I certainly know the matter of this Feare to haue bene a mortall sin and that it was really committed and neuer confessed in any sort defectiuely or exactly And if their consciences doe not answere that they are most certaine of this they may not only securely iudge that they are not guilty but they are obliged vnder sin to abstaine from Confession in case they haue bene so commanded and to proceede to communicating For it is morally impossible that such tender soules should committ a Mortall sin but vvithout any Examination it vvill appeare euidently to be Mortall 15. This vvay of selfe-Examination I being warranted by learned Authours doe seriously recommend to those soules that find that a punctuall Examination doch destroy the quiet of their minds so that if after one short selfe-questioning they doe not resolutly and positiuely determine that they haue dâ—liberatly consented to a Tentation and committed a sin vnquestionably mortall Let them resolue neuer after to trouble their Thoughts vvith it but if they should presse them to a Re-examination let them neglect them and consider them as pure Tentations 16. Such Soules are not to esteeme that a Feare or suspicion that any thing is a sin or Mortall can be sufficient to make the case to be Doubtfull For a Doubt is vvhen two opinions are represented to the mind and the contrary Reasons for each are so euen and equall that the Iudgment cannot determine it selfe to assent to either Novv a firme Assent may be vvhere there is a violent Feare of the contrary at the same time And a Scrupulous person cannot oftimes giue any other Reason or account of her Feare but that for ought she knowes the matter is according to her Feare 17. Amongst other subiects of Scruples one is a Doubt in such soules whether they haue true Contrition for their faults or no. Wheras if there be any thing that hinders their sorrow from being true Contrition it is the Excesse of seruile Feare mixt vvith it vvhich they vvillfully nourish vvith their Scrupulosities But hovveuer considering they are supposed to practise Internall Prayer in such manner as they are able there is hardly any Doubt to be made but that they haue the true loue of God which makes sorrow for sin to be true Contrition The vvhich may be performed either directly by framing an efficacious Act of sorrovv and detestation of their Sins as offensiue to God and for his loue Or only vertually yet efficaciously by producing an Act of pure loue to God for therby they doe really auert themselues from vvhatsoeuer doth offend him or is contrary to such loue as Sin is 18. And from hence may appeare the great Security that a soule has vvhich pursues Internall Prayer Because euery Act of loue or Resignation performed purely for God doth restore a soule to the State of Grace in case that by any precedent sins she hath fallen from that State And if she hath not it doth aduance and establish her the more in Grace 19. There is not therfore a more assured generall Remedy against Scrupulosity and all such inordinate feares then Constancy in Prayer This alone vvill produce a courage to despise such Feares vvhensoeuer they vvould hinder a Soule from performing Obedience to the Orders of her Spirituall Directour 20. The Security and Necessity of vvhich Obedience as likevvise the culpablenes and danger of proceeding according to the suggestions of Feare a Deuout Soule may euidently collect from hence viz. by obseruing that she neuer disobeyes in vertue of Light obtayned by Prayer the vvhich alvvaies dictates Obedience and renouncing her ovvne Iudgment and contradicting her Feares to her And on the contrary that she is tempted to transgresse the Orders of her Confessour only at the time vvhen Feare is so violent vpon her and makes so deepe an impression of her supposed faults in her mind that she cannot then pray vvith Resignation and beleiues that then to obey her Confessour vvould be to goe against her ovvne knovvledge Her security therefore must come from Prayer to vvhich her humble Obedience vvill dispose her And on the contrary Scrupulous Fears vvill render her vtterly vnfit Therfore Soules vvhich vvillfully nourish their Feares and Scruples by frequent vnpermitted Confessions haue very much to ansvver for before Almighty God for their vvillfull plunging themselues into a State vvhich makes a Perfect vnion vvith God impossible therby defeating the vvhole Designe of a Religious Internall life as also for forsaking the vvaies of Obedience vvhich almost in all possible cases are most full of security 21. It is far from my purpose to deterre soules from frequent Confessions euen of Veniall sins vvhen they find such Confessions proffitable to them and helpes to their amendment But othervvise if by the meanes of such Confessions they endanger themselues to run into Mortall sins of the highest Nature as Desperation or a vvillfull renouncing of all vvaies of Piety through the horrour arising from their ignorance incapacity to distinguish betvveene Mortall veniall sins Then surely it vvere better for them to make vse of other wayes appointed by God for the expiating purging of Veniall sins such as are Saying our Lords Prayer Acts of Humiliation or Contrition Giuing of Almes Deuout taking of Holy water c. And if they are desirous in some good measure to obserue the ordinary times of Confession they may content themselues vvith expressing some such faults as they can vvith assurance and vvithout disquietnes declare and all other faults may be inuolued in some generall Phrase or Expression 22. If it be obiected that by practising according to these Instructions such soules vvill find nothing nevv to confesse and so vvill be depriued of the blessing comfort of Absolution Herto I ansvver That it were happy if Soules could find nothing expedient to be Confessed And surely the most effectuall meanes to bring them to such Happines is according to these Aduices to free theÌ„ from their deiecting Scrupulosities the which as long as they remaine litle effect of blessings can proceede from the best Exercises or vse of Sacraments Wee knovv that in Ancient times innumerable Saints attained to Perfection vvith litle or no vse of Confession considering their remotenes from places vvhere Preists inhabited by Serious practise of Praier Abstraction of life Mortification c vvhich meanes vvill doubtles haue the same effect novv and vvithout them Confessions and Communions though dayly practised vvill haue but small effect therto Novv there is not in the vvorld a Mortification more effectuall more purifying and more proper for such Soules then to Obey God in their Confessour contrary to their ovvne violent feares Scrupulosity and seeming Iudgment 23. The proper season of the Tryall of Obedience and Submission of Scrupulous Soules is the time of Commuâ—icating because they knovv that there is necessary â—herto not only the condition of being free from Mortall â—in but likewise that a greater preparation is requisite For in all
freely admitted doe hinder from obseruing the snares suggestions of the deuill or of our Corrupt nature doe vvithall disturbe the tranquillity of the soule 5. In these tvvo Duties therefore of Mortification Prayer all good is comprehended For by the exercise of Mortification those tvvo generall most deadly enemies of our soules selfe loue Pride are combatted subdued to vvit by the meanes of those tvvo fandamentall Christian vertues of Diuine Charity Humility And Prayer exercised in vertue of these tvvo vvill of both by way impetration obtaine also vvith a direct Efficiency ingraft a nevv Diuine Principle nature in vs vvhich is the Diuine Spirit the vvhich vvill become a new life vnto vs the very soule of our soules by degrees raising vs higher higher out of our corrupt nature till at last vvee be made one with God by an vnion as perfect constant immediate as in this fraile life an intellectiue soule is capable of 6. And both these duties of mortification Prayer are so absolutely necessary that they must neither of them euer cease but continually encrease in perfection vertue to the end of our liues For though selfe-loue pride may by mortification be subdued yet as long as vvee are imprisoned in mortall bodies of flesh blood they vvill neuer be totally rooted out of vs but that euen the most perfect soules vvill find in themselues matter enough for further mortification And againe our vnion with God by Prayer can neuer either be so constant but that it vvill be interrupted so as that the soule vvill fall from her height back some degrees into nature againe nor is there any degree of it so perfect pure spirituall but that it may by exercise vvill become yet more more pure vvithout all limits 7. The diligent Exercise of each of these doth much aduance the practise of the other For as Mortification is a good disposition to prayer yea so necessary that a sensuall immortified soule cannot raise herselfe vp so much as to looke to God vvith any cordiall desire to please him or to loue be resigned to him much lesse to be perfectly vnited to him so likevvise by Prayer the soule obtaines light to discouer vvhatsoeuer inordinate affections in her are to be mortified also strength of spirituall grace actually effectually to subdue them 8. Hence it may easily appeare that of these tvvo Prayer is much the more valuable noble Exercise 1. Because in prayer of Contemplation consists the essentiall happines both of this life that vvhich is to come So that Mortification regards Prayer as the meanes disposing to an end for therfore a deuout soule is obliged to mortify her inordinate Affections to the end she may therby be disposed to an vnion vvith God 2. Because Mortifications are neuer duly proffitably vndergone but only in vertue of prayer Whereas possible it may be that Prayer alone may be considerably aduanced vvithout any other notable mortifications in case that God haue prouided none for the soule 3. Because Prayer is vvithall in it selfe the most excellent effectuall mortification for in by it the most secret risings of inordinate passions are contradicted yea the mind superiour vvill are vvholly abstracted eleuated aboue nature so that for the time all passions are quieted all creatures especially our selues transcended forgotten in a sort annihilated 9. Notvvithstanding in case that God as he seldome failes doe prouide for vs occasions of mortification out of Prayer If vvee be negligent in making good vse of them to the promoting of our selues in spirit vvee shall decrease both in grace Prayer As on the contrary by a good vse of them vvee shall both certainly speedily be aduanced in the vvaies of the spirit So that neither of them alone is to be relied on Mortification without Prayer vvill be but superficiall or it is to be feared hypocriticall And Prayer with a neglect of mortification will be heartles distracted of small vertue 10. The subiect therfore of this the follovving Treatise being a recommendation of these two most necessary most excellent Instruments of Contemplation reason requires that of the two Mortification should in the first place be treated of in as much as it is not only the lesse perfect but because also the proper vse of it is to dispose and make euen and plaine the vvay to the other by leauelling the mountaines of Pride raising the valleys of sloth and smoothing the roughnes and inequalities of our Passions but especially by remouing out of the vvay that generall impediment vvhich is Propriety of our naturall carnall wills CHAP. II. § ◠The mortifications here treated of in particular are not of such sinfull deordinations of passions as are acknowledged to be sins either mortall or veniall § 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. But of such deordinations as are commonly called Imperfections which may occasion sins § 9. That sin consists in the Enioyng of creatures instead of Vsing them § 10. 11. 12. All veniall sins cannot be auoyded But affection to them must § 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Wherin such affection consists how it is inconsistent with Perfection 1. NOvv intending to treate of Mortification first in generall aftervvard of the speciall kinds of it at least such as more peculiar to Internall liuers my designe is not to discourse in particular of such deordinations as are generally acknovvledged to be in themselues sinfull either mortally or in a grosser manner venially that is such as that the actions or omissions to vvhich they adhere can in no circumstances be lawfull or permitted although the end or intention pretended of them vvere neuer so good Such as are officious lies smaller reuenges or calumniations c. For it is supposed that the soules for vvhose benefit these Instructions vvere intended are not in a state to stand in need of aduices concerning such matters But are supposed to be entred into a vvay of Perfection being desirous yea through Gods grace resolued to abandon all things to cast avvay all adhesions affections vvhatsoeuer that are inordinate not only such as vvill endanger to kill the soule but also such as vvould make it sickly infirme or staine the Luster brightnes of it 2. The obiects therfore of Mortification vvhich I shall cheifly handle are such defects as though indeed in thēselues they be sinfull yet are not acknovvledged by all to be so but are called only imperfections being such sins as considering the frailty of our nature can hardly be auoyded neuer totally rooted out being conuersant about obiects vvhich vvee may lavvfully must necessarily vse but the fault is that vvee doe vvith some deordination either adhere to or are auerted from such obiects In a vvord such sins they are that except vvhen they are more grosse it vvould be an endlesse vnproffitable labour to make thē the matters
the degrees of such vsing or enioying betvvene perfect good Christians imperfect yea moreouer betvvene those that are perfect in an Actiue those in a contemplatiue state For wicked men giue way deliberatly to an habituall enioying of creatures vvithout regard to their soules or God yea contrary to his command And imperfect good Christians haue no care to roote out of their soules an habituall loue to creatures except it be such a loue as endangers the soule by expelling Charity And lastly those that are perfect in an Actiue Life for vvant of a constant state of Recollection doe not enioy a sufficient light to discouer hovv in many things of lesse importance they giue vvay to sense preuenting reason enioying outvvard contentments vvithout that purity of intention vvhich contemplatiues being far lesse distracted doe much more frequently perfectly exercise 10. Novv hauing mentioned this diuersity of veniall sins imperfections before I come to speake further of the Mortification here intended I vvill adde some fevv considerations touching veniall sins vvith relation to a Cōtemplatiue state 11. If it vvere required to Perfection in a Contemplatiue life that a soule should be entirely free from veniall defects it vvould be impossible to attaine vnto it considering the incurable frailty of our nature the frequency of tentations the incapacity vvhich is in a soule to be in a continuall Actuall guard ouer her selfe True it is that by perseuerance in spirituall Prayer accompanied vvith Mortification such defects become for number more rare for quality lesse considerable But though Prayer mortification should continue neuer so long a soule vvill find occasion a necessity to be in continuall resistances against her peruerse Inclinations in such combats vvill sometimes come off vvith losse 12. Veniall sins therfore are not inconsistent with Perfection although they should be committed neuer so oft out of frailty subreption or ignorance But if they be committed deliberately aduisedly customarily with Affection they render the soule in an incapacity of attaining to perfection in Prayer c This is a point of great moment consideration therfore that vvee may distinguish aright betvveene sinning out of frailty surprise or infirmitie the sinning out of affection to the obiects of veniall sins vvee must knovv 13. First that those are said to fall into veniall sins out of frailty vvhich commit them only vvhen an occasion or Tentation vnvvillingly presents it selfe then are surprised vvith a suddaine Passion or depriued of sufficient vigilancy reflexion but vpon an obseruation of their fault they presently returne to themselues find a remorse selfe-condemnation for it an auersion at least in their superiour vvill from such things as hinder their approach vnto God or if this be not done presently hovveuer in their next Recollections such offences if they be of any moment vvill be brought into their minds vvill procure a sorrow consequently a pardon for them But vvhen they are out of such occasions or tentations they doe not giue vvay to a pleasure conceiued in the obiects of them much lesse doe they voluntarily seeke or intend such occasions 14. Those in the second place are said to sin venially out of affection vvho both before after such faults doe deliberately neglect them yea are so far from auoyding the occasions of them that they doe oft procure them and this out of affection not to the sault but to the things vvhich they see doe often occasion the fault Such are those that loue curiosity in apparell Delicacy of meates hearing of vaine discouses that contriue meetings of iollity from vvhence they neuer escape vvithout incurring many defects Novv such soules may perhaps haue remorse for the sins so committed mention them vvith sorrow in Confession But yet such remorse Confession is not from the whole heart not being sufficient to make them auoyd the occasions vvhen this may be done vvithout much inconuenience or trouble Yea they doe not sufficiently consider that the very loue vnto those vanities vvhich occasion greater defects if it be a deliberate loue is in it selfe a sin though no other defects vvere occasioned by it Such can make no progresse in spirituall Prayer yea on the contrary as long as such knowne voluntary affections either to the sins or occasions are not mortified they doe euery day decline grovv more more indisposed to Prayer The vvhich therby is so distracted so full of disquieting remorse that it is almost impossible to perseuere constantly in an exercise so very painfull 15. An hundred imperfections therfore though of some more then ordinary moment are not so contrary to Perfection vvhilst thy are incurred by surprisall or infirmity as is an affection retained to the least imperfection though it be but an vnproffitable thought A vvell-minded courageous soule therfore at her first entrance into the Internall vvaies of the spirit must does in an instant cut of this deliberate affection to all veniall sins their occasions vvith discretion seeking to auoyd them although it may happen vvithout any great preiudice to her progresse that she may find herselfe very oft surprised ouercome by many great faults 16. Neither ought any soule vainly to flatter herselfe vvith a hope of reseruing this affection vvithout preiudicing her pretentions to Perfection because one or tvvo examples almost miraculous are found of some soules that notvvithstanding such affections haue bene visited by God vvith supernaturall fauours exalted to a very sublime Prayer as a late eminent Saint vvrites of her ovvne selfe For besides that there vvas perhaps some excusable ignorance in her of the vnlavvfullnes of such affections vvee may say that God vvas pleased to conferre on her such extraordinary fauours not so much for her ovvne sake but rather for the good of others in as much as she vvas destind by him to be The Mistrisse Teacher of true Contemplatiue Prayer then almost vnknovvn to the vvorld 17. But most certaine it is that according to the ordinary established course of Diuine Prouidence Perfection in Prayer is accompanied with a proportionable Perfection in Mortification And therfore such soules as during a voluntary habituall Affection to veniall sins as to the obie s occasions of them doe seeme to haue great lights and profound recollections in Prayer if the sayd lights and Recollections doe not vrge and incite them to quitt such harmfull Affections such ought to suspect that all goes not right vvith them but may iustly feare that the deuill hath some influence into such Deuotions so vtterly destitute of true Mortification CHAP. III. § 1. Naturally wee loue our selues only § 2. Euen the best most composed tempers are deeply guilty of Selfe-loue § 3. The benefit of such good dispositions § 4. Selfe-loue Propriety must vnjuersally be auoyded § 5. 6. A state of Afflictions crosses is only secure § 7. What vse is to
the mortification of vvhich vvee are novv to treate of is such an one as is incident more particularly to tender Deuout soules especially women that pursue the exercises of a Contemplatiue life the vvhich is vsually called Scrupulosity vvhich is a mixd kind of Passion the most contrary to that peace of mind necessary in a spirituall course of any other as being enuenomed vvith vvhatsoeuer causes anxiety and invvard torments almost in all other Passions It regards Sin and Hell the most abhorred and most terrible obiects of all others and it is composed of all the bitternesses that are found in Feare Despaire ineffectuall Desires vncertainty of Iudgement Iealousy c. And penetrating to the very mind and Spirit obscuring and troubling the Vnde stanâ—ing our only Directour and torturing the Will by plucking it violently contrary vvayes almost at the same time it causes the most pestilent disorders that a vvell-meaning soule is capable of in so much as if it be obstinatly cherished it sometimes ends in direct Frensy or vvhich is vvorse a desperate forsaking of all Duties of vertue and Piety And vvhere it is in a lesse Degree yet it causes Images so distracting so intimely penetrating so closely sticking to the mind and by consequence is so destructiue to Praier with Recollectednes that it deserues all care and Prudence to be vsed for the preuenting or expelling it 4. For vvhich purpose I vvill here according to the best light that God has giuen me afford such tender soules as are vpon this Rack of Scrupulosity the best Aduices I can and such ac if they vvill haue the courage to practise accordingly I doe not doubt but through Gods helpe they vvill be preserued from the dangerous consequences of such a Passion I shall insist vvith more then an ordinary copiousnes vpon this subiect because this so dangerous a Passion is but too ordinary among soules of the best dispositions 5. But in the first place I must make this Protestation that these foll wing Instructions in vvhich a great yet necessary condescendenâ—y is allovved in many cases doe belong vnto application of them only to be made by such tender fearfull soules as desire and intend sincerely to follow Internall Praier and other Duties of a Spirituall life with as much courage diligence as their frailty will permit Such doe indeed too often stand in neede and are vvorthy of all assistance indulgence that Reason and a good conscience can possibly allovv as being persons thrt vvill probably turne all to the glory of God good of their soules and not to the ease or contentment of sensuall nature vvhich they account their greatest Enemie and much lesse to vnlavvfull liberty 6. I doe protest therfore against all extrouerted Liuers or any of different Tempers and Exercises that shall presume to apply or assume vnto themselues any indulgences c. here not belonging to them For they vvill but misleade themselues and reape harme by so doing It seldome falls out that such persons haue a feare of a sin committed or of the mortall heynousnes of it but that it is very likely that it is such an one and has bene committed And therfore for no difficulty of nature nor for the auoyding of trouble of mind ought they to expect any dispensations from due Examinations of their Conscience expresse Confessions c Wheras a thousand to one the forementioned tender soules doe take those for mortall sins vvhich are mere Tentations yea perhaps pure mistakes And therfore to oblige them to such strict Examiâ—ations or Confessions vvould only nourish their most distracting Anguishes of mind furnish them vvith nevv matters of Scrupulosity 7. Novv to encourage such tender vvell-minded soules to make vse of these or any other the like Aduices proper for theÌ„ I desire them to take notice that that very Disposition to vvit a tender fearfullnes of offending God vvhich renders them obnoxious to this so pernicious a Passion is such an one as if they can auoide this inconuenience vvill be the most aduantageous of all others to enable them to make a speedy progresse in Internall waies and to attaine to Purity of heart the immediate disposition to Contemplation aboue all other So that this is the only snare that the Deuill has to hinder them namely by taking aduantage from such Tendernes to fill their minds full of multiplicity and vnquiet Apprehensions With the vvhich snare if they suffer themselues to be entangled they vvill find that Scrupulosity vvill be far from being effectuall to cure any of their Imperfections yea it vvill make Contemplatiue Praier impossible to be attained And God grant that those be the vvorst and most dangerous effects of it 8. Such Tendernes of Conscience that is naturall to many frequently happens to be much encreased immediatly after the entring into an Internall course of life And therfore then especiall care ought to be vsed for for the preuenting of the fearfull Apprehensions vvhich are the vsuall consequences of it And the ground of such encrease of TeÌ„dernes at that time is not so much a conscience of former sins as too seuere a Iudgment of their present Imperfections the vvhich seeme to be multiplied by reason of the continuall opposition that corrupt nature giues to their present Exercises as likevvise because â—y the practise of such Exercises they haue a New light to discouer a vvorld of Defects formerly inuisible to them Hence they become fearfull of their present Condition and knovving as yet no other remedy but Confession they torment themselues vvith anxious preparations therto And their feares yet not ceasing by hauing receiued Absolution and besides the same opposition of sensuality against Internall Prayer continuing they begin to susâ—ect their former Confessions vvhich therfore they renew so that all their thoughts almost are taken vp vvith these suspicions of themselues unsatisfactions in their Confessions c And by giuing vvay to such anxious customary Confessions to vvhich also perhaps they are encouraged by their indiscreete Guides they endanger themselues to contract an incurable Disease of most pernicious Scrupulosity and Seruile Feare from vvhich terrible anguishes deiectednes and heartlesnes in all Spirituall Duties doe follovv vvith danger of rendring the State of Religion or at least of an Internall Life begun a condition lesse fruitfull yea more dangerous then a common Extrouerted life in the vvorld vvould haue bene 9. Deuout foules therfore are earnestly vvished to make timely prouision against these Inconueniencies courageously to resist Scrupulosiâ—y in the beginning according to the Aduices here follovving And aboue all things to vse their best endeauours and Prudence as far as it belongs to them as likevvise their Praiers to God that they fall not into the hands of Directours that vvill feede this Humour to them in such a state most pernicious of frequent iterated Confessions either particular or Generall If such care be had in the beginning there is no disease more easily curable
Loue speread abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost as S. Augustin saith To this Verity giue euident vvitnes those Expressions of the Church in her Publick Deuotions Da Domine famulis tuis vt quae à te iussa agnonimus implere Caelesti Inspiratione valeamus that is Grant O Lord vnto thy Seruants that those things which wee acknowledge to haue been commanded by thee wee may by thy heauenly Inspiration accomplish And againe Auge populi tui vota placatus quia in nullo fidelium nisi ex tua inspiratione proueniunt quarumlibet incrementa virtutum That is Encrease in mercy O Lord the Desires of thy Seruants For not the least progresse in any Vertues can be made by any of thy Faithfull seruants by any other meanes but only by thy Diuine Inspiration 24. The Second Ground is consequent on the former viz. That since such absolute Necessity there is of Diuine Inspirations the Necessity obliging vs to correspond vnto them is and must needs be equall For from no other Roote but the neglect of this obligation doth or can proceede all our mischeife The guilt of such neglect is so much the greater inasmuch as the Gift of Gods Holy Spirit imprinted in the Hearts of his seruants is of such an actiue nature that vvere it not that the Spirit of corrupt nature cherished by vs doth deafen its Call and vveaken its Efficacy it vvould continually being vvakned by euery occasion incite vs to Loue God only and to raise vp our Soules to him Novv by such neglect vvee are said in Holy Scriptures to Contristate the Holy Ghost and by oft contristating him vvee shall in the end come to quench him And the iust indignation of God against such negligent Despisers of his holy Inspirations and Calls is povverfully expressed in those vvords of his Prouerb 1.24 Quia vocaui◠renuistis c. Because I haue called and yee refused I stretched forth my hand and there was none that regarded I also will laugh at your destruction And I will mock when that which yee did feare shall happen vnto you c. Then shall they call on mee and I will not heare they shall rise early and they shall not find◠me Novv though it be not indeed a mortall sin to resist the Motions of the Diuine Spirit inciting vs to Actions vvhich are not of essentiall obligation Yet so doing vvee doe contristate Gods Spirit and more indispose our selues aftervvards to obserue and follovv its Directions And Mortall sins are seldome rushed into vpon the sudden they begin vvith lesser resistances by vvhich the mind is more obscured and lesse capable to obey it in greater matters But as for Perfect soules they are in continuall attendance and obedience thereto being in continuall Prayer or in good Workes and Exercises begun and performed in Vertue of Prayer and also accompanied by Prayer 25. The third Preparatory Ground follovves vvhich is this That since these so necessary Internall Inspirations must necessarily be hearkned to and corresponded vvith And since there may be false Suggestions either of the Deuill or our corrupt Nature vvhich may counterfeit and subtilly pretend to a Diuine Originall Therfore it is necessary that some possible yea satisfactory Meanes should be afforded hovv to distinguish betvveene true and false Inspirations For othervvise vvee shall haue an impossible obligation to obey vvee knovv not vvhom nor vvhat vvee shall be in as much danger to be actuated by the Deuill and vsed as Instruments of his Illusions as of the sauing Influxes of Gods Holy Spirit and consequently shall not be able to distinguish the vvay betvveene Heauen Hell 26. Neither vvill it suffise to say That vvee doe sufficiently performe Gods vvill vvhen vvee performe the Commands of God expressed clearly in Scriptures likevvise the Precepts of the Church and of all our lavvfull Superiours For neither vvill the doing of these things vvithout an interiour insluxe of Grace auaile vs since the Deuill can be content yea vvill suggest the Exercise of the greatest Vertues to Hearts that he knovvs vvill intend only the satisfaction of naturall Pride or the interests of selfe-loue in them And besides neither can any of these externall Rules extend to all our Actions so as to regulate them in order to Contemplation and Perfection 27. The fourth and last Ground to be premised is this That since it is necessary to be enabled to distinguish the true Inspirations of God from the false suggestions of our Enemy The only meanes imaginable that can be proper naturall and efficacious to obtaine such a supernaturall Light to discerne Gods vvill in all things is Pure spirituall Praier exercised by a soule liuing an Abstracted internall Recollected Life spent in a continuall attendance on God c. 28. This is a Way suitable to Reason conformable to Scriptures and the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers deliuered both by Ancient and Moderne Mysticke Authours as might copiously be demonstrrted if there were any cause to thinke that to Pray perfectly and by Praier to obtaine Diuine Grace vvere suspicious Exercises to any In a vvord this is a vvay the vvhich practised according to the Instructions here deliuered all manner of good and no possible inconuenience can flovv from it 29. Here is no pretending to novv or strange Reuelations no walking in Mirabilibus super se no zealous seditious Reformations nor the least preiudice done or intended to Peace Vnity Humility Obedience or any other Diuine Vertue yea on the contrary all these Heauenly Graces are hereby not only fortified and encreased but by no other meanes can be perfectly obtained 30. And indeed since in a vvorld of passages in Holy Scriptures vvee find our selues obliged to a double Duty the one vvhereof perhaps in popular iudgments seemes to entrench vpon the other and yet neither of them are in due place and circumstances to be omitted namely Obedience both to Gods Holy Spirit invvardly directing and also to Superiours outwardly commanding By vvhat other vvay can vvee reconcile such seemingly different and as it may fall out contrary Precepts but by ioyning this Doctrine to that concerning outvvard Obedience Which is here done done vvithout the least preiudice to either yea manifestly to the aduantage of both in their due circūstances If then for any outvvard carnall Respects vvee shall conceale or discountenance this most necessary Duty of follovving the Inspirations of God vvee shall efface the proper Character of God seruants vvho are said to be such as are lead by the Spirit of God and that by the Vnction are taught in all things Againe if on pretence of following Inspirations and internall Lights vvhich cannot be so absolutely certaine vvee shall transgresse the most euident cercaine Commands of lavvfull Superiours vvhich are therefore Gods also there vvould quickly follovv an end of all Order Peace and Gouernment What other meane therefore is left to comply vvith both these but to obey God both vvaies that is commanding most certainly vvhen
the sight of them is vnacceptable to their Neighbours and acquaintance as if they did silently condemne their liberties For this reason they are apt to raise and disperse euill reports of them calling them Illuminats Pretenders to extraordinary visits and lights Persons that walke in mirabilibus super se 6. Or at least to deride them as silly seduced melancholy spirits that follow vnusuall and dangerous vvaies 18. All these and many other the like persecutions calumnies and contempts a vvell disposed soule that purely seekes God must expect and be armed against And knovving that they doe not come by chance but by the most vvise holy and mercifull Prouidence of God for her good to exercise her courage in the beginning and to giue her an opportunity to testify her true esteeme and loue to God and spirituall things let her from hence not be affrighted but rather pursue Internall vvaies more vigorously as knovving that there can not be a better proofe of the Excellency of them then that they are displeasing to carnall or at least ignorant men vnexperienced in such Diuine vvaies Let her not vvith passion iudge or condemne those that are contrary to her for many of them may haue a good intention and zeale therein though a zeale not directed by knovvledge If therfore she vvill attend to God follovving his Diuine Inspirations c. she vvill see that God vvill giue her light and courage and much invvard security in her vvay 19. But her greatest and more frequent Persecutions vvill be from her ovvne corrupt nature and vitious Habits rooted in the soule the vvhich vvill assault her many times vvith tentations and invvard bitternesses and agonies sharper and stranger then she did expect or could perhaps imagine And no vvonder For her designe and continuall indeauours both in mortification Praier being to raise herselfe out of and aboue nature to contradict nature in all its vaine pleasures and interests she can expect no other but that Nature vvill continually struggle against the spirit especially being inflamed by the Deuill vvho vvill not faile to employ all his Arts all his malice and fury to disturbe a designe so vtterly destructiue to his Infernall Kingdome established in the soules of carnall meÌ„ The vvell minded soule therefore must make a generall strong Resolution to beare all vvith as much quietnes as may be to distrust herselfe intirely to rely only vpon God and to seeke vnto him by Praier and all vvill assuredly be vvell She vvill find that the Yoake of Christ vvhiâ—h at the first vvas burdensome vvill being borne vvith constancy become easy and delightfull Yea though she should neuer be able to subdue the resistance of euill inclinations in her yet as long as there remaines in her a sincere Endeauour after it no such ill Inclinations vvill hinder her happines CAP V. § 1. 2. A 3. motiue to Resolution is the danger of repidity of which the nature and Roote is discouered § 3. 4. 5. The miseries of a Tepide Religious person that is ignorant of Internall waies § 6. 7. Or of one that knowes them but neglects to pursue them § 8. 9. How pestilent such are in a Community § 10. On the otherside an vndiscreete passionate feruour may be as dangerous as negligence 1. A Third yet more pressing Motiue to a couragious ResolutioÌ„ of prosecuting Internall vvaies once begin and a strong proofe of the extreme necessity therof is the consideration of the extreme danger and miseries vnexpressible of a negligent and Tepide life vvhether in Religion or in the vvorld the vvhich not only renders Perfection impossible to be atteined but endangers the very roote of essentiall sanctity and all pretention to Eternall Happines as among other Mystick vvriters Harphius in his tvvelue mortifications earnestly demonstrates 2. Tepidity is a bitter poysonnous Roote fixed in the minds of negligent Christians vvho though out of a seruile feare they absteine from an habituall practise of acknovvledged Mortall Actuall sinnes and therefore groundlesly enough thinke themselues secure from the danger of Hell yet they performe their externall necessary obligations to God and their Brethren sleepily and heartlesly vvithout any true Affection contenting themselues vvith the things hovveuer outvvardly done yea perhaps knovving no Perfection beyond this But in the meane time remaine full of selfe loue invvard Pride sensuall desires auersion from internall conuersation vvith God c. And the ground and cause of this pernicious Tepidity is vvant of affection and esteeme of spirituall things and a voluntary affection to veniall sins not as they are sins but as the obiects of them are casefull or delightfull to nature ioyned vvith a vvillfullnes not to auoyd the occasions of them nor to doe any more in Gods seruice then vvhat themselues iudge to be necessary for the escaping of Hell 3. Such Persons if they liue in Religion must needs passe very vncomfortable and discontented liues hauing excluded themselues from the vaine entertainments and pleasures of the vvorld and yet reteining a strong affection to them in their hearts vvith an incapacity of enioying them They must vndergoe all obligations Austerities and Crosses incideÌ„t to a Religious state vvithout comfort but only in hauing dispatched them vvith very little benefit to their soules and vvith extreme vvearisomenes and vnvvillingnes Novv vvhat a resemblance to Hell hath such a life vvhere there is an impossibility freely to enioy vvhat the soule principally desires and vvhere she is forced continually to doe and suffer such things as are extremely contrary to her inclinations 4. Whereas if soules vvould couragiously at once giue themselues vvholly to God and vvith a discrete feruour combat against corrupt Nature pursuing their Internall Exercises they vvould find that all things vvould cooperate not only to their Eternall good but euen to their present contentment and ioy They vvould find pleasure euen in their greatest mortifications and crosses by considering the loue vvith vvhich God sends them and the great Benefit that their spirit reapes by them What contentment can be greater to any soule then to become a true invvard freind of God chained vnto him vvith a loue the like vvherto neuer vvas betvvene any mortall creatures to know and euen feele that she belongs to God and that God is continually vvatchfull ouer her and carefull of her saluation None of vvhich comforts Tepide soules can hope to tast but on the contrary are not only continually tortured vvith present discontents but much more vvith a feare and horrour considering their doubtfullnes about their future state 5. If such Tepide soules be ignorant of the Internall vvaies of the spirit vvhich vvith out some fault of their ovvne they scarce can be vvhen they come to dye it is not conceiueable vvhat apprehensions and horrours they vvill feele coÌ„sidering that a setled vvillfull affectioÌ„ to veniall sins bring a soule to an imminent danger of a frequent incurring actuall mortall sins the vvhich though they be not of the greater kind
whatsoeuer thou seest or feelest in wardly that is not He will be vnwellcome painfull to thee because it will stand in thy way to the seeing seeking of him whom thou only desirest 18. But yet if there be any worke or outward businesse which thou art obliged to doe or that charity or present necessity requires of thee either concerning thy selfe or thy Christian brother faile not to doe it dispatch it as well as soone as well thou canst let it not tary long in thy thoughts for it will but hinder thee in thy principall busines But if it be any other matter of no necessity or that concernes thee not in particular trouble not thy selfe nor distract thy thoughts about it but rid it quickly out of thy heart saying still thus I AM NOVGHT I CAN DOE NOVGHT I HAVE NOVGHT AND NOVGHT DOE I DESIRE TO HAVE BVT ONLY IESVS AND HIS LOVE 19. Thou wilt be forced as all other Pilgrimes are to take of times by the way refreshments meate drinke sleepe yea sometimes Innocent recreations In all which things vse discretion take heed of foolish scrupulosity about them feare not that they will be much a hindrance to thee for though they seeme to stay thee for awhile they will further thee giue thee strength to walke on more couragiously for a good long time after 20 To conclude Remember that thy principall aime indeed only Busines is to knitt thy thoughts to the desire of IESVS to strengthen this desire dayly by prayer other spirituall workings to the end it may neuer goe out of thy heart And whatsoeuer thou findest proper to increase that desire be it praying or reading speaking or being silent trauailing or reposing make vse of it for the time as long as thy soule finds sauour in it as long as it increases this desire of hauing or enioying nothing but the loue of IESVS the blessed sight of IESVS in true peace in Ierusalem And be assured that this good desire thus cherished continually increased will bring thee safe vnto the end of thy Pilgrimage 21. This is the substance of the parable of the spirituall Pilgrime trauailing in the waies of Contemplation The which I haue more largely set downe because by the contexture of it not only vve see confirmed vvhat is already vvritten before but also vve haue a draught Scheme represented according to vvhich all the following Instructions vvill be conformably ansvverable THE SECOND SECTION OF THE FIRST TREATISE In vvhich is declared proued That God only by his Holy Inspirations is the Guide Directour in an Internall Contemplatiue Life CAP. I. § 1. In Internall contemplatiue waies a Guide is necessary whly § 2. 3. 4. All good Christians haue within their soules two Internal guides 1. The spirit of corrupt nature which is neuer wholly expelled 2. The spirit of God And these teach contrarily for contrary ends § 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Diuine Inspirations beyond the light of common grace are to be our light in Internall wayes § 10. 11. In what speciall things such Inspirations doe direct Internall liuers § 12. 13. They ordinarily teach rather cessation not-doing then much doing § 14. Extraordinary Inspirations Illuminatious c. not pretended to 1. HAuing hitherto treated of a Contemplatiue life in generall the nature end of it together vvith the necessary disposition required in soules that according to their vocation or professiō are desirous to pursue the exercises belonging therto the next thing that in relation to the said state deserues our consideration is the Guide vvhose directions vve may ought to follovv therin for certanly a guide must needs be had since it is euident that in our present state of corrupt nature vve haue no light so much as to discouer that there is any such vvay much lesse to direct enable vs to vvalke in Paths so much aboue yea so directly contrary to the designes interests of nature 2. Novv since in euery good faithfull true Christian as trueth experience teaches there are tvvo Internall lights teachers to vvitt 1. the Spirit of corrupt nature 2. The Diuine Spirit Both vvhich in all our deliberate Actions doe offer themselues euen striue for maistery contending vvhether of them vvith the exclusion of the other shall leade vs in the vvayes proper pleasing to each The vvhich vvayes as also the ends to vvhich they conduct are directly contrary to one another for the Spirit of corrupt nature only teaches vs such things as are for the presēt pleasing or proffitable to our carnall desires or sensuall secular designes but pernicious to the soule or spirit the vvhich follovving the light of nature runnes into endles errours labarinths all vvhich leade vs from God true happines vnto eternall misery On the other side the spirit of God discouering vnto vs the folly danger of follovving so blind pernicious a Guide as nature is teaches vs that our happines cōsists in forsaking such a vvandring guide treading paths quite contrary in renouncing present sensuall pleasures commodities so far as they are a hindrance yea not an aduancement to our knovving of God spirituall things the vvhich only must be the obiect of all our desires indeauours vvhereby only vve shall arriue to eternall happines vnion vvith God 3. Besides these tvvo guides vve neither haue nor can haue any other vvithin vs vvith both these good Christians are cōtinually attended Whatsoeuer therfore is not the teaching of the Diuine spirit is the suggestion of the false teacher vvho is his our enemy The vvhich tooke possession of the soules of men vpon Adam's Transgression vvhose fault vvas the not attending to the teaching of Gods holy spirit vvhich then vvas the only Internall teacher but instead thereof hearkening to the flattering tentations of his vvife seduced by the deuill And from Adam this false light is communicated to all his posterity so as naturally vve haue no other But the nevv heauenly teacher the holy spirit is freely giuen vs by meanes of the diuine vvord sacraments it being a nevv diuine Principle imprinted in our spirits raising them to God cōtinually solliciting vs to vvalke in his wayes 4. Our misery is that vvhereas by mortall sins the diuine light is for the time vvholly extinguished so as to the producing any considerable good effect vpon the vvill it is not so on the other side that by grace the false teacher should be totally expelled or silenced But it remaines euen in the most perfect God knovves euen the best are too much enclined often to hearken to it Those that are lesse perfect though in matters of necessary Duty obligation they follovv the conduct of the Diuine spirit yet in lesser matters they for the most part are moued vvith no other Principle then that of corrupt nature by vvhich they incurre defects the vvhich
though in themselues veniall yet doe much obscure the Diuine light vveaken its efficacy Yea euen in those things vvherein such imperfect soules doe for the substance of the Action its essentialls follovv the direction of Gods Spirit yet by mixing of sensuall Interests ends suggested by the false teacher they doe diminish its luster beauty valevv And so subtile is the spirit of nature that it oft makes its false suggestions passe for Diuine Inspirations seldome misses the insinuating its poyson in some degree either into the beginning or continuation of our best actions 5. From these vnquestionable grounds thus truly layd it follovves euidently That in all good Actions especially in the Internall wayes of the spirit which conduct to Contemplation Perfection God alone is our only maister directour creatures vven he is pleased to vse them are only his Instruments So that all other teachers vvhatsoeuer vvhether the light of reason or externall Directours or Rules prescribed in bookes c are no further nor othervvise to be follovved or hearkened to then as they are subordinate conformable to the Internall Directions Inspirations of Gods Holy spirit or as God inuites Instructs moues vs to haue recourse vnto them by them to be informed in his vvill by him enabled to performe it And that if they be made vse of any other vvayes they vvill certainly misleade vs. 5. This is by all Mysticall vvriters acknovvledged so fundamentall a truth that vvithout acknovvledging it vvorking according to it it is in vaine to enter into the exercises of an Internall Contemplatiue life So that to say as too commonlie it is said by Authours vvho pretend to be spirituall but haue no tast of these mystike matters Take all your Instructions from vvithout from Externall teachers or bookes is all one as to say haue nothing at all to doe vvith the vvayes of Contemplation vvhich can be taught by no other but God or by those vvhom God specially instructs appoynts determinately for the Disciples present exigence So that it is God only that internally teaches both the Teacher Disciple his inspirations are the only lesson for both All our light therfore is from Diuine Illumination all our strength as to these things is from the Diuine operation of the Holy Ghost on our vvills affections 7. Novv to the end that this so important a verity may more distinctly be declared more firmely imprinted in the minds of all those that desire to be Gods schollers in the internall vvaies of his Diuine loue they are to take notice that the Inspirations vvhich are here acknovvledged to be the only safe rule of all our actions though of the same nature yet doe extend further to more other particular obiects then the Diuine light or Grace by vvhich good Christians liuing common liues in the vvorld are lead extends to yea then it does euen in those that seeke perfectiō by the exercises of an Actiue life 8. The light vertue of Common Grace affords generally to all good Christians that seriously indeauour to saue their soules such Internall Illuminations motions as are sufficient to direct them for the resisting of any sinfull tentation or to performe any necessary act of vertue in circumstances vvherin they are obliged though this Direction be oft obeyd vvith many circumstantiall defects And their Actions are so far no further meritorious pleasing to God then as they proceed from such Internall Grace or inspiration But as for other Actions vvhich in their ovvne nature are not absolutly of necessary obligation the vvhich notvvithstanding might be made Instrumentall to the aduancing perfecting of holines in their soules such as are the ordinary vsually esteemed Indifferent Actions of their liues to a due improouement of such Actions they haue neither the light nor the strength or very seldome by reason that they liue distracted liues not vsing such solitude recollection as are necessary for the disposing of soules to the receiuing such an extraordinary light vertue And as for those that tend to Perfection by Actiue exercises euen the more perfect although they atteine therby a far greater measure of light grace by vvhich they performe their necessary duties of holines more perfectly vvith a more pure Intention likeevvise make far greater benefit for their aduancement by Actions occurrences more indifferent yet they also for vvant of habituall Introuersion recollectednes of mind doe passe ouer vvithout benefit the greatest part of their ordinary actions 9. But as for Contemplatiue liuers those I meane that haue made a sufficient progres tovvards Perfection besides the cōmon grace light or Inspirations necessary for a due performance of essentiall Duties the vvhich they enioy in a far more sublime manner degree so as to purify their actions from a vvorld of secret impurities subtle mixture of the Interests ends of corrupt nature inuisible to all other soules Besides this light I say vvhich is presupposed prerequired they vvalke in a continuall supernaturall light are guided by assiduous Inspirations in regard of their most ordinary in themselues indifferent Actions occurrences in all vvhich they clearly see hovv they are to be haue themselues so as to doe vvill of God by them also to improoue themselues in the Diuine loue the vvhich extraordinary light is communicated vnto them only by vertue of their almost continuall Recollectednes Introuersion attention to God in their spirits 11. More particularly by this Internall diuine light an Internall liuer is or may be directed 1. In the manner circumstances vvhen vvhere hovv any vertue may most proffitably perfectly be exercised For as for the substantiall Act of such a vertue the necessary obliging circumstances in vvhich it cannot vvith out mortall sin be omitted the light of common sanctifying Grace vvill suffise to direct 2. In the manner frequency length change other circumstances of Internall prayer 3. In Actions or omissions vvhich absolutely considered may seeme in themselues Indifferent at the present there may be as to ordinary light an vncertainty vvhether the doing or omission is the more perfect This is discouered to the soule by these Supernaturall Inspirations light such Actions or Omissions are for example Reading study of such or such matters vvalking conuersing staying in or quitting solitude in ones Cell taking a iourney vndertaking or refusing an employment accepting or refusing Inuitations c In all vvhich things well-minded soules by solitude introuersion disposing themselues will not faile to haue a supernaturall light impulse communicated to them which will enable them to make choyce of that side of the doubt vvhich if they correspond therto vvill most aduance them in spirit suite vvith the Diuine vvill Whereas vvithout such light generally soules are directed by an obscure light impulse of nature carnall ends or Interests vvithout
out of the motiue of diuine loue to the end to increase the said loue in our soules especially the ordinary Actions employments of a Religious contemplatiue life And lastly since Perfection in Diuine loue cannot be atteined by the simple exercise of Charity in duties vvhich are absolutly necessary vvithout mortall sin cannot be omitted the vvhich duties doe seldome occurre But it is moreouer requisite for that end to mulâ—iply frequently dayly Exercises of the said Loue in offices lesse necessary yea to purify all our most ordinary Actions from the steines of selfe-loue vvhich adhere vnto them hence I say appeares the necessity of the Influence of the diuine spirit vpon our Actions vvhich are not of such obligation if vve seriously tend to the Perfection of Diuine loue in our soules 3. To this purpose it is vvorth the obseruing hovv seriously our holy Father S. Benedict in forces the necessity of hearkning to obeying the Inspirations of Gods holy spirit our only supreme Maister making this the foundation of all Religious Duties in the Prologue of his Rule vvhere he saith That we must nunquam discedere ab eius magisterio neuer depart from the Institution direction of God That we must haue our eyes open ad Deificum lumen to the Diuine light On which grounds he calls a Monastery scholam Dominici seruitij the schoole wherin Gods seruice is taught and officinam Artis spiritualis the workehouse wherin the art of the diuine spirit is taught practised Namely because all things all obseruances euen those of the least moment in a Religious life doe tend to vvithdravv vs from all other teachers all other skill to bring vs to be Deo docibiles taught by God only And therfore it is that our said holy Patriarch layes this as the foundation of all religious Practises that they be done in vertue of prayer his vvords are Inprimis vt quidquid agendum inchoas bonum à Deo perfici instantissima Oratione deposcas As if he should say In the first principall place thou art to consider this to be the end why I inuite thee to an abstracted Religious life that thou maist therby be brought to this happy secure state as to be enabled to obteine of God by most earnest assiduous prayer to giue a blessing perfection to euery Action that in a religious state thou shalt apply thy selfe to Novv if according to our holy Fathers principall Intention Prayer ought to prepare accompany euery Action vvhich vve performe in Religion then surely it vvill follovv that they ought all of them to be performed vvith relation to God as vpon his bidding for his loue glory 4. Moreouer more particularly concerning Diuine Inspirations our holy Father makes mention of seuerall ones in speciall As in the point of Internall prayer though in common he ordeines that it should be short in the 20. Chap. of his Rule yet so as that he leaues it to the liberty of any one to prolong it ex affectu Inspirationis Diuinae gratiae by an inuitation enablement from a dâ—uine Inspiration Grace And againe concerning Abstinence as also the measure of allovvance for meate drinke he professeth that he had a scruple hovv to proportion it considering the variety of mens tempers necessities But hovveuer though he vvas vvilling to allovv vvhat might be sufficient for the strongest yet he leaues euery one in particular to the direction of Grace saying in the 40. chap. Vnus quisque proprium habet donum ex Deo alius sic alius verò sic that is Euery one hath a peculiar gift of God one hath this another that Quibus autem donat Deus tolerantiam abstinentiae propriam se habituros mercedem sciant That is those vnto whom God hath giuen the strength to endure a sparing abstinence let them be assured that so doing God will giue them a peculiar reward Besides these seuerall other passages might be produced out of our Holy fathers Rule to the same purpose 5. Novv in this last passage there is a Document that vvell deserues to be considered Euery one saith he in S. Paules vvords hath his proper peculiar gift in the matter of Refection All good Christians haue the gift to auoyd therein a mortally sinfull excesse But Religious Internall liuers haue moreouer or may haue a speciall Gift to auoyd euen veniall defects And the Perfect to aduance themselues therby tovvards Perfection Yet from thence vve cannot conclude that God has obliged himselfe to discouer vnto euery one although seeking it by Prayer the exactly true state complexion of his body Whence it follovvs that if he being mistaken in that vvhich he is not bound to knovv should demand more or lesse sustenance then is absolutly necessary it is no sin vpon supposition that such desire did not proceed from a sensuall affection to meate nor a faulty neglect of health but from the best light that reason could afford him to iudge of his ovvne necessity from an Intention to benefit his soule by a moderate refreshing of nature And it is Gods vvill that vve should follovv Reason in all externall things in vvhich God doth not vsually othervvise illuminate his seruants Though naturall Reason therfore may faile be mistaken yet the person does not offend but rather follovves God by follovving the light of his reason this being all the light in such cases afforded him So for example if an Hermite being infirme and hauing none to consult vvith should doubt vvhether it vvere vnlavvfull for him to breake a commanded Fast and hauing by Prayer desired Gods Direction should remaine persvvaded thet it vvas and therby should preiudice his health by fasting This vvould be no sin at all in him yea on the contrary it vvould be meritorious For he vvould faile indeed in that for vvhich he had no light neither vvas light necessary to him to vvit the exact knovvledge of vvhat had bene requisite for corporall health But he vvould merit in that for vvhich he had light to vvit the aduancement of his soule And ordinarily speaking the inspirations that God affords to the more perfect in such cases are rather to absteine euen from the more expedient commodities yea oftimes to some preiudice of health for the greater good of the soule because too anxious a sollicitude for health is vnbecoming an Internall liuer Yea a robustious health vninterrupted is not conuenient for such an one But leauing this digression 6. Our holy Father teaches as himselfe had bene taught For vvhat other Teacher had he from his infancy till the moment of his Expiration but the Diuine spirit by vvhose light impulse alone he vvas directed into in his solitude aftervvard enabled to direct all succeeding ages in a Coenobiticall life to haue recourse to the same Teacher The like may be said of all the Ancient Hermites anachoretes vvho could haue no other Instructour but God
had no other employment during their rigorous solitude silence but to attend to their Internall Teacher put in execution his Inspirations in all their actions both internall externall To this purpose saith a holy Hermite in Cassian That as it vvas by Gods inspiration that vve begin vvhen vve enter into Religion so likevvise Magisterio illuminatione Dei ad perfectionem peruenimus by the discipline Instruction Illumination of God vve atteine to perfection Another sayes That a soule can doe no good at all vnles she be quotidianâ Domini illuminatione illustrata inlightned by a daily illumination from God These are Expressions that our holy Father himselfe vses it seemes borrovved them from the same Authours And for this Reason it is that in his Rule he contents himselfe vvith ordeining Prescriptions for the exteriour only because he knevv that the Interiour could only be directed by God But vvithall his ordinations are such as vve may see his Intention and only designe vvas by them to dispose soules to be capable of obseruing follovving the inspirations invvard instructions of Gods holy Spirit vvithout vvhich all exteriour Obseruances vvould neuer bring vs to perfection such vvere very Rigorous solitude abstraction from all entercourse either vvith the busines or nevves of the vvorld almost continuall silence but vvhen vvee speake to God c. And vvithall in seuerall places of his Rule he signifies by the vvay that the Reformation of the Spirit ought to be the principall aime of a Religious Soule So that in the conclusion of the Rule hauing regard to the Externall Obseruances expressely commanded therin as a preparation to the Perfection to be learnt out of the Liues and Conferences of the Fathers he professeth with great humility but vvith great truth also that his intentiō therby vvas that those vvhich obserued it be enabled to declare in some sort honestatem morum aut initium conuersationis eos habere that they had atteined to a laudable exteriour cariage the beginning of a holy Religious conuersation But saith he whosoeuer shall tend to perfection Sunt doctrinae Sanctorum Patrum as if he had sayd He must according to the teachings of the Holy Fathers attend vnto the Diuine Maister by exercising according to his instructions that pure sublime Prayer c. vvhich they practised discouered And suitable herto S. Francis likevvise in his Rule aduises his Disciples thus Attendant fratres quod super omnia desiderare debent habere spiritum Domini sanctam eius operationem that is The Religious brethren must attentiuely marke that aboue all other things they ought to desire to haue the spirit of our lord his holy operation in their soules 7. To conclude either it must be granted that Perfection may be atteined merely by auoyding Mortall sins doing such action of vertue as are absolutly necessary to all Christians vvhich to say vvere manifestly foolish false And likevvise that Actions more indifferent not so vniuersally obliging such as are certeine more proffitable manners of Prayer externall Religious Obseruances Refection conuersation vvith our brethren c. cannot be rendred capable of a holy Intention of aduancing vs in the Diuine loue vvhich is against experience And moreouer that vvithout Internall Grace actually operating vvhich is nothing else but Diuine Illuminations impulses these ordinary Inferiour Actions may be exalted to produce that effect vvhich the greatest necessary vertues could not produce vvhich to say vvere impiety Or it must be granted that the teaching of Gods Holy Spirit is the only principall necessary cause by vvhose vertue vve are informed enabled to improoue make vse of these Actions for the atteining of so sublime an end as Perfection in Contemplation is vvithout which it is impossible to be atteined And indeed so impossible to be brought vnder externall Rules so secret vndiscouerable are the Internall Dispositions of soules their operations that they cannot be clearly perceiued nor consequently ordered but by him to vvhom alone our figmentum our hearts all the secret inclinations motions of them are naked transparent CAP. V. § 1. All Internall liuers obliged to attend to Gods Inspirations § 2. Therfore the Impediments to this duty are to be remoued which are two first distracting Images which are expelled by Abstraction of life § 3. The 2 Impediment is vnruly Passions which are calmed by Mortification Peace of mind § 4. 5. The end why a Religious state especially of S. Benedicts Institution is vndertaken is the remouall of these inpediments § 6. 7. 8. 9. A third more speciall impediment to wit want of due Liberty of spirit to follow Gods Directions caused by voluntary burdens coustumes assumed Seuerall such are exemplified in 1. THE Necessity of a Diuine Internall Teacher being established there follovves from thence an Equall necessity for all those vvhose profession obliges them to vvalke in those vvayes tovvards the sublime end proposed to attend vnto obey this only most necessary Maister And because each one hath in his heart a false teacher that alvvaies vrgeth vs to hearken to his peruerse teachings to neglect the diuine Teacher Therfore the vvay to become a diligent obedient Disciple to Gods holy Spirit vvill be 1. To neglect contradict as much as lies in vs to silence the teachings suggestions of corrupt nature 2. And secondly to be attentiue to the voyce of Gods spirit in our soules 2. For the first there are tvvo generall Impediments that nature layes in our vvay to hinder vs from attending to God The first is distracting Images the Second vnquiet Passions Novv the Remedy against the former is Abstraction of life a not engaging our selues in businesses that belong not vnto vs the mortifying of the curiosity of knovving or hearing strange or nevv things not pertinent to our Profession the tempring of our tongues from vaine vnproffitable conuersations the reducing our thoughts as much as may be from multiplicity to vnity by fixing them continually on the diuine loue vvhich is that vnum necessarium c 3. Againe the only proper Remedies against the other impediment to vvit vnquiet Passions are first Mortification of all inordinate Affection to creatures of all vaine encombring freindships all factious Partialities all thoughtfull prouision for the contenting of our sensuall Desires But especially of that most dangerous because most in time spirituall thirst of knowledge vnnecessary of all ambition to get victory or glory by disputing vvriting c as likevvise of all Anger Impatience melancholy feare scrupulosity c And secondly a studious care to preserue our soules in all the peace tranquillity cheerfullnes possible not suffring any passions to be raised in our minds during our imperfect state no not although they should be directed vpon good holy obiects because they vvill obscure disorder our spirits And therfore vve must auoyd all violence impetuous
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
obliging obseruances lesse submisse to Authority and lesse assiduous in the Seruice of God 4. Therfore for as much as concernes the Publick Conuentuall reciting of the Offiice they may take notice That the Obligation therto does not at all lye vpon particular Religious vnder sin except vvhen they haue bene pro tempore expressly commanded by Superiours to frequent the Quire at such or such a determinate time At other times they may be pennanced for negligence and ought to submit vvillingly therto But the Obligation vnder sin to see that Duty discharged lyes only vpon Superiours 5. Againe vvhen they are in the Quire in case that vvhen others are repeating the Office they are employed about any thing that concernes the Church as lighting of Candles fetching or turning of Bookes Musick c. they are not obliged to repeat such Parts of the Office as haue passed during such their Employments Neither is it necessary in case of any considerable feeblenesse that they should streine their voices to the tone of the Conuent vnlesse by reason of the paucity of the Religious the Office through their Silence cannot be solemnly discharged Moreouer if any reasonable occasion concerning the Office require their going out of the Quire they are not bound to repeate aftervvards vvhat shall haue bene said in the meane time but at their returne they may content themselues to ioine vvith the Community c. 6. But as touching the saying of the Office in priuate it is the generall Vote of learned man 1. That a very ordinary indisposition vvill suffise to dispence 2. That the mistake of one Office for another is not considerable since it is only a dayes Office is enioyned and not such a determinate Office 3. That if a fevv verses novv and then vvere omitted that being but a very small part of the vvhole is not valuable 4. That none are obliged to repetition for vvant of Attention or for not exact pronunciation c. 5. That Scrupulous Soules being in an vncertainty vvhether they haue said such a particular Hovvre or other considerable part of the Office are not obliged to say it 6. As for the times of saying each part the liberty allovved is fully large enough Other Indulgences there are generally permitted of the vvhich they may doe vvell to informe themselues These vvill suffise to shevv that the Burden is not so great as many good tender Soules doe apprehend 7. But the roote of all these and all other Scrupulous difficulties in this matter is taken avvay by the Positiue Assertion of certaine learned Doctours not censured or condemned by any viz. That no Religious Persons except they be in holy Orders are bound to the reciting of the Diuine Office in priuate vnder mortall sin And if it vvere any sin at all to omit it it vvould be a mortall sin being euidently in materia graui 8. The principall Authours of this Assertion are Lessius a very learned Iesuit and Marchantius a most prudent learned and Conscientious Prouinciall of the holy Order of S. Francis vvho being taught by long Experience in treating vvith tender Soules professes that he thought himselfe obliged in Conscience in Duty to God and Charity to timerous Soules to publish this Assertion And the Reasons giuen for it seeme to be very pressing and concluding Because the simple not-reciting of the Office being not in it selfe euill for then all seculars not reciting it should sin mortally there can be named no Title vnder vvhich it can be made Obligatory 9. For. 1. all those that vvould maintaine the contrary opinion doe professe that there is no Lavv for it For although our Holy Rule aduises that in case any coÌ„siderable number of Religious by meanes of any Employment should be hindred from the Quire they should in the place of such their Employment recite the Office in common Yet it giues no order at all to single Religious persons in that case 2. The Foundations and sustentation of Religious Communities is not as that of Cures or Canonries to vvhich there is correspondent by a debt of Iustice and vertuall Contracts the reciting of the Canonicall Office so that Restitution is due in case of Omission But to Foundations of Monasteries and pious Oblations are correspondent only the performances and Obseruances of Religious Vowes Fasts Austerities Conuentuall Prayer aspiring to Contemplation c vvith respect to vvhich only Oblations vvere made to Conuents not vnder a Title of Iustice but Charity 10. There remaines therefore no other pretence for an Obligation of particular Religious not in sacris to a priuate reciting of the Office but only Custome that has the vertue of a Lavv. Novv Caietan doubts vvhether de facto there be any Custome of it at all for certaine it is that it is not vniuersally receiued neither is it by priuiledge that some doe not receiue it Hovveuer if there be a Custome yet that it has not the force of a Law may appeare 1. Because if it had bene introduced by authority of Superiours it vvould haue bene established by Constitutions vvhich yet hath neuer bene done Neither hath any InquisitioÌ„ bene made at Visits of the breach of such a Custome as a fault 2. Because those Doctours that most vrge the ObligatioÌ„ therto yet neuer pretend the omitting to be a Mortall sin And surely if it be not a mortall sinne it is none at all 3. Because seuerall learned men haue publickly vvithout censure protested against any obligation flovving from such a Custome vvhich vvould neuer haue bene permitted if Prelates and Superiours had an intention that their subiects should esteeme such a Custome obligatory 4. Because there are certaine Orders as the Franciscans the Nunnes of the Annunciata c vvhich by their Rule and an expresse Vow are obliged to the reciting of the Office in particular in case of absence from the Quire vvhich vvould be ridiculous if the generall Custome vvas presumed to be sufficiently obliging 5. The same is proued by a parity for vvheras a Custome had bene generally introduced among the Cisâ—ertians by the Ancients of the Order of reciting the Office of our B. Lady and of the Dead yet in Generall Chapter Anno Domini 1618. it vvas declared that this Custome though introduced by the Ancients and Superiours yet had not the force of a Lâ—w. 11. All this notvvithstanding according to the Opinion of the said Authours vvee may conceiue this to be a Custome very laudably practised by deuout Souleâ— and has bene indeed receiued vnder Title of Piety and a conuenient holy Exercise vvhich if it should be causelessly neglected contemned or transgressed a person so transgressing if he did it out of indeuotion and vvant of feruour in matters of Piety might iustly be condemned or at least esteemed a person indeuout and negligent The vvhich fault yet may be remedied some other more commodious vvay then by laying a snare vpon tender soules or misinforming them CHAP. XI § 1. Of the most bitter kind of
against conscience or vvhat may be sayd to be Doubtfull accounting euery thing that they feare vvithout being able to giue any tolerable reason of their feare to be against conscience and to be Doubtfull It is therfore the spirituall Directour or experienced Confessour only that is to be iudge of these things vvho has no interest at all in the busines but the good of his Penitents soule vvho can iudge vvithout Passion vvho is appointed by God to be iudge and vvhose vnfaithfull dealing the Penitent hath no reason to suspect 5. There is no possible vvay to be ridde from scruples besides the hauing immediate recourse to God by humble resigned Prayer but an entire indispensable obedience to prudent Confessours proceeding according to these or the like grounds and instructions According to vvhich if such tender soules take the courage to practise notvvithstanding any feares in sensitiue Nature they vvill find their feares to decrease Wheras if they neglect or obstinatly refuse to put them in practise their feares vvill not only grow far more dangerous but they vvill become inexcusable before Almighty God and contract the heynous sin of disobedience ingratitude and vvillfull obstinacy resistance against the light vvhich God has giuen them 6. But vvithall they must knovv that they vvill neuer haue sufficient strength and Grace to obey against passion except they seriously practise Internall Prayer the vvhich alone vvill make their Obedience to become by custome far more easy and also freed from that horrour vvhich at the first they will feele in sensitiue Nature 7. Neither ought they to suspect that their Confessours set ouer them by God for their good doe not vnderstand their case aright True it is they doe not feele the paines they suffer no more then Corporall Physitions doe their Patients But yet they knovv the causes of it far better then themselues proceeding by a Supernaturall light not clowded by Passion And vvhy should they pretend to knovv the causes being ignorant of them What interest is likely to corrupt their iudgment Would they for no reward or gaine incurre the displeasure of God 8. Notwithstanding so subtile such soules are to their owne preiudice that though they should yeild that their Confessour knevv their past state yet they see some nevv Circumstance vvhich vvas either forgotten or they doubt so the vvhich may perhaps alter the vvhole Case As likewise euery nevv sin or defect has somevvhat in it to their seeming different from the former by vvhich they make a shift to scape from Obedience Yet they must knovv that not all these shifts vvill excuse them before God 9. Yea they ought to consider that though indeed it vvere true that the Confessour should happen to be mistaken Notvvithstanding the Penitent practising bona fide according to his Orders in a point of this Nature about Confession vvhich is not a Morall Precept should commit no sin nor incurre the least danger by it yea being an Act of Obedience for Gods sake and in opposition to Naturall Passion it should be an occasion of merit to them So that though the sins suspected by them vvere indeed Mortall yet he iudging othervvise they vvould not be obliged to confesse them 10. But it is vvonderfull to see in soules very distrustfull of themselues in all other matters such an obstinate selfe-iudgment in this that they vvill neuer be perswaded that they are Scrupulous though their vvitts be almost perished by Scrupulosity For if this vvere once admitted plaine reason vvould conuince them that they ought not to be their ovvne Iudges As likevvise in soules othervvise very innocent humble and most pliable to Obediēce the pertinacious disobedience in this point of abstaining from confessing or renewing Confessions of things forbidden them to be confessed is very strange So that against the command of their present Confessour and the Aduice of all the most learned Doctours they vvill persist in their reluctance And if their Confessour vvill not admit them they vvill forbeare no meanes to find out others though vvholly vnacquainted vvith their state to heare their Scrupulosities And vvhat other ground can there be of such disorder but only selfe-loue deeply rooted in corrupt Nature and oftimes the suggestion of the Deuill to vvhich such soules by reason of their disordered Imaginations and Passions are miserably exposed They had rather confesse their vertues for faults as their hauing resisted their feares in compliance vvith Obedience then their really greatest fault vvhich is selfe Iudgment and Disobedience 11. A Scrupulous fearfull Soule hauing bene commanded to forbeare Examination and confession of such particulars as doe cause vnquietnes in her vvhen she comes to put this in practise a double Feare vvill present it selfe to her the one of disobeying her Confessour and the other of going against her naturall Iudgment vvhich is contrary to her Confessours But she ought to consider that the former Feare has nothing of nature in it yea that it contradicts Nature in its most sensible part and therfore is far more vvorthy to take place As for the Feare of going against her ovvne Iudgment it proceeds vvholly and only from Nature selfe-loue and a desire to be ridd of her present paine that the memory of her faults causes in her or the Suggestions of the Deuill vrging her to disobedience Therfore if she cannot expell this Feare out of sensitiue Nature she must accept it as a paine but vvithall contradict it as a Tentation 12. She ought to assure herselfe that more harme comes to her and incomparably greater impediments in her Exercise of Prayer c. by indiscreete Confessions or Examinations made merely to satisfy Scrupulosity then by all the Defects that she vvould Confesse the which being generally incurred out of frailty doe far lesse estrange her from God then such Confessions doe by vvhich she is habituated in selfe-vvill selfe-iudgment and Seruile Feare All vvhich are the more perillous in as much as they haue a pretence of Duty to God and to the Orders of his Church as also of humility and a desire to receiue benefit by the Sacrament c. 13. Common Reason vvill dictate that it is most vnfitt that any one should be iudge of his ovvne state iust at a time vvhen a Tentation or violent Feare is actually predominant the vvhich doe put the soule in a strange confusion and darknes What a folly therfore presumption vvould it be for a vvoman ignonorant passionate and fearefull to challenge the Office of a Iudge in this Case and to thinke to regulate the Iudge that sits in Gods seate 14. Let therfore fearefull soules that are forbidden the vsuall waies of curious Examinations of Conscience nice Confessions Whensoeuer any scruple or suspicion concerning a Mortall Sin comes into their Minds that vvould vrge them to run for ease to Confession or that vvould affright them from communicating let them I say content themselues vvith asking their ovvne Consciences in one glance of their minds Doe
our selues to deserue no honour kind vsage c but the contrary hovv could vvee be impatient for iniuries receiued vnresigned in afflictions infected vvith propriety c vvith vvhat svveetnes peace vvould vvee liue tovvards all vvith vvhat tendernes Charity vvould vvee embrace all c 7. Novv the principall Act of this Humility is that vvhich is recommend by our holy Father in these vvords The eleauenth degree of humility saith he is when a soule shall not only pronounce with her tongue but likewise in the most inward affection of the heart beleiue herselfe to be inferiour more vile then all others humbling herselfe saying with the Prophet I am a worme no man the shame of men an abiect among the common people I was exalted by thee but I am humbled confounded And againe It was good for mee that thou didst humble mee that I may learne thy commandements 8. Such true Humility is so rare to be found that there are fevv that make Profession of this Act euen vvith the tongue in so much that a man should be esteemed an hypocrite that should only pretend hereto Wheras in truth the very essence of Humility as regarding men coÌ„sists principally in the exercising this Act. For vvee are not to conceiue that any one is become truly humble by any one or more of the degrees of it till he haue attained at least in preparation of mind to the highest degree with which our holy Father begins Certaine therefore it is that true humility requires this acknovvledgment from vs that wee beleiue our selues to be inferiour more vile then all others 9. Novv though to ordinary humane reason it mâ—y seeme an offence against prudence truth for one for example that knovves himselfe to be skillfull in Arts prudent noble c to preferre before himselfe those that are ignorant silly ignoble c Or for a soule that by the grace of God perceiues herselfe to be free from mortall sins to liue vnblameably yea vvith edification perhaps is fauoured by Almighty God vvith supernaturall graces sublime Prayer c to esteeme herselfe inferiour to Persons that she sees abandonned to all vice impiety For doing so she vvould seeme to lye against her ovvne conscience God to be extremely vngratefull to him Notvvithstanding Humility it not at all opposed to truth for if it vvere so it could not be a vertue Yea it is pure Diuine Truth it selfe that forces such a confession from the perfectest soules In so much as that he that does not knovv yea endeauours not experimentally to feele himselfe to be the most vile vvretched of all creatures does in vaine challenge the title of being humble or true 10. And this vvill appeare by discouering the groundâ— vpon vvhich the meanes by vvhich true Christiaâ— Humility is built to be attained the vvhich arâ— these 11. In the first place vvee are to knovv that God created all things for himselfe that is in order subordination to himselfe so that the perfection of their natures respectiuely consists in the preseruing of this subordination or in taking a true measure of themselues considered in themselues also as compared vvith God And so doing vvee shall in very truth vvithout flattery or vanity acknovvledge that vvee our selues all creatures vvith vs are in of our selues simply in propriety of speech very nothing vvee haue nothing vvee deserue nothing vvee can doe nothing yea moreouer that by all things that proceede from our selues as from our selues vvee tend to nothing can reape nothing but vvhat is due to defectuousnes And on the contrary that God alone of himselfe is has being that illimited replenished vvith all the perfections that Being can possibly haue 12. This is the maine vniuersall vnalterable ground of Humility by vertue of vvhich all intellectuall creatures in all states degrees are obliged to referre to God alone not only themselues all manner of things because vvithout him they haue no being at all only by him they continue to enioy that being but also all endovvments that are in them all operations that flovv from them as far as they are not defectuous the successe likevvise of all their actions so that to acknovvledge any good to come from any but God only or to ascribe Excellency or praise to any other but God is a high iniustice a breach of that essentiall order in for vvhich creatures vvere made are preserued 13. By vertue of this indispensable Subordination or comparing of God vvith his creatures the most perfect most holy most sublime of all Gods creatures doe most profoundly humble themselues in his presence The glorified Saints doe prostrate themselues before him casting their crovvnes at his feete the Seraphins couer their faces our blessed Lord as man hauing a most perfect knovvledge perception feeling of the nothingnes of creatures the absolute Totality of God did more then all Saints Angells most profoundly humble himselfe before the Diuine Maiesty of his Father remaining continually plunged in the Abysse of his ovvne nothing Moreouer in vertue herof he submitted himselfe to all creatures yea for as much as concerned suffring euen to the Deuill himselfe As a creature he savv nothing in himselfe but the nothing of a creature in all other creatures he savv nothing but God to vvhom he humbled himselfe in all accepting as from him whatsoeuer persecutions proceeded from others True indeed it is that vvithout offending truth he could not beleiue any other creature to be more holy and perfect then himselfe so could not in that regard humble himselfe to them But he considered all his ovvne perfections as not his ovvne but Gods and therfore assumed nothing to himselfe for them yea he did not at all consider them but only to humble himselfe renounce all pretentious to them And the least perfection that vvas in others he considered as belonging to God and so humbled himselfe to God in them 14. But in the second place although this consideration of the not-being of creatures out of God the All-being of God be indeed the true most proper ground of perfect Humility yet because a great supernaturall light grace is required to make a soule sensible of this for by discourse vvee may come to knovv it in an imperfect manner to beleiue it But to tast perceiue feele it this vvee can neuer doe till vvee be entred far into God by our Prayer Therfore vvee are in the beginning to make vse also of another more sensible to the vveakest eyes perceiueable ground of Humiliation vvhich is the consciousnes of our many imperfections sins ioyning therewith that imperfect discoursiue knovvledge of our ovvne nothing Gods totality endeauouring by these two to humble abase our selues so by little little diminishing that naturall Pride vvhich is in euery one of vs by vvhich vvee
far to be encombrances 5. Lastly if they did require obedience from their subiects not to shevv their ovvne Authority but only to benefit their subiects soules therby vvithout vvhich intentioÌ„ their office becomes merely secular c If I say Superiours had remained thus qualified there vvould neuer haue bene any sufficient occasion to dispense vvith such an order prescribed by our holy Father touching the subiects reueyling to the Superiour their most secret Imperfections euen in thoughts 9. But hovveuer matters standing as they novv doe obedience being diuided as it vvere betvveene a Regular a spirituall Directour the Subiect is to performe to each the obedience vvhich is due yet vvith this difference that he is to consider that the obligation of Obedience to a spirituall directour voluntarily chosen by the subiect changeable at pleasure is far lesse strict then to a Superiour who has Gods Authority communicated to him confirmed by the Church ratified by a solemne Vow by vertue of which vvee haue giuen vp our vvills vvholly to the vvills of our Superiours In so much as that our holy Father in the 5. Chap. of the Rule requires a performance of this duty on no meaner motiues then the hope of heauen the feare of hell vvhich is the most perfect of all other the loue of God for saith he Obedience with out delay is proper to them who esteeme nothing dearer to themselues then Christ 10. Now since the only principall end vvhy a Religious Person has engaged himselfe in a life of Obedience is the good aduancement of his soule not any temporall conuenience as in secular gouernments Therfore notvvithstanding the common Saying That our soules are exempted from humane Iurisdiction And notwithstanding that in these dayes as hath beene said Superiours are not alvvaies the directours of their subiects consciences Yet vnlesse their commands be obeyed in Purity of heart as for Gods sake vvith submission not only of the outvvard but invvard man also that is both the vvill iudgment such Obedience is not at all meritorious nor conformable to the generall designe of a Religious life to their Vow of Profession For if all Christians as S. Paul teacheth be obliged to obey secular Superiours seruants their masters Not for feare of wrath or puniâ—hment but for conscience sake in order to God vvho hath inuested them vvith Authority intending principally the good of their soules in all manner of exteriour obligations Surely this doth much more strictly hold in Religious Obedience vvhich vvas ordained hath bene vndertaken only for the benefit of the soule 11. Therfore vvhereas later Doctours Casuists haue found out Exemptions in many cases abridging the Authority of Superiours disobliging Subiects from Obedience A religious subiect that seriously aspires to Perfection according to his Profession vvill be very vvary hovv he makes vse of the aduantages dispensations afforded him considering that although by such disobedience he may perhaps escape the punishment of externall lavves yet he vvill not esteeme himselfe quit from his obligation to obey vnlesse the things vnduly coÌ„manded be such as are incoÌ„sistent with his duty to God manifestly preiudiciall to his soule 12. Moreouer a truly humble Internall liuer vvill very rarely not vvithout extreme necessity make vse of that iust liberty of appealing from an immediate Superiour allovved by the lawes of the Church And this he vvill neuer doe for the case of nature or the satisfying of any Passion but purely for the good of the soule Indeed I doe scarce know any case in which an Appeale may be fit to be vsed by such soules except perhaps vvhen they find that their immediate Superiour either out of ignorance or a disaffection to spirituall Prayer shall abridge their subiects of time meanes necessary for the exercise of it either by ouer burdning them vvith distractiue sollicitous Employments or as it vvere purposely this frequently customarily imposing on them obediences at the times appoynted proper for Prayer Yet surely the case must needs be extraordinary if a soule cannot by vsing her dexterity prudence recouer each day tvvo halfe-hovvers for Recollection 13. Notvvithstanding some good vse may be made of the opinion of Doctours touching the limits bounds prescribed to the Authority of Superiours the degrees of obligation to such Authority for the necessary ease of deuout tender scrupulous soules Not that such are to be encouraged to dispense vvith themselues in the duties required therby but least they out of tendernes in suspecting oft a Mortall sin to haue bene committed by disobedience vvhere perhaps there vvas scarce any fault at all should be disquieted perplexed hindred from reaping any benefit by Prayer or any other duties And indeed little danger is there that soules so disposed should from any larger interpretations make aduantage to the ease of nature or the satisfaction of an inordinate Passion 14. Such soules therefore may knovv 1. That the Authority of Superiours is not illimited but confined to certaine conditions as that it must be iuxta Regulam neither besides nor aboue the Rule and that their commands must be ad aedificationem and not ad destructionem c. 2. That Disobedience to their commands vvhich are according to the Rule is not a mortall offence vnlesse the matters commanded be in themselues of more then ordinary importance that a command be expressely giuen vvith signification that their intention is that it should so oblige that the subiect has not ground to iudge that if the Superiour vvere present he vvould not haue vrged such an obedience so strictly 3. That in matters of lesser moment a Disobedience mortally sinfull is not committed vnlesse it be done with manifest Contempt That is as S. Bernard lib. de Praecept Dispens interprets it When the subiect will neither obey nor submit to correction for disobedience So that all faults that are committed by one that really has a meane or a contemptuous opinion of his Superiour vvhich vvithout such a precedent vnfit opinion vvould not haue bene committed are not to be called in this sence sins out of Contempt vnlesse the Subiect renounce correction A fault that such tender soules are incapable of committing c. 15. Perfect Obedience saith the same S. Bernard knowes no ends or limits it extends it selfe to all lavvfull things pertaining either to body or soule to all actions both externall Internall as far as these last are voluntarily submitted to him Insomuch as that our holy father to cut of all pretences of disobedience does not except euen things impossible so that if such things as not only in the faint-hearted opinion of the Subiect are esteemed such but really are impossible should be seriously considerately imposed by a discreete Superiour for triall the Subiect is obliged to doe his endeauour tovvard the effecting of them so they be lavvfull not destructiue to the subiects
triall of these vertues required of him to prepare some vvater for the vvashing of his feete The good Preist vvith a modest chearfullnes obeyed hauing quickly brought the vvater S. Basile sitting dovvne commanded him to vvash his feete vvho readily diligently performed that command That being done the Saint commands the Preist to sit dovvne that so he in exchange might also vvash his feete The humble vertuously simple man vvithout any excuses or contestations quietly calmely as it became one perfect in obedience suffers his feete to be vvashed by him that vvas then the most eminent most reuerenced Prelate in the Easterne Church Vpon this Proofe S. Basile vvas satisfied that he had found an attendant fit for the Employments to vvhich he destind him vvith many thanks to the neighbour Bishop tooke the Preist vvith him for his inseparable comparison 25. There is mentioned in our holy Rule another sort of Obedience of great efficacy to bring soules to Perfection to vvit an Obedience not out of obligation duty to Superiours but only from respect to Brethren specially Ancients in Religion and this out of Charity in conformity to S. Pauls Aduice vvhich is very generall that wee should in honour preferre euery one before our selues This kind of Obedience as receiuing proper commands from such is novv out of Practise And vvhether this disuse hath proceeded from vvant of simplicity humility in the younger sort or from imperfection vvant of discretion grauity in the more Ancient or perhaps from Iealousy a loue of being absolute in Superiours it is hard to say But surely it is a great losse There vvere likevvise obligations imposed vpon all Iuniours after any the least offence taken by their Ancients to make present satisfaction by prostrations the vvhich vvere to continue till that pardon a benediction vvere giuen Indeed in those times in vvhich so much abstraction of life so seldome mutuall conuersations vvere vsed offences vvere so rare that it vvould be no hard matter for such simple humble soules as most Religious persons then vvere to comply vvith these obligations So that the only vvay to restore them is to restore that most proffitable Abstraction solitude and silence againe 26. It is in vaine for any one to seeke the attaining to the perfection of Obedience vvhich besides the outvvard vvorke requires a submission of the spirit it selfe to God alone in the Superiour a renouncing of ones ovvne Iudgment vpon the dictates of the most ignorant or indiscreete Superiour but by the serious constant practise of Internall Prayer vvhich alone purifies the soule makes all other things but God inuisible to her So that vvithout such Prayer all other exteriour practises of an officious humiliation will be of little or no vertue or efficacy therto CHAP. XV. § 1. Wee doe not here treate of all kinds of Mortification or Vertues but principally such as are most proper most necessary to be known practised in order to an Internall life § 2. 3. 4. c. Seuerall Aduices and obseruations touching Vertues in generall 1. HITHERTO vvee haue treated of the first Instrument and meane of Perfection to vvit Mortification at least so far as vvee conceiued proper to the designe of this booke that is in order to internall Prayer of Contemplation And therfore it is that vvee haue not inlarged the discourse to comprehend vniuersally all Morall vertues the vvhich are Mortifications to all our distempered affections but only such as are more peculiar to Religious or Internall liuers For the rest the Reader is referred to other bookes of Christian Morality vvhich abundantly treate of that subiect The doctrine of vvhich may be applied to the present purpose if Reflexion be made on the Aduices vvhich haue already bene giuen concerning the speciall vertues hitherto treated of To the vvhich I vvill for conclusion of this Treatise adde a fevv more touching Vertues in generall 2. The first aduice is this That before a soule can attaine to perfect Contemplation it is necessary that she be adorned vvith all sorts of Christian vertues not one excepted according to the saying of the Psalmist Ibunt de virtute in virtutem videbit ur Deus Deorum in Sion That is They shall goe from one vertue to another And then not till then the God of Gods shall be contemplated in Sion So that if a soule make a stop at any vertue of vvillingly fauour herselfe in any inordinate affection it vvill not be possible for her to ascend to the top of the mountaine vvhere God is seene 3. The Second regards the manner of attaining to vertues For vvee are not so to vnderstand these words of the Psalmist as if a soules progresse to Perfection vvas by a successiue gaining of one vertue after another for example first possessing herselfe of the vertue of Temperance hauing got that then proceeding to Patience Humility Chastity c. But they are all in the roote gotten together vvee make no progresse in one Vertue but vvithall vvee make a proportionable progresse in all the rest And the reason is because Charity is the roote of all Christian vertues they being only such duties as Charity vvhich alone directs vs to God our last end vvould doth dictate to be practised on seuerall different occasions 4. True it is that either by our naturall tempers or by hauing more frequent tryalls occasions of exercising some vertues certaine Passions opposite to them may be according to the materiall disposition in corporall nature more subdued regulated then others yet in regard of the disposition of the spirituall soule that is the iudgment of the mind resolution of the vvill the soule according to the merit of the obiect is equally by an equality of proportion inclined to all good and equally auerted from all ill Because diuine Loue is equally inconsistent with all mortall sins and doth combat subdue selfe-loue in all its branches Our progresse therfore expressed in the Phrase de virtute in virtutem is to be vnderstood to be from a lower more imperfect degree of Charity and all its vertues to a higher till vvee come to the mount of Perfection 5. The Third Aduice is that this progresse increase in vertues is neither equall at all times for the soule by resisting stronger temptations in vertue of more efficacious Prayer doth make greater strides and paces Neither is it alvvaies obseruable either by the Traueller himselfe or others Yea it is neither necessary nor perhaps conuenient that vvee should much heede the Rules that are giuen by some for examination of our Proficiency Such enquiry seemes not very suitable to humility probably vvill not produce any good effect in vs It may suffise vs that vvee goe on and that God knovves perfectly our grovvth in Piety loue vvill most assuredly revvard vs proportionally though vvee should be neuer so ignorant to vvhat degree of
sound And vvee may adde That the attention of the mind vvhich cannot be separated from Discoursiue Prayer is little valuable except it be accompanied vvith or performed in order to the causing an attention as vvee may call it of the heart or affections 16. These inestimable Benefits to vvhich more may be added as shall be shevved vvhich flovv from Internall Prayer of the will being considered a vvell-minded soule vvill thinke no paines too much that may auaile to purchase so vnualuable a Ievvell And Religious Superiours vvill esteeme that nothing does so essentially belong to their duty as to Instruct further their subiects in the practise of it According to the Counsell of S. Bernard Docendus est Incipiens spiritualiter orare a corporibus vel corporum imaginibus cum Deum cogitat quantum potest recedere That is Whosoeuer begins a Religious course of life must be taught Spirituall Prayer and in eleuating his mind to God to transcend all Bodies bodily images And vvith iust reason did the holy Grecian Abbot Nilus a disciple of S. Iohn Chrysostome say Beata mens quae dum orat c Happy is the soule that when she Prayes empties herselfe entirely of all Images formes Happy is the soule that Prayes feruorously without distraction Such a soule encreases continually in the desire loue of God Happy is the soule that when she Prayes does altogether quit the vse exercise of all her senses Happy is the soule that during the time of Prayer looses the possession interest in all manner of things but God 17. And indeed a soule must expect to passe through a vvorld of difficulties before she attaine to such a purity in Prayer for as the same Authour saith Vniuersum belluÌ„ quod internos doemones conflaetur non est de alia re quà m de oratione That is All the warre coÌ„trouersy that is betwene vs the Deuill is about no other thing but Prayer as being most necessary to vs most destructiue to all his designes And hereupon a certaine holy Father being asked vvhat duty in a Religious life vvas the most difficult Ansvvered To Pray well The reason is because Prayer can neuer be perfectly exercised till the soule be cleansed from all manner of impurities yea not only from the Affections but all Images also of creatures CHAP. IV. § 1. 2. Conditions required to Affectiue Prayer Of which the first is That it ought to be Continuall by our Lords precept § 3. The shamefull neglect of this Precept both in practise teaching in these times § 4. Of the ancient Heretickes called Euchites that misunderstanding this Precept neglected all other duties besides Prayer § 5. 6. 7. In what sense the said Precept obliges vs to Pray continually § 8. All other vertues are to be measured by the Degrees of Prayer § 9. How the neglect of Actuall Prayer may be a mortall sin § 10. Our Religions Profession Rule obliges vs to aspire to vninterrupted Prayer § 11. 12. Neither vocall Prayer nor Meditation can become vninterrupted But only Internall Affectiue Prayer § 13. 4. 15. 16. Whether the habit of continuall Prayer may be attained hy prolonged Vocall offices § 17 18. That the sure meanes to attaine to it is a constant Practise of dayâ—y Recollections § 19. 20. Who they are that shall be accounted by our Lord to haue satisfied the obligation of this precept 1. HAVING shevved the necessity excellency of Affectiue Prayâ—r I vvill novv rreate of certaine qualities conditions requisite therto of which I vvill at the present insist only on three to vvit 1. The first regarding the extension of it 2. The second the intension or feruour of it 3. The third the cause or Principle from vvhich it must proceede to vvit the Diuine Spirit 2. As touching the first point to wit the extension of Prayer it is our Lords command that vvee should neuer omitt this duty of Prayer Oportet semper orare non deficere Wee ought alwaies to pray not to cease or faint in it And S. Paul exhorts indifferently all Christians sine intermissione orate Pray vvithout intermission Now in this Precept of our Lord there is an obligation so expresse so vniuersall so confirmed repeated both affirmatiuely negatiuely that all exception derogation seemes to be excluded that it binds both semper ad semper In all the Ghospell vvee can scarce find a Precept so fast-binding so vnquestionable 3. This being euident hovv can any one vvithout greife indignation reade the strange dispensations escapes inuented allovved by some late Writers to defeate this so necessary a duty Because perhaps no man can positiuely say that hîc nunc Actuall Prayer is necessary obliging vnder Mortall sin therfore they conclude that except two or three moments of our life it is not at all necessary to pray that is in the first moment that a child comes to the vse of Reason in the last moment vvhen a soule is ready to expire for then indeed some of them not all acknovvledge that vvithout mortall sin a soule cannot deliberately willfully neglect to lift vp it selfe to God As for the Diuine Office those to vvhom the reciting of it is of obligation such say they are only bound vnder Mortall sin to the externall pronunciation of the vvords as for the mentality of it that is only a matter of Counsell of Perfection 4. In the Ancient times there vvas a certaine Sect of Hereticks that vvandred as far vvide the conâ—râ—ry vvay vvho vpon a mistaken interpretation of this precept of our Sauiour neglected yea condemned all other things besides Prayer despising the Sacraments omitting the necessary duties of their vocation refusing to doe any externall Acts of Charity c. And from this frenzy they vvere called Euchitae that is Persons that did nothing but pray 5. But the trueth lyes betwene these two extremes for most manifest it is that vvee are obliged to aspire vnto vninterrupted Prayer And yet most certaine also it is that besides simple Prayer there are many other Duties required of vs. The sence therfore and importance of our Lords precept of Praying continually without failing may be cleared by tvvo passages of S. Paul The first is this 1. Tim. 4. Cibos creauit Deus ad percipiendum c. That is God hath created meates to be receiued with giuing of thanks by his faithfull seruants those which haue knowne the trueth For euery creature of God is good nothing to be reiected which is receiued with giuing of thanks for it is sanctified by the word of God by Prayer The second is 1. Cor. 10. Siue ergo manducatis siue c. That is Therfore whether you eate or drinke or what other thing soeuer you doe doe all to the glory of God From vvhich Texts it appeares 1. That all creatures are in their vse vnsanctified vnto vs that is
prophane vnlesse they be vsed vvith Prayer 2. That wee are obliged not only in the vse of Creatures by eating drinking c but also in all our other actions vvhatsoeuer to ioyne Prayer a consecrating of them to Gods glory so that if vvee comply vvith these our obligations duties vvee must continually either be in actuall Prayer or busyed in somthing done in vertue of Prayer 6. Novv as vvee said in the first Treatise that although all are not obliged necessarily to attaine vnto the perfection proportionable to each ones state yet all are necessarily bound to aspire thereunto Because no man can loue God vvith a sincere loue such an one as may be accounted vvorthy of Him vvho is our only Good beatitude that shall fixe any limits to his loue or that shall not aspire continually to a further higher degree of his loue So here likevvise vvee are to conceiue that this Precept of praying continually so indefinitely expressed so earnestly pressed so vniuersally applied both by our Lord his Apostle to all Christians doth inferre an indefinite vniuersall obligation so as that although none but the Perfect doe really fullfill it yet all euen the most imperfect cannot vvithout danger dispence vvith or neglect the endeauouring aspiring to the fullfilling of it Euery one must exercise as much Prayer as shall be necessary to sanctify his vocation make the vvorkes Duties of his life acceptable to God helpfull to the procuring of his eternall felicity 7. And the ground of this obligation is both very firme manifest vvhich is this That euen reason dictates that all the things vvee doe vvee ought to doe them in order to our last end vvhich is God that is vvith a sanctified Intention for vvhatsoeuer is not done vvith a right Intention in order to God is of no vvorth at all being only a vvorke of corrupt nature Novv since there are only tvvo things vvhich doe sanctify all things actions to vvit the word of God Prayer the word of God generally that is the certaine reueiled vvill of God that the thing is in it selfe lavvfull to be vsed or done Prayer in particular proceeding from faith or assurance that the thing is lavvfull therupon acknovvleging it to be Gods gift desiring his blessing on it referring it to his glory Hence it euidently follovves that since vvithout Prayer all things are vnsanctified or prophane not at all conducing to our last end but rather preiudiciall to it therfore all are bound to endeauour to sanctify all their actions vvorkes by Prayer 8. Hence vvee may inferre that the Degrees of Grace sanctity in any man are to be measured according to the vertue that prayer has vpon his Actions for the more more frequently that his ordinary Actions are performed in vertue of prayer the more perfect holy such an one is the more approaching to his cheife end And he vvhose Actions doe not for the most part flovv from the vertue of Prayer is not yet right disposed tovvards his last end 9. Novv though perhaps scarce any man can say That hic Nūc actuall Prayer is necessarily obliging vnder mortall sin yet vvithall most certaine it is that that man has reason to doubt that he is in a mortally sinfull estate that does not vse so much prayer as thereby to sanctify render meritorious the generality of his more serious Actions Or which is all one he is in a state mortally sinfull that for the most part liues vvillfully habitually in a neglect of Grace vvhich can no vvay be obtained vvithout prayer Therfore it is obseruable that the Disciples of our Lord neuer asked any instructions but how to Pray for that skill being once had all other good things are consequently had And vvhen all other Actions are performed by Grace obteined by prayer for the end proposed in prayer then a person may be said to be in continuall Prayer And much more if they be accompanied vvith an Actuall eleuation of the spirit to God 10. This is the Perfection of Prayer to vvhich our holy Rule obliges vs to aspire namely Besides the sett Exercises either of vocall or Internall Prayer to preserue our soules in an vninterrupted Attention to God tendance in spirit to him so as that vvhatsoeuer Actions wee doe they should he accompanied instantissima oratione with a most feruent perseuerant Prayer And that this perfection of continuall Prayer in a supreme degree has bene really attained to by the Ancient Contemplatiues accounted by them an essentiall Duty of their vocation is euident out of vvhat vvee reade in seuerall places in Cassian Hic finis totius perfectionis est c. saith a holy Hermite there This is the end of all perfection to haue the soule become so extenuated purified from all carnall desires as that it may continually be in an Actuall ascent to spirituall things vntill all its conuersation employment euery motion of the heart become one continuall Prayer Wee mentioned likewise before a Hermite vvhose spirit vvas so continually fixed on God that he could not though he endeauoured depresse it for so small a time as till he might fetch from the other end of his Cell some small thing that his neighbour desired of him The like continuall attention to God Gregory Lopez acknovvledgeth to haue bene in himselfe by long practise of Recollection so that though he vvould he could not but thinke on him The vvhich attention vnion no vvorke conuersation or study could interrupt Another Hermite likevvise in Cassian in 19. Conf. called Iohn saith of himselfe hovv he forgot vvhether he had taken his dayly sustenance so continuall vvas his Prayer By vvhich their senses became so stupified that they savv not vvhat vvas before their eyes To this purpose it is reported in the Liues of the Fathers that vvhen a certaine Religious man in a Iourney met vvith a little troope of Religious vvomen seeing them purposely turned out of the vvay to auoyd them the Abbesse said to him If thou hadst bene a Perfect Monke indeed though thou hadst seene vs thou wouldest not haue knowne that wee were women 11. Now it is impossible for a soule to continue vvithout interruption in Vocall Prayer there being so many necessary occasions hourely occurring to employ the tongue other vvayes besides that it vvould vtterly exhaust the spirits And as for Meditation the exercise thereof is so painfull that it vvould destroy the head to force the Imagination continually to inuent discourse internally on Diuine or spirituall obiects 12. Therfore by no other manner of Prayer but the internall Exercise of the Will in holy desires c can this Precept of our Lord be perfectly accomplished For the soule is naturally in a continuall exercise of some one desire or other the vvhich are not all at painfull to her being her naturall employment so that if by
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
may so proffit in spirit as Actiue soules doe that liue in vvordly manner that they may carefully auoyd sin keepe Gods commandements be truly vnited to God in follovving his vvill by the vse of bodily exercises frequency of Sacraments although they vse not much Mentall Prayer abstraction mortification For if they vse none at all as no good Christian but vseth them in some degree vndoubtedly they vvill not proffit at all in spirit neither actiuely nor contemplatiuely nor auoyde sin nor be in any sort vnited to God About the doctrine of Confession vvheras the Authour disputeth much against the vsing of Confession of veniall sins as necessary to Spirituall proffit it is to be vnderstood that he doth not in any vvise condemne the discreete vse of frequent Confession but only the needlesse numeration of veniall sins daily defects vvhich some soules doe make in their Confessions vvith great anxiety of mind some Confessours doe oblige their penitents vnto vvith great preiudice of that chearfull Liberty of Spirit vvhich a soule should haue to conuerse in Prayer vvith God is commonly a cause of scrupules one of the greatest baines of spirituall Perfection So that for soules that are by nature prone to feare scrupulosity the Directour of necessity must moderate them both in the frequency of Confession matter to be confessed Yea he may aduise them to confesse fewer times then other freer soules doe Othervvise for soules that are chearfull valiant couragious in the vvay of the Spirit the Authour obligeth them in his practise to keepe the ordinary time of Confession Much more those that are not altogether so carefull in auoyding occasions of ordinary defects I say he obligeth them in such sort as the Constitutions oblige vvhich is not vnder any sin as if they should sin as often as they omitt the ordinary time of Confession but as a laudable counsell proffitable obseruance vvhich vnder a penalty regular correction is to be kept not omitted but by aduice of the spirituall Father or leaue of the Superiour Note also that he doth vvorthily aduertise a defect of many vvho come to Confession making the principall intention of it only the Absolution from sin I say this is a defect because the principall part of the intention must be the encrease of Grace and loue of God by vvhich formally infused or povvred into our selues God Almighty doth blott out sins vvipe them avvay Now although Absolution from sin is neuer giuen vvithout infusion of grace yet ought the intention of the Penitent to be principally the obtaining of Grace for if he principally intend the absolution of sin it is a reflexion of the soule vpon its ovvne proffit by selfe-loue desiring to auoyde the vvrath of God punishment due to sin to be freed from the deformity of guiltines vvhich though it be a good desire yet it is but a property of Beginners in loue nothing comparable to the intention of Grace vvhich is the perfect loue of God is an eleuation of the soule to transcend it selfe all creatures to liue only in God About the doctrine of sett Examens of Conscience the Authour doth not condemne it especially for soules vvho are not greatly aduanced in perfection but for soules vvhich dayly proffit grovv in Grace he prefers the exercise of loue not vvithout cause for his meaning is That in our Recollection it is an easier speedier vvay to amend our selues by vvrapping all our defects in a generality so endeauouring to consume them as it vvere casting them into the fire of loue then by particularising them discussing them in singular because in so doing they distract the mind that may be better employed Yet this Doctrine hinders not but if any notable defect haue bene committed it should be by a particular reflexion amended yet rather by an amorous conuersion of the soule to God by Humility then by turning it selfe to looke vpon the defect in particular And doubtlesse a soule that according to the Authours Doctrine doth so carefully auoyd all defects that it presently vpon sight of any default exacteth an amendment of it selfe such a soule needeth no sett Examen but suplieth the vse thereof by a more noble exercise vvhich is as I tearmed it an humble consuming of all her defects in one bundle in the heauenly fire of Charity or loue of God Neuerthelesse a set Examen is proffitable for such as are not yet come to such a height of Vnitiue loue is counselled by our father Blosius in diuerse places by S. Bernard in his booke to the Carthusians in these vvords Nemo te plus diligit nemo te fidelius iudicab Mane praeteritae noctis fac a temetipso exactionem futurae diei tu tibi indicito cautionem Vespere diei praeteritae rationem exige superuenientis noctis fac indictionem â—â—c districte nequaquam tibi aliquando lasciuire vacabit That is None loues thee more none will iudge thee more faithfully then thine owne selfe In the morning then exact an account of the night passed appoynt thy selfe a caueat for the day ensuing At euening take account of the day passed order the course of the night following Thus districtly examining thy selfe thou wilt find no leasure to play the wanton And long before S. Bernard the holy Abbot S. Dorotheus commends the same exercise Serm 11. as vsuall among all Monkes Quo pacto per singulos dies nosipsos purgare propemodum expiare debeamus exactissime docuerunt Maiores Patres nostri Nempe vt vespere sedulo quisquam perquirat inuestiget quomodo pertransierit drem illum Rursus mane examinet quomodo exegerit noctem illam Et paenitentiam agat ac resipiscat coram Deo si quo pacto vt fieri potest peccatuÌ„ aliquod admiserit And long before him holy S. Ephrem that liued but 250. yeares after Christ our Lords Passion hath the commendation of a set Examen in these golden vvordes Diebus singulis vesperi mane diligenter considera quo pacto se habeant negotia tua mercimonij ratio Et vespere quidem ingressus in cubiculum cordis tui examina teipsum at dicito Putasne hodie in aliquo Deum exacerbaui nuquid verba otiosa protuli num per contemptum negligentiam ne peccaui num in re aliqua fratrem irritaui num alicuius famam detractionibus laceraui c Et facto iam dilucalo rursus eadem tecum meditare dicito quomodo putas ista mihi nox praeterijt lucratus sum in ea mercimonium meum numquid improbae ac sordidae cogitationes inuaserunt me atque illis libenter immoratus sum c Neither doth our Authour discommend this set Examen but the defectiue vse of it vvhich is 1. to make it in order to Confession vvhich doubtlesse in a soule vvell aduanced breedeth needlesse images since such a soule vvill