and solid Devotion This solid Devotion depends upon Religion as the branch on it's tree and since there can he but one right Religion as there is one only Faith one law one Lord one Jesus Christ Ephes 4. 5 One Lord one Faith one Baptisme c. so there can be but one real Devotion and all others must needs be concluded unsecure superstitions hypocriticall hypocondriacal Now lest we should miss this right way or mistake this real Devotion we may here fitly at our first entrance into these holy list take a general view of this Animal Sensual and Carnal man which is to be destroyed of this Counterfeit Hypocritical and Hypocondriacal man which is to be undeceived and of this Spiritual Supersensual and Perfect man which is to be brought into us and built up within us that so framing a right I dea of the end we aym at we may follow those means which appear most proportionable for the attaining therof THE ANIMAL CARNAL AND SENSUAL MAN Is he who gives up the raynes of his Reason to the intire conduct of Sensuality and puts his soul into the devils power by submitting to all sinfull suggestions to be driven and dragg'd on uncontrollably to all Ephes 2. 2 You walked according to the cours of this world according to the Prince of the ayr c. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The animal man perceives not the things of God's Spirit c. Philip. 3. 19. Whose God is their belly James 3. 15. This Wisdom descends not from above but is earthly sensual devilish c. Jude v. 19 Sensual having not the Spirit Ps 31. 9. wickedness He walks after the world 's perverse course and custom living in all things according to his own lust and liking acknowledging no other Superior than his own all-swaying affections no law but that of his own will no God but his belly He easily yields to all his untam'd passions and appetites glutting his senses unrestrainedly with all alluring objects and making pleasure his only end heaven and happiness Briefly he is all earth all sin all sensuality in whom is nothing of the Spirit of grace of God his Understanding is a dungeon of darkness his Memory a Magazin of bestial imaginations his Will a confusion of base and brutish affections and his whole man totally depraved and degenerate resembling the filthy swine the unclean goat and the unbridled horse and mule which have no understanding THE HYPOCONDRIACAL HYPOCRITICAL AND COUNTERFEIT MAN Tinnit inane est Tinnit Inane est Is he who makes a great shew of sanctity and devotion but hath Ps 143. 5. Touch the mountains and they will smoak nothing of substance sincerity and solidity Touch him and he turns into smoak sound him and you shall soon find him to be but a windy cask Nahum 20. 2. She is empty void and waste 1. Cor. 13. 1. As sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal Mat. 6. 2. to the 16. Luke 18. I am not as other men are tunnd up with ayr an empty eccho a hollow noyse a flatuous anâ— foolish nothing He wilfully mistakes the means for the end and places perfection in pompous forms Pharisaical fashions and external practices If he prays 't is in publick if he gives alms he sounds the trumpet if he fasts he disfigures his countenance if he seemingly punish his body 't is to deceive more surely under the guise of sanctity finally all his actions rather savour of self-satisfaction and hypocrisy than have any sense of true piety Yet he ever pretends to high lights of the Spirit finds out new and unheard-of ways of walking with God sleights all that is common though never so commendable and catches at all that is curious though never so dangerous Thus he loseth himself in his own Chymerical conceptions and pretending to refine ancient piety becomes puff'd up with secret pride and presumption and grasps nothing but froth and vanity THE SPIRITUAL SUPERSENSUAL AND PERFECT MAN Is he who walks not in the wayes of this wicked world nor follows the tenents of flesh and blood but of Reason Religion and Understandâ—ng Rom. 8. per totum If you live after the flesh you shall dy 1 Cor. 3. 16. You are the temple of God Gods Spirit dwels in you c Rom. 8. 36 Ps 44. 22. For thy sake we are mortified all the day long c. Coloss 3. 5 His only end and aym is the Perfection of God's love in his soul his unwearied endeavours are bent against Satan Sin Sensuality and all Selfishness his main study is to make his body obedient to the Spirit his Spirit to Reason his Reason to Faith and All to God and his daily practice is self-mastery and Mortification And having 1. Trampled down the Man of sin 2. Layd a sure and solid ground-work of Devotion 3. He faithfully applies himself to fight under Christ's banner and learns exactly the right use of his spirituall weapons 4. He carefully eschews his enemies Ambushes 5. He keeps himself to the continual practice of prayer introversion recollection abstraction annihilation contemplation 6. He couragiously climbs up to the mountain top of Perfection 7. And lastly he sweetly reposes in divine love and Union as is more amply held forth in these following Treatises Galathians 6. 8 9 c. What things a man shalâ— sow those also shall he reapâ— For he that soweth in his flesh of the flesh also shall reap corruption But he that sowetâ— in the Spirit of the Spiriâ— shall reap life everlasting Psalme 125. 6. They that sow in Teares shall reap in Joyfullness Going they went and wept casting their seeds But coming they shall come with Exultations carrying their Sheaves â—he INDEX of all the CHAPTERS of this Spirituall Conflict OR Arraignment of the spirit of Self-love and Sensuality â— I. WHerein Christian perfection consists and of four things necessary to obtain it pag. 1 â—ap II. Of Diffidence or distruct of our selves p. 10 â—ap III. Of Confidence in God p. 14 â—hap IV. Of Continuall exercise and first that the Vnderstanding is to be carefully kept from Ignorance and from Curiosity p. 20 â—hap V. Of the will and the end to which we are to direct all our actions p. 29 â—hap VI. Of a two-fold Will in man and the continuall combat between them p. 38 â—hap VII Of the fight with Sensuality and of the inward way of the Will to acquire Vertues p. 43 Chap. VIII What he must doe who feels his superior Will or Rcason overcome by his Sensuality p. 52 Chap. IX That we must not avoid the occasions of the combatâ— p. 57 Chap. X. Of thâ— fight against suddain tempâ—ations p. 60. Chap. XI Of the fight against our flesh and fleshly Concupiscence p. 64. Chap. XII How to fight against slackâ— and negligence p. 7â— Chap. XIII How to govern our Sâ—suality p. 7â— Chap. XIV Of the order to be observed â— fighting against our enemies p. 10â— Chap. XV. What course he must take
upon this same Stair stands Here also they stand who are intirely indifferent also another rank of holy persons who have brought their inward man to an intire indifferency in all things whom neither prosperity puffs up nor adversity dejects who have their Lords will for the sole law of their actions and his only love for their All in all They desire to be truly conformable to their crucified Saviour and to keep an internall quiet content and constancy in all desolation and dereliction They are well grounded and setled in a simple and sincere affection to their Lord God which enables them not only to act great and heroique things but also to suffer all grievous and hard matters These illuminated souls receive But yet rest in Gods favours with some propriety many sweet and secret graces from the hands of the heavenly bounty as rewards of their sincere fidelity their Understandings are replenish'd with clarity their Memories are possest with objects of piety their Wills are burnt and consumed with perfect charity But yet these aboundances of divine favours may somtimes turn to their prejudice when they rest in them with the least spirituall gust and propriety Here furthermore are seated those Here furthermore they stand who are satisfied with God only almost perfect souls which have really resigned up themselves and all purely to Gods pleasure are fully contented with him alone and remain wholly satisfied with all that he either sends or suffers looking upon himself only and not upon any of his gifts or goods These are yet more frequently visited from above with divine illustrations and solaced with high and heavenly comforts but because But are not as willing to leave divine favours as to have them they are not as really resigned to leave them and to be bereft of them as they are ready and willing to have and enjoy them they seem to have yet a little point left of secret propriety within them and must therefore take yet a higher flight before they can pearch upon the upmost round of this spirituall ladder which is The Seventh and highest Degree of Perfection WHereunto those elevated and perfect souls are soared up which are throughly inflamed absorpt and extasied in divine contemplation On the 7. step stand the perfect contemplatives wholly dead to the world abstracted from flesh and blood and living as it were only by vivacity of Gods love and quickning of his holy Spirit within them These are the dear darlings blessed minions holy favourites and Gods faithfull friends and dear favorites happy spouses of the most high though they somtimes live here below in perpetual oblivion and obscurity They are brim full of heavenly gifts and graces lifted up above themselves to taste the unexplicable sweetnesses and behold the unspeakeable glimpses of the divinity Yet they rest not in these sublime prerogatives with the least pleasure or propriety but utterly renounce all self-seeking and interrest being securely grounded in solid faith cloathed only with naked charity and accompanied with abyssal humility counting themselves worthy of all abjection conceiving themselves the very worst of all creatures and contenting themselves to be by all so taken and treated Their whole comfort is in the Cross of Christ they neither look for such plentifull showers of heavenly feelings visitations illuminations and influences of the Spirit nor ungratefully neglect them but remain in perfect indifferency and Who are perfectly indâ—fferent and absolutely resigned and obedient offer up themselves as obedient instruments to all that the holy Ghost shall vouchsafe to operate by or in them They receive all things from their Creators hands into their open and disinteressed souls as if they felt them not ever praising the divine piety admiring his liberality returning all to his honour resigning all to his will and being satisfied with his providence and disposition in all temporall and spirituall events whatsoever Finally their outward man desires no earthly consolation their inward man breathes nothing but the pure love of God and the whole compositum begs nothing but a perfect conformity to his crucified Lord and master in all things but especially in self-denial and abnegation the only safe and secure guide of each Step in this his long pilgrimage towards perfection THE FOURTH TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST Or The Triumph of the elevated Soul in the amorous embraces of her divine Spouse Canticles 5. v. 8. Tell my beloved that I languish with love Cant. 2. v. 16. My beloved to me and I to him AT PARIS M.DC.LI To the Loving Spouses ayming at divine Vnion with their heavenly Bridegroom HAving thus happily 1. 1. The Spâ—rituall Conflict Fought and foiled your ghostly enemies O Victorious souls 2. Prudently 2. The Seven Ambushes discovered and avoided their dangerous ambushes 3. Gotten the right use of your 3. The Seven Exercises Spirituall weapons by the frequent and faithfull practice of your pious exercises 4. And 4. The Seven degrees of perfection couragiously climb'd up from one degree of solid vertu to another from the lowest Step of Devotion to the highest degree of Perfection It only remains that you now take your 5. last 5. This ladder of divine love consisting of seven rounds and sublimest flight from this mountain-top to the throne of divine love and Union to facilitate which heavenly enterprise you may fitly make use of this holy ladder rais'd up for your souls assistance in those her high-soarings that so she may conveniently repose herself upon each mysticall Step thereof prune her wearied wings fetch breath a while and get new strength and more light to ascend higher and higher till she arrives at the full height and head of it which leans upon the very bosom of the Divinity it self and leads into the bedchamber of her beloved Bridegroom where finding a sure footing and a secure resting place forgetting the whole world her self and all the multiplicity of things which she left below and from which she hath happily unfetter'd disingaged and loosned her-self she sits silently solitarily quietly and contentedly attending to that One alone whom she only loves in whom only she lives and from whose sweet embraces she desires never more to be separated The Seven Degrees of divine Love 1. In the first degree the soul is wounded with love sick of love and languishing with love 2. In the second she seeks her Physician 3. In the third she fears her own unworthiness and the loss of her beloved 4. In the fourth she willingly suffers for love 5. In the fifth she is impatient in her desires of love and must either obtain or dy for it lightly swiftly and nimbly after love grows bold and confident in love and becomes united to her beloved 7. In the seventh she enjoys her beloved perfectly and perpetually The first round of this ladder of divine Love UPon this first Step stands the pious soul which In the first degree
possess my heart that there were no room at all remaining for any bastard or base love of things created Good Jesu how truly happy and holy should I be if I could clearly behold my own nothing in thy all if I could embrace crosses as crowns and swallow down all contemprs and confusions as milk and hony O when shall I be so elevated in spirit above my self by extasie of love as to be able and willing to humble my self under all creatures without repugnancy Alas shall I never be content to forsake all and be forsaken by all Yea having lost and left all foâ— One to be left by that One who iâ— my All and so remain quiet iâ— my own nothing How long shall I he wallowing in flesh and blood how long shall I delay and dally in false loves How long shall I sigh and not enjoy seek and not find live and not love Come my Lord and love Lord Jesu come quickly Let the fire of thy sweet love so consume in me aâ—l dross of self-love and so transform my spirit into thee that I may take all from thee indifferently give all to thee liberally and rest and repose in thee â—ternally Lord let me be thine or nothing Love or not live The third Part is the Conclusion which consists also of three Acts. 1. Contrition which is a hearty and humble sorrow for our sins ingratitâ—des disloyalties tepiditie c. O my God! how little did I love 3. Part. 1. Contrition thee when I so carelesly offended thy Majesty Oh! that I had never sinned mortally though it had cost me my life immediately O that I were sure never more to swerve from thy sacred will and commandements Let me henceforth endure dear Jesu a thousand deaths of my body rather than admit one deadly sin again into my soul O pity and pardon my past follies and frailties and prevent me with thy gracious blessings against future fallings How great ô Lord is my obligation to serve and please thee were it but for thy favours conferr'd thy benefits bestow'd and thy love powr'd out upon me and yet ungrateful wretch that I am how poorly have I corresponded Oh! that I had so deep a sense of my sins that my heart might break with sorrow Hide not ô Lord thy face from me shut not up thy mercy gates against me for though I have most grievously gone astray yet I am resolv'd upon an entire amendment correction reformation of my whole man this strong resolution which is thy gracious gift grounds my hope in thy goodness emboldens my confidence in thâ— mercy and gives me courage and comfort in thy love 2. Resignation in all our wanâ—â— wishes desolations and distresses â—â— the divine will and pleasure I am indifferent O my dear Lord 2. Resignation to sickness and health to light and darkness to delight and desolation I am thine sweet Jesu put me where thou wilt do with me as thou wilt send me what thou wilt I am content not only to have nothing but to be nothing so thou â— my Lord be all things unto me I acknowledge my self unworthy to beg and less worthy to obtain and therefore I resign my self still to beg and yet still to want even that which I most wish which is all light all liberty all love all comfort all content yea even all vertu peace and perfection so long as it shall please thee O father I am thine ever thine all thine body and soul for time and eternity Live Jesus only 3. Complacence and confidence the first that our God is what he is the next that he will heal our wounds supply our wants satisfie our wishes and turn all to our good I am glad ô my glorious Lord 3. Complacence and Confidence God that thou art so worthy of all love though I of all others am not worthy to love thee I am as joyful for what thou art o great God as if all thou hast were all mine and I will love thee in all I am and have as being all thine Thy Cross is my comfort thy Will my well fare and thy love my life so that if I can but suffer for thee do thy will and follow thy love I shall do all that is necessary I am indeed dry dark and desolate but since it is thy will I am sure it is my good and therefore sufficient for me and satisfactory to thee I hope thou wilt one day compleat thy own heavenly design in my soul healing my wounds supplying my wants fulfilling my desires and filling my yet empty heart with thy sweet presence and perfect love In the mean space I will say and sing Live Jâ—sus Live my Lord my love my life my all whose name bâ— blessed by all whose will be accomplishâ—d in all whose honour be advanced above all An advertisement touching the precedent Exercise 1. We must perform it dayly diligently discreetly and with great confidence and courage 2. Yet without propriety that it may neither hinder the operation of the Holy Ghost within nor works of due obligation and obedience without 3. If in the practise of this introversion we find dryness and feel little devotion we may somtimes fitly resume in lieu of the second part or consideration our wonted exercises whereto our minds are more addicted ending the same with the Conclusion here prescribed being ever duly disposed to follow the holy Spirits invitation to higher matters If we faithfully observe these things we shall infallibly receive comfort and speedily perceive our own unspeakable profit and progress by the practise of this pious exercise as being indeed the end of all other externall devotions and the short sure simple and Râ—gia via leading to a spirituall devout and divine life The third Maxim That of all internal Prayer the affective is most noble necessary and profitable FOr the end and drift of all discoursive Prayer is to move inflame and enkindle our affections in the love of God and vertue and therefore all discourses must be left by little and little as our souls can more and more live in Faith and simplifie themselves from materiall objects images and conceptions and only tend to God by a sweet and secret motion of the will an amourous correspondency to the Divine operations and inward impulses of his holy Spirit treading down and transcending all things under God by discreetly forgetting and unknowing them The fourth Maxim That Meditation is a seeking Contemplation a seeing of God PRayer in generall according to As is more amply declared in our Introduction to the Spiritual Pilgrimage the known division is either Vocall or Mental Mentall Prayer is An Elevation of our spirits into God For as our Creatour is elevated above all creatures so our souls cannot see talk and treat with him purely and perfectly but by leaving them all and lifting up themselves above them all This Elevation is by means of Meditation Contemplation Thanksgiving and Petition Which
and securing lesson Leave all things and thou shalt find one thing which is all in all Take courage and fight valiantly against thy own bad nature pray suffer stoop bear repugnances swallow down contradictions disgest injuries the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence The end thou aymest at is perfection the reward of thy conqucst is eternall love eternal life eternall happiness Behold ô my Lord my strength and my salvation I am fully resolv'd to lay the ax to the root of this wicked tree Help me I beseech thee with thy grace from above that I may hew my self out of my self that I may kill crucifie and mortifie my inveagling sensuality cut off my evil inclinations rectifie my disordered passions and root out each thought or desire which tends not directly to thy honour will and love O my Lord and my God! 3. I know Lord that it is bootless to study perfection without the practice of mortification I confess I can never love thee truly but in as much as I hate my self really such is the antipathy between self-love and thy holy affection Ah! how can a spirit distracted with contrary inclinations be freely and fully vacant to thy divine contemplation Put therefore I beseech thee a sluce to my unmortified passions put a bound to my distraught heart and powerfully keep back those innumerous concupiscences and corrupt imaginations violently succeeding each other that my united affections may intend thee only the only object of all happiness Gather ô my Lord the dispersed forces of my soul from all multiplicity of worldly affections to the union of thy only love Keep I beseech thee my understanding will memory imagination and all my inward and outward sences from roaming abroad that carefully attending and entertaining thy divine presence in my soul I may attain true introversion simplification and union of my Spirit with thine Reform ô my Lord all the naturall corruptions of my outward man and redress all the spirituall infirmities of my inward man destroy and disperse all internal and external enemies and opposers of thy holy love possess me perfectly and dispose of me entirely according to thy divine will and pleasure 4. To this end O bless my weak endeavours al-mighty and al-merciful Lord God I will subtract all superfluities from my body and accustom it to all sorts of sufferings that so I may fit it up for thee O holy Spirit who dwellest not with them that are sensuall and subject to sin Alas I have not yet resisted to the effusion of my blood and should I spill each drop of blood in my body in this holy quarrel how little ought I to regard it in respect of the great good I expect I will therefore crucifie thee O my flesh with all thy concupiscences I will mortifie my outward senses the windows by which death steals into my soul the hinderers of my hearts tranquillity the destroyers of true devotion the dispersers of inward recollection and the utter ruiners of all the good desires which I conceive and kindle in my prayers Ah how soon is this divine fire cooled and quenched not only by sin but also by the distracting images of outward objects I will keep a speciall and strict watch over my tongue on which depends my spirituall life or death and cheerish thee ô beloved silence which art the key of piety the keeper of innocency and the preserver of purity I will trample down my inferior This is the chief exercise of Gods children not to be carried away with affections of flesh and blood but to conduct themselves according to Gods Spirit nature with all it 's evil affections and motions of love hatred joy sadness desire fear hope Anger c. I will order dispose and direct it according to the laws of reason and thy divine inspirations ô my Lord and my God Grant me courage I beseech thee to quell and curb this most dangerous and my greatest enemy which is the source of all my miseries the citadell from whence sin assails me and Satan fetcheth his forces to fight against me Grant good Lord that I may Therefore every one must strive to know his own natural inclinations and then imploy all his forces and apply all his prayers and spiritual exercises to quel them never yeild to this wicked Eve persuading Adam my Superior will to eat the forbidden fruit to consent to unlawfull pleasures O that I could tame these cruel beasts my naturall passions how soon should I be master of all morall vertues O that I could so till this vineyard so delve this garden so purge it from all ill weeds of affections and prune all superfluous surgeons and shoots of passions that the seed of thy grace ô heavenly husbandman might only there take root increase and fructifie 5. I will also mortifie my Superiour and rationall part with all the curious and fruitless speculations of my Understanding all conceits of self-wisdom naturall prudence proper judgement and good liking of my own proceedings All vain and foolish reflexions of my Memory And all petty desires and affections of my Will which relate not to thee the only object and Lord of my love I am resolved ô my Lord to nip off each budding passion as soon as it peeps up in my soul to trouble it in its true repose and to hinder its liberty and tendance to thy love I will by thy gracious assistance proceed faithfully and sincerely in the hatred denial and mortification of my self and in the prosecution of thy divine love And in order to this only end and aym I make in thy presence and from the very bottom of my heart and soul these particular acts following I renounce ô my Lord for the pure love of thee all affection to worldly things Give them unto me ô gracious God or take them from me as best liketh thy divine Majesty I resign up all my interest in any thing though never so near and dear unto me Behold ô my Lord and lover I uncloath my soul from all affections whatsoever to creatures and desire nothing but thy self-alone O happy nakedness O rich poverty of Spirit O pure obedience to the divine will in all things Be you my hearts delight my whole pleasure and patrinony 6. I renounce all self-seeking Ah! my corrupt nature I abhor thee Adieu all private-interest profit praise and preferment I will henceforth performe all my actions and exercises O my Lord God for thy only pure perfect love I will seek to please and praise thee with an inward ardent and amorous affection for thy self only and not for thy gifts or graces I renounce all sensuality whether it be in meat drink sleep apparel curiosity of my five senses or any thing else whatsoever O my Lord I will make no other use of any thy creatures than I am absolutly compell'd to by necessity of nature I look for no solace but from thee alone My only comfort and content I renounce all
nothing desires nothing delights in nothing but only to refresh his ardours quench his thirst and asswage his tormenting heat This is your case O dear souls This should be the beginning middle and end of your whole life and business in this world Nothing but God God God Neither science nor ignorance neither musick nor misery neither delights nor desolations should touch trouble or amuse your faithfull loving and resigned hearts God is your only aym and end 1. To languish after God 2. To seek God 3. To fear the losing of God 4. To suffer for God 5. To be weary of delay in your love to God 6. To run lightly confidently sweetly into God 7. And Finally to enjoy God and live in God and with God eternally THE FIFTH TREATISE OF THE SPIRITVALL CONQUEST Containing The choicest Maxims of Mysticall Divinity With Brief Instructions and Directions necessary for those Devout Souls which desire To walk in the way of Gods holy Spirit without error To follow the Divine call without illusion and Arrive at holy Union without danger or difficulty Dilated With points of Practice Affections and Elevations Galathians 6 16. Whosoever shall follow this Rule peace be upon them AT PARIS M.DC.LI To the Devout Contemplatives walking in the way of heavenly Love and aspiring to perfect Union with God WE have hitherto conducted you O Dear and devout Souls out of the Egypt Exod. 13. of sin and sensuality through the Red-Sea of your dangerous conflicts and skirmishes into the quiet Desert of Divine Contemplation We have led you to the top of the Deu. 32. 49 mountain Nebo by the several laborious Steps of Perfection from whence we shew'd you a small glimpse of the glorious land of promise flowing with the sweet milk and hony of heavenly Love and holy Vnion Now lastly to settle you in your happy station to assist you in your high undertakings to maintain your heroick fervor to keep alive this sacred fire burning on the Altars of your inflamed hearts and to strengthen yâ—â—r thus elevated spirits with Perseverance which only crowns the work and infallibly entitles you to childrens portions in this divine inheritance we have provided these ensuing Maxims of Mystical Divinity for your continual support and comfort We name them Maxims because they contain the generall grounds and granted veritiâ—s of solid Devotion and sublâ—â—â— Contemplation summ'd â—â— and set in some order out â—â— the larger elucubrations of the most illuminated Mystical writers And we deliver them in a compendious and concise style leaving many points rather insinuated than expressed because our aym is only truth substance and solidity which need no word-ornaments to make them amiable or intelligible and we conceive they will be more easily admitted into your souls better retained in your memories and more efficaciously applied to your practices being thus nakedly simply and briefly proposed than if they were cloathed and disguised with any begg'd lustre from abroad We look not that sensualists should either read or savour Delicata est divina consolatio non datur admittentibus alienâ—m Bernardus them for their doctrine is too divine their positions too pure their practice too perfect their contents too contrary to the tonents of flesh and blood Vanity and verity have little commerce together light and darkness are opposites sense is at perpetuall odds with the spirit and the greater part of worldlings in this our corrupted age are readier to mock at the holy practisers of piety than to reflect on their own express duty and obligation of tending to perfection Nor can we promise them a heartier well-come amongst some pretenders to spirituality for self love hath obtained Nemo ad veram contemplationem scandere valet nisi per scalam humilitatis Read F. Cisneâ—ius chap. 31. 32. 33. c. so great an Empire over most mens minds that they generally judge of devotion according to their own gusts and fancies they embrace Hypocondriacall shews and shadows for truths and substances and believe that only to be good which is agreeable to their humour and affection Some great Scholars also whose understandings are wholly busied in drawing consequences from naturall reason will strive to discredit that point of our doctrine here delivered which denyes and forbids the use of such acts of our reason in this heavenly School of highest Recollection Not duly considering the 1. p. q. 85. a. â— 1. p. q. 17. a. 4. universally received principle of the Saints That these two lights naturall and supernaturall Greg. upon Ezâ—chiel l. 1. ho. 17. can no more actuate the same understanding at one and the same time than a body can have two different forms together And that God who hath given us the light of reason for the increase of our naturall goods knowledge and perfection hath ordained the light of Faith which is above all reason and implies a negation and cessation of all the acts thereof for the attaining of supernaturall gifts and graces And it is the often inculcated Maxim of S. Denys Denys c. 7. de divin nomin F. Garcias Cisnerius chap. 28. That to receive supernaturall benefits we must relinquish all acts of reason and quit all such resemblances and images of creatures as it ordinarily makes use of for the increase of it's naturall knowledge So that it is most certain that the soul which ayms at the purest perfectest and sublimest Contemplation must not only abandon all operations of her outward and inward senses but transcend all actings and workings of her understanding and as it were blindly elevate her-self to an un-explicable union with that object which is above all naturall knowledge and conception This is to be moved with Love alone supported by Faith without glassing her self in any creature or staying upon any thing which is not the very Deity This is to be ingulphed in divine darkness and to be so lost and absorpt in God that she neither sees feels nor finds her self any where but in the divine being O happy loss O heavenly darkness O glorious annihilation Wherefore drown your selves O divine Contemplatives in this Ocean lose your selves in this abyss of the divinity leave all that is materiall sensible intelligible and look immediately upon the supernaturall object of your Faith stay not in the lower exercises and feeble discourses of your imaginations but permit your spirit to take it's free flight as a Royal eagle perch upon the increated verity Take courage in these your sublime exercises follow them faithfully humbly obediently and perseverantly according to the rules and directions here prescribed and let the world slight you which understands them not let greatest School-men condemn you which experience them not let flesh and blood repine which relish them not let the Devil rage who by this means findes you not but where you are forth of his reach and free from his ambushes that is in God in whom only you live by continuall recollection abnegation
seriously such Remedies as are proper for the preservation of this Jewell Amongst which the chiefest is Mortification of our rebellious flesh by Austerities hence S. Thomas cals Chastity from chastising S. Thomas of Aquin. It is better our Stomakes pain us than our Consciences and that we lose health of body than purity of soul and salvation of both This remedy of Mortification is absolutely necessary when carnall motions arise first in the body and thence redound into the Imagination but if from the Fancie they descend to the body we are to apply these following remedies 1. Let us avoid idlenesse 2. Let us Amor otiosorum negotium change our Employments if we are assaulted in company let us seek solitude if in solitude let us hasten into company c. 3. Silence temperance S. Ephrem and custody of senses are three powerfull preservers of Chastity 4. Let us make great account of little things and shake off the first Motions of this nature as wee would a burning coale from off our new garment 5. Ler us humbly but modestly and discreetly lay open their nature and manner to our spirituall guide 6. Let us carefully avoid all suspected company familiarity meetings c. though our intention be never so spirituall 7. Let us strive rather to slight scorn and neglect these temptations than formally to resist them 5. In vehement temptation 1. Make the sign of the cross upon your heart 2. Use some brief and burning aspirations as Lord deliver me I suffer violence O my God answer for me I am thine O Jesu body and soul help me 3. Defy the Devill with St. Antony Fy Isay 38. 14. S. Antony beast thou wert an Angell I who am now a beast will aym to be an Angell and get thy lost place be gone the lodging is already taken up Iesus is here who is my Lord and love I am preingag'd in a former and purer affection 6. Let us prepare before-hand certain places of refuge for our shelter and succour till the storm be pass'd over 1. The presence of God and his Angels saying How is it possible God sees me and shall I sin in his sight 2. Death and eternity The delight is momentary the punishment is eternâ—lâ— death is at my dore and shall I adventure 3. Christs sacred wounds let us there hide and secure our selves and say My God hangs on the Cross and shall I think of taking my pleasure 4. The love of God O Iesu my love and my life I will either love thee or love nothing at all Let me rather lose my life than thy love 5. Humility Thou art just O my Lord God thy will be done My Pride is cause of this villany which I feel c. And take We must be humble or we shall not be long chast this for an infallible truth wee must be humble or we shall not be long chast Let us be obedient to our Superiors or let us not look to have our flesh obedient to our spirits 6. Devotion to Saints excelling in this vertue especially to the chastest Virgin Mary 7. The last Remedy is to make use of these antidotes timely orderly and discreetly without which no rules documents or directions will ought avail us The 12. Doubt If we are in extraordinary Desolation and darkness WE must live by Faith in this case and know that a sensible choice of God and goodness is not now necessary but a Rationall adhering to him is sufficient Our fidelity to God is shew'd in the performance of our duties now as at other times without losing either our Confidence in him or seeking Comfort in our sufferings but aspiring if not sweetly yet sincerely in this or the like manner Lord I choose thee and accept of thy divine pleasure and providence in all things I reject whatsoever may possess that place and dominion in my soul which is due to thee alone Dispose of me and mine as shall be most for thy honour and glory Let me be either all thine or nothing at all The 13. Doubt If wee are tempted to despair of Gods mercy by reason of our frequent falls and relapses into sin THis grievous Malady springs from three causes or errors For they who are troubled in this point doe not truly weigh 1. What God is 2. What sin is 3. What contrition and sorrow of heart is 1. Almighty God is a boundless 1. What God is and bottomless Sea of mercy he is natural bounty it self he is ever ready to receive revive and relieve a penitent soul though she alone had committed a thousand times a day the sins of the whole world He considers not what she hath been but what she desires and resolves now to be and who so denys his power or Will to pardon sinners as often as there are moments in time goes about to deprive him of his honor and divinity it self for he could not be God if he were not good and faithfull in his promise O loving Lord God who art not only ready to receive a penitents petition but even wooest him to present it Who can truly consider what thou art and despair of thy mercy 2. Sin 2. What sin is a voluntaâ—y and deliberate Aversion from God and Conversion to creatures 3. Contrition is of that efficacy that it delivers from all sin 3. What Contrition giving confidence of pardon for the past and courage to avoid it for the future Let us apply this to our comfort The 14. Doubt If we are perplexed with great sadness THis Passion is a great hindrance to devotion and perfection it is the bait of the Devil the bane of our spirits the root mother and nursery of infinite miseries and mischiefs The chief causes of Sadness The causes of sadness 1. Nature are these 1. Nature when Melancholy over-sways the sanguin humour this can neither merit nor demerit but the Devil takes thereby occasion to fill our spirits with unquietness These have need aswell of corporal as spiritual Physick 2. A tenderness of heart and 2. Self-love passionate love of our selves we cannot brook the least contradâ—ction c. but we sigh and sob as if all the world were interessed in our misfortune and should bear a part in our dolefull ditty The Remedy were to bid such weep on for their penance or use some coporall austerity 3. An immortification of our Passions which when we seek in 3. Passions good earnest to root out assault us so strongly that it seems impossible to cure them and hence we grow sad The Remedy is to conquer this bad nature by counsell courage and diligence c. Let us pray heartily suffer willingly stoop humbly 'T is for heaven we fight and suffer 4. A secret root of pride vain 4. Secret Pride esteem and false opinion we have of our selves when things fall not out according to our liking expectation or importunate desire whereupon we grow sad and troubled
Surely the proud have no true Isay 48. 2â— rest there is no peace to the wicked Let us Remedy it therfore by learning of Christ true humility and meekness out of which there is no hope of quiet 5. An indiscreet Zeal and 5. Indiscreet zeal over-greediness of perfection which makes us eat more than we can disgest and so cast it up again with great pain undertaking austerities exercises introversion c. beyond our capacities without counsel and so we remain afflicted being unable to go forward and ashamed to go backward Let us Remedy this by humble obedience to a discreet guide 6. Want of fervor in our vocation 6. Instability of heart instability of heart and inconstancy in our exercises leaving changing interrupting them through laziness or lightness This leaves a worm gnawing upon our conscience with continual disquiet and sadness Let us Remedy this with S. Bernards counsel Wilt thou never S. Bernard be sad live well A good man is alwayes merry and a good conscience is a continuall feast 7. Disordinate love and affections 7. Love to creatures to creatures Let us love all only for God and we shall be content and quiet in the loss of the most lovely and beloved creature in the world God alone will supply all other loves and losses 8. A jealous and envious eye 8. An enviâ—us eye This is a dangerous and lamentable cross For all the Perfections of oâ—hers are ours when we love them â—n others but when we hate them they are nails in our eys and thorns in our hearts which do extreamly torment us O madness Have we Parum tibi est si ipse sis foelix nisi alter sit infoelix not sufficient miseries at home in our selves but we must suck poyson like Spiders out of others Hony and what is their crown must be our cross What greater wickedness than to pine away with grief at others good The Remedy of this is by endeavouring to get true Charity the property whereof is to weep with the weepers rejoyce with the joyfull to love others good as our own Let us avoid Curiosity if we wil eschew Envy for a Curious eye is the fewel of an Envious heart let us remain like Bees in our hive of Introversion there make provision for the Winter of Death Eternity c. 9. Frequent failings in good 9. Frequent relapses purposes and relapses into sin We question whether our sins past are pardoned and are uncertain that our present Confessions are good This is of one evil to make two foâ— we have done amiss and now by losing Courage and confidence we make our selves unfit to do better Let us Remedy it by acknowledging our fault using violence to our selves and following direction Other Remedies against Sadness Orher Remedies against sadness Jam. 5. 13. 1. Prayer 1. Prayer is a soveraign Remedy Is any one sad amongst you Let him pray God is our only joy and comfort Let us lift up our hearts to him and lay open our wants and desires before him with Resignation who both can and will abundantly comfort us Ah! my poor soul why art thou sad and whence comes it that thou thus troublest me Is not our God good and gracious who hears thy sighs and sees thy sorrow what wantest thou which he cannot or will not give thee when he sees it most expedient for thee 2. Somtimes let us sing spiritual 2. Singing Songs which greatly confound the Devil 3. Other times we may fitly divert 3. Recreâ—tion our thoughts by some external Recreations or imployments 4. Let us endeavour to make 4. Fervent acts external and internal Acts with fervour though without gust as embracing and kissing a Crucifix and speaking reverently and lovingly unto it c. 5. A discreet taking of a Discipline 5. A discipline obtains wonderful comfort for the soul is called from the inward troublesom pensiveness to the outward pain and the Devil flyes away seeing his companion the Flesh so hardly handled 6. Frequent Communinn is an 6. Communion excellent cordiall strengthning our hearts and rejoycing our spirits 7. Let us discover the effects 7. Discovery of it and manner of our sadness to our spiritual guide and take his advice simply and humbly This is the remedy of remedies 8. Let us take heed of making 8. Indifferency use of these Remedies only that we may be at ease and avoid affliction but for the prevention of danger which may ensue and for the rest remain perfectly indifferent and resigned 9. If we will be free from Sadness 9. Few desires we must labour to keep far from us unquietness of mind if we wâ—ll have our minds quiet we must have few desires and those few only to love and please God 10. Finally let us beware of 10. Plain-dealing three things 1. Of following our Sensuality in meat drink talk ease c. 2. Of vain Complacence and self-opinion c. 3. And above all of Hypocondriacy Hypocrisy double dealing sleights with our guide for no mervail if he starves and pines away who lâ—es to the holy Ghost If we are simple as children our loving Father will give us sweet-meats Wo be to Hypocrites for it Mat. 23. 13. wil go il with them in the latter day Another Antidote against Melancholy and Pusillanimity The reason of our being so often Pufillanimity proceeâ—s from want troubled and shaken is because our spiritual edifice is not supported by these solid props 1. Faith For if we captivate 1. of Faith our Understandings to believe what God himself hath told us what his Church hath taught us and what our ghostly guides still preach unto us how can we chose but be comforted and satisfied 2. Abnegation For if we have 2. Of Abnegation made good Confessions have endeavoured to satisfy God and our guide and have a will to obey them in all things we may rest secure Let us not say What shall become of us Shall we persever for the desire to know this argues our hearts of secret pride and propriety Let us therefore deny our selves saying Gods holy will be done in and with us for all time and eternity and what ever becomes of us we will serve him till death because his love deserves it What need we seek a further security of Gods friendship towards us in this life than to find in our souls these two things First for the time past we have done penance consisting in Confession Contrition and Satisfaction Secondly for the time to come we give our selves totally tâ— God to serve and please him the residue of our life in the best manner possible Let us put our souls in this estate and go on with courage and never more trouble our selves 3. Solid Confidence For if we 3. of Confidence know God is mercifull and Jesus hath suffered enough for all sinners whereof we are the
inclinations The third Verity O Lord I have a good Will and purpose to Confess my sins entirely in due time and place according to thy Ordinance and that of thy holy Church We may ad to these the devout frequentation Three other signs of the Sacraments which give life and justifying grace The warrant of a skilful guide And a lively confidence in the Divine bounty The 26. Doubt If we are troubled because we know not well when we give consent to sinful Thoughts 1. IF when the Thought is represented Rules to know when we consent to sin we presently fly to the crucifix expell it disdain it dislike it it is not Sin but Merit 2. But if we carelesly linger in it when well perceived it is Venial 3. And if we consent to the Thought and desire the Action our sin is equall to the act if it were committed 4. But if we intend not the Act but linger delightfully in the Thought and the thing it self be Mortall and deliberately entertained it is also Mortal The 27. Doubt If we cannot well distinguish between Venial and Mortal sin 1. WHat need we determine let us Confess it as it is committed 2. Mortall sin cannot be committed without great corruption of Him who commits it or great hurt to his Neighbor or great contempt and neglect of God says Richardas a S. Victore And S. Thomas Rich. à S. Victore S. Thomas says He sins Mortally whose total intention of mind is withdrawn from God who is our last end 3. Let us conclude with S. Augustin S. August Gerson and Gerson That it is dangerous even in Prelats and Confessors to define what is mortall sin or give Rules therein The 28. Doubt If that saying of Divines terrifies Faciens contra dubium incidit in peccatum In dubiis securior pars est eligenda us He that does against his doubt sins And In things which are doubtfull the securer part is to be chosen WE may in things which are Doubtfull securely follow a Probable opinion Now Scruples are not Doubts but false apprehensions and therefore on all sides we may and somtimes must go against our own erroneous consciences especially when Obedience commands it Let us therefore with S. Augustin S. Augustin Tene certum dimitte incertum lay hold of that which is certain and let go the uncertain And what way is more sure and secure than Obedience The 29. And last Doubt If finally we are apprehensive and fearfull lest we should grow weary in the way of Vertue and not Persever constantly in our Spiritual Exercises LEt us excite our Tepidity by the frequent perusall of this following discourse and practise accordingly The Patriarch Jacob in hope of obtaining the beautifull Rachel serv'd Laban seven years with diligence and patience But being cousened by that disloyal worldling with il favoured Lia what doth he He neither loseth Courage nor Confidence but with new constancy begins his other seven years service with such admirable alacrity and a heart so fix'd upon his desired reward that the time seem'd Gen. 29. but a week to him O my soul thou seekest and sighest after eternal Beatitude consisting essentially in the blessed vision and fruition of God signified by Rachel according to S. Bernard For S. Bernard this thou hast bound thy self to serve God But alas The world the flesh and the Devil do so often beguile blind thee that thou takest blear-ey'd Lia for beautiful Rachel the world for heaven the flesh for the Spirit and diabolical Illusions for Divine inspirations But what Lose not courage nor confidence Renew thy protestation of loyal service Serve God one other seven years Suffer another slavery to get heaven to dy in finall grace and to be eternally joyned to that blessed beauty thou lovest Follow Jesus to mount Calvary to consummatum est to thy last gasp If thou stumblest fall not If thou fallest up again and march Stand not but go forward for he only that persevers till the end shall be saved Let neither frequent temptations nor fearfull imaginations nor strong passions nor bad inclinations nor often fallings nor ordinary frailty daunt or dismay thee God is good and gracious meek and mercifull Thy reward is infinite and eternall Thy friends are moe in heaven than on earth persever then and go forward if thou canst not run at least go fair and softly and securely after Christ thy Captain crying Draw me unto thee ô most dear Lord for I desire to follow thee and no other but I am weak and lame and therefore I make use of two crutches A strong resolution never to forsake thy love and a lively confidence in thy grace goodness and mercy O holy and happy O pretious and highly to be prized Perseverance O finall grace the patrimony only of the elect and portion of the predestinate Fight manfully ô my soul get good habits timely resist sin valiantly fast watch pray sigh and suffer perseverantly heaven is worth thy pains Persever O my soul Persever Persever that done all is done that wanting all is undone This O Satan thou knowest full well and therefore little car'st to see me zealous for a Lent for a year for a time so in the end thou may'st make me tire tepide and careless of my progress and Pâ—rseverance 't is my Perseverance S. Bernard which thou only enviest at because that only conquers thee and crowns me eternally I discover thy two main snares ô subtill enemy into which thou wouldst allure my unwary soul and thy first design failing which was to delay my eonversion to Gods service thou pursuest thy Second which is to weary me in my well-begun enterprise To shift off my Conversion thou urgedst youth long life time enough thy dayly and dangerous deceits by which more Christians perish than by any other thy guiles and stratagems Thou knowest the peril of delay in a matter so important as is our conversion perfection salvation Thou art not ignorant how one sin draws on another how he that to day is unfit will be less to morrow how custom grows into nature breeds blindness hardness of heart and insensibility how old diseases are hardly and rarely cured how God withdraws his grace when 't is abused refused neglected how much his justice by delay is exasperated and that we heap coales on our own heads by our negligence Thou art well skill'd in the uncertainty of our frail life know'st the dangers chances changes and accidents which may speedily overwhelm us therfore thou whisperest stay a little deferr yet for a time till God in whose hands are the moments of all time takes from us all time who have so long abused the opportunity of time and sends us into pains eternal without time But seeing me resolutely and violently breaking all thy chains running and crying with S. Augustin S. Augustin Why shall I longer say to morrow why not now even at this instant thou now