in all the good actiōs vvee doe or good thoughts vvee enterteine vvee so doe thinke in vertue only of a precedent concomitant illumination of our vnderstanding inclining of our will both vvhich are immediatly caused by God Reason likevvise experience tell vs that vvhilst vaine or sinfull distracting images or inordinate Passions clovvd the mind Gods illuminations are either vnperceiued or neglected by vs his motions ineffectuall If euer therfore the soule be in a fit disposition to receiue those blessed effects of Gods holy spirit if euer God vvill make good his so serious frequent promises it is then vvhen by a profound Recollection an humble soule vvithdravves all her affections from herselfe all other creatures yea endeuours to expell all the images of them transcending all created things raising herselfe according to her power to a strict vnion vvith him and withall powres forth her desire to be informed in his vvill only intending therby his Glory the encrease of his Diuine Loue. 3. Novv though imperfect soules not being able as yet to driue avvay distracting images to still all vnruly Passions are forced to content themselues vvith their naturall light in many matters of lesse importance so that a great part of their ordinary Actions doe not at all contribute to their aduancemēt in spirit Yet perfecter soules walke almost continually in a supernaturall light perceiuing resisting the subtle insinuations of selfe loue not suffring themselues hastily to be pushed forvvards to Actions before they haue consulted their Internall Guide much lesse contrary to his directions 4. Most securely therfore may vvee yea vvith all confidence ought vvee to yeild ourselues to be disposed of by God to follovv him in any vvaies that he vvill leade vs both for the exteriour interiour through light Darknesse through bitter svveet And vvhat doubt can there be of erring hauing such a Guide vvhich allvvaies leads the soule through the Paths of Mortification renunciation of selfe vvill although sometimes some speciall vvaies may to our or others naturall iudgements seeme strange perhaps impertinent 5. The grounds of vvhich duty the security attending it are these 1. Because vvee through the ignorance of our interiour complexion temper of soule as likevvise of our present vvants incomprehensible to humane knovvledge gott by sence can neither knovv the speciall vvayes either of Prayer or Mortification proper to vs nor can vvee be assured that others doe sufficiētly knovv them Wheras of Gods Omniscience and equally infinite Goodnesse none can doubt 2. Because the end vvherto vvee aspire being supernaturall consequently the vvayes leading therunto the light directing in those vvayes must likevvise be supernaturall 3. Because if vve knevv the most proper most direct vvayes leading to Contemplation Diuine Vnion yet they being most contrary to our naturall inclinations vvithout a Diuine impulse vvee vvould not chuse the fittest that is those vvhich are the most opposite to our nature 6. Yet vvee are to consider that there are degrees of security according to the seuerall manners by vvhich God cōmunicates vnto vs his inspirations For 1. Though in Sensible deuotion the good thoughts affections giuen vs are in themselues according to their substance the effects of Gods Spirit ought vvith all security to be complyed vvithall yet vvith discretion so as that out of a gluttonous pleasure conceiued by thē vvee doe not yeild vnto them so far as therby to vveaken our heads or preiudice our healths notvvithstanding the Resolutions of vndertaking any practises for the future groūded on such sensible Deuotion are to be mistrusted as hauing in them more of nature selfe-loue vvanting sincerity of Resignation Besides that the senses being principall vvorkers the reason is rather obscured then illuminated therby yea by Gods permission the deuill may haue some influence in such Deuotion subsequent resolutions 2. Of the like vncertaine nature may the seeming Inspirations or lights be vvhich are gotten by the vvorking of the Imagination discourse vpon the matter eyther in Prayer or our of it the person therupon concluding this or that side to be more likely to be Gods vvill 3. But if vvithout such vvorking of the Imagination or if after it the soule in Recollected Prayer made vvith Resignation submission of her naturall iudgment renouncing all Interests of nature comes as it vvere vnexpectedly to haue one part of the Question presented to her mind as truth as Gods vvill God then giuing a Clarity to the reason to see that vvhich it savv not before or othervvise then it savv it or if the soule do finde a blind reasonles motion in the vvill to one side of the matter In such cases the soule may most securely confidently iudge it to be a Diuine Inspiration motion being vvrought vvithout any trouble in the exercise of the Imagination senses or Passions 7. Let not a soule therfore be discouraged from committing herselfe to Gods Internall direction though it should happen that those vvho passe for the most spirituall persons that are most forvvard to vsurpe the conducting of soules to Perfection vvhilst themselues know no further then the exercises of the Imagination should declame against it out of an apprehension that it vvould be a disparagement to them if God should be acknovvledged the principall Guide they should accuse the doctrine here deliuered as phantasticall vnsafe pretending to Enthusiasmes No vvonder it is if such being strangers to the Contemplatiue vvayes of the spirit should be ignorant of these secret Paths by vvhich God leads soules to Perfection in the vvhich none can tread or at least make any considerable progresse till quitting a seruile dependance on externall teachers they rely only vpon the Diuine Guidance And for this propose deuout soules are seriously oft to be exhorted to keepe themselues in a disposition of as much Abstraction both externall internall as may be to the end they may be enabled to heare discerne the Diuine Voyce to the directions of vvhich if they vvill in practise faithfully correspond God vvill be vvanting to them in nothing 8. And for a further security that there can scarse happen any considerable danger to a soule proceeding this vvay for knovving the Diuine Will though shee should sometimes mistake in the thing it selfe Both shee also the Opposers of this Doctrine are to consider that as hath formerly bene sayd the only matters that are here supposed to be proposed for a Resolution are must be of the nature of those things which of themselues and in the generall are indifferent but yet vvhich being vvell chosen may vvill aduance the soule for in no other things but such can there be any doubt And surely if vve be capable of knovving Gods vvill in such things as vvho can question it certainly the proceeding thus vvith indifference Resignation vvithout
abounding 3. But as for Spirituall Bookes the Intention of an Internall liuer ought not to be such as is that of those vvho liue extrouerted liues vvho read them out of a vaine curiosity or to be therby enabled to discourse of such sublime matters vvithout any particular choyce or consideration vvhether they be suitable to their spirit for practise or no. A Contemplatiue soule in Reading such bookes must not say This is a good booke or passage But moreouer This is vsefull proper for mee by Gods grace I will indeauour to put in execution in due time place the good instructions conteined in it as far as they are good for mee 4. For such soules the bookes most proper are these follovving Scala perfectionis vvritten by F. Walter Hilton The Clowd of vnknowing vvritten by an vnknovvne Authour The secret Paths of Diuine loue as likevvise the Anatomie of the soule vvritten by R. F. Constant in Barbanson a Capucin The Booke entitled Of the threefold will of God vvritten by R.F. Benet Fitch alià s Ganfield a Capucin likevvise The vvorks of S. Teresa of B. Iohn de Cruce likevvise Harphius Thaulerus Suso Rusbrochius Richardus de S. Victore Gerson c. And of the Ancients the Liues of the Ancient Fathers liuing in the Deserts Cassian his Conferences of certaine Ancient Hermites recommended particularly vnto vs by our Holy Father S. Basiles Rules c. Then for soules that tend to perfection in an Actiue life Bookes most proper are The vvorkes of Rodriguez of perfection The duke of Gandy Of good workes Mons de Sales Ludouicus de Puente c. And lastly bookes of a mixed nature are Granatensis Blosius c. Indeed fevv spirituall bookes there are vvherin there is not an intermingling of such Instructions Novv I should aduise soules in an Actiue life not at all to meddle vvith Instructions belonging to Contemplation but applying themselues to the precepts exercises of an Actiue life to vse them in Order to the end therof the Perfection of externall Christian Charity 5. In all spirituall bookes as likevvise in all that treate of Christian morality such Instructions as concerne the essentiall Qualities Practise of vertues are to be esteemed proper to all soules yet not so the motiues manner circumstances of exercising the said vertues 6. In reading of spirituall bookes if any thing touching prayer c occurre as oftimes it vvill happen that the spirituall disciple vnderstaÌ„ds not let him passe it ouer neither vnnecessarily trouble his ovvne braines nor make it a busines to trouble others about the vnderstanding of it Perhaps in time after more reading especially more experience in prayer he vvill come to vnderstand it 7. And as for those things vvhich he either does indeed or thinks he vnderstands them let him not be hasty to apply them to himselfe by practise out of his ovvne naturall iudgment or liking but let him obserue his ovvne spirit vvay internall guidance by God accordingly make vse of them Othervvise instead of reaping benefit such inconueniences may happen that it vvould haue bene better he had neuer read nor bene able to read any bookes at all but only to haue follovved his owne Internall light as many good soules haue done that neuer could read yet seeking God in simplicity of their hearts praying vvithout any prescribed methods practising likevvise according to the inuitation impulse of the Diuine spirit haue atteined to Perfect Contemplation 8. Generally Mystick Authours vvrite according to their ovvne experience in their ovvne soules vvhen they treate of the seuerall degrees of Prayer the seuerall manners of diuine operations in soules in such degrees as if the same Instructions vvould serue indefinitly for all others Wheras such is the in explicable variety of internall dispositions that the same course order in all things vvill scarse serue any tvvo soules Therefore if the indiscreet Readers vvithout considering their ovvne spirits enablements shall vpon the Authority of any booke either tarry too long in an Inferiour degree of Prayer vvhen God has fitted them does call them to a higher or in a foolish Ambition shall being vnprepared presume to a degree of prayer too sublime spirituall for them there vvill be no end of difficulties doubts consultations 9. But of all errours the greatest most dangerous is the indiscreet imitating the examples practises of Saints in particular extraordinary corporall mortifications voluntarily yet by Gods speciall Direction assumed by them as labours fastings watchings disciplines c for such a forvvardnes in others not called therto to be extraordinary likevvise it is much to be feared proceedes merely from Pride selfe-loue vvill produce no better effects then the nourishing of the same inordinate affections And if such haue not the courage patience as it cannot be expected they should haue to perseuere in such exercises this vvill cause Infirmity of body deâ—ection of mind vvearines if not an vtter casting of a spirituall course 10. The benefit that vve ought easily may reape from the reading of such extraordinary practises of others is to admire Gods vvaies in the conducting of his Saints to take occasion from thence of humbling despising of our selues seeing hovv short vve come of them in the practise of their vertues But no further to imitate them in such things then vve may be assured that God directs vs by a supernaturall light enables vs by an extraordinary Grace yea moreouer till vve haue obteined the leaue approbation of a prudent Directour Till this be let vs supply vvith a good vvill vvhat our forces vvill not reach vnto And aboue all things vvee must take heed that vve doe not entangle our selues by laying obligations or vowes vpon our soules about such matters the vvhich vve shall haue difficulty to discharge our selues from vvhen by triall vve find the inconuenience 11. Mystick Writers in expressing the spirituall vvay in vvhich they haue bene lead doe oft seeme to differ extreamly from one another The vvhich difference notvvithstanding if rightly vnderstood is merely in the phrase manner of expression And the ground herof is because the pure immateriall Operations of perfect soules in prayer especially the operations of God in soules in vvhich they are patients only are so sublime that intelligible vvords phrases cannot perfectly expresse them therfore they are forced to inuent nevv vvords the best they can or to borrovv similitudes from corporall things c. to make their conceptions more intelligible thus does each one according to the manner that he finds or conceiues in himselfe or according to his skill in language No vvonder therfore if there seeme to be diuersity among them Hervpon the Authour of the Clowd obserues That great harme may come by vnderstanding things litterally grossely sensibly vvhich hovvsoeuer they be expressed vvere intended ought to be vnderstood spiritually 12. Some good
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
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
the Exercise of Diuine Loue vvhich is most perfectly performed in Internall Prayer in Attention to and Vnion with God in Spirit What an Expert persvvading Subtile Maister Loue is beyond Study or Consideration vvee see euen in Naturall and Secular businesses One that is immersed in Sensuall Loue to any person has no neede of Instructions or Bookes to teach him the Art of Louing wee see hovv skillfull on the sudden such an one becomes in the vvayes hovv to please the person beloued Hee looses not neither out of ignorance nor negligence the least opportunity to ingratiate himselfe He vnderstands the mind and intention of the other by the least signes The Motion of a hand the cast of an eye is sufficient to informe him and set him on vvorke to attempt any thing or procure any thing that may content the party The like subtilty and perspicacy vvee may see in those Earthy soules vvhich cleaue vvith an earnest affection vnto Riches What subtile vvaies doe they find out to encrease their wealth Such trifling inconsiderable things they make vse of for that purpose as another vvould not take notice of or could not see hovv to make proffit by them They haue almost a Propheticall Spirit to foresee dangers vvhere none are and aduantages probable or possible to happen many yeares after 17. Now how comes it to passe that the Eyes of Loue are so quicke-sighted Surely by this That vvhere Loue to any particular Obiect is predominant it subdues all other Affections to all other Obiects vvhich vvould distract the thoughts and seduce the vvill from contemplating and adhering to the thing so beloued 18. Vpon such grounds therefore as these it is that S. Augustin calls Diuine Loue Luminosissimam Charitatem most full of Light and most enlightning For a soule that truly loues God vvith a Loue worthy of him hauing the Mind cleared from all strange Images and the Will purified from all strange Affections is therby enabled purely to Contemplate God vvithout any distraction at all And being desirous in all things to please him knovves hovv to make aduantage of all occurrences Light and Darknes Consolations and Desolations Paines and Pleasures all these contribute to the aduancing of this Loue. Yea there is nothing so indifferent or in its ovvne nature so inconsiderable but that such a soule can perceiue hovv vse may be made of it to please God thereby 19. Novv since Pure Loue is exercised immediatly to God only in Pure Praier by vvhich alone the Spirit is vnited to him Hence it is that Praier is the only efficacious Instrument to obtaine Supernaturall Light according the saying of Dauid Accedite ad Deum illuminamini Approach vnto God by Praier and yee shall be enlightned And hence also it is that the same Holy Prophet so earnestly and frequently aboue tvventy times in one Psalme 118. praies for such light to vnderstand and discouer the vvonderfull things of Gods Law And vvhat vvere those wonderfull things Surely not to be informed that Murder or Adultery vvere Sins or generally that God vvas to be loued vvith the vvhole soule For much more knovvledge he had then this before he praied But being desirous to giue himselfe vvholly to God and to performe his vvill alone in all things he so oft makes vse of Praier for the obtaining an extraordinary Light to be had no other vvaies but by Praier that he might thereby be enabled to discouer and find out the Diuine Will in all manner of cases and doubtfull circumstances 20. Novv only such Inspirations and such Illuminations as these doe Spirituall Persons pretend to by the meane of Praier and attending to God And if they doe exercise Praier vvith a due feruour and constancy these they shall most certainly enioy and that in such a measure that vvheras the greatest part of ordinary good Christians are so dimme-sighted as to see the Diuine Will only in circumstances vvhere there is a necessary obligation so that they spend the far greatest part of their liues in Actions that doe no vvay aduance them in Diuine Loue being vvrought cheifly in Vertue of the Principle of selfe-Loue and interests of nature Those that are perfectly internall liuers being clovvded by no vaine Images and distracted by no inferiour Affections doe see the Diuine Will clearely in the minutest affaires vvhich they accordingly make aduantage by to improue themselues in the Loue of God And according to the degrees of Loue so proportionably are the degrees of Light And thus I suppose the pretended Inconueniences suspected to flovv from the publishing of this doctrine vvill appeare to be only pretended and causelesly feared 21. But the other Obiection at the first sight seemes more considerable as implying a far greater and more certaine Inconuenience and danger that may ensue vpon the publishing of this Doctrine concerning Diuine Inspirations Illuminations and Calls For thus they argue It is to be feared that the fanatick Sectaries which now swarme in England more then euer will be ready to take aduantage from hence to iustify all their frenzies and disorders all which they impute with all confidence to Diuine Inspirations Illuminations and Impulses For can wee forbid them to practise what wee our selues teach to be a Christian Duty And yet it is apparent what fearfull and execrable effects the practise of this pretended Duty doth produce among them It was by Inspiration say they that their Progenitours did breake out of the Church and by Inspiration they doe still introduce endlessely new Fancies and practises It is by Inspiration that they endanger the ruine of Christianity it selfe by infinite Schismes and pestilent Reformations It is by Inspiration that they employ the Gospell to destroy the Gospell from thence preaching Heresies in Churches and Chambers Sedition in States Rebellion against Princes and Prelates So destroying all Order Vnity and Peace euery where These things considered what can be more reasonable then that wee should take heed how wee furnish them thus with armes to maintaine themselues and to fight against God his Church 22. This is the Obiection Which though it haue a fearfull shevv yet being vvell examined it vvill proue no lesse vveakely grounded then the former For the demonstrating therfore of the inconsequence of it I vvill by vvay of Preparation lay dovvne these follovving vndenyable Principles breifly mentioned before viz. 23. First That Diuine Inspirations are so absolutely necessary in Precepts for the auoiding of sin and in Counsells for the gaining of Perfection that vvithout them no Action of ours can be good or meritorious Yea the Dutyes of Obligation vvhich vvee performe or Counsells of Perfection freely obeyed by vs are only so far acceptable to God as they proceede from his Inspirations and motions of his Holy Spirit This is not only an vndoubted verity but one of the most fundamentall Verities of Christian Religion vvhich attributes all good in vs to the Diuine Grace And what is Grace but the Diuine inspiration of
vvhich I haue not found any yet to ioyne vvith him But hovveuer he shevves in his Bookâ— stiled La Vie interieure that he had a true Notion of the Prayer of Mystick Vnion And that being so he may freely enioy the contentment of the former supposition 46. Besides these there may possibly be other passages that thou also Deuout Reader if thou hadst had the perusall before the Impression vvouldst perhaps haue giuen vs occasion to explaine or interpret more at large If it prooue so all vvee can doe is to referre them to thine ovvne candour and Charity promising vpon a re-impression all satisfaction possible and in the meane time requesting that our ovvne good meaning and the iudgment of our Superiours and Approuers may be our Safe-guard Only one Suite vvee make vnto thee most reasonable and iust vvhich is That thou wouldst not proceede to the censure of any passage till thou hast read the whole Booke The same Points and matters doe occasionally come in in seuerall places and it vvould haue bene too great a tiring of thee to repeate in euery place all the circumstances and phrases necessary for explanation or preuention of suspicions and Obiections If it be for thine owne good principally that thou art a Reader vvee shall stand in little neede of preparing thee vvith Apologies And if it be for our hurt that thou art a Reader vvee thanke God vvee are not guilty of the least ill designe to make vs feare except only in thy behalfe All that vvee haue to say is God almighty make thee vvhoseuer thou art a practiser of the good that thou vvilt certainly find in the follovving Treatises and then vvee shall haue no cause to apprehend either for thee or our selues 47. Thus truly for ought appeares to mee Deuout Reader thou mayst freely and vvithout the least apprehension of any danger peruse and make thy best benefit of these follovving Instructions The vvhich moreouer as thou seest haue passed the Censure and deserued the Approbations of seuerall pious and learned Persons What euer opinion thou shalt after reading haue of them at least I vvill oblige thee to acknovledge that here in the Treatises that follovv is no manner of couert indirect meaning or designe according to the fashion nevv a dayes to broach any bold newfangled Inuentions and much lesse of maintaining vnduly vvhat shall be duâ—y found fault vvith since they are exposed to the common vievv by one that as he hitherto hath so here he doth and by Gods Grace euer vvill submit himselfe and his Writings to the Authority and iudgment of the Sea Apostolick in the first place and next to all other his Superiours This I professe as is the Duty of an humble Obedient Son of the Church And this if I did not moreouer expressely signify vvith reference to the Doctrines contained in the follovving Treatises I could not auoyde some degree of guilt and imputation of not deliuering candidely and faithfully our Venerable Authours sence vvho in many places protesteth the like submission of all his Writings to all lavvfull Authority vvhatsoeuer Farevvell Deare Reader Oremus inuicens vt saluemur AMEN THE FIRST TREATISE OF AN INTERNALL LIFE IN GENERALL THE FIRST TREATISE AND FIRST SECTION Of a Contemplatiue life in Generall the nature and end therof and generall disposition required therto CAP. I. 1. Cap. § 1. 2. 3. Continuall vnion in spirit with God the end of mans creation practised by Adam in Innocencie § 4. 5. Mans fall miserie through sin § 4. 5. Which is tranâ—fused into vs all his posteritie § 8. 9. The reparation of mankind by Christ § 10. 11. That all Christians are obliged to aspire to perfection in diuine loue by the waies of prayer c. as Adam did 1. IT was only infinite Goodnes that moued Allmighty God to create the world of nothing particularly in this inferiour visible world to create man after his owne Image similitude consisting of a fraile earthlie bodie which is the prison of an immortall intellectuall spirit to the end that by his vnderstanding which is capable of an vnlimited knowledge by his will which cannot be replenished which any obiect of Goodnes lesse then infinite he might so gouerne order himselfe all other visible creatures as thereby to arriue vnto the end for which he was made to wit eternall beatitude both in soule bodie in heauen the which consists in a returning to the diuine principle from whom he flowed an inconceaueibly happy vnion with him both in mind contemplating eternally his infinite Perfections in will affections eternally louing admiring enioying the said perfections 2. Now to the end that man might not except by his owne free willfull choyce of miserie faile from atteining to the only vniuersall end of his creation God was pleased to the naturall vast capacity of mans vnderstanding wâ—ll to adde a supernaturall light illustrating his mind to beleiue know him diuine charitie in the will which was as it were a weight to incline draw the soule with out any defect or interruption to loue God him only So that by a continuall presence of this light an vninterrupted exercise of this loue the soule of man would in time haue atteined to such a measure of perfection of vnion with God in this world as vvith out dying to merit a translation from hence to heauen there eternally to enioy a far more incomprehensibly perfect and beatifying vnion vvith God 3. Hence it appeares that the meanes to happines the end it selfe are essentially the same thing to wit vnion of the spirit with God and differ only in degrees And the vnion which Adam during his state of Innocency did would allwaies haue practised was in a sort perpetuall neuer being interrupted except perhaps in sleepe For louing God only purely for himselfe he had no strange affection to distract him and the Images of creatures which either by his consideration of them or operations about them did adhere to his internall senses did not at all diuert his mind from God because he contemplated them only in order to God or rather he contemplated God alone in them louing seruing him only in all his reflexions on them or workings about them So that creatures and all offices towards them serued as stepps to raise Adam to a more sublime more intime vnion with God the which was both his duty his present happines besides that it was a disposition to his future eternall beatitude 4. But our first parents by a willfull contempt transgression of that one most easy command which God for a tryall of their obedience had imposed on them not only broke the foresaid vnion depriued themselues of the hope of enioying God eternally in the future life But moreouer were vtterly deuested of all supernaturall graces extremely weakened disordered in all their naturall Gifts So that hauing lost that
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
especially for the discouering of the seuerall degrees of praier proper for that state reason requires that since in all Doctrines vvhich tend to practice the end is principally to be regarded as being that vvhich if it can be approued vvorthy the taking paines for vvill giue life and courage in the vse of the meanes conducing therto vvee should treate more precisely of the proper end of a Contemplatiue life The vvhich indeed is of so supreme an excellence and diuine profection aboue any thing that can be designd or sought after in any other Doctrine or Profession that those vvho haue eyes to see it and palates capable of a Spirituall tasting of it vvill thinke no difficulties no tediousnesses no bitternesses or labours too great a price to purchase it 4. It vvas said before that the generall end of mans creation and vvhich ought to be aspired vnto by all christians and much more those vvhose more Speciall professioÌ„ is to tend Perfection vvhether in an actiue or a Contemplatiue state is a perfect constant vnion in spirit to God by loue vvhich is vninterrupted perfect praier But the same end is differently sought attained by actiue and by Contemplatiue spirits For in an actiue life the vnion is not so immediate stable sublime intime of the supreme portion of the spirit vvith God as it is in a Contemplatiue state But as the exercises of the actiue liuers are much in the imaginatiue diâ—coursiue faculties of the soule so is likevvise their vnion The effects indeede of it are more perceptible and therefore more apt to cause admiration in others but vvith all being much in sence it is not so cleare nor so peacefull and by consequenâ—e not so stable nor immediate as is that of Contemplatiues The Charity of actiues is strong and vigorous and the outvvard effects of it dazeling the eyes of the beholders and thereby causing great edification they are vvith all frequently multiplied for strong loue is a Passion that takes pleasure in labours Wheras the deedes of Contemplatiue soules except vvhen God by an extraordinary inspiration calls them to exteriour employments are but fevv and in appearance but small litle regarded or esteemed by others Yet those meane actions of theirs in Gods esteeme may be preferred incomparably before the others as being in a far more perfect degree Supernaturall and Diuine as proceeding from an immediate and most certeine impulse of Gods holy Spirit vvhose conduct light vertue such soules doe far more clearly perceiue and more faithfully constantly follovv euen in their daily and ordinary practises then actiue liuers doe or can in their actions of highest importance Lastly the charity of Contemplatiues though it be lesse stirring buisy yet is far more profoundly rooted in the center of the spirit causing an vnion much more Spirituall Diuine 5. S. Bernard perfectly experienced in the Internall vvaies of a Contemplatiue life vvriting to certein Religious Fathers of the Carthusian Order Professing the same excellently expresses this vnion in these vvords Aliorum est Deo seruire vestrum adhaerere Aliorum est Deo credere scire amare reuereri vestrum est sapere intelligere cognoscere frui that is It is the duty of others that liue actiue liues either in the vvorld or ReligioÌ„ â—o serue God but it is yours to adhere inseparably vnto him It belongs to others to beleiue to knowe to loue to adore God but to you to tast to vnderstand to be familiarly acquainted with and to enioy him 6. Consonantly to this expression of S. Bernard Mystick vvriters doe teach that the proper end of a Contemplatiue life is the atteining vnto an Habituall almost vninterrupted perfect vnion vvith God in the Supreme Point of the spirit and such an vnion as giues the soule a fruitiue possession of him a reall experimentall perception of his Diuine Presence in the depth center of the spirit vvhich is fully possessed and filled vvith him alone not onâ—y all deliberate affections to creatures being excluded but in a manner all Images of them also at least so far as they may be distractiue to the soule 7. The effects of this blessed perceptible Presence of God in perfect soules are vnspeakable diuine For he is in them both as a Principle of all their actions Internall Externall being the life of their life and spirit of their spirits and also as the End of them directing both the actions persons to himselfe only He is all in all things vnto them A light to direct securely all their steps and to order all their vvorkings euen those also vvhich seeme the most indifferent the vvhich by the guidance of Gods holy spirit doe cause a farther aduancement of them to a yet more immediate vnion He is a sheild to protect them in all tentations and dangers an internall force and vigour vvithin them to make them doe suffer all things vvhatsoeuer his pleasure is they should doe or suffer They not only beleiue knovv but euen feele tast him to be the vniuersall Infinite Good By meanes of a continuall conuersation vvith him they are reduced to a blessed state of a perfect denudation of spirit to an absolute internall solitude a Transcendency forgetfullnes of all created things and especially of them selues to an heauenly-mindednes fixed Attention to God only and this euen in the midst of employments to others neuer so distractiue and finally to a gustfull knovvledge of all his infinite perfections and a strict application of their spirits by loue aboue knovvledge ioyn'd vvith a fruition repose in him vvith the vvhole extent of their vvills so that they become after an inexpressible manner Partakers of the Diuine nature yea one spirit one Will one loue vvith him being in a sort deified enioying as much of heauen hereas mortality is capable of 8. To this purpose saih the same S. Bern Amor Dei vel Amor Deus Spiritus Sanctus Amori Hominis se infundens afficit eum sibi amans semetipsum de Homine Deus secum vnum efficit spiritum eius Amorem eius that is the loue of God or loue vvhich is God to vvit the Holy Ghost povvring himselfe into the loue of man inclineth applieth mâ—n by loue vnto himselfe and thus God louing himselfe by man maketh both his spirit loue one vvith himselfe 9. A most blessed state this is certainly being the Portion chosen by Mary vvhich our Lord himselfe calls optimam partem the very best of all diuine graces vvhich God can bestovv in this life and vvhervvith he enriche two in a singular mnaner those his most highly fauoured most tenderly loued freinds S. Iohn the Euangelist and S. Mary Magdalen but in a yet more supereminent degree his ovvne most heauenly Virgin-mother 10. Happy therefore are those soules vpon vvhich God bestovves a desire ambition so glorious as seriously effectually to tend aspire and endeauour
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
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
in Confession 4. Renewing of generall Confessions 5. The Forcing Acts of sensible Contrition 6. Not contenting ones selfe many times vvith vertuall Examinations of conscience 7. Vsing certaine vocall Prayers voluntarily 8. The obliging ones selfe to coustumes ceremonies not of obligation 9. Cōtinuing voluntary Mortifications vvhen the soule finds no benefit by them but rather becomes disheartned deiected 10. Practising vvhat is found in bookes though improper for the spirit 11. Imitating vnvvarily the good practises of others 12. Obliging ones selfe not to quitt the meditating on the Passion 13. Doing things merely for edification 14. Tying ones selfe to nice methods orders a determinate number of succeeding Acts or Affections in Recollection 15. Exercising corporall labours Austerities vvithout due Consideration necessity 16 Adhering to any kind of Internall Exercise vvhen perhaps the soule is inuited enabled to an higher 17. The troubling ones selfe to inquire after or to procure Sermons 18. The obliging ones selfe to a determinate posture in Prayer 19. The voluntary hearing of such a number of Masses 20. Set deuotions or exercises to Saints or Prayers for the dead or liuing 21. Sollicitous or distracting cares to gaine Indulgences by going to such or such Churches 22. Adioyning ones selfe to Confraternities and the seuerall duties belonging to them 23. Iterating the Office in case any thing through inaduertence hath bene omitted 24. Generally fettring ones selfe vvith any practises vvhich are not of obligation 25. And vvhich is vvorst of all intangling the soule by hasty vndiscreete promises vowes made during some fitt of sensible Deuotion or in a Passion of remorse feare c. By these other such practises as these vvhich are supposed not to be of obligation many soules in desire tending to Perfection doe so ouerburden intangle themselues that they either cannot obserue the operations of the Diuine Spirit in them or haue not the liberty to follovv vvhither it vvould dravv them therby remaine in their imperfect state vvithout hope of making any progresse vnlesse they vvill renounce their ovvne preconceiued iudgment preassumed selfe-imposed obligations 11 Hitherto it may suffise to haue spoken of the impediments by vvhich soules are hindred from attending to obeying their Internall Diuine Teacher vvho only knowes what is best for euery one in all circumstances vvill not faile to direct for the very best euery soule that with humility and Resignation hath recourse to him 12. Now such is the nature of the Reasonable soule which is all Actiuity will be continually thinking on louing somewhat that if these impediments caused by impertinent Images of Creatures inordinate affections to them by a voluntary shackling the soule with assumed opinions coustumes vvere once remoued she vvould see clearly vvhat she ought to follovv loue vvhich is God only for creatures being remoued forgotten nothing remaines but God no other light for our vnderstanding nor other obiect for our vvills affections but he only 13. And the generall of all others most efficacious Meane to remoue all these impediments is by Abstractiō Prayer in Spirit to aspire vnto an habituall state of Recollection introuersion For such Prayer besides the vertue of impetration by vvhich God vvill be moued according to his so frequent expresse promises to be a light to the meeke humble It hath also a direct vertue to procure this illumination in as much as therin our soules see him nothing else so that they haue no other Guide to follovv but him And especially in as much as by Prayer in spirit Diuine Charity is most firmly rooted in our hearts vvhich makes thē insensible to all other things that vvould diuert our Attention or Affection And vve see by experience thar Loue of vvhat obiect soeuer it be doth more cleare the mind conferrs in a moment as it vvere more skill to find out the meanes by vvhich the obiect beloued may be obteined then neuer so much study or meditation CAP. VI. § 1. 2. The Gift of the holy Spirit is the Principle of all good Actions in vs. § 3. 4. 5. 6. It doth not worke of it selfe vnlesse excited by Actuall grace our indeauours § 7. By the vsing employment of this Gift there is raised in vs a supernaturall light of Discretion as Prudence is increased by the practise of vertue § 8. How the exercise of loue causes Illumination § 9. 10. Supernaturall light is 1. Actuall 2. Permanent § 11. The effects of supernaturall Discretion § 12. 13. 14. 15. Contemplatiues Actiue liuers both guided by a supernaturall light but differently § 16. How imperfect soules may doe their ordinary dayly actions in light 1. THE third Point before proposed for our consideration in this matter of Internall Inspirations is the manner hovv God communicates his light grace to our vnderstanding vvills for our instruction Directions in the Mystick vvayes of Contemplation 2. Novv for a clearer explication of this poynt vve are to consider that that fundamentall grace vvhich in Scriptures is called Donum spiritus sancti The Gift of the Holy Ghost which is conferred on all in Baptisme being aftervvard by actuall sins smothered or extinguished is renevved by Pennance Prayer c cherished or increased by the vvorthy vse of the holy Eucharist other vertuous practises of a Christian life This Grace I say vvhat euer it be Physically in its ovvne nature if it vvere examined Scholastically vvhich is not my intent is a certaine Diuine Principle or Faculty partaking somevvhat of the nature of a permanent habit infused into the spirit of man by vvhich he is enabled vvhensoeuer the free vvill concurreth actually both for knovving beleiuing practising to doe the vvill of God in all things For the vertue thereof extends it selfe through all the faculties of the soule curing the distempers vvants deordinations that sin had caused in them 3. This nevv Diuine faculty therfore vvhich seemes to be expressed by the Prophet Dauid vvhen he saith signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui Domine That is The light of thy countenance O lord is like a seale stamped on our soules doth not neither is it sufficient of it selfe alone actually to produce any sauing effects As vve see that a Musician or a Poet though neuer so skillfull doe not therfore euer actually sing or vvrite verses vntill some certaine occasions or circumstances doe actually determine them therto as gaine or requests of others or praise or a mind to please themselues c For the Actuall employment exercise of such Grace there is moreouer necessary an actuall ayde from God vvho by a speciall Diuine Prouidence doth often administer occasions hints enablements exciting the vvill to vvaken this Grace in the soule vvhich othervvise vvould lye vacant vnusefull 4. And proofes of this dayly experience shevves vs both in our selues others hovv a sermon or
employments and imperfect degree of Prayer and consequently neither can they nor perhaps if they could vvould they teach it to others since therby many soulâ—s vvould quickly be discharged from any necessity of continuing in a dependance on their managing directions 14. If any there be that notvvithstanding all that hath bene here vvritten touching Diuine Inspirations and the necessity of attending to them shall yet be vnsatisfied or at least suspect that the publishing of such Doctrine may not be conuenient Such an one for further satisfaction may consult the Appendix adioyned at the End of the Treatises THE THIRD SECTION OF THE THIRD TREATISE TOVCHING The Schoole of Contemplation viz. Solitude and a Religious Profession CHAP. I. § 1. 2. That the proper Schoole of Contemplation is Solitude § 3. Which may be enioyed in the world § 4. 5. 6. Contemplation is by God denyed to no states Yea in some regards woemen are rather better disposed therto then Men And why § 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. The condition of Ecclesiasticks in the world is of great Perfection What dispositions are required to the vndertaking and executing of that Sublime Charge 1. HAVING hitherto treated of the Nature and End of an Internall Contemplatiue Life in generall as likewise of the generall Quality Disposition requisite to all those vvho by a Diuine vocation doe vndertake that Sublime course of life and in consequence therto hauing demonstrated that the only sufficient Maister and Guide in such a Life is God and his Diuine Inspirations by whom alone both Disciples and also Maisters Guides must be directed It remaines in the third place that I should shew what and vvhere the Schoole is wherin ordinarily this Diuine Maister instructs his Disciples in this so Heauenly Diuine Doctrine Science 2. Now by the vnanimous acknowledgment of all Mystick writers the only proper Schoole of Contemplation is Solitude that is a condition of life both externally freed from the distractiue Encombrances tempting flatteries and disquietting Sollicitudes of the vvorld and likevvise vvherin the minde Internally is in a good Measure at least in serious desire freed also from inordinate Affection to all vvorldly and Carnall Obiects that so the soule may be at leisure to attend vnto God vvho deserues all our thoughts and Affections and to practise such Duties of Mortification and Praier as dispose her for an Immediate perfect Vnion vvith Him 3. Novv though this so necessary Solitude be found both more perfectly and more permanently in a vvell-ordred Religious State vvhich affords likevvise many other aduantages scarse to be found elsevvhere for a better practising the Exercises disposing to Contemplation Yet is it not so confined to that State but that in the vvorld also and in a Secular Course of Life God hath oft raised and Guided many Soules in these Perfect vvaies affording them euen there as much Solitude and as much Internall Freedome of spirit as he savv vvas necessary to bring them to a high Degree of Perfection 4. And indeed it is an Illustrious Proofe of the abundant most communicatiue ouerflovving Riches of the Diuine Goodnes to all his Seruants vvhatsoeuer that in truth of Heart seeke him that this State of Contemplation being the Supremest and most Diuine that an Intellectuall Soule is capable of either in this Life or in Heauen also should neither be enclosed only in Cauernes Rocks or desarts nor fixed to Solitary Religious Communities Nor appropriated to the Subtilty of vvitt profoundnes of Iudgment Gifts of Learning or Study c. But that the poorest simplest Soule liuing in the vvorld and follovving the common life of good Christians there if she vvill faithfully correspond to the Internall Light and Tracts afforded her by Gods Spirit may as securely yea and sometimes more speedily arriue to the Top of the Mountaine of Vision then the learnedst Doctours the most profoundly vvise Men yea the most abstracted confined Hermites 5. Yea both History fresher Experience doe assure vs that in these latter times God hath as freely and perhaps more commonly communicated the Diuine Lights and Graces proper to a Contemplatiue life to simple vvomen endued vvith lesser more contemptible Gifts of Iudgment but yet enriched vvith stronger Wills and more feruent Affections to him then the ablest Men. And the reason herof vvee may iudge to be partly because God therby should as is most due reape all the Glory of his most free Graces the vvhich if they did vsually attend our Naturall Endovvments vvould be challenged as due to our ovvne abilities and endeauours And partly also because as substantiall Holines so the perfection of it vvhich is Contemplation consists far more principally in the Operations of the will then of the vnderstanding as shall be demonstrated in due place And since vvomen doe far more abound and are far more constant fixed in Affecctions and other Operations of the vvill then Men though inferiour in those of the vnderstanding No meruayle if God doth oft find them fitter subiects for his Graces then Men. 6. And for this reason it is besides that vvomen are lesse encombred vvith Sollicitous businesses abroad their Secular Employments being chiefly Domesticall vvithin their ovvne vvalls that they doe far more frequently repaire to the Churches more assiduously performe their Deuotions both there at home reape the Blessings of the Sacraments more plentifully Vpon vvhich grounds the Church calls them the deuout sexe Insomuch as a very Spirituall and experienced Authour did not doubt to pronounce that according to his best iudgment vvhich vvas grounded on more then only outvvard appearances for One Man nere ten Women went to Heauen Notvvithstanding true it is that the Contemplations of Men are more noble sublime more exalted in Spirit that is lesse partaking of sensible effects as Rapts Extasies or Imaginatiue representations as likevvise melting tendernesses of affections then those of vvomen 7. Novv though the true immediate Motiue of the vvriting of these Spirituall Instructions vvas the Directing of certaine Deuout Religious Soules in the vvay of Contemplation to the aspiring vvherto their Profession did oblige them And for this Reason most of the said Instructions are intended to be most proper for such Yet being a Debtour to all vvellminded Soules vvhatsoeuer that desire to treade in the sayd Internall vvayes I vvill here breifly shevv hovv they also may make vse of my vvritings for the same End froÌ„ thence selecting such speciall Directions as may also as vvell belong to them and passing ouer those that are more peculiarly proper to Soules in a Religious State 8. In the vvorld therfore there are tvvo sorts of Persons that doe or may aspire vnto Contemplation or Perfection in Prayer to vvit 1. Ecclesiasticks 2. Lay-Persons 9. First as for Ecclesiasticks I meane especially Preists to vvhich all other inferiour Orders doe tend they not only may but ought seriously to aspire therunto yea perhaps more theÌ„ simple Religious For their most
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
of tvvo most sublime Cōtemplatiues Thus therfore speakes one of them in the Conference cap. 7. Finis Monachi totius Perfectionis Culmen in Orationis consummatione consistit that is The End of a Monasticall Profession and the Supreme Degree of all Perfection consists in the Perfection of Praier And in the tenth Confer cap. 7. Another saieth Hic finis totius Perfectionis est vt eo vsque extenuata Mens ab omni situ Carnali ad Spiritualia quotidie sublimetur donec omnis eius Conuersatio omnisque volutatio cordis vna iugis efficiatur Oratio That is This is the End of all Perfection that the mind become so purified from all carnall defilement that it may be raised vp daily to Spirituall things till its whole employments and euery motion of the Heart may become one vn-interrupted Praier 11. Novv vvhat a kind of Praier this vvas that they aspired to hovv sublime in Spirit though oftimes ioyned vvith their vocall Praiers may appeare from that Description giuen of it by a Holy Hermite in these vvords in the 10. Confer cap. 20. Ita ad illam Orationis purissimam perueniet qualitatem quae non solum nullam Deitatis effigiem in sua supplicatione miscebit sed nec vllam quidem in se memoriam dicti cuiusdam vel facti speciem seu formam Characteris admittet That is Thus by much practise the soule will arriue to that most Sublime Purity of Praler wherin no Image at all of the Diuinity is mingled and which will not admit the least memory nor a Character or representation of anything either spoken or done The strange subtilty spirituality of vvhich Praier considered there is applied vnto it that Saying of S. Antony in the 9. Conf. chap. 31. Non est perfecta oratio in qua se Monachus vel hoc ipsum quod orat intelligit That is That praier is not a perfect one vnlesse the Religious Persō that exercises it be not able to giue an accoūt of his owne thoughts that passed in it or does not perceiue that he prayes 12. What great aduantages the Ancient Hermites other Religious Persons enioyed for the more certaine and more speedy attaining to this Internall Purity of Praier vvonderfull Cleannes of Spirit the End of their Profession Hovv much more able their bodily complexions vvere to support that most rigorous Solitude those long continued Attentions of mind c And how much more efficacious herto were their Manuall labours beyond our Employments in Study And lastly how by such like meanes they vvith the only Exercise of vocall Praier attained to Perfect Contemplation shall be shewed more fully vvhen vvee come to the last Treatise concerning Internall Praier 13. In this place I vvill content my selfe vvith shevving that by the Rule of our Holy Father S. Benedict all his Disciples are obliged to propose to themselues no other End of their Religious Profession but only such Purity both of soule and the Operations of it in Spirituall Praier So that hovv exact soeuer they be in outvvard Obseruances vnlesse they be referd vnto and efficacious also for the producing of this Internall Purity in some reasonable measure they shall not be esteemed by God to haue complied vvith their vocation and Profession 14. To this purpose vvee may obserue that it is from those Ancient Holy Hermites Religious that our Holy Father borrovved the greatest part of his Rule and Ordinances vvhich in the Conclusion he professes to be meant only by him as a disposition vvherby vvee may be enabled to imitate them in their most perfect Internall practises It is from them that he borrovves the Phrase of Oratio pura Pure Praier in the 20. Chap. The Exercise vvherof besides the reciting of the Office he appointed daily as appeares both by the same Chapter of the Rule and also by the Story related by S. Gregory of one of his Monks vvhom the Deuill in the shape of a Blackmore tempted out of the Community in the time of such Recollections By vvhich may be perceiued the great fruit and efficacy of such Praier For the Deuill could be contented he should be present at the Office because during that Exercise he could more easily distract his mind But knovving the force of Internall Prayer hovv recollectiue it is and vvhat light it affords to discouer the invvard Defects of the soule and to obtaine Grace to correct them His principall aime vvas to vvithdravv him from so proffitable an Exercise And therfore to countermine the Deuills Malice Our Holy Father thought it vvorth a iourney expressely to cure the Infirmity and preuent the danger of one of his Seduced Monkes 15. For this End it is that our Holy Father in the 58. C. ordeines Superiours in the Examination of the Spirits dispositions of Nevv-comers that they should most especially haue an eye to this most necessary condition Si Deum vere quaerit If he be such an one as truly seekes God And more particulary Si sollicitùs est ad opus Dei If he haue a sollicitous care duely to performe the worke of God vvhich he interprets to be Praier and this so principall a vvorke that he ordeines that Nihil operi Dei praeponatur nothing must be preferred before it 16. For the aduancing of this Praier that it may become such as is suitable to a Contemplatiue State all other Exteriour Obseruances are appointed 1. By the 12. Degrees of Humility by frequent Prostrations acknowledging of Secret Imperfections c. Pride selfeloue all other our corrupt Affections hindring our vnion in Spirit vvith God are subdued expelled and as our Holy Father says at the end of the last Degree that Perfect Charity vvhich most immediatly vnites the soules to God is produced in the soule 2. By perfect Obedience selfe iudgment selfe will are abated 3. By Fastings watchings other Austerities sensuality is mortified 4. By Religious Pouerty all distracting cares about temporall things are expelled 5. And for the gaining of an Habituall state of Recollectednes and introuersion so great silence and Solitude vvere so rigorously enioyned and practised all obiects of sensuall Affections remoued all conuersation with the world all relating or hearkning to newes seuerely prohibited All this surely for no other end but that soules might be brought to a fit disposition to imitate those solitary and deuout Saints proposed by our holy Father for our examples in their continuall conuersation vvith God attending to his Diuine inspirations and vn-interrupted vnion of Spirit vvith him by pure Spirituall Contemplation 17. Therfore though our Holy law-giuer doth not in his Rule giue his Disciples any speciall Instructions for ordering their Interiour spirituall Prayer touching such matters referring them to the Inspiration of the Diuine Spirit as himselfe sayth as likevvise to the Aduices of the Ancient fathers and Hermites professing Contemplation Yet it is euident that his principall designe vvas to dispose his Disciples by his Ordinances to
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
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
as follovves in vertue of a precedent Actuall Intention made in Prayer c. in so doing she shall performe after the best securest vvay the Exercise of the Continuall Presence of God so much commended by spirituall Authours particularly by our holy Father in the first degree of Humility By the vvhich Exercise surely it cannot be intended that a soule should be obliged to haue continually an Actuall remembrance of God for this being the same vvith actuall Internall Prayer vvould so much endammage the heads of imperfect soules especially that they would quickly be disabled from making any progresse in Spirit 3. The same Practise likevvise doth after the securest manner supply that other Exercise oft recommended of a Continuall thinking on our owne Nothing For by conformity to the foresaid Directions Propriety Selfe-will by the vvhich alone vvee vvould faine seeme to be something more then vvee are or ought to be are not only in thought imagination or desire of mind but really effectually abandonned the inordinate affections of the soule mortified annihilated And it is only for this end that the said Exercise is so much magnified In a vvord by such practises ioyned vvith an Intention to the glory of God his diuine loue a soule vvill be very vvell disposed to the most perfect Prayer of Contemplation 4. Such a vvorld there is of conditions and circumâ—â—ances required to the Perfection of euery Action both touching the substance manner motiue principle end thereof corrupt nature is so subtle to insinuate her ovvne Interests seeking them in euery thing vvee doe persvvading vs that vvee renounce Propriety euen vvhen vvee most earnestly intend it that vvithout an Extraordinary light from God to be obtained only by spirituall Prayer vvee cannot discouer the Inclinations of our ovvne hearts And the reason vvhy this light can be had only by Prayer is because then alone euery the least defect most secret suggestion hinders our view contemplation of God and our tendance to him by consequence is easily discernable as being set betwene our eyes the Sun Wheras in our ordinary Vocall Prayers externall good Actions only greater tentations are able perceptibly to distract vs. 5. Those therfore that doe not pursue Internall Prayer can only so far mortify their passions that they breake not forth into outvvard expressions or Actions But the euill Roote remaines still aliue causing inward disorders very displeasing to God 6. As for Crosses and aduersities vvhich a soule vndergoes out of the strength of Reason and not in vertue of Diuine Grace and Prayer the cheefe effect of them is only to vexe and trouble Nature or at most they serue to mortify the superabundant actiuity and vigour of the internall sences and naturall Affections by vvhich meanes the persons may become more Iudicious Prudent and Temperate but they peirce not to the Spirit it selfe to cause any purity therein or really to diminish selfe-loue Moreouer the like Crosses vndergone by vertue of such a common Grace as ordinary good extrouerted Christians doe enioy though they may be helpfull to preuent the mortally poysonnous effects of selfe-loue vvhich is in vs yet are far from expelling that secret selfe-loue vvhich lurkes in the inmost center of our soules So that they may remaine greiuously full of staines and infirmities and the Diuine loue feeble and easy to be extinguished notvvithstanding the effects of such Crosses 7. Wheras difficulties vndergone in vertue of Grace obtained by Internall Prayer doe as it vvere scovvre purity the spirit it selfe from the Rust of inordinate affections so doe spiritualize all the faculties of the soule causing it to become a pure spirit exalted and separated from sensible obiects all adhesion to them from vvhich all vicious impurity proceedes This is that Diuision of the Soule Spirit mentioned by S. Paul by vvhich the Pure Spirit vvorkes as a Spirit not obscured nor infected vvith sensuall Ends and Interests 8. The vvay of Mortification therfore practised by Internall Contemplatiue liuers is different from that of Actiues though liuing in a Religious state vvell aduanced in Actiue exercises for these endeauour to mortify their inordinate Affections by combatting them purposely directly to vvit by meditating discoursiuely on the motiues afforded by Christian doctrine to oppose them as a consideration of their deformity danger c. and also by exercising an Act of vertue contrary therto so repressing the inordinate Passion Wheras Contemplatiue soules doe indirectly yet far more efficaciously mortify their passions by transcending them that is by eleuating vniting their spirit to God vvith the helpe of pure intellectuall actuations by this meanes forgetting drovvning both their sensuall desires yea all created things cheifely themselues in God So that in a Tentation they doe not turne themselues tovvards the obiect to the end to resist contradict it but by a vigorous Act of Resignation loue they conuert their spirits vnto God scorning euen to cast a regard or glance vpon creatures that vvould allure their affections from God vvhich cannot be considered except in God vvithout leauing some tincture imperfection in the soule 9. It is not therfore the externall practise of vertues nor much lesse customary frequent Confessions Communions Obediences Austerities c but pure spirituall prayer the sublime degrees of it to vvit Aspirations Pure Eleuations of the will other such Diuine Operations that must be the principall Instrument to bring a soule to a state of perfect freedome from exteriour Interiour Immortification For by such operations only she is enabled to transcend Inferiour nature to liue in the quiet secure Illuminated region of the spirit 10. But in the meane time till a deuout soule doe attaine to such Perfection of prayer she must be content to vvorke according to her present light enablement so endeauouring to correct her defects by lesse perfect Exercises such as partake of the Actiue way And she must vvith patience quietnes of spirit beare vvith her ovvne imperfections as she vvould vvith others expecting Gods good time endeauouring to hasten the approach of that time by assiduous Prayer by meanes of vvhich alone she may come to expell those defects vvhich doe novv so much exercise trouble her also to discouer correct many others vvhich as yet her eyes are too infirme dimme to see 11. Indeed the prouident care that God generally hath ouer his children both perfect imperfect is vvonderfull being carefully suited to their present state For he does not vsually send to imperfect soules any mortifications but such as are ordinary proportionable to their infirmity namely such as doe gall afflict their sensitiue nature but doe not peirce into the quick center of the spirit that remaines free to support the other But as for soules arriued to the state of Perfection or neare it God doth vsually prouide for them strange
vnexpressible mortifications most subtile Tentations Priuations Desolations the vvhich being vvorthily vndergone doe vvonderfully purify the spirit The former Mortifications S. Paul expresses thus There hath no Tentation taken you but such as is according to ordinary humane nature c But the latter thus Our wrestling is not against flesh blood the vsuall tentations of Gods imperfect children but against Principalities Powers against the Gouernours of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesses in high places or things 12. Euery Act of Mortification performed by vertue of Internall Prayer doth increase in vs the grace of God dispose vs to a more perfect future Prayer As on the contrary euery act of immortification doth increase in vs selfe-loue doth make vs more indisposed for future Internall Prayer Againe Prayer enables vs for future Mortifications teaching vs hovv to vndertake support them So that these Duties must neuer be separated These containe all that an Internall liuer is obliged to 13. I will conclude this Discourse concerning mortification in grosse vvith one Obseruation vvhich may serue for a caution to a vvell-minded soule that liues an Internall life to preuent an inconuenience which othervvise might perhaps surprise her It is this That it may happen that Religious or spirituall Persons vvill find a greater difficulty in mortifying renouncing some sensuall contentments after they haue entred into a spirituall course then they formerly found vvhilst they lead an extrouerted secular life in the world Novv this hapning to them may perhaps suggest either scrupulous or at least disquieting thoughts as if the change that they haue made were not for the better or as if some thing they vvell knovv not vvhat vvere amisse vvith them But if they vvill vvell consider of the matter they vvill find that this is no strange thing nor deseruing that they should much trouble themselues about it 14. For the Reasons hereof are 1. Because if such an one had not pursued an Internall life he vvould haue perhaps enabled himselfe to quit one pleasure by diuerting himselfe from thence to some other vvhich vvould haue recompenced satisfied for that losse taking avvay the present difficulty Whereas in a Spirituall life a soule hauing in Resolution abandoned all sensuall pleasures as such that can be abandonned she cannot recompence the bitternes found in mortifying one by a deliberate yeilding to another the pleasure felt in enioying vvhereof might make her lesse sensible of the losse of the other 2. Againe an Imperfect soule vvill iudge it necessary for the sustaining of corporall infirmity to preuent an vnchearfull discontented habit of mind to allovv vnto her selfe some contentments recreatiue to sense And therfore vvhen such are denied her she vvill be apt to be impatient or if she endeauour to contradict resist such impatience of nature she vvill doe it more feebly faintly 3. Because it is impossible that a soule can liue not take pleasure in something or other that assords contentment either to the sense or the spirit Novv a spirituall person being yet in an imperfect state has but little present sensible pleasure in the exercises proper to his vvay except God novv then visit him vvith sensible deuotion for the cheife pleasure that spirituality affords is in hope only that vvithout any regard to the body it regards the Spirit alone Novv hope is not so attractiue as present sensuall contentment is 4. besides all this such a soule not hauing yet chased out of the Superiour faculties all affection to sensuall pleasure finding for the present little or nothing but paine in all her exercises both of mortification Prayer No maruell if vvhen pleasure sometimes comes in her vvay that she finds difficulty in reiecting it Indeed the greatest Paine comes not from the particular obiects of Mortification but rather from tediousnes irkesomenes in being continually in a condition of suffring vvhich she iudges must last to her liues end This is very painfull to an imperfect soule But yet by a constant practise of mortification Prayer she vvill find daily an abatement of this tediousnes in the end the renouncing of all contentments of sense nature for themselues vvill become easy pleasurable to her 5. â—astly such a soule is to consider that it is a proofe of Gods goodnes to her to suffer her to feele so much difficulty now not experienced before to the end to humble her to teach her not at all to relye vpon herselfe nor to promise herselfe the least good from her ovvne forces CHAP. V. § 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Mortifications diuided into 1. Necessary 2. And Voluntary And what each of these are § 6. 7. 8. 9. Extraordinary or supernumerary Mortifications are not to be assumed without great aduice They are seldome allowed in the Rule of S. Benedict § 10. 11. The Aduice of some That wee should alwaies in euery thing be crossing our naturall inclinations dangerous § 12. 13. The inconueniences of Extraordinary Mortifications vnaduisedly assumed § 14. 15. What extraordinary ones are least dangerous § 16. Signes by which to discerne when such are proper beneficiall § 17. Generally speaking there is little need that Extraordinary Mortifications should be assumed 1. HAVING spoken in generall of Mortification come vvee novv to the Diuision kinds of it And the most generall diuision of mortification is into those vvhich are 1. Necessary 2. Voluntary This is a Diuision of vvhich vvee shall haue great vse through this vvhole Treatise therfore it deserues to be explained more distinctly accurately 2. First therfore vvithin the notion of necessary Mortifications are comprehended 1. Not only such crosses afflictions to nature as vvee cannot though vvee would auoyd vvhether they be externall or Internall as sicknes want disgraces losse of freinds tentations desolations c. The vvhich indeed are the most proper beneficiall mortifications of all other as being sent or suffred to come vpon vs by the most Wise Good Prouidence of God for our good 2. but those also that vvee doe or suffer by vertue of our assumed state of life either by occasion of any Law or humane Constitution or by obedience subiection to our Superiours Conuersation vvith our equalls inferiours c. 3. Those also that wee vndertake by the direction of our Confessarius or spirituall Guide to vvhom notvvithstanding our obedience is but voluntary being to last only as long as vvee thinke good 4. Those workes that true discretion requires of vs vvhich to leaue vndone or to doe contrary vvould be against Prudence 5. Likewise vvhatsoeuer it befalls vs to suffer from any creature vvhatsoeuer not excepting the deuill himselfe yea though it vvere by our ovvne fault that such things hapned to vs or vvere brought vpon vs. 6. Lastly those things that vvee accept willingly of by vertue of an Interiour Diuine Impulse vvith the Approbation of our spirituall Father 3. Secondly
wherof it is very requisiite that the allovved conuersations should be performed in common for from the singling out of Persons by tvvo or three in a meeting vvill flovv Personall engagements Designes diuided from the rest of the Community Discourses tending to the preiudice of others c. 3. The true ground of the necessity of Abstraction is this because the diuine vnion in Spirit vvhich is the end of an Internall liuer cannot be attâ—ained vvithout an exclusion of all other inferiour strange Images affections Therfore by the meanes of Abstraction the soule is obliged to bring herselfe to as much vnity vacancy simplicity as may be For this end a Religious soule leaues the vvorld if she practise not Abstraction in Religion she does as good as returne to that vvhich by profession she has renounced To this purpose is that sentence of the Wiseman Sapientia in tempore vacuitatis qui minoratur actu sapientiam percipiet That is Wisedome is found in a state of vacancy he that diminishes externall employments shall attaine vnto her 4. I shall in the next Treatise speake more on this subiect especially giuing aduices hovv an Internall liuer may vvithout preiudice to his Recollections behaue himselfe in distractiue Employments Offices imposed on him therfore I vvill say no more here 5. The next generall mortification is Solitude vvhich differs from AbstractioÌ„ only in this that Solitude regards the exteriour as Abstraction does the Interiour Abstraction being an Internall solitude of the spirit and solitude an externall Abstraction of the Person Abstraction may by feruent soules be practised in the midst of the noyse trouble of the vvorld preseruing themselues from all engagement of their affections in businesses or to Persons euer remaining free to attend vnto God And on the contrary some soules euen in the most retired externall solitude doe vvholly plunge their minds affections in thoughts sollicitudes about persons businesses abroad by continuall endles vvriting ansvvering letters giuing Aduices inquiring after nevves c By vvhich meanes they doe more embroyle their minds are lesse capable of Spirituall conuersation vvith God then many that liue in the vvorld by reason that their retired state keeping theÌ„ in ignorance vncertainty about the successe of their aduices correspoÌ„dences they are in a continuall sollicitude about any thing but their ovvne soules 6. So that if vvith Externall Solitude there be not ioyned Internall Abstraction Prayer it is rather a hindrance then an Instrument of Aduancing Spirituall Perfection Because such a soule is moreouer allvvaies at leasure to attend to the obiect of her sollicitudes so rootes more fixedly all internall deordinations of Faction Anger Pride selfe loue c. Hence vvee see that factions grovv sometimes to a great violence in many retired communities because of the vacancy there to attend to them the obiects of their passions likevvise being in a manner continually present before their eyes 7. There is another vvhich may be called a Philosophicall Solitude made use of by Religious Persons not vvith a designe the more freely to seeke God but to attend to their studies the enriching their minds vvith much knovvledge Indeed Study reading vsed vvith discretion if the matters about vvhich study is employed be not such as are apt to puffe vp the mind vvith pride or a forvvardnes to dispute maintaine Topicall opinions c may be no inconuenient Diuersion for a contemplatiue spirit especially since that manuall labours haue bene disused But othervvise an invvard affection to curiosity of knovvledge is perhaps caeteris paribus more preiudiciall to contemplation produces effects more hurtfull to the soule because more deepely rooted in the spirit it selfe then some sensuall Affections 8. The solitude therfore here recommended and vvhich is proper to a Religious life consists in a serious affection to our Cell at all times vvhen conuentuall Duties doe not require the contrary there admitting no conuersation but Gods nor no employment but for God Keepe thy Cell saith an Ancient holy Father thy Cell will teach thee all things A soule that by vsing at first a little violence shall bring herselfe to a loue of this solitude that shall therfore loue it because there she may more freely intimately conuerse vvith God It is incredible vvhat progresse she vvill make in internall vvayes vvheras from a neglect of such solitude nothing proceedes but tepidity sensuall designes c. 9. Novv to the end that Solitude may in the beginning become lesse tedious aftervvards delightfull Religious Persons not only may but ought to preserue a conuenient discreet Liberty of Spirit about their employments entertainments of their minds in priuate prudently vsing a variety in them changing any one vvhen it becomes ouer-burdensome into another more gratefull sometimes reading sometimes writing other times vvorking often praying Yea if they shall find it conuenient sometimes remaining for a short space in a kind of cessation from all both Externall Internall vvorking yet euer being at least in a vertuall Attention tendance to God referring all to him his Glory For so they can truly say vvith the Psalmist Fortitudinem meam ad te custodiam I will reserue my principall strength to be employed for thee O my God all other employments not of obligation are both for the manner measure to be ordered as shall be most commodious for the Spirit that it may come vvith chearfullnes an appetite to the appointed Recollections Suitable herto is the counsell giuen by an Ancient holy Hermite to one of his brethren demanding to vvhat he should apply himselfe in times out of praier he ansvvered Whatsoeuer thy mind according to God shall bid thee doe that doe thou And indeed after a reasonable time vvell spent in Solitude by the helpe of Internall Prayer a soule vvill receiue a Diuine light by vvhich she vvill clearely see vvhat shall be most conuenient proper for her at all times to doe 10. Notvvitstanding this caution is to be vsed That if in any Employment a soule does find herselfe caried to it vvith too much eagernes affection she is to qualifie such eagernes by forbearing a vvhile interrupting her present exercise vvith a resignation of her vvill to be quite debarred from it if such be Gods vvill for her good actually referring it to God 11. It is very remarkable the great studious care that our Holy Father in his Rule takes to recommend Solitude to shevv the necessity of it as likevvise to imprint deepely in the minds of his disciples not only a great auersion but euen a feare horrour of the vvorld All things must be prouided executed vvithin dores vt non sit necessitas euagandi that no necessity may force the Religious to be gadding abroad And in case there should be an vnauoydable necessity therto Prayers are appoynted to be made for
vvell as others vvho ought to be very far from fauouring this perniciously officious and vncharitable humour of accusing or informing in any of their Religious Much lesse ought they to esteeme that their Authoriâ—y can extend to the preiudice of Brotherly Charity so far as to exâ—use or howeuer to oblige any one to be an accuser or informer against his brethren A pretence of doing good to their subiects soules vvill be alledged by such Superiours as are of a curious inquisitive Disposition and are continually searching into the behaviour of their Religious but little good Reformation vvill ever be vvrought by such an humour of Iealous Curiosity On the contrary the effects of it are the breeding of discontents generally in all and the greatest mischeife to the soules of private vncharitable Informers 10. It is more secure for one that is apt to offend in his Tongue to be in company of many then of one or two whom he affects Therfore particular Intimacy and private correspondences betvvene Religious is much to be avoyded both for the Peace of Communities and the good of each priuate Religious Person 11. No vvords are to be spoken nor Action done merely vpon the motiue of edifying others And indeed vvhere recreatiue conuersations are allovved the most commodious subiects of Discourse are purely indifferent things and such as are neither apt to moue Passions nor to leaue distracting Images in the Hearers minds 12. Vpon this occasion I conceiue it necessary to adde some Aduices touching Religious Recreations The vvhich are not to be concluded fit to be prohibited because vvee sayd that the Duty of Mortification extends it selfe vniuersally to the whole soule and that it is to be continued to the end of ones Life On the contrary not only Reason but the Examples of the most Perfect among the Ancient Saints famous for Contemplation shew that it is proffitable yea at due times necessary To this purpose seemes the story of S. Iohn the Euangelist the first Doctour and Example of Contemplation whose custome vvas to recreate himselfe vvith a tame Doue For vvhich being censured by a Hunter that passed by as for an Action that vvas beneath his grauity and not beseeming one that professed a continuall conuersation vvith God He defended himselfe to the conuiction of the reprouer by shevving that as a Bow if it be alvvayes bent would loose its force so the mind likevvise vvould become vtterly vncapable of Diuine Thoughts if no relaxation vvere allovved to it considering the infirmity of the Body that cannot alvvays supply fit Spirits to Actions especially to such as are so contrary to its inclinations 13. True it is that in our Holy Rule there are extant no Orders about Conuentuall Recreations which argues that none vvere practised in those dayes Yea our Holy Father takes a particular care hovv euery hower of the day should be employed in common Notvvithstanding after Refection he enioyned the Religious to retire each one into his Cell permitting them a conuenient time to refresh themselues alone either with Sleepe as the custome vvas in that vvarme Climate or othervvise as they found themselues disposed if they had no inclination to Sleepe for no certaine employment is then appointed 14. But because in these latter dayes our complexions are not supposed able to support so great solitude and Attention to the Spirit as hath bene sayd Therfore haue Superiours allovved and ordeined daily certaine times for Recreatiue Conferences almost obliging each particular Religious Person to be present at them And besides at certaine seasons monthly or as the custome is they haue afforded an addition to the Diet. 15. Neither doth this preiudice the Duty of continuall Mortification vvhich is not to be interpreted in extreme rigour because then nature euen in the ablest complexions vvould be destroyed And besides Recreations are appointed that Mortification may be better more feruently exercised aftervvard Adde herunto that euen in Recreation it selfe Mortification may and ought in some reasonable degree to be discreetly exercised so as that the mind is not to povvre it selfe forth vpon that vvhich is pleasant to nature but to keepe a moderate vvatchfullnesse ouer it selfe and to referre the contentment found therin to the good of the Spirit 16. To speake a little therefore particularly touching such Conferences Decency is in grosse to be obserued But it vvill be diâ—ficult to prescribe any sett order or manner for the Talke as not to speake vnasked not to exceede such a limitation of vvords c. to omit many particular cautions which at other times are to be observed Here some more freedome must be allovved so it goe not too far 17. Among Women there can scarce be any Recreation if the Tongue be too much stinted Neither is it to be expected that their Talke should be of Spirituall matters Both because such Talke is far from being recreatiue as likevvise because none but expert Persons ought to discourse of such subiects Indeed to make such the subiect of ordinary Discourse euen betvvene the most able experienced persons either Men or vvomen is not conuenient at all Except some speciall occasion makes it expedient For it vsually proceeds from Pride or a vvillingnes to interest ones selfe in the guiding of the Consciences of others and may produce inconuenient Effects in both 18. The matter and conditions of Recreatiue Discourse therfore may be 1. That the matter doe not particularly referre to the Interiour of any of the parties But if it regard a Religious State that it be about lesse considerable externall matters as Ceremonies Customes c. 2. That it may be some thing that may be apt to cause chearfullnes though not laughter vvhich our Holy Father vvould haue banished from his Communities Novv Discourses about such matters are not to be reputed Idle words 3. It were better to talke of the ocurrences of former times then of the present because our Holy Father forbids the inquiring or telling of newes in the vvorld for feare least the Hearers being interessed may become distracted vvith sollicitudes 4. It must not therfore be of any thing that probably vvill leaue in the minds any hurtfull Images 5. The Hearer is not to suffer the subiect of the Discourses to enter so deepe into his mind as that it should raise any Passions there 6. It must by no meanes be of any thing â—y vvhich any one present or absent may be preiudiced or contristated nor indeed aftervvards distracted c. 19. As touching those that are naturally of Melancholick Dispositions they ought to be exceedingly vvatchfull ouer themselues that they giue not vvay to so pestilent an humour Nature vvill incline them to auoyd all Recreations and diuersions and being very subtle it vvill suggest pretences to iustify a froward Lonelines an humour not able to support innocent conuersation as if this vvere done out of a Loue to a Religious Solitude and Recollection But in all likelyhood such a peruerse Solitude is employed
direct combats against the appetits of it And only from the decay ignorance of such Praier hath it proceeded that spirituall Directours haue bene forced to multiply such so many nice obseruances about diet and other duties of our Rule All vvhich notvvithstanding vvithout Prayer haue but small effect to produce solide vertues in the soule 16. A soule perfectly spiritualized if she might haue her vvish vvould vvillingly be freed not only from all pleasures taken in Refections considering the dayly tentations to excesse but euen from the necessity of them being forced to cry out vvith Dauid De necessitatibus meis erue me Domine O Lord free mee from these my corporall necessities for vvere it not for them she might alvvaies like an Angell be in continuall Contemplation enioy a neuer-fayling internall light the vvhich is obscured by the fumes raysed euen by the most temperate Refections by vvhich also passions are in some degree quickned Such soules may indeed properly be said to haue a disaffection to Refection And the best vvay besides out of Prayer to beget such disaffection to preuent the harmes that may come from any corporall necessities vvill be not only to practise the mortifying of sensuall contentment in going to the Refectory but vpon serious consideration of the Tentations there to be found to goe vvith a kind of vnvvillingnes feare 17. A most noble kind of Mortification in Refection is that mencioned by Harphius of a certaine Holy Brother of the Order of S. Francis called Rogerius vvho by meanes of eleuating the povvers of his soule suspending them in God during Refection lost all perception of tast in eating vvhen he found himselfe vnable so to eleuate his soule he vvould for so long forbeare to eate of any thing that might afford any gust But this practise belongs only to the Perfect it may proue preiudiciall dangerous to the ordinary sort of lesse perfect soules or any that haue not an especiall certaine Inspiration to imitate it 18. The like may be sayd of the manner of Mortification practised by some of the Ancient Hermits vvho vsed to mixe a fevv droppes of oyle esteemed by them a great delicacy vvith their vinegar to the end therby to prouoke the appetite to desire more the vvhich they denied to it Or of another vvho hauing receiued a bunch of grapes ravenously deuoured them partly to make the gustfull pleasure so much the shorter partly as he said to cousen the deuill to vvhom he desired to appeare a glutton 19. A soule that practises Internall Prayer may content herselfe vvith a moderate Attention to vvhat is read during Refection And the like may be sayd of that part of the Office vvhich in some Communities is sayd immediatly after Dinner Because too earnest an Attention and Recollectednes at such times vvould preiudice the Head and Stomack A Soule therfore may esteeme this to be as a time of Desolation as indeed there is some resemblance 20. Concerning the vse of Physick cautions to be vsed about it some Instructions shall be giuen in the last Treatise vvhere vvee come to speake hovv a soule is to behaue herselfe in regard of her Prayer during Sicknes 21. Lastly the matter of Sleepe is not vvnvvorthy the eare of a Spirituall Person For certaine it is that a full repast doth not so much plunge a soule in sensuality nor so indispose her for Spirituall Exercises as a long profound Sleepe From vvhence euen a perfect soule vvill not be able to raise herselfe into Exercises of the Spirit vvithout much difficulty long striuing 22. And on these grounds doubtlesse it vvas that the Miâ—night Office vvas appointed to the end to interrupt Sâ—eepe Yea anciently the three Nocturnes vvere therfore diuided namely to preuent the immersing of soules in sensuall Nature 23. For imperfect soules it may be very preiudiciall for them to be depriued of a conuenient measure of Sleepe Yet it is 〈◊〉 â—eing it should be interrupted It is liâ—evvise good for them to goe to bed vvith an affection desire so be early vp for such an affection vvill cause their Sleepe to be mixed vvith a litle Sollicitude the vvhich vvill dispose them both to vvake sooner and to rise vvith lesse vnvvillingnes 24. In case that one being in Bed cannot sleepe it is vâ—ry dangerous to continue in a State of mere negligence Idlenes because then not only vaine but veâ—y hurtfull pernicious thoughts vvill be apt to presse into the mind For a preuention or remedy against vvhich I should by no meanes aduise one to betake himselfe to any seriously Recollected thoughts or exercises of Deuotion for that vvould quite hinder Sleepe for the future and spoile the next Daies Recollections The like I say of the time immediatly going before Bed-time But in case they be simply Vaine Thoughts that then vvander vnsetledly in his mind let him not vvillingly pursue them but rather neglect them Wheras if they be sinfull Imaginations set him as vvell as he can diuert quietly his mind from them and novv then vvithout much force lift vp his mind vnto God or vse some familiar Praiers or say the Beades vvithout much forced Attention yet more Attention is required against Sinfull then vaine thoughts 25. As for Perfect soules their Praier in such a Case vvill lesse hinder Sleepe by reason it is both so pure so facile that it is become almost as Naturall as breathing performed vvithout any agitation of the Spirits or reuoluing of Images in the Internall senses CHAP. VII § 1. Of the Mortification of Anger by Patience § 2. 3. 4. 5. Here is treated of Smaller Impatiences cheifly scarce obseruable but by Recollected liuers § 6. Patience to be exercised at all times Euen in Ioy Prosperity § 7. 8. 9. Wee ought to aspire to an Indifference § 10. Patience towards God afflicting vs is easier then towards Man § 11. 12. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Seauen Degrees of Patience § 19. Examples of seemingly Extrauagant kinds of Patience c. § 20. Praier the only Efficacious Instrument to get Patience § 21. All Actions except actuall Praier are in some degree defectuous 1. THE next Passion to be mortified is Anger the vvhich vvhosoeuer vvillingly suffers to arise increase or that deliberatly yeilds to trouble of mind for any matter that concernes the Body Health Fortunes Life c yea or pretended soules good such an one really makes more esteeme of them then of the solide good of his Soule For as far as Anger gets a Maistery ouer him so far he looses that Dominion that his Soule ought to haue ouer all other things puts Reason out of its Throne Herupon our Sauiour sayth In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras That is By Patience yee shall keepe the Possession of your Soules as implying that by Impatience vvee loose that possession And vvhat greater losse can vvee haue Hence it is also that
are apt not only to thinke better of our selues then of any other to excuse our ovvne faults to accuse euen the best actions of others c. but also to raise vp our selues against aboue God himselfe considering our selues as if vvee vvere both the Principle end of all Good challenging to our selues the praise of all either reall or imaginary good in vs referring all things to our ovvne contentment 15. By a serious frequent consideration of these things vvay vvill be made for the introducing of true solide Humility into our soules But yet these alone vvill not suffise except therto vvee ioyne 1. Abstraction of life by vvhich vvee vvill come to over-looke forget the imperfections of others only looke vpon our ovvne thence flying employments charges dealing vvith others or vvhen necessity requires a treating vvith others doing it vvith all modesty Charity a cordiall respectfullnes being confounded at our ovvne prayses c 2. A care to practise according to vvhat Humility obliges vs vvith quietnes of mind accepting humiliations contempts c from others endeauouring to vvell-come them euen to take ioy in them c 3. But especially Internall Prayer by vvhich vvee not only get a more perfect light to discouer a vvorld of formerly vnseene imperfections but also vvee approach neerer to God get a more perfect sight of him in vvhom all creatures our selues all doe vanish are annihilated 16. Now when by these meanes Humility begins to get a little strength in vs it is vvonderfull to see how inuentiue ingenious it is in finding vvayes to encrease in Perfection Then this degree of preferring all others vvhatsoeuer before our selues vvill appeare not only possible but easy to be practised as being most conformable to reason duty 17. For then a deuout soule knovving hovv valuable necessary a vertue Humility is by vvhich alone that most deadly poyson of our soules Pride is destroyed 1. She will become scarce able to see any thing in herselfe but vvhat is truly her ovvne that is her defectuousnes nothing nor any thing in others but vvhat is Gods And thus doing she cannot chuse but humble herselfe vnder all others preferring all others before herselfe this vvithout fiction vvith all sincerity simplicity 2. She will neuer compare herselfe vvith others but to the entent to abase herselfe 3. If there be in her any naturall endovvments vvanting to others she vvill consider them as not her ovvne but Gods committed to her trust to the end to trade vvith them for Gods glory only Of vvhich trust a seuere account shall be required And being conscious of her negligence ingatitude she vvill be so far from glorifying herselfe for such endovvments that she vvill rather esteeme them happy that vvant them 4. If she haue any supernaturall graces vvhich others vvant yea or if others are guilty of many open sins she vvill consider that she may according to her demerits be depriued of them others enriched vvith them vvho in all likelyhood vvill make better vse of them for she knovves by many vvofull experiments the peruersenes of her ovvne heart but is vtterly ignorant of others therfore cannot vvithout breach of Charity suspect that they vvill be so ingratefull 5. She will not take notice of lesser imperfections in others yea not knovving their secret intentions she vvill iudge that those things vvhich seeme to be imperfections may perhaps be meritorious Actions 6. In a word considering that God has made her a iudge of herselfe only to the end to condemne herselfe of others only to excuse them knovving that there can be no perill in iudging if it be possible too hardly of ones selfe but much in iudging the vvorst of another in the smallest thing Though others be neuer so vvicked yet at least she vvill iudge this that if God had afforded them the light helpes that she enioyed they vvould haue bene Angells in Purity compared vvith her hovveuer that at least they are not guilty of such ingratitude as she is 18. By such considerations as these a deuout soule vvill fixe in her vnderstanding a beleife of her ovvne vilenes basenes For to make Humility a vertue it is the vvill that must euen compell the vnderstanding to say I will beleiue my selfe to be inferiour to all according as I find iust cause by these coÌ„siderations And the same Will will vpon occasion force practises suitable to such a beleife It vvill make the soule affraid to seeke things pleasing to her yea content vvith all hard vsage as knovving she deserues far vvorse ought to expect to be trodden vnderfoot by all creatures so that in loue to Iustice equality she vvill euen desire reioyce in all affronts persecutions contempts Or if certaine circumstances as Infirmity of Body c. shall require and that she be necessitated to chuse or desire any consolations she will accept them in the spirit of humility mortification that is purely in obedience to the Diuine Will not at all for the satisfaction of nature being far from thinking herselfe vvorthy of any thing but vvant paine contempt 19. Novvv a Superiour is not to be iudged to offend against this degree of humility vvhen he discouers obiects reprehends or punishes the faults of his subiects for in so doing he sustaines the person of God to whom alone it belongs to exercise the office of a Iudge yet vvithall the Superiour ought not therfore to esteeme himselfe better then the person reprehended for though perhâ—ps in that one respect he cannot much condemne himselfe yet for many other faults vvhich he sees in himselfe cannot see in others he may ought to remaine humbled yea to be the more confounded vvhensoeuer the duty of his place requires of him to be a reprehender of others vvhilst himselfe doth far more deserue reprehension 20. When by serious practise of humiliation ioyned vvith Prayer a soule is come to a high degree of Purity in spirituall exercises then is attained that more admirable kind of Humility vvhich regards God In vvhich the soule contemplating his Totality illimited vniuersality of Being thence reflecting on her owne nothing of vvhich novv she has a more perfect sight she most profoundly humbles annihilates herselfe before him 21. And vvhen Prayer is come to Perfection then vvill the soule also mount to the supreme degree of humility which regards God considered absolutely in himselfe vvithout any expresse or distinct comparison vvith creatures for herby a soule fixing her sight vpon God as all in all contemplating him in the darkenes of incomprehensibility does not by any distinct Act or reflexion consider the vacuity nothingnes of creatures but really transcends forgets them so that to her they are in very deed as nothing because they are not the obiect vvhich with her spirit she only sees with her affection only embraces
it be vsed as a meanes to raise better their attention to God yet so that it must allvvaies giue place to Internall prayer vvhen they find themselues disposed for it 11. But as for that Vocall Prayer either in Publick or Priuate vvhich is by the lawes of the Church of obligation no manner of pretences of finding more proffit by internall exercises ought to be esteemed a sufficient ground for any to neglect or disparage it for though some soules of the best dispositions might perhaps more aduance themselues tovvards Perfection by internall exercises alone yet since generally euen in Religion soules are so tepide negligent that if they vvere left to their owne voluntary Deuotions they vvould scarce euer exercise either vocall or mentall Prayer therefore in as much as a manifest distinction cannot be made betvveene the particular dispositions of persons it vvas requisite necessary that all should be obliged to a Publick externall performance of diuine Seruice praysing God vvith the tongues also vvhich vvere for that end giuen vs That so an order Decorum might be obserued in Gods Church to the end it might imitate the employment of Angells glorified Saints in a solemne vnited ioyning of hearts tongues to glorify God This vvas necessary also for the edification inuitation of those vvho are not obliged to the Office vvho perhaps vvould neuer thinke of God vvere they not encouraged therto by seeing good soules spend the greatest part of their time in such solemne almost hourely praying to praysing God 12. Novv vvhereas to all manner of prayer as hath bene said there is necessarily required an Attention of the mind vvithout vvhich it is not prayer Wee must knovv that there are seuerall kinds degrees of attention All of them good but yet one more perfect proffitable then another For. 1. There is an Attention or expresse reflexion on the vvords sense of the sentence pronounced by the tongue or reuolued in the mind Now this Attention being in vocall prayer necessarily to vary change according as sentences in the Psalmes c doe succeede one another cannot so povverfully efficaciously fixe the mind or affections on God because they are presently to be recalled to nevv considerations or succeding affections This is the lovvest most imperfect degree of Attention Of vvhich all soules are in some measure capable the more imperfect they are the lesse difficulty there is in yeilding it for soules that haue good established affections to God can hardly quitt a good Affection by vvhich they are vnited to God vvhich they find gustfull proffitable for them to exchange it for a nevv one succeeding in the Office And if they should it vvould be to their preiudiâ—e 13. The second degree is that of soules indifferently vvell practised in Internall Prayer vvho coming to the reciting of the Office either bringing vvith them or by occasion of such reciting raising in themselues an efficacious Affection to God doe desire vvithout variation to continue it vvith as profound a Recollectednes as they may not at all heeding vvhether it be suitable to the sense of the present passage vvhich they pronounce This is an Attention to God though not to the words and is far more beneficiall then the former And therfore to oblige any soules to quit such an Attention for the former would be both preiudiciall vnreasonable For since all Vocall Prayers in Scripâ—ure or othervvise vvere ordained only to this end to supplâ— furnish the soule that needs vvith good matter of affection by vvhich it may be vnited to God a soule that hath allready attained to that end vvhich is vnion as long as it lasts ought not to be separated therefrom be obliged to seeke a nevv meanes till the vertue of the former be spent 14. A third most Sublime Degree of Attention to the Diuine Office is that vvherby Vocall Prayers doe become mentall that is vvherby soules most profoundly vvith a perfect simplicity vnited to God can yet vvithout any preiudice to such vnion attend also to the sence spirit of each passage that they pronounce yea thereby find their affection adhesion vnion increased more simplified This Attention comes not till a soule be arriued to perfect Contemplation by meanes of vvhich the spirit is so habitually vnited to God besides the imagination so subdued to the spirit that it cannot rest vpon any thing that vvill distract it 15. Happy are those soules of vvhich God knovves the number is very small that haue attained to this third Degree the vvhich must be ascended to by a carefull practise of the two former in their order especirlly of the second Degre And therfore in reciting of the Office euen the more imperfect soules may doe vvell vvhensoeuer they find themselues in a good measure recollected to continue so as long as they vvell can preseruing as much stability in their imagination as may be 16. And the best meanes to beget increase such a recollected vvay of saying the Diuine Office is the practise of Internall Prayer either in meditation or immediate Acts of the vvill the only aime and end vvherof is the procuring an immoueable Attention adhesion of the Spirit to God And this as to our present purpose may suffise concerning Vocall Prayer CHAP. III. § 1. Of Internall Prayer in generall And principally of Internall Affectiue Prayer § 2. 3. 4. 5. The excellency necessity of Affectiue Praier And that it was practised by the Antients not discoursiue Prayer or Meditation § 6. The great necessity of it in these dayes § 7. 8. The Testimony of Cardinall Bellarmine to shew that Vocall Prayer c. suffiseth not § 9. 10. 11. c. Fiue admirable Vertues of Internall Affectiue Prayer § 16. 17. An exhortation to constancy courage in pursuing the exercise of it 1. INTERNALL or Mentall Prayer vvhich is simply and merely such and vvhich vvee made the second member in the Diuision of Prayer in generall if indeed it be a distinct kind and of vvhich only vvee shall treate hereafter is either 1. Imperfect and acquired 2. Or Perfect that which is called properly Infused Prayer The former is only a Preparation Inferiour Disposition by vvhich the soule is fitted made capable of the Infusion of the other to vvit the Prayer of Contemplation vvhich is the end of all our Spirituall Religious Exercises I shall therfore in order treate of them both of their seuerall speciall degreeâ— beginning with the lovvest thence ascending orderly till vvee come to the highest the vvhich vvill bring a soule to the state of Perfection 2. But before I come to deliuer the speciall Instructions pertinent to the exercise of the seuerall Degrees of Internall Prayer It vvill be very requisite by vvay of Preparation encouragement to set dovvne the necessity excellency of Internall Prayer in generall I meane especially of
Prayer either Vocall or discoursiuely Mentall The vvhich vertues are indeed admirable inestimable deseruing to be purchased vvith all the cares endeauours of our vvhole liues 10. The first Excellency of Internall Affectiue Prayer aboue all other is that only by such Prayer our Vnion in spirit vvith God in vvhich our Essentiall Happines consists is perfectly obtained For therin the will vvith all the povvers affections of the soule are applied and fixed to the louing adoring glorifying this only beatifying Obiect Wheras in Vocall Prayer there is a continuall variety succession of Images of creatures suggested the vvhich doe distract the soules of the imperfect from such an application And Meditation in vvhich discourse is employed is so far little more then a Philosophicall Contemplation of God delaying this fixing of the heart and affections on God the vvhich are only acceptable to him 11. The second vertue is this That by this Prayer of the Will the soule entring far more profoundly into God the fountaine of lights partakes of the beames of his diuine light far more plentifully by vvhich she both discouers Gods perfections more clearly also sees the vvay vvherein she is to vvalke more perfectly then by any other Prayer And the Reason is because vvhen the soule endeauours to apply all her affections entirely on God then only it is that being profoundly introuerted a vvorld of impurities of intention inordinate affections lurking in her doe discouer themselues the obscure mists of them are dispelled the soule then finding by a reall perception feeling hovv preiudiciall they are to her present vnion in vvill vvith God Wheras vvhen the vnderstanding alone or principally is busied in the consideration of God or of the soule herselfe the Imagination vvhich is very Actiue subtile vvill not represent to the soule either God or herselfe so liquidly sincerely but being blinded seduced by naturall selfe-loue vvill inuent a hundred excuses pretexts to deceiue the soule to make her beleiue that many things are intended done purely for God vvhich proceeded principally if not totally from the Roote of Concupiscence selfe-loue 12. A third aâ—mirable Perfection of Internall affectiue Prayer is this That not only Diuine light but also grace spirituall strength to put in practise all things to vvhich supernaturall light directs is obtained principally by this Internall Prayer of the heart And this by a double causality vertue to vvit 1. By way of impetration grounded on the rich precious promises made by God to Prayer aboue all other good Actions 2. By a direct proper efficiency For since all the vertue merit of our externall Actions does depend vpon and flovv from the internall disposition operations of the soule exercising Charity Purity of intention in them conquering the resistance of nature And since all Internall exercises of all vertues vvhatsoeuer are truly in propriety of speech direct Prayer of the Spirit hence is followes that as all habits are gotten by frequency constancy of exercise therfore by the perseuering in the exercise of internall Prayer the soule is enabled vvith facility to practise perfectly all vertues 13. To this may be added that such Prayer is vniuersall Mortification a Mortification the most profound intime perfect that a soule can possibly performe entirely destructiue to sensuall satisfaction For therein the will forces inferiour nature all the povvers of the soule to auert themselues from all other obiects pleasing to them and to concurre to her internall Actuations tovvards God this oftimes in the midst of distractions by vaine Images during a torpide dullnes of the heart yea a violent contradiction of sensuality vvhen there is according to any sensible perception a totall disgust in the soule to such an exercise yea vvhen the spirit it selfe is in obscurity cannot by any reflexed Act reape any consolation from such an exercise Such an Exilium cordis such a desertion internall Desolation is a mortification to the purpose yet as of extreme bitternes so of vnexpressible efficacy to the purifying vniuersall Perfecting of the soule spirit Therfore S. Chrysostome Tract de Oratione had good reason to say It is impossible againe I say it is vtterly impossible that a soule which with a due care assiduity prayes vnto God should euer sin 17. A fourth Excellence of Internall Affectiue Prayer is That it is the only Action that cannot possibly want Purity of Intention Soules may from an impulse of nature and its satirfaction exactly obserue Fasts performe Obediences keepe the Quire approach to Sacraments yea exercise themselues in curious speculations during Meditation or in the exercise of sensible deuotion they may comply vvith selfe-loue c. And indeed they haue no farther any Purity of intention in any of these duties then as they doe proceede from Internall Affectiue Prayer that is the vvill fixed by Charity on God Wheras if any oblique intention should endeauour to insinuate it selfe into Internall Prayer of the vvill it vvould presently be obserued vnlesse it vvere contradicted expelled there could be no progresse in such Prayer So that it is not possible to find an exercise either more secure or more proffitable since it is by the vertue of it alone that all other exercises haue any concurrence towards the perfectionating of the soule 15. Lastly Affectiue Prayer of the will is that alone which makes all other sorts of Prayer to deserue the name of Prayer For vvere that excluded Meditation is but an vseles speculation and curiosity of the vnderstanding and Vocall Prayer but an empty sound of vvords For God only desires our hearts or Affections vvithout vvhich our tongues or Braines are of no esteeme at all Yea there is not so much as any proffitable Attention in any Prayer further then the heart concurres For if the Attention be only of the mind that vvill not constitute Prayer for then study or disputation about Diuine things might be called Prayer Hence sayth an Ancient holy Hermite Nunquam verè orat quisquis etiam flexis genibus euagatione cordis etiam qualicumque distrahitur That is That man does neuer truly pray who though he be vpon his knes is distracted with any wandring or vnattention of his heart And likewise the learned Soto to the same purpose conclusiuely affirmes Orationi mentali deesse non potest attentio cum ipsa attentio c That is Attention cannot possibly be wanting to Mentall Prayer of the heart since the Attention it selfe is the very Prayer And therfore it is a contradiction to say that one prayes mentally is not attentiue as is of it selfe manifest For as soone as euer the mind begins to wander it ceases to Pray Therfore Vocall Prayer is only that Prayer which may want attention namely when the thoughts diuerting themselues to other obiects the tongue without the concurrence of the mind giues an vncertaine
vvhich is to be vnited in vvill affection to God only 5. These therfore being tvvo qualities requisite in Prayer 1. Earnestnes or feruour 2. perseuerance both vvhich are likevvise included in the tearme Instantissima giuen to Prayer by our holy Father Imperfect soules vvill be apt to suspect oftimes that their Prayers are vnefficacious as being depriued of these conditions 1. The former vvhen they doe not perceiue a tendernes melting Deuotion in sensitiue Nature 2. And the later they vvill feare is vvanting vvhâ—nsoeuer they find themselues though vnvvillingly distracted Therfore to the end to preuent mistakes that a right iudgment may be made of these two to vvit sensible Deuotion Distractions I vvill treate of them both shevving vvhat good or ill effects may proceede from the former And vvhat remedies may be applied to hinder any inconueniences from the latter 6. There is a twofold sensible Deuotion 1. The first is that vvhich vvee novv speake of vvhich is found in good but imperfect soules it begins in sensitiue nature causing great tendernesses there froÌ„ theÌ„ce it mounts vp to the spirit producing good melting affections to God especially in discoursiue Prayer to the Humanity suffrings of our Lord 2. Another sensible Deuotion there is of perfect soules the which begins in the spirit abounding there ouer-flovves by communication descends into Inferiour sensitiue nature causing like effects to the former Now there is little neede to giue cautions of Instructions concerning the vse of this Because Perfect soules walking in a cleare light being established in a generous Loue of the Superiour vvill tovvards God are not in danger to be transported vvith the pleasing effects vvhich it is apt to produce in Inferiour nature nor to fall into spirituall Gluttony by vvhich their affections may be vvithdravvn from God fixed on such meane Gifts of his as these are That therfore vvhich I shall here speake concerning Sensible Deuotion is to be applied vnto that vvhich is fouÌ„d in soules lesse perfect for for such only all these Instructions vvere meant 7. Suâ—h soules then are to be informed That though sensible Deuotion be indeed at the first a good gift of God intended by him for their encouragement aduancement in his pure loue As it is therfore not to be neglected so neither is it ouer highly to be prised For as very good effects may flovv from it being vvell discreetely vsed so on the contrary vvithout such discretion it may proue very pernicious endangering to plunge them more deeply in selfe-loue corrupt nature in vvhich it is much immersed And so it vvould produce an effect directly contrary to that for which Prayer was ordained A soule therfore is to separate that which is good proffitable in such Deuotion from that which is imperfect dangerous renouncing mortifying this latter with discretion giuing way making her proffit of the other 8. The speciall signes effects of such sensible Deuotion are oftimes very conspicuous in the Alteration caused by it in corporall nature dravving teares from the eyes procuring heate and reddnes in the face springing motions in the heart like to the leaping of a fiâ—h in the waters saith Harphius And in some it causes so perceiueable an opening and shutting in the heart saith he that it may be heard And from such vnusuall Motions agitations about the heart a windy vapour will now then mount vp to the head causing a pricking paine there the which if the head be not strong may continue a good space yea if good care be not taken to interrupt such impetuosities of the spirits the blood vvill first boyle aftervvards vvill grovv thicke and â—â—ngealed incapable of motion And this once hapâ—â—â—ng the invvard sweetnesses formerly felt vvill be turned into sadnes deiection and stupidity thence vvill follovv complaints that the soule is forsaken of God yea she vvill be in danger desperately to renounce all further seeking of God And the more that she shall endeauour to recouer her former sensible affections the farther vvill she be from it impatience for this vvill render her still more indisposed more darkened in the vnderstanding more stupified in her affections 9. Novv all these inconueniences proceede from selfe-loue a too gluttonous delectation in sensible sweetnesses The vvhich if they be accompanied vvith any extraordinary Visits there vvill follovv it is to be feared yet far more dangerous effects in vnprepared soules the vvhich vvill probably take occasion from thence to nourish Pride in themselues a contempt of others 10. To abate the too high esteeme that vnwary soules may haue of this sensible feruour deuotion it may be obserued that it is not allvvaies a signe of a good disposition or holines in the soule for vvee reade of seuerall impious persons that haue enioyed it so History makes mention of a certaine vvicked Tyrant called William Prince of Iuliers hovv at his deuotions in the midnight of our Lords Natuity he twice or thrice felt so great an internall svveetnes in diuine visitations that he professed aftervvard that he vvould be content to purchase vvith the losse of halfe his dominion such another consolation Yet after his death it vvas reueiled to a certaine Holy person that he vvas in hell condemned to torments equall to those that that vvicked persecuting Imperour Maxentius suffred 11. The roote of such sensible svveetnesses is oftentimes a mere naturall temper of body Yea by Gods permission the Deuill also vvill be forvvard enough to raise increase it in immortified selfe-vvilled soules knovving that they vvill make ill vse of it either to the augmenting of their pride or to a presumptuous vndertaking of mortifications aboue their strength by vvhich in a short time their spirits vvill be so exhausted their forces enfeebled that they vvill become vnable any more to correspond vvith diuine Grace euen in duties necessarily belonging to their Profession And vvhen this happens then all sweetnes of Deuotion ceases in place therof succeede Anguishes scrupulosities pusillanimity perhaps euen desperation Therfore vvell-minded soules are to take speciall care of preuenting these effects of sensible deuotion the vvhich vvithout great vigilance they are in danger to incurre And thereupon Harphius aduises earnestly such to moderate vvith discretion the violent impulses of their internall desires to God for saith he if they shall allvvaies to the vtmost extent of their ability pursue them they vvill find themselues in a short time quite exhausted disabled to performe euen easyer and more necessary obligations 12. The true vse benefit therfore that imperfect soules ought to make of sensible Deuotion vvhen God sends it is this That without resting much on it or forcing themselues to continue it they should make it an instrument to fortify establish the solide true loue esteeme of God in the superiour soule to coÌ„firme an vnshaken resolution in themselues neuer
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
be so far from receiuing any harme by them that she vvill by their meanes increase in grace so that though she doe not receiue any extraordinary Illuminations nor any satisfaction to her naturall vvill by such distracted Prayers yet doth she get that for vvhich such illuminations gusts are giuen to vvit a priuy but effectuall grace to adhere vnto God to resigne herselfe to him in all his prouidences permissions concerning her And grace gotten by such an afflicting vvay of Abnegation is far more secure merits more at Gods hands then if it had come by lightsome pleasing consolations Since this is a vvay by vvhich corrupt nature is transcended selfe-loue contradicted subdued euen vvhen it assaults the soule most subtilly dangerously to vvit by pretending that all sollicitudes anxious discouragements caused by distractions doe flovv from diuine loue from a care of the soules progresse in spirituality Lastly this is a vvay by vvhich Charity all diuine vertues are deepely rooted in the spirit being produced established there by the same meanes that the deuill vses to hinder the production of them in negligent tepide soules or to destroy them vvhen they haue bene in some measure produced 9. As for more particular Aduices Expedients sleights to be made vse of in speciall cases circumstances none can teach but God only vvho by meanes of experience perseuerance in prayer vvill vndoubtedly giue vnto a soule light grace sufficient 10. To conclude therfore this point This difference may be obserued betwene distractions in perfect soules from the same in the imperfect viz. That in perfect soules Distractions proceede only from some vnvvilling distemper in the cognoscitiue faculties but in the imperfect they are rather froÌ„ some degree of inordinate AffectioÌ„ to the obiects of the Distractions And therfore a well-aduanced soule hath little difficulty in putting them avvay as soone as she reflects vpon them for vvithout coÌ„â—ending vvith theÌ„ she can preseÌ„tly vnite herselfe vvith her superiour vvill to God euen vvhilst her knovving powers are busy about impertinent obiects vvhereas Imperfect soules in the inferiour degrees of Prayer hauing as yet an expresse perceptible vse of the vnderstanding imagination cannot but receiue some preiudice by distractions in as much as those faculties cannot at the same time be employed vpon different obiects that haue no subordination or relation to one another 11. There remaines a third condition or quality vvhich I said vvas necessary to true Internall affectiue Prayer to vvit the diuine Inspiration from vvhich if it doe not proceede it is of little efficacy or merit Novv though in the generall diuision of Internall Prayer I seemed to appropriate the title of Infused Prayer to the Prayer of perfect Contemplation the meaning therof vvas that such Prayer is merely infused the soule by any deliberate preparation or election not disposing herselfe therto Wheras in the inferiour degrees there is necesâ—ary both a precedent and concomitant industry in the soule to make choyce of matter for Praier to force herselfe to produce affections correspondent to the said matter by reason that as yet Gods holy Spirit is not so abounding operatiue in the soule as to impell her to pray or rather breathing forâ—h Prayers in and by her But in all cases that is most true vvhiâ—h S. Bernard saith Tepida est oratio quam non praeuenit Inspiratio that is That Prayer is a repide prayer which is not preuented by diuine Inspiration And S. Augustin Bene orare Deum gratia spiritalls est That is It is a speciall grace of Gods holy Spirit to be able to pray aright 12. Novv the ground of the necessity of a Diuine Inspiration herto is expressed in that saying of S. Paul Quid oremus sicut oportet nescimus c. Wee know not how to pray as wee ought And therfore the Spirit of God helpes our infirmity yea saith he The spirit it selfe makes requests in vs for vs this oft with grones which cannot be expressed vvhich the soule it selfe cannot conceiue It is this Inspiration only vvhich giues a supernaturality to our Praiers makes them fit to be heard granted by God 13. But of this subiect much hath already bene said more vvill follow when wee treate of the seuerall Degrees of Prayer especially the perfect Prayer of Aspirations vvhere vvee shall shevv hovv these Inspirations are attempred according to the naturall good Propensions of soules so that those vvhich are naturally inclined to Introuersion are vsually moued by God to seeke him by pure spirituall operations vvithout images or motiues yet this by degrees according to the state of the soule Where also I vvill shevv hovv necessary Liberty of Spirit a freedome from nice methods Rules of Prayer is to dispose the soule for these Diuine Inspirations And therfore I vvill forbeare any further enlarging of my selfe on this point in this place 14. Novv a due consideration of these Excellencies most heauenly Effects of internall Affectiue Prayer ought to giue vs a suitable Esteeme valevv of it aboue any other Employments vvhatsoeuer An experience hereof it vvas that made an Ancient Hermite called Iacob in Theodoret. de vit PP resolutely to persist in refusing to interrupt his appoynted Prayer or to delay the time of it for any other busines on ciuilities in visits vvhatsoeuer he commanded all to depart vvhen the houre vvas come saying I came not to this solitude to benefit other mens soules but to purifie mine owne by Prayer CHAP. VII § 1. Internall Affectiue Prayer of Contemplation hath allwaies bene entertained at first with iealousy and rigour § 2. 3. 4. An Illustrious Example in the person of the late R. Fa Baltazar Aluarez of the Society of IESVS § 5. 6. 7. An Account required giuen by him to his Generall touching his Prayer of Contemplation The order manner of Gods guidance of him therto therein And the excellency of that Prayer declared § 16. 17. c. The substance of a Discourse written by him in answer to seauen Obiections made against Internall Prayer of Contemplation § 30. The successe of this tempest 1. IT is so far from being a iust Preiudice against this most excellent of Gods Gifts Internall Prayer of the vvill that it is rather a proofe of the more then ordinary Eminency of it that it has alwaies found some euen among the learned and oftimes among such as haue bene the most strict seuere about Religious Obseruances that haue doe oppose it God forbid that this should alwaies be imputed either to malice enuy c but rather to want of experience in the Mysterious wayes by vvhich the Spirit of God oftimes conducts his speciall seruants It is vvell knowne what calumnies persecutions Suso S. Teresa B. Iohn de Cruce c. found vvhen God enlightned theÌ„ moued them to coÌ„municate to the world this heauenly light All vvhich
others or force herselfe to continue Meditation she vvould make no progresse at all Yea on the contrary the extreme painefullnes of inuenting Motiues novv vnnecessary and tying herselfe to Methods and prescribed formes vvould be to her so distractiue so void of all tast and comfort and so insupportable that not being suffred to follovv Gods inuitation calling to an Exercise of the will she will be in danger to giue quite ouer all Internall Prayer Whereas by pursuing Gods Call she vvill euery day get light to discouer more and more her secret invvard Defects and Grace to mortify and amend them And such her Mortification is exercised rather by trāscending forgetting the obiects of her inordinate Affections then a direct combatting against them And this state of Praier doth properly ansvver to that which is commonly called the Illuminatiue vvay because i◠it the soule vvith little reflexion on her selfe or he◠ovvne Obscurity by reason of sin c tends directly and immediatly to God by vvhom she is enlightne◠and adorned vvith all Vertues and Graces 12. In the third place a soule after a long Exercise in forced Affections of the will to God represented to the Vnderstanding by Images far more subtile and spirituall then formerly yea endeauouring to contemplate him in the darknes and obscurity of a blind and naked Faith void of all distinct and expresse Images will by little and little grow so well disposed to him that she vvill haue lesse need of forcing herselfe to produce good Affections to him or of prescribing to herselfe determinate formes of Acts or Affections On the contrary Diuine Loue vvill become so firmely established in the soule so wholly and only filling and possessing it that it vvill become as it vvere a New Soule vnto the Soule as constantly breathing forth feruorous Acts of Loue and as naturally almost as the Lungs doe send forth breath 13. And here begins the State of pure Contemplation the end of all Exercises of an Internall Life In this blessed State the Actuations and Aspirations are so Pure Spirituall that the soule herselfe often times is not able to giue an account vvhat she does And no vvonder since they doe not proceede from any forethought or Election of her ovvne but are suggested to her by the Diuine Spirit entirely possessing her And although in these most sublime and blind Eleuations of the will the Imagination and vnderstanding vvith their Images are not absolutely excluded yet so unperceptible are their Operations that it is no vvonder if many Mysticall Writers speaking according to vvhat they felt and experienced in themselues haue said That in Pure Contemplation the Will without the vnderstanding was only operatiue As for the Mortifications proper to this state they are as vnexpressible as the Prayer Indeed Prayer and Mortification seeme to be now become the same thing For the light in vvhich the Soule vvalkes is so cleare and vvonderfull that the smallest Imperfections are clearely discouered and by Prayer alone mortified Prayer is the vvhole Busines of the life interrupted by sleepe only and not allvvayes then neither True it is that by other Necessities of corporall Nature Refections Study Conuersation or busines it may be depressed a litle from the height in vvhich it is vvhen the Soule sets it selfe to attend to God only but still it continues vvith efficacy in the midst of all those auocations And this is truly and properly that vvhich Mysticks doe stile the Vnitiue way because herein the Soule is in a continuall Vnion in Spirit vvith God hauing transcended all Creatures and herselfe too the vvhich are become as it vvere amnihilated God is all in all 14. There is no state of Spirituality beyond this But yet this state may infinitly increase in degrees of Purity the operations of the Soule grovving more and more Spirituall intime and Diuine vvithout all limitation In this State it is that the Soule is prepared for Diuine Inaction Passiue Vnions and Graces most admirable and most efficacious to purify her as perfectly as in the condition of this life she is capable Novv it is that God prouides for Soules dearely beloued by him Tryalls and Desolations incomprehensible to the vnexperienced leading them from Light to darknes and from thence to Light againe In all vvhich changes the Soule keepes herselfe in the same Equality and tranquillity as knovving that by them all she approaches nearer and nearer to God plunging herselfe more and more profoundly in him A Soule that is come to this State is aboue all Instructours and Instructions a Diuine Light being her Guide in all manner of things In a vvord it is not she that novv liues but Christ and his holy Spirit that liues raignes and operates in her 15. These are the three States of a Spirituall Contemplatiue life distinguished according to the three states or Degrees of Internall Prayer As for Vocall Prayer it is not to be esteemed a peculiar Degree of Prayer but it may and doth accompany all these states vvithout any change in the substance of the Prayer though vvith very great variety in the Actuation of the Soule during its Exercise For vvhilst the soule is in the imperfect Degree of Meditation she performes her Vocall Prayer vvith the vse of grosser Images and much distractednes But being arriued to the Exercises of the will she recites them vvith lesse multiplicity and some good measure of Recollection And being in the Exercise of Aspirations her Vocall Prayers become likevvise Aspiratiue and Vnitiue not at all distracting her but rather driuing her more profoundly and intimely into God 16. Novv God being both the Principle and Obiect of all our Internall Exercises is after seuerall vvaies represented to the mind in them For 1. in Meditation the soule as yet much immersed in sense is forced to make vse of a distinct grosser Image by vvhich to apprehend him as the Humanity of our Lord and the Mysteries belonging thereto and sometimes such Attributes of the Diuinity as are most obuious and easy to be conceiued and vvhich doe produce more sensible motions in our imperfect Soules as his Iustice Mercy Power c. 2. But in the practise of the Acts of the will the vnderstanding endeauours to apprehend God in the obscure Notion of Faith And vvhen she is sometimes forced to make vse of more particular sensible Images the mind after a short reflexion on them giues place to the recollected Actuations of the vvill alone 3. But being arriued to Aspirations vvhich is Actiue Contemplatian the Soule makes vse of no particular expresse Images at all but contents herselfe vvith the only generall obscure Notion of God vvhich Faith teaches her 17. Novv though it may seeme that the most Perfect haue no great aduantage in this regard ouer the more imperfect Since all that are indued vvith ordinary knovvledge doe sufficiently beleiue and are assured that God being infinite and incomprehensible cannot be truly represented by any particular Images and
§ 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
vvhich most probably is from the Spirit of God Hereto therefore may be applyed that saying of S. Bernard Modus diligendi Deum est diligere sine modo that is The measure and manner of louing of God is to loue him vnmeasurably and freely vvithout a prescribed manner 9. In the next place hauing shevved what encombrances a Soule is to auoide in her exercise of Meditation I vvill proceede to declare positiuely and directly hovv I vvould aduise her to behaue herselfe therein 10. Let a soule that begins Mentall Praier vvith the Exercise of Meditation make choice of some good Bookes of that subiect as Fuluius Androtius Granatensis or the Abridgment of Puentes Meditations vvhich I vvould especially recommend 11. Let her begin vvith the matter of the Purgatiue way as concerning Sin Death the Finall Iudgment Hell or the like And let her abide in the Exercises of that vvay till she finds in her selfe an auersion from Sin that much of the Feare and remorse that vvere formerly in her are deposed so that she is come to haue some good measure of Confidence in God When she finds these Effects in her let her vvithout regarding vvhether she hath run ouer all the Exercises and matters in her Booke belonging to the Purgatiue vvay passe to the Exercises of Meditation which respects the Illuminatiue way as they call it that is to such vvhose matter or argument is some Mystery of Faith touching our Lords Life Passion c. and vvhich are apt to beget and encrease Humility Patience and other Vertues in her 12. Being entred into the Illuminatiue way let her in like manner abide in the Exercises therof till she find her selfe apt for Resignation Loue and other Affections of the Vnitiue way to the Exercise of vvhich let her thervpon apply herselfe 13. It may happen that a Soule that is duly in right order come into the Illuminatiue Vnitiue way as those vvaies are distinguished by the Maisters of Meditation after some time spent in the Exercises proper to those vvaies may aftervvard find herselfe called backe to the Purgatiue As after the committing of some fault extraordinary or during some vnusuall tentation c. In vvhich cases she is to yeild therto abide in those inferiour Exercises as long as she finds them proper proffitable for her vvhich is not like to be very long 14. In like manner vvhilst she is in the Purgatiue vvay if Acts of Resignation Loue c. and much more if Aspirations shall offer themselues to her as some times they may let her by all meanes correspond vnto them as long as they are relishing to her neglecting forbearing in the meane time to consider Motiues or to produce inferiour Acts of Contrition Feare c. belonging to the Purgatiue vvay 15. The grounds of the reasonablenes necessity of these Aduices is this Because the Matter manner of Praier are to be prescribed ordered according to the temper disposition of Soules not the Methods of Bookes And therfore soules are to be applyed to such a manner of Praier as God calls them to is likely to subdue inordinate Affections in them Therfore scrupulous fearefull soules euen in the beginning ate to be forbidden the Exercises of Terrour c. vvhich belong to the Purgatiue vvay and they are to be applyed to such exercises as are apt to produce Loue Confidence in God c. 16. For some short space before a Soule begins her Exercise of Meditation let her looke vpon the Booke and therin peruse the Points that she intends to meditate on Or rather indeede those Points are to be thought vpon and prouided before hand that is Ouer-night for the Morning-Meditation and after dinner for the Euening So doing she will be lesse to seeke about thē better employ the time appointed for her exercise 17. Let her not trust her Memory for the Points that she is to meditate on but haue the Booke ready that she may looke on it as she shall haue need And let her take one point after another as they lye in the Booke or as she shall haue determined before vvhen she prepared for the succeeding Recollection 18. In her meditating on each Point let her behaue herselfe after this manner 1. With her Memory and vnderstanding let her thinke on the matter of that point 2. Out of which let her dravv a Reason or motiue by vvhich the vvill may be inclined some vvay or other tovvards God 3. And thervpon let her produce an Act of the Will as of humiliation Adoration Resignation Contrition c. abiding in such application of the soule to God as long as the Will hath life and actiuity for it or as long as she shall be able to doe it 4. The which fayling and grovving to be disgustfull let her proceede to the next Point therin behauing herselfe likevvise after the same manner so proceeding in order to the others follovving till she haue spent a competent time in her Recollection 19. Novv I conceiue a competent time for one Recollection spent in Meditation to be an Houre or very little lesse Wheras for the Exercise of immediate Acts of the will a lesser space will suffise And the Reason of the difference is 1. Because in this latter Exercise more Acts of the Will vvherin all good doth consist are produced then in Meditation 2. And besides the exercise of Acts is more drie and vvearisome except in some fevv that abound in sensible Affections then is Meditation to soules fit for it 20. During Meditation let the soule neglecting the too common Practise in vvhich Meditation is made rather a study and speculation then an exercise of the spirit spend no more time in inuenting Motiues and in internall discoursings then shall be necessary to moue the vvill to good Affections But as for such Affections let her abide in them as long as she can for therin consists all the proffit And if vpon one consideration or Motiue she can produce many Acts of the vvill let her not faile to doe so and to continue in each Act as long as she finds that she is enabled It is no matter though in the meane time the Vnderstanding should lye quiet as it vvere a sleepe and vvithout Exercise 21. Indeede in Soules which haue an effectuall Call to an Internall Life their Meditations vvill haue little study or speculation in them For after a short and quick reflection on the matter Mystery or Motiue they vvill forthvvith produce Acts of the vvill And their consideration of the matter is not so much by vvay of reasoning or inferring as a simple calling to mind or thinking on a subiect out of vvhich the Will may produce some act or other ansvverable to the Point reflected on by the vnderstanding And this sort of Meditating is proper for many ignorant Persons especially vvomen vvhich haue not the Gift of Internall Discoursing 22. A soule that practises Meditation vvill find
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
these and the like reasons she vvill be apprehensiue and vnwilling to aduenture vpon the new one 23. Fourthly during these vncertainties and irresolutions her Disgust in her present Exercise rather increasing then diminishing And God still interiouâ—ly though not grossely and sensibly inclining her to the new proposed vvay she at length as it vvere forced therto aduentures vpon it yet vvith some feare at the first whether this Change vvill proue for her good or no. 24. Fifthly as soone as she is vvell entred into this nevv Exercise presently she vvill find it gustfull delightfull vnto her and vvithall much more proffitable then vvas the other formerly practised Wherevpon she vvill thenceforvvard vvith courage and ioy perseuere in it 25. By such steps and Degrees doth a soule that is purely vnder the Guidance of Gods Holy Spirit passe from one degree of Prayer to another formerly vnknovven vnto her till at last she come to Contemplation And she vvill clearly perceiue that it vvas not herselfe but God only that did as it vvere lead her by the hand and dravv her forvvard into the nevv Exercise Teaching her likevvise hovv to hehaue herselfe in the Beginning Wheras in the pursuance of it she aftervvards proceedes as it vvere by her ovvne habituall skill though really God is in euery thing her secret Maister and Helper And he deales vvith an humble soule as a writing Maister vvith his Scholler vvho at first moues and directs his hand to forme ioyne letters but aftervvard directs him only vvith his Eye and Tongue Or as a Father that caries his child ouer a Ditch or Stile but le ts him goe alone in the euen plaine way 26. And as for a Soule that by Reading or Teaching is informed in the Nature and Degrees of Internall Prayer her proceeding and Transition is much after the same manner Excepting only that the Next Degree to vvhich she is to ascend does not seeme so strange to her But the signes by vvhich a necessity of change doth appeare are as formerly a constant disgust in her present Exercise of Meditation c. and a kind of disability to continue it vvith any proffit to her spirit By vvhich meanes it comes to passe that in her Recollections the Meditating or Discoursing part diminishes dayly and the Affectiue part encreases the Will by little and little getting ground of the Vnderstanding till at last the Prayer becomes entirely of the will And thus she passes almost vnavvares into the next Degree her Prayer becoming by little and little more and more purifyed Into the vvhich Degree vvhen she is in such a manner and order entred then indeed she is not for any Aridities or obscurities to quit it and to returne to Meditation But to vse a discreete violence vpon the will to make it to produce good Affections and Acts although nature take little comfor or satisfaction in the Exercise For by so doing she vvill much benefit herselfe both by mortifying Nature and fixing Diuine Loue more profoundly in the Spirituall Region of the soule 27. To conclude this Point A Spirituall life is subiect to many and vvonderfull Changes Interiour as vvell as Exteriour And all are according to the mere vvill and good pleasure of God vvho is tyed to no Methods or Rules Therfore follovving him in all Simplicity and Resignation let vs vvonder at nothing let vs neither oblige selues too rigorously to any Exercise nor refuse any to vvhich he shall inuite vs seeme it neuer so strange or to Naturall Reason euen senselesse For in his Guidance there can be no danger of Errour but on the contrary there is all security And this may and ought to be a great Comfort and encouragement to a vvell-minded resolute Soule THE THIRD SECTION OF THE THIRD TREATISE TO WIT Of the Exercises of immediate forced Acts of the VVill Being the second Degree of Internall Prayer CHAP. I. § 1. 2. 3. Of Exercises of the vvill to wit forced immediate Acts or affections Aspirations § 4. 5. c Difference betweene Acts of the will affections § 8. 9. How the Prayer of sensible Affections is to be exercised § 10. Of sublime pure affections of the spirit § 11. 12. c Of the Prayer of Immediate Acts of the Will compared with Meditation § 17. 18. Conditions of Acts. § 19. Mere cessation of Prayer to be auoyded § 20. An account not to be required touching the behauiour of soules in affectiue Prayer § 21. Acts proceeding from a good naturall propension are most efficacious 1. A Soule that by a Diuine Call as being in a state of maturity for it relinquisheth Meditation to the end to betake herselfe to a more sublime exercise vvhich is that of Immediate Acts or affections of the will then only begins to enter into the vvayes of Contemplation For the exercises of the vvill are the sublimest that any soule can practise And all the difference that hereafter follovves is only either in regard of the greater or lesser promptitude or in regard of the degrees of Purity vvherevvith a soule produces such Acts. 2. So that the whole latitude of Internall Prayer of the will vvhich is Contemplatiue Prayer may be compreâ—ended vnder these two distinct Exercises to vvit 1. The Exercise of forced Acts or Affections of the will produced either immediatly according to the persons present disposition vvithout a distinct or expresse motiue represented by the vnderstanding or else suitable to such â— motiue yet vvithout any formall discourse of the vnderstanding These are called forced Acts because after â—hat a Soule is become indisposed to prosecute the Exâ—rcise of Meditation it vvill be long before that good affections doe as it vvere naturally flovv from her so that she vvill neede to vse some force vpon herselfe for the producing of the said Acts of the vvill vvhich are imperfect Contemplation 2. The Exercises of Aspirations the vvhich though they be in substance little differing from the former yet by reason of the facility vvherevvith they are produced vvithout force foresight or election purely flovving from an Internall impulse of the Diuine Spirit vvee therfore giue theÌ„ another name call them not Acts but Aspirations The constant Exercise of vvhich is proper perfect Contemplation 3. Of these two Exercises I shall consequently treate beginning vvith the more imperfect vvhich is that of forced Immediate Acts or Affections of the will 4. In the vvhich Exercise I make some difference betvveene Acts affections of the will The former oâ— vvhich are made in and by the Superiour Will onely vvithout any concurrence of sensitiue nature such are Acts of Humiliation Resignation c the producing of vvhich doe not cause any gust in inferiouâ— nature Whereas affections of Loue Ioy Hope Desirâ— c being exercised by imperfect soules are mucâ— immersed in sense And they begin at the first almoâ—â— vvholly in inferiour nature but yet by practise theâ— become more and more pure being raised to the toâ—
and proffitable Recollection And therfore such Elegant and sprighâ—ly expressions as are to be found in many places of S. Augustins Confessions Soliloquies c or in S. Bernard S. Teresas Exclamations c though they be more full of life and more apt to enflame affection being read out of times of Recollection yet they are not so proper to be vsed in the Recollection because the pleasingnes and exquisitenes of the expression giues too much exercise and contentment to the Fancy and by that means distracts and enfeebles the actuation of the Will This I say holds most generally true yet if soules do find their proffit more by the vse of them let them in Gods name make choyce of such 18. The more impetuous that the operations of the vvill are in this exercise Immediate Acts the more still quiet peaceable and profound that they are so there be no vvillfull negligence the more effectuall and proffitable are they and the more efficacious to still Passions as also to compose and settle the Imagination 19. There may come much harme to a soule by cessation from Internall working and from all tendance to God in her Recollections if so be the motiue of such cessation be a desire and expectation to heare God speaking after any vnusuall manner vvithin her and telling her some nevv thing or other For by giuing vvay to such a foolish presumption she vvill deserue and pu herselfe in a disposition to receiue diabolicall suggestions or at least vainely to conceiue and interpret her ovvne Imaginations to be Internall speakings of God And this may proue very perillous if a Soule giue credit to such fancies as probably such soules vvill But they ought to consider that if Gods pleasure be such as to communicate his vvill internally after an extraordinary manner he vvill speake and vvorke vvhether the soule vvill or no and vvhether shee vvill or no shee must heare and suffer And therfore let her abstaine from such indiscreete inuitations or expecting such Diuine Conuersations let her continue quietly her exercises and not cease till God force her to cease them 20. The Custome practised by some spirituall Directours of requiring from all their Disciples an account of their Internall Prayer formerly iudged to be inconuenient as causing Distractions and too frequent Reflections vvith sollicitude vpon their present Actuations to the End they may remember them so be able to relate them The sayd custome I say is moreouer besides this inconuenience vselesnes of extreme difficulty in this exercise The vvhich being simple plaine acted only or cheifly by the vvill cannot well be explicated inasmuch as the Acts leaue scarce any sensible impression in the memory And lastly they are exercised directly to God vvithout any Reflections Now it is by the meanes of Reflections that a soule takes noude of and remembers her Actuations 21. Where there is a good propension in the Interiour to Introuersion an Act produced by the vvill to God is not only much more prompt facile profound but also far more efficacious then any other vvithout such a propension can be though the party be neuer so learned employ neuer so much the faculty of Reasoning Yet doe I not deny but that euen soules of the greatest propensions may sometimes find themselues obliged to make vse of some Meditation But vnlesse their Directour misleade wrong them they vvill not tarry long therin but vvill presently breake forth copiously into good Affections CHAP. II. § 1. 2. 3. c Touching certaine formes of Immediate Acts c adioyned to the End of the Booke how they are to be vsed § 15. 16. c Great variety of Acts there are Some directed to the pure Diuinity some to our Lords Humanity some to Saints some to the soule herselfe c what vse is to be made of them § 24. 25. 26. To what soules one forme of Exercise without variety may be proper § 27. Of exercising vpon the Pater Noster The Excellency thereof § 28. 29. Soules are not to bind themselues to certaine formes § 30. 31. 32. What vse is to be made of the vsuall Reading in Preparation to Recollection § 33. 34. c How soules that cannot make vse of Images are to behaue themselues § 37. 38. What order is to be obserued in the change of Acts. § 41. Soules must not bind themselues to these or any sett formes of Exercises but they must chuse for themselues 1. AT the end of this Booke I haue adioyned a Collection of seuerall Patternes of Exercises by Acts of the will holy Affections for the vse practise of those vvhom either in the vvorld or in Religion God shall call to an Internall life of Contemplation I did not not conceiue any necessity to annexe any Exercises of Meditation Partly because it vvas not my designe to treat of that degree of Prayer but only passingly in order to affectiue Prayer to vvhich it is but a remote preparation And besides there are Patternes of such exercises abundantly obuious to euery one the vvhich may suffise any Internall liuer being practised according to the instructions here formerly giuen And as for the Supreme Degree of affectiue Contemplatiue Praier to vvit perfect Aspirations I haue contented my selfe vvith selecting a few vvhich are added in the conclusion rather to shevv to imperfect soules the forme manner of them then for the vse of Perfect Soules ripe for the exercise of them For such are conducted immediatly entirely by a Diuine Light haue no need of humane prescriptions Neither indeed can they proffitably make vse of any other Affections then only such as Gods Holy Spirit shall suggest to them 2. As touching therfore the foresaid Exercises of forced immediate Acts of the Will affections I haue compiled a sufficient variety of them proper for all states dispositions of soules as Acts of Remorse Feare Contrition c. vvhich belong to the Purgatiue way And likevvise Acts of Adoration Glorification Humiliation Resignation Loue which belong to the Illuminatiue Vnitiue Wayes I haue moreouer made some distinct Exercises of Affections more proper for some soules then are those vvhich I call Acts of the Will Besides I haue set dovvne most copiously Patternes of simple Acts of Resignation as being generally the most vsefull proper for most soules And lastly seuerall Exercises there are mixed interlaced partly vvith Acts partly vvith Affections those not of one but seuerall kinds Because many soules there are that cannot content themselues vvith being tyed to any one kind of determinate exercise And therfore my desire vvas to comply vvith all tempers to the end that euery one might find an Exercise proper proffitable for him or at least might be put in the way hovv to fâ—ame for himselfe such an one 3. A soule that after a sufficient time diligently spent in the practise of Meditation is maturely called conducted by God
to the Exercise of immediate Acts may indeed ought at the first to take for the subiect of her Recollections those Acts vvhich belong to the Vnitiue Way to vvit Acts of Diuine Loue Resignation c. But the case is othervvise vvith a soule that is found vtterly vnfit for Meditation and consequently must necessarily begin a spirituall course vvith the Prayer of Immediate Acts. For for such a soule ordinarily speaking it vvill be expedient that at the beginning she take for the matter of her Acts such as are proper for the Purgatiue Way as Acts of Contrition Feare of Iudgment Hell c. And this Aduice is conformable to the Directions of Blosius in the X. XI Chapters of his Institutions 4. Novv for the vse of the said Exercises of Immediate Acts Affections I vvould aduise a soule that is vvell disposed resolued to practise them that at the first she vvould rather vse them Mentally Because it is lesse distractiue more Recollectiue Vnlesse by experience she find that the vsing them Vocally doth most relish vvith her spirit and as in some dispositions it may cause a more intime and perfect Recollection 5. Wheras euery Exercise consists of about ten clauses of Acts or Affections let her not tye her selfe preâ—isely to that number in any Recollection But if one Exercise vvill not serue let her borrovv from the next follovving And againe if one be too much for one time let her vse as many of those Acts in order as they lye as vvill suffise for the time no more and in the next Recollection let her begin vvhere she last ended 6. A deuout soule vvill find that by diligent practise in progresse of time the number of Acts or Affections to be exercised in each Recollection vvill come to diminish so that vvheras at the beginning perhaps ten Acts vvould scare suffise for one Recollection aftervvards fiue or three yea it may be one vvill oftimes be sufficient 7. Let her generally obserue the Order and sequele of the sayd Acts contained in the exercises proper for her beginning and prosecuting them as they lye For othervvise she vvill spend the precious time allotted for Prayer in looking here and there for somevvhat that may be pleasing to her fancy or humour yet in the end perhaps not content herselfe Or at the least the satisfaction that she may come to find vvill scarce counteruaile the distraction incurred and time lost And againe it is an ill custome of some to take at randome the Acts or affections on vvhich they vvould exercise themselues opening the booke and at aduenture making vse of vvhat their eyes first light on 8. Yet let her not tye herselfe so rigorously superstitiously to any of the sayd Acts but that if vvithout searching there should be offred to her any other kind of Act or Affection be it Resignation Loue or Aspirations vvhich may be gustfull to her let her entertayne it therein abide as long as the relish of it lasteth And that ceasing let her returne to prosecute the Acts of the present Exercise 9. Yet one speciall case there is in vvhich a soule ought by no meanes to oblige herselfe to any Order prescribed in the said Exercises And that is vvhen she finds that Feare or Scrupulosity doe ouer much abound in her causing vnquietnes Deiection and vvant of Confidence in God In vvhich caâ—â— let her by all meanes omitt such Exercises or Acts as are apt to rayse or feede such Passions in her And instead of them let her apply herselfe to Exercises of Hope loue and Ioy in God vvhich ought to be cherished in her 10. Yea soules that are of such a disposition ought euen in the beginning after their first Conuersion not to dvvell long vpon the Exercises that concerne Remorse for sin or other matters of Feare as Death Iudgment and Hell but rather to fixe vpon Affections contrary to their present disposition And in case of nevv faults committed let their Contrition or Detestation of sin be rather exercised in a generality or Vertually in Acts of Conuersion to God then particularly directly and expressely And let them not be scrupulous herein out of an opinion that at such times God expects painefull Remorses froÌ„ them or earnest expressions of detestation of their sins For such detestation is sufficiently inuolued in an Act of direct loue to God vvhich conteines much perfection besides Such Acts therfore being more beneficiall to her are consequently more acceptable to God 11. A soule hauing pitched vpon any Act or Affection contained in the sayd Exercises let her tarry as long vpon each of them vvithout passing to an other as her Gust vnto such an affection lasteth and as she findes proffit to her spirit by it 12. Whensoeuer in any Clause there is contained matter of seuerall desires or Affections let her in her mind and Exercising separate them and rest vpon each of them seuerally For by this meanes the sayd Exercises vvill last longer and yeild more proffit 13. After that all the Exercises appointed for her haue bene passed ouer let her repeate and pursue them againe and againe Vnlesse she doe find herselfe dravven by God to some other Exercise more perfect as is that of Aspirations And indeed vvhensoeuer in her Exercise during her Recollection shee does find her selfe moued to perfect Aspirations Eleuations of the Will c or else to produce some other Acts as of Resignation c vpon occasion of some present Crosse to be sustained let her not faile to correspond to such an inuitation 14. Those that can find no proffit or relish by any of these prescribed Exercises or the like may conclude that they are not as yet ripe for them and that therfore they are to continue in Discoursiue Prayer till it looses its relish and that they begin to find Gust in Affections 15. The Acts and Affections in the follovving Exercises are for the most part directed to God himselfe or the pure Diuinity as if they vvere internall conuersations vvith God The vvhich are perfect introuersions and of all actiue assumed Exercises are the most proffitable 16. But vvithall such Actuations are oftimes very painefull by reason that such Introuersions are exercised vvithout the helpe of grosser Images the vvhich haue some kind of recreating diuersion in them and vvhen such Images doe offer themselues the soule tending to the naked Diuinity taries not in them but transcends or reiects them And if her mind finding no Gust in an Obiect so perfectly spirituall becomes vvilling to ease it selfe by fastning vpon some other good but inferiour Obiect she is by some Writers taught to vvithdravv her attention from any thing but God the vvhich violence and selfe contradiction cannot be vvithout much paine in so much that soules become therby sometimes so tired vvith such Introuersions and find so great difficulty in seeking the Diuine Presence so aboue the course of nature that they loose all comfort
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
due regard be had to the body that it be not too much preiudiced by the exercises of the spirit performed vvith ouermuch violence impetuosity And this not so much for the bodies sake as the spirits the vvhich since in this life it cannot worke vvithout the body by too violent vvorkings it may so weaken the body as that it vvill not be enabled for continuance so those little short gaines vvhich are gott by a few impetuous Exercises vvill be dearly bought by an incapacity of coÌ„tinuing them contracted in both soule body Wee must neither stretch our vnderstandings to high seekings least vvee be plunged thereby in Internall darkenes from vvhich vvould proceede intolerable perplexities Neither must vvee force the affectioÌ„s euen to good obiects too much nor suffer them to flovv vvith too violent a streame nor lastly must vvee exhaust bodily strength by vnnecessary externall Austerities 4. As for the painfullnes troubles vneasines to nature that vvithout too much debility doth accompany spirituall exercises those may vvell enough be digested considering the vnspeakable benefits seruice that they produce vnto the soule And yet for our comfort this vneasines vvill by custome constancy continually diminish for as Harphius obserues a soule after long practise of Eleuations of spirit vvill come to such a facility in them that they vvilll become as it vvere naturall to her And herein vvee may obserue the vvonderfull vvisedome goodnes of the diuine Prouidence ouer soules hovv he tempers the exercises of the spirit to the Exigence of the body For vvhile the body being vigorous is able to endure more he giues her ruder more laborious exercises But vvhen by long-continued vvorkings it is become so feeble that any violent Intention of the spirit or rude externall mortifications of vvhich there is no need vvould ouer-vvhelme it then the exercises are most easy peaceable silent serene yet infinitely more full of vertue then formerly 5. Novv the peculiar vertue by vvhich all harmfull inconueniences either to the body or spirit may be auoyded is that supernaturall Discretion by vvhich a soule is enabled to hold a Meane auoyde the vicious Extremes in the practising of all spirituall duties It is iustly called a supernaturall vertue because God only can bestovv it for all the vvitt Philosophy in the vvorld are but meere folly blindnes in these matters And this he does principally by the meanes of Prayer vvith the vse of requisite Abstraction attendance to his diuine Inspirations vvhereby vvee shall receiue a Celestiall habituall light to direct vs in all things suitably to our ovvne particular dispositions abilities for no one man can in all matters be a Rule vnto another 6. Novv as touching a particular application of this supernaturall Discretion to the exercises of an Internall life much hath already bene set dovvne dispersedly in these Treatises I vvill therfore only point at some fevv considerations vvhich in the practise of the seuerall Duties of a Contemplatiue life doe regard this Mistresse of all vertues Discretion vvhich surely deserues aboue all other to be purposely by it selfe treated of in as much as vvithout it all other Vertues are imprudent that is not vertues at all 7. First therfore in regard of the duty of Mortification I speake now only of necessary Mortifications of vvhich kind all are to be esteemed that come from God either immediately or by meanes of others especially Superiours a soule is to esteeme those Mortifications vvhich a Superiour beyond the Rule shall voluntarily impose vpon the subiect to be to the subiect himselfe necessary hovveuer voluntary to the Superiour 8. Novv Superiours ought rarely to impose such kind of Mortifications on their subiects because so many circumstaÌ„ces are required to make them vvell imposed that a great measure of illumination from God is requisite for those that practise the imposing of them For 1. The Superiour must euidently see that the subiect in probability vvill make good vse of them 2. And that though they may doe the subiect good some one vvay yet they vvill not harme him more another 3. He must take heed that others be not scandalised thereby 9. The like circumstances are to be obserued by a particular person that vvould voluntarily assume mortifications For vvant of vvhich point of Discretion Harphius saith That such kind of strange odde and uncouth mortifications as are imposed practised in some Communities ought not to be voluntarily assumed as if with a designe therefore to be despised by another 10. The Authour of the Abridgment of Perfection iustly imputes Indiscretion to those who will neuer giue rest to nature but will alâ—wayes haue some crosse or other Exteriour or Interiour by which to mortify Nature For saith he the highest Perfection is not to desire to be allwaies suffring but to be content to suffer all that by Gods Prouidence shall befall vs. The vvhich contentment is taken avvay by that continuall anxiety vvhich those must suffer that vvill needs be allvvaies vpon the rack 11. In like manner Harphius taxes those that thinke â—hemselues ready for afflictions complaine that they â—vant occasions to exercise their Resignation For â—ives he to such an one thou deceiuest thy selfe by â—ide God does see that as yet thou art not indeed ready strong enough for extraordinary trialls for if he did he would not faile to furnish thee with occasions He will send an Angell from heauen on purpose to exercise a soule rather then she would want Mortifications for her good Therefore let soules neuer be sollicitous nor set themselues to deuise or procure mortifications as if they thought that God had forgotten them Notable examples of this Prouidence of God may be seene in the life of Thaulerus vvhere likevvise vvee read hovv God reprehended the Lay-man that conuerted Thaulerus in his sleepe for certaine assumed voluntary corporall Austerities To this purpose there is a memorable passage in the life of Suso coÌ„cerning a spirituall daughter of his vvho of herselfe vvas disposed to haue vndertaken some great corporall mortifications but vvas disswaded by Suso although himselfe by a speciall Call from God did vse very violent sharpe ones In the vvhich Discourse there are many excellent Documents very vvell deseruing to be perused by the deuout Reader 12. Let a soule therfore seriously practise that Mortification of Mortifications vvhich is pure Internall Prayer vvith it ioyne a diligent good vse of those Mortifications attending her state of life or sent her othervvise from God not omitting those most efficacious Internall mortifications by Acts of humiliation Annihilation of herselfe so doing she vvill haue little reason to complaine of vvant of exercise of this vertue For Corporall Austerities doe not by the excesse of them but by the fitnes proportion to the soules present disposition perfectionate an Internall liver So that some in firme but sincerely affected persons doe aduance themselues more by ordinary trifling
Mortifications then others that consume their strength spirits vvith intolerable fastings chaines disciplines c For as Cassian saies in the Preface to his Institutions Si rationabilis possibilium mensura seruetur eadem obseruantiae perfectio est etiam in impari facultate That is If a reasonable discreete measure of Austerities that ordinarily are not aboue our power be obserued there will be the same Perfection of obseruance where the externall abilities are vnequall 13. In the next place there is great vse of Discretion in sensible Deuotion by which saith Harphius some soules are so far carried away so besotted with selfe-loue selfe-will in the vse of it that no aduice from the most experienced will auayle to moderate them till it be too late to amend till they find themselues vnable to support any serious application to Exercises of the spirit Neuerthelesse saith he hauing thus by their indiscretion brought on themselues this inconuenience they may for all that merit much if with humility Patience resignation they will accept of such their infirmity 14. Wee ought therfore much rather to mortify such sensible Feruour then vse force to increase it applying hereto that Saying of the Wiseman Prouerb 25. Hast thou found honey eate of it what may be sufficient for thee least thou be filled vomit it vp 15. All the Merit that is in sensible Deuotion consists in the concurrence of the superiour vvill to those Acts vvithout vvhich it vvill not helpe to raise the soule out of her naturall state Yea the more she is visited euen bathed in such sensible consolations except she vse mortification about them be vvary not to rest in them but turne them to the producing of more efficacious Acts in the superiour vvill the more strong vvill she grovv in selfe-loue more defiled vvith a kind of spirituall lust Vnlesse soules therfore doe grovv more humble thereby it is a signe of danger to be peruerted by it and quite to loose the end for vvhich God gaue it 16. Yet soules during their imperfect state are not violently to straine themselues to worke purely in spirit but moderately to vse sensible deuotion vvhen God sends it as a meanes to aduance them in spirit Neither ought they on the other side to be so carried avvay vvith a liking gluttonous affection to it vvhich indeed affords delicacies more agreable to nature then any sensible satisfactions as for it to omitt other duties belonging to their state vvhich God vvould haue them to doe 17. Thirdâ—y as touching the Exercise of Meditation hovv far Discretion is to be vsed in it hath hene sufficiently declared vvhen vvee treated of it Indeed soules during that Exercise are to be directed rather by the Discretion of others then their ovvne this both in iudging vvhether they be fit for it hovv long they are to continue in it the Rule vvhereof must not be custome but experience of proffit vvhat proportion of time they are to allovv vnto the vnderstanding vvill to operate in it for that Exercise doth not afford supernaturall light enough to enable a soule to be her ovvne Guide 18. Fourthly for as much as concernes the Exercise of immediate Acts of the will a soule that out of ripenesse gott by sufficient practise of Meditation is arriued thereto vvill haue light Discretion sufficient to iudge vvhat Acts are most proper for her vvhat time is to be spent in each recollections vvhen vvhat pauses shall be necessary vvhen she is to change it for a higher 19. A principall Point of Discretion in this Exercise is not to be caried avvay vvith the examples of some Saints in former times vvho could remaine almost continually in some Mentall actuation to God vvithout giuing vvay to an extrauagant thought by vvhich meanes they vvere almost continually in Internall combattings An indiscreete imitation of such examples as likevvise a too violent producing of Acts vpon one another vvould so oppresse ordinary spirits that it vvould put them into an incapacity of euer being able to pray for the future 20. They vvho doe not vse sett Recollections may ought frequently to force themselues to Interiour Acts tovvards God Yea as oft as they please Not much regarding the season of the day as vvhether it be after Refection or before sleepe And when they haue done all their progresse vvill be but small for vvant of more prolonged and continued Exercises 21. Lastly Discretion and Mortification likevvise is to be vsed also euen in those Exercises to vvhich vvee are inuited and enabled by God himselfe such are the Exercises of Aspirations and Eleuations of the spirit The vsuall times therefore of sett Recollections are to be expected for they doe so vveaken and consume corporall nature that if soules should giue vvay vnto them as oft as they thinke themselues enabled vvhich is indeed almost continually so perfectly are they disposed to God they vvould vtterly disable themselues to doe any seruice to God for the future 22. To this purpose Harphius relates an account that one brother Rogerius a deuout Franciscan gaue of himselfe saying That a hundred times in a Mattins he vvas in spirit dravvne vpvvard to a more high knovvledge of diuine Secrets All vvhich tracts he forcibly resisted being assured that if he had giuen his soule free scope to fixe the eye of the vnderstanding vpon those Obiects so represented to him he should haue bene so plunged in the Abysse of the Diuine incomprehensibility and so vvholly driuen out of himselfe that he should neuer haue bene able to haue retired himselfe aliue from such a Contemplation But there is little perill of Indiscretion in soules so highly eleuated and so wholly in Gods hands vvho may doe vvith soules and bodies vvhat he pleaseth 23. The same Harphius describes the state of some other soules not so sublimely eleuated vvho yet are so languishing in their loue to God and in such an impatient ardour thirst after him that it makes the body to faint and quite vvither avvay And therfore he calls them Martyrs of Loue. Novv by this lâ—nguishing Loue I conceiue is vnderstood a Loue much in sensuality though the obiect thereof be God and it is exercised about the heart much after the same manner that a violent but chast loue is oft exercised betvveene absent persons of different sexes so that I take it to be the highest degree of sensible Deuotion Novv though Harphius sayes that such Martyrs of Loue dying corporally through the extremity of Passion doe immediately passe into heauen hauing bene already purified in the Purgatory fire of Loue Notvvitstanding although no doubt such soules dye in a most secure estate yet it may be they vvill not scape some degree of Purgatory for their indiscreete yeilding to the impulses of nature in the exercising of this loue vvhich though truely diuine is yet far lesse perfect then that pure loue vvhich in perfect Contemplation is exercised in
the intellectuall soule vvithout any sensible change or redundance to the body For the tree of Loue is in no sort to be plucked vp by the rootes as long as there is any hope that it may be in a disposition or capacity to bring forth more fruit CHAP. VII § 1. 2. Touching a speciall sort of Internall Prayer prescribed by Antonio Roias a Spanish Preist with Approbations giuen to it § 3. 4. The Order for preparation to the said Prayer of internall Silence § 5. 6. c. How the said Prayer it selfe is to be exercised § 11. 12. The great aduantages and Benefits of the Prayer of internall Silence § 13. This Prayer may become proper for most soules § 14. A soule is not to be obliged to vse the same preparations prescribed § 15. It is commended by the Authour both to Beginners Proficients yet with some Cautions § 16. This prayer is inferiour to S. Teresas Prayer of Quietnes § 17. Of the Phrase by which the soule is said herein to be AVX ESCOVTTES § 18. This Prayer is far from the mere cessation or idlenes of the Illuminati § 19. 20. A transition to the following discourse of Contemplation with a serious exhortation of S. Teresa to aspire courageously thereto 1. BEFORE vvee proceede to the Supreme degree of Prayer which is pure Contemplation it may be conuenient as it is also pertinent enough to insert here as an Appendix to these Instructions concerning the Prayer of forced Acts of the will a certaine Exercise of Internall Prayer pertaining to this same degree though in regard of the soules behauiour much differing It is a prayer of Internall Silence Quietnes Repose in vvhich there is no Meditation at all nor no Acts of the vvill expressely directly framed being rather a kind of vertuall habituall attention to God then a formall direct tendance to him Yet is this a far inferiour degree of prayer then is that Prayer of Quietnes vvhich S. Teresa speakes of experienced vvhich vvas indeed supernaturall Contemplation 2. The first that published a Treatise purposely of this kind of prayer vvas Antonio de Roias a deuout Spanish Preist Doctour in a Booke called The life of the spirit approued vvich large Elogies by no lesse then nime Eminent Doctours Bishops or Inquisitours So that there can be no reasonable groūds to doubt of the lawfullnes cōuenience security of it It hath moreouer bene translated published in french recōmēded by seuerall other Doctours 3. Novv the order that the Authour aduises a deuout soule to obserue in the exercise of this Prayer of Internall Silence both in regard of Preparation thereto Actuall Exercise of it is as follovveth 4. In the first place for Preparation 1. The soule is to examine purify her conscience vvith a prudent diligent search 2. She is to endeauour seriously cordially to make an Act of Contrition for her sins from a consideration of Gods Goodnes Loue Mercy c. 3. She is to frame an Act of pure entire Resignation of herselfe into Gods hands vvith reference to the present exercise of a silent Recollection determining to performe it purely for Gods glory renouncing all inferiour priuate Interests contentments c 4. She may if need be meditate a little vpon one of the Mysteries concerning the Incarnation Passion c. of our Lord also mixing certaine Eiaculatory Prayers 5. She is to make a firme Act of faith acknovvledgement of Gods Presence in the center of the soule before vvhom she intends to place herselfe vvith most profound Reuerence humility loue 5. In consequence to these Preparations in the vvhich she is to continue till she find herselfe disposed to quitt all such expresse direct Acts or affections and hauing an implicite assurance by a bare obscure faith that God vvho is incomprehensible vniuersall goodnes is indeed present to in her All that remaines for her then to doe is vvith all humility loue to continue in his presence in the quality of a Petitioner but such an one as makes no speciall direct Requests but contents herselfe to appeare before him vvith all her vvants necessities best indeed only knovvn to him Who therfore needes not her information So that she vvith a silent attention regards God only reiecting all manner of images of all obiects vvhatsoeuer vvith the Will she frames no particular requests nor any expresse Acts tovvards God but remaines in an entire silence both of tongue thoughts the vertue of the precedent direct Acts remaining in her vvith a svveere tacite consent of Loue in the vvill permitting God to take an entire possession of the Soule as of a Temple vvholly belonging and consecrated to him in the vvhich he is already present 6. In this state the soule behaues herselfe much after the manner of an humble faithfull louing Subiect that out of duty vvith most entire affection respect approches to the presence of his Soueraigne At his first accesse he vses such profound Reuerences protestations of duty fidelity as are befitting but that being done he remaines silent and immoueable in his presence yet vvith the same respect reuerence that he first entred And knovving that his Prince only ought to dispose of his fortune state that he is both most vvise to iudge vvhat fauours may become the one to giue the other to receiue vvithall that he has a loue magnificence to aduance him beyond his deserts he makes no particular requests at all Novv the Reuerence that he shevves him is not by making any expresse reflexions or invvard saying The King is here to whom I owe all duty loue obedience For knovving him to be present there is no need of renevving either speeches or thoughts that he is so And really exhibiting all manner of respect to him it vvould be to no purpose to make either internall or externall professions of it He is in a readines to heare execute any commands till he be informed by the King hovv he ought to performe his vvill seruice he is not forvvard to voluntary vndertakings So does the soule according to the Instructions of Roias behaue herselfe in Gods Presence not renevving but only perseuering in the vertue of those direct Acts of Faith Loue duty c vvhich she framed in the beginning If being in this vacancy Internall silence Gods Spirit shall suggest vnto her any pure Affections she is attentiue ready to entertaine quietly exercise them presently returnes to her silence 7. If during this silence the soule find any Aridity obscurity or insensiblenes in Inferiour Nature c those things doe not interrupt her perseuering in her silence vertuall Exercise of Faith Oblation Resignation ioyned vvith a quiet attention to his vvill Inspirations Yet if indeed she should forget herselfe that either vvandring thoughts or sensuall Affections should presse
Secondly in those immediate Acts and Affections in vvhich there are no images of Creatures inuolued but vvhich respect God immediatly He is represented by some distinct Image or expresse notion in the mind as by some speciall Attribute Perfection Name Similitude c. But a soule after a long practise of Internall Abstraction renouncing of all representations of God contents herselfe vvith such a confused notion of him as may be apprehended by an Obscure generall Faith That is to say not simply absolutely vvith no kind of Image at all for that is supposed inconsistent vvith the Operations of the soule vvhilst it is in a mortall body but not vvith a distinct formall chosen particular Image for all such offring themselues are reiected by perfect soules So that if they were to giue an account of vvhat they conceiue in their minds vvhen they intend to thinke of God all that they could say vvould be God is nothing of all that I can say or thinke but a Being infinitly beyond it absolutely incomprehensible by a created Vnderstanding He is what he is and what himselfe only perfectly knows and so I beleiue him to be as such I adore and loue him only I renounce all pretending to a distinct knowing of him and content my selfe with such a blind beleiuing Novv though imperfect soules also especially such as are learned doe acknowledge this negatiue apprehension of God to be only truly proper perfect yet by reason that grosse images are not yet chased out of their minds they cannot in their Internall operations proceede constantly according to such an acknovvledgmeÌ„t Such an obscure negatiue Obiect vvill not ordinarily moue their Affections Whereas no other but such an obiect vvill moue the Affections of Perfect soules 7. Thirdly Proper Aspirations in Perfect soules haue no precedent Discourse at all as Acts haue at least vertually Neither doth the Will in Aspirations intend to employ or make vse of the vnderstanding for they are sudden eleuations of the Will vvithout any preuious motiue or Consideration 8. Fourthly immediate Acts are not only produced vvith deliberation and choyce but ordinarily vvith some degree of force vsed vpon the vvill But Aspirations proceede from an interiour impulse indeliberatly and as it vvere naturally flowing from the soule And therby they shevv that there is in the Interiour a secret supernaturall directing Principle to wit Gods Holy Spirit alone teaching and mouing the soule to breath forth these Aspirations not only in sett Recollections but almost continually Novv this doth not inferre that the Holy Spirit is not also the Principle of all other good Acts affections of the Will for none of them haue any true good in them further then they proceede from this Diuine Principle But in them the Will doth preuiously and forcibly rayse vp it selfe to the producing them in which likewise much of nature is mixed And so the Holy Spirit is not so completely and perfectly the fountayne of them as he is of Aspirations 9. Fifthly in case that a soule vvhose constant exercise as yet is but immediate Acts or Meditation doe sometimes merely by an Internall Impulse produce such indeliberate Aspirations yet they are neither so pure subtile Neither vvill they continue any considerable time but the present inu◠〈…〉 â—g passed the soule must be content to returne to her Inferiour exercises or if she vvill needs force herselfe to continue them her Recollections vvill become drye insipide and vvithout any proffit at all 10. Lastly Aspirations vvhen they are a soules vsuall Exercise doe proceede from a more habitually Perfect Ground and therfore are far more efficacious noble then Immediate Acts And moreouer there being no violence at all vsed in them they are much more frequently continuedly produced and consequently doe procure more new Graces and Merits and doe far more increase the Habit of Charity 11. No man can limitt the time hovv long soules are to continue in inferiour Exercises before they will be enabled and made ripe for so Sublime a Prayer And therfore there is no relying vpon the Instructions Practise or Examples of any All depends 1. Vpon the industry or diligence of soules in Prayer and Mortification 2. Some what vpon their speciall temper and Disposition 3. Likewise vpon the aduantage that they may haue from Solitude and Abstraction of life 4. But principally vpon the free Grace and good pleasure of God Who may and does by ordinary or extraordinary meanes call and enable soules to Aspirations some sooner and some later 12. In passing from the Exercise of Acts to Aspirations there is as to the manner of the Cessation of forced Acts great variety in soules For some vvill haue their Morning Recollections to be suddenly and entirely changed from forced Acts to Aspirations and also the ability for a longer continuance encreased Whereas the Euening Recollections vvill be little altered In other soules and this is most ordinary their Exercising of Acts vvill grovv by degrees more and more Aspiratiue And this vvill happen sometimes in the beginning sometimes in the middle and sometimes in the Conclusion of their Recollections And thus they in their Recollections vvill get more and more ground vpon Acts diminishing both the frequency and constraint or difficulty of them and encreasing Aspirations till in progresse they become vvholy Aspiratiue 13. Some soules vvhose Exercise is Acts mixed with Aspirations at their first coming to their Recollections yea till they haue for some reasonable space exercised themselues may happen to find themselues in perfect Distraction In vvhich case if they be called avvay by occasion of businesses of no great sollicitude they may find much proffit by such interruptions be disposed thereby to returne vvith much eagernesse to their Recollections and vvith an enablement to exercise Aspirations Yea sometimes they vvill find themselues enabled to exercise them during such Employments their spirits being refreshed by meanes of such pauses and distances caused by the sayd Interruptions And Experience vvill teach them that it vvill be needfull sometimes to breake of the course of their present Internall Prayer for some little space after vvhich they vvill find themselues better disposed for more frequent and Efficacious Aspirations 14. But as for imperfect Soules this must be no Rule for them for they must not by reason of Distractions interrupt their Mentall Prayer or at least very seldome but must vvith discreet violence force themselues to begin vvith a serious Recollection by that meanes driuing avvay or at least abating their present Distractions 15. When the Exercise is become wholly Aspirations all the change that vvill happen aftervvard vvill not be in the substance of the Exercise but only in the Degrees of Purity subtilty and spirituallnesse of those Aspirations for there is no Actiue Exercise more sublime 16. A soule may come to that state that she may constantly breath forth Aspirations yet sufficiently to the discharge of her obligation either
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
Of the Vnderstanding 2. Of the Will and 3. The sensitiue Faculties likevvise 10. First in regard of the Vnderstanding there is therby a Diuine Light communicated not reuealing or discouering any new Verities but affording a most firme cleare assurance and experimentall perception of those Verities of Catholick Religion vvhich are the Obiects of our Faith the vvhich assurance the soule perceiues to be Diuinely Communicated to her 11. O happy Euidence of our Catholick Beleife No thankes to them that beleiue after such sight vvhich is more euident then any thing vvee see vvith our corporall Eyes Surely the first knovvledge and assurance that the Primitiue Christians had of the Mysteries of our Religion came by such Contemplations communicated to the Apostles c. as S. Paul vvitnesses of himselfe for one Who savv and euen felt the truth of vvhat they preached and deliuered by Tradition to others 12. Such Contemplations as this made S. Teresa so confident in the Points of her Beleife that it seemed to her that she vvas able to dispute vvith and confound all the Hereticks in the vvorld But yet therin she might perhaps be deceiued if that God did not further enable her then by such Contemplations only For though they serued to establish most firmely her ovvne Beleife yet vvould they not suffise to enable her to dispute vvith and conuince others Because neither could she intelligibly enough expresse vvhat she had seene And if she could yet vvould not all beleiue her nor were they rationally obliged to doe so And therfore doubtles she vvould neuer haue vndertaken of her ovvne accord vvithout a speciall Motion and inuitation from God to haue entred into any such Disputes Indeed if God had vrged her therto then doubtles he vvould haue giuen her an especiall assistance and force 13. A soule that is nevvly avvakened as it vvere from such a Contemplation or Vnion coming to reade the holy Scriptures or any Spirituall Booke vvill peirce far more deeply into the Verities contained in them vvill see clearer Lights and feele far more perfect Tasts of the Diuine Truthes therin then euer before So that all the knowledge that she formerly had vvill seeme vnto her meere darknes and a knovvledge of the outward letter only vvheras novv she penetrates into the internall Spirit of the vvritings 14. In the next place the change that is made by this Supernaturall Vnion vvith regard to the Will Affections is equally admirable In so much as many yeares spent in mortification other Internall Exercises will not so purify the soule as a fevv minutes passed in such a Diuine Inaction Here it is indeed that a soule perfectly feeles her owne nothing and Gods totality thereby is strangely aduanced in Humility the Diuine Loue. For being so immediatly vnited to God so illustrated vvith his heauenly light inflamed vvith his loue all Creatures herselfe aboue all are become as nothing yea perfectly odious to her Besides there are many secret defects in a soule so subtile Intime that they can neither he cured nor so much as discouered but by a Passiue Vnion In so much as hereby the soule is aduanced to Perfection in a manner Degree not to be imagined far more efficaciously then by all the former actions of her life putt together so that the follovving Aspirations Eleuations of the spirit become far more pure efficacious then before And indeed vvere it not for such good Fruits effects vpon the Will such Passiue Vnions vvould be little proffitable vnto the soule For our merit consists in our owne free Acts produced in vertue of Diuine Grace assisting vs not in the operations simply vvherin God is only Agent vvee Patients 15. In the third place these supernaturall Vnions are of that vertue that they doe vvholly subdue the Imagination other Internall senses to the Superiour Soule so that they cannot as they list vvander to fro but are reduced to such a happy seruitude to the spirit that vvithout any stresse or violence they are brought to attend it in all its employments occasions Or if the Imagination doe sometimes vvander yet it neuer fastens it selfe vvith delight on any externall perishing obiects by reason that selfe-loue is in a sort extinguished in the soule so that it may easily be reduced or hovvsoeuer by its vvandrings it doth not hinder or interrupt the operations of the Spirit 16. Moreouer it is obserued by Mysticks that soules vvhich formerly during the precedent lesse perfect Exercises vvere of quite different euen contrary dispositions naturall complexions after such supernaturall Vnions do come to a very neare resemblance to one an other As wee see that seuerall vvaies or pathes vvhich from far distant places leade to a Citty the nearer they approach to the Citty the nearer also doe they come to one an other at last fall into make one common high vvay And the reason hereof is because nature its particular affections inclinations are novv so vvorne euen burnt out by the fire of Diuine Loue Grace that it is the Spirit of God that is the only principle of all their Actions the vvhich therefore must needs be vniforme like to one another 17. It vvill be no vvonder if these things here spoken of a supernaturall Passiue Vnion shall seeme incredible or perhaps to be but dreames of Extrauagant or Melancholicke Spirits not only to those that are strangers from the Catholicke Faith but those Catholicks also that are vnexperiēced in Internall vvayes Yet if they vvould consider that all this hath bene deliuered by the testimony of most deuout humble spiritually prudent Persons some of them very learned also vvho professe to vvrite nothing but vvhat themselues haue had experience of and this by an Internall command of Gods Spirit for the edification of others they vvill perhaps iudge more vvarily of these things And vvithall considering that out of the Catholick Church no such Diuine Graces and Communications were euer heard of they vvill howeuer reape this benefit by them if not to dispose themselues the best they can for the enioying them at least they vvill abhorre all nouelties in doctrines continue vnshaken and Obedient Children to the Church CHAP. V. § 1. 2. 3. Of the great Desolation vsually following an Intellectuall Passiue Vnion § 4. 5. c. A description of the Nature woefull bitternes of this Desolation § 8. How a Deuout soule does or ought to behaue herselfe therin § 9. The great Benefits and fruits proceeding from this Desertion well vndergone 1. A Soule hauing once experienced such extraordinary Diuine Fauours will be apt to say vvith the Psalmist Non mouebor in aeternum I shall neuer be moued thou Lord of thy Goodnesse hast made my Hill so strong But if she thinke so she vvill find herselfe strangely deceiued For as the vvhole course of a spirituall life consists of perpetuall changes of Eleuations and