and likevvise the security and benefitt of being but truely in the vvay to Perfection though she should neuer attaine to it in this life 6. First therfore to demonstrate that the vvay to Perfection must needs be long and tedious euen to soules vvell disposed therto both by nature and education for to others it is a vvay vnpassable with out extreme difficulty this will easily be acknowledged by any well-minded soule that by her owne experience will consider how obstinate inflexible and of how glewy tenacious a nature corrupt selfe-loue is in Her How long a time must passe before she can subdue any one habituall ill inclination affection in her selfe What fallings rising againe there are in our passions corrupt desires in somuch as vvhen they seeme to be quite mortified almost forgotten they vvill againe raise themselues combat vs vvith as great or perhaps greater violence then before Novv till the poysonnous roote of selfe-loue be vvithered so as that vvee do not knovvingly and deliberatly suffer it to spring forth beare fruit for vtterly killd it neuer vvill be in this life till vvee haue lost at least all affection to all our corrupt desires euen the most veniall vvhich are â—llmost infinite perfect charity vvill neuer raigne in our soules and consequently perfect vnion in spirit vvith God cannot be expected For Charity liues grovves according to the measure that selfe-loue is abated and no further 7. Soules that first enter into the Internall vvaies of the spirit or that haue made no great progresse in them are guided by a very dimme light being able to discouer and discerne only a fevv grosser defects inordinations but by perseuering in the exercices of mortification prayer this light vvill be increased then they vvill proportionably euery day more more discouer a thousand secret and formerly inuisible impurities in their intentions selfe-sekings hypocrisies and close designes of Nature pursuing her ovvne corrupt designes in the very best actions cherishing Nature one vvay vvhen she mortifies it another and fauouring pride euen vvhen she exercises humility Now a cleare light to discouer all these almost infinite deprauations not only in our sensitiue Nature but also in the Superiour soule vvhich are far more secret manifold dangerous and a courage vvith successe to combat ouercome them must be the effect of a long continued practise of praier mortification 8. The vvant of a due knovvledge or consideration herof is the cause that some good soules after they haue made some progresse in Internall vvaies become disheartned and in danger to stop or quite leaue them For though at the first being as vsually they are preuented by God vvith a tender sensible deuotion vvhich our Holy Father calls feruorem Nouitium they doe vvith much zeale as it seemes to them vvith good effect begin the exercises of mortification praier Yet aftervvard such sensible feruour tendernes ceasing as it seldome failes to doe by that nevv light vvhich they haue gotten they discerne a vvorld of defects formerly vndiscouered vvhich they erroneously thinke vvere not in them before vvherupon fearing that instead of making progresse they are in a vvorse state then vvhen they begun they vvill be apt to suspect that they are in a vvrong vvay This proceeds from a preconceiued mistake that because in times of light deuotion the soule finds her selfe caried vvith much feruour to God and perceiues but small contradictions and rebellions in inferiour Nature that therfore she is very forvvard in the vvay to Perfection Wheras it is far othervvise For Nature is not so easily conquered as she imagins neither is the vvay to Perfection so easy and short Many changes she must expect many risings and fallings some times light and some times Darknes sometimes calmnes of Passions and presently after it may be feircer combats then before and these successions of changes repeated God knovves hovv oft before the End approacheth 9. Yea it vvill likelie happen to such Soules that euen the formerly vvell knovven grosser defects in them vvill seeme to encrease and to grovv more hard to be quelld after they haue bene competently aduanced in Internall vvaies And the reason is because hauing sett themselues to combat corrupt Nature in all her peruerse crooked impure desires and being sequestred from the vanities of the vvorld they find themselues in continuall vvrestlings and agonies and vvant those pleasing diuersions conuersations recreations vvith vvhich vvhilst they liued a secular negligent life they could interrupt or putt of their melancholick thoughts and vnquietnes But if they vvould take courage insteade of seeking ease from Nature further then discretion allovves haue recourse for remedy by Praier to God they vvould find that such violent Tentations are an assured signe that they are in a secure happy vvay and that vvhen God sees it is best for them they shall come of from such combats vvith victory comfort 10. Novv as from the consideration of the tediousnes of a perfect vniuersall mortification of the corrupt affections of Nature it does appeare that Hasty Perfection is not ordinarily to be expected And vvhere there are appearances of extraordinary lights supernaturall visits in soules not throughly mortified it is to be feared that there hath bene some secret exorbitancy in the proceedings of such soules some deeply rooted Pride c. vvhich hath exposed them to the Deuills Illusions so that then state is very dangerous The like vvill appeare if vvee cast our eyes vpon the Nature degrees of Internall Praier in the Perfection of which the End of a Contemplatiue life which is perfect vnion in Spirit vvith God doth consist 11. For a soule must 1. ordinarily speaking passe through the vvay of externall and imaginary Exercises of Praier in the vvich she must tarry God knovves hovv long yea vvith out a discreete diligence and constancy in them she may perhaps end her daies therin 2. Then vvhen her affections doe so abound and are sufficiently ripe so as that discourse is not needfull or becomes of little efficacy she is to betake her selfe to the exercise of the vvill in the vvhich a very long time must ordinarily be spent before she can chase avvay distracting grosser Images and before the Heart be so replenished vvith the Diuine Spirit that vvithout any Election or deliberation it vvill of it selfe almost continually breake forth into Aspirations pure eleuations of the Superiour will 3. Being arriued to this happy state only God knovves for hovv long a time she is to continue therein there being almost infinite degrees of aspirations each one exceding the former in Purity before she be ripe for the Diuine Inaction 4. And hauing gotten that a very long time is like to be spent very oft in most vvofull obscurities and desolations before she arriue 5. To the State of Perfection Novv all these degrees of Praier are to be attended vvith proportionable degrees
a Religious Person is to raise a stock for his vvhole future life So that if a Nouice-ship be negligently vnprouidently spent he vvill scarce euer haue the like opportunity to promote his spirituall Good For after his Profession he vvill besides Liberty haue many more distractions more freedome of Conuersation and more entercourse vvith the Nevves affaires abroad Besides he vvill not vtterly be out of danger of some Offices employments for the discharge of vvhich some perhaps vvill suppose him already fit prepared in Spirit 6. At the going out of the Nouice-ship the person is to be very carefull vvith vvhom he conuerses so as to become an invvard acquaintance least being so tender as he is yet he happen quickly to be corrupted vvith the Society of negligent Tepide Companions For want of this care too oft it happens that all the good gotten in a Nouice-ship is cleane lost in a short time since vsually things are no other vvay preserued but by the same meanes that they vvere first gotten Therfore since it vvas by Praier Abstraction of Life that a Nouice procured all the litle proportion of Diuine Loue that he is possessed of he must expect that it will no other vvay be preserued For this Reason it is very requisite that the Superiour should appoint such an one his Companions 7. A Soule must consider that it is not a litle diligence nor yet the space of a yeare or tvvo that vvill ordinarily speaking suffise to get an Habit and Stability in Mortification and Prayer And therfore a young Beginner ought to imprint deeply in his heart this most important Truth and Aduice That his Duty is neuer to abate or slacken but rather continually to encrease in firmenesse of minde and Resolution to proceede courageously during the vvhole course of his follovving Life in the Internall Exercises of Spirit For he is to consider that his Nouice-ship being once ended he must neuer expect such aduantages therto aftervvard such Stillnes such vvant of interruptions and Tentations such cleare Light and such calmnes of Passions as he enioyed before Therfore least by a change of his State from a rigorous solitude and silence to ordinary conuersings and perhaps Employments or hovveuer studies he should come to endanger a decay in Spirit and so be miserably reduced to his first naturall State or vvorse for indeed vvorse it vvill be if such a decay happen let him be very vigilant and industrious to auoid all things that may hinder him from prosecuting Internall Prayer and let him be carefull to continue according to the vtmost of his ability to vse all Abstraction possible as if he vvere still in his Nouice-ship 8. Indeed Superiours ought to be very carefull not to put their young Religious into Distractiue Employments or studies either sooner or more then can vvell stand vvith their spirit or before they be reasonably vvell grounded in Prayer For hovv is it possible for an imperfect Beginner hauing such hindrances to make progresse in Spirit Wheras if a good foundation of Spirituall Prayer vvere once laid such a soule by being applyed to his studies or Externall Offices vvill suffer no decay yea moreouer he vvill probably proffit in Studies aboue the proportion of his naturall abilities by reason that Passions vvhich much distract and darken euen the naturall Vnderstanding vvill be much abated by Prayer And moreouer he vvill vndertake his studies as a Duty and matter of Conscience vvhich vvill encrease his attention and diligence Yet perhaps by reason of his Abstinence and Exercises in Spirit his bodily strength vvill not be vigorous enough to enable him to support very much study And if it should proue so the losse is not great since the Diuine Loue vvill sufficiently recompence all other vvants So it fared vvith our holy Father vvho as S. Gregory saies vvas sapienter indoctus his vvisedome consisted in despising all learning vvhich vvas not helpfull or not necessary to his aduancement in the Diuine Loue vvhich alone is the true Wisedome and learning 9. Truly so great harme comes to young Religious after a Nouice-ship vvell spent by being put immediatly to Schooles for that purpose dispensed vvith in a great measure about their Monasticall Duties of Prayer Abstraction Silence c That it vvere very good and fit vvhen Persons of tender Age come to demand the Habit to put them of and in the first place to informe them vvell about Prayer and to endeauour to persvvade them that before they vndertake a Religious State they should dispatch their course of Philosophy and Diuinity and during such a course to vse as much Abstraction and Recollection as vvell they can for vvhich they vvill then find more time then if they had bene Religious because they shall not be interrupted by the Quire other Regular Obseruances So that if Studies be then a hindrance to Prayer hovv much more vvould they be so in case they had bene Religious Hauing done all this then in Gods name let them demand the Habit. By this meanes good Soules vvould not be interrupted in their Religious Course nor put in danger neuer againe to recouer the Spirit of Prayer And if follovving such Directions they should come to dye before the time of taking the Habit they may assure themselues that in Gods account they shall be esteemed as Religious Soules vvholly consecrated vnto him CHAP. X. § 1. 2. Of the Obligation of English Benedictius to the Mission The sublime Perfection of that Employment § 3. 4. The care of it belongs only to Religious Superiours and not at all to particular Religious § 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Great danger of seeking that Employment And false pretences to obteine it c. § 12. How the sayd Charge is to be performed 1. IT will not be amisse to adioyne to this Section concerning a Religious State certaine Considerations Aduices touching a subiect vvhich though it pertaine not to Religious persons in generall yet is annexed to our Profession in the English Congregation of S. Benedicts Order and that is the Apostolicall Mission into England the vvhich all that professe doe by a particular Vow oblige themselues to vndertake whensoeuer they shall be commanded by Superiours 2. An Employment this is of high importance and most sublime Perfection if duly vndertaken and administred But the care therof only belongs to Superiours And indeed it is vvorthy both of their Prudence and zeale by a right managing vvherof they may procure great Glory to God and good to Soules miserably mislead by infinite most pernicious Errours 3. But as for particular Religious they are merely to be passiue in the busines they are to submit themselues to the vndergoing of all the paines incommodities and dangers of it whensoeuer it shall be imposed on them But this being only an accessary obligation and Capacity they are not to suppose that vvhen God giues them a Vocation to a Religious Life that this doth make
concerning his sufficiency yea he may represent vnto him his iust grounds of feare least such an Employment should proue notably preiudiciall to his soule Protesting likevvise that he does not desire any kind of preeminence ouer others c 2. Yet if the Superiour notvvithstanding such humble sincere Remonstrances of the Subiect shall persist in a resolution to impose on him any such office vvhatsoeuer the Superiours motiue be vvhether necessity Reason or euen Passion the Subiect must submit himselfe accept of it vvillingly vvhatsoeuer reluctance there be in the imagination or nature against it But let him accept it vvith a pure Intention for God in the spirit of obedience Especially if the office be gratefull to nature or to the sensuall or ambitious desires of it 3. Notwithstanding considering his ovvne frailty the tentations likely to accompany such an employment he ought to vndertake it vvith some feare apprehension least vvithout extraordinary vvatchfullnes in Prayer he may come to be corrupted or oppressed by it 5. In this regard therfore the subiect ought oftentimes to renew rectify his Intention about it at least in his recollections twice a day For for vvant of care in this poynt it oft falls out that the Office vvhich at first vvas vndertaken out of obedience to God Superiours comes aftervvard to be executed for selfe-vvill sensuall complacence after that the spirit of deuotion is abated or extinguished 6. Indeed so contrary preiudiciall to the spirit of Contemplatiue Prayer are the distractions sollicitudes vvhich attend Offices that 1. Religious subiects during the time of vacancy vvhen they are more illuminated ought to forethinke imprint in their hearts good purposes neuer to offer themselues to such dangers vvhen they shall befall them to carry themselues in them vigilantly prudently according to their former light least entring vpon them vnprouided they should proue mischeiuous destructiue to all deuotion 2. And againe Superiours if they vvill consider that their principall care ought to be for the good of soules vvill thinke it concernes them to be very nice in exposing to such perills their subiects before that the spirit of deuotion charity be firmly rooted in their hearts for they also shall be accountable for the harme that their subiects soules shall so incurre 7. Some Superiours either being of Actiue spirits not knovving or not duly esteeming Internall vvayes Or perhaps mistakingly beleiuing their subiects to be more affected to externall Employments then interiour thereupon vnvvarily heape on them businesses to the hindrance of their recollections In this case the Subiect ought to acquaint his Superiour vvith the invvard disposition of his soule hovv much good he finds by a constant Exercise of Prayer vvhat dammage the vvant of it causeth to his imperfect soule but this being done he must resolue to submit in case his superiour still thinke fit to employ him 8. In such circumstances let not the subiect be troubled if he find it hard to abstaine from shevving some outvvard markes of vnvvillingnes hovveuer in his superiour vvill he be resigned For indeed to shevv chearfullnes argues in an imperfect soule rather a contentednes to be dispenced from prayer not sufficiently esteemed by him then a loue to obedience Yea such a seeming vnwillingnes vvill afford him a double mortification 1. In that he contradicts sensuality in the discharge of obedience 2. In that he incurres in the opinion of others an esteeme of being immortified the vvhich vvill be a meanes to humble him 9. When an Internall liuer is once actually duly engaged in an office In the first place he ought seriously to consider that coming out of a state of Abstraction solitude into busines he vvill thenceforvvard vvalke in lesse light then formerly yet vvill be exposed to far greater perills by reason of many vnauoydable occasions of distraction Impatience satisfaction of sensuality c of vvhich he had little experience in time past Therfore he must resolue to keepe a more watchfull guard ouer himselfe least busines bring him to a forgetfullnes of his soule of all former Instructions good purposes 10. Secondly to the end to secure himselfe from such perills he must in the Actuall execution of businesses be vvary that he doe not fixe his mind more intently affectionatly on theÌ„ then meere necessity shall require Let him oft call to mind his former good resolutions reuiew againe againe these or the like Instructions For vvithout such preuentions it can scarce be auoyded but that he vvill decay in spirit grovv negligently tepide in his spirituall Exercises since corrupt nature vvill be very forvvard to take any colourable pretences of quitting Internall Recollections the only support of a spirituall life the vvhich novv vvill become more irkesome by reason of greater dissipation of thoughts more frequent occasions of falling into immortifications And therfore soules vvill be apt to thinke that the nature of their present Employments is such as that they vvill not consist vvith the obligations of an Internall life Then they vvill catch hold of any aduantage to dispence vvith them for that pupose making vse of such popular sayings as this That euery good worke is a Prayer c. 11. Thirdly more particularly in this state of Actiue employments a soule must be carefull as far as the Office vvill permit not only to continue the practise of her former mortifications principally for the tongue senses but also to make good vse of those many nevv mortifications vvhich the discharge of her employment vvill afford her occasions to exercise And indeed since probably she cannot enioy that repose of spirit requisite to serious perfect Recollections she ought the best she can to recompence that defect by increasing the practise of Mortification and patience by vvhich meanes she vvill aduance herselfe in spirit 12. Fourthâ—y she must remember that the doctrine of Abstraction most necessary in an internall life has place also euen in distractiue Offices at least thus far that the person is not to meddle in things that belong not to his present Employment And for such things as doe belong therto he must be carefull as to doe them vvell faithfully so vvithout bestovving on them more sollicitude then shall necessarily be required performing them seriously but yet vvith composednes and tranquillity of mind not suffring them to distract or encomber his memory before the time come for the executing of them And then abstaining from passion impetuousnes from engaging his affections to them A deuout soule thus constantly discharging her Office vvill come to that liberty easines and setlednes of spirit that necessary employments vvill breed in her no harmfull distractions the cause of vvhich is inordinate loue to creatures 13. But Fifthly lastly her principall care must be about her Prayer Although by occasion of busines she cannot so habitually continue in a recollected state yet at
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
that yet are not very capable of making a good choice Hovveuer euen such as far as is allovved ought to vse their best endeauours hoping that God vvill blesse such their care for the aduancement of their Spirits Notvvithstanding such ought vvithall to take heed that from too nice a curiosity in chusing there doe not follovv any disquiet in the families vvhere they liue if seuerall Persons should be zealous each for a particular Directour as S. Hierome chides a Mother and a Daughter that vpon such an occasion separated from one another Therfore in such a case a good soule that vvill preferre peace before the contenting her mind may of all others rely vpon God assuring her selfe that He vvill in a speciall manner assist and conduct her supplying all other vvants And particularly such an extraordinary Diuine assistance may be most confidently expected by vvell-disposed soules in Religious Communities vvhere such freedome of chusing is not permitted For as Rusbrochius sayth God will rather send an Angell from heauen then that such humble obedient and sincere soules relying vpon him shall want due helpes Therfore such as forbeare a sollicitous searching after a Directour either for the preuenting inconueniences or out of an humble sincere apprehension of the danger of erring in the Choice or a Religious regard to the preiudice it might cause in a Community to peace and good order c such may vvell hope that God vvill not permit them to be loosers thereby Yea moreouer such as in the forenamed Cases thinke they haue a true occasion and that they may iustly doe it for the quietting of their Consciences resoluing of their doubts c had neede be very vvary that they proceede sincerely and that they really seeke their spirituall proffit and not naturall contentment For as our Venerable F. Baker in a certaine place aduiseth It is not sufficient to any Soules that it is permitted by the Lavves of the Church at certaine times to require a Speciall Directour vpon a consideration of the expedience and necessity that some soules in some circumstances may haue But they are to consider vvhether their case haue these circumstances and vvhether they doe truly make vse of the said Permission for the right end 41. A second Point in the same chapter supposed to deserue explication vvas that Assertion That a Deuout Soule once set in a good and proper way of Prayer after she has made some progresse in it ought not to haue recourse ordinarily to a Directour but that she should practise the following of Gods Directions c. On the Contrary it vvas supposed that till a soule haue made some considerable progresse in the Prayer of the Will she vvould not be subiect to Illusions and therfore had thence forvvard most neede of Aduice from a prudent Guide But this difficulty is cleared tovvard the latter end of the third Treatise vvhere is taught That in the case and perill of Illusion vpon an opinion of some extraordinary Illuminations c it is necessary that Soules though neuer so much aduanced should distrust their ovvne iudgment and neuer presume to adde beleife vnto and must lesse put in execution any thing suggested by any Illuminations true or pretended vvithout the aduice and consent of Superiours and Directours But as for the ordinary practises of an Internall Life as Prayer and Mortification c is is very requisite that soules should be taught as soone as may be to quit an assiduous dependāce on Externall Guides from vvhence vvould follovv nothing but sollicitudes distractions c. There is a parallell Aduice though in somevvhat a different Case in 3. Treat 4. Sect. 3. Chap. § 36. 37. vvhere in a Discourse concerning Rapts and the like extraordinary Fauours it is said of Perfect Soules that they may iudge of those matters by their owne supernaturall Light c. that they are not so absolutely obliged to resigne their iudgments and Wills to others as vtterly to neglect their owne proper Call receiued from God c. By vvhich vvords is not meant that any Soules though neuer so Perfect should be exempted from the obligation of submission to Superiours iudging or ordaining concerning any such Diuine Fauours But only that such Perfect Soules neede not so oft to haue recourse for Aduice about such matters but may proceede by that Diuine Light communicated to them Whereas the imperfect ought neither to yeild beleife nor execution further then they haue Aduice and Order for Now vvho vvould find fault vvith S. Teresa S. Catherine of Sienna c if they should forbeare consultations after euery Rapt or Reuelation hauing formerly bene sufficiently vvarranted by Superiours c 42. In consequence to the story of V. R. F. Balthazar Aluarez his Account giuen of his Prayer to his Generall mentioned in the 3. Treat 1. Sect. 7. Chap. at the latter End vvhere a relation is made of the Generalls Orders requiring all Superiours to direct and assist the younger Religious among them so as that they might high y esteeme and in their practise follow the manner of Prayer most suitable to their Institute prescribed in their Exercises I thinke my selfe obliged to acquaint thee deare Reader that by two Bookes published of late by two RR. FF of the Society and perused by mee since the vvriting and printing of that passage I doe find that the sayd Orders of the Generall are not at least of late so rigidely interpreted as formerly they vvere 43. The Authours of sayd Bookes vvritten in French are R. F. Ant. Ciuoré and R. F. Andr. Baiole In vvhich the vvhole Doctrine of this Booke especially concerning the Excellency of Affectiue Praier beyond Discoursiue is most copiously and strongly asserted yea and moreouer the Instructions concerning the necessity of attending to and following Diuine Inspirations as likevvise waies prescribed to distinguish them from false suggestions of the Deuill or corrupt Nature are so largely clearely and euen in the very Phrases of this Booke deliuered by the former of the tvvo in his Booke called Les Secrets de la Science des Saincts Tr. III. cap. IX from p. 402. to p. 486. that it not being credible that he had seene our V. F. A. Bakers Writings vvee may rationally in ferre that vvhat he vvrites vvith such extraordinary exactnes proceeded from a deepe and experimentall knovvledge of these Internall and secret pathes of Contemplation 44. So that no doubt there are many Deuout Persons in the Society vvhich not being engaged in many externall Employments and enioying consequently both a Solitude and Liberty of Spirit greater perhaps then vvill be afforded in many Communities by Profession purely Contemplatiue doe permit themselues to the Diuine Conduct make vvonderfull progresse in these Diuine Wayes 45. True indeede it is that the other Authour F. Ant. Baiole seemes to maintaine that the Spirituall Exercises according to the intention of S. Ignatius vvill by practise become a Praier of Contemplation and Mystick Vnion An Assertion in
to her I say it is morally impossible for such a soule so louing God deliberately habitually to yeild to the loue of any thinge but God only in order to him or to stop in any inferiour degree of loue to him The frailtie of nature many vnauoydable distractions tentations may generally doe hinder most soules from atteining or euen approaching to such perfection to such vninterrupted attention vnion vvith God as vvas practised by Adam in Innocency by a fevv Perfect soules in all ages But nothing but the vvant of true sincere loue vvil hinder the aspiring therto according to the measure strength of grace that each soule in her order enioyes And both reason experieÌ„ce vvitnesse this truth in all manner of loues lavvfull or vnlawfull For vve see that vvhersoeuer the loue to riches honour Empire or pleasure is the tyrannising Affection so as to cause the person to place his supposed happines in any of these such persons neither vvill nor can being so disposed vvillfully surcease a continuall progresse in pursuinge their designes endlesly neither can they admit an habituall deliberate adherence vvith affection to any other obiect though not ruinous but in an inferiour degree preiudiciall to vvhat they principally affect CAP. II. § 1. Commonly those only are said to aspire to perfection that consecrate themselues to God § 2. A naturall deuotion propension to seeke God of wich the degrees are infinitly various § 3. 4. 5. Yet all ranged vnder two states Actiue Contemplatiue § 6. 7. Generally most soules are of a mix'd temper betweene both hence comes the difficulty of the guiding of soules § 8. At the first Entrance into Internall waies all soules seeme to be of an Actiue temper 1. NOtvvithstanding although all Christians are obliged to aspire to perfection to leade spirituall liues sanctifying all their actions employments by prayer yet the effectuall practise of this obligation is so very rare that in ordinary speech those only are said to Aspire vnto perfection vvho haue bene so highly fauoured by God as to haue bene called by him froÌ„ all sollicitous engagement in vvorldhy affaires so as to make the only buisines employment of their liues to be the seruing adoring louing meditating praying vnto God the attending to follovving his diuine inspirations c. in a state of competent abstraction solitude this most ordinarily perfectly in a religious profession or if in the world yet in a course of life diuided separated from the vvorld 2. There seemes indeed to remaine euen naturally in all soules a certaine propension to seeke God though not at all for himselfe but meerelie for the satisfaction of nature selfe-ends vvhich is a kind of Naturall Deuotion is to be found euen in hereticks yea Iewes heathens this more or lesse according to their seuerall dispositions corporall complexions the varietie of vvhich is vvonderfull almost incredible Novv vvhen diuine grace adioyns it selfe to such good propensions it promotes increases them rectifying vvhat is amisse in them especially by purifying the intention making them to seeke God only for God himselfe no vnvvorthy in feriour Ends of nature but it doth not at all alter the complexion it selfe but conducts soules in spirituall vvaies suitably to their seuerall dispositions by an almost infinite varietie of paths fashions yet all tending to the same generall end vvith is the vnion of our spirits vvith God by perfect loue 3. Notwithstanding all these varieties of dispositions waies of which vve shall treate more fully vvhen vve come to speake of Internall prayer may commodiously enough be reduced in grosse to tvvo rankes to vvit Actiue Contemplatiue spirits Both vvhich aspire to a perfection of vnion in spirit vvith God by perfect loue for that purpose in grosse practise make vse of the same meanes necessary to that end to vvit Mortification Prayer But yet the manner both of their vnion prayer consequently of their mortification also is very different And the roote of such difference is the forementioned variety of propensions naturall dispositions to internall vvayes 4. For first the Propension vvhich is in some soules to Deuotion is of such a nature that it inclines them much to buisy their imagination to frame in their minds motiues to the diuine loue by Internall Discourse so as that vvith out such reasoning vse of images they can seldome vvith any efficacy raise or fixe their affections on God Such dispositions are not patient of much solitude or recollection more then shall be necessary to enable them to produce maintaine a right Intention in outvvard doings vvorkes of charitie to the vvhich they are povverfully inclined And the Mortifications most vvillingly practised by them are vsually eâ—ternall oftentimes voluntarily assumed the vvhich make a great shevv procure very great esteeme from others And proportionably hereto the diuine loue vnion produced by such meanes is verie vigorous but lesse Pure spirituall apt to expresse it selfe by much sensible deuotion tendernes The state therefore perfectioÌ„ of these soules is called the state PerfectioÌ„ of an Active life 3. Againe others are naturally of a propension to seeke God in the obscurity of faith vvith a more profound Introuersion of spirit vvith lesse Actiuity motion in sensitiue nature vvith out the vse of grosser Images yet vvith far greater simplicity Purity efficacy And consequently such soules are not of themselues much inclined to externall vvorkes except vvhen God calls them thereto by secret Inspirations or ingages them therin by command of Superiours but they seeke rather to purifie themselues inflame their hearts in the loue of God by Internall quiet pure Actuations in Spirit by a totall Abstraction from Creatures by Solitude both Externall and especially Internall so disposing them selues to receiue the Influxes Inspirations of God vvhose guidance cheifly they endeauour to follovv in all things And the Mortifications practised by them though lesse remarkable yet are faire more Efficacious being profound and penetrating euen to the most secret deordinations of the Spirit By a Constant pursuance of such Exercises their Spirits becoming naked empty of all strange Affections Images Distractions the Diuine spirit only liues operates in them affording them Light to perceiue strength to subdue selfe-loue in its most secret and to all others imperceptible insinuations And by Consequence they attaine vnto an Vnion vvith God farre more strickt immediate then the former by a loue much more Masculine pure Diuine And the state and Perfection of these happy soules is called the state and Perfection of à Coâ—templatiue Life 6. Now though all Internall Dispositions of soules by wich Mankind is more diuersified then by outward features may conueniently enough be ranged vnder these two states yet wee are not to conceiue that each
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
the least benefit of their spirit yea to their greater distraction dissipation 12. Generally ordinarily speaking vvhen there is proposed the doing or not doing of any externall vvorke that both of them are in themselues lavvfull the Diuine Inspiration in Contemplatiue soules moues to the Not-doing Because the absteining from much externall vvorking the increasing in Internall solitude of spirit is more suitable to their present state to that abstraction of life vvhich they professe Except vvhen the doing may proue a more beneficiall mortificatioÌ„ to selfe-loue or other inordinate Affection of corrupt nature 13. The speciall poynts matters of Omissions vvhich among others are vsually the Obiects of such diuine Calls Inspirations may be such as these viz. 1. To eschevv vnnecessary though permitted conuersations correspondences vvith others either by speaking or vvriting 2. To be very vvary sparing in the vse of the tongue 3. not sollicitously to auoyd occasions of mortifications or afflictions 4. to auoyd the encombring our selves vvith busines not perteining to vs. 5. to fly honours Offices care ouer others the like 6. not to craue this or that vnnecessary thing or commodity but to be content vvith out them 7. not to question or expostulate vvhy such a thing vvas said or done but to hold patience to let things be as they are 8. not to complaine of or accuse any 9. In cases of supportable not harmfull oppressions to absteine froÌ„ Appeals to higher Superiours 10. To auoyd the voluntary causing or procuring a change in our present coÌ„dition employmeÌ„t place c. 11. To quiet compose all manner of passions rising in the heart all troubles in mind to preserue the soule in peace tranquillity cheerfullnes in Gods seruice 1â— to auoyd such things or doings as vvill distract our minds vvith dissipating Images 13. to forbeare breake of all particular partiall freindships compliances 14. To preserue conuenient Liberty of spirit to absteine from enconbring or insnaring our selues by any voluntarily assumed taskes obligations c though in matters in themselues good but vvhich may becoming obligatory proue hindrances to better things 15. In a vvord the Diuine Inspirations of vvhich vve here treate doe euer tend to a simplicity in Thoughts vvords deeds to all things vvhich may aduance the more perfect exercise of Obedience Humility Resignation purity of Prayer purity of intention c so that vvhatsoeuer is contrary to any of these is to be reiected as a diabolicall suggestion 14. As for extraordinary Supernaturall Inspirations Illuminations apparitions voyces conuersations with spirits messages from heauen c a spirituall Internall liuer is forbidden to pretend to or so much as desire them yea rather to pray against them least he should abuse them to vanity pride And hovveuer neuer to admit or esteeme them for such much lesse to put in execution any thing that seemes to be such a vvay commanded till they haue bene first examined iudged approued by Superiours c But of this particular vve shall speake more herafter 15. The Diuine Inspirations lights Impulses or Calls of vvhich vve here speake are 1. Either such as are immediatly communicated to the soule alone 2. or also mediately vvith the concurrence of some other person or thing to vvit by the meane of an Externall Directour or else by the vse reading or hearing read Spirituall or other pious Bookes We vvill in the first place treate of this latter vvay of vnderstanding the Diuine vvill because it is both more easy to be discerned also it is the vvay by vvhich commonly imperfect soules are first instructed CAP. II. § 1. 2. Why an Externall Guide is necessary in the beginning § 3. 4. 5. 6. The conditions of such a Guide of which the principall is Experience in the same waies beyond learning c. § 7. 8. Actiue spirits cannot be fit guides for Contemplatiue § 9. 10. Actuall Illumination oft necessary to externall Directours § 11. 12. 13. The office of a directour may not be voluntarily assumed or sought § 14. 15. Lay-persons may be spirituall Guides to Religious Yea woemen § 16. That is no preiudice to the spirit of an Order § 17. Conditions necessary in Directours § 18. 19. Directours must teach their disciples to seeke light from God § 20. Sincerity obedience necessary in the disciple § 21. The Gift of discerning spirits necessary in a directour § 22. His instructions must be generall § 23. 24. Frequent consultations harmfull § 25. Two generall remedies against difficulties viz. 1. Riddance 2. Patience § 26. 27. The directour must not with vnnecessary questions raise Doubts § 28. Great danger from vnnecessary conuersation of Directours with woemen § 29. More particular aduises referred to other following places 1. A soule that comes out of the world to a religious Contemplatiue life or that liuing yet in the vvorld is abstracted from the vvorld aspires to a state of Perfection at the first ordinarily vvill stand in need of an Externall Instructour guide for most matters that concerne her in that vvay The reason is because that such soules although being supposed to be in the state Grace they haue sufficient Internall light to direct them in the ordinary Duties of a Christian life for the auoyding of sin performing the necessary Acts of vertues requisite yet as to the proper practises of Internall vvaies to the ordering of common Actions to the aduancing of themselues tovvards Contemplation they are indeed penitùs animales gouerned by sense the obscure deceitfull light of naturall reason scarse knovving vvhat an Internall Inspiration vvith regard to such matters is hovveuer very much disabled are they to discerne or correspond to such an Inspiration And for this reason their naturall light generall knovvledge that they haue of their ovvne insufficiency to be their ovvne directours in a nevv vnknovvn state vvill tell them that they must haue recourse to other guides skilled in those things of vvhich themselues haue no experience Yet euen this seeking submitting themselues vnto Externall directours is not to be esteemed merely an Act of nature or guided only by a naturall light but of such Inspirations supernaturall light vvhich atteâ—d the Actions of all good Christians by vvhich they are taught moued to distrust themselues not knowing as yet how to dispose themselues for the receiuing supernaturall lights from God much lesse to merit them Grace directs them to vse the mediation of others to heare obâ—y God speaking ordeining by them 2. But the necessity of an Externall Instructour is generally only at the beginning of a Contemplatiue course For after that soules by the meanes of generall Directions giuen a competent pursuit of Internall Exercises haue bene once put conueniently setled in a rightway how to seeke for more light from God alone they must not afterwards out of leuity curiosity or
a foolish pronenes to discouer their interiour nor vvithout a iust necessity continue to seeke Instructions from vvithout nothing vvill excuse it but the vvant of Internall light in some speciall Doubtfull cases then also they hauing an Internall Inspiration motion to seeke it from others In vvhich case it is indeed their Diuine Internall Maister that they obey vvho speakes vnto them by the externall Directour appoynted vnto them by God The deuout reader may further see vvhat the forementioned Excellent Authour of SCALA PERFECTIONIS sayes to this purpose in the 2. Part 91. Chapter as likevvise the Authour of the Booke called the Clowd of vnknowing chap. 49. 54. 3. Novv to the end to enable the soule to make a good choyce I meane such a soule as hath freedome to make her ovvne choice I vvill set dovvne the Qualities necessary to be found in a good Directour by vvhich title I doe not meane simply a Confessarius that is only to heare faults confessed to giue Absolution there an end for the ordinary Qualities of learning prudence are sufficien therto But by a spirituall Directour I intend one that besides this is to instruct the Disciple in all the peculiar duties of an Internall life that is to iudge of her propension to contemplatiue vvayes that can at least teach her hovv she may fitt herselfe vvith a degree of Prayer proper for her that knovves all the degrees of Internall prayer can determine hovv long she is to remaine in such a degree vvhen to change it for an higher That can iudge vvhat employments c. are helpfull or hindring to her progres in Internall vvayes But especially that can teach her hovv to dispose herselfe to hearken to follovv Gods Internall teaching to stand in no more need of consulting her Externall Directour c. Such are the proper offices of a guide to enable him vvhereto there are generally by Spirituall vvriters required three principall Qualities 1. a good naturall Iudgment 2. Learning 3. Experience 4. But because it is scarse to be hoped for in all places for all soules to find a Directour absolutly perfect Qualified vvith all manner of fitting conditions Therfore the said Writers doe dispute vvhat quality is the most necessary to make a Directour capable of a sufficient discharge of his office Novv for as much as concernes the first condition to vvit a good naturall Iudgment though by all it be acknovvledged to be insufficient alone yet is it so absolutely necessary that without it no considerable experience can be atteined Learning if it be ioyned vvith an extrauagant capricious spirit vvill proue rather pernicious then aduantageous Therfore the Question remaines betvveene Learning experience vvhether of the tvvo is the more necessary 5. But truly this scarce deserues to be a questiō For though for the assoyling of ordinary Doubts cases of conscience as about fasting saying the Diuine office Confession Restitution c learning be the principall condition to be looked after in one that is to be a Guide for such purposes Notvvthstanding since the Office of the spirituall Directour that novv vve seeke after is to be exercised in such Internall matters of the spirit as hath bene said to vvit Contemplatiue prayer Attending to diuine Inspirations c it is the resolute iudgment of Gerson Auila S. Teresa B. Iohn de Cruce Seraphinus Firmanus c that no trust is to be giuen to learning vvithout experience but much to experience though vvithout learning And to this purpose it is obseruable that for the most part the Instruments that God hath bene pleased both in ancient moderne times to employ in the Instructing guiding of soules to the perfection of contemplatiue Prayer haue bene persons of small learning but great experience such as vvere S. Anthony S. Benedict S. Francis S. Teresa c 6. No learning therfore that may be got by study reading though of all the contemplatiue bookes that novv are extant will alone serue to enable any one to be a competent Directour for Internall liuers But there is necessary Experience practise in the same Prayer other internall Exercises that are to be taught for neuer so many yeares spent in discoursiue Prayer vvill little auayle to qualify any person to become a proper proffitable Directour for soules that tend to Contemplation as all inclosed Religious men vvoemen are obliged to doe 7. Yea it is much more safe for a vvell-meaning soule to trust to her ovvne internall light though obscure to such Instructions as bookes vvhich treate of such kind of Prayer vvill afford her or else to the guidance of a vertuous humble-minded Directour vvho though he haue but a very small Proportion either of Experience or learning yet out of humility vvill not assume vnto himselfe Authority to iudge of things aboue his reach but vvill incourage the soule either to seeke out one more intelligent or to follovv the directions of her ovvne spirit illuminated by grace then to confide in such directours as beleiue vvould faine haue the vvorld doe so too that the Spirituall Exercises are the most perfect kind of Internall prayer by consequence vvhose best aduises vvill be to make her suspect all tracts inuitations vvhervvith God shall dravv her to a more sublime quiet pure prayer in spirit from vvhich such Directours vvill pluck her dovvne to multiplicity distraction vnquietnes the best Prayer that they can teach being that vvhich is exercised more grossely in the Imagination in figuring of seenes postures representations or by curious painfull Discourses in the vnderstanding fettring her likevvise vvith nice formes methods in Meditation both very insupportable also vnproffitable yea pernicious to the designe of such soules that tend to contemplation though very good proper for those vvho liue Actiue liues What orders can such Directours giue touching the true vse of Aspirations of vvhich there is great varietie or concerning other subtile pure eleuations annihilations or internall reposefull silent prayers of the spirit And much lesse helpe is to be expected from them in the case of those strange in explicable Priuatious the vvich are of infinite variety befalling to many soules highly aduanced in Contemplation 8. What a misery therfore is it to see Contemplatiue Orders yea euen those of the greatest solitude Abstraction of life affording them so great aduantages for Contemplation to seeke Rules for Contemplatiue prayer from those whose profession is so absolutely contrary thereto And the more that such incompetent Directours are practised aduanced in skill about their owne Exercises the more vnfit are they to become guides to Contemplatiue spirits the more dangerous is it to rely vpon them for such Experience ioyned with learning vvill make them confident that their owne way is the very best for all zealous to draw all others to a liking admiration of it Most certeine it
is that this is the very cause why not only the spirit of Contemplation but euen the knowledge almost of it is againe lost in many CoÌ„templatiue Orders notvvithstanding so fevv yeares are past since it vvas reuiued by those eminent lights S. Teresa B. Iohn de Cruce Barbanzon c. 9. I may truly say that neither naturall Indgment learning nor experience all together are absolutly sufficient to qualify a person for the employment of guiding soules in all cases in the Internall vvaies of the spirit but very oft an actuall supernaturall illumination vvill moreouer be requisite necessary though true it is that experienced Persons haue great aduantages beyond vvhat vvitt or learning can afford And such for matters beyond their experience no doubt vvill often remit soules to God their ovvne obseruation The vvhich is a quality office not to be expected from persons that bring no better endovvments vvith them to the managing of Contemplatiue soules but only subtilty of vvit learning or experience in a quite different much inferiour exercise of Prayer such experience being as I said rather a disaduantage for such vvill resolue all cases though the Directions they giue must needs be improper yet they vvill be very absolute in requiring obedience Wheras a person experienced in the same Internall vvayes being humble vvithall for else saith Auila he also vvill probably be faulty too though he be not in all cases able to giue a resolute Iudgment yet finding his ovvne Deficiency he vvill make a doubt of the matter therpon out of humility vvill not scorne but rather be desirous to consult take aduise from others more able to resolue 10. Herpon it is that S. Teresa as it is recorded in her Life much coÌ„plaines of the hurt that such resolute in sufficieÌ„t teachers did to her vvill doe to others And Thaulerus vvorthily stiled an illuminate Doctour professeth of himselfe in a certaine SermoÌ„ that vnles he were specially illuminated by God for the solution of a doubt proposed to him he would remit the party to God himselfe to be instructed in prayer what to doe And let not such an one doubt saith he but that God will be his faithfull counseller Moreouer he finds great fault vvith those arrogant persons that reprehend soules for suffring themselues to be guided by the Instincts internall lights motions proceeding from Gods spirit for their calling such by the titles of New spirits or pretenders to extraordinary illuminations whereas saith he those that take all their instructions from persons bookes will with very small successe pursue the waies of the spirit 11. It is a miserable thing to see hovv this Employment of directing soules vvhich aboue all other is most difficult exceedeth euen the ability of an Angell yet out of an ambitious humour is inuaded by persons wholly vnfitted for it that vvithout any vocation from God voluntarily vndertake it So that no meruaile it is if so little good come from such Intruders Not one of a thousand saith Auila is capable of so sublime a taske Nay saith the holy Bishop of Geneua not one often thousand And most certeine it is that those vvho so freely offer themselues to so Diuine an employment doe therby shevv themselues to vvant the most necessary qualifications to vvit Humility a true knovvledge of its difficulty therfore their directions are most to be suspected 12. Herevpon Thaulerus saith that a soule intending perfection ought to seeke out an experienced seruant of God though it cost her a iourney of many German miles But saith he if such a freind cannot be found then vvill a simple Confessarius serue though neuer so ignorant For euen by such men doth the Holy Ghost speake by reason of their office so that they may securely be submitted to obeyed euen in things vvhich they doe not vvell vnderstand 13. If a soule that is fearfull scrupulous be to chuse a Directour she ought to auoyd one of the like temper for passion vvhich blinds the seeker vvill also blind the Directour so the Blind will leade the blind 14. It is not necessary that the Persons consulted vvith about Difficulties concerning Internall Prayer should be learned or in Holy Orders except Doubts concerning matters of Faith of Cases of Conscâ—ence interuene For though Lay-persons vvoemen be not allovved by the Church to preach publickly yet are they not forbidden to giue priuate Instructions in matters of that nature to any that shall haue recourse to them And of the good successe of such Instructours vve haue diuers examples as in the Lay man that conuerted Thâ—ulerus a learned Doctour a Religious man and likevvise in S. Catherine of Siena S. Teresa c And in a vvell gouerned Monastery of vvoemen vvhere a good course of Internall prayer approved by Superiours and Learned Divines is once vvell setled it is very expedient that Instructions concerning it should rather come from Superiours vvithin Because otherwise by reason of the frequent change of Directours perhaps of contrary spirits many of them little practised in such Prayer soules will be gouerned vncertainly be in danger to be put out of their vvay 15. Though it seeme euidently more reasonable more proportionable to the spirits of persons professing a Religious state to be conducted by others of the s ne Profession Caeteris paribus then by such as are strangers therto Yet scarse any Directours can be found more improper for such supposing that they tend to Contemplation then are Religious Guides of Actiue spirits that knovv no further of prayer then Meditation that shevv more Zeale for an exact obseruance of Ceremonies or a multiplying of externall voluntary Austerities the vvhich of themselues vnlesse they be guided by Gods Spirit haue no speciall influence on the spirit but only serue either for an outvvard shevv of rigour or for keeping soules from mispending the time then for the more essentiall internall Duties of prayer solitude of spirit Interiour Mortification c Much more proffitable to such soules vvould be a Directour though not of any Religious Profession that vvould impose on soules only such Austerities as are essentially necessary to an Internall life such as are perfect Abstraction silence solitude conuenient abstinence c And for other matters not much necessary nor much effectuall leauing them in a due moderate Liberty of spirit especially such as vvill not impose on them any formes of Mentall Prayer hovveuer liked or practised by themselues but for such matters rathet leauing them to the conduct of Gods holy spirit that vvill not torture them vvith painfull iterated coustumary Confessions c 16. And vvhereas it vvill be perhaps obiected that probably such Directours being strangers as to the speciall distinctiue spirit of such an Order or Community may endanger in their disciples a losse of the said spirit I must professe that I vnderstand not vvhat is meant by
that so much talked of spirit of an Order nor hovv seuerall Orders though neuer so much distinguished by habits or certaine externall practises if their profession be to tend to Contemplation can haue any more then one spirit vvhich directs them to make their principall designe to be the seeking of God in his Internall vvayes of Diuine loue for that only end besides conformable Prayer to practise such obseruances mortifications as vvill best promote this designe And surely this good spirit of Religion contemplation a good Directour of vvhat Profession soeuer vvill very studiously endeauour to aduance yea moreouer vvill no doubt oblige his Disciples to be very Regular zealous in the obseruance of all good ordinances of the Community principally of the Rule according to their professioÌ„ made Instructing them vvithall hovv they may vse such things for the aduancing of their spirit the seruice of God although in the meane time perhaps he be not cunning in all the particular Obseruances that belong to them and little or nothing at all to him 17. All soules that liue in Contemplatiue Orders are nor naturally fitted for Contemplatiue vvayes nor the seeking of God in spirit Those therfore that haue not indeed are not capable of much light in their Interiour and so are not so fit to be guided by Diuine Inspirations doe the more need to haue certeine Rules from vvithout at least for the exteriour And for such it is Gods vvill and direction that they should more depend on Externall Guides 18. He that takes vpon him the office of a spirituall Directour saith Thauâ—erus ought for some reasonable space of time to conuerse vvith his Disciples especially at the beginning for a fevv transitory Conferences vvill not suffise to giue him light concerning their propensions dispositions that he may fit them vvith a degree of Prayer proper for them both for the present future And his principall care must be to set them in such a way as that they may not need to haue much recourse vnto him aftervvard the vvhich is done by giuing them generall Directions about their prayer especially how therby to dispose themselues to receiue light from God whose InspiratioÌ„s ought for the future to â—e their principall Rule especially for the Interiour And for the practising in particular according to the generall Directions giuen the Disciples must vse their ovvne iudgment for a helpe they may also make vse of such Instructions as they may find in bookes so far as they shall be proper for their spirit But in cases when neither their owne Iudgment nor bookes will helpe them if the difficulty be of greater moment they may againe haue recourse vnto their Directour 19. And in this sort are writers that speake much of the necessity of an Externall Directour to be vnderstood For if such necessity were to last alwaies good soules should be obliged to spend their whole liues in conferring with Directours from whence vvould follovv continuall sollicitudes scrupulosities dangerous distractions c. most contrary to an Internall spirituall life vvhich ought to be a state of much repose cessation introuersion a continuall attendance vnto vvhat God speakes vvithin vnto a soule who if soules vvill humbly faithfully depend on him vvill cleare resolue difficulties vvhich Externall maisters vvill neuer be able to penetrate into But it is too generall an humour in Directours novv adaies to make themselues seeme necessary vnto their disciples vvhom hey endeauour to keepe in a continuall dependance to the great preiudice of their progres in spirit besides many other inconueniences not needfull to be mentioned particularly 20. A soule thar has recourse to an Instructour prouided by God for her or that vsing her best aduice she hath made choyce of must deale freely plainly candidly vvith him conceiling nothing necessary to be knovvne by him his Directions she must follovv in all things assuring herselfe that if she doe so in the simplicity of her heart as in obedience to God himselfe God vvill enlighten him so that she shall not be mislead 21. The gift of discerning spirits is so necessary to a spirituall Guide that except therby he be able to fit a soule vvith a sort degree of prayer suitable to her naturall disposition not tying all soules to begin according to any generall methods for none such can be perscribed but vvill be preiudiciall to some vnlesse he teach her hovv she may become illuminated vvithout him by God alone by the meanes of Prayer abstraction of life vvhervvith the mists of Images passions being dispelled a light vvill spring forth in the soule far more cleare certeine then any that can come from humane instructions not all the Instructions of men Angells ioyned vvith all mortifications imaginable vvill be able to bring a soule to Contemplation For seldome or neuer doth God vvorke contrary to our naturall complexions And till soules come to exercises in spirit prayer infused by God alone they are far from Contemplation 22. Novv at the first it is very hard for any Directour to knovv exactly the secret Inclinations of imperfect soules vvhich are so infinitly various And therfore for the most part their Instructions about prayer attendaÌ„ce to Diuine Inspirations must be generall the vvhich the disciples themselues must make a particular vse of by obseruing their ovvne abilities inclinations by marking vvhat more particular formes of Prayer c. suite best vvith them doe them most good And this if they be not able in a reasonable manner to doe or if they haue not the courage to abide in a vvay in vvhich they are put it vvill be in vaine for them to proceede in those secret Internall vvayes 23. If the vvay vvherein a soule is put hath made a reasonable progres be indeed proper for her there vvill be little need of frequent recourse vnto her Directour Neither ought he to examine her about her Internall Exercises of vvhich he may iudge vvell enough by her externall comportment for it is impossible for a soule to be in a vvrong vvay interiourly but of it selfe it vvill breake out exteriourly especially to the eyes of those vvho themselues are in a right vvay as the Spirituall Directour is supposed to be And there is scarce any more certeine signe that a soule is not interiourly in a good vvay then is her being forvvard to trouble her Directour vvith multiplicity of Questions doubts her readines to discouer her Interiour to others vvhom she has heard or does beleiue to be skilfull in Spirituality 24. The Images internall Distractions raised by impertinent consultations about the Interiour are of all other most pernicious For distractions from vvithout are but superficiall vvhereas those being hatched bred vvithin the soule from some secret ill qualities as feare scrupulosity curiosity c. they are more profound destructiue to true Recollection
25. The generall remedies against almost all difficulties are these tvvo 1. Riddance 2. Patience The former consists in affording to the soule some ease latitude as far as a good conscience vvill permit in such things as are apt to perplexe vvel-minded tender soules as Confession Saying of the Office obligation to the ordinances of the church some kind of tentations In all vvhich things such soules are to be taught to neglect transcend scrupulous nicity they are likevvise to be prudently freed from the practise of Coustumes not obligatory And this remedy is proper against scrupulosity disintangling the soule from many snares vvhich othervvise vvould proue a great hindrance to her The other remedy of patience abiding is reasonable in case of Aridities Desolations other such discouragements in an Internall life In vvhich cases the deuout soule is to be exhorted to behaue herselfe as vvell as she can to be quietly resigned for vvhat vvith all her industry she cannot helpe Aboue all things she is to be heartned to pursue couragiously her appoynted Recollections in despight of all such oppositions raised by the deuill or corrupt nature permitted by God for her good The vvhich if she doe she vvill either disperse these tentations or obteine a Diuine light to perceiue that the vvay both most proper most secure by vvhich God purposes to leade her to Perfection is the way of Aridities obscurities as B Iohn de Cruce teaches in his Treatise called Mount Carmel And vvhen she once perceiues this then they vvill not only be supportable but euen acceptable to her Hovveuer if a soule did knovv or could be persvvaded hovv much better it vvere for her to suffer a little bitternes arising from such difficulties or perplexities then to hasten for a remedy by seeking helpe from others or by turning herselfe to vnnecessary solaces in creatures And also vvith vvhat confidence she might expect satisfaction from her Internall Maister if she vvould seriously by Prayer seeke to him she vvould saue both herselfe her Directour much trouble inconuenience 26. The instructour must vse great vvarines that he doe not raise doubts scruples in his Schollers minds by mouing needles indiscreet Questions or by impertinent discourses concerning spirituall matters for therby he may come to raise such doubts as himselfe shall not be able to resolue to put them so far out of their way as perhaps they vvill neuer be able to find it againe Therfore in ordinary conuersations it is more fit that the subiect of discourse should be some externall indifferent matters vvherein the parties are not much concerned then such as regard the Interiour Experience shevves hovv much inconuenience doth come to soules by the conuersations of such as are great pretenders to skill in Spirituality therfore out of vanity or a mistaken charity are apt vvhen there is no need to be offring Instructions about spirituall matters 27. Some soules doe see their vvay before them far better then others therfore doe moue fevvuer Questions The Instructour therefore is to behaue himselfe tovvards them all according to the quality need of each spirit allvvaies remembring that his office is not to teach his owne way nor indeed any determinate way of prayer c but to instruct his disciples how they may themselues find out the way proper for them by obseruing themselues what doth good what causeth harme to their spirits In a word that he is only Gods Vsher must lead soules in Gods way not his owne 28. Of all other spirituall persons it concernes woemen especially to be very sparing in consultations vvhen necessity requires to be breife in deliuering their difficulties for othervvise many inconueniences vvill follovv as 1. losse of time both to the disciple Instructour 2. Distractions far more hurtfull then if they vvere busied about the most encombring Employments of the Community 3. danger of multiplying nevv perplexities by fearing that they haue not giuen a full a right account of themselues c Besides one difficulty vvill be apt to beget a nevv one so that instead of seeking peace by disburdening of the conscience by their indiscretions they may come both to trouble the peace of their Instructours to plunge themselues in incurable perplexities obscurities of mind 4. great cause there is to feare that there may vpon such occasion of vnnecessary consultations ensue dangerous familiarities freindships vvith such as may proue very vnfit counsellours Thervpon S. Francis Xauerius saith that seldome was there so much good to be expected from the frequent treaties betweene Persons of different sexes as there was perill in them to both 29. This may suffise concerning the qualities office of an externall Directour As for more speciall Duties belonging to him in more particular cases as scrupulosities mortifications c. it shall be treated vvhen vve come to speake of such particular subiects As likevvise of the obligation of Superiours about the promoting the spirituall good of their subiects soules although they be not consulted vvith in the nature of spirituall Guides somevvhat shall be said in the follovving Discourse concerning the state of a Religious profession CAP. III. § 1. Of Reading which is next to Prayer § 2. Some bookes may be read for Diuersion § 3. But spirituall bookes only for the soules proffit § 4. 5. Bookes proper for Contemplatiues c. § 6. Not to stop in obscure places § 7. Not to practise Directions but such as are suitable to the spirit § 9. 10. Extraordinary practises of Saints in mortifications not to be imitated without great caution § 11 Why Mystick Authours seeme to write diuersely § 12. Some Authours indiscreetly require Perfection at first § 13. Reading must giue way to Prayer § 14 how mortification is to be practised in Reading § 15. 16. Diuine inspirations to be obserued in applying Instructions And particularly of those in this booke § 17. A soule following God may without bookes or Instructours be lead to perfect Contemplation 1. A Second meane by vvhich the Diuine spirit teacheth deuout soules is the reading of Pious bookes And this exercise I esteeme for vvorth spirituall proffit to be next vnto Prayer 2. As for ordinarly bookes as Ecclesiasticall story c it may be permitted to soules euen in Religion to read them for an innocent Diuersion Recreation so that be not the principall end but that the Intention further be by such diuersion to dispose a vveary soule the better aftervvards to pursue her internall Exercises And this Permission novv is the more reasonable since that in Religious communities of men bodily labour is allmost out of date in place thereof reading study hath succeeded as novv the principall dayly Employment of Keligious persons vvho liuing much lesse Abstracted from the vvorld are almost forced to comply vvith the customes of the present times in vvhich learning is so valevved so
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
hastines in performing our best most necessary Duties the vvhich are discharged most efficaciously purely vvhen they are done vvith the greatest stillnes calmenes clearnes of mind resignation It is sufficient in this place only to touch passingly vpon these Impediments because in the follovving Treatise vve shall haue occasion to treate more largely purposely of them 4. Now to vvhat End did vve come into Religion but only to auoyd all these Impediments in the vvorld vvhich vvithdravv vs from attending to God following his Diuine Guidance In this very point lies the difference betvveene a Secular a Religious state that a Secular Person secularly minded by reason of the noyse tumults vnauoydable Distra ions sollicitudes tentations vvhich are in the vvorld cannot vvithout much adoe find leasure to attend vnto God the gaining of his loue euen for a fevv minutes euery day or little oftner then the lavves of the church necessarily oblige him And all the directions that he is capable of in Gods seruice must come from vvithout for by reason that his soule is so filled vvith Images vaine or sinfull so agitated vvith impetuous Affectiōs designes he cānot recollect himselfe to heare God speaking in him Whereas a Religious person professes his only busines to be attending to Gods Internall voyce for vvhich purpose he renounceth all these Impediments distractions 5. And surely in a speciall manner the Disciples of S. Benedict if they vvill cast a serious eye vpon the frame of their Rule they vvill find that as it is very moderate prudently condescending in all matters of outvvard corporall Austerities afflicting to nature but not immediatly helpfull to the Spirit so on the contrary it is very rigorous in the exacting of silence solitude a renouncing all proprietary sollicitude for corporall necessities all other mortifications vvhich vvill hinder the dissipating of our spirits thoughts indispose the soule to recollection attention to God But specially Prayer vvhich he calls Opus Dei to vvhich all other vvorkes obseruances are to giue place is most seriously incessantly enioyned By the practise vvhereof vve doe aboue all other exercises transcend grosser sensible Images in the vnderstanding subdue vnruly Passions in the heart So that it is euident that our Holy Fathers principall care in all the obseruances enioyned by him vvas to free his Disciples from these tvvo generall most povverfull hindrances to introuersion a continuall attention to conuersation vvhich God The vvhich may most properly be called The Spirit of S. Benedicts Rule 6. There is moreouer one speciall impediment to the obseruing obeying of Diuine Inspirations vvhich is not to be omitted the rather because it is lesse taken notice of in ordinary spirituall Writers This Impediment consists in this that many soules doe indiscreetly preiudice yea oft take avvay quite that indifference liberty of Spirit vvhich is necessary to all that vvill seriously follovv the Diuine Guidance in all the vvayes that they then are lead by it For it vvere foolish to prescribe vnto God the vvayes in vvhich vve vvould haue him to lead vs This vvere to oblige God to follovv our vvayes to doe our vvills not vve to performe his And this is done by those vvho obstinatly adhere to preconceiu d opinions fore-practised coustumes whatsoeuer they be For though such coustumes in themselues and to other soules may be neuer so good proffitable yea though formerly euen to those persons themselues they haue bene neuer so proper beneficiall yet this vvas only vvhilst they vvere in such a state degree of Spirituality the vvhich state altering as in progresse it needs must then that vvhich vvas formerly proper conformable to the Diuine vvill inspiration vvill become improper inconuenient contrary to the present Internall Guidance of God 7. This impediment must necessarily be remoued deuout soules must continually keepe themselues in a free indifferency supplenes of Spirit for othervvise they vvill become in many cases circumstances indisposed to beleiue incapable to execute that vvhich Gods holy spirit shall dictate vnto them yea they vvill oft contristate endanger to extinguish the said spirit in them by an obstinate doing of the contrary to what it moues vnto 8. The reasonablenes necessity of this aduice may be shewed by this example It may haue beene good proffitable for a soule vvhen she entred into an Internall life to appoynt vnto herselfe certaine voluntary Deuotions vocall Prayers c or aftervvards to select certaine peculiar subiects of meditation as the Quatuor Nouissima the Mystery of the Passion c or to prescribe vnto herselfe certaine times for some good externall or internall Practises or to make frequent Examinations of conscience Confessions c All these things are good whilst the soule finds proffit by them so long they are to be continued But if God shall call her to an higher exercise to a more pure efficacious Prayer so that she begins to loose all gust in her former exercises the which doe not only abridge her of the time necessary for her more perfect Recollections but likewise dull the spirit indispose it for such Prayer other more beneficiall practises to which she is by a new clearer Diuine light directed or inuited by Diuine grace enabled In this case pertinaciously to adhere to former coustumes because she finds them cōmended in bookes c or because she did formerly reape proffit by them this is to intangle fetter captiuate the spirit to renounce the Diuine guidance to obstruct all vvayes of aduācement in the paths of Contemplation The soule therfore in such or the like cases must necessarily vse some violence vpon herselfe to recouer a true most needfull Indifferency liberty of spirit that so she may freely follovv God vvhithersoeuer he shall by his Inspirations inuite her being assured that she shall neuer by him be persvvaded or tempted to doe any thing contrary or preiudiciall to her duty obedience to lavvfull Authority or any other necessary obligations 9. This Instruction reaches very far yea so far that euen Learned men yea some that passe for spirituall if they be vnexperienced in the true Internall vvayes of Gods Spirit leading to Contemplation vvould perhaps mislike the freedome vvhich in many cases must hath bene allovved by the best most sublime Mystick Authours to soules of some peculiar dispositions in certaine circumstances And as for vnlearned Persons they vvould be in danger almost to be scandalised 10. The speciall Points therfore by vvhich Liberty of Spirit is in many soules much abridged to their great hindrance are these vvhich follovv viz. 1. Confession of certaine veniall sins 2. Coustumary sollicitous Examinations of conscience 3. In complyance vvith coustume to confesse both oftner likevvise such Imperfections as it vvere better for the soule not to mention
any other vvord seasonably spoken or any obiect occurring vvith due circumstances doth incite vs to lift vp our soules to God by prayer to performe some Acts of Charity to mortify some inordinate affection c. Yea sometimes from a desperate sinfull state to conuert our soules to God And thus doing vve as S. Paul exhorts Timothy doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raise blow into a flame the grace vvhich before lay in our hearts like coales of fire smothred in the Ashes And if this be frequently done that Grace vvhich at the first imparting vvas but vveake needed strong endeauours to excite it becomes far more actiue more easy to be excited so that vpon any the least occasion offred it is ready to bestirre it selfe disperse its odours vertue till at last it gets so perfect a dominion in perfect soules that it quite subdues the contrary Principle of corrupt nature And is scarse euer idle but the least hint being giuen it turnes the soule presently to God keepes it almost continually fixed on him In so much as those things which formerly had no effect at all vpon them now presently euen violently inflame them 5. Yea in some supereminently perfect soules this gift of Gods holy Spirit comes to be so vigorous that it subdues euen reason it selfe leades it captiue after it selfe pushing the soule to Heroycall actions vvithout any precedent Act of reason or the least deliberation though in the Act the soule by consenting merits Thus vve reade of the ancient Martyrs hovv they by an impetuous impulse of the Diuine spirit rushed before the persecuting Iudges to confesse the name of Christ Yea S. Apollonia cast herselfe into the fire The loue of Christ burning in their hearts constreining them as S. Paul sayes From the like efficacy of the Diuine spirit proceeded that Spirituall Gift of Prayer by vvhich the Holy Primitiue Christians in their Publicke meetings conceiued povvred forth Prayers vvithout any concurrence therto of their ovvne Inuention Gods spirit itselfe in S. Pauls expression praying in them And in this sense principally it is that I suppose the Schooles doe vnderstand the Gifts of the Spirit although most certaine it is that all Holy Actions internall or externall are effects of the same Spirit though in a lesse degree 6. This fundamentall Grace therfore is that Talent or stock that has Gods Image on it not Caesars vvhich God bestowes vpon euery one in Baptisme c. to trade vvith all the vvhich till the vvill cooperates vvith the Actuall Ayde of God is as it vvere wrapped in a Napkin hid vnder ground but being vvell managed multiplies into many Talents This is that very small but Diuine seed of vvhich the Euangelist speakes vvhich being cast in our hearts by labour cultiuation produces many precious fruits this is that Fermentum leauen vvhich being inclosed in the three faculties of our soules as in three measures of meale doth disperse its vertue through the whole masse 7. Novv to the end I may approach more close to the present matter vve may further consider that as by the exercise of Morall Philosophicall vertues there is ingenerated daily increased by perseuerance in the same exercise that most noble vniuersall vertue of Morall Prudence vvhich no study or speculatiue learning hovv great soeuer could haue produced The vvhich Prudence as the Philosopher sayes is a skill most properly conuersant about particular Acts not generall notions or Definitions of things and enlightens the soule to iudge determine in vvhich circumstances vvith vvhat concurring qualities an Action of vertue ought and may vvith the best aduantage and perfection be exercised So that by the helpe of this vertue of Prudence vvhen it is arriued to an excelling degree a vertuous Person will neuer omitt a due occasion to practise vertue nor vvill he euer doe it vnseasonably and vndiscreetly for then it vvould not be vertue and vvhen he exercises it he vvill not be deficient in any thing requisite to giue a luster therto The very same in a due proportion is seene in the Exercise of Diuine vertue or Charity for by a constant practise therof not only Charity it selfe is exalted multiplied and increased but there is likevvise kindled in the soule by the spirit of God a light of spirituall Prudence far more cleare and more certaine to conduct vs in the Diuine vvayes then morall Prudence is in the waies of morall honesty The vvhich Diuine light has this great aduantage aboue Prudence That wheras Morall wisedome can only teach the exercise of vertue in those occasions which doe not euery day happen in which such vertues ought to be exercised neglecting to giue any Rules to lesser indifferent Actions This Diuine light vvhich teaches vs to loue nothing at all but God accounts no actions at all in particular indifferent but teaches vs to direct all to the seruice and loue of God and can discerne hovv one may concurre therto more then another and accordingly chuses the best 8. Novv the Reason why by the Exercise of Charity alone and not by any study or speculatiue considerations this Diuine light can be kindled is because the Blindnes and Darknes vvhich is naturally in our vnderstandings comes principally from the peruerse deordination vvhich Selfe-loue causes in our vvills By meanes of vvhich vve vvill not suffer the vnderstanding to see vvhat it does see For euen vvhen by the light of Faith vve are in generall instructed in the Offices and Rules of vertue and Piety yet in many particulars Selfe-loue adhering to that side vvhich vve ought to refuse vvill either forbid and hinder the vnderstanding from considering vvhat is euill or defectuous in it or if there be any the least ground of Doubt it vvill cast such faire glosses on it and so seduce the vnderstanding to find out Motiues and pretences for the preferring therof that in fine the light it selfe vvhich is in the vnderstanding vvill misleade vs. But vvhen by perfect Diuine Charity all these distorsions of the vvill are rectified and that all the subtile insinuations false pretexts close interests and Designes of selfe-loue are discouered and banished then the mind beholds all things vvith a cleare light and proposing God as the end of all Actions vvhatsoeuer it sees vvhere God is to be found in them and may best be serued and obâ—ved by them Then the vvill is so farre from clovvâ—â—â—g or casting mists before the eyes of the vndestanding that if there vvere any before it alone dispells them for it is only the novv-sanctified feruent vvill that dravves the soule in all its faculties from all other inferiour seducing obiects and carries them in its ovvne streame and svvift course tovvards God It vvill not suffer the soule to chuse any thing but vvhat is good yea the best of all because God vvould haue that to be chosen alone According therfore to the measure of Charity so is our measure of
to obey beleiue the Superiour declaring against the former Inspiration For though nothing that a Superiour in such circumstances can say vvill make the former Inspiration not to haue come from God yet his declaring against it vvill shevv it not to be of force novv since that all such Inspirations doe ought to suppose the consent or at least the non-opposition of the Superiour before they be put in practise and therfore they are to giue place to an inspiration of obeying vvhich is absolute True it is that in such a case it may happen that the Superiour may commit a great fault must expect to be accountable to God for it but hovvsoeuer the subiect in obeying such an vndue command shall not only be innocent but also merit therby Because in both cases he doth vvell first in being prepared to obey the former Inspiration vvhich vvas conditionall aftervvards in contradicting that to obey a second Inspiration of submitting to his Superiour vvhich vvas absolute 9. As it concernes therfore particular soules to depend principally vpon their Internall Directour so likevvise are Superiours Spirituall Guides no lesse obliged to penetrate into the dispositions of their subiects Disciples to discouer by vvhat speciall vvayes the Spirit of God conducts them suitably therto to conforme themselues to comply vvith the intention of the Diuine Spirit And this Duty our Holy Patriarke in the 64. Chap. of his Rule requires from all Abbots or Superiours forbidding them to vse rigour in the correction of their subiects or so rudely to scoure the vessells as therby to endanger the breaking of them He would not haue them likewise to be restlessly suspicious iealous ouer their subiects But in their impositions to vse great Discretion which he calls the Mother of vertues considering each ones ability saying with Iacob If I force my flocks to trauaile beyond their strength they will all of them die at once c. If the Superiour therfore in an humour of commanding on his ovvne head should impose cōmands on his subiects vvithout any regard to the diuine vvill guidance such commands vvill probably proue vnprosperous as to the subiect certainly very dangerous to the Superiour Yet so it may be that the Subiect may reape spirituall proffit by them for then it may please God to giue him an Interiour enablement to turne such vndue commands to his ovvne good aduancement by encreasing in him the Habit of Resignation Humility It vvill indeed be very hard for imperfect Soules to reape benefit by such impertinent Superiours But as for Perfect ones they haue both light Spirituall strength to conuert all the most vnreasonable Commands of Superiours to the benefit aduancement of their ovvne Soules 10. In case a Superiour should forbid his Subiect to pray at this or that time or should command him to spend no longer then such a small space of time in Internall Praier as vvould not suffise for his aduancement in the Internall vvaies of the Spirit The Rule of Perfection requires the Subiect to obey his Superiour Yet he may vvith all Humility remonstrate to him his Spirituall necessities acquainting him vvith the great benefit that his soule finds in a Constant performance of his Recollections in attending to Diuine Inspirations and vvhat preiudice it might be to him to be forbidden or abridged of them But if the Superiour doe persist he must be obeyed and God vvill some other vvay supply the losse the Subiect finds in such particular Obediences Novv though a Superiour can no more forbid in generall the vse of Internall Prayer of obseruing Diuine Inspirations then he can forbid the Louing or Obeying of God Yet vvhether Prayer shall be exercised at such certaine appointed times or for such a determinate space of time that is vvithin the limits of a Superiours Authority And hovv he employes that Authority it vvill concerne him to consider For if he guides soules according to his ovvne vvill and not Gods and surely Gods Internall Inspirations are his vvill besides the guilt that he shall contract by the abusing of his authority he must expect that all the harme or preiudice that his subiects soules through his Miscariage shall incurre vvill be heaped multiplied vpon his soule 11. But concerning the Duties obligations of Superiours tovvards soules vvhose Profession is to treade these Internall vvayes of Contemplation more shall be sayd herafter in its proper place vvhere it shall be demonstrated That these Instructions are so far from preiudicing their Authority that true Cordiall obedience vvill neuer nor can be perfectly performed to them but by such soules as are most zealous constant in the Essentiall Duties of Prayer and attending to the Inspirations of Gods Holy Spirit 12. To conclude this vvhole Discourse concerning Diuine Inspirations As these Aduises are not curiously to be applied to the practise of fearfull scrupulous soules vvhose vnquiet thoughts make them in a manner incapable of either Light or Impulses of Gods spirit in matters about vvhich their scrupulosity is exercised So in those cases they are to follovv Instructions peculiarly proper to them But for as much as concernes all other vvell-disposed Soules that leade Contemplatiue liues this Doctrine ought to be seriously recommended to them and they are to be taught hovv to practise it For by this no other vvay can they assuredly vnderstād or performe the Diuine Will in the vvhich alone consists Spirituall Perfection By these Inspirations alone the Interiour is regulated vvithout vvhich all Exteriour good cariage is litle auayleable to Perfection No Externall Directour can order the Interiour Operations of the Soule either in Prayer or Mortification None but God alone vvho knovves searches the Hearts of Men. And his principall vvay of directing is by his Inspirations the vvhich by the acknovvledgement of all good Christians are necessary to euery Action to make it good or meritorious These Inspirations therfore vvee must follovv Therfore they may be knovvn for vvee can not be obliged to follovv an inuisible vndiscernable light vvee knovv not vvhat And if they may be knovvn surely the Rules here prescribed for that purpose to vvit Abstraction of life pure resigned Prayer are the most secure and most efficacious Meanes to come to that knovvledge and to procure Grace to vvorke accordingly 13. And it may very reasonably be beleiued that the principall ground reason vvhy true Spirituality is in these dayes so rare and vvhy matters goe so amisse among soules that pretend to aspire to contemplation is because this most necessary duty of obseruing and follovving Diuine Inspirations is either vnknovvn or vvilfully misunderstood and suspected if not derided by some vvho in popular opinion are held and desire to passe for cheife Maisters in spirituality And no vvonder is it that such should be disaffected to this doctrine of the perfect practise vvherof themselues are incapable by reason of their distractiue
herselfe likevvise as is here taught for the better receiuing discerning of them 3. The practise both of Externall Internall Mortifications I meane those vvhich through the Diuine Prouidence are sent her or doe belong to her present State and Condition of Life And as for voluntary Mortifications she is likevvise to behaue herselfe according to the follovving Directions 4. The Exercise of Internall Praier according to the seuerall Degrees of it In these generall Duties there is litle or no differēce betvvene the obligation of Religious from that of Secular Persons 3. But vvheras in the next place there are in this Booke many Instructions that seeme peculiar to Soules of a Religious Profession Such I meane as are grounded vpon and referr'd vnto a life abstracted from the vvorld confined vnto Solitude and there limited with a strict enclosure of speciall Lawes Constitutions Obseruances c. Euen in these also a Secular Deuout Person tending to Contemplation may thinke himselfe in some proportion degree concerned interested And from them he may reape much benefit applying to his ovvne vse so much of the Spirit of Religion as Discretion vvill shevv to be fruitfull to him Novv for a better application of this Aduice I vvill exemplify in certaine peculiar Duties of a Religious life and therin shevv in vvhat sort a Secular person may doe vvell yea in some proportion is obliged to imitate them 4. First therfore such a soule though she be not obliged really personally to vvithdravv herselfe from vvorldly conuersation to retire herselfe into a solitude as strict as that of Religion Yet so much solitude silence she must needs allovv herselfe dayly as may be necessary for a due practise of Internall Prayer Neither must she engage herselfe in any businesses of sollicitude distraction that doe not necessarily belong to her Vocation And euen those also must she performe vvith as much internall quietnes Recollectednes as may be carefully auoyding all anxiety of mind care of multiplying Riches c. And as for vaine conuersations compliment all visits Feastings c. she must not thinke to permit vnto herselfe such a free scope as others doe as formerly herselfe did But she must set a greater value vpon her precious time as much vvherof as she can borrovv from the necessary employments of her Calling ought to be spent vpon the aduancing of her spirit in the vvay of Contemplation And she indeed vvill find the great inconueniences that doe attend vaine cōuersations as dissipation of thoughts engagements in nevv vnnecssary affaires sensuall friendships c. all vvhich she ought carefully to preuent auoyd 5. Secondly such a soule is by vertue of her nevv Diuine Vocation obliged studiously to imitate especially the Internall solitude belonging to a Religious Person abstracting her spirit as much as may be both from all affection to outvvard things as Riches Pleasures c and like vvise from the Images of Creatures worldly obiects For vvhich purpose she is to performe all the Duties of her externall vocation in order to God in subordination to her principall designe vvhich is the Perfectionating of her spirit in the Diuine Loue. She is therfore not to account herselfe as absolute Mistrisse of the Riches that God hath giuen her but only as his stevvard to manage them so as may be most to his Glory So that in the midst of them she ought to exercise true Pouerty of spirit renouncing all propriety ioyned vvith affection to them so as not to be disquieted if God should take them from her making no more vse of them for her ovvne sensuall contentment or for shevv in the vvorld then shall in true Discretion be necessary This Internall solitude Introuersion nakednesse of spirit she must encrease as much as may be both in her affection to it practise of it so that it may become habituall to her Because vvithout it she vvill neuer be in a fit disposition to attend vnto the Diuine Inspirations or to exercise the Internall duties of Prayer c. belonging to a state tending to Contemplation 6. Thirdly in conformity to Religious Obedience she is to behaue herselfe to all those in the vvorld vvhom God hath set ouer her vvith a most profound submission of spirit obeying them or rather God in them vvith all purity of intention And moreouer she is at the first especially to put herselfe vnder the gouernment of a spirituall Directour if such an one be to be had Who is to teach her hovv she may discerne the exercises of Prayer Mortification proper for her And in the choice of such an one she is to vse the vtmost of her Prudence recommending vvithall an affaire of such importance in her Prayers to God that he vvould prouide her one of sufficient abilities vertue especially one that is experienced in those Internall vvayes much exalted aboue the ordinary exercises of Prayer commonly taught practised And vvhen God has found out such an one for her she is vvith all sincerity humility to obey him Yet vvithout preiudice to the duty vvhich shee principally ovves to her Diuine Internall Master as hath bene taught in the foregoeing Section The Doctrine and Practice vvherof doth as vvell belong to her as to any Religious Person 7. Fourthly although such a soule be not by any vovv or othervvise obliged to any Rule or restreined by any Constitutions or Regular obseruances Notvvthstanding she is to reduce the vvhole course of her Actions behauiour to a certaine order Regularity and vniformity Obseruing in her Retirements Reading Praying as also her Refections sleepe c. an orderly Practise both for times manner according as Prudence her Spirituall Guide shall ordaine This order Vniformity obserued discreetly yet vvithout any nice scrupulosity is very requisite in an Internall course For othervvise a soule being left at large vvill be vnstable vncertaine in her most necessary Duties 8. It vvill not be necessary to exemplify in any more particulars for the same reflections the like applications may a soule make from any other Instructions duties peculiarly designed for Religious Persons Besides if she pursue diligently constantly her Internall Prayer God vvill not be vvanting to afford her sufficient Internall light likevvise strong impulses Spirituall force to follovv such light To the vvhich if she faithfully correspond she vvill find that since God has not giuen her a Vocation to Religion yet he has not depriued her of the means of enioying in the vvorld in a sufficient manner the principall aduantages of a Religious State except the solemne Vovves themselues Yea in this case she may not altogether vnprobably thinke that it vvas for her ovvne particular good that God did not giue her an opportunity to enter into Religion 9. And vvheras it vvas required of such soules that they should quit all sollicitudes about temporall riches let them not feare any great
interiourly not at all to Tepide persons that neglect to correspond to their Profession For vvho but the industrious vigilant 1. Doe liue more Purely then men doe in the world 2. Or fall more seldome 3. Or rise more speedily 4. Or walke more warily 5. Or rest more securely 6. Or are visited by God more frequently 7. Or dye more consulently 8. Or passe their Purgatory more speedly 9. Or are rewarded in heauen more abundantly On the contrary it is iustly to be feared yea too certaine it is that habitually Tepide negligent soules in Religion are in a far vvorse state more immortified more cold in Deuotion more estranged from God euery day then other considering that in the midst of the greatest aduantages helpes to feruour Purity they vvill continue their negligence therfore they must expect for their obstinate ingratitude for their offending against so great Light that they shall be more seuerely punished by Almighty God then others the like that liue in the vvorld 6. How ridiculous therfore would it be for any to boast and say God be thanked I haue bene so many yeares a Professed Religious Person in an Order that hath produced so many thousand Saints that hath had so many Popes that receiued so many Emperours Kings Queenes Princes that hath so flourished with riches learning Piety As if those good successes to some vvere sufficient security to all so that they should need no more then only to be of such an Order 7. For the vndeceiuing therefore of such as are strangers to a Religious Profession for the admonishing incouraging of those that haue already embraced it to comply vvith the obligations of it that so they may enioy all the incomparable Priuiledges and Perfections then indeed belonging to it I vvill employ the follovving Discourse principally in demonstrating That the principall thing to be intended in a Religious Profession is the incessant Purifying of the Interiour Which is an attēpt the most glorious but vvithall the most difficult and most destructiue to sensuall ease and contentment of all other This ought to be the motiue of those that enter into it the principall yea almost sole employment of those that liue in it Whereto I vvill adde a fevv instructions more specially belonging to Superiours Officers Priuate Religious Nouices respectiuely CHAP. IV. § 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Motiues inducing to Religion to be examined False security of Tepide Religious Persons Of false true motiues § 6. An habituall state of Introuersion Recollectednesse is the principall End of a Religious Life Wherin such Recollectednes consists § 7. 8. Perfection of Prayer is the Perfection of a Religious state § 9. 10. 11. The wonderfull sublimity of Prayer to which the Ancient Hermits c. attained § 12. Aduantages therto enioyed by them beyond these times § 13. 14. 15. 16. That S. Benedict chiefly intended by his Rule to bring his Disciples to purity of Prayer § 17. 18. 19. False Glosses Interpretations of S. Benedicts Rule in these dayes § 20. 21. S. Bernards Excellent declaration of the designe of S. Benedicts Rule § 22. That the only sure way of introducing Reformes into Contemplatiue Orders is by the teaching of true Contemplatiue Prayer not multiplying of externall formes Austerities 1. IT concernes a soule very much to examine vvell the motiues inducing her to enter into a Religious State for if they be not according to God it is to be feared she vvill not find all the Proffit satisfaction that she promises to herselfe For. 1. If such a Profession be vndertaken merely out of vvorldly respects as to gaine a state of subsistence more secure perhaps more plentifull 2. Or to auoyd suits debates or vvordly dāgers c. vnlesse such incommodities haue giuen only occasiō to a Soule to reflect on the vanities and Miseries of the vvorld and from thence to consider and loue Spirituall Celestiall good things vvhich are permanent and vvithout bitternes 3. Or if such a State be vndertaken out of a generall good desire of Sauing ones soule according to the fashion of ordinary good Christians no more but vvithout a Speciall determinate Resolution to labour after Perfection in the Diuine Loue either because such soules knovv nothing of it or if they doe haue not the courage and vvill to attempt it but resolue to content themselues vvith being freed from vvorldly Tentations dangers and vvith a Moderate care to practise the Externall Obseruances of Religion yet vvithout sufficient Purity of Intention or a consideration of the proper End of a Religious Contemplatiue life c. I cānot tell vvhether Persons liuing dying in Religion vvithout further designes of purifying their Soules shall find so great cause to reioyce for the choice they haue made Since their beginning continuing is indeede no better then a Stable course of most dangerous Tepidity 2. Hovveuer as for soules that for externall respects haue embraced a Religious life let them not therfore in a desperate humour conclude that no good can come to them by it so vnvvorthily vndertaken But rather hope that by a Speciall Prouidence of God they vvere euen against their ovvne intentions vvills brought into a course of life to vvhich if hovveuer aftervvard they vvill duly correspond it vvill proue an infinite blessing vnto them For such oftimes haue proued great Saints after that God gaue them light to see their peruerse Intentions and Grace to rectify them By vvhich meanes they beginning in the flesh haue ended in the Spirit 3. And as for the third sort of Tepide persons it much concerns them at least after their solemne Profession to search vvell into their Soules and there rectify vvhat they find amisse taking great heede hovv they relye vpon Externall Obseruances Obediences or Austerities the vvhich though they be necessarily to be performed yet cannot vvithout great danger and harme be rested in but must needs be directed to a further and Nobler End to vvit the Aduancement of the Spirit 4. Neither let them conclude the Security of their Condition and good disposition of soule from a certaine Composednes and quietnes of Nature the vvhich vnlesse it be caused by Internall Mortification and Praier is but mere selfe loue And much lesse let them rely vpon the esteeme and good opinion that others may haue of them Nor likevvise on their ovvne abilities to discourse of Spirituall matters and giue Directions to others since no Naturall light nor acquired learning or study can be sufficient to enable any one to treade in Contemplatiue vvaies vvithout the serious practise of Recollected Prayer A sufficient proofe vvherof vvee see in Thaulerus Who vvas able to make an Excellent Sermon of Perfection but not to direct himselfe in the vvay to it till God sent him a poore ignorant Lay-man for his Instructour 5. What is it therfore that a soule truly called by God to enter into Religion lookes
for Surely not Corporall labours Not the vse of the Sacraments Not hearing of Sermons c. For all these she might haue enioyed perhaps more plentifully in the vvorld It is therfore Only the vnion of the Spirit with God by Recollected Constant Praier to the attaining vvhich Diuine End all things practised in Religion doe dispose and to vvhich alone so great impediments are found in the vvorld 6. The best generall proofe therfore of a good Call to Religion is a Loue to prayer either vocall or Mentall For if at first it be only to vocall Praier by reason that the soule is ignorant of the efficacy and Excellency of Internall Contemplatiue Prayer or perhaps has receiued some preiudices against it Yet if she obserue Solitude carefully and vvith attention and feruour practise Vocall Praier she vvill in time either by a Diuine Light perceiue the necessity of ioyning Mentall Praier to her vocall or be enabled to practise her vocall Prayer mentally vvhich is a sublime Perfection 7. It is a state therfore of Recollectednes Introuersion that euery one entring into Religion is to aspire vnto The vvhich consists in an habituall Disposition of soule vvherby she transcends all creatures their Images the vvhich therby come to haue litle or no Dominion ouer her so that she remaines apt for immediate Cooperation vvith God receiuing his Inspirations and by a returne and as it vvere a refluxe tending to him and Operating to his Glory It is called Recollectednes because the Soule in such a State gathers her thoughts naturally dispersed fixed vvith multiplicity on Creatures and vnites them vpon God And it is called Introuersion both because the Spirit those things which concerne it being the only obiect that a deuout Soule considers values she turnes all her Sollicitudes inwards to obserue defects wants or inordinations there to the end she may remedy supply correct them And likevvise because the proper Seate the Throne Kingdome vvhere God by his Holy Spirit dvvells and reignes is the purest Summity of Mans Spirit There it is that the soule most perfectly enioyes and contemplates God though euery vvhere as in regard of himselfe equally present yet in regard of the communication of his Perfections present there after a far more Noble manner then in any part of the vvorld besides inasmuch as he communicates to the Spirit of Man as much of his Infinite Perfections as any Creature is capable of being not only simple Being as he is to inanimate Bodies or Life as to liuing Creatures or Perception as to sensitiue or knowledge as to other ordinary Rationall Soules But vvith and besides all these he is a Diuine Light Purity happines by communicating the supernaturall Graces of his Holy Spirit to the Spirits of his seruants Hence it is that our Sauiour sayes Regnum Dei intra vos est The Kingdome of God is within you And therfore it is that Religious Solitary abstracted Soules doe endeauour to turne all their thoughts invvard raising them to Apicem Spiritus the pure top of the Spirit far aboue all sensible Phantasmes or imaginatiue discoursings or grosser Affections vvhere God is most perfectly seene and most comfortably enioyed 7. Novv the actuall practise of this Introuersion consists principally if not only in the Exercise of Pure Internall spirituall Prayer the Perfection of vvhich therfore ought to be the Cheife ayme to vvhich a Religious Contemplatiue Soule is obliged to aspire So that surely it is a great mistake to thinke that the Spirit of S. Benedicts Order Rule consists in a Publick Orderly protracted solemne singing of the Diuine Office the vvhich may be full as vvell yea and for the Externall is vvith more aduantage performed by Secular Ecclesiasticks in Cathedrall Churches A Motiue to the introducing of vvhich pompous solemnity might be that it is full of Edification to others to see heare a conspiring of many Singers Voyces and it is to be supposed of hearts too to the praising of God But it is not for Edification of others that a Monasticall State vvas instituted or ought to be vndertaken Religious Soules truly Monasticall flye the sight of the vvorld entring into Desarts and solitudes to spend their liues alone in Pennance and Recollection and to purify their ovvne Soules not to giue Example or Instruction to others Such Solitudes are or ought to be sought by them therby to dispose themselues for another far more proffitable Internall solitude in vvhich Creatures being banished the only Conuersation is betvveene God and the Soule her selfe in the depth of the Spirit as if besides them tvvo no other thing vvere existent 8. To gaine this happy state a deuout Soule enters into Religion vvhere all imaginable aduantages are to be found for this End At least anciently they vvere so and still ought to be But yet though all Religious persons ought to aspire to the Perfection of this State it is really gained by very fevv in these times For some through ignorance or misinstruction by Teachers that knovv no deeper not a more perfect introuersion then into the Internall senses or imagination And others through negligence or else by reason of a voluntary povvring forth their Affections thoughts vpon vanities vselesse Studies or other sensuall Enterteinments are neuer able perfectly to enter into their Spirits and to find God there 9. But it is vvonderfull to reade of that depth of Recollectednes most profound Introuersion to vvhich some Ancient Solitary Religious Persons by long exercise of spirituall Prayer haue come In so much as they haue bene so absorpt euen drovvned in a deepe Contemplation of God that they haue not seene vvhat their eyes looked on nor felt vvhat othervvise vvould greiuously hurt them Yea to so habituall a State of attending only to God in their Spirit did some of them attaine that they could not though they had a mind therto oftimes fixe their thoughts vpon any other obieâ—t but God their Internall senses according as themselues haue described it hauing bene in an vnexpressible manner drawen into their Spirit and therein so svvallovved vp as to loose in a sort all other vse A most happy state in vvhich the Deuill cannot so much as fixe a seducing tentation or Image in their minds to distract them from God but on the contrary if he should attempt it that vvould be an occasion to plunge them deeper more intimely into God 10. And this vvas the effect of Pure Spirituall Contemplatiue Prayer The vvhich vvas not only practised by the Holy Ancient Hermites c. in most sublime Perfection But the exercise therof vvas their Chiefe most proper almost continuall Employment in so much as the Perfection therof vvas by them accounted the perfection of their State A larger proofe vvherof shall be reserued till vvee come to speake of Prayer For the present therfore I vvill content my selfe vvith a testimony or tvvo related by Cassian out of the mouthes
greater Perfection of Internall Purity then vvee vvere formerly as Christians ansvvereable to the greater helpes and aduantages therto afforded in Religion And particularly vvee haue an obligation to aspire to the Perfection of internall Contemplatiue Praier the practise vvhereof is at least of extreme difficulty in an ordinary distracted sollicitous secular state 23. And from vvhat hath bene sayd may be collected this most true and proffitable Obseruation to witt That vvhosoeuer vvould attempt the restoring of the true Spirit of Religion which is Contemplation miserably decayed in these dayes vvill labour in vaine if he thinke to compasse his holy Designe by multiplying of Ceremonies inlargeing of Offices increasing of Externall Austeritys rigorous regulating of Dyet and Abstinences c. All vvhich things vvill haue little or no effect vnlesse the minds of Religious Persons be truly instructed in the doctrine of Contemplatiue Prayer obligation to attend and follovv the Internall Guidance of Gods Spirit vvhich is rather hindred then aduanced by the excessiue multiplication of outvvard Obseruances And for this reason S. Benedict vvho surely had a most perfect light an equall zeale at least to aduance the Spirit of Contemplation vvas very moderate in these thinges and on the contrary very seuere in requiring the obseruation of Silence Solitude and Abstraction of Life the vvhich doe most directly and efficaciously begett an habituall Introuersion and Recollectednesse of Spirit The ineffectualnesse therfore of these new wayes of Reformation vvee see dayly proofe of by the short continuance of them For minds that are not inlightned nor enabled by the Spirit of Contemplatiue Prayer suitable to their state to make a due vse of such great Austeritys for the increasing of the sayd Spirit become in a short time after that the first zeale much caused by the nouelty and reputation gained in the vvorld is cooled to grovv vveary not finding that invvard satisfaction proffit vvhich they expected And so they returne to their former Tepidity Relaxation CHAP. V. § 1. 2. 3. A Religious Person is not Perfect by his Profession § 4. 5. 6. 7. Whether and how far Ignorance of the true End of Religion will excuse § 8. 9. The danger of those that knowing will not pursue Internall wayes of Recollection which are the true End of a Religious state And much more of those that discountenance it § 10. 11. 12. Vaine pretences of those that discountenance Internall Prayer c. § 13. A description of an Externall and an Internall Monke out of Hesychius 1. OVR obligation therfore to tend to Perfect Internall Purity Simplicity being so great so vndispensable vvhat account thinke vvee vvill some Religious Persons be able to giue to Almighty God for their miserable deficienty in this so essentiall a condition 2. Religion is by all acknowledged for a state of Perfection not that by the mere taking a Religious Profession or Habit a Person is therby more Perfect then he vvas before but because by renouncing those distractiue Impediments vvhich are in the vvorld he puts himselfe into a condition in vvhich he not only may far more easily aspire to the Perfection of Diuine Loue but moreouer by assuming such a state he obliges himselfe to employ all those aduantages vvhich he finds in Religion as meanes to approach nearer to this Perfection dayly more then if he had continued in the vvorld he either could or vvas obliged The vvhich if he doe not he vvill be so far from enioying any Priuiledge in Gods sight by the Perfection of his State as that he will be accountable to God so much the more for his ingratitude and negligence in making vse of such aduantages and Talents giuen him 3. S. Paulinus excellently illustrates this Truth by this similitude He compares the world to a dry scorched and barren vvildernes and Celestiall Happines to a most delicious Paradice diuided from this desart by a deepe and tempestuous riuer vvhich must necessarily be past by swimming The securest way to passe ouer this riuer is by quitting ones cloathes But fevv there are that haue the courage to expose themselues to the iniuries of the weather for a while and therfore aduenture ouer cloathes and all And of them God knovvs a vvorld miscarry by the vvay Some fevv others such are Religious Persons seeing this danger take a good Resolution to deuest themselues of their Cloathes and to make themselues lighter and nimbler by casting avvay all impediments hovv deare soeuer to flesh and blood But yet this being done it remaines that they should labour naked as they are vvith svvimming to passe the Riuer But this they neglect to doe or take so little paines and striue so negligently against the vvaues and streame that all they doe comes to nothing they are in as much danger and as far from Paradice as they vvere before And vvhereas they glorify themselues because they are Naked that vvill rather aggrauate their folly and make their negligence far more culpable in that having so great an advantage they vvould not take a little paines to doe that for vvhich they cast of their Cloathes 4. Novv the Impediments either much delaying or quite hindring many soules that liue in Religion and are naturally apt enough for the Exercises of a Contemplatiue Life from complying vvith this most necessary obligation are partly in the vnderstanding and partly in the will Concerning this latter vvhich is Selfe-Loue a setled Affection to Creatures negligence c. much hath already bene sayd and more vvill hereafter be added But concerning the other impediment seated in the Vnderstanding which is Ignorance of the true way leading to that perfection vvhich is the proper End of a Religious Contemplatiue Life I vvill here take into Consideration Whether and how far such Ignorance may excuse a Religious Person that does not aspire to that Perfection to which his State obliges him 5. For the clearing of this Doubt vvee may obserue that there may in this case be a twofold Ignorance 1. An Ignorance in grosse that there is any such Obligation 2. On supposition that a soule is informed that she hath such an obligation an Ignorance of the meanes and vvayes proper and necessary for the acquiring of this Perfection the vvhich in the present case are Mortification and principally Internall Prayer 6. First therfore for the former sort of Ignorance it is so grosse and euen vvillfull that there can scarce be imagined any Excuse or qualification for it For vvhat other thought can a Soule haue quitting the vvorld and all the pleasures and commodities therin to embrace Pouerty Obedience solitude c but therby to consecrate herselfe entirely to God shevved by the Solemne circumstances of her Admission and Profession the Questions proposed to her and her Answers her Habit Tonsure Representation of a Death and Buriall Solemne Benedictions of her Habit and Prayers of the Community c All that are vvitnesses and Spectatours of such an Action doe no othervvise
vvas God himselfe vvho by the ministry of an Angell taught S. Anthony this art most secure method of aspiring to Contemplation vvhen being vnable to keepe his mind continually bent in actuall Prayer he grevv vveary of solitude in a nere disposition to quitt it At vvhich time an Angelâ— appearing to him busily employed in making Baskets of the rindes of Palmes signified to him that it vvas Gods vvill that he should after the same manner intermit his deuotions so spending the time that he could not employ in Prayer 10. Such vvere the Externall daily employments of the ancient Contemplatiues so great vertue did they find in them for the aduancement of their spirit By vvhich meanes so many of them attained to so sublime a degree of Contemplation yea generally most of them arriued to very great simplicity of spirit almost continuall recollectednes 11. But vvhen aftervvards by the most plentifully-flowing Charity of deuout Christians there vvas not only taken from Religious all necessity of sustaining themselues by Corporall labours but they vvere moreouer richly furnished and enabled to supply the vvants of many others Wee may vvell iudge that it vvould become a hard matter to persvvade a continuance of much Manuall labour purely and only for the greater good of the Spirit vvhen othervvise it vvas both needles and afflicting to the Body Hence it came to passe that since necessarily some Employment besides Prayer must be found out for the entertaining of those Solitary liuers Learning as the most noble of all other vvas made choice of yet so that for many Ages corporall labours vvere not vvholly excluded 12. Yet â—his vvas not the sole nor I suppose the principall GrouÌ„ds of so great and almost vniuersall a Change as aftervvard follovved in the manners and fashion of a Coenobiticall life But vvee may reasonably impute the said Exchange of labours for Studies in a principall manner to the good Prouidence of God ouer his Church that stood in such extreme neede of another sort of labourers in Gods vineyard and consequently to the Charity of Religious men themselues vvho during that most horrible ignorance and deprauation reigning ouer all the vvorld almost besides thought themselues obliged to repay the vvonderfull Charity of good Christians by extending a greater Charity in communicating to them Spirituall and Heauenly things for their temporall Hence came a necessity of engaging themselues in the Cure of soules and Gouernment of the Church the vvhich indeede for seuerall Ages vvas in a sort vvholly sustained by them yea moreouer by their zeale labours and wisedome the light of Diuine Truth vvas spread abroad among Heathens also and many Prouinces and Kingdomes adioyned to the Church These things considered no vvonder is there if the introducing of Reading and studies in the place of Manuall labours vvas vnauoydably necessary 13. But perhaps some there may be not so vvell affected or pleased vvith the present reputation or commodidities enioyed by Religious Persons that assenting to vvhat hath bene here sayd vvill notvvithstanding inferre That since Learning is novv become so much dilated in the vvorld by the zeale and Charity of Ancient Monasticall Religious there is no longer any the like necessity of their interessing themselues in Ecclesiasticall affaires and therfore that they ought to returne to their old Corporall Employments and labours 14. Herto it may be replied that euen still there is much neede of theÌ„ considering the far greater frequentation of Sacraments in these dayes aboue the Ancient times But moreouer if in these times vvherin learning and knovvledge is so exposed to all sorts of men Religious persons should quitt studies returning to their ancient employment of Manuall labours from vvhich as hath bene sayd God himselfe did doubtles vvithdravv them Besides that their Ignorance vvould render them the vniuersall obiects of contempt through the vvhole Church it vvould likevvise expose them as for their states as a Prey to all that either enuyed or coueted the scarse subsisteÌ„ce left them and as to their soules they vvould be obnoxious to be turned hither and thither by the variety of Directours that vvould vndertake to guide them And by these meanes all men vvould be deterred from adioyning themselues vnto them for continuing a Succession 15. Novv though as hath bene sayd such a change hath bene after this manner made in the externall Employments of Religious persons Yet still the same essentiall indispensable obligation of aspiring to Contemplation remaines For the attaining to vvhich although studies ioyned vvith Prayer seeme in some regards to be lesse aduantageous then anciently such labours as the Aegyptian Monkes c. vndertooke were Yet it hath pleased God in goodnes to his seruaÌ„ts in a good measure to recompence that disaduantage by raising vp seuerall Holy persons to teach more accurately then formerly the knovvledge and practise of pure Internall Contemplatiue Prayer For since it cannot be denyed that to persons far more distracted by studies then anciently they vvere by labours vvhich did not hinder a moderate quiet attention to God Vocall Prayer though neuer so much prolonged has not ordinarily speaking sufficient force to recollect the mind habitually or to suppresse and cure the many inordinate Affections of corrupt nature Hence it is that the vse of appointed daily Recollections hath seemed to be of absolute necessity vvithout vvhich the Spirit of Contemplation vvould be quite lost So that to such Prayer vvee may most principally impute the great lights and helpes for Contemplation afforded by some later Saints in Religious Orders and in the vvorld also to the great benefit of Gods Church That sole Exercise in a good measure making amends for all other Defects in vvhich vvee seeme to come short of the Ancients CHAP. VII § 1. Of speciall Duties of Religious Persons § 2. A Religious Person ought to desire to be alwaies vnder Obedience § 3. 4. Qualities necessary in a Religious Superiour § 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. That Actiue Spirits are very improper to gouerne such as are Contemplatiue The grounds of the difference § 10. A fearfull Example in Bernardinus Othinus Shewing how dangerous the neglect of Internall Prayer is in a Religious Superiour 1. HAVING thus largely set dovvne the proper and only End of a Religious Profession to vvit Purity and Simplicity of soule to be obtained by Recollected Contemplatiue Praier alone I vvill further adde some more speciall Duties belonging to Religious Persons according to their seuerall Relations and qualities as Superiours or other subordinate Officers Subiects c. For as for the proper vertues of a Religious state as Obedience Poverty Humility c. the handling of them is reserued to the follovving Treatise 2. Novv vvith vvhat mind a Deuout soule ought to embrace a Religious Profession is signified to vs in that notable Passage in our Holy Fathers Rule vvhere he sayth In Coenobio degens desiderat sibi Abbatem praeesse that is Whosoeuer liues in a Religious Community is desirous that
an Abbot should be set ouer him From vvhence vvee ought to inferre that the Intention of a Religious Person ought euer to be to liue in subiection to the vvill of another and in such a mind to continue all his life And therfore those that readily accept much more those that ambitiously seeke Gouernment and Prelature may reasonably be iudged to be lead by a Spirit directly opposite to the Spirit of Religion And surely he that shall seriously consider of vvhat difficul y and of vvhat extreme danger the Office of a Superiour is vvhat terrible threatnings our Holy Father so oft denounces from God against a negligent partiall and vnfaithfull discharge of such an Office vvill thinke it far fitter to be the obiect of his feare and Auersion then of his Desire Therfore that Superiour that does not find himselfe more vvilling to giue vp his place then to retaine it ought to suspect that he is scarce in a good state 3. Novv to the end that both subiects may be informed vvhat qualities they are to regard in the Electing of Superiours and also Superiours be put in mind vvhat is expected from them in the discharge of such an Office duly imposed on them I vvill from S. Bernard set downe three necessary conditions or Endovvments by vvhich Superiours are to direct their Subiects the vvhich are 1. Verbum 2. Exemplum 3. Oratio that is Exhortation good Example and Prayer Adding moreouer Maior autem horum est Oratio Nam et si vocis virtus sit operis Et operi tamen voci gratiam efficaciamque promeretur Oratio That is Of those three necessary qualities the greatest and most necessary is Praier For although there be much vertue in Exhortation and Example yet Prayer is that which procures efficacy and successe to both the other 4. From vvhich testimony and authority yea euen from the light of Naturall Reason vvee may firmely conclude that the Spirit of Praier is so absolutely necessary to a Religious Superiour that vvithout it he cannot exercise his charge proffitably either to himselfe or his subiects And consequently that to a Superiour in an Order vvhose spirit is Contemplation it is necessary that he haue attained to a good established Habit of Contemplatiue Praier For as hath bene said in the foregoing Discourse concerning Spirituall Guides hovv can such a Superiour vvithout knovvledge gained by experience inculcate the so necessary Duties of Recollection and Praier Nay rather vvill he not be more likely to discountenance those Exercises in vvhich he is not skilled and from vvhich perhaps he has an auersion 5. Therfore that too ordinarily maintained Position of some That Actiue Spirits are more fitt for Superiorities and Externall Emploiments then Contemplatiue which are to be left to the Solitude and Sequestration to which their Spirits incline them is indeed most vnreasonable groundles 6. On the contrary no doubt there is but that the decay of Religion hath principally proceeded from this preposterous disorder viz. that in most Religious Communities Actiue Spirits haue gott the aduantage to possesse themselues of Prelatures and Spirituall Pastourships ouer the Contemplatiue though the state of Religion vvas instituted only for Contemplation And this has happened euen since Contemplatiue Praier has bene restored by Persons extraordinarily raised by God as Rusbrochius Thaulerus S. Teresa c. so that Religious Communities haue bene ordered euen in the point of Spirituallity by Spirits of a quite different contrary temper to that for vvhich they vvere intended 7. Indeed it is not to be vvondred at that Actiue Spirits should so preuaile considering that those vvho are truly of a Contemplatiue disposition and designe knowing well the difficulty and Danger of Superiority how full of Extrouersion Distraction and Sollicitude it is and vvhat occasions and Tentations there are in it to raise nourish and satisfy sensuall Affections Pride c. to the perill of extinguishing the Spirit of Praier except in soules far aduanced in Praier and Mortification such I say are therfore iustly afraid of and doe vse all lawfull meanes to auoide the Care and Gouernment of others Whereas Actiue Spirits that liue in Religion not being capable of such Praier as will raise them much out of nature haue not the like apprehensions of such Employments But on the contrary being lead by naturall Desires of Preeminence and loue of liberty and beleiuing that those who are true Internall Liuers will not submit themselues to all the vvaies Policies vsed for the increasing the temporall Good of their Communities doe not feare to offer themselues yea and ambitiously to seeke Dominion ouer others falsely in the meane time persvvading themselues that their only Motiue is Charity and a Desire to promote the Glory of God and the aduancement both temporall and Spirituall of their Conuents or Congregations But vvhat the effect is experience shevves 8. True it is that it cannot be auoyded but that many vnfit spirits vvill oft be admitted into Religious Orders very different from the dispositions requisite though it belongs to Superiours to prouide as vvell as may be against such an abuse But such being admitted of Actiue Dispositions the best vvere to employ them in Actiue Exercises Externall matters as in the Offices of Procuration Dispense Building and the like But as for Prelacies the Charge of Instructing Nouices or other Offices pertaining to the directing of soules it is the destruction of the spirit of Contemplation to employ Actiue Dispositions in such For hovv can they vvithout light or Experience direct soules in vvaies vnknovven to themselues yea vvhich through ignorance or mistake they perhaps disapproue 9. Besides vpon exact consideration it vvill be found that in the point of Gouernment Contemplatiue Spirits that haue made a good progresse in Internall Praier haue great aduantages aboue the Actiue For such being carefull themselues to vse all due Abstraction vvill lesse molest themselues and others vvith impertinent businesses Not prying too narrowly into all passages as if they sought occasion of shewing their authority and ability in making vnnecessary reprehensions to the disquieting of Communities but for Peace sake they vvill sometimes euen silere a bonis passing ouer many things vvhich doe seeme a litle amisse vvherin they shevv great Prudence and also cause much proffit to subiects 2. Such being diligent about their ovvne Recollections doe out of a loue to silence Patience Peace forbeare the doing or imposing of a multitude of vnnecessary Taskes vpon others 3. By meanes of Praier they obtaine light to order all things to the benefit of their subiects soules And in case they haue erred or bene defectiue in any thing they discouer and amend it in their next Recollection 4. In the manner and fashion of their vvhole comportment a certaine Diuine Grace shines forth vvhich is of great efficacy to vvinne their subiects Heartes to Obedience and Diuine Loue. 5. Yea if by Corporall Infirmity they be disabled to attend
to many Externall Obseruances yet a vievv of the Patience quietnes and Resignation shevved by them is more edifying to soules vnder their Care then all the most exact externall Regularities and Seuerity of Actiue Spirits 6. Yea euen in regard of Temporall Benefit to Communities Contemplatiue Spirits are more aduantageous then Actiue Because they not putting any confidence in their ovvne Industry Prudence and Actiuity but only in the Diuine Prouidence vvhich is neuer vvanting to those that for temporall regards vvill not doe any thing vnseemely or misbecoming their Abstracted state doe enioy the effects and blessings of God far more plentifully vvhilst they preferre his loue and seruice before any humane distracting sollicitudes for outward things Memorable Examples of great Blessings attending such a Confidence in God vvee find abundantly in the Life of our holy Father and of the Ancient Monkes and more lately in the life of Suso Ioannes de Cruce c. Novv the vvant of such Confidence in Actiue Spirits proceedes merely from Defect in Diuine Loue and that from the vvant of Internall Praier And hence proceede hurtfull vnseemely compliances vvith the vvorld a regard rather to vvealth then good vvills to serue God in the soules that enter into Religion c. 10. A fearfull Example of the mischeife follovving the neglect of Internall Praier in a Superiour vvee find in Bernardinus Ochinus a Superiour in a most strict Order vvho vvas a famous Zealous Preacher and as might be iudged by outvvard appearance of more then ordinary Sanctity yet vvithall to comply vvith those outvvard Employments a great neglecter of Internall Conuentuall Recollections And vvhen he vvas sometimes charitably admonished of such his Tepidity his ordinary ansvver vvas Doe you not know that he who is alwaies in a good Action is alwaies in Praier Which Saying of his had bene true if such good actions had bene performed in vertue of Praier and by Grace obtained therby For then they had bene vertually Praiers Wheras Actions though in themselues neuer so good if they vvant that Purity of Intention vvhich is only to be had by Pure Praier are in Gods esteeme of litle or no valevv The principall motiues of them being no other then such as corrupt nature is likely to suggest Ochinus therfore continuing in the same neglect vvas by one of his Brethren prophetically vvarned that he must expect some terrible issue therof in these vvordes Caue ne te Ordo euâ—mat that is Take heede that our Order be not herafter constreiued to vomit thee out of it The vvhich vnhappily fell out For notvvithstanding all his other specious qualities and endovvments he first forsaking God vvas aftervvard forsaken by him and became a vvretched Antitrinitarian Apostate And it is very probable that the greatest part of the Apostates of these times such I meane as haue formerly liued in Religious Orders doe ovve their Apostacy and Perdition to no other cause so much as to such neglect and Apostacy first from Praier The which holy Exercise if they had continued they vvould neuer haue bene weary of their habit first and aftervvard of their Faith CHAP. VIII § 1. Superiours ought carefully to examine the dispositions of those that they admitt to Religion § 2. 3. Great danger to Communities from Loose Spirits § 4. 5. Other ill Qualities to be auoyded § 6. 7. 8. 9. Of a good Nature What is and how to be prised § 10. 11. Inconueniences by admitting Actiue Spirits into Contemplatiue Religions § 12. 13. 14. 15. Sufficient time for Recollection is to be allowed to all Religious § 16. Superiours will be accountable for disorders in their flock 1. NOw one of the principall Points of a Superiours Care for the vvellfare of his Community consists in prouiding or admitting into it only such Spirits and dispositions as are likely to promote the good of it by liuing according to the Spirit of it And in this all such Officers and Counsellours are concerned to vvhom the lavves haue referred the Examination and tryall of such as offer themselues to a Regular life and are aftervvard vpon their Approbation to be Professed And a greater consideration of this Point is more necessary in these daies then ancieÌ„tly it was For it is not now as in our holy Fathers time vvheÌ„ incorrigible Persons might be expelled the Congregation 2. It is not I suppose needfull to aduise such as are in those Offices to take care hovv they admitt loose Spirits into Religion among them vvho vvill not so much as intend God or his seruice All vvhose Actions haue no other Motiue but either feare of Pennance or hope of gaining Reputation Preferments c Whose bodies are Prisoners in Religion but their Minds and Desires vvandring in the vvorld Who must enioy all Priuiledges and corporall helpes equally vvith the best yea and generally vse them most vvastfully vvithout consideration of others Who finding no tast or contentment in Spirituall matters are euen forced to seeke satisfaction in sensuall pleasures and for the passing of the time to frame Designes to raise and maintaine factions and this especially against those that they see doe most intend God on vvhom they vvill cast from of themselues all the Burdens of a Regular life Who vvill thinke themselues excused from all Duties for the least corporall Incommodity Who vvill desire and endeauour to make others like themselues that their party and povver may be greater Lastly vvho reape so litle good to their ovvne soules and are likely to doe so much preiudice to others that probably it had bene much better for them to haue continued in the vvorld the state of Religion only seruing to encrease their guilt and misery 3. Such loose Spirits are vvorse in a Community vvhere the knovvledge of true Spirituality is common then in other places Because there they are vvillfully naught and doe resist amendment If by the seuerity of lavves and Constitutions they may come to be kept in some tolerable order yet this reaches only to the Exteriour lasts no longer then the Superiours eyes are vpon them And indeed the Superiours themselues vvill in all probability feele the greatest smart from such vndue Admissions being likely to find dayly great bitternes from their obstinacy Such loose Spirits are the cause of such a burdensome multiplicity of Lawes all vvhich notvvithstanding are litle auayleable for their amendment and yet doe abridge the due Liberty of Spirit necessary to deuout vvellminded Soules nourishing Scrupulosity c. in them 4. Let the best care that is possible be vsed notvvithstanding some vnfit persons vvill through easines partiall affection or other respects in the Examiners slip in If therfore those vvho are apparently bad be receiued vvhat a Community vvill there be prouided Many that seeme good vvill proue bad but seldome or neuer vvill those that appeare bad become good God indeed can change the vvorst But yet an vncertaine hope in extraordinary Grace is not to be relyed vpon especially vvhere
publick good is concerned 5. Generally there is great feruour in Soules at their first entrance into Religion Therfore if any one shevv vnrulines Obstinacy and Indeuotion during their Nouiceship small good is to be expected from them 6. A litle Deuoutnes vvill not serue to counteruaile ill inclinations to lying dissembling factiousnes an humour of calummating c For a great and scarse to be hoped for measure of Grace vvill be requisite to subdue such pernicious Qualities On the contrary a good Nature euen vvhere there is not so much Deuotion yet vvill beare vp a Soule and make her a tolerable member of a Community It is likevvise a great Disposition for Grace vvhich it may vvell be hoped vvill one day follovv and that such an one vvill become Deuout Especially this may be hoped for in those that haue naturally a good sound Iudgment vvhich is much to be considered 7. Novv by a good Nature I meane not such an one as is generally in the vvorld stiled so to vvit a facility and easines to grant a request or to comply vvith others On the contrary for as much as regards a Coenobiticall life I account such to be an ill nature being easily seduced and peruerted By a good Nature therefore in this place I meane such an one as is indued vvith Modesty Gentlenes Quietnes Humility Patience loue of Truth and other such Morally good Qualities vvhich are good Dispositions for Christian Perfection Novv a person of an ill Nature that vvill make a good shevv out of hope to steale a Profession ought the rather for his dissimulation to be reiected 8. And indeed Subtile Natures are much to be taken heede of Some Nouices vvill behaue themselues so cunningly as at the end of their Probation none can be able to produce any speciall accusation against them yet they may in their conscience beleiue them to be vnfitt In this case euery one is to follovv their ovvne iudgement And especiall heede is to be taken of the iudgement of the Master or Mistrisse of the Nouices who are most to be credited as hauing the opportunity meanes to espy and penetrate more deeply into their Interiour Dispositions 9. This Goodnes or vertuousnes of Nature is an Essentiall Point and farre more to be regarded then those Accidentall ones as strength of Bodily complexion Acutenes of Wit Gracefullnes of Behauiour skill in Singing Nobility Portion c. And particularly for this last hovv far Religious Soules ought to be from regarding riches or gaine in matters of this Nature or for such carnall Ends to admit those that are vnfit or vvhom God hath not sent The Generall Decree of the Church in the first Oecumenicall Councell of Lateran can 64. vvill shevv besides the practise of Antiquity as vvee may reade in an Epistle of S. Augustin Surely the only vvay of founding Conuents securely euen in regard of Temporalities is by making choice only of those to vvhom God hath giuen fitting dispositions vvherby vvee may engage his Omnipotence in their preseruation 10. Those therfore vpon vvhose Suffrages the Admission and Profession of New-comers doe depend are to consider that they are intrusted by the vvhole Congregation vvith a matter of such consequence as not only the present but future vvellfare or ruine of Conuents is interessed in their proceedings all vvhich trust they shall betray if any vndue consideration of friendship kindred gaine c. or a zeale of multiplying Conuents vvhich is but carnall shall corrupt their iudgments 11. Surely therfore in all reason none should be admitted into Communities professing the aspiring to Contemplation but only such as are disposed therto and that are vvilling yea desirous to spend their vvhole Liues in Solitude Praier Regular Obseruances without any designes or thoughts of euer being employed abroad yet alvvayes vvith an entire submission to the Ordinances of Superiours 12. And indeed as vvas said before concerning Superiours that Actiue Spirits being to direct the Contemplatiue doe endanger the extinguishing of the Spirit of Contemplation so likevvise if such be vvithout choice admitted the same mischeife vvill follovv Yea I am persvvaded that many Actiue Spirits though of a Good seemly outvvard cariage are no lesse harmfull to a Community then a lesser number of loose Spirits And the reason is because by their good Exteriour shevv they vvill seeme vvorthy of Superiority to vvhich also their Activity vvill incline them And those are they indeed saith Thaulerus that are Persecutours of Contemplation for hauing a good opinion of themselues and their ovvne vvayes vvhich loose Spirits haue not they thinke themselues euen obliged to depresse those other good soules that doe not iudge those externall exercises and fashions suitable to their Profession And for this reason they vvill by faction seeke to encrease their number yea and to strengthen their ovvne party they vvill not spare to ioyne vvith loose Spirits for their ovvne Interests yeilding to their disorders Neither vvhen they haue compassed their Ends by the ruine of the Spirit of Contemplation vvill Vnquietnes cease For in a Community vvholly consisting of Actiue Spirits factions and partialities for seuerall Ends and designes will neuer be wāting 13. Novv the same care that Superiours ought to haue about the choice and Admission of vertuous and fitt soules into Communities must be continued in the managing and directing of them being admitted Great care therfore is to be taken that the misbehauiour of Nouices doe not proceed from vvant of knovvledge Instruction in matters of the Spirit That so it may appeare that if they doe not vvell it is for vvāt of good vvill and not of Light Now it is not to be expected that Nouices should be perfect it vvill suffise that they seriously tend to it by a constant pursuance of Internall Praier and Abstraction of Life 14. Aboue all things therfore Superiours ought to allovv to their subiects a competent time dayly for their Recollections vvhich is the foode of the soule and to deny vvhich vvould be a greater Tyrāny then to refuse corporall foode to slaues after their trauaile He deserues not the name of a Religious man saith Caietan No not of a Christian saith Thaulerus that doth not euery day spend some reasonable space in his Interiour S. Bernard vvould not excuse euen Pope Eugenius himselfe in the midst of those continually most distractiue vveighty affaires of the Popedome from this duty The vvant vvherof is more harmfull to the Soule then that of corporall foode is to the Body For he that fasts one day besides the present paine he finds vvill the next haue a better and more eager appetite But a soule that through neglect is depriued of her dayly foode of Praier vvill the next day haue a lesse stomack and disposition to it and so in time vvill come vvillingly and euen vvith pleasure to starue in Spirit And to such neglect and loathing of Prayer she vvill come if Superiours doe hinder or indeed not encourage her
any alteration at all in their Essentiall Designe most secure and profitable to their ovvne Soules vvhich is the leading a Solitary Deuout and abstracted Life and therin aspiring to Contemplation This only must they aime at and to this must they order all their thoughts and Actions as if they vvere all their liues long to be imprisoned in their Cloysters Therfore neither entring nor aftervvards must they entertaine any Thoughts or designes about any thing that is out of the limits of their Conuents in vvhich for as much as concernes themselues their desire and intention must be to liue and dye Particularly they ought to banish out of their minds all meditations and inclinations to goe in Mission into England Yea if they vvill indeed comply vvith their Essentiall Profession they must resolue as much as lyes in them and vvithout offence to God or disobedience to their Superiours to preuent such an Employment of vvhich they cannot vvithout Pride thinke themselues worthy or able to encounter all the Tentations and dangers accompanying it simply and sincerely confining all their Thoughts and affections to that Life of Solitude Abstraction and Prayer vvhich they haue vowed and in vvhich their Soules vvill find truest comfort and Security 4. Consequently neither must they vvith an intention to approue vnto their Superiours their fitnes for that Charge therby as it vvere inuiting them to make vse of them for it apply themselues after such a manner to the Studies proper for such an Employment as in any measure therby to hinder or interrupt the reading of such Bookes as are most beneficiall to their Soules and much lesse to hinder their dayly serious Recollections In case their Superiours vvho are only concerned in that busines shall require of them to apply themselues diligently to such Studies as may fit them for the Mission they are obliged therin to submit themselues to Obedience Yet euen in that case if they find that much time cannot be spent in them without hurt to their Spirit and a neglect or preiudice to their appointed Recollections they ought to acquaint their Superiours vvith their Case vvho no doubt will preferre the good and aduancement of their Soules by Solitude Purity of Spirit and Internall Prayer before any other Considerations whatsoeuer Yea they vvill iudge Prayer to be a better disposition and to procure a greater enablement euen for such a Calling then Study And vvill take heed hovv they send any abroad that for their Studies neglect their Prayer For what Blessing from God can such hope vpon any Endeauours of theirs Is it not more likely that themselues vvill be peruerted then others by them conuerted 5. It cannot easily be imagined hovv mischeiuous to many Soules the neglect of such Aduices may be Some vvill perhaps haue a mind to take the Habit for that End intent principally of going aftervvard into England What miserable Distractions vvould such a Resolution cause during all the time of their abode in their Conuent For all their thoughts almost all their Affections hopes and Designes vvill be caryed abroad into another Countrey so that the place of their Profession vvill be esteemed a place of Exile to them And so far vvill they be from procuring a Diuine Light and Grace to enable them for so terrible an Employment by the meanes of Prayer that Prayer and Solitude vvill be distastfull to them Regular Obseruances will be a burden and any thing that may delay their Intention vvhich they say is of Conuerting Soules but alas perhaps with the losse or at least imminent danger of their ovvne 6. Nay some that at the Beginning haue simply and vvith a good Intention taken the Habit yeilding aftervvard to the spirit of Tepidity the vvhich turnes their happy Solitude into a Prison vvill looke vpon the Mission as a meanes to free themselues from their Profession and therfore vvill not feare to vse all meanes by friends and sollicitations of their Superiours that they may be suffred to quit it and to goe in Mission God only knovves into vvhat dangers and Tentations they vvillfully thrust themselues being vtterly vnprouided of Light or Grace to resist them And vvhat other issue can be expected but that God should giue them vp to suâ—h Tentations vnto vvhich out of a sensuall Affection to the vvorld Pride and a vvearines of Prayer they haue exposed themselues vvithout any Call from him yea contrary to his vvill 7. Novv it is not only particular Religious but much more Superiours that ought to thinke themselues concerned most deeply in these matters For in case such vnvvary rash Soules shall come thus to destroy themselues they annot but knovv that those Soules shall be required at their hands They ought therfore to roote out of the hearâ—s of their Subiects all such pernicious Designes by shevving that they esteeme them least worthy that are most forward to offer themselues And great care and vvarines ought they to vse hovv they send or permitt any to goe abroad before they be sufficiently furnished not so much vvith Learning as vvith the Spirit of Mortification and Prayer and vvith zeale proceeding from an established Charity that so they may not by vndertaking and executing Actiue employments preiudice and perhaps ruine their Contemplatiue state 8. Our Examples ought to be our first Hoâ—y Conuerters of England vvho did not vndertake such a Charge till they vvere grovvne old in the Exercices of Solitude and Contemplation And not then till an absolute command vvas imposed on them by the Supreme Pastâ—ur And in the Execution of their Charge they neuer suffred their Labours and Sollicitudes to dispence vvith them for the continuing of their accustomed Austerities and the Exercise of Prayer but borrovved from their Employments as much time as could possibly be allovved to spend in Abstraction Solitude and Contemplation Yea though they conuersed only vvith Pagans and Barbarous Soules yet so zealous vvere they of their Monasticall Life and Profession that they vvould not so much as quit the Habit And vvhen they vvere consecrated and exalted to the Episcopall function yet still they retained both the Exercises and fashions of Monasticall Contemplatiue Persons as S. Bede declareth 9. Moreouer in latter times Experience hath vvitnessed that some humble and deuout though not so learned Missioners haue prospered better in Conuerting Soules then the most acute and cunning Controuertists And haue by their Humility Modesty and edifying Conuersation but especially by the practise and teaching of Internall Prayer gained to Catholicke Vnity those Soules that many other most skillfull in Disputes and vvithall enabled vvith Experience haue for long time in vaine attempted 10. Notvvithstanding all this I doe not deny but that to a Religious foule an Impulse and interiour inuitation may come from God to goe into the Mission This is possible but most certaine it is that such an Inuitation vvill very rarely if euer come but to Soules established in a Spirituall Life And in this case it vvill be
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
on the other side Voluntary Mortifications are such as on our ovvne heads vvithout the Aduice iudgment of those that are acquainted vvith our Interiour vvee voluntarily assume or impose on our selues either because vvee haue seene or read of others that haue done the like thervpon vvithout further due consideration of our ovvne state or abilities vvee vvill hope they vvill aduance vs as much in the vvay of perfection such are Voluntary corporall fasts beyond vvhat the Church or Regular obseruance doe require Wearing of hairecloth chaines c obstinate silence during the times that the orders of the community doe appoint conuersations c. To these may be abded an assuming the taske of saying so many Vocall Prayers Rosaries c. 4. This Distinction being premised the deuout Reader is to take notice that vvhatsoeuer hitherto hath or shall be spoken of the vse end benefits of Mortification is to be vnderstood applied only to mortifications of necessity and not to such as are voluntary And moreouer that all these Instructions Directions are intended only for such soules vvhether Religious or others as are entred or desirous to enter into an Internall course tending to Contemplation 5. As touching therefore the former sort of Necessary mortifications according to the vvhole latitude before expressed a deuout soule is to be exhorted as being her duty obligation vvith all courage feruour to accept chearfully vndergoe them considering that besides the foremencioned inestimable Benefits attending them they are of great security free from all perill of errour indiscretion or pride 6. But as for Voluntary mortifications those I meane vvhich are properly such vvee haue nothing to doe vvith them yea moreouer I should neuer persvvade a spirituall Disciple to assume any considerable mortifications besides such as attend his present state of life till he can assure himselfe that he has a good Call to them that is till after that hauing spent a considerable time in Internall prayer he haue receiued light to iudge of their fitnes for him Grace or spirituall strength to vndertake pursue them chearfully vvithall has the approbation of his Superiour or spirituall Directour Yea though he had a body as strong as Samson vvithall a very good inclination to Internall vvaies I should hardly be the first proposer mouer inciter of him to such extraordinary mortifications vnlesse some speciall occasion required them for a remedy against any speciall tentations then assalting him In vvhich case they are not indeed to be esteemed extraordinary and voluntary although supernumerary but considering the present state ordinary necessary Yea if such an one should aske my counsell about the vse of such mortifications vpon examination I should find it to be doubtfull vvhether it vvas vpon a Diuine Inspiration that he vvas moued to desire them I should take the surer course that is to dissvvade him from the vndertaking of them 7. It is true vvee find in reading the liues of Saints that most of them haue practised them many euen from their infancy But this shevves that spirits fit for extraordinary mortifications are rarely to be found being only such as God himselfe leades after an extraordinary manner to make them Examples of the povver of his Grace to the Edification of many vsing them for his Instruments in great vvorkes As for vs vvee are not to suppose that God esteemes vs fit or intends vs for such extraordinary matters Therfore it may suffise vs to vndergoe such mortifications as God himselfe has prouided for vs beleiuing him to knovv vvhat is best for vs most proportionable 8. In all our holy Rule there is no prouision nor order made for such extraordinary or supernumerary mortifications but only in the 49. Cap. about diet in the time of Lent c. And then it is forbidden to vndertake such vvithout the Approbation of the Superiour the neglect of vvhich Approbation is imputed to rashnes For our holy Father as he knevv the inestimable benefit of mortifications vvhich come from God therfore he is exact in requiring conformity to the Austerities commanded in the Rule so on the other side vvas he not ignorant of the great inconueniences that probably attend the vndertaking such extraordinary ones by imperfect soules vvhich are commonly induced thereto merely out of a fancy humour or sudden passion for such are seldome attended vvith any blessing from God vvho neither is obliged nor ordinarily vvill bestovv his grace Spirituall strength for the vndergoing of any morcifications but such as are sent by him or euidently ordained by his inspiration And experience vvitnesses this because vvee seldome see soules to perseuere in those vvhich they assume by their ovvne free election And vvhiles they performe them it is vvith little or no purity of Intention herevpon it is that our holy Father expressly declares that the Diuine Inspiration grace is to be acknovvledged the roote of all religious voluntary Austerities by those vvords of his Cap. 40. Quibus donat Deus tolerantiam Abstinentiae That is To whom God hath giuen the courage or strength to suffer extraordinary abstinence Adding vvithall that such voluntary Abstinences must be offred to God cum gaudio Sancti Spiritus with ioy of the holy Ghost 9. Great caution therfore is to be vsed in the reading making vse of Instructions examples found especially concerning this point in spirituall Bookes Because othervvise a soule vvill be in danger to plunge herselfe into great inconueniences difficulties for vvhilst she does imitate such extraordinary practises it is to be feared being yet imperfect she vvill entertaine a proud conceipt of herselfe not receiuing Grace to perseuere she vvill be apt to dravv from thence matter of scrupulosity deiection so far as perhaps to become disheartned from further tendance in the vvay of the spirit Yea such a soule vvill be lyable to contract therby an obscurity in her vnderstanding especially if she be vnlearned by vvhich she vvill become disabled to distinguish Necessary Mortifications from voluntary 10. It is a very hard to many soules vvould proue a dangerous Aduice vvhich some Spirituall Authours giue viz. That a Spirituall Disciple should in euery thing that is of it selfe indifferent in case that seuerall obiect be offred to choyce take that vvhich is most contrary to his naturall Inclination As if many seuerall dishes vvere set before vs to eate only that vvhich vvee least like thus to liue in a continuall contradiction crossing of nature 11. Surely no soules but such as are in a good measure perfect are capable of making good vse of such aduises for only such can vvith facility discretion proffit practise them As for the lesse perfect if they practise them vvith any vvillingnes it is to be feared that the true ground is because therby they doe couertly comply vvith nature some orher vvay nourishing selfe-esteeme contempt of others not so courageous
vvhereas by progresse it gathers such Strength disordering the Imagination disquieting the Passions and corrupting euen the Iudgment also that it is scarce possible to find a Remedy 10. Novv to the end that the follovving Aduices may be more cleare and distinct vvee vvill sort them according to the seuerall Grounds from vvhich vsually Scrupulosity doth proceede The vvhich are 1. Either Intervall Tentations by suspected sinfull Thoughts and Imaginations 2. Or certaine Defects or supposed Defects incurred about Externall Obligations as Sâ—yâ—ng the Office Fasting c. In both vvhiâ—h Cases there is a strong Suspicion of sin incurred and an vncertainty of vvhat heynousnes that sin in from vvhenâ—e follovv vnquiet Examinations Scrupulous Confessions often repeated c First therfore vvee vviâ—l treate of Feare Scrupulosity arising from Inward Tentations by ill Imaginations or Thoughts And aftervvard of the other CHAP. IX § 1. Of Scrupulosity arising from certaine Inward Tentations § 2. 3. Tentations are not in themselues ill But rather a Marke of Gods loue Yet they are not to be sought § 4. Internall Tentations very purifying § 5. 6. 7. 8. Of Inward Tentations resting only in the mind And Aduices against them § 9. Likewise touching those that cause also Effects and motions in corporall nature § 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Prayer is by no meanes to be omitted for Tentations As being the best and securest Remedy In as much as all Tentations are most efficaciously and perfectly resisted by conuersion of the soule with Loue to God 1. THE Speciall kinds of Inward Tentations vvhich doe ordinarily afford matter of Feare Scrupulosity to vvell-minded tender soules are First either such ill Imaginations or Thoughts as rest in the mind alone without any other outvvard Effect such are Thoughts 1. Of Infidelity 2. Of Blasphemy 3. Of Despaire c. Or Secondly such as withall haue or may cause an alteration in the Body such are Thoughts of Impurity Anger c. 2. Now concerning Tentations in generall the Deuout Soule is to consider That it is no sin to haue them yea being sent vs by God they are meant for our good and to giue vs occasion to merit by them And those vvhich God sends vs are the most proper for vs. For if they vvere in our ovvne choice vvee should chuse least and last of all those that are most fit to humble vs and to vvithdraw our Affections from our selues and Creatures so that the more displeasing to vs and afflicting that any Tentations are the more proffitable are they Let none therfore be dismayed at the approach of Tentations but since Selfe-Loue cannot be cured but by application of things contrary therto let vs accept of them as a speciall gift of God assuring our selues that it vvould be perillous to be long without them And if vvee cannot clearly see hovv our present Tentations can turne to our proffit vvee ought to content our selues that God sees it othervvise he vvho is Infinite vvisedome and Goodnes vvould neuer haue permitted them to befall vs Therfore let Faith supply knowledge or curiosity 3. Neuerthelesse wee must not voluntarily seeke Tentations for qui amat periculum peribit in eo He that loues danger shall perish therein sayth the Wiseman God vvill not deny spirituall strength to resist make good vse of Tentations that by his Prouidence befall vs yea although it vvas by some precedent fault negligence of ours that they befell vs But he has made no promise to secure vs in a Danger into vvhich vvee voluntarily runne 4. More particularly Internall Tentations are more beneficiall and purifying and they doe more profoundly humble vs then doe outward paines or Persecutions 1. Because they discouer vnto vs not the malice of others but our ovvne sinfull natures prone of themselues to all abominations 2. And by them vvee come to be deliuered not from other creatures but from our selues in vvhich separation our cheifest last conquered difficulty consists 3. They send vs for remedy to none but God For vvhat effect can any assistance medicines or other helpes of Creatures haue against our ovvne Thoughts 5. And as for the Speciall forenamed Tentations a vvell-minded soule ought to consider That the simple passing of such thoughts or Imaginations in the mind is no sin at all though they should rest there neuer so long vvithout aduertence but only the giuing a deliberate consent vnto them Neither is it in the povver of a Soule either to preuent or banish them at pleasure Because the Imagination is not so subiect to Reason as that it can be commanded to entertaine no Images but such as Reason vvill allovv But it is distempered according to the disposition of the Humours and Spirits in the Body and sometimes the Deuill also is permitted to iniect or raise Images to the disquieting of tender soules But he can force none to consent to the suggestions proceeding from them 6. There is lesse danger of consenting vnto Tentations merely spirituall such as are Thoughts of Blasphemy Despaire c And consequently lesse likelyhood of Scrupulâ—siâ—y from a suspicion of such consent Though sometimes they may be so violent and so obstinatly adhering that the fancy vvill become extreamly disordered and the soule vvill thinke herselfe to be in a kind of Hell vvhere there is nothing but blaspheming and hating of God 7. Her best Remedy is quietly to turne her thoughts some other vvay and rather neglect then force herselfe to combat them vvith contrary thoughts For by neglecting of them the impression that they make in the Imagination vvill be diminished She may doe vvell also by words or outvvard gestures to signify her renouncing and detestation of them As in a Tentation of Blasphemy let her pronounce vvords and expresse postures of Adoration of God Praise Loue c Let her be also the more diligent in frequenting the Quire continuing more carefully in Postures of Humility before him And doing thus let her banish all suspicions of hauing consented as being morally impossible 8. Certaine it is that hovv troublesome horrible soeuer such Tentations may seeme to be yet they being quietly resisted or rather neglected doe vvonderfully purify the soule establishing Diuine loue most firmely and deeply in the spirit More-ouer by occasion of them the Superiour Soule is enabled to transcend all the disorders and tumults in Inferiour Nature adhering to God during the greatest coÌ„tradictions of sensuality 9. As for the other sort of Interiour Tentations vvhich are more grosse causing oft disorderly motions and effects in Corporall Nature It vvill be more difficult to persvvade timerous soules that they haue not consented Both by reason that such Imaginations are more pertinacious and sticking to the corporall Humours and spirits and also because inferiour Nature is povverfully inclined to a liking of them in somuch as that reall effects alterations may be vvrought in the body before that Reason be fully avvake to resist them Yea and after the resistance made
Perfection vvee are arriued 6. Fourthly All increase of sanctifying Grace by vvhatsoeuer instruments it be produced as by Regular Austerities Temperance Exercises of Mortification is performed according to the good Internall dispositions and Actuations of soule accompanying the vse of them Yea the same may also in a certaine proportion be affirmed euen of the Sacraments themselues in adultis The vvhich although by their ovvne intrinsecall Vertue and as the Councell of Trent sess 7. can 8. expresses it ex opere operato they doe conserre a peculiar Grace and ayde and this Quantum est parte Dei at all times and on all Persons that duly receiue them see sess 7. cap. 6. 7. Yet vvithall the quantity and Measure of the sayd Grace is in the same Councell sess 6. cap. 7. sayd to be Secundam propriam cuiusque dispositionem cooperationem according to the peculiar disposition and cooperation of each Person respectiuely That is Those that come vvith more or lesse perfect intense continued and multiplied Internall Acts of Faith Hope Charity Deuotion c doe accordingly receiue a more or lesse plentifull measure of Sacramentall Grace Novv vvhat are all these dispositions and Preparations but the Exercising of Internall Prayer Whence appeares hovv vvonderfull an Influence Internall Prayer both by vvay of Merit or impetration and likevvise by a direct Efficiency hath in the producing and encrease of Diuine vertues in the Soule 7. Fifthly if a soule out of the times of Prayer shall in occasions for example of contradictions persecutions c neglect to exercise Patience she must necessarily exercise impatience by consequence vvill make little or no progresse by her Prayer Yet if then she shall vse any reasonable care diligence or vvatchfullnes ouer herselfe though not for the getting of much yet not to loose much out of Prayer God vvill by meanes of her Prayer seriously prosecuted infuse such a measure of Grace as vvill cause a progresse notvvithstanding frequent failings through frailty or inaduertence c. But it vvill be late ere the effects of such infusion vvill appeare 8. Sixthly increase in vertue doth purely depend on the free Grace good pleasure of God conferring the said grace in prayer c. in a measure as himselfe pleaseth also by his holy Prouidence administring occasions seuerally of exercising seuerall vertues The vvhich occasions ordinarily are not at all in our ovvne povver or disposall 9. Seauenthly according to our progresse in vertues so is our progresse in Prayer till the soule be in a very high degree purified from selfe-loue she is incapable of that perfect degree of Prayer vvhich is called Contemplation According to that saving of our Sauiour Math. 5. Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt That is Blessed are the Pure in heart for they shall see God And the reason is euident because vntill the internall Eye of the soule be cleansed from the mists of Passions inordinate Affections it neither vvill nor can fixe it selfe vpon so pure diuine an obiect True it is that in euery the most imperfect degree of Prayer by vvhich the soule is proportionally purified God is in some qualified sence contemplated But vvee doe not apply the terme of Contemplation except only to the most sublime degree of prayer The vvhich yet is neuer so perfectly absolute in this life but that it may vvithout limitation increase Because the soule is neuer so perfectly freed from the bitter fruits of originall sin Ignorance Concupiscence but there vvill ouer remaine matter exercise for further mortification or purification 10. Eighthly Vertues are in no other state of life so perfectly established in the depth center of the Spirit as in a Contemplatiue state Because all the exercises therof doe principally directly regard the exaltation spiritualising purification of the Spirit by a continuall application adhesion vnion of it to God the fountaine of light Purity 11. Lastâ—y by the meanes of Contemplatiue Prayer in an Internall Life Vertues are most easily obteined most securely possessed and most perfectly practised In an Actiue life a Person that aspires to Perfection therin stands in neede of many things to enable him for the practise of the Duties disposing therto For the Exercise of Externall vvorks of Charity there are needfull Riches or freinds c And for Spirituall Almes-giuing there is required Learning study Disputation c. And if by the helpe of these there be acquired an establiâ—hed Habit of Solide Charity it is not very securely possessed in the midst of so many distractions follicitudes and Tentations But a Contemplatiue life as S. Thomas 22. q. 182. a. 1. c. obserues euen from Aristotle himselfe stands in neede of very few things being to it selfe susficient Such a Person alone vvithout needing either assistance or fauour from abroad can both purchase and exercise all vertues yea and liberally dispence all kinds of Charity to others also For by Prayer alone exercised in Solitude he can employ and engage Gods Omnipotence Wisedome and all the treasures of his riches for the supplying all the necessities Externall and Internall of his Church The light that is gotten by Prayer vvill be more then equivalent to long and laborious study not sanctified vvith Prayer for the enabling him to discharge efficaciously a Pastorall charge ouer soules vvhen they shall be committed to him Though no doubt Prayer vvill also incite to sufficient study And in the meane time though he vvere depriued of all conuersations and Bookes yea fettred and buried in the obscurity of a dungeon Prayer alone vvould be a sufficient entertainment to him There he vvould find God and his Holy Spirit as present and as bountifull to him as euer Yea the greater Solitude there is at the more freedome is the soule to run speedily and lightly in the course of Vertues For nothing doth indeede fetter her but selfeloue Propriety And lastly Vertues once gotten are euideÌ„tly most securely possessed in Solitude from vvhence all distraction and almost all Tentations are excluded THE END OF THE SECOND TREATISE OF MORTIFICATION SANCTA SOPHIA OR DIRECTIONS FOR THE PRAYER OF CONTEMPLATION c. Extracted out of more then XL. Treatises written by the late Ven. Father F. AVGVSTIN BAKER A Monke of the English Congregation of the Holy Order of S. BENEDICT And Methodically digested by the R. F. SERENVS CRESSY Of the same Order and Congregation And printed at the Charges of his Conuent of S. GREGORIES IN DOWAY VOL. II. AT DOWAY By IOHN PATTE ' and THOMAS FIEVET ANNO D. M.DC.LVII TO THE VENERABLE AND R. LADY D. CATHERINE GASCOIGNE The Lady Abbesse of the Religious Dames of the Holy Order of S. BENEDICT in Cambray And to all the RR. Dames c. of the same Conuent MADAME If I had not any pressing obligation as I haue many to take all occasions to acknowledge both my worthy esteeme and resentment also for your many fauours Yet without iniustice
practise vvee can so rectify our desires as to place them vpon their only true proper obiect vvhich is God it will necessarily follovv that the soule should be in continuall Prayer Si semper desideras semper oras Saith S. Augustine If thou doest continually desire God thou doest continually Pray Such desires by custome vvill become easy as it vvere naturall to the soule and consequently vvithout any force vsed on the imagination or vnderstanding they may be continued vvithout interruption for they vvill flovv as freely as breath from the lungs And vvhere such desires doe abound flovving from a holy invvard temper of soule there no Employment vvill be vndertaken that shall crosse or preiudice such desires on the contrary they vvill giue a tincture to all Actions directing them to the obiect of those desires therby adding to the feruency of them 13. Novv a Question may be made Whether in Contemplatiue Orders vvhere likevvise there is vsed much Abstraction solitude other Austerities soules may attaine to this vninterrupted Prayer by the vvay of Meditation or else of long continued Vocall Prayers alone vvithout appoynted Recollections of Internall Affectiue Prayer constantly exercised 14 Hereto it may be answered First that as for Mâ—ditation it is an exercise so disproportionable to the nature of such a state except as a preparation for awhile in the beginning that it is not possible to be the constant continued Exercise of such persons for as shall be shewed the imagination vnderstanding by much exercise thereof in an vndistracted life vvill become so barren it vvill ptoduce so small or no effects in good Affections in the will that it vvill be disgustfull insupportable So that all vse of Meditation must be for a long space passed relinquished before the soule vvill be brought to this good state of hauing a continuall fluxe of holy desires 15. But in the second place touching long continued Vocall Prayers and Offices vvithout any set Exercises of Internall Recollection no doubt it is but by them such Religious Persons may be brought to this habit of continuall Prayer So that 1. They hold their minds to as much Attention as reasonably they can 2. So that out of Quire they keepe their minds from distractiue Affections or sollicitudes either about studies or any other Employments voluntary or imposed 3. So they be watchfull ouer themselues not to giue scope to thoughts vvhich may be harmefull to them Thus the Ancient Hermites arriued to this Perfection 4. A fourth condition may be That such Persons content themselues vvith the Publicke Office not ouer-burden themselues vvith a surcharge of voluntary vocall Prayers for Turrecremata saith vvell on the Decr. d. 92. That the voyce other externall Doings are in Prayer to be vsed only so far as by them to raise Internall deuotion so that if by the excesse of them it should be hindred or the mind distracted they ought to be abstained from And S. Augustin no doubt from experience as well as iudgment saith Qu vitum proficis ad videndam sapientiam tantò minus est vox necessaria That is The greater progresse thou makest in contemplatiue wisedome so much lesse necesary will vocall Praying be Such Persons therfore if in their solitude they doe not appoynt to themselues any sett Recollections yet ought they to keepe their minds in a state of as much recollectednes as may be by interrupted good desires at least begetting in their minds an Affection to Prayer an Appetite to the succeeding Oâ—fice 16. Notvvithstanding certaine it is that vocall Prayers though neuer so much prolonged in neuer so great soliâ—ude yet vvill neuer produce this effect vvhere the true spirit of contemplatiue Prayer is not knovvne such ignorance hath bene euen in Orders of the greatest Abstraction Austerity Thus vvee see that Germanus Cassianus though practised many yeares in a striâ—t Coenobiticall life yet vvere astonished vvhen they heard the holy Hermites discourse of pure spirituall Prayer free from Images c 17. It remaines therefore that ordinarily speaking the only efficacious immediate disposition to the habit of vninterrupted Prayer is a constant exercise of Internall Prayer of the Will by vvhich the soule being dayly forced to a serious attendance tendance to God in Spirit by little little becomes more better affected to a frequent conuersation vvith him in time looses all relish or tast of pleasure in creatures 18. This I say vvill be the effect of such constant feruent exercise of Recollections For as for those vvhich are commonly called Elaculatory Prayers that is good Affections now and then by fitts vvith frequent interruptions exercised though they are very good proffitable vvithall very fit to be vsed in the midst of reading especially or any other externall employments yet they alone vvill though ioyned to the ordinary vse of the Diuine Office be insufficient to produce such a habit of soule And the reason is because being so short vvith such interruption exercised the vertue of them is presently spent vvill haue little or no effect vpon subsequent actions But as for the eiaculatory Prayers mentioned worthily commended by the holy Hermites in Cassian the nature of them is quite different from those forementioned for they are indeed not different from infused Aspirations being the effects flovving from the habit of continuall Prayâ—r already acquired not imperfect preparationâ— therto 19. To conclude none can account themselues to haue satisfied in that perfection that they ought the obligation imposed on them by this necessary Precept of our Lord Oportet semper orare non deficere But 1. Such as doe actually exercise as much prayer as may consist vvith their abilities as is necessary to produce Contemplation if such be their state of life and moreouer such actuall prayer as is suitable thereto yet not indiscreetly streining themselues beyond their power to performe it perfectly at first least it happen vnto them according to the Saying of the Prophet Ierem. 28. c. Quia plus fecit quam potuit idcirco perijt that is Because he did more then he was able therfore he perished 2. Such as vvhen Discretion or other necessary Employments doe vvithdravv them from Actuall prayer yet doe preserue in their minds a loue desire of it a firme Resolution courageously to breake through all discouragemenâ—s hindrances to it 3. Such as doe endeauour to doe all their Actions in vertue of Prayer that is vvith the same holy pure intention as God gaue them in their precedent Prayers 4. Such as doe abstaine from all voluntary Employments as doe indispose their minds for prayer keeping their soules in such a disposition as to be able presently to correspond to an Interiour Diuine Inuitation to prayer if God shall send it to be in a capacity of receiuing perceiuing such inuitations Novv this is done by keeping a continuall guard
to desist from seeking him by the internall vvayes of the spirit euen in times of desertion aridity 13. And if they vvill make this vse of it then from vvhat cause soeuer it proceedes yea though the deuill himselfe helping or changing the body should haue caused it no harme can come vnto them thereby For a soule is most secure vvhiles she neglects disesteemes the effects of sensible deuotion as far as they are pleasing to sensitiue nature transcending it shall endeauour to exercise herselfe tovvards God quietly yet resolutely in the Superiour vvill And by the like practise may a soule obtaine the like security in all extraordinary doubtfull Cases of visions Exâ—asies c 14. More particularly for as much as concernes Teares vvhich are vsuall effects of sensible Deuotion a soule must be vvary that she giue not free scope vnto them vvhat euer the obiect or cause be vvhether it be compassion to our Lords suffrings or contrition for her ovvne sins c In all cases it is best to suppresse them rather then to giue them a free liberty to flovv For othervvise besides the harme that may outvvardly happen to the body by empairing the health or vveakening the head they vvill keepe her still belovv in sensitiue nature immortification vvith little or no aduancement tovvards the true Loue of God On the contrary they doe hinder the eleuation of the spirit by obscuring the mind that it cannot discouer her secret defects nor vvhat vvould best keepe her in her vvay Let her therfore exercise these Acts in the Superiour soule Will from vvhence all merit comes and by vvhich they are performed vvith quietnes stillnes yet vvithall more efficaciously then in sensitiue nature 15. The case is othervvise in Perfect soules vvhen God by an extraordinary Grace bestovves on them the Gift of teares as to S. Arsenius vvho is said to haue flovved almost continually vvith them For in this case they doe begin from the Spirit vvhose operations Inferiour Nature doth not at all hinder but rather promote in them And such teares flovv tanquam pluuia in vellus like a shower of raine into a fleece of wooll vvithout the least disturbance bitternes in inferiour nature vvhich is a Grace very rarely if at all granted to imperfect soules And therfore those vpon vvhom it is bestovved may no doubt vvill vvithout any danger comply vvith it since it can flovv from no other cause but God only the effect of it vvill not be to depresse the spirit but rather to draw sensitiue nature vpward into the spirit causing it likewise to concurre in the exercise of Diuine Loue so as that the soule may say vvith Dauid Cor meum caro mea exult auerunt in Deum viuum sensitiue nature not only ioyning vvith the spirit in seruing louing of God but likevvise finding its contentment therein vvithout the least preiudice to the spirit And the vvay to attaine to this solide secure sensible Feruour is by a discreet vnderualuing repressing of that vvhich is originally merely sensible 16. Novv it vvill not be impertinent on this occasion to take notice of another sort of temper in Prayer of a quite contrary nature in the which the inferiour soule seemes to haue no part at all in the actuations of the spirit towards God yea is not only vnactiue but very repugnant vnto them finding a great deale of vneasines paine in them so that the vvhole Prayer seemes to be made by the Spirit the heart or sensitiue appetite in the meane time finding much bitternes in it and the Imagination in a sort refusing to suggest necessary Images therto any further then as the Superiour Soule by vertue of the dominion it hath ouer it doth euen by mere force constraine it 17. There are scarce any soules that giue themselues to internall Prayer but some time or other doe find themselues in great indisposition therto hauing great obscurities in the mind great insensibility in the affections So that if imperfect soules be not vvell instructed prepared they vvill be in danger in case that such contradictions in inferiour nature continue long to be deiected yea and perhaps deterred from pursuing Prayer For they vvill be apt to thinke that their Recollections are to no purpose at all since for as much as seemes to them vvhatsoeuer they thinke or actuate tovvards God is mere losse of time and of no vvorth at all therfore that it vvould be more proffitable for them to employ their time some other vvay 18. Yea some soules there are conducted by Allmighty God by no other vvay but only by such Prayer of Aridity finding no sensible contentment in any Recollections but on the contrary continuall paine contradiction And yet by a priuy Grace courage imprinted deepely in the spirit cease not for all that but resolutely breake through all difficulties and continue the best they can their internall Exercises to the great aduancement of their spirit 19. It vvill indeed be very hard and morally impossible for any soules but such as haue naturally a good propension to introuersion to continue constant to their Recollections vvhen Aridities Obscurities and Desolations continue a long time For it is this propension alone asâ—isted by Diuine Grace that holds them to their Recollections that enables them to beare themselues vp in all their difficulties and tentations 20. The causes of this Aridity and indisposition to Prayer ordinarily speaking for sometimes God for the triall of his seruants may oft doth send or permit such tentations to fall on them are principally a certaine particular naturall complexion of some especially of those vvho by their corporall temper are most fitted for the exercise of sensible affections for of all others such are most obnoxious to these aridities and obscurities because the humours and spirits of the body together vvith the change of vveather c haue a far greater influence vpon these sensible Affections then vpon the mere operations either of the vnderstanding or vvill vvhich doe not so much depend vpon the body And therfore vvhensoeuer the said corporall disposition comes by any accident to be altered such affectionate soules are apt to fall into these internall distresses being in such an afflicting disconsolate condition they are not able to helpe themselues by any discourse to vvhich ordinarily they are indisposed From this ground it is that deuout Women vvho naturally doe more abound vvith sensible affections then men are more subiect to be afflicted persecuted vvith these aridities 21. Such Discouragements doe least appeare in Vocall Prayer the vvhich befits all kinds of spirits all sorts of tempers vvhether they discourse internally or not and whether they can produce internall Acts of the vvill vpon conceiued Images or not for all these at all times and hovvsoeuer they are corporally disposed may make their proffit more or lesse of Vocall Prayers 22. The Prayer of Meditation likewise
in those for whom it is proper is not vsually much assalted with such Aridities except it be sometimes tovvards the end of such Prayer vvhen soules vvould endeauour to dravv good affections from a precedent Motiue considered by the vnderstanding for then the heart may sometimes proue barren or auerse from such affections But hovveuer they that practise Meditation may find some remedy by surceasing the producing of affections may either betake themselues to exercise mere Acts of the vvill vvhich are not so affectiue or retire themselues to their internall discourse 23. The paine anguish that good soules suffer from these aridities is very greiuous being a kind of continuall martyrdome And therfore the merit of constancy in Prayer notvvithstanding such discouragments in nature is the greater And soules to vvhom God shall giue such constancy vvill find their exercise◠both much more secure howeuer disgustfull they be yea much more proffitable then if they had flowed vvith sensible affections For all manner of good is gotten by Prayer of Aridity courageously prosecuted all vertues are exercised in it it is both Prayer and most efficacious Mortification too 24. And indeed the only generall effectuall Remedy against any inconueniences that may be caused by such aridities is this generosity of resolution not to seeke contentment in Nature by Internall Exercises nor to quit them for any dullnes coldnes or auersion vvhatsoeuer Let but soules doe the best they can or knovv they vvill find that their spirituall progresse in the true solide only meritorious Loue of God vvill not at all be hindred but rather aduanced by such frovvard indispositions of corrupt nature 25. And such courage effectuall Resolution may vvell enough consist vvith these discouragements for the spirit vvhose operations doe not much depend on the corporall disposition may in the midst of all sensible aridities obscurities performe its functions vvith great efficacy The intellectiue faculty is at all times capable of illumination the vvill of receiuing Grace strength from God And the light grace vvhich vvee receiue at such times are far more pure Diuine then vvhen corporall affections doe abound For then they are communicated purely to the spirit And consequently the operations performed in vertue of such light grace are more noble and meritorious because it is apparent that nature neither does nor can mingle her ovvne interests in them so that they may confidently be adiudged to be supernaturall Diuine The essentiall proffit of a soule consists in the light loue of the spirit Such light loue therfore vvhich are got vvith so much difficulty in such strugling of nature is far more pure generous vvithall more solidely rooted in the soule then that vvhich is got by the exercise of sensible affections because all the vvhile there is a continuall combat against selfe-loue all the most secret subtile deepely hidden snares of it So that all Vertues becoming thus rooted in the depth of the spirit hauing bene produced by the meanes in the midst of the sharpest Tentations there is lesse feare that they vvill be extinguished by other follovving Tryalls 26. Novv at the first to the end to attaine vnto this most necessary courageousnes of mind such soules may doe vvell to helpe themselues during their aridities vvith the best motiues most efficacious Affections that they can furnish themselues vvithall either out of their ovvne Inuention or by collection out of bookes as likevvise frequently to vrge euen force themselues to the loue of God by such eiaculatory Prayers desires as these O my God when shall I loue thee as thou deseruest When shall I loue as I am loued by thee O that I were freed from my selfe that I may only loue thee Excita potentiam tuam veni Veni Domine noli tardare Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici eius c 27. Such Affections as these let a deuout soule exercise in her recollections likevvise the best she can in case she cannot see hovv other vvayes to doe better although vvithout any gust or sensible contentment And God vvill not faile to accept plentifully revvard her good vvill therby promote her in such manner as he best knovves She may be sure that since he has giuen her the generous courage to serue him vvithout present vvages he vvill at least in the next life multiply revvards vpon her infinitely aboue her expectation And she ought to account it a proofe of his speciall loue esteeme of her that he has selected her to be a Martyr of loue a souldier to vvhose courage he commits the most difficult hazardous Employments 28. In Case that internall distresses in Prayer be so violent that the soule to her seeming can only keepe herselfe in an outvvard posture of prayer all that she thinkes or does appearing to her so vtterly voyd of all spirit of deuotion loue Reuerence to God that she may rather suspect it to be iniurious to him let her be patient abstaine from disquieting her mind vvith murmuring complaints by all meanes let her be sure not to betake herselfe to consolation in creatures or recreatiue diuersions in times appoynted for Recollection then all vvill be very vvell God vvill require no more of her then she is vvell able to doe he knovves that it is not in her povver alvvayes to subdue nature yet she may must allvvaies vvithdravv her consent from its sinfull suggestions doing so there vvill be no danger Therfore for vvhat she cannot doe let her be humbled resigned And such humble Resignation will proue a very efficacious Prayer 29. Novv it is not to be supposed that Internall Prayer exercised by imperfect soules during Aridities through the aduantage of a naturall propension is a truly Pure spirituall Prayer Because as yet their exercise is indeed in sense yet it is in the nobler supremer part of sensuality tending much tovvard the spirit vvhereby they in that case doe enioy an Internall light more cleare pure then vvhilst they exercise vvith flovving affections in so much as their operations are then abstracted from grosser sensuality And the more strong that their propension to introuersion is the more easily quickly doe they raise themselues to that cleare superiour region of light And the reason is because such a propension aptitude to internall vvayes dravves the persons endovved vvith it more more deepely tovvard the spirit in the perfect operations vvherof consists the consūmation of an Internall life CHAP. VI. § 1. 2. A second discouragement in prayer opposite to Perseuerance to wit Distractions § 3. Distractions are a necessary effect of Originall sin c. § 4. 5. Distractions about obiects to which wee heare an inordinate Affection are most harmfull § 6. A remedy against them § 7. 8. 9. Remedies against all inconueniences that may come from Distractions § 10. Difference
§ 3. 4. Who are apt or vnapt for Meditation § 5. 6. Generally most Soules are to begin with it And why § 7. 8. 9. 10. What those are to doe that are vnapt for Meditation § 11. The misery of Soules that are tyed to a Prayer improper for them 1. THE first and most imperfect Degree of Internall Prayer is as hath been said Meditation or Discoursiue Prayer Of vvhich vvee shall treate here not vvith that exact nicenesse as may be found in many Bookes current in all hands yet sufficiently in order to our present Designe vvhich is to consider it only as a preparation to the Perfect Prayer of Contemplation And therefore the Instructions concerning it shall be such as may be proper for those vvhom God hath called to that Perfect State and vvithall moued to comply vvith the said Call And to such many Instructions will not be proper 2. Meditation is such an Internall Prayer in vvhich a Deuout Soule doth in the first place take in hand the consideration of some particular Mystery of Faith to the end that by a serious and exact search into the seuerall points and circumstances in it vvith the Vnderstanding or Imagination she may extract Motiues of good Affections to God and consequently produce suitable Affections in vertue of the said Motiues as long as such vertue vvill last 3. This is a Prayer to the exercise vvhereof all sorts of Persons are neither disposed nor enabled Neither is it a token either of excellency of vvit Iudgment or of true Deuotion to be apt for the practise of it On the contrary the more that a Soule doth abound vvith Deuotion and good Affections to God the lesse is she enabled or disposed thereto yea incapable of continuing long in the Exercise of it And againe some superficiall Witts full of fancy but vvanting solidity of Iudgment and vvhich are not naturally much disposed to Deuotion yet if they be put to the Exercise of this Discoursiue Prayer they vvill performe it better and thriue more in it then others though of sharpe vvitts solide Iudgments and great abilities both in learning and Inuention and that vvithall haue very good vvills to seeke our Lord. 4. Women are generally speaking lesse apt for Meditation then men and by consequence more fit for the more perfect Exercises of the Will By reason that they are more disabled in iudgment and inuention and more abounding in vvill and Affections so that in them the Will drawes the streame from the Vnderstanding Therfore great care is to be taken that they be not compelled vvithout necessity to tarry long in Discoursiue Exercises least thereby they be much preiudiced in the Head and Spirit vvith little or no proffit any vvay but much harme in being detained from the more proper and beneficiall Exercise of the Will in holy Affections 5. Novv there being so great and inexpressible variety in the Internall Dispositions of persons it is not possible to giue certaine generall Rules to fit all Except this that in the beginning of a spirituall Contemplatiue Course all Soules that are not naturally incapable of raising Affections by internall Discourse ought to apply themselues thereto and to tarry therin till they find themselues ripe for a future Exercise To the vvhich they vvill attaine sooner or later either according to their diligence and constancy in practising Meditation Or the measure and Grace of Deuotion vvhich God shall giue them Or their naturall aptnes or vnaptnes for Exercises of the Vnderstanding 6. This Aduice is of great concernment And therfore soules are not easily and lightly to be permited to apply themselues to Exercises of the Will till a conuenient time spent in those of the Vnderstanding For though perhaps vvhilst the Feruor Nouitius lasts in the beginning of one's Conuersion a soule being then full of Affection may for a vvhile haue little need of Motiues to open the passage to the said Affections vvhich of themselues vvill be apt enough to flovv Yet that Feruour ceasing they vvill be at a miserable losse full of nothing but Aridities Obscurities Desolations hauing no refuge at all except their Vnderstanding be stored vvith good Motiues of holy Affections caused by former Consideration and Meditation 7. Yet this is not so to be vnderstood as if Soules vvere to be obliged to those nice distracting painfull Methods of Meditation which are described in many Bookes or to frame curious Pageants scenes of the Mysteries to be meditated on c. For though such an Employment of the Imagination in Prayer may be proper proffitable for those that by their Profession liue Actiue distracted liues to the end by such workings of the Fancy to wipe out as it vvere the vaine Images contracted abroad by superinducing or painting ouer them new and holy Images Yet for those vvho are more Solitary abstracted such a vvay of Meditating vvould be very painfull the proffit so little as it vvould not counteruaile the paine To such therfore it vvill suffise vvith moderate attention to thinke on the substance of the Mystery proposed or on such circumstances of it as either are expressed in the Text or doe euen naturally attend it from thence to dravv as strong feruorous frequent Affections as may be 8. As for those that are naturally vtterly disabled and incapable of Meditating as many Women are it is very requisite in the beginning that they should at least supply the benefit that comes from Meditation by preparing themselues to their Recollections vvith much serious attentiue reading of some pious Booke the vvhich may in some good proportion recompence Meditation 9. But in case a soule incapable of Meditation and vnable likevvise to reade shall vndertake a spirituall Contemplatiue course as none are excluded such an one must resolue to take a very great courage to pursue her Exercises of the Will and Affections which is but a dry Exercise wanting sensible Deuotion is very ingratefull to the palate of the soule She must be prepared not to be daunted vvith Aridities and Distractions The vvhich Distractions she has no other vvay to resist or expell but only by pure Obstinacy of the will not to attend them or care for them And lastly she must vse more Abstraction of life and Solitude to preuent the multiplying of Distracting Images 10. Those vvho in the Exercise of Meditation are more seriously affected to the Discoursing part of it then to the good Desires and purposes vvhich should flovv from such Discourse are in danger of many perills as of Pride Curiosity Extrauagant Opinions yea pernicious Errours The cause of vvhich Dangers is the predominancy that their Imagination hath ouer their other faculties vvhich inclines them to please themselues vvith subtile aeriall and curious Discourses and vvith framing of places times and other circumstances in the consideration of a Mystery All vvhich inconueniences are auoided in the Exercises of the Superiour Will vvhich being a blind faculty is best
able to heaue vp herselfe vnto God in darknes and vacancy of Images And being likevvise a Spirituall faculty is exempted from the Deuills influences vvho has great dominion ouer our corporeall Povvers to suggest representations c. For these reasons it is good to make the Discoursing part of Meditation as short as may be So as that if the mere reflexion on a Mystery vvill suffise to produce a good affection the person is to restraine the Imagination 11. To conclude the great and inexplicable variety that is to be found in the dispositions of Soules being considered and likewise the great inconuenience that necessarily follovvs a misapplication of Spirits to Exercises improper for them the sad condition of those good Soules cannot sufficiently be bevvayled vvho by their Profession being as it vvere emprisoned in a Solitary Religious Life and being naturally vnapt for Discourse are yet kepd all their liues in Meditation repeating ouer and ouer againe the same toylesome Methods vvithout any progresse in Spirit to their great anguish and disquietnes And this misery is much greater in Religious Women vvho hauing no diuersions of Studies or employments cannot possibly find exercise for their Imagination and therfore seeing great Defects and vnsatisfactions in themselues and not knovving the only cure of them vvhich is by ascending to the Internall Exercises of the vvill their Imperfections increase and their anguishes proportionably vvithout any knovvn meanes to amend them CHAP. III. § 11. How a Soule is to Exercise Meditation § 2. 3. 4. c. What inconuenient Practises Methods therein are to be auoided § 9. 10. c. What Orders are positiuely to be obserued § 15. The grounds of those Aduices § 16. 17. c. Further speciall Instructions to the same purpose § 23. A particular way of Meditation in Blosius 1. INTENDING novv to set dovvne more particular Instructions and Aduices hovv and in vvhat manner a Soule by her choice or Profession aspiring to Contemplation ought in order therto to practise the lovvest most imperfect degree of Internall Prayer vvhich is Meditation I will first shew such a Beginner vvhat he is not to doe that is vvhat practises and orders he is to auoyde 2. And nex how he is to behaue himselfe in the Exercise thereof 2. As to the former therfore I should be so far from commending that I vvould scarce permit Soules liuing a Contemplatiue life as all inclosed Religious Women doe c. to be strictly obliged to a prescribed Methode in Meditation or to those many and nice Rules vvhich are ordained by some Moderne Authours as 1. That a Soule should put herselfe in the Diuine Presence 2. That she should make Acts of Contrition 3. That she should select Points of Meditation 4. That she should consider them in such an order vvith such framing of representations of the Persons times places postures c. 5. That thence she should dravv motiues of good Affections 6. That thereupon she should dravv Petitions 7. That aftervvards she should make Purposes 8. That thereto she should adioyne Thanksgiuing 9. Moreuoer that she should haue a list of Imperfections or faults committed the day c before and make expunctions of faults amended 10. That in conclusion she should make an Examen how her Meditation hath bene performed to the end she may giue an Account thereof to her Spirituall Directour c. 3. It is far from my Intention to speake against the vse of such Methods and Orders among those vvhere they were first inuented are still practised for they may vvell enough agree vvith their Institute vvhich is farre more Actiue then Contemplatiue But among Solitary Contemplatiue Spirits such Orders are indeed a disorder and a nice obseruance of such ceremonious Methods vvould be more distractiue and painfull then the simple Exercise it selfe And particularly the expectation that an Account is to be giueÌ„ of ones Thoughts during Meditation vvould afford more busines to a Soule then the Mystery on vvhich she meditates So that she vvould be more sollicitous to giue satisfaction to her Directour then to performe her Duty to God And therfore S. Theresa vvith iust reason complaines against those Directours vvhich fetter and encomber their Disciples mindes vvith Orders and Rules vvhich require more attention then the matter of the Praier it selfe 4. Hovv to meditate proffitably though not curiously is quickly and vvithout much difficulty learnt by such as are fit for it But to obserue all the said prescripts is both difficult incombring and vnproffitable being indeed little better then a mispending of the time I meane for soules tending to Contemplation 5. Moreouer in Meditation I vvould not tye the Will that it should not goe beside or beyond the Vnderstanding On the contrary my Aduice and request is that the vvill so it be caried tovvards God should be suffred to goe as far as it can and that scope should be giuen to any good Affection Not caring vvhether such Affections be pertinent to the present Subiect to be considered on at that time vpon condition that the Soule find that she bestovves herselfe more efficaciously on God by such Affections then by those vvhich vvould properly flovv from the present Motiues considered 6. Neither vvould I that vvhen a Soule has chosen one point or Mystery to meditate on she should strictly oblige herselfe to proceede on vvith it but that if vvithout a voluntary rouing and seeking any other should offer it selfe to the mind more gratefull and more gustfull to the Soule she should entertaine the latter holding herselfe to it as long as the vâ—rtue of it vvell lasteth And it ceasing then lâ—t her returne to the first proposed Subiect And the like liberty I recommend in the follovving Exercises of Immediate Acts vvhensoeuer any Act or good Affection is suggested to the mind besides those vvhich the Soule finds in her Paper proposed for the present Recollection 7. Notvvithstanding in case that the nevv matter or Affections occurring be such as that it doth feed some ouer-abounding humour or passion in the Soule as Feare euen of God himselfe Tendernesse shedding of Teares scrupulosiâ—y or deiectednes of spirit c. I would by no meanes permit a soule to entertaine her mind vvith such matter Because she vvill therby only plunge herselfe more deeply into nature and immortification and not at all purify her inordinate Affections Such soules euen in the beginning ought not to chuse such matters for their Praiers and much lesse ought they to be permitted to quit other good matter for that This Aduice extends likevvise to the Exercise of immediate Acts of the Will for as much as concernes the matter of them 8. Novv such freedome of Spirit and permission to change the present matter or Affections is to be supposed to be allovved only vvhen the said change proceeds not out of sloath inconstancy a vaine pleasing of the fancy or Affection but out of a iudicious Election or from an interiour inuitation the
Contemplatiues to vvhom a due Obseruance of the Quire is both far more proper and efficacious to all Ends pretended to by such Exercises then they are Yea moreouer great harme may come to soules professing Cōtemplation by them For so great attention such an exact performance of nice obseruances and such a captiuity of spirit is required that vvhen all is passed soules thereby oftimes become disabled to continue the Internall Prayer proper for them or to comply vvith many Regular Duties To these vvee may adde the great inconueniences vvhich may come from strict Examens of Conscience Repetitions of Generall Confessions c. very preiudiciall to tender Soules 7. Therfore as touching Contemplatiue Persons vvho liuing perhaps vnder the Conduct of those that are vvholly deuoted to the Actiue vvay shall be obliged to such Retirements and therin to Exercises very vnsuitable to their State my Aduice to them is That they should keepe themselues in as much stillnes of mind as may be and hauing receiued Instructions for their Prayer let them in Practise giue as much scope as they vvell can to their good Affections not much troubling themselues vvhether the sayd Affections be proper to the matter proposed for Meditation or no nor distracting themselues vvith reflection vpon their Prayer to the End to giue an Account of it to others Let them likevvise endeauour to preserue all due liberty in Spirit in their Examinations and Confessions therin proceeding no further then may consist vvith their Spirituall proffit and by all meanes auoyding such particulars as are likely to nourish Feare and Scrupulosity or to disturbe the Peace of their Minds 8. And as for Secular liuers to vvhom indeede the sayd Retraites according to custome vndertaken at set times may proue of admirable proffit and benefit to the end the vertue of them may not quickly expire they ought to be carefull aftervvards to make good vse of the lights receiued in them and to put in execution the good purposes made during such Retirements For they must not expect by a fevv daies solitude and Praier to get a habit of Sanctity but only a transient good Passion and disposition therto which vvithout future care to cherish and encrease it vvill quickly vanish and their feruour vvill be cooled 9. Moreouer perceiuing euidently by this experience the good effects of Mentall Prayer they ought to resolue the best they can to allovv some reasonable time to the prosecution of it vvhen they returne to their Secular Vocations vsing likevvise as much abstraction as their State of life vvill permit Othervvise it is to be feared they vvill not only returne to all their former defectuousnes sins but vvill moreouer therto adde the guilt of ingratitude to God that so effectually called them from sin And their follovving sins vvill be sins against cleare light 10. Certaine it is that if soules shall so relye vpon the repeating such Retirements and new taking of the same Practises of Meditation c. as by them to make amends toties quoties for all faults past they vvill be in great danger to find themselues deceiued For though in it selfe it be very good to seeke all good meanes to procure Remorse and Contrition for past sins yet if a soule vpon a consideration that she has such a speciall Remedy in a readines shall neglect the care vvatchfullnes ouer herselfe it is to be feared not vvithout iust grounds that that vvhich she takes for contrition vvill proue to be no more then a naturall Remorse For it is not likely that God vvill shovvre dovvne his Grace vpon a soule so corrupted in her Intention CHAP. V. § 1. A Change from Meditation to a Prayer of the will is necessary in an Internall Life § 2. It is otherwise in Actiue Liuers § 3. A soule of a Contemplatiue Profession when to leaue operating with the vnderstanding § 4. Exercises of the will more perfect then those of the vnderstanding § 5. Whether Meditation on the Passion may be left § 6. 7. 8. c. Reasons to prooue the affirmatiue § 12. 13. c. Aduices shewing when a Change of Praier is seasonable § 18. 19. More particular signes shewing the proper time of a Change § 20. The wonderfull variety of Changes in an Internall Life 1. IT is impossible for a soule that leades an abstracted Life and diligently pursues Internall Praier to fixe continually in Meditation or to rest in any Degree of Affectiue Praier Because the Nature of such Intellectuall Spirituall Operations is to become more and more pure abstracted vniuersall and to cary the vvill and Affections of the soule still higher and further into God the Actiuity of the Imagination vnderstanding continually abating the Actiuity of the Will continually increasing and getting ground vpon the vnderstanding till at last all its operatiōs become so quieted and silenced that they cease or at least become vnperceptible 2. A soule therfore being thus inuited and disposed to approach continually nearer and nearer vnto God if she be either by her ovvne or others ignorance so fettered with customes or Rules that she is depriued of due Liberty of Spirit to correspond to such an Inuitation and to quit inferiour Exercises she vvill find no proffit at all by her Praier but on the contrary extreme paine vvhich vvill endanger to force her to relinquish her Recollections 3. It is othervvise vvith those vvhose Profession is to liue Actiue distracted Liues though they doe seriously aspire to the Perfection ansvverable to that state For such may continue all their liues in Meditation and follovv the Methods of it Because what they loose by their Distractions they may recouer by their follovving Meditation the good Images vsed therin expelling the vaine Images contracted in their Externall Employments True it is that to such persons Meditation vvill grovv more and more pure and more in spirit yet neuer so as to exclude a direct vse of the Imagination 4. When a Contemplatiue Soule therfore hath for some reasonable time practised Meditation and comes to perceiue that a further Exercise therof is become dry and vngratefull to her Spirit causing great disgust and little or no proffit She ought then to forbeare Meditation and to betake herselfe to the Exercise of Immediate Acts vvhich she vvill then doubtles performe vvith great gust and facility to her notable proffit in Spirit 5. It is a great mistake in some Writers vvho thinke the Exercise of the will to be meane and base in comparison of Inuentiue Meditation and curious Speculation of Diuine Mysteries in as much as none but eleuated Spirits can performe this vvhereas the most ignorant and simple persons can exercise Acts or Affections of the vvill On the contrary it is most certaine that no Act of the vnderstanding as Speculation consideration deduction of Conclusions c. in matters pertaining to God are of themselues of any vertue to giue true Perfection to a soule further then as they doe excite
suitable to Reason but is moreouer confirmed by the Authority of learned and experienced Mysticke Writers And particularly the Deuout Reader may see vvhat Barbancon in his Secrets Sentiers 1. cap. 6. admonit 2. hath vvritten on this point 13. Thus hauing shevved the indispensable necessity for a soule aspiring to Contemplation vvith all due liberty of spirit to follovv the Diuine Guidance from each inferiour Degree of Prayer to another more sublime thē become more proper proffitable I vvill novv endeauour to giue more particular Aduices concerning passing from the Exercise of Meditation to that of immediate Acts of the Will and vvill shevv by vvhat Signes and Marks a Deuout Soule may reasonably iudge and conclude that such a change and Transition is proper for her Yet so as that my Intention and desire is that Soules should principally depend on their Internall light vvhich Gods Holy Spirit vvill afford them in and by Prayer 14. Let euery deuout Soule diligently pursue her present Exercise in Prayer aduisedly vndertaken or recommended to her by a prudent Directour till there come a proper time for a change Let her sayth the Excellent Authour of Scala Perfectionis content her selfe with this Gift of God till he be pleased to bestow on her a better vvhich he vvill not fayle to doe vvhen he shall see it to be for her good And so doing she cannot but encrease in Charity although she see no euident proofe of her Aduancement in spirituall operations Whensoeuer it shall be Gods pleasure to make a change in her Prayer he vvill by degrees so presse her therto that in the End she shall both clearly perceiue and correspond to his Inuitation And till that time come it is to no purpose for her to examine or frame any iudgment of her progresse Her best is to doe her Duty and leaue the Successe to God 15. A change vvhensoeuer it is made as it ought to be consists in this That the Actiuity of the Fancy and Discourse is abated and the whole Internall Exercise of Prayer by little is reduced to blind operations of the will The vvhich operations or Affections likevvise grovv by practise more and more naturall quiet pure silent subtile imperceptible and profound The Diuine Spirit dravving the Soule in her Exercises euer more and more vnto it selfe 16. Ordinarily vvhen a time of Change from a more imperfect to a more sublime Exercise of Prayer cometh it vvill not on the sudden or at once be perceiued or but very obscurely doubtfully Only a Soule vvill perceiue a bettring in her Exercises her operations by little and little becoming more Spirituall And indeed in some Persons there is almost dayly a bettering and purifying of their Prayer The vvhich themselues doe or may vvell enough obserue though perhaps they are not able to expresse the manner of it to another by reason of its subtilty 17. Far lesse Inconueniences vvould follovv by detaining a Soule somevvhat too long in an humble inferiour Exercise as of Meditation vvhen she is fit and ripe for a more sublime one Then if through inconsideration leuity or an ambitious humour to imitate Examples or Instructions in Bookes not pertinent to her she should at the first or before her time be put into one aboue her present Capacity For in the former case an easy and present Remedy may be found by exalting the Soule aftervvard to a more perfect Exercise suitable to her present Disposition till vvhich be done she vvill at least exercise her Humility and Submission of Iudgment by vvhich she vvill receiue much proffit But it is very difficult to find a Remedy in the other case Because first the naturall vnvvillingnes and shame that is in Soules to acknovvledge their too hasty Ambition and to descend lovver vvill secretly hinder them And besides they vvill be ready to iustify themselues by misapplying certaine Documents in Spirituall Authours vvhich forbid Soules to quit their present Exercises for one inferiour through any discouragement from Aridities or vnsatisfaction found in them Notvvithstanding except they vvill be content vvith the Mortification of returning to Meditation in case they be not yet ripe for Immediate Acts of the vvill they vvill be in danger of incurring an habituall Dryenes Melancholy and stupidity and moreuer they vvill run into an endles labarynth perplexing and entangling themselues therin to the great disquiet of their ovvne minds and the troubling of others vvith questions and doubts 18. Yet it cannot be denyed but that God doth often inuite Soules to some change in Prayer according to that vvhich before they had read in some Bookes And then they are to follovv the Instructions of such a Booke as a light sent them from God In vvhich case it is indeed the secret motion and Inuitation afforded them by God to apply such Instructions that is their sure Guide vvithout vvhich they must apply nothing that they find in Bookes 19. More particularly by these follovving Signes a Deuout Soule may for the most part perceiue and iudge vvhen it is fit for her to change her Exercises of Prayer as for example to quit Meditation and to betake her selfe to a Praier of the Will c. 20. First she vvill not find that pleasure satisfaction and proffit in her present Exercise vvhich formerly she did But on the contrary a sensible Disgust and a kind of Impotency to practise Internall Discourse any longer Or if she vvill force herselfe to obserue her Method of Meditating it vvill produce no effect vpon her Affections the vvhich if they vvere left to themselues vvould flovv far more freely And this Disgust is not for once or tvvice nor as formerly vpon occasion of some corporall distemper Passion Aridity or any vnusuall accident But it is a lasting Disgust arising from a desire to please God and to grovv in Perfection ioynd vvith an vncertainty or feare that the vvay vvherin she novv is is not proper to effect that desire 21. Secondly she vvill thereupon find in her selfe a certaine Motion or invvard inuitation to enter into some other new Exercise at yet not clearly knovvn to her Or if there be no nevv Exercise proposed to her there is hovveuer a Motion to a cessation from the present Exercise at least for as much as concernes the manner of it As it happens vvhen from Aspirations a soule is inuited to a Resting and Repose in God vvith a cessation of all Actiue Aspirations or affections The vvhich is an immediate disposition to a Supernaturall Contemplation 22. Thirdly a deuout soule considering the benefit that she hath hitherto reaped by her present Exercise and her accustomance to it vvhich is not easily left Considering likevvise that for vvant of tryall she doth not as yet knovv the vvorth and benefit of the new proposed Exercise the vvhich at first appearing a little strange and vncouth to her she vvill not easily see or beleiue that it vvill proue as proffitable as her present Exercise has already bene For
least she must resolue diligently faithfully to pursue her daily appointed Exercises since prayer is the principall instrument by which diuine light grace against all tentations is administred to vs. So that if Praier be duly performed be it vvith distractions or without them it vvill both vrge a soule to vse fitting Mortifications out of Praier and to make aduantage tovvard the perfectionating and aduancing of her spirit euen of the distractions encombrances of her Office Wheras if she be careles in Prayer she vvill become careles also in Mortification And by little and little vvill loose all that vvhich vvith great paine trauaile she had formerly gotten yea be in very great perill neuer to find a vvay to returne to her former state 14. Certainly if any distractions or employments can iustify a soule for the neglect of this duty of internall Prayer those vvhich attend the Popedome the highest vveightiest and most incessantly encombring Office that a soule is capable of may doe it Yet S. Bernard in those excellent Bookes of Consideration vvritten to Pope Eugenius the third seriously aduises him not so vvholly to plunge himselfe in busines but that euery day he should borrovv or steale from the affaires of the vniuersall Church some houres to employ in this holy exercise 15. Herevpon Granatensis vvill allovv of no excuse vnder pretence of busines to cease from pursuing daily Recollections For saith he no busines can be so necessary so continually vrgent as to hinder our daily necessary Refections Novv Prayer which is the foode of the soule is as necessary if not more then that of the Body And if it so fall out that businesses are to be dispatched iust at the houres appointed for daily Spirituall Refections the person foreseeing that ought to repaire himselfe by taking some other vacant time for his Prayer And if that vvill not be allowed him he may ought according to the iudgment of Aquauiua Generall of the Iesuits to sollicite his Superiours to giue him some relaxation from such employments Which the Superiour is obliged to grant othervvise God vvill require a seuere account from him for the harme that must needs come to the subiects soule by the vvant of that vvhich is only able to support the spirit to enable it vvith proffit to discharge the most necessary dutyes of his calling 16. If either out of sloth distractions or remorse through some imperfections incurred a soule find difficulty to apply herselfe any time to prayer though she promise better for the future yet if vpon any motiues of sensuall nature she omit it at any time she vvill the day follovving haue lesse mind to goe to it so be in danger quite to abandon her recollections If she haue not the very same excuses pretences that she had formerly Nature vvill be subtle enough to inuent some other for the longer she delayes the more vnapt vvill she be for it according to that vvise saying of the Ancient Rabbins Qui protrudit horam hora protrudet ipsum that is He that thrusts of the houre of doing any good duty till another time that houre when it comes will thrust of delay him he vvill be lesse capable then of doing his duty then he vvas formerly by meanes of some nevv impediment Whereas a soule by vsing some violence vpon herselfe to breake through discouragements to prayer vvill get such courage grace frō God that aftervvards her employments vvill afford her lesse hindrance vnto this holy duty 17. To this purpose Iohannes a Iesu Maria Generall of the discalced Carmelites relates concerning a deuout Gentleman a Penitent of his vvho dayly vsed at a certaine time to recollect himselfe in prayer hovv that treating vvith another vpon some affaires of consequence the clock hapning to strike the houre appoynted for his prayer he abruptly broke of the conuersation excusing himselfe that he had then an affaire of such importance that it could not be delayed must not be omitted And so dismissing his freind he retired to his recollection vvherein God vvas pleased as in revvard for his diligence fidelity to him to visit him after an extraordinary manner vvith some kind of supernaturall Contemplation such as he had neuer had experience of before 18. A vvell-minded soule therfore to the end she may be enabled to attend to this busines of businesses as S. Bernard calls it ought to employ all her prouidence subtilty so to order all her dayly employments both for time manner as that they may be no hindrance thereto Let her if need be make notes remembrances of her seuerall affaires each day to the end her memory may not betray her beginning the morning vvith a serious recollection vvhich vvill sanctify all the follovving dayes vvorke let her endeauour to dispatch her taske vvith such care diligēce that tovvards euening she may be before-hand vvith her taske of businesses that sollicitudes about them may not disquiet her mind encomber her memory nor distract her Prayer 19. It is morally impossible that in a religious state there should be any Employment that should so vvholly this constantly take vp ones thoughts as not to leaue one houre each day to be giuen to God Or if such an employment vvere it vvould be absolutely vnlawfull as being destructiue to the obligation of a Christian and much more that of a spirituall or Religious person No excuse therfore or pretence can iustify a customary neglect of so essentiall a duty 20. In case that sometimes by reason of some pressing affaires the deuout soule cannot allovv herselfe the vvhole time appoynted for her Recollections let her at least take as much of it as possibly may be spared Or let her in exchange take some other houre of the day or night Hovveuer let her preserue a thirsting desire and loue to Prayer and by feruent interrupted Actuations as the present busines vvill permit by some more then ordinary Mortifications especially of the tongue repaire the losse of a sett Recollection 21. If a soule in Employments cannot free her mind from distractions Aridities and sollicitudes in Prayer let her hovveuer be courageous to pursue it after the best manner she can preseruing as much Resignation tranquillity at least in the Superiour soule as may be And let the sight of such imperfections humble but not disquiet her spirit Let her consider beleiue that God is not only as present to her in her spirit during her greatest desolations as he vvas in her clearest Recollections but as louing also And that this is the proper season for a soule to shevv her fidelity to God in adhering to him in the top of her spirit vvhen as not only the Interiour senses are diuerted by images of businesses but the Affections also disordered by sollicitudes 22. To this purpose she may apply the Point of Election mentioned by fa Benet Canfeild vvho to the great comfort of vvell-meaning soules
shevves That in the midst of the greatest troubles Afflictions Passions distractions a soule may as truly efficaciously dispose of the operations of the Superiour spirit which depends not vpon our corporall organs fixing them vpon God making choyce of him for her finall end and submitting herselfe with resignation loue to him euen for sending her such trial's as she could in her greatest solitude most quiet Introuersion And this is best done vvithout any violence or impetuosity but vvith great tranquillity darting a spirituall regard to God by meanes of vvhich she may be as truly effectually vnited to God though not according to sense in the midst of these troubles as in her greatest sensible vnions 23. A soule that vvill be thus vigilant industrious may assure herselfe that God vvho layes this Office on her doth it not for her harme but for her greater good to giue her occasion of exercising seuerall vertues vvhich othervvise she vvould haue vvanted at least the perfection of them as likevvise for the triall of her fidelity to him amidst vvhatsoeuer encombrances tentations Novv by meanes of these vertues she vvill make a great progresse in spirit at least for as much as concernes solide Charity if not for light of contemplation And retaining a loue to Prayer practising it as vvell as she can she vvill come to be in so good a disposition that vvhen she thall returne to her former vacancy solitude she vvill make a a vvonderfull progresse in the vvayes of Contemplation Thus she may see that as the Office hath perills in it so vvill God proportionably increase his grace assistance 24. For vvant of this care vigilance ouer their interiour it is to be feared there be many in Religious Conuents that fruitlesly spend their liues in Employments in some sort beneficiall to others but of little proffit yea perhaps very preiudiciall to themselues as some that read Lessons of Philosophy or Diuinity yea euen many that passe their vvhole time almost in spirituall Employments as preaching hearing Confessions giuing Spirituall Directions c for these vvorkes being performed not in vertue of Spirituall Praier consequently not proceeding from the Diuine spirit but the spirit of corrupt nature vvhich is the source of all actions performed in a state of Distraction Gods spirit seldome giues a blessing to them CHAP. V. § 1. 2. How Internall liuers ought to behaue themselues in time of Sicknes The benefits of Sicknes to such only § 3. 4. c The great danger of soules vnprouided for sicknes especially of Tepide soules in a Religious state § 9. 10. 11. How Sicknes is to be accepted § 12. 13. Of a certaine great tentation in Sicknes § 14. A sicke person is Gods prisoner § 15. Spirituall exercises by no meanes to be neglected in sicknes § 16. How Mortification is then to be practised in Internall Tentations § 17. 18. Particularly how Feare of death vncertainty of what followes is to be mortified § 19. 20. c. It is for our good to be ignorant of our future state § 26. 27. Of tentations to Infidelity despaire c A Story out of Cardinall Bellarmine § 28. 29. c How Mortification about sensuall pleasures is then to be exercised 34 c Sollicitude about health misbecomes Religious Persons § 37. In sicknes paines wee are best sensible of our Lords suffrings § 38. Aduices to those that attend on the sicke § 39. 40. A sicke Persons cheife care must be not to neglect Internall Prayer § 46. Prayer is the vniuersall remedy against all tentations afflictions c. § 48. A soule shall be iudged according to her state in sicknes 1. THE second state before mentioned that requires a more then ordinary care and prouision as seeming lesse proper for internall exercises is the state of Sicknes The vvhich though it doe exact a greater sollicitude vigilance as being a disposition to a condition ireuersible yet in it selfe it is a more secure state then that of externall Employments In as much as those are such as are apt to dravv our affections from God to sensuall obiects vvheras in Sicknes all things doe rather driue a soule to seeke adhere vnto God since all other comforts doe faile her and all pleasures become distastfull to her Moreouer in Sicknes there are continuall occasions of high Resignations and far lesse sollicitudes about temporall matters for the cheife busines of a sicke Person is forbearing holding of patience In a vvord it is rather a Not-doing then doing 2. Now since it concernes a soule most deeply to be vvell-disposed in sicknes My purpose is to giue some generall Aduices to soules already practised in internall vvayes they shall be such as cheifly haue a reference to Prayer Mortification The vvhich Aduices notvvithstanding our sicke person ought only so far to make vse of as he finds them proper for his spirit case 3. It vvas not vvithout iust reason that an Ancient holy man said that a Religious spirituall life is a continuall meditation of death because the principall end of all our exercises is to prepare our selues against the day of our great account to the end wee may giue it with ioy not with feare 4. If when sicknes is come a soule be to learne hovv she ought to behaue herselfe it vvill goe hard vvith her by reason that then such a soule vvill be in great blindnes of vnderstanding and deadnes of will All her thoughts and care vvill be employed in seeking to auoyd paine to passe away the tedious time and to recouer And if any good thoughts come into her mind it is Feare that principally raises them Hence it is that a serious conuersion is seldome giuen in sicknes vvhen Passions doe svvell immortifications come thick vpon one another And a soule that in health hath neglected God despised the meanes of Conuersion cannot vvith any reason or confidence expect an extraordinary or miraculous Grace to vvorke a sudden cordiall Conuersion If that one 's vvhole life spent in painfull mortifications serious recollections be but euen little enough to conquer the peruersenes of our vvills the glevvynes of our Affections adhering to sensuall obiects vvhat may be expected from a fevv interrupted inefficacious Prayers or purposes in sicknes suggested meerly by feare vpon the approches of death Iudgment vvhilst there still remaines in the heart a secret loue to those sinfull delights that must novv be forsaken Vpon vvhich grounds S. Hierome hath a terrible saying That among those that deferre their Conuersion till their death scarce one of a hundred thousand are saued 5. And I beleiue the case of such a soule in Religion is more perillous because hauing enioyed so great helpes to a holy life she has vvith so vnpardonable an ingratitude neglected them Wheras a secular person being touched in sicknes may resolue to secke those meanes of abstraction of life a
is to be admitted for that purpose for as S. Bernard sayes As man was not made for the woman but the woman for man so spirituall Exercises were not made for corporaâ—l but Corporall for spirituall 34. Notvvithstanding there is beyond this a perfection to be recommended to the Imitation of such internall liuers vvhose grace feruour haue rendred them in a capacity of aspiring to it the vvhich the same S. Bernard hath both by his Instructions admirable Example deliuered Hippocrates saith he doth teach to saue liues in this world but Christ his Apostles doe teach to loose liues he that will saue his life shall loose it Now which of these two Maisters doâ— yee chuse to follow Truly that religious man plainly shewes whom he chuses for his Maister who saith This meate is ill for the eyes that for the head the other for the stomacke c Novv such nicenes as this the holy Father so earnestly protests against as allmost to deny the vse of Physicke to be lavvfull The only proper medicinall remedy for Religious Persons being Abstinence Yea it is obserued that he purposely made choyce of vnvvholesome places to build his Monasteries in as being desirous that his Religious should rather be infirme then robustious 35. Hovveuer in the choyce vse of diet or Phisick euery one must follovv that Diuine light of discretion vvhich God giues them allvvaies auoyding superfluities sometimes contenting themselues vvith the vvant euen of necessaries They must account themselues obliged to continue the practise of the same Internall duties though after another manner increasing the mortification of the vvill vvhich is a mortification far more pure perfect though they be forced to allovv a little more to the body their minds are to be set vpon the benefits vvhich sicknes brings vvith it to vse all endeauours to possesse themselues of them Considering 1. That they haue a continuall occasion of exercising Patience resignation the greatest blessings that a soule is capable of 2. That they haue opportunity for more free pure lesse distracted Recollections so that their Prayer mortifications doe inseparably attend one another 3. In a vvord they are now in such a state by vvhich the greatest Saints haue more surely more speedily aduanced themselues to perfection then by many yeares voluntary externall corporall labours austerities 36. Thaulerus hath a saying That the condition of the dearest most perfect seruants of God is to haue their soules full of the Diuine loue their bodies full of paines And that when they feele no paines nor other afflictions they greatly apprehend least God haue forgotten them but their comfort returnes when God visits ihem with any corporall or worldly affliction Then they euen feele that it stands well with them for then they are in a state that of all other doth best dispose for the Diuine vnion 37. The suffrings of our Lord are neuer is perfectly vnderstood by reading or meditating as vvhen deuout soules themselues tast of the like then they see and comfortably tast his loue to them If their paines be supportable they doe inuite them to vnite themselues to God by expresse Acts of Resignation But if they be so excessiue that they become incapable of making expresse formall Prayers then the very suffring of those paines vvith patience peace of mind is a most sublime and efficacious Prayer Then is the proper season for those Gemitus inenarrabiles those grones which cannot be vttered vvhich as S. Paul saith the holy Spirit suggests to suffring humble deuout soules 38. And here by the vvay I vvould recommend to those Charitable persons that doe attend on the sicke a care to behaue themselues as becomes them in those mortifications that attend such an Office that they vvould beare vvith the passionate humours of their Patients not iudge them for small excesses That they would freely charitably administer vvhat shall be requisite to their present state being assured that God vvill neuer be vvaÌ„ting to those that haue left all for him novv depend only vpon him he vvill rather enrich them more for their charity then suffer them to be endammaged by it It may be it is for the sicke Patients sake that the healthfull enioy a comfortable subsistence Let them herein imitate the tendernes of our holy Father to the sicke his care likevvise to admonish their Attendants of their duty in the 36. chapter of his Rule 39. But aboue all things a deuout soule ought to iudge that God hath sent her the most proffitable triall of sicknes not to the end to discharge her of her dayly Recollections but rather that she may pursue them after a more efficacious manner Probably she vvill not be able to obserue exactly her former appoynted times of Prayer as also through disturbance of humours spirits she vvill find great Distractions yet if lifting vp her spirit as vvell as she can she offer both her paines distractions to God vvithall if in times out of Prayer she be vvatchfull ouer herselfe not to giue vvay either to the inordinate Appetites or impatiences of nature but to be in a continuall state of Resignation she vvill haue little reason to complaine of the imperfections of her Prayer 40. A soule can haue no excuse for neglecting this most necessary duty of Prayer the times of vvhich may more securely be obserued in sicknes then in health For vvho vvould trouble or interrupt such an one against his vvill or vvho vvould not permit him to be alone or to rest vvhensoeuer he has no mind to continue Conuersation Hovveuer if the deuout soule should stand in need she may ought to vse all lavvfull foresight industry excuses sleights that may be to preuent the being hindred or interrupted 41. Novv because Pâ—ysicke inwardly taken does much encomber the stomacke indispose for Prayer Therfore I vvould aduise the sicke Person 1. Not to be forward to seeke or accept of all Receipts that freinds visitants are apt to prescribe 2. When he is to take Physicke vvhether in the morning or euening so to order his times as not to take it till he haue performed his appoynted Recollection 3. Not to receiue Physick no nor repasts ofter or more then shall be necessary not too much neglecting the body but yet being carefull rather to attend to the necessities of the spirit Let our Patient therfore stoutly resist the inuitations tendernesses of freinds that are apt to vrge him to eate more or oftner then shall be needfull And vvhatsoeuer he shall receiue let him take it in the name of God for his sake neither vvith auidity if it be pleasing to nature nor vvith murmuring if displeasing 42 It vvill be exceeding difficult during paine or any great Infirmity to vse Discoursiue Meditation The exercise of Acts of the will much more of Aspirations is a far more proper Prayer in such a case Therfore
it is good euen for those vvho are not yet fully ripe for the exercise of Acts so as to make them their constant Exercise yet to vse them sometimes in time of health to the end that if they be ouertaken vvith sicknes they may not be to seeke for their exercise 43. Among Expresse voluntary Acts the exercise of totall Resignation is the most perfect generally the most proffitable yet a soule in Sicknes if she find herselfe indisposed for such acts may content herselfe vvith Acts of an Inferiour nature yea vvith deuotions to any particular Saints to her Angell Guardian specially to our Blessed Lady 44. Those that are only infirme languishing are for as muâ—h as concernes the nature of their Prayer in a case little different from that they vvere in during health Those vvhose suffrings are from outvvard paine meerely vvithout sicknes may happen to haue their Prayer altered to the better by meanes of such Paines the vvhich themselues may proue a very proffitable Prayer if the patient vvith quietnes submission to the Diuine vvill doe offer such paines continually to God 45. But as for Sicknesses more inward they doe more indispose the patient to Prayer Besides the great distractions that come from Physick blood-letting dyet c So that none can prescribe any certaine Aduices The vvell-meaning soule therfore must vvith a moderate Attention may herselfe obserue all circumstances accordingly for the manner practise both mortification Prayer She vvill easily discerne at vvhat times hovv long in vvhat manner she ought to pray as likevvise vvherein she is to mortify herselfe how far she may yeild to the desires necessities of nature The truth is the cases not only of seuerall persons in seuerall sicknesses but euen of the same person in the same sicknes are so vvoÌ„derfully various that it is impossible to fit Aduices for all All that an Instructour can say to the purpose is That prayer mortification are absolutely necessary to a soule as well in sicknes as health But for the speciall manner matter her ovvne iudgment discretion but especially the Spirit of God must teach her doubtles vvill if she attend to his holy Inspirations 46. I said before that the vniuersall Remedy against all inward Tentations vvas Actuall Prayer conuersion of the soule to God The vvhich remedy is good for all soules in vvhat state soeuer But more proper for such as practise Internall Contemplatiue exercises vvho are not novv in a disposition to inuent motiues arguments to contradict such tentations but most necessary for the fearfull scrupulous Notvvithstanding I vvould not oblige all imperfecter soules vpon euery thought of a tentation to recurre allvvayes to their prayer but only vvhen necessity a iust feare of being ouercome shall require it Othervvise being in no such feare they may content themselues vvith some intermitted Eleuations of their minds to God deferring their prayer till their next appoynted Recollection For it vvould be too great a burthen imposed on such soules as vvithout some difficulty cannot enter into serious introuersion to bind them hereto vpon euery assault of an Invvard tentation vvhen a moderate care not to yeild to the tentation vvill suffise 47. God seldome sends great sicknesses to spirituall Persons in the beginning of their course before they haue gotten a reasonable habitude of Prayer to make good vse thereof least thereby they should become disabled to pray But after such an habitude gotten if sicknes come it vvill aduance their Prayer as their bodily strength decayes their Prayer proportionably vvill grow more easy profound spirituall But it is to be doubted that the Prayer of Meditation vvill be little bettered by sicknes 48. I vvill conclude this Point of Sicknes vvith proposing one speciall consideration vvhich ought to induce soules to be carefull that they doe not deliberately turne Sicknes into a liberty of sense or spirit by omitting or neglecting Prayer mortification it is this In all sicknes there is at least some degree of perill of being taken out of this life The vvhich euent if it should happen to a soule whilst she continues in such a tepide negligent state God vvill assuredly iudge her according to her present state in vvhich death finds her Yea she vvill be in danger to loose the fruit that she might expect from all her former good purposes Resolutions or at least to suspect that such purposes vvere not sincere cordiall since now the proper time of putting them in execution being come they are ineffectuâ—l And aboue all other the case of Scrupulous soules vvould be miserable if they should neglect to combat their scrupulosities by a simple obedience transcending of their feares On the contrary it is certaine that a soule cannot possibly hâ—ue a firmer ground of assurance of eternall happines then a sanctified vse of sicknes CHAP. VI. § 1. Internall Exercises weaken the body yet oft prolong life § 2. 3. 4. The body ought to suffer for the good of the spirit not the spirit for the body § 5. Yet with Discretion that the body be not vnnecessarily preiudiced § 6. 7. c. In the first place Discretion is to be vsed about mortification both by Superiours others § 13. 14. c Secondly discretion is to be vsed in sensible deuotion § 17. Thirdly in Meditation § 18. 19. 20. Fourthly in the exercise of Immediate Acts. § 21. 22. Fifthly euen in Aspirations § 23. Of languishing Loue mentioned by Harphius 1. INTERNALL Prayer seriously prosecuted as it deserues to be being contrary to our naturall inclinations cannot chuse but cause some trouble vneasines to nature abate the vigorousnes of the body quenching those spirits drayning those humours vvhich are superfluous afford matter of tentations Yet on the other side it makes amends euen to nature it selfe in contributing much to the prolonging of life by meanes of moderation of Dyet a composednes of Passions contentation of mind c vvhich it causeth Proofes vvhereof vvee haue in the Ancient holy Fathers of the desert more lately in S. Romualdus vvho liued till he vvas a hundred tvventy yeares old S. Dauid of Wales till a hundred forty c 2. Hovveuer if it vvere othervvise the soule is not to serue the body but the body the soule so that if one of them must for the benefit of the other be a looser it is most iust that the losse should lye on the bodies side And surely since there is scarce any study or exercise of mind vvhich does not abridge life or debilitate the functions of it vvithout making any amends to the soule for the future life yet for all that men neither are discouraged nor doe thinke it fit for such considerations to forbeare such studies much lesse certainly ought spirituall Diuine exercises be laid aside vpon such pretences 3. Notvvithstanding iust it is that some
vpon her diuert her attention frō God vvhich can scarce be vvhilst she is vigilant to expell all images vvhatsoeuer that may cause her to breake her internall silence she can easily recouer the said Silent attention by renevving if need be a short expresse Act of Faith of the Diuine Presence c. 8. In this Attention to God she is far from expecting any extraordinary Illuminations fauours or Visits of vvhich she accounts herselfe vtterly vnvvorthy 9. Lastly she has no suspicion or feare least such a respectfull Silence should be meere Idlenes or cessation for she knovves it to be the effect of loue and respect And since an intellectuall soule is all Actiuity so that it cannot continue a moment wi hout some desires the soule then reiecting all desires tovvards created Obiects she cannot chuse but tend inwardly in her affections to God for vvhich end only she put herselfe in such a posture of Prayer Her tendance then being much like that of the mounting of an Eagle after a precedent vigorous springing motion and extension of her vvings the vvhich ceasing in vertue thereof the flight is continued for a good space vvith a great svviftnes but vvithall vvith great stillnes quietnes ease vvithout any vvauing of the vvings at all or the least force vsed in any member being in as much ease stillnes as if she vvere reposing in her nest 10. This seemes to mee to be in summe the fashion of that Internall Prayer of Silence recommended by Roias The vvhich vvithout any variation he would haue exercised daily morning euening allowing to each recollection about an houre 11. Now the aduantages that he not vvithout grounds of reason attributes to it are 1. That it causes far more profound Recollections then any other kind of sett internall Prayer Because a soule hauing either by a short Discourse or exercise of Faith oblation c. found him vvho is the center of her repose she then leaues all the roomes and appartements of sense both externall and internall voyd empty passes forvvard to those of the Spirit vvhich are pure cleare and secure 2. It doth extremely abate the Actiuity both of th imagination passions neither of which doth it suffer to stir at all 3. God is most perfectly contemplated in it being apprehended simply and truly by Faith in the Superiour spirit For as long as there are discourses in the vnderstanding images permitted to rest in the Fancy sensible motions of tendernes in the heart there God is not perfectly entirely the obiect of such operations In Spiritu non in commotione Dominus saith the Prophet Elias God is not in the rushing wind he is not in the stirrings of Passions or of the imagination But in sibilo aurae tenuis he is in the silent whisper of a soft ayre And saith Dauid Factus est in pace locus eius His place of abode is in the cleare peacefull Regions of the Spirit 4. Moreouer by this exercise wee come to the most perfect operation of selfe-annihilation by vvhich both our selues and all creatures are so transcended and forgotten as if they vvere not at all Neither can the deuill find vvhere to fasten a tentation Wee present to God the temple of our soules empty to the end he alone may possesse it vvhich he vvill not faile to doe and vvithall most richly adorne it making it fit for such a Guest 12. To these benefits may be added this vvhich is a great one and fruitfull in many blessings to vvit that in this Exercise all Diuine Vertues are in a very sublime manner exercised viz. 1. Faith by vvhich the soule quitting all discourse and doubting beleiues euen perceiues the diuine presence by vvhich she conquers the world exalting herselfe so much aboue all created things that they are out of her sight 2. Hope because the soule placing herselfe before God in the posture of a beggar confidently expects that he vvill impart to her both the knowledge of his vvill and ability to fullfill it 3. Loue because the soule resolutely affects nothing but correspondence to the diuine Loue. 4. Resignation since the soule forgets all priuate interests has nothing at all to aske neither repose nor busines but only vvhatsoeuer God would haue her to enioy doe or suffer 5. Patience because herein the soule must expect to suffer many Aridities Desolations Obscurities encombrances of thoughts tentations and other internall Afflictions vvhence it is that Thaulerus giues vnto an exercise much resembling this the name of the afflicting exercise 6. Purity For the soule is hereby separated from all adhesion to creatures being vnited to God only 7. Mortification of which here is the very Quintessence for when the soule acts in Spirit only them the flesh becomes insipide without tast saith S. Gregory The flesh vvith all its desires is here slaine as it vvere and buried out of the vvay The eyes see nothing pleasing to sense the eares heare nothing the tongue is silent a curtaine is drawne before all images representations in the Memory The will is separated from all created things neither vvilling nor nilling any of them but permitting God to vvill for her 8. Obedience for the vnderstanding contracts and abases the vvings of all discourses and disputes against any thing that God commands 9. Humility in the most perfect Degree because the soule therein and therby is euen reduced to nothing 10. In a word here is Adoration Sacrifice Deuotion all graces vnited together where creatures are excluded God vvith all his Perfections is alone exposed to all the faculties of the soule to be contemplated by the mind embraced by the vvill and to be the sole obiect of all her operations Here is Abstraction in Perfection And as Phaulerus saith all vertues are learnt in learning Abstraction 13. This is an Exercise fit for all sorts almost all dispositions of soules Learning is but a small furtherance neither needs it be any hindrance to it It excludes no other kind of Prayer exercise or deuotion for any kind of Prayer may be vsed as a preparation to find God in the spirit And that being once done the soule is to chase avvay all obiects that are not God that she may be vnited to him alone Knowing him most perfectly by ignorance approching to him by resting and forbearing all motion and conuersing with him most comfortably and proffitably by Silence By this holy Idlenes in pure Recollectiue Prayer the soule attaines to a cleare and most comfortable Experience of that vvhich is obscurely apprehended by faith cannot be knovvn by discourse This is that Mors Angelorum death of Angells that S. Bernard desired by vertue of vvhich they regard not neither liue in themselues as the Apostate Angells did but in God only God in them There is no other Act of the vnderstanding exercised in this but that only vvhich is the most perfect to vvit simple intelligence vvhich is
only in an imperfect state bur also in an immediate disposition to a sinfull Defect by reason that where God doth not wholly possesse the soule the very Images of creatures cannot but more or lesse defile her Hovv comfortable therfore how only secure is a life of Prayer 18. Those that are vnexperienced may and often doe call this a state of Idlenes and vnproffitable cessation as Martha complained against her Sister Mary But those that haue attained to a tast of it know it to be the Busines of all Businesses as S. Bernard calls it True it is they doe not without a speciall and certaine Inspiration from God interesse themselues in externall businesses nor perhaps employ much of their time and Deuotions in expresse Prayers for common necessities yet those vnexpressible Deuotions vvhich they Exercise in vvhich they tacitely inuolue the needs of the vvhole Church are far more preualent vvith God then the busy endeauours Prayers of ten thousand others A fevv such secret vnknovvn seruants of God are the Chariots horsemen the strength and bulvvarkes of the Kingdomes Churches vvhere they liue 19. I knovv that some Mysticke Authours doe constitute seuerall distinct states follovving Actiue Contemplation As Barbanson makes mention of the state of the Diuine Presence in the soule after that of the manifestation of God to the Spirit c and in all these great variety of ascents descents c Likevvise F. Ben. Canfield in his last most perfect state of the Essentiall supereminent Will of God makes mention of seuerall distinct Exercises as Denudation an Actiue Passiue Annihilation c These Authours perhaps spoke according to the Experience of the Diuine Operations in their ovvne soules vvith regard to their particular manner of Prayer Therfore I conceiue that vvhat they deliuer needs not to be esteemed a common measure for all Neither vvill I deny but that there may be distinct States some of vvhich I vvill mention as the great Desolation c. But it vvill be to no purpose subtilly to search into them Those happy soules vvhom God shall so highly fauour as to bring them to the Mount of Vision and Contemplation vvill haue no need of light from any but God to conduct them in those hidden Diuine Pathes And the vnexperienced vvill reape but little proffit from such curious enquiries 20. I vvill therfore content my selfe vvith deliuering in a generall manner 1. The nature of the Praier proper to the state of Actiue Contemplation 2. And from thence I vvill proceede to treate modestly concerning Passiue Vnion the seuerall kinds of it 3. To which I will adde a breife discourse of that Great Desolation vvhich vsually followes the said Vnion 4. And then I will conclude the vvhole Booke vvith a very short Description of the state of Perfection CHAP. II § 1. 2. Of the Prayer proper to the state of Centemplation to wit Aspirations and wâ—y they are so called § 3. Examples of Aspirations § 4. â— c. Agreement difference betweene Aspirations and other internall Acts. § 11. 12. c. How a soule becomes ripe for Aspirations passes to them § 16. 17. Aspirations may be exercised in externall busines and why § 18. 19. Great variety of Aspirations to wit with or without words c. § 23. 24. c. The great Benefit and fruits of Aspirations 1. INTERNALL Prayer proper to the State of Actiue Contemplation consists of certaine most purely spirituall operations of the Will longing thirsting after God an Vnion with him in the supreme point of the spirit vvhere his most proper dvvelling is 2. These Perfect Operations are by Spirituall Authours seuerally named as Eleuations Inward stirrings of the spirit Aspirations c Wee vvill in the follovving Discourse make vse for the most part of this last terme of Aspirations as most proper in a generall notion to expresse the sayd Operations For 1. by them the soule in a Holy ambition doth aspire to rayse eleuate herselfe out of inferiour Nature to mount to the Apicem spiritus vvhich is Gods throne 2. By them the soule being inflamed vvith Diuine Loue doth breath forth her ardent affections to God as the Heart forces the lungs to send forth that aire vvhich they had formerly sucked in that they may dravv in fresher aire to refrigerate it so that in both there is a quick reciprocall motion of emptying filling of rising falling For after euery Aspiration there is a short descent then a mounting higher then before 3. Because as our outward breathing is an action as it vvere purely naturall performed vvithout any labour at all or so much as election So a soule rooted in Charity breathes forth these pure Aspirations vvithout any force vsed vpon herselfe they flovving from her freely both as to the matter and manner of them in a sort naturally 4. Because as the motions made in Breathing doe not hinder but rather aduance all other motions operations so may Aspirations be exercised during other ordinary Employments vvithout any preiudice to either or vvithout any considerable distraction Except they be such Businesses that doe require a speciall fixed attention of the mind vvith serious study Novv in such Employments if they be imposed by necessity or Obedience the soule ought to quit her Aspirations And so doing she vvill gaine as much by her Obedience as she vvould by Prayer 3. Novv these Aspirations are certaine short liuely affections of the soule by vvhich she expresses a thirsty longing after God such as these are My God when shall I loue thee alone When shall I be vnited to thee Whom haue I in heauen or earth but thee alone O that thou wouldst liue raigne alone in my soule O my God thou alone suffisest mee Doest not thou know O my God that I loue thee only Let mee be nothing be thou all O my God O loue O loue O infinite vniuersall Good When shall I come appeare before the face of thee O my God! Let mee loue thee only that is sufficient When shall I dye that my God alone may liue in mee c. 4. Novv the same Affections such as these that are vsed in the Prayer of Aspirations may also be vsed for as much as concernes the expression and sense of them in the exercise of immediate Acts and euen in Meditation it selfe But yet the manner by vvhich the soule produces the sayd Affections are in many respects different in Perfect Imperfect soules and the sayd Aspirations are of a quite different nature from other forced immediate Acts of the Will 5. For first such feruorous Affections tending directly immediately to God are the entire matter in the Exercise of Aspirations Wheras in immediate Acts they are only novv then interlaced But the ordinary matter of such Acts is the doing or forbearing any thing for God as in Acts of Resignation c. 6.
Worke Reade hearken to a lesson recited say or heare Masse Communicate c neither is there any negligence or irreuerence committed by so doing For by no operation so much as by Aspirations doth a soule enioy a sublime and perfect Vnion in Spirit vvith God vvhich is the end of all Exercises and duties And this is the meaning of that saying of Mysticks In God nothing is neglected Yea some of them doe affirme that there may be soules so Perfect that euen amidst the noyses and disorders of a Campe they may vvithout neglecting their present duty there most efficaciously exercise themselues in Aspirations to God 17. Novv the reason vvhy Aspirations are lesse hindred by externall businesses then are Meditation or Immediate Acts is because in Aspirations the vnderstanding is scarce at all employed therfore may vvell enough attend to other businesses And moreouer the Will abounding euen ouerflovving vvith Diuine Loue vvill not find herselfe interressed in Affection consequently not distracted by such employments 18. There is great variety in the manner of producing Aspirations For first some are purely mentall being certaine indeliberate quick Eleuations and springings vp of the spirit to God-vvard as sparkles of fire flying from a burning coale vvhich is the expression of the Authour of the Clowd of vnknowing And of these some are more grosse Imaginatiue especially in beginners therfore not difficult to be expressed Others in more perfect soules that are come to a higher degree of spirituall Abstraction grovv more subtile Intellectuall in so much as oftimes the person himselfe cannot expresse vvhat passed in his spirit vvhich vvas indeed nothing but a blind almost imperceptible Eleuation of the Will exercised in the summity of the Spirit as it happens oftimes in the Great Desolation Novv this grovvth of Immateriality in Aspirations is not easily perceptible though it be reall certaine as vvee knovv that Corne growes though vvee cannot perceiue its grovving And indeed it is no great matter vvhether vvee obserue such degrees or no Yea the Examination thereof vvere better neglected 19. Againe others Aspirations are moreouer externally expressed by the tongue And in such expressions sometimes there is a proper sense and meaning as Deus meus omnia vvhich was S. Francis his Aspiration or Nouerim te nouerim me vvhich vvas S. Augustins And in these sometimes a soule doth abide a good space iterating againe and againe the same Aspiration sometimes she doth vary Alwayes proceding according to her interiour impulse from Gods Holy Spirit Other Aspirations haue no sense at all as vvere those practised by Br. Massaeus a Disciple of S. Francis vvho vvhen he vvas full of interiour affection could vsually cry out nothing but V.V.V. Such vnusuall Aspirations as these doe shew a great Excesse of interiour feruour vvhich bursting out forces the soule not able to containe it selfe nor yet to find out vvords by vvhich to expresse her Affection to povvre forth it selfe after such an vnsignificant manner 20. Moreouer Aspirations forcible Eleuations of the Will there are vvhich are signified not by the tongue but by some extraordinary Action of the Body as Clapping of hands leaping c To this purpose vvee haue an Example of another Disciple of S. Francis called Br. Bernard vvho out of an invvard boyling feruour vvas forced to runne ouer mountaines rocky places being agitated vvith a kind of holy frenzy In such cases as these teares are very rare Gods holy spirit not vsually mouing thereto because they vvould then flovv vnmeasurably to the great preiudice of corporall health 21. Novv such actions motions though they may be yeilded to sometimes vvhen one is alone yet in company they are to be suppressed To vvhich purpose Blosius giues this good instruction out of Thaulerus That albeit these things be good as flovving from a Diuine principle yet they are not the things principally to be commended For these vnions of the spirit vvith God to which corporall nature concurres are not to be equalled to that most Perfect vnion vvhich some soules doe experience in pure spirit And therfore it is obseruable that such violent agitations doe chiefly befall such soules as haue had their Exercise much in sensible Deuotion as women deuout ignorant men And on the same grounds such are more disposed to Rapts Extasies c. 22. Lastly to these seuerall Expressions of Aspirations may be added that of saying the Diuine Office or other Vocall Prayers aspiratiuely vvhich is a far greater proofe of sublime Contemplation then any of these vnusuall motions c This vvas the Contemplation of many of the Ancient Hermits is no doubt of some in these dayes As a certaine spirituall Writer sayes of himselfe that being in the constant Exercise of Aspirations vsing dayly two Recollections consisting of them on a time he found himselfe inuited to produce them vocally And thereupon he tooke in hand the saying of our Ladies Office chusing that because he could say it perfectly vvithout-Booke He repeated it nine or ten times a day vvith a perfect attention of spirit The vvhich mentall attention or operation vvas in effect but Aspirations taking the vvord as here vvee doe in a large sense And so for a fevv dayes as long as that inuitation and Enablement lasted he vsed no other internall Exercise finding great benefit by this But that inuitation ceasing he found himselfe againe obliged to returne to mere Mentall Aspirations 23. I vvill conclude this Point vvith setting down some of the great and inestimable Benefits that accrew to soules by this sublime Exercise As first in regard of the interiour senses and sensitiue faculties the Dominion that the Superiour soule has ouer them is novv become very great For in as much as it is God that helpeth moueth and directeth soules in their operations during this Exercise of Aspirations the Heart also being estranged from the loue of creatures and replenished vvith Diuine Loue distractiue thoughts Images of creatures either doe not presse into the mind or if they doe yet they passe no farther then into the Imagination Or if the Vnderstanding doe sometimes busy it selfe vvith them yet they doe scarce or not at all touch or affect the Will the vvhich is not by such extrauagant Thoughts interrupted or diuerted in her pursuit of Aspirations and blind Eleuations Wheras in immediate forced Acts greater force is to be vsed against such distractions vvhich doe not only busy the Vnderstanding but likewise more or lesse vvithdravv the Will from God 24. Secondly in regard of sensible Deuotion though the deuill may haue great influence vpon it in Meditation or euen sometimes in immediate affections and Acts seeking therby to seduce soules to Extrauagances and a Spirituall gluttony It is othervvise in the Exercise of Aspirations vvhich are so much eleuated aboue the Imagination and sensitiue nature that here he has no aduantage giuen him for such Deceits And if during that sensible Deuotion
splendour seene in the eyes and Countenances of Gods Saints betokening an invvard Purity likevvise Eleuation of the body ability to walke on the water or to passe through dores whilst they are shut and other such like resembling the qualities of Glorified Bodies Novv though the deuill can counterfeit these yet they are seldome giuen by God but he vvithall giues an assurance that they are from him 5. A second sort of sensible Graces more sublime then the former are such as are by God commucated to the Internall senses especially the Imagination in fusing supernaturall Images into it by vvhich God sometimes makes knovvn his vvill either immediately or by the disposition of Angells so as the persons vvill perceiue vvords imaginatiuely spoken or thinke they see an Angell or Saints as if such vvords had indeed bene spoken and those obiects represented really to the outvvard senses For such is the nature of the Imagination that it can after its manner exercise all the functions of the outvvard senses 6. Of such supernaturall Inactions of God vpon the soule by meanes of the internall Senses the most notable effects are Rapts or Extasies likevvise internall Visions and Apparitions the vvhich goe together sometimes and sometimes are separated 7. Novv a Rapture or Extasie is an Eleuation of the soule caused by God by vvhich the person is bereaued of the vse of the outvvard senses by reason that the soule in her Internall OperatioÌ„s cleaues vvholly to supernaturall things the Imagination is enuironned vvith lights visions c. And all this is done to the end that the person may internally knovv see vvhat is Gods pleasure to reueile vnto him for the good either of himselfe or any other 8. My purpose is not to treate nicely of these matters for vvhich the Reader is referd to Ioannes a Iesu-Maria a Discalced Carmelite vvho treats of them vvith great exactnes I vvill content my selfe vvith insisting 1. On the wayes of discerning true Visions Raptures c from false 2. And affording Instructions hovv a soule ought to behaue herselfe about them 9. Novv for a preparation to the follovving Rules of discerning I vvill lay these Grounds 1. That the Deuill cannot immediately operate either on the vnderstanding or vvill but only by imprinting nevv or disposing the Images already in the fancy or by mouing the sensitiue Appetite 2. By consequence if the lights imprinted in the vnderstanding by meanes of Rapts Visions c. doe direct to reall good as to the Loue of God Humiliâ—y c that the vvill entertaines these good Affections â—â—aâ— soule may prudently and rationally ascribe the cause to God 10. The Rules of discerning deliuered by both antient and moderne holy Authours are these vvhich follovv The First When the vvill is moued vvithout the ordinary precedent Action of the vnderstanding or Imagination and also in the same instant a certaine nevv light is communicated to the mind a Soule may be confident that it comes from the Diuine Spirit 11. The second Rule Good obseruation is to be made vvhether the Persons be Christianly disposed not much svvayed by Curiosity or Pride not addicted to Melancholy c Whether by such Fauours they be not inuited to say or doe some thing contrary to Catholick Truth Peace Obedience Honesty Puriâ—y Humility c And accordingly Soules are to iudge from vvhat principles they flovv 12. The third Rule Diuine Spirituall Vnions Visions c. are ordinarily of short continuance 13. The fourth Rule Apparitions of good Spirits although in the beginning they cause a trembling and amazement yet in the end the soule receiues courage and comfort finds herselfe illuminated inflamed vvith Deuotion and in great Peace Wheras vvhen the Deuill grovvs familiar vvith any though he appeare in neuer so fearfull and horrible shapes the Persons are not affrighted and he leaues them as he found them 14. The fifth Rule It is ordinarily the marke of a good Spirit 1. When he effectually shevvs that his Povver accompanies his Will as vvhen vpon his saying Feare not the Person presently becomes quiet 2. When his vvords are cleare intelligible and so delighfull that the soule doth diligently obserue and remember the pronunciation of euery vvord and syllable 3. When the Person thinks himselfe obliged to attend to vvhat is said 4. When the soule conceiues much more by those holy and Diuine vvords then in themselues they signify 5. When there remaines in the Soule an assurance that what is said shall certainly be effected c. All these are signes of a good Spirit saith S. Teresa 15. The sixth Rule The receiuing of any extraordinary outvvard fauours or Gifts as Roses Rings Iewells c. is much to be suspected vnlesse such things happen to soules of a long continued Sanctity and that they be rather miraculously reueyled after their Death then diuulged during their life The like iudgment is to be made of outvvard Characters imprinted on Bodies as the Name of IESVS Marks of our Lords Wounds c. 16. The seauenth Rule When Soules after the practise of long and seuere Austerities come to enioy much Peace and contentment both externall and internall especially if such Fauours be ouer-much in sense and not greatly relishing of the Spirit or if they be neuer so little vndecent c It is much to be feared that the deuill has a great influence vpon such a change And therfore such Persons ought to perseuere in feare and Pennance not trusting vpon their good vvorkes past but humbly beseeching God to preserue them from the Enemies Illusions 17. The eighth Rule Extasies that doe not produce considerable proffit either to the persons themselues or others deserue to be suspected and vvhen any marks of their approaching are perceiued the persons ought to diuert their minds some other way 18. The ninth Rule The appearance of obiects hovv beautifull and Celestiall soeuer ought not suddenly to be vvell-com'd nor affection to be placed vpon them For the Deuill hath bene permitted to take on him the shape euen of our Blessed Lord himselfe And if in such Visitations the persons feele any impure motions or fall into vndecent postures c. vvhatsoeuer reluctance they make against them they ought to iudge that they proceede from an ill Principle Yet if a soule being surprised vvith any seemingly glorious false apparition should either afford veneration or vnfitting Affection therto she ought not to be much deiected for vvhat is past since the Errour committed vvas only materiall 19. The tenth Rule It is very suspicious to see a Soule that is very young in a spirituall Course or that is not of extraordinary Purity to fall into Rapts c. For great Mortification vvith Prayer is requisite to make a soule ripe for the Diuine inaction 20. The eleauenth Rule It is no proofe at all of the vvant of Grace and Charity in Persons to be troubled vvith Diabolicall Apparitions c if therby there be vvrought in them no other ill effects besides
Molestation and Affliction Yea in that case it may reasonably be iudged that they are strongly assisted vvith Gods Holq Spirit since they ouercome so great tentations of the Euill Spirit 21. The twelfth and last Rule It cannot proceede from a Good Spirit vvhen Soules visited vvith Reuelations c shall obstinatly beleiue them to be of God after they haue bene condemned by experienced Superiours and Directours Vnlesse the persons be able to yeild most conuincing Proofes therof and moreouer shall seriously professe that God together vvith the secrets reueyled hath imprinted in their Soules this assurance and beleife also Certaine it is that Obedience is a most secure Remedy against all possible inconueniences and can doe no harme in no cases This is that that S. Teresa seriously enioynes and most constantly practised herselfe and this in very strange circumstances vvhen the Confessarius condemning her vvas both vnlearned impertinent c. But vvithall Spirituall Directours ought not to be rash in their proceedings nor to iudge till after a long experience and knovvledge of the invvard dispositions of the Persons and a due vveighing of the nature of the Reuelations discouered to them It is likevvise requisite that those that take vpon them to iudge of these things be themselues deuout exercised in Prayer and in good state towards God to the end they may from him receiue Light to direct others 22. In the next place as touching the manner hovv a Soule after the receiuing of such Supernaturall fauours is to behaue herselfe The principall care that she ought to haue is that she doe not beare a deliberate and fixed loue to such things vvhich is due to God only And consequently that she doe not either expressly or implicitely pray to God to haue such Visions Reuelations c. Or in case that God vvithout her Prayers hath sent them that she doe not vsually vvithout necessity talke of such matters or loue to heare others talke of them for these are signes of an vndue affection to them 23. B. Iohn de Cruce saith that vvhen God doth after an extraordinary manner make known vnto humble soules his vvill that they should take in hand some great Employment by meanes vvhereof they may likely gaine a great Esteeme of Excellency and probably vvill be in danger to conceiue some extraordinary vvorth to be in themselues for vvhich they are so highly fauoured by God vvhich conceit the Deuill vvill not fayle to cherish and encrease He doth ofentimes rather encrease then diminish the feare and repugnance that they had formerly to such things causing in them a desire and readines much rather to the vndergoing of some vile or base Offices Thus he dealt vvith Moyses vvhen he sent him to Pharao and thus vvith Ieremy c. But it happens quite contrary vvhen the bidding is from the Deuill counterfeyting priuily a Diuine Mission for he vvith his Commissions causeth a forvvardnes in soules to take vpon them Employments of Excellency or othervvise gratefull to Nature as also a great auersion from those that either suspect or vvould dissvvade them from such vndertakings 24. A Soule therfore is by serious consideration to raise and encrease in herselfe an apprehension and auersion from such matters saying vvith S. Peter Exi a me c. Goe from mee O Lord for I am a sinfull man And by exercising so proffitable a mortification she vvill secure herselfe from all perills and render herselfe very acceptable to God Serious Instructions to a disappropriation and mortifying our loue to such things are to be found in Scala Perfectionis Angela de Fulginio and particularly in the Booke called Interiour Abnegaâ—ion there is this passage To God it belongeth to giue rare and Excellent Gifts and to the Soule it belongeth to refuse them It is suitable to the Diuine Goodnes to approach vnto a Soule and the Soules duty is in humility to draw back as S. Peter did It belongs to God to eleuate the Soule and her duty is to humble and abase herselfe For as our Nature in euery thing and vpon euery occasion desireth a proper Excellency and Sublimity yea euen in things holy and appertaining to God so our Spirit illuminated by Grace which is Superiour to our Nature ought incessantly in all things and occasions to seeke to be depriued of all Excellency except in Essentiall vertues and to embrace all pouerty and lownes euen in Sacred things that so she be not lesse carefull and resolute to ouercome herselfe then Nature is to seeke herselfe Thus there must be a continuall contestation betwene God and the humble Soule c. And especially those Soules that are most inclind forward to embrace these high and gratefull things must necessarily make such resistance not yeilding till pure necessity forces them and till God take from them all power to withdraw themselues and to refuse the Excellences of that Grace whereunto he at the same time so continually and powerfully vrgeth and draweth them Instructions to the same purpose vvee find in Auilas Epistles 25. This vvas the practise of the holy Virgin Coleta vvho vvhen God offred to reueyle vnto her diuers Secrets ansvvered Lord God it suffiseth mee only to know thee and the sins in which I haue offended thee and to obtaine thy pardon for them But most notable in this regard is the Example of Suso vvhen God commanded him to publish to all Estates in the vvorld the Pope Bishops Abbots c. their vices and Enormities represented to him in the Vision of the Nine Rocks He out of that habituall feare and humility that vvas in him did so resist the executing such a Charge that till he vvas adiured and commanded in the Name of the Holy Trinity and and so forced to it euen against his vvill he had neuer yeilded And then also he submitted himselfe vvith much bevvayling his misery expressing his feare of the danger of Pride and therefore humbly begging that his Name might be conceiled from the vvorld and lastly protesting his Desire and loue to be directed to nothing but only to God himselfe His resistance indeed vvas so obstinate that God told him that if he had not knovvn that it proceeded from true but indiscreet Humility he vvould presently haue cast him into Hell for it 26. Those therfore that are fauoured vvith extraordinary Graces if they did duly consider their state and danger vvould find little ground to exalt themselues or to despise others that are in a more lovv but vvithall far more secure vvay 27. Novv for the preuenting and auoyding the great danger of ill vsing such Fauours and Diuine Graces to the feeding of selfe loue and Pride Spirituall Authours doe seriously enioyne such Persons so visited by God not to trust their ovvne Iudgments or to determine vvhether they come from God or not and much lesse to put in practise any thing of consequence vpon such Reuelations but to refer themselues to the Iudgment and Aduice of others 28. And herein great
care is to be had to chuse pious and discreet Directours because too many there are that vvill too readily and suddenly resolue such matters to come from none but God and vvill thereupon desire such persons to intercede for them and to begge some particular Fauours of the like nature c. Novv vpon such indiscreet behauiour in those that should be Directours such Persons vvill begin to thinke that God loues to treate vvith them and vvill interpret the things declared vnto them according to their ovvne Gust and Humours And if things shall fall out othervvise then they imagined they will fall into Melancholick suspicions and great danger of the Deuills snares 29. The best Course that a Confessarius in this case can take is if there be any rationall Grounds of probability that such Visions c. doe not come from God to exhort and enioyne the Persons to auoyd and despise them Yea and if after long and serious examination it should seeme almost euident to him that God is the Authour of them yet ought he so to behaue himselfe both in vvords and Actions as to deterre the soule from adhering to them vvith Affection rather inclining her to a suspicion and feare or hovveuer to an indifferency about them vvith an aspect of loue to God himselfe only vvho is aboue all his Gifts and ought to be the only Obiect of our loue And thus if the Confessarius behaue himselfe he may be sure that he vvill preuent all harme to ensue and he shall performe a Seruice very acceptable to God 30. Certainly the danger is far lesse to be too difficult in beleiuing and esteeming such things then to be neuer so little too credulous and inclind to admire them For it were better that good ones should be oftē suspected thē that an ill one should be once beleiued And therfore wee doe find that our Blessed Lord appearing to S. Teresa did neither take it ill from her nor from her Directour vvhen by his order she did spitt at him and defye him so appearing to her but he only informed her hovv she should giue conuincing proofes that it vvas no Illusion 31. B. Iohn de Cruce giues very good Aduices touching this point Exhorting soules as the surest vvay that in case they cannot meete vvith a prudent and experienced Confessarius they should not speake one vvord concerning such Graces but to passe them ouer and to make no account of them And hovveuer by no meanes of their ovvne heads to proceede to the executing of any thing signifyed after such an vnusuall manner 32. And though it should happen that the Soule being so disposed as to make no great estimation of such things vvhich vvill be a great security from danger by them shall therfore thinke it to no purpose to consult vvith a prudent Directour about such trifles Or if on the other side such Reuelations seeme vnto her so absolutely cleare and vnquestionable that there is no need at all to aske any ones iudgment about them Yet saith the same Authour it vvill be necessary that she discouer them to her Spirituall Maister 33. And the reasons are 1. Because ordinarily such is Gods order and disposition to the end that by such an humble submission of herselfe a nevv light and Grace may be communicated to her 2. To the end that vpon such an occasion she may be put in mind to restraine her Affections from such things and be established in true Nakednes and Pouerty of Spirit For vvhich End the Confessarius ought not to insist vpon the Excellency of such Fauours but passing ouer them sleightly to encourage the Soule rather to value and tend to a perfect Actiue Vnion by Charity and pure Prayer 3. That by such an occasion offred the soule may conquer that naturall vnwillingnes vvhich is in some to discouer vvhat things passe vvithin them And vvith such soules the Confessarius is to deale mildly not affrighting or scandalizing them nor disheartning them from dealing freely That by this meanes such Visions Extasies c. may produce in them that effect vvhich probably God intended namely by them to call Soules to a nearer and more perfect Actiue Vnion by Loue Wherof one perfect act framed by the Will is of more vvorth and more gratefull to God then all the Visions and Reuelations of all things that passe in Heauen and Earth can be And certaine it is that many soules vvhich are neuer visited vvith any such Fauours are yet far more aduanced in Spirit and more neare to God then are some others vvho frequently enioy such extraordinary Fauours 34. Whatsoeuer it be that is suggested in such a Reuelation vvhether it concerne Knovvledge or Practise though in it selfe it be of neuer so small moment yet vvithout Aduice a soule ought neither to assent to it nor execute it For vvhatsoeuer the thing it selfe be yet considering the cause meanes by vvhich it comes vvhich is supposed to be supernaturall it becomes of great importance Yea the meere conuersation familiarity vvith an intellectuall Spirit is a matter of great consequence And as being vvith a good Spirit it is likely to be occasion of much Good So being vvith a bad Spirit as it may vvell be supposed to be till the contrary be euident it vvill probably cause very much harme 35. A soule being to consult vvith others about such matters ought to take heed that she fall not into impertinences but as Aluarez de Paz aduiseth let her humbly breifly clearly manifest so much of these extraordinary matters to her Directour as may be sufficient to enable him to iudge And if he doe not much value them let her simply hold on her course and securely proceede in her ordinary exercises of Deuotion 36. If some eminently Perfect Soules haue followed their ovvne light in iudging of these things and practising accordingly vvithout consulting others This ought not to preiudice the foregoing Aduices vvhich are indeed for Soules lesse experienced and Perfect and such as in S. Pauls Phrase haue not their senses exercised in the discerning of Good and Euill in matters of this nature 37. In such cases likevvise all soules are not so absolutly obliged to resigne their iudgements and wills to others as utterly to neglect their ovvne proper Call receiued from God For to a vvell-minded soule that vvalkes and deales simply and plainly vvith God and labours diligently to keepe her Affections free from all created things aspiring to an indifference vvhether she haue or vvants them yea out of humility and a pious feare rather desires to vvant such extraordinary visitations Such a Soule doubtlesse vvill be so guided and illuminated by Gods holy Spirit as she vvill perfectly knovv vvhat to doe forbeare and vvhether vvhen and of vvhom to aske Counsell Let therfore such a soule carefully obserue her Internall Direction And this is the Aduice of B. Iohn de Cruce 38. From these precedent Aduices it may appeare hovv differently a soule ought
depressions an extraordinary consolation is vsually attended by succeeding anguish Desertion So aboue all other times this so supereminent so comfortable a Diuine Visitation is commonly follovved by a most terrible vnexpected Desolation A Desolation so vnsupportable to soules vnprouided or vnaware of it that many not enabled or not vvell instructed how to behaue themselues in it haue lost all heart to prosecute Internall vvayes so bereauing themselues of the benefit of all their former exercises Diuine Passiue Inactions haue returned to a Common extrouerted life 2. The vvhich truly is a misery so great and so deplorable that to preuent the like in others I conceiue requisite to giue warning of it and by a breife description of the nature and manner of such a Desolation together vvith the good ends for vvhich God permits yea in a sort conducts soules into it to encourage them to beare themselues in it vvith Patience Resignation tranquillity of mind I shall be breife in this Point remitting the Readers for a farther Explication of it to Barbançon as likewise to that excellent Treatise called Interiour Abnegation 3. From the foresaid sublime familiarities therfore and communications betwene God his chosen soules he conducts them vsually especially after the first Passiue Vnion to another far different state of pure suffrance But this is not a happy suffring as formerly from God but a vvofull suffring from the soule herselfe For God for some time retiring himselfe from her permits her to feele her naturall infirmity And this he does by degrees least if the extremity and bitternes of this state did at once seise vpon her she should be vtterly oppressed by the Tentation Therfore vvhen by many inferiour Trialls of her Patience and Resignation he sees her strong courageously resolued to follovv him vvhithersoeuer he shall leade her then he puts her to this last of all other greatest Triall 4. For first he not onely vvithdravves all comfortable obseruable infusions of Light Grace but also depriues her of a povver to Exercise any perceptible operations of her Superiour Spirit of all comfortable reflexions vpon his loue plunging her into the depth of her Inferiour Powers Here consequently her former calmenes of Passions is quite lost neither can she interouert herselfe sinfull motions suggestions doe violently assault her she finds as great difficulty if not greater to surmount them then at the beginning of a spirituall Course The feeling of all this is intolerable to her and thervpon she begins to suspect that by some great vnknovvn sin she has procured all this or hovveuer that her resistance is now so feeble and inefficacious that she deserues that God should quite cast herof She finds the corrupt inclinations of her nature so strong in her that she thinks she is nothing but Nature the rebelliousnes vvhereof its rage against God is vnexpressible She is novv as full of Images of Vanities as euer she had bene formerly and it seemes to her that she has far lesse povver to expell them then vvhen she liued in the vvorld If she vvould eleuate her Spirit she sees nothing but Clovvds darknesse She seekes God and cannot find the least markes or footsteps of his Presence Something there is that hinders her from executing the sinfull suggestions vvithin her but vvhat that is she knovves not for to her thinking she has no Spirit at all And indeed she is now in a Region of all other most distant from Spirit and spirituall operations I meane such as are perceptible Her Prayers recollections are most greiuous vnto her because infinitely difficult by reason that sense and nature vvhich most abhorrs them is novv almost only Actiue and operatiue in her And the Recollections vvhich she endeauours to make are not only insipide but as it seemes to her vtterly inefficacious so that she oft suspects that it vvere better perhaps if she vvere quite extrouerted Yet for all that she dares not altogether quitt her endeauours to practise Recollections but yet she knovvs not vvhy 5. Now if all these disorders continued only for some short time she might vvithout extreme difficulty practise Patience as she did in her former Aridities and desolations But alas this most afflicting Martyrdome oftentimes continues many monthes yea in some persons seuerall yeares not alvvaies in extremity but vvith some intercisions so that the soule comes in a manner to loose all Patience She often complaines in her Prayers to God for deserting her that vvould faine not desert him yet vvhen she makes such Prayers to her seeming her Spirit vvill not ioyne If she had nothing to doe but meerly to suffer it vvere not so much But she knovves it is her duty to vvorke and to raise herselfe vp by Prayer and this she cannot doe She stands in need novv of as grosse operations to cause an Introuersion as euer and yet those grosse operations haue not so good an effect as in her former imperfect state 6. Moreouer the Tentations vvhich she novv suffers are both so violent and her resistance so feeble They are vvithall so vnexpected so secret and subtile that notvvithstanding any information that she formerly had by Reading or othervvayes touching such a condition of suffring to be expected yet vvhen it comes she vvill scarce be persvvaded that this can be possibly a vvay to Perfection or conducing to her good All her former light and instructions vvill scarce at all diminish her resentment of her deplorable condition She looses nothing of her former Light for soules arriued to this state are not to seeke or to learne how and in vvhat manner they are to exercise themselues interiourly they study no more for that then one vvould doe hovv he may see vvith his eyes or heare vvith his eares hauing the Perfect vse of his senses But vvhen she is to practise according to this light she has no satisfaction at all If she haue any difficulties or obscurities it is hovv she is to comport herselfe in externall matters euen this obscurity is but very small But hovveuer she thinks that all the light she has serues to little purpose finding that notvvithstanding it she vvorkes as if she had no light at all In a vvord she novv sees her ovvne naturall misery so perfectly yea and can see nothing but it that she cannot see hovv God can comfort her if he vvould 7. All this shevves that notvvithstanding all her precedent Exercises yea that during the foregoing Diuine Inactions yet many dreggs of corrupt nature did remaine in her they vvere only hid but not extinguished This therfore vvas the onely forcible Expedient left to destroy in a manner all the sinfull inclinations of nature in her Indeed to naturall reason this seemes a strange and most improper Remedy to destroy nature by suspending the Influences and operations of Grace and by suffring nature to breake forth violently vvithout any controule and restraint all sensible light in the
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
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