTH DAYES VOYAGE Repose of the soul in God THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT The soul hidden in God CONSIDERATION COnsider That Beginners in the Contemplative life goe frō Creatures to God admiring loving Him by the beauty lovelynesse discoverd in them Proficients look on God as he is revealed by divine faith by that dimme light make pleasant sallies towards him by acts of admiration love restlesse desires to live move in by to God But they who are now happily arrived to the state of Perfection which thou aymest at Philothea in this thy solitary Pilgrimage doe contemplate Gods Majesty Beauty Glory as if cleerly revealed seen in Himselfe by an Illapse of God into the sanctifyed soul of the soul into God in whom she hides herselfe reposeth without disturbance enjoyes a fulnesse of content without wandring abroad Thus S. Paul even in this life could say that his life was hidden with CHRIST in God that his conversation was even then in heaven having placed his happinesse in spirituall divine actions wherby his soul ever moved towards God emptyed its selfe into him concealing himselfe from the World by bearing with ioy the Miseries mortifications therof contrary to the custome of those who living in the World live wordly And thus the lives of the Saints have been ever accounted folly their deaths dishonourable whereas they live with in God a divine life contented to know love move in him according to the lights helps received from him It is in our power Philothea through divine helps to lead this hidden life in God have our conversation in heavē even abiding or Earth in our mortall flesh but thou must then be very pure holy having thy Soul cleansed from all sin sinfull inclinations pressing towards earthly satisfactions for no spot or stain enters that beautifull cleer region of the Saints Thou must also be cloathed with the garment of Charity towards all cōply with divine Inspirations putting on JESUS Christ by imitatiō of his mortifications prōptnesse in obeying his counsells Thus abiding in the world thou wilt not be of the World or be known by it having not its livery on nor performing its actions But God will acknowledge thee to be his in whom thou now livest hast a Divine Being in Him therefor maist say I live now not in my selfe but in God my life my sweet repose my finall happinesse AFFECTION O admirable sweetnesse of this Divine Being of the Soul hidden from the World in God! even in this life thou maist ascend thither my Soul quitting earthly conversation comforts passing the Starrs transported above the Quires of glorious Angels drowning thy selfe in the Abysse of Gods infinite Essence O who will give me the wings of a Dove I will fly repose in God My heart hath desired his face my Soul covets his presence O beautifull Face O delicious presence O rich aboad in God in the fulness of the Saints only the clean of heart may abide there RESOLUTION I will hide my selfe from the world casting off its livery which are worldly vain actions abandoning all earthly conversation which may soyle my heart And I will henceforth live in God by contēplating his Glory performing heavenly actions ordring my whole life according to his holy Will not regarding what passeth here on earth as if not att all belonging to Me or the life of One hidden living in God Oh that my Soul were swallowed up in that Divine Sea God in Me I in God besides Nothing As I began from Thee so will I end in Thee O End without End SECOND POINT Search of God in God CONSIDERATION COnsider That being now entred into God there as Moses on Gods Holy Mountain hidden in a Divine Mist we must search into him endeavour to discover plainly what he is how amiable is his hidden beauty we so thirst to behold enjoy This must be performed by an act of pure Contemplation without depending on created Images or discourse of reason but as if the Eie of the Soul were dazled with the beams of Gods Divine unaccessible Light diffused through that Mist She must simply consider God to be so full of Majesty so Good so Glorious that he can never be seen loved or admired as he is or we ought so that what ever we conceive of him is far beneath the Excellencies of his Being what ever we admire in him he is incomparably more admirable how ever we love him he is infinitely more amiable lovely desirable although each one should love him as much as all the Saints Angels together can for a whole Eternity love him Wherefor the amorous soul will be ever busied in searching into God discovering his hidden perfections in that divine Mist being unable to discern cleerly even what she there already sees therefor cryes out to God Shew me thy face And although she therein feeles a most excessive sweetnesse ioy yet she is ignorant both what it is whence it comes therfor acknowledges him to be infinitely more excellent delightfull then she is able to expresse or imagine as it hapned to S. Paul in his divine rapture If thou wert extrem hungry Philothea didst stand betwixt two tables loathing the meat of the one not permitted to tast of the other what conflicts would'st thou then feele Thus it will be if the soul be hidden in this divine Mist for being wearied with the search of her beloved in created Likenesse not permitted to contemplate the naked Essence of God in its selfe cleerly though present with her she still inquires after him loaths the obscurity wherein she is through her own weaknesse thirsts to be filled with a cleer Vision full Fruition of God in himselfe oft looks forth to make a better discovery of him entertains all his inspirations as so many Whisperings of her Espous sighs amorously for his delaying the comfortable Revelation of himselfe to her as one drunk with love sends messages to him by all she meets that She lanquishes with Love AFFECTION
Oh! how happy are they O Lord who eate drink at thy divine table where they see Thee cleerly love Thee ardently praise Thee incessantly possesse Thee with a fulnesse of ioy Exultation whilst I here perish with hunger thirst in this sacred Mist of thy Divine Essence am not permitted to behold the cleere Light of thy glorious face My soul O God thirsteth to behold Thee as thou art enjoy Thee fully yet thou hidest thy selfe from Me. Reveale thy face to Me O my most amiable God for my soul hath languished after my Beloved Oh when shall I come appeare in the presence of my God RESOLUTION I will night day mourne for the absence of my Beloved oft send missivs of Love holy desires unto him earnestly requesting Him to shew his face to Me therefor I will ever study to render my soul amiable to Him that Nothing may be found in me displeasing to him or which may make him hide his face from Me I will seek out all means whereby I may allure him to exhibite his gracious glorious presence to Me in his own pure Essence therby alleviate the painfulnesse of this my earthly pilgrimage for Thou O Lord hast promised If we aske we shall receive if we seek we shall find if we knock it shall be opened unto us our Ioy shall be full none shall take it from us THIRD POINT The souls repose in God CONSIDERATION COnsider That the sweet Repose of the soul in God is attained sometimes by the naturall Industry of the Affective part thereof aided by certain passing flashes of divine Lights graces whereby making Enquirie through Creatures or contemplating God by what he has revealed of himselfe she discovers him to be very Glorious Amiable then by Anagogicall Motions she sweetly powres herselfe into God by Acts of Admiration Love Adoration Thanksgiving thus takes her Repose in him But this delicious Repose is more efficaciously permanently obtain'd by means of divine Irradiations wherby our bountifull Espous compassionating the languors of the soul fainting in the search of him dissipates the Mist wherin we hitherto sought Him opens the treasures of his Majesty shews his amiable face more plainly to her infusing into her an attractive sweetnesse by his more cleer gracious presence whence still arise new Illustrations of the soul discoveries without end of Gods Intensive extensive Perfections most delicious streamings of the heart towards her Beloved by sublime acts of Love Adoration Whence proceed a hearty compunction for the sins committed by the World against so gracious glorious a Father of pure Lights restlesse strivings to be inseparably united with God transformed into him by likenesse in the powers operations of the spirit at length has a most amorous slumber in God For although the heart still watcheth in contemplation of the Beauty of her Beloved yet she sweetly sleepes in his Embracements wherby she is oft so abstracted from herselfe all feeling of sensible Creatures that she seems wholly out of herselfe through excesse of admiration Love causing an unexpressible sweetnesse Tranquillity Joy in all the Regions of the Soul This is a most sublime degree of Happynesse Philothea nor may it be attained but by a permanent Contemplation most ardent Love of God in himselfe by extraordinary Illustrations heats of divine Grace Wherefor let it not suffice Thee to have sued oft to be admitted unto a tast of these delicious Wines of thy Beloved no Philothea Thou must be importune with God for it closing up thy heart to all earthly cōforts imaginable powring it forth night day by sighs earnest Entreaties ere God will come to Thee by an open discovery of his amiablenesse make his aboad with Thee by stronger friendshipps lead thee forth to the pleasant Orchards of his divine Love admitt thee to a sweet Repose in himself AFFECTION How happy wouldst thou be My soul were there an universall silēce in al the Regions of the soul no Clouds of distractions a cleernesse freedom in contemplating embracing our Most Glorious God! O that this Orient Sun would arise in my heart dissipate the Mist wherein I now labour sigh after my Beloved then may I discover how beautifull how amiable how desirable he is Nor shall I then care for any earthly comforts but shall ever rejoyce in the fulnesse of content ioy of my heavenly Espous be filled with his sweetnesse O Incomprehensible O Ineffable Sweetnesse above Honey honey-comb the odour of sweetest spices RESOLUTION I will for ever abandon all desires of earthly consolations only thirsting after comforts from God the Fountain Abysse of all sweetnesse And therefor I wil ever keep my Mind fixt on God earnestly craving to be admitted unto his amiable presence delicious Embracements opening my heart to entertain work with all his Irradiations of himselfe into Me Attraction of Me unto himselfe to take my Repose in him For Thy lipps O most Lovely above Men Angels are as a Honey combe distilling honey milk are under thy tongue the odour of thy garments as the odour of Frankincense THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Loves Ascents NO sooner is the Soul entred the Paradice of her God there admitted to the delicious Embracements of her heavenly Espous but he opens the spring of his speciall graces powres into her heart pure plentifull streames of Divine Love gentlely flowing in her with an excesse of sweetnesse consolation On the pleasant banks of this sacred River God plants two living Trees one of Light to cleer the Understanding the other of fire to enflame the Will each bearing twelve most delicious Fruits which are the Effects of the Unitive Life of the soul transformed in to God by Love Oh Philothea how happy wilt thou be maist be admitted to set by these Chrystall streams repose under the shade of this Tree of Life tast its fruit First God Awakes the soul fainting through long Enquirie frequēt sighs after her Beloved during her aboad search of Him in the divine Mist then he powres into her a most delicious Savour feeling of his more immediate cleer presence which so seizeth on the heart that it presently fills it with an Over-swelling Ioy which makes the Eyes overflow with Teares of love the tongue by Spirituall Cantiques witnesse the inward Jubily of the spirit Whence often proceeds a Spirituall inebriation which renders the soul unable to discern where she is or what she doth sometimes causeth faintings swoundings of the body in which state the heart feeles a wonderfull Opening or dilatation to welcome the caresses of her divine Espous wherby she is Wounded deep with Love Languishes with new desires of she knows not what it is or how to expresse it thus she falls
Man so must my contemplation Union be with Thee a Glorious God a suffring Man by partaking the joys of One sorrows of the other I will therefor ever aspire to be with Thee in the glory of thy Father yet will joyfully cast my self into the Sea of Love thy bleeding heart that through it I may swim to the haven of thy hidden Divinity Come then all torments of heaven Earth presse heavy upon Me I shall never sink as long as supported by the saving Grace of my Victorious Redeemer Oh that I were grown'd by the teeth of wild beasts torn by racks scorched with burning flames so I may enjoy CHRIST Rather here O Lord rather here then where thy wrath never ceases for thou wilt lead me forth this prison shew me all thy Glory I shall confess unto thy Name RESOLUTION I will for ever make my habitation in the wounded heart of my Crucified Lord therein read over the vast book of Love Suffring that by it I may govern my life actions not contenting my selfe with an empty Name void of the substance perfection of a Christian Therefor I will joyfully welcome all tribulations as speciall Guifts of God tokens of his love given to cure the soares of my sinfull Soul exercise Vertue preserve to life everlasting for who ever lives holyly shall suffer persecution nor may the Crown of endless Glory be purchased at an easy rate I will therefor cheerfully take up my Cross rank my selfe amongst thy zealous servants follow thee my suffring Lord for Blessed is he who suffers for thee because when he is tryed he shall receive a Crown of life Immortality SECOND POINT Expropriation of Friends CONSIDERATION COnsider that to attain to this high state of Christian Perfection Union with CHRIST suffring we must willingly abandon all earthlie contents embrace all tribulations with joy in Imitation of JESUS CHRIST it being much harder consequently a greater perfection to beare great crosses with patience then perform heroick acts of Vertue without difficultie for our Vertue is not then firm when not shaken but when not shaken though most assayled by adversity therefor our perfection grows with proportion to our suffrings in the society of our suffring Saviour whose Pilgrimage from the cribb to the Cross began in tears ended in bloud since therefor Philothea thou art by profession à Christian by speciall Resolution a seeker of highest Perfection CHRISTS sorrows suffrings cross must be unto thee a Rule of life the Center of all thy motions the more conformable thou art to him in these the greater will thy perfectiō now be happiness hereafter Behold then with a stedfast Eie the Saviour of the World hanging on the Cross as in his Passiō so in his death abandoned by his Apostles Disciples al his usuall train of applauding attendāts He who in his glory was guarded with millions of Angels to whom all knees bowe who is the Image Splendour of the glory of his eternal Father is now forsaken by All. Love made him our Brother by assuming our Nature compassion our Physitian by his healing doctrine sacraments Mercy our Ransom by his own bitter death discharging our debts now alas he is abandon'd of all He descended from the noblest Princes Preists Prophets of Israël by his temporall birth he healed lame blind dumb lepers all diseases by his Divine power All men Angels for ever glorious with God are happy through the Efficacy of his peace-speaking bloud they have now alas all deserted him This is the paterne which we must Imitate Philothea e're we can attain the perfection we aime at We must be entirely resigned to abandon be abandoned by all even our dearest most obliged friends This may seem hard indeed it is so For Friendship is a Vertue Charity is yet a greater it is hard therefor to perswade from actiōs arising from so sublime a cause yet is it mainly necessary if we will become perfect when the pruning time is come superfluous shoots must be cutt off else few small fruit All earthlie friendships are superfluous in order to inward perfection therefor should be lopt off that the sap of grace may quietly fructify in us to life everlasting under the conduct of our Divine Guide Example Tell me Philothea canst thou like well a treason in thy bosom friend Surely thou canst not If David had been cursed by his enemies he could have borne it but to be hurt by a friend by one that had prayd with him in Gods holy House that was an unsupportable Cross And what 's more frequent even with those who abandoning the world should abandon its weakness mutability yet through variety of opiniōs dispositions oft break betray a friends confidence If then for the love of thy heavenly Espous thou hast forsaken parents kindred all worldly friends for the same love enter not now or at least break off any singularity of affectiō even towards thy companions in the study of perfection not onely because singularity is ever prejudiciall in professours of a Cōmon Life whence propriety of affections as well as of temporall goods must be banisht as nurses of suspitions jealousies many private feudes but especially because they hazard the loss of our inward tranquillity in case our friend to whom we have imprudently disclosed the secrets of our heart betrays his trust using our freedom to our confusion Wherefor be cautious in trusting thy heart strings to any but as the Wise Heathen sayd Ever converse with thy friend as one who may prove thy Enemy For as it is the nature of fire to burne so of sinners to be weak selfe interested take a View of they past life experience will teach Thee most friendships of thy bosom-friends to have been grounded on self-profit therefor have ended in discontents enmities Besides the superfluity treachery of friendships they are great impediments of Vertue while many thoughts are spent in them to the breach of in ward peace loss of precious time neglect of heavenly conferences with our Divine Espous I doubt not Philothea but thou hast had many speciall deare friends much delighted to abide conferr with them what profit thence Alas much Vanity time lost languishings of heart or sin Even now then knock off these troublesome slackles whereby thou art fettred to Creatures however deare to Thee least thou present God with a broken divided heart whereas he gave demands A whole sound that thou owest to him hadst thou many thousands AFFECTION Ah! how hard is it to be abandon'd by all friends who may comfort us in our desolations But I know will adore the power that works this happy separation perhaps thou hadst for ever perished O my Soul hadst not not thus lost thy friend or abandond him for God Alas
separate the One from the Other As God caused the brightness of Christs tranfigur'd body on Mount Thabor which signifies the cleerness cheerfulness of our Spirit in holy actions so also he caused that darkness which o'respred the earth whilst CHRISTS body was disfigur'd on Mount Calvarie whereby is represented the droughts of a Soul in this state of spirituall desolation Wherefor behave thy felfe very cautiously in the pursuance of Christian perfection so that whither thou hast a feeling of piety or whither God for reasons known to himselfe deprives Thee thereof keep the same Evenness of heart constancy in thy duties during both States still multiplying acts of Love renewing thy purposes resigning thy selfe to Gods decrees concerning Thee following the direction of his Holy Spirit under whose conduct thou art now become conformable to thy sufferring Espous Imagine therefor that JESUS CHRIST has nayled Thee to this Cross through the great Love he has towards Thee to the end thou flyest not from him abandon the charge he has taken of thee or quitt thy customary duties that he may behold thy conflicts harken to thy mournfull sights supplications may more readily infuse spirituall helps wherefor humbly open thy heart to him disclosing all thy wants weakness advise also with some prudent person whom thou hast chosen for thy Guid follow his counsells punctually ever closeing with an entire Resignation to his sacred Will who thus Visits Thee COLLOQUIE What hast thou done My Innocent Lord that thou art thus severely treated Thy body is covered with wounds thy bloud streams forth from every part thy hands feet are nailed to the Cross thy head is crowned with thorns thy heart is peirced with a speare thy Soul fild to the brim with desolation when thou cryedst My God My God why hast thou forsaken Me Oh what Love what Mercy is here I have sinned the Son of God is smitten Oh rather let me fuffer who have provoked thy wrath Whither I feel the sweetness of thy comfortable presence or thou dost permit Anxieties to oppresse my spirit I will equally love Thee obey thy will And I will blesse God at all times his prayses shall ever be in my lips because he will be my Salvation in the day of sorrow SECOND DISCOURSE Phìlotheas Choyce HAving thus prosperously Philothea though with much difficulty in thy ten daies Voyage to Perfection passed through thy holy Solitude arrived to Mount Calvarie there found thy Crucifyed Lord the Author Exemplar Finisher of all Perfection repose thy selfe with joy under the shade of the Crosse offring up thy heart to him to be united with his by Love made conformable to his Will in all thy affections actions saying Behold I have gone far flying from the World its Vanities made my habitation in the Wilderness Under his shadow whom my Soul desireth will I sett This is my Resting place for ever ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it O blessed Flight O pleasant Repose O Divine Choyce whereby thy Soul will become a stranger to the Earth where she lives freely converse with God whom she loves Then make a breife review of thy ten daies Retirement See whither thou hast that value of Solitude its Entertainments which the perfectiō thereof deserveth And what inclinations thou hast to persever therein whither thou hast a cordiall apprehension of thy Sinfull State the Means God has established for thy salvation Whither thy Passions be any thing abated thy heart unchayned from Creatures that it may joyfully Fly to God Whither thou hast a perfect Calme in thy Soul canst Give eare to the whisperings of thy heavenly Espous beest every way fitted to take thy Repose in God And lastly whither thou hast a hearty resentement of the suffrings of thy Crucifyed Lord a willingness to Imitate him in his bitter seperations a desire to be wholly united to him in that sad ignominious state for unless thy heart be now united ūto that of JESUS suffring thou maist not hope hereafter to be united unto thy JESUS triumphing Fix thy Eie therefor steadily upon thy soveraign Lord bleeding dying upon the Cross thereby draw a Coppy in thy own heart by his wounded feet order thy affections by his peirced hands rectify thy actions by his crowned head purify thy thoughts by his opened side regulate thy Love by his sorrowfull Soul draw in thine the picture of Compassion imitation That for ever after the life of JESUS may be made manifest in Thee COLLOQUIE Behold here O Victorious Saviour of Men Angels my languishing sighing heart earnestly sueing to become One with Thee transformed into the likeness of thy love-wounded heart dying to all things but Thee that henceforth Thou onely maist live in me I for ever in Thee without being seperated from Thee O Amiable Union O delicious Transformation O Divine Life Oh that thou wouldest deep engrave in my heart the Image of thy Cross all thy suffrings thereon that as a bundle of myrrhe they may ever lay in my bosom by a perpetuall Memory of thy Love therein towards Me. To Thee therefor doe I now for ever sacrifize my whole heart to be wounded with the darts of thy ever flaming love that all my Affections Actions Thoughts Desires Ioyes may be ordred by Thee begin from Thee end in Thee O Endless End and Abysse of all Happiness Amen FINIS MEDITATIONS UPON THE PASSION For every day of the week SVNDAY Washing of the Feet CONS 1. Who washeth God thy Creatour Redeemer giver of all good things 2. Whose feet he washeth of ignoble persōs great sinners his own betrayer 3. Why he washeth to give example of meekness teach us to cleanse our Soul ere we approach his Altar Affect Oh my JESU that I could love thee all creatures as I ought thou desirest Resolve To practise the Vertue of Charitie shun Envie in occasions best known to thy self MVNDAY Prayer in the garden CONS 1. How CHRIST prayeth kneeling prostrate with instancy thou how tipid 2. What 's his prayer That his Chalice may passe yet with resignation to obey his Fathers will doe thou pray thus 3. How he sweats bloud in great drops in great sorrows wilt thou rely on thy own strength Affect Oh my JESU that I could hūble my self to Thee all creatures for thee Resolve To practise Humilitie shun Pride c. TWESDAY Mocking before Herod CONS 1. How JESUS betrayed apprehended manicled is led to Annas Caiphas Pilate Herod Follow him in this sorrowfull Pilgrimage 2. How He is every where falsly accused yet is silent be silent too when injur'd 3. How before Herod he is cloathed mocked as a Foole if thou beest a Christian imitate CHRISTS self-denyall Affect Oh my JESU that I could contemn my own will for thy sake Resolve To practise Self-denyall shun self-love c. WEDNESDAY Whipping at the Pillar CONS 1. How JESUS led back to Pilate is there accused as a Blasphemer Seducer Traitor Barabbas though a Murderer is perfer'd before him canst repine when vilifyed 2. How that Innocent Body unclothed bound to the Pillar is whipt for thy sins I sin Thow suffrest 3. How barbarously those Soldiers treat thy JESUS Oh cruelly this he suffers for the Bath thy heart in his saving bloud Affect Oh my JESU that I could bear all Crosses from all persons for the love of Thee Resolve To practise Patience shun Anger c. THVRSDAY Crowning with Thorns CONS 1. How JESUS thus bleeding is crownd with sharp Thorns this Crown is instead of a Crown of Glory 2. How they cloath him in scarlet put a reed in his hand for a Scepter then kneeling deride Him Thou art a King indeed reign for ever in my heart 3. How JESUS thus adorned is led forth by Pilate shown to the Jewes with Behold á Man O sad Spectacle Yet still they cry Crucify Him Oh the heavy weight of my sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could obey Thee even to loss of life Resolve To practise Obedience shun Sloath c. FRYDAY Carrying the Cross CONS 1. How JESUS thus derided whipped crowned goes forth carrying the Cross whereon he is to be sacrifized for thy Sins 2. What shouts of joy the Jewes make after Him through the streets of Jerusalem thus is Innocency despised 3. How the devout woemen meet bewaile Him thy hard heart sheds not one Teare amidst these sorrows or for thy sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could abandon all sensuall satisfactions for the Love of Thee Resolve To practise Temperance shū Gluttony c. SATVRDAY Crucifying of Iesus CONS 1. How JESUS with much pain shame arrived to Mount Calvary is again uncloath'd thus all his soares are renewed My Sins not blotted out by Repentance shall one day be disclosed to the whole World 2. How they streatch thy JESUS upon the Cross fastnīg him with nayles therunto thē raise him up where he hangs betweē two theeves Oh what ignominy 3. How He there hangs for the space of three houres reviled by Jews Gentiles forsaken by his Disciples drenched with gall vineger peirced to the heart with a speare yet He prays for his Enemies Enter make thy aboade in that love-wounded-Heart Affect Oh my JESU that I could imitate Thee in the purity of thy Life Doctrine Resolve To practise Modesty shun All contrary Therunto c. FINIS