them selfes be done one for this said end of the vvill of God the other for another as to goe to heauen the first without comparison shall be the best yea which is more if twoe works wherof the one is very good in it selfe as fasting the other neither good nor bad as walking bee done the first for to auoid hell or to come to heauen the other for the vvill of God and only to please him this walking shal be much more meritorious and agreeable â—o God then that sasting as is aboue said for though that worke of fasting doth much excell this of walking yet this intention of walning doth much more excell that of fasting and by consequence makes the worke much better for euen as a small quantitie of gold excelleth a great masse of lead so puritie of intention doth farr exceed the valew of corporall things as penance which is great in â—hew though no man must leaue the better deed to doe the lesser good vnder pretext of â—uch an intention for this were to deceiue him selfe wherof and of such like deceipts shal be spoaken heerafter in the fift chapter The diuision of this vvill into three partes CHAP. IIII. BVT for the better vnderstanding of this matter and for more easie conceiuing of all the rest which shal be said in these three partes of this treatise it seemeth heere necessarie to make a diuision of this vvill of God not an they diuide it in schools into the will present and the will subsequent according to S. Damascene nor into the will of the signe and the will of his pleasure according to some others nor into precept prohibition and counsaile as it pleaseth other doctors nor finally according to others diuiding this will of his pleasure into his will efficatious and permissiue I meane not I say to diuide it into to these scholasticall diuisions but into a mysticall diuision namely into the Interior Exterior and Essentiall vvill The Exterior vvill is a light and rule vvherby 〈◊〉 direct vs in the Active life The Interior like wise is a light and rule to direct our soule in the Contemplatiue life The Essentiall is a light and guide vvherby to direct our spirit in the superemment life The first being actiue the second contemplatiue the third supereminent the first disposing to the second and the second to the third the first is for Beginners the second for Proficients the third for the Perfect Neither is this mysticall and threefold diuision new or without fundatioÌ„ but is grownded vpon the doctrine of S. Paule and seemeth rather his diuisioÌ„ then myne whear hee sayth Vt probetis que sit voluntas Dei bona beneplacens perfecta That yee may trie vvhich is the vvill of God good pleasing and perfect Vpon which words Lyranus sayth that Voluntas Dei est bona quantum ad 〈◊〉 The vvill of God is good for the Beginners pleasing for the Proficients and perfect for the Perfect According wherunto the vvill of God which wee call Exteriour or Actiue is that which S. Paule calleth Good seing it is that wherin the beginners doe exercise them selfes the vvill of God which wee call Interiour or Contemplatiue is that which hee calleth Pleasing seing it is that which the ProficieÌ„ts doe practice And that which wee call Essentiall or Supereminent is the same which hee calleth Perfect seing that the Perfect employe themselfes therin though these three taken essentially as they are in God are but one and the same will and God himself but are heer deuided for the better vnderstanding of such as tend to perfection for as in the triumphant church the superior Angels receaue a more ample and vniuersall knowledge of the diuine pleasure wherof their 〈◊〉 our are not capable till they diuide and proportion the same according to theyr capacitie and so proportioned shew it theÌ„ as sayeth S. Denise so in the Church militant the holie and illuminated Doctours receiuing a more ample and sublime knowledg of the way of God wherof wee are not capable haue diuided the same and proportioned it to our capacitie And S. Thomas sayth Lex diuinitatis c. God vvill that highest things being made lesse and proportioned should dravv vp those which are in the meane degree and those which are in the meane degree should eleuare those vvhich are in the lovvest because this light is not equall in the inferiour nature and theâ— superiour and the fore the guifâ—s asvvell naturall as supernaturall are said to descend For sayth S. Ieames Euery good and perfect guift commeth from aboue descending from the Father of lights VVherfore following this doctrine and example of the Fathers wee haue diuided as aboue said this diuine light and will for though wee be altogeather vnlike to them in light yet ought wee to imitate them in communication of doctrine which though it haue no proportion with theirs yet ought our method to bee the same Of the Exteriour vvill vvhat it is CHAP. V. NOVV to come to the definition or description of the Exterior vvill of God it is the diuine pleasure knovvne by the lavve and by reason being the rule of all our thoughts words and deeds in the Actiue life I say it is the diuine pleasure because though God hath no need of our good deeds as the Psalmist testifieth Quoniam â—onorum meoruÌ„ non indiges Because thow hast no need of my good works nor hath any losse if wee doe euill nor gaine if wee doe well yet in â—is bountie and goodnes hee taketh pleasure when wee doe well and keepe his commaunâ—â—ements as contrariewise by his iustice hee 〈◊〉 displeased when wee breake them I say it knowne that is not only hee hath a will â—nd pleasure but hee hath made it known vnâ—â— vs hauing geuen vs to vnderstand wherin 〈◊〉 is vvill and pleasure consisteth Farther I say by the lawe for therby he hath made knoâ—en his will I say by the lawe in generall 〈◊〉 of God only to comprehend all kinds of â—â—od lawes namely the lawe of God wherof 〈◊〉 written Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandaâ— If thow wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements also the lawe of the Church it being written Si non uult ecclesiam audire sit tibi â—ut ethnicus pnblicanus If hee will not heare â—e church accompt him no better then an â—thnicke or Publicane likewise the lawe and commaundement of the spirituall Pastor therof is written Obedite praepositis uestris â—biacete eis Obay your superiours and be sub â—â—ct vnto them Moreouer the lawe of Princes it being said Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari Giue vnto Cesar that which is Cesars Further the lawe of magistrats for Non est potestas nisi a Deo Thear is no power but of God and Qui potestatiresistit Dei ordinationi resistit Hee that resisteth the Power resisteth the ordinance of God Finally the law of
enim in Intellectu quod non fuerit prius in Sensu Thear is nothing in the vnderstanding which was not first of all in some of the fiue Sences which fiue Sences bring it into the three Powers of the soule Intelligence Memorie and VVill which keepe retaine and as it were digest worke and metamorphose the same into another forme by taking away the vayle therof putting of the corporall Image and so bringing it to a pure abstraction doth lodge it in the essence of the soule Thus I say the worke is in our soule and thus it appertaineth vnto vs. Taking therfore the worke in this forte it is the verie vvill of God and to him that so doth it spirit and life For though thear be some darknes by reason of the Image or imagination of the worke in my spirit yet is the same turned into light by the feruour and light of this diuine will wherby the soule seeth nor tasteth ought els but God and his sweet will and pleasure and how much more willingly the worke is done in this order to weet in not diuiding the worke and the will but esteeming the verie worke to be the verie will so much the more cleerly doth the soule see this will and perfectly enioy God the worke that seemed corporall being so turned wholie into spirituall And note that when I say one must not looke on the vvill of God but on the worke my meaning is as I haue said that hee ought not to looke or behold the will a parte as it is not but as one and the self same thing with the worke as it is nor that hee should turne his spirit and affection from the worke but contrariewise fix it still in the same yet alwayes as in his will VVhear is to be noted that as some are in this extremitie to turne their mind from the worke and fix it on the vvill of God so are they in farre greater number which leane to the contrarie turning their mind from the vvill of God to fix it on the worke so that as the one which be spirituall find not the vvill of God because they seeke it not in his worke so the others which are the worldlings and vndeuout doe not the worke of God because they seeke it not in his will for as wee doe but lie to God and in vayne seduce our selfes in thinking to loue his will and yet neglect his worke so doe wee no lesse when wee thinke to doe his worke and yet neglect his will It is therfore euident that to vnite both these extremities and amend these twoe contrarie imperfections the vvill of God according to the aboue said Maxime must be ioyned with his worke and his worke with his will and neuer make them twoe but perfectly one and the self same thing acknowledging that the accomplishing of the worke is his verie will and that his will is the verie accomplishing of the worke though the reformatiō of this latter imperfection of doing the worke without hauing regard to the vvill of God appertaineth to the first degree of Actuall remembrance Of the fourth degree of perfect Intention CHAP. XI THE fourth degree of this Throne or persection of this intention is Certainty or Assurance with which it ought to be munited and fortified namely that when one hath directed his intention to doe the worke for the only vvill of God hee assure himself that in veritie it is the vvill of God By this degree and perfection of Assurance is excluded all doubts and hesitations which because in this poynt they often intrude them selfs to the great preiudice of the true and faythfull practise therof I will endeuour to resolue them by declaring and taking away the causes wherof they spring The first cause then wherof these doubts doe spring is because in matters indifferent a man knoweth not whether hee hath chosen that side which pleaseth God or nor in doing or leauing vndone any thing which happeneth because forgetting his rule hee knoweth not how to discerne the matter taking a wrong meanes of discerning the same to weet in wayghing the exterior thing and cōsidering whether it be more agreable to God to leaue or doe it to doe this or to doe that For remedy therfore heerof hee must knowe that this is not the meanes in things indifferent but must iudge therof by an interior discussiō and not by the exterior thing namely by a view or examen of the intētion which if it tend directly to the vvill of God hee hath in veritie chosen that which is his will because in such indifferent things the worke followeth the intention and not the intention the worke The second doubt is in little matters and proceeds from the smallnes and little valew therof perswading some that God esteemeth not such things sayeng as it were in them selfes God careth much for this or that or hath God need or maketh hee accompt of these smalle things The remedie wherof is to remember that as wee must not serue God only with a parte but with all our forces so must wee not only doe some of our actions but all for him and therfore the little aswell as the great Also that God measureth the goodnesse of the worke not by the exterior valew but by the inward intention and a little thing in our eyes may be great before God For like as the garment of russet embroadred with gold and sett with perles is richer then that of veluet without any ornament the cloake lined with veluet is more costly then one of taffata lined with searge so the least worke exterior with perfect intention is better then the greatest with an imperfect intentiō Finally the remedie of this doubt is to remember to what the Apostle exhorteth vs sayeng Omne quodcunque facitis in verbo aut in opere omnia in nomine domininostri Iesu Christi facite All whatsoeuer yow doe or say doe it in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ for sayeng that all our workes should be done for God hee excepteth not the least worke yea includeth the least word And S. Augustin to this purpose sayth Thow doest prayse God when thow doest thy busynes The third kinde of things wherof these doubts and this hesitation commeth are things pleasant and sensuall as eating drinking recreations and the like because that being so agreable vnto nature and sensualitie some will thinke perhaps that they say not syncerely but rather faine and mocke as it were God in sayeng they doe them for his only will and to please him feeling that it pleaseth theyr nature and sensualitie which error proceedeth from the euill custome wherunto a man hath giuen himself to doe such things only by the motion tract and impulsion of pleasure and sensualitie without intention or regard had to the vvill of God for hauing contracted such a long custome to doe them so to satisfie theyr insatiable and brutish sensualitie not
a great Admiration seing God to cooperate so familiarlie with him in that which hee doth Likewise by an extreame Ioy and exultation of heart seing himself made the liuely instrument and temple of God In like maner by a sweet and amorous inclination towards the celestiall Bridegroome tasting his great clemencie and goodnes Farther by an inward Iubilation and heartie ioy in the soule perceiuing her self to be deliuered from the seruitude of her self and set free from the bondage of proper will Moreouer by a totall resignation and deliuering vp of the soule into the hands of her spouse to enioy him more fully Againe by acts of perpetuall Abnegation of him self as hauing fownd by experience the perfect consolation and happie fruit which immediatly springeth and infallibly cometh therof Also by a true Annihilation of him self proceeding from the propinquitie and neernes of the Allmightie and infinit essence of God In like sort by holie and heauenly desires wishes and suspires to be alwayes conuersant in heauen seing now the chaines of his proper will to be broken which tied him so before vnto the earth Finally by a most intimate Loue of God feeling the ardour and sweet burning flame of his diuine loue And to conclude by an Attention to the straight vnion already made betwixt God and the soule by vnitie of their wills in the worke entertaining nourishing and cheatishing the same vnion by diligently hearing willingly obayeng and ioyfully following the tract of the same spirit of God The second and more essentiall meanes to conserue entier the pure and perfect intention is to make an expropriatioÌ„ of the worke that is â—that when a man hath so rectified and purified his intention according to these degrees hee ought to put of as it were the worke both exterior and interior as not being his owne but knowing that in veritie after such rectification it is not his will that doth the worke but the vvill of God nor his spirit but the spirit of God and by consequence that it is not himself but God that doth the same hee being only the meer Instrument though free nay nor that Instrument neither as of him self but the same giuen him by God and therfore I say hee ought to esteeme and firmely behold the verie worke so done as the verie will operatioÌ„ and spirit of God as hath bein touched in the fourth degre And not only the soule must so esteeme and behold it as the verie vvill of God but also all other things set apart must adheare therunto and with all her power remaine recollected therin so that being wholie established and immoueablie setled in the same keeping forth all bruit and noise of the world and all clowds of passions and distracting thoughts shee shall discouer this light of heauen in a quiet and profownd silence and tast this verie life and viuifieng spirit of Gods vvill in great abundance VVhear must be noted that wee say hee must behold the worke as the verie vvill of God and not that hee behold the said will in the worke and that to eschew many errors blindnes and deceipts which proceed from such kind of speach and practise For first wee say that wee must behold God or his will in our worke or in our intention it is so conceiued and vnderstood as if one should behold the same will as contayned and inclosed in the worke as in some vessell place space or circuit corporall imaginarie or intellectuall hee nor his will hauing neither place nor situation as contayned therin Secondly in so sayeng diuers doe endeuour to see or consider the will and the worke both togeather and not the vvill of God only and alone and so indeed the soule can not know nor tast the liuely vvill of God for it being spirit and life it is impossible that shee should be capable therof in any perfection whiles shee is filled and possessed with the worke be it exterior or interior but when shee taketh the verie worke for the verie will Thirdly by such an imagination of seing the vvill of God in the worke or in the intention is hindred the vnion with the same will as making the will one thing and the intention another Finally when so wee consider or contemplate God or his will in our work or intention the same worke or intention is the principall obiect of our contemplation or spirituall sight wheras indeed it should be the only vvill of God For these causes therfore I say not that weâ— must behold the vvill of God in our worke or intention but I say wee must behold the worke or intention as the verie vvill of God which is God himself whoe by his presence doth anihillate in this respect both the worke and intention or will of man not that indeed they are nothing hauing alwayes their essence but that they are so little that in comparison and the presence of God they are nothing and though they be some thing yet must they not heer be seene as such but as nothing because though in it self the worke be some thing yet considered in the vvill of God it is nothing but euen the same vvill of God into which it is transformed and so of death and darknes is made life and brightneâ—s and that which in it self was corporall in the vvill of God is made spirituall VVherfore so taking the worke whether exterior or interior not as his owne but as the verie pure vvill of God without any hesitation excluding all other thoughts and distractions let the soule fix her self in the same with all her forces with all simplicitie constancie veritie and viuacitie of fayth let her adheare therunto inclose plunge and transforme her selfe therinto being her light life peace and ioy her center and repose as being her rule and perfection her treasure and richesse her beginning and end and so shall shee accomplish the continuation of 〈◊〉 six degrees of perfect Intention and by stabilitie of perseuerance shall establish in her self this seat and shall make great king Salomon her celestiall spouse sweetly repose therin Hovv the celestiall Bridegroome and his spouse in their Dialogue in the Canticles make mention of this seat or spirituall Throne vvith her six degrees CHAP. XV. OF this Throne with her six mysticall degrees is made mention in the Canticles of Salomon For of the first of Remembrance is spoken when the celestiall Bridegroome sayth to his spouse Pone me vt signaculum super cor tuum vt signaculum super brachium tuum Put mee as a signet vpon thy heart and as a signet vpon thine arme for a signet maketh impression and impression signifies Remembrance against Obliuion by the heart is meant the intention or affection by the arme the action the heart and the arme together doth signifie the actuall intention VVhen then the bridegroome sayth to his spouse that shee imprint him as a signet hee will haue her to be mindfull of him when hee sayth
te nox sicut dies illuminabitur sicut tenebrae eius it a lumen eius Darknes shall not be hidden to thee and the night shall shine as the day the light and the darknes shall bee alike and Egredietur diabolus ante pedâ—â— eius The diuell shall goe foorth before his feef as being troden vnder the same by such obedience Ante faciem eius ibit mors Death shall goe before his face as being beaten away by the life which is this will and by the great light wherwith hee is cloathed and life wherwith his spirit is filled And this is the true actiue and contemplatiue life to weet not separated as many take it but ioined togeather making of works exterior interior of temporall spirituall of obscure illuminated and finally which so ioineth in one and the same worke contemplation with the action and that without preiudice or hinderance one of another wherof wee will speake more amply in her due place Hovv six degrees are contained in this Intention that sayth I vvill doe this for the only vvill of God Of the first degree CHAP. VIII THIS rule therfore thus obserued of things commaunded forbidden and indifferent with those other obseruations therunto adioyned the vvill of God shall euery whear in all things appeare most plainly and so it resteth that wee doe the same by the practise of the aboue said generall rule in the third chapter expressed namely that wee doe all things for this end of the vvill of God and neuer begin any worke whether it be exterior or interior corporall or spirituall in repelling vice or acquiring vertue be it a thing commaunded forbidden or indiffereÌ„t be it naturall or supernaturall little or greate finally be it whatsoeuer wee neuer I say begin to doe it till wee haue first addressed our intention vnto God sayeng by word and thought or at least by thought from the bottome of our heart O Lord I will doe this or I will suffer I will resist or will pursue c. this thing only for thy will and pleasure But that the puritie and perfection of this intention may be the better vnderstood and the deuout soule may more cleerly discerne and more easily expell all impuritie which no lesse secretly then commonly doth contaminate the same wee will declare it more plainly This intention therfore which saith I will doe or suffer this or that only for the vvill of God containeth six degrees or perfections to weet Actually Onely VVillingly Cleerly Assuredly Speedily And this intention with these six degrees hath bein figured by the six degrees of SalomoÌ„s Throne in these words King Salomon built a Throne of Iuory and couered it vvith shining gold vvhich had six degrees and the topp therof vvas rovvnd in the hinder part and tvvoe handles on each side vpholding the seat and on each handle tvvoe lyons and on each side of the degrees tvvelue little 〈◊〉 such a vvorke vvas not to be fovvnd in any kingdome This king Salomon is Iesus Christ whoe worthily may attribute vnto himselfe this name SalomoÌ„ which signifieth peaceable seing hee bringeth peace to the soule wherin hee maketh his aboad for Factus est in pace locus eius His dwelling is in peace Now in the soule as in his pallace hee hath made a throne of white Iuory of pure intention and diuine will large to be capable of his diuine maiestie garnishing it with fine gold of perfect charitie This throne hath the six foresaid degrees of which wee are to treat The topp of this Throne or compleat perfection of intention is rownd without end or limit to weet Perpetuall in the hinder part which looketh towards the other world and life eternall for though the fore parte of the Intention which regardeth vs hath a beginning yet that which is behind hidden from vs which looketh towards God and eternitie shall neuer haue end for Charitas non excidit Charitie hath no fall But which is the seate of this th one wherin God reposeth himself if not constant perseuerance of which seate is said Sedes tua Deus in saeculum saeculi Thy seat ô God remaineth for euer The twoe handles which vphold the seate are the twoe parts of strength which are according to S. Thomas Aggredi and Sustinere To vndertake and sustaine or to doe and suffer which handles firmely support this seate of Perseuerance not permitting it to fall One was at the one end to weet to Vndertake at the beginning the other at the other end to weet to Sustaine at the end The fower lyons are the fower Cardinall vertues or rather the fowre principall partes of the soule the vnderstanding the will the powers irascible and concupiscible the twelue little lyons are the eleuen Passions of the mind with Discretion which doth tame them and of lyons and furious beasts make them domesticall and seruiceable They were vpon the degrees because being well gouerned they maintaine and preserue them They were six on each side because six of these passions haue their residence in the Concupiscible powre and six in the Irascible placing thear Discretion Loe then this mysticall throne O glorious th one ô maiesticall seate ô sublime intention ô diuine worke of great Salomon It is not without good reason said of thee that no kingdome can afford they like ô throne which beautifieth the soule geuing her to vnderstand this sweet inuitation of God sayeng Veni electa mea ponam in te thronum meum Come my elect and I will place my throne in thee Oh holie intention and throne of God whear hee sitteth to renue in the soule all things therin contained according as is written Dixit qui sedebat in throno Ecce noua facio omnia Hee whoe sate in the throne sayd Behold I make all things new Lett vs consider therfore the compleat perfection of this throne ascending by order the degrees therof The first wherof is Actually by which is meant an actuall remembrance of this vvill of God which consisteth in lifting vp our mynd to the same and rectifieng our intention according therunto by which degree of Remembrance is excluded all obliuion of this will whensoeuer wee begin any thing spirituall or corporall which is a common fault causing an infinit losse and depriuing vs of an vnspeakable treasure of the light of grace and of an vnknowne waight of merit Yet to eschew this extremitie of Obliuion a man must not fall into the contrarie excesse of ouermuch Remembrance in multiplyeng so many acts and rectifieng so often his intention as to trouble the braine And therfore when I say that a man must direct his intention in all works I meane not of euery little action done by euery part and sence of the body or power of the soule but of such works as are distinguished and separated in them selfes but particularly and aboue all wee must not forget those which wee feele to please or displease nature
lifting vp theyr mind nor looking vp to God no more then hoggs in the trowgh they think such things should be no otherwise done nor that in deed a man hath the power to rectifie the same and to doe them for the vvill of God But to reforme this error and dissipate this obscuritie I referr the Reader aswell to the reasons aboue sayd against the second doubt as also to the expresse words of the Apostle sayeng Siue manducatis siue bibitis siue quid alind facitis omnia in gloria Dei facite VVhether yow eate or drinke or doe any thing els doe it all to the glorie of God And S. Augustine sayth to the sowlle well ordered Thow doest prayse God when thow takest they refection when thow doest eate when thow doest drinke thow doest prayse him when thow doest repose in thy bed thow doest also prayse him when thow doest sleepe The fourth and last doubt and hesitation proceeds from naturall things which seeme abiect and wherof a man hath some shamefastnesse For remedie against which hesitation and error serue very fitly aswell all those reasons against the second and third doubts as also these words of S. Paul which seemeth to touche the same Quae putamus ignobiliora a membra corporis esse his honorem abundantiorem circundamus quae inhonesta sunt nostra abundantiorem honestatem habent that is to say Those partes which wee think to be the baser and most dishonest members of the bodie wee couer and adorne with greater care and diligence and those that are our most vnhonest parter are more sumptuously decked wherfore no man in suche case ought to loose the presence of God knowing that the Sonne beating on the dunghill is no more obscured then when it shineth on the greene meddowe or fayre feild Of the fift degree of perfect Intention CHAP. XII THE fift degree of this Throne or perfectiō of this Intention is Cleerly that is that it be accompained with a liuely fayth namely that according as one knoweth that the worke so done is the vvill of God so with a liuely fayth and a cleer sight casting his eyes theron and firmely fixing them in the same hee steadfastly behold it as the same very vvill of God which in deed in it self is no other but God himself Hee must I say in spirit behold the worke not as that worke but as this will looking not on the thing exteriour but on the diuine pleasure interiour not as any thing created but as the vvill of God and God himself vncreated for though therin thear be something created yet that is nothing in respect of him that is thear vncreated and though thear be both the one and the other yet wee must not see both but turne from the one and contemplate the other because that as it is created and a humaine worke it bringeth no light but as it is vncreated and the vvill of God so ought wee not to fix our spirit on it as it is a humaine worke but as it is the vvill of God because our spirit can neuer see the beautie light and perfection of the one whiles it is cloathed with the obscure Image of the other for though hee see by this light of the vvill of God that hee must doe the worke exteriour or interiour which it requireth yet must hee not fix his spirit in the worke but in this will for as none can see the light of this will which will not doe the worke so none can see the same light which will only see the worke but as the soule is well inspired to doe the worke by motion of that will so is shee well illuminated when fixed in this will shee seeth not the worke as a worke but as the vvill of God Heer how will say if shee behold not the worke how can shee doe it well I answer that I say not simplie that shee should not behold the worke but that shee should not behold it as the worke but as the vvill of God for as it is his will that shee doe the worke so is it that shee doe it not as the worke but as his will and therfore in the worke must only looke vpon his will But shee cannot choose say yow but behold the worke in doing it though shee doe what shee can to the contrarie I answer that though shee cannot choose but see the worke yet can shee choose whether shee will see it as the work or as the vvill of God namely by this degree of liuely fayth And if shee doe what shee can not to see the worke as the worke but to fix herselfe only in the vvill of God all the rest of the worke which by imagination or otherwise remaineth in the mind is the vvill of God whoe so will haue it and therfore as his will shee must accept of it and as such behold it and so doing shee seeth nothing but the vvill of God But of this hath bein spoaken in the third degree By this degree which wee call Cleerly operating with liuely Fayth is excluded all dullnesse or as it were sleepinesse or slownesse of Fayth which ordinarily heerin hindreth vs of much spirituall profit and depriueth vs of great lightand knowledge of God by which dullnesse of Fayth I meane not a totall vnbeleiuing as though one beleiued not that the worke so done with such direction of intention were the vvill of God but I meane a certaine drowsines slacknes and negligence of spirit in producing aninterior act of the fayth which hee hath wherby actually to behold and contemplat the same as the very vvill of God and not as any humaine operation and worke of his owne so that not practising the fayth which hee hath nor extending the same any farther then to humaine operation nor lifting vp his mind with full assurance to his diuine will it happeneth that neither his Intelligēce is illuminated by this cleer light nor his will inflamed by this burning loue nor his soule allured by this perfect beauty nor enlarged by this gretnes nor eleuated by this highnes nor innobled by this maiesty nor finally viuified by this qwickning spirit of God but for want of practising that which he knoweth and extēding actually his fayth to that which hee beleiueth liveth in the penurie pouerty and obscuritie of his soule so being like to him that hath a sword at his side but for want drawing it forth letteth him self be killed or to him whoe hath a soueraigne medecineth his shop but for want of applyeng the same dyeth of his disease or finally whoe hath prouision sufficient in his howse and wyne enough in his celler but for want of dressing the one starueth for hunger and of drawing the other dyeth for thirst But contrarie wise By this degre of viuacitie or liuelines of fayth by this actuall seing and fixed contemplation and beholding of this vvill of God all such miserie goeth away all
or any parte of perfection doth consist and therfore rightly and not without iust cause is this vvill of God so muche praised and recommended vnto vs in holie scripture at when it is said Meus cibus est vt faciam voluntatem eius qui misit me This is my meat to doe the will of him whoe sent me and Spiritus quidem promptus est caro autem infirma fiat voluntas tua The spirit is prompt but the fleash is infirme thy will be done and Haec est volunt as Dei sanctificatio vestra This is the vvill of God your sanctification and Descendi de coelo non vt faciam voluntatem meam sed voluntatem eius qui misit me I came downe from heauen not to doe my owne will but the will of him whoe sent mee and the Psalmist Vita in voluntate eius Life is in his will and againe Domine in voluntate tua praestitisti decori meo virtutem O Lord in thy will thow hast giuen vertue to my beautie And our Sauyour Quicunque fecerit voluntatem patris mei qui in coelis est ipse meus frater soror mater est VVhosoeuer doth the will of my father which is in heauen hee is my brother sister and mother And although this vvill of God be incoÌ„prehensible in itselfe yet being in our soule it is made comprehensible and though in it self it be hiddeÌ„ yet being ioined with ours it is made knowne for as God which was incoÌ„preheÌ„sible being in our fleash was made comprehensible and which was inuisible by ioyning himself with our humanitie was made visible so it is of his will which is his spirit and himselfe for before it be in our will it is hidden and vnknown but being ioyned therwith it is seene and manifestly known to the soule and as before the Incarnation hee was only God but after the vnion with our humanitie was God and man so the vvill of God which was only diuine after the vnion with ours is diuine and humaine and as that man by that vnion might say I am God so the will of man by such an vnion may say I ame the vvill of God according to Saint Gregorie Nazian sayeng Deus humanatus est homo autem Deificatus God is made humaine and man is made diuine And Saint Augustine sayeng Talis erat illa susceptio quae Deum hominem faceret hominem Deum That was such an assumption or coniunction as made God man and man God for as when God was made man man was made God so when once the vvill of God is made the will of man the will of man is the vvill of God and as the diuinitie was not obscuâ—red by nor in the humanitie so neither is the vvill of God by nor in the will of man but as the humanitie is illuminated exalted magnified glorified and deified by the diuinitie so is the will of man by the vvill of God yet not that this vnion of wills is hypostaticall as was that of those twoe naturs but is made by the linke of loue and light of grace and heerehence commeth it that the vertuous person hath the spirit illuminated penetratiue magnanimous and couragious heerehence is it that his whole ioy is in heauenly things heerehence it proceedeth that hee treadeth vnder foot as most base that which before hee admired and aspired vnto as his cheefe felicitie his spirit being no more humaine but eleuated and magnified in God and made one with him And though some things in this chapter will not be well vnderstood by the beginner vntill such tyme as hee hath practised the third parte yet will hee vnderstand it sufficiently for attayning to the knowledge of the end for which I haue written it namely to shewe the excellency of this Rule and how all other exercises are contained heerin Neither ought any to thinke that wee attribute too much to this exercise or praise it beyond her desert for that not so much it praised as the subiect therof to weet the vvill of God as most worthily preferred before all other points as that wher in succinctly plainly easily securely and without change to any other all other points and exercises are fownded and wherby wee attaine to all perfections being practised as is breefly taught in this treatise following The summe or generall practise of all this Rule CHAP. III. HAVING seene the excellency and perfection of this rule of the vvill of God it followeth that wee now shewe the practise therof touching which wee will heer at the beginning lay downe an ample and generall document which breifly shall containe the whole matter namely that wee doe all our actions only for the vvill of God and because hee will that so wee doe I say all our works and actions as well to containe corporall as spiritual as well thoughts as words and deeds no lesse the resistance to temptations then the acceptance of inspirations In like manner in casting of any vice or imperfection as in labouring for any vertue or perfection as well in speaking as in silence in accepting labour as repose sicknes as health affliction as consolation and finally no lesse in doeng the thing naturall then supernaturall litle then great vile and base then excellent and glorious and in somme whatsoeuer is done or suffered by any part or power of the body or soule all I say must be with this only end of the vvill of God and with this sole intention because God will so haue it and this without any exception of thing tyme place or person This general practise of the vvill of God comprehending all sortes of actions good and euill seemeth to be signified by that mysticall nett of the ghospell gathering all kinds of fish good and bad of which our Sauiour sayth thus The kingdome of heauen is like a nett cast into the sea And S. Gregorie that Regnum coelorum coelestis est disciplina The kingdome of heauen is the celestiall discipline Now what other thing is this diuine will ruling all our actions and mortifieng all our passions then this heauenly discipline and so is like a nett cast into the sea to weet into this instable wauering bitter and dangerous life as a vast Oceane into which the good and religious Christian by faythfull practise casteth this diuine nett which gathereth togeather all sortes of fishe which are our thoughts desires dissignes and actions which liue and haue their mouing in this sea of our life Hee taketh them when by applicatioÌ„ of intentioÌ„ he casteth it vpoÌ„ them and gathereth them togeather when by diligent care hee chaseth them vnder the nett forcing theÌ„ to swim vnder this diuine will VVhich being full by Action hee draweth it vpp by Contemplation vpon the shore or banke of the solid earh of perdurable repose according to S. Gregory and sitting downe and resting after his trauail and retiring himself froÌ„ multiplicitie of affaires as
very much for it is thear as they say whear the Hare goeth away and wherin consisteth true aduancement Note also that though allwayes hee ought so to direct his intention whensoeuer hee beginneth to doe or suffer any thing sayeng I will doe or suffer this oh Lord for thy will this is to be vnderstood of all those tymes when hee is distracted and thinketh not already of the same will nor hath his spirit lifted vp to God and not when hee hath it so eleuated as it may happen especially if hee be diligent and the worke be shorte and not distractiue of it self For if after such direction of intention at the beginning hee be diligent in turning away his mind togeather with his eyes and other sences from all exterior things and fixing his spirit in this will and diuine pleasure and be attētiue only vnto God hee may still remaine vnited vnto him vntill hee take in hand some other thing Likewise the worke being soone done or els being not distractiue but rather drawing the soule to deuotion and towards God as in singing hymnes or diuine seruice a man may haue his mind still lifted vp which if so it be I say not that hee direct a new his intention taking in hand a new thing but that hee so still remaine with his mind so eleuated vnto God for if hee doe otherwise hee should rather descend lower then be raised higher though perhaps this case falleth not out often but that hee hath his mind distracted and the intention crooked or at least not so vpright but that the mind may be more recollected and the intention more rectified Neuerthelesse a man must not be scrupulous if hee faile in this degree and some others as though hee had committed some synne seing the desire hee hath to practise this Rule doth add no new obligation Of the second degree of perfect Intention CHAP. IX THE second degree of this mysticall Throne of pure intention and diuine will is Only that is that this will be theyr only simple and alone the end which moueth the mind to doe or suffer the thing VVhich degree excludeth all other ends and intentions whatsoeuer and first the euill and malitious intentions as to doe the thing for pride enuie couetousnes gluttonie c. Secondy all imperfect end and intentions as to doe the thing for humaine respect fauor of men self loue proper complacence seruile feare sensualitie particular profit and the like and in somme all veniall synnes and whatsoeuer is absolutlie of her owne nature imperfection Finally heerby is excluded not only the euill intētion and that which is of it owne nature imperfect but also that which is of her nature good but comparatiuely bad namely compared with a better as to doe penance discipline fast to eschew the paines of hell to merit to be rewarded to goe to heauen and the like which intentions though they be good in them selfes yet are they not so compared with the only vvill of God which is farr better as hath bein shewed and are therfore heer excluded VVherfore this degree and perfection especially appertaineth and is referred to the mortification of all our passions and affections selfe loue vntemperate desires and all other imperfections all which as bad weedes springing vp in the fertile grownd of our good works are rooted out with this fitt instrument or degree of Onely and as crooked boughes shooting out of the straight tree of our intention are cutt of with the sharpe sword of the onely vvill of God the same being as is said a right rule to measure whether the line of our intention be drawne straight or no. VVherfore let the deuout Reader take this for a generall and infallible Rule that whensoeuer in his worke he hath not this sole intention and onely vvill of God for his end without any mixture of other intention whatsoeuer it hath in it imperfection be it neuer so secretly hidden yea from the partie himself but assoone as this only will beareth sway and taketh entire possession of the heart all darknes is discouered by the light therof and all obscuritie of imperfection is cast out by the shining brightnes of the same Oh how often are wee deceiued for want of this light how straight thinke wee to be our intention how holie our desire how excellent our worke how good an opinion haue wee of our selfes but assoone as this light cometh downe must goe the Peacocks feathers seing now her fowlle feet so soyled and loaden with earthly affections durtie passions muddie proprietie and swinishe self loue for so soone as this right Rule of Gods vvill is applied vnto our intention wee see the crookednes of intēperance and disordinate desire therof All the world goeth awry because they will not by this Rule square their intentions nor by this light examin their actions In this point therfore let the deuout person labour heerin let his whole studdie be in this worke let him recollect and employ all his forces namely in thus examining his intention in all his affaires for heerin consisteth all true spirituall profitt this is the infallible fowndation in the beginning the secure way in proceeding and the consummated perfection in the end of all the Actiue life The third degree of perfect Intention CHAP. X. THE third degree of this Throne is that this intention be vvillingly that is that the work be done not only for Gods only will but also willingly and with full consent with a certaine repose peace trāquillitie and spirituall contentment therin that the soule may be made capable of the presence of God and influence of his holie spirit Quia factus est in pace locus eius His place and abode is in peace that is in the soule not disquieted with the noise of troublesome affections and contradicting passions nor with the tract of contrarie desires drawing her another way By this degree therfore of vvillingnesse and contentment is excluded and shutt out all sadnesse heauinesse and vnwillingnesse in doing leauing vndone or suffering any thing commaunded by any of the lawes aboue said of what cause soeuer such vnwillingnesse proceed Farther this vnwillingnesse and contradiction may spring of diuers causes and namely of the thing commaunded as when it is base abiect and vile as to visit prisons to attend the sicke or doe the offices of the house also when the thing is vnpleasant sharpe and bitter as discipline abstinence or fasting likewise when it is against our profit as restitution hospitalitie or almesdeeds and finally when it is against our worldly honor as to support patiently euill spightfull or slanderous words reproches and all kind of iniuries Againe this Vnwillingnesse may come by occasion of the partie that commaundeth as because hee is or is thought to be simple poore or vnlearned or that hee is his enemy or at least not his freind or hath done or spoken somewhat vnkindly to him Likewise it may come in
respect of the tyme when hee should doe the thing as when hee is commaunded to doe it when hee would rest take his refection recreation or doe some other thing of his owne or when contrariewise hee hath a mind to doe it and is cōmaunded to repose eate or rest from labour or should doe some other particular thing then that Also this Vnwillingnesse may come in respect of the maner of the worke as when it must be done speedily laboriously and diligently or meekly humbly and to his owne confufion and to the abating of his pride Finally it may happen in respect of the place as when it is publicke vnpleasant loathsome By all these occasions I say with the like this sadnes creepeth into the worke when wee doe the same though they all spring of one only cause namely proper will and must be remoued and cast out by this degree of willingnesse and contentment remembring that such is the pleasure and will of that soueraigne will whoe for his owne delight and seruice created ours Moreouer thear is an other kind of wnwillingnesse in doing the vvill of God which is more secret and proceedeth of causes lesse known but no lesse contrarie to the same vvill of God and degree of willingnesse and these causes are commonly couered with pretence of pietie as of prayer fasting teaching studdyeng preaching and the like so that many when by their superior they are commanded any thing which may interrupt their exercise they doe it not willingly but vnwillingly and with sadnesse proper will persuading them that they were better occupied before and blinding them so that they can not see how much Obedientia melior est quà m victima Obedience is better then sacrifices nor knowe that though in themselfes such works be good yet are they nought worth done against the vvill of God manifested vnto vs by his lawe and the commaunding or knowne intention of the lawfull superior namely so long as hee commaundeth not against the fame lawe A third kinde of vnwillingnesse ariseth from another cause yet more secret and vnknowne namely when a man knoweth that it is the vvill of God and also willingly taketh it in hand but vnwillingly bestoweth his spirit his endeuour and tyme vpon it to doe it well and faythfully but turning his mind from the same casteth it on God and his will and so neglecteth the worke making it not so perfect as hee ought which is a notable and most secret deceipt for casting so his mind from the worke to the vvill of God hee diuideth the said worke and will which are but one making the worke one thing and the will another and so when hee seeketh God but of the worke hee seeketh him out of his will and turning from the worke hee turneth from his will casting of his mind from the worke hee casteth it from his will and finally going out of his worke hee goeth out of his will and pleasure because the worke is his will and though still hee doth the worke yet if it be hot willingly hee doth it not before God whoe seeth the heart and iudgeth according to the will and therfore how much the more hee so feeketh God so much the lesse doth hee find him because God is neuer fownd by doing against his diuine will but the more vnwillingly hee doth that which hee commaundeth and the more hee turneth his interior eyes from it as being wearie therof the more doth hee against his will and by consequence the lesse hee findeth him But God is fownd only by his will that is by doing that which hee commaundeth in his will which is his worke by meanes of his will which is by meanes of doing the thing which hee willeth and that willingly and with all our heart and all our strength as wee are bownd to serue him which all our heart and our strength not with slownes or fastidiousnesse for Maledictus homo qui facit opus Deinegligenter Accursed is that man whoe doth the worke of God negligenly nor yet sadly or as it were by constraint for Non ex tristitiae aut nece ssitate Not with sadnesse or necessitie but willingly and with contentment Hilarem enim datorē diligit Deus For God loueth a ioyfull giuer but as is said hee doth not ioyfully the worke whoe in doing it vnwillingly thinketh therof Hee doth not I say willingly the vvill of God whoe doing the worke will not thinke therof but only of his will as though his worke were not his will or as if his will were other then his worke fynally as though his worke and his will were not one and the self same thing so that when to thinke of the will hee will not thinke of the worke hee thinketh in deed neither of the worke nor of the will and the soule that will be so out of the worke to be in God is neither in deed in God nor yet in his worke Let vs therfore lay downe heer for a sure grownd to build vpon for an infallible Maxime to resolue this matter and for a shining light to dissipat and dissolue this cloud namely that when any worke presenteth it selfe to be done following the Rules aboue said the same verie worke it self be it corporall or spirituall inasmuch as it appertaineth to mee is the verie vvill of God and to mee is spirit and life I say the verie worke it selfe to signifie the thing done and to exclude all imaginations of any other thing either in heauen or in earth or in our soule excepting as that thing it selfe is in our soule I say both corporall and spirituall that none may think the corporall to be lesse then the spirituall and to touche the deceipt and common error heerin of many spirituall men which doe more willingly the spirituall then the corporall esteeming the one kind more noble then the other and deeming to find more life and light in the one then in the other which though it be true in respect only of themselfes and good so to doe preferring the one before the other when a man hath libertie to take his choise yet is it otherwise when the vvill of God inter poseth it self by meanes of any obligation or commādement for then it is ill done and a man deceiueth himself in preferring the spirituall before the corporall obedience being as is said better then sacrifice I say in as much as it appertaineth vnto me to exclude the substance of the thing be it corporall or spirituall substance togeather also with all her Accidents as the whitenes blacknes and all kind of colours sweetnes or bitternes and all kind of tastes greatnes smallnes and all kind of proportions and finally all the qualities and accidents as not being this vvill of God but as it appertaineth vnto mee that is in as much as it ought to be in my soule as being brought vnto the same by the corporall powers and fiue sences Nihil est
In quo est Luxuria VVherin is Luxurie wherunto this Exultation is contrarie as being Vinum germinans virgines The wyne which engendreth virgins or the celibate lyfe and making a man for the fruition of these spirituall delights to despise all the pleasures of the flesh for Gustato spiritu deficit omnis Caro The spirit once tasted all flesh fayleth The effects of this Exultation are that it withdraweth vs from all vagaries retayneth vs at home within our Interiour asswageth the dolour of Abnegation encourageth Pusillanimitie commaundeth affections and bridleth Passions also it is an oyle which suppleth the stubburnes of mynd sweetneth the bitternes of the heart sollageth the tediousnes of lyfe and reioyceth the spirit it is a saulce which maketh toothsome the vnsauorie morsell of mortification a medicine which healeth the wownds of affliction a water which strengthneth the debilitie of the spirituall sight In fine it maketh vs despise all carnall consolation forget all worldly delights surmount our calamities to sit at ease amid our toyles and trauayles and to triumphe ouer our infernall foes it maketh easie things seeming impossible it geueth courage to perseuere it openeth Paradise and wafting the sowlle ouer a sea of miseries lifteth her vp to heauen as shee of whome is sayd Quae est ista quae ascendit de deserto de lit ijs affluens innixa super dilectum suum VVhoe is this that ascendeth from the desert abounding in delights leaning vpon her beloued and firmly vnited to him Of Eleuation the 5. degree CHAP. VI. AFTER this degree of Exultation succeedeth the last of Eleuation of the will and mind into God the causes wherof are all the former degrees to weet Manifestation Admiration Humiliation and Exultation For first that of Manifestation sheweth the sowlle as farre as her reach extēdeth the vvill of God and how shee is in God making her truly really and experimentally to tast it in her owne capacitie namely that it is spirit and lyfe a thing so surpassing all vnderstanding as that no witt or doctrine can comprehend it seing that naturally none can exceed the bownds of Nature but to know what is spirit and lyfe a man must be in spirit and lyfe which is aboue nature and beyond the actiuitie of her Sphear and so not naturally to be knowne but this degree of Manifestation discloseth vnto vs the vvill of God spirit and lyfe in that it lyfteth vs vp aboue nature yet notwithstanding forasmuch as this degree discouereth not the vvill of God so plainly as the others in theyr order so neither doth it lift vp the sowlle so much as they but as it doth but only begin the discouerie so doth it but begin to lift vp the sowlle into God Admiration likewise as is manifest lifteth vp the sowlle for that Admiration being nothing els but a totall extension of the sowlle and all her powers vpon an obiect beyond and aboue her capacitie it must of necessitie lift vp the admiring sowlle for that such extension of her self and totall application of her powers to this will causeth consequently on the one side an auersion from exteriour things by a totall intraction of her powers and senses and on the other a perfect inherence or adhesion therunto wherby to comprehend it the which auersion and conuersion or adhesion to the supernaturall obiect work this Eleuation The like is of Humiliation eleuating the sowlle as is shewne Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae For that hee hath respected the humilitie of his hand-mayd and a whyle after Et exaltauit humiles And hath exalted the humble It eleuateth her I say not only in grace vertue and fauor of God but also in actuall Contemplation and experimētall knowledge of him for that by such act of Humiliation as is shewed a man reducing himself with all other things to nothing hee seeth God in all things or rather all things to be God and consequently can see nothing but God euery whear and this is the true Eleuation Then for Exultation the like also is of it being but an excessiue spirituall ioy the plenarie abundance wherof replenisheth wholly the sowlle and with her extreame sweetnes so inebriateth her as that cleane forgetting the world and all creatures yea her self shee remaineth wholly fixed in this fountaine of ioye to weet God whoe hath totally seazed vpon all her powres and so strooken and wownded her heart and taken a full possession therof that shee hauing now no more dominion ouer herself followeth his inflaming instincts and attractions all in all and as it were hand in hand geueth eare to his wordes embraceth his doctrine and finally geueth herself wholly ouer vnto him submitting and subiecting her to his good pleasure followeth him like as doth the shaddowe the boddie adheareth to him like the Accident to the Substance like the Circumference to the Center the member to the boddie the branche to the vine and the parte to the wholle and so is perfectly becom one and the same spirit with God for Qui adhaeret Deo vnus spiritus est VVhoe so adheareth to God is one spirit with him Thus then it appeareth how the Interiour vvill of God cometh not all at once but by little and little and how the sowlle feeleth it by degrees shee being without this diuine will likevnto the world wholly repleat and couered all ouer with the darknesse of the night and it on the other side like vnto the Sun or day the which as it approcheth expelleth and banisheth all that darknesse leauing her like a little world all ouer illumined but as the daye commeth not all at once but by degrees and successiuely so likewise doth this will For as in the morning the day beginneth to appear and shew it self by little and little so also doth this diuine will in the beginning of Pure intention After followeth the dawne or breake of day which sheweth manifestly that the day is entred into the word wherunto resembleth the degree of Manifestation which in like maner manifesteth that the vvill of God is entred into the sowlle Then afterward the sun beginneth to ryse lightning the world somwhat more and this resembleth the degree of Admiration by which the fowlle apprehen deth more perspicuously the vvill of God and is therby more illuminated then before After this the Sun dischaseth all the darknesse of the night the which is the degree of Humiliation wherby namely by the great abasement and annihilation of the sowlle shee discouereth more essentially this vvill of God and vniting her self perfectly therunto disperseth all her spirituall fogg and darknesse After all this the Sun sheweth himself in his full and compleat beautie and brightnesse suche as that therby it cheereth and cherisheth all creatures both reasonable and vnreasonable which office appertaineth to this degree of Exultation wherin the vvill of God sheweth it self so fayer and admirable that the
life without euer leauing it of or seeking others no lesse then the ship which to goe into the sea neuer leaueth the riuer wherin shee rideth In the beginning I only call it vvill and not God because one of these twoe words fitteth better the Actiue life theÌ„ the other because more properly wee say in the Actiue life I will doe this thing because it is the vvill of God theÌ„ to say because it is God also that would be too sublime a doctrine and litterally taken scarse to be admitted likewise because all exercises wayes vertues and perfections are better reduced to this then to any other point In the Contemplatiue life also or second part I doe not take this word God because thear is yet some image though verie subtile and secret Finally in the Supereminent life or third part I doe not alter this word vvill fearing least a man might think that I had chaÌ„ged the point or obiect of this exercise but I keep allwayes the same word keeping still the distinction of three Epithets to weet Exteriour for the Actiue life Interiour for the Contemplatiue and Essentiall for the Supereminent VVhich must be noted for auoyding in this exercise both error and confusion And thus much for the resolution of your doubt From Orleans this 16. of August 1593. Your Brother in Christ Iesus B. Benet FOrasmuch as the third part mentioned of this Rule treateth only of things abstract of high contemplatioÌ„ of the Essence of God it is thought vnfitting the common sort and therfore not conuenient to be published vnlesse perchance heerafter vpon some farher reasons or experience of these tvvoe parts it shall othervvise seeme meet Meane tyme these so abundantly plainly and succinctly shevve the meanes and lay open the vvay to perfection that the diligent Practiser of them vvithout the other shall quickly attayne therunto 1. Abridgement of the vvhole spirituall life 2. Breuitie 3. Meritorious End of others Fitt for all vvithout multiplicitie Sure from deceipts The end and the meanes Similie 6. Permanent Similie Similie Similie notand 1. Renouncing of him self Matt. 16. Luc. 9. 2. Resignation Matt. 26. 3. Puritie of heart Matt. 5. 4. Presence of God Psal 15. 5. Knovvledge of himself Ephe. 4. Knovvledge of God Ioan. 17. Annihilation Psal 72. Vnion 1. Corin. 6. 9. Contemplation Psal 54. 10. Loue of God Ioan. 14. 11. TraÌ„sformation Rom. 13. Coloss 3. Gal. 2. Ephes 4. Galas 2. Psal 131. a Ioan. 4. b Matt. 26. c Thess 4. d Ioan. 6. e Psal 29 f Psal 8â— g Mat. 12. Marc 3. Epist 1. ad ElidoniuÌ„ inter pri mid August lib. 1. de Trinit 13. circa prin tomo 2. The summe of the vvhole practise of this Rule Matt 13. Gregor Hom. 11. in Euan. Greg. homil in loan 21. Psal 45. Argument 1. Deceipt 2. Deceipt 3. Deceipt 4. Deceipt 5. Deceipt ObjectioÌ„ Ansvver 2. Obiection Ansvver In supplemen qu. 15. art â— Rom. 12. Lyra. in RoÌ„ 12. De cael hier c. 15. S Th. in opdâ—hu Christi post init Iac. 1. The exterior vvill Psal 15. Matt. 19. Matt. 15. Hebrae 13. Luc. 20. Rom. 13. ObiectioÌ„ Ansvver 1. Of things commanded 2. Of things forbidden 3. Of things indifferent Coll. 3. Rom. 8. VVhen the thing is difficile vvhat is to be done VVhen the matter is of importance Coloss 3. 1. Argument 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Exod. 3. Psal 49. Psal 8â— Psal 50. I. Doubt and the solution 2. Doubt and the solution 3. Doubt Solution Note vvell Galat. 5. Rom. 7. 1. Ioan. 5. Matt. 11. 2. Tim. 2. Great coÌ„fort for the tempted Rom. 7. Iob. 7. 4. Doubt Solution Hovv to knovv yf a ma haue consented Tvvoe causes of vveaknes 5. Doubt ResolutioÌ„ Dan. 3. 1. Reg. 11. Eccl. 10. Prou. 28. Similie Psal 38. Abac. 3. Ibid. 3. Reg. c. 10. Psal 75. 1. Cor. 13 Psal 44. 2. 2. q. 128 art 4. Actually 1. degte Faultes against this degree Onely 2. degree Faultes against this degree VVillingly 3. Degree Psal 75. Faultesagainst this degree The first kind of â—ontradiction in doing the vvill of God 2. 3. 4. 5. The 2. kinde of coÌ„tradiction 1. Reg. 11. The 3. kind of contrndiction Hier. 48. 2. Cor. 9. Ibid. Assuredly the fourth degree Faults against this degree The first cause Remedy 2. Cause Remedy Simlie Coloss 3. Aug. sup Psal 46. 3. Causae 1. Cor. 10. 4. Cause 1. Cor. 12. Cleerly the 5. degree ObiectioÌ„ Ansvver ObiectioÌ„ Ansvver Fault against this degree Simâ—lies Speedily the sixt degree Faulter against this degree 1 1. 2 2. 3 3. A man fayling in the former degrees must neds fayle in the latter but not contrarievvise Devv occupation during the vvorke Note Similie Tvvoe meanes to continue the purified Intention Meanes Luc. 5. 2. Meanes Note The first error 2. 3. 4. 1. Actually Cant. 8. 2. Onely Cant. 1. 3. Cant. 4. Matt. 6. 3. vvilligly Cant. 5. Cant. 4. Thren 3. Psal 53. 4. Assuredly Cant. 7. Apoc. 21. 5. Cleerly Cant. 1. Cant. 3. Psal 72. Psal 45. Cant. 2. 6. Speedily Cant. 2. Ambr. hom in Luc. Luc. 1. The seat of continuation Cant. 3. Iob. 38. VVhy these six degrees be heer putt devvne 1. Cause 2. 3. Demonstrations by example Ioan. 6 Tvvoe things in generall in the lyfe of our Sauiour to imitate Ioan. 13. Somefayle in the one and some in the other 1. 1. Petr. 2. Rom. 8. 1. Ioan. 2. Means to enter and continue in this practise Practise upon the 5. Senses psal 53. S. Elizabeth S. Catherine of Siena Vpon the povvers of the Soulle Boett de consol Phil. Met. 2. S. Tho. 1. a 2. 〈◊〉 Error Remedie Error Remedie for the Intelligence S. Dionys 3. ep ad Caium Mon. Cant. 6. Genes 32. Cant. 4. Similie Remedie for the vvill Psal 84. Fovvre sorts of prayer Six interiour PoiÌ„ts necessary for prayer 1. 2. 3. 4. 4. Once entred by abnegation difficultie is taken avvay Chap. 6. Chap. 7. Chap. 8. Chap. 9. Chap. 10. Chap. 11. Chap. 12. Chap. 13. Chap. 14. Chap. 16. Chap. 18. Description of the interiour vvill of God The sueetnes of this vvill The difference betvvixt the Exteriour and Interiour vvill S. Bernard In opusc de humanit Christi c. Psal 83. Prou. 4. ManifestatioÌ„ the. I. Degree It proceedeth of a pure intention VVhy it is not tasted Hovv this choyce is made Note The sovvlle must plunge her self more deeply in the vvill of God hauing once fovvnd it Let ts of the interiour vvill Hovv this degre proceedech from puritie of intentsion Psal 84. Cant. 5. Cant. 2. Psal 118. Ibid. Cant. 5. Cant. 5. Psal 33. Cant. 2. Isay 59. Admiration the 2. degree It proceedeth of 3. causes The greatnes of God 1. Cause Our nothing 2. Cause Psal 7 2. Ioan. 10. Psal 49. Cant. 2. Isay 49. Psal 14. Luc. 12. Psal 77. These degrees be not considerations Humiliation 3. Degree Luc. 5. Luc. 1. Ioan. 13. Apoc. 19. Iob. 10. Ioan. 13. Ibid. Ibid. Apoc. 21. Osee 2. Ioan. 13. Cant. 5. Ibid. Ioan. 13. Cant. 4. Osee 2. Cant. 5. Luc. 1. Luc. 11. This dialogue passeth in spirit VVhy faemiliarity maketh a vvall bevvixt God and the Souls Exultation 5. Degree VVherof it cometh Luc. 1. Cant. 1. Ephe. 5. Zach. 6. The effects of Exultation Cant. 3. EleuatioÌ„ 5. Degree Effects 1. 2. 3. Luc. 1. 4. Corin. 6. Similie notan 1. Degree 2. Degree 3. Degree 4. Degree 5. Degree 6. Degree Apoc 12. Psal 103. Cant. 6. Aduises 1. 2. 3. 4. Similie Note vvell 7. Poynts to be examined 3. Principall things in Prayr Hovv to examin the intention For prayr grovvnded vpon the only vvill of God continuation of exameÌ„ For other sorte of Prayer frequent reflexion Secret deceptions VVhat is true deuotion 2. 2. qu. 82. art 1. The grovvnd of all perfecction Hovv to repose coÌ„tinually in God A perfect Resignation Note Rom. 8. Similie notan