by Reason yet such Images continuing in the Fancy and such motions in the body the mind vvill be stupified and the resistance of Reason vvill oftimes be so feeble as that in the opinion of the Person it vvill passe for no resistance at all Yea rather the soule vvill be persvvaded that she has deliberatly consented considering the continuance of them after that she vvas fully avvake and had reflected on them 10. Notvvithstanding vnlesse in such soules the Reason doe not only reflect vpon the sinfullnes of such impure thoughts if consented to but likevvise in the very same instant that she makes such a Reflection the Will be deliberately moued to the approuing of them they may be assured that there has passed no culpable consent to them Againe if the generall disposition of such soules be such as that seldome or neuer either Speeches or deliberate Actions doe proceede from them conformable to such impure Imaginations they may confidently iudge that there is no danger of hauing incurred a mortall sin 11. Aboue all things the Deuout soule is to be carefull that she be not disheartned by occasion of such Tentations from pursuing constantly her appointed Recollections the best she can notvvithstanding that then aboue all other times such Thoughts vvill throng into her mind so that she vvill thinke it almost vnlavvfull to appeare before God being full of such impure Images But she is to consider that novv is the proper time to shevv her Fidelity to God No thanks to her if she adhere to God vvhen nature makes no opposition but rather finds a gust in it But if amidst these tempests of corrupt nature she vvill firmely adhere to God vvhen such adhesion becomes so extremely painefull to her this is thankevvorthy then she vvill shevv herselfe a Valiant Soldier of our Lord vvorthy of that testimony that he giues of her vvho has iudged her fit and capable of encountring such furious Enemies 11. A great blessing and happines it is that in all internall Confusions Obscurities c. vvee can allvvaies make an Election of God vvith the Superiour vvill The vvhich being effectually done vvhatsoeuer disorders are in the Imagination or in inferiour nature they doe rather encrease then preiudice our Merit 12. Indeed this is that great most Efficacious and Vniuersall Remedy against all Tentations to vvit an actuall Conuersion of the Soule to God in Prayer For thereby the soule being vnited to God either she vvill loose the Image and Memory of the Tentation for the present Or hovveuer she doth vvith farre more efficacy oppose and vvorke contrary to such Tentations then if she had fixed her Eyes vvith a direct renouncing and detestation of them For in an Actuall Vnion vvith God is included a vertuall detestation of all things contrary to him both for present and future and also therby the soule adheres to her only Good vvith vvhom they are absolutly inconsistent 13. This Remedy therfore vvhich containes in it all the vertue of all other particular Remedies is often and seriously to be recommended to Internall Contemplatiue liuers for indeed none but such as liue abstracted liues can vvithout great force and difficulty be in a disposition at pleasure to introuert and recollect shemselues Hovveuer let euery soule that is capable therof vse it It is the plainest easiest securest and most infallible Cure of all others 14. Those that are throughly practised in Prayer cannot only be vnited in Wâ—ll to God but perceiue themselues to be so vnited vvhilst in the meane time both the representation of those Tentations remaines in the Imagination and vnderstanding and much trouble likevvise in inferiour Nature All vvhich notvvithstanding are not any hindrance or preiudice to such Vnion Yea by occasion of these things a more perfect and intense Vnion may be caused 15. The light obtained by Prayer for the discouering of the Causes Grounds and Remedies of such Tentations and the Grace to resist them is vvonderfull and incredible to those that doe not practise Prayer By neglect of vvhich many liue in the midst of Tentations and yet doe not knovv them to be such Or knovving them yet haue no strength nor vvill to resist them But most certaine it is that a Soule vvhich duely prosecutes Internall Prayer according to her present abilities can scarce possibly be so ouercome vvith a Tentation as habitually to yeild to it or hovveuer to dye in it Indeed there is no security that a Soule ordinarily is capable of in this life but by the meanes of Prayer CHAP. X. § 1. Of Scrupulosities about Externall Duties as the Office Fasting c. § 2. Tender Soules ought to seeke full Information touching such Obligations which is not out of politick ends to be denyed them § 3. 4. 5. 6. Seuerall cases of Indulgence about the Office § 7. 8. 9. 10. Some learned Doctours doe free particular Religious persons not in holy Orders from a necessary Obligation of saying the Office in priuate § 11. An Aduice touching the same 1. IN the next place the speciall Externall Duties about vvhich tender Soules are apt to admit Scrupulosities are many Yea some are so inordinatly timorous that they can give vvay to vnsatisfaction in almost euery thing that they doe or say But the principall and most common especially in Religion are these 1. The obligation of Religious Persons to Pouerty Obedience Regular Fasting Saying of the Office in publick or priuate c. 2. The Duty of Examination of the Conscience in Order to Confession and Confession in selfe with Communicating afterward 2. The generall proper Remedy against Scrupulosity arising vpon occasion of any of these matters is a true information of the Extent of the said Obligations And surely Spirituall Directours are obliged to allovve as much latitude to vvellminded timerous Soules in all these things as Reason vvill possibly admitt considering that such are apt to make a good vse of the greatest condescendency Therfore it vvould be a fault inexcusable before God if Confessours out of a vaine Policy to the end to keepe tender Soules in a continuall dependence and captiuity vnder them should conceale from them any Relaxations allovved by Doctours or iust Reason And timerous Soules vvhen they haue receiued information from Persons capable of knovving and vnlikely to deceiue them they ought to beleiue and rest vpon them and to account all risings of feare or suspicion to the contrary to be vnlavvfull 3. More particularly for as much as concernes the Diuine Office since all that vnderstand Latin may acquaint themselues vvith all the Dispensations and largest allovvances afforded by Doctours I conceiue it most requisite that such ignoraÌ„t tender Soules especially Women as may come to see or reade these InstructioÌ„s should not be left in an ignorance or vncertainty hereabout For vvhy should any additionall burdens of a Religious life lye more heauy on those that are least able to beare them and such as vvill be far from being lesse carefull in
to the present indisposition in the Body especially in Women vvhen by reason of some speciall Infirmities through the ascending of ill vapours to the Head there are raised melancholick and afflicting Images in the Fancy Which vvithout the helpe of the Corporall Physition can hardly by counsell be expelled CHAP. XII § 1. 2. Of a Scruple concerning a Soules Vocation to a Religious Life § 3. 4. t. 6. 7. Of Seuerall grounds and Motiues by which Soules may be induced to vndertake a Religious State § 8. 9. What Motiues are Perfect and what vnsitting And how a Soule once engaged has then a Necessary Diuine Vocation to continue c. 1. BEFORE I quitt this Passion of Feare it vvill neither be impertinent nor vnproffitable I hope to speake somevvhat of a Tentation taken Notice of by Thaulerus the vvhich affords great matter of Feare to some tender Soules and regards their vocation to a Religious life The Case stands thus 2. Some tender Soules in Religion that haue good minds vvills to perseuere in seeking God but being vnsatisfied vvith them selues because they see so many Imperfections not yet amended yea some that they had not obserued before they entred into that State They impute all their vnsuccesfullnes in curing their defects to Gods Iudgment vpon them for hauing vpon light or vaine Grounds of their ovvne Choyce vndertaken such a State of life for outvvard and perhaps vnvvorthy Ends as to auoide vvorldly troubles vvants persecutions c. and not out of a pure Intention to seeke God nor from any Inspiration from him 3. But to shevv the groundlesnes of such Scrupulous apprehensions such Suspicious Soules may doe vvell to consider First that in these vvicked times in vvhich there is such a decay of Charity in the vvorld of feruour in Religion such Heroicall Enterprises and such admirable Calls to a Religious State are not euery day to be expected as vvee reade of in former times vvhen Kings and Princes sometimes euen in the prime vigour of their Age out of a loathing of transitory things and a longing after God renounced all the abundance of vvealth Pleasure Glory that the vvorld could afford in as much as they vvere impediments to their Holy designe of embracing Solitude Pouerty and all other Penitentiall Austerities in Religion So that it is much to be doubted that if the greatest part of those that novv enter into Religion had met vvith the like Tentatiōs Offers in the vvorld as those despised most of our Cells vvould be Empty and our Conuents become true Desarts Yet all this does not argue that because the Calls to Religion vsuall in those daies are not so Extraordinary as formerly therfore they are vnsufficient or not at all Diuine For though our Intentiōs novv are not so Heroicall and Deiforme because our Charity is not so inflamed yet for the substance of them they may be vpright 4. Secondly they ought to consider that God is often pleased in loue to certaine Soules that perhaps vvould be in danger to make Shipvvrack of that imperfect Charity vvhich is in them if they continued in the vvorld to permit by an especiall Prouidence certaine Externall Casualties to befall them by vvhich they may be in some sort compelled to retire into the secure Solitude of a Religious State For vvhich purpose also he remoues many Impediments to such a Course depriuing them of their Dearest freinds Riches c. crossing also their Designes vvhich if they had succeeded vvould haue chained them to the vvorld Hence it is that some for vvant of a comfortable Subsistence others to auoide Suites and other troubles or euen for vvant of bodily strength and being disabled to tast the pleasures of the vvorld others out of a tediousnes and satiety of sensuall Contentments lastly some out of a deepe remorse for some speciall Crimes or other respects no better then these are induced to embrace a Religious State None of vvhich respects notvvithstanding vvithout some degree of Charity would probably haue bene sufficiēt to haue produced this Change as neither vvould Charity alone had it not bene actuated and quickned by such considerations Novv these Vocations though mixed vvith much impurity yet are far from being vnlawfull 5. In the third place it may possibly happen that some may haue come into Religion induced merely and only by outvvard yea perhaps vnlavvfull respects They had much rather haue stayd in the vvorld the pleasures of vvhich if they could haue enioyed them they preferred far before God But God debarrs them from such pleasures sending them great Crosses which they can no othervvise auoide but by the Refuge of a Religious State In vvhich also it may be their first designe is to seeke themselues only and not God Yea vvee reade of one that adioyned himselfe to a Religious Community merely for this vvicked End to get an opportunity to commit Sacriledge by stealing a Chalice But being there God rouched his heart to repent and acknovvledge his Criminall Hypocrisy after vvhich he lead a very Religious holy Life 6. Againe fourthly some doe come into Religion it may be vvith a good harmles meaning but meeting vvith tepide or perhaps irreligious Companions they grovv vveary of their Condition the difficulties of vvhich they haue not yet Spirituall strength to support and improue to their Soules aduancement So that if they were againe freely to dispose of themselues they vvould chuse to returne into the vvorld vvere it not that they are chained by a Vovv and Ecclesiasticall Lavves Novv although these came into Religion vncall'd by God yet novv the impossibility of changing their present Condition is an effectuall Call from him to keepe them constant and faithfull to him 7. Lastly some come into Religion as it vvere vnavvares vnto themselues and vvithout any Election on their ovvne parts Which is the case of many persons of Noble Families especially Virgins that are euen forced to such a State by the Tyranny of their Parents or enueigled into it by the Subtile auaricious insinuations persvvasions of others engaged in the same state c. By vvhich meanes they engage themselues in a State of life vnknovven to themselues relying vvholly on the vvills and iudgment of others And being once a little engaged the opinion of Honour and to auoide the imputation of inconstancy forces them to perseuere 8. Novv among all these varieties of Cases Vocations to Religion shall vvee say that only those Perfect Soules mentioned in the beginning haue a true Call to Religion If so how much the smaller number of Religious could be iudged to haue had a Lavvfull Call What reason therfore haue any Soules that novv desire to seeke God in Religion hovveuer they came thither to disquiet themselues Is it because they vvere not perfect in Charity before they entred into Religion For a perfectly Pure Intention cannot proceede but from a perfect habituall Charity Is it therfore strange to them that nature as long as it is
it is good euen for those vvho are not yet fully ripe for the exercise of Acts so as to make them their constant Exercise yet to vse them sometimes in time of health to the end that if they be ouertaken vvith sicknes they may not be to seeke for their exercise 43. Among Expresse voluntary Acts the exercise of totall Resignation is the most perfect generally the most proffitable yet a soule in Sicknes if she find herselfe indisposed for such acts may content herselfe vvith Acts of an Inferiour nature yea vvith deuotions to any particular Saints to her Angell Guardian specially to our Blessed Lady 44. Those that are only infirme languishing are for as muâ—h as concernes the nature of their Prayer in a case little different from that they vvere in during health Those vvhose suffrings are from outvvard paine meerely vvithout sicknes may happen to haue their Prayer altered to the better by meanes of such Paines the vvhich themselues may proue a very proffitable Prayer if the patient vvith quietnes submission to the Diuine vvill doe offer such paines continually to God 45. But as for Sicknesses more inward they doe more indispose the patient to Prayer Besides the great distractions that come from Physick blood-letting dyet c So that none can prescribe any certaine Aduices The vvell-meaning soule therfore must vvith a moderate Attention may herselfe obserue all circumstances accordingly for the manner practise both mortification Prayer She vvill easily discerne at vvhat times hovv long in vvhat manner she ought to pray as likevvise vvherein she is to mortify herselfe how far she may yeild to the desires necessities of nature The truth is the cases not only of seuerall persons in seuerall sicknesses but euen of the same person in the same sicknes are so vvoÌ„derfully various that it is impossible to fit Aduices for all All that an Instructour can say to the purpose is That prayer mortification are absolutely necessary to a soule as well in sicknes as health But for the speciall manner matter her ovvne iudgment discretion but especially the Spirit of God must teach her doubtles vvill if she attend to his holy Inspirations 46. I said before that the vniuersall Remedy against all inward Tentations vvas Actuall Prayer conuersion of the soule to God The vvhich remedy is good for all soules in vvhat state soeuer But more proper for such as practise Internall Contemplatiue exercises vvho are not novv in a disposition to inuent motiues arguments to contradict such tentations but most necessary for the fearfull scrupulous Notvvithstanding I vvould not oblige all imperfecter soules vpon euery thought of a tentation to recurre allvvayes to their prayer but only vvhen necessity a iust feare of being ouercome shall require it Othervvise being in no such feare they may content themselues vvith some intermitted Eleuations of their minds to God deferring their prayer till their next appoynted Recollection For it vvould be too great a burthen imposed on such soules as vvithout some difficulty cannot enter into serious introuersion to bind them hereto vpon euery assault of an Invvard tentation vvhen a moderate care not to yeild to the tentation vvill suffise 47. God seldome sends great sicknesses to spirituall Persons in the beginning of their course before they haue gotten a reasonable habitude of Prayer to make good vse thereof least thereby they should become disabled to pray But after such an habitude gotten if sicknes come it vvill aduance their Prayer as their bodily strength decayes their Prayer proportionably vvill grow more easy profound spirituall But it is to be doubted that the Prayer of Meditation vvill be little bettered by sicknes 48. I vvill conclude this Point of Sicknes vvith proposing one speciall consideration vvhich ought to induce soules to be carefull that they doe not deliberately turne Sicknes into a liberty of sense or spirit by omitting or neglecting Prayer mortification it is this In all sicknes there is at least some degree of perill of being taken out of this life The vvhich euent if it should happen to a soule whilst she continues in such a tepide negligent state God vvill assuredly iudge her according to her present state in vvhich death finds her Yea she vvill be in danger to loose the fruit that she might expect from all her former good purposes Resolutions or at least to suspect that such purposes vvere not sincere cordiall since now the proper time of putting them in execution being come they are ineffectuâ—l And aboue all other the case of Scrupulous soules vvould be miserable if they should neglect to combat their scrupulosities by a simple obedience transcending of their feares On the contrary it is certaine that a soule cannot possibly hâ—ue a firmer ground of assurance of eternall happines then a sanctified vse of sicknes CHAP. VI. § 1. Internall Exercises weaken the body yet oft prolong life § 2. 3. 4. The body ought to suffer for the good of the spirit not the spirit for the body § 5. Yet with Discretion that the body be not vnnecessarily preiudiced § 6. 7. c. In the first place Discretion is to be vsed about mortification both by Superiours others § 13. 14. c Secondly discretion is to be vsed in sensible deuotion § 17. Thirdly in Meditation § 18. 19. 20. Fourthly in the exercise of Immediate Acts. § 21. 22. Fifthly euen in Aspirations § 23. Of languishing Loue mentioned by Harphius 1. INTERNALL Prayer seriously prosecuted as it deserues to be being contrary to our naturall inclinations cannot chuse but cause some trouble vneasines to nature abate the vigorousnes of the body quenching those spirits drayning those humours vvhich are superfluous afford matter of tentations Yet on the other side it makes amends euen to nature it selfe in contributing much to the prolonging of life by meanes of moderation of Dyet a composednes of Passions contentation of mind c vvhich it causeth Proofes vvhereof vvee haue in the Ancient holy Fathers of the desert more lately in S. Romualdus vvho liued till he vvas a hundred tvventy yeares old S. Dauid of Wales till a hundred forty c 2. Hovveuer if it vvere othervvise the soule is not to serue the body but the body the soule so that if one of them must for the benefit of the other be a looser it is most iust that the losse should lye on the bodies side And surely since there is scarce any study or exercise of mind vvhich does not abridge life or debilitate the functions of it vvithout making any amends to the soule for the future life yet for all that men neither are discouraged nor doe thinke it fit for such considerations to forbeare such studies much lesse certainly ought spirituall Diuine exercises be laid aside vpon such pretences 3. Notvvithstanding iust it is that some
imagine but an inexhaustible Ocean of vniuersall Being Good infinitly exceeding our comprehension The vvhich Being Good vvhatsoeuer it is in it selfe vvee loue vvith the vvhole possible extension of our vvills embracing God beyond the proportion of our knovving him But yet euen such a Contemplation loue in this life by reason of our bodily weakenes necessities cannot be vvithout many descents and interruptions 9. This Mysticke Contemplation or vnion is of two sorts 1. Actiue and ordinary being indeed an habituall state of perfect soules by vvhich they are enabled vvhensoeuer fit occasion shall be to vnite themselues actiuely and actually to God by efficacious feruent amorous and constant yet vvithall silent quiet Eleuations of the Spirit 2. Passiue extraordinary the vvhich is not a state but an actuall Grace fauour from God by vvhich he is pleased at certaine times according to his free Good pleasure to communicate a glimpse of his Maiesty to the spirits of his seruants after a secret wonderfull manner And it is called Passiue not but that therin the soule doth actiuely Contemplate God but she can neither vvhen she pleases dispose herselfe thereto nor yet refuse it when that God thinks good to operate after such a manner in the soule to represent himselfe vnto her by a Diuine particular Image not at all framed by the soule but supernaturally infused into her The vvhich Grace is seldome if euer afforded but to soules that haue attained to the former state of Perfect Actiue Vnion Concerning this Passiue Vnion and the seuerall kinds of it vvee shall speake more hereafter 10. As for the former sort vvhich is Actiue Contemplation of vvhich vvee haue already treated in grosse in this Chapter vvee reade in Mystick Authours Thaulerus Harphius c That he that vvould become spirituall ought to practise the dravving of his externall senses invvardly into his Internall there loosing as it vvere annihilating them Hauing done this he must then dravv his Internall senses into the Superiour povvers of the soule there annihilate them likevvise And those powers of the Intellectuall soule he must dravv into that vvhich is called their Vnity vvhich is the principle Fountaine from vvhence those Povvers doe flow in vvhich they are vnited And lastly that Vnity vvhich alone is capable of perfect vnion vvith God must be applied and firmely fixed on God And herein say they consists the perfect Diuine Contemplation vnion of an Intellectuall soule vvith God 11. Novv vvhether such Expressions as these vvill abide the strict examination of Philosophy or no I vvill not take on mee to determine Certaine it is that by a frequent constant Exercise of Internall Prayer of the vvill ioyned vvith Mortification the soule comes to operate more more abstracted from sense more eleuated aboue the corporall organs faculties so dravving nearer to the resemblance of the operations of an Angell or separated spirit 12. Yet this Abstraction Eleuation perhaps is not be vnderstood as if the soule in these pure operations had no vse at all of the Internall senses or sensible Images for the Schooles resolue that cannot consist vvith the state of a soule ioyned to a mortall body But surely her Operations in this pure Degree of Prayer are so subtile intime the Images that she makes vse of so exquisitly pure immateriall that she cannot perceiue at all that she vvorkes by Images So that spirituall Writers are not much to be condemned by persons vtterly vnexperienced in these Mystick affaires if deliuering things as they perceiued by their ovvne Experience they haue expressed them othervvise then vvill be admitted in the Schooles 13. Novv to this kind of purely Intellectuall operations doth a soule begin to arriue after a sufficient Exercise of Immediate Acts of the vvill And hauing attained thereto they doe grovv more more spirituall sublime by the Exercise of Aspirations blind Eleuations vvithout all limitt 14. I call them pure Intellectuall operations in opposition to actuations Imaginatiue produced by meane of grosse sensible Images not as if the said operations were in the intellect or vnderstanding for on the contrary they are exercised in a manner vvholly by the Will For in proper Aspirations the soule hath no other vse of the vnderstanding but only antecedently to propose an obiect vvhich is no other but only a generall obscure confused notion of God as Faith darkly teaches this rather vertually then directly expressely the maine busines being to Eleuate the vvill and vnite it to God so presented 15. In vvhich Vnion aboue all particular Images there is neither time nor place but all is Vacuity emptines as if nothing vvere existent but God the soule Yea so far is the soule from reflecting on her ovvne existence that it seemes to her that God she are not distinct but one only thing This is called by some Mystick Authours the State of Nothingnes by others the State of Totality because therin God is all in all the container of all things And the Prayer proper to this state is thus described by a holy Hermite in Cassian collat x. c. 11. Ita ad illam Orationis incorruptionem mens nostra perueniat c. that is So vvill the mind ascend to that pure simplicity of Prayer the which is freed from all intuition of Images vndistinguished with any prosecution of words or senses but vttered internally by an inflamed intention of the mind by an vnutterable excesse of affoction and inconceiuable quicknes and alacrity of spirit The which Prayer the spirit being abstracted from all senses sensible Obiects doth powre forth vnto God by sighes and grones that cannot be expressed 16. It is an errour therfore of vnexperienced persons vvho thinke and say that all the Exercises and thoughts of Contemplatiues are actually in Heauen in interiour Conuersation vvith Angells and Saints tasting of the Ioyes of Paradice or vvholly employed in sublime speculations about Diuine Mysteries of the Trinity Incarnation c True it is that in a passiue Vnion God may after a cleare and distinct but vvonderfull manner represent any or all these things by a supernaturall species imprinted in the soule But as for the proper Exercise of Actiue Contemplation it consists not at all in speculation but in blind Eleuations of the Will and ingulfing it more and more profoundly in God vvith no other sight or knovvledge of him but of an obscure Faith only 17. This happy state of Actiue Contemplation is for substance the most perfect that a soule is capable of in this life Being almost an entire reparation restitution of the soule to the State of Primitiue Innocence for as long as it lasts because then the soule is freed from all sinfully distracting Images and affections that vvould separate her from God Herevpon a Holy Hermite in Cassian sayes That except in the very actuall exercise of Contemplation a soule is not
Doctrine fit and agreable to the vocation of our Rule 7. Sept. 1629. F. Leander de S. Martino Priour of S. Gregories and Ordinary of the Monastery of our Ladies of Comfort in Cambray Againe This Treatise of Doubts and Calls is a very good one 1630. B. Rosendo Barlow President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Ben. To the Booke of Confession the Originall vvherof is lost but a Perfect transcript remaining is THIS APPROBATION I haue read this Booke and haue found nothing in it against Faith or Good manners For although the Authour dispute much against the urging of Confession of Veniall sins as vnnecessary to Spirituall proffit yet he doth not in any sort condemne the discreete vse of frequent Confession of Veniall sins but onely the needlesse renumeration of them and of dayly defects vvhich cannot be vsed vvithout great losse of time and anxiety of mind In testimony of this I subscribe my Name at Cambray 17. Sept. 1629. Br. Rudisind Barlow President of the English Congregation of the Order of S. Bennet Besides these many more Approbations might be added annexed by the same VV. RR. FF to other Bookes as to that of Discretion of Sicknes Directions for the Ideots Deuotions contained in 16. seuerall Bookes Remedies The Stay of the Soule in Tentations in two volumes A Booke called The fiue Treatises The Alphabet and Abstract c. But I made choice only of the forementioned because they treated of Subiects more likely to meete with contradiction Supposing therfore that these vvill suffise vvhich are taken from the Originalls extant at Cambray in the Approuers ovvne hand-vvriting I vvill here adioyne the forementioned Memoriall containing both an Approbation and Explication of the generall Doctrine of our V. Venerable Authour A Memoriall vvritten by the late V. R. F. Leander â— S. Marcino and placed in the Booke of Collections I haue read ouer carefully the Booke A. B. C. and the Alphabet Abstract as also the 3. Parts of Doubts Calls besides diuers other Treatises of the same Authour in all vvhich are to be seene my Approbation allovvance in the beginning of them They doe all containe very sound vvholesome doctrine for the Direction of deuout Soules fit agreable to our Calling Rule and especially for the vse of our Dames the Spirit of our holy Rule consisting principally in a spirituall Vnion of our soule vvith God in affectiue Praier exercise of the vvill immediatly vpon God rather then Intellectuall discoursiue Praier busying the vnderstanding as appeareth plainly by our Rule and the dayly vse of our Quire Office vvhich for the most part consisteth of Aspirations and affects and hath very few discourses Yet because the Authour referreth the Dames his Schollers to his larger explication by vvord of Mouth in many places and to his practise in vvhich he setled them both vvhich can not be knovvne but by those vvho knevv the Authour and this Mysticke vvay though most plaine most secure and most compendious to perfection containeth many hard delicate points vvhich vvill seeme strange to such as haue been only accustomed to intellectuall Meditation and litle to affectiue Praier by reason of the great abstraction vvhich it requires from all things that are not God Least the ensuing Confessours and Directours should mistake the meaning of the Authour and therevpon alter the course of Praier begunne and setled in the house as vvee hope to the Glory of God Spirituall proffit of Soules in Perfection proper to our Calling I haue thought conuenient to note these fevv points follovving First of all that the reader of these Bookes Collections haue allvvaies before his Eyes that they are vvritten precisely only for such Soules as by Gods holy Grace doe effectually constantly dedicate themselues to as pure an Abstraction from creatures as may vvith discretion be practised in the Community and consequently for such as abstaine from all manner of leuity losse of time notable and knovvn defects vaine talke needlesse familiarity in a vvord doe take as much care as they can to auoide all veniall sins occasions of them and all things vvhich they shâ—ll perceiue or be vvarned of to be impediments to the Diuine Vnion of their Soules vvith God Secondly let him consider that it is supposed as a ground in all those Collections Obseruations that the Office of Quire Actions of Obedience Conuentuall Acts and all other things prescribed by Rule Statute are most exactly to be kept obserued yea preferred before all other priuate Exercises vvhatsoeuer So that all these Instructions are to be vnderstood allvvaies vvith reseruation of the Conuentuall Discipline publick Obseruance prescribed by Obedience Particularly let the Reader obserue a Note vvhich is giuen in one of these bookes found but in fevv Spirituall vvriters yet necessary for those Religious that are addicted to the Quire viz That although the Authour commendeth so highly mentall Prayer yet that Prayer vvhich is perfectly mentall vocall too is far more excellent then that vvhich is mentall only as vvill be the exercise of the Saints in heauen after the day of Iudgment vvhen in body soule they â—hall praise contemplate Allmighty God Whereupon it follovveth that allthough in this Life our fraile vveake body hindreth our soule that our Prayer cannot be so perfectly mentall vocall as it shall be in heauen yet must our mentall Prayer be so practised that by the grace of God ioy all perseuerance in vnion vvith him our Vocall Prayer inquire may be conuerted into mentall that is that our vocall saying singing may be so liuely animated as it vvere informed vvith affect of the soule as if it vvere altogether spirituall Prayer And so shall vvee fullfill the vvords of our Rule Nihil praeponatur operi Dei Nothing preferred before the Office of the quire Whereas in diuers places the Authour saith that all bodily exercises euen frequenting the Sacraments vvithout mentall Prayer abstraction mortification doe not aduance a soule one â—ot in spirit although it be plaine enough to them that knovv the necessity of these 3. Instruments of spirituall perfection yet least any should mistake his meaning as if these former exercises did not proffit a soule at all vvithout these Instruments practised by fevv out of the former aduices the reader must vnderstand that by Aduancement in spirit is meant here not the bare auoyding of grosser sins some perfection too in Actiue Life vvhich is gotten by these bodily exercises but a cleare experimentall knovvledge of the vvill of God a spiritualizing of the soule by adhering to God transcending all creatures vvhatsoeuer for this doe the Mystick Doctours call aduancement in spirit this cannot be attained vnto but by the three aboue named instruments continually practised employed by Gods grace Which notvvithstanding the Authour denieth not but that a soule vvithout the foresaid exercises
for Surely not Corporall labours Not the vse of the Sacraments Not hearing of Sermons c. For all these she might haue enioyed perhaps more plentifully in the vvorld It is therfore Only the vnion of the Spirit with God by Recollected Constant Praier to the attaining vvhich Diuine End all things practised in Religion doe dispose and to vvhich alone so great impediments are found in the vvorld 6. The best generall proofe therfore of a good Call to Religion is a Loue to prayer either vocall or Mentall For if at first it be only to vocall Praier by reason that the soule is ignorant of the efficacy and Excellency of Internall Contemplatiue Prayer or perhaps has receiued some preiudices against it Yet if she obserue Solitude carefully and vvith attention and feruour practise Vocall Praier she vvill in time either by a Diuine Light perceiue the necessity of ioyning Mentall Praier to her vocall or be enabled to practise her vocall Prayer mentally vvhich is a sublime Perfection 7. It is a state therfore of Recollectednes Introuersion that euery one entring into Religion is to aspire vnto The vvhich consists in an habituall Disposition of soule vvherby she transcends all creatures their Images the vvhich therby come to haue litle or no Dominion ouer her so that she remaines apt for immediate Cooperation vvith God receiuing his Inspirations and by a returne and as it vvere a refluxe tending to him and Operating to his Glory It is called Recollectednes because the Soule in such a State gathers her thoughts naturally dispersed fixed vvith multiplicity on Creatures and vnites them vpon God And it is called Introuersion both because the Spirit those things which concerne it being the only obiect that a deuout Soule considers values she turnes all her Sollicitudes inwards to obserue defects wants or inordinations there to the end she may remedy supply correct them And likevvise because the proper Seate the Throne Kingdome vvhere God by his Holy Spirit dvvells and reignes is the purest Summity of Mans Spirit There it is that the soule most perfectly enioyes and contemplates God though euery vvhere as in regard of himselfe equally present yet in regard of the communication of his Perfections present there after a far more Noble manner then in any part of the vvorld besides inasmuch as he communicates to the Spirit of Man as much of his Infinite Perfections as any Creature is capable of being not only simple Being as he is to inanimate Bodies or Life as to liuing Creatures or Perception as to sensitiue or knowledge as to other ordinary Rationall Soules But vvith and besides all these he is a Diuine Light Purity happines by communicating the supernaturall Graces of his Holy Spirit to the Spirits of his seruants Hence it is that our Sauiour sayes Regnum Dei intra vos est The Kingdome of God is within you And therfore it is that Religious Solitary abstracted Soules doe endeauour to turne all their thoughts invvard raising them to Apicem Spiritus the pure top of the Spirit far aboue all sensible Phantasmes or imaginatiue discoursings or grosser Affections vvhere God is most perfectly seene and most comfortably enioyed 7. Novv the actuall practise of this Introuersion consists principally if not only in the Exercise of Pure Internall spirituall Prayer the Perfection of vvhich therfore ought to be the Cheife ayme to vvhich a Religious Contemplatiue Soule is obliged to aspire So that surely it is a great mistake to thinke that the Spirit of S. Benedicts Order Rule consists in a Publick Orderly protracted solemne singing of the Diuine Office the vvhich may be full as vvell yea and for the Externall is vvith more aduantage performed by Secular Ecclesiasticks in Cathedrall Churches A Motiue to the introducing of vvhich pompous solemnity might be that it is full of Edification to others to see heare a conspiring of many Singers Voyces and it is to be supposed of hearts too to the praising of God But it is not for Edification of others that a Monasticall State vvas instituted or ought to be vndertaken Religious Soules truly Monasticall flye the sight of the vvorld entring into Desarts and solitudes to spend their liues alone in Pennance and Recollection and to purify their ovvne Soules not to giue Example or Instruction to others Such Solitudes are or ought to be sought by them therby to dispose themselues for another far more proffitable Internall solitude in vvhich Creatures being banished the only Conuersation is betvveene God and the Soule her selfe in the depth of the Spirit as if besides them tvvo no other thing vvere existent 8. To gaine this happy state a deuout Soule enters into Religion vvhere all imaginable aduantages are to be found for this End At least anciently they vvere so and still ought to be But yet though all Religious persons ought to aspire to the Perfection of this State it is really gained by very fevv in these times For some through ignorance or misinstruction by Teachers that knovv no deeper not a more perfect introuersion then into the Internall senses or imagination And others through negligence or else by reason of a voluntary povvring forth their Affections thoughts vpon vanities vselesse Studies or other sensuall Enterteinments are neuer able perfectly to enter into their Spirits and to find God there 9. But it is vvonderfull to reade of that depth of Recollectednes most profound Introuersion to vvhich some Ancient Solitary Religious Persons by long exercise of spirituall Prayer haue come In so much as they haue bene so absorpt euen drovvned in a deepe Contemplation of God that they haue not seene vvhat their eyes looked on nor felt vvhat othervvise vvould greiuously hurt them Yea to so habituall a State of attending only to God in their Spirit did some of them attaine that they could not though they had a mind therto oftimes fixe their thoughts vpon any other obieâ—t but God their Internall senses according as themselues haue described it hauing bene in an vnexpressible manner drawen into their Spirit and therein so svvallovved vp as to loose in a sort all other vse A most happy state in vvhich the Deuill cannot so much as fixe a seducing tentation or Image in their minds to distract them from God but on the contrary if he should attempt it that vvould be an occasion to plunge them deeper more intimely into God 10. And this vvas the effect of Pure Spirituall Contemplatiue Prayer The vvhich vvas not only practised by the Holy Ancient Hermites c. in most sublime Perfection But the exercise therof vvas their Chiefe most proper almost continuall Employment in so much as the Perfection therof vvas by them accounted the perfection of their State A larger proofe vvherof shall be reserued till vvee come to speake of Prayer For the present therfore I vvill content my selfe vvith a testimony or tvvo related by Cassian out of the mouthes
herselfe in the point of Gluttony And the maine mischeife of the tentation is preuented vvhen vvee are come to cast of the habituall affection to eating drinking especially to feasting the vvhich brings many inconueniences to an Internall liuer as 1. losse of time 2. Perill of intemperance other misbehauiour 3. Hurtfull distractions 4. Indisposition to Prayer 5. Intemperance likevvise in another vse of the tongue to vvit talking c. 4. Imperfecter soules therfore must make it their care in Refections to auoyd these speciall defects To vvit Eating or Drinking 1. Too much 2. With too great earnestnes 3. Too hastily preuenting the due times 4. Delicatly 5. With a precedent studiousnes to prouide pleasing meates c. In respect of the two first qualities or defects such soules may happen to offend vvho yet in a good measure haue attayned to a spirituall disesteeme neglect of those things that please sensuality For they on occasions may be tempted to eate vvith some excesse and ardour But rarely doe such offend in the follovving qualities 5. Now the Markes by vvhich a soule may discerne vvhether she haue in her a disaffection to sensuall pleasures are 1. If her chiefe delight esteeme be in Exercises of the Spirit that she diligently pursues them 2. If she seekes not after nor willingly admits extraordinary feastings 3. If being alone she does not entertaine herselfe vvith the thought of such things nor talks of them vvith gust 4. If when she is forced to take Refections she takes them as of necessity duty 5. If she could be content so that Gods vvill vvere such to be depriued of all things that might please tast c. 6. In case that necessary Ciuility shall oblige a spirituall person to be present at a feast he may doe vvell to be vvatchfull ouer himselfe at the beginning And this he may the more easily doe because then others being more eager to their meate vvill lesse marke him And to entertayne the time vvhich is ordinarily long let him chuse such meats as are the lightest of the easiest digestion For so doing he may both seeme to auoyd singularity in abstaining more then others yet in effect eate far lesse In a vvord let him goe thither vvith a mind affection to abstinence retaine such affection 7. This one vnauoydable misery there is in eating drinking hovv temperatly soeuer That a soule for such a time for some space aftervvards is forced to descend from that height of Spirit that she had attayned to by vertue of her precedent Recollection So that if before she had a sight experimentall perception that God was all herselfe nothing she vvill aftervvards haue no other sight of this but her ordinary sight of Faith by reason that her Spirits are more actiue her internall senses filled vvith Images vapours 8. Yet a soule is not to abridge herselfe of a necessary quantity in Refection for her Prayers sake or other Internall Exercises for that vvould for a long time after doe more harme to the spirit by too much enfeebling the body Neither is she to iudge that she has offended by excesse because she finds a heauines and perhaps some indigestion for some space after Refection For this may proceed from that debility of complexion vvhich ordinarily attends a spirituall life since as S. Hildegardis saith The loue of God doth not vsually dwell in robustious bodies 9. It is not our petty failings through frailty or ignorance and much losse our supposed failings iudged so by our scrupulosity that can cause God to be auerted from vs or that vvill hinder our vnion vvith him For for such defects vvee shall be attoaned vvith God in our next Recollections or it may be sooner But those are indeed preiudiciall defects vvhich proceede from a setled affection to sensuall obiects 10. To correct the vice of Eagernes in eating Abbot Isacius aduised his Monks that when they stretched forth their hands for the receiuing of their meate or drinke they should doe it with a certaine mentall vnwillingnes 11. Let euery one content himselfe vvith vvhat God by Superiours prouides for him accounting that hovv meane or course soeuer to be the very best for him not that vvhich cannot be procured vvithout sollicitude impatience Neither ought any to iustify or excuse his impatience out of an opinion of obligation that euery one has to take care of the body for the seruice of the spirit For the spirit is far more endammaged by such impatience sollicitude then any thing they can desire for the body can doe it good 12. Wee haue small reason to loue the body for it is that vvhich one way or other is the cause of almost all the sins vvhich the soule commits To cherish therfore satisfy its inordinate desires is to make prouision for sin as if our naturall corruption did not sufficiently incline vs therto 13. The infirmity of our body may sometimes require not only healthy but also well tasting meats not for the satisfying of our sensuality but the vpholding of our strength as S. Augustin saith In vvhich case meats of good rellish euen as such may be sought for yea ought to be so this for the recreating and comforting of nature And such corporall consolation may also haue a good effect vpon the Spirit But vvhere no such necessity is to seeke for such meates is against the Rules of Religious temperance And euen during such necessity to seeke them either vvith sollicitude or so as may be preiudiciall to the Community is contrary to Religious Pouerty Resignation 14. As many defects hindrances to spirituall progres doe flovv by occasions of Refection so on the contrary to vvell-minded soules it may be the occasion of some aduantages for their progresse in Spirit For 1. It obliges a soule to vvatch pray that she be not ouercome by the Tentation 2. It may giue occasion for the exercise of Patience in case of the vvant of things contentfull to nature as likevvise of temperance in the vse of them 3. The experience of our frequent excesses beyond true necessity may afford great matter for the Exercise of Humility 4. By the means of Resection there is giuen to soules certaine pausings diuersions from spirituall workings necessary to enable them making good vse therof to worke aftervvards more vigorously intensely 15. Vix perfectus discernit c. sâ—ith S. Gregory A perfect soule doth scarce discerne the secret Tentations subtle subreption of sensuality vrging soules to take more then necessity or obedience require the only light necessary for such discerning comes from internall Praier And moreouer till the soule by Praier be raysed aboue sensuality she cannot haue strength enough to resist all the inordinate desires therof vvhich she doth discerne And vvhen soules are arriued to Perfect Praier of Contemplation they oppose such desires rather by neglecting forgetting the body then by
direct combats against the appetits of it And only from the decay ignorance of such Praier hath it proceeded that spirituall Directours haue bene forced to multiply such so many nice obseruances about diet and other duties of our Rule All vvhich notvvithstanding vvithout Prayer haue but small effect to produce solide vertues in the soule 16. A soule perfectly spiritualized if she might haue her vvish vvould vvillingly be freed not only from all pleasures taken in Refections considering the dayly tentations to excesse but euen from the necessity of them being forced to cry out vvith Dauid De necessitatibus meis erue me Domine O Lord free mee from these my corporall necessities for vvere it not for them she might alvvaies like an Angell be in continuall Contemplation enioy a neuer-fayling internall light the vvhich is obscured by the fumes raysed euen by the most temperate Refections by vvhich also passions are in some degree quickned Such soules may indeed properly be said to haue a disaffection to Refection And the best vvay besides out of Prayer to beget such disaffection to preuent the harmes that may come from any corporall necessities vvill be not only to practise the mortifying of sensuall contentment in going to the Refectory but vpon serious consideration of the Tentations there to be found to goe vvith a kind of vnvvillingnes feare 17. A most noble kind of Mortification in Refection is that mencioned by Harphius of a certaine Holy Brother of the Order of S. Francis called Rogerius vvho by meanes of eleuating the povvers of his soule suspending them in God during Refection lost all perception of tast in eating vvhen he found himselfe vnable so to eleuate his soule he vvould for so long forbeare to eate of any thing that might afford any gust But this practise belongs only to the Perfect it may proue preiudiciall dangerous to the ordinary sort of lesse perfect soules or any that haue not an especiall certaine Inspiration to imitate it 18. The like may be sayd of the manner of Mortification practised by some of the Ancient Hermits vvho vsed to mixe a fevv droppes of oyle esteemed by them a great delicacy vvith their vinegar to the end therby to prouoke the appetite to desire more the vvhich they denied to it Or of another vvho hauing receiued a bunch of grapes ravenously deuoured them partly to make the gustfull pleasure so much the shorter partly as he said to cousen the deuill to vvhom he desired to appeare a glutton 19. A soule that practises Internall Prayer may content herselfe vvith a moderate Attention to vvhat is read during Refection And the like may be sayd of that part of the Office vvhich in some Communities is sayd immediatly after Dinner Because too earnest an Attention and Recollectednes at such times vvould preiudice the Head and Stomack A Soule therfore may esteeme this to be as a time of Desolation as indeed there is some resemblance 20. Concerning the vse of Physick cautions to be vsed about it some Instructions shall be giuen in the last Treatise vvhere vvee come to speake hovv a soule is to behaue herselfe in regard of her Prayer during Sicknes 21. Lastly the matter of Sleepe is not vvnvvorthy the eare of a Spirituall Person For certaine it is that a full repast doth not so much plunge a soule in sensuality nor so indispose her for Spirituall Exercises as a long profound Sleepe From vvhence euen a perfect soule vvill not be able to raise herselfe into Exercises of the Spirit vvithout much difficulty long striuing 22. And on these grounds doubtlesse it vvas that the Miâ—night Office vvas appointed to the end to interrupt Sâ—eepe Yea anciently the three Nocturnes vvere therfore diuided namely to preuent the immersing of soules in sensuall Nature 23. For imperfect soules it may be very preiudiciall for them to be depriued of a conuenient measure of Sleepe Yet it is 〈◊〉 â—eing it should be interrupted It is liâ—evvise good for them to goe to bed vvith an affection desire so be early vp for such an affection vvill cause their Sleepe to be mixed vvith a litle Sollicitude the vvhich vvill dispose them both to vvake sooner and to rise vvith lesse vnvvillingnes 24. In case that one being in Bed cannot sleepe it is vâ—ry dangerous to continue in a State of mere negligence Idlenes because then not only vaine but veâ—y hurtfull pernicious thoughts vvill be apt to presse into the mind For a preuention or remedy against vvhich I should by no meanes aduise one to betake himselfe to any seriously Recollected thoughts or exercises of Deuotion for that vvould quite hinder Sleepe for the future and spoile the next Daies Recollections The like I say of the time immediatly going before Bed-time But in case they be simply Vaine Thoughts that then vvander vnsetledly in his mind let him not vvillingly pursue them but rather neglect them Wheras if they be sinfull Imaginations set him as vvell as he can diuert quietly his mind from them and novv then vvithout much force lift vp his mind vnto God or vse some familiar Praiers or say the Beades vvithout much forced Attention yet more Attention is required against Sinfull then vaine thoughts 25. As for Perfect soules their Praier in such a Case vvill lesse hinder Sleepe by reason it is both so pure so facile that it is become almost as Naturall as breathing performed vvithout any agitation of the Spirits or reuoluing of Images in the Internall senses CHAP. VII § 1. Of the Mortification of Anger by Patience § 2. 3. 4. 5. Here is treated of Smaller Impatiences cheifly scarce obseruable but by Recollected liuers § 6. Patience to be exercised at all times Euen in Ioy Prosperity § 7. 8. 9. Wee ought to aspire to an Indifference § 10. Patience towards God afflicting vs is easier then towards Man § 11. 12. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Seauen Degrees of Patience § 19. Examples of seemingly Extrauagant kinds of Patience c. § 20. Praier the only Efficacious Instrument to get Patience § 21. All Actions except actuall Praier are in some degree defectuous 1. THE next Passion to be mortified is Anger the vvhich vvhosoeuer vvillingly suffers to arise increase or that deliberatly yeilds to trouble of mind for any matter that concernes the Body Health Fortunes Life c yea or pretended soules good such an one really makes more esteeme of them then of the solide good of his Soule For as far as Anger gets a Maistery ouer him so far he looses that Dominion that his Soule ought to haue ouer all other things puts Reason out of its Throne Herupon our Sauiour sayth In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras That is By Patience yee shall keepe the Possession of your Soules as implying that by Impatience vvee loose that possession And vvhat greater losse can vvee haue Hence it is also that
due regard be had to the body that it be not too much preiudiced by the exercises of the spirit performed vvith ouermuch violence impetuosity And this not so much for the bodies sake as the spirits the vvhich since in this life it cannot worke vvithout the body by too violent vvorkings it may so weaken the body as that it vvill not be enabled for continuance so those little short gaines vvhich are gott by a few impetuous Exercises vvill be dearly bought by an incapacity of coÌ„tinuing them contracted in both soule body Wee must neither stretch our vnderstandings to high seekings least vvee be plunged thereby in Internall darkenes from vvhich vvould proceede intolerable perplexities Neither must vvee force the affectioÌ„s euen to good obiects too much nor suffer them to flovv vvith too violent a streame nor lastly must vvee exhaust bodily strength by vnnecessary externall Austerities 4. As for the painfullnes troubles vneasines to nature that vvithout too much debility doth accompany spirituall exercises those may vvell enough be digested considering the vnspeakable benefits seruice that they produce vnto the soule And yet for our comfort this vneasines vvill by custome constancy continually diminish for as Harphius obserues a soule after long practise of Eleuations of spirit vvill come to such a facility in them that they vvilll become as it vvere naturall to her And herein vvee may obserue the vvonderfull vvisedome goodnes of the diuine Prouidence ouer soules hovv he tempers the exercises of the spirit to the Exigence of the body For vvhile the body being vigorous is able to endure more he giues her ruder more laborious exercises But vvhen by long-continued vvorkings it is become so feeble that any violent Intention of the spirit or rude externall mortifications of vvhich there is no need vvould ouer-vvhelme it then the exercises are most easy peaceable silent serene yet infinitely more full of vertue then formerly 5. Novv the peculiar vertue by vvhich all harmfull inconueniences either to the body or spirit may be auoyded is that supernaturall Discretion by vvhich a soule is enabled to hold a Meane auoyde the vicious Extremes in the practising of all spirituall duties It is iustly called a supernaturall vertue because God only can bestovv it for all the vvitt Philosophy in the vvorld are but meere folly blindnes in these matters And this he does principally by the meanes of Prayer vvith the vse of requisite Abstraction attendance to his diuine Inspirations vvhereby vvee shall receiue a Celestiall habituall light to direct vs in all things suitably to our ovvne particular dispositions abilities for no one man can in all matters be a Rule vnto another 6. Novv as touching a particular application of this supernaturall Discretion to the exercises of an Internall life much hath already bene set dovvne dispersedly in these Treatises I vvill therfore only point at some fevv considerations vvhich in the practise of the seuerall Duties of a Contemplatiue life doe regard this Mistresse of all vertues Discretion vvhich surely deserues aboue all other to be purposely by it selfe treated of in as much as vvithout it all other Vertues are imprudent that is not vertues at all 7. First therfore in regard of the duty of Mortification I speake now only of necessary Mortifications of vvhich kind all are to be esteemed that come from God either immediately or by meanes of others especially Superiours a soule is to esteeme those Mortifications vvhich a Superiour beyond the Rule shall voluntarily impose vpon the subiect to be to the subiect himselfe necessary hovveuer voluntary to the Superiour 8. Novv Superiours ought rarely to impose such kind of Mortifications on their subiects because so many circumstaÌ„ces are required to make them vvell imposed that a great measure of illumination from God is requisite for those that practise the imposing of them For 1. The Superiour must euidently see that the subiect in probability vvill make good vse of them 2. And that though they may doe the subiect good some one vvay yet they vvill not harme him more another 3. He must take heed that others be not scandalised thereby 9. The like circumstances are to be obserued by a particular person that vvould voluntarily assume mortifications For vvant of vvhich point of Discretion Harphius saith That such kind of strange odde and uncouth mortifications as are imposed practised in some Communities ought not to be voluntarily assumed as if with a designe therefore to be despised by another 10. The Authour of the Abridgment of Perfection iustly imputes Indiscretion to those who will neuer giue rest to nature but will alâ—wayes haue some crosse or other Exteriour or Interiour by which to mortify Nature For saith he the highest Perfection is not to desire to be allwaies suffring but to be content to suffer all that by Gods Prouidence shall befall vs. The vvhich contentment is taken avvay by that continuall anxiety vvhich those must suffer that vvill needs be allvvaies vpon the rack 11. In like manner Harphius taxes those that thinke â—hemselues ready for afflictions complaine that they â—vant occasions to exercise their Resignation For â—ives he to such an one thou deceiuest thy selfe by â—ide God does see that as yet thou art not indeed ready strong enough for extraordinary trialls for if he did he would not faile to furnish thee with occasions He will send an Angell from heauen on purpose to exercise a soule rather then she would want Mortifications for her good Therefore let soules neuer be sollicitous nor set themselues to deuise or procure mortifications as if they thought that God had forgotten them Notable examples of this Prouidence of God may be seene in the life of Thaulerus vvhere likevvise vvee read hovv God reprehended the Lay-man that conuerted Thaulerus in his sleepe for certaine assumed voluntary corporall Austerities To this purpose there is a memorable passage in the life of Suso coÌ„cerning a spirituall daughter of his vvho of herselfe vvas disposed to haue vndertaken some great corporall mortifications but vvas disswaded by Suso although himselfe by a speciall Call from God did vse very violent sharpe ones In the vvhich Discourse there are many excellent Documents very vvell deseruing to be perused by the deuout Reader 12. Let a soule therfore seriously practise that Mortification of Mortifications vvhich is pure Internall Prayer vvith it ioyne a diligent good vse of those Mortifications attending her state of life or sent her othervvise from God not omitting those most efficacious Internall mortifications by Acts of humiliation Annihilation of herselfe so doing she vvill haue little reason to complaine of vvant of exercise of this vertue For Corporall Austerities doe not by the excesse of them but by the fitnes proportion to the soules present disposition perfectionate an Internall liver So that some in firme but sincerely affected persons doe aduance themselues more by ordinary trifling
ouer our Passions that they breake not forth so as to indispose vs euen for present Recollection much lesse for the appoynted Recollection vvhich is to follovv 6. Such as doe practise Mortification in a measure suitable to their state therby rooting out those inordinate Assections vvhich cause distraction in Prayer are hindrances to a state of recollectednes For as that fundamentall Precept of louing God obliges a soule at least neuer to doe any thing contrary therto so does that of Prayer oblige that vvee should allvvaies be in a disposition readines to it 20. Therfore let soules consider in vvhat an vnsecure and dangerous state they remaine that content themselues vvith a fevv heartles distracted Vocall Prayers Since not any tentation can be resisted without an Actuall Exercise of Prayer that the best Prayer that the soule can make Besides it is not with Prayer as vvith other Arts or habits A student by cessation from study doth not presently loose nor so much as diminish the knowledge that he had before But a soule that is not in Actuall Prayer or at least in an immediate disposition an habituall desire of Prayer sinkes presently into nature looses much of that strength that she had formerly There are not alvvaies occasions to exercise particular vertues as Temperance Patience Chastity c Because Tentations doe not alvvaies assault vs But vvee may alvvaies pray alvvaies vvee haue need so to doe For a soule except she be in Prayer or that the vertue of Prayer be aliue in her is in a state of Distraction disunion from God consequently exposed to all manner of enemies being vvithall depriued of the only meanes to resist them so that the dangers miseries of an vnrecollected life are inexplicable CHAP. V. § 1. The second condition requisite in Affectiue Prayer to wit Feruour or Deuotion § 2. 3. 4. The seate of this Deuotion is not necessarily the Sensitiue part of the soule § 5. 6. 7. Of a twofold sensible Deuotion § 7. It is neither to be neglected nor too much prised § 8. 9. Certaine Exteriour Effects of sensible Deuotion from which great inconueniences may ensue § 10. Sensible Deuotion no sure signe of true grace A fearfull example thereof § 11. 12. 23. What vse Imperfect soules are to make of it § 14. Feares are to be repressed § 15. Perfect soules in small danger by it § 16. Of the Prayer of Aridity quite contrary to sensible yet not to true Deuotion § 17. 18. 19. The excellent Benefits that may come from the Prayer of Aridity § 20. The causes of Aridities § 21 22. Vocall Prayer meditation not so much subiect therto § 23. 24. More good comes from Prayer of Aridity courageously pursued then from the Prayer of sensible Deuotion § 25. The superiour soule its good disposition does not depend on the temper of sensitiue nature § 26. 27. Meanes to beget courage in the Prayer of Aridity § 25. How a soule is to behaue herselfe in the most violent Distresses in Prayer § 29. The Prayer exercised by imperfect soules during Aridities is not properly in spirit 1. AS 1. Prayer for the quantity or extension of it is to be incessant at least the vertue of it is to be an ingredient in all other vvorkes vvhether they be study labour conuersation c. the vvhich may be vvithout any preiudice at all to the vvorke yea to the great improuement supernaturalizing of it so far that vvhere Prayer is vvanting the most specious workes are of no value at all so in the next place 2. As to the Quality or Intension of it it ought to be instantissima sayth our Holy Father in Prolog with all possible feruour earnestnes For Prayer being the most immediate most perfect Act of Charity to God ought like Charity it selfe to procede ex toto corde ex tota anima ex totis viribus from the whole heart the whole soule the whole strength Therfore as he offends against the precept of Charity that employes either his spirit sensitiue soule or corporall strength on any thing but God or vvhich has respect to God his loue or glory So if in our Prayer vvee doe vvillingly suffer our thoughts to vvander vpon any thing but God or if vvee harbour any desire in sensitiue nature that vvould hinder the free tendance of our spirit to God in Prayer or if vvee employ our corporall strength about any other matter but such as may ought to be intended for God in our Prayers vvee doe so far neglect to correspond to this duty of Feruour Instance vvhich ought to be in Prayer 2. Notvvithstanding this is not so to be vnderstood as if vvee vvere obliged either to employ our corporall forces or members or to force our sensible Affections to concurre in our Prayers to God or as if God did require that this Feruour should allvvaies be in Sensitiue nature For that is not alvvaies in our povver yea on the contrary the sensuall part moves often against our vvills being insensible auerse impatient of accompanying our spirituall Actuations vvhich commonly doe mortify contradict the desires of nature 2. And moreouer vvhen sensible Feruour deuotion doth insinuate it selfe in our recollections especially in imperfect soules it does rather indanger to depresse the operations of the spirit then aduance them does perhaps more nourish selfe-loue then contribute to the increase of Diuine loue 3. It is sufficient therfore if this Feruour be in our Superiour vvill alone though sensitiue nature seeme to partake nothing of it So that our Prayers may then be said to be Instant feruorous vvhen the Will out of a vvorthy high esteeme of this most necessary most excellent Duty resolutely vvith perseuerance pursues them notvvithstanding any contradictions in nature or discouragements from vvithout for that must needs be a great feruour of spirit that contradicts the contrary malignant feruour of nature vnderualevves all sensible case contentment compared vvith the spirituall good that is caused by Prayer 4. This is that good Quality vvhich our Sauiour in the Parable of him who at midnight went to his neighbour to borrow three loaues of bread for the entertainment of a freind that was then arriued calls by a homely name to vvit Improbitatem or as it is in the Originall Impudence The vvhich quality notvvithstanding he requires in our prayers to God promises an infallible successe thereto Novv that Improbity or impudence implies an importunate earnestnes a resolution to take no deniall nor to stand vpon nice ciuilities but ra her then to returne empty to force out a grant euen by wearying out the person to vvhom vvee addresse our selues So that it includes both a great feruour an vncessant perseuerance in such feruour The vvhich is in a high degree in those vvho spend their vvhole liues as it vvere in one continuall Prayer yea in one only petition
vvhich is to be vnited in vvill affection to God only 5. These therfore being tvvo qualities requisite in Prayer 1. Earnestnes or feruour 2. perseuerance both vvhich are likevvise included in the tearme Instantissima giuen to Prayer by our holy Father Imperfect soules vvill be apt to suspect oftimes that their Prayers are vnefficacious as being depriued of these conditions 1. The former vvhen they doe not perceiue a tendernes melting Deuotion in sensitiue Nature 2. And the later they vvill feare is vvanting vvhâ—nsoeuer they find themselues though vnvvillingly distracted Therfore to the end to preuent mistakes that a right iudgment may be made of these two to vvit sensible Deuotion Distractions I vvill treate of them both shevving vvhat good or ill effects may proceede from the former And vvhat remedies may be applied to hinder any inconueniences from the latter 6. There is a twofold sensible Deuotion 1. The first is that vvhich vvee novv speake of vvhich is found in good but imperfect soules it begins in sensitiue nature causing great tendernesses there froÌ„ theÌ„ce it mounts vp to the spirit producing good melting affections to God especially in discoursiue Prayer to the Humanity suffrings of our Lord 2. Another sensible Deuotion there is of perfect soules the which begins in the spirit abounding there ouer-flovves by communication descends into Inferiour sensitiue nature causing like effects to the former Now there is little neede to giue cautions of Instructions concerning the vse of this Because Perfect soules walking in a cleare light being established in a generous Loue of the Superiour vvill tovvards God are not in danger to be transported vvith the pleasing effects vvhich it is apt to produce in Inferiour nature nor to fall into spirituall Gluttony by vvhich their affections may be vvithdravvn from God fixed on such meane Gifts of his as these are That therfore vvhich I shall here speake concerning Sensible Deuotion is to be applied vnto that vvhich is fouÌ„d in soules lesse perfect for for such only all these Instructions vvere meant 7. Suâ—h soules then are to be informed That though sensible Deuotion be indeed at the first a good gift of God intended by him for their encouragement aduancement in his pure loue As it is therfore not to be neglected so neither is it ouer highly to be prised For as very good effects may flovv from it being vvell discreetely vsed so on the contrary vvithout such discretion it may proue very pernicious endangering to plunge them more deeply in selfe-loue corrupt nature in vvhich it is much immersed And so it vvould produce an effect directly contrary to that for which Prayer was ordained A soule therfore is to separate that which is good proffitable in such Deuotion from that which is imperfect dangerous renouncing mortifying this latter with discretion giuing way making her proffit of the other 8. The speciall signes effects of such sensible Deuotion are oftimes very conspicuous in the Alteration caused by it in corporall nature dravving teares from the eyes procuring heate and reddnes in the face springing motions in the heart like to the leaping of a fiâ—h in the waters saith Harphius And in some it causes so perceiueable an opening and shutting in the heart saith he that it may be heard And from such vnusuall Motions agitations about the heart a windy vapour will now then mount vp to the head causing a pricking paine there the which if the head be not strong may continue a good space yea if good care be not taken to interrupt such impetuosities of the spirits the blood vvill first boyle aftervvards vvill grovv thicke and â—â—ngealed incapable of motion And this once hapâ—â—â—ng the invvard sweetnesses formerly felt vvill be turned into sadnes deiection and stupidity thence vvill follovv complaints that the soule is forsaken of God yea she vvill be in danger desperately to renounce all further seeking of God And the more that she shall endeauour to recouer her former sensible affections the farther vvill she be from it impatience for this vvill render her still more indisposed more darkened in the vnderstanding more stupified in her affections 9. Novv all these inconueniences proceede from selfe-loue a too gluttonous delectation in sensible sweetnesses The vvhich if they be accompanied vvith any extraordinary Visits there vvill follovv it is to be feared yet far more dangerous effects in vnprepared soules the vvhich vvill probably take occasion from thence to nourish Pride in themselues a contempt of others 10. To abate the too high esteeme that vnwary soules may haue of this sensible feruour deuotion it may be obserued that it is not allvvaies a signe of a good disposition or holines in the soule for vvee reade of seuerall impious persons that haue enioyed it so History makes mention of a certaine vvicked Tyrant called William Prince of Iuliers hovv at his deuotions in the midnight of our Lords Natuity he twice or thrice felt so great an internall svveetnes in diuine visitations that he professed aftervvard that he vvould be content to purchase vvith the losse of halfe his dominion such another consolation Yet after his death it vvas reueiled to a certaine Holy person that he vvas in hell condemned to torments equall to those that that vvicked persecuting Imperour Maxentius suffred 11. The roote of such sensible svveetnesses is oftentimes a mere naturall temper of body Yea by Gods permission the Deuill also vvill be forvvard enough to raise increase it in immortified selfe-vvilled soules knovving that they vvill make ill vse of it either to the augmenting of their pride or to a presumptuous vndertaking of mortifications aboue their strength by vvhich in a short time their spirits vvill be so exhausted their forces enfeebled that they vvill become vnable any more to correspond vvith diuine Grace euen in duties necessarily belonging to their Profession And vvhen this happens then all sweetnes of Deuotion ceases in place therof succeede Anguishes scrupulosities pusillanimity perhaps euen desperation Therfore vvell-minded soules are to take speciall care of preuenting these effects of sensible deuotion the vvhich vvithout great vigilance they are in danger to incurre And thereupon Harphius aduises earnestly such to moderate vvith discretion the violent impulses of their internall desires to God for saith he if they shall allvvaies to the vtmost extent of their ability pursue them they vvill find themselues in a short time quite exhausted disabled to performe euen easyer and more necessary obligations 12. The true vse benefit therfore that imperfect soules ought to make of sensible Deuotion vvhen God sends it is this That without resting much on it or forcing themselues to continue it they should make it an instrument to fortify establish the solide true loue esteeme of God in the superiour soule to coÌ„firme an vnshaken resolution in themselues neuer