disapoint thee if thou faile not in thy pursuance persist then thou wilt prevaile that which was begun with lāguishing remisseness difficulty shall end in joy comfort One dayes meale however large liberall strengthens not for to morrow The body languisheth if there be not a supply of food Thou must therefore feed thy soule by daily Meditation The most serious affections are extinguisht by intermission by disuse doe perish Lett not therefore any one day passe without a competent time spent therein break through all letts except those of obedience Charity when these shall have hindred thee repay thy selfe afterwards the time borrowed recompence thy losse with a doubled labour for be assured that too much neglect breeds unaptnesse to good Thus much for thy daily Recollection for the time chosen or appointed thee of which hereafter I shall prescribe á fitt Methode But as for the Ten dayes exercise which I intend specially to recommend unto Thee I advise the use of it only once a yeere no lesse no more Our Nature is so feeble to good so propense to evill that unlesse we once a yeere sett a speciall time a part wherein to looke into our selves after a more serious manner prune ill Customes inclinations budding in us these will grow so strong that they will in time choake kill our little plants of piety The best clock will be out of order unlesse taken in peices cleansed once a yeer There is not any so good a Nature but may be corrupted by irregular affections insensibly creeping upon us which if not timely rectifyed by a carefull industry will gaine the upper hand become a second Nature Yet however necessary a yeerly more serious inspection survay of our lives conversations may be to doe it too oft in one yeere would render a Mind perplext anxiously scrupulous which are distempers incopatible with comfortable Solitude that requires a generous freedome of the soule Wherefore let thy dayly Meditation suffice the rest of the yeere for the correction of errours misdemeanours that creep upon us in this fraile course of mortall life As for the time of the yeere when this speciall Exercice is to be performed 't is hard to prescribe one generall Rule for all Neither can a whole family or community together lay aside at any one prescribed season all their other duties but while Mary meditates Martha must look to household affaires Could it be had there is no time fitter then Lent and Easter whē the weather is temperate the body refreshed anew by the Suns approach Mysteries then represented doe strongly call upon us for amendment of life if we doe intend thē to partake in the benefitts of Christs Passion Resurrection It is a signe of a dead frozen soule not to have an impulse to Vertue a horrour of sin when God him selfe becomes à Propitiation for us by shedding his most precious Bloud upō the Altar of the Crosse for our Redemption That is generally speaking the best time when we desire to be best disposed to piety for thus have all Christians ever had some particular devotiō on one or other particular solemnity which suited best with their mind And some are very devout on the day of their Patron another on that day which had been blest with some speciall good accidēt to themselves or others as their Regeneration to Christ by holy Baptisme their Initiation in Orders their Professiō in Religion or Delivery by Gods providence from some great evill The memory of former good sentiments are apt at the recours of the season to renew them reiteration breeds stronger Inclinatiōs to the like again Choose then Ten dayes before that select time therein to entertain thy selfe in thy happy solitude so behave thy selse therein that that day may be a day of peace Jubily of spirit to thee that thou maist issue thence as a sun forth a Cloud with a cheerfull alacrity livelynesse witnessing the inward harmony of thy soule It will then appear that thy retreat was through a religious zeal of Perfection not of a pensive scruple or dull custome such a good Day will be a forceing motive to thy selfe to blesse thy soveraigne Creatour for that foretast of the joyes of Paradise amidst the cumbersome cares which are incident to Mortality to which every one more or lesse stands subject edify others also to the like felicity Yet neither are these Ten Dayes of speciall solitude so to be spent that the spirit should unchangably be bent upon Contemplation even for that space Our soule must be refreshed with some variety it wil otherwise grow weary our thoughts remisse affections feeble the time thereby seeming long to us the object tedious but these divertisements must be short tending at least a far of to the great designe of piety in hand One time of the day cannot be prescribed to all no more then one time of the yeere for neither is Gods grace showred down at particular times nor doe the various contrary dispositions of all persons agree in the choyce of opportunities The Royall Prophet sayes that In the evening morning midday he spoake to God to redeem his soule in peace in my judgment six ten five would be fitt hours for secular persons Religious who rise at midnight must observe an other Distribution whereof in its due place so David sayes that He meditated upon God at the time of Mattins all things being then still the soule by the obscurity of night being recollected from the fancy of other objects the body some what released from the wearinesse of the past dayes cares the mind will then easilyer grow into a likeing love of heavenly things Neither is the morning lesse fit for this heavenly service for then the body newly raised is fully calmed with its late rest nor has the soule as yet had any motiues of distractiōs frō outward Creatures wherefore the holy Prophet sayd that his soule thirsted after God from the morning watch Neither is Isaacs time unfitt for this work in the Evening he went forth to meditate in the feild when the fumes of the middayes refection being dispersed the soule might easily fasten upon divine objects if thou intendest to reape a grounded permanent benefitt from thy holy retreat be sure that first thou make choyce of the fittest hours for that purpose then carefully sett those hours a part from all other employments for change breeds unsetlednesse this an unreasonable doubt what time should be aptest whē thy thoughts should be fixed on higher objects § 6. Posture of Body THou must also Philothea observe a due Gesture of thy body for although God be a spirit therefore needs not so much the posture of the body as of the soule so it be reverent respectfull yet doth the due composition of the body much advantage the mind in
live in Heaven by contemplating loveing delighting in God what appertains to his their own blessed Life Although our soul confined now to this corruptible body depends theron for action motion in this our sinfull state has ever a naturall inclination to abide with it therefor with pain departs from it yet being she receives not her own life from the body but is Life its selfe gives life action to the body she may live within her selfe having no regard to the inclinations motions of the body This she may soon perceive in her selfe if she treads not the paths of sensuality which lead to earthly contents but those of the spirit which tend to holy divine actions in Imitation of the Angelicall spirits whose workings are to be ever fix't in the Contemplation of God the execution of his commands Imagin therefor That thou kneelest upon some high Mountain before thy Crucifix thence dost behold all earthly Creatures in their severall degrees employments each one busied in the search of happinesse in that they love most that all these thinges suddenly fade away thy selfe fallest also into a trance dyest so dost abide till JESUS descending from his Crosse enters into thee now againe thou livest yet not thou but JESUS CHRIST in Thee Being thus dead to the World only living by the spirit of JESUS how spirituall divine should thy life actions bee AFFECTION How happy woulds't thou be My soul if wholly dead to flesh bloud independent on all earthly creatures thou couldst live the life of an Angell wholly drowned in God relying upon the lights Graces comforts which proceed from him Oh what ioy what happinesse to be dead to this World all the Vanities thereof to live worke only by the enlivening Spirit of JESUS How holy would thy thoughts how heavenly thy desires how enflamed would thy affections then be towards spirituall divine things RESOLUTION I will hence forth lead a spirituall life having my mind still bent upon God his holy Will even in all my ordinary duties endeavouring to lead an Angellical life as if already seperated from this heavy burthen of Mortality without need of earthly supportations And I will be so watchfull over my actions as if I only lived by the Spirit of JESUS had no life or motion but what proceeded from him Then freed from the law of death which abounded in Me through my sinfull passions I shall serve God in the newnesse of my spirit heare what Gods Spirit speaketh to the Church SECOND POINT Mentall Recollection CONSIDERATION COnsider That to improve the soul in her inward Tranquillity she must endeavour to be Recollected within her selfe in all places at all times with all persons amidst whatsoever employments we are by our present state of Life obleiged unto This inward Recollection of the Spirit is easie very delightfull for although the soul be now lodged in the body as her prison the varieties of occasions which run through the cours of this mortall life much solicite her abroad to seek means how to make her prison more tolerable thereby hinders her in the free use of her spirituall faculties distract her thoughts from God heavenly things yet is she not a slave to any passion of the body especially being now healed repaired by JESUS CHRIST therefore she may by means of a mentall retreat into her selfe purchase a continuall Recollection amidst the greatest tumults distractions which may befall her Build up therefor Philothea an Hermitage within thy heart erect an Altar place thereon JESUS CHRIST in the most amiable posture Imaginable whatsoever employment distraction or spirituall distresse presses it selfe upon Thee depart not thence but there lay open thy wants weaknesse confer with him of thy progresse impediments to Perfection harkening carefully what he sayes to Thee if some violent disquiet compells thy thoughts abroad endeavour to re-enter speedily into this thy Hermitage bewaile thy inconstancy renew thy purposes of Mentall Recollection AFFECTION Ah my soul upon how slight occasions has thy thoughts been distracted thy mind lost its frequently resolved Tranquillity in the performance of thy usuall duties How O my God am I so suddenly carryed away with these outward objects employments Surely were I truly Spirituall I should without pain or distraction even in the midst of the Varieties of this life convers with God Oh that thou wouldest build up the ruins of Israël sanctify my heart a tabernacle to thy name then may I seek my beloved within Me receive from him A Kisse of peace RESOLUTION I will not only love the solitude of the body but of the Mind also will build up in my heart a holy Hermitage befitting the presence of my JESUS thither will I stil retyre my selfe ever conferring with him of his loves to me my slownesse of returning love to him discovering all my wants his helps to become perfect in a spirituall Way that I may thereby enjoy the tranquillity of my spirit what ever occasions of Obedience Charity or complyance with my own necessities call me forth this corporall Retirement O Who will give me that I may ever sett by this fountain of living waters in the solitude of my own heart there will I sigh mourn while I think of the heavenly Sion THIRD POINT Union of the Spirit with God CONSIDERATION COnsider That as God only is the supream Good happinesse of the Immortall soul so cannot she experience any true compleat Tranquillity within herselfe unlesse being inwardly united to him she becomes One spirit with him be as it were transformed into a supernaturall Divine BEEING by a reciprocation of Love conformity of Will communication in all those guifts graces spirituall blessings whereby in this her Pilgrimage she may be cloathed with a likenesse to God enjoy that cleerenesse of Understanding alacrity of Will calmnesse of passions universall purity sweetnesse ioy in the whole spirit which God usually imparts only to his most speciall favorites This Deifying Union Philothea of the soul with God will wonderfully work in Thee a cleer knowledge of the emptinesse vanity nakednesse of all Creatures breed in Thee a Loathing towards the best of them cause in thy heart a restlesse Desire to see possesse embrace God in the simplicity purity of his own Essence without mixture of any thing beneath himselfe for his sake thou wilt Stripp thy selfe willingly of all Creatures in ward inclinations of Will Passions welcome whatever calamities miseries may befall Thee For what is there in the whole World which that soul will not readily want doe or suffer to whom God is All-in-all surely in this delicious Union Espousall Transformation by Love the soul must needs experience God a rich
separate the One from the Other As God caused the brightness of Christs tranfigur'd body on Mount Thabor which signifies the cleerness cheerfulness of our Spirit in holy actions so also he caused that darkness which o'respred the earth whilst CHRISTS body was disfigur'd on Mount Calvarie whereby is represented the droughts of a Soul in this state of spirituall desolation Wherefor behave thy felfe very cautiously in the pursuance of Christian perfection so that whither thou hast a feeling of piety or whither God for reasons known to himselfe deprives Thee thereof keep the same Evenness of heart constancy in thy duties during both States still multiplying acts of Love renewing thy purposes resigning thy selfe to Gods decrees concerning Thee following the direction of his Holy Spirit under whose conduct thou art now become conformable to thy sufferring Espous Imagine therefor that JESUS CHRIST has nayled Thee to this Cross through the great Love he has towards Thee to the end thou flyest not from him abandon the charge he has taken of thee or quitt thy customary duties that he may behold thy conflicts harken to thy mournfull sights supplications may more readily infuse spirituall helps wherefor humbly open thy heart to him disclosing all thy wants weakness advise also with some prudent person whom thou hast chosen for thy Guid follow his counsells punctually ever closeing with an entire Resignation to his sacred Will who thus Visits Thee COLLOQUIE What hast thou done My Innocent Lord that thou art thus severely treated Thy body is covered with wounds thy bloud streams forth from every part thy hands feet are nailed to the Cross thy head is crowned with thorns thy heart is peirced with a speare thy Soul fild to the brim with desolation when thou cryedst My God My God why hast thou forsaken Me Oh what Love what Mercy is here I have sinned the Son of God is smitten Oh rather let me fuffer who have provoked thy wrath Whither I feel the sweetness of thy comfortable presence or thou dost permit Anxieties to oppresse my spirit I will equally love Thee obey thy will And I will blesse God at all times his prayses shall ever be in my lips because he will be my Salvation in the day of sorrow SECOND DISCOURSE Phìlotheas Choyce HAving thus prosperously Philothea though with much difficulty in thy ten daies Voyage to Perfection passed through thy holy Solitude arrived to Mount Calvarie there found thy Crucifyed Lord the Author Exemplar Finisher of all Perfection repose thy selfe with joy under the shade of the Crosse offring up thy heart to him to be united with his by Love made conformable to his Will in all thy affections actions saying Behold I have gone far flying from the World its Vanities made my habitation in the Wilderness Under his shadow whom my Soul desireth will I sett This is my Resting place for ever ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it O blessed Flight O pleasant Repose O Divine Choyce whereby thy Soul will become a stranger to the Earth where she lives freely converse with God whom she loves Then make a breife review of thy ten daies Retirement See whither thou hast that value of Solitude its Entertainments which the perfectiō thereof deserveth And what inclinations thou hast to persever therein whither thou hast a cordiall apprehension of thy Sinfull State the Means God has established for thy salvation Whither thy Passions be any thing abated thy heart unchayned from Creatures that it may joyfully Fly to God Whither thou hast a perfect Calme in thy Soul canst Give eare to the whisperings of thy heavenly Espous beest every way fitted to take thy Repose in God And lastly whither thou hast a hearty resentement of the suffrings of thy Crucifyed Lord a willingness to Imitate him in his bitter seperations a desire to be wholly united to him in that sad ignominious state for unless thy heart be now united ūto that of JESUS suffring thou maist not hope hereafter to be united unto thy JESUS triumphing Fix thy Eie therefor steadily upon thy soveraign Lord bleeding dying upon the Cross thereby draw a Coppy in thy own heart by his wounded feet order thy affections by his peirced hands rectify thy actions by his crowned head purify thy thoughts by his opened side regulate thy Love by his sorrowfull Soul draw in thine the picture of Compassion imitation That for ever after the life of JESUS may be made manifest in Thee COLLOQUIE Behold here O Victorious Saviour of Men Angels my languishing sighing heart earnestly sueing to become One with Thee transformed into the likeness of thy love-wounded heart dying to all things but Thee that henceforth Thou onely maist live in me I for ever in Thee without being seperated from Thee O Amiable Union O delicious Transformation O Divine Life Oh that thou wouldest deep engrave in my heart the Image of thy Cross all thy suffrings thereon that as a bundle of myrrhe they may ever lay in my bosom by a perpetuall Memory of thy Love therein towards Me. To Thee therefor doe I now for ever sacrifize my whole heart to be wounded with the darts of thy ever flaming love that all my Affections Actions Thoughts Desires Ioyes may be ordred by Thee begin from Thee end in Thee O Endless End and Abysse of all Happiness Amen FINIS MEDITATIONS UPON THE PASSION For every day of the week SVNDAY Washing of the Feet CONS 1. Who washeth God thy Creatour Redeemer giver of all good things 2. Whose feet he washeth of ignoble persōs great sinners his own betrayer 3. Why he washeth to give example of meekness teach us to cleanse our Soul ere we approach his Altar Affect Oh my JESU that I could love thee all creatures as I ought thou desirest Resolve To practise the Vertue of Charitie shun Envie in occasions best known to thy self MVNDAY Prayer in the garden CONS 1. How CHRIST prayeth kneeling prostrate with instancy thou how tipid 2. What 's his prayer That his Chalice may passe yet with resignation to obey his Fathers will doe thou pray thus 3. How he sweats bloud in great drops in great sorrows wilt thou rely on thy own strength Affect Oh my JESU that I could hūble my self to Thee all creatures for thee Resolve To practise Humilitie shun Pride c. TWESDAY Mocking before Herod CONS 1. How JESUS betrayed apprehended manicled is led to Annas Caiphas Pilate Herod Follow him in this sorrowfull Pilgrimage 2. How He is every where falsly accused yet is silent be silent too when injur'd 3. How before Herod he is cloathed mocked as a Foole if thou beest a Christian imitate CHRISTS self-denyall Affect Oh my JESU that I could contemn my own will for thy sake Resolve To practise Self-denyall shun self-love c. WEDNESDAY Whipping at the Pillar CONS 1. How JESUS led back to Pilate is there accused as a Blasphemer Seducer Traitor Barabbas though a Murderer is perfer'd before him canst repine when vilifyed 2. How that Innocent Body unclothed bound to the Pillar is whipt for thy sins I sin Thow suffrest 3. How barbarously those Soldiers treat thy JESUS Oh cruelly this he suffers for the Bath thy heart in his saving bloud Affect Oh my JESU that I could bear all Crosses from all persons for the love of Thee Resolve To practise Patience shun Anger c. THVRSDAY Crowning with Thorns CONS 1. How JESUS thus bleeding is crownd with sharp Thorns this Crown is instead of a Crown of Glory 2. How they cloath him in scarlet put a reed in his hand for a Scepter then kneeling deride Him Thou art a King indeed reign for ever in my heart 3. How JESUS thus adorned is led forth by Pilate shown to the Jewes with Behold á Man O sad Spectacle Yet still they cry Crucify Him Oh the heavy weight of my sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could obey Thee even to loss of life Resolve To practise Obedience shun Sloath c. FRYDAY Carrying the Cross CONS 1. How JESUS thus derided whipped crowned goes forth carrying the Cross whereon he is to be sacrifized for thy Sins 2. What shouts of joy the Jewes make after Him through the streets of Jerusalem thus is Innocency despised 3. How the devout woemen meet bewaile Him thy hard heart sheds not one Teare amidst these sorrows or for thy sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could abandon all sensuall satisfactions for the Love of Thee Resolve To practise Temperance shū Gluttony c. SATVRDAY Crucifying of Iesus CONS 1. How JESUS with much pain shame arrived to Mount Calvary is again uncloath'd thus all his soares are renewed My Sins not blotted out by Repentance shall one day be disclosed to the whole World 2. How they streatch thy JESUS upon the Cross fastnīg him with nayles therunto thē raise him up where he hangs betweē two theeves Oh what ignominy 3. How He there hangs for the space of three houres reviled by Jews Gentiles forsaken by his Disciples drenched with gall vineger peirced to the heart with a speare yet He prays for his Enemies Enter make thy aboade in that love-wounded-Heart Affect Oh my JESU that I could imitate Thee in the purity of thy Life Doctrine Resolve To practise Modesty shun All contrary Therunto c. FINIS
Origin thou art but a little matter of corruption The Greatest the Wisest the Beautifullest amongst us is of no better mould In our birth we enter the world with many greivous gripings groans of our Parents naked blind poore unable to help our-selves ignorant how we come hither how whither to depart In our lives we are exposed to innumerable calamities of sicknesse povertie wars calumnies with much pain must conserve our lives health with fruits of the Earth flesh of beasts And at last in our Deaths dissolved into lāguors sighs teares are hurried forth from the eies thoughts of our dearest friends layd under groūd there to rott into our Originall dust ashes This is the pedigree of the best of us as to our out-ward Man so that we may justly cry out What is Man O God that thou art mindfull of him If God be mindfull of our Nothing surely we should have a continuall remembrance of it least the sweetnesse of Divine Solitude the pleasing Entertainments we may therin experience between our Souls God puff us up with affections of Vain Glory AFFECTION Unhappy Man that I am who will deliver me from this body of Death I am born poore miserable live amidst crosses sorrows must dye with groans gasps shall rott into my mother Earth Ah my Soul since the one halfe of Man is so vile be thou still humble Lucifers pride had some plea if he were proud he was immortall also but Man can find nothing in himselfe but filth weaknesse corruption Shall I then presume to speak to God who am but dust ashes Alas should I say I am better the graves carcasses of the Monarchs beauties of the World would beare witnesse against me RESOLUTION In what ever degree of comtemplation or condition of life I am I will ever be mindfull of my Originall Nothing the miserable progresse I must make through wants diseases tribulations of all sorts from the Womb to the Tōb I will with holie Job say to Rottennesse thou art my Father my Mother Sister to the Wormes This is my kindred my Companions are a multitude of too well known Infirmities Therefor Gods Greatnesse my own Vilenesse shall be the ballances of my thoughts I will hope that the Mercy of God will one day raise the needy from the dust of the Earth lift the poore from the dung place them amongst the Princes of his people SECOND POINT Wretchnesse of the Soul by Sin CONSIDERATION COnsider That if thou beest nothing but corruption rottennesse in thy body thy Soul defiled by Sin renders thee worse then nothing for by sin we become the unhappy vessells of Gods heavy wrath he spared not the Angels in their sins but deprived them of all their originall endowments of nature grace banishes them for ever from his blissfull presence confines them to the dreadfull prison tormēts of Hell nor will he spare us but if we be partners in their crimes he will also make us Companions in their bitter suffrings Evident in our first Parents whom for one sin he deprives of the innocent state of their originall Creation expells them the Earthly Paradice condemns them us to mourn out this wretched life amidst labours sweats innumerable miseries as chastisers of our guilt We also through Sin incurr an insufferable servitude under the Tyranny of Satan He covets not either honours wealth or pleasures but as to our Lord JESUS in the wildernesse so to us still offers all these if we will doe homage adore him which we no sooner doe but we become Slaves to him he continually assaulting us with manifold greivous temptations using all Creatures even our own flesh bloud passions of sensuality to work our overthrow still plying us with seducing suggestiōs giving no respit from his snares deceipts filling our hearts with distrust of Mercy for past sins despaire of delayd helps from heaven doubts of a finall perseverance in our duties under so heavy a weight of tribulations he raiseth against us Likewise thereby we loose Gods gracious presence fatherly providence over us our right part in the merits of CHRISTS bitter saving Passion the friēdship familiarity of Gods comforting spirit All graces guifts fruits blessings of the holie Ghost the peace security of our Consciences our Communion in the Sacrifices prayers good deeds of the faithfull our claym to our heavenly inheritance And more over we defile in our Souls the beautifull Image of God are razed forth the book of life are deprived of the protection safeguard of the blessed Angels contract greivous remorses of conscience pronesse to greater sins a guilt of hell fire unlesse with a repentant heart we by Confession confusibly discover our sins known to God our Souls only by corporall afflictiōs endeavour to appease Gods just indignation against us for them This is enough to humble the best of us if we have any feeling of our sinfull State AFFECTION Ah my God who can hide from thy all-seeing Eie the abysse of wretchednesse wherein my Sins have already sunck me Alas I am become the unhappy object of thy just wrath the woefull servant of rebellious Satan deprived of thy healing graces exposed to innumerable Miseries Hold thy hand O my Almighty Lord rebuke me not in thy fury for shouldst thou observe iniquities who could sustain the heavinesse of thy displeasure I will therefor confesse unto Thee my unworthinesse to appear before thee to enjoy even the cōmon blessings of heaven earth which I have so oft vainly abused to satisfy my sinfull passions that I ought not to hope for any part in thy blessings of glorie But thou O God hast mercy on thousands wilt comfort the weak afflicted if thou doest humble us it is that we may thereby learn that from thee are our Justifications RESOLUTION I purpose henceforth to have ever before my Eies my sinfull condition whereby I have rendred my selfe thus vile abominable in the sight of God his holy Angels subject to the insolencies of Satan my disorderly passions branded with the infamous mark of one banisht from the face of God I will also acknowledg my selfe guilty of the innocent death of my Saviour JESUS not to deserve from him the least favour either of his justifying grace or all-comforting Glory but that I have rather incurd a just debt of everlasting ignominy confusion And therefor however it shall please God to reveale himselfe to me in this my Solitude I will accept of it as his most gracious guift And the more he exalts me the more will I humble my selfe through the consideratiō of my sinfull State whereby I have provoked his wrath against Mee THIRD POINT Ignorance of our future State CONSIDERATION COnsider That although perhaps thou oft
in his Passion to redeeme Man from the tyranny of sin satan What greater argument of Love could God give to Miserable Man then this then when the Jews sought to destroy him all mankind had abandond him even then to bestow on us not fading honours riches or pleasures but himselfe who is the Maker of the whole world that as a Ransom to discharge us from our Captivity as a Physitian to cure our Spirituall diseases as a Father to protect us as an Espouse to comfort us as the Earnest of his eternall glory what greater bounty then this If the Jews with so great Reverence assisted at offred up their Sacrifices of beasts surely We should with far greater Veneration piety approach to our Altars whereon the living God in our Nature is offred up a Propitiatiō for the sins of the World a Reconciliation between God Man a Source of all blessings of grace glory No sooner does the Priest pronounce those words whereby that Mystery is wrought but the substance of the bread wine is changed into the body bloud of JESUS CHRIST the sensible elements thereof only remaining there he is whole in every part in all places where he is consecrated without division or multiplication in him selfe or departing from the right hand of the Father Certainly Philothea This guift that bounty these wonders wrought for our reparation from our sinfull state should strongly engage our hearts in Loue Duty to God AFFECTION I adore Thee my soveraign Lord hidden in this Divine Mystery acknowledge Thee to be there really present God Man my Redeemer Sanctifyer Glorifyer Alas My God all my Good how little have I hitherto thought on this thy inestimable love bounty to me whereby to releiue me from the slavery of sensuality satan to heale the deep wounds of my sinfull soul fill it with enlivning sanctifying graces what have I returned to God for all these favours bestowed upon me I will approach to Gods Altar with a repentant heart eate there the bread of salvation will call on the Name of God RESOLUTION I will ever have a lively faith towards this Mystery of the Holy Eucharist confirmed to me by CHRISTS own words the authority of Apostles Fathers the consent of all ancient modern Christians united under one supream head CHRISTS Vicar on Earth I will lay open all my wants weaknessesse before my Soveraign Lord here really present confiding in his comforting helps for the freeing my Mind from distractions Will from sinfull affections that I may profitably approach to him eate of that living bread sacrifize my soul to him by abnegation of my will my body by Obedience to Christian Duties SECOND POINT Fruits of the Holie Sacrament CONSIDERATION COnsider That approaching to Gods holy Altar there eating of that repayring fruit of the Tree of life We become like the Sacred Virgin conceiving him in her womb therefor should study to imitate her Humilitie Obedience Faith Charity whereby she was fitted to that great work raised to familiar conferences with JESUS CHRIST which we specially aime at in our holy Retyrement We become also Temples of God therefor our hearts should be Altars whereon to offer up our enflamed thoughts desires admitting no negotiation there but what may tend to the cleansing our souls from evill affections adorning them with divine vertues whereby it may be fitted to entertayn this heavenly Guest Had JESUS CHRIST when on Earth vouchsafed to make his aboade with us as in Bethania with Mary Martha with what solicitude would we have prepared all things befitting his sacred presence that nothing might appear in us undecent or wanting where with to give him a ioyfull welcome The like care should now be had My Philothea especially since he comes here to us in his glorifyed body environed with Angels invisibly present with hands full of blessings to bestow upon us In JESUS CHRIST abides the fulnesse of the Divinity therefor He giving him selfe to us in this heavenlie Manna containing all sweetnesse he gives withall the whole treasury of his heavenly guifts graces whereby the soul is cleansed from veniall sins mortall inculpably forgotten in confession Reason receives cleerer lights of spirituall truths the Will is enflamed to Christiā Duties the Conscience eased Inclinations to evil are weakned our Love to heavenly things strengthned encreased O living food of Angels be thou my Dayly bread fill my soul with thy divine sweetnesse that my conversation may be in heaven by the Imitation of the life of those blessed spirits by hopes of feeding for ever on that bread in the kingdom of thy Father AFFECTION Oh that I might conceive JESUS in my heart by Love bring him forth by performance of his Will then should I truly feed on this bread of Angels But alas too often have I approached Gods Altar with a Spirit full of earthly desires too frequently have I entertaind the great Lord of the world in a soul defiled with sinfull affections tepid in divine Exercises distracted with worldly sollicitudes therefor I still remain dry barren to good actions insensible to the comforting presence of JESUS within me Oh that Gods holy Spirit would overshadow my soul cleanse it from all imperfections enflame it with heavenly loue replenish it with his gracious blessings that it may be a fitt Sanctuary for the Saviour of Men Angels RESOLUTION I will banish forth of my heart whatever may displease my Divine Espouse adorning it with Vertues holy desires whereby it may be prepared to entertain him experiēce the sweetnesse of his comforting presence And I will endeavour that my outward decency in behaviour conversation may testify the inward tranquillity alacrity of my spirit an earnest longing to be One with him Live Thou O JESUS in my soul that I may live by the heat of thy divine flames walk by the light of thy inspirations from Vertue to Vertue till I see Thee my God in thy holy Sion THE THIRD POINT Intention in Communion CONSIDERATION COnsider That if in all actions of this life we study to have a due upright intention this ought then especially to be when we approach to the Holy Sacrament that great proofe of Gods Love to mankind that efficacious means of confirming us in our spirituall life a most assured pledg of our future blessed life above We may not then venture hither of meer custome or for companie sake nor to purchase a vain esteem of holinesse or an encrease of temporall blessings or some spirituall gust or sweetnesse in that great Act of Christian worship No Philothea we must goe to God for God himselfe that our loue to him may be greater our devotions quicker our Spirits stronger in performing the will of our Soveraign Lord and
Master JESUS CHRIST offers him selfe on the Altar of his Crosse to his heavenly Father a Sacrifice of Prayse Impetration Suffrage with the same intention ought we to entertain JESUS in our hearts by thankfulnesse for his manifold favours imploring grace mercy for our selves Spirituall releife for all distressed souls ever mindfull of his bitter Passion that the fruits thereof may be liberally applyed to us we may become suffring members with our Divine Head encreasing in all perfection freedom with God in our Contemplations being entirely transformed into Him on whom our Spirits here feed that we may have no life knowledge affection or motion in us but what proceeds from ends in him AFFECTION Alas my Deerest Lord I have been too carelesse in my adresses to Thee How often have I frequented thy holy Altars with vain weak desires not loving Thee there for Thy selfe but receiving Thee of dull custome or for some present gust in Thee Not solicitous to cherish the good desires conceived by thee or a willingnesse to beare Crosses for thee thus am I become unworthy that thou entrest the house of my soul live there but if thou Say'st the word my Spirit shall be healed RESOLUTION I will hence forth set some speciall time a part wherein to discusse rectifye my intention before I approach to eate of this living bread that God may be glorifyed all Christian souls may reap spirituall profit by the use of this great Mystery will say AN OBLATION BEFORE COMMVNION O Blessed JESUS in union of that love wherewith thou did'st offer thy selfe a Sacrifice to thy Father on the Altar of the Crosse and in conformity to that intention thou then hadst I this day offer up to thee my Communion as a Sacrifice of Praise Impetration Suffrage for my selfe all others to whom I am obleiged by Obedience Iustice or Charitie in that degree I am obleiged which I beseech thee through the merits of thy bitter Passion may be acceptable to Thee Amen THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Preparation to the Holie Sacrament NOne will undertake any great work without carefull preparation of all things necessary for its due performance If we use a cautious providence in all our humane actions ordinary conversation this should rather be observed when we intend to enter the Holie of Holies there feed on the Bread of Angels our powerfull Creator mercifull Redeemer Just Judge The Paschall Lamb was but a dark barren figure of this gracious Sacrifice yet the Jews eat not thereof without much cleanesse circumspection alacrity of Spirit Saint John Baptist esteems not himselfe worthy to unloose CHRISTS shoes Saint Peter to fayle in the same Boat with him the devout Centurion to entertain him under his roofe nor should we presume to appear before him in the Holy Eucharist or there receive him within our breast without great feeling of Love Veneration If JESUS CHRIST be a Mirrour without spot no stain of sin should then be seen in our soul within or undecency in the outward habit of our body if he be there a God of Love Peace to us we may not touch or feed on him unlesse reconciled to Heaven Earth in Imitation of the Primitive Christians who meeting at this great Mystery were of one heart one spirit ADVISES FOR A GENERALL CONFESSION Now therefore My Philothea thy heavenly Espouse having led thee some steps down towards his Cellar of rich Gracious wines there disclosed to Thee part of his spirituall treasures hidden pathes of divine Love to the end thou maist duly prepare thy selfe to eate also of this Bread of life find no impediment in thy progresse to perfection I advise thee to dispose thy selfe towards a Generall Confession in case Thy spirituall Guid iudg that expedient profitable for Thee Although perhaps thou art not conscious of any grevious sin not formerly discovered yet since even of a forgiven sin we may not be without feare we cannot be too solicitous in cleansing our hearts removing all obstacles of divine Lights Graces Wherefor Philothea doe this now once for ever but doe it simply plainly without feare or anxiousness unto a person chosen amongst a thousand by whose advice thou maist be wholly directed for the manner of it how thou art afterwards to behave thy selfe should scruples arise Which ended blesse God for his mercies towards Thee prostrate in spirit before thy Crucifix pronounce the following Covenant PHILOTHEA'S COVENANT WITH GOD. I N. Placed in the presence of Almighty God the whole Court of heaven having considered the aboundant Love wherewith God hath created me sanctifyed me in holy Baptisme sustained me in my manifold sins transgressions at length called me to this state of life wherein I now am preserving me there from many dangers of offending him inspiring sorrow for my failings a desire to love obey him Doe with my whole soul abhor all the sins of my life past renew my promises to be his loyall obedient servant doe firmely purpose all the dayes of my life to shun all dangers of sin to apply my selfe to the observance of his holie Commandments my own Resolutions And if at any time I break this my Covenant I will as soon as I perceive my errour returne again to God by a hearty repentance confession of all my sins ingratitude Accept O my God this my Protestation made before Thee grant me grace to observe it to the end of my life that I may alwaies abide in thy holy feare die in thy sweet peace with ioy at the last day arise to a blessed Communion of the Saints in thy never ending glory Amen SECOND DISCOURSE Behaviour in receiving the Holie Sacrament BEing thus prepared to entertain JESVS CHRIST in thy heart our endeavours must be by amorous sighs aspirations full of ioy for the approach of our blessed Lord to expresse the longing desire we have of his coming into us The happy Issue of an Important affaire or purchase of some speciall temporall blessings usually takes up the best thoughts most serious wishes of earthlie minds But if our minds be heavenly we will ever think on thirst after this delicious visit of our Divine Espouse Anciently Christians frequented often this heavenlie banquet thence gayned that Sanctity fervour we admire in the Martyrs Hermits holie Virgins of that Age Though worldly ties the manifold distractions whereto our mortality is subject permits not daily Cōmunion yet could we dayly eate this divine Bread our hearts would be accustomed to pious affections strengthned against occurring temptations weaned from those sensuall liberties we now so unwillingly abandon That morning thou intendest Philothea to receive the holie Eucharist think how earnestlie JESUS CHRIST longeth to take up his lodging within thee therefor he sends his
chained to these transitorie things since with them I cannot enjoy God my only comforter Wherefor Consider what creature in the whole world of what ever Excellency or worth can be a fitt object of thy Love Is it the world in generall with all its beauty delights Or is it some select peice thereof Some high dignity aboundance of wealth honorable friends variety of pleasures or some especially amiable Creature Alas Philothea seest thou not that all these things are subject to change unconstant empty goods which once possest soon vanish leaving nothing behind them but a restlessenesse of new desires disquiets of conscience are consequently unable to appease the thirst of our languishing fainting spirit Make then a generous strong Purpose to abandon all Creatures for thy Creatour since he alone can fill thy soul say to God Oh! that I could die to all Creatures that I may live only to Thee thou in Me Having thus stript thy selfe of all outward Creatures Enter into thy selfe make a diligent survay of thy heart search every corner thereof till thou hast discovered what passions of selfe Love private interest lay lurking therein what difficulty thou hast to submit thy judgment to quitt selfe esteem to abandon old freindships familiarities to leave inbred customs to wave thy affection to proper interest What time hath been lost in giving way to inward heats of passions what neglect in curbing ordring thy appetites say with the holy Prophet I will begin from the morningh watch to kill the sinners of the Earth chase them forth of the Citty of my God This Citty of God Philothea is thy own heart thence must thou banish all inordinate desires which are as the little foxes in the Cantiques that destroy the Vineyard of our beloved COLLOQUIE I will goe to my God declare to him the wandrings rowlings of my disorderly spirit whereby deserting him I have followed the footsteps of those who seeking content from Creatures have gone astray from the holy folds of their Creator I see my errour O my God My heart has too long sweated fainted in searching happinesse from things beneath Thee whereby I find my hands still empty my daies to have faded away in Vanity because I sought not my comfort from Thee who alone art All Good able to fill the longings of my thirsty soul Oh that thou wouldst free me from the disorders of my concupiscences knock off those many strong chaines which bind me to the Vanities of this Life Then will I soar up as an Eagle in Contemplation of thy glory fly with the wings of Love feed on Thee SECOND DISCOURSE Spirituall Indifferency BEsides this abstraction of our spirit from all Creatures abroad at home in our own bosom we must endeavour Philothea to be wholly resigned to Gods Will concerning us and willingly to be deprived of all savour sweetnes of his Love towards us so long as He pleaseth as if he had abandoned us leaving us to combat alone with an army of desolatiōs sorrowes To this end we must study to Love God simply purely in for himselfe without any mixture of selfe love therin Having a perfect Indifferency to all his counsels decrees touching us that whither he leads us up Mount Thabor to contemplate the glorious Transfiguration of JESUS CHRIST or to Mount Calvarie there to behold the Ignominy of his Passion we may have a preparation of heart to either may confidently say My heart is prepared O God my heart is prepared to run the way of thy Commandements Thou must also Philothea have a readinesse to be deprived of the sensible delights of Gods gracious presence in Thee a willingnesse to be excluded thence till the soul quitting this Mortality arrives happily to the Haven of everlasting blisse O happy indifferency wherein the solitary soul for the pure Love of her heavenly Espous can be contented to want those amorous delightfull embracements where with he uses to entertain his best servants And since thou art thus resign'd to be deprived of these savoury feelings of Gods Love to Thee thou must be further willing to suffer all calamities with thy crucifyed Saviour But alas Philothea this is a heavy tryall nor may all the torments imaginable of the body be compared to this desolatiō of the spirit Desire not therefor to experience it but endeavour to bid even this tribulation welcome when ever it pleases God that it befalls Thee And even at that time be thou as ready to perform all good actions to suffer all contradictions to stick close to thy accustomed Duties during that aridity of thy spirit with as great courage alacrity as if thy soul did then swim with excesse of spirituall comforts This is an Eminent degree of Perfection a mark of inhabiting Grace in Thee although perhaps thou feelest not then the sensible sweetnesse thereof Nor shouldst thou at all complain of Gods hardnesse to Thee in that thy desolate state but rather with affectionate sighs shouldst bewayl the absence of thy Beloved yet caring not to be compassionated or comforted therein but rather desiring so to cōtinue till thy dying day without the least sense of love of thy heavenly Espous in Thee if it so please him COLLOQUIE O happy Indifferency of heart to all earthly heavenly consolations thou alone canst free me from all anxious hopes feares of this Miserable Life leave me wholly fixed in the will of God to be ordred according to his holy pleasure Oh that I could love the My glorious Lord purely for thy own sake not seeking any comfort thence but rather contenting my selfe to be for ever banisht from the feeling of all spirituall sweetnesse exposed to any desolation even then readily complying with the duties belonging to my present calling without bewayling my selfe either for Gods severity towards me or for my own misfortune Then should I voluntarily Sacrifize to Thee confesse to thy Name O God because it is good for thereby I shall be delivered from all tribulation my Eie shall look down upon my Enemies Amen SEVENTH DAYES VOYAGE Tranquillity of Spirit THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Life of the Spirit CONSIDERATION COnsider That having taken A Flight from all things of this world raised our hearts above the spheare of all earthly Creatures present comforts through a desire to rest in God as the only Center scope of all our hopes We must carefully study to establish in our selves a perfect Tranquillity of our Spirit that whatever befall us or whatsoever our obligations be according to our present calling nothing may be able to disturbe its inward peace or shake our divine Resolutions Endeavour therefor Philothea that thy spirit live her own life not according to the flesh wherein she abides or the world that encompasses both but wholly spiritually as the blessed spirits of God now
bountifull most comfortable Giver If therefor either the delighfull or profitable things of this life has yet any power over thy affections or the tribulations thereof doe still presse down thy spirit to any greife or disquiet Thou art not as yet strongly united to God enamour'd on his ravishing Beauty or arrived to the delicious harbour of spirituall peace Tranquillity Wherefor Thou maist imagin thy self to be a Reed floating to fro in the Sea of the Divinity now tossed above now under water hither and thither as thou art driven by the force of those Divine Waves so that in what ever condition thou art whatsoever happens to Thee thou maist attribute all to Gods Spirit moving upon these divine Waters in by which thou now livest movest Thus no comforts will puff up or humiliation beat down thy spirit but thou wilt ever have a generous courage pleasant evennesse of thy whole selfe amidst all the chances of this thy mortall state how ever violent they be AFFECTION Ah my soul why hast thou not hitherto aspired after this Divine BEEING to live love move to God only in the fullnesse of his own Essence O Abysse of all comfont swallow up my heart in thy delicious depths let me perish to all things but Thee never repine at any thing being so nigh to Thee O my JESU O fathomlesse fountain of Love Oh who will give Thee unto me My Brother sucking the breasts of my Mother that I may find Thee embrace Thee then none shall despise me RESOLUTION I will for ever fix my heart earnest desires only on my God thirsting to be united wholly to him for his sake I will abandon whatsoever is not consistent with him or may separate my heart from him therefor My whole study henceforth shall be to discover the poverty of Creatures to loath all earthly comforts to empty my heart of all affections to them amidst all accidents of this life to carry an even calme heart Then shall I tast see how sweet God is to those who love the Peace of his holy Citty THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Loves Tryall GOds Spirit settles not but upon an humble meek heart which having had a relish how sweet God is earnestly sues to be admitted into the ioyes of her heavenly Lord enjoy a perfect Tranquillity peace in her whole selfe yet willingly resignes her selfe to his Will for the manner thereof contentedly expecting the happy time of his delicious Visitation and the fruits theirof To this Visitation she must prepare her selfe by an Inward Retirement of her selfe within her selfe whereby weaned wholly from all love towards creatures she feels such a passionate languishing desire to be One with God that she has an extream pain irksomnesse when forced to use outward helps of meat sleep divertisements such like necessary supports of decaying nature desirous rather if so it may please God to be ever employed in mentall Elevations to entertain her selfe in contemplating conferring caressing her beloved Espous then to enjoy any earthly satisfaction however necessary to her Neither may this heaven-thirsting foul only content her selfe with this inward Retreat of the spirit into its selfe by loathing all Creatures abroad but she must also aspire to a Nakednesse of her selfe in her selfe whereby raised even to the highest degree of Contemplation Love Union with God she is willing to be deprived of all sweetnesse which usually flowes thence And although in this state she looks on God as her only treasure haveing right to Him grounded on his own promises To spouse himselfe to her in Justice kindnesse mercies for ever yet is she contented still to lay at the Gate of happinesse there patiently humbly begging some few crumms from Gods heavenly table to be admitted to tast of his delicious Wines neverthelesse resigning her selfe to be denyed that favour as long as it so pleases him ever esteeming either her selfe unworthy thereof or Gods time not to be as yet come COLLOQUIE How happy wert thou My soul hadst thou no other employment on Earth then to contemplate the beauty of God love him glorify his Name O my God that I were wholly exempt from the use of perishing Creatures needing no other food then Thee the only true Life of my Spirit but yet far happier should I be if loathing all Creatures drown'd in the Sea of the Divinity I could be resigned to the losse of all sweetnesse which may arise from the greatest Illuminations Extasies of Love in Thee patiently expecting my gracious admittance unto thy comfortable presence Then shall I be my Beloveds he will turne his face towards Me. SECOND DISCOURSE Loves Entertainments THe soul being thus resigned to the want of all Eartly comforts sweetnesse of divine Love Gods delicious presence with her may humby soare up to heaven endeavour an Union with God a fruition of him in Himselfe by such helps as he shall graciously inspire which we must readily entertain carefully comply with for our spirituall advance towards Perfection Wherefor Philothea thou must accustome thy selfe to spirituall Introversions of the Mind into its selfe therin quietly contemplating God in thy own Beeing often sallying forth by Jaculatory Aspirations amorous sighs towards heavenly things as What art thou O my God what am I My God my All Oh that I could love Thee as I ought which must be leisurely made attentively consider'd that they may work a feeling love in thy heart whereby it may by degrees be enflamed melt into affections of hope desire joy or such like whence thou wilt find an admirable sweetnesse calme to arise in thy spirit Thou must also endeavour to have a strong apprehension of Gods presence with Thee which may be had either by an efficacious beleife that God is substatially present in all places of the World as our soul is in all parts of the body without any separation from its selfe or by Imagining him to be especially in the Center of thy heart as the soul heart life thereof animating quickning it by his presence Whence we shall find our spirits stird up to a cordiall reverence towards the Majesty of God so nigh unto us a readinesse to referr all our thoughts words actions to God seated in the Center of the heart as the Judge of their Worth last happy End of all its Motions And by this means without recourse to Creatures only by a simple apprehension of Gods presence in Thee a reference of thy whole life to Him as thy Mysticall life thou wilt have an easinesse in abandoning creatures a great quietnesse in thy whole soul Having gained these Lights wherby to discern Gods greatnesse in himselfe presence to thee Cast thy selfe into the immense Sea of his Essence admitting no other motion in Thee but of Admiration
comforting them in their desolations for by these things we doe homage to our Lord JESUS in his distressed Little Ones deserve our selves to be releived in the like case according to the promises of our Lord that What ever we doe to One of his Little ones we doe to him nor shall a cup of cold water be unrewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven COLLOQUIE Alas My God! how barren has my Soul hitherto been in complying with the precepts of true solid Vertue How many precious houres of my life have idly passed without care of advancing my selfe as well in humble charitable deeds as in searching into thy hidden Excellencies Whereas thy Law is That each one shall reap according as he sowes My solitude shall not be henceforth idle but sometimes I will soare up as an Eagle by the wings of Contemplation love sometimes will I with the laborious Bee exercise my self in outward works of charity humility as well to please God the supream End crown of all good works as to releive my distressed neighbour to edify all by my outward Conversation for That which is momentany in this life worketh exceedingly in us an eternall weight of Glory Amen TENTH DAYES VOYAGE Highest Christian Perfection THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Union with Christ suffring CONSIDERATION COnsider that how ever high happy we be in our Divine Contemplation Unitive Life with God or Low by a prompt performance of the humble charitable Duties of our present State wee cannot hope succesfully to finish our holy Pilgrimage to the sublime State of Perfection we aime at in our Retyrement unlesse we be united to JESUS CHRIST in his fuffrings As each one by cordiall friendshipp is transformed into his Friend by an excess of heavenly Love into our glorious God so by our joy alacrity amidst the tribulations crosses of this life we are transformed into become One with our Crucified Saviour whom we then put on when his Spirit Counsells Grace Mortifications shine in our Soul actions The title of a good Christian Philothea should besides the name import a conformity in Life with CHRIST that Character of the Crosse whereby in the laver of our Spirituall Regeneration we are registred souldiers under the conduct of our Crucified Captain should ever mind us of our profession then made oft since renewed now so eagerly pursued that as our Divine Lord Master with joy marched up towards Hierusalem the place of his Passion encounters his raging persecutours voluntarily offers his body to be beaten on as an anvill his bloud to be powred forth himselfe to become a saving Sacrifice on the Altar of the Crosse so also we should with joy entertain patiently beare all losses crosses desolations which may befall us in our Christian Warfar This was S. Pauls Glory the Perfect joy of S. Francis the Delight of the renowned Martyrs who kissing their chains scourges embracing their Racks singing amidst swords whips flames purchased a coheritance with their glorified JESUS whose partners they were in his bitter sorrows suffrings It is the dignity of a Christian to be thus United to CHRIST nor doth any condition of this life render us more unhappy then want of tribulation Much Felicity makes us forget we are pilgrims to an endless endangers our falling into presumption while relying on present comforts we arm not our selves for ensuing combats by long peace leave our hearts unguarded against assaults of watchfull Enemies whereas the bloud of Martyrs has ever been the encrease of the Church Crosses the preservation strength of Christian Vertues though Summer be the sweetest season yet without cold winters earth would become unhabitable nor can our Souls long savour the sweetnes of piety unless seasoned with contradictiōs which wee neither may nor can escape only can sweeten while with joy courage wee welcom them when sent by Heaven to try our Vertues unite us unto CHRIST Though Expectation diverts not yet it diminishes the sharpness of tribulation which when sudden finds the mind unprovided unable to beare its weight for want of Resolution Lenitive Medicines What if a disease should bereave thee of health rest What if Poverty as an armed Enimie should rush upon Thee What if calumnies should defame degrade or cast thee into prison or banishmēt thou shouldst Philothea now prepare to welcome encounter these crosses with joy that their violence may not overwhelme Thee make thee loose thy Vertue in what thou maist not avoyd As Gods wise providence in governing us leads us to fastens us unto the Crosse so his fatherly Love will ever temper its severity render it easy delightfull Savage beasts will be smitten by their keepers 't is God that strikes thee it were rebellion to murmur or fly he has appointed their weight to the last dram for ends known to himfelfe none cā add or take thence onely our constancy love can make them light pleasant Although God be in himselfe immutable yet for our tryall he doth not always visit us after the same manner if He comes as a Iudge condemns us to suffer 't is much less then our sins deserve that a moments sorrow may expiate the enormous sins of an Age that thou maist become like him upon his Cross nigh him in his glory if as a tender Father t is to chastise us now that we perish not for ever if as an Espous of Bloud with a Cross in one hand the other pointing to his wounded heart 't is to show thy heart must be peirced too with the sword of tribulation if as a Friend suspending the influences of his comforting graces t is to try if thy heart be sound not loveing his crowns more then his crosses or his comforts more then himselfe Tribulations too are the cures of our sick minds though the body be sound the Soul may be distempred with pride incontinency envy idleness or the like 't is a rare spirit that has no disease no physick like an adversity If thy heavenly Physitian sends this to humble thy heart to make the continent meek or diligent in thy duty make him welcome be cheerfull in that sad state having thy Eie fixt on thy Exemplar the great weight of merit glory which it will work in the patient resigned heart Every bird can sing in a cleer heavē but that is most cōmendable which is merryest in a shower to stand silent before Herod or be joyfull in desolation is the property of a true Christian Study therefor Philothea ever to have a cleare spirit amidst tribulations thy righteousness will comfort Thee Gods glory will attend thee after this minute of pain an eternity of joy will crown thee AFFECTION O God how high yet how low is the State of Christian Perfection as Thou My Crucified Lord art God
PHILOTHEAS PILGRIMAGE TO PERFECTION DESCRIBED IN A PRACTISE OF TEN DAYES SOLITUDE By Brother John of the Holy Crosse Frier Minour IHS BRUGES Printed by Luke Kerchove 1668. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST VERTVOVS LADY The Countesse Dowager of Sussex MADAM Divine things become Generous Noble Spirits who being the more refined Images of God above the Vulgar have by their noble descent à larger Capacity to great Matters by their most carefull Education à cleerer Aptness to sublime thoughts actions Your Honour hath by the Excellent Conduct of your Life givē the world so ample à proofe of your Eminent Perfections befitting the Greatness of your Name that None may reflect thereon but must admire both the fortunate disposition of your originall Inclinations to piety the free blessings of a Gracious Providence religiously managed by your own Vertuous care Industry For besides the Rare guifts of Nature Fortune which welcomed you into this Light wherein few of our Nation exceed your Excelling Happiness Your Honours laborious discovery of truth in our Holy Church from which your first yeeres growing Honour were extremely averse your zealous Love towards comfortable Solitude complyance with Christian Duties since your being engrafted on the sacred stock of our ever-flourishing Christianity wherein You are become Imitable by few of your Noble Birth Qualities discovers that swift penetration of your Judgment that solidness of Vertue in your heart which truly speak you Noble Religious Although this small handfull of advises helps to solitary Perfection gleaned up by many yeeres serious Meditation in sweet Retirement may already find a plenteous harvest in your own bosom yet will I presume through your Honours Encouragement to lay thē at the feet of your Excellent Vertues that under the protection of your Honours Favorable acceptance strengthned by the greatness of your Name perfections My Philothea may become conspicuous to he world doe that great work abroad which is therein designed by MADAM YOUR HONOURS Most devoted Servant BRO. JOHN CROSSE TO THE READER CHRISTIAN READER It is no new thing to measure a friends Kindness by our own profits value that most by which we reap greatest fruit I could wish this principle as well observed in the ordring our Spirits towards God Vertue as in using the good things of this Life in order to worldly conversation I might then hope this small Treatise would find as kind à welcom from all well-willers to piety as the worth of the subject may deserve That whereof it treats is Divine my whole aymes are to render the lover of solitude Divine bringing her home to God whence she strayed by sin that moderating passiōs planting Vertues she may be cordially United to her Divine Espous The Author of all perfectiō finisher of our best hopes by obedience to his will now after by an endless communion with him in Heaven As the state of Holy Religion so its design is to render its Professours Lovers of Solitude therefor all duties there by reason of those Divine thoughts first conceived still conserved in those Divine Souls aime to fix on God by conferring with him of Heaven their home Vertue the way thither Spirituall Retreats therefor are not intended for them whose whole life is à solitude But for such whose conversation with creatures exposes to manifold distractions apt to slacken Christian Zeale since nature is too prone to cleave to the perishing things of this life These therefor should oft renew their Vows of Christianity endeavour to repaire their tyred out spirits by stronger purposes of piety which are best made in a retreat from their Usuall Employments How ever even Religious persons particularly whose Obedience partakes more of the Solicitudes of Martha then Maries Solitude should sometimes observe a more then ordinary Retirement that reflecting on the Holyness of their Vocation the duties thereof they may repaire what 's decayed of their first fervour secure their claym to heaven aimed at by their Divine Choyce And indeed this great work is to all of that high concernment that what ever account some loose spirits may make of it it will one day extremely justify the Children of Light crown their Hopes In My Preface to PHILOTHEA an heaven-aspiring Soul whose conduct in her Pilgrimage to God is here intended I have at large discoursed on the Dignitie Profit Aimes Use of spirituall Retreats wherefor I need not further dilate my selfe on that subject My Wishes are it 's practise may make Thee all truly happy Farwell APPROBATIONS LIbrum hunc Anglicè conscriptū à V. Adm. P. Fr. Joanne à S. Cruce S. Th. Lect. ac Conventus Fr Minor Anglo-Duacen Vicario cui titulus Philothea's Pilgrimage to Perfection c. diligenter perlegi nihilque in eo deprehendi fidei vel bonis moribus contrarium sed omnia devotionem spirantia quae perigrinantes ad Beatitudinem Animas in Itinere promovere poterunt In cujus rei fidem subscripsi Kalend Septembr Anno 1664. GEORGIUS LEYBURNUS Sacr. Theol. Doct. Coll. Anglo-Duacen Praeses MANDATUM ORDINIS COmmendetur praelo Tractatus V. Adm. F. Ioannis à S. Cruce Confessarii Monialium nostrarum Brugensium c. De Recessu Spirituali Actum Londini in Congregatione Intermedia 15. Nov. 1666. Erat subscriptum Fr. THOMAS à S. ANNA Secret Prov. Notar. Ap. Locus ✚ Sigilli I Underwritten have diligently read over Philothea's Pilgrimage to Perfection c. composed by the Rev. Father Bro Iohn of the Holy Crosse Reader of Divinity c. wherein holy Solitude is highly cōmended the prerogatives motives effects thereof are declared Instructions means for attaining it with the duties of a solitary Soul are prescribed by which at lēgth he cōducts her to the highest Pitch of Solitude contemplation Union with God possible in this life in whom he leaves her firmly fixed by a perfect Resignation Humility Abnegation consequently perfect in a Solitary way Seeing therefor that this Treatise tends to the instruction consolation of such Souls to the advancement of that happy End more over containeth nothing cōtrary to the Canons of the Church I judge that it may happily see light Given in our English Convent of Frier Minours in Doway this 3. of May 1668. BRO. BERNARD ELSTON Ord. FF Min. S. Th. Doctor APPROBATIO ORDINARII LIber hic Anglicè conscriptus à Patribus Ordinis examinatus de licentiâ ordinarii poterit imprimi Actum hâc 8. Maii 1668. N. GERSEKEN Archid. Brug Libr. Censor THE TABLE of CONTENTS THe Preface to Philothea containing Instructions for Solitude § 1. Excellency of Holy Solitude Pag. 1. § 2. Preparation for Solitude p. 6. § 3. Abstraction from usuall Cares p. 9. § 4. Choyce of Place p. 12. § 5. Due time of Solitude p. 14. § 6. Posture of body p. 24. § 7 Subject of Solitary thoughts p.
25. § 8. A Method of Meditation p. 28. § 9. Choyce of a Guide p. 34. § 10. Exercises in Solitude p. 39. § 11. Distribution of time p. 42. A Practise of ten Daies Solitude J. Daies Voyage Inducements to Solitude The Morning Exercise 1. Point Dignitie of Solitude p. 49. 2. point Innocency of Solitude p. 53. 3. point Necessitie of Solitude p. 56. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Gods Favours to us p. 60. 2. Discourse Our Returns to God p. 64. II. Daies Voyage Entertaynments in Solitude The Morning Exercise 1. Point Humility Austerity p. 68. 2. point Patience Obedience p. 72. 3. point Charity Perfection p. 76. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Love of Solitary places p. 80. 2. Discourse Exercises in Solitude p. 84. III. Daies Voyage Man in his sinfull State The Morning Exercise 1. Point Vileness of the body by Nature p. 90. 2. point Wretchedness of the Soul by sin p. 94. 3. point Ignorance of our future state p. 98. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Our weakness to Good p. 102. 2. Discourse Our proneness to Evill p. 106. IV. Daies Voyage Man repaired by Iesus Christ The Morning Exercise 1. Point Institution of the Holy Sacrament p. 111. 2. point Fruits of the H. Sacrament p. 116. 3. point Intention in Communion p. 119. An Oblation before Cōmunion p. 122. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Preparation to the Holy Sacrament p. 122. Advises for a generall Confession p. 124. Philotheas Covenant with God p. 125. 2. Discourse Behaviour in receiving the Holy Sacrament p. 126. V. Daies Voyage Mortification of Sensuality The Morning Exercise 1. Point Mortification of the Senses p. 130. 2. point Mortificatiō of the Passions p. 134. 3. point Mortification the property of a Christian p. 136. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Dammages incur'd by Immortification p. 140. 2. Discourse Necessity Use of Mortification p. 144. VI. Daies Voyage Flight of the Soul to God The Morning Exercise 1. Point Flight from Creatures p. 150. 2. point Flight from our selves p. 153. 3. point Flight from spirituall Comforts p. 156. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Vanity of Creatures p. 158. 2. Discourse Spirituall Indifferency p. 161. VII Daies Voyage Tranquillity of Spirit The Morning Exercise 1. Point Life of the Spirit p. 165. 2. point Mentall Recollection p. 168. 3. point Union of the Spirit with God p. 172 The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Loves Tryall p. 176. 2. Discourse Loves Entertainments p. 179. VIII Daies Voyage God Speaking to the Soul The Morning Exercise 1. Point Harken to God p. 184. 2. point God speaks by Visible Creatures p. 188. 3. point God speaks by Man p. 192. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse God speaks by his Son Incarnate p. 197. 2. Discourse God reveals himselfe p. 201. IX Daies Voyage Repose of the Soul in God The Morning Exercise 1. Point The Soul hidden in God p. 204. 2. point Search of God in God p. 208. 3. point The Souls repose in God p. 212. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Loves Ascents p. 216. 2. Discourse Loves Descents p. 219. X. Daies Voyage Highest Christian Perfection The Morning Exercise 1. Point Union with Christ suffring p. 226. 2. point Expropriation of Friends p. 233. 3. point Selfe-Denyall p. 239. The Evening Exercise 1. Discourse Spirituall Desolation p. 244. 2. Discourse Philotheas Choyce p. 248. Meditations upō the Passion for every day of the weeke p. 252. PHILOTHEA INVITED TO BEGIN HER PILGRIMAGE TAke Leave Philothea bid thy Friends depart Let nothing earthly now come neer thy heart Whilst thou retyrest sighing all alone Recounting all the ills which thou hast done This is Gods way to heare his Voyce in Thee And search thy heart in inward privacie Which fil'd with thoughts of heav'n-aspiring joyes And lodg'd in shades exempt from vulgar noise Winged with chast desires sacred vows Upwards doth mount to meet her heav'nly Spous And heare Loves whispers charming up above To fix her self i th' center of her Love From whose Embraces may she not depart But grasp that heav'nly armefull neer her heart No Gemme no hidden treasure like to this 'T is Heav'ns delight alone Mans Crown Bliss O blessed dayes O purely sweet content Whil'st thus in Paradise thy time is spent Oh may such thoughts thy spirit alway move Thus mayst thou ever live to be in love 'T is Heav'n on Earth thus sweetly to discover Heavn'ns joyes on Earth have thy God thy Lover RICH BVLSTRODE Interior Templ Lond Armig. PHILOTHEA'S PILGRIMAGE TO PERFECTION The Preface to PHILOTHEA Contayning Instructions for Solitude §. 1. Excellency of Holy Solitude SInce thou art in good earnest resolved MY PHILOTHEA to begin thy Pilgrimage to Perfection by entring holy Solitude therein for a while to conferr with the beloved of thy soul touching the present future state thereof how thou standest affected to Piety how thou maist better thy selfe in thy progresse towards heaven by cleansing thy heart intirely from those stains blemishes which are incident to corrupt fraile Nature by strengthning it with pious considerations enflamed affections efficacious resolutions to the redeeming of lost time reforming such errours evill inclinations as are insensibly crept into thy soule I cannot more fittly addresse my selfe to thee then with the hearty well-wishes of holy Tobie to his Sonne Walke well God be in thy way his holy Angell accompany Thee Nor may we doubt but that the same Divine Clemency which hath inspired Thee with a will to undertake this Holy Voyage will inable Thee with his blessings make Thee so to prosper profitt thy selfe in the pursuance of this blessed designe that it will be unto the eternall honour of the Divine Majestie an ample increase of Piety spirituall comfort in thy own soule If any employment be heavenly upō Earth doth consequently belong to the duty of a good upright Christian it is the serious practise of retired solitude by which the soule doth unspeakably promote her selfe towards the end of her creation which is to know God to love him above all things created In Solitude we ransack our hearts we discover our secret enemies there lurking in our breasts strongly armed grapple with them expel them prevent their reentrance into our soules By it we dissable ill customes settle our selves to an eager use of means to doe well fitt our minds to all good duties against all crosse events By it we descry our naturall weaknes to vertue obtain redresse prevent temptations cheere up our hearts feeble tyred out with temptatiōs adversities temper our use of creatures gaine more light to our knowledge more heate to our affections more life to our devotions more vigour courage in our callings therby wee become strangers to the earth by a just estimate of earthly things which are transitory vaine enter into a sweet fruition of invisible comforts Wee therein contemplate JESUS CHRIST
at the right hand of the Father with Saint Steven we discourse with Almighty God in his glory with Holy Moses with the Great Saint Paul ravisht into the heavenly Paradice we heare see what we are loath to leave cannot utter Lastly holy Solitude is the securest Remedy against wordly desires it is the pastime of Saints the ladder of heaven the best means to perfect a good Christiā soule without which it cannot experience true joy rest during her aboad in this smoaky Cottage of her Mortality Although all vertuous Exercises which occurr in the course of our tedious lives doe aime at the profit of our soules in order to the purchasing of life eternall yet none comes neerer to this happy purpose then the diligent use of holy Solitude whereby our spirit is strōgly weaned from the love of perishing transitory things soareth up to the contemplatiō love of her Almighty Creatour before whom in silence hope she humbly discovers her wants earnest desires embraceth him with the arms of an innocent reverentiall love in a manner entreth into the possession of the sweets of a never ending felicity amidst the heavy presse of worldy trialls If therefore my Philothea thou doest earnestly thirst after the delights of a spirituall Retreat thou must seriously apply thy selfe to the use of it For howsoever strong thou findest thy selfe in resisting temptations in the practise of vertues without a retyrement of thy spirit yet will the greatest fervour soon slacken become faint without the supply of Recollection by reason that our enemies are many powerful restlesse vertue how ever pleasant in the possession is hard in the purchase our strongest resolutions not supported both by frequent reflection upon our soules those impediments that doe often occurre in our pursuit of Pietie by renovation of purposes unto that our happy end will by insensible degrees become weak tepid But before thou undertakest this work of ten dayes Solitude unto which I advise study to direct Thee read attentively these few Rules which I here insert collected out of several great Contemplatives whose experience in the schole of holy Solitude may give them authority for thy instruction And indeed without them a soule may miscarry which would be great pitty even in this holy excelling work suffer illusions where it endeavours to shun decline them §. 2. Preparation for Solitude WHerefore in the first place be sure that entring into this holy Exercise Gods honour be thy cheife Ayme the next a reformation of thy owne life by a serious deliberate reflection on thy past present state what may happen for the future that thou maist thereby prepare thy selfe to live well dye happily that Death when it comes may not find Thee unprovided Nor doe thou much heed what the world may think of thy retyrement Thou undertakest the employment of an Angell desirest to have a foretast of that blessednesse which JESUS CHRIST hath purchased for us by the effusion of his precious bloud Blush not then that thou beginnest now to be what thou shouldst be alwayes but rather that thou hast hitherto neglected a work wherein much of thy life ought to be employed And because this Mountaine of Solitude ought not to be climed with a profane ungodly foote but as in the delivery of the Law so here no beast may touch Gods Hill least he dyes the sight of God being only promised to the pure of heart the soule must therefore be well cleansed by hūble Confession from the dreggs of sin before shee may profitably approach to this exercise which beholds only objects that are pure spirituall Thus the Royall Prophet would first wash his hands in innocency then compasse the Altar Make then a strickt examine of thy conscience what sin may have been cōmitted by thee what grace forfeited what punishment deserved after this in the evening before thou entrest thy Solitude make an hūble cordiall Confession of what thou findest thy selfe faulty since thy last examine For since thy understanding is not yet enough cleered nor thy affections sufficiently enflamed for a Generall Confession I should advise Thee to deferr it till the Fourth Day where I shall say more of the profit thereof how it is to be performed This done trouble not thy selfe if thou finds't in thy soule some ill inclinations yet liveing there this exercise requireth not absolute perfection but is a means to attaine to it Were wee all Saints there would be no need to use the Solitude I speak of Content thy selfe that thou art not conscious of any mortall offense which thou hast not disclosed with an humble repentance for what is past a firme purpose to amēd endeavouring still an honest sinceritie uprightnes of heart towards God Who finds him selfe in this dispositiō let him not think that either weakness to Vertue or pronesse to vice may be a lawfull barr to Recollection whereby our viciousnesse is weakned Vertue revived in us no man will starve him selfe with hunger because he eates not with a strong appetite §. 3. Abstraction from usuall cares IN the next place Philothea thou must disintangle thy selfe from worldly affaires If thou wilt approach to Gods flaming bush upon the Mountain of Visions thou must putt of thy shoes where our thoughts are glued to the world the soule will be unable to soare up with wings so limed intangled unto a contemplation of heavenly things For this Elizeus left his oxen S. Peter his boat netts freinds too The hill of Divine Meditation is high steepe not to be ascended with a heart loaden with worldly cares sollicitudes Nor yet needest thou what ever thy charge be publick or private secular or religious cast it wholly off lay it by a while during thy spirituall retreat in some other hand whilst thou drawest there more force strength for the mannagement thereof If thou lettest those cares enter in with thee they will become troublesome companions ever anon distracting thy mind from her cheife buisnesse And in this point solitude admitts no smalnesse of matter if thou givest place to one thought which is not to thy purpose hundreds will throng in with it each will prove an impediment to the other all of them will trouble divert the soule which entertaines them in this her Divine work Wherefore be scrupulous in the observance of this advice Experience will teach Thee that distractions goe not single admit one in a moment thou wilt forget where thou art what thou art about And as thou must discharge thy selfe of thy ordinary employmēts whē thou attemptest this great work withdrawing not thy hands only but even thy thoughts from them so also must thou observe a more strickt profound silence not entring into a conference more then the Rules of obedience well groūded charity will
permit with any one but with thy sprirituall Directour nor with him of any thing which hath not a streight reference to the work in hand Say rather with yong Samuel Speak thou o Lord for thy Servant heareth Thee By opening the sweetest balsoms loose their odour by too much noys we deprive our selves of hearing what the Holy Spirit would speak in our soule If therefore thou desirest heartyly to heare the speeches of peace which God speaketh to the soule which he hath led into Solitude stop thy Eares to all discourses of others putt â barr to thy own lipps For much speech is not voyd of sin where sin is Gods holy wisedome can make no aboad No noyse was heard whilst Salomons Temple was building a greater then Salomon is here §. 4. Choyce of Place SOlitarinesse of place helpeth much to the observāce of silence requisite Retire from all others if thou wilt discourse profitably with thy selfe Our Blessed Saviour meditates alone on the Mountaine holy Isaac in the feild Saint Iohn Baptist in the desert Though God be in all places as good to us as neer in one as in the other yet is a Cell or Closet the most convenient for this great work where our meditatiōs confined by kown walls keep the mind from wandring abroad wherefore a great Contemplative was wont to say The Spouse of the soule is bashfull cometh not willingly to the Bride in the presence of a multitude Abandon therefore my Philothea all worldly society change it happily into the company of God his blessed Angells Abandon I say all conversatiō with the world not outwardly only but also inwardly least sequestring from the world in outward shew we carry it within us in our owne bosoms I know this counsell is of great perfectiō not easily attained for these thin species of things insinuated into our minds frō outward objects will appeare some times to us in our uery Cells private Closets even against our best endeavours S. Hierome in the deserts had not his thoughts alwayes free from the maskes dāces of the Romā Matrons And truely this inward society is worse then the other For it is more possible for a free Cōtemplative to have a retired mind in the midst of a markett then pestred thus with inward company to be alone in the midst of a wildernesse Make choyce therefore of that place which admitteth fewest occasiōs of withdrawing thy heart frō her own good thoughts In my opinion we cannot expect to find God neerer to us then in that place where we have bin accustomed more familiarly to meet him because our thoughts are by custome more easily recollected where we have used our selves in our former Recollections to converse with him §. 5. Due time for Solitude THe heart now free from noise distractions must be constant in continuing this holy work once begun according to the course prescribed for it Those who meditate by uncertain fits snatches only when other employments forsake them or when good motions are thrust upon them by necessity of example or duty to Constitutions cannot hope in that their state of coldnesse to climbe high upon this ladder of perfection For although they may have some feeble beginnings of spirituall notions gracious Affections in the will yet being the Issue of one fitt of Meditation at random unsettled they are displaced weakned at the first occurrence of a new employmēt Wherefore having chosen a fitt time for the practice of solitude be serious in keeping it yeild to no occasion withdrawing Thee from it The beginning will be hard but use will render it easy delightfull The same constancy which requires Thee to make choyce of a proper time for Recollection requireth also that thou dwellest upon the matter chosen or appointed Thee without change or tediousnesse till it hath attained some joyfull issue of spirituall profitt Otherwise my Philothea thou wilt attempt much effect little through thy owne ficklenesse inconstancy He deceiveth himselfe who thinketh Grace to be easily wonne We must use much suit importunity before Christ will bestow his bread upon us which is of that worth that it may not be bestowed on any fickle petitioner Even we our selves generally speaking sett little by that which is easily gayned without labour perils importunity or resolution Thus much for choyce of time dwelling upon the matter in generall whereof though both of them require an unbroken constancy yet not any perpetuity of either through the whole course of our life Our fraile nature ordinarie Duties would not beare with such a fixed stability It is for glorifyed spirits above to be ever fixed on God issueing flames of Love towards so soveraigne a beauty These poore things under the Moone must have a change variety our vitall spirits which the immortall mind uses for her instruments are of a strange kind of mettall if not used at all they rust if too much break or at least grow dull stupid Truth is the cheife object of our Solitude is so excellent so glorious that like the Sunne look upon it we may but not gaze thereon We have known sad experience of some who venturing too farr hastily have failed weakned thē selves to little fruit Holy thoughts affections are the food of the eternall Mind yet since it works not in this our present state without the fancy her handmaid she must needs flag when fancy her support is tyred out with too permanent intense speculation without variety of object Let it suffice thee Philothea to persever in thy Meditation so long as Gods grace shall inable thee without affectation of perpetuity which is not granted us And when thy spirits begin to blunt leave off without feare of ficklenesse one halfe houre at a time is a competent measure for a weake beginner As God encreaseth thy devotion he will inspire force for longer continuance But by no means passe thy prescribed time without speciall advice otherwise thou maist chāce to spoyle a good enterprize A moderate undertaking with an anguishing conclusion hurt thy selfe Wherefore let me advise Thee not to be too eager in this good work Conserve alwayes a calme peace in thy spirit for since this work depends more on the help of heaven then our naturall industry shouldst thou turmoyle thy Imaginatiō with too earnest disquisitiō in the begining unresigned to the time of heavenly assistance thou wilt unhappily disable thy felfe for further aspirations Man is not alwayes in a like disposition sometimes he is longer in setling through some unquietnesse of fancy or more obstinate distraction sometimes heavier in the perseverance then in the first entry sometimes more nimble active to dispatch How ever thou findest thy selfe in the begining or continuance persist gently thou wilt have victory Other combats are on doubtfull hopes this on assurance for the successe depends on Gods promise which cannot
the Prudence so the Directour can best judge according to the different qualities humours of the Persons he deales with wherein one generall rule cannot be fitted for all However thus in breife Since variety facilitates the use of that which would otherwise prove irksome it were not amisse every day besides thy Usual Recollection to recite such Vocall Prayers as besides the Office of obligation we are accustomed to say But let them be few sayd atteÌ„tively at such times as thou findest thy spirit unfitt to work on thy prescribed Considerations Aspirations are as flames darted forth the furnace of a burning soule If thou findest thy heart forcibly inclined to them keep them not in If these offer not themselves let thy spirit speak with God silently by heaving its selfe up towards heavenly things And if these fayle too be contented to say such Vocall prayers as the Church useth till it pleaseth God that the Mist falls thy Understanding receiveth new strength cleerenesse Reading helps invention administers matter to the affective part it matters not how little it be so it be wel digested rightly applyed to rayse up affections I should advise thee to be sparing herein least diversity of matters distract thee from attending to the points of that dayes Exercise which thou must carefully peruse before the time of RecollectioÌ„ that the mind may not want a fitt subject to discourse on Thou mayest before or after dinner read the life of the Saint of that Day or any other as thy Directour shall judge expedient but if thou wilt follow my advice content thy selfe with reading thy daylie Meditations frequently over Experience will teach that to be more profitable to thy designe in hand As for corporall Austeritiâ—s if moderate they strengtheÌ„ the spirit by weakning the flesh are a means to rayse the soule to the thought of heavenly things One meale a day is aboundantly enough If thou beest Religious eat in Gods name what is set before thee without scruple blesse God that for thy humiliation he makes thee descend from Contemplation of his Glory to the use of corporall sustenaÌ„ce The more sparing thy evening meale is thy sleep will be the sweeter thyselfe apter for thy night watch Yet herein stand scrupulously to the advice of thy Superiours spirituall Guid as also for the use of Haire-cloath Disciplines sueh like humiliations Manuall labours must not be assumed indifferently but with advice direction By all means fly such as require conference with others or tyre out the body distract the mind Moderate walking after meales helpes to a more intense recollection yet let it be as much out of sight of others as may be that the soule may have her full freedome to launch herselfe forth by holy aspirations upon occurring objects as God shall inspire thee §. 11. Distribution of Time I Will conclude with a distribution of time which ought carefully to be observed during our spirituall retyrement after the manner here prescribed unlesse thy Directour appoint another more conformable to thy calling abilities or as he shall find thee disposed for this great work Wherefor Philothea the happy evening being now come when thou inteÌ„dest to bid adieu to worldly thoughts confine thy selfe for the following TeÌ„ dayes to thy private Cell or Closett to ruminate upon the dayes of Eternity in a holy peaceable Solitude quitt thy selfe of thy ordinary Employments that thou mayst the more freely attend to this thy great affaire purge thy soule by an entyre confession of what thou findest offensive in thee having attentively read over the first point of the next dayes Meditation take thy selfe to thy rest At the first signe of the Caller to Midnight Office signing thy selfe arise in thy cloathing say Miserere or De profundis for living or dead freinds Then goe silently to the quire prepare thy heart cheerfully to say or heare the Divine Office That ended keep thy Meditation upon the first point of that mornings Exercise according to the rules above prescribed For Preparation Conclusion may serve for Meditation upoÌ„ any subject whatsoever Then having ended thy Meditations say thy Crosses stay some what longer then ordinary For during this time of thy Solitude thou must endeavour to be the first last in the quire After Crosses thou mayst take a Discipline for some space of time if thy Directour thinkes it expedient Otherwise it is upon no terms to be done Then returne to thy bed Those who rise not to Mattins may rise after their first sleep performe that point of Meditation Crosses Discipline as aforesayd otherwise let them not fayle to rise at Five in the morning The fourteen houres distribution begins with the morning watch Endeavour to rise some what before Six in the morning that thou may stread the Second point of thy morning exercise before thou goest to Prime unto which as also unto other houres assist devoutly After this heare Masse attentively joyning thy intention good desires with the Priest then spend a good halfe houre either in the quire or thy Cell in discussioÌ„ of the secôd point Observe alwayes the usuall time of CoÌ„munion according to the place where thou art But this must be performed the dayes thou entrest comest forth thy Solitude the better to enable confirme thee in this great work of thy spirituall Retreat the effects thereof Between Eight Nine confer with thy Directour touching either the imperfections or graces thou hast felt in thy soule If thou canst not then have his presence read a Saints Life the rest of that houre give some release to thy thoughts by some Vocall Aspirations towards Eternity for time lost thy drowsinesse to Vertue pronesse to vice From Nine to Ten meditate upon the third point of that dayes Exercise But alwayes endeavour to be moderate towards the end of thy Recollection least too much intensenesse breed faintnes and render Thee unfitt to persever in this holie work From Ten say the Penitentiall Psalmes Littanies Then make a reveiw of thy infirmities discovered means propounded for amendment of Life At Eleven take thy Noons repast rather to satisfy Nature them to please thy sense And use such temperance therein that neither by Excesse thou burthen nor by overmuch nicenesse weaken thy frayle body which is to serve the soule in her Contemplations After dinner some time being employed in giving thankes to God for the benefit of thy conservation praying for benefactours living dead take some easy divertisement for one houre At One read over the First point of thy Evening Exercise raise as many good thoughts affections as thou canst whereby efficaciously to move thee to a constant practise of what thou shalt then resolve SpeÌ„d the houre twixt Two Three as between Eight Nine in the morning At Three read over attentively the Second part of thy Evening
Exercise reflecting seriously on every Instructiō how thou mayest reduce thē to practice The other houres till Seven admit of no sett rules for distribution of them by reason of the different times of evening prayers refection according to the customes of severall families However one houre is to be spent in praying vocally making Aspirations review of that dayes task for confirmatiō of good purposes another in saying Evensong the last in taking thy evening repast thanksgiving for benefits praying for benefactours living dead From Seven take some easy divertisement whereby to release thy thoughts by walking or using some moderate corporall Exercice for the space of halfe an houre then seriously examine thy Conscience how thou hast employed that day beg pardon for defects make thy Crosses read over the First point of thy next dayes Exercise going to bed say with the Royall Prophet In peace I will sleep rest because thou O Lord hast singularly setled me in hope This is all Philothea I have to advise thee Complayn not of my over-longnesse The labour is mine my ayme thy benefit I have according to my ability prescribed thee a Method of practising holy Solitude according to the knowledge gaind from skilfull Masters in that Art what use experience hath taught me to be most profitable when custome experience shall shew thee a better forme feare not to use it in Gods name for divers paths lead to the same place though the spirit of God be but One yet ther is diversitie of graces Use this way till thou meet with a better and pray for thy well willer Farwell Philothea's Pilgrimage to Perfection Described in a Practise of Ten dayes Solitude FIRST DAYES VOYAGE Inducements to Solitude THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Dignitie of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider That no other earthlie condition can equall the happinesse which may be attained by means of retyrement T is a Heaven upon earth seperating us from the rest of the world contented with it's own tranquillitie delights such it will be to us if we can alienate our hearts from worldly cares creatures walk innocently with our blessed God in the observance of his commandements the performance of solitarie duties T is the Schole of all Christian knowledg vertues wherein we may learn that our body is composed of disagreeing elements ever tending to a dissolution that our dearest friends may be taken frō us by untimely death therefor no lasting hopes to be placed in them That our nature is easly ledd away with the allurements of visible objects whereas God only can fill the longings of our soul In a word that all those things wherein poore man is so miserably turmoild are a meere Vexation Vanitie hinder us from listning to those delicious whispers which our Beloved desires to impart to our affectionate souls It is also a Sanctuarie of the ever blessed Deitie for although our Immense God fils all places by an infinite diffusion of his Essence yet he is specially in those which are segregated to his contemplation worship where he opens the rich treasuries of his love bountie reveals his will to his servants in silent secret conferences with them Since therfore Philothea thy Beloved hath drawn Thee hither here to parlie with thy heart to disclose the hidden pathes of his ayding comforting graces to take up his lodging in thy soul see that nothing remain therein offensive to his will which may blūt the edg of thy conceived affections to pietie or darken thy spirituall Eie from beholding his all-sufficing beauty For onlie the clean of heart may see God rejoyce in the plentie of his holy house AFFECTION Oh how beloved are the Tabernacles of my God! better is one day there then thousands in the Courts of Sinners who love not to think on their Creatour O Hierusalem O sweet vision of Peace O happy desart O sacred Mansion of heaven aspiring Souls be thou ever the begining of my joyes I know acknowledg O my God My onlie refuge comfort that there is no pleasant peace no saving knowledg no true Repose but in Thee that all things are Vanity beneath Thee but even that Vanity cannot I despise without Thee therfore Thou O God how long RESOLUTION Hence forth My Solitude shall be my Beatitude My Eden my Heaven the world shall keep what ever it calls its own with all the perills discontents miseries that belong to it if my soul be at any time in distresse I will stay my sorrows with the hopes of those true consolations which my Divine Lord hath promised to those whom he leads thither And since I may there understand all divine truth obtain all helping Vertues Graces I will turne my heart from creatures that I may under the conduct of Gods divine Spirit learn the wayes of Perfection And I will carefully cleanse my soul from all sinns affections to forbidden contents whereby it hath hitherto been hindred to walk to with God to discover the depth of his greatness goodness to me Nor will I loos the precious time which God hath alowed me wherein to work my Salvation converse with him in holy Solitude To Thee O Lord will I reveale the secrets of my heart in Thee will I trust I shall not be ashamed because Thou art A strong helper SECOND POINT Innocencie of Solitude CONSIDERATION COnsider That Solitude is more Innocent Holie then that course of life that spends it's selfe in conversing with creatures Being exempt from manyfold occasiōs of offending or being offended by others from snares scandals irksome turmoiles which are apt to shake our strongest Resolutions to pietie destroy the evennesse of our hearts in the performance of our usuall Christian duties Again our conversation with worldly persons oft engages our hearts in irregular affections solicitudes we being naturally over-prone to adheare to sensible satisfactions too feeble weake in resisting their flattering alurements therfor are therby putt in hazard of loosing our best hopes whereas Solitude withdrawing our thoughts from such occasiōs of sin give us means of purchasing that blessednesse here which abroad we endanger wherfor the now glorious Saints whose lives should be our paterns arrived to the joys they are possest of by withdrawing from worldly conversation confining themselves to Innocent Solitude And hence it is that abandoning superfluous conversation with earthlie Creatures we begin to be conversant with God in some degree approach to imitate the Innocent peacefull life of the already glorifyed Angells in heaven Their life conversation must needs be heavenlie who disdayning earthlie blessings thirst after those of the Saints by knowing loving enjoying him who alone can make them happy What greater happiness My Philothea then being sequestred from vaine tyresome Creatures even amidst the toyls of our unhappy Mortality to enjoy
aboad being there with God our employmeÌ„ts in what beloÌ„gs to him Although nothing be more ours then we our selus titles of honour most coÌ„forting delights our dearest friends as leaves blossoms from the tree being easily blown off from us yet having our Being with what ever appertains to it from God whatsoever we are in our selus can doe or may have belongs to God as the Soveraign Lord Master of all so that to him we owe all we should be guiltie of a most greivous disloyaltie should we venture to dispose of our selus according to our own liking Gods inward Excellencie wherby he contains in himselfe all perfections disperst amongst Creatures those sacred influences wherby he preserus us from falling into our Originall Ashes his precept of loving him above all things which includes the actions of all other morall divine Vertues the price of Christs precious Bloud wherewith he bought us those unspeakable rewards of holiness of life prepared above with his Angells for us are strong tyes of Dutie to him challeng all homage fidelitie from us Wherfore Philothea should we spend our whole liues every thought all our actions on him we pay but the least part of what we owe to him Now therfore at least show thy readiness to follow love obey him sith he specially invites Thee to a more familiar conference freedom with him during thy Solitude COLLOQUIE Even so it is My Dearest Lord I am thine O that I might for ever abide with thee The world is a sea full of tempests confusion holie Solitude is a safe harbour where there are great calms securitie O that thou wouldest fill the sayles of my heart with a gracious gale which may sweetly carry me forth of these turbulent depths free me from the dangers of a spirituall shipwrack give me a sure shelter under thy comforting protection then should my spirit have liberty to pant after the escaped dangers sâ—e the perills wherin she hath been hitherto tossed pay those dutiâ—s which on so many titles are due unto Thee Save me thou O Lord I shall be saved thou shalt be my praise for ever SECOND DISCOURSE Our Returnes to God HAving now perswaded thy selfe to embrace Solitude through reflection on the Dignitie Innocencie Necessitie therof in order to thy freedom from worldly cares solicitudes as also that thou maist therby pay to God part of that great Dutie which on so many titles thou owest to him fitt thy selfe for the due practise therof by Acknowledgment of Gods speciall favours to thee in inspiring thee with so holie just a design The same God that sanctifyed thee a Member of his holie Church has by hidden means drawn thee now nigher to himselfe will that thou break in pieces those fetters of sensualitie which have hitherto kept thee tyed to Creatures without which thou hadst still wallowed in thy old vices never look't into thy corrupted manners or thought on begining this thy holie Pilgrimage Wherfor acknowledge thy nakedness povertie weakness to walk these sublime wayes of perfection that this divine Call all other favours thou shalt ther by reape are pure effects of Gods mercies bountie to thee O Philothea could we duely value the greatness of this favour of being thus cald to walk converse with God whereas many others who perhaps would make better use therof are passed by left to work out their salvation amidst the tumults of worldly cares we would esteem no labours no sufferings enough to express our Gratitude to him Resolve therefor to employ thy Memorie in thinking on God on the generall speciall means best known to thy own spirit wherby he hath drawn thee thus far from Creatures towards himselfe thy Understanding in searching forth means wherby readily to execute his coÌ„mandements inspired counsells thy Will other inferiour powers of thy soul in loving him refrayning from what he hath forbidden performing whatsoever he hath or shall require of thee And because the aime of Solitude is to lead thee to a private conference with God wherin the Immortall Angells now glorifyed Saints will be spectatours before whom none may appeare without his wedding GarmeÌ„t or with feet sullied by sinfull affections Thou must Philothea endeavour to Rectifie thy intentions in undertaking this Retyrement for if thy motives be but customarie the fruicts therof will soon fade Then Purge thy mind of worldly vaine affections by a deep act of repentance least they ever anon call upon thee disturb the repose of the spirit And lastly Offer up thy heart to God united with that of thy crucified Saviour for whose sake thou art resolved to walk the hard ways of thy Pilgrimage to Perfection so that henceforth whether JESUS feasts thee with his disciples in Cana or fasteth in the wilderness be glorious on Mount Thabor or prayeth in the Garden or hangeth on the Crosse thou must never forsake him Thus wilt thou happyly walk through the varieties dangers of this unconstant life make a fruitfull progress in this thy holy Retyrement COLLOQUIE Wellcome then O most delicious paradice of my God O Sacred Solitude wherein is again revived the decayed Image of our Originall Innocency by conformity of will to God Obedience of sensualitie to the precepts of reason sweet traÌ„quillitie of all passions powers in the Kingdome of the soul I acknowledg O my God thy great bounty in inviting me hither will endeavour to prun my spirit of all irregular MotioÌ„s that Imay be Afitt Offring to my heavenly Lord Master Sanctify O God these my earnest desires from thy holie Temple of Hierusalem confirme the good things thou hast wrought in me Amen SECOND DAYES VOYAGE Entertainments in Solitude THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Humilitie Austeritie CONSIDERATION COnsider that there 's a great difference between Solitude Idleness A wise holie Soul will choose therefor to be alone that shee may be better employed whither it be that the Retyrement be for the whole life under some Religious Vows or for some certain dayes wherfor entring into Solitude thou must Philothea make use of such Entertainments of spirit body as may consist with retyredness advance thee in the practise of Vertue Wherfore we must be well grouÌ„ded in the use of Humilitie which is the foundation of all other Vertues a fair disposition both to acknowledg ameÌ„d what 's amisse For Solitude is a state wherin the soul is raised to a private conference with God unlesse we have a perfect Humilitie we are in danger of a precipice Nay what ever other progresse we make in our Pilgrimage to Perfection without a profound humilitie we are never secure as appears in Lucifer our first Parents Therfor Our Lord JESUS by doctrine exemple exhorts to the practise therof as the cheife work of Christianitie the prefervative of
inward peace fortifyer against all contradictions This ought to stir us up to humilitie in thoughts by esteeming our selvs full of imperfections wants to stand in need of great helps of Grace in word not discoursing on those perfections which it pleases God to work in by us in Action while we bend our selvs willingly to the performance of any Dutie our Calling may require of us though it may seem to others contemptible vile And to seek no preferment either in dignitie or esteem of others but with a true indifferency of spirit with all persons at all times contentedly to abide in or chang what ever condition fals to thy lott or is appointed Thee And because Austeritie which cōsists in fasting watching wearing course garments suck like mortifications of our sensuall appetite much conduce to the gayning this inward humilitie of spirit That also must be willingly embraced by a solitarie soul whose aimes are to be truly perfect for what society is there between a Compliance with our inordinate concupiscences a separation from worldly conversation cares What is the disposition of thy heart Philothea towards these Eminent vertues Doest thou find a sweetness quietness of spirit when humiliations befal thee Art thou willing to undergoe such Mortifications as thy state requires of thee without tediousness repining thoughts AFFECTION I abhorr yee O fatall Enemies of Perfectiō Pride that cast the Angells down from heaven made them Devils Selfelove which expelled our first parents forth of Paradice made thē Vesfels of Gods wrath Wilt thou My Soul defile thy selfe with those black crimes so abhominable to God Oh rather let me be trampled on as a worm of the Earth undergoe whatsoever Crosses Mortifications then hazard the losse of my friendship with God the joys he hath prepared for those that love him with an humble mortifyed spirit For blessed be the poore in spirit because there 's is the Kingdom of Heaven RESOLUTION I will henceforth humble my selfe under the powerfull hand of God neither in thought word or deed preferring my selfe to any Creature or desiring any value or esteem from them for I Know that God resists the proud of heart gives Grace to the humble And I will accustome my selfe to those austerities which my Vocation requires of me contēting my selfe with such diet cloaths rest as may suffice to the support of Nature for if we mortify our earthlie Members we shall be children of our heavenlie Father SECOND POINT Patience Obedience CONSIDERATION COnsider That Patience being usefull to all Christians is singularly necessary to the solitarie Soul especially if the Solitude be religious permanent It is an easie matter out of a bravery of spirit to undergoe some notable tribulation abandon worldly satisfactions for a while but to remain constant in that Resolutiō this is the speciall work of the Holie Ghost can never be fully accomplisht without a singular profound Patience It is necessary also for the practise of other Vertues which are confederates companions in our pilgrimage to Solitarie perfection for Patience keeps our spirits in peace what ever befals us bends it to beare or forbeare what the hand of providence appoints to us assembles all Vertues wherby to preserve in us the hopes of heavenly blessings amidst the toyls of this wretched life Therefore JESUS CHRIST tells us that by Patience we shall possesse our Souls Wherfor Philothea make a breife Reflection on the present state of this Vertue in Thee wherin it is defective by what motives it may be advanced to a greater height Canst thou with a patient meek heart converse with every one temper others anger with a mild Answer suffer injuries in words rapin of goods honour without disturbāce with bountie good deeds overcome thy Enemies unjust persecutions endeavour to reconcile them to thee even with losse of thy own right Then maist thou lay some claym to the perfection of Patience reap some fruit from thy Solitarie Entertainments The practise also of a prompt Obedience is very expediēt even in our Retyrement for a few dayes but especially if thy calling be to live permanently in a Communion of Religious persons under the conduct of one whom God hath placed as his Vicegerent over the rest by commands counsells to direct them to their best happyness In such a Communion all good things may not be well done either by all of them or at all times Austeritie for exemple is good yet not to be practised against the express will of our spirituall Guid or Superiour to the ruin of our own health the burthen of others Fast with bread water saith a holie Man weare a haire shirt sleep on the ground discipline the flesh to the bone undergoe the most contemptible offices communicate every daie stand from morning till night in Contemplation of God his attributes I make no account of all this if it goes against Obedience be done in a time place measure unseasonable Endeavour Philothea to purchase in thy selfe this safe guid of holie Obedience Be tractable in thy will goe come ascend descend at the first call of thy Superiour that not for feare but love Captivate thy judgment quitt all Interests of body mind when Obedience commands for the Superiour being in possession of his authoritie our conscience cannot be secure with an oppositiō to his will who watches only our good Submitt thy body also either to undergoe readily such austerities or to take freely such recreation corporall comforts as the Superiour shall judg reasonable for thee although contrary to thy judgment inclination And here make a reflection on thy readiness to comply with Obedience if it be firm fixed as it ought how far defective which way to be repayred AFFECTION It is true My dearest Lord I have through Impatience often torturd my heart with revengfull thoughts lavisht away much of my precious time in disquieting vexing my own spirit violently following my owne judgment passions incurred many a deep remorse of conscience greived those who Thou didst place over me I confesse my errours I acknowledg repent my follies O that I had a sea of tears wherwith to bath my heart wash it from the stains contracted through want of Patience Obedience Come O yee sacred Vertues accompany me in my Pilgrimage that amidst all Adversities under all commands I may secure my Vocation to this holie Retreat confirme my Soul in the hopes of a Communion with the Saints in the blessed glory of My God RESOLUTION I will hence forth seale up my lipps to all angry words purge my mind from passionate thoughts prevent each one with Courtosies promptly comply with the Commands of my Superiours however painfull their Execution be cōsidering God to speak by their lipps assuring my selfe that He proportions
we abandon them even for true joys that abide for ever Wellcome then dearest Solitude earthlie Paradice Temple of God haven of Eternall Bliss I have propounded Thee in the begin̄ing of my Joys thither will I retreat there will I take up my rest offer up the desires of my heart a morning evening Sacrifice in the odour of divine sweetness SECOND DISCOURSE Exercises in Solitude IDleness is the mother of sin our spirituall enimies taking that time to suggest evill desires Therfore we must at all times be well employd but especially in our Solitude whither it be permanent or for some selected daies This employment consists not only in Meditation wherby the Soul is elevated to the bosome of the Divinitie by the workings of Love but in a due performance also of such Exercises as shall be enjoyned for our profit especially for the Exaltation of our Unitive life with God Mentall Contemplations being awhile intermitted by corporall labours return upon the spirit with a greater force feeling of delight One great Exercise in our Solitude is Masse Divine Office The work of the Angels of God who cease not night or daie to sing forth the praises of the Almightie O heavenlie divine Exercise wherin the glorious Angels accompanie us offer up for us our prayers to our great God! How much better is it to be employed in the praises of our Creatour then with the wicked of the world to be buisyed in dācing diceing riotting perhaps blaspheming our Redeemer Here examine thy readiness to frequēt the Church at due times whether thou abidest there as present in mind as body resolve henceforth to assist with more attention greater diligence in this heavenlie Worke. Another Exercise of the solitarie Soul is Mentall Prayer wherby the heart raised above earthlie things confers with God is as it were transformed into a Divine Beeing To this Thou must Philothea apply thy selfe with speciall diligence according to the Rules prescribed Thee in Thy Preface For it is the Dew of Heavē wherby the spirit is cherished in the knowledg love of heavenlie things It is the celestiall Man̄a to sustayn us during our earthlie aboad in the wilderness of this world It is the holie Mountain of divine Visions where we enter into familiar conference with God Who there shews us all good A third Dutie is Reading spirituall Bookes by which I understand holie Ghospells such other devout books as treat of Vertue the Reformation of our Manners This is to be performed duely thrice a daie at our uprising down-laying once between both that not at rādom or hap-hazard sometimes in one another time in another book for that is an effect of curiositie rather breeds confusion then devotion Let thy daily Lecture therfore be constantlie in one good book recōmended to Thee by thy own Experience or some Judicious person therin read till thou hast not left one line unpractised for till then thou canst not say thou hast been a Reader but rather an Overseer of the points therin handled Truely of all bookes I have read I know none more universally profitable for all persons of whatsoever condition then the divine work called An Introduction to a Devout Life composed by that Illuminated Man great servāt of God Saint Francis of Sales One who even from his Cradle was singularly devoted to Seraphicall Saint Francis as being born in a Chamber dedicated to his name devotion And that thou maist see I recommend not this Book to Thee upon slight grounds take the advice of Alexander the seventh the late Pape Soveraign Head of the Catholique Church on Earth in a letter dated 1642. to his Nephew where He sayes That he had already used that work for the space of twenty years read it over a hundred times that he could never read it without discovering some excellent document not before marked which thy own Experience will assuredly confirm Vocall Prayer Aspirations being also joyned with spirituall reading much conduce to a greater thirst benefit therin for our reading must be ever intermixed with Consideration Jaculatorie Prayers Application to use therefore it matters not how much we read but how well in order to our spirituall advancement The last is Manuall labour which cōmōly should be only such as may divertise rather then weaken our spirit of devotion Care being taken with all heed that the Soul tyres not herselfe by too Intense permanent Applying its selfe unto Contemplation And these works are to be persorm'd with as great prōptitude eagernesse as any other Christian or Solitarie Observance being strong Fortifyers against Idleness the bane of the spirituall devout life which are cheifly aimed at in our Retreat from worldly cares COLLOQUIE Thou O My God supream Lord of my life strength hast bestowd many gracious talents on me wherwith to traffique for the Kingdom of heaven till Thou comest to take the generall Accounts of the world to render each one according to their deserts Alas I have vainly employed the powers of my Soul the senses members of my body contrarie to thy holie Decrees idelly lavishing away thy guifts of Grace the precious time allowed me for thy service my own everlasting profitt not reflecting on the shortness of my life thy severity that daie the length of happiness that crowns good works It greives me for my neglects henceforth I will employ all my forces in loving serving Thee doing good things whilst time is Give Thou O God what Thou commandest command what Thou wilt Perfect my steps in the paths of thy Commandements they shall not be moved for ever Amen THIRD DAYES VOYAGE Man in his Sinfull State THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Vilenesse of the body by Nature CONSIDERATION COnsider that now being entred holy Solitude there fitted with due Entertainmēts for thy happy Advance in thy designed Pilgrimage to Perfection Thou must Philothea descend into thy selfe discover What thou art that pretendest to so high happy a state That laying a strong foundation in the acknowledgment of thy own Nothing thy spirituall Edifice may the more prosperously goe forward with the blessings of peace mercy JESUS CHRIST is the true Modell of all Sanctity therefor we must in this our Retyrement especially study his Imitation If he for our sake hides the glory of his God-head under the weaknesse of our Mortalitie our highest contemplations of God aimes to perfection should begin from the consideration of our own Vilenesse that re-ascending to God with the greater eagernesse we may drown our Weaknesse in the Vastnesse of his Divine Being What then art Thou Philothea according to the Body from the Womb to the Tomb From all Eternity Thou wert a meer Nothing so hadst for ever remained had not Gods Wisedome Power drawn Thee thēce giving Thee that Beeing thou now hast In thy
perfections Gods Guifts without due reference to him COLLOQUIE I know acknowledg My Dearest Lord that of our selves we cannot either think or say or doe any thing worthy of thee therfore I will confesse to Thee the only Light strength of my Soul that without Thee I am nothing but Vanity blindnesse Misery unlesse thou do'st prevent me with thy blessings moisten my heart with the dew of thy heavenly Graces I shall be unto Thee like a barren Earth which is without water produce nothing but sin death confusion Alas my Soul flatter not thy selfe for even so it is yet how often hast thou relyed on thy own judgment force abilities for which God hath permitted thee to fall It were much better to acknowledg thy inward weaknesse to Vertue extoll Gods power Mercies in thy poverty that his greatnesse may be exalted in the vilenesse of thy Nothing Grant me O ever blessed Redeemer thy holy Grace but give me also true humility of heart that I may ever think on my own Nothing without Thee so shall the poore needy praise thy Name SECOND DICOURSSE Our Pronenesse to Evill SInce by help only of Gods grace we doe good 't is by our own bad Nature we incline to Evill Had man stood in his originall Innocency his Soul had ever been breathing forth the delicious odours of Morall Divine Vertues wherewith he was then full no sooner doth he withdraw himselfe frō his due Obedience to God but all those Vertues forsake him his Soul all her powers are smutted with sin We loose our right to our heavenly inheritance as a raging Sea having broken its banks we swell with evill inclinations break down all letts of Gods precepts prohibitions run over to all sorts of evill actions however contrary to our Allegiance vnto God Our Reason adorned with Prudence could discerne the Excellency of Vertue dictate all due circumstances of good laudable actions but now by sin it is become dull blind nor can it without new helps above our reach perswade from evill or direct in good Our Will formerly hedgd in with holy Lawes beautifyed with inclinations to Iustice strēgthned by heavenly lights graces was prompt to hearken to obey Gods Call but having lost the safeguard of Justice is weak in resisting sensual allurements ready to comply with every disorderly suggestion of lawlesse passions Our Concupiscence which guarded with Temperance stirrd up our inward Man to follow the prescripts of Reason seeke sweetnesse in laudable vertuous actions rebells against the spirit drawes towards earthly delights leads us captive in the bonds of unlawfull desires And the Irascible power of our Soul which armed with Fortitude helpt us to trample down all obstacles of piety runs now stiffe-neckt against God casts of the yoke of Obedience contemns all threts of his Justice against Violaters of their Divine Covenant These be those heavy shackles Philothea which keep us in the servitude of sin still presse our hearts down to the crimes we loath yet shun not Ah! How oft hast thou felt in thy selfe the weight of thy corrupted Nature How oft plunged in some greivous sin How dull thy spiritt then How black thy thoughts What remorses in thy mind and as one hanging at a small string over a deep lake full of toads serpents how full of terrours feares and yet not in the least sort able to help thy selfe How oft thus through pronenesse to sin Alas neither Rich by their treasures nor the Mighty by their power not the Beautifull by their loving charms can free themselves from this load of sin sinfull desires Nay even all Creatures are become so many snares whereby to entrapp enthrall our hearts whilst Satan by inward temptatiōs presseth us forward to covet them outwardly masketh them with apparent sweenesse to seduce us work our ruine plunging us in sin after sin till we forget there 's a God that sees all That marks all our stepps who will one day call us to an account for all COLLOQUIE O bitter servitude of sin which tyrannizeth in my fleshly members resisting the laws of the immortall Mind holding me captive in the fetters of my concupiscences Ah who will free me from the woefull slavery of my corrupted passions which heavely press me down to sensuall sinfull Desires Only Thou My bountifull Saviour shouldst Thou leave me to my selfe there 's not any sin so enormous into which I might not fall It is thy Mercy O Abysse of Mercies which prevents my stubborn will quells the rage of temptations graciously diverts those occasions which might intice me to offend Thee Oh that thou wouldst break the chaynes which fetter my spirit wouldst fasten my footsteps that I slip not in the way of thy holy Commandements Then will I sacrifize to thee a Sacrifice of praise and rejoyce exult in God my Saviour because he who is powerfull hath done great things for me Amen FOVRTH DAYES VOYAGE Man Repayred by Iesus Christ MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Institution of the Holy Sacrement CONSIDERATION COnsider That having descended into thy selfe there discovered What thou art in thy sinfull state thy Body how Vile thy soul how wretched thy ignorance how great how weake thou art to good how prone to Evill and that now Thou findest thy selfe Philothea faln into the deep lake mentiōed last night full of filth Venom where thou neither seest the light of heavē nor enjoyest comfort frō any freind or quiet in thy mind nor canst hope for releife from any Creature that therein thou art like to sink deeper stick faster abide for ever if Almighty God harkens not clemently to thy woefull cryes and take pitty on thy weaknesse pouerty miserable state God could send an Angel to free thee thence or by his only word set thee at liberty but his love bounty is so great to thee that he sends his own only Son equall to himselfe in Majesty Wisedom Power cloathed in thy Mortality to release thee frō that loathsome Dungeō to wash Thee in his precious bloud to give thee an easy gracious Law to walk by to encourage thee to piety by doctrine Examples to establish Sacramēts for healing thy spirituall soares ulcers at lēgth that he may bestow his whole selfe on Thee in the Holy Eucharist as a Pledg of love whereby to sanctify bind thy heart to him as a Light to guid thee as a Staffe to support thee as a Viaticum to strengthen comfort thee in thy holie Pilgrimage to Perfection In this divine Sacrament is really substantially contained IESUS CHRIST God Man his Divinity which is the fountain of grace good workes glory his Soul full of Wisedome Holinesse his Body conceived of the Holie Ghost in the womb of the Immaculate Virgin his Bloud shed
Heralds to proclaime the coming of the Espouse to invite thee to this gracious Supper being thē decently prepared accompanied with thy choicest freinds of heaven approach humbly devoutly to Gods Altar saying in thy spirit Whence is it that my Dearest Lord vouchsafeth to come to me abide within me O Philothea if thy soul be not quite frozen thou wilt here feele the heat of this heavenly fire returne hence full of enflamed affections panting swelling through an aboundance of divine Love If ever there be hopes of a spirituall advancement any zeale of Christian duties or constant resignation amidst temptations it will now appeare while this great Giver of all good things lodges in thy bosome as the soul of thy spirit Manifest then to him thy wants wishes say Thou thalt not depart hence unlesse thou doest blesse me with the blessings of Peace Mercy COLLOQUIE Ah my soul canst thou be hungry hauing eaten of the bread of Angels Or a thirst hauing tasted of the fountain of living water Or cold having been at this divine fire Alas my Soveraign Lord my carelesness in attending to thy presence in this sacred banquet my frequent relapses into my old vices ungratitude for thy many wonderfull favours has even deaded my heart rendred it insensible to the gracious influences of this heavenly food Enliven my spirit O my God with thy grace fortify it with this bread of Angels in the strength thereof I will walk to thy holie Mountain the Mountain where God delights to abide where he liveth for ever Amen FIFTH DAYES VOYAGE Mortification of Sensualitie THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Mortification of the Senses CONSIDERATION COnsider that the soul being now cleansed from all stayns of sin by Repentance strengthned in its Spirituall life by that divine bread which is JESSUS CHRIST we must use all endeavours to reforme such evill habits inclinations as may slacken our pious resolutions purchase those helps of Vertue which may most efficaciouslie advance us in our Pilgrimage to perfection We must therefor Philothea withdraw our outward senses frō all those objects which are apt to seduce our hearts from Gods Law engage them in sinfull affections so contrary to the perfectiō of our designe This is done both by a carefull custody of our senses from viewing feeding on such sensible objects as may allure us to take complacence in them by a moderate castigation of the body by acts of pennance that it rebells not against the dictates of reason grace All Christians have a strickt obligation to endeavour this custody castigation of the senses For being Children of the earthly Adam through whose sin all are borne enemies to God Rebells against his holy Law we all find both body soul alienated from their due Obedience to reason Gospell which cannot be repayred but by withdrawing our senses even from lawfull objects undergoing hard painfull duties Being also in holy Baptisme happily spoused to JESUS CHRIST by a solemn Vow then made in our Name to renounce Satan all his works to apply our selves to the observance of all CHRISTS Precepts we ought seriously to study the imitation of the life of Our Soveraign Lord fullfill our promises made to him by mortifying our concupiscences performance of his Will But this must be especially done during our spirituall retreat that crucifying our sensualitie by prayer fasts watchings such like austerities we may the more freely harkē to the whisperings of the Spirit thereby become wholly spirituall according to our designe And therefor those great Examples of solitary perfection whose lives fill us with admiration no sooner withdrew themselves from the noyse of worldly solicitudes but they applyed themselves to corporall austerities therby to quell the inordinate suggestions of corrupted sensualitie raise up their hearts in the contemplation of heavenly permanent comforts AFFECTION O painfull pilgrimage of this mortall Life how miserable how fraile how bitter art thou And yet have I thus long loved thee feeding my senses on perishing objects filling my heart with vain emptie desires of sensuall pleasures thereby forgetting that great ransom my Saviour payd to redeem me from the tyranny of Satan which the disorders of sensuality brought upon me neglecting that glorious inheritance he by his bitter Passion purchased for me Oh I will rather suffer a thousand deaths then abandon my selfe to these unclean deceitfull delights I renounce you for ever O Impure suggestions doe defie any concupiscence which may bring the wrath of God upon the children of distrust RESOLUTION I will make a covenant with my senses not to admitt of any unlawfull or vain object will place a guard over them that they seek not after what may be pleasing to flesh bloud I will mortify them by a prudent descreet use of corporall austerities denying to my selfe all superfluities which may delight my sensuall inclinations in conformitie to the counsells of holy Gospell by assuming particular acts of Mortification sutable to my calling as far as Obedience will permit And I will say with the Royall Prophet For thy love O Lord I have mortifyed my selfe all the day long SECOND POINT Mortification of the Passions CONSIDERATION COnsider That it sufficeth not to mortify the outward senses unlesse we reforme also the inward Man by ordering and deading our inward passiōs What availes it to weare a haire cloath on the back in the bosome to beare a rancorous proud heart or what profit will it be to our spirit to fast much to pray often to watch long speak seldome if Envie Impatience Pride or some other hidden affections poyson the soul within destroy that delicious harmony which should be between the Will of God our own It is a great mistake Philothea of some souls otherwise wel-willing devout that heeding the mortification of the outward man they neglect to prune their hearts of vicious affections so contrary to the spirit of JESUS CHRIST thereby misse of that tranquillitie perfection they seek after in their Retyrement Wherefor My Philothoa make a carefull survay of all thy sensuall inclinations what passions lay lurking in thy heart how ready thou art to beare Crosses forbeare carnall satisfactions sett a watch over every one that they stirr not but by the order of Reason direction of Grace AFFECTION Alas my Soul it is the Way but not the end of perfection to mortify thy poore body if thou beest thy selfe the cause of all disorders there Be thou humble thy body will not be proud be thou chast thy body will not be lascivious be thou temperate thy body will not be gluttonous Oh that the powerfull hand of my God would quell the tumults of my inordinate passions putt bounds to the rowlings of my affections I have strayed from Thee O my
Adoration Thanksgiving to God Annihilation of thy selfe now so wholly swallowed up in God become one spirit with him whereby thou maist say Possesse Me O Lord for I am thine and hence forth Nothing shall seperate me from the Charity of JESUS CHRIST And froÌ„ hence will flow such an aboundant sweetnesse of peace tranquillity into all the powers of the soul that she will feele her selfe to be in a manner transformed into a Divine Being For having a lively Apprehension Philothea that God is in Thee as the Life of thy heart has so united thy heart to himselfe that thou livest breathest movest only by influences received from him Thou wilt soon Imagine that He is as much in Thee as carefull of thy Beeing actions as if He where no where but in Thee nor cared for any creature besides Thee Whence will arise so delightfull a serenity in thy Conscience so admirable a Tranquillity in thy whole spirit that Thou wilt think thy selfe beginning actually to Possesse God gloriously And wilt therefor fly from all creatures least they disturb thy conferences with thy heavenly Espous the chast Embracements he then gives Thee Abandoning thy selfe wholly to his Providence as if Nothing were in the world but only God Thy selfe COLLOQUIE Alas My God! how far am I from feeling these delicious Motions of thy all-comforting Spirit within Me Thou fillest all Creatures giving life motion to all dost wonderfully lead them all to their proper Ends yet have I not yeilded my selfe up to Thee to be guided by Thee the fountain of all Goodnesse unto thy selfe My only Happinesse O that thou woulds't powre into my heart a torreÌ„t of Love wherby I may be violently carried towards Thee drowned in Thee O Infinite Sea ever overflowing with sweetnesse Mercy Then shall I abandon all thinges for Thee then nothing shall relish to me but Thee nor will I then care how thou disposest of me Draw Me O Lord I will run after Thee in the odour of thy oyntments I will rejoyce be glad in Thee mindfull of thy breasts above Wine the righteous shall then Love Thee Amen EIGTH DAYES VOYAGE God Speaking to the Soul THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Hearken to God CONSIDERATION COnsider That although by our Flight from Creatures the frequent Sallies our heart makes towards God we may arrive to some degree of spirituall Tranquillity yet this will not be compleat or permanent unlesse we grow dumb to all Creatures oft enter into conference with God have our Eares open only to harken what the Holy Ghost speaks in us whereby to confirme our hearts in the search of rest joy in Him as our substantiall happinesse We must therefor Philothea observe a strict Silence as a most necessary preparation of our hearts to appeare in Gods presence conferr with him for he reveales not himselfe to a soul busied in harkning to conferring with Creatures Nor can we profitably apply our minds to the practice of a recollected spirituall Life if our Eares be open to wordly tumults or tongues loosened to discourse on the varieties thereof No noyse was heard in the building of Salomons Temple nor may any disturbance be found in Us while Gods Holy Spirit builds up our Heart into a Temple of grace Holynesse If thy heart be not warmed burn within thee with the vehemency of divine Love while JESUS confers with thee in thy way to perfection 't is because thou hast not been attentive to his Inspirations Be thou silent therefor Philothea at all times but particularly when wher it is required by the constitutions of that state thou hast chosen least thy heart being opened the balsom of Gods Grace evaporate loose its Vertue or be poysoned with the stenches which may proceed from sinfull conversation Be silent too when injur'd or reprehended in conformity to JESUS CHRIST when arraigned for his life a sharp word provokes wrath excuses deprive patience of its due merit But especially thou must be silent during this thy spirituall Retirement for the Holy Ghost will not make thy heart its Sanctuary or deliver his Oracles therin unlesse thou banish thence all danger of casting forth baits of sin to others by thy tongue or sucking in the Venom of evill thoughts into thy own heart by thy Eares unles thou dost seriously apply thy selfe to harken unto what he reveales of himselfe to Thee for thy encouragement to persever in thy blessed choyce the encrease of spitual comfort in thee AFFECTION Ah my soul wilt thou abandon thy Creator for Creatures or deprive thy selfe of the delicious conferences embracements of thy Heavenly Espous for the vain sinfull conversation of Worldlings O my God I perceive I am yet far off from the perfection of holy solitude having hitherto lavisht away so much precious time in unprofitable sinfull discourses O that I could recall those many houres dayes yeeres of my life now past gone whereof I must one day render a severe account Alas my God did st observe all moments of Time allowed us to serve Thee to sue for pardon of sins encrease of Vertue freedom in holy conferences with Thee who could sustain the bitternâ—sse of thy iust wrath Speak now O Lord thy servant will give eare unto thee RESOLUTION I will hence forth place a strict guard upon my lips eares observing a religious silence at all times places conformably to my calling the example of my Saviour JESUS amidst his false accusers but particularly during my Retirement to the end I may heare the Voice of my Beloved speaking the language of peace comfort within me that I may improve my spirit by his heavenly Colloquies encrease my Love duty to him And therefor I will make a daily Examin of my selfe how I spend my time that no moment of my life may passe without some advance in piety nor any of Gods Inspirations be uncomplyed with Call therefor upon me now O Lord I will give eare unto Thee thou thalt blesse the works of my hands SECOND POINT Gods Speaks by Visible Creatures CONSIDERATION COnsider That Our Glorious God created all the Visible Things in this Great World not only to preserve us by their use in this mortall Life but especially that in them he might shaddow out unto us his own Majesty the good things prepared for us in Heaven with Himselfe Their perfection order usefullnesse declare the greatnesse of his Glory Wisdom Bounty they are stepps whereby we may clime up to God in them discover how admirable how amiable how adorable he is in Himselfe they are so many Tongues without cease speaking to us the Infinite Excellencies of their Creatour inviting us to admire love adore that Divine Essence wherin all are contain'd from whence they all had still continue their Being Clime therefor
up to this Great glorious God speaking to Thee by simple or unmixt bodyes such as are the Elements heavens behold how the Earth hangs ballanced in the midst of the World by its own weight enriched within with mines of Gold precious stones seeds of all sorts without garnished with flowers fruits many kinds of living creatures how the Water cleaves sphearally to the Earth runs through about it in Seas Rivers Springs of different Vertues How the Aire is perspicuous dissolves into showres to moisten the Earth abounds with all sorts of birds for our profit pleasure How Fire has its light heat flames how Heaven is adorned with stars moves without cease by its influences conserves things beneath in their Being due temper Then ascend to Mixt Bodyes voyd of life contemplate the Variety Vertues of sulphurs mettals stones gummes consider then the perfection multitude of Vegitable creatures as seeds plants herbs leaves blossoms flowers fruits Lastly take a View of Sensible Creatures voyd of Reason such as be the severall sorts of Beasts of the Earth fish in the sea fowles of the Aire God speaks to us Philothea by all these Visible creatures their Being growth properties declare his Power whereby they are created their Order Varietie number discovers his Wisdom their usefulnesse both to preserve our bodyes raise up our souls speaks his admirable Love Bounty to us AFFECTION How full is the World of the Majesty Glory of God! how carelesse hast thou been my soul in these Visible things to admire the Invisible Power Wisdom Bounty of the Maker Governour Lord of All Thy own kingdom above O God where all obey thy Will is surely very glorious since Thou hast furnished this our earthly habitation for sinners those who rebell agaynst thy holy Commandements with such Excellent admirable Creatures Who would not in all these love adore the God of all Let the Heavens speak forth thy Glory the firmament thy wonders for thou art Great Wonderfull thy Wisdom is without End RESOLUTION I will attentively read over the Book of Creatures that I may therein learn how full of Majesty Wisdom Goodnesse God is who has communicated such Perfection Order profitablenesse to Visible Creatures I will admire Him in All using them as steps wherby to clime up to him therefor I will be carefull not to abuse them contrary to the End God has ordained placing my felicity in his helps to it least hereafter they become my chastisers whē all Creatures shall fight Gods war agaynst Sinners How wonderfull are thy works O Lord Thou hast created all things in Wisdom Thou hast rejoyced me in them I will delight in the works of thy hands THIRD POINT God speaks by Man CONSIDERATION COnsider That all Creatures beneath Man are only the Footsteps of God representing some one or other perfection of that infinite Abysse but Man himselfe is the true Image Likenesse of God As a Little world he contayneth within himselfe the Excellencies dispersed through the Greater expresseth in some degree those in God the Fountain Authour of both therefor in the beginning of the Creatiō he is establish't Soveraign Lord of all the earth with its ornaments is his pavement meadows and garden Waters his baths fishponds Vallies his cellars storehouses Hills his Walls pillars Heaven the roofe that covers all the stars are the windowes wherby he has a glimpse of Gods glory which shines upon him enlightens the world discovers the beauty of this our earthly habitation Looke over the whole fabrik of Man behold Philothea how the Immortall mind is linked to mortall flesh In the body what comelinesse of limmes proportion of Members variety order use of senses without Entrails within what aptnesse of organs for life action motion what capacity of the spiritualizing Endowments of Agility Clarity Impassibility Subtility wherby it putts on the very likenesse of the glorifyed Angells In the Soul how Excellent the prerogatives of being an Immortall Invisible spirit The memory how vast for objects time circumstances of both the Understanding how active boundlesse reaching as high as God above diving into the Abysse of Nothing The Will how free to good evill What variety of subordinate powers passions operations What capacity of sciences Arts Vertues Morall Divine also of the Sight eternall Possession of God in himselfe All which with a loud voice speak how glorious God is in his own Being happinesse how wonderfull his providence is in our creation conduct to our supreme End should stirr us up to a serious attention admiration love of him strongly engage us to apply all these outward inward Guifts according to the intent of our Wise Creatour And although Mans disobedience to God wrought sin darknesse in his soul wherby she became unable to contemplate or move towards him yet being repayred by the Mercies of JESUS CHRIST the Light of our spirituall World we are agayn establisht in a spirituall Life capacity to supernaturall gracious actions By divine Faith we see heare what God reveales of himselfe the way that leads towards him by Hope we Savour the sweetnesse of Heaven Vertue by Charity we have a foretast of the ioyes of the Saints already touch embrace God with the armes of an Extaticall love begin to sing Salomons Song of Songs which by the sensible pleasantnesse of creatures abroad leads the now Purged Illuminated Perfect soul to an intellectuall Light Harmony Odour Savour Embracement of her heavenly Espous Who seated in the midst of the heart as on an Imperiall Throne environed with a Mysticall Quire of Angelicall Spirits Seraphins by Love Cherubins by knowledge Throns by Justice Mercy Dominations by Majesty Principalities by Government Powers by Salvatiō Vertues by helping Graces Archangels by speciall revelations Angels by continuall presence to us by himselfe inspires a divine life directs the powers passions of the soul inclines to heavenly thoughts actions by his Holy Spirit sent into all parts of this our lesser World produces those wonderfull workings of Love feelings of Gods Intimacy to us tranquillity of the whole Man We experience in our Pilgrimage to perfection performance of the duties thereof wherby we become Images of the heavenly Hierusalem where God lives eternally in his glorious Saints AFFECTION Thou wert within Mee O most amiable God I have sought Thee abroad defiled my heart by Cleaving to these outward Beauties whilst Thou O Soveraign Beauty of all Creatures abidest in the sanctifyed soul as in thy proper kingdom What hopes may I have to contemplate thy glorious face who livest in an unaccessible light or to approach unto thy presence who art an ever flaming
Oh! how happy are they O Lord who eate drink at thy divine table where they see Thee cleerly love Thee ardently praise Thee incessantly possesse Thee with a fulnesse of ioy Exultation whilst I here perish with hunger thirst in this sacred Mist of thy Divine Essence am not permitted to behold the cleere Light of thy glorious face My soul O God thirsteth to behold Thee as thou art enjoy Thee fully yet thou hidest thy selfe from Me. Reveale thy face to Me O my most amiable God for my soul hath languished after my Beloved Oh when shall I come appeare in the presence of my God RESOLUTION I will night day mourne for the absence of my Beloved oft send missivs of Love holy desires unto him earnestly requesting Him to shew his face to Me therefor I will ever study to render my soul amiable to Him that Nothing may be found in me displeasing to him or which may make him hide his face from Me I will seek out all means whereby I may allure him to exhibite his gracious glorious presence to Me in his own pure Essence therby alleviate the painfulnesse of this my earthly pilgrimage for Thou O Lord hast promised If we aske we shall receive if we seek we shall find if we knock it shall be opened unto us our Ioy shall be full none shall take it from us THIRD POINT The souls repose in God CONSIDERATION COnsider That the sweet Repose of the soul in God is attained sometimes by the naturall Industry of the Affective part thereof aided by certain passing flashes of divine Lights graces whereby making Enquirie through Creatures or contemplating God by what he has revealed of himselfe she discovers him to be very Glorious Amiable then by Anagogicall Motions she sweetly powres herselfe into God by Acts of Admiration Love Adoration Thanksgiving thus takes her Repose in him But this delicious Repose is more efficaciously permanently obtain'd by means of divine Irradiations wherby our bountifull Espous compassionating the languors of the soul fainting in the search of him dissipates the Mist wherin we hitherto sought Him opens the treasures of his Majesty shews his amiable face more plainly to her infusing into her an attractive sweetnesse by his more cleer gracious presence whence still arise new Illustrations of the soul discoveries without end of Gods Intensive extensive Perfections most delicious streamings of the heart towards her Beloved by sublime acts of Love Adoration Whence proceed a hearty compunction for the sins committed by the World against so gracious glorious a Father of pure Lights restlesse strivings to be inseparably united with God transformed into him by likenesse in the powers operations of the spirit at length has a most amorous slumber in God For although the heart still watcheth in contemplation of the Beauty of her Beloved yet she sweetly sleepes in his Embracements wherby she is oft so abstracted from herselfe all feeling of sensible Creatures that she seems wholly out of herselfe through excesse of admiration Love causing an unexpressible sweetnesse Tranquillity Joy in all the Regions of the Soul This is a most sublime degree of Happynesse Philothea nor may it be attained but by a permanent Contemplation most ardent Love of God in himselfe by extraordinary Illustrations heats of divine Grace Wherefor let it not suffice Thee to have sued oft to be admitted unto a tast of these delicious Wines of thy Beloved no Philothea Thou must be importune with God for it closing up thy heart to all earthly cōforts imaginable powring it forth night day by sighs earnest Entreaties ere God will come to Thee by an open discovery of his amiablenesse make his aboad with Thee by stronger friendshipps lead thee forth to the pleasant Orchards of his divine Love admitt thee to a sweet Repose in himself AFFECTION How happy wouldst thou be My soul were there an universall silēce in al the Regions of the soul no Clouds of distractions a cleernesse freedom in contemplating embracing our Most Glorious God! O that this Orient Sun would arise in my heart dissipate the Mist wherein I now labour sigh after my Beloved then may I discover how beautifull how amiable how desirable he is Nor shall I then care for any earthly comforts but shall ever rejoyce in the fulnesse of content ioy of my heavenly Espous be filled with his sweetnesse O Incomprehensible O Ineffable Sweetnesse above Honey honey-comb the odour of sweetest spices RESOLUTION I will for ever abandon all desires of earthly consolations only thirsting after comforts from God the Fountain Abysse of all sweetnesse And therefor I wil ever keep my Mind fixt on God earnestly craving to be admitted unto his amiable presence delicious Embracements opening my heart to entertain work with all his Irradiations of himselfe into Me Attraction of Me unto himselfe to take my Repose in him For Thy lipps O most Lovely above Men Angels are as a Honey combe distilling honey milk are under thy tongue the odour of thy garments as the odour of Frankincense THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Loves Ascents NO sooner is the Soul entred the Paradice of her God there admitted to the delicious Embracements of her heavenly Espous but he opens the spring of his speciall graces powres into her heart pure plentifull streames of Divine Love gentlely flowing in her with an excesse of sweetnesse consolation On the pleasant banks of this sacred River God plants two living Trees one of Light to cleer the Understanding the other of fire to enflame the Will each bearing twelve most delicious Fruits which are the Effects of the Unitive Life of the soul transformed in to God by Love Oh Philothea how happy wilt thou be maist be admitted to set by these Chrystall streams repose under the shade of this Tree of Life tast its fruit First God Awakes the soul fainting through long Enquirie frequēt sighs after her Beloved during her aboad search of Him in the divine Mist then he powres into her a most delicious Savour feeling of his more immediate cleer presence which so seizeth on the heart that it presently fills it with an Over-swelling Ioy which makes the Eyes overflow with Teares of love the tongue by Spirituall Cantiques witnesse the inward Jubily of the spirit Whence often proceeds a Spirituall inebriation which renders the soul unable to discern where she is or what she doth sometimes causeth faintings swoundings of the body in which state the heart feeles a wonderfull Opening or dilatation to welcome the caresses of her divine Espous wherby she is Wounded deep with Love Languishes with new desires of she knows not what it is or how to expresse it thus she falls
into a most heavenly Slumber whereby freed from all noyse of Creatures even in her Imaginative part she enjoyes a perfect tranquillity of spirit peace in her whole soul Which is sometimes accompanied with Extasie wherby the lower Regiō of the soul becomes Insēsible to what passes through the outward senses being wholly absorpt by the intense workings of the superior portion thereof which fixed on God through Vehemency of Admiration love sweetnesse becomes Familiar with him views all the treasures of his Glory receives plenty of guifts blessings converses with him face to face These are the delicious fruits Philothea growing on the Tree of Life which is planted by the River of Divine Grace ever flowing in the Soul which God admitts to his amiable presence Embracements That Soul needs no other Light to walk by God himselfe being the Sun that gives light to her nor any other fire to heat her the Holy Ghost being diffused through all her powers purging whatever is fraile mortall transforming her into a supernaturall Being wherby she is raised to the highest Happinesse Imaginable the Experience of whatever God has promised unto her COLLOQUIE O Divine Tree how pleasant is it to repose under thy delicious shades whence such fragrant smells sweet tranquillity are diffused through the amorous soul O chrystall streames of overflowing Grace how delightfull is it to walk upon thy fruitfull banks in thee to contemplate the overflowings of Love in our breasts O heavenly fruit how sweet confortable art thou to the thirsty languishing soul since what ever knowledg love ioy tranquillity pleasantnesse or Repose may be imagined proceed thence Oh! who will give Me that I may for ever rest under the shade of this Living Tree to walk upon those pleasant banks to eate my fill of that heavenly fruit Let the Spirit say Come my soul shall melt within Me because my Beloved bath spoken unto Mee SECOND DISCOURSE Loves Descents GOds unsearcheable Counsells Decrees are that Perfection ever move on two poles extremly opposite which S. Paul calls Height Depth S. Francis What is God What am I Although God invites Us Philothea to clime the Tree of Life tast its fruits repose under the shadow thereof in his Contemplation Love yet must we still descend into our selves by Consideration of our present state the Obligations thereof which must ever be complyed with Descend then Philothea in regard of thy selfe For the Exercise of Divine Contemplation raising us to an eminent knowledg love Union with God unlesse we descend by humble acts seat our selves with holy Magdalene at the feet of our Beloved Espous there may be danger of falling into presumption of our own perfection loosing his favour trust then in the Mercies of God yet feare his Justice Power amidst the delights of thy Illuminations spirituall Caresses have ever a filiall Feare say Not to Me but to Thee O Lord be all honour glory Then see how oft thou hast had a complacence in thy sweet contemplations the amorous Embracements of thy Beloved assure thy selfe if thou hast at any time faln into drynesse of spirit that proceeded from thy not humbling thy selfe while exalted to those singular favours By these humble acts thy inward Vertue will also become conspicuous in thy outward Conversation to the Example Edification of others For our earthly conversation is sociable our actions are subject to many Censures if then our outward lives expresse not that piety we harbour in our bosoms we may be accounted singular or guilty of hypocrisy Wherefor let not any contemplation or familiarity with God withdraw thee from a friendly conversation with those thou livest cause an affectation of thy own opinion ways or breed a harshnesse towards thy lesse yet possibly more perfect Neighbour but towards all be humble modest cheerfull courteous But especially the Contēplative Soul must oft apply her selfe to the exercises of the Active Life therby to shun Idlenesse the Nurse of all sin source of Temptations For seing t is hardly possible in this Life to be permanent in our heavenly Contemplations affections towards God we must accustome our selves to some bodily exercises Especially if we have some singular Talent wherby we may benefit others At least if Obedience requires that service from us And the work be of that nature that it rather adds then diminishes of our Zeale to Perfection But be thou ever carefull Philothea that thou perform it with an upright Intention promptly in due time place fervently cheerfully humbly Thus thy labours undertaken for God will be gratefull to him cherish our Love towards heavenly things Thou must also descend in regard of thy Neighbour whither Superior Subject or Equall for although nothing can be more pleasant to us then sweetly to repose in the bosom of our heavenly Espous to dive into the Abysse of his Goodnesse yet must we quitt all these overflowings of Love when our Neighbour needs our help so that whither thou bewaylest thy sins Philothea with Magdalene at the foot of the Crosse or with S. Paul art rapt to the third heaven or in thy private closett conversest familiarly with thy Beloved as S. Anthony of Padua without delay abandon all descend to comfort those who expect that duty of thee Art thou a Prince or Governour of a family by thy office duty thou art bound to have as much care of thy subjects as of thy selfe especially if by their own free choyce guided by divine Inspirations they be under thy custody direction not as slaves but as tender Children for whom thou art to render an account unto the Great Just Judge who expects of every one to his own extrem perill that he be faithfull in his charge Wherefor if thou beest cald to any such trust with feare trembling accept of it comply with its duties but if thou art not called thither have a care thou never covet a place of so much danger Art thou a subject The Vow of Obedience under which thou art born or by which thou hast freely sacrifized thy Will to God his Vicegerents doth then oblige thee to leave God for God that is to quitt thy highest contemplations comply with the Will of God revealed to thee by the lips of thy Overseer Governour Since the Word of the Eternall Father equall to himselfe in some manner quitts the bosom of his Father in heaven to obey his Will even to a most painfull shamefull death we may for his Love submit our Judgements Wills to that of our Superior ruling in his stead promptly entirely perseverantly to our dying day Art thou equall to him Thou must then endeavour when Charity requires it to releive his wants unto thy power either corporally or spiritually by Visiting for example helping the needy weak sick by counselling
the practise of holy Meditation In this Experience will be every ones best Counseller If place permits no other Isaacs posture to meditate walking is very good But kneeling with hands crossed on the breast the eyes shutt face towards heaven sometimes prostrate on the ground is a posture more genuine naturall How ever it be be sure the frame of thy body testifie profound reverence towards God help to raise thy thoughts affections thitherward Our devotions will be most kindly whē the composure of the body which is the souls instrument is most humble respectfull this also must needs be sometimes varied according to the subject of thy Contemplation §. 7. Subject of Solitary thoughts Now for the subject matter wheron thou art to feed during this holy Solitude thou must use great circumspectiō I doubt not Philothea there be many Contemplatiues but not all good ones One meditates how to doe his Neighbour a mischeife another how to sin unseene these are those who as David sayes Doe meditate Iniquity in their beds Others are buisy in the search of the hidden causes of visible effects so seeking to be acquainted with the whole world become strangers to their owne home whilst they seek to know others are quite unknowne to them selves Doe you therefore choose to meditate on that may doe thee good The God that made us the vilenesse of our body by Nature the wretchednesse of our soule by sin the aboundance of temptations the danger of sudden death the beauty of Vertue JESUS CHRIST who bought us the joyes of Heaven he purchased for us the mysteries of his life Death Resurrection the benefitt of the Sacraments our vocation to Christianity the payns of Hell the glorious estate of the Blessed such like are fitt objects I should think to entertayne thy felfe there in Earthly things proffer themselves on their own accord with importunity but if they were any thing worth they would not be so forward Heavenly things must be sued unto with eagernesse their hardnesse to be obtayned argues their worth the necessity of serious meditation thereby to sollicite them The harder they are to prosecute the more precious they are being obtayned therefore the more worthy our Endeavour While the soule is takē up with the thought of God Godlinesse it cannot miscarry Yet I advise thee to be cautious in matters of faith where more of beleife admiration is to be used then of reason discourse And that matter without exception is best herein which workes compunctiō in the heart most stirrs up to devotion incites strongly to the love of God as the End to Vertue as the means to him wherein experience will be a great mistresse §. 8. A Methode of Meditation IT remains now that I say something of the forme Methode which thou art to observe in dividing thy Meditatiō in handling the parts points thereof But this hath much variety amongst Contemplatives each way is usefull laudable as it is fitted to persons that use it For since there be different mansions in Gods glory no wonder there should be different means to purchase them according to the variety of each ones disposition All are not equally either worldly or Contemplative so neither equally disposed for the like Illuminations nor capable of pursueing the same heads or points of Meditation S. Bonaventures Methode usually practised amongst us liked of by the best is breife easy well ordred much helps the Memory a faculty which hath great influēce in this blessed work According to this Meditation or mentall prayer is divided into three parts which are Preparation Meditation which being the cheife part retains the generall name Conclusion Preparation maketh way for Meditation Meditation ruminates upon the matter giveth strength life to our Recollection Conclusion closeth up the whole Exercise Preparation first places us in the presence of God with whom wee are to make our speciall conference to our advancement comfort with all feare reverence Then secondly it chooseth the Mystery or subject whereon wee intend as present to settle our thoughts Thirdly it implores helpe from Heaven whereby our weaknesse may be sustained in this heavenly work enabled resolutely to goe through with it And truly sith the ancient Heathens never attempted any notable businesse without a solemne apprecation of good successe a Christian or Religious soule should not presume to undertake a spirituall work of such importance as this is without first craving aide from heaven wherein we are unable to doe well without Gods assistāce We must therefore beg earnestly that the progresse of our Meditation may be guided blessed by him that he would banish all distractions enlighten our understanding quicken our judgment rectify our will whett our affections to heavenly things kindle our devotion so enlarge our hearts towards himselfe that wee may find our Imperfections abated vertue strengthned our soule every way bettered by our Solitude Meditation hath also three parts Consideration ponders seriously the subject wee have chosen thereby to stirr up our Affectiōs to God goodnesse thereon to ground our ensueing Resolutiōs But care must be taken that the mind be not wracked by a too vehement inquiry for this will tire out the phansy interrupt the cheife work It will suffice to take the most pregnant obvious Lett these Considerations be but three at the most And if thy soule finds sufficient satisfaction light fruit in the first of them dwell there without going further give way to the Holy Ghost to work his will in thee But if thou findest not there the expected successe passe quietly on to another but besure to goe on sweetly easily in thy search without tiring thy selfe too much thou wilt find little pleasure in the Kernell if thou breakest thy teeth with the shell Affection succeedeth where to if our Consideratiōs reach not they wil prove vain or to little purpose For this is the soule of Meditation to which the former parts serve only as instruments As we are reasonable Creatures by our reason discourse so are we Christians Religious by our good will affections towards heavenly things Wherefore the former labour of the mind being undertakē to move the Affective part of the soule after the understāding hath traverst the point proposed the will must endeavour by applying herselfe therto with all earnestnesse to find some feeling relish in it which fruit through Gods blessing will follow a deliberate Consideration of some moveing object And in these Affections we must permit our soule to spread dilate as much as possible if thou findest thy heart to pant swell with aboundant sweetnesse ease it by some gentle Aspirations amorous sighs as God shall then inspire Thee The last is Resolution wherein the soule bewayling her poverty dulnesse imperfections which may happily appear then in