te nox sicut dies illuminabitur sicut tenebrae eius it a lumen eius Darknes shall not be hidden to thee and the night shall shine as the day the light and the darknes shall bee alike and Egredietur diabolus ante pedâ—â— eius The diuell shall goe foorth before his feef as being troden vnder the same by such obedience Ante faciem eius ibit mors Death shall goe before his face as being beaten away by the life which is this will and by the great light wherwith hee is cloathed and life wherwith his spirit is filled And this is the true actiue and contemplatiue life to weet not separated as many take it but ioined togeather making of works exterior interior of temporall spirituall of obscure illuminated and finally which so ioineth in one and the same worke contemplation with the action and that without preiudice or hinderance one of another wherof wee will speake more amply in her due place Hovv six degrees are contained in this Intention that sayth I vvill doe this for the only vvill of God Of the first degree CHAP. VIII THIS rule therfore thus obserued of things commaunded forbidden and indifferent with those other obseruations therunto adioyned the vvill of God shall euery whear in all things appeare most plainly and so it resteth that wee doe the same by the practise of the aboue said generall rule in the third chapter expressed namely that wee doe all things for this end of the vvill of God and neuer begin any worke whether it be exterior or interior corporall or spirituall in repelling vice or acquiring vertue be it a thing commaunded forbidden or indiffereÌ„t be it naturall or supernaturall little or greate finally be it whatsoeuer wee neuer I say begin to doe it till wee haue first addressed our intention vnto God sayeng by word and thought or at least by thought from the bottome of our heart O Lord I will doe this or I will suffer I will resist or will pursue c. this thing only for thy will and pleasure But that the puritie and perfection of this intention may be the better vnderstood and the deuout soule may more cleerly discerne and more easily expell all impuritie which no lesse secretly then commonly doth contaminate the same wee will declare it more plainly This intention therfore which saith I will doe or suffer this or that only for the vvill of God containeth six degrees or perfections to weet Actually Onely VVillingly Cleerly Assuredly Speedily And this intention with these six degrees hath bein figured by the six degrees of SalomoÌ„s Throne in these words King Salomon built a Throne of Iuory and couered it vvith shining gold vvhich had six degrees and the topp therof vvas rovvnd in the hinder part and tvvoe handles on each side vpholding the seat and on each handle tvvoe lyons and on each side of the degrees tvvelue little 〈◊〉 such a vvorke vvas not to be fovvnd in any kingdome This king Salomon is Iesus Christ whoe worthily may attribute vnto himselfe this name SalomoÌ„ which signifieth peaceable seing hee bringeth peace to the soule wherin hee maketh his aboad for Factus est in pace locus eius His dwelling is in peace Now in the soule as in his pallace hee hath made a throne of white Iuory of pure intention and diuine will large to be capable of his diuine maiestie garnishing it with fine gold of perfect charitie This throne hath the six foresaid degrees of which wee are to treat The topp of this Throne or compleat perfection of intention is rownd without end or limit to weet Perpetuall in the hinder part which looketh towards the other world and life eternall for though the fore parte of the Intention which regardeth vs hath a beginning yet that which is behind hidden from vs which looketh towards God and eternitie shall neuer haue end for Charitas non excidit Charitie hath no fall But which is the seate of this th one wherin God reposeth himself if not constant perseuerance of which seate is said Sedes tua Deus in saeculum saeculi Thy seat ô God remaineth for euer The twoe handles which vphold the seate are the twoe parts of strength which are according to S. Thomas Aggredi and Sustinere To vndertake and sustaine or to doe and suffer which handles firmely support this seate of Perseuerance not permitting it to fall One was at the one end to weet to Vndertake at the beginning the other at the other end to weet to Sustaine at the end The fower lyons are the fower Cardinall vertues or rather the fowre principall partes of the soule the vnderstanding the will the powers irascible and concupiscible the twelue little lyons are the eleuen Passions of the mind with Discretion which doth tame them and of lyons and furious beasts make them domesticall and seruiceable They were vpon the degrees because being well gouerned they maintaine and preserue them They were six on each side because six of these passions haue their residence in the Concupiscible powre and six in the Irascible placing thear Discretion Loe then this mysticall throne O glorious th one ô maiesticall seate ô sublime intention ô diuine worke of great Salomon It is not without good reason said of thee that no kingdome can afford they like ô throne which beautifieth the soule geuing her to vnderstand this sweet inuitation of God sayeng Veni electa mea ponam in te thronum meum Come my elect and I will place my throne in thee Oh holie intention and throne of God whear hee sitteth to renue in the soule all things therin contained according as is written Dixit qui sedebat in throno Ecce noua facio omnia Hee whoe sate in the throne sayd Behold I make all things new Lett vs consider therfore the compleat perfection of this throne ascending by order the degrees therof The first wherof is Actually by which is meant an actuall remembrance of this vvill of God which consisteth in lifting vp our mynd to the same and rectifieng our intention according therunto by which degree of Remembrance is excluded all obliuion of this will whensoeuer wee begin any thing spirituall or corporall which is a common fault causing an infinit losse and depriuing vs of an vnspeakable treasure of the light of grace and of an vnknowne waight of merit Yet to eschew this extremitie of Obliuion a man must not fall into the contrarie excesse of ouermuch Remembrance in multiplyeng so many acts and rectifieng so often his intention as to trouble the braine And therfore when I say that a man must direct his intention in all works I meane not of euery little action done by euery part and sence of the body or power of the soule but of such works as are distinguished and separated in them selfes but particularly and aboue all wee must not forget those which wee feele to please or displease nature
to the interior nor to the diuinitie partlie doing or suffering that which hee did or suffered but not as hee did or suffered enduring in some sort with the Sonne heer on earth but not for the will of the father which is in heauen because they haue not this end of Gods will which is so excellent that the Angells haue no better nor any other end then that and is such that it maketh not only our prayers and painfull works or suffrings agreable to God but also our works that be pleasant and delightfull as is aboue said being done syncerely without all fayning for this end and intention VVherfore when any hard thing presenteth it self to be done or suffered let a man doe or suffer the same for this diuine will and so hee shall cloath himself with the Passion of our Sauiour as being the same verie will in such things difficile and shall perfectly imitate him in both the sayd poynts of suffering and of the true end of suffering A particular meanes for Beginners hovv to enter into the practise of this rule and hovv a man may keepe himself therin and greatly fructifie and goe for vvard in the same CHAP. XVII BVT because this rule and exercise consisteth cheifly in interior practise and in the discerning of the motions of our heart which are hardly discouered at the beginning and because through slowth and forgetfulnes aswell the Beginners as others let passe much tyme yea sometymes many howres of the day without practising the same Therfore aswell to open the way to Beginners and to make them an entrance to the practise therof as also to excitate the slacknes and help the forgetfulnes of others I will in fewe lines lay downe some particular meanes wherin all may profitably exercise themselfes as leading the beginners as it were by the hand to the true knowledge of their heart and interiour and to the perfect practise of the same exercise putting both them and the others in mind of their dutie and fidelitie inciting and spurring them forward to the faythfull practise therof Let him therfore that practiseth this Rule lay downe a taske euerie day binding himself therto not by the band of any kind of synne mortall or veniall but by a full and resolute purpose to mortifie and renounce himself for the vvill of God some certaine tymes as thrice fiue or ten tymes according to his seruour and deuotion which abnegations or mortifications shal be taken or practised by any sence facultie or power either of body or soule Of the body as by the fiue sences seing hearing smelling tasting and touching by doing or suffering that which is contrarie or vnpleasant to the same as when hee desireth to see any curious thing behold any beautifull person looke on any delightfull place as pleasant gardins faire castles sumptuous and costly buildings or finally any other thing gratefull to the sight yea and when hee desireth curiously to cast his eyes this way or that way wherby hee is distracted from thinking of God in all which cases hee ought to mortifie his sight by renouncing therin his will for the only vvill of God In like maner when hee desireth to heare any pleasant musick sweet instrument delightfull song curious and strange newes and reports and whatsoeuer is agreable to the eare Also when hee would tast some delicate meats delicious drinkes pleasant fruits or whatsoeuer hee findeth to be delightfull to the tast though in it self the thing be not pretious or rare The like wee say touching smelling to which a man ought to denie all perfumes and other extraordinarie pleasant things In all which cases I say a man may haue matter and take occasion often in the day to renounce himself for the vvill of God in leauing the pleasure of such things according to the Rules aboue said offering them vp willingly as a sacrifice to God sayeng with the Prophet Voluntarè sacrisicabotibi I will voluntarily offer vp sacrifice vnto thee And the same wee say of the things which are contrarie to the said sences namely which be vnpleasant to be seene disagreable to the â—are noysome to smell vnsauorie to tast rude and austere to touche And to this purpose our father S. Francis sayd that hee was so dayly conuersant with the leapers exhibiting vnto them offices of charitie that both according to reason and to his exterior sences it seemed to him a pleasant and sweet thing to be amongst them whose sight in the beginning hee did abhorre And wee reade also of diuers Saints of both sexes which did kisse and licke the sores and vlcers of poor men though perhaps these examples be left vs rather to be admired then imitated except it be by like particular diuine inspiration but although they doe not serue vs for imitation yet at least may they suffice for condemnation of the delicat nicenesse and also of the disdaine and hard heartednesse of those of this tyme whoe can not abide to see them much lesse assist them As touching the powers of the soule one may likewise take ther of his exercise of mortification as of the Intelligence in renouncing for this vvill of God some curious discours or speculation or some mundaine idle and vaine thoughts wherin hee taketh pleasure and delight Also of the Memorie in expelling all thoughts of iniuries contempts disgraces and mockeries as also of all dishonest words discourses sports pleasures and pastimes and all dishonest acts Likewise by mortifieng the VVill in all her intemperate passions and disordinate affectioÌ„s which according to the Philosopher are eleuen to weet loue desire ioy respecting good hatred detestation and sadnes respecting euill which six passioÌ„s appertaine to the partie Concupiscible Also hope dispaire feare audacitie and wrath which fiue haue their resideÌ„ce in the Irascible parte All which passions Boetius and S. Thomas after him doe reduce to â—oure namely vaine Ioy vaine feare vaine hope and vaine Sadnes in these verses Tu quoquè si vis Lumine claro Cernere verum Gaudia pelle Pelle timorem Spemquè fugato Nec dolor adsit That is if thow wilt cleerly see the truth driue away Ioy put of Feare flie Hope and auoid Greife To this mortification of the will appertaineth also resistance to all temptation of synne to weet of the capitall synnes with all their branches As of pride which is the head of all the other seuen deadly synns of vaine glorie with all her branches which are bosting hypocrisie contention pertinacie discord susurration detraction ioy of the euill and sadnes of the good of his neighbour of wrath with her ofspring of indignation heart swelling clamour blasphemie contumely debate and fighting of Sloath with her progenie of malice rancor pusillanimitie dispaire negligence and distraction of Couetousnes with her euill race of treason fraud in trafficke violence deceipt in words periurie vnquietnes and hardnes of heart of gluttonie with her children of foolish ioy scurrilitie
things commaunded forbidden and indifferent For the first sort whether hee hath donâ— the things coÌ„maunded by any lawe custome commandement or intention of his superiorâ— master father or mother and the same weâ—â— say in like maner of things forbidden But as touching the third sort of thingâ— namely indifferent being neither commaunded nor forbidden by any such lawe leâ—â— him examin himself whether hee hath done admitted or receiued those whicâ— were against proper will and sensualitie and contrariewise reiected and forsaken those which were agreable to the same true discretion alwayes presupposed Farther touching things indifferent aswâ—â— in respect of commaundement as of proper will and sensualitie as being neither commaunded nor yet contrarie nor agreable to proper will and sensualitie let him take heed whether hee hath therin directed his intention according to this Rule and not done them without any intention For the things commaunded which are pleasant to sensualitie or self loue as to eate drinke to visit such places or persons as hee desireth and the like let him examin himself whether hee hath produced interiour acts of the will against such pleasure and contentment And the like touching the things forbidden which are disagreable to sence and selfe will whether he hath produced such acts and so hath done the one and left vndone the other for the vvill of God But if after such interior acts such delectation and contentment remaine then whether hee hath still remayned firme in the superior part of his soule in doing the same for the vvill of God and taken such pleasure for paine and as the crosse of Christ and true vvill of God as is taught after the midst of the seauenth Chapter Moreouer let him examin him self touching the six degrees of the mysticall throne of pure intention and first if hee haue actually eleuated his intention in all these things or whether hee hath forgotteÌ„ the same yet without his coÌ„trarie excesse of multiplieng to many acts to the preiudice of the stomacke or braine also without troubling himself with scruples and anxietie of mind as though hee had committed some great synne when hee findeth himself to haue much failed therin for this falte will happen verie often Secondly whether hee hath done them only for this will or whether it hath beinâ— mingled with some other end either bad or imperfect Thirdlie whether it hath bein willingly with alacritie of mind or with sadnes and heauines Fourthly whether it hath bein accompanied with assurance or whether with hesitation doubting whether the things so done were the verie vvill of God because it seemed of small valew or els agreable to sence on finally because it seemed vile and abiect Fiftly if hee beheld this vvill of God cleerly with a liuely fayth without dullnes or as it were sleepines or slownes of fayth Sixtly if all these degrees of perfection were speedily accomplished that is if at the beginning of the worke hee thus directed his intention or if not whether hee did it as least before the worke was finished Seauenthly if by stable perseuerance oâ— this perfect intention the soule hath prepareâ— in herself a seat for king Salomon her celestiaâ— spouse and that by meanes of the twoe wayeâ— layd downe to that effect Also if in doing or suffering the foresaid things hee employed himself in examining his intention sifting out continually the imperfections therof and finally in viewing whether it was established on these six degres and thus much touching the generall and continuall practise of this part Besides the which let him examin whether hee hath taken in hand and vsed the meanes taught in the sixteenth chapter wherby to enter the better into this practise according to which meanes let him see if hee hath stinted himself euery day to a certaine number of mortifications either touching the fiue sences of the boddie or the three powers of the soule according as is thear taught taking those occasions of this mortification which are thear layd downe As touching Prayer let him examin himself whether therin hee hath taken this only vvill of God for the end of his intention not seeking any proper pleasure or contentment And if any man at the first vnderstand not or in practise doe not remember any of the points of this examination let him see it more at large in the exercise it self which hee shall easily find out by the chapters heer noted in the margin VVhich examination whoesoeuer shall dayly vse so exacting of himself continually the due and faythfull practise of this exercise shall no doubt in verie short tyme attaine to true perfection But it is a thing most assured that by this examination a man shall find himself to haue often tymes fayled heerin in forgetting this vvill of God and not directing his intention in his works yea some shall find that all day long they haue verie seldome so done and verie little practised this exercise wherof experimented practise in others affording foreknowledge I admonish and aduise the Reader before hand that when hee findeth it in hiâ— self hee think it not strange nor be any whiâ—â— discouraged therat but with all constanciâ— goe forward aswell because that dayly exercise will yeild the faythfull habit of such practise more familiar in him as also because that though hee so often forget this practise yet shall hee doe much more good and profit spiritually by those few tymes in which heâ— shall so direct his intention and shal be more illuminated in the knowledge of God and himself then by any other practised all day long by reason of the great merit of such 〈◊〉 deiforme intention and the light therofâ— which like vnto a Sonne being in our interiour howse leadeth vs vnto the sight of God aud discouereth all the fowllnes 〈◊〉 the passions affections and disorder of our soule Heer endeth the first parte of the Rule of Perfection Laus Deo THE RVLE OF PERFECTIONâ— OF THE INTERIOVR VVILL OF GOD. CONTAYNING THE CONTEMTLATIVE LYFE THE SECOND PARTE VVHAT IS THE INTERIOVâ— vvill of God and vvherin it differeth from the Exteriour CHAP. I. HAVING finished the first parts of this Rule treating of the Exteriour vvill of God namely what 〈◊〉 is how to be knowne and by whe meanes to be accomplished it followeth now that wee likewise deliuer the second partâ—â— the which consisteth of the Interiour vvill 〈◊〉 God shewing what it is the way to knowe itâ— and the meanes how to practice it This Interiour vvill of God then is the diuine pleasure knowne vnto vs by a perfect manifest and expert interiour knowledge illumining the sowlle in the Interiour or Contemplatiue life that is when shee seeth and contemplateth her God and inwardly experimenteth perceiueth and tasteth the diuine will to weet the pleasure and contentment God taketh in such or such a thing And to the end to diue lower into the depth of this will and to discouer more essentially how this
very much for it is thear as they say whear the Hare goeth away and wherin consisteth true aduancement Note also that though allwayes hee ought so to direct his intention whensoeuer hee beginneth to doe or suffer any thing sayeng I will doe or suffer this oh Lord for thy will this is to be vnderstood of all those tymes when hee is distracted and thinketh not already of the same will nor hath his spirit lifted vp to God and not when hee hath it so eleuated as it may happen especially if hee be diligent and the worke be shorte and not distractiue of it self For if after such direction of intention at the beginning hee be diligent in turning away his mind togeather with his eyes and other sences from all exterior things and fixing his spirit in this will and diuine pleasure and be attētiue only vnto God hee may still remaine vnited vnto him vntill hee take in hand some other thing Likewise the worke being soone done or els being not distractiue but rather drawing the soule to deuotion and towards God as in singing hymnes or diuine seruice a man may haue his mind still lifted vp which if so it be I say not that hee direct a new his intention taking in hand a new thing but that hee so still remaine with his mind so eleuated vnto God for if hee doe otherwise hee should rather descend lower then be raised higher though perhaps this case falleth not out often but that hee hath his mind distracted and the intention crooked or at least not so vpright but that the mind may be more recollected and the intention more rectified Neuerthelesse a man must not be scrupulous if hee faile in this degree and some others as though hee had committed some synne seing the desire hee hath to practise this Rule doth add no new obligation Of the second degree of perfect Intention CHAP. IX THE second degree of this mysticall Throne of pure intention and diuine will is Only that is that this will be theyr only simple and alone the end which moueth the mind to doe or suffer the thing VVhich degree excludeth all other ends and intentions whatsoeuer and first the euill and malitious intentions as to doe the thing for pride enuie couetousnes gluttonie c. Secondy all imperfect end and intentions as to doe the thing for humaine respect fauor of men self loue proper complacence seruile feare sensualitie particular profit and the like and in somme all veniall synnes and whatsoeuer is absolutlie of her owne nature imperfection Finally heerby is excluded not only the euill intētion and that which is of it owne nature imperfect but also that which is of her nature good but comparatiuely bad namely compared with a better as to doe penance discipline fast to eschew the paines of hell to merit to be rewarded to goe to heauen and the like which intentions though they be good in them selfes yet are they not so compared with the only vvill of God which is farr better as hath bein shewed and are therfore heer excluded VVherfore this degree and perfection especially appertaineth and is referred to the mortification of all our passions and affections selfe loue vntemperate desires and all other imperfections all which as bad weedes springing vp in the fertile grownd of our good works are rooted out with this fitt instrument or degree of Onely and as crooked boughes shooting out of the straight tree of our intention are cutt of with the sharpe sword of the onely vvill of God the same being as is said a right rule to measure whether the line of our intention be drawne straight or no. VVherfore let the deuout Reader take this for a generall and infallible Rule that whensoeuer in his worke he hath not this sole intention and onely vvill of God for his end without any mixture of other intention whatsoeuer it hath in it imperfection be it neuer so secretly hidden yea from the partie himself but assoone as this only will beareth sway and taketh entire possession of the heart all darknes is discouered by the light therof and all obscuritie of imperfection is cast out by the shining brightnes of the same Oh how often are wee deceiued for want of this light how straight thinke wee to be our intention how holie our desire how excellent our worke how good an opinion haue wee of our selfes but assoone as this light cometh downe must goe the Peacocks feathers seing now her fowlle feet so soyled and loaden with earthly affections durtie passions muddie proprietie and swinishe self loue for so soone as this right Rule of Gods vvill is applied vnto our intention wee see the crookednes of intēperance and disordinate desire therof All the world goeth awry because they will not by this Rule square their intentions nor by this light examin their actions In this point therfore let the deuout person labour heerin let his whole studdie be in this worke let him recollect and employ all his forces namely in thus examining his intention in all his affaires for heerin consisteth all true spirituall profitt this is the infallible fowndation in the beginning the secure way in proceeding and the consummated perfection in the end of all the Actiue life The third degree of perfect Intention CHAP. X. THE third degree of this Throne is that this intention be vvillingly that is that the work be done not only for Gods only will but also willingly and with full consent with a certaine repose peace trāquillitie and spirituall contentment therin that the soule may be made capable of the presence of God and influence of his holie spirit Quia factus est in pace locus eius His place and abode is in peace that is in the soule not disquieted with the noise of troublesome affections and contradicting passions nor with the tract of contrarie desires drawing her another way By this degree therfore of vvillingnesse and contentment is excluded and shutt out all sadnesse heauinesse and vnwillingnesse in doing leauing vndone or suffering any thing commaunded by any of the lawes aboue said of what cause soeuer such vnwillingnesse proceed Farther this vnwillingnesse and contradiction may spring of diuers causes and namely of the thing commaunded as when it is base abiect and vile as to visit prisons to attend the sicke or doe the offices of the house also when the thing is vnpleasant sharpe and bitter as discipline abstinence or fasting likewise when it is against our profit as restitution hospitalitie or almesdeeds and finally when it is against our worldly honor as to support patiently euill spightfull or slanderous words reproches and all kind of iniuries Againe this Vnwillingnesse may come by occasion of the partie that commaundeth as because hee is or is thought to be simple poore or vnlearned or that hee is his enemy or at least not his freind or hath done or spoken somewhat vnkindly to him Likewise it may come in
enim in Intellectu quod non fuerit prius in Sensu Thear is nothing in the vnderstanding which was not first of all in some of the fiue Sences which fiue Sences bring it into the three Powers of the soule Intelligence Memorie and VVill which keepe retaine and as it were digest worke and metamorphose the same into another forme by taking away the vayle therof putting of the corporall Image and so bringing it to a pure abstraction doth lodge it in the essence of the soule Thus I say the worke is in our soule and thus it appertaineth vnto vs. Taking therfore the worke in this forte it is the verie vvill of God and to him that so doth it spirit and life For though thear be some darknes by reason of the Image or imagination of the worke in my spirit yet is the same turned into light by the feruour and light of this diuine will wherby the soule seeth nor tasteth ought els but God and his sweet will and pleasure and how much more willingly the worke is done in this order to weet in not diuiding the worke and the will but esteeming the verie worke to be the verie will so much the more cleerly doth the soule see this will and perfectly enioy God the worke that seemed corporall being so turned wholie into spirituall And note that when I say one must not looke on the vvill of God but on the worke my meaning is as I haue said that hee ought not to looke or behold the will a parte as it is not but as one and the self same thing with the worke as it is nor that hee should turne his spirit and affection from the worke but contrariewise fix it still in the same yet alwayes as in his will VVhear is to be noted that as some are in this extremitie to turne their mind from the worke and fix it on the vvill of God so are they in farre greater number which leane to the contrarie turning their mind from the vvill of God to fix it on the worke so that as the one which be spirituall find not the vvill of God because they seeke it not in his worke so the others which are the worldlings and vndeuout doe not the worke of God because they seeke it not in his will for as wee doe but lie to God and in vayne seduce our selfes in thinking to loue his will and yet neglect his worke so doe wee no lesse when wee thinke to doe his worke and yet neglect his will It is therfore euident that to vnite both these extremities and amend these twoe contrarie imperfections the vvill of God according to the aboue said Maxime must be ioyned with his worke and his worke with his will and neuer make them twoe but perfectly one and the self same thing acknowledging that the accomplishing of the worke is his verie will and that his will is the verie accomplishing of the worke though the reformatiō of this latter imperfection of doing the worke without hauing regard to the vvill of God appertaineth to the first degree of Actuall remembrance Of the fourth degree of perfect Intention CHAP. XI THE fourth degree of this Throne or persection of this intention is Certainty or Assurance with which it ought to be munited and fortified namely that when one hath directed his intention to doe the worke for the only vvill of God hee assure himself that in veritie it is the vvill of God By this degree and perfection of Assurance is excluded all doubts and hesitations which because in this poynt they often intrude them selfs to the great preiudice of the true and faythfull practise therof I will endeuour to resolue them by declaring and taking away the causes wherof they spring The first cause then wherof these doubts doe spring is because in matters indifferent a man knoweth not whether hee hath chosen that side which pleaseth God or nor in doing or leauing vndone any thing which happeneth because forgetting his rule hee knoweth not how to discerne the matter taking a wrong meanes of discerning the same to weet in wayghing the exterior thing and cōsidering whether it be more agreable to God to leaue or doe it to doe this or to doe that For remedy therfore heerof hee must knowe that this is not the meanes in things indifferent but must iudge therof by an interior discussiō and not by the exterior thing namely by a view or examen of the intētion which if it tend directly to the vvill of God hee hath in veritie chosen that which is his will because in such indifferent things the worke followeth the intention and not the intention the worke The second doubt is in little matters and proceeds from the smallnes and little valew therof perswading some that God esteemeth not such things sayeng as it were in them selfes God careth much for this or that or hath God need or maketh hee accompt of these smalle things The remedie wherof is to remember that as wee must not serue God only with a parte but with all our forces so must wee not only doe some of our actions but all for him and therfore the little aswell as the great Also that God measureth the goodnesse of the worke not by the exterior valew but by the inward intention and a little thing in our eyes may be great before God For like as the garment of russet embroadred with gold and sett with perles is richer then that of veluet without any ornament the cloake lined with veluet is more costly then one of taffata lined with searge so the least worke exterior with perfect intention is better then the greatest with an imperfect intentiō Finally the remedie of this doubt is to remember to what the Apostle exhorteth vs sayeng Omne quodcunque facitis in verbo aut in opere omnia in nomine domininostri Iesu Christi facite All whatsoeuer yow doe or say doe it in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ for sayeng that all our workes should be done for God hee excepteth not the least worke yea includeth the least word And S. Augustin to this purpose sayth Thow doest prayse God when thow doest thy busynes The third kinde of things wherof these doubts and this hesitation commeth are things pleasant and sensuall as eating drinking recreations and the like because that being so agreable vnto nature and sensualitie some will thinke perhaps that they say not syncerely but rather faine and mocke as it were God in sayeng they doe them for his only will and to please him feeling that it pleaseth theyr nature and sensualitie which error proceedeth from the euill custome wherunto a man hath giuen himself to doe such things only by the motion tract and impulsion of pleasure and sensualitie without intention or regard had to the vvill of God for hauing contracted such a long custome to doe them so to satisfie theyr insatiable and brutish sensualitie not
respect of the tyme when hee should doe the thing as when hee is commaunded to doe it when hee would rest take his refection recreation or doe some other thing of his owne or when contrariewise hee hath a mind to doe it and is cōmaunded to repose eate or rest from labour or should doe some other particular thing then that Also this Vnwillingnesse may come in respect of the maner of the worke as when it must be done speedily laboriously and diligently or meekly humbly and to his owne confufion and to the abating of his pride Finally it may happen in respect of the place as when it is publicke vnpleasant loathsome By all these occasions I say with the like this sadnes creepeth into the worke when wee doe the same though they all spring of one only cause namely proper will and must be remoued and cast out by this degree of willingnesse and contentment remembring that such is the pleasure and will of that soueraigne will whoe for his owne delight and seruice created ours Moreouer thear is an other kind of wnwillingnesse in doing the vvill of God which is more secret and proceedeth of causes lesse known but no lesse contrarie to the same vvill of God and degree of willingnesse and these causes are commonly couered with pretence of pietie as of prayer fasting teaching studdyeng preaching and the like so that many when by their superior they are commanded any thing which may interrupt their exercise they doe it not willingly but vnwillingly and with sadnesse proper will persuading them that they were better occupied before and blinding them so that they can not see how much Obedientia melior est quà m victima Obedience is better then sacrifices nor knowe that though in themselfes such works be good yet are they nought worth done against the vvill of God manifested vnto vs by his lawe and the commaunding or knowne intention of the lawfull superior namely so long as hee commaundeth not against the fame lawe A third kinde of vnwillingnesse ariseth from another cause yet more secret and vnknowne namely when a man knoweth that it is the vvill of God and also willingly taketh it in hand but vnwillingly bestoweth his spirit his endeuour and tyme vpon it to doe it well and faythfully but turning his mind from the same casteth it on God and his will and so neglecteth the worke making it not so perfect as hee ought which is a notable and most secret deceipt for casting so his mind from the worke to the vvill of God hee diuideth the said worke and will which are but one making the worke one thing and the will another and so when hee seeketh God but of the worke hee seeketh him out of his will and turning from the worke hee turneth from his will casting of his mind from the worke hee casteth it from his will and finally going out of his worke hee goeth out of his will and pleasure because the worke is his will and though still hee doth the worke yet if it be hot willingly hee doth it not before God whoe seeth the heart and iudgeth according to the will and therfore how much the more hee so feeketh God so much the lesse doth hee find him because God is neuer fownd by doing against his diuine will but the more vnwillingly hee doth that which hee commaundeth and the more hee turneth his interior eyes from it as being wearie therof the more doth hee against his will and by consequence the lesse hee findeth him But God is fownd only by his will that is by doing that which hee commaundeth in his will which is his worke by meanes of his will which is by meanes of doing the thing which hee willeth and that willingly and with all our heart and all our strength as wee are bownd to serue him which all our heart and our strength not with slownes or fastidiousnesse for Maledictus homo qui facit opus Deinegligenter Accursed is that man whoe doth the worke of God negligenly nor yet sadly or as it were by constraint for Non ex tristitiae aut nece ssitate Not with sadnesse or necessitie but willingly and with contentment Hilarem enim datorē diligit Deus For God loueth a ioyfull giuer but as is said hee doth not ioyfully the worke whoe in doing it vnwillingly thinketh therof Hee doth not I say willingly the vvill of God whoe doing the worke will not thinke therof but only of his will as though his worke were not his will or as if his will were other then his worke fynally as though his worke and his will were not one and the self same thing so that when to thinke of the will hee will not thinke of the worke hee thinketh in deed neither of the worke nor of the will and the soule that will be so out of the worke to be in God is neither in deed in God nor yet in his worke Let vs therfore lay downe heer for a sure grownd to build vpon for an infallible Maxime to resolue this matter and for a shining light to dissipat and dissolue this cloud namely that when any worke presenteth it selfe to be done following the Rules aboue said the same verie worke it self be it corporall or spirituall inasmuch as it appertaineth to mee is the verie vvill of God and to mee is spirit and life I say the verie worke it selfe to signifie the thing done and to exclude all imaginations of any other thing either in heauen or in earth or in our soule excepting as that thing it selfe is in our soule I say both corporall and spirituall that none may think the corporall to be lesse then the spirituall and to touche the deceipt and common error heerin of many spirituall men which doe more willingly the spirituall then the corporall esteeming the one kind more noble then the other and deeming to find more life and light in the one then in the other which though it be true in respect only of themselfes and good so to doe preferring the one before the other when a man hath libertie to take his choise yet is it otherwise when the vvill of God inter poseth it self by meanes of any obligation or commādement for then it is ill done and a man deceiueth himself in preferring the spirituall before the corporall obedience being as is said better then sacrifice I say in as much as it appertaineth vnto me to exclude the substance of the thing be it corporall or spirituall substance togeather also with all her Accidents as the whitenes blacknes and all kind of colours sweetnes or bitternes and all kind of tastes greatnes smallnes and all kind of proportions and finally all the qualities and accidents as not being this vvill of God but as it appertaineth vnto mee that is in as much as it ought to be in my soule as being brought vnto the same by the corporall powers and fiue sences Nihil est